#AND THEY'RE LEFT WONDERING THE WHAT IFS

[balladofthe101st]

i know joe went up to the bar just to flirt with george with the classic, "you come here often?" but george, seeing joe walk towards him, looking so handsome and lean in his class a's, panicked, and before joe could use his line, george blurts out, "corporal toye, there will be no leaning in my company. are those dusty jump wings? how do you expect to slay the huns with dust on your jump wings?" joe, bewildered and flustered, plays along, straightening up and dusting off his jump wings, just to see that sweet smile on george's face. that night didn't go as joe planned but between a couple glass of beers, sharing a smoke, and spending the rest of the evening until the next early morning with george and that goddamn sweet smile of his, joe wouldn't have spent the night any different. next time, he thinks wistfully, next time maybe he'll get a kiss

[monotone-artist]

just a few foster puppy pictures out of the hmm. 500 that i have

[id: nine photographs of various brown, floppy-eared puppies. first: top view where puppy is sitting down and looking up at the camera. second: sitting with his tongue out. third: laying down on her side with her head on my leg, looking straight at the camera.

fourth: laying down on her belly. fifth: sitting and leaning against me, his head quite close to the camera, which he's looking at. sixth: one puppy lays down while another rests her chin on his back.

seventh: an extremely close-up view of a puppy's face. eighth: a puppy, who notably has one blue eye, looks through the glass door. ninth: puppy stands on her hind legs, front paws on the glass door, looking inside. end id]

[runninriot]

no happy ending?

written for @steddiemicrofic

december prompt: time | wc: 485 | tags: pining, angst, emotional hurt, ambiguous/ hopeful ending

Time's up now. Eddie has lost his chance.

Because with the last of his bags stowed away in the trunk of his car, there's no reason for Steve to stay any longer. Just a few more moments and he'll be off to a new life. A fresh start somewhere far away from the clutches of shit hole Hawkins.

   "Promise you'll call when you get there?"

   "Promise you'll visit?"

It feels strange, how they're avoiding each other's gaze. Making promises that are supposed to make this easier- but don't. Because they both know this is 'goodbye for good' and not 'see you later'.

That's just how life goes - people grow up and apart. They move away and move on. Some forget and others will be forgotten.

And it hurts.

Eddie wants to be happy for his friend, he really does, but the sting of regret sits too deep, right there at his core, infecting his heart with sorrow that consumes him whole.

But for Steve he'll try anyway. Will fake a smile even if - inside - he's drowning in tears.

   "I, uh, I should-" Steve says, awkwardly pointing in the direction of his car.

Eddie nods, hopes the upward curl of his lips is believable enough to hide the emotions that threaten to show on his face.

    I'll miss you, Eddie wants to say but swallows the words back down, afraid the thickness in his voice will give away what's lying underneath. A truth he'll have to bury somewhere deep down along with the feelings he's carried around in a box locked away in his heart for so long.

It doesn't matter now.

Steve will be gone and Eddie will be left with the memories of missed opportunities, lamenting what ifs that were never meant to be.

   "Can I- can I hug you?" Steve asks so quiet Eddie almost misses it.

He wants to say no, knows it'll kill him but he opens his arms nonetheless. How could he not, when this is the last time he'll get to hold Steve like that?

It feels so good it hurts. Tears him apart from the inside out, makes tears spill from his eyes. But Steve has no mercy, buries himself deeper in the crook of his neck. Holds him so tight, he can't breathe.

   I wish you would stay, Eddie's mind helplessly screams at the boy in his arms.

   "I wish you'd come with me," Steve offers in return, voice plaintive and heavy with something Eddie doesn't dare name. He can't give himself to the delusion that maybe there's meaning in the way Steve refuses to let go.

   "I love you," a voice whispers and he can't tell if it his or Steve's because their mouths are suddenly one, meeting in a clash of lips and teeth and tongue, deep and desperate.

And Eddie wonders if maybe there's still a chance after all, to get his happy ending.

[doux-amer]

So I finished it and cried a bit. I can't put into words how much this affected me and why. It's...you, know...han/한. I don't think it's perfect and some of the prose was distracting, but please read The Stone Home by Crystal Hana Kim.

It's been a while since I read a book that's utterly engrossing and that feeling is amazing. The novel I'm currently reading is leaving me in tatters.

[002yb]

Dick peppering kisses all over Jason's face as soon as he gets home?

The problem with loving a hero is that nothing will ever come before their cause. Despite this, Jason isn't bothered. It's not like he sets aside his own agendas as a vigilante to assuage his boyfriend. Then again, Jason has never asked Dick to wait around with no contact for a fucking month, the bastard.

It's the longest they've been apart since they got together and Jason can't help but grimace at the hollow ache he feels in his chest because damn it - even if Jason resolved himself to being okay with Dick's hero work, he misses his boyfriend.

Jason wonders if Dick has missed him, too. How embarrassing would it be for him if it's just Jason that's been despondent and grouchy and distracted and needy all these weeks.

The only consolation Jason has is that he has a stranglehold on the crime in his territory after a month of boredom and loneliness. It's done a lot to help quell his agitation (over being left alone, over not being able to help, over the haunting thoughts of what-ifs and worst case scenarios), but now with nothing to do - Jason is back where he started.

A lot can happen in a month. Maybe Dick got hurt and needs help. Maybe Dick regained some sense and realized Jason isn't worth the trouble. Maybe he ran off to ghost Jason entirely. Fucking bastard.

