#Better for him than talking about 'feeeelings'

[lostwithspace]

@galranrepard

@lostwithspace "I see...still impressive though." Danika watched Rio's expressions. She wondered of how so many blade members were not as active as she was. The blue, white, and red galra had spent most of her life raised to fight for the cause. She couldn't imagine living a life that was different from her own. "True, and I'd like that." She actually smiled when Rio invited her to come hang out when the fellow blade wasn't busy. Danika wasn't used to letting her guard down so to speak nor socializing with many blade members that weren't busy doing training or on missions outside of her own path. Danika did pause almost spitting out her drink when Rio talked about Kolivan. She composed herself with a polite cough before setting down her now empty glass of golden apple. "I...well...Kolivan is actually my uncle so I've been raised under him pretty much all my life. My parents died on one of their missions when I was a child so Kolivan became more of less a second father to me. Most of the veteran blades like Ulaz, Thace, and Antok raised me as well. They were like family, and still are even though they've all passed on by now..." She looked down feeling vulnerable telling someone that she just met about her upbringing. Rio was kind and Danika wanted to not push him away. "So..." She looked back up after a minute over to the droid on the counter. "...I see you like tinkering with droids? What are you planning to do with this one?" Danika asked curiously. The fellow blade keeping a time still on how long she can talk before heading back to the bridge.

Chuckling into his own glass at the reaction, Rio pushed forward some napkins and moved to pour some more of the juice into Danika's cup. His natural experience dealing as a bartender already having the container back in the fridge before his visitor recovered to speak. It was then his turn to be caught off guard as he went to sit down across the table and almost missed sitting in the chair.

"I- I see." Rio stammered, fixing himself proper into the seat. He was caught between the revelation about his fellow Blades' lineage, and her confession of the loss of her family. He should do something, right? She looked sad, but she was also a close relative of the head of the entire organization. You're supposed to offer comfort, at least in these closer social situations, but to someone of her status? She was a Blade...

He raised his hand towards Danika's shoulder, to offer comfort, but hovered there unsure. When her head suddenly came up and looked towards the workstation area before he could reach out, Rio flinched back.

"Huh? Oh, that's Torval." He got up and went over to the workbench, getting away from the social awkwardness swarming his head. Kolivan's neice?

"They're a bit of a project. I've been upgrading his mechanics to be able to resist a lot more, and be able to operate in the vacuum of space. Help to do repairs on the outside when we're in flight, and could have more power under it versus my smaller spider droids."

At the mention, he tapped on the desk behind him, and a small sphere the size of a small grapefruit unfolded itself. Turning itself over, it crawled up and over to the outstretched hand and climbed up to his shoulder. Petting it on it's sensor head, he turned back at the multi-hued galra with a grin.

"More than a hobby, but doesn't quite pay the bills. You have any skill with a toolkit?"

[thegeminisage]

star trek update time i am sooo behind. thursday we did voy's "drone" and ds9's "take me out to the holosuite," friday we did voy's "extreme risk" and ds9's "chrysalis," saturday we did voy's "in the flesh" and ds9's "treachery, faith, and the great river," last night we did voy's "once upon a time" and ds9's "once more unto the breach," and tonight we did ds9's "the siege of ar-588"

drone (voy):

this is kinda like the episode of tng with data's daughter but (sorry) better. you've got the robotic, inhuman character more or less having an awkward, adult-like offspring who they come to love very dearly in a short amount of time being taken from them tragically. which i did call, by the way

i did think the little guy was gonna wind up betraying them due to like the temptation of the borg or whatever so it was really satisfying when he fucked them up instead

also, borg SPHERE? where did they assimilate that from? the death star, ONCE?

"abort that thang" jokes plentiful in this episode's first half. thank you star trek

janeway meeting him was very sweet. i liked that she treated him really niceys it was so much nicer than picard being a little bitch to data about his daughter

when seven said voyager was her collective 😭

the standout part of this episode to me was the bookend of "you are hurting me," delivered in different ways and meant in different ways. i forget that jeri ryan can like. act. but she can and she hurt my feeeelings

take me out to the holosuite (ds9):

FINALLY the sports movie episode we had been waiting for............

ten out of fucking ten no question. every word of this episode contained ten more words. fucking fantastic

the arc with sisko getting to into it bc of past drama and not letting rom play because he sucked. everyone agreeing to quit on rom's behalf. REPEAT: KIRA NERYS WAS GOING TO QUIT JESUS'S BASEBALL TEAM IN PROTEST. sisko being like kassidy do NOT tell them about my wretched past and the slam cut to her immediately narcing on him. odo's umpire motions <3

actually, odo's everything. he got so fucking into being ump because he cares about rules and fairness to a degree that is truly autistic. which makes it the PERFECT setup for him booting sisko out for touching the ref and THEN ALSO BOOTING THE VULCAN OUT. like every scene continues to get funnier and funnier

i kept thinking they would cheat. but celebrating being a bunch of losers who only got a point because rom accidentally bunted a shot is even better. no, you can't win a baseball game against vulcans, but there are other ways to win against them. at the end, when they were all shit talking him, i FELT leonard mccoy in that room. he was called back from the great beyond to embody the spirit of bullying punk ass vulcans. and honestly? after all those years of playing hard mode (needling spock) a guy like this is kind of easy pickings. child's play to laugh that little bitch out of the room. chefs kiss

extreme risk (voy):

TIME TO EAT MY WORDS. i was recently making fun of trek's history re: mental health bc of ezri in ds9 🙄 but every so often voyager will get plucky and show ds9 up when ds9 is having an off day. (and see, this never happened with tng!) this was one of those times.

like, sure, yeah, the language was a little dumbed down to make sure it was understood by people who have never had a word of conversation about mental health in their entire lives, and it could have been paced a little better, and holodeck safeties are always maddeningly illogical, but the acting was great, the concern was great, the explanation of numbness rather than sadness because there just isn't anymore sad left in her was fantastic

like when b'elanna was like yeah i don't care and janeway says okay now i know there's something wrong. AAAUGHGHGHG

and she gets to save the day in the end! i also found this a little unrealistic, but you only have 45 minutes to work with, you know? more realistic was like, her little jab at chakotay again about threatening to break his neck that you could still was a little half-hearted

also, like, whatever they had going on in that holodeck...chakotay and b'elanna coulda been in. i obviously prefer jc and i don't mind her with tom as much as i used to but wow they had some serious chemistry happening there.

oh oh and before i forget...neelix being really nice to her because he also just had his own mental health crisis :( <3 that episode did so much for him. wah.

LAST THING. i almost forgot this too. it was really funyn that tom paris tried to put spoilers on the new shuttle and tuvok logicked them away. i'll think about it every time i see the shuttle from now on. but also, kind of badass that trapped out there they can just design and build a brand new kind of shuttle ON THEIR OWN without any help. you kind of forget they're all geniuses because they are so god damn stupid

chrysalis (ds9):

I CANNOT BELIEVE THE AUTISM GANG IS BACK IN TOWN

what a great treat...i was initially so wary of them and wound up loving them so much by the end BECAUSE of how offputting they are so seeing them again was amazing

i loved this arc, too, even though i think it could have never worked between them cuz HE IS HER DOCTOR but like. even this would have been better than julian and ezri

i was sooo worried this would be a flowers for algernon sitch and they faked me out like two times but no thank god her quality of life just gets to stay improved

the singing section went on for a little too long but it's just the right kind of like. slightly cringe but also wholesome kind of vibes these guys bring to the table

idk it's just so sweet. they were so happy to see her after she got the ability to talk like you can tell they genuinely love her so much. it really sucks that they aren't allowed to like, go out and live on their own, but their characters are treated with so much compassion i enjoyed every second of them being onscreen <3

in the flesh (voy):

EVIL BOOTHBY EVIL BOOTHBY like why is that so fucking funny

i don't like tng cameos. but it's funny that this alien was using friendly old boothby language to talk about like world domination or what the fuck ever. it's so wildly stupid

loved chakotay kissing the alien also. he really did wince and only then decide once it was inevitable to put his back into it, so to speak. captain kirk moment for sure

also funny how the rest of the cast was like. ha ha chakotay why don't you kiss and tell. and janeway like ha ha how was your date. like this was all totally normal

and lest we forget: VULCAN NIGHTCLUB PON FARR NIGHT. i really thought this was a fandom joke. i had no idea voyager did it first. sent me into absolute fucking hysterics i can't believe they WENT and we didn't get to see it. i refuse to believe that this is not a thing that happens on the real earth, also

loved seven getting all twitchy around those aliens since they always scared the shit out of the borg <3 and then when she was like wow janeway you really impressed me! gay.

treachery, faith, and the great river (ds9):

I LOOOVED THIS ONE WOW

first of all we have to say it nog is so fucking good. what a long way he's come, you know? like you know the whole time he's gonna come thru for obrien but it just gets funnier and funnier the deeper obrien gets into it. rom makes a bad ferengi but nog would have made a GREAT ferengi except he literally chose to do starfleet. king

weyoun six my beloved............like, at first i was devastated weyoun five was out because i loved that little freak but 1. extremely funny that damar killed him 2. FUNNIER STILL that damar killed him and he shows up to work the next day but he's weyoun six 3. and weyoun six is the saddest wettest cat who ever lived. like that's WORSE somehow and all damar can do is be alcoholic about it. he's like connor from detroit become human. you kill him and a more horrible version breaks into your house the next day. sorry for bringing up detroit become human

anyway, weyoun six was great. i love that he was like odo i just wanna stare at you for 14 hours without stopping. odo i think you're fascinating. odo you have to live. so true. me too. i was so sad he died and didn't get taken back to ds9

love also when he was like hey odod do you want the ENTIRE GAMMA QUADRANT because it's about to be yours and odo is like having an entire existential crisis firmly going no i do Not want that are you out of your mind what the fuck is wrong with you

all in all 10/10 episodes it;s about time we had some good IC odo content

once upon a time (voy):

THIS WAS SO SWEET.............idk ever since neelix became an atheist i've liked him so much more. and touching on his dead family, an early episode which also drew me to him initially before all the kes stuff ruined it, was a great touch. the version of neelix that lives in my head is a really amazing character

i love 90s trek kids. they are without fail fucking adorable every time. look at her little overalls. her horrifically ugly little doll. her tiny horns. aww.

this was also one of the more charming holodeck scenarios we've gotten because it's extremely silly in a charming way rather than in a way that makes me want to commit homicide. ironically, it's voyager, not ds9, that has made me warm up to the holodeck a couple of times...love and light, most of the ds9 holodeck stuff sucks. but this and then like the jane eyre one and the da vinci one were all very tolerable (at least until the da vinci ep, but you know). i still wouldn't let my kid in one, but whatever

the little girl like asking about neelix's sisters. AUGH. neelix talking to her photo. AUGHGHG.

idk it was sweet that he tried to protect her and that when he got upset about it janeway like took him aside and talked to him instead of just misunderstanding and yelling and being aggressive. one thing i like about trek, and i feel like i see it most often on voyager, but ds9 does it too, is that when somebody snaps and starts biting heads off like that the people they snap at, instead of getting hurt, usually realize there's a bigger problem and then drop whatever the conversation is to stop and address that instead. i just feel like you don't see this as a norm in most long-running series. like can you imagine this happening on m*rvel or supernatural lol

anyway, i'm very glad they did not have the budget for a giant beetle.

once more unto the breach (ds9):

man this episode was such a bummer. i'm not saying it was good but jesus christ kids can you lighten up a little

on the kor/martok spat, i'm 100% siding with martok, though after kor had his dementia moment and the others started mocking him i definitely felt bad for him

and what was so nice was that martok also felt bad! he got absolutely no satisfaction from his revenge! i don't know if that's right morally because kor did do him really dirty but like...as an emotional beat it worked SO well

i think also it was Such a choice not to even have a pov of the flaming ship or whatever as he went down - no last act of heroism - we had to watch it from the outside pov just like everyone else

and what a good way to address the complicated emotions. we're klingons. we'll drink to their courage if they win and drink to their courage if they lose. you know? he literally expressed himself.

ezri and quark's moment in this episode was soooo good. i love it when they let quark have a soul. it took them so long to get there but here we are and i'm here for it wait hold on let me do this in the next one

the siege of ar-588 (ds9):

EZRI E QUARK. can i just say it? she's mostly fine when she's not trying to do therapy or talk to julian or worf. which means that her best scenes are with sisko, which has a very platonic element except for how they fucked twins together once, or QUARK, where the dynamic is both extremely natural and unique - he doesn't treat her like jadzia 2.0, but he is also still in love with what makes her Dax(tm)

i think it's fun also that the more three-dimensional version of quark cares about people, which is really all i ever wanted him to do. i'm kind of afraid to rewatch season 3 because i literally wanted him dead but i wonder if i'd feel different about those episodes now...idk, there's something so layered about the way he took ezri aside to warn her about trying to get with worf (even though she wasn't) and brought nog food even when nog'd rather he didn't

even though his reasons for being there this episode were so so so SO flimsy he did such a great job...i kept wondering why he wasn't in the final fight, if he was like objecting on principle, but when he pulled that phaser on a dime to protect his nephew...jesus. then you know.

ALSO, SPEAKING OF. wow i knew for a long time nog lost his leg but to see it happen!!! like he's so fucking brave and tries so hard and AUUGHGGH you know? like sisko came in to tell him he was proud of him bc rom wasn't there and quark wasn't gonna do it and this is the boy he used to forbid jake from hanging out with!!! just incredible character development, jesus christ

final note: i really hate this semi-permanent holodeck hangout area. it feels like it exists even when the holodeck is turned off which is beside the point. if it had been a real venue on the promenade i'd like it MUCH better. also, vic has grown on me, but it's silly to have him be a hologram. ironically, i think a guy with this kind of attitude would have made for a much better ship's counselor - he gives out advice all the time anyway. having him AND ezri do it is overkill!!!

OKAY. WOW. I MADE IT. NEXT TIME!!!! we do voy's "timeless" and "infinite regress."

[bunbeeplays]

The Lemon Legacy: Generation 1, Chapter 124 - Paisley Tells All

Breakfast sure is exhausting!

Ophelia's got another singing lesson to give to trophy wife Paisley Esposito, but the twins are out of town with their dad and older brother, and she doesn't want to drag the kids along when they'd probably have more fun at home…

Xander: I'll keep an eye on the pipsqueaks while you're gone.

Ophelia: Are you sure?

Xander: You did it the other day while I was at the bar, I can handle it! I know that ambitious trait of yours is itching to do some work.

Xander: Besides, Anna and Calvin probably don't want their kid to go to a big progressive city like San Myshuno. He might hear a pronoun or something.

Ophelia snorts.

Ophelia: Watcher forbid!

Without any kids to worry about, Ophelia shows up and they settle at the piano so she can accompany her student.

Ophelia: You've been practicing, right?

Paisley: Oh, yeah.

She notices Paisley seems a little tense, but maybe she's just nervous since she's still new.

Ophelia: Okay, let me pull up the sheet music… This is the song you want to practice with?

Paisley: Juan said he thinks it matches the image he wants for me.

Ophelia: Oh… Okay.

After looking over the notes, Ophelia gets starting accompanying Paisley.

Paisley: 🎶I mAAADe it thrOOOUgh the wildERness SomeHOw I mAAAde it thrOUOgh Didn't knOOOW how lost I was until I found yOU🎶

Her pitchiness is stressing Ophelia out. Paisley shouldn't still sound this bad. Ophelia's mentorship is supposed to help. Why isn't she getting better?

Paisley: 🎶Yeah, you mAAAde me fEEEEL… shiny and… new…🎶

Now it doesn't even sound like she's TRYING to sing. Paisley's got a lot less of a poker face than Ophelia. She looks like she's stressed beyond belief.

Ophelia: Okay, we need to talk.

Ophelia: Paisley, what's going on with you? I thought you've been practicing using the tips I gave you.

Paisley: I have been!

Ophelia: Did I not explain things clearly enough? It seems like you're struggling to grasp what I taught you. You should at least be level 2 by now.

Paisley: I'm sorry, I'm trying my best.

Ophelia: I know you are… Maybe it's me. Mentoring is supposed to make your skill level rise faster, but something's not right. It doesn't even seem like you're enjoying yourself.

Paisley remains quiet.

Ophelia is about to apologize when something clicks.

Ophelia: The low skill level gain… The tense moodlet… Paisley, do you HATE singing?

Paisley lets out the breath she was holding in. She supposes Ophelia would have found out sooner or later.

Paisley: I'm sorry.

Ophelia: You don't need to apologize, I'm just confused. Why do you want lessons for something you hate?

Paisley's already exposed, she might as well be honest.

Paisley: Because I never wanted to BE a singer, okay? I did it to make Juan happy.

Paisley: Having a hot young wife that makes trashy pop music he can promote and profit off of makes me more valuable to him. Pay him back for all the nice CC he buys me.

Ophelia: Uh, isn't Juan Esposito almost as rich as the Landgraabs? I don't think he's strapped for cash.

Ophelia: Why didn't you just tell him no?

She sighs in response.

Paisley: I can't. Not after everything he's done for me.

Ophelia: Honey, marriage isn't supposed to be a business exchange.

Paisley: Everything's business with Juan.

Paisley: Can I, like, trauma-dump on you?

Ophelia: I get paid by the hour, so sure.

Paisley: I met Juan when I worked as a waitress at the Stargazer Lounge. He took a liking to me, left me these big tips, made me feel special… I really did love him… At least at first.

Paisley: He wasn't always so demanding… It's like after we got married, I stopped being his fun young girlfriend and now I'm just… in the way. His son hates me, the girls barely acknowledge me, and Juan feels like a stranger now.

Ophelia: I'm so sorry. Are you…?

Paisley: What, thinking of leaving him? I can't.

Ophelia: I was going to ask if you were happy but that answer raises a new set of concerns.

Paisley: …No. I guess I'm not really happy anymore.

Ophelia: If there's no way to make it work… Why isn't leaving an option?

Paisley: My parents have lived in a crummy, rat-infested apartment my entire life, barely making ends meet. Juan bought them a beautiful loft. He said if my singing career takes off, he could assure they could finally retire. Juan might be controlling, but we're set for life.

Paisley: Call me a gold-digger, Trent does every chance he gets, but if it wasn't me, it'd be some other bimbo. My parents sacrificed a lot for me. I'm willing to make this sacrifice for them.

