#AND ATHENA BEING ALL EXCITED TO GO AND HAVE ALONE TIME WITH HER MAN

[agentpeggycartering]

running your finger down their spine, bucktommy

Thank you for the prompt, dear, and I hope you enjoy!

The last few months— the last year, really— had been rough on everyone, but things were improving. It was good to have everyone together like this again, in a backyard, surrounded by the smell of grilling meat and the sound of laughing children. And there was so much to celebrate, too.

Baby Han was growing more and more each day, and Jee was taking so well to being a big sister. Maddie was doing well, having open and honest conversations with Chimney and her doctors about how she was feeling and it wasn't anything like how she was after Jee-Yun was born.

Mara was officially part of the Wilson family, and the grin had hardly left her face since they left the courthouse after her adoption. The knowledge that she was home and never had to leave again—could never be made to leave again— settling something deep within her, putting to rest a lot of her worries and fears after everything that had happened with Councilwoman Ortiz.

Athena was smiling more often, accepting more dinner invitations. She wasn't her old self again, but no one expected her to be. They just didn't want to lose touch with her, and Buck especially didn't want her to be alone.

And, of course, they were celebrating the newly promoted Captain of the 118.

But the happiest thing, the thing that was the most important, the thing that Buck wanted to shout from the rooftops, was that he and Tommy had sat down and talked about their fears, their pasts and baggage, their expectations for their relationship and the future and had gotten back together. They were on the same page and fully committed to both each other and to doing the work to make their relationship last.

Buck is in the middle of telling Ravi a story when Tommy comes up next to him, crowding in close and resting a hand on his hip. He presses a quick kiss to Buck's cheek in greeting before he presses carefully assembled plate of food into his hand.

"Thanks, babe." Buck says to Tommy with a grin and a kiss to the cheek, before turning back to his conversation with Ravi, now embellishing and emphasizing with his fork. Tommy has to dodge the occasional bit of food when Buck gets too excited in the middle of taking a bite and waves the fork around before it gets to his mouth.

He's a warm, steady presence at Buck's side, interjecting when there's an opportunity but largely letting Buck steer the conversation. Buck is so overjoyed that he gets to have this, Tommy at his side, his family all around him. It's different than it was last year in a lot of ways, but for the first time in a long time he's truly content.

Ravi's drink runs out and Tommy offers to get him a new one, because he also needed a drink and 'do you need anything, Evan?'. Buck does, and he watches as Tommy makes his way across the yard to the coolers, chatting briefly when he's stopped, but he doesn't take too long, pointing over at Buck and Ravi with an apologetic expression on his face. He comes back with bottle of water for himself and beers for Buck and Ravi, opening them before handing them out like the gentleman that he is. Buck gives him a kiss in thanks.

"Thanks man, but I'm not going to kiss you. You're not my type and also I like my ankles the way they are." Ravi says, and Tommy chuckles, laughing even harder when he sees the pout on Buck's face. He kisses the pout away and Buck decides to forgive him, he did bring him food and a beer, after all. Ravi tells them that they're gross, and then asks Tommy to clarify something that Buck had said while he was gone, because he didn't believe that Buck was telling the truth, which, rude!

Tommy obliges, crowding into Buck's side again, but rests his hand at the small of his back instead of his hip. He rubs his thumb up and down while he tells Ravi a story from when he first started at Harbor.

Buck finds that this beer is making him pleasantly buzzed, and he finds himself leaning towards Tommy, just wanting to be close to him. Tommy takes his weight without a word, easily carrying the conversation with Ravi, and runs his fingers up and down his back, right on top of his spine. Buck finds himself going even more boneless and sighs to himself, happy to be here with his family and the man he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

[lostintheuniverseslies]

Part 1 • Part 2

This was only supposed to be one part but y’all’s feedback has me excited to write more.

He doesn’t remember ordering the Uber, getting into the car, or the drive to the hospital. All he can think about is Evan. Dying.

Evan. Alone.

Evan. Thinking he wasn’t the person Tommy was meant to spend his life with. Because of course, he didn’t. Tommy walked away like a coward.

He shouldn’t go to the hospital. He broke up with Evan. They’ve been apart for almost three months. He doesn’t have a right to be here. Doesn’t have a right to worry. Doesn’t have a right to sit with the people who didn’t leave Evan.

But he needs to make sure Evan is okay. He needs to hear it from a doctor, needs to see Evan with his own eyes—just once—to confirm he’s alive.

And then he can walk away.

Maybe.

But he doubts he will. Not after spending the entire minute and thirty seconds of that voicemail believing Evan was already gone.

The hospital is a blur. He barely registers thanking the Uber driver, taking the elevator up to the floor Howie texted him. He has only a moment to doubt his place here before Maddie spots him. She’s up from her chair in an instant, arms outstretched.

He expects her to be angry, to tell him to leave. But she wraps her arms around him instead, holding him tight.

And Tommy doesn’t hesitate. He holds on just as tightly, feels her body shake with silent sobs, and it unravels him all over again.

He’s never been good at showing emotions. His father, the army, Gerrard—all taught him that feelings were weaknesses. Being a boy meant sucking it up. Being a man meant swallowing it down.

It took a long time to unlearn that. But crying? That was something he only did in the shower, late into the night, where no one could see. No one could hear.

But today, he cried in his garage. And now, he’s crying in Maddie’s arms.

And he knows—if Evan dies, it will break him into pieces he’ll never be able to repair.

The breakup was supposed to protect him. Self-preservation.

But it meant absolutely fucking nothing when he knows, deep down, he was completely gone on Evan Buckley the moment he asked for a second chance over coffee.

“Do they know what happened?” Tommy asks when they pull apart.

Howie steps in, hugging him without hesitation and Tommy is too emotionally frayed to be surprised.

“I called him to see if he could pick something up on his way over for dinner tonight,” Maddie says, voice tight. “A paramedic answered. She told me he was hit by a car while saving a little girl.”

Despite everything, pride swells in Tommy’s chest.

Of course Evan would throw himself in front of danger for someone without thinking about the outcome.

“Is she okay?” Tommy asks.

“As far as I know,” Maddie answers.

“And Evan’s injuries?”

Maddie exhales shakily. “His surgeon just updated us. He’s stable enough for surgery but still critical. They’re trying to control the internal bleeding first. It could take three or four hours. The CT scan didn’t show any brain swelling, which is good. But that’s all we know right now.”

Tommy nods. None if it settles him.

Yes, Evan is in surgery.

Yes, Evan is stable enough to be operated on.

But people still die in surgery.

Maddie takes his hand, guiding him to sit and she doesn’t let him go. He doesn’t mind. It keeps him tethered. Keeps him from running.

He’s so fucking sick of running.

If Evan makes it through this, if he meant what he said on that voicemail, Tommy will never run from him again.

Within the hour, everyone who loves Evan arrives.

Bobby. Athena. Eddie. Hen. Karen.

Tommy feels like a fraud. Like he doesn’t deserve to be here. He can’t lift his head. Can’t meet their eyes. If he does, he might see them agree.

Maddie squeezes his hand. “You okay?” she asks, reading his turmoil instantly.

Something compels him to tell the truth.

“No.” His voice cracks. “What right do I have to be here? I left him.”

The words sit heavy between them, and when he finally looks up, Maddie is already watching him. Her eyes are still watery but she doesn’t look at him with pity.

“Wanna know a secret?” She asks.

The shift in topic throws him, but he nods hesitantly.

“I left him once too. Not just once but twice,” she admits.

Tommy stares. She says it like a confession. Like she knows exactly what he’s feeling.

“But I came back,” Maddie continues. “And he forgave me.” A small, knowing smile tugs at her lips. “Because Buck has a big heart, and he forgives. He’ll forgive you, too.”

Tommy lets out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “It’s different. You’re his sister.”

“And you’re the love of his life.”

That knocks the breath from his lungs. He makes a sound—something broken, wet, barely a laugh, mostly a sob. He doesn’t feel worthy of that title.

“He called me before help came,” Tommy whispers, voice thick. The waiting room goes quiet. He knows they’re all pretending not to listen. But he doesn’t care.

“He left a voicemail.” Tommy swipes a hand across his face, smudging away tears and grime, forgetting he didn’t clean up after changing the oil in his truck. “He called me.” His throat tightens as he struggles to make sense of it. “He was more worried about me being alone than the fact that he was dying. I don’t understand. I left, Maddie. And he called me.” He shakes his head, barely breathing through it. “I don’t deserve it.”

Maddie doesn’t argue. She just tilts her head slightly, searching his face. “Why?”

The question knocks him off balance. He blinks at her. “What?”

“Why don’t you deserve it?” She repeats, unwavering. “Why don’t you deserve to be here for him? To love him? Because you left?” Her voice remains calm, measured. “Did you leave him because you didn’t love him?”

“No. God, no. I love him.” The words come out rough, desperate. “I love him with everything I have.”

“Then why?”

“Because I’m not worth it.” The confession tears out of him, raw and unfiltered.

Maddie’s gaze remains steady as she asks, “Shouldn’t that be for him to decide?”

The question shouldn’t hit him as hard as it does.

“If he told you he wasn’t worth loving, would you agree?”

“God, no.”

“Then why is it different when it’s you?”

Tommy doesn’t have an answer.

Maddie lets the silence settle for a beat before glancing around the room. “Look around,” she says. “Every single person here has made mistakes. But we fought for the people we love. We didn’t let the mistakes be the end of the story.”

Tommy swallows hard, his chest tight.

“Relationships aren’t mean to be easy every single day. You think Bobby and Athena never struggled?” She continues. “You think Hen and Karen haven’t had their battles? Me and Howie? I left him. I left him and Jee-Yun.”

Tommy blinks at her. He didn’t know that. But maybe that was the point—Maddie’s history wasn’t Evan’s to tell.

“When we’re scared, we run,” Maddie says, voice gentler now. “But people like Howie and Buck? They don’t keep that as a weapon to use against us. They remind us—every single day—of all the reasons we should stay. Until we stop wondering if running would be better.” She squeezes his hand again. “You just have to give him the chance.”

Tommy closes his eyes, exhaling shakily.

Maybe, just maybe, he can.

Hour Four: They’ve stopped the lung bleeding and removed his spleen.

Hour Six: Tommy stretches his legs and Eddie follows. He gives Tommy a hug and they don’t have to exchange any words because the pain is clear on both of their faces.

Hour Eight: Athena checks for updates on the hit-and-run.

Hour Ten: Pelvic and arm surgery complete. ICU next. And Evan’s family are allowed to visit him one by one.

Hour Seventeen: Tommy stands outside his room.

It feels like a nightmare. Machines help Evan breathe and there are wires everywhere. He doesn’t want to enter but he has something to say.

He steps inside. Takes Evan’s hand. Already feels tears welling again.

“I love you so much, sweetheart,” he whispers, voice thick. “I need you to come back to me. Please.”

One more?

Final part

[saras-almanac]

So I know that this is technically the first season of this show where we know going in to season 8 what the storylines will be--at least in general broad strokes and I am so excited! There's literally so many different ways things can play out and I can't wait!

Bobby and Athena -- I actually feel like as a relationship we didn't see this develop much because they literally went from like a date in season 1 to making out in between fire trucks in season 2 and engaged a few episodes later so I absolutely loved the idea of Athena's fear in season 7 of "What do we have when we're not running around?" I hope that they explore that a little more in the idea of "What does our life look like if/when we're not working?" Plus Bobby not being Captain anymore is such an interesting personal story because he literally only came back to being a Captain because he felt like he had a debt to pay. But now it's up to him to really choose whether he still wants to be an active captain or not... (Obviously he won't be Captain forever and I have Thoughts on where I want these characters to go lol) But the comedy gold of him being a tech advisor on a show is hilarious and I genuinely wouldn't be upset if it lasts a long time and then the actor keeps showing up at the fire house after the fact.

I am not a huge fan of Athena's storylines because it's really hard to root for cops in general but also she has abused her power so many times with no thoughts, but maybe MAYBE this idea with reuniting with that man from her past could be a change of, hey things are not as black and white. (I still understand why they framed Athena begins the way they did, but I think it would have been a much bigger impact to have let the man go because he turned his life around and became such a positive influence. But that's just me.)

Also give them more comedy storylines! The cruise ship stuff is one of my favorite things ever with Athena trying to solve a murder but also not wanting to be left alone with Bobby while Bobby is like "I think my wife is avoiding me." Comedy gold and I loved it. Give me them moving in to a neighborhood with HOAs and ridiculous neighborly gossip that they're always investigating and spying but like the lowest stakes possible. (Like the garbage spying Bobby and Michael did that one episode, just not always leading to a secret underground plastic surgeon.) Just give them fun stuff to do. Please.

Hen and Chimney -- I absolutely that this season is set up to sort of test that relationship in a way. Because Chimney and Maddie took in Mara as the sweetest thing to do, but how do they manage this now that Mara is putting down roots. I feel like this is something that is going to lead to a lot of emotions on both sides because Chimney's not trying trying to take Mara away but I also feel like that's going to play on the fears / feelings of Hen and Karen not having security with their children. (But it will be a happy conclusion with Mara back at Henren's as a family because I will be sad if it becomes this idea of "maybe Mara is better off with Madney" just because Henren have gone through that so many times!)

Maddie and Chimney--would love to see them talking about the future of their family, are they having more kids, do they even want more kids? They've never talked about it and I think taking Mara in is the perfect excuse for them to bring it up, have those discussions that I feel like they've never been that great at having. And give them the wedding reception they deserve! Just let them be happy and in love.

Eddie... what can't the do with Eddie this season? Of all the characters, he has had the least amount of growth / development in the show. He's stagnant, unchanged, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it's that he's been put in situations where there should have been some growth or change but it's never actually happened. I still think of Lena calling Eddie out on being a terrible friend (which is why I actually don't think he hangs out much with the rest of the firefam because he is incredibly self-centered so much and completely unaware of it.) I really want this separation with Chris to force him to deal with Shannon's death and everything that led up to that--he ran away from his responsibilities as a parent and a partner, he just moves passed anything that's difficult for him until it seemingly works out again, or just acts like nothing's wrong. I just want to see some development for him--I'd take anything at this point lol. I want him to acknowledge his flaws and failings and then work through them, because that's where the story lies--whether that's through reconnecting with his religious roots or deconstructing, or intensive grief counselling and therapy. And no romantic relationships for him this year. Part of his growth NEEDS to be that having a romantic partner is not going to "fix him" or "cure him" and apart from having sex with the women, he never seems to be happy in those relationships. Now that could be him being aromantic or just putting way too much pressure on every relationship to immediately be lived in and like his rose-colored view of his marriage to Shannon--which shockily doesn't happen because the women are not Shannon?

Buck, my boy, I am so excited for this season for him! I feel like they might be leaning into the potential of an ADHD diagnosis for him--just purely based on the slow-mo, overstimulated shot of the camera slowly zooming in on his face. And the idea of that on top of him just realizing and discovering his bisexuality could be a really interesting storyline to explore. Sort of a parallel to Buck Begins of him "not knowing what being Buck means" again but different. It's less he doesn't know who he is but he's just gotten so much new information about himself and he's struggling to place the pieces and how much that changes his perception of himself--if it does.