Or maybe he's being stupid and Dick is thinking about Jason - missing him. Maybe he's rushing home like he said he would and they'll do all those depraved things Dick promised before he left. Or maybe they'll just hold each other. Jason wouldn't mind that.

Fuck, Jason misses him. The charming, handsome son of a bitch.

"Come home already, dick." Jason grumbles to himself.

And like the universe has finally heard enough of Jason's incessant whining, Jason hears a knock on his window. He sits upright from where he laid on his couch, wild-eyed and breathless, a biting smile pulling at his lips to match his boyfriend's toothy grin as Dick persists in slapping the window

Dick is already leaning through the window before Jason fully opens it, hands on either side of Jason's face and peppering it with kisses. Pressing forward until they tumble back to the floor and laughing through complaints because, 'A fucking month, c'mere.'

Chaste, fleeting pecks that still somehow make Jason flush with warmth because they're relentless and wanting and as desperate as Jason has felt for so many weeks.

"Missed you." Dick breathes over his skin and the combination makes Jason shiver and laugh under his breath. A cut off, breathy sound that hitches when Dick nips just beneath Jason's jaw and presses another three kisses to his face after.

"Thought you might have ran." Jason says, holding Dick back. It does little to stop his boyfriend who just takes Jason's hands and kisses his fingers instead, the heel of his palm.

"Ran here." Dick laughs, breathless. "Couldn't wait to see you."

Nothing will ever come before a hero's cause, but Jason thinks he might come close just from how Dick looks at him - bright-eyed with contentment and delight. Maybe their relationship can't be conventional, but Jason doesn't think he needs it to be.

They're a hero and a vigilante; they're made of tougher stuff.

A month's worth of kisses and affection. A month's worth of uncertainty chased away in an instant. They'll be okay.

[incorrectbatfam]

Hey! Dunno if you ship this or not, but FUTURE JonDami headcannons?

I love them but I'm also in the mood for some high school messiness also let's pretend they didn't age Jon up

Whatever you do though, don't imagine them slowly becoming different people in high school.

Don't imagine them drifting apart as they take different classes, try different clubs, and eventually become part of different friend groups. Don't imagine Damian becoming popular among the people who wanna get close to the Wayne kid, and don't imagine Jon being favored by a completely different crowd.

Don't imagine their joint patrols becoming fewer and farther between as they're busy with homework and receiving different missions on their own. Don't imagine their late night texts fizzling out to the occasional assignment question or vigilante notes. Don't imagine them in their rooms, wondering if they should text first or if the other person wants space.

Don't imagine Damian coming to the conclusion that he thinks about Jon the same way Tim talks about Bernard. Don't imagine him trying to push the feelings away, because even though it's been so long since he was in the League of Assassins, part of him still sees it as a weakness that he needs to distract himself from. Don't imagine Jon realizing the same after talking to Kon one starry night and the thought of it terrifying him because he doesn't wanna screw up what they have. Or what's left.

Don't imagine Jon working up the courage to ask Damian to senior prom with a journal full of ideas. Don't imagine him flying over Gotham with a bouquet only to see Damian laughing over frozen yogurt with a recently returned Colin Wilkes. There's nothing going on, but Jon doesn't know that. Don't imagine Jon going to Smallville and venting his frustrations in the cornfields.

Don't imagine the next Monday when Jay Nakamura asks Jon out in the halls and Damian overhearing. Don't imagine Damian leaving in a quiet huff before Jon could answer, because he was smiling and smiles were almost always followed by an affirmative, right? Don't imagine Damian's siblings picking up that something's off when he's rougher than usual during training.

Don't imagine on prom night their parents asking if they're going to the dance and both of them saying no because they'll just end up alone, watching the one they care about in someone else's hands. Don't imagine them sitting on their balconies, looking out at the hazy night sky before glancing down at their last texts from months ago, wondering if the other person even thinks about them anymore.

Don't imagine them miles apart grieving the same what ifs.

Just don't.

[mewtwoandme]

So Louie will be a secret that Sivith, Jericho, and Mew will take to their graves. It's not better or worse that no one will ever know, but I can't help but imagine that Blu would have loved to have known about his brother. But it is what it is

It's more or less a "some things are better left unsaid" matter. Cause we really don't know how Blu would take that kind of information. It could have negative repercussions, or it might not, but Siv wouldn't want to open him up to the heaviness of her past. Sometimes parents hide their past from their kids to protect them, doesn't mean they're necessarily right or wrong for doing so, but Siv wouldn't want to drag Blu down, having him wonder about the "what ifs" and "what could have beens" with his brother.

[thewoodshungers-if]

Holiday Special 2024

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and happy new years!! I know that I'm not really consistent with updates, and I'm thankful that you guys are still around, even just to chat and/or see how I'm doing.

I got myself a desk now, so I should be able to work more consistently on my IFs! Hopefully an update in 2025.

Now the special: ROs reaction to being snowed in with you (crushing stage).

there is only 1 bed 👀 + it's fcking cold 🤤 = you have to cuddle, with details.

Viel:

He would try his best to get the fire going as much as possible, might even consider stripping the furniture inside the cabin for firewood if you didn't stop him (or you can also burn the wooden chair together with him, if you'd like).

Would hesitate to join you in bed 'to keep the fire going', but would give in quickly if you admitted that you're still feeling cold. He buried his head into your shoulders, one hand thrown over your stomach as you laid on your back.

"I'm not worried that you're cold. I'm worried that we'll get cold. Do you understand the difference here? Now help me snap this chair leg-"

...