This is a lot more than Ophelia signed up for, but she's already in the thick of it.

Ophelia: Do your parents know how you feel?

Paisley: No. They'd be self-sacrificial and tell me to leave him.

Ophelia: Yes, because no decent parent wants their child to be miserable on their behalf! If I knew one of my daughters stayed with a controlling jerk for my sake…

Paisley: This isn't how I thought my life would go. Juan just came in, charmed me senseless, and wrecked everything.

Ophelia: How DID you think your life would go?

Paisley: Well, I was working at the Stargazer to save up money to go to college… Get my medical degree.

Ophelia: You want to be a doctor?

Paisley: A surgeon. I'm actually a genius, believe it or not. I just didn't get enough scholarship money.

Ophelia: And Juan can't just pay your tuition because…?

Paisley: I brought up going to college and he laughed at me.

Ophelia: Who wouldn't want to have a hot doctor wife? And surgeons make a ton of money! Maybe you should have a more serious talk with him about it.

Paisley: I don't think Juan… takes me seriously.

Ophelia: I think you need a marriage counselor and not a singing teacher

Paisley: It's just been kind of nice spending time with someone other than the rich snobs Juan surrounds himself with, judging my every move. I kind of hoped hanging out with you would get me some cool points with Trent but now he's trying to blame me for your band breaking up.

Ophelia: I don't want to tell you what to do about your husband, but I could try to help your relationship with the kids! Does Trent play any instruments?

Paisley: I see him plucking away at the piano sometimes.

Ophelia: How about I give him some lessons, as a gift from you?

Paisley: I've already wasted enough of your time.

Ophelia: Honestly, now that the band's done, I need stuff to do. I love my kids but I need a break sometimes. Besides, helping other people helps me ignore the issues in my own life.

Paisley: Maybe you need a counselor too.

Well, Ophelia didn't accomplish what she set out to that day, but it feels nice to help a new friend out, at least. Plus, the pay's really woohoocking good.

[a-small-batch-of-dragons]

No, It's Definitely Funny

Prompt: Can I request a second part to "Let's Call It Funny" where Bucky, Sam, Steve, and Peter unite forces to confuse and concern all the other avengers (with at least one instance where two or all of them respond to something by pretending to jump off a building?) Love you! -Auggie

Does it count as being back on my bullshit if I never left?

Read on Ao3 Part 1

Warnings: none, unless you need a warning for gen z humor

Pairings: it's still found family hours

Word Count: 2259

Peter’s gonna be honest, he may or may not have some competition for the funniest person in the Tower right now.

Because let’s look at the list here:

Traumatized? Everybody and their private jet’s worth of vintage and designer baggage needs therapy.

Queer? If you think Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, or Sam Wilson is straight, you need to tell them everything they’ve ever done to make you think they’re straight so they can stop doing it immediately.

Superhero? Yeah, okay, shush, now you’re being stupid.

Neurodivergent? Have you seen the way these men behave? Definitely the model of Perfectly Normal Person™, what on earth are you talking about, absolutely 100% Normal™.

The only things he’s still got going for him that the others don’t are high-schooler and trans. That’s not a lot when it comes to the fact that hey, two of them are from the Great Depression—let’s be honest, they’re the OGs when it comes to fatalistic humor—and they’ve all got years of practice.

Sure, Peter’s got some trauma-given raw talent, but it’s not refined by years and years of throwing yourself off of buildings and out of planes to avoid having conversations about your emotions.

The day Aunt Nat dropped all of SHIELD’s files on the Internet and Peter found out that Steve yeeted himself out of a plane—without a parachute!—to avoid Nat’s prodding about getting a date was the best day of his fucking life.

“Don’t you go stealing my moves there, kid,” Steve had scolded playfully, winking over the rim of his mug.

“Try and stop me, I dare you.”

“And this is why,” Tony had sighed, looking every bit his 79 years—“Hey!”—as he watches this interaction go down, “you have a parachute built into your suit.”

“I’ll just wear my old one, don’t worry about it.”

“That heinous thing that’s just a cut-up old hoodie and goggles? Peter, no, that thing is being held together with safety pins and hope!”

“I mean, me too, so it’s fine.”

“Peter!”

“Also, like, it’s the one I almost got crushed to death in, so it’s got the emotional trauma seasoning already.”

“Wait—“ Bucky had sat up— “you almost got crushed to death by a building? Sheesh, kid, you’re really flirting with the reaper, huh.”

“It wasn’t so bad, I had training from the years and years of carrying the weight of my sins crawling on my back.”

“At least ask Death for his number next time, he’s not returning my calls.”

“Sergeant, I swear to God—“

“Actually, Death uses they/them pronouns, I asked when I met them last weekend.”

“What the fuck did you do last weekend?”

“Really? Oh cool, well, can you get their number for me? We had a date back in ’45 that they missed.”

“Yeah, sure, no problem.”

“Tony, why are you screaming? Not keeping dates is a very serious matter.”

“Trust me, I speak from experience, Tony, it’s not a good habit to get into.”

“You should respect your elders and not scream while we’re talking to you, mister.”

“All of you shut the fuck up.”

See? On one hand, it’s great to have more partners in this venture of making Tony’s hair turn grey—he’s that age, it’s bound to happen any time soon now— “One more crack about my age, kid, I swear.” — but on the other hand, Peter is seriously losing his massive lead on funniest person in the Tower.

The other thing he’s worried about is Sam’s ability to make it so the others can’t actually worry about him.

Because—listen, Sam Wilson is a fucking national treasure and all you fuckers better acknowledge that. It’s no secret that the Captains take turns going out with the shield, all of them answer to ‘Captain America’ because that’s what they are, but no one—and Peter will never say this under threat of death because he does not need any more of the Steve Rogers’ Puppy Dog Eyes™, thank you very much—no one does it better than Sam.

And that means that Sam fucking Wilson can turn a fatalistic, self-deprecating joke into a motivational speech that doesn’t feel disingenuous or cliché at all and everyone is too busy processing the philosophical revelations they’re having to scold him for his, frankly, outstanding sense of humor.

It’s not fair and Peter can’t do it.

He tried. Once.

Didn’t go very well.

No, he’s not gonna talk about it, let’s just move on.

Sam has offered to catch him a couple of times when he gets himself a little too deep into the Mamma Spider™ or Iron Dad™ trap of feeeelings, and he gratefully scoots out of the way when Sam sits down next to him and just makes another joke.

Sam is also a fantastic role model for the brand of ‘I’m going to the store and only have twenty bucks, stop asking for your will to live back’ jokes.

“Hey, Pete!”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s go, bodega run.”

“Can we pick up some hopes and dreams, too, all of those got scribbled out in fat red Sharpie yesterday.”

“I said bodega run, not Court of Miracles run.”

“But Sam~”

“Listen, kid, if you manage to find your hopes and dreams in this bodega, keep an eye out for your childhood innocence, that might be on the next shelf over.”

“Deal.”

“Do you two need some more therapy appointments?”

“Only got fifteen bucks, man.”

“I’m literally a billionaire!”

Peter eagerly studies under this pinnacle of humor and keeps his worries to himself.

Because if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and Peter’s sense of humor is wonderful, but he is a tad intimidated by the amount of variety the others have got going for them.

“You’re a fucking terror, Spider-ling, that’s what you are.”

“Not true! I was ‘a pleasure to have in class.’”

“Oh, is that why you’re taking ‘Little Shit’ lessons from Barnes and Rogers?”

“And Sam! Don’t forget Captain Wilson, he is an invaluable part of this team. I’m surprised at your ignorance.”

“Pete—no, that’s not—“

“I’m ashamed for you, Mr. Stark.”

“Listen here you little shit—“

Anyway…

Steve and Bucky have a habit of telling these like, really awful jokes that have Peter in stitches for half an hour. It’s not fair and he doesn’t get why they’re so funny because they aren’t, and yet here he is, laughing anyway.

It’s probably some combination of Steve’s perfected innocent face that he wears when he has to do interviews and Bucky’s habit of not giving a single solitary fuck. But they’re able to make the worst jokes with completely serious expressions and it’s not fair.

“Hey, can you guys come help me with something?”

“Sure, Peter,” Steve says instantly, bounding over with his 95-year-old Golden Retriever energy as Bucky trails behind him like a cat that’s sitting in your lap because he wants to, not because he likes you or anything, “what’s up?”

“I have a history project on WWII due tomorrow and I haven’t started it yet.”

Bucky snorts, taking a swig of coffee and sitting down on the floor. Which, same. “You got your eulogy planned?”

“Drafted, sighed, notarized, but Aunt May said no so I gotta do this.”

“Well, if Aunt May says no then I guess that’s that.”

Tony, from far away in another part of the Tower, has a sickening feeling that May Parker has once again proven that she is the most powerful parent and there’s nothing he can do about it.

“I, um,” Peter mumbles, fidgeting with his pen, “I want to be respectful of your boundaries, and if you don’t want to talk about anything then—“

Because it’s one thing for someone to make jokes about their trauma and another for someone else to go poking and prodding at it.

“Hey,” Steve interrupts softly, nudging him with his knee, “first off, thank you for saying that and we appreciate your respect, but we got you. You worry about enough, sweetheart, let us take care of ourselves.”

Peter gives him a look.

“When it comes to this,” Steve amends, having the decency to look a little sheepish, “we’ll take care of ourselves.”

Bucky scoffs. “Uh-huh.”

“We will, Buck.”

“My therapist will be real happy to hear that.” He looks up at Peter and winks. “Besides, what good is our trauma if we don’t pin it up and display it for good grades?”

Peter huffs, the joke undercut a little by the way Bucky knocks his foot against Peter’s and Steve’s arm stretches over the couch behind him.

Peter has to resist the urge to lean his head onto Steve’s shoulder, because then Steve’s hand will come up and ruffle his hair and Peter’s eyes will droop slowly closed as he loses himself in the warmth and safety of Steve’s embrace and then Steve will lean down to press a kiss to his temple and—

Right. Homework.

“What’s it on specifically,” Bucky asks, clearly spotting the temptation on Peter’s end, “home front? Overseas? Time period?”

“Uh, it’s an analysis of total war.”

“Like, how much of the country was devoted to the war effort?”

“Yeah, basically. It’s talking about how the Nazi War Machine made their war total and how that extends to a lot of other countries, but also about the reasons why the war was fought—“

They delve into a conversation about total war, Peter pointing out how Italy’s motivation for territory keeps it from being a total war on their part, Bucky speaking to how the different dynamics worked in various countries and the fallout, Steve bringing up how much of the home front was devoted to bringing attention to the war being fought overseas. Then, of course, as is inevitable, they devolve into storytelling.

Peter’s notebook—with notes! He did his job!—is set aside as he gives in to the need to let Steve cuddle him on the couch. Come on, the man is warm and big and gives good hugs, how is he supposed to not? Bucky sprawls out on the floor, leaning back on his hands as he smiles fondly.

“You know,” he remarks casually, “I fought a Nazi in my pajamas once.”

Peter blinks sleepily. “Wait, really?”

“Yeah, though how he got in my pajamas, I have no idea.”

Peter snorts. Then he giggles. Then he’s collapsing into Steve’s side, positively sobbing with laughter.

It’s not funny.

It’s really not that funny.

But here he is, fucking dying, and he doesn’t even have the wherewithal to welcome the sweet embrace of oblivion.

“Okay, note to self,” Bucky murmurs when he’s calmed down a little, wiping away tears, “sleepy spider likes corny jokes.”

“Just don’t break our baby spider, Buck, Momma Spider would kill you in cold blood.”

“Listen, if Natasha Romanoff kills me, don’t prosecute. That’s on me.”

Peter can’t do corny jokes. He really can’t. He just sounds like he’s a recording so old it’s unintelligible and it’s bad. He has a reputation to maintain here!

However, there is one sense of humor that Peter is very eager to learn and adopt, and hey, it might actually be Iron Dad™ Approved!

It’s a rookie mistake, asking Bucky Barnes for a hand, but in his defense, Peter was left unsupervised and was distracted.

“Hey, Bucky, can you give me a hand?”

“Sure thing, Peter.”

Something nudges his arm and he looks down. It’s Bucky’s metal arm, bumping up against his elbow.

It’s a cheap joke. It’s bad. It does not deserve Peter’s laughter.

He snorts anyway.

“That’s on me,” he says after a second, “you know what, that’s my fault.”

“What, is this not what you meant?”

“No, no, you’re fine.” Peter scruffs a hand through his hair. He looks down at the prosthetic again. “Well, that’s disarming.”

Now it’s Bucky’s turn to snort. “You gotta hand it to me, though, it’s a good joke.”

Oh, it’s on.

“No, no, of course, I understand. You really can’t let an opportunity like that slip through your fingers.”

Steve chokes on his next sip of coffee. “Stop making the kid shoulder the burden of making puns with you.”

Sam raises an eyebrow. “Don’t palm this off on someone else, Steve, you’re as bad as he is.”

“Oh, it’s not that bad.” Peter shrugs. “You just gotta knuckle-down and find the right one.”

“Do you have any idea how many times I’ve had to reach for puns?” Bucky hefts his arm.

“I’m gonna go out on a limb and say a lot.”

“Jeez, Pete, good one.”

“What, are you not finding them humerus?”

Sam’s gone, Steve shortly after. Bucky just grins proudly at him.

Then there’s a massive thunk from behind them. Peter turns around to see Tony slamming his forehead into the counter.

“You are all going to kill me,” he mutters, glaring up at them, “all three of you.”

“Oh, come on, Mr. Stark, Captain Barnes would never hurt you.”

Tony raises a skeptical eyebrow.

“After all,” Peter grins, gesturing to Bucky who is doing a very good innocent face—he must’ve been taking notes from Steve— “look at him, he’s completely armless.”

“Peter Benjamin Parker—“

Okay, so maybe it’s not Iron Dad™ Approved.

Oh, well.

[antpelts]

For the ask thing! From this dream isn’t feeling sweet (etc)

“Evan wasn’t even sure where their conversation was going anymore - it had been a while since they had any sort of genuine conversation with regards to, like, feelings. At least on Jared’s end. Sometimes Evan couldn’t get his mouth to shut but Jared tended to pull back, so seeing him laid out on his back, blinking up at him just sort of left Evan baffled.

Not as baffled as when Jared mustered up a response, though,

“I.. yeah. I mean, yeah.” He broke eye contact before Evan that time, casting his gaze across the room to a poster on his wall. “I guess you’d know better than me, dude.”

Evan wasn’t entirely sure he could say that much - actually, he was just sort of proving to himself that he had no clue how to pick apart his own feelings and understand them.”

No idea how many words that is but I love this moment! The introspection from Evan about both himself and Jared. please hit me with the commentary!!

send an exerpt from a fic of mine and ill give a commentary!

yes.. yes.. this scene. dropping the (obvious) hints of jared deflecting he Does know all about having a crush.. plus getting into my reasoning of why evan doesnt actually like zoe.. like with my sorta canon compliant stuff its like.. i gotta explain that or it feels jarring when he doesnt like her anymore. this also is one of my oldest headcanons at work in there which is evan being gay and having a comphet crush on zoe (tho i love bi evan too<3) and just.. the whole like.. evan assuming this conversation will halt because him and jared dont talk about feeeelings however.. this obviously being a turning point in fixing their friendship where jared WANTS to talk about feelings with him!! hes just woefully unequipped yknow!! just something about evan always talking so much because he cant help it and jared shutting him out.. until he doesnt! hes trying!!!!! and evan wants this so bad hes sorta got no idea how to handle it and ends up feeling more lost than ever because now jared Is trying to be his friend.. but he doesnt know how to handle it!!!!!!

[i-dont-want-your-hysteria]

The Leppard Albums: A Summary

(inspired by Every Beatles Album)

Happy Saturday night everyone

The Def Leppard EP

Joe is 19 and just wants to ride a motorcycle okay

Groupie fantasy

Zeppelin lyrics meet Rush with an underappreciated bass line

On Though the Night

IT'S!!! ROCK!!! N ROLL!!! BABEY!!!

Joe is 20 and just really doesn't wanna work in a factory anymore okay

pls D; girl D; stop D; hiding D; your D; pain!!

another... groupie fantasy... I think? ...???

Leppard in Space

Joe is 20 and just wants to write something edgy okay leave him alone

STEVE 👏👏👏 FUCKING 👏👏👏 CLARK!!!! 👏👏🔥👏🔥👏👌👌

the original groupie fantasy but it's been re-recorded

girl?? make up?? your mind???

let's be mysteriously edgy ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Zeppelin lyrics meets Rush but it's been re-recorded (but don't worry they still kept the underappreciated bass line)

High N Dry

everyone in this band is a slutty bottom and this is the song that proves it

we have Mutt Lange now and this is the song that proves it

drONK TIEM

betcha didn't think we could write a ballad, did ya ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

STÊVË!!!!! 👏👏👏👏 FÜCKÎÑ!!!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏 C L Ã R K!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥👏👌👌🤙👏👌🔥👌🎉🎉

underappreciated and that's all there is to it

noooo don't go you're too mysterious and sexy hahhaha

oh god Dx oh god no Dx we don't sound like this anymore we swear Dx

betcha thought we stopped writing Beowulf-esque pop songs didn't ya ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

🚫🚫⛔👎🚫🙅‍♂️👎🚫⛔🙅‍♂️⛔ *Joe tearing his throat up for 2 solid minutes*

Pyromania

IT'S ROCK!!!!!! N ROLL!!!! BABEY!!!!!!!1!!!!1!!1!! AGAIN!!!!! 😆😆😆

the Classic Rock Fandom™ in a nutshell 😓

INTRODUCING PHIL 👌👌👌 FUCKING👏👏 COLLEN 🔥🔥🔥

betcha thought we abandoned the idea of doing a ballad didn't ya ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Joe's back at it again with the edgy songs and is getting a lot better at it too

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ∆ ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Gunter 🙃 Glieben 🙃 Glauchen 🙃 Globen

the most underappreciated song on this whole entire fucking list sorry I don't make the rules

Alright, WHO in this band wants to be in a porno >:C

Joe's back at it yet again with the edgy songs but it's even BETTER this time

Hysteria

Girls Girls Girls ALL WOMEN ARE QUEENS ANAKIN

🎸we!!! fucking!!! love!!!! glam rock!!!!!! and african drum rhythms!!!!!!!!!🥁

we're not furries we swear we're just kinky D: also fuck you DJs here's some false endings

we haven't made a ballad that HURTS yet so here we go (with an underappreciated bass line)

the song that invented "( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)" (AKA when you cram for a test the minute before and end up getting 100%)

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)😏( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)😏( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

S T E V E 😭👏👏 F U C K I N 😭😭😭 C L A R K 👏👏👏😭👏😭

nooo don't shoot me you're too kinky hahaha

a song about rioting and being #punk, but the only crime the man singing it has ever committed was getting a speeding ticket when he was 19/20

oh. oh shit. oh god. holy shi- I can't believe... ...we just accidentally made the most perfect song to ever exist :o like seriously- people are achieving nirvana as we speak I'm not joking I think we went too far with the perfection this time guys

THIS SONG IS ABOUT S E X AND WE AIN'T BEING SHY ABOUT IT EITHER LET'S FUCKIN GO BABE-

Don't 👏 give 👏 me 👏 love 👏

Adrenalize

gkKLglldlflhlADKSLALLFLSS 😆😆😆

I fucking love my wife uWu

fkKMglgllsLLslgflephpGLDLPT 😆(͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)😆

We're just gonna get extremely romantic and passionate for 4 minutes and 3 seconds if that's alright with you (͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)

this album was the most painful thing any of us have ever had to do, so here's the most serious song we've ever done to date. Steve ✊ Fucking ✊ Clark ✊ -n-

now that our mental breakdown is over, we're gonna get extremely passionate and romantic again but for a lil longer this time aiight 🤙

one of us has a protection/ownership kink but we're not gonna tell you who

you know what this album needs? a little bit more pain

we're layin down the line (and by that we mean we want sex)

we're layin down the line pt.2 (we still want sex btw)

Retro Active

Beowulf songs are back babey 🤙

I'll say that again if I have to^

we!!! still!!! fucking!!! love!!!! glam rock!!!!! we even covered something to prove it!!!!!!