Add that to his new relationship with Tommy, the story that could come of that! Or literally any potential hurdle a new relationship deals with. They were both so open and vulnerable when they had that conversation but it's not a stretch to think that Buck might pull back a bit from sharing that stuff with Tommy because he's so terrified of being too much and/or being abandoned. And even if Tommy tells Buck he's not, there's a very good chance that Buck just won't be able to believe him. Or their hurdles could just be general communication issues or realizing they have different communication styles or moving in together. Or it could be the giddy excitement of being in this new, fun relationship might mean they've moved away from some of those more heavier topics. So many options!

The absolute only thing I don't want is any form of jealousy on Tommy's part that's because he's dating a bisexual. I don't see them going that route and how regressive and bi-phobic it is, but that's my least favorite thing ever in the limited bisexual representation we have and that would genuinely upset me. Totally fine if Tommy has jealousy based on his insecurities--like why would Buck be serious about him, maybe it's too soon to settle down, maybe it's just Buck is so effortlessly charming that it's sometimes hard for Tommy. All totally fine, even if I would prefer that to not be the case.

All this to say, I'm so excited and literally want to both see how this season plays out and also write every version of this!

[literallyjustforlurking]

Daughters of Ancient Greece (I met you by the garden)

We all know that Zoe was alive during the time of Heracles and since there is no definitive answer of when Heracles and Odysseus's stories happened in reference to eachother I decided that they happened at the same time and as such Penelope and Zoe met after Zoe was betrayed by Heracles and ousted from the garden of the Hesperides for helping him steal a golden apple.

At this point Penelope was unmarried and still lived in Sparta and when a spartan princess sees a demititaness/nature spirit who looks ready to start biting people they welcome them with open arms (lol). But Penelope helps Zoe get back on her feet and helps her deal with the betrayal and no longer being welcome by her family, all the while Zoe is acting as one of handmaidens to keep her parents and sisters from intervening.

(Helen and Clytemnestra both remember this handmaiden who showed up out of nowhere and kept scaring off all of Penelope's suitors but they never bothered to ask until they meet Zoe and it's like *insert suprised pikachu face*)

One day Artemis's hunt is in the region and both Zoe and Penelope get an invitation, while accepts, and is very excited to do use, Penelope thinks on it an declines, Zoe is devestated but promises to come visit and Artemis says it is an open inviation for as long as Penelope remains a maiden and even if she does not she will still be under Artemis's protection.

(It's another headcannon of mine that Zoe was one of the fist members of the hunt and that's why Artemis is so attached to her, so P!Percy is really suprised at how big and organized the hunt has gotten because she's used to it being really small just a few girls and less than a century old!)

And the moment Zoe leaves Odysseus appears and falls head over heals for Penelope and then romances her and Zoe shows back up like a year later only to find out Penelope married the lying, cheating, tricky king of Ithaca who Athena's training to die. Zoe is pissed. Zoe takes the rest of the hunt and storms but to Penelope's place and is like "What the fuck were you thinking? You could have done so much better? That one looks like a drowned rat and all men do is lie! And he's famous for lying!"

Odysseus fears for his life as a goddess and her lieutenant shit talk him to his wife's face while his wife invites them in for dinner. Zoe has also met Telemachus and is like "if there will ever be a not bad man it will be the one you raise old friend"

After they see each again, (Probably around the begining of book three right after Annabeth falls off the cliff), Zoe trys to convince P!Percy to join the hunt because while Zoe knows Penelope loved Odysseus she was still alone for 20 years and stuck with the suitors that whole time and you know Zoe came and visited sometimes and saw what was going on and was pissed at Odysseus and kept being like "Penelope, Penelope, just leave him, fuck your husband, we'll even let you bring the boy"

Penelope doesn't leave but Zoe still greatly dislikes Odysseus.

And that means since Telemachus never met any of his mothers sisters (Odysseus has a sister Ctimene so technically Telemachus does have an aunt) Zoe was practically his aunt and Artemis and Athena have beef because while Telemachus trained with Athena more he knew Artemis for longer (and maybe Artemis taught him how to shoot since him father was away)

This post really got away from me so I hope you like i! :)

(What are you talking about homoerotic undertones? Where are you getting that from? Nooooo)

[flaming-toads]

Some bathena thoughts that plague my mind that I don't know what to do with so I'm rambling about them here.

Every time i hear the song Lovely Day I think of an incredibly cheesy 911 scene with all the characters. It's mostly Bathena but if it pops on some playlist i just keep adding details to it. It's like an amv in my head i'm putting together lol

There's this hipless dress I keep getting advertised to me but if I keep freakin seeing it I'm going to draw Athena in it.

This one is based off a tiktok trend but I can't stop thinking about Athena trying to lift bobby up on the counter and Bobby absolutely losing his shit because 1. his wife is adorable and strong, 2. and he was absolutely not expecting her to do that but he's a bashful mess about it

Here are some more seasonal related ones:

There's this personalized gift video with a drinking glass that says "I ♥ your face especially when its between my legs Love, -" I keep thinking about Athena getting Bobby like a thermos or something more as a gag gift and him not realizing what it says until he takes it to work and nearly spitting out his coffee and Hen absolutely losing it at the gift

An AU kinda based on too many holiday set up movies if i'm honest lol but Hen and Chim setting Bobby and Athena up. LISTEN i don't have all the details in my head but I'm obsessed with the thought of them getting these two together around christmas time, Karen getting involved because it's a must. I need like date set ups, getting them alone. Like imagine the squad telling them they're all gonna hang out and then bail on Bobby and Athena at a lowkey romantic set up. Perhaps there's already some feelings so like they're going to be like oh well since we're here we might as well enjoy! but they just enjoy eachothers company and don't want to say no lol. Hen offered to drive Athena to a food drive but then setting up Bobby to take her place. Chim getting tickets to a show and then saying he's not feeling well but Bobby's more than welcome to the tickets and can take someone else and it's bobby so of courseeeeee he's gotta ask athena if she wants to go and oh my gosh imagine them nervously texting or calling and athena being cute and responding it's a date casually but then bobby is like omg it's a date! Them walking to Bobby's truck and him offering his jacket and he ends up confessing he wasn't sure if this was a date and Athena asks him he wants it to be. And in my mind yall, like the vulnerability of how she asks it. I cry at my own little bathena christmas movie in my head lol

The pair of them cooking/baking together. I think about this far too often. But more specifically christmas cookies and bobby writing some little messages on cookies for Athena TcT BAKING COMPETITIONS! I think they would for sure win together and their culinary genius would lead them to flawless victory! Or them against each other and Bobby and Athena are a little too bit into the rivalry dynamic lol

Athena excited to see her kids for christmas (and/or) May's birthday. Like I keep thinking about Athena just all kinds of happy cooking her babies favorites, listening to music, her kids and her husband all together uwu

Athena getting some christmas time to snuggle her man (in a home she's comfortable and happy in!!!) and enjoy hot cocoa while listening to Nate King Cole.

More thoughts but these lean a bit towards nswf-ish territory :

Bobby bringing Athena breakfast in bed and he's wearing a santa hat and his suspenders because my girl deserves her big strong fireman giving her breakfast and a show 💪

Athena wearing nothing but a red bow waiting for Bobby to get home on christmas eve. I have like three drawings of this but i can't decide what one i want to finish!

Athena saying she's cold only to snuggle and tease Bobby. She's just warming her hands in Bobby's pants she has no ulterior motives!

[tiptapismellbullcrap]

Things me and my friend talked about happening in 9-1-1

- Athena and Bobby rent an apartment from Ravi post season 7.

- I also talked about two bottle episodes: 1) the 118 is helping Ravi with setting up some new equipment for the gym in one of his apartment building and they somehow get stuck there and they don’t have signal. And 2) episode begins with buck excited for his first time going to a gay bar while out. “What’s the worst that could happen?!” Cut to the 118 in a holding cell. The entire episode is them trying to figure out what happened at the bar fight.

- Eddie having a buck 1.0 era and realises he’s queer post season 7. He’s just dancing and kisses some guy and is like. w a i t -

- Alternative queer Eddie realisation. Buck gets invested in queer culture, starts listening to Chappell Roan. Eddie, being supportive of his bi bestie’s hyperfixation decides to listen to her music. He listens to good luck babe. Has a “wait is this song about me???” Moment

- also buck Chappell roan related - he starts saying femininomenon every time he hears the word phenomenon

- need Athena and Bobby adopting maddie as well as buck. Like maybe Bobby is still off work and childcare falls through for madney so Bobby takes jee and Mara and is grandpa Bobby. Maybe maddie all stressed about something so Athena invites her to her and mays mani pedi day (w mays permission ofc)

- I want to see more hen and chim being detectives

- sad one but I can see Ravi being left as man behind while Gerard is captain, using the excuse that he’s the newest to be racist. Chim comforting Ravi and being a supporting role bc he’s been through it and knows how awful it can be, and he is not going to let Ravi feel alone.

- Ravi has a group chat with the friends he made while going through chemo. It has a stupid name

- I also need to see ravis friends and family. He has a baby niece through a sister. They live in another state while he lives in LA with their parents, but he is making sure that he is his nieces favourite family member

- may and Ravi bump into each other at a club one night and their friend groups merge into one big extended friend group, the group chat is a mess. Bobby doesn’t realise that the friends that both may and Ravi talk about are the same people for months, he just thinks the weird stories they tell must be more common than he thought

- Harry does community service at the 118. Clipboard buck makes an appearance

-Ravi having good parents and being shocked about the 118s bad track record when it comes to parents

- lesbian may grant. She gets an athlete girlfriend

[foreverrandomwritings]

Season 8 Episode 11: Holy Mother Of God.

So I was on vacation when this episode came out. I didn’t have a tv to watch it on and my phone just didn’t seem big enough for Aisha’s directorial debut.

So that’s get started. Also I have seen a few spoilers for this episode. But I’m excited to see more Ravi. Sad not going to see Eddie though. Excited for more Bobby backstory. Sad no Eddie.

Okay first of all how is Maddie already like good as new?

What the cult ish is happening right here?

This was a funny start😂

Buck is so fucking hot🥵🥵

Okay fine they are all hot as fuck🙄

Bobby: Buck and Eddie.

Ravi:😑🥲

Ain’t no way I’d be calling any name but Ravi’s if I got a moment with him.

Greta:Get away Satan.

Buck:Cap she thinks I’m satan.

Bobby:Tell her you aren’t?🤔

Buck:I’m not satan🤷🏼‍♂️

Bobby casually dropping lore like that is such a dad thing to do man.

Awe Maddie being vulnerable and then Buck also being vulnerable😫🥹🥲

Athena and Bobby having a mom and dad fight😅

Bobby she’s your mother. Don’t you think it’s time to mend fences.

Honestly I’m so sick of that rhetoric. Just because someone is blood absolutely does not mean you have to forgive them. Just because someone is blood absolutely does not mean they are family. Fuck that whole bullshit. This show is just notorious for that nonsense though and I can’t deal with it much longer. Sometimes shit just genuinely doesn’t work out where everyone makes peace and becomes besties. Sometimes you walk away and that’s that.

Aweeeee Buck trying to be friends with Ravi🥹

Oh hot damn Athena in this dress🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵

No filter Bobby is my favorite Bobby.

Her all white outfit is odd. There’s just something I don’t like about it.

I knew Charlie was behind the lunch lol.

Snaps for Bobby.

Buck misses Eddie so much omg😭😤

I knew Tommy was gonna be in this episode and I still got jumpscared.

Ravi you sneaky minx.

EDDIE THE MAN THAT YOU ARE GHOSTING TOMMY FOR BREAKING YOUR BEST FRIENDS HEART.

Buck you stupid man😂

Okay the parallels between Abby/Buck and Eddie/Buck is just too fucking good man. Plus Tommy mixing into both

Tommy cooking for Buck and getting all the food and everything omg.

TOMMY YOU DICK. BUCK IS IN A TERRIBLE PLACE RIGHT NOW. FUCK YOU.

Honestly Buck was right in his yelling. Tommy was a bit out of line. But also not wrong at all. Buck is totally in love with Eddie and is doing a major Buck OG move.

Aisha has really done a splendid job with this episode. But boy I feel like this episode is everywhere. I’m getting some whiplash.

Damn Elmer really just died.

Buck you are so in love with Eddie baby.

Buck feeling like Eddie and Chris are gone forever and then Maddie telling him he should learn to be alone. Dude that’s what he did after Abby. Fuck you.

Of course his mom would fucking pass out. Stupid ass bullshit. The only family I want back together is Buck, Eddie and Chris.

Also them bringing religion into all of this is kinda bleh. I just want an Agnostic or an Atheist or something.

I will never forgive her for the way she walked out on him.

A Buck unpacking montage? Fuck you.

I will not be watching Doctor Odyssey☺️

I need at least a glimpse of Eddie and Chris next episode.

[try-set-me-on-fire]

brick. sincerely. i need you to stop. for my own safety and sanity. please 🙏

:)

Later, Bobby will feel a little guilty for being the one who was there. It was complete chance, an entirely accidental set of circumstances. Maddie, it should have been Maddie here, or at least Maddie here too, but Chimney got caught in traffic ferrying Jee-Yun to Mrs. Lee’s before his shift started so he’d had to apologetically hand her off to Maddie at the hospital so she could finish that journey and he could go straight to the station. Hen and Athena were both at work already. The Buckley parents were off somewhere, doing something. Last they’d talked they had complained of the discomfort of waiting room chairs that Bobby had politely sat in for the better part of the last week. Eddie might have been in the hospital or might have been at home with Chris, Bobby never thought to ask afterwards. Not too far, never too far, the palpable desperation of his want to be close to Buck driving him away from the man’s side just as much as it kept him close.

So it’s just Bobby in the room, alone there for no more than 20 minutes when Buck’s eyes start moving behind their lids again. It’s happened fairly frequently over the past 24 hours since they’d taken him off the ventilator, and they’d all tried to learn not to get excited about it and failed every time. Bobby holds his breath as he watches Buck keep taking his own, following the flick back and forth of movement.

He just doesn’t think he has any more claim to Buck than any of the rest of them. He doesn’t deserve to be here more than Hen and Chimney, his siblings by choice, or Maddie, his sister by choice and blood and time and hard work. He doesn’t deserve to be here more than Eddie does, Eddie should be here, Bobby knows his heart would unbreak, seal right back up to see Buck wake again. Christopher, even, the child Buck is helping raise and is so good at doing so, should get to be in this chair at his side. It’s not fair that he - captain and sometimes friend and father only in an abstract, unspoken way that Bobby doesn’t much believe he’s done enough to earn - is the only one present when Buck’s eyes finally, finally flutter open. Bobby had forgotten, somehow, how blue they were, even this tiny peek of them.

“Nurse!”

He’s surprised his voice doesn’t crack more than it does as he calls out, but then he’s not thinking about it at all because Buck’s open eyes drift towards the sound, and Buck is looking right at him.

“Buck- Buck, hey, kid, can you hear me?” His voice shakes and so do his hands as they reach and hover over Buck’s chest and face.

Buck stares blankly at first, blinking slowly, and then his nose wrinkles in such a familiar way that it almost chokes Bobby from the inside. “B…”

“Yeah, yeah, hey, I’m right here-“

Buck blinks again, and Bobby thinks someone should turn the lights off for him, and he vaguely notices that hospital staff are rushing into the room, but then Buck’s eyes are widening and his arm is moving - moving! - and Bobby is catching his hand and Buck’s fingers are curling around his own. “Bobby,” he says, voice raspy and a little slurred and maybe the most beautiful thing Bobby has ever heard.