You ruffled his hair and he grumbled, pulling you closer, "What? You're still cold? You're so spoiled for a so-called knight..."

Nora:

Her first worry: Her body's normal temperature is ice cold, and cuddling her would be like cuddling a block of ice. You would have to argue with her for quite a long time to convince her to just share the bed with you to keep warm.

Would melt under your touch the moment you pull her under the covers. She couldn't help but stare at you as you lay face-to-face under the covers, fingers intertwined, your gesture more than enough to keep her warm from the inside.

"I won't die if I didn't sleep for one, cold, night. You on the hand, might just die as a block of ice. Well, yes, I could feel the cold just the same- That's not my point-"

...

She pulled your hands towards her, blowing warm air onto your fingers with puppy-dog eyes full of worry, "Your fingers are so cold, are you sure you'll be alright? I hate this... I couldn't even warm you up..."

Ylfa:

Could barely contain her giddiness at the thought of spending the night with you, just the two of you lmao. Would think up so many games to play with you for the night, but the moment she saw how cold you were, all of it would be forgotten.

Would have the initiative to pull you under the covers, pulling you close so that she's pressed against your back. Her thumb drew circles on your arms, a soft hum of an ancient lullaby lingering as you drifted to sleep.

"What?? You're cold? Why don't you say so? Our games can wait-"

...

She rested her forehead against your back, "Don't forget, you owe me a game night- Hm? No, I meant just the two of us... "

Aen'frie:

Would wonder if it was a good time to try to trick you into their schemes in exchange for keeping you warm. That thought was thrown out the window the moment the word 'cold' left your mouth, and would get flustered at the thought of actually sharing the bed with you to keep warm.

Would be worried they'll accidentally impale you with their horns, but when you threw your arm around them and pulled them close to you, they blanked out.

"What do you say I keep you warm, and in exchange, you'll give- You're cold? You want to share the bed with me? No! I mean, of course, but my horns- And you-"

...

They kept your hands between theirs as they played with your fingers, drifting off to sleep, "You're so warm... I wish we could sleep like this every night... "

The Cook:

Would miraculously find an alcohol flask (for drinking) hanging from his toolbelt 😭. They would share it with you, heavy blanket thrown over your bodies to keep warm. But the fun and rowdiness would trickle away when it was actually time to sleep, and they'll feel self-concious all of sudden.

He would feel all warm and comfy at first, arms around you with your back against their chest, but if you kept moving around and if they're awake for long enough, their mind would veer into the gutter (sorry MC).

"The party has only started! Now let's- What? The flask is already empty? You wanted to sleep now? Together? I... Uh, no, I don't have a problem with that..."

...

Their hands found your hips, pinning you to the bed to keep you from moving around, "Fuck... I'm begging you here. Stop moving around. Why, you ask? It's... It's annoying, I can't sleep like this. Now stay still."

Caine:

Would be more worried that you'll feel obligated to stand and keep watch of him in the cold. He resorted to fussing over you and making sure you're warm, throwing the blanket around you and checking if your fingers were cold.

He laid on his back, pulling you closer until your head is resting on his shoulders, one of his arms around your waist. Would quickly regret the position though, since you might feel his abnormally fast heartbeat.

"We can share the bed- Would that be uncomfortable for you? I don't want my knight to be sick, you understand? Now keep yourself warm-"

...

His free hand found yours, checking to see if you're still cold, "How are you feeling? Me? I feel warm with you here- My heartbeat?? No, you're imagining it, this rate is normal for me-"

Also see:

ROs reaction to 'there is only one bed'

ROs big spoon / little spoon preference

Thank you for following the development of The Woods Hungers!

[thesecretwriter]

more than just friends (part 1) - steve rogers.

pairing: Steve Rogers x female reader

warning: angst city, mean!steve rogers, hurtful words, argument between steve and reader, platonic!bucky barnes, features some of the avengers

summary: the reader and steve have a tension between them - even if they're just friends. whenever they are in the company of each other everything feels right. even at the smallest of moments. steve wants the opportunity to love someone. he wants to move on from the 'what ifs?' from his past, but why does it seem so hard? this is where the reader comes in, always there when steve needs to talk or just bask in the silence of each other’s company. she craves to feel a love she has never known. can the man she dreams about provide that for her or is she pinning after a story with no ending.

word count: 2.4k

a/n: this is a rewrite of a fic from a while back. i didn't like how it was, so here ya go, enjoy!

minors/ageless blogs dni.

Masterlists

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5

“Steve, have you seen y/n?” Sam asked as Steve walked into the living room.

“No, how would I know where she is?” Steve asked confused, with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

“What’s going on with you? I just asked a question.” Sam stated perplexed.

Steve was never one to be rude to his friends, regardless of his mood, he was always able to be respectable. However, his mood seemed to be on the downside today.

He ignored Sam and walked to the elevators. As he waited for the elevator, Tony appeared next to him with a small smirk.

“Top of the morning to you, Cap,” he said greeted unnecessarily loudly.  

“Tony,” he responded with a stiff nod.

“What’s the plans for today?” He asked.

“Nothing,” Steve answered straightforwardly.

“Okay good. Do you know where y/n is?” he asked, feigning curiosity.

“No. I do not,” he answered muttered.

All Tony did was nod since Steve seemed agitated, which was very rare to see.

“Alright then, I’ll leave you to it. Although if you are looking for her, I suggest looking near the compound grounds,” with nothing else left to say. Steve is left wondering why you could possibly be out there on your own.

He didn’t seem to notice the contradiction behind what Tony said, he asked where you were, but ended up answering his own question.

