#I don't think anyone will read this- but if someone do -thank you!

[dcxdpdabbles]

I found and read this cute story on AO3, about Frostbite being Danny's legal parental guardian. In the story Bruce Wayne runs into Frostbite (in his full yeti glory no disguise) who is setting up for school bake sale. Got me thinking about what if Danny's past rogues took turns filling in and doing parental stuff especially at school functions. Like Frostbite does the bake sale, Pandora shows up for his games, Ghostwriter goes to all of the PTA meetings, Clockwork goes to teacher meetings, so on and so forth.

The 43rd Annual Gotham Academy Bake Sale by Faeriekit

Ohhh, that sounds good! I'll get it a read when I have some time. Thank you for the rec!

Danny Fenton is one of the lucky few who have a very involved household. His various family members would always sign up for any school event the boy needed support in. It didn't mean that the boy won everything, but as a teacher for nine years, Emily has come to learn how much it mattered to just have someone show up.

She had seen students whose entire faces light up after spotting someone in the crowd in the same amount she saw a student's hope crumble after they scanned the room.

Danny was a polite young man, a bit on the shyer side, but kind and not a troublemaker, his previous school had her believe. If anything, he seemed to struggle with fitting in, but no students blatantly disliked him.

The general opinion of Danny matched, as her students would say, "I know him from class, but I don't really talk to him. He seems cool though".

Maybe that's why so many people were supposed by his family to march into the auditorium during Danny's talent show. Seeing him wave at the row before starting his gymnastic act had been such a surprise.

Now, Gotham wasn't a close-knit community, not with the size of their city and the millions of people living within it, but everyone would have noticed that Danny was adopted.

After all, he was the only one that wasn't glowing or a large humanoid animal. They cheered the loudest among the crowd; uncaring Danny got bronze- having lost to Joey's tapping dancing for second and Damian's spectacular multi-instrumental cover of a meme song for first place- and Danny beamed back at them.

Gotham was known for not being meta-friendly, but that was only due to a few mean people who shouted the loudest on media outlets. Many of Emily's students were meta, had family that were meta, or knew someone meta. It wasn't a common enough trait one would encounter a meta on every outing, but you would see them in Gotham well enough.

Everyone knew, but no one said it out loud. In the same way, she knew which students' parents were in the country illegally but worked harder than anyone else. Saying anything would help the cops, or worse, the rich running Gotham.

Even the most prejudiced Gothamite would rather be spat on then give them aid. And those who were so prejudiced to help the poor man's enemies, well, Emily has lived here long enough to know they vanished rather quickly. The smart ones kept their mouths shut.

No one could forget what happened to that guy who accidentally insulted Penguin. His grandmother had been an illegal immigrant on his mother's side.

No one messed with that side of the family.

"Hello, Mrs. Jackson." Danny's adoptive father, Dr. Frostbite said, ducking down to avoid banging his head on the door. On one of his shoulders was a box of hotdog wieners; on the other were multiple bags of bread. "I'm here for my snack bar shift."

Emily tilts her head back to look the Yeti in the eye. He had been shocked the first time they met, but she could admit that Dr. Frostbite was a relatively gentle and wise soul. "Welcome aboard. The girls are just about to take the field. You can put that down by the crock pot over there."

The mountain of white fur brushes by her with the grace of a king as Dr. Frostbite does as she says. There were no customers at the window, so she leaned on the counter and offered him a smile. "Did you enjoy the game?"

"Yes. I was saddened our team did not win, but Danny hit a home run." Dr. Frostbite's sharp smile could have been frightening if he wasn't oozing parental pride. "I caught it all on video."

Emily opens her mouth to respond when a hand lands loudly on the counter with a loud crack. Her heart leaps, and she looks into Danny's Ember. She isn't one of Emily's students, though she does appear to be a teenager in appearance.

You know. If it wasn't for her hair made of fire. Or her blue skin. Or her glow.

"I set a boy on fire," She announces with a cackle.

"That's so?" Dr. Frostbite gently rips open the box, taking out the hotdog packages. With one large claw, he rips a hole into it and lets the few weiners slide into the crockpot with a gentle splash. "What did he do?"

"Tried to slap me on the butt." She huffs, rolling her eyes, but her smirk doesn't lose an edge of smugness.

"Well done." Dr. Frostbite praises placing the lid back on. It always surprised Emily to see such careful actions from the large creature. "I assume you did so out of Pandora's line of sight?"

"Naturally. I don't want her lecturing me in front of the whole community." Ember scoffs, crossing her arms. Behind her, the top of Pandora's head can be seen swinging side to side over the dugout, keeping an eye on the ball.

She was the best volunteer referee because even the parents knew not to shout insulting things when she was present. Emily doesn't think she has had such peaceful games in a long while. Hopefully, Danny will try out again for baseball next year so the woman can return.

"Oh hey, you're Danny's English teacher, right? Mrs. Johnson?" Ember asks, leaning on the counter to give Emily a curious look.

When the blond nods, holding out her hand for a shake. "That's right. It's nice to see you again, Ember."

The girl's hair flairs a little as a grin grows on her face. Her hand is ice cold to the touch, but she's got a firm grip that her husband would appreciate. "Likewise. I got a message for you from Ghostwriter. He sent the notes for the last PTA meeting to you and the revision playwright for the musical you two were working on."

Emily's mood brightens up. "That's wonderful. Could you tell him I'll check it out when I get home and get to my laptop since my phone broke in the last Two-Face attack?"

Ember's hair flickers in the wind when she nods, but Danny bounces right up behind her just as she opens her mouth to speak. He's wearing his Gotham Acadamy Baseball uniform with pride despite them losing. "Hey, Frostbite, can I go with Tim and Duke to get Peoeria Pizza? We'll be back before the girl's game ends."

"Only if you take Ember with you," Dr.Frostbite says, nodding to his daughter, who looks alarmed to be included. "She needs more friends."

"Hey!"

"Sure. Come on, Ember, you'll get along with Duke. He likes old-school rock."

"It's not old-school!"

Emily laughs, watching the two siblings bicker as they stride away, blending into the crowd with no one batting an eye at the glowing girl anymore. How blessed that boy was.

"I'm glad Danny has gotten comfortable here. I always worried he never was going to have a normal childhood." Dr. Frostbite confesses to swirling the hotdogs around in the water to ensure each one is cooked.

"I think you and the rest are doing a wonderful job. You're a great father." She assures him, thinking wistfully of her William. He's been on deployment for a few months now and will likely miss the holidays again, but his contract is almost up. They may try for a child when he gets in the reserves. "How are things at the clinic?"

"Oh, wonderful. I'm grateful that Mr. Wayne has allowed the expansion of Thomas Wayne Memorial Clinic. Dr. Thompkins will be covering the east side of Gotham while I help those on the west. It's much more fulfilling than working in some hospital that demands funds for the silliest things. Back home, that would have been illegal. The people would have burned me at the stake if I had allowed anyone to pass away due to greed."

"My kind of people." She laughs. A sharp crack sounds from the field as the bat makes contact with the ball, and the crowd goes wild. It's a wonderful day.

[amastarxoxo]

Hii! Could I perhaps ask for a yan! Caitvi with a darling who is scared of them? Ty 4 reading my request!

fun fact: i don’t like either one of these people ( vi is 50/50 on a good day )

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀₊ ˚ shared infatuation ꒰꒰🍒꒱꒱

masterlist ૮ ྀི ◞ ◟ ა navigation

warnings : objectification , fem!reader , poly relationship , violent outbursts ( vi ) , manipulation ( cait ) , sexual touching ( nothing explicit ) , dehumanization ( ? )

caitlyn and vi are the best couple to be around in public. but private…

caitlyn

doesn’t understand why you’re scared. she been nothing be nice to you and even dolled you up like a pretty princess.

everyday, she has a set routine for you that must not be ruined by anyone or anything. they will face the consequences if such happens

if you refuse to obey , she start manipulating you into thinking very differently about some people you care about.

she tends to do treat you more like a doll than a real person , “dolls must look pretty. dolls always obey their masters. dolls are obedient.” — her motto. 

she honestly care but also don’t care that you’re scared of her, she has nothing to worry about she may not put hands on you ( physically at least ) but someone else can take care of that ( more fear the more she’ll listen )

vi

i hc that vi is a really short tempered one but she tries to keep her cool around you and i mean TRY

every time you flinch, refuse, or ATTEMPT to run away from home escape, she ready to blow up and take out on anything or anyone.

