#AND LITERALLY THE FIGHT I WON TOOK HALF AN HOUR

[diviinedogs]

the evil hamster in my brain is telling me to play video games, but I have stuff to do

[couldeatthatgirlforlunch]

OMG I have an idea

What if a villain hit reader with a love potion and the Yandere JL has to deal with reader being obsessed with one of them until it wears off🙏🙏😭(I LITERALLY LOVE YOUR YAN JL WORKDGHBJB)

A Day in Life: Love Pollen

Synopsis: A day in your life where you get hit with love pollen, get kidnapped, and are rescued by the Justice League.

Pairing: Yandere!Justice League X Assistant!Gn!Reader

Tw: 18+; PDA; Dry humping; Kinda public sex bc they're in a deserted island’s beach, so it's basically out in the open but no one’s around; Dubcon/noncon bc, you know, love-and-kinda-sex pollen; Also maybe drugging bc of that; Writer is the Justice League's weakness; Hal Jordan is a little shit; Needles; English is not my 1st language.

Word count: 2,1k

Requested? Yes.

Extra notes: I imagine the League’s marketing will have a hard time after this little stunt, I mean, there's no way no one caught that on camera

General masterlist | A Day in Life - Series masterlist

The Legion of Doom had a plan. They invaded a political event in Metropolis, with the presence of the Justice League as the president’s security team, the League being the target. First, Poison Ivy release pollen throughout the whole city, as a distraction, making people hallucinate that they were in love with one another. Crazy in love. It would be okay, if her experiment didn't cause chaos. All over the streets, some people were having sex out in the open, some were fighting and killing because of jealousy and cheating, some were committing robberies to give their “loved ones”. It was pure chaos and only the quick reflexes, powers and gadgets from the League spared the team from getting hit.

Half the team went to deal with the distraction, saving and restraining people, giving them the antidote, etc. The other half, took care of the villains. After a few hours, the Legion of Doom was taken down and the city’s security and health workers took over the job, the chaos being a lot easier to contain since they were spreading the antidote through the air, it would take at least an hour to spread it throughout the whole city, and then the ones who somehow weren't able to breath it, but mostly, just the mess left behind was the real issue.

You were standing with the rest of the crew on the event, watching the League and the politicians discoursing for the press and TV. When the mayhem started, for the first few seconds, you got startled and froze. Looking between the League, the scared crowd, and the villains invading the place. Suddenly, you breathed some thick smoke and your eyes shot to the heroes, silently urging them to do something, when your eyes locked on Green Lantern’s, the pollen’s effect kicked in. You got dizzy, something snapped, and then everything changed.

Wait, when did Green Lantern's jaw got so sharp? And his muscles so defined? Oh, and he was so big and tall. Did he do something to his hair? Wow, his ring is glowing now and he's flying. He's so cool and powerful. A true hero. Shit, he's coming in my direction. Hehe, he's using a construct to lift me and my coworkers to a safer place as if it was nothing. Imagine flying with him every day. How does he look without the mask? Ugh, must be perfect, if his jaw and lips were anything to go by. I can't even see the color of his eyes! And- and please stop looking me in the eyes and touching my shoulders and asking me if I'm okay, of course I am, I'm with you. No. Nooo. Come back here! Let the others deal with the bad guys, I'm right hereee! Nooooo!

You were depressed and deflated the whole time your soulmate was away. A journalist team from outside the city arrived at some point and you were able to watch the fight — Normally, Lois Lane would do the transmission, but she's too busy making out with her cameraman, she was in the crowd too. —. You started crying watching your lover fighting with Sinestro. When he won, and everything was fine, was when you finally calmed down and just started anxiously waiting while ignoring your colleagues strange antics, one of them even hitting on you. Didn't she know you and Green Lantern were in love?

When the League was back, the paramedics were starting to give the crew the antidote, you were next in line, however, as soon as you saw the heroes, you broke into a sprint.

— Green! — You yelled, catching everyone off guard. Even more so when you jumped and hooked your legs around the brunette’s waist, your arms around his neck, and kissed him passionately.

Hal was so shocked that it took him two seconds to reciprocate the kiss, ignoring completely the gasps from his friends. You moaned against his lips, mumbling a jumbled mess of “I love you”, “I missed you”, “was so worried”, “so glad you're back”.

Someone groaned.

— Batman, just give them that damn antidote before I lose it. — Batman grunted and Hal struggled but managed to separate your faces for a moment. You tried to push your face towards his again, but he grabbed your jaw. You kept forcing your face against his hand and whining. It was really cute, and your willingness and the previous sensation of your lips ignited something in his belly, yet, he looked to the side just in time to see Batman preparing the needle, the rest of the League sulking on the side and glaring at him.

His mind worked rapidly, ignoring the texture of your soft lips pampering kisses against the skin of his hand. When he felt the tip of your tongue, he made a decision.

A bad one.

— Yeah. I don't think so. — Green Lantern conjured several chain constructs, chaining the League's arms and ankles to the ground. It wouldn't hold off the ones like Superman and Wonder Woman who were strong enough to break it, and Martian Manhunter who could just invade his mind or use his intangibility, Flash was also pretty capable of taking him on, but Hal was smart and sagacious. Still holding you, he made a rocket construct around you both and took off.

Really, a terrible idea.

Superman and Wonder Woman, in a cry of rage, broke the chains. Diana unsheathed her sword, her feet not even touching the ground anymore, flying, ready to go after the traitor. Martian passed through the construct, while Superman went to break Batman and Aquaman free, Flash vibrated fast to rearrange his particles and also escaped.

— We need a plan. — Batman’s voice stopped the amazon warrior from going in a hunt for blood. He was already stressing over what the marketing team could do to fix this.

— A plan? We can defeat the enemy and retreat my darling if we go now! — Wonder Woman barked.

— Green Lantern is impulsive. If we go now we can destroy the whole state and hurt (Y/N) in the process. He won't give them up easily.

— Batman's right. — Superman agreeds. — Flash, follow them and see where they’re going. — The speedster nodded and took off.

Barry shook his head, cursing his idiot best friend the whole way.

Between the whole team, Hal was clearly the only one who would be okay with you falsely loving them. The rest wanted something more genuine for you. Some of them would settle for you not loving them as much as they loved you, some wanted you to feel exactly the same amount of what they felt. Hal still loved you just like them, but he always had that certain level of insecurity that craved to be better than anyone, to impress, making everything a competition, and the sensation of being the only one to have you could certainly cloud his judgment and accept your love, even if fake. He just thought he could compensate by treating you the right way, and not just using that opportunity to do whatever he wanted with you, just because he could and you wouldn't complain. He could make this about you both, and not just about him.

Either way, every one of them (thought) they deserved their fair chance at winning you over.

— Manhunter, can you still read his mind and tell what he is thinking? — Manhunter nodded and his eyes started glowing, there was a second of silence before he spoke.

— It's getting weaker as he gets more distant. It's purely impulsive thinking. Green Lantern isn't considering the consequences and means no harm against Earth or us. — Batman nodds.

— That's a shame. I mean harm. — Wonder Woman mutters, Batman glared and Superman side-eyed her. Batman turned his communication on.

— Flash, tell us when they stop moving.

— If he touches them, I will personally kill him. — Aquaman darkly states. Superman took a step in his direction, facing him head on.

— No, you won't. — The two stared at one another intently, until Batman broke the silence.

— Focus. We don't have time for this. — The dark knight stated.

— We need to be collected and work as a team to act smoothly on our plan. — Martian reminds them. Wonder Woman steps down again and sheats her sword. They all form a circle and start planning.

The sky was never this blue and the sand never this warm and soft. Even with the warmth of the sun being so intense, you were laying on a palm tree's shadow, and the air was flowing just fine. What was actually making you sweat was the dry humping you and your soulmate were doing.

You don't remember ever getting so aroused in your whole life, and can't remember ever desiring someone so much. You could kill someone if they dared to try and steal him away from you.

Hal felt you carding your fingers through his hair and pull slightly, giving him shiver, and he squeezed the flesh of your hips. You moaned against his lips at a particularly stronger wave of pleasure. The clothes were a curse, stopping you from feeling the real him, so you desperately started clawing at his clothes. Green Lantern breathily chuckled.

— Relax, hot stuff, we have time… — He whispers with a smirk. The man held your hands and laid them on the ground, above your head. You just moaned, more needy, and pushed your hips against his, eliciting a hiss from his red and swollen lips.

His hands started unbottoning your shirt and freeing the fabric out of your pants. You kept your hands were they were and watched, eyes wide open, when he descended kisses from the middle of your chest, going south, only pausing at your waistband.

As much as you wanted to feel his mouth more, seeing him so covered and not being able to properly touch him was making you restless, so you sat up, surprising him, and started pulling up the fabric at the back of his neck. Hal chuckled and shook his head, humoring your needs. He helped you take it off, then pushed your own shirt down your arms, until it was off.

You paused, admiring his adonis body. Your heart raced and eyes watered, never having seen something so perfect your whole life. Even his scars were beautiful. His chest hair and happy trail looked really soft and somehow he looked even more muscled, strong and beautiful. You wonder why you rejected him before.

Hal Jordan basked in your amazed gaze, loving to show off, especially while doing nothing. He frowned weakly, and gave a reassuring grin when you pouted, slumped and frowned.

— What's this, sweetheart? I thought you were enjoying this. — To lift your mood, he started running his hands up and down your sides.

— I wanted to see your face… — Hal remained silent for a few seconds. They would tell you their identities eventually, and that fact kept being brought up on reunions. They all knew at some point, you would have to know, to really start a relationship, yet, Batman, and his paranoia, kept them all from telling you. Sometimes, it felt like a sabotage, but mostly, it made sense, since the guy had a bunch of kids, who could be in danger if the information somehow got leaked, still, you couldn't trust to let them in, if they didn't let you in. That was the only reason you didn't trust them, of course.

Also, a face was not a name. Hal wasn't famous, so how bad could it be? Especially if it would turn you on so much, and when you looked so damn cute. His own lust was also influencing his critical thinking, which was already second place to his impulsiveness.

Hal bit his lower lip and brought his face closer to yours, a few centimeters away from having your noses touching.

— Okay… Take it off… — You let out a happy squeal and reached up with both hands. Your heart pounded with anticipation, making you go slower to savor the intimacy even more. Hal closed his eyes when he felt the gentle tug, against his wishes to watch your eagerness and your lip biting in anticipation. His heart was also pounding.

You saw his right eye closed and his thick eyebrow, when suddenly, a loud noise rang out, scaring the shit out of you and prompting Hal to fix the mask again, get up and assess for danger.

He finally fell to his senses and realized something.

He just took the worst decisions ever.

Everything happened too fast. Flash was on your side, holding a needle to your arm, and Green Lantern was being thrown around by a red and blue blur. Only the feminine rageful scream gave you the hint to who it was.

You got up, ready to die for your soulmate, when the antidote kicked in.

You threw up.

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DC Taglist:

@wandalfnation @vadersassistant

[nyx-is-missing]

Graceland too

Clarisse la rue x fem!reader (Athena's kid)

Sumarry: When a certain daughter of Athena felt unappreciated her whole life, someone was there to see her.

Warnings: Sad girl hours, shitty parenthood, hurt/comfort because im no monster and probably other things wich i forgot.

a/n: look who is back!

Demigod.

Half blood.

Half a goddess.

Half a human (?).

And yet, fully a disappointment.

When Athena sent me to my Dad's house, in a golden crib, dressed in pure white dress, glowing, how the myths would expect a demigod to be, then, and only right then i was a gift.

A piece o divine love, something to prove to him, till the end of his life, that at some point, he was good enough for a Goddess.

But days after, immediately, i was just a crying baby, hungry, with a busy father, without a mother, and that only made him remember that, that was it.

He wasnt good enough for her, she wasnt staying, she never even actually even considered, he would never have that kind of honour, only a crying baby he never expected.

I wasnt a gift anymore, it actually felt like i was a insult, everything about me started to enrage him.

And oh, how did he reminded me of that every single day of my existence.

When i got diagnosed with dyslexia all i've heard whas that Athena gave me up to him because i was defective, when i couldnt sit still during classes, and exploded with all the repression i suffered everyday, suddently i was a clock bomb, when my grades where great, i was never rewarded, it was "the least i could do, to make up for the shame that i was".

I was never loved, never wanted, never encouraged, at least not by him.

The very little love i've known in my life, i own to the people who felt pitty of me.

The teachers, the neighbours who have heard the insults, the stray animals who could sense sadness, the very old grandparents who never actually saw me more than twice a year, and the people who worked at a nerby library, who let me stay past closing time, leaving only with the cleaners.

I was 12 when he had enough and sent me to camp, literally the very day school was over.

I came home to my clothes packed and him waiting by the car keys.

Being in camp for the first time, was also the very first time in my life i have ever felt....normal.

Not good, not bad, not great, not terrible, i was one, and that was enough.

I spend that summer being quiet, i sat in the corner, i didnt spoke, i didnt interrupted, i didnt had any ideas, i wasnt good enough to do that, thats what i've been told my whole life, thats my true.

It took a whole new summer for Athena to claim me.

I have always wondered if she was fighting with herself, if she had any problems having to admit that she made a mistake, with me, or with him.

It didn't matter, for the first time i had brothers and sisters, who wanted me, who understood when i wasnt the best, who asked for my graded tests, to put up in the wall.

They understood when i was hard to crack, when i insisted in being quiet, when i wouldnt share my ideas, they understood it all.

I didn't.

Each and every new summer i spent there, all i could ask myself was:

Why could i not be great like all of them?

Why im still afraid?

Why i was still useless?

Im now sixteen and the same questions still were unanswered.

And today i felt worse than ever.

It was my birthday, and i havent got a single letter from him, nothing, nothing.

It felt like he was saying i wasnt worth anything again.

Earlier, i tried to pretend nothing was happening, smiling with my siblings, finally making plans for capture the flag, finally belonging like i promissed i would try to do that year.

My plan was used, it wasnt perfect, but it was used, and surprising myself and the other team, we won.

I could see the other team confused, and Clarisse cussing us to death.

Still i was so happy, for the first time in my life i showed myself, and i worked....partially.

The happiness of victory didnt last much in me, because i saw a new brother of mine almost bursting to tears, he was young and just got claimed a few days ago, he wasnt used to that, and he wasnt supose to get hurt, but the red that painted his arms said otherwise.

I couldnt stare at him without feeling like i failed again.

Why couldnt i be perfect for once?

I took him to infirmary and held his hand while he was getting his stiches, saying sorry all the time.

I tried thinking it was okay, people get hurt, move on.

I had diner, i took a bath, i tried to sleep, i couldnt.

The tears were falling down and i knew i wouldn't be quiet.

So i got up and walked to the cabin's porch, sitting on the last step and letting my head fall to my knees.

Why couldnt i be great?

Why couldnt i be in peace with myself?

Why couldnt my mom bless me?

Why couldnt my dad love me?

Why did he had to be so mean?

I was a kid for fucks sake.

"Are you okay?" I heard someone saying, that made me freeze, that voice was not from any of my sisters, was i crying so hard i woke up someone from other cabin?

"I- yes, sorry i didn't knew i was crying so hard to wake people from other cabins, im sorry"

"You didn't, i was sneaking out to train some more, and saw you, our cabins face each other"

That was...Clarisse?

I wiped my tears and look up, she was staring at me with a almost worried look

"Clarisse?"

"Yes, why are you crying?"

She sat down by my side, dropping a sword in the grass.