Steve made his way down and was thinking of asking Bucky to spar with him outside. It seemed like the weather was good, and all he wanted was to take his mind off from today. Sparing would be a good distraction.

“Hey buck, wanna spar outside? The weather seems to be working in our favor,” he asked Bucky who was seemingly playing with his pocketknife.

“Sorry Steve. Kinda busy right now. You could ask y/n though. She’s available today,” he said dismissively.

“I would’ve asked her if I wanted to.” He grunted and started to walk off.

What was wrong with everyone? They kept on mentioning y/n, he thought to himself.

Steve had a good mind of telling everyone to leave him alone, but the curiosity of got the best of him and he found himself walking toward the compound grounds.

After 2 years of exchanging glances and smiles, sharing vulnerable words and subtle touches, you were finally going to tell Steve about how you feel. Anyone with two eyes and a brain can see and sense the feelings that Steve seems to feel towards you.

So, you came clean to the team about what you wanted to do. Being the good support system they were, they helped you to set up a cute little picnic for you and Steve on the compound grounds that has a breathtaking scenery surrounding it.

The difficult part was getting an unsuspecting Steve to your location, but that seemed to work on your behalf since you see Steve heading in your direction.

“Hey,” you say nervously as he gets closer.

“Hi, what’s with the food and picnic setup?” he asked as he glanced behind you to see all the food set out.

“I decided that it was a good morning to have a little picnic, in fact I was hoping for you to join me since I have something to discuss with you,” you rambled on trying to grasp onto the right words while your hands moved around.

The night before had your tummy filled with butterflies. You even practiced what you wanted to say and how you were going to say it.  

“Alright, but I have somewhere I need to be in about an hour,” Steve replied, his tone was monotone which was rather unusual of him. He glanced down at his watch and then back up at you.

“It won’t be long,” you smiled and went over to the blanket you had spread out.

Steve sat across from you and took a plum that was within his reach.

It was quiet for a moment before you finally built up the courage to start telling him how you feel.

“You’re a very dear friend of mine and I’m happy to have you be a part of my life. God knows how many times you were there when I needed someone. We’ve shared many moments in the time we have known each other in ways no one else could. You may be Captain America to the world, but to me you’re Steve Rogers. The man who puts everyone before himself and adjusted to living in a new world. There are so many things about you to admire. The moment you and I made eye contact when we were celebrating Peter’s 18th birthday made me realize how I feel about you. Every moment I spend with you, I fall deeper,”

Your heart rate had spiked up since the moment you started talking. Your eyes never left Steve’s; he could see the emotion in your eyes as every word left your lips.

A moment of silence passed through the atmosphere around you.

Steve woke up from where he was sat and began to walk away from you, not even looking back.

It happened so fast that you only took a deep breath in after his figure faded into the distance.

You suddenly felt a drop on your hand that was settled on your lap. It was your tears. One by one, the tears began to roll down your cheeks.

Everything hit you at once and the negative thoughts started, how could you even think that he could feel the same? Steve Rogers, who had encountered so many people that did more than you could ever dream of.

But then again everyone around you were so sure that he felt the same, were they wrong? All of them?

You sat there alone and staggered with your thoughts – time moved around you and you didn’t know how long it took, but you eventually gathered the food and other items and walked toward the compound hoping to not see anyone on your way up to your room. You couldn’t bear to have them see you like this.

Once you were in your room, you collapsed on your bed and sobbed to your hearts content. Only one thought was on your mind.

His words would’ve been better than his silence.

Hours passed, and by now it was dark outside.

“Steven Grant Rogers, who gave you the audacity to act the way you did with y/n?” Bucky’s voice boomed through the empty living room as Steve arrived back at the compound after spending the whole day away and Bucky had been sitting and waiting for him.

“What now Buck? I had a rough day and would like to spend the night peacefully in my room,” Steve complained as he glared at his metal armed friend.

“Rough day? You have some nerve acting like that after what happened between you and y/n?” Bucky questioned growing annoyed.

“It’s none of your business,” Steve stiffened knowing that by now every one of the avengers knew what happened.

Upon your lack of presence the whole day, Bucky sought you out to see how the picnic had panned out, you had given him the rundown version of what happened, and to say he was disappointed and angered towards Steve would be an understatement.

“None of my business? Funny how you say that after talking to me about her the way you do. In all our years of friendship, I have never heard you speak about anyone the way you spoke about her. She finally got the courage to express how she felt and all you did was walk away?” Bucky was on the verge of throwing the nearest object at Steve.

Steve spent hours talking about what an admirable woman you are and how the smallest things you did made his heart skip a beat. Where were those words now? What changed how he felt? If anything, he should be happy that you reciprocated the way he felt towards you.

“Today is just not the day for that, and I don’t want to deal with her overexaggerating,” he said with anger.

“Where is all this even coming from? And what day could it possibly be that you would act this way-“

“It’s the damn day I first met Peggy, okay!” Steve shouted.

A silence fell upon the two super soldiers.

“The day you met her-…Steve that is the silliest thing that has ever come from you. I would understand if it were the day she died, but this? The day you met her? Peggy lived a full life with a man she loved, she had children and experienced life till the end. You have someone who is more than willing to give you the same, and you disregard her because it is the day you met Peggy?”

Bucky stared at Steve with a look of shock, the man standing before him was unrecognizable to him.

Steve remains quiet.

Yes, he did have someone who he can have a life with, but to him Peggy was it. She saw him for who he really was. Had he not gone under ice he would have been the man to give Peggy the life she deserved. At least that’s how he felt whenever his thoughts strayed to the past.