“honey bun, please…stop getting me mad for attention! you know i’m completely devoted to you no matter what…just ask next time, k?” she’s delusional ! she thinks we asked for this.

she uses her anger to control you! you don’t want to get hit right? great! start listening—or else.

she does deeply care for you and she wishes you would just cooperate with her so she doesn’t have to use her anger to control you—she also cares about the fact you’re scared of her but she also uses it to her advantage clearly but then again, whatever keeps you with her, us, it doesn’t matter.

vi + cait

they love touching you. and i mean love touching you, boundaries don’t exist with them. from your hair to your lips, lips to your neck, neck to your collarbones, collarbones to your tits, tits to your stomach, yea you got the point.

cait will always scold vi for intentionally scaring you/using her violent outbursts to strike fear into you but she never actually stops her. if anything she’s watching from a distance, the scolding is just an act and they both know it except you of course.

whenever they argue about you, they never address you as a person, you’re an object, or not even consider human in a way, and since cait loves to keep you a doll you feel even more less of a person and more of a prop.

if you misbehave, vi will hold back cait from feeding you, showering you, etc. your punishment is either dehumanizing or rough housing sex; and cait most definitely does not agree with roughing you up have to keep up your precious porcelain skin, not taking care of you is the next best option, but cait is against that one too so vi has to hold her back. this punishment can go on for 48 days to about a week or two.

©︎ A M A T E R A S U. all rights reserved. please don't plazarize, copy, or steal any of my works without my permission, thank you !

[supper-ansuta-broth]

Hey guys!

As of the most recent Akatsuki event, fans of Ensemble Stars! across the globe have begun voicing their anger with the distasteful, ignorant, and outright bigoted nature of the franchise's story as a whole (most prominently (but not exclusively) its racist structure, undertones, plot points, and rhetoric). I have always been of the opinion that Happy Elements K.K. as a company is not worthy of respect, and wholly do not care about fans' and users' input, feelings, concerns, and criticisms. Time and time again, H.E. have not only put their own bottom line first, but have made it their only concern.

Needless to say, I am not only disappointed but infuriated with this company. While I am an optimist who hopes to see the best come from any situation, this is not one of the cases where this would be a realistic outlook. Because of this, posts on here will likely be infrequent, as I don't want anyone to believe that even for a moment I think their decisions are excusable.

That being said, while I encourage everyone to do their part in reminding H.E. over and over how much harm they've caused and the colossal damage they've done to their IP, I must also remind everyone that most of a gacha's game's profits come from the small percentage of its highest paying players (i.e. "whales"), and that H.E. has a long history of not listening to its playerbase's concerns and criticisms, even going as far as to silence them and block them for speaking up. They do not care what you think. They care about money, first foremost and only. Be active and speak up, don't support their shitty business practices, but don't run yourselves into the ground in the process of doing so, because at the end of the day they will continue trucking along-- they are too big to fail.

I encourage everyone to direct their focus towards fan creators, and send them as much of your kindness and love as possible. Support the people who create things due to passion and love, not just for money. Enstars has been lacking passionate stories for a long time anyway, with only a handful every now and again. Everyone who creates anything, no matter their skill level, deserves compassion and support. And if you're someone who wants to create something but fears mediocrity, create it anyway. Every great artist was consistently mediocre until they grew enough in their skill to start producing some things they like.

Additionally, this is in no way the fault of the seiyuu, the employees of H.E. who are not in charge of making decisions for the story, or anyone else who isn't directly involved with the meat of what makes Enstars, Enstars. These people are not to blame. Direct your ire towards the writers, the executives, and anyone else who allows these decisions to pass.

That's all I have to say for now. If you have any questions, feel free to send me an ask. I can't guarantee I'll get around to everything in a timely manner, but I assure you I will answer anything I can. Thank you for reading.

[zkylearnstherope]

Victim [An Analysis] Finale + Theories

Part 1 - Part 2 - [Part 3]

Alright, here's the finale. There are some stuff I forgot to mention in the first two parts, and some corrections too. A few analysis from Wanted, and I am also including theories at the end as well.

Thank you for @d8tl55c for pointing it out.

That map was of Newgrounds, not the Outernet, which was I initially thought. There are two more texts at the bottom of it, and one was also highlighted in yellow, but it's two blurry to read.

The sticks around vic knows where the PCs are. But this doesn't explain how Purple has his own human. Purple can move from the Mac, to Minecraft, to the Outernet. And King was also able to buy a Minecraft item too. Is the Outernet more easily accessible that we initially thought?

Another thing I want to point out is that I don't think The Salad cares much about the Outernet. They have never expressed interest in finding out where King lives, nor did they explore the area after Showdown. Finding the city in The Box didn't even surprise them a bit, nor seeing more sticks like them. They know it's there, but they just don't care about it that much.

So, even if Second finds out about what Dark and Chosen did, I don't think he would align himself with vic, to be honest. He'll just go back to ALANSPC.

The building in Wanted exploded because Chosen hit the glitch bullet with a fireblast. Yes, he also has fireblast. Although, I will admit, it does look different than the fireblasts in Victim. It could be an animation thing, since they made the episodes a year apart. Or it could also mean that it was only Dark who was doing the destruction. But I don't care. I still hate Chosen for letting it all go down.

Also, this scene was definitely referencing Mitsi. Another one almost got hit by a rubble because of him.

And here's a summary of why vic is NOT an evil boss. Read the Part 2 for a more elaborate info.

The workers did not resign. The majority of the workforce disappeared because of the event. The string is connected to FRAME article of Where did they go?

Only one of them gave a (bad) interview. And it was at the same time the rumors started going around that he was in debt because the shareholders started selling shares. It was 3 articles in total written by a rival company to deface him.

Why do I think there's a rival company? Because of the incident report of someone getting caught stealing the UI Tools. Agent was able to subdue the suspect, and they filed a police report on it.

Yes, the Rocket Co. company "is not the same". That's because the original people were not there anymore. THEY DIED.

The previous articles say that vic hasn't made a public appearance, even after he became the new CEO.

He wasn't mistreating his workers. He's just not there.

And assuming they used to party all the time with Mitsi, those times should've stopped as well.

The article just exaggerated all the events at the company, and probably what that worker said in the interview as well. Typical newspaper stuff.

Everybody desperately want to make vic the evil cold boss, and people always forget that he and The Mercs have NEVER KILLED anyone.

What he has done so far was beat a god-level terrorist with ominous music playing in the background, and people were like- yeah that has to be the super bad guy ever. Everybody knows that nerd CEOs of tech companies are evil, yeah.

Despite seeing Victim where vic is the one who grants powers to people, people still think he would "take Second's power for himself".

A truly truly misunderstood character. Not only misunderstood, but there's barely anyone who cares enough to listen.

Second and Yellow's Capture.

Rocket Co. has two goals: Capturing Chosen and figure out how a cursor ended up in the Outernet.

The UI Tools were very rare. And because they were hunting down a cursor, they needed to know where Second got the pencil. Sticks are afraid of the Animators, they don't want the idea of them just casually showing up to the Outernet. Second was captured because of his potential connection to an Animator. And so did Yellow.

They are not aware about the hole in the Sky Tile, so there's no way they'll figure out how Yellow managed to summon a cursor, without capturing him too.

Although, it was actually Dark's tech that did the summoning, so I am not sure if Yellow would even be able to replicate it.

Agent overbeating RGB.

I see all of it as precaution. Chosen and Dark has already managed to wipe out Newgrounds. And now an Orange hollow managed to laser beam one of those terrorists.

It's only logical for them to assume that everyone that is potentially connected to The Chosen One would be powerful as well.

That's how I would respond too. I wouldn't trust people connected to terrorists, not even children. I would take try to take them down quickly before they could even harm the civilians around me. Agent was protecting the drivers, his family. No way he's letting them be in danger again.

(Also, I never agreed with them being children, but it's not related right now.)

I don't know why they stopped scanning Chosen. I honestly think it's a writer's plot hole, but an in-universe explanation would be that they needed to get everyone away from Second as possible. He could potentially get out at any time.

Why did it take too long for Agent to Pause Second and Chosen in Wanted? Were the Mercs playing with them all that time?

I don't see Wanted as the Mercs having fun.

I was more distracted by the fact that Second decided to use animals as meat shields. He can draw Rockets but not sure why he drew animals. A very odd choice for someone to immediately want living things to protect him. But that's not important right now.

It seems to me that the fight was being observed by cameras, and Agent has comms on. They were being ordered to push Second to use the Pencil to the extent of his abilities.

Since this was the first time they've seen a stick create life, and it was an Observation Sequence. NOT playing around.

Since I was right about vic having a tall wife, and that Agent is some sort of a sadist policeman, here are more theories I have.