"Its nothing really, im fine, you dont need to bothe-"

"No, cut the crap" she stopped me mid sentence "no one ever weeps in the middle of the night out of happiness, you are not fine and im not letting you lie OR leave until you tell me what it is"

We stare at each other, and ill need to thank the night light being bad because i probably look like crap right now, im sure my eyes are red, my nose too, im probably with a very swollen face and id bet all the dracmas i own that my hair its no better than a nest of birds.

"Go on...tell me"

I layed myself in the stairs, looking at the sky, trying to think of a way to tell everything, without sounding crazy

"I dont deserve to be here, Clarisse."

"Here..where?"

"This cabin, i dont deserve to be called daughter of the goddess of wisdom, i dont deserve being here with them, my siblings they are great, more than good, great, they will do great things with themselfs, amazing writers, architects, brilliant musicians, historians, why am i here? Im not even good, why im with the great?"

"Wait wait wait" she made me sit down again and look at her "not even good? What are you talking about? Wasnt the strategy in the last capture the flag yours? Yall won, and if somebody asks me later i've never said this but that was good, some really good strategy, i was almost thinking of asking chiron to switch you teams, you were great, more than that, and now you're here telling me you are not egen good? Are you on drugs?"

"Clarisse you dont need to pretend you care that much, and my plan wasnt all that, my brother got hurt, that wasnt supose to happen, i failed him, if i was good enough he wouldnt even be there"

She had a very confused look on her face, like she really did not knew what i was talking about.

"You're not talking about the little boy you took to the infirmary and that small cut in his forearm are you? Cause that boy was far from almost dying like you are making it sound like-" she looked at my eyes, i didnt needed a mirror to have sure how i was, i've seen myself like that too much to count, everytime my dad said i wasnt good enough, sad, lifeless.

"I failed again Clarisse, im not good enough to be here, im useless, worthless"

She looked at me and did the last thing i tought she would, Clarisse hugged me.

"Dont say that, c'mon, worthless? I've seen you fight, i've seen your plans, you dont talk much but i've heard your ideas, you are far from being useless or worthless, who the fuck told you that?"

"My f- you heard me?" I looked at her, only to see a look i couldnt distinguish "what do you mean?"

She looked at her own feet, then at her sword, reflecting the moonlight.

"You really dont know?" She looks at me "i- well, i've heard you, the same way i see you everyday, thats how i know you like morning walks, sweet green grapes, baked goods...how i know you are probably the only child of Athena who has never read "the art of war", that you walk without looking at peoples faces....its weird, i've seen you so much throughout this years and it feels like this is the first time you are actually seeing me"

"But i've saw you before-"

"Thats not what i was saying, you looked at me many times, but did you ever saw me until today?"

I looked at her blinking, and after a moment of silent i said "you like dark chocolate, and lemon flavoured soda, and sneaking out to train when the harpies take their breaks, by the way you missed that, and you always ask for double the quantity of food you eat, so when you burn it you still can eat enough, by the way i stole that idea-"

She is smilling, big, really big, i think i am too.

Of course i saw Clarisse, who wouldnt, she was strong, brave, beautiful, to me was a wonder she didnt had people running to get her attention.

She got closer to me "does that mean i can-" i stopped her mid sentence again

"Maybe..."

"Im going to make you forget that "im not good enough" nonsense, belive me"

She is smilling while kissing me, and i am too.

[emlovslennon]

anotha one because holy fuck this man makes me feral.

era: 1968-early ‘69

-

John has been inside our bedroom for at least 2 hours, practicing the same song over and over again. The only song he actually cares about, that is. John has about completely given up on the band, but he at least there’s some energy. One thing to know about John, however, is that he HATES being interrupted. Even by his wife. But, you’ve been craving his touch for weeks, he’s hardly paid any mind, so why not take a risk?

Once you mustered up the courage, and by mustering up you put on a short, skimpy, night gown John had bought you for your second wedding anniversary and some black, see through tights. You slowly, but surely walked up to the door. It took you a good thirty seconds to actually open the door. John didn’t even look at you when you opened the door, to see you standing by the doorway barely covered.

“Johnny, please, it’s been forever. I want you.” You whimpered, too scared to be too loud.

“Y/n… What have I told you at least a thousand times? I’m working, not the time.” John warns, looking back at me. You could see on his face that a blush appeared, he bit his lip, staring you down his down like a predator finding it’s prey.

“But please, John. I promise just one time and you can go back to-“ you was quickly cut off by John nearly slamming his guitar to the ground and getting off of your shared bed to come up and grab you by the chin.

“You just don’t like listening, do you? Been a lot more bitchy lately cuz I haven’t been bedding you. Now you’re just gonna have to take whatever I fucking give you. Do you hear me, girl?” John reprimanded. You felt the heat between your legs beginning to drool and throb. This was gonna be rough, but it’s something.

John grabbed you and threw you onto the bed, you could hear the ruffling of clothes as John unbuckled his belt and undid his purple button up.

“Hands and knees. Now.” John growled, his voice was low and domineering. You actually felt, afraid in way. But it just turned you on. You never saw John like this, and you couldn’t help but like it. You instantly got up on your hands and knees, your head resting against the plush pillow underneath you. He ripped your tights down to your thighs, exposing your bottom half to him.

“You do not understand the amount of stress I’m under right now. The last thing I need is my ever so loving wife to act like a fucking dog in heat.” Johns voice got louder. Without warning, John smacked his belt against your lower half, causing you to cry out.

“John, please. ‘M wanna help you.” You murmured. John looked at you, amazed. You would really do anything for him if it means you got stuffed full of his cock, or if it made him feel better. He really won the jackpot by finding you.

“You wanna help me, baby? Well, I suppose you can. But I’m warning you now, I’m not going easy on ye. So if you need to smack me or tell to me to stop, please do.” He said, quite softly. The softness didn’t last long however, he brought he belt back to your ass again. Your cunt was glistening, wetness pooling down your thighs, aching for him.

“Holy fuck, you like this, y/n? You like how I’m marking your little ass? Huh? Your cunts crying for me.” John chuckled. You put this man in pure disbelief. You make it so hard for him to stay mad at you.

After about six more lashes from his belt, your ass was completely red and bruised. There was definitely gonna be a mark or two (or three) in the morning. Your thighs were shaking, you could feel tears wanting to escape your eyes, but you loved it. Honestly, this was so much better than just regular love making. John took his cock out of his boxers and teased you with it. You were so drenched that your wetness was pooling onto the bedsheets below. Johns mouth literally felt like watering. You were fighting the urge to grind back on him, trying to get him to go inside.

“Almost forgot, baby. Need to stretch ya out.” John mumbled under his breath. He put two fingers into your drooling cunt without warning. Your sighs turned into cries as he scissored you fast and quick. Your heart was pounding, you felt like you were on cloud nine. The pleasure was unbearable.

“Fuck, such a good little girl, you are. Taking everything I give you. My obedient little whore. I fucking love it.” John praised. The praises made you moan louder, the squelching noises from your cunt more than audible.

“John, fuck, please, please.” You begged. Your voice pathetically hoarse from your cries.

“Gonna need more convincing than that. That’s pathetic.” John said. You cried out again when his fingers continually hit your sweet spot.

“John please fuck me. I need you so badly, I’ll be so good please. ‘M so wet for you.” You begged. God, it was dirty, so pathetic. But oh my god. You loved it so much. John almost burst when he heard you beg. He swore it was the hottest thing he had ever heard in his life. John spent no time thrusting his whole length inside you. Giving you no time to adjust.

You screamed at the intrusion. John pounded you like it was last fuck on earth. All the stress from the rehearsals and the rocky friendship with Paul gone away. All he could think about was making his good girl cum. (And himself, duh). You were so, so good to him.

“Yeah, that feel good, sweet girl? Fuck, you’re so fucking tight. Lemme hear how good I fuck you.” John demanded. If you weren’t already screaming the house down, you sure as hell were now. Johns cock hit all the right places inside you. But, fuck. He was relentless.

“J-john, s-slow down!” You yelled out. John slapped your ass in response, causing you to cry out.

“You can take it, baby. I know you can. Come on, fucking take it.” John grunted. You turned to look at him. He looked fucking mesmerizing. Sweat was all down his chest and all over his face, his long hair stuck to his forehead and messy. He was biting his lip and he gotten rid of his glasses. He looked like a god.

You felt yourself getting closer and closer to your sweet release. John caught you staring and gave you a smirk and playful slap to your ass, causing you to gasp. You attempted to look away but John grabbed you once again and flipped you over, so you were underneath him. He pulled you down and pinned your arms above your head, and continued to pound into you. Your thighs and poor cunt started to get sore from the rough treatment, but you can’t say you were complaining in the slightest.

“J-john, I-I-“ you panted. You couldn’t even properly form words anymore. John was fucking you way too good, to the point of being brainless.

“Aw, can’t speak, baby? Is Johnny fucking you too good? Huh? Wanna cum? My angel wants to cum?” John cooed. His hand caressing your cheek as he kissed your forehead. Even if this started because he undeniably pissed, he still couldn’t help but fawn over his beautiful girl. All his.

All you could do was nod. John was thinking about teasing you a bit more and edging you, but you’ve done way too good for him. It just wouldn’t be fair.

“Come on, y/n. Cum for me. Fuck.” John moaned. The squelching sound from your cunt intensified, and you felt an even more overpowering feeling than just a “regular” orgasm. Your weak cries turned into screams as you squirted all onto Johns cock and bedsheets. John stopped his thrusting and watched. Not only was he shocked, he was internally proud of himself.

“What a good fucking girl. Look at that.” John whispered in awe. You were trembling and had tears running down your face, your mascara was staining your cheeks. It pulled at Johns heartstrings. He felt awful now.

“Y/n…Are you okay? Honey, I’m sorry. I’ll clean you up.” Before he could get up and grab a towel, you quickly grabbed his arm.

“No, need you to cum in me. Please. ‘M wanna make you feel good.” You begged weakly. John was taken aback, but smirked as he pinned back to the bed, his hand lightly grasping your neck as he began to pound himself inside you again. You ached as you felt so overstimulated, but you wanted him to get his release. He deserved one too.

“Fuck, I’m gonna fucking cum. Just wait a little longer baby.” He grunted. His grunts becoming louder and his pants increasing. He was fucking hot. John let out a strangled moan as he filled you up to the brim. He slowly let his weight fall on top of you. His hair fell to each side of your face.

“T-thank you.” You whisper to him. John looks up, smiling sweetly. He slowly pulls out of you and looks at his cum dripping from your abused cunt.

“Honey, really. If I hurt you, I’m sorry. You’re so precious to me. I hope you know that.” John said with genuine sympathy. You grasped his hand and nuzzled into his chest.

“No, please. Let’s do that more often.”

Needless to say, John took note of that.

-

Needless to say, i let out some steam and some sexual frustration in this so uhm enjoy HAHSHS.

[atragicallycrispydude]

It's been a few days of Slayer.

Fuck this guy.

Genuinely.

I think it took everyone (myself included) a few days to realize the bullshit you can get away with with him but like.

Fuuuuuuuuck

Here's a character with very very little movement! But we gave him a 14f forward lunging punch that covers most of the screen and will usually trade positively. Also he can break the wall on counter-hit with said punch at a little closer than MIDSCREEN.

Oops! Did you end up in the corner because you were forced to respect the moves that WILL lead to a 200 HP punish if you get smacked with one, or you got smacked and he got full screen carry? Fuck you! You will have to fight with everything you have just to GET OUT, and if you fuck up ONCE you are going through the wall and losing 200hp. Don't try to jump either, It's Late has a hitbox that reaches into the stratosphere and leaves him about +100 on air block.

What's that? He has 50 meter? you lose. you just fucking lose. the Mappas that are supposed to end pressure? RC them. Did he hit you with a Mappa? RC that shit for a guaranteed wallbreak, and potentially a Pilebunker loop. Did you get him blocking? YELLOW ROMAN CANCEL ITS HIS TURN NOW AND HES +10. (I have general problems with YRC, but Slayer really highlights them for me) I'd be fine with the meter thing if he didn't build meter so fast, but FUCK ME it's like he has a generator hidden in his coat or something that increases the bar when you aren't looking.

Full screen whiff punish that leaves you point blank at advantage. Fuck. You. Also it has a sweet spot, which is hard to consistently route into and feels a LOT like just a random "oh shit I won the round on that wakeup super lol"

Last Horizon is kinda cool, but it exaggerates the problem of "oops I got touched oh shit I'm dead" because you can get it off of ANY FUCKING NON-P NORMAL.

Its so weird that he's like this, though. I put in like 100 hours on XRD Slayer, and Strive feels extremely similar. What HAPPENED? XRD Slayer didn't do this! He didn't shut everything down! He ran some nasty fucking mix, sure, but he had very defined weaknesses. And sure, XRD Slayer gets preposterous damage with meter on stray hits, I'm not going to argue that, but it really didn't seem to happen as much as it used to.

I think the biggest problem, really, is Pilebunker. Pilebunker was never really a combo tool in XRD, unless you had meter or got very specific hits. But now? You can confirm that shit off of anything! Like, literally almost any hit!

Masters. Fucking. Hammer. +26 on block. Safe on whiff. Hitbox like a Behemoth typhoon. Ambiguous cross-up. I don't even care that it has a long startup, GOOD LUCK ACTUALLY SMACKING SLAYER OUT OF THE AIR! HES IN THE FUCKING STRATOSPHERE!

To be a little calmer, I feel Slayer's biggest problem is that he forces the opponent to take huge risks for little reward, while himself not being at a lot of risk for high reward. If he were to stay in his current state, with all the damage and everything the same, I think that every tool in his arsenal should be unsafe on block. That's probably very harsh, but something needs to be done. At the VERY LEAST make all of his moves borderline unsafe, like -4 -5 or something idfk man he's ridiculous

It sucks. I was so so excited for him, so excited to get to do cool stuff with him, and the stuff he does is cool! But he's just, so, so strong. So fucking strong. I said a few days ago that he was "lower-mid top tier," but I was just clearly not thinking straight. Slayer is potentially the strongest character in the game. Sure, whatever, he has lackluster defense, but good luck actually getting him in the corner, WHERE HE CAN STILL GET A STRAY HIT FOR AT LEAST 150DMG AND ADVANTAGE.

I don't even know how you'd fix him, honestly. Half his damage numbers or some shit idfk man

[takenbypeter]

Prompt 22 for Peter Maximoff! Peter had just joined the X-men so every where he goes he acts as if he’s going on a mission. He even wears his suit to show off to the public. Like I just know he’d act all tough and smug. Until there’s an actual mission and OF COURSE he gets injured, right in the beginning too. He comes back to the reader embarrassed (like he’d prob explain how good he was doing and then blame somebody on HIS own mess up) . While reader is lowkey laughing at him knowing she’s gonna have to take care of him like a baby cuz secretly he is not in fact “the tough guy”.

Even Heroes Make Mistakes

Peter maximoff x reader

Words: 692

Number 22: "Can I get a kiss for good luck?" "You are literally just going to the grocery store. Why would you-"

Authors note: hello hello again @zabelismyfavbagel lovely to hear from you!!! Hope you enjoyed this fun little drabble

There Pete was again wearing his new uniform. It fit him well and he knew it.

The yellow color was a little too in your face for your liking but I guess that's sort of the point.

You didn’t mind that he was wearing the suit but it was just a wonder why he was wearing it at this very moment.

"Can I get a kiss for good luck?"

“You are literally just going to the grocery store. Why would you-"

Your question was interrupted by his lips for a moment, “yeah but who knows what could happen, the world is a dangerous place,” he responded before speeding off leaving you to yourself in his basement.

Ever since joining the X-Men he has been doing almost everything in that uniform. Granted the whole X-Men thing and him was still fresh so you would give him at least that. It was actually quite adorable how thrilled he was about the whole thing, and despite how much he tried to downplay his feelings you’d easily notice the little changes.