He ignores Bucky’s stare and makes his way to your room. In his mind, his best friend would not have spoken to him like that if you did not open your mouth to them. This is all your fault, or at least in his eyes it was.

Once in front of your door, he angrily knocked on it, waiting for you to open the door.

“It is 9 freaking pm, whoever is behind this door better have a good reason to be knocking on it,” he heard you mutter.

“Oh, I have a very good reason,” he grits as you open the door and stand looking at him astounded.

“Wha-… Steve, where were you? I haven’t seen you since the morning,” you inquire, completely forgetting about how he made you feel and concentrating on whether he was okay from the way he looked so angered.

“Where I go and what I do is none of your business, but since you can’t seem to keep your mouth shut. I was at Peggy’s grave the entire day,” you stared at him with your mouth agape, he had never spoken to you with such a venomous tone.

“… and if you would’ve kept your mouth shut, then I wouldn’t have my best friend blowing up in my face and arguing with me the minute I step in. Can you ever keep things to yourself?” he asked annoyed.

By now you had processed every word you said.

“Steve, I would never say anything to cause an argument between you and Bucky. Whatever happened this morning did hurt me, I confessed my feelings to you, and you just left. But Bucky and the rest of the team were the ones to convince me to even talk to you about it. Had I known what day it was I would’ve never done anything,” you kept your tone calm and collected. Although Steve had never spoken to you like this, you would never hold this against him.

Today was a meaningful day for him, and like you said, had you known what day it was you would have never even planned the picnic.

“Is that so? Because if I recall you were the one to orchestrate the whole plan. Sure, the others may have pushed me in your direction, but you played the bigger part in it,” he said recalling how everyone basically made him find you this morning.

“I’m going to ignore every word you say because I know you’re only saying it out of anger. You can speak to me when you have calmed down and collected your thoughts, because clearly this is not the Steve that I know talking,” you said this looking him straight in the eyes and meaning every word that left your lips.

It is unfortunate to say, but there were many times where you fell victim to being the target of many people’s anger. Although you knew they would never say these words in the right state of mind, it still hurt to endure hearing them from people you care about, and right now hearing it from the man you love was slowly tearing your heart apart.

“You think you know me so well. Sure, I come to you when I need someone but that is only because you were just there, always waiting. Doing nothing else but waiting. You think I want to come to you? The only reason I even make my way to you is because Peggy is not here. If she were here, you wouldn’t even be an option,”

Each word to you was a knife to the heart and a pinch at your soul.

Tears made their way down your face, your knees felt weak, with your heart beating too fast. His words had struck a nerve, and to you, they may have held some form of honesty in them.

“You don’t think I know that? I stay at your side knowing that I will never be good enough. That I will never be her, yet I still stayed when you needed me, just hoping that somewhere in that heart of yours you would find a way to love me... No more now, no more will I put your feelings before mine. I stand by what I said before, but your words hurt too much to ignore. Goodnight Captain,”

With that being said you close the door and lock it, falling to the floor and bringing your knees to your chest.

You heart was officially done.

[beanghostprincess]

Tbh I don’t even need Shanks or Buggy to be pining 100 percent of the time, I’ll gladly would read a fic or thing where they both have moved on (for the most part because Buggy hasn’t ever been normal about Shanks ever as evidence by the earlier at chapters he ever even appeared in. Nobody who’s moved on gets flashbacks to the time a guy made you eat a fruit) but Shanks sees the opportunity to at least… talk to his old crewmate and takes it. They used to best friends after all. Just curious to see what Buggy’s been doing is all. And Buggy is just in a position where drinking with isn’t the worst he could do that day so he accepts the invitation. None of them have been “pining” for the other really. They never even really expected to run into each other like this again.

… and all it takes is five minutes of Shanks listening to Buggy rambling to remember that little crush he had on him as a child and it takes an hour for him to suddenly realize “…. Oh fuck. The feelings back. Or it never left and was just behind a layer of time that now has been pulled away. The exact same feeling. Fuck. Turns out it wasn’t even a “little crush” either. Shit. Gonna drink myself into a stupor.”

And it doesn’t even take half an hour for Buggy to suddenly remember why the idea of going for the One Piece with Shanks seemed like at least a feasible idea at one point before Shanks managed to destroy Buggy’s image of him as a shining Star so thoroughly, because Shanks has put his remaining arm around him and is laughing and there’s just this charisma dripping of him and Buggy remembers that Shanks looked kinda cute back in the day with just the slightest amount of baby fat still in his cheeks but now he’s fucking STUNNING and god why is he wondering about the “what ifs” and “what could have beens” NOW? He hasn’t questioned his choice to leave that fool standing in the rain for DECADES why is - Fuck it! Gonna drink himself into a stupor.

New dynamic dropped: “We used to be over each over but now we had one good night out that made us question everything and none of us can be normal about it for five minutes”

You literally read my mind completely with this. I am obsessed with this concept because it's, for me, the closest to their canon dynamic and characters. They're still very important to each other and seeing the other brings back both good and bad memories. Their relationship is extremely complex and full of love covered in layers and layers of years without each other and new experiences. And I'm 100% sure they constantly ask themselves what could've been or what would have happened if they had stayed together. Chapter 1082 of the manga (why the hell do I know the number? Don't ask. I am not obsessed and it's not like I reread that chapter every day) confirms that. They make me go insane. I wish I could say more about it but you've said everything on my mind???? Thank you.

