#Foolish asked if Bad was okay multiple times

[shadowfloofster]

Everyone at twitchcon: *having fun hanging out with people*

Bad, Cellbit, Foolish and Jaiden, fighting for their lives:

Bad specifically, popping 25 totems and using all his potions:

[reiderwriter]

hi i love your writing

could you do something with reid loving that reader is pregnant. fluff or smut or both

A/N Hello! Thanks for the request! Dad!Spencer is the cutest thing on the planet so this is some unapologetic fluff. And now I have baby fever.

Warnings: mentions of pregnancy, idiots in love. Loosely based on Haley and Hotch's conversation in 1x1. Very fluffy and probably very cheesy and sentimental too... Sorry, you give me girl dad Spencer and suddenly there isn't an impure thought in my head, I just want to lovingly stare at him like I'm the dead wife in an action movie montage.

My requests are open, check out my masterlist for more 🌸

“Okay, what about Amelia?”

“No, Amelia Dyer, Victorian serial killer. She killed multiple infants over a thirty-year period.”

“Okay, okay, how about, Myra?”

“Myra Hindley, she and her partner Ian Brady abducted and killed five children and teens in the early sixties.”

“God, not that then. There can’t be a psychopathic murderer called Belle, right?”

“You’re making this too easy for me, y’know. Belle Gunness, Hell’s Belle, she’s one of the most prolific female serial killers of all time, even 100 years after her supposed death. It’s fascinating, you know, people think that she actually faked her death - when the doctor who performed the postmortem testified, he noted that the cadaver was about five inches shorter and about fifty pounds lighter than Gunness supposedly was….” You raise a single eyebrow at your wonderful husband, and he immediately shuts up.

“I’m rambling aren’t I?” He smiled down at you as you sat curled up as much as you could in your favorite spot on the couch, the cosiest part of your shared apartment. You smiled back up at him as he leaned down for a kiss and you gladly craned your neck up in response, meeting his lips for a sweet moment.

“Hotch was right you know,” you joked when the two of you parted. “All of the best baby names have been taken by serial killers.”

“Yeah, you’d think with the ratio of female to male serial killers, a girl would be easier to name.” He leans down to kiss you again before falling into a crouch next to you, resting his head on your shoulder and placing his hand on your stomach.

“How big did you say our little girl is now?”

“Y/N, you asked me that half an hour ago. I know pregnancy messes with your brain a bit, but if you’re that bad we’re going to have to get you back to Dr Patel and see if you’re doing okay.” He was joking of course, but you showed him your little pout anyway, knowing that he loved seeing the silly expression on your face.

“Humor me, Doctor.” He strokes your stomach and moves away, but not too far away, taking up right next to you on the couch, and pulling your legs over his lap.

“At five months, she’s roughly 10 inches long with a weight of about 0.5-1 pound. But that ‘How Big is My Baby’ book would say that she’s roughly one banana in length.” You giggled up at him and he grabbed your hand and just held it, content to have you in his arms in any way, big or small.

“I can’t believe it’s been five months already,” you giggle as he presses another kiss to your hand.

“I get it. It doesn’t feel quite real yet to me, either. I thought for so long that fatherhood just wasn’t in my future, but you’re the gift that keeps on giving I guess. I don't know what I did to deserve you.” Even if the words weren’t so sweet, with all of the hormones, you would’ve started crying at anything. Or at least that’s what you’re going to tell him when he sees the small tears threatening to drop into enormous loving sobs.

“Spencer Reid, I am not a gift. I am simply the woman with the correct combination of sense and foolish luck that got to marry you.” He’d done this before, and you were used to his small habit of self-deprecating talk, but after a year of marriage and three years of dating before that, you’d managed to work him down to the occasional comment.

“Don’t try to argue about this, I’m definitely the one benefitting the most from the situation right now,” he joked with you, and you could see the genuine adoration shining from behind his eyes. It was a little spark that not many got to see, a glimpse of true happiness in someone usually so reserved.

“Spencer, you’ve given me foot rubs everyday this week, you’ve read more pregnancy and parenting books than every OBGYN and midwife in the area combined, and you’ve somehow attended more of my clinical check-ups than me, and I’m the one whose pregnant.”

“And you’re growing our child inside of you, which is itself more impressive than anything I could ever do with a book and some modern acts of chivalry.”

“Yeah, tell your boss that. I think the only thing keeping Emily from pulling her hair out over your constant absences is that she thinks she’s competing for the title of godmother. She thinks Penelope and JJ are trying to corrupt me with parenting advice and all those baby clothes Pen keeps bringing over.”

“She’s going to be crushed when she remembers we’re not religious, right?”

“Devastated,” the two of you shared a laugh on the couch, and it quickly devolved into a giggle fit after Spencer leaned over and tickled your side. You jolted away from his touch, but he was on you again, attacking your sides with small caresses, and you were gasping for breath between laughs.

“Spence stop- ahh!” Your squeals stopped as you cried out in shock. It was small but you felt something tap against your stomach. Spencer stopped immediately upon seeing your expression change, and a serious look settled on him as he assessed you for any damage.

“What’s wrong? Did I hurt you? Are you in pain anywhere, is the baby okay?” He shot out the questions rapidly, one after the other, barely leaving space to catch his own breath from the laughter of earlier.

It happened again and you put a hand to your stomach, finally realising what’s going on.

“I think I just felt her kick. Spencer, I think I just felt the baby kick.” You couldn’t help the wide grin that spread across your face, as much as you couldn’t help the tear that dropped from your eye as your hand rested against your belly again, scared to move for fear that the baby wouldn’t communicate with you again.

“What? Now? Can I- Can I try and feel it, too?” His hands hesitated at first but when you enthusiastically nodded and used your other hand to put him close to yours, you could feel his eagerness to feel the small kicks of your daughter as well.

Almost as if she was waiting for him, as soon as his hand was in the right position, your little girl kicked again, almost as if screaming “I’m here mommy and daddy,” for the two of you to hear.

“I think she’s trying to tell us not to have fun without her,” Reid whispered in your ear, kissing your tear streaked cheek, and using his free hand to rub them away from the other side of your face.

“I am so thankful everyday for this gift you have given me. And for the record, the gift isn’t the baby. The gift is the overwhelming happiness you bring to my life, and the beauty you make me see in this world. The fact that you’re going to be the mother of my child gives me the confidence to get up and go to work every morning because I know that there is joy and there is kindness and there are beautiful people in this world, and you are one, and she will be, too.”

His attempts to dry your tears are now completely vanquished as you let your emotions run wild, but you almost laugh when you realise that his eyes are just as glassy as yours, and you both sit there, overwhelmed by the pure, unadulterated joy that a small kick from a child who has yet to be given a name has bought you.

[theoddest1]

Okay so this new episode that came out (Episode 4) was poorly handled.

TW /// SA

- No warning before the show starts...why? And even if there is no way for Viv to add one, for some stupid ass reason, why didn't she announce to the fandom properly "Hey, this will have very deep topics and imagery that may not be suitable for all audiences."? Why have arguments on threads and fail to do this very easy thing. At least if the episode came out, people would get a heads up, and the word would spread faster PLUS people would see that you at least TRIED

- The episode opens up with a scene of CNC porno played for laughs in an episode that tackles SA. Complete tonal whiplash. Why did it have to open up with Angel showing everyone a porno? It serves no purpose other than to get a cheap laugh (that never came) out of me or anyone else who watches and because of the topic of the episode revolved around it. I'msure that if the episode WASN'T ABOUT SA, that joke would not have been there....but it is. There was legit no good reason to start this fiasco off with such a tone deaf opening.

- Charlie is actually fucking useless and a burden in this episode, serving no other purpose other than being the gateway to further the issues that befall Angel when "trying" to help. This all screams forced. Worse of all, Charlie does nothing to actually HELP Angel out of this, even though he has a clear black eye thanks to it all and literal mirrors breaking as a result of the abuse. We never see an actual development between the two thanks to her foolishness and garbage writing, and it's resolved easily as if this is some early Disney cartoon season that's on a strict deadline. Regardless of whether she apologized or not, she essentially caused the issue and did NOTHING to actually clean her mess. The goddamn B A R T E N D E R had to be used to salvage the pieces. So far, Charlie, as a character, is utterly pathetic and has been a burden to the cast twice so far. Vaggie, who tried to prove herself (moreso Vaggie's fault for going the extra mile for no reason but an obstacle nonetheless), also had an issue that involved Charlie's utter lack of a backbone. Hey, what was it that Charlie said in the pilot that her dad taught her and one of the only thingsshe learned from him? "You don't take shit from other demons"

- Only one scene from the abuse shown was handled well, and it was when Charlie visited, screwed everything up, and Val asked Angel to come to his dressing room. Aside from that, the whole SA imagery is jarring. While this time, the fast pace of it all is not bad, the quick shift into it all with Angel switching from enjoying to hating, to smiling, to frowning, ALONG with the quick pace of it all with the PRIOR KNOWLEDGE SHOWN and the SONG PLAYING, I am getting mixed messages here. Imagery? Shows Angel getting assaulted multiple times with either a forced smile or for some reason ENJOYING sex with Val and the role play situations showcased, is he INTO his abuse? Lyrics? He seems to find arousal in Val controlling him. The song legit reads as follows

"Addicted to this feeling, I can't help but swallow"

This doesn't read like he is "forced" it reads like he is yearning the toxic relationship. Now if this was one of the main issues with the abusive relationship, where it was a codependency built on romanticising the abuser and Angel learning to break free from that horrible view of someone who never loved him and actively harms him, this lyric would make a lot of sense....but that's not what we are shown at all. From the jump, we are shown that Angel HATES being with Val, to the point of him straight up avoiding his texts and voice messages, they actually do an okay job (despite the shoddy voice work) on showcasing how manipulative Val is and his outright explosive temper through this scene in episode 2. We see that Angel does NOT wanna have association with Val, is tired of it all, and even got drunk to down his sorrows. Yet these lyrics present it all as though it's just a very rocky love life like those songs you hear on the radio with the singer lamenting about how awful their relationship was but still miss their toxic boo-boo. It just...doesn't read like an SA song and could mean anything regarding the type of abuse he is facing. It's kinda vague in hindsight. That's MY take on the lyrics, though.