How he’s now taking longer at local businesses, how he’d wear the uniform when running simple errands all while not using his super speed sometimes just to show off the suit. It was both lovable and hilarious at the same time.

“Babe, I’ll be back later. I gotta mission I gotta go on.”

Before he could run off you’d ask half jokingly, “is this a real mission or are you just running off to the post office again?”

His expressions shifted into a mock smile, “oh ha ha. It’s a real mission, I’ll see you tonight.”

He pecked your head and with that he was gone again.

An hour went by, then two, then three. While all this time was passing you kept busy playing video games and having the radio on, specifically the channel that went to highlight the X-Men’s current battle.

You missed some parts being that you did have to use the bathroom at some points, however as usual the X-Men won. With the news of the winning you expected to see Peter maybe fifteen minutes after, that was his typical time. However, this time fifteen minutes passed, then suddenly an hour was going by. You messaged and called but didn’t hear anything.

You didn’t know what was going on, but all you knew was that you were not going to leave this basement until you heard word from the man. But finally, finally he whooshed back in.

It took you a moment to process that he was back in front of you, then it took you a moment to process that his wrist was in a colorful cast. But once you did process it all, you ran right to his side, “Peter, what happened? Are you okay?” You asked gently, reaching towards the cast.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. It was just a little accident.”

“A little accident? This seems more than a little accident.”

“Well it was. I was doing my thing running and then bam! I slipped on marbles!”

“Marbles?”

“Marbles,” he reiterated.

“Whose marbles were they?” You asked and that seemed to mean something to him as his head did a quick tilt before straightening out. “That’s besides the point.”

And right there, that was your answer.

“Peter, are you serious? Who brings marbles to a fight?”

“Someone who was on their way to a fight and saw a bag of marbles and thought they’d be fun to play with after…probably,” he said clearly in defensive mode yet still not seeming to want to admit it was him.

You stood there not knowing what to say. You didn’t know whether to feel bad for him because he was injured or to laugh because the whole story was ridiculous yet pretty believable. “You’re remarkable, do you know that?”

He seemed confused by your sudden sort of compliment but still he replied with a, “thanks?”

“Now sit down and relax. You’re going to need to rest that arm.”

He did as told but countered you, “my wrist will be back to normal in a week, I’m telling you.”

“Sure it will.”

-

Dialogue Prompts #2

[john-bitchester]

Bubbles watches Supernatural season 5, episode 22: swan song.

This is a 42 minute episode. It took me 2 hours and a half to get through becase I had so many feelings and thoughts. Enjoy

CARRY ON MY WAYWARD SOOOON, THERE'LL BE PEACE WHEN YOU ARE DOOONEEE. LAY YOUR WEARY HEAD TO REEEST, DON’T YOU CRY NO MOOOOORREEEEE

Ah gabe how I miss you

Not you zacharia I hate you

I never cared about a car as much as I have about a 1967 chevrolet impala

I love that Dean canonically picks out his dads car, because it is the same as his dads car, who chose it because is son recommended it to hem because it reminded the son of his dads car who...

IM SORRY

Sammy sitting on the hood like that does things to me

No no no dean youre being stupid

Wdym youre on board

AAAH DEAN LOOK AT YOU GROWING UP SEEING SAMMY AS A BIG BOY

Its still a stupid plan tho

Not normal about them

Nomnom blood

This gives a whole new meaning to milking

No poor sam look at his face he is stressed

'Angels don't sleep'

Didnt we already establish that he is humaned

WE TALKED ABOUT STAGE 2 SUICIDE IDIATION

'You go to lisa and pray to god shes dumb enough to take you in' HAHAHHAHA spoken like a true sibling

You're so silly sam you know dean would start a second apocalypse for you

SEE YA IN HELL

NO

The way I screamed

'When he gets in, keep fighting, don't give an inch'

'Yes sir'

NO SAM THATS BOBBY DONT YOU DARE YES SIR HIM

I cant tell if it's because this was how dickchester always talked to him so it's reflex, or if it’s Sam's way of saying 'youre like a father to me'

Imma go with both for my sanity

My friend bunbun: that john issues run deep with these boys

Me: The mariana trench would be impressed

'Oh I'm supposed to lie'

'Suuure... they'll be.. fiiiiine'

Cass I love you so, you are so real for this

That cannot be tasty

Or good for the stoomy

Oh my god Sam is high as a kite

Nooo not chuck going over the impala memoriessss

Noooooo

I need you to know that I'm watching this, hand clasped over my mouth, going NoOoOoOoOo

I have a feeling that the memories of the car will make sam able to grasp control again or smt

Also, dean is such a sentimental washcloth, rebuilding the car with the legos and the soldier man

Oh sam that was sexy of you (Zapping the demons by just closing his eyes)

'I live, he lives, we get our parents back'

Heres the thing, from videos and fic I know that at some point sam lives for a year or so without dean

So now im like, uh oh

I feel like this is an act

Its all an act

Ofcourse they knew the devil would know about the horsemen

Theyre his main henchmen, it would be stupid to think that the devil wouldnt know about the rings

Finally, the boy has memorised something (The spell for the cage)

aaaaaaaaahgg

COME ON SAMMY

aaaahshfhm fukb fgbukgxfubkrgxukb

NO NO NO NO NO

SAAAAM BE STRONG

......

Wtf Lucy that is so not funny

Pretend that Sam had won the fight with lucy in his brain

Only to then be like "jk"

Dean you shouldve just kicked him in the hole while his back was at you

Fidget spinner of power hihi

Why would he let dean live

Michael's vessel

NAH THE DEVIL JUST MADE A VERY FUNNY STAR WARS REFERNCE'

I suggest we become drunk' -cass

Oph my god these dumbasses really did think lucy wouldn't know of the rings

NoOoOoOo Bobby mourning his sooon

I am not well

I know what you can do, dean

You can have some gay sex with the angel

Knowing this was meant to be the end end makes it so much worse

I cant do this in my own oh my gosh

Im literally going like 'crying noise, noohoo Bunbuuun'

Them gazing th stars togehter on clear nights🥺🥺🥺🥺

Driving 2 days for a game, and a week for a concert

Heart goes auch

Nooooooo

Not okay about this

Its the Good Omens finale all over again

Chuck has grown on me

WELL THEN I AINT GONNA LET HIM DIE ALONE

Winchester pt3 you fool

I cant say i trust lucy, but hes making some good points

God is giving abusive father for sure

'You made me do this' he tells his kids

Another thougth, actually

Sam and dean where the perfect vessels because of ther lineage, cain and abel, i believe

But also bc they were representative of michael and lucy themselves

But hear me out. What if john and god are also reminiscent of each other

After all, the brothers couldn't be who they became without their father, have it be winchester or the angels

Both brothers (lucy & michael vs winchester) didnt have a mother

Had a father who was demanding

And both pairs of brothers, as established by the shwo, are the same. The loyal warrior who never doubted the father, and the fallen, who did

They could never become these people without the father, ergo, without god and john

We know john was a horrible father

So even ingoring what lucy is proposing here (god made me as I am) and my own opinions on God, the train of logic still assumes that God had to be, is, equally as abusive towards the brothers as z

John was towards the winchester brothers

Please tell me that cassete is 'Carry on wayward son' by kansas

Or no, even better, the one song by asia hahahha

WTF DEAN HAHAHAH THAT WAS NOT THE MUSIC I EXPECTED

SORRY AM I INTERUPTING SOMETHING

You know, whenever I'm annotating the episodes lke I'm doing now, it always takes me an hour to watch an episode instead of the forty minutes that it actually last

but at the speed I am annotating and thinking right now , it will genuinely take me twice as long.

like it will take me an hour and a half at least I think. (Ha! Bubbles. You fool. It nearly took you 2 hours and a half)

Youre next on my list buttercup

CASS WHERE THOSE YOUR FIRST BIG BOY WORDS! (Hey, assbutt!)

Not the molotov cocktail fhrnifhhf

WHAT THE FUCJ

CASTI3L WHAT THE DU JDUCK

Holy fuck

I need a moment

No

Sammy it's okay I'm here

Bunbun I am so unwell about this

Unwell

I KNEW IT

OH MY GOD I FUCKING CALLED IT

Im not crying youcrying

I love that they do this flasback bit with jus wind, and the 'tok' sound every now and then

Makes it a very strong scene

SCREAMING

ENDING ON THE HUG SCREAMING

The fact that the actual hug removes the white noise

Unwell

oh

Oh my god

Sam is going to pull michael with him

I can feel it

Okay I think this is one of the few times the bad cgi actually kinda ruined it for me

No

Hes all alone

He cant be

No one who could possibly begin to understand left

Have I mentioned Im not okay

Cass

The relief in my voice when I whispered this out loud just now is ludicrous

And now, kiss

'Cass are you god?' Oh sweetie

BOBBY

this is making me think of john milton

'And as they walk hand in hand, slowly their way through eden"

Along those lines

Chuck quit yer bitchin

Dean really went, 'okay god, its personal now'

Peace, or freedom?

Holy fuck

Because he made a promise

My stomach is genuinly physically aching

The fact that even deans voice sounds broken

Actually crying rn

What if chuck is god

WHAT THE FUCK CHUCK WHERE DID YOU GO

NAH DONT TELL ME IM FUCKING RIGHT

SAM WTF

Sam? Lucy?

Sam

Oh im sorry it cant stop here wtf

How where they ever plannning on stopping like this that is unholy

1h 30 later:

I know i started spn on my own accord, but I hope you know what you did

I was eating with my parent just now, and during the entired meal (now still) carry on was playing on repeat in my head. Coming from someone who typically lives a soundtrack-free life

Another hour later:

Still recovering

Have been having imaginative co-star interviews with jared padalecki for about 2 hours now. It's a coping mechanisnm

Literally my whole day was spn

I woke up with fic. Ate lunch with an episode. Watched the finale, read more fic

I am unwell

[kallystah]

|16| It burns !!

580 words

Normally everything should go well. There should be no problem, after all they were two teenagers aware of their actions who did not want to have problems with their parents. So why was the kitchen catching fire?

A few hours ago, while the youngest Haitani was sitting on the couch leafing through a magazine, he turned the pages until one of them caught his attention. Indeed, it was written in big letters "Tiramisu for Dummies". Having never made tiramisu and the recipe seemed simple, he thought he could try to make this delicious dessert.

While he was preparing the ingredients beforehand to avoid a bad surprise, his brother came in. Interested in what was happening in the kitchen, he went towards her.

-Tut-tut-tut. His brother interrupted him. Don't you remember the rule?

-Yes, but come on Rindou! I'm just looking at what you're cooking.

-We said you're not allowed to enter the kitchen or be within a meter of any place containing expensive or dangerous objects.

-Since when can't I have dangerous objects?

-Since I decided to.

Rindou I literally fight with a baton… He answers logically before continuing. Which you don't know how to use, little ninja.

-Stop with that, I was young.

-That was two months ago.

-Okay, you won, but if you come in, you don't touch anything, you don't break anything, and you don't bother me.

Unfortunately for him, it's not enough to tell his brother things to make him do them, or to forbid him to do them so he doesn't do them. Consequently, Ran had quickly started cooking this "pouty-dish-with-way-too-many-calories".

The cake was progressing at its own pace, after all it's neither the hardest dessert to make, nor the hardest recipe to understand. Up until then, everything had gone well, mixing the few ingredients had been easy enough to teach Ran to do something in the place that was the kitchen, well he still had to be supervised as much for the lumps he left as for his finger that joined his mouth a little too often. So how had the kitchen started to catch fire?

Back to the present, the two brothers had put out the few flames and opened the windows to free themselves from the roasted smell that surrounded them, now, it was necessary to guess the cause of all this. And of course, Rindou knew whose fault it was.

-…

-…

-…can you explain it to me Ran?

-But I don't know…

-When did you find a way to turn on the oven?! I was with you all the time!

-Yeah well I don't know! I bumped into it and it turned the knobs then I remembered that you said that you had to preheat the oven before baking a cake so I left it like that!

-But not for ALL cakes! You saw that we had put it in the fridge so why didn't you turn it off?!

-Well I don't know!

-…let's calm down.

-Yes.

-Now everything is settled so it's good.

-Thanks. He said before leaving, hoping not to suffer his brother's anger again, although deserved.

-By the way, you can imagine that this time you no longer have any right to approach the kitchen.

-But the tiramisu is in the fridge!