Joe has now officially mastered ballads

I fucking love my wife part 2: she's a badass top

While Joe was off mastering ballads, Phil studied the blade

We covered something else bc again!!! we fucking!!! love!!! glam!!!

We rewrote Joe's motorcycle song bc we now realize it was cringe af (and it was an excuse for Joe to talk to Ian Hunter so that made him happy)

Joe has now officially mastered edgy/serious songs

it's a total bop but oh god. No. Please. No. Oh God. No. Don't. Please. No. Pls. No. Oh god. Don't.

This should've been on Adrenalize and you can Fight Me On That

Phil studies the blade (electric version)

Joe masters ballads (electric version)

Vault (there's only one new song on here so that's all I'm doing)

babe nooooo D';

Slang

Epic edgelords part 1

Epic edgelords part 2: Phil wrote it this time

everyone in this band is a slutty bottom and this is the song that proves it Volume 2: Electric Bugaloo

soft breakdown :'c

hOT DOGGITY DAMN JOE'S VOICE HOLY HELL TAKE ME N- *clears throat* I mean introducing Vivian Campbell :3 aND THERE'S A BASS SOLO MMMM 🤤🤤👌 THIS SONG IS JUST SEXY FUCKIN LIFT ME UP AND-

Phil's marriage isn't going too well

in fact, no one's marriages are going too well

severely underrated bop

We're still not over Steve's death and we never will be :c

Joe makes edgy ballads his bitch yet again 👏👏

severely underrated banger 🔥🔥🔥

Euphoria

wE STILL MAKE FAST BOPS IN CASE YOU FORGOT 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

Holy shit I didn't know Joe could hit a note that high

The 90s sucked for us but we'rE STILL HERE BICH 🖕

Can we pls give Sav more songwriting space on albums thx 😭💗

everyone in this band is a slutty bottom and this is the song that proves it Volume 3: Even Sluttier This Time 😏

totally different from everything we've ever done and WE 👏 MADE IT 👏 OUR 👏 EDGY 👏 BITCH

uwu but it's sad so it's actually umu

partying like it's 1999- oh wait, it actually is 1999

*hugs Viv and scREEEEEEEEAAAMMS*

Phil studied the blade and attacks you with it

*gets escorted into the back of a police car* IM GUILTY!! I'M GUILTY!!! I'M NOT INNOCENT!!! 😫😫😫

whatever edginess we couldn't fit into Paper Sun we put into this song instead

we're entering the new millennium as Kings and there's nothing you can do about it 👑🖕

X (Ten)

Stand on a balcony at sunset when you listen to this one

(insert Vizzini saying "INCONCEIVABLE" here)

the big UwU

I got ghosted and it’s actually a lot more dark and depressing than I thought also I wish I was never awake

soft and edgy and sad acoustic dads

F-U-C-K SPELLS F- I mean L-O-V-E spells love uWu

babe nOOOooO I'm sorry I suck so much DD;

this sounds like out if Work It Out and Day After Day had a kid

we're gonna have a Funky Good Time whether you like it or not 😎

E D G E L O R D S 2 0 0 2

we can't decide if we want this album to be edgy or uwu so we're gonna make it both

the same passion as Tonight but less sexy and more (you guessed it) uwu

E D G E L O R D S 2 0 0 2 P A R T 2

Betcha thought our emo phase was over didn't ya ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Yeah!

bops have been and will ALWAYS be something we have mastered- even if the song we're playing isn't ours

SAV'S TIME TO SHINE

betcha thought we couldn't cover a Blondie song, did ya ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Phil's just getting nostalgic about London it's fine 👍

don't worry joe's still sCREAMIN

in which we make this song a million times better than the original

WE LOVE ROXY MUSIC SO MUCH WE CANTEXPLAINWEJUSTLOVEHEMRMFLGPHPH

we're letting Joe have his moment ok just let him have this 👨‍��

yeah we like Free- so whAT??

okay NOW we're letting Joe have his real moment- he's been waiting for this moment ever since he was like 12 okay just. let him. have this just. this one time. pls.

in which we confuse literally everyone by making them think this is a song that we wrote

we just need ONE more bop, okay? Just ONE more we swear then we'll stop being fanboys (for now...)

we'll be right back, it's Bow Down To Thin Lizzy Hour

*Phil tearing up his throat for 4 and a half solid minutes*

Songs From The Sparkle Lounge

this one's actually kinda dark and heavy? :o

honky tonk time 🤠🤙

FINALLY ONE OF SAV'S SONGS IS THE MOST POPULAR SONG OFF AN ALBUM 🙏🙏🙏🙏😩

FINALLY WE HAVE MORE SAV MATERIAL I LOVE IT SM ;∆; !!!!

Phil's songs are severely underrated tho pls give them more attention

it's time for one (1) badass religious song and if you don't like it then you can Fuck Off kindly 🙃

This whole album is "Songs That Were Written By Phil and Viv and Sav" heaven

I think sometimes people forget that we, even as a band, are fans of the Classic Rock Fandom™ too, and we feel the same pain as the other fans :'^)🤙

Joe's three minutes of fame on this album

Joe's three minutes of fame on this album part 2

Viv's songs are severely underrated tho pls give them more attention

Mirror Ball (bonus tracks)

we grabbed fate by the balls and screamed fUCK YOU 🖕🖕

We are still Kings™ in case anyone was wondering 👑🖕

✨PHIL BELIEVES!!!! IN!!!!! LOVE!!!!!!!! AND!!!!!!!!!! BELIEVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!✨

Def Leppard (Self Titled 2015)

Is this song about playing a live show? Probably. Is it also about having a fight? Is it also about angry sex? The world may never know.

Okay this one just absolutely SLAPS, periodt.

bootleg Another One Bites The Dust

*SOBBING* THEY'RE ALL SINGING LEAD I'M-

being badass, That's The Power Of Love

don't worry, we still know how to be Poetically Edgy

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'm *bump bump* hooked on a feeeeling

I've Got a Spiritual Romantic Boner

Can't Keep Away From The Flame edginess gets crossed with some Zeppelin charm and badassery

someone in this band is fucking piSSED 😠😠😠😠

we're gonna @ someone tonight fellas

sAV OH MY GOD BABYYYYY 😰😰😭😭😭😭 DO YOU NEED A HUG

what if we tried to cross newer Metallica with Nickelback 🤔

what if we turned this into We All Need Christmas three years from now... 🤔

Bonus: Personal Jesus/We All Need Christmas

Viv really wanted to cover ABBA but everyone said no so he settled for cowboy goth™ instead

What better man to write a warm and fuzzy Christmas song than the warm and fuzziest man alive (Sav)

[liliesoftherain]

My Hero Academia Main 3 Boys x Reader

Ch. 13 Midoriya vs Todoroki

Masterlist

A/N: Here’s the next part!! I know I said next part would have Mc vs Tokoyami BUT I felt like this was an important part to have, and I wanted you guys to focus on it so I made it shorter than I was originally going for.  Let me know what you guys think! 

TAGLIST: @rizamendoza808 !(: @iris-suoh !(: @quicksilverfangirl​ !(: @shortperson202 !(: @noodlenerd101 !(: @matchamidoriya​ !(: @thorsbtch-captainnoobmaster69me​ !(: @pastel-prynce​ !(: @sunkissedneptune​ @monetfatalia​ !(: @legit-fandom-trash​ !(: @lovethewitchofendor​ !(: @dekuxlink​ !(: @water-melone98​ !(: @helena-way07​ !(: @nothing17-7​ !(: @hopelessdisasterr​ !(: @karmaboundlife​ !(:

“Good luck Deku, you’ll do great.” 

Once the tense atmosphere settled, Izuku spoke up saying he was going to sit in the waiting room to prepare for his battle. 

You gave him a small smile and a wave and he felt his cheeks heat up at your words, knowing that you weren’t lying to him. He gave you a large smile back, hoping it didn’t look too dorky, and off he went.

You watched as he walked off, before looking towards your right side at Iida, who had a concerned look on his face.

“Iida?”

“I hope Uraraka will be alright.” He spoke out, voicing his concerns.

“She’s strong, I’m sure she’ll be fine.” You gave him a slight smile, hoping your words provided a little comfort.

“I do agree with you there, however I just hope there wasn’t too much damage done.”

“Yeah, he really roughed her up!” Kaminari jumped into the conversation, shaking his head in false disappointment. 

“He was kinda playing a false villain, must’ve been tough to hear all the boos from the crowd.” Sero spoke up from beside Kaminari, who nodded along to everything he said.

“Thankfully it was cleared up, because it’s ignorant to believe Bakugou would go easy on Uraraka We’re all training to be heroes, plus she’s not frail.” You said thoughtfully.

“Even if it all was because of who he was up against, he made a really convincing bad guy-”Tsuyu was cut off by angry shouts.

“Shut up you idiots, or else! Who said you could talk about me while I wasn’t there huh?”

“Bakugou dude,” Kaminari turned his head to look at Bakugou who just walked in, wearing a scowl, “Really though, I don’t understand how you were able to aim a powerful blast at a girl like that. I couldn’t help but hold back against that Shiozaki.”

“Kaminari she murdered you.” You pointed out.

His head snapped towards you, hurt swirling in his puppy dog eyes.

“Can’t you just let me have this!?”

“No,” you laughed, “because she totally kicked your butt, and you should let her have that win! She earned it you know. Just like how Bakugou earned his win against Ochako, even though she put up a good fight.”

“Why wouldn’t I have won, shitty girl!?” Bakugou hissed at you.

“Yeah, what’s up with that Kaminari, I bet Uraraka could’ve won against you too, she’ll have you dumb in two seconds.” Jiro laughed while mocking Kaminari’s overcharged face, thumbs up with her tongue out.

“WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN?”

“Oh look Kirishima’s on the field!” Mina pointed out, ignoring Denki’s cries.

“WHOOHOOO! Before we head onto the second round, we have a manly score to settle! Let’s see who the true winner of the 7th match will be! Kirishima or Tetsutetsu! Who ever wins this arm wrestling match will move on! LET��S GOOO!”

The two boys got in position and activated their quirks, a cinder block underneath them acting as the table. It only lasted for about two minutes, but it felt like 2 hours. They were holding each other steady until you saw Tetsutetsu had lost his grip, letting Kirishima smack his arm down in a victory.

“Kirishima is the winner! Add him to the bracket!”

You clapped, yelling in praise for the redhead once Midnight announced his victory.

“Now we’ve got a full roster for the next round of the tournament, let’s get the party started now ya dig?”

You sat up in your seat a little bit more, feeling anxious at the fight that was about to go on below you. 

Midoriya and Todoroki. 

It was nerve wracking when you thought back to their conversation, and you found your eyes searching for Bakugou. He was the only other person who knew the true intentions of this fight, what this really meant to them. 

Bakugou’s eyes locked onto yours and all you did was stare. You didn’t know if he understood what you were trying to convey with just a simple look, but the way he gave you a single nod made you feel better. So you grinned back, then a voice popped up.

“So, the match hasn’t started yet? What are you staring at (y/n)?”

You snapped your head to look at Ochako who walked out on the first row, giving you a strange look. 

“What-oh, hey. How are you doing?” You changed the topic.

“I’m good!”

“Something terrible has happened to your eyes! You should go get that checked out by Recovery Girl.” Iida cut in, jaw opened wide.

“I already did, this is from something else.”

“Oh, Of course.. If I were in your position, I’d be very frustrated too.” 

“Just know you fought bravely,” You looked over Iida as she had sat down on his right, “like I said before, you may have lost the match but you have won in other ways.”

“Yeah but..”

“There’s no time to wallow,” Tokoyami’s voice cut through her pitiful words, “Use this next match as a source of encouragement.”

“You guys are right, I will!” She nodded, thanking you all.

“So wise..” Iida sighed.

 “I CAN FEEEEL THE ANTICIPATION IN THE STANDS! AND THAT’S BECAUSE THE SECOND ROUNDS FIRST MATCH IS GOING TO BE EPIC! It’s the guy who won his first rounds by a landslide and literally left half of the audience frozen! Hero courses class 1-A, Shoto Todoroki! Verses! The kid who almost walked out of his first match, but made a good comeback by showing us his impressive moves!  Hero courses class 1-A, Izuku Midoriya!”

“How do you guys think this will go?” Iida asked.

“It all really depends on whether or not Midoriya can get in close.” Tokoyami spoke, giving his take while staring intently down below

“That’s just it, how can he dodge all the ice?” Ochako wondered, 

“He doesn’t have to dodge it really, just blow it away.” You mumble.

“Blow it away?” She looks at you.

“With his quirk, I mean it wouldn’t be smart for him to do it that way..”

“Because every time he uses his quirk, he breaks.” Tokoyami finished for you. 

You nodded at him, but you looked away from his gaze feeling uneasy. You had to go up against him sooner rather than later, and nerves for that match outweighed the ones from your fight with Mina. 

You just weren’t sure what a weakness of his could be, he was too strong.

“Both of these heroes in training have been front runners in the sports festival, but which one of rivals will advance to the next round! Get ready, you’ll have to watch and find out! BEGIN!”

You looked back at the match, watching as they started immediately. Izuku using a huge wave of power to blast back Todoroki’s ice, you winced, seeing the bruised and broken finger. You watched as Todoroki only maintained his place in the arena by placing ice behind his body, smart thinking.

You might have to learn from that.

“Oh crap! I’m missing it!” Kirishima’s voice broke you from your thoughts, turning to see him run into the stands.

“Hey good job making it into the second round Kirishima!” Denki grinned.

“Thanks man! Looks like I take down Bakugou next!”

“I’ll kill you.” 

You laughed, feeling embarrassed once eyes looked over at you.

“Don’t laugh yet!” Kirishima pointed at you, “You’re my next target! It’s so unmanly always having you beating me! So get ready!”

“That’s only if I win against Tokoyami,” You look at said boy, who only looked back at you.

“It’ll be a difficult match, one that I am looking forward to.”  He said before turning away.

Difficult for him? You wondered why he’d say that.

“Either way, I’m still going to take you down! Man to man!”

“I’m a girl, Eijirou.”

“So? Girls are manly!”

“Then, does that make Bakugou manly?” Kaminari laughed as the blonde glared, however keeping his focus on the match below.

“Shut up, I’ll kill you too.”

“But seriously! It’s crazy how both you and Todoroki have moves that blast the whole stadium! Must be pretty nice..” Kirishima sighed.

“Plus, you don’t have to pause between attacks.” Sero huffed.

“It’s not as easy as you think, ya morons. If you overuse your muscles you risk tearing them apart. If you sprint too much you run out of breath. Quirks are physical abilities too, they can get worn out. You can’t just use them nonstop.”

“It makes sense when you put it that way,” Kirishima muttered, “I wonder if that’s how Midoriya thinks he’s going to beat Todoroki.”

“Deku always has some sort of plan,” You throw in with a grin looking back onto the battle, “But Todoroki is really powerful too, it’ll be a crazy fight! One hell of an endurance match that’s for sure, see which one breaks first.”

“I think Midoriya is already a bit broken, Hakamata.” Kaminari snickers, talking about Izuku’s fingers.

Bakugou tsk’d, eyes narrowing even more while his arms tensed at the way you were praising the others. He glanced over at you for a moment, and saw how wide your eyes were. The battle below having your complete attention, how interested you looked. He didn’t care what the hell you thought was cool or not, you could do whatever the fuck you wanted. His eyes snapped back to the fight below to see Deku throw a punch, a huge gust of air pressure following. His jaw tightened, he didn’t need to focus on what you were thinking during his match with Uraraka, no, he needed to focus on that damn Deku.

When Todoroki rose up from his walls of ice, you bit your lip in anticipation. Izuku’s arm now looked badly bruised, and it was most likely due to a fractured or broken bone because of his power. Todoroki looked fine, like he was ready for such an attack. Just when he sent off another wave of ice, just when you thought it was over, Deku counter attacked.

You gasped in shock, seeing how Todoroki skid back a few steps, the ice wall he had been using was breaking as he did. Even while he tried to create more, they only continued to burst apart until he barely managed to catch himself at the edge.

The battle continued, blow after blow the two fought and you couldn’t tear your eyes away. Both were on their guards, and while the fight held passion, you could tell they were slowing down.

Especially Todoroki, you stared on in worry at his sluggish movements, this wasn’t like him. You knew the frost covering his body must have some reason to do with it. You thought back to the conversation he had with Midoriya and you concluded it had to be because of his father. There was no other reason why he wouldn’t give it his all.