“Y- yeah, kid, I’m here.” He rests his free hand against Buck’s face and Buck leans into his palm, and tears well up immediately at the small amount of pressure.

Buck searches his face with a frown and Bobby wishes he knew what he was looking for so he could give it to him and smooth over the slant in his eyebrows. “You… you’re okay?”

“Yeah, kid, I’m okay, I’m right here, I’m okay.” Bobby runs a thumb over Buck’s birthmark, squeezes his hand. “It’s okay, you’re awake, your eyes are open-” he has to stop to laugh, it bubbles right up out of him even as the tears spill over. “Your eyes are open. You’re here with me, you’re awake,” he laughs again, choked up with it, and leans his forehead down to rest against Buck’s. Guilt will come later. For now everything is okay, because Evan Buckley died last week and is now nodding against him, breathing on his own, holding his hand, awake, awake, awake.

[yoongsisbae]

Handshakes of a Lifetime - Chapter 6

BTS soulmate AU. OT7 x reader / Taehyung x reader focused in this chapter, slight Jungkook x reader and Namjoon x reader

Usually by the time I finish a chapter, I will have a nice chunk of the next chapter done, when I finished chapter 5 I had TWO SENTENCES FOR THIS CHAPTER cries, ugh this was a journey lol but I had fun along the way :). Also, I wanted to shoutout @missseoulite I remember having a really bad day when I saw your sweet comment about being eager for the new chap and just knowing someone cared enough to wish me safety and care about my well being, well it meant a lot to me, so this chapter is dedicated to you my dear!!!! <3

Word count: 10.3k

Warnings: death, mention of a suicide, if you’re like me and don’t like to think about being old this chapter might trigger an existential crisis lol, cheating, men being sexist, angst but also fluffiness, sex with Taehyung, breeding kink, a character calls you and Tae children but you are two very grown adults I just wanted to make that super duper clear.

---

“I want to try, I think it would be worth it, you’ll be worth it.”

‘Why did he have to say that,’ you wince, looking over at the idol. He is beautiful, way out of your league, above you in every way, and he’s looking back at you like his whole world hangs in the balance. How could you reject him now. You groan.

You stand up. You place your palm in front of his face, your fingers splayed out, you can see his wide excited eyes in the gaps between them. You look at him expectantly. Taehyung nods, places his palm to yours, interlocking your fingers together.

Your heart thumps wildly as darkness fills the room. You open your eyes once you hear the familiar voice of your husband call out to you, “No need to fret anymore, my beloved. I’m here now.” Taehyung’s hand covers your old and frail fingers. You lie in your bed, body tired and weathered from all the years you’ve spent on this earth.

Your eyes roam over the room, taking in all the faces of your beautiful children and grandchildren. The pain in your tired joints fades as you focus on the man you’ve only grown to love more in all the years you’ve been together. It’s because of him you’ve lived a fulfilled life full of love. With him by your side you’re ready now.

You look up from your crouched position, the flowers you’ve picked lie fresh and pretty in your basket. You look to the dirt path where a man is running towards you. ‘What is a man doing here of all places?’ you think.

He comes to a stop once he sees you, hands on his knees as he gasps for breath. He looks young and beautiful, though his robes are askew and torn and his face glistens as sweat drips from his chin. You almost decide to ignore him and go back to your duties until you notice the red lines that peak from the uncovered parts of his torso. The cuts look painful. You hesitate, “Do you need some assistance?”

“Don’t mind me, fair maiden,” his breathing is still heavy as he speaks. He looks around, taking in his surroundings. ‘What is he looking for?’ you wonder. You can tell he is trying to hide his panic, but it comes through in his tense movements and jittery eyes.

“Are you sure you don’t need help?”

Four men on horse approach you. You notice they are soldiers by the gold plates that cover their body. You hold the flower basket a little tighter to your chest. The first soldier speaks, “Have you seen a man come through this way?”

“You’re the only men I’ve seen for days.”

You feel their lewd stares on you, your stomach churns from the unwanted attention. One soldier dismounts his horse and stalks closer to you. “A pretty little thing like you wouldn’t dare lie to us?” he questions.

“I swear on goddess Athena.” You stand still and look to the ground as he invades your space. The soldier brings a calloused hand to your chin to make you look at him, his companions snickering at your discomfort.

“For days? You must be lonely, poor sweet thing you are.” The other soldiers dismount and circle you. You try to keep your face neutral from the disgust you feel as their eyes rake over your body.

“It is as I said,” your eyes shift to the marble walls of the temple behind you. “I would not lie in Athena’s name, I am protected by her watch.” You emphasize your last words, keeping your limbs close and suppressing your instincts to fight and draw this encounter out any longer than need be.

The men look over to the temple and begin to move closer to the entrance. You follow after them, dropping your basket and letting the flowers scatter into the dirt in your haste.

“No men shall enter, unless you want to face the wrath of the goddess herself,” you yell from behind them. The men laugh. You find the courage to pull at the leader’s armour to cease his advancing. “You will be cursed if you go in there, sir!”

Taehyung’s eyes go wide as he hides underneath the blanket you’ve covered him in. He removes his hand from the temple’s wall, and brings his knees up and off the floor, trying to touch as little as possible of his surroundings.

The men scoff at your words, the leader shoves you away but does not advance any closer. You’ve taken up enough of their time, and they need to find this criminal before The Queen bestows her own kind of punishment upon them.

“Be careful, girl. There is a dangerous man fleeing prosecution, pray to your Goddess we find him before you do.” You find their warning quite ironic as you watch the leader kick your basket. You assume in an attempt to be intimidating, but in your opinion it makes him look more like a petulant child, your brow ticks in annoyance.

Only when they are completely out of your sight do you let go of the breath you were holding. You run into the temple, crashing into the stranger as he runs out.

“I’m sorry!” He exclaims, his hands grabbing onto you to keep you from falling. Electricity zips through you as you both break away stunned. You rub at your arms to take away your goosebumps. The stranger lowers the hand that clutched at his chest, his wide eyes looking at you in question.

“Is it true? A curse is the last thing I need right now!” he laments. You giggle. The soldiers called this man dangerous?

“The rules say no man is to enter, yes.” His horrified expression makes you laugh even more. “But...they are more like guidelines,” you assure him. “Enough temple priestesses have brought their fair share of men back and nothing too sinister has happened yet, by the gods.”

It does little to lessen his worry. He looks at you skeptically. “I thought Athena’s priestesses were supposed to stay virginal in honor of the goddess’s protection.”

“Oh,” you offer him a smile, “that is her protection. It is perception that protects us.”

You eye the man, his features are sharp, striking; almost intimidating; but his aura is quite soft. “...protects us from men. In this world there are very few true heroes, I’m afraid most only live inside songs.”

He looks at you in understanding. “My apologies, you had to deal with those soldiers alone. I couldn’t do anything to defend you.” He winces at the thought, “For you to have shielded me instead, I thank you.” He offers you a deep bow and you feel butterflies dance in your chest.

“Can I ask as to why you’re running?”

He looks to the direction he came, unable to meet your eyes. “Ahh, well...I am in poor favor with The Queen.”

Your eyes widen, you’ve heard rumors of her beauty even in the remoteness of your area, and even more of her kingdom’s hedonism. The man in front of you is truly beautiful. He could be one of her lovers, you think, he most definitely looks the part. His robes though now disheveled are of expensive fabric and show off his lean body, and the way he holds himself you can’t imagine him to be a common worker. “So, you and The Queen, I see...”

“Oh! It’s not what you think...I’m a mere poet. I sing to The Queen and her Court, but she suddenly wanted more of me than I am willing to offer. I-I rejected her.”

Your eyes widen again. “That was most unwise.”

He smiles, his eyes cast down. “I can bear the weight of my faults. I plan to leave to another province.”

“You’ll rather leave your home? But it is The Queen!”

“As you can see, there is punishment in denying The Queen of her desires.”

You’re astonished. “I can’t imagine being with her to be so horrible you’d choose to run instead, give up all you’ve acquired?”

“I rather give myself to someone for love.”

You feel your heartbeat quicken at his words, ‘so idealistic.’ You’ve never encountered an individual with such delicate presence, a trait you find most unconventional. A smile pulls at one of the corners of your mouth, “Aphrodite must favor you.”

Taehyung laughs, his eyes softening, “Thank you again, someone must favor me to put you in my path.” His warm dark eyes hold your gaze. “I mustn’t stay too long…”

“Yes, of course! Well then…” You falter in your farewell. He struggles with the decision to leave. Taehyung knows he must, The Queen’s soldiers could come riding through again at any moment, and he doesn’t want to think of the punishment they would bestow upon you if they learned of your lies, so why can’t he seem to let go of your company?

He notices the trampled flowers littered on the ground around you, the colorful petals lay beautiful and ruined, a fate he worries will become yours if he doesn’t make haste. He picks up an unbroken blossom. “Thank you again.” He places the flower in your palms, a warmth spreads over you through your fingertips as you hold your breath in reverence. His thumbs stroke your fingers gently, and then he nods at you one last time and moves to run again. You feel a pressure building in your throat, unready to bid him farewell, and you don’t understand why this man whom you’ve just met is affecting you so. His kindness and his gentleness makes your body yearn to learn more. What can you do, he’s a stranger and not yours to keep, you must let him go.

His flower stays cradled in your hands, you feel your chest tighten more and more with each step he takes that brings another stretch of distance between your bodies. Your limbs itch to move. What should you do? It is what you want to do that makes you so afraid. You silently ask Athena for guidance. It is only when he turns past the treeline and out of sight that you can’t take it any longer.

You run into the temple. You race to your small quarters, and gather anything you deem valuable, not very much. Pushing down the thoughts that tell you you’re acting crazed and without reason, you fasten your belongings to your body. You race out of the temple's entrance and crash once again into a body that jolts your nerve endings with an undeniable energy. You stare into his eyes once more, the man you saved. He looks down at you, eyes wide with surprise but full of mirth.

A horse carries you and Taehyung farther North. You travel in comfortable silence, as your hands rest snugly around his waist. After riding with him for so long, you are no longer shy to hold him, accustomed to being pressed up against his back. You listen to the steady rhythm of horse hooves against the earth. It is peaceful and you find yourself smiling against Taehyung’s back.

The bright lush green landscape turns dark and threatening as the two of you ride past an abandoned village. The wooden wreckage smolders still. You gasp at the sight, so many homes lost. Taehyung taps the horse’s body with his foot to quicken its step.

“Stop!” You yell at Taehyung once you notice a shift amongst the rubble. You jump off before he properly stops his stead, running towards the wreckage to confirm what you thought you had witnessed.

Taehyung runs after you, warning you to be careful. Once you reposition a large plank of wood, you gasp at what you see. There’s a bleeding old woman pinned underneath, still alive. You call for Taehyung’s help, the both of you pulling her as delicately as you can manage from beneath the rubble.

“I can’t believe you’re still alive, it’s a miracle by The Gods.” Taehyung holds the old woman’s hand as you run to the horse to fetch a canteen of water.

“Oh, a miracle yes,” the old woman coughs out, “fate has blessed me after much burden.”

You work to clean her skin of dried blood and ash, offering her water to drink. “What can we do to help?”

“My walking stick, it is most important.” Her eyes stay closed shut in pain, as she gestures to the place you’ve pulled her from. Taehyung rummages around until he pulls an item from the wreckage, an impressive staff decorated with gold markings and a large green gem adorned at its apex.

The old woman offers Taehyung her gratitude, feeling much more at ease she opens her eyes to look at the pair of you. You stare into the old woman’s clouded grey eyes in surprise.

“Thank you child, but hurry, the rain will wash the flames away, but will halt your journey for the day.” Taehyung looks upwards at the old woman’s words, white clouds are traveling across the bright clear blue sky.

You can’t leave the blind woman alone after everything she’s been through. “If it’s going to rain, please let us take you to the next village for shelter.” She nods and walks staff in hand towards Taehyung’s horse.

“Only a bit further, we will make it before it rains,” the old blind woman promises. Sounds of thunder echo faintly in the background. The sun is no longer out, hidden behind dark grey storm clouds. You shiver and rub the exposed skin of your arms for comfort next to Taehyung as the two of you walk next to his horse. He grasps your hand and pulls you closer to him. He radiates warmth. You never know how to react to his kind gestures. You look up at him and meet his gaze, sending him a shy smile. He rubs his thumb on your knuckles, smiling brightly back. If his intentions were to make you warm, he succeeded, your heart feels full.

“This is a farming community. They are a kind people who serve Demeter, the two of you are safe here,” At the old woman’s declarations you and Taehyung look at each other, exchanging unspoken words.

“This is where our paths must diverge. If you continue to follow this road, you’ll find sanctuary for the night, I promise.” Taehyung helps the old blind woman down from his horse. “Thank you again, children. I don’t have anything to offer you in return for your help, but I can give you some words of wisdom.” She smiles kindly at you both.

The old blind woman still holds Taehyung’s hand in hers. She turns his palm upward, her fingers trace the lines of his hand. You watch her curiously. “Ahh, your soul holds so much talent, you’ll find it’s both a blessing and a curse.” You giggle, Taehyung shoots you a look, his lips curving into a half smile. “Ahh, you know of it already. In the future, you’ll have a great choice to make, I can’t choose for you, but as someone who's lived many years and knows how dreadful and gray the world can become, my advice is to choose the path of love.”

“Always,” Taehyung’s eyes cast a look over to you and you feel shy once more under his gaze.

She brings her hand to Taehyung’s face to pat his cheek. “Dear child, too beautiful for your own good. It won’t be easy for you, for either of you, this path before you. Hermes wings have found your heels, you won’t find much rest in this life.” She looks sympathetic as her head turns towards you.

“Much like the universe has brought you to me, I see destiny is not a stranger.” She smiles at you knowingly. You hold your breath as she reaches for your hand, studying your palm alongside Taehyung’s. “Your souls...they have been linked together. I see the red string of fate wrapped tightly around you both.”

You find yourself wanting to believe her. Her words seem heartfelt and true, and you can’t deny her strong aura despite her fragile appearance. You catch Taehyung’s eyes again. Has he been looking at you this entire time? She continues, “This bond you have is quite unbreakable, not even death can cut what tethers you together.” She studies your hand more carefully, “Ahh, peculiar...”

“Do you see something worrisome?” you ask, concerned.

“It is nothing to worry dear, you have much love that surrounds you. Let yourself love. There will be those who will try to keep you apart, but take it from an old old woman, love is a stronger force than even the gods can imagine. It glitters brighter than gold and gives you riches greater than Kings. In the end, you’ll find a way.”

You think of her words all night. You look over to your companion, he sleeps peacefully next to you. Do you love him? Is this love? Is he your destiny? You pray to Athena for answers, but only more questions arise in your mind.

You think to the day you first met him, the memory bringing a smile to your face. You left with him, in the end. It was you who found the courage to ask him to take you with him, on the premise of wanting to see the world while moving to another temple. You expected him to let you down gently, you remember his hesitation still, but instead he had not refused you, and you have been traveling with him ever since. Being with Taehyung filled the holes of loneliness that punctured your existence before meeting. Your world had been small, consisting only within the temple’s walls. Now your world feels infinite, it’s thrilling and terrifying, and at the center of it all is Taehyung, gentle and kind and sincere in his affection.