- Husk's song is a trash fire. He sees Angel is down in the dumps and proceeds to talk shit about him pretty much relaying his sorrows, saying it's okay to feed into your vices, and downplaying the actual situation at hand. So let's get this straight.

Angel- A sexual abuse victim forced into sex slavery to appease all sorts of people's sexual desires whether he likes it or not, including pleasuring his pimp who physically abuses him often all cause he sold his soul

Husk- Gambled his life away and lost his title as overlord, serves under Alastor all cause he sold his soul.

How is this even...the same at all? Even if Husk is lacking some context, he SEES that Angel normalized drinking roofied drinks and works for Val SOMEONE HUSK SHOULD KNOW ABOUT AND WHAT HE DOES but nah, screw Angel. Even if he honest to God (irony) wanted to actually help, why tf would Husk think this was sound advice? Why does Husk just SUDDENLY care? No build up, no memorable dynamic, no nothing. Realistically, CHARLIE should be the one singing with Angel or maybe Vaggie because she heard the story from Charlie. Not Husk. He is self aware enough where he knows this "advice" wouldn't work but nah. Nothing about the song makes sense. Telling someone going through it that "you're a loser" pretty much a no one, an insignificant individual, when VAL has made it clear that Angel would be nothing without him...yeah no the only reason why this whole song "worked" was cause the writers wanted it to, so Angel is happy with being a loser for being a victim of SA and selling his soul to someone who abuses him in various ways consistently.

This episode is terrible

Jarring for any newcomers

Who have no idea who these characters are

[ramons-elevator]

God im just laying in bed thinking about the OG parents and how no one will understand them as much as they understand each other

They were all thrown into this fucked up island and then given a kid. Only to watch them get kidnapped 3 times, watch 4 of them die (3 of them back to back), and slowly learning that the eggs arent going back to their moms and that they were lied to.

They dont think twice if another parent needs help or anything. They dont always trust each other, but they trust each other with their children because they know how deeply the other parents care.

Yes the Brazilians and French know to an extent, but they will never truly understand what is it like.

The Brazilians and French had the choice to choose which three days they took care of Richas and Pomme. They didnt wake up at 3am or change their entire routine around to make sure their egg didnt die. If they did, that was their choice.

With the QSMP recaps, Ive seen multiple Brazilian/French streamers say “they didnt undo that??” when they see an early egg death. They don’t understand how much it was final in the beginning.

The new people will never understand what is it like. Even when the eggs come back and they spend the next 6 month with them, they will never understand.

I think of Tubbo screaming at Phil and Fit that they werent taking anything seriously when the eggs initially disappeared when this isnt the first time it has happened.

I think of everyone talking and joking at spawn when Bad first saw the empty beds and Foolish stared at him before asking if he was okay and hugging him.

How Phil immediately asked if Bad needed a hug and Bad said yes without hesitation.

How Jaiden took the time to sit with Bad and Foolish alone and ask them how they were really doing because she knows how bad it hurts

How Fit and Foolish, the two people who hide their pain the most, were vulnerable with each other when talking how they were dealing with the eggs being gone

How Roier tells the other parents (and tubbo) that its not their fault because he knows what its like to spiral in those thoughts

How they know how badly this hurts Bad because he didnt lose 2 eggs, he lost 7. They all lost 7 eggs.

How every OG parent takes a second longer looking at old photos or signs of the eggs than everyone else.

The island is slowly putting doubts and lies in everyone’s minds, but it could never break the invisible string that holds the OG parents together

[wangxianficfinder]

I'm in the mood for...

July 15th

~*~

1. For the next itmf I had 2 requests

A) Wei Wuxian not being okay after his 3 months in the burial mounds. Like, not just being mean, I want him to barely be holding to reality, maybe some amnesia, but for him to be bad to a concerning point

B) Wei Wuxian feeling isolated

Thank you! ♡

1A)

🔒 At heart by apathyinreverie (M, 36k, WangXian, WIP, Dark LWJ(Ish), Amnesia, WWX gets to be Not Okay after the BM, Hurt WWX, Recovery, Caring, Protective LWJ, Possessive LWJ, some definite manipulation, but not everything is as it seems, not nearly as dark as the tags make it sound, Canon Divergence, Golden Core Reveal, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, kind of, Domestic WangXian, Fluff, WWX Goes to Gusu, Possessive WWX, WWX happily atticwifing away, Sunshot Campaign, BAMF WWX, BAMF LWJ, ridiculously self-indulgent) LWJ finds WWX in the Burial mounds and he heals slowly. Has Amnesia, doubting the reality and malnutrition as focus points

they who refuse to be blessed by sysrae (E, 7k, WangXian, JC & WWX, Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Whump, Golden Core Reveal, Developing Relationship, wwx can have a little scurvy, as a treat, Bathing/Washing, Confessions, Sharing a Bed) things happen and lwj gets to take care of wwx immediately after finding him, noting all the damage his time in the mounds has done

🔒 between the shadow and the soul by Reverie (cl410) (M, 22k, WangXian, JYL/WQ, JC/NHS, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Family, Dark WWX, Feral WWX, Memory Loss, Magic, Magical Realism, Protective LWJ, Protective JC, Protective JYL, Grief, BAMF WWX, POV Alternating)

🔒He knows He knew Once by StarClearWaters (Readoutloud) (G, 6k, WangXian, Temporary Amnesia, Resentful Energy, Burial Mounds-Induced Amnesia, Blanket Permission, POV Multiple, Not as angsty as it sounds)

1B)

Concord by Deastar (T, 41k, WangXian, Arranged Marriage, Gūsū Lán Sect Rules, Depression, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending)

Grave dirt by esama (T, 92k, wangxian, canon divergence, necromancy, demonic cultivation, farming, found family, pre-slash, politics, Fix-it of sorts, yilingwei sect au)

Having Enough (of your foolishness) by makexianxianhappytoday (T, 18k, WangXian, Hurt WWX, YLLZ WWX, BAMF WWX, WangXian Get a Happy Ending, Angst with a Happy Ending, Jiang Family Bashing, Canon Divergence, CSSR and WCZ Live, Yunmeng Jiang Sect Bashing, JYL Lives, JZX Lives, (but what are the consequences), JC Bashing)

~*~

2. [ITMF ask] Are there any fics where the resentful energy from the Burial Mounds (physically? Mentally? Metaphorically??) love wwx and try their best to help him survive? Especially when they still recognize wwx in mxy's body after the whole 13 years thing

Mud on Your Feet by AvoOwO (Not Rated, 59k, WangXian, JC & WWX, Nightmares, Sentient Burial Mounds, Burial Mounds, Possession, Panic Attacks, Night Terrors, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Good Sibling JC, Hurt WWX, Soft WangXian, Feels, Blood and Injury, Hallucinations, Delusions, JC Loves WWX, Insomnia, Good Sibling WWX, Sleepwalking, Sleeptalking, LWJ just wants to sleep with his husband, Protective JC, WWX Sees Dead People, LJY pulls through, POV LWJ, Cloud Recesses, PTSD, Post-Canon, YLLZ WWX, resentful energy, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Thirteen Years of WWX’s Death, WWX’s Three Months in the Burial Mounds, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, WWX is tired, LWJ literally just wants to sleep with WWX again is that too much to ask for??, Soft JC, Yunmeng Siblings Feels)

Devil Flute Upon Graves, Wei Ying by cloudyrobinwrites (jwyoomi) (M, 18k, WangXian, HuaLian, JYL/JZX, MXY & WWX, Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Angst, Hints of Fluff, Burial Mounds Settlement Days, Sentient Burial Mound, Ghost WWX, Future Calamity WWX, Pre-WangXian, what if wwx actually died when he first fell into the burial mounds and came out as a wrath level ghost, he has a murder of crows like HC's silver butterflies, grab some popcorn watch him spiral, WWX is Not Okay, He'll get better I promise, Canon Divergence, WWX is a Calamity, WWX is not having a fun time, the burial mounds is a tiger mom, how to motivate yourself to finish mount tonglu: think of LWJ, hualian are WWX's emotional support parents, deity JYL, Deity JZX, Good Sibling JYL, JZX is So Whipped, Heavenly Emperor XL, but like forced he doesnt want to be on the throne but fate is like lol nope, Xuanli Raise Jin Ling as They Should, dont worry the MCD refers to the canonical character deaths theyre fine, The Burial Mounds Wants More Kids, what happens when a ghost king gets thrown into a murder mystery, WWX picked up MXY and decided he'll be his student now, MXY managed to summon a calamity level ghost what a guy, WWX disguises himself as a rogue cultivator) It's a MDZS/TGCF crossover in which the Burial mounds is an actual character

~*~

3. itmf fics with the wei family. any where cssr and/or wcz are alive and taking care of their baby, or ones where wwx has a sibling! ty!