The people around vic, especially his wife, knows that there Evil Animators out there, I want it to be true, that Mitsi was the one behind the Freedom website. She drew Black victim because they know how Noogai3 kept reviving the same black hollow over and over again. It was initially meant to save future versions of victim, but it ended up freeing Chosen and now Dark was created too.

The idea that they wanted to help enslaved sticks but ended up releasing the Terrorists of Newgrounds is so good of a backstory.

It was Chosen who saved Agent Oreo.

As much as I hate Chosen, I can't deny that this is his portal.

As to why he decided to save people, I have no idea.

The next Corn Dog Guy appearance will be his POV in Newgrounds. Then, we'll get to see what Chosen is actually doing there.

[small text] SKY Journal Astronomical breakthrough Highlights from SKY conference about(?) discovery of Sky Tiles How do Sky Tiles affect our understanding of weather? Microscopic examinations of Green Life Particles advance medical technology. [small text]

The Outernet sticks are aware of the benefits of the Green Particles. Now, I wonder if vic is now seeing Second as his way to save everyone? But too much time has passed, I don't know if Mitsi is still recoverable.

Right now, vic is trying to find out how an Animator managed to come to the Outernet. I personally think that the next episode would be more flashbacks but from Chosen's POV. Gotta get that angst meter high up.

I'm sure I had more theories, but I got so distracted today, that I forgot some of them.

Anyway, thank you for reading.

[gallavichsreddie1128]

Why? (Dean Winchester)

Description: Y/N has a big secret that she’s kept but now it’s revealed and Dean doesn’t understand why

Word Count: 1,598

13 years. That’s how long it’s been since Y/N joined the brothers and the angel on their journey. She was 22 at the time. Young and oblivious to the true power that the universe held. Sam was like her best friend. He was always nice and welcoming and kept her grounded. Dean on the other hand was not nice to her at all. He hated the fact that she was with them and even though she was a good help he never said thanks. Sam and Cas did but that wasn’t enough.

As sick and twisted as it was, she was in love with Dean. She truly had no good reason for it. He hated her and definitely did not share the same feelings. She kept these feelings hidden away. Away from Sam and Cas, knowing that they would never understand. She would never admit this to anyone, especially Dean. But 13 years on the road with them she came to the realization and fear that she wouldn’t have to. A mind reader. What kind of sick joke was this?

The mind reader stood in the room with them as they all prepared to kill it in some way. It laughed or he laughed and walked towards them, Y/N took a huge step back but he kept stepping towards her. “Get away from her!” Sam yelled but he ignored him. “W-What d-do you want?” Y/N asked, shaking. She was scared for her life and not because this thing could see her darkest secrets, it might kill her. His hand reached up and cupped her cheek. She was in disgust but too scared to show it. He closed his eyes for a moment, reading into her mind before opening them again. “You’ve kept that for so many years.” He said with pity. Her eyes widened as she realized what he might be talking about. “Kept what?” Cas asked. She shook with fear now for two things.

The mind reader could tell that she didn’t want the secret out. He stepped away from her and her body relaxed. “Just a little crush or should I say a big one? In love with the enemy.” The mind reader looked at Dean who wasn’t catching on. “Who cares who she’s in love with? What’s this got to do with why you’re here?” Dean asked. At the same time Cas asked, “The enemy?” Sam stayed silent. “I’m not here for anything but some fun.” The Mind Reader laughed but the others didn’t. It wasn’t funny. “Please.” Y/N whispered. He could kidnap her or torture her but she begged silently that he wouldn’t reveal the secret that she kept in her heart all these years.

“We aren’t children, we don't want your fun.” Dean growled. The mind reader shook his head and gave her a pity look. “Not everyone is smart about loving someone. We don’t all make the right choice.” She looked away from him as she kept telling herself that maybe the mind reader wouldn’t reveal it. “I’m sorry did you not hear me?” Dean asked and stepped forward. The Mind Reader looked at him and smirked, “I think it’s you who didn’t hear me.” Y/N wanted to cry.

She wanted the ground to swallow her whole. She couldn’t believe the big secret she kept was about to be revealed. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Dean was confused and maybe it was best he stayed that way. The Mind Reader smirked at him and looked at Y/N who was red in the face. “You can hate someone while they love you.” Sam looked at Y/N who was looking anywhere but them. Sam was the first to catch on in this sick joke. “Dean, don’t play coy. You know what I’m talking about.” Dean looked over at his brother who was staring at Y/N.

Y/N was red in the face and that’s when he realized. “Ding Ding Ding.” He looked back at the mind reader. “She’s in love with you but you can’t stand the thought of her or is that just what you tell yourself?” Dean wasn’t having any of this. “You’re going to tell us what you want or we will kill you.” Dean said to him. “I already told you.” Y/N looked at the mind reader with so much anger. She walked up to him and stabbed him with the knife but not in a place that could kill him. “My arm you bitch.” He growled but Dean finished the job. Without looking in his direction she walked away and out of the room. 

It was days later that anything would come about what was revealed. Sam nor Cas said anything about it. Dean sat in thought about it just like Y/N. She was in love with him? He couldn’t understand why. He was an asshole to her and always has been so why would she love him? He walked out of his room to see her in the kitchen making food. She looked tired, hell they all did. Sleep never came to them when needed. Sam was still in his room and Cas was somewhere else. Dean stood as he watched her make eggs.

She wasn’t aware that he was there watching her. She moved the eggs to a plate and grabbed the toast from the toaster. She took the plate to the kitchen table and began eating. She looked at Dean but said nothing. Dean walked into the kitchen and sighed. They had to talk about it, eventually. “So the mind reader just told us one of your darkest secrets and you aren’t going to say anything about it?” She almost choked on her food. “What’s to say Dean?” She asked without turning to look at him.

“A lot actually. I have been nothing but an asshole to you and yet you love me?” She nodded her head. What poor excuse could she make? “I can’t make sense of that at all.” Nor could she. “I mean years, you’ve felt this way for years?” She stood up and turned to him. “I’m aware it’s ridiculous Dean. I don’t need you to point it out.” She yelled. She just wanted to eat her food in peace. “There’s no excuse or anything that I can make for it.” She finishes. She grabs her plate to take it to her room. “Wait.” Dean says and she turns to him. “I’m sorry about the past 13 years. You don’t deserve that and I certainly don’t deserve your love.” She nodded her head and walked to her room to finish eating. 

The house was silent for a while. No new cases or anything like that. Y/N tried to avoid Dean the best that she could but knew that she couldn’t do it forever. They established what had happened and it’s done. Dean felt completely different about it. He never realized it but he wasn’t the nicest person to her and the fact that she was in love with him made him realize how truly horrible he had been to her.

Her room was next to his and never once did he think that anytime he could hear her cry it was about him. How awful he was and yet she loved him. Sam always got on his case about treating her differently but he could tell that not even Sam knew this. Dean heard noise in the kitchen and thought it was Sam. Sam who just went to bed was not the one in the kitchen, it was Y/N. She grabbed a bag of cheetos and sat at the table on her phone.

She looked up as she saw Dean. She looked back down at her phone, making him sigh. “I’m not done with this situation.” He said and sat across from her. “Yeah well I am.” She said. “Y/N please just give me something. Why are you in love with me?” She sighed and looked at him, “Dean, why do you care so much?” She asked. “You hate me, remember?” She asked. “I don’t hate you. Before you stabbed the mind reader he was gonna say that I feel the same way.” She laughed and stood up.

“Yeah right Dean. You don’t treat someone like shit if you love them.” She yelled. He stood up, “If you think I treat you like shit why do you love me?” He yelled. “Because Dean I know that you aren’t that way to everyone just the people you don’t like. You’re a caring man and you would die for Sam or Cas. Anyone that you care about.” “That includes you.” She laughed again.

“Right, Dean. Sure whatever.” She said. He walked over to her, “That wasn’t a joke.” She looked up at him, “It was to me.” She said softly. Just like the mind reader he put his hand on her cheek. Though this time she wasn’t disgusted. “I do care about you and I do love you.” He whispered and she closed her eyes. She wanted to believe that.

“And I’ll spend the rest of my life getting you to see that.” She looked up at him and his eyes spoke the truth. There wasn’t an ounce of hate in them. His eyes searched hers before he did something he never saw himself doing. He leaned in and kissed her. She kissed back surprisingly fast. The kiss was short but sweet. Dean pulled away and placed his forehead on hers. “I will spend my whole life making it up to you.” For the first time in a week she smiled, a genuine happy smile.