---

You are jostled from your sleep. Taehyung pulls you gently from your bed, his lips placing tender kisses across your forehead as he pulls you to your feet. “I’m sorry, we have to leave again.”

This is not the first time you've had to run, or the second or third. So you pack the things you cannot part with and say goodbye to the rest.

Taehyung, the beautiful poet with a voice that can capture any audience's attention, has always been able to afford you both a roof and a meal. Taehyung’s performances become the talk of whatever acropolis you find yourself in, and his fame grows until his looks and voice catch the attention of someone too important to ignore. Fame is a wonderful thing until it becomes too much, too demanding, and all too quickly can Taehyung’s admirers turn into attackers, vilifying his every action. When that happens he decides to run, and you follow. You worry if it goes on like this you’ll have no more places left to run to.

You liked this place the most, it pangs your heart to lose your home again, but you know your true home is in Taehyung’s arms. You pack as many mementos of this place as you can carry, and hold the rest of your memories close in your heart.

---

“Like this,” you pull your bow back and look to the trees ahead where three pheasants sit perched. You choose the biggest bird and aim your arrow. You make sure Taehyung is studying your form and then you let the arrow go. The bird squawks sharply before falling to the ground, and the others scatter to the sky.

“See!” you laugh at Taehyung’s astonished face.

“How are you so much better at this than me?” The poet whines as you hand him back his bow and arrow. You laugh again. You and Taehyung have been learning to survive by yourselves through trial and error, more error than not. You’ve never had to hunt for food before, but you quickly found yourself skilled, and you think it’s quite fun. At least when you’re not starving, stomach already full from fresh berries Taehyung had picked for you to share. He had picked you flowers as well. They sit in your hair in an intricate pattern after you complained to him you couldn’t eat flowers. You slowly remove the arrow bag from around your neck, so as not to ruin the halo he so carefully crafted.

“I caught it, so you cook it,” you tease.

He brings your hand to his lips for a quick kiss. “That, my fair maiden, I can do!”

---

It is late and Taehyung has not arrived home. His performance should have been done hours ago. You try not to let your thoughts wander into the dark depths of your worst fears as you settle into a restless unease. Your home is quiet and still, too quiet. You keep your ears focused as you wander around the house.

It goes from quiet to chaos too quickly, you hear shouting in the distance. A hand grabs your mouth before you can scream, you start to kick but strong arms hold you tightly. Taehyung shushes you as he pulls you to the back entrance of your home.

You’re running into the woods with the poet, he pulls you to the ground and holds you beneath him. From the bushes you watch men with swords circle your house. You feel violated as you watch them enter your home. Crashes inside make you flinch in Taehyung's arms. “We’ll go back to fetch our things once they leave,” he shushes you.

The soft warm glow of your house becomes bright, light filling up the night sky as a fire breaks out and the men continue to destroy your home. Taehyung covers your mouth to stifle your cries and holds you close to him, whispering countless apologies. You can only whimper in his arms, your shoulders shake in grief as you watch everything you own go up in flames.

When you first came to this place, you and Taehyung stood out too much for the villagers' liking. You were strangers, you didn’t look like them, and they targeted you constantly for the pettiest of things. But this area was remote so you endured their hateful ways. It didn’t help matters when Taehyung, a much better singer than the locals before him, was offered an audience with the region’s King. Taehyung never made an appearance, letting other singers he befriended attend in his place, hoping to gain some favor with the locals, but it only angered the King. Feeling insulted, he killed the poets. And now, with enemies at both ends, and anger consuming the villagers, Ares wrath scorched your home to the ground.

You’re quiet next to Taehyung. Your feet ache from walking. No horse, no food in days. It’s nightfall and cold, you wear his cloak and shiver still. You walk beside the poet, but he feels oceans away. His usual bright eyes are dull and full of sorrow. You didn’t realize how accustomed you were to his touch until he had stopped. Your body aches to be in his arms, to hold his hand while you walk. You feel loneliness twist around you instead.

It is Taehyung who breaks the silence. He speaks softly, “There is a famous temple of Athena in this city, hopefully we can convince them to let you stay.”

The idea revolts you, pulling at the pit of your stomach. The thought of going back to your old ways, as if it would be a reprieve or something you missed, makes you nauseated.

“No.”

“I thought it would be enough...I-I was naive. I’m truly cursed. I can sing all about love, paint beautiful stories of love’s triumph, but when I cannot give you anything else but my devotion, it’s not enough. I can’t stand to watch you wither away in front of me. You deserve more.”

“The oracle said-”

“What kind of life is this for you?” He stops walking, his voice breaks in his anguish. “I-I’m sorry. I should have never taken you away from safety into this reckless existence. This should have been my burden alone.” Tears fall down his face as he shudders. You reach for him, cup his face in your hands. How can you make him see he’s all you want? He lets you wipe away his tears. You pull his head down to meet yours.

“What kind of life is this? The best life I’ve ever could have wished for. A life full of love. I’d trade everything I have for you.” You brush your lips against his, it stops his tears. His eyes fill with adoration, a blazing intensity that makes your heartbeat quicken.

“Stop this worrying, let’s go.” You grab his hand and pull him along. The silence hangs heavy in the air, the stillness of the night frightens you.

“Sing me a song please.”

“From now on I’ll only sing for you.” Taehyung says his words quietly, but his resolve thunders to the heavens, shaking the course of your lives.

The light of day shines through your open window, it illuminates the thin white fabric pulled over your head and wakes you. The white cloth flitters in the breeze of your bedroom and you catch a peak of the handsome man lying next to you. His dark warm eyes are already open as he watches you stretch your sleepiness away. He lifts his head, pulling the sheet higher, so he can get a better look at you, “Good morning, my beloved.”

Taehyung’s dark hair and tan skin against the glowing white backdrop of your bed sheets makes him look ethereal. You watch him in awe, “Good morning, dear husband.”

Your body feels heavy and rested. Your bare skin is warm against his and the sun heated sheet, the soft fabric pulls over your bodies, everything is so soft and warm.

Taehyung buries his head in your chest, smiling against your skin. “I love you.”

Your fingers play with the curls of his hair. “And I love you.”

Underneath the covers, you create your own little world, away from the responsibilities of your lives, the expectations of the day.

Taehyung runs his lips across your naked chest, kissing, licking, biting all over your body. You giggle at his playful teasing touches. “You’re perfection, so soft and pretty.” He captures your lips in a kiss, moving his mouth against yours slowly as his body rests between your legs. His hands find your waist and pull at your skin as he explores your mouth with his tongue, swallowing your moans.

Your legs wrap around his torso, you can feel him growing against your slick core. Taehyung's fingers find yours and he intertwines them together, pulling your arms above your head. He nibbles on the sensitive skin below your jaw.

“You smell so good,” he moans, “you taste so good.” His low baritone voice sends shivers down your body. You whimper, breathless from his caresses. He thrusts in slowly, rolling his body into you, slow and steady until you’re both feverish from mounting pleasure. “What do you want, my love?”

“Just you, please, I want all of you.”

He rolls you over so your body is on top of him. “You have me forever. Now show me how much you want me.” Your playful lover bites his lower lip, pulling on your hips to make you move against him. Your body moves up and down his length, Taehyung’s moans and devastating lustful looks spur you on to please him.

You roll your hips faster, so close to release. Taehyung notices your frenzied state and grabs your hips to hold you still, thrusting up into you instead. His hard length fills you up so deliciously. His grip on you is searing yet soft, you focus on his body below you, his tight muscles and golden skin. “I-I’m close.”

“Touch yourself for me.”

The room fills with sinful noises as your bodies converge again and again and you cry out in euphoria. Taehyung stills inside you as you reach your high, mesmerized by the way your body twist in pleasure in his arms.

Taehyung lays your trembling body down against the soft sheets of your bed, grinding his hips into you as you continue to pulse around him. “Eyes open, look at me my love.”

You struggle with his command, but hold his gaze as best you can, his physique shines with sweat and his hungry eyes roam over your spent body, the erotic way he looks at you ignites the desire in between your legs once again.

He’s so close to release. Taehyung quickens his pace, making you tighten around him, senses overloaded. You moan, encouraging him to keep going.

“You’ll let me fill you up? Have my baby?” His long fingers find your sensitive nub, applying pressure and making you cry out.

“Y-yes!” You can only feel blinding pleasure as Taehyung thrusts into you deeper.

“How beautiful you’ll be, glowing and pregnant with my baby growing inside of you.” He groans. Your stomach tightens as his cock swells, pressure filling you before you feel yourself snapping again. Taehyung’s own release following, your tightness too much for him to handle.

You hold him close to you as you both work to steady your breathing, “We have to start baking soon,” you softly remind him, “before the market opens.”

Taehyung cuddles closer to you, “It’s okay, they’ll wait for my bread, it is the best in the city.” He grins, kneading at your breasts with his large hands. You laugh, relaxing into his embrace.

“Okay okay, we’ll stay a bit longer.”

Your children gather around you in prayer. You take in a ragged breath. Your bedridden aging body feels heavy. Soft light begins to cloud the edges of your vision as you listen to the wistful voices of your sons and daughters shower you with love. Taehyung's fingers brush against your wrinkled digits.

“My beautiful wife, how I missed you.”

You call out his name. Your eldest daughter soothes you, brushing her hand over your forehead. You thought you would be afraid once teetering on the edge of your own mortality, but with him here, holding you again, fear is unable to reach you. You’re already so full of love.

Taehyung comes into your focus, still beautiful in his old age, still the gentle man you love, he places a feather light kiss on your temple. Relief washes through you, the currents pull the burdens on your soul away, and you feel light, floating between worlds.

“I’ve waited for you,” Taehyung’s deep voice fills your mind, “Are you ready to travel with me again?” You know your answer, innate as the love you felt when you first met him.

You take one final breath, letting go and following Taehyung again.

---

Your eyes flutter open. You’re lying face down on the hotel bed. As your eyes begin to focus, you are met with the singer’s face next to yours. Taehyung is lying on his back next to you, grinning from ear to ear, your fingers are still interlocked by your heads.

“What happened?” you whisper.

“I don’t know, I think we passed out, I woke up right before you opened your eyes.”

He looks at you, still beaming, a boxy smile plastered on his face. You try not to smile back. He shouldn’t be this happy!

“That wasn’t bad. You made it sound bad.” he pouts.

You hum, looking at your still intertwined fingers. You study the smooth skin of your hands, the wrinkles and veins you’d seen now only a fleeting memory. You feel tired.

Taehyung feels like he’s just woken up from a long dream. Memories of last night feel far away, more distant than memories presumably lived centuries ago. He focuses on the only constant, you.

“Do you regret it?”

You let out a deep exhale, you move your hand to trace his cheek, his nose, his eyebrow; he watches you quietly. You flick him on the forehead.

Taehyung yelps, looking quite betrayed by your actions. You smile, and his expression switches easily back to happiness. “It’s okay, you don’t have to admit I’m right,” he teases.

You let out a huff, “Doesn’t it bother you? It should bother you! Why is this happening...it’s exhausting...”

Taehyung wraps his arms around you and pulls you close to his body. “I don’t care why,” he mumbles into your hair. Your breath catches in your throat as he cuddles closer to you.

“Do you want me to stop?”

Your heart pounds. You try to stay calm. “No,” you whisper.

His arms tighten around your frame. His warmth envelopes you, it feels like there’s fire inside you, burning down all your apprehensions.

“So this is how it feels. I thought I understood Jungkook. But this is....” you feel his body vibrate as he laughs to himself. “It’s not something you can put into words, right? I understand what he means, about not wanting to let you go.”

Closing your eyes you can picture yourself being in a different place, a different land, another time, you let yourself relax into Taehyung’s embrace. You can feel his hands caress your body, his long fingers travel to the back of your neck and down your spine and the curve of your back.

“I know I’ve never hugged you, but it feels like I’ve done this a hundred times before. Like you belong with me.” His voice is low in your ears. You try to ignore how you feel, how true his words are, but you can't.

“Right? At least admit that to me, y/n.” He whispers. His fingers dig into your skin as he pulls you even closer.

“Hm?”

“You belong with me.”

“I-” A knock on your door makes you break away from him. Taehyung flops on his back, sighing. You open the door to the youngest and oldest members smiling at you.

“Good morning!” You internally wince at your unusually high voice. Jungkook looks over your shoulder, noticing movement inside your room. He sees Taehyung sitting cross legged on your bed, leaning back on his palms with a grin on his face. Jungkook’s doe eyes go wide as his head turns slowly over to the eldest, who then mirrors his expression. Their surprised faces would be comical to you if you didn’t feel responsible for their reactions.

Everyone’s silence is making your stomach twist into knots. You clear your throat. “I touched his hand, if that’s what you’re wondering.” Unable to meet their eyes, you feel the need to add, “That’s all that happened. So...okay, let’s go!”

---

Everyone is sitting in the penthouse, around the coffee table filled with plates piled high with different breakfast foods. Some are sitting on the floor, some on the couch with plates in their laps. Jin ushers you next to an open spot next to J-Hope and sits on your other side. Taehyung and Jungkook have been quietly talking behind you and find seats in the empty gaps.

“The food here is really good,” Hoseok says in between bites as Jin serves you a plate. He smiles brightly at you. Hoseok wishes he wasn't so apprehensive with you. He aches to get to know you, learn all your quirks, learn about your childhood and what makes you happy so he can shower you with more of it; and what makes you sad so he can make sure you never experience it again. But he's too scared, Hoseok feels too much guilt.

His hair is messy and sticking up in weird angles, you resist the urge to fix it. ‘Just keep your hands to yourself, y/n. He’s not your friend,’ you chant in your head. You look around at the men, cozy and warm in their group. You realize how much of an outsider you are.

“Here,” Jin places a triangle of sweet toast on your already overflowing plate. You eat quietly while the members talk to themselves and check their phones. It feels nice, like a big family dinner on the holidays. You watch Hoseok take a selfie with his phone, a minute later you feel your phone vibrate with a notification.

“You posted to twitter just now?” Hoseok notices the panic in your voice as you magnify the picture to make sure there’s no item or reflection that might incriminate you.

“Err yes, why?” he scoots closer to you to see what you’re doing.

“I just-didn’t think it was that easy.” You scroll quickly through your timeline now that you’ve made sure you’re safe, Jin and Hoseok both moving in your space to stare at your phone much to your dismay and you think it’s time to put it away after the third photo of Namjoon’s toned arms pop up on your feed.

After stuffing yourselves full, the time has come to address the elephant in the room. The members take turns reliving the moments of last night, and in Taehyung’s case this morning, explaining everything so the group could all remain on the same page.

Namjoon should have been upset, once Taehyung shocked the rest of the group by speaking, but being in the same predicament himself, he was not surprised to learn Taehyung sought you out, he had barely slept toying with the idea himself.

You don’t talk much, just confirm certain details. You noticed how the men glossed over the most tragic parts of your visions, and you don’t care to interject. You learned new things as well...

Jimin finding his way back to your farm, only to find it destroyed and you gone, and unable to live with himself after that. You can’t meet each other's eyes when you tell him your own version of events.

Jin wanted to propose, he had picked out a ring, a bright blue gem like the ocean.

Taehyung had convinced you he stopped singing as a bard because he grew to hate it, but he confessed, to your suspicion, that wasn’t the case at all. He promised you he never once regretted his decision.