They started a conversation down below, and it wasn’t hard to miss it. It almost made you cry at how strong Izuku’s resolve was, and how beat down Todoroki seemed. You may not know exactly what Todoroki had gone through, but you were possibly one of the only people who could come close.

At least you escaped your ‘hero’, Todoroki was still unfortunately living with his.

“IT’S YOURS! YOUR QUIRK, NOT HIS!”

The arena lit up with flames, so bright and hot you could feel the immense heat from where you were. 

“Amazing..” You said breathlessly, watching the flames dance around the area. The warmth spreading through your body felt cozy, and you were surprised at the fact it wasn’t overbearing.

It was pleasant.

Until a booming voice broke the sounds of battle, Endeavor speaking to Shoto as if he were nothing more than a weapon. You grit your teeth, anger coursing through your veins causing you to stand.

“Endeavor suddenly shouts words of encouragement? What uh, a doting father?”

“Doting father my ass.. More like a monster.” You felt eyes on you but you couldn’t stop yourself from running to the rail and yelling.

“SHOW EVERYONE YOU’RE YOUR OWN PERSON TODOROKI! YOU’RE NOBODY’S PUPPET! SHOW THAT BASTARD HOW YOU’LL BEAT THIS ALL ON YOUR OWN.”

Your body was shaking, from past memories and from anger on his behalf. You didn’t care if at this point Todoroki knew you were listening in on him before, or if your classmates were giving you weird looks, or even if your dad heard your shouts. He’d know why. You didn’t even care that you were getting a piercing stare from Endeavor, the only thing that mattered was that smile from the boy below.

All you wanted was for Todoroki to know that he had people on his side, someone who knows that he is great all on his own with no help from anyone.

The ending was as you expected, large and loud. They went at each other full force, cement flying everywhere as the air pressure was too much to handle from your standing position. You were trying to hold onto the railing but your grip loosened, causing you to yelp as you slid back till you fell into the seats, Iida immediately trying to help make sure you weren’t hurt. You paid him no mind, staring in shock until the air pressure faded and the arena stood still with a bated breath. You gulped, the slight pain in your back forgotten as you tried to see through the abundant amount of smoke.

“What happened just now? What the heck is up with your students?”

“The air around the ring had been thoroughly cooled down and then rapidly expanded when heated up.”

“Wait, that’s what caused the explosion!? How hot did that fire get! Jeez, I can’t see a thing, is the match still going on or what?”

Once it cleared up a bit, you saw Izuku leaning up against the wall outside of the ring, slumped over till he fell flat on the ground.

“There! Midoriya is.. out of bounds! Todoroki wins! He advances to the third round!”

You saw Shoto standing in the arena and couldn’t believe your eyes. You knew this was going to be a great match, but you didn't realize just how good it was going to be. They both put up a great fight, and you felt for both boys.

Izuku for not winning, but also for Todoroki who had won, despite what he said about not using his fireside. You saw Izuku being taken away on a stretcher and stood back up, intending on going to Recovery Girl’s office.

“Hakamata where are you going? Uraraka?” Iida asked, watching as Ochako stood up alongside you.

“To see Deku right?” She asked you, and all you did was nod.

“Then let me accompany you both!” Iida stood as well, his frame towering over you both.

“Me too, kero.” Tsuyu walked out of the stands with the rest of you.

You guys quickly made your way to the office, not even bothering to knock as you slid the door open.  A chorus of your shared shouts filled the room, startling the man inside who was standing along his bedside. 

You stared in confusion, knowing that this man looked familiar in some way, but you were unsure of what to think.

“Oh, it’s nice to meet you sir.” Ochako bowed her head in respect at the man, who just gave a shaky wave back.

“Oh, uh, yea.” He turned and made eye contact with you, and you must’ve still had a look on your face because he jumped and turned back to look at Izuku.

“He is in no state for visitors.”

“Ugh, hey you guys. Shouldn’t you be watching the matches?” Midoriya cracked open an eyes, and gave a wobbly smile.

Relief flooded your system, causing you to forget the man.

“The arena was far too damaged, so they had to take a quick break for repairs.” Iida answered.

“That was a scary match Deku!”

“It was really something else to watch, kero.”

“Yeah Izuku, that was a pretty awesome battle. Even if you didn’t win, you were amazing.” You smiled at him.

His lips went wider at your praise, even though it hurt to be smiling this big, he couldn’t help it. Although he heard your shouts of encouragement for Todoroki, wasn’t he doing the same thing? He couldn’t feel upset over something he was trying to accomplish.

“Th-thanks, heh.” He winced as he moved, causing Recovery Girl to tsk as she began to shoo everyone away.

You gave a tiny smile, filled with relief and a bit of distress.

“You’re reckless, but you’ve got guts Deku. Just, try not to get hurt so much okay?” You laughed as he pouted at you, letting yourself be guided out with the others. 

Izuku watched you go, ignoring the looks he was getting from his mentor. He had other issues to deal with right now, no matter how much he wanted to focus on you-he wouldn't let himself get distracted.

“I’m sorry…”

[lizardrosen]

Hello 🅱️lease share some of your basket friend thoughts. I like your content a ton and Wish to hear your hcs and opinions on ships and such!

I sure hope you wanted a novel for an answer, because that’s what you’re getting! I’ve got so many feelings about all four of them!

Bad Grief

Grief! I love Grief more than almost anyone else in the game! I love his wordplay and his strangely calibrated conscience, and his motley clothes combined with the fact that he’s called “ the anti-Immortell” in the design documents, and I love the little dance he does while idling in classic, and the way he lounges in P2.

He’s a keen observer of human nature, and of his own nature, too. He’s always aware that he’s always on display, and he puts on a show and carries a gun for show, so of course he’s receptive to the existential crisis that Aglaya pushes him towards.

P1 Grief has almost definitely killed people and P2 Grief prooobably hasn’t? I believe in him because I have to, but I do think he struggles with the same killing urge that he talks about in the original game.

He’s trans and bi with a heavy leaning towards men, and polyamorous.

ships: Daniil, Rubin, Artemy, sometimes Andrey

Rubin

Rubin is my favorite oathbreaker! He didn’t do anything wrong and deserves so much better than he got, both from his story and from the fandom. I think people tend to forget that he’s at least as competent a surgeon and doctor as Artemy, and that he was there by Isidor’s side during the First Outbreak. And now he’s basically just an understudy, creating a sample of the panacea in case Artemy doesn’t manage it, and working himself to death in the process. Even if he doesn’t die, he basically disappears after day seven :( It’s quite tragic, on so many levels.

He’s not exactly a nice man or a kind one, but he really does care about the town, and about Artemy, and his reasons for getting angry and bitter and resentful are all valid and justified, and he’s done NOTHING WRONG. I support him but also support Rubin getting some got dam therapy. Get some sleep, tall child.

His gender is No Thank You, but he sullenly accepts he/him pronouns because asking someone to change for him is just bringing attention to something he’d rather avoid.

Not aromantic, but guarded enough in general that he doesn’t feel or acknowledge attraction very often, but when he does it’s always men.

ships: GRIEF, Artemy, sometimes Daniil, sometimes Block (specificially if Artemy doesn’t stop him from joining the army and they come to rely on each other)

Lara

I like Lara a lot, both as a character and for her role in the larger picture. In the first game she was almost too much of an angel for me to care about her, but I got pretty sad in the Changeling Route when she talked about wanting to be a mother but never getting the chance.

Earlier today I was talking with some friends on twitter about how in Pathologic 2 she can be passive-aggressive and evasive and just in general not a perfect kind mediator, because she’s so caught up in her own Stuff, and I really appreciate that about her character! Let women be intense and complicated and rough! Her house is still called the Shelter, but she’s never really able to offer shelter to anyone but Artemy and even that, she does with some bitterness. It’s so good and sad, and I love her.

I’ve also got feeeelings about her and her father and Alexander Block, but that would probably take a huge essay to explain.

She’s a cis bi woman. I’ve occasionally thought of her as a trans woman, mostly because of that line i mentioned about wanting to be a mother, but I’ve never thought too deeply about it.

ships: Yulia, Aglaya, past unrequited crush on Artemy

Artemy

Artemy’s whole path is about love, and yet he believes he’s incapable of love, and I cry about him a lot. His path is also about balance and about trying to reconcile different parts of himself and his culture, and it’s about trying to take on his father’s legacy and trying to even understand it, while also wanting to make his own future with the way he understands the world.

I’m increasingly uncomfortable with the way the game’s endings make it look like he has to choose One Or The Other and like he’ll always be cut off from one aspect of his identity, and i don’t know if that’s a continuation of the idea that there are no right choices in a horrible situation, or a failing of the worldbuilding and narrative, but it makes me very :/

Anyway, Artemy deserves to have HIS wants and needs met for once! Everyone thinks of him as the Dad Character, and it’s true that he’s very caring and loving despite his insistence that he’s not, but he’s gone through a boatload of trauma too, and someone should acknowledge that and pamper him. Please.

He’s a cis bi dude and EXTREMELY demi.

ships: DANIIL, grief, rubin, sometimes Block, sometimes Mark Immortell but only when specific people are know are writing them

[thechampagnelovers]

I LOVED VIBEZ TOO! I remember how intensely Better hit me so I don‘t think I can go all the way on that statement but they are definitely close together. Zayn just makes me feeeel stuff.

YES to everything you said! BIG YES to blonde Zayn! Idk those advertisements just made me laugh hahaha.

I am genuinely excited for z3 too! That it‘s 11 tracks surprised me but I fucking love the artwork and title and come on WE ARE GETTING ANOTHER SINGLE. I am ready to either cry or dance or both. So I am really really buzzing. I definitely also agree that he looks healthy and happy. I want him to do what‘s best for him and I think that‘s what he is doing right now. So I couldn‘t be more happy! x

On another note: I am not sure about your stand on Liam since he wasn‘t touched yet but his show yesterday ended me. I was so emotional and he was just amazing. Absolutely blew me away. 🥺🥺🥺

Maybe I wasn’t in the right mindset when better dropped and that’s why I like vibez more, idk skdjdj but both songs are amazing, he’s so damn talented

How did 11 tracks surprise you? In a good or in a bad way? Also I’m in loooove with the artwork, I wish I could buy some merch 😔

Oh Liam! I love him! I don’t usually blog about him but I really genuinely like him, he’s so nice and fun and sweet and I love how in contact he’s with the fans, and I think he’s one of the main reasons there are so many new fans and followers of the boys. I haven’t been able to watch the final show but I’ve seen all the gifs and photos and DAMN it looked amazing! I would love to connect a little more with Liam music-wise :/ because he is so damn talented! But I can see him struggle with his own music, finding a story to tell or how to tell it, but I really hope he’s taking this time to grown and develop music that can stick to the audience and sits right with him as well. I just love him a lot 😔🥺 and he deserves so much more than he gets

There’s an ask where I talk in debt about each one of the boys and I talk a little more deeply about Liam there, I’ll find it and rb it so you can see it!

[fairytalelovedramas]

Asian Drama Watchlist & Review for Jan 2020

Wow, got through a lot of shows and films this month compared to my norm (probably due to my lack of a social life, but meh, that’s beside the point)!!!

So here are my thoughts and reviews for the shows I watched in January...  probably not going to be completely spoiler free

And yeah this got long, so putting my reviews below the break so it doesn’t take up the whole wall!!

Finished Watching this month:

1) Ashes of Love

Wowww, what a journey this show takes you on!!  It took me awhile to get through, as I often find with Fantasy CDramas, as I find it hard to binge too many eps at a time, but I was hooked from the start!  I love the actors, the characters, I loved the leads but fell in love with several side characters as well, the angst gave you all the feels, there were plenty of funny moments, and the love stories really made your heart flutter (I especially fell in love with the side love story, which is rare for me!).  Really loved this one!

Where I watched: Viki, also on Netflix

2) TharnType the Series

Hands down one of my favorite BL couples!!  Their chemistry is out of this world.  Are there problematic parts of the show?  Yes, most definitely, especially near the beginning, but their connection and sweet moments are worth it, and honestly I just made up my own head cannon where those parts don’t exist haha!!  I LOVE this couple, they way they look at each other and all the touches, ugh it just does things to me!!  And their acting was fabulous, I fell in love with Mew (more than I already was) and Gulf as well!

Where I watched: Links to Line TV (found on Official TharnType Twitter)

4) Coffee & Vanilla

Skinship, Skinship, Skinship!!  From ep 1, I was like woah!  So I started this one because I saw the 2 leads in Good Morning Call and think Dori Sakurada is just a beautiful human being and had SLS big time, so was curious to see him get the girl this time!!  And yeah he didn’t disappoint, he’s gorgeous and whoooo did that boy have some kinks!  Honestly, I thought their chemistry was good and I thoroughly enjoyed all the skinship scenes, if anything I would have been happy to see more of his kinky side actually get reciprocated haha!!  I personally enjoy a clingy, head-over-heels in love ML, and am for the alpha-male/innocent girl dynamic, and that’s exactly what you get!!!

I can see why this show wouldn’t be for everyone though, it has problematic parts for sure! It has a really weak FL who doesn’t really have a lot of character growth (despite her saying at the end she got stronger, I was like really??  fooled me!  but at least she’s aware of her weakness??), but her “innocent” character is one of the things that drives the story so it didn’t bother me that much.  I could have done without so much manhandling (by pretty much every male in the series).  I could see how it could be triggering for some.  I also thought she had the worst best friend in the world and was way too forgiving.  But if you can get over these points, I enjoyed it quite a lot! I may make some gifs for this one since there are several scenes I liked and no one seems to be making any!!

Where I watched: Viki

3) He is Psychometric

So this was different than I expected.  Not bad by any means, just different.  I was expecting more romance, more healing from shared trauma, etc.  Maybe I was hoping it would be a bit more like Just Between Lovers after seeing that first ep and the trauma?  But I know nothing will ever replace that show in my heart, it will always be a fave!  Anyways, this wasn’t like that one haha!  It was a lot more mystery/crime genre than anything, which isn’t my fave, but there were a few sweet moments and the acting was sooo good and by the time I realized the romance & story wasn’t really what I was expecting I was drawn into the mystery I had to know how it ended!

Where I watched: Viki

5) Theory of Love

I love OffGun as celebrities and in their variety shows, but never saw them in a series so decided to give this one a go!  Wow, I totally ended up in a major binge session with this one!! I didn’t want to stop watching!  I’ve always thought Gun was a cutie, but after seeing him act I have a whole new respect for him.  Did I think it was one of the best BL stories I’ve seen?  No.  But they have great chemistry and it was a cute story overall!  Really enjoyed this one!!

Where I watched: YouTube (GMM channel)

6) Dark Blue Kiss

I’ve seen the various Kiss prequels so was excited about this one!  Honestly, I felt the MorkSun story overpowered PeteKao a bit but am not complaining as I loved both stories!  There were a lot of sweet moments and just enough angst to keep you interested.  But above all, I have to say the superstars of the series were the parents!!  The acceptance every person should get, open talks about sex and condoms, advocating for your child, I mean it really doesn’t get much better!  It hit on many important lgbtq topics and for that alone I thought it was very well-done!  All the couples were very cute and made me root for them!

Where I watched: YouTube (GMM channel)

7) Love by Chance (rewatch)

In prep for the 2nd season I decided to rewatch LBC in a binge session!  Oh my goodness, I forgot how much I missed AePete, I fell in love with them big time the first time around and all of that just came rushing back.  I’m reeeally going to miss Pete in season 2!!!  Their relationship is just so healthy compared to most in the BL world and their chemistry is sooo good!!  They better at least let them stay happy and in love even if Pete is abroad!!  I admit I was never one to get crazy about TinCan, but knowing they’ll be the center of season 2 I watched their scenes more closely and definitely felt a stronger pull for them this time around.  I’m very excited to see how their story continues!!!!

Where I watched: Youtube (Studio Wabi Sabi channel)

8) The Hows of Us

This filipino film stars one of my fave love teams... KathNeil!!  I love their films and that they are a reel to real couple as well!!  I enjoyed this movie a lot, it was more mature than many of their previous works together and showed how they’ve been growing.  It wasn’t a typical falling in love story that ends when the couple gets together but explores how couples grow apart and how real life can sometimes get in the way of our dreams.  I found the film relatable and also optimistic.  And I love the pining and longing looks... that always gets me and there was a lot of it in this film!!

Where I watched: TFC

9) Hotel Del Luna

This is what kdramas are all about - Superb acting, gorgeous cinematography, interesting characters, beautiful OST, the whole production was incredible!  It wasn’t my favorite story ever and it took me several months to finish but it kept puliing my back in and I finally got through it.  I really was mesmerized each ep by how beautiful the whole thing was.  I liked the back story and all the fun side characters. And I swear it was worth watching just for IU’s costumes, hair, and different styles alone!!  I didn’t love the ending, that was my biggest complaint, I guess you could call it “open?”  I just think it could have wrapped up better, but overall it was a beautiful series!

Where I watched: Viki

10) Itsuka, Nemuri Ni Tsuku Hi (Someday When I Fall Asleep)

Wow what a trippy series.  It was short enough to binge in one afternoon and it looked interesting, so that’s exactly what I did.  It was intriguing from the start and there was a mystery about it that kept my interest, it was a bit creepy at times, and had some twists I totally was NOT expecting at all.  Overall it was one of those that made me think and ponder for awhile after, but it did make me a bit sad too, so only watch if you’re willing to experience some feels, but it was a good one and I’m glad I stumbled upon it!

Where I watched: Viki

Currently Watching for Feb:

1) Guardian (woah, another good “bromance” with all those looks!)

2) The Untamed (rewatch - and so far it’s even BETTER the 2nd time around!!!)

3) ‘Cause You’re My Boy (cute so far)

4) Moment of Eighteen (my Astro loving heart was so excited to see Moonbin!!)

5) Until We Meet Again The Series (so many feeeels)

6) Why R U? The Series (jury is still out but I LOVE Saint!)

7) Itaewon Class (super excited for this one, Park Seo Joon, need I say more?!)

8) Crash Landing on You (excellent so far!)

9)  Make it With You (filipino series starring my FAVE love team, LizQuen!!)

[mccrps]

Draco Malfoy x Reader

Requests:

A/N: Thank you for the requests, as always my inbox is always open for new ones. I treat Hogwarts as a college so everyone is 18+ Enjoy lovelies! xx  

Warning: Smut, feeeels, Cute Draco, like ugh, I love him so much. 