[maretinelli]

SINCE ALWAYS

Lewis Hamilton X physiotherapist!fem!reader

Summary: Lewis and Y/n were like they were attached at the hip. Ever since they were kids, the two of them were there for each other, supporting, caring, and celebrating. But the truth was that they had been in love with each other since they were teenagers, and Lewis's invitation for her to be his fake girlfriend at a wedding made their feelings come to light.

Words: 9.6K+

Warnings: Best friends to lovers, fake dating, cute, a little distressing because they don't say their feelings right away haha, mentions of sex, confessions of love.

Author: English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes that may be made. And I love reading fake dating stories, so I think writing them is cool too hahaha.

MASTERLIST

Since they were little, Lewis and Y/n were inseparable.

They grew up on the same street in London, attended the same schools and shared dreams and insecurities.

Lewis always said that he wouldn't be a pilot without Y/n, because she believed in him before anyone else. And she also said that she only managed to survive college because of the motivational messages and the coffees he delivered to her dorm door when he had time off.

That for her, Lewis achieved the impossible.

When Yin graduated with a degree in physiotherapy and a post-graduate degree in sports physiotherapy, Lewis was keen to help her join Mercedes, saying the team needed someone as talented and dedicated as she was.

Now both living in Monaco, their friendship had only grown stronger. Y/n used to joke that Lewis spent so much time at her apartment that they should split the bills.

He always laughed, saying he only went there for Roscoe, the bulldog who seemed to love the physical therapist almost as much as his owner.

Deep down, both Lewis and Y/n knew there was something deeper between them, but neither of them had the courage to say it out loud.

To Lewis, Y/n was more than just his best friend; she was his rock in the midst of the chaos of his career. She knew exactly what to say when he lost a race, how to cheer him up on his bad days, and most of all, she always believed in him. He loved her smile, the way she wrinkled her nose when she was focused, and even the little scoldings she gave him when he forgot to stretch or took bad care of himself. But admitting that? He couldn’t risk it. Not when she was the most important person in his life.

That afternoon, Lewis parked his car and went up to Y/n's apartment. He had a key, just like she had to his apartment. After knocking on the door and getting no answer, he went inside, calling out to her.

"Y/n? Are you home?" His voice echoed through the apartment.

"I'm in the shower! I'll be right out!" She shouted from the back.

Lewis smiled and gave a quick command to Roscoe, who trotted down the hall with him.

In her room, Lewis flopped down on the bed, taking in the familiar space. The shelf beside the bed was filled with mementos, photos of them together at races, from trips, and even a small 'best friend' trophy that Hamilton had given her as a joke years ago. He started to sort through the things, feeling completely at home.

"What brings your divine presence here?" she teases, calling out loud from the bathroom, her voice muffled by the door.

"Walking around, Roscoe wanted to see you." He replied, chuckling as he heard her laughter in the background.

"Oh, sure. Roscoe, the main reason, right?" Y/n scoffed. "Lewis, do me a favor? Hand me the sweatpants that are on the bed?"

Lewis picked up the piece of clothing and walked to the bathroom door, which opened just a crack. Y/n reached her wet arm out and grabbed the pants, thanking her before closing them again.

Minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom with wet hair and wearing a gray Tommy Hilfiger sweatsuit. Lewis noticed immediately.

"You only wear this when I'm around, just so I think you really like it." He teased, laughing. With a case of her glasses in his hands.

Y/n grabbed the towel she was holding and threw it at him.

"That's a lie! I love this gift as much as I love my job."

Lewis chuckled, setting the towel aside as she took an object from his hand and put it back in its place.

"You're going to break my glasses," she says, as if he were a child.

Lewis, with a quick gesture, took her glasses from inside the box before Y/n took them and put them on her eyes, widening them and taking them off quickly.

"Holy shit, Y/n. You're so nearsighted you're blind." He holds out his glasses to her.

Y/n rolls her eyes and puts her glasses on her face. Not wanting to change them for the lenses she had in the bathroom.

"Huh..." She mumbles, making Lewis smile.

She walks into the bathroom again, picking up the towel Lewis had thrown and holding it out, then starting to brush her wet hair.

"Seriously, what brings you here?" Y/n turns around and sees her best friend leaning against the doorframe of her large bathroom. "Because you're a jerk. I know you. You just show up out of nowhere, start going through my stuff like a child, and have that stupid smile on your face. You're about to ask for my help."

Lewis throws his head back and holds back a laugh.

"Roscoe. I already told you." He tried, but the smile gave away there was more.

"I know... Everything poor Roscoe" She came out of the bathroom, petting the dog that was lying on the rug in her room. "Isn't it, boy?"

Roscoe lifts his head and wags his tail.

As Yin asked if he wanted something to eat and they walked down the hallway from the bedroom, Lewis saw an invitation on the living room table. He recognized the invitation before he even read the name; it was from his sister.

She would be getting married in a few weeks to that scoundrel she called her fiancé.

"Hey, my sister invited you to the wedding too." He takes the invitation and walks to the kitchen.

"Of course. Your family loves me more than you." She teases, making Lewis laugh and roll his eyes.

"It's weird that her fiancé let her call you..." He sits on the counter. "He's very controlling with people."

Y/n fills a kettle to make tea and leans on the counter, looking at her best friend.

"Yeah... he's kind of weird, don't you think?" Lewis nods. "Remember the time we went to visit your mother in London and they were there, your sister seemed so excited to see us, and he had that... idiotic look on his face?" Y/n says, making a face and Lewis laughs. "When your sister told me she was engaged, I already expected that I wouldn't get the invitation because of him, but this caught me by surprise."

"He really is quite strange. The last Christmas I spent with them, he didn't say anything, didn't comment on anything, he just scolded my sister for talking too much and not wanting to give details about their life as a couple." Lewis frowns a little.

He really didn't like his brother-in-law, and had told his own sister as much. But he got a simple reply: 'Stop being a pain in the ass, he's just a reserved guy.'

The pilot deeply hoped that his sister would be happy with the 'reserved guy'. Because if not, things would be terrible for him and the one who would solve that was Lewis himself.

"Actually...I actually came here to talk about this..." He holds up the invitation that was now on the counter.

Y/n frowns, placing two mugs on top of the sink.

"Are you thinking about not going to the wedding?"

Lewis shakes his head. "No, no! It's something else."

"Do you want me to help you choose a tie?" Y/n interrupts.

"No, no!"

"What?"

Lewis doesn't speak, he just looks at his best friend, gathering the courage to make that proposal.

Meanwhile, Y/n had one hand on the stone counter and the other on her waist, anxiously waiting for Lewis to say what was on his mind. But her heart somehow accelerated.

Was he bringing someone with him and wanted to tell them? Was he dating someone and wanted to introduce them to his family? What did she have to do with it? Of course, she's family too. Don't forget.

Y/n had been feeling something for years. Lewis wasn't just her best friend; he was the guy who was by her side through every important moment in her life. He believed in her when no one else did, he opened doors she never imagined she would go through, and he never let her feel alone. The way he smiled at her, the way he pulled her into a hug for no reason, or the way he seemed genuinely interested in her everyday stories made her heart race. But she knew she couldn't ruin it. Lewis was Lewis.

It was her Lewis, and she wasn't about to share it with anyone. As childish as it sounded.

"I want you to come with me to the wedding." He says it as if it were simple, but the question isn't complete yet.

Y/n laughs. Feeling relieved not to hear anything like; girlfriend and Lewis in the same sentence.

"I'm going anyway." She smiled, then placed the tea bags in both mugs. "But if you want me to be your date, we'll tell your sister..." She didn't finish speaking when Lewis interrupted.

"Yes, I want you as my date, but there's one more thing..."

Y/n stops filling the mugs with hot water, frowning again and slowly placing the kettle on the stand.

"Lewis...you're scaring me like this..."

He blinks a few times.

Lewis took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment.

"It's my sister's fiancé, Y/n." He began, rubbing his hands on his knees nervously as he spoke. "He has this habit of... well, poking fun at me whenever he can. Every time we see each other, he makes some comment about how 'funny' it is that I'm successful at everything but relationships. As if the fact that I'm single is some kind of personal failure."

Y/n raised her eyebrows, surprised by the tone of irritation in Lewis's voice.

"And what did you do?" She asked, finishing filling the mugs with hot water. And then her eyes widened. "Oh my God, did you punch him?"

Lewis laughs, feeling the weight of the question lift for a few seconds.

"No, I didn't hit him or anything."

Y/n lets out a relieved sigh.

"I told you I wouldn't be single at the wedding. That I'd be bringing my... girlfriend."

She stopped immediately, her hands frozen in midair, the kettle still leaking a faint trail of steam. She slowly placed the kettle back on the stand, turning to face him.