Building a home by R95irth (T, 586k, WCZ/CS, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Time Travel Fix-it, Angst with a happy ending, Family fluff)

Cartwheels In Cloud Recesses Series by ShanaStoryteller (Not Rated, 23k, WangXian, CSSR/WCZ, CSSR and WCZ Live, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Cloud Recesses Shenanigans)

The Different Paths We Tread Series by Admiranda, Rynne (T/G/E, 345k, WangXian, CSSR/WCZ, Canon Divergence, No Sunshot Campaign, CSSR and WCZ Live, Rogue Cultivator WWX, Different First Meeting, Genius WWX, Inventor WWX, Drama, Fluff, Strangers to married, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Minor Violence, Case Fic, There Was Only One Bed, Getting Together, First Kiss, Meeting the Parents, Resolved Sexual Tension, Resolved Romantic Tension, WWX Is a Good Big Brother, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, Blood and Injury, Yiling siblings, Married WangXian, Wangxian's Baby Fever, POV Outsider, Twin Jades of Lan Dynamics, PWP, Desk Sex, Inappropriate Use of Gusu Lan Forehead Ribbon, Light Bondage, Dirty Talk, Teasing, Anal Sex, Top LWJ/Bottom WWX, LWJ Has a Biting Kink, Anal Fingering, wwx's debatably self-lubing asshole, xxc and cssr meet, WWX is a Lan, WWX is Xiao Xingchen's Shizhi, Non-Graphic Depictions of Donkey Childbirth)

~*~

4. Back again with a hand out, begging! Love you all so much! This is an ITMF request: Jiang Cheng-centric groundhog-day AU? I've seen a few with WWX but I'd love one with Jiang Cheng being put through it! (no JC bashing, prefer canon era) @kimboo-york

~*~

5. Is there a Cloud Recesses Study Arc fanfics where they see the future in the classroom? @tjrc18

Wei Wuxian’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good First Meeting With His Future by Enigmatree (T, 3k, wangxian, Time Travel, Cloud Recesses, YLLZ WWX, POV Outsider)

~*~

6. Hello! I'm making an 'im in the mood for' fic request! I'd really like to read a fic where Wangxian adopt Xue Yang and give him a good childhood :D

Also if there are any ships with xy, i have a STRONG preference for songxuexiao

🔒 if you can’t beat them, recruit them by moeblobmegane (T, 228k, Wangxian, NHS & WWX, WWX & WQ, Time Travel Fix-It, Conspiracy, Spies & Secret Agents, Team as Family, Found Family, Burial Mounds, Temporary Character Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Pining, Morally Ambiguous Character, Rumors, Politics, Developing Friendships, Good Uncle LQR, Demonic Cultivation, YilingWei Sect) He gets taken in as a son/disciple together with MXY into the sect WWX is totally not creating on accident

Unstoppbble by Immortal WangXian (Mr_Pervert) (M, 85k, WIP, WangXian, XiCheng, XuanLi, NingSang, QingJue, Immortal LWJ, Immortal WWX, Good Parent YZY, Good Parent JFM, Good Uncle LQR, Good Person XY, Evil JGY, Travel Fix-It, Top LWJ/Bottom WWX, Bottom JC/Top LXC, Bottom NHS/Top WN, Supportive NMJ, YLLZ WWX, Possessive LWJ, Protective LWJ, Fluff and Crack, Shameless Smut, Action/Adventure, Mpreg) Time travel fix it where Wangxian pick up XY when he's 6

Alternate by Hanashi_o_suru (M, 60k, WIP, WangXian, Fix-It, Time Travel Fix-It, Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Established WangXian, Canon-Typical Violence, POV Third Person Limited, WWX is a Tease, mentions of rape/non-con, Sporadic and Random Updates) Also a time travel fix it fic where they pick up XY while he's a child. Another plus: he started ironically calling WWX A-Niang and now it's stopped being ironical. It happens

~*~

7. Hello everyone! This time I will use the "I feel like..." section because I would really like fics where only Wei Wuxian is a time traveler and helps everyone live while she wins back her husband! I really just imagine hijinks and fluff. Thank you very much for your effort @makolashida

And Time Is But a Paper Moon by sami (M, 139k, WangXian, XiChengQing, Time Travel, Fix-It, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Healing, Mental Health Issues, PTSD, Hurt/Comfort, Depression, BAMF WWX, BAMF JC, BAMF LWJ, BAMF JYL, Getting Together) may have more angst then they are seeking but it fits the other requirements.

~*~

8. Hi! This is for ITMF

A) WWX has a chronic illness but not a sickness like cancer. What i want is he was sick in the past and recovered but if he does something his past illness will come again or something like The Porcelain Lotus of Yungmeng by The Feels Whale (miscellea) or 🔒A Burning Cold by MountainRose

B) WWX wants to fix JFM and YZY marriage (because he thinks that it was his fault they always fighting) and JYL or JWY says "you cant fix something that never been whole before" Or something like that or saying that its not WWX responsibility to fix that @idontknowwhattowriteforusername

8A)

misunderstood 'verse by sysrae (M, 7k, WangXian, Modern, College/University, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, getting hit by cars, Past Child Abuse, Friends to Lovers, Abusive YZY, Caring LWJ, Injured WWX, partial hearing loss, the real OTP is everyone x therapy) modern au wwx is deaf on one eat because of a past experience

A Bad of Nibs (Nibs are Bad) by Enk (M, 17k, WangXian, Quarantine, Slice of Life, Friends to Lovers, Chronic Illness, Chronic Pain, Fluff and Angst, Mild Sexual Content, Found Family, Vague Canadian Location, JYL Lives)

~*~

9. hi! for the itmf, idk if this is specific but any modern au fics where wwx is estranged from the jiangs for some reason either during or before the fic, a-yuan is his kid (adopted or biological) and the jiangs don’t know about him, and they reconnect? thank you for the work!

🔒moonlight falls Series by RoseThorne (T, 19k, WangXian, Modern AU, Corporate Espionage, Family Fluff, Adoption, Bad parent LQR, Pre-JC & WWX Reconciliation, Dissociation, Mental Health Issues, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Found Family, Emotional Constipation, Communication Failure, JC is Bad at Feelings, JC is Trying, WWX Needs a Hug, POV WWX, POV Third Person, Implied/Referenced Sex, Food Sex, Reconciliation, Psychological Trauma)

~*~

10. itmf fics where wwx discovers evidence that lwj is in love with him. like maybe wwx discovering his floorboard stash and finding his painting of lwj, or alternatively, smth like letters, diary entries, song lyrics, lwj’s own art for wwx, or self-insert fanfic. things like that! @nalalie

Ever Thine, Ever Mine, Ever Ours. by JaenysBloodcourt (T, 3k, WangXian, Immortal LWJ and WWX, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Well it could be a Bittersweet Ending, Love Confessions) Immortal WWX finds a poem immortal LWJ wrote in the 13 years he was dead. It's a love poem

rather cruelly used and rather reserved by x_los (M, 13k, wangxian, sugar daddy (slightly), case fic, domestic horror, architectural horror, gift giving, happy ending, getting together, confessions) is perfect for it

~*~

11. I’m in the mood for no-war AUs about wangxian getting together post CR study arc. Just want to read about how these two might have figured it out without the stress of war and growing up too fast! Thanks in advance!

Dazzle Like a Diamond by Tsukimiko_san (T, 4k, WangXian, Dragon LWJ, Crow WWX, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, No Angst, ok maybe a tiny sprinkle of angst but like, usual LWJ thinking WWX is just teasing him, it doesn’t last long, Getting Together, they are both so whipped, Boys Kissing, Courting Rituals) iirc there's not even a mention of war on this one, but I do have to warn that it's crowxian and dragonji

Dispersing Clouds by dreamingofcake (E, 283k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Genius WWX, Inventor WWX, Not Jiang Family Friendly, Abusive YZY, Canonical Child Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Eventual Sex, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm (Background Character), Background Character Deaths, child deaths, Canon JC, Good Uncle LQR, Accidental Baby Acquisition, Cultivation Sect Politics, Homophobia, Heteronormativity, Feelings Realization, WWX is Not Oblivious) Fits both 11 & 12. It's a no war AU (mostly - there is some conflict between the Wen & Nie, but WX's role is solely helping refugees) set shortly after CRSA where WX get together. There's also a subplot about WWX setting up a charitable venture to help Yiling's street kids

💙 Holding shreds by barisan (T, 5k, WangXian, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, No Sunshot Campaign, Body Swap, Not for sexy shenanigans, Chronic Pain, Hurt WWX, Hurt LWJ, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Abusive YZY, Bad Parent YZY, Bad Parent JFM, Good Uncle LQR, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Inaccuracies, POV WWX, Angst with a Happy Ending, Not Jiāng Family Friendly, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Getting Together, Smart WWX)

Orchids in Lotus Pier by Vamillepudding (G, 21k, wangxian, canon divergence, romantic comedy, pining, protective JC, friends to lovers, misunderstandings)

For you by 10thNoNamePerson (T, 16k, WangXian, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Cloud Recesses Shenanigans, Canon Divergence, No War AU, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Jealous WWX, Soft WangXian, Teenage LWJ/Teenage WWX, No Sunshot Campaign)

Straight at the Sun by diamondbruise (E, 33k, WangXian, Canon Universe, no war though, Mutual Pining, Pining while fucking, Misunderstandings, First Time, Anal Sex, wwx desperately wants lwj's attention, lwj desperately wants to marry wwx, Miscommunication, Jealousy, in abundance, Happy Ending, Top LWJ/Bottom WWX)

~*~

12. Itmf fics that deal with wwx caring about kids (esp canon era), adopting fostering having an official or unofficial ward, looking out for street children in any way he can even in little ways as a kid etc

🔒❤️ Joy In the Midst of These Things Series by Glitterbombshell (T/G, 53k, WangXian, Angst with Happy Ending, Post-Canon, Teacher WWX, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff) wwx teaches Lan kids stuff

the low sky, raining over by chibilwj (thelogicoftaste) (M, 37k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Kid Fic)

❤️ Attempting the Impossible by Ariaste for williedustice (T, 36k, WangXian, JC & WWX, Post-Canon, Yunmeng Bros Reconciliation, Adoption, Family Fluff, Kid fic, Family drama, Fluff, 🔒[PODFIC] Attempting the Impossible by Ariaste by lunatique)

He never had a plan, he just went with the flow by CrazyGeek_TheGachatuber15 (Not Rated, 65k, WIP, XiYao, WangXian, Gusu Lan Elders Bashing, LXC Bashing, LXC gets his shit together, Twin Prides of Yunmeng Dynamics, Twin Prides of Yunmeng Are Bad at Communicating, Twin Jades of Lan Dynamics, WWX is Good With Children, Water Spirit WWX, Deity WWX, Good Sibling JYL, Protective NHS, Scheming NHS, BAMF LSZ, Angry LSZ, Good Friend LSZ, Demonic Cultivator LSZ, but not really?, WWX Creates a Sect | Yiling Wei Sect, accidentally, MXY Lives, JRS Lives, OP WWX, Deity LSZ, Inventor WWX, slight OOC behavior, Canonical Character Death - WWX, Future Character Death, Canon Divergence) In it WWX founded an orphanage before the war and is now, after his death, gathering homeless children to bring there and visits them when he's not traveling. The last few chapters were about it, kind of (currently has 9 chapters)

🧡 Vow by draechaeli (E, 216k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, BeliefGod!WWX, Adoption but WWX birthed them all, Pregnancy Kink, Mpreg, minor male lactation, Consensual Non-Consent, Light Bondage, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con because JGS, Mentions Canon Typical Incest, Canon Typical Violence)

~*~

13. Hi! I love this blog. I was looking for fics where LWJ considers his love wholeheartedly rejected and/or unrequited and as the reader, you feel his pain viscerally. I’ve found some fics like this which I adore like - “it’s always open” by Scarlettstorm, “heart at ease” by Diamondbruise and “A little late (but can I come home anyway?)” by Anobtra (animeobsessedtrash) - but am always interested in more!