-It's for me, you already took half of it while preparing it.

~~~chapter 16 end -

masterlist tkr

[fairyhaos]

also since you posted to svt playing monopoly reaction i just feel like hoshi would just be bad at every game 😭 like clue? he ends up being the murderer every time and is convinced the game is rigged. jeonghan would keep peeking and seeing the other's cards when they were not paying attention and suspected innocent people causing chaos. hoshi just has bad luck poor bby. like first he thinks he understands the game but he's misunderstood the rules and pouts and frowns when something doesn't go his way like "what no i thought it's like this", as he looks at his cards and tries to decipher what to do.

and uno? don't even start IT'S PURE CHAOS AND THEY'RE SO LOUD AND THEY'RE YELLING 😭😭😭literally everyone fighting to not get the +2 draw that accumulated to +12 and the poor unlucky person who has to draw 12 more cards is hoshi 😔 someone save him. and mingyu is fighting and yelling at jeonghan who was supposed to draw 4 cards but only took 2, saying mingyu is blind and doesn't know what he's talking about. wonwoo would just keep his cool i think and vernon doesn't give shit he quits halfway for the sake of his hearing bc dokyeom keeps shouting next to him. poor dino is getting bullied and everyone is making him draw +2 or +4 or changing the color on him, or putting the reverse card on him so he actually never gets a chance to play, and suddenly he's accumulated half the card deck </3 and by the end, everyone screaming and scolding and yelling at each other and trying to put an uno and win.

I JUST HAD TO COME TELL YOU i couldn't stop thinking about it hahaha.

I WANNA WRITE A REACTION FOR SVT AND UNO SO BADDD OMG THEY'D BE UTTER MENACES SHFHSHD but also 😭 pls you're so right like,,, this boy doesn't understand the games at all </3 don't make him use his head haha he doesn't like it ESPECIALLY since he's friends with JEONGHAN of all people like any chance hosh had at being able to play the game is Gone once jeonghan's involved haha

also not jeonghan gaslighting mingyu while playing uno 💀 honestly i feel like despite literally holding a whole stack of cards hoshi would still be SO COMPETITIVE and desperate to win or at least lose maybe half of his cards even if hao's already won like an hour ago

okay but svt and uno,,,, part of me feels like it would be SO FUNNY but also when you have that many people, there's a lot of waiting around for your turn and it can get boring so idk </3 but actually knowing them, they'd probably split into mini games at some point that is ALSO weirdly still part of the main game??? pls they'd just be so chaotic and hilarious

[helenaheissner]

Love During Robot Fighting Time: Chapter 31

Kate

I sat across from Eric Gaines, a wall of glass between us, a two-way phone pressed to my ear as I took in the sight of my former sponsor clad in an orange jumpsuit. The atmosphere on my side of the lock-up was rancid, but on the other side… Gaines looked like he hadn’t slept or bathed in several days, and like he’d barely eaten a scrap during that time either. 

He looked like shit. 

I told him as much. Directly. 

“What do you want, Calloway?” he asked, barely hiding the contempt behind his barred teeth. 

“I want an explanation,” I said. 

He blinked. “What?”

“Did I stutter?” I asked, my eyes narrow and my tone flat. “I want to know why you did what you did. What’s complicated about that question?”

“... Are you serious?” he said, genuine confusion cracking in his voice.  

It was as if my mind were a kettle full of water and the heat from the stove just cranked up a number. “Yeah, Gaines, I’m serious. Why did you do what you did?”

“To make money, you idiot,” he said very slowly, as if he were talking to a small, severely concussed child. 

“I was making you money. Me. And you threw it away,” I said. “I was gonna win you a championship. You would have had a giant fucking gold trophy to display in your office.”

“Oh for- do you seriously not get it?” Gaines said. “You’re a liability. If you’d won, I’d suddenly have to hitch my wagon to political cause I don’t believe in for probably the rest of my life and alienate half my clients as a result. And if you’d lost- which, given who you’re going up against, you almost definitely will- I’d have to drop you as a client after sinking countless amounts of time and money into your faggoty ass. It would have been for NOTHING. Do you get it now, you stupid little shit? You weren’t a risk worth taking.”

The heat went up another one, two, three notches. “And this was?!” I said, gesturing to the literal prison around me. “Committing a crime was worth it? Potentially going to jail was worth it-”

“Eh, I’m not too worried about that,” Gaines shrugged. “I got a good lawyer. I’ll make bail. And if not, the sentence will be light. I’m a first-time offender and it was ultimately a victimless crime-”

The water began to bubble. “Victimless?! What about me?!” I bellowed, my voice dropping lower than it had in WEEKS.

“What about you?” he said blankly. 

The water reached a raging boil. “Oh fuck you, you lying sack of shit! Fuck you! FUCK YOU!” I screamed, standing up and kicking my chair back. 

I kept screaming those words even as the guards hauled me away and chucked me out of the police station. I kept muttering them under my breath the entirety of my drive home. I kept shouting them inside my head as I parked my car in the driveway at home and stormed up the stairs past both of my parents and slammed the door to my room. 

I flopped on my bed and buried my face in my pillow and just SCREAMED into it.

My voice went hoarse, and finally I stopped, but my face remained in my pillow, tears and makeup and snot tarnishing the pink casing I stayed there, face-down in my own disgusting misery for what felt like hours, ignoring the knocks on my door from my concerned parents, ignoring the dings and rings of my cell phone, ignoring everything but my anger and depression. 

I didn’t have much in the way of a savings account- paying for community college largely by myself had done a number on that, even with the added benefits of a part-time job and living with my parents rent-free. I had no sponsor, and a busted up robot that I only had six days to get into state of semi-functionality before I had a rematch with a bot I already knew was capable of kicking my ass. 

And that was before I took into account the still active question of ‘can I really bring myself to fight my partners?’

Truthfully, I had no idea. I’d changed a lot- like, A LOT. I looked different, I felt different, I acted different… 

… I USUALLY acted different. Today… Today, at the police station, I’d regressed. I’d slipped back into being a total jackass, and now that the adrenaline high and fleeting illusion of control were rapidly dissipating, all I had left was shame digging through me like mud wasps through my bare flesh. 

Fuck. 

FUCK!

I felt like the old me. Like Keith. And I hated that guy. 

If this was how I reacted when my sponsor dropped me… How would I react when I got humiliated by the same pair of incredibly sexy geniuses on national television for the second year in a row? Would I be able to contain myself? Would I be able to keep being me? Would they… Would they want ANYTHING to do with me? 

Faith used to spend hours complaining about how annoying Keith was. 

Zeke… Tolerated Keith, but barely. 

I couldn’t go back. 

But with no money and barely functional bot, what else did I have but my anger?

“Katie? Honey, please say something,” Mom’s sweet, gentle voice came through the door. 

I finally rolled over and looked up. The sun was setting, when it had been high in the sky upon my return home. Jesus Christ, I’d barely even noticed how much time had gone by. “Yeah, Mom?” I said, wincing with shame at my own low voice. I breathed in, held it in my chest, and spoke as I breathed out, “What is it?”

“There’s someone here to see you.”

Panic lanced my chest and damn-near disemboweled me. “I, uh, don’t think I can see Zeke or Faith right now.”

“It’s not either of them.”

“Hm? Who is it, then?”

“They said their name is Tom, but… I don’t think that will still be true in a few weeks.”

I blinked. Tom… Like Olivia’s teammate, Tom? “Gimme a sec to wash my face, and I’ll be right there.”

“Sounds good. They’re waiting for you downstairs.”

I cleaned the disaster area that was my face with makeup wipes and cold water, then slapped a quick layer of moisturizer onto my visage before I ambled down the stairs and found a familiar individual waiting for me at the bottom. It was definitely Olivia’s teammate, but he… They… Were wearing a long blue sundress and a full face of makeup. Their nails were manicured and lacquered silver, and they carried a beige tote bag over their shoulder. 

“Hi,” I said, approaching them slowly. 

“Hi,” they said. 

Silence sat between the two of us, heavy as an anvil, for a few agonizing minutes before I said,“So, uh… You’re like me?” I asked. 

“I think so, yeah,” the tall black girl answered, rubbing the back of her head nervously. “Still figuring it out- haven’t totally committed to any pronouns yet, but… I’m thinking Tamara, for my new name.”

“I like it,” I said, mustering up a smile. “Tamara. It suits you.”

“Thanks,” she smiled back. “Olivia… She, uh, didn’t react super well-”

“Of course she fucking didn’t,” I rolled my eyes. 

“Yeahhh, that girl’s got issues,” Tamara said. “Listen, I just wanted to apologize for… Well, for everything that she put you through.”

“It’s okay-”

“No, it’s not okay,” Tamara shook her head. “She was horrible to you. And to Faith, by the sound of it. And I think… Watching what she did, knowing the horrible reasons she did it… It made me start asking myself questions that I had previously been too scared to try to answer.”

“OH,” I said, taking a step forward.

“So I guess I also wanted to say thank you. I know you didn’t intend it- we barely know each other- but regardless, you helped me. So, thank you.”

“No problem,” I said, hoping my voice wasn’t cracking. 

“I also wanted to give you something,” Tamara said before gesturing to the door behind her. “Follow me? It’s right outside.”

I nodded, and I followed her outside to find… Boxes. Boxes full of machinery. Full of… Full of ROBOT PARTS HOLY SHIT!

“Funny story,” Tamara said. “Olivia helped us build Tooth Fairy, but the design was all mine and Winston’s. And we own the trademark on it, because it was built at my dad’s garage. I can afford to rebuild, but my season is over. Yours isn’t. Take it. Rebuild. Fight. Win.”

“I don’t know what to say,” I said, running my hands through my hair, blinking rapidly. 

“Just say ‘thanks,’” Tamara said. “That’s all I need to hear. Only asking price I need.”

“Thank you!” I beamed, bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet with excitement. “Wait- does Winston know you’re doing this?”

“He drove me,” Tamara said, hitching her thumb back at the silver minivan behind her, wherein the short, slender young man sat behind the driver’s seat, clad in a perfectly-tailored three-piece gray suit. “We’re going on our first date after this.”

“Oh!” I said. “Good for you two.”

“Yeah. Olivia bounced right after I came out, and as soon as she left, Winston confessed he’d been crushing on me for a while now.”

“Sounds like a solid guy,” I smiled. “Hold onto him.”

“I will,” Tamara nodded. “And you hold onto your people as well. 

I gave a deep nod. “I will.”

“And good luck in the finals!” Tamara said, heading back towards her and Winston’s minivan. “I’ll be in the crowd! See you there!”

“See you!” I said, waving good-bye to the young couple.

I watched the freshly-hatched trans girl drive away with her presumably soon-to-be boyfriend, then bent my knees and picked up the big box of parts. 

All that was left to do now was parse through what I had and get to work. 

***

The rest of the night was a blur. I didn’t leave the garage until it was time for my opening shift at the shop, and once that was done, it was right back to the garage. 

A day passed like that, then two, three. I wasn’t checking my phone, I was barely paying attention at dinner. I was sleeping three hours a night and then waking up and showering and getting right to work. 

My parents weren’t too concerned- I’d been much the same going into the finals last year. Still, they shared those Looks every once and a while, and if I had to guess, they meant ‘I was hoping she’d outgrown this kind of behavior.’

I was hoping I had as well. But times were desperate. 

I didn’t know if I’d be able to beat Zeke and Faith. But I did know that if I didn’t try my absolute hardest, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself. I wouldn’t be able to respect myself ever again. 

That’s what I was telling myself, anyway. I told myself that right up until I climbed out of bed on Thursday night and scrambled to the garage and found my boyfriend and girlfriend both waiting for me there. Zeke had his arms folded together, while Faith’s hands were planted firmly on her hips. 

“Ah!” I yelped, walking backwards until I found myself against the closed door. “Uh… Hey, cuties. How’s it going?”

“Oh you know, it’s going,” Zeke said in monotone. 

“Katie, what the hell?” Faith said incredulously. 

“Whatever do you mean?” I chuckled nervously. 

“You don’t call, you don’t text-”

“I’ve been busy!”

“You’ve been avoiding us,” Faith said, eyebrows scrunched. 

“No I haven’t!”

“Kate,” Zeke said, taking a step forward. “You’ve been avoiding us. Very obviously.”

“...”

“Kate.”

“...”

“KATE.”

“... Okay, maybe I have,” I said, looking down at the floor, shame and disgust rising from my core to my mind and flooding out all other feelings. “I’m sorry… I just… Just…”

“Just what?” Faith said, relaxing her posture, taking a step forward herself. 

“I’m scared, okay!” I said, closing my eyes and shaking my head back and forth rapidly. 

“Scared of what?” Faith said as I heard her inching ever closer. 

“Of what comes next,” I said, ceasing to shake my head but still not opening my eyes. The array of colors behind my eyelids, the lights from outside filtered in through a solid screen of skin, were harsh and disparate, while the surrounding soundscape was eerily quiet but for the forward footsteps of the people I loved. “What if… What if I win, and I turn into a jerk again? Will you still love me? What if the person I am now is just something I’ve tricked myself into being, and once it gets too hard, I won’t be that person anymore? What if success goes to my head and I become someone you both hate? What if-”

Suddenly, two sets of arms wrapped around me, two bodies intertwined around my slender frame, holding me up when everything in me was telling me to fall down. 

I opened my eyes, and I was surrounded by love. 

“Katherine Miranda Calloway, you are the only person I know who would worry this much about being too successful,” Faith said. 

“I’m sorry-”

“Don’t be sorry,” Faith smiled. “It’s one of the things I love about you.”

“L-love?” I said. “You love me?”

“Hell yeah I love you,” Faith said, kissing me on the cheek. 

“Same here,” Zeke said, replicating the gesture. 

“Okay, but if I lose, and I turn into a jerk again?” I said. 

“Then don’t turn into a jerk,” Zeke said. 

“But-”

“It’s not nearly as complicated as you’re making it out to be, babe,” Zeke said. 

“Yeah seriously, babe, babe is right. Listen to babe,” Faith said. 

“I love you both,” I whispered. “So damn much.”

They both pressed their foreheads against my temples, one on each side, their lips right in front of one of my ears. “We know.”

“What do you need?” Faith said. 

“I… I need to try my hardest,” I said. “I don’t know if I need to win. But I need to know that I did everything I could to win.”

“Makes sense,” Zeke said.

“And I need the both of you to do the same,” I said. “Don’t hold back. Give me everything you’ve got. The whole scope of all three of us and all that we’re capable of- I wanna leave it all out in the battle box.”

Faith grinned. “I think we can arrange that.”

Zeke’s smile was softer, subtler. “There’s, uh, something we wanted to discuss with you, though. About next season-”

“Not yet,” I said with a deep gulp. “I think I can guess what you’re about to say, but… Not until after the last match. Okay?”

From my peripheral vision, I saw them both nod. “Sounds good,” they said in tandem.

I kissed them both on the mouth, ladies first, then a bit of tongue for the gentleman. 

“Is there anything else you need?” Zeke said. 

“Anything at all?” Faith asked. 

“... Just a little more time,” I said gently. “Polyphemus is almost ready. And the fight is tomorrow. I’ve got some surprises in store, and I need the rest of the next twenty-four hours to put the finishing touches together. So just… A little more time. And then after the fight… Well, we walk all together, hands in hands, towards the future. Sound good?”

“Sounds great,” Faith whispered.

“Agreed,” Zeke said. 

They held me tight for a little while longer, silent and steady as they kept me propped up. I loved them for it, but I knew… I knew I couldn’t always rely on them to hold me together. It wasn’t fair to them, or to me. I loved them, and I… I wanted to prove to myself that I could hold my own. It wasn’t about proving to them that I was worthy of their love. It was about proving to myself that I deserved to be happy, and that I could make myself happy. 

I wanted to be the person they saw me as. And no matter what happened, if I kept pushing forward… Then maybe I’d finally see myself the way the people I love saw me.

***

“Mom? Dad? Are you proud of me?” I asked. 

I sat in front of my vanity mirror doing my makeup, going for a look with extra pop tonight for the finals. I was clad in the nicest dress I had, a pink sequin gown with light blue opera gloves, applying dark eyeshadow and heavy mascara while Mom used a curling iron on my platinum tresses. Poly was loaded up into the truck, and Dad stood in the doorway of my room leaning against the frame with his arms folded. 

“What kinda question is that?” Dad asked. “Of course we’re proud of you. You’ve made it to the championships two years in a row out of two years in the pros. And you’ve got two fantastic partners. And frankly, you’re our daughter. Of course we’re proud of you.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

“Why do you ask, anyway?” Mom said. 

“... Nerves, I guess. Part of me worries you won’t be proud of me if I lose tonight.”

“Katherine-”

“I know, I know,” I said with a chuckle, setting down the eyeshadow brush and grabbing the tube of red lipstick. “I’m projecting. I do that.”

“So then you just need to stay proud of yourself, no matter what happens tonight,” Dad said. “Simple as that.”

“Yeah,” I said with a slight smile. I popped my lips as I did my lipstick. 

“And you should be,” Mom said. “You’ve come so far and changed so much in a short time. Kate… We are both so damn proud of the woman you’ve grown into. And you should be too.”

“Thanks,” I said, putting the lipstick down while Mom put the finishing touches on my hair. I turned to face them both. “How do I look?”

“Absolutely beautiful,” Mom said. 

Dad flinched, his jaw dropping. 

“What?” I asked, furrowing my brow as the embers of my nerves were stoked.

“N-nothing,” Dad said. “You just… You look so much like your mother. It’s uncanny.”

Pure willpower was the only thing holding back a river of tears threatening to ruin the hard work I’d done on my makeup. Instead I breathed in a sharp breath through my nose and sighed wistfully, then smiled as wide as I could. “Thank you. I love you guys- you’re the best parents ever.”