"What?"

He blinked a few times, trying to gauge her reaction.

"That's it. I kind of... made up that I had a girlfriend."

"Okay..." Y/n crossed her arms, waiting for further explanation.

"And I thought..." Lewis hesitated, looking directly at her now, his expression as if he knew she was about to ask something absurd. "That you could be my girlfriend. For a weekend. Just for the wedding."

For a moment, silence filled the room. Y/n frowned, absorbing the request, but soon burst into genuine laughter, throwing her head back.

"That's a good one, Lew. You almost had me."

When she saw that he wasn't laughing along, her laughter slowly died down. "Wait, are you... serious?"

Lewis just nodded, a wry smile appearing on his lips.

"Do you think this will work?" She asked, still a bit incredulous. "Lew, I've practically been part of your family since birth! They know us like the back of their hand. They won't believe we're dating overnight! Both your family and mine!"

Lewis leaned forward, his hands gesturing as he tried to convince her.

"That's where our friendship comes in! No one will suspect because everyone already knows we're close. It won't be that hard to pretend. It's just for a weekend, Y/n. And honestly, it'll save me from hearing the Same speech as my brother-in-law about how I'm doomed to be alone forever."

Y/n narrowed her eyes at him, clearly assessing how crazy he looked.

"Lew... this is crazy."

He shrugged. "Maybe, but you're the only person I trust with that."

Y/n felt her heart skip a beat in her ribcage and she could already feel butterflies starting to fly in her stomach.

"Are you sure about this? Because if we're going to do this, it's going to take a lot more than 'we're best friends' to convince someone."

Lewis smiled confidently.

"So, does that mean you're going to do it?"

Y/n stared at him for a long moment, before taking a sip of her tea and muttering, "I can't believe I'm actually going to go through this madness with you..."

•••••••••••••••••••••••

Travel day.

"I still think this is crazy," Y/n says, looking over her shoulder as she walks in front of Lewis down the aisle of the plane.

He just laughs and puts a hand on her shoulder.

The weeks had passed quickly, and Y/n and Lewis dedicated themselves to creating the perfect story for the relationship they would present at the wedding.

During the nights they spent together, surrounded by papers scattered on the floor and notes in Y/n's notebook, the atmosphere between them oscillated between lightness and something that neither of them could name.

She jotted down the details as he threw out ideas with ease, as if it was all just another one of their adventures together. But for Y/n, every shared laugh and every exchange of glances as they planned made her heart beat faster.

Lewis, in turn, hid his restlessness behind his laid-back charm. The idea of pretending to be Y/n's boyfriend was something he proposed out of necessity, but secretly it was also the fulfillment of a desire that he didn't dare admit even to himself. Being close to her, even in a false setting, made it seem like what he had wanted for so long could, for a brief moment, come true.

"Where was our first official date?" Y/n asked once with the pencil in her mouth, interrupting the silence.

"In that Italian restaurant, after the Monza GP." He answered without hesitation, a slight smile on his lips.

She nodded, taking notes, but felt her face heat up. No matter how much she tried to rationalize, planning every detail made the fake seem more and more real.

Now, two weeks later and his sister's wedding day even closer, the scene repeated itself.

Sitting side by side, Y/n held the notebook on her lap, while Lewis adjusted the headphones around his neck. The two were silent, but tension hung in the air. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it carried something indefinable. Something they both felt, but neither of them dared to mention.

"Okay, last review." Y/n opened the notebook, turning over some marked pages. "First date?"

"Italian restaurant, after the Monza GP." Lewis replied immediately, with a small, smug smile.

"And what did you order?" She arched her eyebrow, testing whether he had actually memorized the details.

Lewis tilted his head, pretending to think. "Mushroom risotto."

"Great, but you have to remember I ordered lasagna." She pointed her pencil at him, laughing.

"As if I would forget. You even made fun of me because I ate half of your dessert afterwards." He laughed, leaning back against the bench and crossing his arms, relaxed.

Y/n closed the notebook. "And how did we start dating?"

Lewis smiles, pinching her nose a little. "I asked you to be my girlfriend at the race in Brazil. It was just the two of us in the Mercedes garage and I realized I couldn't spend another second without you by my side."

Y/n bit her lower lip. Totally hooked by the words Lewis had just spoken, her heart raced, her hands began to sweat, and then she had to look down at the closed notebook on her lap, giving an awkward smile.

"Alright, Hamilton. I think we're ready then."

"We are!" He noticed her rosy cheeks, but he didn't want to say anything, he just smiled and hugged her sideways. "We'll make this work, I promise..."

Just as Y/n would respond, the announcement that the plane was about to take off filled the speakers. She smiles and pays attention to her messages.

Between the detailed planning of the fake relationship and the rehearsals to make sure it all sounded convincing, they were both invested down to the last bit of emotional energy.

However, Y/n decided that she needed to add something extra to make their arrival at the wedding even more exciting.

A few days before the wedding, she sent a message to Lewis’s sister. Claiming to be overwhelmed with last-minute appointments, she said she would not be able to attend the wedding. The pilot’s sister responded almost immediately, sad but understanding. Despite her disappointment, she said she would look forward to seeing Y/n at her new home after the ceremony.

Y/n felt a pang of guilt sending the message, but knew it would make her arrival that much more memorable.

Meanwhile, Lewis, who was well aware of his best friend's dramatic ideas, took advantage of an afternoon when he was at Y/n's apartment, and called her family while she was by his side. During the call, Lewis casually announced that he would be bringing someone to the wedding - someone special, someone they definitely needed to meet.

Even though you already know it.

Y/n, who initially just helped Lewis keep his tone light during the conversation, ended up joining in. Even without speaking directly, she caught his words and laughed softly at the implications.

The mischievous smiles on both their faces were the only clue that there was more than it seemed.

When they arrived at London airport, the air was thick with anticipation. Y/n pulled her suitcase along while Lewis, sunglasses on his face and an easy smile, walked beside her. They exchanged knowing glances when they realized that no one from their family was there to greet them - everyone had already traveled to the wedding venue in the countryside.

It was a relief, as the chaos that could be caused if someone saw them together and the news of their 'dating' spread around the airport was the last thing they needed.

In the parking lot, they rented a large, comfortable car, ideal for the road to the countryside. Lewis took the wheel with his usual confidence, while Y/n organized the GPS on her phone to guide them. The trip started smoothly, but they both knew that the real challenge was yet to come: convincing their families that they were really dating.

The landscape gradually changed, with buildings giving way to green fields and small picturesque villages. However, even with the beauty of the scenery, nervousness hovered between the two as they chatted to distract themselves.

"Okay, important question we forgot to discuss." Y/n looked at him. "What if someone asks why we haven't told the public and your fans yet?"

Lewis, without hesitation, responded as if he had been preparing the answer for years. "Simple. Let's say our relationship is a secret. We don't want to tell the public because we are prioritizing our privacy."

Y/n tilted her head, considering the answer, before nodding with a small smile. "That's a great plan, actually. I think it'll work."

Lewis raised an eyebrow and, with a smirk, added, "And if nothing works, we can just run away and hide in the field. Who's going to find us here?"

Y/n let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "Great plan B, Hamilton. You really thought of everything."

"Of course!"

Despite the joke, they were both aware of the weight of the situation. Their nervousness increased as they approached their destination, as they knew that both the Hamiltons and the Grays would be there.

It wasn't just a challenge to deceive one family, it was two. They had to be on the same page in every detail, but they also had to hide their own conflicting feelings that seemed to threaten to collapse the theater they had created.

The road to the wedding venue was a picture-postcard scene. After miles of green fields and quaint villages, the large, rustic wooden gate finally loomed ahead, flanked by colorful flowers that swayed gently in the wind. Lewis slowed down, and as he passed through the gate, the sound of tires on gravel echoed down the driveway.

The music playing on the car radio made the moment even more perfect.

They drove down a narrow road lined with tall palm trees that created a natural corridor. The sun filtered through the leaves, casting dancing shadows across the hood of the car. In the distance, several small wooden houses appeared, their rustic roofs and balconies adorned with hanging flowers. A small lake glistened to the right, reflecting the blue sky and surrounded by well-tended lawns.

Lewis stopped the car in front of the group of cottages, the engine turning off with a soft rumble. The sound of gravel under the tires was replaced by birdsong and leaves rustling in the wind.

He noticed how restless Y/n was, her fingers playing with the fabric of her long dress. Without thinking twice, Lewis placed a comforting hand on her leg, smirking.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice calm. "If you don't want to do this, we can back out now. Just say the word."