[hazelira]

Lost in the What Ifs

The lights dimmed as the concert drew close, and the screams of engines filled the arena. Jungwon stood on stage with a warm smile as he waved to the sea of fans. In moments like these, he made everything worthwhile. Yet, amidst the cheering crowd, his eyes always seemed to search for one person—someone he didn’t even know but felt inexplicably connected to.

(Flashback) Jungwon first noticed them at a fan sign event. They had a quiet demeanour, an aura of calm amid chaos. When it was their turn to speak with him, their eyes met, and for a split second, the world seemed to stand still. "Hi, Jungwon," they said softly, their voice barely audible over the noise. "Hi," he replied, his heart inexplicably racing. "What's your name?" "Y/N," they answered, a shy smile on their lips. "Thank you for supporting us, Y/N," Jungwon said, his eyes never leaving theirs. "It means a lot." That brief interaction left an indelible mark on his heart. After that day, he looked for them at every event, hoping for another chance to talk and connect.

(Present) Months passed, and Jungwon couldn’t shake the feeling of attachment. Y/N had become a constant presence in his thoughts, a comforting yet frustrating reminder of something unfinished. He had scoured social media, hoping to find traces of them, but they seemed to have vanished into the vast expanse of the fandom. One night, after a particularly exhausting rehearsal, Jungwon sat in his dorm room, scrolling through old photos and videos from fan events. His heart ached with a sense of loss for someone he barely knew. "What if I had said more?" he wondered. "What if I had asked for their social media? What if I never see them again?" The thoughts haunted him, a series of what-ifs spiralling into an abyss of regret.

(Flashback) At another fan sign event, he saw them again. This time, they looked distant, as if something had changed. "Hi, Y/N," he greeted them, hoping to recapture their previous connection. "Hi, Jungwon," they replied, their smile not reaching their eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident. "Yeah, just... busy with life," they said, their tone evasive. Before he could say more, their time was up, and they moved on. It was the last time he saw them.

(Present) Jungwon sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew he was being delusional, letting his mind conjure up scenarios and feelings that might not even exist. But he couldn’t help it. Y/N had imprinted on his heart, and the uncertainty gnawed at him. One evening, as he prepared for bed, he stared out the window, lost in thought. The city lights twinkled below, a reminder of the world beyond his reach. "What if I never find them?" he whispered to the night. "What if they're gone forever?" The uncertainty was painful, but he also realized something important. He couldn’t live in the what-ifs. He had to cherish the memories and accept that some things were beyond his control.

(Days Later) Jungwon decided to share his feelings during a live broadcast, hoping it might bring him some closure. "Hey, ENGENEs," he began, his voice soft but steady. "I want to share something personal with you all. There's someone I met, a fan, who left a big impact on me. I don’t know where they are now, but I hope they're doing well." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Sometimes, we meet people who touch our lives in unexpected ways. Even if they’re only with us briefly, their presence can be felt forever. To that fan, if you're watching, thank you. Thank you for being part of my journey, even if it was just for a moment." As he ended the broadcast, Jungwon felt a sense of peace over him. The what-ifs would always be there, but he could move forward, knowing he had expressed his feelings.

(Months Later) Jungwon continued his life, performing, creating music, and connecting with fans. The ache of losing Y/N never entirely disappeared, but it became a part of him, a reminder of the fleeting nature of life. One day, while scrolling through fan messages, he saw a familiar name. "Hi, Jungwon. It's Y/N. I just wanted to let you know that your words during the broadcast meant a lot to me. I'm still here, supporting you from afar." His heart skipped a beat as he read the message. They were still out there, still supporting him. It wasn’t the reunion he had dreamed of, but it was enough. It was a sign that their connection, however brief, was real. "Thank you, Y/N," he thought, a smile spreading across his face. "Thank you for being my what-if." And with that, Jungwon felt a sense of closure. The future was uncertain, but he knew that some bonds, however brief, were meant to last a lifetime.

[4-diamonds]

final thoughts before i go back to regularly scheduled wwditsposting

I see a lot of peoples dislike for the finale comes from the things that never happened like nobody getting a real ending, no real conclusion to anything, no ships making it to canon.. all of the 'what ifs' never getting answers.. I agree to an extent, part of me wishes we got to see the things they set up for us..

However, my personal gripe is with the things that did happen.. so maybe i'm glad they left most of it up to us to imagine for ourselves. I suppose it's nice to know they're 'still living' and will always be on some silly shit.

I do feel especially vindicated because my favourite character got assassinated in maybe one of the worst ways imaginable with an extremely out of touch, out of character, pointless 'joke' that wouldn't have made a difference in the scene if she didn't say it. The Guide has never been treated well by the vamp family and the finale was no exception. We've come to expect it, it's just part of their hazing that I think even The Guide has learned to accept - even letting out a dejected 'yeah' when Laszlo asks her not to sing along with them for 'we'll meet again'. I just have to wonder who in the writers room decided to say 'yeah, they're cruel to her.... but not cruel enough'

I've never been happy with how The Guide was written after season 4 but I never really expected it to be a grim omen of things to come lol. Using her body as spare parts for a monster sex doll?? If at least one or two of the vamps actually defended her against this awful suggestion perhaps I could say 'haha funny joke but at least she has people who care about her!' but.. I can't say that. Not even the writers care enough about her to give her a dignified sendoff.

I'm invested and emotionally attached to this show and the characters just like everyone else and it's sad to have to say goodbye knowing they wont be coming back to us next year for another season. But just be glad they didn't make your favourite character a weird anti-immigrant loser at the last hurdle.