Hoseok took the job as a DJ because when you were younger you were obsessed with your local station, swooning over the DJ's voice and always calling in to win contests for you and Hoseok. He always had an affinity for music, but mostly he did it for you, to impress you.

Yoongi almost didn’t admit he had never really left your side, how he never stopped protecting you. That had shocked you the most. Your heart screams to comfort him, to comfort all of them.

Jungkook excitedly tells you everything he had planned for your escape, he used his life’s savings to find you and him a new home far away. He tells you how if you both had succeeded you would have been so happy with him.

It felt weird. All these lives inside you itching to burst through, you didn’t feel like yourself anymore. You meet the idol’s eyes sitting next to you, and when he looks at you so tenderly, you wonder who he really sees.

“Yoongi’s life was the coolest.” The quiet rapper keeps his head down, only nodding in acknowledgement at Jimin’s comment.

“Well I liked mine,” Taehyung declares. “Which one was your favorite, y/n?”

“I’m not answering that,” you mutter, growing hot under the sudden attention.

“Hmm I don’t see a connection.” Namjoon hums. “Apart from y/n.”

“Should there be one?”

“I’m assuming nothing strange like this has ever happened to you before?” Namjoon turns to you. You shake your head. “Have you ever had dreams, um, of us?”

“No! I mean-what? No.” You pull the neck of Jungkook’s hoodie over your mouth to hide your embarrassment, with no intention on admitting anything. What does dreaming have to do with this?

Namjoon stays silent in thought. Should he tell the group now?

“I should probably go now.” It’s no longer morning after talking for so long. You have a life to go back to; chores, work. You hope being back in your home will make you feel more like the old you, before everything you thought you knew was turned upside down.

Jungkook stands up, “Why!”

“I have work in the morning? Not everyone is a famous world class musician,” You try to keep your tone light, but you’re bothered.

His lips press into a tight line. “I know, just…”

You have responsibilities, a job to go to tomorrow, you don’t want to entertain the wild fantasies arising in your mind at the way he looks at you so pleadingly to stay. “I can’t stay here all day.” You stand up as well, the members’ eyes dart back and forth between you and Jungkook, like they were watching fighters in a match.

“I don’t want you to leave.” Jungkook blurts out.

You close your eyes and rub at your temples. It’s becoming too hard, to keep pushing these feelings away, you cannot allow yourself to feel things for these men. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. What do you want from me?”

Jungkook speaks louder, “Do you not want to be with me?”

“I’m-that’s not-it’s not that simple. You don’t even know me! Do you want to be with me-”

“Yes.”

You let out an incredulous laugh and look around the room, but the men look starkly serious. You focus on the youngest again, raising your voice so everyone can hear you clearly. “I’m a nobody. You don’t know me. Name one thing you know about me other than my name...name my favorite color! If you can name my favorite color I’ll sta-”

Jungkook names your favorite color. His eyes piercing through you. Your breath catches in your throat.

‘How did he-wait...was it her favorite color too?’ Tears well up in your eyes. “...I’m not her.”

Jungkook winces at your words, “You’re right, I don’t know who you are right now. But you are...I know you are...the woman I fell in love with. What are you so afraid of?”

You look down at the ground to your feet. You can only shake your head at him and keep your mouth shut so you don’t start crying in front of them. You feel a hand wrap around yours and you already know who it is. You yank your hand away. If Yoongi is hurt, he doesn’t show it to you.

“I’m sorry, I know my life is difficult, that I’m a ‘famous musician,’ but isn’t it better than a poor stable worker? Can’t you see how meeting you again, this might be, maybe...fate?”

A pained laugh escapes your throat, letting go of the pressure you built up in your forced silence. “Oh my god. This is not happening.” Yes, maybe you can finally admit what happened was real, but what does that change? It’s not like you can run away with him in this life either, the entire world recognizes him now.

Your hands hold your head, your nails dig into your skin to concentrate on anything other than Jungkook’s continuing pleas. It’s just laughable to think this idol is begging you to stay with him. A sick thought invades your mind that maybe you’re doomed to repeat your transgressions. The memory of his bleeding body flashes in your mind, you’re not meant to be with them, how could you be? They’re the most famous singers in the world, yeah, you are afraid.

Jimin tries to calm down the youngest, “Kookie, you can’t force her to stay here…”

Jungkook is beside himself. He feels you slipping through his fingers again, away from him and even if it’s different now, it feels too sickeningly similar.

“Hyung please, you’ve been with non-idols, please talk to her...please!” Jungkook is crying, begging Jin.

A strangled sob escapes your throat at his cries. Hoseok rushes over to you, but you scramble away from his touch. You know you’ll break the second you let him comfort you.

Jin’s heart is breaking; for Jungkook, for you, for himself. He doesn’t know what to say, he’s just afraid as Jungkook of letting you go. Finally Namjoon decides to take control of the situation, the only one with a clear head. “Everyone leave. Now. Y/n deserves her space, and we still have four more days left in this city. Alright go!” The boys pull each other away, holding onto each other for strength, trusting their leader.

Yoongi pats a crying Jungkook on the back, “It’s okay, Joon will convince her.”

---

Your eyes hurt from crying, puffy and dark. You feel pathetic. Your head is pounding, you lean against the car window as you watch the blur of the city go past.

“Here.” Namjoon sits across from you, leaving the middle seat open. He hands you a cell phone.

You hold the sleek new model in your hand, “What is this?”

“It’s a hand phone,” the idol says teasingly.

You can’t help but let out a small laugh. “What is this for?”

“For you, to contact us.” Namjoon shrugs, “If you want to.” You sit in silence as his driver takes you home.

“You haven’t asked to touch my hand. Do you not want to?” You ask, sneaking a glance at the rapper.

“Of course I want to,” he speaks softly. “It’s all I’ve thought about since I saw you. But you’ve gone through a lot. I’ll let you decide if it’s something you want to do, and when you’re ready I’ll be here.”

You bite your lip. “For four more days.”

Namjoon smiles, his dimples on display. “Yes, I’m guessing you didn’t get tickets for the next city?”

“No, I wish. Those fanmeet tickets weren’t exactly cheap.”

Namjoon chuckles softly, “Ahh sorry.”

“Well, I did get a free breakfast with BTS, lucky me,” you hum. He nods, his eyes cast down. You hope he didn’t catch any bitterness in your tone, under any circumstance you would be dying of happiness.

You let the silence envelope you again, as you start to recognize the streets, you’re getting closer to home and to being left alone. You sigh, running your hands over your face, “Oh god, this is a mess.”

“I don’t think it is. I think there’s a reason for everything. And I think there’s a reason why this happened to you. To all of us.”

“What could that reason be?” You ask him genuinely, maybe the genius idol sees something you don’t.

“I don’t know. I do know it’s lonely being an idol. It’s hard to love, to find someone to love you and not break under the constant pressure.”

“I don’t know if I can be that person.”

“Well to me, it sounds like you’ve already been that person.” You want to scoff, but the sincere look in his eyes makes you stop. The GPS signals your arrival home.

The air is heavy as you gather up the strength to leave, “I will message you later, I promise. Just give me some time.”

You watch the expensive van leave your entrance. You couldn’t see through the dark tinted windows, but you had a feeling the idol was watching you, so you held yourself together and waved goodbye.

---

You know you should have just gone inside your home, but you had something to do first, it was driving you mad not knowing. So now you stand in front of a door that’s not your own still in clothes that are not your own. You send a text of your arrival and knock.

“Hi!” You pretend you aren’t exhausted, “I just have to try something-”

He looks at you dumbfounded as you grab his hand and start shaking it. Nothing. ‘Of course, just wonderful.’ You switch to two hands, shaking more forcefully.

“What’s going on...” his voice is shaky from the intense movements of your greeting. ‘Why is nothing happening, why is it only them, Ugh, why!’

“Earth to y/n...” why why why why.

He grabs your arms to stop your movements “Hey, are you okay? You never responded to my calls, I was worried.”

“I’m sorry,” you look into his concerned eyes. It feels like eons ago, whatever budding feelings you had for him. Why.

“Do you want to come in?”

“No, I better go.”

“You came all the way over here and you don’t want to tell me how last night went? You meet BTS and now you’re acting all crazy! You didn’t decide to leave me for one of them, did you?” your friend jokes.

“Ah ha aha…”

He raises his eyebrow at you. “I have work tomorrow...I just wanted to see you.” It’s the truth, you’re not lying. “I’m sorry for not responding last night. I’ll see you later?”

He gives you a kiss goodbye. ‘Oh no.’ It all feels so wrong.

---

The first day, you send Jungkook an apology. He sends you a ton of voice memos and selfies, just happy to talk to you again. You respond with light replies, trying not to dig your hole any deeper.

The second day, that night you break down. You send all the boys a simple “hi”. Yoongi, Jin, Taehyung, Jungkook, and Namjoon all respond. They send messages about their day. Jin sends you a picture of his food. Yoongi says he misses you. Against your better judgement you tell him you miss him too. Suspiciously, after your reply Jungkook and Taehyung message that they miss you seconds apart from one another. You tell them you miss them too, when Taehyung says he wants to see you, you’re too scared to respond.

The third day you stay busy with work. Hoseok sends you a picture of the sunset, his first message to you, nothing else. You wait until the night comes and send a picture of the moon from your window, and ‘Goodnight. Sweet dreams.’

The fourth day the pressure becomes too much. You hover over the call button all day but you can’t do it. By dinner time, you get a call from Jungkook. You try to swallow down the tears you’ve cried all day and sound cheerful when you answer.

“I just wanted to call before we get on the plane,” he says.

‘It’s too late. No.’ you think. “I’m sorry, tell Namjoon I’m so sorry. I should have seen him before you all left, I should have...”

“Don’t worry y/n. No one blames you.”

“That doesn’t mean what I did was okay. I wanted to see you all again.”

“You did?” The way his voice becomes more cheerful tugs at your heart. “You can make it up to us by talking more. Can I video chat with you later?”

“Okay.”

“Okay, got to go...Bye Beautiful.” He sounds like he’s in a much better mood, you can hear the teasing lilt to his words.

Weeks go by. You keep your promise. It’s easier communicating through the screen of your phone. You can imagine them to be online friends, people who are not famous. Some conversations stay light, some become deeper. They pry information from your life, learning more and more about you, and you feel yourself getting attached to their morning greetings and late night calls. Meanwhile, with family and friends you try to act like everything is normal, keeping this weird new world hidden, but you’re still constantly haunted by your memories with them. Your past lives play through your mind all day long and replace your dreams. Everything else felt so wrong now, so not you anymore, so gray. You feel like a bad friend, a bad daughter, a cheater.

---

Namjoon wakes up, groaning, his body still heavy from sleep. He quickly changes into a pair of slacks and a button down shirt. He chooses a forest green vest to wear, like the plants in his room. He runs pomade in his hair before heading downstairs to get ready for the morning.

He unlocks the door to his bookstore, before he can turn around the door opens with a loud ding. You walk in and make a beeline to the center table. Namjoon laughs, “Back so soon?”

“Of course, I’m so bored! My crops won’t be harvestable for another couple of months. Any other recommendations? I loved your last one.” You smile brightly at the bookstore owner, he’s always so kind to you and doesn’t make you feel like an outsider when you visit. If you could, you would spend all day in his store, talking about the latest novels and picking each other's brains. “Before I forget! For you...” You hand him two jars of homemade jam.

You're his favorite customer. And if Namjoon is being honest, he has a crush on you. He pulls a book from high above a shelf, a pristine copy. “This one, it should keep you busy.” Your eyes sparkle as you take in the large leather bound novel, gold letters adorning it’s spine. “How much?”

“Don’t worry, this one time I’ll take jam as payment.”

“No, that was a present,” you pout.

“Well, then this is a present for you.”

“Sir, if you don’t let me pay, I will throw a fit! I need you to stay in business.” It’s always like this with him, you’ll be damned if he doesn’t let you show him how much you appreciate him.

Namjoon laughs, “Alright alright. Then promise me you’ll come visit as soon as you finish.”

You nod, holding your new purchase close to your heart. He watches you leave, his eyes lingering on your body. You hold onto his book like a prized trophy. It’s another thing he loves about you, the way you treat things with so much care. His eyes still linger on you as you stand outside his shop. He sees a stranger run into you, you stumble back and almost fall, he rushes to the door to help you but stops in his tracks as the man's face comes into focus. “Jimin?”

Namjoon wakes up startled. He runs his hands through his hair, disturbed at what he saw. He’s covered in sweat, inside the cold room of his bedroom. Every night he’s had dreams of you, but this one was different. Should he go talk to someone about it? Who would believe him? He feels like every day he’s slowly getting closer to losing his mind. Today is going to be a long day full of press junkets. He rubs at his eyes trying to forget what he saw, what he felt.

---

Today you decide to call Namjoon. Usually, you’ll wait until one of the members decides to call you, but you had to talk to him before you lost your nerve. He picks up on the second ring. “Hey, I can’t talk for that long, is everything okay?” you can hear how busy it is in the background.

“No it’s my fault! I’m sorry, I’m an idiot, of course you would be busy. Call me when you’re free.”

“No! I have some time, we can talk.” You hear him shuffling to a quieter location.

Are you going to regret this? You take a deep breath. “I want to see you again. I-I don’t want to forget about what happened and go back to my life like everything is normal when it's not. You were right. I’m sorry...I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it.” You wait for Namjoon’s response, the silence fills you with anxiety. You would completely understand if he brushes you off now.

“I’ll figure something out. Okay y/n?”

“Okay.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

“See you.”

That night Namjoon sends you a series of text messages with instructions. Your eyes go wide over the new information. You look around your home, you know you should feel some sadness, but only excitement bubbles inside you. ‘I guess this is it.’ How are you going to explain this to your family and friends, to your boyfriend? A special internship in South Korea, you guess is how you’ll start.

---Three Months Later---

Namjoon splashes cold water on his face, he looks up into his bathroom mirror and blinks at his reflection. Namjoon’s eyes are not his.

Namjoon wakes up yelling. He falls back into bed, catching his breath. He checks the time. You should be on the plane right now. The idol rapper has always appreciated the wealth he’s accumulated over the years, but he feels especially grateful in this moment, now that he has found himself in a position of power large enough to secure you with a translation job within his own company.

---

A man holds a sign with your name on it. You walk towards him, your suitcase ticking on the airport concrete as it rolls on the ground behind you. You spent the last three months preparing for this, studying over language books every night and saying goodbye to family and friends. Your parents didn’t understand your sudden change of career, but you promised them the pay was better and it wouldn’t be forever. Your boyfriend was not so understanding, especially when you wouldn’t give him any details as to why you’re leaving the county. You and him weren’t even that serious to begin with but the breakup was messy.

You followed the driver’s instructions once he dropped you off in front of a very posh looking complex, entering key codes, up the elevator, down the hall, until you stood in front of the correct numbered door. You use the key he gave you to unlock the large door and walk into a massive apartment. Every member is already inside, waiting for you. You feel relief wash over you, you can’t help but smile at the group. They cheer at your arrival, you notice balloons and a makeshift welcome sign. The mood is definitely much more relaxed from the last time you all gathered together.

“Is this your place?” You ask as Jungkook takes your suitcase.

“No, this is your apartment.”

Your eyes go wide, “This is way too big!”

Taehyung jumps up and gives you a hug. The months you talked made you feel much more comfortable around them, but you still weren’t prepared for the rush of emotions that filled you once in his embrace again.