“Heh, I wouldn’t go that far,” Dad said, rubbing the back of his head. “But we try. And we love you too, kiddo.”

“So damn much,” Mom said. “Now c’mon. You’ve got a date with destiny.”

I nodded. “Let’s go.”

***

By the time we arrived, the third place bout was already done. Team Tooth Fairy had declined the invitation due to the massive repairs they needed and the fact that they were down their main pilot (good riddance), so it left Ansible fighting Pendulum for the proverbial bronze metal. 

Gregson was already giving his post-victory interview when I wheeled Poly out on a sledge. Good for him. Couldn’t wait to fight him again next season. 

As the battle box was cleared and everyone got into position, I made my way over to the red square. I spotted Faith and Zeke across from me, both looking absolutely gorgeous in the same outfits they’d worn for the season opener. God, that felt like a lifetime ago, not three months ago. They both waved to me, and I waved back, and the roar of the crowd died away as the three of us made eye contact and just… Drank it in. Here we were, back where we began, as our truest selves. 

Goddammit, even with my nerves, it felt amazing. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I heard Marty and Derek finishing up their pre-fight monologues and sending the cue over to the big guy. 

And that was that. 

It was time. 

It was, in point of fact-

“-ROBOT FIGHTING TIME!”

The swell of noise from the cheering crowd washed over me like a gentle wave. I was ready. Whatever happened, I was ready. 

“IN THE RED SQUARE: this bot ALWAYS gets right to the point. It pierces right to the heart of the issue, and leaves nothing but holes in you and your argument! It’ll leave you punctured, and then get you with a GIGA! DRILL! BREAKER! IT’S… DAI GURREN!”

Everyone whooped and applauded. Including me. 

“AND IN THE BLUE SQUARE: this bot brings terror to sailors everywhere. It’ll take you on an odyssey of pain and destruction! It’ll eat your crew alive and make you watch… Wow, that one got dark, didn’t it? IT’S… POLYPHEMUS!!!!”

The whole building, the whole city, the whole of the Los Angeles metropolitan area could have been cheering for me in that moment, but I wouldn’t have noticed. All that mattered to me was the two people across from me, cheering louder and harder for me than I’d ever thought possible. 

God, I loved those two goobers.

We both wheeled our robots into the battle box, got into our positions. Faith and Zeke exchanged a kiss, and then they both blew me one. 

“Making me blush, you two are,” I said. 

“Good,” Faith smirked. 

“That’s the idea, Calloway,” Zeke said, smile equally shit-eating. 

“Yeah, well,” I said, then blew them each a kiss, “Take that, you nerds.”

“Happily,” Faith said. 

“Very happily,” Zeke said. 

“Well then happy to be of service,” I said. 

“Here we go, here we go, here we go,” Marty said from the commentator’s booth. 

“One last time, let’s do this,” Derek said. 

“ROBOTS! ACTIVATE!”

I slammed my button. 

Faith did the same.

And away we went. 

I shot straight forward. 

DG did the same. 

I’d made some modifications going into this fight, chief among them being that I was armed to the teeth: my overhead ax was repositioned to swing down from my stern, while my katana was positioned at my bow. My side-knife was safely secured in secret, though given that DG almost certainly had theirs, it evened out. I’d opted to leave the flamethrowers at home as well- no point in all this if I weighed too much to move.

“Hope you’re ready for a trip to pound-town,” Faith grinned.

“Is that a threat?” I grinned back.

“Oh, it’s a promise, beautiful,” Faith winked. 

“Dreams really do come true,” Zeke chuckled.

Guren flanked me from one side, Dai Gurren from the other, as I reached the middle of the arena. Moving slower thanks to my heavy arsenal, I still managed to rotate forty-five degrees as they closed in. My back was DG, and I flipped one switch to bring down the ax. With another switch, I activated a modification I’d made to my katana: a simple, rapid chopping motion that clipped one of G’s tires and sent it careening towards its larger counterpart. 

“Gonna put y’all on the chopping block!” I said. 

���Just as long as it’s away from your terrible puns,” Faith said. 

“Oh, that’s just cold,” I said. 

“What can I say, I’m an ice queen.”

“If by that you mean your feet are painfully cold, then yeah,” I said. 

“Heh, babe’s got you there, babe,” Zeke said.

DG moved out of the way just in time to avoid the blow from my ax, veering left and away from the spiraling Guren, only for me to activate my side-knife and plunge it directly into DG’S faceplate. 

Unfortunately, the rotating drill tore through the arm holding the knife and sliced it clean off. It fell out of DG’s faceplate and landed on the floor with a complete lack of aplomb, at the same time DG’s own side-knife launched from its right-hand pocket and grazed my port. Sparks flew, and I plunged forward and went on the retreat. 

“What’s the matter, blondie, we got you on the run?” Faith said from across the way. 

“I would never run from you, Faithy,” I said with a half-smile. It was the truth. I didn’t know how to run away from Faith Watanabe or Zeke Underhill. Only towards them. 

I came to a sudden halt and swung my ax down, this time crushing DG’s faceplate and snapping off three of its drill heads. 

“OH! LOOK AT THAT! WE’VE GOT SOME DISARMAMENT HAPPENING HERE!” Weston bellowed. 

I veered left, turning myself around just in time for my katana to catch on another one of the drill-heads while swinging upwards. That left three drills, and I pressed forward into the center of the faceplate and plunged in. But the rotating faceplate wasn’t having it, and sparks shot out en masse. 

“Just the tip, right?” Faith said. 

“Oh, for God’s sake,” Zeke groaned. 

“I could stand a little more than just the tip,” I said. 

“Oh no, not you too,” Zeke said. 

“Always been like this, babe,” I said. 

That, however, was when we all collectively realized where we were: the exact middle of the battle box. Right as the kill-saws activated. 

“Oh, fuck!” I screamed, hoping the on-air censors caught that one. 

Poly and DG both jumped into the air as our undercarriages were serrated by the saws. 

I landed a few inches away on my wheels. 

DG landed on its side, immobile. 

“Oh, what’s this!?” Derek Benes said. “Could DG already be out of commission?”

“Not a chance,” I said. I ran over and slammed the back of my bot into the top-side of DG, knocking it back onto its treads and doing a quick lap to give it time to start back up. “No way I’m settling for that as my victory!”

“Oh, now look at that sportsmanship from Kate Calloway!” Marty said. 

“The girl’s come a long way, hasn’t she?” Derek said.

“Damn right she has,” I said.

“Amen,” Faith said. 

“Hell yeah,” Zeke said. 

“Only forty-five seconds left on the clock!” Marty screamed. 

“Ready for one last punch-up, babe?” Faith said. 

“I am if you are, babe,” Zeke said. “How about you, babe?”

“I think so,” I said. 

I wheeled myself to the far left-end of the box, while DG situated itself on the opposite end. 

“Thirty seconds!” Derek shouted. 

“Here we go,” Zeke said. 

“All or nothing,” Faith said. 

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” I smiled. 

I charged once more, aiming straight down the middle, screaming my lungs out all the way. 

My partners did me the courtesy of going equally loud. 

We met in the middle, our bots flying into the air in opposite directions from the force of impact, the sheer volume of the collision deafening. My katana came flying off, but as I landed, I swung my ax down one last time, letting the recoil break my fall. 

I landed on my wheels.

Dai Gurren did the same. 

My heart thundering, I pushed the controls forward, desperate for movement. And Polyphemus moved, slowly but surely, inch by inch, towards DG. 

DG, meanwhile, was totally immobile. 

“Gonna need to see some movement,” the referee said. 

Faith worked the controls, but there was nothing. DG was entirely stationary.

And that was that.

“10! 9!”

I watched in silence as the countdown finished, as my champion status was solidified. Tears welled up behind my eyes and surged out, a river at the height of flood season. I expected to feel overjoyed, expected to feel strong and mighty and ecstatic, but all I felt… 

All I felt watching my robot moving while DG sat immobile was… Alone. Like I made it to the top of the mountain but left everyone behind to get there.

“May we have this dance?” came a familiar voice, whispered into my ear. 

The flood of tears was stymied, and my back shot up straight as I turned around and saw Zeke and Faith behind me, extending both of their hands. And all the pain was gone, all the loneliness was gone. Of course I wasn’t alone. Of course I hadn’t left anyone behind to get to the top. They’d climbed the mountain with me, encouraging me to rise up each inch, but letting me get there myself. They’d been waiting for me at the precipice the entire time. And I was there now, with them, looking out over the whole world below. I was a champion. And not just because I’d won the fight…

… Well, okay, a little bit because I’d won the fight. 

But there were other reasons. Two other reasons. 

Two reasons that were worth far more to me than any trophy. 

I wiped away my tears and took their hands, and the three of us interlocked and waltzed together as the crowd roared on all sides and the trophy was wheeled up to us on a wagon. Ostensibly, it was for me. 

But honestly? All three of us had gotten here together. We’d all earned it. 

“How do you feel, champ?” Faith said. 

“Amazing,” I choked out. “I love you both. So damn much.”

“Love you too,” they both said. 

“I guess we’ve got one of these trophies for each of our apartments now,” I said. 

“Yeah, we do,” Zeke said. “We’ll have to figure out who gets to house it next year, though.”

My eyebrows shot up. “How do you-”

“How do you think he means, blondie?” Faith said. “We shouldn’t keep fighting like this. So how about next year, we’re all on the same team? Both of our robots took some serious beatings, I’m sure we can find a way to make something new out of the remains of both. I was hoping maybe we call ourselves Team Poly Gurren? What do you think?”

The song of my heart screamed with joy in every fiber of my being, and I saw the future unfold with these two at my sides. The three of us, together, becoming more than we were apart. Each new year was another mountain for us to summit together, because together, we could rise to any occasion. It was what I wanted. It was all I wanted. “I think we’ll be a force to be reckoned with. Next year’s tournament won’t know what hit them.”

“Three champions, all working together, does sound like a winning combination,” Zeke said, warmth and strength pouring out of him.

“To us,” Faith said. “To Poly Gurren.”

“To the future,” I said. 

“And to Katie,” Zeke said. “For bringing us all together.”

As our dance ended, I knew we had to face the rest of the world. But there was still an important question to answer before I could do any of that: which one did I kiss first?

It was a tough one to answer when I loved them both just as much, and I knew it was the same for them. 

Needless to say, I kissed them both before walking off stage.

***

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[iviarellereads]

The Eye of the World, Chapter 53 - The Wheel Turns

(THIS PROJECT IS SPOILER FREE! No spoilers past the chapter you click on. Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Wheel of Time, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

(Wheel of Time icon) In which the story is only just begun.

PERSPECTIVE: Rand, as the GM's garden is brown and dying, nearly all the flowers gone, butterflies absent, birds silent. This is wrong, Rand thinks. They won, after all! Loial says it isn't right that Treebrother falls to the Blight. So he walks to the great oak, and sings. His treesong is amplified by what of the GM remains, and the Blight will not take it. They make a litter for Moiraine between Bela and Moiraine's horse, and leave.

Rand half expects to have to fight their way out of the Blight, but it's silent as they move. They make camp in the evening, but everything about the region feels less than it was. Perrin asks why, and Moiraine says they struck a great blow, the Shadow will be a long time recovering. Mat asks what exactly they did, and Moiraine tells him to sleep, they're still not out of danger.

As they ride south out of the Blight, the diseased foliage turns not to the bare trees that were there on the ride up, but to full, lush, green.(1) As they approach the border towers, men come to greet them, laughing joyfully. They think their army must have won a great victory at Tarwin's Gap. In late afternoon they reach Fal Dara, which rings with celebration. Literally, as not a bell in the city seems to sit silent.

They meet Ingtar, who arrived at the battle just one hour too late to see what happened for himself. Moiraine insists he bring them all to Agelmar at once. Agelmar berates him for not bringing Moiraine to a healer, she's still on a litter being carried around.

“We hear,” Moiraine said as soon as the door shut behind Ingtar, “that you won a great victory in Tarwin’s Gap.” “Yes,” Agelmar said slowly, his troubled frown returning. “Yes, Aes Sedai, and no. The Halfmen and their Trollocs were destroyed to the last, but we barely fought. A miracle, my men call it. The earth swallowed them; the mountains buried them. Only a few Draghkar were left, too frightened to do else but fly north as fast as they could.” “A miracle indeed,” Moiraine said. “And spring has come again.” “A miracle,” Agelmar said, shaking his head, “but. . . . Moiraine Sedai, men say many things about what happened in the Gap. That the Light took on flesh and fought for us. That the Creator walked in the Gap to strike at the Shadow. But I saw a man, Moiraine Sedai. I saw a man, and what he did, cannot be, must not be.” “The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, Lord of Fal Dara.”(2)

She tells him the Green Man is dead, a casualty of their battle, and the Eye of the World gone. There should be no more quests to find it. The final battle has yet to be fought (Rand stirs at this, but she glares him into submission), and then she shows him the Horn. When he starts talking about riding into the Blight with it, she yells NO! then explains calmly that the Horn must be carried to Illian, its place isn't here, it's at the Final Battle proper. She shows it to him only to let him know that their might is as great as any, now.

Seven days later, all the people of Fal Dara have returned, and the bells still ring. Rand is training at swords with Lan, who says he's doing well but he can't become a blademaster in a few weeks. Rand says he doesn't care about that, and he doesn't have a few weeks.(3)

Lan takes his leave, and Egwene has snuck up and asks where Rand is going. He doesn't know. She says he could come with the rest of them, they all have reason to go to Tar Valon, for long or short stays. He says he can't just wait around for some Aes Sedai to realize what he is and gentle him. Egg suggests he might try never channeling again, and Rand says he’d sooner cut his hand off than touch the Source again,(4) but privately thinks he might not be able to stop, since he’s never been in control of it yet.

Egg asks if he’ll go home. Rand wants nothing more than that, but knows he can’t go home yet. He has to find somewhere he can be alone, so he won’t hurt anyone. He tells her he’s going away soon, but not home, and wishes privately that she weren’t going to become Aes Sedai.

PERSPECTIVE: Moiraine finishes eavesdropping on Rand and Egg with a trick of magic she learned as a girl in Cairhien’s Royal Palace.(5)

“The Prophecies will be fulfilled,” the Aes Sedai whispered. “The Dragon is Reborn.”

The End of the First Book of The Wheel of Time

=====

(1) A stark contrast with the dying Green Man's grove. War means losing even when you win, something Robert Jordan would have understood all too well. (2) Mo knows Rand is no false Dragon, and what Agelmar saw was what must be. (3) Aw, buddy, what's so important? Running away from the only people who know, understand, and want to support you? (4) That sounds rather impractical, not only because you haven't been in control of it yet, but also because you have no idea you're the first, perhaps main character of an 11 000 page epic. (5) Hmm, so I've given away part of the game already by telling you her last name because of my desire to keep things tagged consistently. But, if you have the print or ebook version of the book, you'll also have a glossary. We saw Galad named Damodred, and his father Taringail. If you look up Taringail in the glossary, the first line is "A Royal Prince of Cairhien". So, Moiraine is some kind of relation to the royal family of Cairhien, is she? Close, do you think, or a more distant cousin kept at the palace purely through her name?

[but-a-humble-goon]

Alright let's respond to these in order, I feel like being thorough. "It took 10 years till it became canon" sounds really damning until you remember season 1 consisted of 13 episodes of roughly 5-10 minutes each. Not to mention they took a whole year off between vol 8 and 9. In terms of screentime it took RWBY a little over 24 hours to canonise their main major LGBT couple. For the record it took She-Ra just under 20 and that show only lasted 5 seasons. It took Adventure Time over 34 hours. And in both of those examples it happened in the last five minutes of the show. "despite from v1 to v5 there was literally absolutely no romantic implication between Blake and Yang." Okay just for brevity I will be omitting a lot here. Their romance kicks off proper in volume 2 with 'Burning the Candle' wherein half the episode is dedicated to their sickeningly sweet heart to heart that ends in Yang promising to save her a dance and then flirtatiously winking at her. In volume 3 Yang sees Blake in danger and enters a blind berserker rage and throws herself at her attacker, Adam, who literally says to Blake the words "I am going to destroy everything you love, starting with her" and then cuts Yang's arm off. The two of them spend ALL of seasons 4&5 angsting and pining for each other, Yang confiding in someone about Blake tearfully asks "what if I needed her here for me?" and the two's emotional reunion is the note they choose to close out the whole season on. You get the point, categorically invalid argument. "Blake literally had a guy love interest." She's canonically bisexual. She's allowed to do that. She's also allowed to have romantic feelings for more than one person. In fact it's an extremely popular trope. "The bees held hands once at the the bees held hands once at the end of v6, didnt even resolve their conflict fight from prior and suddenly acts like girlfriends???" Ah see easy mistake to make. You're forgetting that little easy to miss bit at the end where they spent three entire episodes having a climactic showdown with Adam, the monster who has haunted both of them and come between their relationship this whole time, in which they reaffirm their trust and bond with each other, promise to never leave each other again and kill him together. After which Yang holds Blake tenderly as she cries. "its literally just pandering to the largest voices cause they will buy the merch and bring the views." I should hope I don't have to explain why anybody who does the 'they're just pandering to the gays' argument is worth taking seriously. Creators make creative decisions based on what they think the audience will enjoy?! What mindblowing insight.