Thank you!

~*~

14. helloooo! could i have time travel fanfics where they DON'T end up in their younger bodies? that's it. they teleport as they are, in their future selves. the future can be from whichever arc and teleported to any arc in the past. whichever canon is fine, angst is fine. i'd prefer it completed and somewhat humor but i'll take whatever i can get. i trust this blog's fine tastes. c:

i just really want fics where they co-exist with their younger selves because i don't know how to tag it separately from the "wake up in their younger self" fanfics. thank you very much! @lovewly

💖 From the Future for the Past by friedchickenlord (G, 27k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Time Travel Fix-It, First Love, Love Confessions, Fluff and Humor, accidental time travel due to one husband malfunctioning array, teen wangxian meet adult wangxian, Happy Ending, adding extra chapter, in this household we hate JGS, in which WWX love library pavilion, (in a way) Yiling Laozu x Hanguang Jun, Denial, Mutual Pining) Adult LWJ finds himself in the CRSA era due to a mishap with an array

River Stones by littlesystems (M, 18k, WangXian, Time Travel, Post-Canon, Cloud Recesses Study arc, Junior Quartet, Oblivious WWX, Suffering LWJ, Voyeurism) Both CRSA-era WWX & LWJ go forward in time & meet post-canon WX

there's a story on Tumblr with JC who time travels. I don't know how to link it, but you can find it on this blog under fic compilation -> non AO3 (the second one is Tumblr) and then by scrolling all the way down to the master post from Shana storyteller. The fic is just titled "Time travel Jiang Cheng" (link is to the latest part - mod c)

Song of Joy and Regrets by HelloKitten (Not Rated, 134k, wangxian, hualian, WIP, TGCF, Angst, Self-Harm, Child Abuse, characters watching their series, Time Travel Fix-it)

Key Differences by pupeez4eva (T, 5k, WangXian, Humor, Dimension Travel, Crossover, Drama!WWX meets Novel!WWX, Public Confessions, Post-Canon) sort of fits in that it's Novel Wei Wuxian meeting Drama Wei Wuxian, resulting in hilarity.

~*~

15. Hi Mods! Can I get SongXIao Fic recs please? Like main pairing SongXiao fic recs?

~*~

16. Itmf a fic where wei wuxian adopts a 2nd child (or more). So it's not just a-yuan. Esp if it's a developed oc. Ex: twelve moons and a fortnight (oc a-shui), please take this radish (xue yang), mxy, others, etc

~*~

17. hiii!! itmf!! is there any modern au fics where wei ying makes lan zhan jealous on purpose?? @yesibest

Wei Ying's Favourite Customer by QueenofThyme (T, 3k, WangXian, Modern, Coffee Shops & Cafés, Barista WWX, Jealous LWJ, Texting, Fluff, Flirting, Mutual Pining, Multi POV)

~*~

If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack, whatever - it’s all good!***

[t0ast-ghost]

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home thoughts!!!

Love me some good ol’ treks and I know this is the one with the whales (which reminds me of hitchhikers guide to the galaxy)

Warning for spoiling the whole movie (don’t cry over spoiled movie if you don’t have to! Go watch it for yourself!)

Let’s get going:

- A LEONARD NIMOY FILM ?!?

- okay Harve Bennett. I see you in the credits.

- I like the Saratoga crew. Too bad they’re probably gonna die immediately

- HIII SAREK!!! God he’s hot I hate him so much

- “Personal bias! His son was saved by Kirk.” His son is also married to Kirk so…

- McCoy got to choose the name of the ship :))

- Kirk’s wearing the same shirt.. oh wait they all are nvm

- Spock on a rock

- Hi Amanda!

- “Spock, the retraining of your mind has been in the Vulcan way so you may not understand feelings, but as my son, you have them.”

- Amanda trying to tell Spock that his friends care about him so much that they go against what is logical and it mirrors how in journey to babel Spock was not willing to sacrifice the good of the many (the ship) for the good of the one (his father) so I’m wondering if they will have an arc for him realizing that sometimes you want the one and not the many

- I like the problems they keep having with projectors/videos. Or not exactly problems but in the beginning they had to ask multiple times for the video to stop playing and here they are just talking over the transmission in the background. It adds a sense of confusion and havoc that I think makes it delightfully more realistic

- The Bird of Prey is such a beautiful design

- “I did not wish to be shot down on the way to our own funeral.” lol nice Chekov

- Nooo Spock and Saavik don’t have the mentor/mentee vibes anymore :(((

- Kirk really wants Spock to call him Jim… he misses his husband :(

- Bones is right. And then he leaves Kirk with the “That’s what I thought.” And the entire bridge crew is just like ‘don’t engage, look away, the husbands are fighting but just don’t look.’

- The copy pasted Saavik and Amanda

- “Hi. Busy?” McCoy sliding over to Spock

- McCoy just say you’re happy he’s back. He misses his verbal sparring buddy omg

- “Forgive me, Doctor, I’m receiving a number of distress calls.” McCoy is SHOCKED like, ‘did he just purposely reject me???’ I’m crying

- sad! Your husband died and now he doesn’t want to fight with you!!

- hi bitch! (It’s Sarek)

- THEY PUT EYELINER ON CHEKOV!

- THE PROBE SOUNDS LIKE WHALES ???

- so the transmission is for whales. That’s cool.

- Uhura would make a sick DJ. She’s remixing the whale sounds

- “Bones, you stay here.” “No way. Somebody’s got to keep an eye on him.” He’s trying to look out for his husbands

- love sci fi that is like ‘sea creatures interacting with space hmmm yess I think it will’ cause if you think about it, there’s a lot of sea that is unexplored just like space (yeah I’m talking about HGttG again)

- SPOCK SAYS SAVE THE FUCKING WHALES

- McCoy DOES NOT want them to travel back in time

- HII CHAPEL HIIII

- The chaos in the control room with someone on the screen talking over everyone else in the room… perfection

- Sometimes Kirk sounds like Seth Macfarlane

- “You really gonna try time travel in this rust bucket?” “We’ve done it before.” “Sure. Slingshot around the sun, pick up enough speed and you’re in time warp. If you don’t, you’re fried.” “You prefer to do nothing?” “I prefer a dose of common sense. You’re proposing that we go backwards in time, find humpback whales, then bring them froward in time, drop them off, and hope to hell they tell this probe what to go do with itself.” “That’s the general idea.” “Well, that’s crazy.” “You have a better idea? Now’s the time.” Yep. That summarizes it better than I could ever. How McCoy stays married to this man is a mystery

- The command base hears that Kirk is going to time travel and PANICS

- “May fortune favour the foolish.” Good Kirk line

- The ship is actively falling apart

- They’re back in time!

- Sulu lore! he was born in sanfransico or however you spell it

- McCoy trying not to laugh at Spock’s little bandana. Kirk smiles for a second and then remembers himself

- THEYRE IN THE WILD! SET LOSE! Who let them roam free?!

- Winchell’s Donut House. Wonder if that’s still open. Or real. Damn, I want donuts.

- Kirk almost getting run over “Well a double dumbass on you!” And then he throws up his hands omg I love him

- They’re all slaying

- “The rest of you, break up. You look like a cadet review.” They’re all kinda lost tho

- Spock in the pawn shop is looking like, ‘those were a birthday present from our husband. Why would you give them away :(‘

- Kirk and his powerful skills of deduction. He won’t let Spock just infodump :(

- They’re all really good looking.

- UHURA AND CHEKOV TEAM UP! Something I didn’t know I needed (I need it)

- NO LITTLE RUSSIAN BOY! Don’t ask for directions from a cop to a nuclear weapons base in the 1980s!

- SPOCK NERVE PINCHING THE PUNK ON THE BUS LOL

- “No one pays attention to you unless you swear every other word.” WELL. Okay. I’m not offended. At all.

- Spock frowning at the whales dying on the screen

- “To hunt a species to extinction is not logical.” There’s a lot of times you think ‘Vulcans can be emotionless which could equal cruelty’ but looking at this, humans with emotions turn out more cruel because that is an emotion. We want and are greedy. It’s surprising that Vulcans are friends with humans because of just how much illogical carnage we have wrought. Anyway.

- Hey Jim. Where’s Spock?

- Kirk becoming more and more worried that he can’t find Spock. And then he turns around AND HES IN THE TANK.. this is why McCoy wants to come along. Jim cannot watch him well enough

- Spock’s ass can’t believe he went in there to mind meld with the whales

- Sopping wet Spock

- “The hell they did.” SPOCK SWEAR OMG

- “Can’t you remember?” “The hell I can’t.” I love him so much, he’s being a little shit, this is on purpose. I think writers should let him say hell and other expletives more often

- “Oh come on, Bob! I don’t know about you, but my compassion for someone is not limited to my estimate of their intelligence.” DID YALL IN THE BACK HEAR THIS???

- Uhura and Chekov on the beach with the seagulls

- Gillian’s got a “I ❤️ whales” sticker on her truck. I love her.