“It’s the smallest unit in this building,” Yoongi lets you know.

“And I’m guessing I can’t go to another building.”

“Our dorm is in this one,” The youngest member explains.

“How…” You take a deep breath, eyeing Jungkook up and down, “...convenient.” You take a seat with them on the ridiculously huge couch, next to Yoongi and Jin.

You sigh, stretching your sore jet lagged muscles. “Need to go to the bathroom?” Yoongi whispers at you teasingly.

You snort, his words taking you out of your worries. “Funny,” you mutter.

The eldest helps you fill out a stack of forms for your employment while the rest set plates of takeout on the living room table. You eat your first meal in Korea together. Sitting together, laughing together, you feel better than you have in months. It’s that feeling you get when you’ve finally completed a puzzle, placing the last piece in its place. You feel complete.

Taehyung’s words pull you from your thoughts.

“So y/n, when are you gonna hold Joon’s hand?”

“Oh, um…”

“You came all the way to Korea for him, right!” Taehyung teases.

“She doesn’t have to...” Namjoon murmurs.

“Oh c’mon! You can’t tell me you haven’t been going crazy waiting!”

“Yeah, I agree with Tae!” Jimin laughs.

“Do it!” Jungkook cheers.

“Do it! Do it! Do it!” The youngest members are chanting at the pair of you. You feel the heat rise in your face. You had planned on it, you wanted to find a way to get Namjoon alone, but now with all the attention on you, you feel apprehensive. You look over to Namjoon who looks equally as embarrassed. ‘I don’t want to do this,’ the thought screams in your head.

It has been months, Namjoon has waited for this moment. Now that he’s being put on the spot, he’s apprehensive. Ever since his bandmates touched you, they have acted differently, it might not be noticeable to anyone around them, but Namjoon noticed. Would he change too? Before he can yell at his bandmates, you stand up and walk over to his seat. “They aren’t going to stop,” You whisper, holding out your hand. He sighs and stands up.

“So?” Jin asks when he notices the lack of reaction from both of you as you grip each other's hands.

“Um, nothing is happening.” You stare at the rapper, but his attention is on the place where your hands meet, brows furrowed in disbelief.

“This doesn’t make sense..” He starts shaking your hand up and down as if that might help, it reminds you of the night he dropped you off, and you know exactly how he feels.

“Maybe it’s because I’m jet lagged or something? We could try again later...” you try to soothe the rapper but you can tell he is growing more and more upset with each passing moment, and your arm feels like it's going to dislodge from your shoulder the more he shakes.

The members have all gone silent.

“Maybe you don’t have a past life together?” Hoseok places his hand on Namjoon’s shoulder to stop his movements. No one expected this.

“No, that’s not-we have to-I know it!” Namjoon tries to stay calm but his voice is full of panic.

“Maybe it had something to do with that time, the planets aligning or something?” Jimin says. Is this your fault? Because you were too scared. What have you done? You’re rethinking everything now, you shouldn’t have come here.

“No.” Namjoon is right, he knows it, “that’s not it...” It doesn’t make sense, he knows there’s a connection between you and him. He lets the confession tumble out of his mouth before he can properly think. “Your name, I knew it! How would I know your name?”

You look at him confused, “What do you mean?”

Namjoon bites his tongue. He lets go of you. He blinks his eyes to get rid of tears threatening to spill. The mood is gone and everyone is silent. You feel horrible. Somehow this is your fault, you know it.

“Joon...” The eldest member calls out to him.

“I-I need some air.” Namjoon breaks away from the group.

“Wait!”

---

OOOOooo you had a whole ass boyfriend and you went and tongued Yoongi, scandalous. Looks like poor Joonie got the spiritual cockblock. Should I explain myself lol or do you like drawing your own conclusions?

Oh! Fun fact, the two sentences were this: Your eyes flutter open, you’re lying face down on the hotel bed. Taehyung is lying on his back next to you, grinning from ear to ear, your fingers are still interlocked by your heads. That’s what I had to go on T_T hah. Anyways let me know what you think <3

[saturnsstufff]

The Empress pt.XVIII

Warnings: Talk of death, Sexist comments, Swearing

   Techno did end up sending a letter to you, describing in great detail his apology about not being able to return home, but how excited he was for the news of a baby. The promises he made within the letter said he would return after a while, after the war was brought to a swift end,, after he came home victorious. But it still hasn't ended, and you were nearing your due date awfully soon. Truthfully you wanted to be sad about your husband not being around for the birth, but anymore, you were just pressing down your light anger and expecting him to miss it.

   Phil was beyond proud of you for pushing through, even if he was the only one you herd it from. He wouldn't go a day without telling you how proud and strong you were. He knew carrying a baby wasn't easy, neither was balancing a Empire on your shoulders, but you were doing phenomenal. Sadly, with your attention to the empire you didn't have time to mingle with Wilbur and Tommy as much. Most of your time was spent eating, working and talking with the court.

   Ah yes, the Court...

   After the meeting with Schmidt, and the horrible baby shower, it was fair to say you were very much over this pregnancy. All the mental pain and heaviness it brought seemed not worth it. It didn't help the closer you grew to your due date you felt your heart tearing apart. whether it be from Techno’s letters, or the death threats to your child. Yes, death threats. The court, in a moment of brilliance decided that if you do not bare a boy, they will “misplace” your baby girl.

   You, Phil, and Orion ended that quickly...

   On the topic of Techno’s letters, In the beginning you were excited to receive them, but now you knew every letter you received was just updates on their positions, and how he still cannot come home. The thing that irritated you most about it was how Seraphina, your best friend was the one whispering about holding him back. “Sarah said I have to wait”, “Sarah said it wont be long”, “Sarah said your strong enough to wait”, every letter had her name fallowed by a half-assed excuse. It genuinely started to irritate you, you understood she was his general, and that Techno was a Emperor who had duties. But sometimes you wished she would keep her nose out of your business, and allow you to talk to your husband in person.

   Your last letter sent to Technoblade described how the due date was near, you inscribed names that you would be using leaving little room for his opinions, if a girl you would use Athena, and if a boy, Ares. Ares was chosen from one of his letters, he described how he wanted his child to have a strong name, a name a god deserved or had. He had begged you to use a Greek name, and even if you were angered by his absence, you knew that was the least you could offer him.

   The letter you received back shown his gratitude, yet something felt off, he just didn't seem truly happy. You didn't know if you were overthinking it or if this was how he truly felt, so you let it lay.

   Anymore it seemed the only joy you received was from your bump, Phil, Orion, and the boys. Orion gave you the most company, talking to you about the baby, helping you set up a room, talking to you about Sarah and Tech, anything and everything he could do to give you a normal experience. Phil also helped you prepare for the baby, making sure you were eating correctly, staying healthy and over all trying to take some stress from you. The boys also helped in their own way, ever since the war started they never stopped poking fun and messing with each other, it was a normality you gripped to. No matter how bad it got, you knew that was something you could grasp onto and ground you to the moment.

   During the war there was something you began to do more, write to your parents. Before the war your letters were a bit loose, but your parents understood that you were a newly wed who had a very intense job. Now your parents understood that you were a expecting mother. Of course, them finding out that techno wasn't around didn't lay well at all. They were beyond happy to hear that they would be expecting a grandchild, however they loathed that you were alone. 

   You tried to explain that you were not alone, that you had his father, his siblings and your closest guard- well, friend at this point. But your father was blunt about it, saying Technoblade is the father, and Emperor or not, you were too young to bare your first child alone.

   You wanted to come up with a way to defend techno’s name, give a good reason to explain why he was gone, after all he was your husband, that was your job. Yet you personally felt the same, selfish or not, you just wanted him for nine months, that was all. But apparently that was too much to ask.

   Your mother insisted that you come home to the village, saying you could give birth with them. Your heart hurt however, you wanted to leave, go with them, you know you wouldn't have to see the court or be a empress within your village. Yet your heart held tight to the idea Tech would return home soon. So you declined sadly.

   Yet you knew it was pitiful.

   On one evening you had met a genuine odd surprise. The evening was bland per usual, you were wondering back to your office after a lengthy meeting about the war and baby. The meeting entailed how techno was gaining more land and pushing forward at a amazing rate, however he was nowhere near ready to return home. What sickened you the most was to hear about how the generals talked big about him leaving you. They praised his blood thirsty strive, they also praised how he started to treat you second to everything else. 

   It left your blood boiling.

   As of lately it felt like the relationship with techno was starting to falter, even in letters he seemed more distant. Maybe it was from the war, or maybe not. Usually when Technoblade signed his letters he would put "my love" "my princess" etc, but now he would use your title, and also sign with his title. Thankfully you were happy to know you were not the only one who saw it. Phil also started to get disappointed with techno's attitude, to the point that he sent a letter to techno himself.

   Whatever was inscribed however didn't lay well with either of them, Phil was a bit angry when he received his response. Although you asked to see, Phil refused to show you.

   However, that's not what made the night odd. Well wondering to your office, Orion was sprinting behind you, calling out your name. When you turned to him your shock was hard to hide, by his side stood Foolish, looking not so joyful.

   “Foolish? What on earth are you doing here?...” You asked, heavily confused by his presence. He tried to focus on your eyes, but his eyes kept lingering down to your belly.

   “I uhm... Well, Techno sent me here to help you... I also came here for personal matters, something tells me I need to be here for a while...” He explained.

   Your eyes glanced to Orion, his briefly meeting yours. “I see... Lets uhm...” You tried to think about what to say, the whole interaction coming off a bit awkward with how spur of the moment his visit was. “You wanna sit and talk?...” You finally said. With a nod from him the three of you departed to the library, feeling this was the best place to sit and talk freely, after all, he was here for a reason.

   “What do you mean Techno won’t return?” Foolish asked, feeling a bit outraged. You watched his expression, his eyebrows were knitted together in frustration. “He wrote to me sating that you were pregnant and needed protection, he didn't say you were near the birthing.” he said, trying to keep his voice lower for you.

   You shrugged a bit, not really feeling saddened by the words. “Well it doesn't surprise me, he hasn't really been that supportive as of lately.” you explained.

   You watched foolish grow more confused. “What do you mean? you two were really close I thought?” he said, looking between you and Orion. “The Hell happened in a Year?”

   You thought a moment, pressing your lips as you thought of exactly where it started to go south. “It started after the baby shower... I wrote to him begging him to come home, I had court women telling me he wouldn't want me, that he wouldn't love me, that the baby would ruin my relationship... It hurt and I wanted his reassurance, Besides that I had a court man call me a Breeding tool... He swore up and down I had no power and that it was all my Husband... I had expected Techno to help me handle it, maybe he would come home and help, just come back for a moment...” Foolish watched you as your eyes stared daggers into the fireplace, Flames dancing within your eyes conveyed your emotion very well. “I basically was blown off.” You said sharply.

   “...Wait- what do you mean ‘blown off’?” Foolish asked, Orion looking to you as well.

   You faced Foolish slowly, your jaw tight as you recalled the letter. ”Seraphina said you are a strong girl, she said you can handle it. I promise ill be back soon to deal with him my darling” you seethed. “That's what I was told...”

   Foolish’s jaw dropped at your words. “hold up- you were called a breeding tool!?” He asked genuinely shocked. “And Tech didn't do a thing? Your joking right?” He asked, praying- hoping you were bemusing him. Yet your face sat stoic with pent up anger- anger you had been suppressing. “Where is the man that said this? If Techno wont do anything ill take care of him!” Foolish said raising to his feet, a metallic gold starting to plate his skin, showing his rising anger.

   “Well he’s dead now... After Tech refused to do anything, Phil took it into his own hands.” You said, fixing the fabric of your gown over your belly.

   Foolish stood standing, his eyes watching you closely. “...Does he even intend to come home for your birth?...” He asked.

   “No, Sarah and him are busy with the war. Anymore I've been thinking of taking the baby to my old village. At least there the baby and I would have support... Only genuine support I've seen here is from Orion, and Tech’s family- but not him- the father...” You said, letting it lay in the air a moment. “...My parents are pissed at him... I’ve tried to defend his name, but he’s dug his own grave at this point- and I'm over it.” you said.

   The silence lingered on for a bit, Foolish soon sitting beside you to think. “I just don't understand why he’s acting like this...” He said, running a hand through his hair.

   “Me neither...” you mumbled, “Either way... I have to finish up some papers before dinner... Ill see you there?” You asked Foolish, when he gave a small nod, you stood up, Orion fallowing in silent suit.

   pop

   When you started to head for the door you felt something wet run down your leg. Your eyes grew wide with terror, only able to freeze within the moment. Sure you were close, but you didn't think you were that close. When you paused walking Orion looked at you oddly.

   “(y/n)?... are you ok?...” He asked, gently taking your arm to try and have you face him. 

   “...The baby’s coming”

@goldensunshineshit @snobunns @olyink @lolitsellieletsgobro @jackalopedoodles @angelic-scent @coolleviauchihadreamerlove @artsimatsu @justabalroginthenet @seme1e @fangirl570 @sweeetteaa @awlawdtheycoming @idkwhatusernametohave @sugarandspicebutnonice @bambibunz @lynnarts @buzzybeebee @feathersthewinged @prefesro @astroninaaa @ravennightingaleandavatempus @lifestylesleep @straydog265 @happygalaxymilkshake @vixenfoxpup @truthdaze @alovestruck-fool @luluwinchester @thegeekisheere @blissebee @chxrrymilkshake @karinsnightmareparty @udontneedtokno @remy-and-co @rad-influence @victory-is-here @archangel997 @lunna-does-real-doodle @deadroses2021 @dominickle @alien-alibii @cryptoidmc @justthatfangirloverthere @itscaity-c @glowstick-cafe @caliginous-skies @k-l-a-w-s

[midnightstar-90]

Hidden~ Eddie Diaz x Nash! Reader

A/N: I am starting a taglist. If you want to join let me know. Also, I know the ending to the last part was strange, but I'm setting something up. Just... You'll see...

The Accident

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5 Minutes Before The Crash

Eddie's POV

I was very confused about how I feel. I just met a girl that I might like, but I'm trying to fix what I had with Shannon. I had to talk to someone. That someone ended up being Buck. "I'm just so conflicted. I want to be with Shannon, but I felt something when I talked with Y/N. I mean, Shannon is Christopher's mother, but Y/N and Chris clicked right when they say each other," I told Buck while restocking the truck. "You got all that from watching a girl walk your son to class?" Buck asked, giving me a confused look through the truck window. "Your one to talk. You still stay in your "girlfriend's" apartment, even though she has been in another country for 2 months," I say back. "You asked for my opinion, so don't catch an attitude. Also, Abbie will be back," Buck argues.

I just look at him and raise my hands, showing him I'm surrendering. We finish restocking the Firetruck and head upstairs. We sit down in the lounge. "But, if you want my opinion. I think you should get to know this girl. Don't ruin your relationship with Shannon over a girl you hardly know. Even though she is Christopher's teacher, she may not be all you thought her to be. I mean, you did get this feeling from her picking up Chris from the office." For once since I've been here, Buck gives good advice. "Thanks, man," I thank Buck. The bell rings, and we both groan and roll our eyes.

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Bobby's POV

'She's here. I know it could be anyone, but I have a feeling. I don't think she would forgive me. Even before the fire, I didn't give Y/N the attention she deserved. Maybe it was best I stayed away. She could have been one of the victims of my stupidity. I think I should find her and explain.'