Y/n took a deep breath and gave a nervous but determined smile. "No, I do. I'm just... a little tense. I think it's because I'm officially being promoted from 'best friend' to full-time 'girlfriend'."

Lewis chuckled, squeezing her leg lightly. "You're going to rock. Besides, they already love you. And how could they not, right?"

She rolled her eyes, trying to hide the growing smile. "Are you convincing me or yourself, Hamilton?"

While Lewis got out and opened the trunk to get the bags, Y/n stayed inside the car, observing the little houses more closely. It wasn't long before the excited voices of the families got closer.

The group of people emerged from the entrance of one of the larger cabins, the Hamiltons at the front, followed by the Grays, all smiling and waving.

Lewis's cousin ran up to him first, hugging him warmly. "Lewis! I'm so glad you're here! And... How's Y/n? We were so sad she couldn't come..."

Lewis gave an enigmatic smile, adjusting one of the suitcases on the floor. "Oh, about that..."

Before he could continue, his mother hugged him tightly, grinning from ear to ear. "And who is this special person you wanted us to meet? Are you hiding your game, son?"

He looked at her with a smile that was a mix of amusement and anticipation.

"Actually...you already know her."

At that moment, Y/n got out of the car, adjusting her clothes and walking to stand next to Lewis. Absolute silence took over the two families as everyone's eyes fixed on her, confused and surprised.

Lewis, noticing the nervousness that was beginning to show on Yin's face, gently pulled her by the waist, wrapping her in a side hug. He leaned in a little, whispering close to her ear.

"Relax. You look perfect."

Y/n smiled, the genuine gesture lighting up her face as she returned Lewis's warm gaze.

Finally, surprise began to give way to joy. Lewis's sister was the first to react, letting out an excited scream.

"Wait... you two?! Are you serious?!"

"You said you couldn't come!" One of them says, smiling at Y/n.

"Yeah... surprise..." Y/n smiles, raising her arms. "It was all part of our plan."

They are left open-mouthed with surprise and happiness.

"So Y/n. My sister. Is that the secret person you brought to the wedding?" The physical therapist's brother asks Lewis, still in shock.

Lewis laughs, agreeing with him.

Y/n's parents exchange glances with Lewis's mother. They were surprised but happy with the revelation.

"Why didn't you tell us before?! This is amazing!"

"Oh, you know how the media is, right?" Y/n shuffles her foot uncomfortably on the floor, giving a shy smile.

"Well, I must admit we've been waiting for something like this for a while now." Says Anne, Y/n's mother.

Y/n's father nodded, crossing his arms. "You two have always been so close. It was only a matter of time, wasn't it?"

Carmen laughed softly, excited. "I knew it! I always felt like there was something more between you two, you've been close since you were little. But you hide it well, huh?"

Lewis kept the smile on his face, even though he felt a slight tightness in his chest.

"We thought it would be more fun to reveal the truth when we were together in a special moment like this." He replied, keeping his tone light.

Y/n, although shaken by the families' words, managed to respond in the same tone.

"We wanted to keep things to just the two of us for a while. But with everyone here, it felt like the right time." She says, still hugging Lewis sideways, while squeezing his shoulder even tighter. "And we only ask for one thing, we don't want you to post photos or anything like that on the internet. We're still hiding from the media" Y/n smiles.

"Sure, sure!" Some say together.

"My mouth is a tomb" Y/n's brother says and they laugh.

"We'll keep it just in the family. We promise," Leo, Y/n's father says, placing his hand on Lewis' shoulder. "I'm so glad it's you."

Lewis smiles, his heart clenching even more. For a moment, he wanted all of this to be real, he wanted to admit his feelings to Y/n here and now. But he couldn't.

They both exchanged quick, knowing glances, trying to align themselves emotionally while they digested the weight of those reactions.

The families’ words, so full of affection and anticipation, created a bittersweet feeling. They were happy to see their loved ones so excited, but the weight of the lie hung between them.

Suddenly, Lewis' sister's fiance appeared from behind the group, as they congratulated the newest couple who brought together families that had been close for years, with a smile on their faces.

"Wait, wait, who's our pilot's girlfriend?" As he approached and finally saw Y/n, he stopped in place. His eyes widened as he processed the scene. "Are you... serious?" He looked at Lewis, then at Y/n, and shook his head with a smile of disbelief. "I just can't believe you two are together! Childhood best friends... who would have thought it would end like this?!" He hugged the couple at once.

Lewis frowns a little, not expecting this reaction from the man who made the most fun of his love life.

As the families continued to react, commenting on how they had always waited for this moment, Y/n and Lewis felt their hearts heavy,

The words of support and the looks of joy were genuine, and it shook them in different ways. As much as it was all an act, they were both realizing that the lie was becoming much more emotional than they had anticipated.

The Hamilton and Gray families couldn't contain their excitement as they guided Lewis and Y/n towards the cabin where they would be staying. Excited comments, laughter, and questions flowed in all directions, creating a warm and chaotic atmosphere.

Lewis, carrying the two suitcases, calmly followed the group, occasionally casting an amused glance at Y/n.

She, in turn, answered the questions naturally, following the script they had agreed upon, but her smile revealed a slight nervousness that only Lewis seemed to notice.

"So, Y/n, how did you finally get Lewis to commit?" His aunt asked, laughing.

Y/n smiled, pretending to think. "Ah, it was hard. He's a serious case, but in the end, who can resist, right?"

Laughter echoed through the group as Lewis shook his head, feigning indignation but with a smile on his face.

When they finally arrived at the little house where they would stay, everyone stopped for a moment to admire the place. The people stayed there, only the couple's mothers and Lewis's sister went up the stone stairs with the couple, to the small house where they would stay.

It was a small but incredibly cozy cottage, with light wooden walls and large windows that offered a stunning view of the lake next door. Colorful flowers decorated the path to the entrance, and the soft sound of water completed the tranquility of the environment.

Lewis's sister was the first to speak, handing the key to her brother with a mischievous smile.

"Here it is! You two are going to love this place. And honestly, I knew this day would come. It just takes time..."

"Shut up," Lewis interrupted in a whisper, giving her a sharp look, but with a slight hint of humor. The sister laughed, as she knew her brother had feelings for her best friend.

But the thing she didn't know was that the relationship was fake.

Lewis’s mother interjected softly, turning around with a warm smile. Anne was beside her, smiling too. They were so immersed in a conversation about flowers that they didn’t even hear the two brothers teasing each other.

"We'll leave you alone to explore the cabin. Take the opportunity to settle in and rest a little."

"Thank you" Y/n smiles.

The two of them were silent as they watched their mothers and sister walk away, giving each other expectant looks and knowing smiles before disappearing down the path.

When the last one disappeared from sight, Lewis handed the key to Y/n.

"Your turn," he said, with a smile.

Y/n took the key and opened the door, revealing a spacious and tastefully decorated room. The bed, large and comfortable, was adorned with a cute kit, a bottle of wine, two glasses and chocolates and rose petals spread across the entire surface. The windows looked out over the lake, with the reflection of the sky creating a soft, almost magical glow on the water.

Y/n chuckled as she saw the decor, walking slowly around the room as she took in the details.

They really went all out for a couple in love...

She thought, amused by the irony of living this with Lewis.

Lewis followed close behind, dropping his bags by the door and chuckling at the sight of the room. "Well, they've definitely gone overboard on the romantic thing. I think they're expecting an engagement announcement tomorrow."

Y/n chuckled, giving him an amused look.

"You think? I think we forgot to include that in the script."

Lewis watched her reaction, the sincere smile that lit up Y/n's face, and took a few steps towards her.

"You know we can deny anything at any time, right? You just have to say the word, and we'll be done with it.

He was so close that Y/n felt her heart race. When he reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, the gentle touch made her breath catch for a moment.

Y/n sighed lightly, trying to regain control, and gave a nervous smile. "And miss the chance to see more reactions from our families? No way."

They laughed together, but deep down, Y/n knew the truth was different. Being there, pretending to be something more with Lewis, made her feel something different, as if, for a weekend, she could experience what it was like to have him not only as a best friend, but as something more.

The thought made her look away for a moment, while the smile remained on her lips.

They came back to reality when several knocks on the door interrupted the silence, with two soft children's voices.

"Uncle Lew! Uncle Lew. We heard you're dating Aunt Y/n!!" The knocking continued, making the fake couple inside the room laugh. "Open up! Open up! We want to see her!"

Lewis and Y/n laugh, walking away and the pilot walking to the door.

"Are we going to have to lie to your nephews too?" She whispers, walking to the door as well, a pout on her lips.