- “I think he did a little to much LDS.” I think Kirk meant to say Spock does LSD? I’m assuming?

- This lady just picked up two husbands trying to save the whales.. that’s very lucky for her

- “Are you sure it isn’t time for a colourful metaphor.” LET SPOCK SAY FUCK

- “You guys like Italian?” Spock and Kirk proceeding to fight by saying no and yes repeatedly is my favourite

- They’re just letting Scotty and McCoy roam around???

- I love McCoy and Scotty improvising together, and Scotty going off and getting upset

- “May my assistant join us?” “Don’t bury yourself in the part.”

- Sulu just gets to nerd out about helicopters

- McCoy sitting on any and all surfaces like it’s a chair. Scotty joining him.

- McCoy handing Scotty the mouse like he’s so proud of himself

- McCoy’s got his ✨dazzling✨ eyes on rn

- “We’d be altering the future.” “Well, how do you know he didn’t invent the thing.” Scotty. That’s not how time travel works.

- So basically McCoy gets Jim and Spock out of trouble but gets into trouble when he’s with Scotty

- THEYRE JUST LEAVING SPOCK IN THE PARK oh wait he’s going to the ship

- Get yourself a partner who would cry over whales

- “I’m from Iowa, I only work in outer space.” This man smh

- Oh no. Get Chekov out of there. Holy shit.

- “Must be the radiation.” He proceeds to throw the phaser at the guy and then runs out the door

- Gillian not afraid to slap Bob over whales

- Did- did Sulu steal a helicopter? Yes. Yes he did.

- Gillian sees Spock with his ears and eyebrows and she’s like ‘yeah makes sense’

- “Admiral, may I suggest that Dr. McCoy is correct?” Spock agrees with McCoy. 208 dead, 15 injured

- Gillian is surrounded by the polycule. She just wants her whales to be safe.

- McCoy is literally the best. He saw this person suffering and then immediately helped

- “Uh, excuse me, we’ll take that.” They steal the gurney and Gillian immediately hops onto it. I love her.

- “This woman has immediate postprandial upper abdominal distension.” “What did you say she’s got?” “Cramps” McCoy saw the security and went ‘Yep they’re stupid’ he didn’t even bother with a proper lie

- In an argument between a 20th century doctor and McCoy, I would bet McCoy any and every time

- I love when McCoy is just.. appalled at old medicine

- Chekov slowly regaining awareness and he lifts his head only for Kirk to push his face down with a, ‘not now, Pavel.’

- I like how the crew right now have been using Chekov’s first name and are protective of him.

- Sulu immediately being there to help Chekov get back on the ship 🥺🥺🥺

- This woman is so into whales that she would time travel for them

- Is McCoy sitting on the console and leaning over it to talk to talk to Spock? Yes, yes he is.

- “Well, then you’re just gonna have to take your best shot.” “Best shot?” “Guess, Spock.” “Guessing is not in my nature, Doctor.” “Well, nobody’s perfect.” He lets that last line drawl and then stares at Spock for a little too long. That’s flirting.

- That was the most intense countdown. I felt like something might happen to the whales within those ten seconds and I was worried

- “So I will make a… guess.” McCoy is rubbing off on Spock

- “No, Spock. He [Kirk] means that he feels safer about your guesses than most other people’s facts.” Hehe

- She was so happy just staring at her whales but then Kirk goes and interrupts that

- “I belong here, I am a whale biologist.” They are so lucky that they ran into someone THIS interested in whales

- McCoy resists the urge to just look at Spock when they’re travelling back to their time

- I like how there’s a hatch leading outside on the bridge… of a spaceship.

- forgot how hot Kirk’s poofy sleeves are

- They have a scene where everyone just gets absolutely drenched

- I’m so glad they didn’t have subtitles for the whales and probes. It’s more realistic for the universe. Starfleet doesn’t know what they’re saying, the crew doesn’t know what they’re saying, we shouldn’t know what they’re saying. It’s not how the universe works.

- They’re cheering for whales. I love when people cheer for things

- They’re all playing in the water omg this is adorable

- hi bitch (Sarek)

- Jim walks in with McCoy right behind him and Spock goes to join them from where he’s sitting

- I love Scotty’s little moustache it’s so :<

- McCoy is NOT listening, he’s got like nyan cat theme playing in his head

- THEY GAVE HIM COMMAND OF A STARSHIP FOR DISOBEYING ORDERS?!?

- I think McCoy should run up to Spock and Kirk and get them to kiss here

- Scott and Sulu arguing over which ship they think they’ll get <3

- McCoy is leaning so sluttily on the new bridge

The credits just showing pictures of each of the cast is adorable

See ya on the flip flop

Masterpost

[ruishusband]

᧔ ˖ ࣪ 💋 ࣪ ⤹kiss the homies

⤷Rui Kamishiro and amab!reader are zesty AF. Just a silly thing sleep deprived me wrote!! NOT PROOF READ

Being Rui's best friend was amazing at first, but over time it became harder to just be friends.. you two would constantly flirt, trying to make the other blush. 'Its just a homie thing, guys flirt with other guys all the time as a joke' you swore, you SWORE you wouldn't get attached, that you wouldn't yearn for something so unattainable, but you did... the worst part? You didn't even regret it. Deep down you enjoyed imagining yourself holding his soft hands, kissing his face aggressively, resting your head against his chest as if it was a pillow... your thoughts consumed you, haunted you no matter what you tried to do to stop your feelings. But yet again, you didn't regret it.. you regret not regretting it, foolish you, using your heart rather than your brain...

You felt your chest burning up, it's so cold and yet you're so warm.. it was embarrassing you were overheating because of a crush. A faint notification sound, followed by more notifications, each getting louder and more aggressive. Your hand is slightly shaky and sweaty, but you presist to look at the multiple texts Rui spammed you. A faint giggle manages to escape your lips, a slight distraction from your previously overwhelming thoughts.

purple guy (theater kid edition): hi just finished practice lol, wanna meet up at the nearby cafe? lmk

Oh, that's right... he had practice. You felt bad for not coming to watch, even though Rui would always assure you that you didn't need to pressure yourself to go to every single practice. You replied quick, not wanting to make him wait any longer.

rizzmeister69: oh? my-my, THE Rui Kamishiro is asking me out? It's a date 😘 be there in 15 minutes

purple guy (theater kid edition): take your time my prince, no need to rush! I'll wait for you ;)

You chuckled, the voices in your head having a conflict of their own. 'God y/n pull yourself together you idiot! Stop getting so flustered over a text' 'OMGOMG OMG HE CALLED ME HIS PRINCE :3!!1!1!1'

You put on a somewhat lazy outfit, but you made sure to look at least somewhat presentable. You took your wallet, heading to the little cafe at the end of the street. You looked for Rui, and he wasn't there, which is ti be expected as the cafe was closer to your house than his. You took a seat, waiting a few minutes. You scrolled on your phone, mindlessly looking at tiktoks untill.. "My sincerest apologies, I didn't keep you waiting for too long, now did I darling~?" he took a seat beside you, slyly putting his hand on top of yours, rubbing circles in it. You had felt slightly sleepy these past few days, so his comforting touch made you yawn slightly. "Nah I've only been waiting for five minutes" you mumbled, slightly tired. "You should really be getting some more sleep, you know?" "Pfft, ironic considering thats coming from you" you tease, he faked being offended, playfully scoffing. You talked a lot, your feelings just became stronger.. fuck.. you were deeply in love with him.. "You okay? You zoned out, are you sure you want to talk, maybe you should sleep instead, it's fine honestly I don't mind-" you snapped out your thoughts as Ruis words hit you like a brick: "Hm? Oh- oh no! I, I'm sorry I just.. got lost in my thoughts I guess" he was about to speak, but the waitress came and took your orders, so he forgot what he was going to reply. You two kept glancing at eachother, awkwardly laughing when you both looked at eachother at the same time.

"Thanks for the date, pretty boy, I'll see you later" Rui winked at you, you forgot you joked about this being a date, so you just stood there dumbfounded.. he giggled, giving you a kiss on your nose. He left, but you stood there, shocked.. 'kissing your homies is normal, right?'

[sophieswundergarten]

Snippet I wrote to decompress

Go ahead and read it if you want, it's not very long

Sticky woke up, gasping for air. He felt his brain working a mile a minute as he tried to register what was going on.

A light blinked into existence next to him.

“Sticky?” Reynie’s voice was a little hoarse from sleep, but his concern was clear. “Is everything alright?”

Still gulping in oxygen, Sticky nodded. “Nightmare.” He managed, shakily.

Reynie’s eyes went wide and sympathetic, and he climbed out of his bed and onto Sticky’s. Sitting cross-legged next to his friend, he reached out carefully and handed him his glasses.

“Thanks,” Sticky muttered, “Sorry for waking you up.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Reynie said easily. “I’d prefer to be up anyways, so I can check on you. Was it about Curtain?” He asked, delicately.

Shrinking back into himself, Sticky shook his head. “No,” He murmured. “It was the Waiting Room.” He hung his head, refusing to meet Reynie’s eyes as he thought again about how foolish it was for him to be scared of a dark, muddy room. 

It had been almost two years since the incident, and a boy his age shouldn’t still be waking up terrified from bad dreams about such things, or anything really.

“Hey.” Reynie’s hand came into his vision, tapping at Sticky’s knee. “I know what you’re thinking. And if you shouldn’t be scared of the Waiting Room, then I shouldn’t get to be scared of the Executives. Or Mr. Curtain. Or the Ten Men.”

Sticky blinked at Reynie ruefully. “Those were real things, real people, who tried to and did hurt us. Multiple times. That’s entirely different from being scared of a room.”

“Either way, it doesn’t matter. Those things were and are scary, and it’s okay to be scared.” Reynie countered. “Things are just like that sometimes; they scare you and you don’t get to reason it away. Do you know what my Amma does when I have nightmares?”

“No.”

“Well, first she gives me a big hug,” Reynie began, hugging Sticky tightly. “And then she lets me sleep in her bed, so I’m not alone if I wake up again.” 