The same things have been going through my head ever since I heard Buck and Eddie talk. How do you tell your family that you have a secret daughter? The bell rings, making me leave my thoughts here for the sake of the victim.

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Flashback to 2000

Narrator's POV

Bobby and a 7-year-old Y/N sit in a cafe in Minnesota. Bobby ordered a coffee and a danish, and Y/N ordered a hot chocolate and a cookie. Times like this made Y/N happy. She had alone time with her father, and he wasn't working. "Daddy, where were you last weekend?" Y/N asked her father with a slightly sad tone. "Well, I had to work. You know my job can get busy." Bobby didn't know how to tell his daughter that he found someone.

It had been 2 months since Marcy and Bobby started dating. Bobby didn't know how to tell his daughter that there is someone else, but he did know that he would have to tell her someday. Today was the perfect day.

Bobby decided to lay the information on his daughter calmly. "Honey," Bobby started getting the attention of his daughter, "Do you remember when I was talking to the lady that had a niece on your soccer team? Well, she and I talked, and we went on a couple of dates." Y/N's face lit up. She instantly went into excited mode.

"How did they go? You have to tell me everything," she was basically jumping in her seat when she realized, "Wait, that was 2 months ago. Why am I just hearing about this now?" Bobby chuckled at his daughter's playful antics. "Well, I had to make sure she was awesome for my beautiful princess." Y/N giggled while drinking her hot chocolate.

Y/N accepted that she couldn't be the only person in her father's life to make him happy. What she didn't know is that, when his second child was born, she wouldn't get the same attention. It only got worse.

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The 118 exits the truck, seeing the 3 car collision.  The crash was in the middle of an intersection. The cars were in a 'T' position. Athena Grant meets with the fire captain to give him the rundown of the issue. "Car one is the cause of the crash. Car one crashes into car two, causing car two to push into car three. Cars one and two have one driver each. Car two with light head injuries, but car three has a woman and child about the age of four, both unresponsive."

Hearing the information, Bobby sends Buck and Chimney to check on cars one and two. Eddie, Bobby, and Hen head toward car 3. Eddie makes it over and sees Y/N. Eddie calls out Y/N's name, worried.

Bobby curiously looks into the car and sees the girl. She looks just like the girl he left in Minnesota but grown-up. He looks in the back and sees a little boy with some of the woman's features. 'I have a grandson?' Bobby thought to himself.

Eddie calls out to Y/N again. Y/N slowly opens her eyes. "Eddie... my son... Zach... help him... first," Y/N tells the firefighter with a raspy voice. "I'll get the boy. You get the woman"

Buck and Chimney make their way over. Eddie tries to open the door, but it doesn't budge.  "The door won't open. Will the back open?" Eddie asks. Buck goes over to the other side of the car and opens the door.

Bobby gets the boy out and passes him to Chimney to get checked out. Buck and Eddie try and get Y/N out from the back. Hen checks Y/N out. "Miss, can you hear me," Hen says checking Y/N's pupils. Y/N responds with a groan and a slight nod.

While Hen and Chimney check out the mother and son, Eddie sees something. Y/N's phone lights up with a missed call from 'Mom'. Behind the notification, Eddie sees a picture of Y/N and a man posing in their Navy uniforms. So far, Eddie got the impression that he and Y/N had a very similar background.

Y/N and Zachary were both put into the ambulance. Athena walks over to Bobby. "What's wrong? It looks like you've seen a ghost," Athena asks with a chuckle. Bobby keeps a very serious look and says, "I did. That was my daughter." Athena looks at Bobby with a serious/confused face and asks, "What?!"

Tagist: @jjpogueprincess @notanordinaryprincess95 @wiypt-writes

[selfdestructivecat]

For the headcanon ask (again!!! Sorry I just love hearing your thoughts you have such wonderful headcanons I cannot get enough) how about Apollo and Ema?

No need to be sorry! It makes me really happy that you like my headcanons! And I love sharing them, so honestly it’s a win-win.

Apollo and Ema! This is a fun combination!

(And yeah, you could probably guess by now that these include Klapollo. I’m WEAK okay!?!?)

Realistic Headcanon: They both share a love for sci-fi movies and tv shows. When they hang out one-on-one, it’s usually to watch one of these shows and point out all the scientific inconsistencies.

Honestly, ripping on movies in general is a pastime both of them enjoy. This extends to the Gavineers music, an album that they both love to hate (although they tone it down when Apollo learns that their criticism actually hurts Klavier. They may not be big fans of the music, but they do care about the artist.)

Unrealistic (but hilarious) Headcanon: Ema gives Apollo the Shovel Talk when he starts dating Klavier. She doesn’t act like it, but she does care deeply for Klavier, and she would honestly feel horrible for the man if he got his heart broken. And she likes Apollo, but she just has to be sure that he won’t hurt Klavier.

Apollo is too endeared to be mad, surprised by Ema’s sudden protectiveness of the German prosecutor. Unfortunately he is sweared to secrecy not to tell Klavier about the Talk, Ema too embarrassed to let Klavier know that she doesn’t actually hate him, but Apollo remembers. And whenever Ema is a little shit about him dating Klavier, he always has ammo to throw right back at her.

(Klavier ends up finding out about the Talk anyway, much to Ema’s horror. He’s insufferable for days.)

(More Headcanons Below!)

Heart-Crushing and Awful Headcanon: Due to her forensic capabilities and the soft spot both the Chief Prosecutor and Nahyuta have for her, she’s constantly flitting back and forth between Japanifornia and Khura’in. She becomes an unwilling messenger between the WAA (plus a few others) and Apollo, bringing letters, occasionally packages, and even simple words wishing the other well.

It’s a more emotional job than she would have thought. She watches helplessly as Trucy finally breaks at the knowledge that Apollo really wasn’t going back, as Athena smiles sadly and gives her a care-package to deliver to her former coworker, as Mr. Wright reads a letter from Apollo with a mixture of pride and anguish. She sits with a heartbroken Klavier late at night, a few drinks towards tipsy, as Klavier coats Apollo’s most recent letter in tears.

She watches as Apollo, one of the strongest and most stubborn people she knows, crumples like a tower as he opens the first care package from the Agency, bawling loudly as he clutches a hand-knit sweater in his hands and tries not to get snot and tears over the other knickknacks and letters still sitting in the box. She watches him break into tears anew when he reads Klavier’s letter, an emotional piece that curls to the back of the page.

She can feel the homesickness like it’s a palpable thing. All she can do is offer a shoulder to cry on and hope that it’s enough.

Unrealistic Headcanon that will probably never happen: They’re both on the spectrum, with Apollo hyperfixating on law and Ema hyperfixating on forensic science! It’s something they both bond over, because while their other friends are far from ableist, they don’t understand like they do. (Although I would say that Trucy and Athena are exceptions, being on the spectrum as well, but since the focus of this ask is on Apollo and Ema I’ll save that for another time.)

Aside from their usual banter, they would often dissolve into excited rambling whenever they were left alone, info-dumping about their interests without the fear of being annoying or too much. It’s honestly really adorable, but point that out and you’d be dealing with two angry, indignant people who are ready to throw hands.

Thank you so much for all the asks! I promise that I don’t mind, so there’s no need to apologize!

Send Me a Character or Relationship (platonic or romantic), and I’ll Give You Some Headcanons!

[doubleleoenergy]

Medusa

She looked right through me, and I turned to stone. Medusa, Medusa, I've been here alone. And I crumbled to pieces my body, my weakness, is on the floor. And the wind will blow and blow, and I won't be here no more.

Pairing: Medusa!Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, mentions of rape/almost rape, loss of virginity, fingering (female receiving), lots of smutty goodness

Word Count: 2122

Author’s Notes: I wrote this for the Greek Mythology Writing Challenge via: faeryloki. Using the prompt of Medusa. I was super nervous and excited to write this, I hope you all enjoy!

Natasha, Natasha, you REALLY shouldn’t be here. It’s not the first time she’s visited the temple since Athena’s wrath turned her into the VILE image that everyone feared, but she couldn’t HELP it. Something about returning to the place where she had lost EVERYTHING, the place where she felt so helpless and small when she now felt so POWERFUL sent adrenaline rushing through her veins.

Athena’s TEMPLE, who would’ve thought she’d end up here, but she just HAD to. Was she really going to pay her respects to the Goddess? To the statue of the woman who had clearly been ENVIOUS of her beauty long before her beautiful spirals turned to SNAKES? She should be pissed, but Natasha was only mad at POSEIDON at this point, the one who had raped her and sent her on her path towards pain and destruction.

Her calloused fingers reached out to touch the smooth doric column, running them up and down the simple fluting that ran vertically along the tall stone. She used to LOVE this place, loved sitting on the porch in front of the stone and gold deity inside. It was her safe haven, which was ironic given that Athena was KNOWN for being the Goddess of War. But Athena was so much MORE than that, she was badass enough to have been born by Zeus and Zeus ALONE. She was a beautiful virgin, something Natasha had once been TOO.

Natasha’s thoughts were interrupted by a blood curdling SCREAM drifting from the inner temple. Brows furrowed and footsteps remained light along the temple floor as she walked inside. That’s when she noticed the man and the MAIDEN.

The man was tall and muscular, his dark curls piled high atop his head. His chiton was slightly open, his body pinning down the SMALL woman below him. Her hair fell loosely down her back, her peplos ripped and tattered along the floor by her side, her chiton that was pinned in place pulled open to reveal her bare body underneath. The woman was MORTAL, but her body could rival any Goddess in the way that it was displayed perfectly against the porch steps.

“Please, I beg of you, let me go!” The woman shrieked, tears staining her rosy red cheeks. “I’m a VIRGIN, please.” The words brought Natasha back to her past, banging her hand on the column beside her as a way to demand the attention from the room.

“I believe the maiden wants to be let GO.” She snarled. The man released his hold on the damsel below, standing up and turning to face her.

“Oh yeah? And who are you to tell me what to-” He trailed off, eyes meeting hers, instantly knowing his fate. The serpents along her hairline stood in defense, hissing at the man who DARED to rest his eyes upon hers. His fate was quickly sealed, his body groaning as inch by inch was encrusted from his bare feet to the top of his head in STONE.

The woman who had just almost become the man’s victim watched in HORROR at the sight of him encapsulated in stone, her own body frozen where she lay in front of the statue of Athena. She wanted to pull her chiton tight around her body again, feeling uncomfortably bare in front of Natasha, but she couldn’t move her hands. Though she wasn’t STONE like the man, it was only her mind that kept her from moving. 

Her eyes moved from the now statuesque man to the other woman. The moment she set her sight upon Natasha she knew just who she was. Her chiton was TIGHT against her skin, her hourglass figure accentuated by the taut fabric. Brown sandals adorned her feet, her eyes following up to the woman’s face, the serpents moving side-to-side against her head.

“You’re MEDUSA.” She croaked, letting go of a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. The woman’s attention turned from the stoned figure to the damsel in distress again, taking a stride forward in the direction of her voice.

“That I AM, but you can call me Natasha.” She boasted. Natasha moved to stand in front of the other, hands resting on her hips. “And what was a beautiful maiden like you doing in here with such a VILE mortal as he?” Her head tilts, the serpents going back to rest against her skull.

Her heart feels like it’s beating out of her chest, glancing to the stone man and then back to Natasha. “I-I was just admiring Athena’s statue, talking to her...which I often do. The man came in after me, introduced himself and sat down with me. Before I knew it he...he…” Tears are welling up in her eyes, swallowing the large lump in her throat as she FIGHTS them back.

“Shh...it’s okay now my dear maiden...you’re SAFE…” Natasha cooed, dropping to her knees in front of the woman. “I’m surprised you’re even talking with me, most mortals would run away AFRAID of me by now...well, those of whom I hadn’t yet turned to STONE…” Natasha’s eyes roam the damsel’s body, licking her lips until she meets her gaze again. She still doesn’t see fear in them, not like how they looked at the man who had almost RAPED her.

Y/N manages to shake her head, not wanting to remove eye contact. Even with the serpents, Natasha was BREATHTAKINGLY beautiful. “No, I’m not afraid. You saved my LIFE. I am forever grateful to you, Natasha.” She doesn’t know why she moves to bow her head to the woman. She wasn’t even a real GODDESS like those who had temples made in their honor, but the Gods and Goddesses were not here to save her, not like NATASHA.

“Grateful, huh?” Her lips curl into a flirtatious smirk at the bow. “Well, would you like to SHOW me how grateful you are?”

The maiden bites her bottom lip, eyes darting from Natasha’s gaze to her plush lips and then back up again. She sits up, her chiton falling the rest of the way off of her shoulders, her face inches from the woman's. The serpents are silent, none jutting out to bite her even though she was so CLOSE. They didn’t feel threatened by her presence.

Natasha grips y/n’s chin in her fingers, her nails digging softly into the skin. She closes the gap between the two, velvet to velvet lips crashing together. This is the maiden’s FIRST kiss, Natasha can tell, especially from the way she seems to not move them at all against hers. Natasha is doing all the work, her tongue jutting out to help part the woman’s lips, crushing theirs more closely together. The rhythm Natasha has set helps the maiden ease into it, figuring out what to do with her lips as they continue.

The hand that once cupped the maiden’s lips moves down to cup one of her breasts, Natasha massaging the soft skin, eliciting a groan of pleasure from y/n. She’s never FELT like this, never been touched by anyone, and for some reason it made her feel an ache in her core that had never HAPPENED. Not sure what to do with her own hands, she moves them around Natasha’s neck, interlocking her fingers together to keep them in place. This breaks Natasha from the kiss, her lips trailing across the woman’s jawline and placing hot kisses along her neck. She pulls back, making sure she can look the maiden in the eyes once more.

“I need you to verbally say what you want, beautiful.” She herself had not been given the option to CHOOSE in the temple when Poseidon used her body, she would NOT let herself turn into a ravenous monster such as he was.

Y/N’s cheeks flush a bright red, her fingers careful against the woman’s neck not to touch the serpents, all eyes on HER. “I-I’ve never done this...any of this...but I want you to touch me.” She whispers. “Your touch feels so GOOD.”

A verbal okay to continue, that’s all Natasha needed before her lips crash against the fragile woman’s again, her hands moving to push her back against the open chiton she had once worn. “Then I will make you feel good with my touch...show you what it feels like to be a GOOD girl.” Her hands trail down y/n’s sides, her mouth kissing from her collarbone to her breast, taking a red nipple into her mouth and sucking softly on it. The feeling makes her other nipple harden, her back arching to get more of the woman’s lips on her. 

Somehow her body felt COLD from a breeze ripping through the temple, yet so hot under Natasha’s lips. Fingers moved down her y/n’s chest, reaching her outerfolds that were already sheen and glistening with wetness.

“My my...you may not know what to do but your body sure DOES.” Natasha takes her lips from the woman’s nipple and moves them to the neglected one, two fingers circling that bundle of nerves the maiden probably didn’t even realize she HAD below her legs. 

“Oh my goodness!” She cries out, her legs instinctively moving to close but Natsha’s knee nuzzles between them, keeping them apart.

“My beautiful MAIDEN, you mustn’t move. If you want to feel good, like I said before...you’ve got to be a good girl.” There’s that phrase again, good girl. She did WANT to be a good girl. Y/N’s fingers busy themselves in the ripped cloth of her chiton beneath her, trying to keep from bucking her hips into Natasha’s fingers. She wanted to do as she was told, wanted to FEEL good.