"Unfortunately, dear." Lewis smiles and then opens the door, with the two children entering and running to hug Y/n. "Hey, what about me?"

The children laugh.

••••••••••••••••••••

Next day.

Lewis and Y/n's first day as a fake couple in the presence of both families was a constant test. Between forced smiles that gradually seemed natural and rehearsed responses, the two needed absolute harmony.

Early in the morning, while they were having coffee together with their families, someone asked how they divided up the house. Y/n hesitated for a second, but Lewis, without missing a beat, replied that she was responsible for meals and he was responsible for breakfast.

She gave him a surprised look, but soon joined in the joke, laughing and saying that he overdid it with salt. The lightness of the moment drew laughter from her relatives, but inside, their hearts were racing.

Later, while walking in the countryside with their cousins and childhood friends and Lewis's sister, the subject turned to their first kiss.

Y/n tried to hide it, but Lewis held her hand and gave her a knowing look. He began to describe exactly how they had agreed weeks before, even adding something extra as he spoke excitedly, as if it were real. She followed his story, laughing inside at how he could tell something so convincing.

There were also nervous moments, like when Y/n's grandmother suggested, "You guys should start thinking about having kids. With a connection like that, the kids would be beautiful!"

They both laughed nervously, trying to change the subject, while feeling the heat rise to their faces.

But as challenging as it was, spending the day together as a fake couple also made them realize how much they knew each other and how compatible they were.

The shared laughter, the exchanged glances and the ease with which they dealt with delicate situations only reinforced what they were both afraid to admit: this was starting to feel frighteningly real.

Night came, and in the cabin, Y/n finished applying her makeup in front of a mirror while Lewis sat on the edge of the bed, adjusting the laces of his white sneakers.

The room was lit with a soft light, and the open curtains revealed a view of trees lit by small lanterns scattered across the field.

"I finally got John to stop interrogating me." Lewis commented casually, looking at Y/n in the mirror.

She smiled as she put away her lipstick. "That's because you basically implied that I won you over with my irresistible charm."

"It wasn't a lie," he whispered, looking at the floor with an amused smile.

Y/n stopped for a moment, she had listened. And then, he pretended to roll his eyes to hide the blush he felt. And he decided to ignore it and make another comment.

"But you know what..." She puts her makeup back in her bag. "Today at lunch he was looking at us like he knew something was wrong."

"John is suspicious by nature," Lewis said, standing up and releasing his braids from their updo. "But I think he's starting to accept it. Maybe he's even jealous." He stops at the mirror for a moment, next to Y/n, to fix his braided hair.

"Yeah, because dating you is a prize," Y/n joked, winking at him.

"And isn't it?" he retorted with a smile.

She rolls her eyes, pushing his silhouette away, making the pilot laugh.

"Come on, Hamilton! We have to leave now, so we don't get late." She walks to the bedroom door.

It should also be noted that it was their first night sleeping in the same bed as a fake couple, a fake couple. But still a couple.

Although it wasn't the first time they shared a bed, the circumstances were different now. As children, sleeping in the same bed was something innocent, nights at each other's houses after playing late, or even family trips where improvising a shared bed was part of the fun.

More recently, the comfortable intimacy was still there, as in the time when Mercedes forgot to reserve a room for Y/n during a Grand Prix. Without hesitation, he offered his room, and in the absence of sofas or extra beds, they ended up sleeping together. At the time, Y/n jokingly piled pillows in the middle of the bed, saying it was: "A security barrier to keep you from invading my space, Hamilton." He laughed, but respected it.

Now, though, things were different. They weren't kids anymore, nor were they innocent best friends sharing a space out of necessity. There was a new layer between them—the game they were playing, pretending to be a couple, and the pent-up feelings that seemed to be growing with each interaction.

When they were ready, the two left the cottage where their room was, and walked through the illuminated field. The dew-wet grass shone under the lantern lights.

Lewis, realizing that they were about to enter a place filled with happy looks from both families, stopped and extended his hand to his crush.

"Hold my hand. There's no point in us arriving separately."

Y/n frowned a little, but soon intertwined her fingers with his. The touch was warm and comfortable, and even though she knew it was part of the plan, she felt a tightness in her chest.

"You really take this seriously," she teased, giving the pilot's hand a gentle squeeze.

"I just want to look convincing," Lewis replied with a smile, but his eyes betrayed a deeper feeling. And Y/n noticed.

As they walked hand in hand, Y/n couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if this wasn't a theater.

The large space where the bride and groom's dinner would take place was stunning. Shades of cream, green and gold decorated the space, with tall floral arrangements on round tables and small lights hanging from the ceiling, creating a magical atmosphere. The colors of the wedding invitation were present in every detail, from the napkins to the chairs decorated with bows.

Y/n was wearing a long black and white crochet dress, with firm stitches so that no part of her body was visible and this highlighted her curves in the right way, matching perfectly with her heels. Lewis, on the other hand, looked impeccable in a formal suit, a white button-down shirt, dress pants and a pair of classic sneakers on his feet.

When they walked in, hand in hand, all eyes turned to them. Family and friends of the bride and groom, who had arrived that morning, began to smile.

"They're perfect together," Hamilton commented.

"I always knew this would happen," Y/n's younger brother whispers to his girlfriend.

Y/n felt heat rise on her skin as she heard the comments, while Lewis lightly squeezed her hand. They both exchanged quick glances, almost as if trying to confirm what the other was feeling.

"They really look like a couple in love," Anne, Y/n's mother commented to Carmen, who agreed with a proud smile.

Y/n and Lewis heard enough to feel the weight of the words. The comments were sweet, but they carried with them a truth that they were both beginning to face and for a moment, the desire to confess how they felt grew.

However, silently, they both decided to keep everything as it was, at least for now. After all, the confusion in their hearts was already enough to deal with without adding new layers to that delicately constructed lie.

Lewis and Y/n walked through the room, hand in hand as if they were a long-time couple in love, until they found their designated table. There were Carmen, Y/n's parents and brothers, beyond the space reserved for them.

The conversations at the table died down for a moment as the couple approached, and everyone's eyes turned to them.

"You both look radiant tonight," Anne commented with a warm smile. "As if the paths were set in stone from motherhood."

Literally. They were born in the same maternity ward, with Y/n arriving into the world a week apart from Lewis.

Carmen, sitting nearby, nodded as she studied the two. "Seriously, son, I've never seen you this happy. And you, Y/n, look stunning. We're lucky to have you officially in the family now."

Y/n felt like she was going to cry at Hamilton's mother's sweet words, while Lewis, always confident, just thanked her with a smile.

However, the look they exchanged immediately afterwards was full of meaning, a half-smile of complicity, mixed with something that not even they themselves could admit.

A short time later, Lewis's sister, who had been walking around the room greeting guests, stopped behind him, placing her hands on her brother's shoulders.

"I knew this moment would come. You've finally officially united our families, and not just because of your friendship. I'm so happy." With a wide smile, she looked at Y/n.

The families around laughed, agreeing with comments of joy and satisfaction. Y/n gave Lewis a quick glance, and he returned the gesture, both smiling sideways, with the pilot's hand on her knee, as a comforting way, but with their thoughts racing.

As comforting as it was to see the happy families, the weight of the lie and the intensity of their own feelings were starting to become difficult to ignore. What had once been just planned theater was becoming something more complicated and emotionally challenging.

Dinner was lively, with impeccable dishes being served while conversations flowed around the table. However, for Lewis and Y/n, the evening began to become a mix of fun and tension. They talked, laughed and even told the story they had rehearsed weeks before about how they started dating, when someone at the table asked.

As the glasses of wine and champagne were emptied, the emotional barrier between them seemed to disappear. They both knew they were drinking more than they should, perhaps as a way to numb the feelings that were becoming more and more evident.

Between laughs and long glances, they let out small gestures that seemed genuinely in love, even though they knew they were exaggerating for the audience around them. But deep down, maybe they weren't just pretending.

By the time dinner was over and the music started playing, Lewis and Y/n were both drunk. He pulled her closer, mumbling something about how beautiful she looked that night, while Y/n, unable to contain herself, laughed and replied something equally affectionate. They were both openly flirting now, under the guise of drinking and pretense.

But of course, with all the alcohol they had consumed, something was bound to get out of hand.

Now, hours and hours after dinner was over and everyone had returned to their rooms, the fake couple's room was filled with mess, pillows, cushions and clothes they had used before, thrown on the floor.

Y/n was wrapped in a blanket, staring at the wall in front of her. The large tattoo she had on her collarbone was on full display, shining beneath the dim light of the room, while her hair was a mess. Because the pilot made sure to run his fingers over every inch of her body.