Moving carefully, and glancing up every now and then to see if Sticky wanted to stop him, Reynie dragged his pillow off of his own bed and onto Sticky’s. Then he crawled under the covers next to his friend and turned to look at him. “Are you ready to turn out the light?”

Slowly, Sticky nodded, reaching out to turn the lamp off and place his glasses next to it. Wriggling under the blanket, he stared at the ceiling in the blackness.

“You’ll be here, if I wake up again?” He asked, quietly.

Reynie’s hand found his under the sheet. “I won’t leave.” He promised.

And, indeed, when Miss Perumal came to wake the boys up the next morning, she found them tangled together in their sleep, a peaceful look on either face.

[ohnococo]

Okay I’ve got multiple questions in one of your up for it! (If not, that’s totally okay!)

Who from jjk do you think would be into BDSM, have a spit kink, have a foot fetish, have a praise kink (giving and/or receiving), have a piss kink, and have a bondage kink

Oooooh I have THOUGHTS but to keep it concise: (spoiler it is NOT concise but I’m leaving that there to expose my own foolishness. thoughts on where I put people below the cut)

Cw for cbt, piss, bdsm, bondage, everything in the ask.

BDSM

For clarity’s sake, I mean actual participating member of the community.

Naoya - please I know it’s not popular but this man wants his sack stomped so bad. He wants his dick squeezed so hard it hurts riiiight when he’s about to cum. He wants to call someone mommy and he wants them to make him cry, like SOB.

Kenjaku - they want to try everything tbh so the lifestyle makes that easier. Once they get into Geto’s beautiful body and find out about fetlife??? Kenjaku is getting arouuuuund, humans are so much more open with their proclivities these days and they love it. Particularly loves shibari, caning, breathplay.

Spit Kink

Gojo - he wants spit in his mouth and he wants it BAD.

Geto - he wants to spit in your mouth, have you open wide for him, fingers pressed gently to your tongue, and let it drip slowly down into your mouth. Loves letting his spit drip slowly down to get you nice and wet before head too. Eye contact the WHOLE time.

Foot fetish

Gojo - dude is just a toe sucker. Sheepish about it because this one is more well known and he got teased for it early on. But he sees some painted toenails or pretty feet?? His balls are tingling. He’s gettin at them feet any chance he can get too, and if you give him a foot job? He’ll do anything for you. Like he’ll fully have to talk himself out of telling himself he’s in love with you.

Nanami - okay this one isn’t a full on fetish for him buuuuuuut he offers to give you a foot massage that segues into sex suspiciously often. He shows it in little ways though: kissing the arch of your feet when your legs are over his shoulders, starting from your toes when he slowly kisses his way up between your legs. Oh, and the deep yet pathetic little noise he lets out when you press your foot to his cock over his trousers.

Praise kink

Ijichi (giving AND receiving) - he gives the love he wants to receive and does it happily. Telling you all the things he loves and appreciates about you gets him hard, like the sweetest little affection boner. Likewise for hearing any bit of praise from you. Like it’s fully dirty talk for him, you can be on the phone praising him while he jerks off and he’ll cum so hard (same for him rambling out praise to you until he cums).

Yaga (giving) - he just gives me service too vibes and praise is a BIG part of that for him. As stoic as he comes across in real life he’s always paying close attention, and quickly picks up any little thing you could possibly be given praise for. He has to tell you, encourage you, let you know how much he loves seeing you be so good, and it makes his heart and cock swell.

Choso (receiving) - tell him he’s good enough, please! Big affection boner guy, big positive reinforcement works type. So those wires get crossed into a praise kink easily.

Piss kink

Gojo - he’s a little freak, you won’t convince me otherwise ✋🏼 I’m not just talking pissing while you’re getting fucked. He wants you to piss ON HIM.

Sukuna - he falls more towards the like omorashi end of things. He doesn’t care if you feel like you have to pee, you’re close, just cum and if you piss on him you piss on him 👀

Naoya - this is another dude that wants to get pissed on. He also lowkey likes the humiliation aspect of being forced to piss.

Bondage kink

Gojo - he likes being forced to keep his guard (and infinity) down to get bound properly, he almost feels held like this.

Toji - it really really takes the right person, but he just likes the attempt to restrain and control him by someone he trusts.

[ariel-s-awesome]

May as well post my response to someone on AO3 asking why I hate season 2 here. Already stirred the pot.

(Can't get read more working so everyone has to deal.)

I could write multiple essays about it but I'll keep it brief to avoid opening a can of worms. (Yes, this IS the brief version.)

1) Portraying Wander as a perfect immortal space Jesus ruined his character. Sylvia was forced to blindly trust him when she previously balanced out his worst impulses. So it also ruined their friendship by introducing a toxic power dynamic. And Sylvia's character too as she got forced into a subservient role.

Wander continuously pushing Hater's boundaries in an effort to make him good worked when he seemed young and naive, without knowing when to back off. If he's done this song and dance many times now Hater's just the latest entry in villains he's overwhelmed into submission. It's manipulative and cheapens their friendship.

2) They flattened Hater. In season 1 there was solid internal logic behind his foolishness. He's not just a stupid childish oaf. In much of season 2 his behavior seemed far more random with little purpose but to make him stupid and incompetent. (There were still some good episodes, mostly when Dominator was nowhere in sight, but...)

3) Misogyny. There were issues in season 1 but it really took off when Lauren Faust left the show between seasons to work on Medusa (which later got cancelled, sadly.) I have a feeling that her input kept it from getting out of hand with how it went from the usual lack of prominent female characters to the Dominator love interest arc.

Dominator worked well as a big threat that shook up the status quo and forced the main 4 to work together. But she was forced into a love interest role and demonized for not returning Hater's feelings.

This attitude is what leads to women getting assaulted for turning men down. As someone making children's cartoons, Craig has a responsibility to examine the messages closely and avoid reinforcing harmful ones because kids are very impressionable.

Also WOY used to be a great show for aromantics because it emphasized the importance of platonic love. That was no longer the case and many aro fans became bitter as the love interest arc wore on.

Her being portrayed as evil for not feeling love (I'm The Bad Guy) was the slap in the face as an aromantic (who thought I was a girl at the time) and my final straw. So I'm evil. Okay thanks guys. Time to pack it up and not even be able to bear to look at the show for several years.

Dominator was sexualized and it was disgusting. They constantly emphasized her boobs and hips despite her being fairly flat on model. There was even a storyboard posted with a note to fix her posing because when she was expressive that "wasn't pretty enough" or something like that.

They reduced what could have been a cool character to eye candy because she was a girl. Which is exactly what Wander and Hater did to her.

If this was a one episode thing that ended with Sylvia calling Wander out for being misogynistic and harassing her to pair her up with Hater, it would be fine. It'd be a good lesson. But it consumed most of the season without him and Hater ever being shown as wrong.

4) It was a waste of time that literally ended with the words "nothing ever changes" as they returned to the status quo. Craig McCraken failed to read the writing on the wall and thought that he would have unlimited time to tell his story. (Disney had an unofficial hard limit on keeping anything but breakout hits to two seasons at the time. And Wander wasn't one.)

Unpopular opinion but I'm glad Wander got canceled. Even putting the mess it became at the end to the side. That experience improved Craig's storytelling skills as he learned to work with the time he has instead of what he hopes for.

And that was what made Kid Cosmic great. I'm more attached to Wánder Over Yónder both because I was there for it airing and because it's my long-term special interest, but Kid Cosmic objectively has better storytelling because Craig learned to focus on the story he wants to tell.

It still has its flaws pacing wise, both because of Netflix keeping it short and him using so many main characters that most hardly got developed. (...Poor Chuck was all but abandoned by the narrative after his life was shattered.) Yet the story got wrapped up. Unlike Wander.)

5) Much more minor complaint but: The art suffered when they switched animation studios. I mean, I know Titmouse is a hard act to follow. But it looked cheap, with more errors, worse expressions, and more reused animation.

Probably not something the actual target audience would pay much mind to (I was a teenaged animation buff), still disappointing after how well-animated season 1 was.

[shadowfloofster]

Seeing so many people lump Bad into the category of "He mistreats Foolish! He doesn't care about him at all and doesn't trust him!" is incredibly frustrating when you actually SEE them interact outside of Bad messing with Foolish stuff.

Yes, Bad messes with Foolish but they do it to each other. It's a mutual thing and never go across any boundaries (if they do they'll back track and undo whatever was done. Like when Bad encouraged others to build inside the dragon, before they left he made sure they undid all the blocks that would affect the look of it from the outside) and as a "thanks for letting me mess with you so much" Bad leaves multiple gifts for Foolish! The platforms at the perfect height and distance to look over the titan, the scavenger hunt for Foolish's 10 stacks of pizzas with a massive reward for him and Leo at the end, making the conduit for Foolish when asked, the beacons at the titan and the backpack with many enchantment books, blocks, exp and upgrades.

The 2 trust each other but are also out to get each other. Bad wouldn't leave Pomme with Foolish if he thought he wasn't trust worthy of watching his daughter. Foolish wouldn't leave the tree in his home Bad and Pomme made if he was genuinely bothered by it (Bad expects it to disappear at some point too, as it's Foolish's home). Foolish and Bad wouldn't have followed Jaiden together, the 2 relying on each other to make sure they didn't lose her and stayed invisible (even if they did argue 99% of the time). When in the dungeon Foolish wouldn't have been calling out to Bad, asking if he was okay as Bad was being swarmed by mobs.

If Foolish was actually trapped in the nether, Bad would have tried to help him get out. If Bad truly didn't trust Foolish, he wouldn't hang out with him at all or tell him things, or even give him access to his home. He wouldn't have stuck up for Foolish against Max when they were talking about kicking Foolish out (even if he did play into it too, but that's how they are with each other. Foolish told Max Bad did a survey for the federation for the exact same reason, to make the other look bad)

Others might not trust Foolish or might mistreat him, Bad however does trust Foolish. And Foolish trusts Bad. Bad knows Foolish's limits and while might push them, he knows where to stop. They can predict each other's actions and motivations incredibly well. They respect each other and trust each other but show it differently to everyone else, in a way no one else understands because they've been friends for that long.