"Anyways thank fuck that the locked tomb pairing won that poll. cause bumble/by does not even fucking deserve to be put on the same pedestal as the other sapphic pairings." This is the part that fascinates me. It's interesting how it's generally accepted around here that treating LGBT rep like some kind of competition is extremely toxic and crappy on account of how we're all supposed to be on the same side and even if there were mistakes made or some things could have been done better we all deserve at least some baseline amount of courtesy and respect... I mean unless it's Bumbleby, apparently. It's open season where they're concerned.

bee shippers are really something else...

out here calling their pairing a 'slow burn' in defense on why it took 10 years till it became canon. despite from v1 to v5 there was literally absolutely no romantic implication between blake and yang. heck, during those 5 volumes Blake literally had a guy love interest that the show vv much pushed to show the both as romantically into each other.

the bees held hands once at the end of v6, didnt even resolve their conflict fight from prior and suddenly acts like girlfriends??? and lbr it became canon and for what? the bastardization of their characters??

its literally just pandering to the largest voices cause they will buy the merch and bring the views.

anyways thank fuck that the locked tomb pairing won that poll. cause bumble/by does not even fucking deserve to be put on the same pedestal as the other sapphic pairings.

[tarohemianrocketmanapsody]

Homeward Bound // Somewhere Only We Know - Chapter 2

Prologue.

Chapter 1.

Chapter 2.

It had been a long fucking night and she really was at her breaking point. They had been doing a choreographed dance all night and she sometimes had to look down and make sure that her clothes were still on and that they hadn’t spontaneously combusted from the heat of his stares. She’d needed intervention.

Aggressively staring at Jake until he got the hint and came over to her at the bar, she all but yanked him down into a seat that partially obscured her view of Rooster. While her inner slut mourned the unobstructed view of him bending over the pool table to take a shot (looking like he was bending something else entirely over with the way he moved his body and the heat in his eyes), she was grateful to have a moment of mental peace that she hadn’t been able to have since he had walked through the door.

Raising his eyebrow, Jake just took the beer she offered to him as a peace offering and stared at her.

“What,” she said, avoiding his eye contact and clearing more glasses left over by their rush hour, wiping up the sticky mess that was always, ALWAYS left behind because people suddenly forget how to drink out of a cup properly.

“Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, doing your job rather than participating in this antiquated mating ritual?”

The laugh that came out of her was unexpected, and she whipped around to throw her dirty bar towel at his face. He caught it easily, a smirk on his beautiful face as he essentially wrapped his mouth around the beer bottle and drank it. She even saw his tongue peek out to lick up a drop that had run astray. She rolled her eyes. Like he wasn’t trying to seduce any and everyone in this bar too, he loved the attention. At least hers was just one man with a pornstache and a Hawaiian shirt, rather than the entire clientele of the bar. As far as she was concerned, she won.

“Oh please you act like this job is rocket science, we don’t all have to fly thousands of pounds of machinery under threat of death by explosion to make money. Half of this job is interacting with the clientele. Now it’s just you military brats left so it’s not like there is much for me to do,” she said. The “but stare”, was silent, but she knew Jake got that without her saying it. Jackass.

“Oh in that case,” Jake responded, swinging his legs around and making to leave her defenseless, “I’ll leave you to interact with your clientele.”

She had never moved so fast in her life, reaching out to grab his arm and turn him back to her. She once again felt heavy eyes on her. She knew His pilot eyes were meticulous, wouldn’t miss a single touch or smile, and part of it brought a thrill to her. She had remembered the fun she used to have flirting with the boys at school, loved to rev him up and see how he took it out on them, and then later, her, in a very painful (pleasurable), meticulous, way. Her traitorous body literally clenched at the memory. It was like she was an animal in heat.

“Fine you win,” she grumbled, going to get refills on drinks for a few patrons before coming back again to glumly rest her head on her hands in front of Jake. It wasn’t fun to deprive yourself of what you really wanted, regardless of how afraid she was of him, how scared she was at the power he wielded over her and the control he had over her heart. “I need you to run interference.”

Jake snorted, but turned solidly in his seat and leveled his eyes with her and she knew her trusted best friend was in for the count with her tonight.

“Please, you want me here so you can just play hard to get.”

“Excuse you, I AM hard to get.”

“Uh huh, a young girl at UCLA begs to differ.”

“As I recall you were the one coming onto ME.”

“Oh and you put up such a fight, we only had sex with each other every night for like 8 months.”

“Yeah, until we realized we were both in love with someone else.”

“Details details, jury still stands that you, my friend, are being pathetic.”

“Oh I’m being pathetic? You’re literally trying  to seduce all of my customers, and don’t even try to deny it because nobody just happens to drink their beer like that. No matter how much you might believe it to be true, you are NOT God and there are limits to your talents.”

“Maybe, but at least I can admit to my game, are you gonna own up to yours? Or are we going to pretend like you haven’t been eye fucking him since he walked in?”

She dropped her head between her arms and groaned. He was always right. Sometimes it was easier when he was away and he couldn’t read her like a damn book.

“I missed you,” she said instead, looking up at him and squeezing his hand. He rolled his eyes, but squeezed back nonetheless, the fondness in his eyes betraying the annoyance he was trying to feign.

“I know,” he replied. She didn’t take it personally, knew he showed his love in different ways, through actions and not words. He showed his love by always driving her to work and staying to take her home when he was in town. By laying in bed with her in silence while she couldn’t sleep, kept up by too many past regrets that she couldn’t put words to. And, by sitting here and entertaining her, quite frankly, psychosis as she battled feelings she hadn’t felt in 6 years while the object of her affection, and also her biggest fear, stood a mere 20 feet away.

“I’ve missed him too.”

“Yeah I think everyone in the bar can see that.”

“Do you wanna bust my balls or do you want to sit here and drink for free and let me get on my soap box?”

“…continue.”

“I don’t know, seeing him tonight just makes me realize how much I have cut myself off from feeling things. It’s scary.”

“Do you want me to ask you why or are you just talking to yourself?” 

“Shut up.”

“I’m just saying I’ve spent the past 6 years listening to you whine and quite literally yearn after this man that I honestly don’t think is worth your time. But you want him and you swear that he is some dramatic long lost love with like the dick of God and the patience of Ghandi, and there he is and he’s looking at you like you’re a piece of meat, so go get him.”

“It’s not just about the sex.”

“Then what is it about?”

“It’s about the moment after dude, having someone who knows you inside and out hold you, knowing that you’re safe in their arms and that nothing can ever truly hurt you when you have them in your life.”

“Okay, now I’m feeling slightly sick. Is there a point to this? Because if this goes on much longer for a choker like Bradshaw, I’m going to need another drink.”

“Yes, the point is, he was that person. He knew everything about me, bad and good and everything in between. What if he doesn’t know me anymore? Worse, what if he does? He’s going to leave again, you all do, and I don’t know if I can go through that again. I don’t even know if I want to face him again. I spent so long desperate to get out of here and be different than my mom and my family. I didn’t for a moment stop to think that the things that actually made me happiest were here. I let it ruin us. I don’t know if he can forgive me for that, and I don’t know if I want him to. I’m not going to be my mom, falling for a man who’s always got his back to me, flying away.”

“Now you’re just making up excuses. Blah blah blah, we get it you have abandonment issues, but don’t pretend like you can’t do this, considering we have been friends for the past 6 years. You’re just scared to get your feelings hurt again, which is just honestly embarrassing for you because you can probably lead Bradshaw around by the balls and he would thank you based on the way he looks at you. Stop being a pussy and  let yourself see what happens for once before we skip to the bad part.”

She poured two shots, clinking her glass with his as she tried to let his words sink in and drown out the shockingly high voices of her anxieties.

“You definitely don’t sugarcoat things.”

“You wouldn’t have practically begged me to come over here if you wanted me to placate you, you just want me to validate you so you can fuck him without feeling guilty.”

“I can’t just fuck him the first night he is back in 6 years, what do you take me for?”

“You forget that I’ve seen you in literally every possible physical position, and that I stay with you when I’m in town. I can hear what you watch through the walls.”

“That’s a good point. Just… don’t let me go home with him tonight. You might have some truth to what you’re saying, but things aren’t always black and white and I’m not quite ready to just let him back in. Things were said that can’t be taken back, and I can’t just forget 6 years of silence.”

“Whatever you want babe, all I’m saying is that you can’t hold him or yourself responsible for what happened when you were 18. Do you honestly think he would’ve been happy if he just blew off his dreams to follow you? Do you think you would’ve forgiven yourself if he did? You’re allowed to be irrational because that’s what teenagers do, but if you take 2 seconds to get your head out of your ass and stop being sad that he left, you might realize that it’s the best thing that ever happened for both of you. Timing is weird and you can’t control it, better that it happened then rather than you guys growing to resent each other.”

“Huh, your head is always so far up your own ass I forget how smart you are sometimes. Too bad in a month you’re both leaving and I’ll probably be left with some love child due to the indecent acts you’re trying to force on me.”

Jake actually snorted at that. You loved seeing your best friend laugh, didn’t see it often enough because just like you he carried his own losses from his past. Unlike you, however, he didn’t have a chance to reunite with his person, having lost her when he was just 20 and starting out on his military career. 

“Whatever, all I’m saying is, you’ve been given this chance to see him again after all of this time. And, if he has any sense at all in that hairy little head of his, he would never willingly leave you. People make decisions all of the time about what is important to them, and if I could do it all again I would give up flying in a heartbeat if it meant seeing her again, and having the chance to create the life we had always talked about.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that. He didn’t talk about her a lot, nor did she know him before he lost her, but she assumed that this girl had inherently changed him when she passed. She understood what he was trying to say though, and was shocked at how deep his devotion still ran for her after all of these years (though, she didn’t know why she was, because she was in the same boat). Jake had detailed to her countless times how his skills as a pilot were given to him by god himself, and how he had always been born to fly. To hear that he would give it all up for her, even after all this time? It was incredibly humbling, and insanely romantic, even if he would hate to hear that.

She squeezed his hand again, knew he wouldn’t want her to say anymore on the topic. It was always a conversation he preferred when there was a lot more alcohol, and an intensely lower level of consciousness.

“You’re right,” she admitted, continuing on before he could make a comment about how rarely she would make that admission, “But I could never ask him to give up flying. I did it once before, and I was wrong, even if my reasons weren’t selfish. You can’t ask someone to walk away from something they love, something that makes them who they are.”

“No,” he conceded, “But they can choose between something that they love, and something that they can’t live without.”

“Does it always have to be a choice?”

“No, in a perfect world you could do both and have it all, but how often do we get to dictate what we have? All I’m saying is, if and when the time comes, and he isn’t the complete idiot that I think he is, he will make the right decision. No man would willingly walk away from you.”

“You’re just saying that because of all the under the bar alcohol you get.”

“Now you’re the one making a good point. Speaking of good points, you owe me another beer. All of this talk actually helping Bradshaw is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. He needs to focus on his flying, that’s where he really needs some guidance.”

She smiled as she got him another beer.

“You’re just mad because he gave you a run for your money for first in class.”

“I would hardly call it “a run”, I had to throw everyone in class a bone every now and again so their spirits would stay up. I can’t fly every mission for the military, someone had to be second.”

“Shut up and drink your beer.”

“You just want me to stop talking so you can go back to undressing him with your eyes with no interruptions.”

She smiled, making eye contact with Rooster again. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of her since she had started her conversation with Jake. She was pleased to see his jaw set while he clenched the pool cue between his hand, his thumb with his father’s ring tapping rather aggressively on the pool table where he was leaning and not even trying to hide his stare. It seemed inevitable, at least in her mind, that they would find their way back to each other eventually, and if she was being honest it had always seemed that way. But it didn’t have to be right now, and it didn’t have to be easy. There were obstacles to overcome, and they had to get to know each other agains as adults, rather than two kids who fell in love. She also had to convince herself to not run in the opposite direction and never look back for a fear that she might never live a full life again if she gave him her heart, only for him to permanently leave again. So yeah, she was immensely going to enjoy a jealous… Bradley. She was excited to see if he lived up to her memory.

“You’re not hearing any arguments from me.”

———————————————————————

It was finally closing time at the end of what was likely the longest shift of her entire life. Jake had been a good sport, sticking to her side at the bar and keeping her occupied while slowly but surely everyone had petered out of the bar, many going home together as the Hard Deck once again worked it’s unspeakable magic and brought people together. All that remained was her and Jake at the bar and a handful of the same pilots from earlier, all scattered around Bradley like he was some boy king (boy being the furthest thing from describing this absolute man who was sitting there and looking like he could eat her up). She looked back at Jake and was grateful that he spent the night catering to her and her neuroses rather than spending it studying his fellow pilots, finding ways to subtlety one-up them and establish his dominance (a favorite past time of his). While she was thankful for his continued dedication, she currently needed him get the fuck out. The aviators had come off of Bradley and he was not being shy with his looks and suddenly her entire carefully constructed willpower, and her former reservations from literally 2 hours ago, went right out the fucking window. With him spread out on a chair, legs spread wide, Hawaiian falling just right, glasses hooked on his tank top dragging it down to show more tanned skin from his chest, who could blame her. She just wanted to… talk.

“I need you to take a walk,” she said, turning to Jake.

He just stared back at her.

“What in the hell are you talking about?”

“I need you to take a walk.”

“At 1:00 in the morning?”

“Yes.”

He looked around the bar until he laid eyes on Bradley and turned back to her incredulous.

“You told me you wanted me to play interference.”

“Yes, and now I’m telling you to take. A. Walk.” She exaggerated her statement with intentionally dramatic blinks so he would get the fucking hint and clear the bar.

“What happened to holding out and easing back into things?”

“We’ve already run 23 miles of foreplay tonight, might as well bring it home.”

“What the fuck does that even mean?”

“I have no fucking clue at this point, but it feels right. Now get out, I just want to talk to him.”

“Talk. Right. Is that what the kid’s are calling it now today?”

“Honestly your lack of faith in me is devastating, maybe I really do just want to talk. I would like to see him without the eyes of 50 other people looking in waiting to see what we do like we’re in a goddamn zoo.”

“Funny, as far as I can recall, you like to be the one doing the watching.”

“I’m literally kicking you out now.”

“I’m your ride home.”

“Then maybe you suddenly want to go check on your bike, I know it’s old and might need to be looked over before we drive it home, maybe will give you some time to sober up too, this is your 4th beer tonight.”

He just looked at her. She knew damn well that Jake could probably body two more drinks easily before he was at any point of intoxication that would prevent him from driving.

“I’m not finished with my drink.”

She reached forward and grabbed the beer out of his hand, not even looking behind her as she chucked it in the trash.

“And now you’re done. Do me a favor and take out the trash when you go outside, and maybe use that subtlety of yours you love to talk about to get the other pilots to go as well, it being such a long night and all. I’m really ready to close this place down.”

He got up from the bar, putting a finger in her face as he stepped away, “You have 20 minutes and I’m dragging your ass home, preferably clothed but I’m not above dragging your ass out of here naked. Some of us need sleep, we can’t all sleep until 11 and roll up to work at 4pm.”

She smiled and waved as he walked away, calling out, “You’ve lost a lot more sleep over a lot less noble pursuits.”

His middle finger in the air was the only response she got, coming around the bar to grab the trash before making his way over to the pilots.