[bookished]

Can I kindly request dialogue prompts for mutual suffering heart break ❤️‍🩹

MUTUAL SUFFERING HEARTBREAK PROMPTS

feel free to make edits to better suit your muse, but please don’t edit or add on to the original post ♡ tag me when you use any!

"We're both shattered, and I wish I could mend your broken pieces, but I don't know how to fix myself either."

"It's like we burned too bright, and now we're both left in the ashes."

"I wish I could turn back time and save us from all this pain."

"We both have our reasons for breaking each other's hearts, but I can't help but miss you."

"I miss you too, even though I know we're both better off apart."

"I know the feeling. It's like we've ruined each other for anyone else."

"I often wonder where we went wrong, how we ended up here."

"It's strange how our love story turned into a tragedy."

"We had dreams, plans... and now they're just broken pieces of what could have been."

"Our future together crumbled into what-ifs and maybes."

"Our harmony turned into dissonance, and I miss the music we once made."

"I thought time would heal our wounds, but it's only made the scars deeper."

"Time has this cruel way of making us remember what we're trying to forget."

"Your absence haunts me, even in the moments when I wish I could forget."

"Sometimes I imagine parallel universes where we got our happy ending."

"I wish we could have found a way to save us, to rewrite our story."

"We were so sure we'd be the exception, but we became the rule, another story of heartbreak."

"I never thought I'd say this, but I miss the pain of loving you more than the emptiness without you."

"The pain was a reminder that I was alive, that we were something."

"Maybe one day, we'll look back on this and it won't hurt as much."

Did you find this useful? Please, consider sending me feedback or buying me a coffee. If you would like to request something (either advice or a piece of a story) for me to write it, go and message me. Also, if you'd like, you can check my masterlist. Happy writing!

[clone-anon]

Hello! You are an absolute angel, your stories are so lovely and many of them have moved me to tears <3

I know it's a bit dark but I was wondering if you could do a Tech x f!reader where the reader is struggling with passive suicidal ideation (suicidal thoughts with no intent to act upon them) and feeling trapped inside her mind. Reader is touch starved and maybe Tech is too and they both find safety holding each other.

No worries if you can't do it! Thanks for making so many peoples' day including mine <3

Thank you! I'm glad you like my writing and decided to prioritize this since it's such a heavy topic.

Warnings: ongoing passive suicidal ideation mentioned, one moment of suicidal ideation involving a ledge with no intention to act

A/N: The squad is all back together again, but there is no mention of how. We don't need to know how right now, just that they're together. Also, I think this could be read as gender neutral reader.

Although Tech was not as demonstrative with his physical expressions in the same way Wrecker was, he would sometimes reach out and touch your shoulder or arm in a supportive way. He was not entirely sure of the line, but you always seemed to lean into his hand enough to let him know the feeling was welcome. You had all been looking for some place to lay low for the time being. A lot had happened and you did not want to lose each other. The squad was whole and you all wanted it to stay that way.

One evening on a forested moon you sat under the stars. There was a bit of a ledge not far from where the ship was parked and the campfire set up. Everyone was inside at the moment and you simply stared. It wasn't a far drop. Your mind fell into the trap of thinking what-ifs. You wrapped your arms around your shoulders and tried to shudder the thought away as Tech approached. He sat next to you and tried to read your expression.

"What is it?" he asked.

You looked down at your hands and took a calming breath as his warm presence settled next to you.

"Nothing," you replied.

"It's not nothing," he insisted softer than you'd ever heard him. "Tell me."

"I keep having these thoughts. Do you know what suicidal ideation is?"

Eyes wide he answered, "Of course I do, but what is the reason for this? How can I help?" His arms encircled you, although loosely, as his eyes followed yours to the ledge.

"It's passive, Tech. I won't do it. These thoughts come to mind and I can't seem to stop them or turn them off."

"Promise me you will come to me before acting on anything," he replied.

"I just said I won't do it," you said as your expression vulnerable expression pleaded for understanding.

"I know." He looked at you and nodded. "However, I won't have you experience this alone and I won't take chances."

You looked up at him and his arms seemed to hold you just a little more snugly. Your own snaked around his torso and you leaned into him. His embrace seemed to clear out the thoughts you had only moments ago.

"Breathe with me," he suggested. Your chests rose and fell in rhythm and you felt grounded in each other. It was soothing for him just as much as it was for you and you felt like your mind was more your own than it was just moments before.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" you asked.

"Of course. I'll stay with you every night if that is what it takes."

You stood up and he put out the fire before putting a hand on your back and walking onto the ship with you. You got settled into your bunk and he brought his pillow, laying so that you were between him and the wall. You leaned into each other and loosely left an arm around the other's waist.

"Promise me," he softly requested again.

"I promise I'll come to you."

"Good. I can't lose you."

He closed his eyes and rested his forehead to yours. In the quiet of the ship you fell asleep together.

[darkfictionjude]

Personally, I'm always happy to see poly options in IFs. There's not a lot of representation for us out there (though in the IF Community, it's kind of becoming an option more often? At least from what I've seen). Most of the time poly relationships are met with hostility and ignorance and seeing Anons feel entitled over characters and trying to force their way is disheartening to see. It's something that happens so often, especially when a character is "outed" (for lack of better word) as trans, non-binary, poc, poly.

I understand feeling left out when it comes to certain things like a character being genderlocked or when they're only romanceable for certain genders. I'm a pansexual/-romantic guy, and seeing some IFs be genderlocked female often makes me sad and feel disappointed. And don't even get me started on romance focused fanfics. But I'll still reblog the main post in a show of support and then I'll move on.