They both trust each other with their kids. They know the other is a great parent as much as they might say otherwise.

So no, Bad should not be lumped in with everyone else who doesn't trust Foolish or mistreats him. Because he doesn't. He trusts Foolish more than anyone and they treat each other the exact same way, Bad just having more free time to mess with Foolish.

[tlbodine]

So You Need a Blurb…

If you publish a book, the time will come in the process when your publisher will ask if you have anyone in mind to blurb/endorse your book. And then you will feel foolish telling your publisher that you don’t know anyone or maybe have no idea what a blurb is so you surreptitiously turn to the internet for help. Then you find this post. I gotchu, fam.

What Is a Blurb?

In publishing, “blurb” can mean a lot of things, from the jacket copy to your elevator pitch. But most often, if you’re asked to get a blurb from someone, that means an endorsement from another author or reviewer.

It’s the text on the back or the book or the first few pages where it says, “Fantastic! Five stars!”- some person

What is the Point?

If you ask around, basically nobody cares that a book has a blurb in it. It’s not the thing that will make or break your book sale. But they are a sign of legitimacy, that you are Someone, and that you are part of the community rather than a nobody from nowhere. They’re more important (and common) for lesser known writers breaking out. And they look nice on marketing materials.

How Do You Get Them?

You ask. Sometimes your publisher asks for you. But mostly you will be emailing authors and asking if they can blurb your book.

That Sounds Terrifying

It’s not so bad. For the most part, authors are flattered that you thought of them, especially if they’re midlisters that aren’t huge names. A blurb can give you both a little boost. And sometimes these conversations can stir up further relationships in the community. Writers buy books from each other. They generate buzz. If someone asks me to blurb their book, I’ll feel more invested in its success and might talk it up to others. And getting friendly with other writers is a good way to get invited to conventions, contribute to anthologies, etc. Sometimes authors recommend their pals to their agents. Sometimes they remember you when it comes time for award nominations and votes. So it’s worth it to swallow your fear and reach out.

OK But Like. How?

Step one: pick an author. Actually, pick several, because you’ll want multiple blurbs and not everyone will say yes. Pick people you think would like your book. This means knowing what they write. Aim for someone a few rungs up the ladder from you in experience. Yeah, you can ask Stephen King too, but the big guys are less likely to respond.

Step two: contact them. Track down an email address if you can. If they’re agented, you might need to go through their agent. Do not go into their DMs or tweet them publicly. Write a simple, professional email:

“Hi (author); my name is (name) and I really love (book they wrote that you liked). I have a new book coming out (date) and want to ask whether you might be able to provide a blurb? The book is about (one sentence hook). I would need any blurb back by (deadline you cleared with your publisher). I totally understand if you’re too busy, but if you’d like to take a look I can have my publisher provide an ARC in (format). Thank you for your time!”

An ARC is an advanced reading copy. It’s a not-finalized version of your story that can be sent to readers to start building buzz. Small publishers will usually only have digital arcs in pdf, mobi, and epub. Bigger publishers will have print arcs.

Fire the email off and wait. One of three things will happen:

1 - they say they’re too busy, sorry

2 - they say that sounds great

3 - they never reply

If you never hear a reply, it’s okay to send one follow-up after a couple weeks, then let it go.

After you’ve supplied the ARC, let them sit on it and then email to check in a week or two before it’s due. If they send it in late, it’s fine. It can’t go on the book cover but it can go on the Amazon page and marketing materials. Late is better than nothing.

What Will I Get?

Usually they’ll email you back a nice sentence or two that’s very sound-biteable. These are fun to write and authors can get clever with them. Usually you’ll get a larger one and can cut it down if necessary but it’s obviously bad form to take stuff out of context.

Sometimes they’ll shout you out on their socials. Sometimes you have to make the neat graphics yourself for your socials. You can ask them to share a cute graphic you made but don’t be pushy about it. They did their part.

Did They Actually Read My Book?

Yes. Probably. Mostly. Maybe they skimmed it. Authors are busy. Usually they want to say something nice even if you’re not their favorite style of writing. No matter what, thank them for their time (again!) and just don’t use blurbs that you don’t like.

Tips for Success

- be nice and polite, always. You don’t have to be mega formal. But you should hew on the side of politeness.

- maintain some kind of presence online so people can scope you out and see if you’re a nazi, obnoxious, a serial killer etc. Usually this means Twitter. But something is better than nothing.

- pick writers you like. If you like their writing, they’ll probably like yours. Also check them out online to be sure they’re not a nazi or sex pest or have any scandals that look bad on you. Due diligence!

- it helps if you’re friendly with them or have casually interacted in the past. Remind them about it if you have. “We met at this convention” or “we had x good talk on Twitter” but you don’t have to know them.

Hopefully this helps. Good luck in your quest!

[bravoman]

For the ask meme, "hate" for Bravo and "mistake" for Anti

Hate: What does your OC hate? Why? How do they act towards the object of their hatred?

Bravoman is especially sensitive when it comes to his identity as a hero. Having lived his entire life as a background character with no particular talents or skills and then suddenly being thrust into the foreground was a trip and a half. People noticed him? Cared about him? Admired him?? Impossible!

When Anti came along, Bravoman mistook him for a simple fan. Just some kid who was real good at making costumes and had a passion for drama. But when Brave Man came onto the scene? Bravo felt an anger like nothing else before it. Even he didn’t realize that it went a lot deeper than just “this jerk is profiting off of my image!” In actuality, it was “how dare he take the only thing that makes me special, makes people realize that I exist, and use my life-threatening situations for his own cheap stories?”

For the first time in Bravoman’s life, he had something that made him unique, something that he could feel proud of. And for the first time in his life, he genuinely hated someone. He was even willing to fight Brave Man in public over it at his own convention, until he was reminded that he couldn’t punch a civilian no matter how awful they were.

Even though they have since worked together to save the world on multiple occasions, Bravo still harbours dark and bitter feelings for his copycat rival. He hasn’t let it escalate beyond hostile remarks, eyerolls, or the occasional childish bickering, but he wouldn’t be too upset if Brave Man took a good smack in the face from a baddie from time to time.

Mistake: What's the worst mistake your OC ever made? What led to them making it? Have they been able to fix it? How have they moved on?

If one were to ask Anti what he thought his greatest mistake was, he would probably tell you that he makes a new mistake every day. Or that he is a mistake, just some walking talking accident with thoughts and opinions. He is rather dramatic that way.

In truth, his greatest mistake was a simple little thing that most children do without a second thought; trusting his own father.

Most kids are usually raised with love and affection. Anti didn’t receive any of that. And yet, he never stopped wanting his dad’s attention. Never stopped hoping that today would be the day that he would notice him. All he wanted was to spend some time with the man who created him. Share his interests with him, talk to him about the things he liked, have someone to give him a hug when he was having a bad day. What he got instead was silence, cold neglect, or if he was lucky, yelled at just for being a kid.

Their “relationship” ended the day his dad stopped seeing him as his unwanted son and as an experiment full of untapped potential. Even after Anti was finally taken away from his abusive father, he was deeply in denial about what he had gone through. His dad couldn’t be that bad. His dad would never hurt him without having a really good reason for it. Anti deserved it. He had to. Because if being hurt by his father wasn’t Anti’s fault, then he had to wake up and realize that his dad never loved him. He couldn’t bear the truth that he had never been loved or cared for before.

It wasn’t an easy or fast process. It took a lot of attention and kindness that he wasn’t used to for him to realize that the way his dad treated him wasn’t normal or okay. He still has a lot to learn about how kids are supposed to grow up with their families.

Anti continued to blame himself for his own abuse for a long time. If he did nothing to deserve what his dad did to him, then surely he deserved it just because he was foolish enough to trust him. It’s a learning process. At least now he knows that he isn’t supposed to be nervous or scared by the mere sound of his own parent’s voice. And now, he finally has a family and friends who cherish him deeply and are there for him on every step of his journey.

[thedickgrant]

Yeah actually I'm scrolling through tactics to wrestle back the conversation from you. I walked in and asked what I felt like was pretty standard setup question for a conversation that I was attempting to have with you which was hey good morning do you remember that time when... In this case it was asking if you remembered when you asked me if I had Asperger's or not. And your reply was long. You took over the conversation. You talked about the differences between what I had said and the precise reality. You dismantled my opening statement and corrected me. So in an effort to gloss over that and not get off into a tangent about that and since you referenced the event and thus remembered it I replied. "so yes"

I launched into the conversation I wanted to have I did not wait for a response to the I wasn't asking for a response to that in fact quite the opposite. But I felt immediately that it stung him. That's what I need to do differently. I don't need to get some point across in the moment. I could have just continued on with the conversation I wanted to have without the reply, so yes.

It's like some gratifying movie moment that I feel like I'm creating. It's the moment that I lose control and power. I can feel it in my face. Even though I considered the word choice and I thought that it was okay it was still combative. I still don't see myself as the only bad actor in this. But I would be foolish to say that I couldn't have done things differently myself.