She turned and busied herself with refilling the ice behind the bar and making sure the glasses and napkins were all back in order for her mom’s opening tomorrow. She was nervous now, listening out for the tell tale sound of the door opening and closing. She had been truthful about just wanting to talk, whether Jake believed it or not was a whole other story (and for good reason, as he knew her better than she knew herself, and knew she was likely being dishonest with herself).

 The tension that fell over the bar tonight was thick, and not just from the unresolved sexual chemistry they still very clearly shared (though that did not make the situation easier). Years of things left unsaid was sitting between them, and she wanted to have the upper hand in this interaction, wanted to be able to be the one to have this conversation on her terms. He had always known how to, for lack of a better word, dazzle her and have her all but begging to submit when it came to sex, but she had always been the one with the upper hand outside of the bedroom. While he loved to dominate her for their more… carnal interactions, he had quite simply been nothing but worshipful the rest of the time, letting her have the lead. This was likely because he was able to be a lot more open with his affection and feelings than she always had been, products of their home environments (hers sporting an emotionally distant and unavailable dad and having a mom who cut herself off from emotions in order to handle her own issues with men, while Bradley’s house had always been full of emotion and verbal affirmation, likely because Carole knew that nothing was ever guaranteed and didn’t ever want her son to question her love for him). She had always felt more comfortable showing how she felt with physical touch and actions rather than words, something that had never seemed to bother him before, but something she felt guilty about regardless. She had often been kept up at night over the years thinking if she had been able to be more vocal about how deeply she felt about him, and her fears of losing him, things might have turned out different.

She didn’t want to lord any power over him, didn’t want to take advantage of their situation or the many unresolved feelings they likely had for each other. That had never been what their power games were about. While they had liked to dabble into seeing just how many ways they could get each other to bend, to see just how much they affected each other, it had always come from a place of respect and safety and love, two equals pushing boundaries and trying to understand this explosive chemistry that wrapped around them. However, in this specific situation, she just wanted to be on her A-game. While she might not be as much of an open book verbally, her body language and face had always been able to express how she was feeling, and he had meticulously studied her over the years, determined to be an expert in all things her. Bradley often knew what she was feeling before she did. She wanted to have this conversation without folding to the magnetism they had over each other, wanted to see if they could actually meet as adults and possibly see if they could overcome what seemed to be a mountain of unanswered questions and tensions. However, she also was human and, unfortunately, was typically driven by her desires versus her mind, and the object of essentially all of her desires over the past half decade was suddenly a mere few feet away from her. Maybe she could forget how to act for a night.

“No,” she said to herself, so distracted by her own inner angst and monologue she missed the sound of people exiting the bar, “I must stay strong, for women everywhere.” It seemed flimsy, even to her own ears.

She moved down the bar, turning over barstools and stacking them on the counter. Hands reached out from behind her, grabbing the barstool and flipping it over with much more grace and ease than she was sure she had demonstrated.

Her back felt hot and suddenly all of her senses were in overload, his presence behind her being like a shot of adrenaline directly to her heart. She felt warm lips press to her ear, felt a hand slip around her waist and splay out on her stomach. The size of the hand compared to her small waist made her mouth dry out, her tongue rolling into the back of her head as she took in how his hand seemed to cover her entire stomach, as if laying claim to it and marking it as taken territory. She allowed herself to be pulled back into a hard chest (a very welcome change, though part of her missed her lanky Bradley who was more soft and was all arms and legs). Felt his other arm come up to have his fingers dance along her collarbone, leaving a small trail of fire with every touch. His fingers strayed to her neck, and she felt the slightest press of his dad’s ring against her throat. It was cold, a direct antithesis to the heat that was no doubt radiating off her of her skin. It was also insanely erotic. She had allowed herself to become ensnared in a golden trap, and she couldn’t even find it within her to be mad about it.

“You know,” he murmured, letting his teeth graze her ear while the ring pressed down slightly harder on her neck, “That was probably the best performance I’ve seen you put on to date. I came to offer my personal congratulations.”

She took a deep breath and counted to three, ignoring the pressure of his fingers on her throat and the heat of his other hand burning a hole through her shirt on her stomach. Once upon a time she had dedicated years of studying to those fingers, knew what all they were capable of. The game was just beginning though, and she couldn’t let him see her sweat. Not yet anyways.

“Funny, I was just about to say the same thing,” she started, tilting her neck up to show off more skin, smiling as she let one of her hands dance up his leg, light touches all the way up until she hooked her thumb in the waistband of his jeans, letting it rest against his bare stomach, “All eyes were on you tonight fly guy.”

She felt him laugh behind her, felt the vibrations from his chest on her back. She felt his fingers on her throat moving again, felt them flutter across her pulse point (which he could likely feel being rapid and explosive at the moment), before settling on her jaw, firmly gripping it and turning her head to the piano. His thumb, the same one with that damned ring, ghosted across her lips. His other arm still had her firmly anchored to his chest.

“Only one pair of eyes I was looking for sweetheart, I remember how much of a fan you are of a show, even left a spot open for you on the bench just like old times. But,” he said, his voice taking on a darker edge here, “You seemed to be… distracted.”

She thought back to his performance, back to that brunette who stood way too close, thought of the familiarity that ran between them. She recalled the heated looks he threw to other women of the bar. He had been playing the same game she had, but she had always excelled far more in this area. While he loved to make her jealous like she so loved to make him, he just liked having her eyes on him (and only him) better, and enjoyed nothing more than being able to have his eyes on her.

She nipped at the finger stroking her lip, and reveled in the way his fingers on her jaw tightened in warning, loved the way his fingers pushed harder into her stomach, toeing the line of more painful than heated. She loved it, hoped, secretly to herself in her mind where she didn’t have to face any repercussions of her actions in her little fantasy world, that he would leave bruises on her. That she would get to wake up tomorrow morning and relive what it was like to be in his arms, feeling his touch again, knowing that it was real, finally.

Snaking her hand up his arm and over the back of his neck, she allowed herself to sink her fingers in his hair and drag his head down to her level, keeping her eyes on the piano, and more importantly, the piano bench, while she spoke. 

“I would’ve been more entertained if there was something worth watching.” She let her tongue dart out, licking the shell of his ear, while her other thumb still tucked into his waistband started to stroke his skin.

Moves and counter moves.

His hand on her stomach moved faster than she anticipated, hooking his finger through her short’s belt loop, whipping her around and pushing her into the bar, his thigh going between her legs, with one solid, fluid moment. His hand that had previously been on her jaw was now resting flat on her chest, a chest that was now heaving up and down at being face to face with such proximity after all this time. She sent up a silent thanks to the gods that be for pilots and their ability to maneuver things (people) on a whim. His other hand had her caged in, wrapped around her waist as he pushed her even more, not so gently, into the bar.

“Mhm. How do you know him?”

She was suddenly scared to look him in the eyes, scared to see the fire that she knew to be in them, a similar fire that she was sure would be reflected right back from her own eyes. She focused, instead, on tracing the ridges of his chest through his essentially non-existent tank top.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

The warm hand that was resting on her chest started to move, sliding down her chest until he was full on palming (gripping) her boob. He moved his fingers and pinched her nipple, hard.

Her head shot up, her mouth opening, and she was embarrassed to admit she didn’t know if it was in outrage or arousal.

“Now I have your attention,” he murmured, his eyes scanning over her face. His fingers reached back out to soothe the sting on her chest, trailing a lazy circle around her nipple. Goosebumps erupted over her entire body. His face seemed humored, almost laughing at her obvious reaction to him, but his eyes held a heat she knew from many similar encounters in the past. He was seeking an answer from her, this one about Jake, and he knew how to dig until he got what he wanted. 

“Let’s try this again,” he said, his warm breath falling over her face as he leaned in to whisper in her ear, his hand at her waist gripping to the point where she knew he would leave bruises. She smiled. “How do you know him? It’s nice to see that your acting hasn’t improved in all of these years honey.”

She felt fire in her veins.

“Who do you want him to be to me? You seem awfully eager to make assumptions.”

His thigh pushed harder between her legs, and she felt humiliation run through her body when the word “throbbing” came to mind. She was no better than the women in the trashy romance novels her mom swore she didn’t read.

“That’s because you want me to make assumptions.”

That was a fair point. While it was her favorite game to play with him, she had forgotten how well of a contender he was.

She leveled her eyes with him and smiled when he looked down at her, his eyes following the line of her tongue as she slowly licked her bottom lip. His hand, sadly, abandoned its menstruations on her chest, his thumb coming up to slowly trace the route her tongue had taken. Eyes locked. In a different scenario, at a different time, she might have sucked his finger into her mouth, maybe even dropped to her knees, if for nothing else just to see his hungry, desperate eyes follow her every move. But she had genuinely wanted to talk, and she was kind of letting herself get off track.

“He’s a friend, has been for awhile.”

“It seemed more than just a little friendly.”

“Aw, you remember how well I treat my friends Rooster, you used to be one of them once upon a time.”

His whole body tensed. He didn’t like that one. At. All. She couldn’t settle on a feeling, scared of how he might react, or actively anticipating what was coming.

His hand slid up from her waist, ghosting his hand over her chest while his other moved down to cradle the back of her neck. She closed her eyes and let her head drop back. His large hand framed her face, cupping it, while the other slipped into her hair and pulled, forcing her eyes open. He continued to pull until her back was practically arching over the bar, until their eyes met once again, a pair in orbit that always gravitated back towards each other. 

“You’re playing a game and I’m willing to play along, I just don’t know if you’re going to be able to handle the consequences when they catch up to you.”

Their faces were mere inches from each other, and she resisted breaking their gaze to stare at his lips. His eyes held her in a trance, were reading her just like they always did when they were kids, and she suddenly wished she could freeze this moment in time, and always remember the way he was looking at her, like she was the sun and in charge of his gravitational orbit.

“I’m not sure what you’re implying, I just wanted to talk.”

He smiled at her then, genuinely smiled, and the sight of it made something warm blossom in her chest. It was like Catherine crossing the Moors and seeing Heathcliff again, like Darcy and Elizabeth crossing the field and coming home to each other, like the time traveler and his wife celebrating being in this moment, this current moment, together for just a minute.

“Talk?”he questioned, letting his thumb stroke her cheek.

“Talk,” she replied, leaning into his touch, trying to count the number of wood boards on the ceiling, anything to calm her down and get the absolute need between her legs under control, “Unless you’re going to find a reason to argue about that too.”

He moved his hand from behind her neck to her legs, picking her up with one arm (seemingly with ease? Dear lord) and laying her gently on the bar (a direct antithesis of his more forceful handling earlier, she couldn’t decide which one she loved more). His hand that was on her face was now being used to tenderly lay her head down and suddenly his entire body was between her thighs as she laid flat on her bar, him staring down at her. And the heat. Was. Back.

“Aw no baby,” he said, his hand once again coming down to dance along her throat, his index finger slowly drawing a line from chin to chest that had her seeing stars already, plotting a course of action or simply meaning to drive her crazy, she didn’t know, “I love to hear noises come out of your pretty little mouth, talk away.”

She put her hands on his shoulders, whether to drag him down or push him away she wasn’t sure, when he reached up with his right hand, the ringed finger, and grabbed her wrists. 

Sirens went off in her brain as he lifted her arms over her head to pin them to the bar. Don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t- He pinned her wrists to the bar, flipping them over and interlocking her left hand with his right one. 

Fuck.

He did it.

There was no coming back from this for her.

When they were younger no matter what position they were in or how heated things got, he always, always laced their fingers together. It grounded her, let her know that she was safe with him no matter what wicked shit he pulled on her body. Reminded her that she was loved and cherished. She felt his dad’s ring on her hands and had to suppress the tears that threatened to come to her eyes. It was all too much, all at once, he was everywhere and was flooding all of her senses.

“You wanted to talk sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear, taking his sweet time to nibble on her ear lobe before moving his lips behind her ear, sucking the spot behind it that literally had her back arching off of the bar and into his hard body.

“Yeah, I do. I think that there should be…”

He blew on the spot he had been sucking on, squeezing their interlocked hands before grazing his teeth down to her pulse point. She felt him place a sweet kiss to it before… Jesus h Christ placing his tongue on it, no doubt enjoying the rapid fluttering.

Her head fell back down to the bar with a thunk, exposing more of her neck to him (which honestly benefited her, once again thanking the powers that be that he remembered just how far he could get with her with a little bit of neck kissing and the biting… and the sucking… and the…). She went to speak again when he bit down on her pulse point. Hard. She wasn’t sure what sound emitted from her body, but she got a welcome hum against her throat and his legs came closer, widening hers even more, and she figured she must be getting rewarded for good Karma in another life.

“Boundaries. I think there should be solid boundaries between us while we get to know each other again…. See if we even still have anything… in common.”

He hummed, acknowledging her words, obviously taking them as encouragement completely ignore her in favor of continuing his onslaught of her neck. Before each stinging bite he placed a feather light kiss over his next victim spot. Her head was spinning between the juxtaposing sides he was showing. He was intentional with his path, she could tell. He was leaving his mark, that much was obvious, a brand that showed that he had been there. His feather kisses were even more branding than the bites and marks, penetrated her skin and touched her soul. He was forging a campaign to conquer every part of her body, ever the military man, trying to mix himself with every part of her he could, and leave his imprint not only on her skin, but underneath it too. Fuck.

“I’m being serious, I don’t even know how long you’re back for and we’re basically strangers right now and there are conversations that need to be had before we just…”

He had reached her chest. 

Suddenly she had the strangest feeling that laying in her dim bar on her, lovingly, worn down counter, being kissed and marked and having her heart bared for everyone to see, felt strikingly similar to what it must be like standing in the grace of God himself.

His tongue dipped out, licking from where her cleavage began all the way up to her other ear. She didn’t even need to see his face to know he was smiling while he spoke low in her ear.

“I don’t know sweetheart, I could be wrong but I don’t think your body has forgotten me. Maybe a conversation about your masters in accounting can wait until I fully reacquaint myself though, and really address these boundaries of yours that you’re talking about.”

Another bolt of heat shot through her. He knew about her masters in accounting, which likely meant he knew about her BA in business before deciding to go on, wanting to learn everything she could about financials and banking before coming home and committing to a business. He had kept tabs on her too. The thought made her warm from head to toe on the inside.

“That’s a fair point Lieutenant.”

She felt his reaction immediately, took note of the way something most definitely jumped between her legs, and the way he stopped breathing for a moment in her ear. It was her turn to smile again. He had always loved having power over her in moments like these. To hear his rank uttered in such an intimate setting? It would likely drive him crazy (which she had partially wanted, she was obviously losing ground in her desire to have a conversation, the next best thing was to make him feel as out of control for her as she did for him). Plus… he was smart. He could read between the lines, would take her comment for more than face value. He was wearing his civilian clothes today. There was no way for her to know he was a lieutenant without having kept tabs on him too. It was an olive branch, albeit a small one, and a temporary ceasefire on her inner angst and turmoil over everything to do with him (and with them).