Word Count: 1,753

Draco’s velvety voice sounded like music to you, his calculated words made you laugh. They sounded very familiar to what he had told other girls around school.

His reputation proceeded him and you knew not to fall for his antics. Your best friend’s voice clear as day in your head. “He’s a lost cause babe, don’t even bother entertaining him — even the idea of him.” Of course you had taken her advice and tried your best to ignore him.

But god he was persistent.

You’d thought by ignoring him, avoiding him, flat out pretending as if he didn’t exist would tire him out, would see you weren’t interested in playing his game. You were absolutely not interested in becoming another notch on his bed frame.

But if anything it made him more relentless and fixated on you. You had rolled your eyes, keeping your head high as you ignored him every time he’d say something to you and try to get close.

But day by day your barrier started to crumble, started to fall away and you found it harder and harder to resist him and his efforts to get your attention.

You finally gave in one afternoon, it was after your O.W.Ls and you swore it was just because you scored beautifully on them — you’d been high on the adrenaline from doing so well.

At least that’s what you told yourself and your best friend.

It was the only possible explanation as to why you and Draco ended up in an empty classroom.

His pants pooling at his ankles, his fingers in your hair and his whispers now held a different tone, a desperate and needy one. And when he came, furiously and too soon for his liking, he finally, finally shut his mouth. Speechless that you two had finally hooked up, speechless on what you can do with your mouth but most of all, he couldn’t speak just because he was still in his hazy state of mind.

His lips red and plump from biting down on them so hard and you were grinning up at him, watching him breath heavily as he leaned back against the wall. Getting up, you grabbed his pants, buttoning them up as you stood in front of him. He towered over you by nearly a foot if not more but you had never felt more confident and in control of anyone or anything.

He watched you with hooded eyes, trying to get his erratic breathing under control and his gaze followed your lips that grew closer to his, giving him a haste kiss at the corner of his lips. He sighed, closing his eyes, you were definitely trying to kill him.

You knew exactly what you were doing. Not wanting to get too close to Draco, your friend’s voice still embedded in your head and the words of several other girls.

He was a fuckboy, a player and you knew you had to keep your distance but this game of cat and mouse you two were playing kept you thoroughly entertained for days, weeks on end.

You thought it would be a brief fling, something to pass the time at the end of fifth year. Summer came and went and you had all but forgotten your quick involvement with the Slytherin Prince.

It was only when you saw him on the train, your eyes met and stayed on each other for longer than normal, that was when you knew it was far from over. The two of your picking up right where you left off.

Rushed sex in empty corridors, kisses that were sloppy and uncoordinated.

You had kept your distance, locked your heart away before you had even looked at Draco.

It wasn’t you who fell. It was him.

And he fell fast and hard.

You hadn’t even realized he did until one night, during a late night meet in the astronomy tower, your legs wrapped around him tightly, his length deep inside you. You hadn’t seen the look on his face, hadn’t felt the vibes he’d been throwing off for weeks.

But that night it hit you and before you could stop it from happening before you could stop him from opening his mouth he blurted out the three words you never thought you’d hear from Draco Malfoy, the biggest Lothario at Hogwarts.

“I love you.”

In another life you would have been over the moon, the sex was great, he made you laugh, you enjoyed his company. All in all, Draco wasn’t a bad guy, he was just...not trustworthy at all, extremely unreliable.

In hindsight you should have seen it coming, someone always ended up with feelings and in all honesty you’d thought it would have been you. You patted yourself on the back mentally, feeling proud of yourself for not falling for the silver haired beauty first.

He repeated it again and again, his pace slowed down, his eyes meeting yours desperate for your reaction, your approval. Something. Anything.

His hand came up to caress your face. His eyes still searching yours. His movements stopped but he made no effort to slide out of you, you had gotten so used to the feeling of him you didn’t try to move away either.

“Draco...” you started but his thumb stopped on your lips, silencing you.

“Don’t...you don’t..have to say it back. Not if you don’t mean it or want to. But I do and I know what you’re thinking. And you have every right not to believe me. But I promise I’ll be better. For you. For us. I love you. I’m in love with you.” His tone was sincere and heartfelt and you wanted so badly to dismiss him. To jump to every terrible conclusion your mind had thought up.

But his efforts to show you he’d changed went above and beyond what you thought was even capable for someone like him.

You honestly didn’t know what to expect. Not him giving you his undivided attention day in and day out. Not the sex, once rough, quick and meaningless now, slow and full of emotion and dare you say it, the love he so eagerly wanted you to feel. And definitely not him cutting all ties with any girl he’d been with, and any new girl he could potentially get with because of his family ties. 

He gave himself to you fully and that’s when you finally, finally caved. Now it was you who blurted it out. Tangled in his sheets, toes curling, stars in your eyes and you blurted it out. For a second you panicked, having thought about what you said but as soon as Draco heard you, his face erupted in a huge smile and you felt relieved that he still felt the same if not more in love with you now than before — if that was even possible.

You were dubbed the prince and princess of Slytherin, your cool demeanor intimidating to everyone around you and your smarts that matched Draco had everyone’s mouth shut before they could even come up with any sort of remark about the two of you being together.

Everything fell into place after that. You had let your walls down and Draco had seen it before his very eyes and he continued showing you how much he wanted this.

“My parents want to meet you.” Your eyes widened at his statement. Were you even ready for this? Had your relationship already progressed into this phase? This quickly? All your doubt washed away once again when you looked up Draco, his hopeful puppy gaze waiting on your answer and you rolled your eyes, knowing you couldn’t say no to him. You smiled, earning you a grin from him and you nodded, agreeing to meet them.

It honestly wasn’t as bad as it was in your head, you came from a good family, a pure blood family which his parents were thrilled to hear, his father had been friendly with yours on more than one occasion so he more than approved of you. His mother was happy that Draco was happy so she immediately knew she liked you before she even saw or met you.

It was Draco who was making you nervous, making you rethink coming to the Manor. He’d taken you on a tour of the place — it was a maze according to you, a maze that resembled a palace. He had laughed at your statements, but also pushed them aside to whisper something inappropriate in your ear every time they stepped into a new room.

Statements like, I’d love to see you riding me on this couch and God I’m picturing you on all fours and I’m going to take you over my fathers desk when my parents leave.

You had to stop him after the last one, you felt his words shooting through you like electricity. Your breathing was slow and you had the same lustful look on your features that he had. You stood outside his father’s office, not moving after he said what he wanted.

“So are you going to do something or just talk about it?” You challenged him, looking him dead in the eye.

It took him all but two seconds to say fuck it and he all but pushed you into his father’s office, not even bothering to take off any clothing from either of you.

He knew he didn’t have a lot of time, his father practically lived in his office, the fact that he wasn’t in it now was a shocker to both him and his mother probably.

He pushed out any thoughts of his parents out his mind right then, focusing on the beautiful girl who laid under him on top of his father’s important papers. He quickly widened your legs around him and it was a rush of fingers after that. He slid into you seconds after, his movements rapid and messy.

Spilled confessions of your love slipped your tongues and you both came hard. Draco needing to hold onto his father’s desk to keep himself upward, his breathing coming out in short pants. Your eyes widened when you heard his father coming from down the hall. You looked at each in fear and amusement as you got up quickly, casting a quick spell to tidy up his office as you ran out of there as if it were on fire, your hands grasped together.

You didn’t stop running until you were far from his office, safe from getting caught.

It was Draco who laughed out loud first, wrapping his arms around you, kissing the top of your head. You mimicked him, hugging him to you tightly.

“I love you.” Your muffled voice was loud enough for him to hear though his shirt and he kissed your temple, pulling away a bit to cup your face into his hands.

“And I love you.”

[feng-xins]

A Life So Wondrous

Pairing : Fujibayashi Genya/MC

Genre : Gen 

A/N : Requested by anon! Hope you enjoy <3 Genya is such a dreamboat but he’s a dreamboat with feeeelings, yknow? 

_________

At six years old, Genya's path ahead is straight and true.

Train. Fight. Win.

Follow orders. Complete the mission. Report back.

Get stronger. Get better. Head the Fujibayashi Village in his father's place

 "That sounds boring," she wrinkles her nose when he tells her as much, and Saku frowns at her from his perch on a tree branch, kicking his legs out so they dangle beneath him.

  "It's better than grinding those stinky herbs all day like you do," Saku sticks out his tongue at her, and Tobimaru shrieks in what almost sounds like agreement. 

 She flushes, the clovers in her hands crushed as she curls her fingers into tight, angry fists. "You're stinky. You and your ugly cat," 

   Sakuya's whole frame tightens, his cheeks slashes an angry, bright red "Tobimaru is a -,"

 "Oi," Genya interjects, before this dissolves into either tears or fists. They stare at each other a moment longer, then deflate almost simultaneously. Honestly, sometimes he's not sure which two out of the three of them are siblings.

 "When I'm clan head," he says, just because he can "I'll make you two get married,"

  The ensuing chaos is enough to drain the air of any residue tension, and in the breaths between bouts of laughter Genya thinks that maybe being clan head wouldn't be so bad, if he could spend all of his days just like this one

.........

At twelve, Genya's path brings him to the looming gates of Iga Village. It's their first mission outside of Iga territory, both his and Saku's. He supposed this day would come sooner or later, but now that its here -

 He casts a glance out at the forest beyond the gates, feels something he cant quite name tingle up his spine and settle in his chest, like a first breath above water.

"You know your mission," his father tells the two of them sternly, and Genya drags his gaze away from beyond the gates "Your mission leader's orders are absolute. I will have no complaints about disobedience, or incompetence,"

 "Yes, Father," he and Saku echo. His father looks them up and down one last time, and if Genya were slightly more naive he would almost, almost bring himself to believe Father was going to tell his sons to stay safe, to come back to the village alive.

 "Do not fail me,"   

  Almost

.....................

 At fourteen, Genya's path is hard-packed and well trodden. This is the shinobi way. This is what he was meant to do. This is why he was born.

 Isn't it?

 He gets up. Trains. Fights. Wins. 

  Why isn't that enough? When did it stop being enough?

  Mission briefings fade into white noise. Why do they still have briefings, anyway? Everyone knows the rules - don't get attached, don't get comfortable, don't get caught. Why not just send them on their way and be done with it?

He used to eye his father's seat with stars in his eyes. Now -

Does he even know what the stars look like outside of the village? 

Why does that bother him? Who cares about the damn stars?

.......

 At seventeen, Genya's path opens up before him, so wide and open and inviting and possible that it nearly scares him. 

 He graduates top of his class, and almost wishes he hadn't if only because it meant Sakuya came in second. He listens to his brother beat himself up about being two points behind for all of ten minutes before the elation breaks through and he claps Sakuya on the back, grinning so widely he feels the sweet ache in his cheeks. 

 "Gen?," Saku tilts his head, quizzical.

 "Forget the scores, Saku. Just- just forget about it for a second okay? Just - ," a laugh bubbles out of him then, freedom and elation spilling out into a joyful whoop that catches on the wind " We're free. Free, Saku!. We can go anywhere we want. Take our own missions, do whatever we like. Come on, lets do it. You and me, lets go to - I don't know -Ueda. Kai! Let's take a mission together. Somewhere far away, where the village won't bother to check up on us. We could do it, me and -,"

  "Gen, what are you talking about?,"

There is ice in Sakuya's eyes, cold frosting over sapphire so fast and hard that Genya feels suddenly like he's looking into the eyes of a stranger.

  "Our place is here. We graduated to serve the village. We did all of it, everything, to serve the village," pain flashes across Sakuya's face, the same way it did the morning Genya found him outside the gates of Iga at dawn, blood speckling his clothes and dirt beneath his fingernails. "It can't be for nothing now. All of that - it had to be for the village,"

  "Right," A completed mission at the expense of broken wings. That was the trade their father had made, sending Sakuya for that first mission "Of course. Sorry. I just - sorry,"   

  "Your place is here. With father, and me, and the village,"

 "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Saku," 

 He takes the first mission that will get him out of the village, a three week long stint protecting some little lordling travelling to Ueda. Sakuya doesn't answer any of his letters, returning them all through Tobimaru with the seal still intact. He's just in the middle of writing another one when he hears the soft clack of geta-sandalled feet behind him, turning slightly to find the young lord he's guarding eyeing him quizzically.

 "Who are you?," 

  "Me?," he gives a half-hearted salute, not even bothering with pleasantries. Lordling or not, they're probably the same age, and Genya couldn't be assed to bow and scrape for some puffed-up daimyo's son "I'm your ninja,"

 The boy frowns slightly, eyebrows knitting "No you're not. I've never seen you before now,"

 "If you could see me, why would I be your ninja?,"

 The boy contemplates this for a minute, then nods, once "My name is Masamune,”

 "Hey there, Masamune," Genya drawls "You ever play hanafuda before?,"

   ............   

 At twenty-one, Genya's path is blocked by a ghost from a past he left behind a long, long time ago.

 "It's you," he blurts out, then immediately kicks himself when two heads turn to look right at him.

 She hasn't changed a bit, same short cropped hair, same steely expression, except this time there is no warm recognition behind those brown eyes. His own eyes trail to the person at her side, and his heart jumps into his throat at the sight of Hattori Hanzo.

 He doesn't like the look of this situation. Not that he cares one way or another what she does with her life, but Hanzo's smile is entirely too suspiciously angelic. That he does care about, especially if the recent rumours about the Mitsuba village turn out to be true.

 He manages to wrangle Hanzo into leaving her alone, hangs back just long enough to whisper -

 "If you run into problems, come to Oshu," 

 He doesn't know whether to be relieved or exasperared that she actually took him up on the offer, all the trouble that she is.

............... 

   At twenty-two, she thinks there is something about Genya that shines, something glinting and stubborn and willfully, willfully bright beneath the layers of shadows that he cloaks himself with.

   "Stay," he says, arms winding lazily around her torso and pulling her back flush against him. She doesn't understand how he does it - her breath is still ragged from the kind of sounds he managed to coax out of her just minutes before, but Genya is already toeing the line between sleep and wakefulness, chest rising and falling in a steady, even rhythm "Just until dawn,"

    "Thats what you say every night, and then we wake up at noon and miss breakfast - " she squirms in protest, or pretends to at least. It wouldn't do for his ego to get any larger. "- then you say we'll sleep until lunch but we oversleep, and then you say dinner and -"

 "You're tired," Genya points out, his nose nudging right below her ear "I'm tired,"

 "You're always tired,"

 "Stay," he asks again, the request laid bare between them. Sometimes her heart jumps at the word, at how easy it falls from his lips. For how long? she wants to ask. How long do we get to pretend? She wonders if he knows the answer, if he would tell her, if she would want to hear it.

Stay she does.  

______

tagging : @pseudofaux @rubyleeray @nightingaledarling @fooljshgirl @heavenzfiend @yukimura-suggests

do let me know if you want on or off the tag list, or if I’ve forgotten to tag you in anything ^^

[lareinesophie]

QfG summary: fuckboys taking over the Woods 2k17. Like, Aric’s fuckboy friends fucked the Woods over, killed a bunch of people, and then fucking usurped the throne of Camelot!!! HOW is this okay!?

Good point about the Foxwood School for Boys being a fancy boarding school for rich brats!!! Hmm, but I don’t think Lady Lesso was the one who sent Aric there, bc such an act on her part is inconsistent with descriptions of her behaviour in the first trilogy, on specifically 2 counts:

1) The Foxwood School for Boys is an academy for Everboys, and, according to Merlin,

“Arbed House is where parents in Foxwood send children they want to hide from the School Master. Children they believe are Evil, despite growing up in Good families. And not just Evil. So Evil they’re a threat to the Woods. So Evil they’re too dangerous to be trained as villains. For a large fee, Dean Brunhilde magically conceals them from the School Master so he never comes to know of their existence. While every other child in the Woods has a file at the School for Good and Evil, these children’s files as prospective students simply disappear. Brunhilde never tells the Arbed students this, of course; she does her best to turn their souls Good. Meanwhile, the students never learn they were meant for great Evil all along.”

– Quests for Glory, Chapter 28: “AGATHA: The Princess and the King”

Now, there was no way Lady Lesso would have sent Aric to Arbed House for the purpose of preventing him from becoming an illustrious supervillain destined for great Evil. If anything, she probably had been grooming him (yikes bad expression) from birth to become the greatest villain ever in the history of the School for Evil, so advanced that he’d been in a class of his own when the Schoolmaster picked him for the School for Evil. Recall that Aric had used Lady Lesso’s mouth-zipping spell on Chaddick in the School for Boys, “One of Lesso’s best hexes,” Sophie told Agatha in QfG, adding that she had “been reading [Lesso’s] old spellbooks during [her] nightly baths.” Lesso training her child in villainy would explain how Aric was able to perform magic even though he wasn’t a student and presumably never had his finger-glow unlocked, and how he was familiar enough with her spells to crack the magic shield she had cast around the Schools in AWWP. Also, he was able to quote from memory Lady Lesso’s first lesson for Nevers on how to “Find your Nemesis”, and lived his life in accordance with her teachings that slaying one’s Nemesis is the highest cause a Never can aspire to.

Remember, In the first SfGaE book, Lady Lesso was in every way the high priestess of the Evil cause and was utterly obsessed with winning an Evil victory, considering it her “life’s work”; Hester remarked that Lesso would do anything “if she thinks it’ll help Evil win”, and in her classes with Nevers, she expresses so delirious a desire for Evil to win that it borders on mania:

Lady Lesso dragged her long red nails across Hort’s desk. “Only when your Nemesis is dead will you feel quenched. Only when your Nemesis is dead will you feel free. Kill your Nemesis and Nevermore will welcome you to eternal glory!”

She was even willing to let students be tortured in the Doom Room – forcing them to suffer cruel and unusual punishments, the severity of which was disproportionate to that of their offences, which were often trivial, or, as in Sophie’s case, meted out on the basis of trumped-up & blatantly false charges– if she thought it would commit their souls to Evil. In fact it is implied throughout Book 1 that she positively delights in her power to send students to the Doom Room, even as she claims “This is not a school for unwarranted cruelty. Hurt without reason and you are a beast, not a villain.”

“Itttt’s colllddd,” Hort chattered.

“It’s warmer in the Doom Room,” Lady Lesso replied.

Howls of pain echoed from the dungeon beneath their feet.