Natasha’s fingers stopped their motions against her clit, moving them to y/n’s lips. “Open.” She commands, the maiden below opening her mouth wide enough to let the fingers in. “Get them nice and wet for your cunt.”

A shiver runs down her spine, sucking on the thin fingers before Natasha decides they’re wet enough with saliva and pulls them away, moving one of the fingers down and pressing it between her folds. She can now feel the wetness she’d produced, using that and the spit from her finger to push into her.

Y/N’s eyes close tight, her walls also tightening instinctively around the finger inside of her. She’s not used to this, but she cannot help but feel thankful for the way Natasha was pleasuring her body. Once her body relaxes Natasha moves the finger in and out, warming her body up before she pushes the second finger inside. The serpent's hiss at the woman crying out in pleasure, moving along her head to get a better view.

“Look how PRETTY you look on my fingers, taking them in your cunt so well. It’s so tight, but you want them to fit, don’t you? You want to be a good girl and keep them inside.” Her pace quickens, the maiden’s moans bouncing off the stone walls of the inner temple. Natasha is clearly pleased with herself, eyes taking in the sight of the woman coming undone below her.

“Open those eyes, beautiful. Want you to see how proud you have made me.” Her eyes flutter open, her stomach in knots as she feels a tightness she has never FELT before. “Natasha, I...I feel weird.” She shushes her, eyes darkening at the thought of what’s to come.

“That’s a GOOD feeling, your body wants you to let go, to cum all over my fingers. And you can do that, I want you to do that as long as you LOOK at me.” Being the MEDUSA made eye contact not possible for most, others refusing to look at her just for who she was. The maiden, however, looked at her with WANT, with LUST, and she couldn’t help but feel powerful with all eyes on her for once.

Y/N’s body starts to quiver, a final cry slipping out of her mouth as her walls tighten around Natasha’s fingers, keeping her gaze on the woman above her as she releases her orgasm. The fingers inside her continue to pump in and out, coaxing her down from her release before they are pulled out, leaving the maiden feeling EMPTY.

Natasha sits up, towering further over the woman as her lips curl around her fingers, sucking the sweet juices from the skin. Once they have been stripped of their sweetness she pulls them out with a pop, a sigh of excitement leaving her lips.

“You did AMAZING, my beautiful maiden.” She moves her body next to the woman’s on the porch, eyes briefly meeting the gaze of Athena’s statue before she brings her attention back to her naked lover. “Now I want you to do what I just did to ME.”

[theepitomeofamess]

hey y'all, i'm working on this project i'm really excited about and i wanted to share some of it.

it's basically just a retelling of Ares mythology (i know that this probably sounds a lot like knock off madeline miller, but just hear me out) focusing on the parts that don't paint him like an angry meathead -- the version of his myth where he's raised by Priapus and taught to dance long before fighting, how he is one of the few male gods to care for his children and respect women, the story of his daughter Alcippe (which, if you don't know it, trigger warning for sexual assault and murder if you look it up), and the idea that his anger stems from depression caused by being hated by his supposed father and ostracized by any god who wanted to stay on Zeus' good side (hello projecting :^D).

Anyway, i wanna share some ideas i have about Ares as a character (in no way trying to be disrespectful to the deity, my apologies if it comes off that way). I've got a long list of ideas under the cut, I'd love to get some feedback (@witch19, you know I'd love your opinion on all this)

so a big concept i want to work with is tattoos. from what i understand, tattoos were a sign of punishment in ancient greece, used to mark slaves and criminals so they could be identified or continually punished. there's a story (link here) of athenians tattooing athena's owl on ancient samians after a defeat, ares decided to take on the same punishment as the men he had helped in the battle. as he grows into himself and his confidence, the tattoo grows with him from athena's pygmy owl to an eagle owl, which became one of his sacred animals in some versions of his mythology. he started getting even more as he started viewing them as a sign of strength rather than punishment, and especially when he learned of emperors tattooing gladiators, who he often helped and identified with

the owl is his first tattoo, but his favorite is a honeycomb over his heart. there are a lot of bees on the comb, with aphrodite being the queen directly over his heart. there's a bee for each of his children, and a drone with a broken wing for Hephaestus (Aphrodite actually gets a matching queen bee on the back of her hand so when she puts her hand over his heart, the bee is still there)

maybe another tattoo is a peacock feather for his mother? maybe it's covering a Lichtenberg figure he got from one of zeus' fits of rage?? maybe idk???

speaking of scars, he gains a scar for every one that's gained by a soldier. it doesn't matter what side the soldier is on, it doesn't matter how minor the wound is, he bleeds with every soldier in every fight he's involved in, feels their pain. armor does nothing to stop it -- it never even gets scuffed.

because it never gets hit and therefore looks brand new, ares doesn't actually like wearing his armor. it gives the impression that he's never been in a fight. he'd rather just wear his tunic.

he's actually much more of a romantic person than a sexual one. he's not asexual (bisexual, actually), he's just a big softy and craves a softer, more genuine connection. that's why he doesn't take as many lovers, why he doesn't have casual sex, and why he takes his time romancing aphrodite. he really enjoys the soft, quiet intimacy.

the first time he met aphrodite, he asked her to dance. no one was dancing except servant girls/nymphs, and they were not on the same page at first. aphrodite thought "dancing" was an innuendo (like what zeus and poseidon have done before), and ares wasn't catching on to the fact that she thought he meant sex. poor boy just wanted to dance, and it took some talking in circles, but he did get his dance. aphrodite loved how fun and innocent it was.

dancing is an outlet for him. he loves it. he spent his whole childhood with priapus dancing, and still enjoys it to no end. this influences his build (where a lot of the gods -- zeus, poseidon, etc. -- are more bulky and lumbering, ares is very lean, limber, and light on his feet)

he keeps a garden. it was part of being raised by priapus in the mortal world -- they grew their own food, and it's a hobby that followed ares into adulthood. besides, growing his own food means that, while he doesn't get as many offerings, he still gets the good stuff. the garden has a beehive that aphrodite loves helping with. all of his children are spoiled with mortal food before they are ever old enough or well known enough to get an offering from the mortal world

he refuses the idea that zeus is his father. he believes the version of the story that he was conceived by hera alone through pure spite and rage -- this is the version that athena tells him, and he tends to believe athena before anyone else.

speaking of, he actually gets along with a lot of the gods. he and athena, though constantly pitted against each other, have a pretty good relationship and she is often a comfort for him. they will often sit together in no man's land after a battle, and she will often comfort him if it was a particularly bloody one. at the end of the day, in her mind, she's his big sister. she actually used to (against zeus' wishes) go visit ares at priapus' home and read him stories.

apollo actually really enjoys hanging out with him -- ares dances to apollo's music and apollo is the one that gives ares his tattoos, a form of art that apollo doesn't get to practice otherwise.

he sees hades a lot more than a lot of people, as he often helps thanatos in escorting killed battalions to the underworld, spending the entire time ensuring them that even if they did not achieve victory, they brought honor to their homes and families. hades doesn't have favorite nephews/neices, but given how ares has been ostracized in a way that hades can find familiar, he empathizes with him quite a bit.

he and hephaestus actually would have been very close if they were allowed to have a childhood together and didn't have mutual jealousy, and actually have some really sweet moments. ares trusts hephaestus wholly with the wellbeing of aphrodite and his children, knowing that he will take care of them in his stead if he needs to.

still working out the kinks on this idea, but the dryad Harmonia is born from the tree that grows from ares' tears for Alcippe. she offers to help him create an entire society of daughters for him, ones that live away from the threat of men. daughters that know well how to protect themselves from those who threaten and attack them. (like i said, i'm still working on this idea, i'm not even sure if the amazons will be included, but i like thinking about the different ways that this could be interpreted/used)

maybe in that same vein of harmonia and the tree, ares crafts eros' bow himself (maybe with some help from hephaestus and his experienced craftsmanship?) from a branch of harmonia's tree? maybe he strings it with his own heartstring, left dangling loose, irreparable after the heartbreak of Alcippe?

okay so clearly i have a lot of ideas regarding this project. any and all writers, mythology lovers, narrative flippers, please let me know of any further interest or ideas about this!

[after-nine-at-the-oasis]

:OOO O.O

Oop yep she said the name

D A N G

Oh gosh that promo looks CRAZY

xDD Like good but CRAZY

Wow

Gosh xdd

That's the end of my last thoughts!!! Woah, that was wild xDD. Now onto the. . .

REVIEW

Wow. That was. . . Wild xDD. Just- straight up crazy lol

Some quick last thoughts, since I said a lot for what I was thinking the liveblog!! Plus some condensing if what I said

Buck, Eddie, and Chim just vibing and seeing if Hen keeps it together is iconic xDd But also Buck's barely keeping it together lol, trying to find peace and all and that situation. Poor guy :((.

Also Evan sir you are gay <3 Just accept it and move on

Nah fr xDD I headcanon him as bi but eh anyway lol

And UGHHH Hen this episode!!! Poor Hen 😭😭😭😭. She does not DESERVEEE THISSSS!!!

I saw something recently that was like I love Henren and I love angst and all but can they have one storyline that isn't super serious or sad, and like xDD Yeah lol

I love the angst but y'all 😭😭😭 You're killing me here lol xD

I like how they're a very realistic couple though and still have emotions even when the other one does yaknow? Like Karen is justified in being upset about Hen forgetting to pick Denny up but also she understands and is still there for Hen <333 Iconic, truly.

Love them :DDDD

Still heartbreaking though xdd. Just watching her go through something like that, something I kind after myself. . . ugh. Torture xdd. I loved it, it was great, but ow xd. ❤️❤️❤️😭😭❤️❤️🥰

And honestly poor Athena :((. And her mom! Beatrice, that's her name. It's so rough when a family member is sick, especially in the hospital, let alone in a coma. I can't even imagine the pain and the stress <33

I hope everything works out with them, besides the uh, yaknow (segue lol)

BODY!!!

LIKE WHAT??? EXCUSE ME???

THAT WAS S H O C K I N G XDDD

More just the fact that there even WAS a body, not who it was lol

Although since that was a prevalent (or at least, more so than any other information about this town) storyline in the past, it does make sense that it would come back up. Still, though xdd. CRAZY.

Also, just. Bathena <333 🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️❤️😭❤️❤️❤️❤️. Crying because they're adorable lol <333 :DD.

Okay I just watched the first 10 minutes and UHH. XDD DANG lol. I kinda figured it was something like that but still xdd. Also a tunnel is a little extra. It was funny and interesting tough lol

And ahhh it was a medically induced coma, okay, I see. Still, it sucks :((. And there's the start (that we see) of her denial too. Poor lady :((. Poor all of them, honestly. Just, oof xdd.

Also, it sucks that he choked a bit (I don't know if I'd call it crashing and burning lol - also I find it funny how with "burning" they had a chance to have the fighters actually fight like. A fire xDD but I get that they're ent more with the crash theme lol - oh wait, back from putting the title at the end, I just remembered it's learn XDD Nevermind then, lol), but I'm sure whatever his face was, 9-1-1 dispatcher boy, will do great :)). He just has to get a little more experience first :D. I think he'll do great <3. Hopefully he's not evil lol.

Overall, I loved the episode. The calls were fun, though a bit sad at times Hen's storyline was amazing, as was Athena's side. Ayy, our besties have an episode :D. Kind of together, but also super far apart lol. Also, poor Buck, honestly. Man is struggling lol. But yeah, I really connected with Hen here so I just feel extra bad for her <3. Anyway, it was a great episode. This season's shaping up to be really good :).

So, that's about it! It was an amazing episode, and I am looking forward to the next one. This has been my review of. . .

9-1-1, Season 6, Episode 2: Crash and Learn

It was awesome! I am so excited for what comes next. It seems like it'll be great! See you next week for. . .

9-1-1, Season 6, Episode 3: The Devil You Know

See you guys then!

[pegasii]

⠀ ⠀ “𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐔𝐒 𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐓” aka “𝘉𝘌𝘓𝘓𝘌𝘙𝘖𝘗𝘏𝘖𝘕”.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ demi-god of combat & equine lordship

𝐌𝐔𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎. hello, i’m pollux. ur resident greek mythotty, biracial leo & sci-fi whore. i’m 23 and go by she/her. i’ve written a few diff versions of bellerophon over the years and i’m super excited to write him here. he has a few hcs already i’d like to stick to that i’ll list below but other than that he’s been rewritten a lot to fit this rp. pls don’t hesitate to message me about plotting and starting threads. my replies will likely be lowercase with dialogue bolded and i’ll use static icons or none at all. don’t feel the need to match this, it’s just what’s easiest for me since my fc doesn’t have a ton of resources that would work !!  i’m hoping to compile everything below into a carrd page instead of this post so when that’s done the link will be in the source. discord is  𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐱.#1313

ATTICUS or ATTY ( he hates to be called the latter though so be warned )

cis man, he/him, bisexual biromantic

june gemini, currently 27 years old. 5′10 ( fc is ruairi o′connor )

working at trojan horse ranch as a farrier & ranch hand

lives at hesperides villas

+ compassionate, courageous, hardworking

- haughty, stand-offish, selfish

animal lover obvi, very outdoorsy, aussie native his entire life ( from sydney, aus ), still deciding but he probably grew up on a ranch of some sort but probably learned farrier work from a parent or something. i think he moved to magnetic island at 15-16 to live with a relative bc of a messy home situation ?? haven’t decided yet. he felt different his entire life but after moving to magnetic island he started to realize something was truly off. maybe it was giving all the horse trainers a run for their money without even trying because of his ability to bond with essentially any equine, or maybe it was the dreams he’d always had of himself falling. falling from what ?? he never knew, and falling to where he also doesn’t know. he always keeps falling until he wakes up. he’s also drawn to water and finds comfort in being near it.

PETS. he has a brumby gelding named anthizo, which is greek for bloom. he’s a dark bay with no white markings and is 17 years old. he has a back injury and can’t be ridden so he spends his days in the pasture with the other horses or getting pampered by atticus.

ABILITIES.

influence equine behavior

while he can understand most animals well, he always knows exactly what horses are feeling and reassurance from him about things makes them far more cooperative than they would be with the average person.

water control & manipulation

percy jackson vibes probably but without the healing abilities or at least less so of. i think he’s controlled water subconsciously in the past without realizing too.

A COUPLE HCS.

( mind you i’m still learning who plays who. )

he’s gonna hate zeus’ reincarnation naturally. in his past life he did everything he could to prove zeus wrong and zeus punished him by making pegasus drop him and by taking pegasus to carry his lightning bolts. so naturally, atticus is not gonna like him and it’s very likely he won’t fully know why and even if they are civil he will have a natural dislike for him that he simply won’t be able to pinpoint.

he’s gonna feel a kinship towards athena because of her aide to him in his past life.

i’m not sure what his feelings will be / are of poseidon yet !!

he definitely comes across as a know-it-all at the ranch and that can manifest to him being an asshole but he just truly loves the horses and hates when people do dumb shit around them.

in his spare time he really enjoys books but only ever reads outside.

a way to win him over is probably very deep conversations, validation in not feeling alone about his dreams or abilities will help him to open up.

his competitive and egotistical nature has joined his reincarnation and when given the opportunity he’ll show it.

CONNECTIONS.

so rn literally anything, especially a roomie !!