He attacked her chest with fervor. Gone were the light touches and slow passage, he was a man possessed as he, for lack of other words in her current foggy mind, ravaged her chest. He bit down and sucked so hard she swore he would draw blood. Her eyes seemed to be spinning in their sockets at this point and she shut them tightly, refusing to look down at him thoroughly debauching her for fear of how she would react. When he was done with one side of the top of her cleavage, he attacked the other with just as much gusto, and she started to squirm on the bar, her hips moving, looking for friction, while her hands were still clasped in his iron grip.

His other hand, forgotten in the midst of the overwhelming everything, shot up and gripped her waist tightly, his thumb pressing harshly into her skin as he stilled her hips and made her take the onslaught of his mouth and teeth. Holy fuck.

Then his lips were off of her and his hand above her head was releasing her and for a moment she could think, could actually formulate words in her brain, could produce reasons why not now, not here, not like this, but he didn’t give her much time to breathe. His hand came down from above to tweak her right nipple, pulling and pinching, while his mouth claimed her other nipple through her shirt (and wasn’t that insanely erotic wow, she suddenly was gleeful that she had forgone a bra tonight, the rough fabric of her tank top rubbing against her nipple, the wet friction creating overwhelming feelings of pleasure that, in combination with his other hand, went straight to her vagina).

His other hand ventured below the waste line of her shorts she suddenly despised, hated for the barrier they placed between them. Feeling of his fingers against the heated skin below her underwear had her suddenly wondering if it was possible to just get off on heated glances and bites and well placed fingers because wow she can’t recall ever feeling so turned on in her life.

“You’re trying to distract me and it’s not going to work, no matter how good with your mouth or how sinful your fingers are. We can’t just forget about the past 6 years Bradley.”

His head popped up at his name, and she swears she saw something soft in his eyes when he looked up at her from his position. He kept his hand where it was in her pants, but the other one came up to cradle the back of her neck again, his thumb stroking the skin he found that was most likely red and bruised.

“I think,” he spoke, his thumb pressing hard into her skin yet again in her pants, the pressure bringing her to attention while he all but forced her to look into his eyes, his other hand holding her head in place, making her look at the seriousness that danced behind his golden browns, “That we both know how this is going to end. That we both know that whatever games you want to play, and however far you’re going to run from me, you’re going to end up right back here by my side like you were always meant to be. I highly suggest we start enjoying that future now, rather than ruminating on things in the past that we can’t change. You can put up a fight if you want to darlin’, but at the end of the day we both know who you’re going to be coming home to.”

Fuck.

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

Tag List: (comment if you would like to be added)

@littlewhiterose​

@thisisgracetrying​

@blindedbyyourgrace17​

@maverooster​

@mjgrape2839

@discoseal

@n3ssm0nique

@lt-b-rooster-bradshaw

@winteryoungie

@professionalgeekgirly

@meeeeees-stuff

@fangirlinc

@icarussunlight

@levylovegood

@drewstarkeyishot

@nobody7102

@catmcx

@startterfly

@blackbrownie 

@letusbewildflowers 

A/N: Okay. Wow. This is my first ever public piece of writing and I wish someone had told me that characters, even ones made up by other people like Rooster, have a mind of their own. In my head they were already well into some ‘family friendly’ very kinky fun, and yet they had other plans and suddenly it was almost 8,000 words of further character / relationship development, Jake/reader best buddy time, and just the tip of the iceberg in regards to any smut (all for just this chapter no less). Who knew? Lol. I’m honestly not even halfway finished with this scene, but it's nearing 1am and I wanted to get something out (partially because I have this panic that everyone will move on from our Rooster obsession and I want to capitalize on the interest while it is there). I was trying to write some good old-fashioned smut and sexual tension and a lot of sappy worships and allusions to God / gods worked their way in there, whoops. I personally like my rough smut with a nice heaping side of worship and adoration, but maybe it’s just me haha. I promise after next chapter I will actually get them out of the bar and get the story truly rolling. I have spent the last few days obsessing over other people’s fanfictions and sitting and plotting on my own (sitting at the dinner table and thinking of pet names for him to call her during sex while your family is eating is not recommended). I can’t guarantee a regular updating schedule, because while I am riding this obsession train HARD, I have also come to realize just how fucking hard writing is, and don't even get me started on dialogue. And having to move them from place to place and describe every step and action so it is realistic? Kill me. I’m writing for my own personal fantasy and enjoyment tbh, but I hope you guys like it! The comments and kudos really inspire me to write, and just all around make me feel insanely good about myself and my writing, so thank you for that! I have messed around with the movie timeline just for my own creative reasons in the fic, so just know it’s my world and we’re all just living in it. Happy reading!

(Again, it is now nearing 1am as I finish this author's note, it’s going straight from my phone notes app to here with no editing because I couldn't wait to share it, my apologies because I write how I think, so one longgggg run on sentence with seemingly no understanding of commas or grammar).

We could call this scene a part 1 if we want, next chapter will pick up from here.

(BTW - this chapter’s pic is how I imagine him sitting, surrounded by his fellow pilots, watching ~her~)

[whogavemoththerighttohyperfix]

your fic’s awesome! you mentioned wanting HCs— could I have some Jane/Penny friendship with the other kids? 🌟

ID LOVE TOO!!

Penny is honest to god one of the most protective people in the friend group.

If Mischa is the mum friend, Constance is the Dad friend then penny is the bodyguard

Girl with throw you across the room with her pinky if you get to close to her friend than she likes.

She’s also like insanely strong, people think Mischa is the muscle and body of the friend group which he is to an extent but penny is in his level

Hold a grudge till she dies

They all do “I’ll knock you’ll talk” and every single time she gets stuck with the talking part

She dosent really mind though

The group had a competition on whether she was a cat or a dog person, she’s both

She has a Cat called Max and a dog called Katy, she thinks it’s funny that she switched the names

Only Noel, Mischa and Constance know how to drive but sometimes Penny will somehow get behind the wheel,

Every single one of them ended up huddling together and crying as Penny laughed like a madman

They regret it every time and say it will be the last time she goes behind athe wheel of a car in her life

She somehow does it again everytime

Made a bet that she could stay in the air using Rickys crutches for half an hour without wavering.

She stayed in the air for an hour, and won £50. She also couldn’t write for the next three days but it was worth it. She bought them all as much McDonald’s as they could eat

She can and will break into your house to cuddle

One time decked oceans dad in the face, he was high at the time so he dosent remember it but Penny says it still counts

Ok now onto general ones for each character

Mischa and penny get alone so we’ll man, she also practically lives with him. Mischa literally has a set up med specifically for her away from the one he has for the others

They’re both very cometative gamers and will curse out anyone in games no matter how much the others tell them to shut up.

One time when Mischa got into a fight with another student Penny ran up and put them into a choakhold until a teacher came and she gave him over with a smile

Mischa bought her ice cream as a thanks

If they go to the beach they always ended fake drowning eachother as in pulling eachother under the water until there both stopped and put on time out

Constance and penny are such a cute duo honest to god they’ll run around holding hands.

The both have a tendency to drag the other to look at what they want usually stuffeded animals or something though.

They’re an ungodly team at bowling, like if your up against them you better start praying for you life now cause you are getting beat 100%

Ricky and Penny were actually the first out of all of them to become friends, they were next door neighbours they had playdates even before nursery.

They practically read each other’s mind, all of them can speak with no words but then two especially, Ricky couldn’t talk and Penny didn’t like to so they can literally just stare talk

One time used Ricky’s crutches to beat up a kid who made fun of him for having to use them.

She also bought him cat and galaxy stickers for them to decorate his crutches with. He never took them off and let the others add to it

Ocean and her both basically have the same time tables at school, they spend basically every class together And the teachers hate them for it.

Ocean gives her math and English study plans and notes and Penny helps her out in PE

As in she will just pick ocean up when they’re doing a lap around the pitch because she will have an asthma attack and the PE teachers won’t let her use her in hailer

Going back to the HC that she decked Oceans dad, it was because the Choir saw him yelling at her and fuckin lunged at him.

He dosent remember a thing and she’s still kind of bitter that he dosent cayse she wants him to remember it

Noel and her get along so much better than people around them think, like Noel has a obsession with france Penny has an obsession with Italy

They both bond over it and plan to visit both country’s together. They’re saving up together

They are WLW and MLM friendship and both have beat up homophobes for the other

She also taught Noel how to fight! Cause she thought it would be fun

Noel: I don’t wanna do this

Penny: when I’m done with you, you’ll be able to choke a man to death with your thighs in heels

Noel: ok I’m in

Mischa: she can actually do that

Ocean: I know and I’m scared of Noel having that ability

Noel is literally a half decent fighter thanks to her, which is an amazing accomplishment cause man can’t do shit

[sunshine-on-marz]

Okay but re: dreams story about waking up bruised can we have a dream imagine where he gets in a fight or something and comes home to reader and he's all beat up so they have to take care of him? I don't know if that's not okay I understand :) 👻

Ok I’ve literally been freaking out about this ask since the first time I read it today! I literally love this so so so much and I’m gonna work sooooooooooo hard on this!

HUGE TW: fights, blood, wounds

Someone had been talking shit, they had been talking shit about you. Clay could not let that stand, he couldn’t just watch as people slandered your name. So he said something, the other man threw a punch, so then Dream did the same. They went back and forth until the other guy fell and his friends dragged him away. Dream drove himself home with blood dripping from his nose, his lip, his cheekbone, his arm, and his collar. He got home, stumbled through the door and called out your name. You rushed into the living room after hearing his scratched voice. “Clay, Clay oh my god what happened? Hey hey, what happened baby?” You ran to his arms and sat him down on the floor against the wall. “Got into a fight” the words where slurred and hard to hear but you still understood. “Over what? With who? What happened?” You held onto his face. “Don’t worry love, just know I won” he chuckled a bit and you sighed. “Clay you know damn well I can’t just ‘not worry’” he smiled. “Yea but it was worth a shot” you nodded your head, “I guess it was huh. Clay, darling, I’m gonna go get some first aid supplies, you stay here yea?” He nodded at you slightly. You rushed to the bathroom and grabbed the first aid kit. You got back and sat down with the kit and opened it. You grabbed the rubbing alcohol from the plastic container. “Ok love, this is gonna hurt, but it’ll be ok, I promise you will be ok” you held his hand and put some rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad. When you dabbed the cotton pads on his face wounds he winced hard. “I know, I know, I’ve got you, you’re almost done” you took the cotton pad off the last cut and quickly grabbed band-aids to put on the clean cuts. “Good job baby, good job” he weakly smiled and you kissed the top of his head. “Am I done?” His voice sounded shattered and it broke your heart. “Not yet honey, I have to clean up your arm and your neck ok?” He winced at the statement. You grabbed another cotton pad and put rubbing alcohol on it. “Ok, I’m gonna clean up your neck, ok?” You put the cotton pad on his neck and he winced. You took off the cotton pad off and put a bandage on it. “Good job baby, good job just one more my love, god I’m so proud of you, you’re doing so good.” You got another cotton pad and did the same thing you’ve been doing and got the same results as before, but now it was over. “Good job Clay, you did so good” he smiled weakly and you kissed his cheek. “Let’s go to bed” he asked you and you nodded your head and helped him stand up. When the two of you got in bed, all of the stress from when he walked into the door and now the both of you where together and everything was ok.

———

WOOOOO I SPENT AN HOUR AND A HALF WRITING THIS

Also @zooone because they where one of the people I flipped out about this amazing ask to!!!!

[navalcriminalimagines]

I'm sick rn and I really need a Jethro Gibbs to take care of me while i suffer from fever🤧

Hi anon! I hope you’re feeling better ❤️ and that this would help 😘 Take care!

Fever

You tried to fight whatever germ that got into you as much as possible, but it won. In the morning, you tried to get into work like any other day, but you were so weak and feverish, your boss forced you to go home and get some rest.

You considered calling your boyfriend to let him know, but you thought against it in the end. You knew he was working on a hard case and you didn’t want to be a burden. So, all you did was getting home, taking some meds and buried yourself under the blanket.

You literally passed out in bed. When you finally woke up, you had a wet washcloth on your forehead that you didn’t remember getting. When you tiredly looked under the blanket, you realized that your work clothes were gone, you were wearing one of your Gibbs t-shirts, shorts and socks. You hate wearing socks into bed. When you turned your face to the nightstand, looking for your phone, all you found was a glass of water and meds. You didn’t remember doing any of those things.

“Don’t you dare.” You heard when you tried to climb out of bed. You’d have screamed from fear, if you hadn’t recognized his voice immediately. You followed the sound, and saw Gibbs sitting in the armchair across the room. Before you could process, he was standing and walking up to you, laying you back down into bed. “You’re not moving from this bed until you’re feeling better.” He used the boss’s ton.

When you were laying again, Gibbs sat next to you, and bent over to softly kiss your forehead. He kept his lips press against your kiss and you knew he was trying to know where you fever was at. “What time is it?” You asked, weakly.

“Around 3pm,” he answered, stroking your cheek. “You’re burning up.” He felt sorry for you, and how he wished he could take the germs away.

“What are you doing here in the middle of the day?” You curled up. You may have been burning up, but you felt so cold, that you were shivering.

“Why didn’t you call?” He shot back, grabbing the glass of water and meds that he probably had prepared. “Can you take this for me? Ducky’s order.”

You got yourself on your elbow and took the pills from his hand. Once it was swallowed, your head immediately hit the pillow again. You were feeling horrible. “When was Ducky here?” You closed your eyes despite yourself. You wanted to look at him, enjoy his presence but you were so tired.

Gibbs put the washcloth back against your forehead. “Doesn’t matter. Next time you’re sick, but don’t bother telling me, there will be consequences.”

“I love consequences.” You said with a grin, and Gibbs chuckled.

“Go back to sleep, honey. Food will be waiting for you to wake up again.”

“Will you?” Unconsciously, you had his polo shirt in your fist. Gibbs softly made you open your hand, and he kissed your knuckles.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He said.

“Then hold me. Germs hate you, you’re safe.”

Even if he could catch what you had, he wouldn’t care. He got to his assigned side of the bed and lay down next to you. You were already half asleep, so he gently brought your body against his. You shivered again and he held you closer. He didn’t care that you were sweating all over him, he held you, stroked your hair and gave you occasional kisses until you woke up again.

“Bath then food or food then bath?” He asked when your eyes met his. The fever dropped a couple of hours ago, and you looked like you were feeling a little better.

“Are you coming into the bath with me?”

“If you want me to.”

“Bath first.”

He pecked your lips and got out of bed. “Don’t move.”

A few minutes later, Gibbs came to the bedroom. He helped you sitting up, and started to undress you. “I can—“ you tried to object.

“Shh.”

You let him. Once you were naked, he wrapped his strong arms around your waist and carried you to the bathroom like you were nothing. You hung onto me like a koala bear and it made him chuckle. You only let go of each other once you were in the bathtub. While he undressed, you realized that he lit two candles, and put one of your bath bombs into the water. “You hate bath bombs.”

“I don’t hate them,” he climbed into the tub, settling behind you. He brought your back against his chest. “I don’t get the purpose.” He kissed your shoulder.

“You don’t get the purpose of baths, period.”

“With you in it, they have a purpose.”

“Do they, now?” You leaned your head against his shoulder, and he took the opportunity to kiss your jawline.

“Yes. But that’s not why we’re in it right now.”

You whined, but he was right. You may have felt better than a few hours before, but you were still exhausted and the fever wasn’t completely gone. Sex could wait.

You and Gibbs soaked into the bath for about an hour - you almost fell into sleep again - before he helped you wash. He assisted you in everything, and it was the sweetest thing ever. He was so gentle, and soft and loving. When you were back into bed after he changed the sheets - refusing your help - you stared at him while he brought food. “Your case—“ you started to say.

“No case is more important than you and your health.” He said, putting the plate on your lap.

“It’s just the flu, or something.” You interjected.

“Could be a cold for all I care.” He settled next to you with his own plate.

“I love you.” You said before you could stop yourself. At this moment, you were burning hot and it was because of the fever. It was the first time you told him those words. It didn’t intend to, and you were scared of his reaction.

“I love you, too.” He kissed your temple. “Now eat.”

Maybe you should get sick more often.