“I-I-I feeeel warm-m-er noww,” Hort stuttered, face blue.

[…]

A scream echoed from the Doom Room and Lady Lesso smiled.

– The School for Good and Evil, Chapter 7. “Grand High Witch Ultimate”

Indeed, the only thing chillier than Lady Lesso’s frozen classroom was the looks she gave the four girls as they slipped through the door to their seats.“I would send you for punishment, but they’re occupied with students from my last class.”Boys’ screams echoed from beneath their feet. The whole class trembled at the thought of what was happening in the Doom Room.

– The School for Good and Evil, Chapter 12.”Dead Ends”

And she was genuinely upset when she had to shut down the Doom Room because Beast was killed by Sophie and she couldn’t find its replacement

At the start of Curses, Lady Lesso swept into the ice chamber, jaw tighter than usual.

“Impossible to find good torturers these days,” she muttered.

“What is she talking about?” Sophie whispered to Dot.

“Beast went missing!” Dot whispered back.

Behind her, Sophie looked nauseous.

Testing the class on Nemesis Dreams, Lady Lesso seethed and sniped at every wrong answer.

– The School for Good and Evil, Chapter 13.”Doom Room” 

So it cannot be denied that Lady Lesso has a sadistic streak, as evidenced by her delight in verbally abusing her students–she even called hardworking Hester an “imbecile”–and in having them physically tortured; and this personality defect explains why she’s naturally gifted at Evil and convinced of that she was inherently and rightfully Evil even as she was “afraid of being alone” and had “tried to hold on to love…with [her] own child” for six whole years after she was to have officially disowned him.

(This sadistic streak is even more pronounced in Aric, and it is on account of his having acquired it from Lady Lesso, either through inheritance or upbringing, that no Evil teacher, especially not Lady Lesso, dared to confront him over torturing students, because the practice had already been condoned as official school policy by Lady Lesso herself during her stint as Dean. But I digress.)

Up to and until the School Master was unmasked as being Evil all along toward the end of the first book, Lady Lesso was willing to sacrifice all scruples to procure an Evil victory, such as condoning Sophie’s sabotage missions against the School for Good, and encouraging Sophie in her first throes of Symptoms to fetch her Henchman and unleash hell on the Evers as a full-fledged, deadly fairytale witch, while Hester and Anadil naively thought that she would “cure” Sophie. I think this obsession with winning at any cause is not entirely due to narcissism, but also motivated in part by a personal vendetta against the School Master for separating her from her son and crushing her dreams of nurturing her own supervillain baby. Keep in mind that Lady Lesso, like the rest of the Nevers, had thought that the School Master was on the side of Good, and, like the Nevers, suspected him of helping the Evers win and resented him for cheating; but, in Lady Lesso’s case, her resentment had an additional personal quality to it that was already evident in her denunciation of him in her first appearance in the first book:

“He’s tampering with the tales, Clarissa,” the one in purple said.

“The School Master can’t control the Storian, Lady Lesso,” Clarissa returned.

“He’s on your side and you know it,” Lady Lesso seethed.

“He’s not on anyone’s side—” Clarissa stopped short. So did Lady Lesso.

Agatha saw what they were looking at. The last painting.

“I see you’ve welcomed another of Professor Sader’s delusions,” Lady Lesso said.

“It is his gallery,” Clarissa sighed.

Lady Lesso’s eyes flashed. Magically, the painting tore off the wall and landed behind a glass case, inches from Agatha’s head.

“This is why they’re not in your school’s gallery,” said Clarissa.

“Anyone who believes the Reader Prophecy is a fool,” hissed Lady Lesso. “Including the School Master.”

“A School Master must protect the balance,” Clarissa said gently. “He sees Readers as part of that balance. Even if you and I cannot understand.

“Balance!” scoffed Lady Lesso. “Then why hasn’t Evil won a tale since he took over? Why hasn’t Evil defeated Good in two hundred years?”

– The School for Good and Evil, Chapter 4.”The Three Witches of Room 666”

And soon, it becomes clear that Lady Lesso does indeed hold some personal grudge against the School Master, accusing him of being a saboteur:

“Makes perfect sense,” Professor Dovey said over them. “Some mysterious busybody, who no one has ever seen, flits through your tower, meddling with your ranks.”

“You describe the School Master quite well, Clarissa,” said Lady Lesso.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Lady Lesso. Why would the School Master interfere with a student’s ranks?”

“Because he’d love nothing better than to see Evil’s ‘best’ student win behind Good’s shield,” Lady Lesso hissed, violet eyes strobing. “A student who even I foolishly thought had hope. But if Sophie wins with that pathetic prince, I will not stand by, Clarissa. I will not allow the School Master, nor you and your arrogant beasts, to destroy my life’s work. Hear me now. Let Sophie compete in that Trial and you are risking more than just her life. You are risking war.”

– The School for Good and Evil, Chapter 19.”I have a Prince”

Lady Lesso was serious about Evil winning, so serious that she would start a war if she thought her chances of a Evil victory were being sabotaged by a Good School Master. There was no way she’d send Aric to Arbed House to be concealed from being chosen for the School for Evil because she believed her son was “So Evil [he’s] a threat to the Woods. So Evil [he’s] too dangerous to be trained as villains.”

2) Lady Lesso behaves too diffidently around Aric to have been the benefactress footing his boarding school bills! Even though she wears purple, Lady Lesso is no shrinking violet, and would totally box Aric’s ears/zip his mouth if she had felt he was being ungrateful toward her. And yet, despite having a reputation for being “the most terrifying teacher in school”, and even daring to openly insult criticise Rafal to his face, in addition to working against him behind his back & sending spy reports to Merlin & mobilising the entire school body in a conspiracy against him and the rest of the Evil faculty, Lady Lesso never once stood up to her son. I think the only plausible explanation for this discrepancy is that she feels she’s not entitled to criticise her son because it’s all her fault.

That is, in all likelihood, Lady Lesso did wholeheartedly decide to abandon Aric, in the sense of refusing to provide for him after she was sealed inside the school; leaving him to his own devices and letting him be trapped within that cave indefinitely. In other words, she knew Aric couldn’t survive in the Woods for long, what with there being “a curse on Evil in the Woods” and that he was a six-year-old stuck in a cave, and she just gave up on him and let him die offstage out of her sight.

And I think this interpretation, which holds Lady Lesso deeply culpable for Aric’s abandonment as well as responsible to an extent for the way he turned out, and in which she is painfully aware of and has a deep sense of guilt stemming from her choice, better explains her subsequent behaviour and relationship with Aric, especially why she’s so deferent toward him and surprisingly weak-willed whenever Aric-related Issues ™ crop up – because she believes she has no absolutely no right to discipline him; she realises she has failed him completely, and bc she has failed him she owes him a living, that his claim to her life is completely understandable, if not justified. She herself expresses this view in her first conversation with Sophie at the School for New Evil:

“School Master forbade him to kill me but he still tries,” she said grimly, pitching the mug out the window. “Yesterday, he put an asp in my toilet.” “Aric is your … your son?” Sophie gasped. “He’s a monster—a murderer—he killed Tristan!” “Nearly managed to kill me too in the brief chaos after the Trial, before the School Master took control,” the Dean said much softer now. “I don’t blame him, of course. When I accepted the position of Dean of Evil fifteen years ago, it was my duty to sever all attachments—children included. But instead, I hid Aric in a cave near school, stealing in to see him at night, year after year, pretending like he had a mother who would always love and protect him.” Her voice quavered and she fiddled with the plum basket. “The School Master found out and sealed me inside the gates. Never even had the chance to say goodbye to my son. Aric will never forgive me for it … leaving him there, six years old in the Woods, all alone. And he shouldn’t.” She looked at Sophie. “Like I said, you and I must both pay the price of our mistakes—and mine is having my own son vengefully plot my death, while he shares my power as Dean.”

The Last Ever After Chapter 11. “Appointment with the Deans”

On the other hand, if Lady Lesso had expended a fortune educating him at a fancy prep school, she would have given Lord Aric “you ungrateful man-brat, who do you think paid for your food&board and for the windows you broke during a frat party at school!?” Lesso a good spanking in the Doom Room at first opportunity once the School Master restored order after the Trial.

(I think this interpretation of Lesso’s abandonment of Aric is also truer to the spirit of the series, and goes a long way in explaining why she had to die in the end, and how it came to be that she had accepted the inevitability–and the justice– of her own death & thus picked Sophie as her successor before she was actually killed. It also resolves plenty of other issues, e.g. Lady Lesso’s behaviour around Evelyn Sader & throughout AWWP. The interpretation the fandom favours, in which Lesso is absolved of any responsibility and all blame is instead pinned on the Schoolmaster, simply fails at explaining the complexities inherent in Lady Lesso’s character, or at illuminating the deeper message of the series. But I’d better talk about that in a separate post/essay – and feel free to reply in a separate text post btw, this is monstrously long!)

So having established that Lady Lesso, in all likelihood, did not send Aric to the Foxwood School for Boys, the question to ask is: who in the Woods did? Who rescued Aric from the cave he was trapped in? Was Aric reunited with his father, who was also abandoned by Lady Lesso *and* had his infant son taken away from him? Maybe it was Aric’s father who was responsible for cultivating in Aric a murderous hatred for Lady Lesso and for all women, along the lines of “she abandoned me and then proceeded to abandon you!”, as opposed to Aric’s own childhood experiences with his mother which were likely fond memories?

(original)

[tinycitysims-blog]

Replies

Some really late, I’m sorry! 

ciarasia replied to your photoset

“Olin is now an elder, it’s kind of depressing but he’s a pretty happy...”

omgg he doesn't even look like an elder, just like mortimer goth if he bleached his hair! lmao :D

LOL Yeah he just aged up looking like he was before. I did eventually pull him into cas and age him up a bit in his features. Round Noma’s birthday since I figured she should look older too. Now they are both old and adorable and I’m sad cause I can FEEEEL the death coming. It’s like more than ten sim days away but ya know. It’s been a while since I’ve transitioned a save properly. 

elisabettasims replied to your photoset

“ The Kents Moved Otis and Nissa into Forgotten Hollow, they have two...”

Their kids are gorgeous (as they should be). Of course my girl approved. Considering how much she talks about vampires in my bachelorette challenge. ROFL

LOL yeah it pretty much had to be done. I haven’t checked but I hope their new baby is vampire. I think their house is on a vamp layline. 

msmidnightblonde replied to your photoset

“The final Drummonds Skye’s sister Audrey lives with her husband Orion...”

Oooooh she looks so cute with that hair!

Glad you like how she looked. :D I really like the headband hairs. I have them all. 

msmidnightblonde replied to your photoset

“The Reddings Those of you who’ve read Evan’s would be familiar with...”

look at these fantastic genes!

Love my WoL family. They were just sitting there and now I’m using them so I can feel a little better about it, lol. 

msmidnightblonde replied to your photoset

“Drummonds  Probably be good to check in with the other couples I...”

lol well not everyone can claim to have been conceived in a rocket.

That is very true. I wager Kay will embrace it in adulthood but maybe not so much right now in his late teens when his dad brings it up to make a point about living life to the fullest. 

elisabettasims replied to your photoset

“The joy of keeping your oldest son humble.  “But… you’re so old. I...”

Can I say I just love how he said 'or boyfriend' because he doesn't make assumptions?

 He’s a pretty careful guy about such things.  Wouldn’t want to instantly alienate his kiddo. 

[lizardrosen]

1/19/19 BrickClub 3.3.2 One of the Red Specters of That Time

Geeooorges! I love him!

@melle93 mentioned that he’s introduced first as a gardener, and only once we’ve gotten to know his gentleness do we learn that he’s also been a (very accomplished) soldier, and it’s such a great point. Even better, we meet him first from the perspective of some passerby “In those days, whoever passed through the little city of Vernon, and walked over that beautiful monumental bridge [...] would have noticed...” It seems significant that this is his introduction, and I think it’s because he’s been shut out of so many places that brought him joy, so he’s a bit of an outsider and strangers come across him instead of the other way around. Or I’m overthinking it.

It’s so good to see how much he cares for his garden, and that he uses his ingenuity to create new formations or varieties of plants. A few chapters ago we said that Marius must have gotten his dreamy idealistic nature from his mother, but Georges has a bit of that too: “walking in the midst of his flowers with an air of kindness, sadness, and gentleness, sometimes dreamy and motionless for hours at a time” and he’s also easily scolded and “shy to the point of seeming unsociable.”

And then we get a different side of him -- seeing all the battles he’d fought under Napoleon, and holy crap that’s a lot, how did he manage to survive all of that!?

Georges is also very good at understated snarkiness, which reminds me of Bishop Myriel:

The emperor, well pleased, cried out, “You are a colonel, you are a baron, you are an officer of the Legion of Honor!” Pontmercy answered, “Sire, I thank you for my widow.”

This exchange in particular is reminscent of the good man/great man dialogue,  and I think that even though they have different political views they could have been friends - especially if Mabeuf and Fauchelevent and Valjean were there to complete the Old Men Who Love Flowers Club.

His life after Thenardier saves him from the ravine at Ohain gets him to this sad solitary state where we met him at the beginning of this chapter -- he still defends the position he has held even when France has moved on to the Restoration, and he does have his garden, but he’s living on half pay and isn’t allowed to see his son, and it just seems very lonely. In other words, “He divided his thoughts between the innocent things he was doing and the great things he had done. He passed his time waiting for a carnation or remembering Austerlitz”

I am going to CRY over him not being allowed to see Marius, and Marius being raised to think his father hates him and is someone to be ashamed of. I don’t even have any analysis, I’m just sad about this!! And Georges thinks he’s doing the right thing by not forcing his son to be disowned, when the emotional (and physical) abuse is probably doing him more damage. He has to sneak around to even catch a glimpse of his child at church, I’m going to cry!!! But he has the Mabeuf brothers as friends as a result of this, so I’m glad he at least has someone to talk to.

The result was that the curé felt a veneration and tenderness for him, and as for the colonel, he felt an affection for the curé. And actually, when both are sincere and good, nothing mixes and amalgamates more easily than an old priest and an old soldier. They are really the same kind of man. One has devoted himself to his country on earth, the other to his country in heaven; there is no other difference.

This passage gives me feeeelings!

One last note -- Georges returning letters addressed “Monsieur Commandant Pontmercy” and Gillenormand hiding the letters he sends Marius without even opening them is a good and HORRIBLE parallel.

[saikostories]

MHA - Please, Just stay with me (TodoDeku)

Not a death fic this time I promise...

-

“So did you enjoy today’s class?”

“Totally! Everyone is so cool! Especially when you froze everything! It was really cold but still... You’re getting so much better Todoroki! Oh and thanks for offering to walk me home...” Midoriya said, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. 

Todoroki shook his head. "Don’t worry about it. It's just, it's late, and this city isn't exactly the safest place ever..."

Midoriya smiled. His friend’s concern for him was always touching.

The duo was walking down the sidewalk, taking the back road to Izuku’s family home after a day of school at the U.A. They were still in their school uniforms, with their backpacks over their shoulders.

"It's pretty cloudy tonight, don't you think?" Midoriya observed, putting out his hand. "I wonder if it's gonna rain."

Todoroki looked up at the sky, and then back at the ground. "Maybe," he said. "But hopefully we can make it home before that happens."

Midoriya nodded. They were passing a couple of run-down buildings with dark alleys nestled between them, and Todoroki was thinking about what he'd do differently during training tomorrow at school, when—

"Todoroki! Watch out!"

Midoriya dove suddenly, collided with her, and the two hit the ground. Almost immediately, a long, silver something swooped over their heads, missing them by mere inches.

It took Todoroki a total of two seconds before he realized it was a sword. A long, silver, real sword, like something out of a fantasy book. Todoroki knew that, if Midoriya hadn't noticed, it would have taken their heads clean off.

"My, my, what trooooublesome little braaaaats…"

It was a hollow and sing-song voice, carrying through the chilly night air and sending an icy shiver down Todoroki's spine. The voice echoed in the alley and resounded through him head far after the speaker's voice faded. He and Midoriya got to their feet again, more on-guard than ever before in their lives.

Then, the villain stepped into the streetlight.

It was a man, tall and lanky with black hair, thin skin as white as death itself, and gleaming, red eyes. He was dressed in a solid black, fine-looking business suit and had a sword in one bony, pale hand; his othim hand was empty, but deformed, like it'd been cruhed and healed wrong somewhime along the line.

"A villain." Todoroki said it, even though it was obvious. Midoriya nodded, though, in further confirmation, Todoroki noticed Midoriya shift his feet into a stance he saw him take up often: a combat stance.

The villain tilted his head sideways, a curtain of greasy black hair obscuring the left half of his pale, drawn face. Every bone in his body was very prominent, almost like he was a walking corpse that'd already been dead for weeks. Even his voice sounded empty and inhuman.

"Victims that fight back…" the man drawled in that same hollow, dead but eerily sing-song tone, "have to be the woooorst and most anoooying of them all…"

And suddenly, his arm extended until it was five times its usual length, and Midoriya and Todoroki were ducking beneath his sword again.

Does he have an elastic body? Is that his Quirk? Todoroki's mind was reeling, searching frantically for answers. Judging by the look on his face, that's probably what Midoriya’s thinking, too…

The man's arm retracted once again, and Todoroki was hit by the sudden realization that running wasn't an option. If the man really did have an elastic body, with an elastic sword-arm, then turning their back onhimfor an instant would be fatal.

Which left only one alternative.

Midoriya put up his hands and shifted his weight, biting his lip.

They were going to fight. And if they didn't win, it meant death.

"You think you can beat meeeeee?" the villain sang softly, taking a step forward on his long, bony legs; Todoroki and Midoriya, in turn, took a step backwards. "Children from the U.A. really are troooooublesome…"

Midoriya pulled back his fist, but the villain met them head-on before he had the chance to actually do anything.

His sword went towards them, and Todoroki and Midoriya dove in opposite directions. All the while, Todoroki's mind was spinning. They were heroes. In training, granted, but heroes nonetheless. They'd fought against an abundance of villains, most much scarier than this one, at the battle of the USJ.

Todoroki Immediately tried to attack him with ice... but as he did, the villain swung his sword and it cut through it immediately. So he tried launching a fire attack, only for the same thing to happen again.

“What the hell? A sword that can cut through anything?” This was going to be harder than he imagined.