And with this? Anons, there are more ROs in this IF. Choose the ones you vibe with and give them love instead of hating on the poly ROs and forcing your hatred into the inbox.

Anyways, sorry for the long rant, have a wonderful week:)

Yeah I think everything is fine now, I do think that anons who try to pressure writers over and over to change sexuality or gender do not want to “give up” any characters. All the IF I’ve played always have an option for a regular monogamous cis relationship, authors should be allowed to think about other groups of people, tell their stories without people feeling they are entitled to certain characters. The majority of asks I’ve gotten here about Carmen are fine, respectful and just curious about how the situation will play out. I was lucky that I only got one person who didn’t like it, it tells me that my readers are a respectful and understanding bunch.

But heavy on the reblog, thank you for that it really really does help like I love the likes but reblogs do so much to help get our work out there especially since many of us don’t have the backing of the big IF publishers

And you have a good week too ☺️

[extasiswings]

i really loved how pepa was all "marriage, who said anything about marriage?" when that was immediately where eddie's head went about one fix-up. and pepa was basically like "i just want you to have someone to run errands with on your saturdays". lol (i wonder who that could be eddie)

anyway, i love hearing your thoughts so i was wondering what you thought about eddie immediately connecting dating to marriage and kind of panicking about it? where's his head at with that?

Oh, I love this question, I'm kissing you on the forehead for asking this, nonny.

So, as with all things Eddie Diaz, because he is a funny funny repressed queer little man who should be studied under a microscope, the answer is: it's complicated, and there are Layers.

On the absolute most surface level, I don't think it's an unreasonable logical leap in cultural context to assume if your family is setting you up it's not so you can have a casual fling, it's with an end goal of getting you married off.

Diving a little deeper, I think he also jumps to marriage because Serial Monogamist Eddie Diaz simply has zero conception of or experience with casual dating and non-serious relationships. And also, I think in his heart of hearts, what he wants (but is afraid of having) is a serious relationship. He wants a great grand forever love with a real romantic life partner! And "marriage" is the state that's traditionally emblematic of that, a serious, legally-binding commitment to share your life with someone. (And his heart already knows there's a specific person he wants as his partner, even if it's a little unclear what his head knows at the moment, so at least some of the kneejerk reaction against letting in anyone new is that he's taken).

But. Again, it's complicated. Because "marriage" for Eddie is...fraught.

On a still deeper level, that leap for me ties back to Christopher. It has to. Because all of the what-ifs of Eddie's life, the FOMO, the unanswered questions about who he is or could be...they all lead back to him. (Catch me screaming forever about Christopher's "the things that make you sad, am I one of them?"). And it's pointed that we know so very little about Eddie's life before Christopher, about his hopes and dreams, the kind of life he wanted for himself, the kind of man he wanted to be, but at the same time the little we do know, especially in the context of this arc is loud.

Because the only thing we know about Eddie and relationships pre-Christopher is Shannon. And while we don't know how Eddie and Shannon's relationship was before everything fell apart, while we never got to see it, it's implied at least that before she got pregnant, before they got married too young and too soon, their relationship worked, they were happy, they were in love. One of the few things Eddie says explicitly, unequivocally, about her/them/his feelings from back then, is "I knew I loved her, but I didn't think I was ready to get married." But he did. Because of Christopher.

For Eddie, being a husband and being a father are two sides of the same coin. They're states that were inherently connected in his early life, they're roles that carry so much weight, so many responsibilities, expectations, pressure to perform. They're roles that he was forced to take on before he was ready, and his fear of failure, his performance anxiety, became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

There's really something to the idea that Eddie and Shannon both lost themselves when she got pregnant. That both of them fell into the trap of letting the people they were be erased, so that he could no longer be Eddie, but Christopher's dad and Shannon's husband, and she became Christopher's mom and Eddie's wife, and because they lost themselves, they also lost what they had together before, and hurt each other. He ran away, and then she did, and where once they had uncomplicated young love, they were left with broken hearts, broken trust, guilt, shame, grief...and all of that is connected with Marriage. Doubly-so for Eddie, because he came back and learned how to be a father, how to get comfortable with that so he was no longer just playing a role he wasn't ready for, but when he decided that he was ready to step in and open himself up again and be a husband for real...Shannon was the one who asked for a divorce. And her entire point was that she needed to do exactly what he did, she needed to get comfortable with being a mother before she could also be a wife, lest she risk failing at both, but all Eddie took away from that was that she was rejecting him as a romantic partner, as a husband specifically, that there was something wrong with him, and because she died so soon after that, he never got the chance to get clarification, to realize that he was capable.

Eddie + Fear is the big theme swirling around his development in general, but his love life in particular (similar to Buck + Death). He's allowed fear to control his whole life. Fear of not fitting what he thought he had to be leading him to smother his individuality when he became a husband and father. Fear of failure leading him to join the military and run to the other side of the world. Fear of being hurt again leading him to keep Shannon at arm's length. Fear of not giving Christopher what he needed leading him to get involved with Ana even though he knew he wasn't ready (and literally said as much!). And now fear of the unknown and also fear of the same rejection and heartbreak and pain he felt with Shannon (both within their relationship and because of her death) keeping him from admitting what and who his heart really wants now...

Anyway, this massively got away from me, but...yeah...Eddie + Love, Eddie + Fear, Eddie + Marriage, all tying together in one lovely journey of queer adult self-discovery. It's Something.