You know I was probably thinking something like Jesus is it really never my turn. I guess my feelings get hurt a bit when I try to talk about something that's on my mind and I wind up listening just for a long time about something that isn't what I was trying to bring up. I mean I don't know the multiple of numbers of words that he says versus the number that I say in a conversation are. Does he say three times as many words as I say in a conversation? I guess it bothers me more than I realized. I mean I thought I was okay with it I thought I was able to see past it

[tempesttz]

refer to what everyone else has said under this post. the-circular-system explained it with an efficiency i couldn't begin to come to, so refer to them for a well-constructed retort.

you could also look at the comic someone dropped that quite literally reflects what you are saying and why it is a problem, to which you sided with..... the obvious antagonist of the comic? (though, you seem to be making an effort of siding with obvious antagonists of situations. or maybe you're just covering your own ass cause you can't admit you were wrong.) "you said you would boil someone" "i didnt uuuse the word booooil" "you described the act of boiling." "but i didn't say boil!" it's literally you right now. "she said she wants them to suffer." "she didn't saaay the word suffer." "she described it." "well she didn't say the word suffer!" also, to completely disregard all of the actual harmful messaging presented and say "well you're still wrong because sophie didn't actually use this one specific word!" is defending her. you made mistake, you got called out for that mistake, and then you went "well sure i was like. almost kinda wrong whoops unlucky! but aaaactuallyyyyy i'm still right because of this stupid arbitrary reason." you have not once said "what sophie said was bad." you are directly saying "well she never said that." that is defense.

also, define "wishing the ostracization of someone, hoping their friends turn against them for something they cannot control" as anything other than suffering? there's this thing called a synonym, do i have to link a source for that too?

just admit you were wrong or ignore this entirely and pretend it never happened at this point. everyone and their mother is pointing out how you sound like a blatant fool for this take, which you can see by the fact that Multiple People are pointing out how you sound foolish in the reblogs. it's hard to find anyone defending you in here.

and also, uhhh i dunno how long i've had that screenshot honestly. maybe a week maybe two months i have no concept of time, whenever you sent that comment cause i screenshotted it and sent it to a friend and was like "lol look at this guy getting mad at my deez nuts joke." i just tabbed into discord and searched for "deez nuts." lmfao. in the context of this post though it does make you look just a little more foolish. also, i thought it was funny. lol. if you need proof you said it i can link to that post if you so desire.

if you need a recap of how context clues work, that's okay. i'm sure there's a youtube video out there on them somewhere. it's okay to not know things, and it's okay to be wrong, as long as you learn from it. this is not learning, clover. you're doubling down because you can't take that you made a minor fuck up on the internet.

anyways i don't think what i said was in any way unhinged. i pointed out that someone had a history of Fucked Up Behavior (with proof because you asked for it), someone you (even if you cannot admit it), are actively defending, and explained why that's wrong. everyone else had already explained to you the holes in your logic, but here's some more explaining anyways i guess.

you damn people for not giving proof for being "uncited" and directly accused them of lying in a passive-aggressive way, so damned if you do. i present multiple other things she's said with links to the posts and i'm unhinged, so damned if you don't. but no, you're not supporting her, of course not.

come on, do you hear yourself?

let’s also mention how sophie said she hoped anti endos split an alter of her so they can “suffer”

[beyondspaceandstars]

A Surprise Night of Babysitting

Relationship: Natasha Romanoff x Reader Warnings: N/A Summary: You have a work emergency come up last minute and when you can’t find someone to watch your daughter, your girlfriend Natasha steps up. A/N: this is a pretty old piece i wrote and i just? never posted it? idk this keeps happening to me im sorry lkdjfalfjd also i just gave the daughter a name because, one again, am too lazy to type out "Y/D/N" (your daughter’s name" and it just looks nicer too!

Masterlist

You and Natasha had been dating for about three months when she formally met your daughter.

It was absolutely no secret to Natasha that you had a child. You had been very open about your sunshine Ava even before Natasha had asked you out on a date. You laid it all on the table, giving her the rundown of how you had been foolish one night and ended up the greatest gift ever.

Natasha found the story a bit endearing. She loved watching your eyes light up talking about your daughter and she secretly adored your optimistic outlook.

But despite how heartwarming and sweet Ava sounded, Natasha was very, very…nervous. Nervous. She herself almost couldn’t believe it. The big, bad spy was terrified of a six-year-old.

She had only met your daughter a couple of times all of which were for very brief moments. Your daughter had said hello when Natasha came to pick you up for a date one night. Natasha had politely waved back but couldn’t find her voice to greet her. There was then another time when Natasha had bumped into you two at the grocery store. Again, your daughter was kind and polite, saying hi to "mommy’s friend" but Natasha was as stiff as a board.

Every time, Natasha had walked away feeling a bit defeated. She knew your daughter was a huge part of your life and as your relationship was blooming, Natasha wanted nothing more than to welcome both of you into her world. She just had to figure out how to break the ice with an elementary-aged child first.

One random night it appeared the universe decided it was time for Natasha to face her fears. It had been chaotic and sudden and in less than twelve hours after said opportunity presented itself she was standing in her apartment with a six-year-old but…

You and Natasha had been planning to go out to see a movie. In the middle of getting ready, Natasha texted asking if you were still on for the date. That was when you called in a total panic. You informed her you had a work emergency to attend to and would have to cancel…but that ended up not being the worst part — all your babysitters were bailing on you.

Natasha’s heart ached at the pain and worry in your voice. She had never heard you like that and immediately went into protective girlfriend mode, hoping to fix all your problems. In the heat of the moment, she offered to watch Ava while you handled work problems.

At first, you were hesitant which was understandable. Natasha had only met your daughter in passing but, at the same time, was there anywhere safer for your daughter than with a trained spy?

You eventually agreed and next thing Natasha knew, she was face-to-face with a little blonde-haired six-year-old clutching a Barbie backpack like her life depended on it.

"So," Natasha said, "welcome to my home."

The child nodded. She glanced around the apartment. "Do you have any toys?"

Natasha’s face fell. "I— I’m sorry, I… I don’t really keep any toys—,"

"That’s okay." Ava shrugged and helped herself to a seat on the floor. She took off her backpack and opened it, presenting what looked to be an arsenal of Barbie dolls. Natasha wasn’t very surprised.

She didn’t know what to do as she watched Ava meticulously arrange her Barbies. The young girl even brought multiple outfits for the dolls and a…car. A Barbie-themed plastic convertible. Natasha didn’t even want to know what kind of witchcraft it took to that fit that in a child’s backpack.

Once Ava appeared to set everything up to her liking, she looked back at Natasha. "Would you like to play with me?"

While completely caught off-guard by the question and probably staring wide-eyed and afraid, Natasha found herself nodding. She slowly took a seat on the floor next to the six-year-old. Ava didn’t seem to notice the spy’s hesitance as she placed a doll in front of Natasha without much thought.

"They’re gonna have a fashion show," Ava explained while she began fitting her Barbies for their outfits. Well, that explained a lot about the doll’s closet, Natasha thought. Natasha tried to go along with it and began awkwardly dressing her assigned doll.

Natasha was struggling to find something to say as she wasn’t missing the fact Ava somehow seemed to be doing all the talking. She mentally cringed at her own behavior. She kicked ass and saved lives for a living! How was she this intimidated?

"You…have a lot of Barbies," Natasha finally said. It was clumsy and probably ridiculous but Ava didn’t seem to care. She nodded.

"Mommy buys them for me," Ava explained.

That made Natasha’s heart swell a bit. The love you had for your daughter was undeniable. It was honorable, really.

"That’s very nice of her," Natasha said.

Ava went silent for a moment while she worked to perfect the dolls’ outfits. But Natasha could also tell she was getting lost in thought while she worked. She was so tempted to ask her what was wrong but maybe that was too forward. Did babysitters do that? Was she just a babysitter? Could there be more to this?

Ava eventually broke the silence with a question that even took Natasha by surprise. "Are you and my mommy dating?"

Natasha fumbled with the doll in her hands. "Wh-What?"

"Are you and my mommy dating?" Ava repeated. "A girl in my class told me that when people spend a lot of time together, they’re dating. You and mommy spend time together. Are you dating?"

Nothing really could’ve prepared Natasha for this moment. She truly didn’t know what to say. She knew you introduced her as "mommy’s friend" a few times but had you talked to your daughter about what you two actually were? The relationship was early so she didn’t blame you if you were keeping it just between you two but… A question still stood: how does she respond to this? If she lied, maybe the information would get back to you and you’d call it off. If Natasha was honest, would she be taking away an important conversation reserved for you and your daughter?

"I… I think you should ask your mom about that," Natasha cautiously responded. She tried to make herself sound more confident, more sure of the situation. Ava, though, was ever the oblivious child as she was still consumed in her dolls.

The young girl just nodded, absentmindedly. "Do you love my mommy?"

For the umpteenth time that night, Natasha was questioning what she really got herself into here. The questions were slowly becoming less surprising and more nerve-wracking. She had a hard time predicting what would come out of the child’s mouth next which unsettled the spy.

Natasha chose her words carefully. Again. "I care greatly for your mom."

"Good," Ava said it like it was a declaration. "Now, I think for the fashion show…"

And then she was off. Natasha watched as the young girl turned her full focus onto the Barbie’s. She laid out the fashion show plan in particular detail which told Natasha she had either been planning this or this was a game you two played a lot. Either way, Ava was very quickly stealing Natasha’s heart. She saw so much of you in the young girl and it touched her in ways Natasha didn’t think was possible for someone like her. Children had never been at the forefront of her brain thanks to incidents she had been an unwilling participant of. Never had even the idea of adopting crossed her mind. The idea of a family unit, her own family, one carved and created, one loved and perfect…

Natasha’s brain was still racing a few hours later when you arrived at her apartment door. Ava had passed out, quite literally worn out from all the playing. Natasha watched you cuddle the sleeping child in your arms.

"I hope she wasn’t too much of a trouble," you said, your voice at just above a whisper so as not to wake Ava. Natasha smirked as she reminisced about the Barbie fashion show.

"She was wonderful," Natasha said, honestly.

You let out a sigh of relief. "I’m so glad. And, once again, thank you so much for watching her. I—I’m sorry, I promise it won’t happen again—,"

Natasha shook her head, insistently. "She was great, really." She paused. Her smirk grew larger as an idea that had popped in her brain earlier itched to be shared. "I… I was actually thinking we should go out for ice cream later this week. All three of us."

Your face went through a moment of shock at the suggestion before a smile slowly grew on your lips. It made Natasha’s heart and mind go wild.

"We’d love that," you said. "Thank you, Natasha."

Once you two departed after some dragged-out goodbyes, Natasha knew, somewhere deep in her soul, this might be it for her. A life with you and that sweet girl was something she could do. Could consider, at least.

And to think she had been terrified of a six-year-old.