The villain swung both arms at once; the sword arm towards Todoroki and the deformed arm towards Midoriya. Todoroki ducked and put his hands in front of his face; the sword met ice before slicing it cleanly in half. Then with another clean cut, the villain hit the alleyway wall and a half a dozen bricks tumbled to the floor, one of which landed promptly on Todoroki's ankle.

Something twisted and snapped, and he shrieked in pain.

"Todoroki!"

Oh, that was Midoriya. Todoroki pulled himself up, trying to ignore the pain though it was easily overcoming the rest of his senses. Once he was on his knees, he shoved the brick off his foot and looked up. He couldn't see anything; there was a very fine screen of dust from where the building had been damaged, and his eyes were stinging.

Midoriya, Midoriya, where's Midoriya...wait, where's the villain? The villain, the villain, where's the villain—

"Say goodbyeeeee, troublesome hero…"

And suddenly the villain was right in his face, and his sword arm was pulled back, poised to strike.

Todoroki's mind went blank as he stared into this monster's cold, dead eyes. For a brief moment—and only for a brief moment—he wondered why. He didn't understand how someone with power would use it like this, to kill instead of to protect…

The world faded around him, and his line of sight gradually narrowed until all he could see was this monster and his deadly weapon.

Is this…

...How I die?

The sword came at him, and he shut his eyes, bracing himself for the feeling of metal in his flesh.

But it never came.

A sickening sound; a splatter of something warm on his cheek; a sudden inhale of breath.

And he opened his eyes.

There was Midoriya, standing just in front of where he was crouching, the silver, bloody blade of the villain protruding from his back.

Todoroki's breath caught in his throat. His eyes went wide, wider than they'd ever gone in his life, and horror—pure, unbridled horror —completely overcame him.

"MIDORIYA!" It was more of a guttural scream than actual word. The villain retracted his blade, and Midoriya hit the ground like a stone.

Todoroki was frozen in place, his breath coming in great, heaving gasps—and then, before he was aware of what was happening, he'd scrambled to Midoriya's side and grabbed his shoulder.

"M-Midoriya," he said desperately; he was lying on his side, but he didn't dare move him. "Midoriya, n-no, Midoriya..."

He didn't know what to say, let alone do. His tongue felt too thick for his mouth, and he was numb with the mere terror of this situation. Midoriya's eyes were squeezed shut, and he gasped in sharp, shaky breaths from between gritted teeth. Blood pooled beneath him; Todoroki felt it, hot and sticky on his knees.

And he was suddenly very, very scared.

More scared than he'd ever been in his life, and he'd been through a lot of scary stuff.

This was scarier than the battle of the USJ. Much, much, 

much scarier

.

"Oh, I believe I understand it nooooow," the villain droned; Todoroki ignored him, his hands grasping Midoriya's shoulder tightly. "Your friend...he's the sacrificial type, isn't heeee? What a waaaaaste…"

"Midoriya, M-Midoriya, please, please talk to me…"

And when he didn't—couldn't—Todoroki began to sob.

"Don't worry about your ffrieeeend," the villain sang softly—inhumanely. "His pain will end soooooon…"

"I-It's going to be okay, M-Midoriya…" Todoroki said the only thing he could, because what else was he supposed to do? The villain wasn't coming at his anymore; instead, he simply stood back, almost like…

...Almost like he was waiting for Midoriya to bleed out.

And now that Todoroki actually stopped to think about it…

...He was.

"T-Todoroki…"

Midoriya's voice came, shakily and guttural, and he coughed wetly, adding more blood to the puddle on the ground.

"P-Please d-don't," Todoroki pleaded, shaking his head feverishly. "P-Please d-don't speak, it's...it's going to be okay. I-It'll be o-okay…"

"Hmm, I wonder," the villain cocked his head to one side again, "how it feeeels to lie to your frieeeend…"

“T-To-do-roki”

Midoriya choked again.

"S-Stop," Todoroki begged. "P-Please s-stop, Midoriya, sto—"

"Run."

It was a simple word, but Todoroki froze immediately.

Run.

Run?

Run?

"Hmm...yessss, you could do thaaaaat," the villain said, having caught Midoriya's one coherent word. "Taking down one U.A. student is revenge enoooough…if you ran now boy, I'd let you goooo…"Todoroki's mind was still spinning. Run. Run. Run.

Midoriya wanted him to run. He'd already saved his life twice today, and now he was trying to set his safety in stone.

Running. Turning and running. Leaving him behind. That's what he wanted him to do, and honestly, it was terrifying how easy it would have been. It was terrifying how simple turning and running was when it came down to your own life.

But...Midoriya's simple word had the opposite effect on Todoroki.

And suddenly, he found the strength to stand. The pain in his ankle meant nothing anymore.

For a second, he saw Midoriya relax, dropping his head to the ground, ready to accept his fate.

He thought he was running.

But he wasn't.

He stepped forward and stood over him, putting himself between him and the villain. He shifted his feet, like he'd seen Midoriya do so many times, into a fighting stance and held out his hands.

He was shaking. His entire body was downright trembling. He was scared. Terrified. And he wasn't afraid to admit it.

But he wasn't going to leave Midoriya. The mere thought of leaving him like this was enough to light a flame within him, enough to give him strength.

The villain looked at him, shocked and confused. "What is thiiiiis?" he sang. Then, his expression morphed into something like amusement. It was sickening. "You aren't runnnning?"

"T-Todoroki…" Midoriya realized in an instant that he hadn't listened to him. "W-What…" He coughed; it sounded really, really painful. "G-Get...g-get out of...of here…"

Todoroki was wracked with chills, and he grit his teeth, but his mind was made.

He wasn't going anywhere.

"Stay down, Midoriya," Todoroki said, hoping his voice didn't give away just how frightened he was. "You've saved my life plenty of times already. Now it's my turn."

The villain's amusement faltered. "Playing frieeeends is a dangerous game," he warned. "You can stillll ruuuuun…"

Todoroki put up his fists. He knew it. He knew he could still run, and the logical part of his mind was screeching Go! Save yourself!

But that wasn't an option. It'd never even been an option.

"I'm not afraid of you! Todoroki said to the villain, swallowing thickly. “I'm not afraid of you!"

Maybe he said it to convince himself. Because he was scared. He was.

But not scared enough to back down. Not scared enough to turn tail and run. Midoriya was more important to him than any kind of fear.

And suddenly, he was overcome by another fear: the fear of losing Midoriya.

And that fear was much stronger than all others, including the fear the villain caused.

The thought of losing Midoriya…

It brought such utter terror to Todoroki's mind.

"Ah, piiiiity," the villain said, but his tone didn't back up his words. "Guess I'll be delivering two dead bodies to the U.A.'s doorsteeeep…"

The villain's deformed hand suddenly popped into Todoroki's mind again. So it was revenge he wanted, to strike fear into the hearts of the other students and heroes…

Todoroki grit his teeth even harder.

"Oh weeeeell," said the villain. "Suppose you step back, boy, let me put the boy out of his miiiiseryyyy… Plus… it’s not like you can hurt me since I can cut down both your ice and your fire" He extended his sword, just slightly, for emphasis.

Todoroki stood his ground with more courage than he knew he had. "You're not touching him again," he seethed, and his voice didn't shake this time. "I don't care if you stab me a hundred times, you're not touching him again."

"Oh?" the villain began curiously. "And hooooow do you plan on doing thaaat?"

Todoroki had spent hours and hours perfecting his new move. What kind of hero would be if he didn’t have a backup plan. With a fist clenched he brought it above his head. Then in one quick motion he brought it down.

The villain had just enough time to roll his head in confusion before the loose building bricks—all of them—came crashing down on his head. As he was dodging attacks, Todoroki had frozen bricks in place. With his heat, he could melt the ice that held them against the wall.

All so they could fall down on top of the villain.

One by one they bounced off his skull and thudded onto the cement below. For a few moments, the villain stood, swaying slightly on his feet, his eyes wide open and his expression unreadable.

And then, his knees buckled, and he collapsed.

Out. Unconscious. Probably with a really, really, really bad concussion to boot. Todoroki stood there breathlessly, bile rising in his throat; his stomach churned horribly, and he thought he'd be sick.

But he wasn't.

Instead, he turned and crashed to his knees by Midoriya again. Right now, he was more important than any physical pain he was feeling, and that included the pain in his (probably) broken ankle, which he hadn't so much as thought about.

"Midoriya, Midoriya, we have to go," Todoroki said, shaking his shoulder as hard as he dared. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off and the threat of the villain was gone, a new threat introduced itself, not for the first time:

Midoriya's injury. His injury was a threat far worse than the villain.

Todoroki retracted his hands and tore his shirt, ripping off strips as long as possible to use for bandages. His hands were shaking. His knees were scraped and covered in blood (his own and Midoriya's). The entire alley was blood-splattered, like something out of a horror movie.

Todoroki sucked in a deep breath to mentally prepare himself, then grabbed Midoriya by the shoulders and pulled him upright.

He was careful, and he knew it would hurt him regardless of how gentle he was, but he still wasn't prepared for his reaction. He screamed. He flat-out screamed, and Todoroki's heart shattered, and the tears started again.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say, as he held him upright and tried to get the bandages around his midsection, where the damage was worst. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

Please forgive me.

Please, please, please forgive me…

I'm so…

...I'm so sorry…

He wrapped it as best as he could. It was nowhere near what it needed to be, and blood already soaked the bandages, but…

...It was enough. It was enough until they got help.

Now that it was over, Todoroki couldn't help it; he wrapped his arms around Midoriya and pulled him closer, embracing him as tightly as he dared. For a second he considered letting go and giving him some breathing room, but then he wordlessly embraced him back, though his hold was much more limp.

Her breath hitched, and he tried in vain to swallow the lump in his throat.

"H-H-Hey, M-Midoriya…"

The tears were back with vigor, and he buried his face in his matted hair to hide them.

"L-Let's go h-home, okay?"

***

"Midoriya, please, please, Midoriya, c'mon…"

As Todoroki dragged himself and his semi-conscious companion down the street, desperate to find someone, anyone, who would have more control of the situation than him, he felt more helpless than he'd ever felt before in his entire life.

The night sky was filled with dark clouds, so not even the light of the moon was visible. Todoroki's way was lit only by dim, flickering street lights that lined the old, broken road. His ankle was throbbing terribly, and though his head felt light, his legs were heavier than ever.

"Hang on, Midoriya. Just a little...just a little bit longer…" he managed to choke out, despite him own pain and exhaustion. he grit him teeth and forced his legs to keep moving. One step, two steps, three steps—one painful footfall after the other.

No matter how beat up I am, Midoriya's worse, he told himself firmly, if just to keep himself moving. Midoriya's way, way, way worse.

Honestly, when Todoroki thought about it (and he really, really didn't want to think about it), it was a miracle Midoriya was still even alive.

His eyes were shut, blood streaking down his face from a still-bleeding gash on his hairline. He was still conscious, remarkably, but only barely, and he couldn't stand on his own; Todoroki had to support him entirely,

His arm around his neck and his arm hooked around his waist. Even in the faint light of the streetlamps, Todoroki could easily see how horribly pale his friend was, and how awful he really looked. His skin was waxy and clammy; his breath rattled painfully in his chest, and Todoroki knew that each shuddering exhale had the potential to be his last.

(Todoroki really, really, really didn't want to think about that, either.)

Hot, wet something seeped into Todoroki's torn, tattered clothing, and he was reminded yet again that Midoriya's head wound was the least of their worries. Of course, compared to any other kind of injury, the head wound would have easily been the most serious.

But not in this case. Not by a long shot.

Because Midoriya had been flat-out impaled by that hideous villain, straight through his stomach.

Todoroki swallowed thickly against the bile that rose in his throat at the thought and shook his head vigorously.

No, now's not the time to think about that. I have to…

...I have to get Midoriya somewhere safe...

He pulled him closer, holding him against his side and kept on moving, dragging himself and his precious, precious friend through the abandoned street, back to the U.A.

His legs were still uncharacteristically heavy.

Every step he took was harder than the last.

But nonetheless. He refused to give up.

After all, when they were cornered in the alley by the villain, it had been Midoriya to stand his ground. Shy, timid, but oh so brave Midoriya, the sweet, precious fanboy who came dead last in the U.A. initiation test. He'd held his ground and fought alongside Todoroki against the horrendous villain.

Midoriya hadn't given up. Not once.

And anyways, it was Todoroki's fault in the first place. In reality, it shouldn't have been Midoriya who'd ended up hurt like this.

No. It was supposed to be Todoroki, but because Midoriya was such a...such a...such a stupid, selfless, caring, dumb idiot, he just had to jump in there, right when the villain's weapon (a gleaming, terrifying long sword) was poised to strike Todoroki's heart.

He just had to take the blow for himself.

Todoroki stumbled over a crack in the old street, and he heard Midoriya inhale sharply in pain. Todoroki grimaced and whispered, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," to his nearly unconscious friend. He didn't respond, and he hadn't been expecting him to.

He paused a moment to let him breathe (and to catch his breath, too), then kept moving. They had no time to spare.

The makeshift bandages Todoroki fashioned from the torn hem of his shirt weren't doing their job anymore, and he heard quiet drips,almost like rain, as Midoriya's blood sprinkled the dark street. He felt all the sicker because of it, but refused to let it overcome him.

He didn't have time.

(Midoriya didn't have time.)

"To-do-roki…"

It was just one word. One single, solitary word, but it still fired a dozen icy arrows straight into Todoroki's heart.

His voice. His freaking voice. It cracked in about a million different places, and it shook almost pathetically, giving away just how scared he was, and just how much pain he was in. Todoroki's heart clenched for the upteenth time, and he blinked back tears, refusing to cry for Midoriya's sake (although he knew he wouldn't be able to keep it up for much longer).

"...It's okay, Midoriya, you don't have to say anything," Todoroki whispered, trying to quiet him, because he couldn't take it. he just couldn't take it.

Although they'd only known each other for a short time, they'd been through a so much, and through it all, Todoroki had never, ever heard Midoriya sound so broken.

It was wrong.

It was. So. Wrong.

"I-It'll be alright, Midoriya." he really hoped his voice didn't betray how terrified he was. he was trying to be strong for Midoriya's sake alone. "It's gonna be okay. It'll be okay. We're going home now, we're going home…"

Home. Home. It seemed such a distant thing, and Todoroki longed for it. Longed to be in a place of total safety, with his friends, his teachers, all the people he'd grown fond of, the people he'd started to see as more of a family than anything...

Midoriya stumbled and pitched forward, and it took all of Todoroki's strength not to trip along with him. He halted dead in his tracks, shaking him as hard as he dared.

"H-Hey, Midoriya, s-stay with me, okay?" Todoroki said, keeping his voice as steady as possible (which was actually a lot shakier than he'd hoped). "It's going to be fine, just stay with me…"

He'd never been this blatantly terrified in him entire life.

He liked training to be a hero, he could handle it all. He could handle all that and more, and practically anything else, but...

But he couldn't handle this. He couldn't handle this struggle, to keep himself upright and keep Midoriya awake (alive, more like). This wasn't a problem that had as easy a fix as beating a couple villains in a fight. Compared to this, fighting villains suddenly seemed ridiculously easy.

He swallowed thickly and kept moving.

Midoriya was slowly getting heavier—maybe he was finally losing the grip with his consciousness, or maybe Todoroki was reaching his own limit—but Todoroki kept moving, forcing himself on. He'd definitely messed up him ankle during the fight, and every step brought a shooting pain through his leg.

He ignored it, though. Even though it hurt, he forced himself to keep moving. He was plowing through just by sheer willpower now. He had to keep moving.

He had to keep moving.

Keep moving.

Keep moving.

Keep—

Midoriya slumped against him, suddenly limp.

Sirens went off in Todoroki's head, and he shifted his feet so that he didn't fall over when the rest of Midoriya's body weight was added to his load.

"...Midoriya, h-hey, Midoriya…" he tried, shaking him, his voice wavering worse than ever before. He looked like he was still breathing, but his breath was nothing more than a painful, shallow rasp now.

"M-Midoriya!" Todoroki shouted at him, shaking him once more. If he passed out now...he didn't know if he'd ever wake up again.

"P-Please g-get up!"

He'd lost so much blood…

"Midoriya, you have to get up!"

And, blessedly, Midoriya opened his eyes. He stared off into space, blinking rapidly. His skin was even whiter than before, and his bangs were matted to his forehead with blood and sweat. "...T-Todoroki…" he choked.

Todoroki released the breath he didn't know he was holding, him relief so immense he could have laughed (but of course he didn't do that).

"Y-You...you scared me, M-Midoriya," he breathed shakily. "D-Don't do that again…"

"S-Sorry…" Midoriya coughed weakly. "D-Didn't mean t-to…"

Todoroki shook him head feverishly, finally managing to calm himself down now that he knew Midoriya was conscious (and alive). "You don't need to apologize," Todoroki told him, "I know you're tired, and you're hurt, but you have to stay with me, okay? Please."

He pulled Midoriya's arm tighter around him neck, clenching him teeth and steeling him resolve. It wouldn't end here. It wouldn't. It couldn't. He wouldn't allow it to end here. Not like this.

The blood was still dripping onto the street. It was horrifying, how much of the stuff Midoriya had lost thus far. It was a miracle he was conscious, or even still alive for that matter, and Todoroki's panic was steadily growing once again.

I need to get him somewhere before he bleeds out, he thought frantically. The U.A., a doctor, even someone's house, I just need to get off the street!

But there was no one around. Overall, this was a pretty abandoned part of the city, and he had somehow ended up taking the back way to the U.A., where there were the least amount of civilians and buildings. And besides, Midoriya needed help—professional, miracle-working help, and that kind of help could only be given by the U.A.'s very own specialized healer, Recovery Girl.

There was no help for Midoriya—no help at all—until they reached the U.A.

And at this rate, if things kept going like this…

Midoriya coughed, harshly and raggedly, and blood dripped down his chin.

...He's not going to make it all the way.

As soon as the thought entered his mind, Todoroki shook his head, very angry with himself.

No. I can't think that way. I can't. Not now. Not...

...Not when this situation is already as bad as it gets...

Since his emotions were all over the place, he shifted to the logical, problem-solving part of his mind. He had to rewrap his wound. That was the only option. Yeah, he'd rewrap it, and they'd get to the U.A., and Midoriya would be safe, and Recovery Girl would heal him, and he would be fine, he would be fine, he had to be fine...

Todoroki stumbled towards the nearest streetlamp and carefully—ever so carefully—slipped Midoriya's arm from around his neck and knelt down, leaning him against the lamp post. In the dim, flickering light, Midoriya looked even worse—or maybe that was just his condition deteriorating even further. He didn't even bother keeping his eyes open anymore, and though he was conscious (if you could even call the dazed, exhausted state he was in "conscious"), he was still limp.

He was fading fast, and Todoroki knew it.

He knelt by him classmate's side and raised him hands, stained with dry (and fresh) blood. Midoriya's blood. He shook his head instantly, forcing him mind away from that. If he started thinking along those lines now, they'd never make it home. He had to be strong now. He had to be strong for him, if only for Midoriya, just like Midoriya would be (and was) strong for Todoroki.

Todoroki carefully tore away the sodden makeshift bandages and got him first good look at Midoriya's wound. His stomach churned worse than before, and this time, bile burned the back of his throat. He felt lightheaded, like he'd faint, but he stayed conscious for one reason and one reason only.

Todoroki averted his gaze and hastily began tearing long strips from the rest of his blood-splattered shirt. He shivered in the cold without his shirt. Midoriya’s was covered in blood but he tore that too to act as another layer for his bandages. Todoroki had to get that wound wrapped. He had to stop the bleeding, right now, before Midoriya lost any more blood. It probably wasn’t the best idea for Midoriya to be shirtless since he needed to keep warm… But Todoroki had to, he had to, he had to, he had to, he had to, he had to...

I have to, I have to, I have to.

"Midoriya...this...this is going to hurt," was all Todoroki managed to choke out, once he thought he had enough fabric to work with. Midoriya didn't even respond verbally; just gave a weak jerk of his head, which could've been a nod (Todoroki just assumed it was although it really could've been anything). Todoroki took a deep breath, mentally steeled himself, and began.

His hands were remarkably steady, which surprised him. Considering the situation, it was a miracle he wasn't all over the place.

But somehow, in the back of him mind, he knew the reason why his hands were so steady, why his fingers moved as though on their own accord.

Because right now...

...He just wanted his friend to live. That was all that mattered. He knew this, and so did him hands, and they worked quickly and professionally to wrap his friend's grave injury.

Midoriya didn't scream or shout, like Todoroki was half expecting him to. Instead, his hands tightened into fists until his knuckles were white, and tears left white streaks on his dirty face. Muffled, choked sobs squeezed their way through his clenched teeth, and it took all of Todoroki's willpower not to break down then and there.

The first time he'd wrapped his stomach, it'd been in a flurry of panic, and then, Midoriya had screamed in pain, but now that he was silent, it scared Todoroki all the more, because it meant he was too weak to so much as make a sound.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, Midoriya…"

In the end, apologies didn't really make a difference, but he couldn't stop himself at this point. Because this was his fault. All his fault. Not Midoriya's. His. His. His and his alone.

In the end, he hadn't been strong enough to protect him dearest friend.

By the time it was finally over—when the wound was finally wrapped and the bleeding was slowed—they were both openly sobbing, and Todoroki was more exhausted than ever.

But that didn't stop him.

He stood on unsteady, shaky feet, and somehow managed to lift Midoriya up with him, pulling the latter's arm around his neck and supporting the whole of his bodyweight. In any other situation, Midoriya would've been easier to carry than cotton candy, but right now, Todoroki felt like he was trying to lug an entire sack of rocks over him shoulder.

It would've been easier if he could've just used a Quirk to make Midoriya weightless, but that wasn't an option. Uraraka wasn’t here. He was alone.

Midoriya couldn't keep his head up anymore, and Todoroki's mind was starting to go blank thanks to exhaustion, pain, fear, adrenaline, and panic. His feet moved on him own, and he felt oddly detached, like he was passenger instead of driver, his head filled with cotton.

"Hang on, Midoriya," he pleaded, completely and utterly desperate by now. "Please, please, don't give up on me now, just...just hang in there...hang in there...hang in there...please hang in there…"

He wasn't sure who he was talking to anymore, himself or Midoriya, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. The only thing that mattered was reaching the U.A. and getting Midoriya the medical attention he so desperately needed.

"Please, please, please, please, please, please…"

He was so, so desperate.

"Stay with me, please stay with me…"

He could see the building now. The U.A. was merely a huge silhouette in the dark, but Todoroki knew exactly what it was.

"Midoriya, M-Midoriya, stay awake...it's okay, I've got you, I've got you, just...just...j-just stay with me..."

And, before his clouded brain had the chance to register it, he was standing in front of the U.A.

He stared up at it as if seeing it for the first time, Midoriya limp against him. Despite everything...they'd made it. Somehow, somehow, they'd made it.

"M-Midoriya…" Todoroki managed, him lips twisting into a small, exhausted, but genuine smile. "Midoriya, look. We're...we're home..."

He swayed, the ground swimming beneath his feet, and he barely managed to lower Midoriya to the ground before he collapsed, right beside him. He was just so exhausted; if he took another step, he knew he'd pass out instantly. His ankle was throbbing terribly, as was his head, and he still felt nauseous and dizzy, but...

...But in the end, though, he'd done it. he'd gotten himself and Midoriya back to the U.A. Now Midoriya could get help, and medical attention, and—

"M-Midoriya...Midoriya...?"

Todoroki lifted him head to look at his friend, and all at once, his heart skipped a beat, and his blood ran cold.

Midoriya wasn't breathing.

Todoroki's panic returned in a flash, and he shot upright, reaching over and shaking Midoriya's shoulder harshly. Probably too harshly, actually. Harshly enough to leave a bruise. Not that it mattered.

Because he wasn't breathing anymore.

Midoriya wasn't breathing anymore.

"M-Midoriya, w-wait, I…" he stuttered. His brain was already foggy enough; he couldn't comprehend this.

No, I...I got him home. He...he can't…

No, he can't...he can't be...he's not…

"...M-Midoriya...Midoriya...MIDORIYA!"

The reality of the situation set in all at once, and Todoroki screamed. He completely lost it.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" he screeched as loudly as he possibly could, tears streaming down him face as his hands shook the cold, unmoving body of his friend back and forth.

(He'd never felt so scared before in his life.)

"I NEED HELP! SOMEBODY! HELP ME! PLEASE! S-SOMEBODY!" his screams ripped him throat to shreds.

(He'd never felt so helpless before in his life.)

"MIDORIYA! MIDORIYA, NO! TALK TO ME! MIDORIYA! MIDORIYA, NO! MIDORIYA!" he shook him again. Todoroki’s heartrate skyrocketed; his lungs worked over time; his breath came in great, heaving gasps.

(He'd never felt this much pain before in him life.)

"I NEED HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME! IT'S MY FRIEND, IT'S MIDORIYA, HE'S...HE NEEDS HELP!"

Someone...please!

...Help him!

And then, all at once and all too suddenly, it seemed everybody at the U.A. was there. He heard voices, and shouts, of people he knew well and people he was barely acquainted with, but all he cared about was Midoriya. All that mattered was Midoriya, cold and still and definitely not breathing—

"MIDORIYA! MIDORIYA! PLEASE GET UP! GET UP, MIDORIYA! GET UP RIGHT NOW!" he cried, shaking Midoriya back and forth, back and forth, and then back and forth once again, because he didn't know what to do and he was so scared and everything was spinning and him thoughts were clouding over and he couldn't think and he couldn't move and he suddenly couldn't breathe—

Someone grabbed him shoulder, tried pulling him away, but Todoroki fought back, wrenching from their grip. As if they'd be able to drag him away from Midoriya now. As if. Todoroki had gotten this far and he wasn't going to give up now.

Besides, he...

...He wasn't breathing anymore. His friend, his closest, best friend, wasn't breathing anymore.

No...no, no, no, no, no...please...don't...don't let...don't let it end like this...

"Todoroki! Todoroki!" Someone had their hands on his shoulders, and he knew he recognized the voice, but he just couldn't place who it was at the moment. "Calm down!"

Todoroki wanted to scream—no, wait, he was already doing that, loud and long. It grated his throat and made his lungs ache, but he couldn't help it. he was just...just...

Just so terrified…

He raised his head slowly. Everything was blurry and swirled together, like he was on a merry-go-round that was spinning too fast. He saw a group of people gathered around Midoriya, but that was all he could make out.

"Todoroki, calm down." The person holding his shoulders—probably a teacher, he decided—was still talking to him, but he didn't care. All he cared about, all that mattered…

...Was Midoriya.

Stop worrying about me, he wanted to say so badly. The edges of his vision turned black, and his eyelids felt too heavy. Don't...don't think about me...

His voice stopped working. He couldn't say anything.

Midoriya's...he's not...

...He's not breathing anymore...

"Todoroki, calm down, calm down, calm down…"

...Please...help him...

...Just help him...

His vision swam, and dark spots danced before his eyes. Everything he heard sounded like it was spoken through water, and a numbness overcame him. He couldn't move.

"Midoriya...M-Midoriya…" he managed to choke, the world darkening around him.

"Todoroki, calm down, it's alright…"

"Midoriya...Midoriya...Midoriya…"

"We've got him, we've got Midoriya. He's going to be okay."

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, Midoriya…"

"Todoroki...Todoroki!"

The world was pulled out from under him, and Todoroki plunged head-first into unconsciousness.

***

"Midoriya!"

Todoroki shot upright with the exclamation, his breathing all over the place and him head pounding. his leg—the one he'd messed up in the fight—was throbbing something awful, not that he really cared about that.

He looked around wildly. White walls, white ceiling, white beds in rows...it took him only three seconds total to recognize him surroundings. The infirmary of the U.A. he was on one of the beds, his leg and head both wrapped tightly with gauze.

Where's Midoriya?

His mind instantly moved to his classmate, and he looked around once more—and then, all his worries were suddenly gone.

Midoriya was lying on the bed just beside Todoroki's own, unconscious but thankfully—blessedly—breathing. There was an oxygen mask over his face, and an IV needle pricked into one wrist, a blood transfusion in the other. Gauze was wound around his head, and the more serious wound was hidden by a blanket, but Todoroki assumed that it was wrapped as well.

He fell against the pillows again, feeling weak with relief. Midoriya was alright. He was breathing now, and though he looked awful, he was definitely better than before.

They were safe. They were home.

Todoroki surveyed the room once more, though with far less urgency. No one else was around, not even Recovery Girl, which surprised him until he remembered the peril some of the training sessions put the other students in. After that, his surprise diminished considerably.

"Todoroki…"

He turned towards the only other person in the room, a little startled at first. Midoriya was (somehow) awake, looking dazedly at him with half-closed, glassy eyes. But, through the exhaustion, he saw relief embedded in his stare, and before he knew it, he found himself smiling softly.

"...Midoriya," he said, keeping his voice low though he didn't know why. Maybe it was because he didn't have the heart to break this newly found peace and serenity. It was such a contrast to the chaos he'd passed out to. "...How are you feeling?"

"...Tired, but...pretty okay," Midoriya croaked, equally softly, and his voice cracked, but not as badly as it had before. He blinked at him, and then directed his gaze towards the roof of the infirmary. "...I...feel like I've...been in here too many times…"

Todoroki cracked a genuine smile at that. He was right; Midoriya had a bad habit of getting himself injured.

And then, suddenly, he frowned, a more concerned expression taking root. Though Midoriya was conscious and safe and recovering now, he hadn't been until recent. he glanced at his bandages, at the oxygen mask, at the blood transfusion, and the gravity of the situation finally caught up with him.

We could've...we almost...

...Died.

The reality had never hit him harder.

He felt sick again, and something burned the back of his throat. They could have easily, oh so easily, just died. Died, dead, murdered by some villain while Todoroki was walking Midoriya home from U.A.

They could've died.

They almost died.

And out of the two of them, Midoriya came the closest.

"...Todoroki...you okay?"

Todoroki broke away from his thoughts, instead focusing on the quiet, raspy voice of his friend. Midoriya sounded so concerned for him, like he always did when it came to his friends, and Todoroki didn't think it was fair. It wasn't fair of him to worry when he himself went through so much. It wasn't fair to him.

But he shouldn't have been surprised. That was just the kind of person Midoriya was, always so sweet and compassionate, never thinking about himself.

"...Yeah, I'm okay," Todoroki lied. "I'm a lot better off than you, you know."

He smiled, faintly and tiredly, but honestly nonetheless.

"...And it's because of you that I am," Todoroki added. "Midoriya…" There were so many things he wanted to say, but he couldn't find the right words.

"Thank you," he settled for. It was small and insignificant compared to what Midoriya did for him. Honestly, he could never thank him enough for what he did, using himself as a human shield to protect him.

"Oh...y-you're welcome," Midoriya murmured, his speech slurring. "I would...do it again...in a heartbeat…"

Todoroki smiled gently. "...You should try and rest," Todoroki said. "I don't care how 'okay' you think you are, you were just stabbed." It occurred to him now that he didn't actually know how long they'd been in here. How long had they been in the infirmary? Midoriya was still on a blood transfusion, so it couldn't have been more than a few hours...

"'Okay," Midoriya said, nodding. "And...you should, too…"

"I will." Because Midoriya wouldn't rest until he knew he was okay and resting, too. It was endearing, really, it was, but he wished he would think about himself sometimes, especially when it came to his own physical well-being.

Midoriya shut his eyes, satisfied with his response. Todoroki closed his eyes as well, but sleep didn't come as easily as he'd hoped, which was odd considering how exhausted he was. He waited a beat or two in silence, and then,

"Hey, Midoriya?"

Midoriya cracked open one eye to look at him.

"...I'm...I'm glad you're alive," Todoroki said.

Midoriya blinked, and then smiled softly. "...I'm glad you're alive, too," he murmured.

Todoroki smiled back at him, and then fell silent once again, letting Midoriya get the rest he so desperately needed. He closed his own eyes, and this time, sleep rushed to meet him.

***

When Todoroki awoke, it was with a start, and he found himself staring upwards at the white ceiling of the U.A. infirmary.

He swallowed thickly and draped his arm over his eyes, his chin quivering.

That...was the last thing I wanted to remember...

He glanced over at the hospital bed beside him. Midoriya was still there, sleeping soundly. He wasn't on oxygen anymore and a little colour had returned to his whitewashed face, but the bandages were still very much there and necessary, and the IV drip was still there, too.

"I see you're awake."

Todoroki glanced over. The official U.A. nurse Recovery Girl stared back at her. The look on her face was unreadable.

Todoroki sat up and turned towards the nurse's other patient."...How is he?" Todoroki asked. "How's Midoriya?"

"He'll be fine once he sleeps," said Recovery Girl. "I drained most his stamina fixing his insides and I put him on medication to help manage the pain, but he still couldn't sleep soundly, so I gave him a sedative to let his body calm down so he could rest."

It stung at first, the knowledge that Midoriya had to be literally sedated in order for him to sleep without feeling the pain of his injuries, but then Todoroki was relieved, relieved that Midoriya wasn't feeling the pain of his injuries and could get the rest he so desperately needed.

"...I don't know the extent of what happened out there," Recovery Girl said, and Todoroki turned to look at her. "But I believe I know enough." The woman pulled up a stool and sat down on it with a weary sigh. "You were attacked by a villain, were you not?"

Todoroki nodded at once. "We were," he said. "In the alley, on our way home...and Midoriya was hurt…"

Recovery Girl nodded gravely and Todoroki let his voice fade out. "You two were very brave," Recovery Girl said. "It takes a lot of courage to do what you did, and as students, too…"

Todoroki swallowed. A lot of unwelcome images plagued his mind; Midoriya, bleeding and unconscious; Midoriya, struggling for breath; Midoriya, no longer breathing…

"The school is very proud of you both," said Recovery Girl, hijacking Todoroki's train of thought. "You and Midoriya fought bravely when you were unprepared and unarmed."

"...Midoriya was braver," Todoroki said, his voice wavering slightly. His hands balled into fists against the white mattress. "He...he saved me. The villain, he…" He could feel hysterics bubbling in his chest. "H-He was...he was aiming for me, but Midoriya…"

"You don't have to explain anything to me," said Recovery Girl, "I understand. But you mustn't be angry at yourself, Todoroki. I know for a fact that if your roles were reversed, you would have done for him exactly what he did for you."

Then, the little nurse smiled.

"...And you did protect Midoriya," she said. "You brought him home, despite your own pain and fear. You protected him just as much as he protected you. You were very brave, you and Midoriya both. I'm proud of you."

Todoroki swallowed. Honestly, when he'd been against the villain...he hadn't felt very "brave." He'd been shaking from his head to his toes, barely able to hold up his hands. He had felt completely powerless too… since everything he threw at the villain had ultimately failed. Why am I so weak? Midoriya had been far more brave, going so far as to tell him to run and save himself when he was bleeding out, dying, at the mercy of a deadly, horrifying villain.

"Don't trouble yourself with this any longer," Recovery Girl said sternly, getting up from her chair and crossing the room towards the door. "Proud of you or not, you and Midoriya are both my patients and you both need to rest." She paused, just slightly, one hand outstretched towards the doorknob. "Do you need something to help you sleep, dear?" she asked Todoroki softly.

Todoroki shook his head. "N-No, I'll be fine," he said, and he hoped he wasn't lying. "Thank you for everything."

Recovery Girl nodded and left.

Todoroki stared at the closed door for a moment or two, and then laid down again, though he doubted he'd be able to sleep again if he tried. He glanced over at Midoriya (he seemed to do a lot of that lately), frowned, and then reached over.

He paused, hesitant, and then laid his hand over Midoriya's. His fingers were cold, and he was reminded—horribly—of how cold his skin had felt before, when he was shaking him back and forth in front of the U.A., screaming for him to wake up.

He squeezed his eyes shut tightly to block out the images that flooded his mind, but it was too late. The damage was done. His throat burned; he felt like crying.

And then, Midoriya's fingers wound themselves around his. His grip was weak, but he'd definitely moved, and Todoroki looked up suddenly, startled.

"Midoriya?"

But he was still out of it. Completely and totally out of it. It had totally been a subconscious move for him, grasping his hand, but for some reason it felt so much more than that.

Todoroki suddenly felt a lot better, and he squeezed his cold fingers and smiled softly.

That was how Recovery Girl found them hours later when she came to change Midoriya's IV: sleeping soundly, their fingers entwined.