Lewis, on the other hand, had the blanket around his waist, his arms crossed on his lap, while the tattoos on his bare chest were also exposed. He looked at the clothes scattered on the floor, absorbing everything that had happened in the last few hours and how he had had sex with his best friend. I mean, the love of his life. Of course.

They were still slightly drunk, but they were sure to remember this event the next morning.

"That was crazy," Y/n says quietly, turning her head to look at Lewis.

The pilot turns around, but still leaning against the headboard. "Crazy. But good...very goooood. Great!" He emphasizes and Y/n widens her eyes, slowly nodding.

"Definitely," she says, pulling the sheet up. And biting her bottom lip.

They look back where they were looking before, until Y/n turns to him, with a questioning look now.

"Do you want to go again? I feel like I'm still a little drunk to ask the question."

"Of course!" He says without a second thought, pulling her into a hot, passionate kiss.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

Lewis's sister's wedding day.

Y/n woke up with the first rays of sunlight hitting her face. She opened her eyes and felt an arm around her waist, while a hand was stuck in her hair and her legs were tangled with Lewis's.

Then she lets out a sigh, remembering the night before. She had slept with Lewis. And not in the lie-down-close-your-eyes-and-sleep sense. In the sense that they had sex. Drunken sex.

An involuntary smile left her lips, even though she thought it was wrong.

She got up quickly, trying not to make any noise so as not to wake Lewis. The wedding was late in the morning, and the women of the families had already arranged to get ready together.

She put on whatever clothes were in her suitcase and left, ignoring her dress lying on the floor next to Lewis's discarded clothes as well.

The pilot woke up some time later, alone. Y/n's side of the bed was already cold. He ran his hand over his face, feeling his head a little heavy, and looked around. Their clothes were thrown on the floor, a reminder of the night before. He lay back on the bed for a moment, staring at the ceiling, as flashes of the night before passed through his mind. Y/n's laughter, the intense looks, the touches, the kisses.

The line between fake and real had definitely been crossed, and that left something undeniably different between them.

And Y/n seemed to do her best to avoid Lewis.

Whenever he came near, she found an excuse to leave, her face flushing slightly as she remembered what they had done. Despite her calm exterior, inside, she was a whirlwind. The idea of being so close to Lewis now made her nervous, not in a bad way.

While she was being made up, Lewis finally found her alone, waiting for the make-up artist, who had gone out to get something. He walked into the room with a somewhat hesitant but determined expression.

"Hey!" He smiles.

Y/n opens her eyes and leans back in her chair, seeing Lewis there. And then, her heart starts to race faster and faster.

"Hey!" She smiles, trying not to look nervous.

"The day dawned beautiful today for the wedding," he says relaxedly, trying to make the tension go away after what happened last night.

"Yeah. Your sister must be happy with the sun coming out." Y/n looked at the green robe she was wearing and lightly poked the fabric.

Lewis nods and looks at the woman. He sighs deeply before finally speaking.

"About yesterday..." He began, looking at her.

"We had too much to drink, Lewis. It was crazy," she says quickly, but never hinting at regret.

Lewis shakes his head. "Sure, that. It was crazy." He says gesturing with his hands.

The two remain silent for a while, looking at each other and remembering what they did last night. They would confess some time later, that that night was the best they had in their lives.

"Okay. I'll be going then. You need to put on your makeup and I need to get ready too." Lewis says and Y/n nods, swallowing hard. "See you at the wedding."

"Sure, sure. Yes." She says trying not to sound nervous, but clearly failing. Lewis smiles at that.

"See you later, doll" He winks, leaving Y/n completely dizzy in the room.

She leans back in her chair again, sighing and biting her lower lip as her mind races through memories of Lewis roaming her body.

They both knew that this was more than just the effects of the drink. They had crossed the line between friendship and theater, and that was something they couldn't ignore.

When the wedding finally arrived, the setting looked like something out of a fairy tale. The altar was set in an open field, surrounded by flowering trees that swayed gently in the wind. White chairs were arranged in perfect rows, decorated with small flower arrangements that matched the palette of the invitation.

The guests took their seats and the groomsmen and bridesmaids walked down the aisle. Lewis, as his sister's best man, walked in with one of his cousins, flashing an easy, confident smile.

However, as he passed by the row where Y/n was sitting, his eyes found her. The passionate look he gave her was impossible to ignore. Y/n, feeling the impact of that, smiled back, showing a look full of affection and love. She winked with one eye and Lewis laughed lightly, walking to the altar.

The bride appeared next, causing the guests to gasp. She looked radiant, and the groom, visibly moved, was waiting for her at the altar. When the ceremony began, the environment was permeated with an almost palpable energy. Y/n, sitting among her family, couldn't hold back her tears as the vows were exchanged. She wiped her tears casually with her fingertips, but Lewis from the altar noticed and couldn't help but smile softly.

During the ceremony, Lewis and Y/n's eyes met more than once. It was as if they were having a silent conversation, full of feelings that could not be expressed there. At a moment when the vows were especially emotional, Lewis leaned a little to the side and, almost imperceptibly, whispered:

"I love you."

The words were spoken with such sincerity that they hit Y/n hard. She felt a lump form in her throat as more tears welled up in her eyes. Pretending to still be emotional about the ceremony, she lowered her head to hide it, but her heart was beating fast.

And of course, when the bride and groom accepted the engagement, Lewis couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if it were him and Y/n there at the altar. She in a beautiful and expensive white wedding dress, with tears streaming down her face as he placed the ring on her finger and declared all his love for the girl - now woman, who he had loved since they were children.

And they both knew that this was beyond acting, and maybe it was finally time to stop pretending.

The bride and groom’s reception was as enchanting as the ceremony had been. Under a blue sky with clouds, a vast open space in the countryside hosted the celebration. Rows of flowers hanging from wires softly highlighted the surroundings, creating a magical atmosphere. In the background, the lake reflected the brightness of the sun’s rays.

Y/n was deep in conversation about her work with some of Lewis’s aunts and cousins. They seemed fascinated by her stories and asked questions, while she responded with a warm and excited smile, gesturing to emphasize her points.

Meanwhile, Lewis watched her from afar, with a soft smile on his face. The pilot approached and lightly touched her arm, catching her attention.

Y/n turned around, smiling when she saw him.

"Hey, could I borrow my Y/n for a little while?" He asked, his voice light but his eyes filled with something deeper.

Lewis's cousins smiled knowingly and nodded quickly. "Sure, we'll talk later, Y/n," they said, leaving the couple alone.

Y/n agreed smiling, watching them leave until they were far away from her and Hamilton.

The Mercedes team physiotherapist turned her gaze to Lewis, the smile still on her face, but her heart already starting to race as she noticed how stunning he looked in that impeccable outfit.

She sipped some champagne from her glass and joked, "What do you want from me, Sir Lewis Hamilton?"

He rolled his eyes slightly, laughing.

"I want to talk to you," he said, his voice lower, almost hesitant, but carrying an intensity that made her alert.

She nodded, her eyes scanning his face as he stepped closer. His unmistakable scent invaded her senses, and Y/n felt a warmth grow in her chest.

"But... away from people," he added, giving her a quiet smile.

Y/n frowned slightly, puzzled, but tried to appear calm. She set the glass down on the nearest table and followed Lewis. He held her hand firmly, his fingers intertwined with hers, gently pulling her through the flower field.

They walked towards the lake, where a small wooden bridge spanned the serene water. The structure was decorated with small arrangements of white flowers, reflecting in the lake like stars dancing on the surface.

Y/n felt her heart beating fast, both because of the scenery and because of Lewis's presence beside her. He stopped in the middle of the bridge, slowly letting go of her hand and leaning against the railing, looking out at the water. She stood next to him, leaning against the railing too, feeling the cool breeze caress her skin and his eyes meet hers.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked, her voice shaking slightly, trying to maintain her composure, but already beginning to imagine what would come next.

Lewis took a deep breath, his gaze so sincere and vulnerable that it made Y/n hold her breath. He knew it was now or never.

His gaze was more intense than ever, as if he was gathering the courage to say something he had been holding back for a long time.

"Lewis??" She asked, but he held up his hand, as if asking for a moment to speak.

"Just listen to me for a minute, okay?" He took a deep breath, looking away from the lake for a moment before turning back to her. "I've thought of a thousand ways to say this. Actually, I've tried not to say it. I've tried to convince myself that this was a stupid idea, that it could ruin everything, but..." He paused, laughing humorlessly. "After last night... I can't pretend it's not happening anymore. I've never been good with words when it comes to you. But you've always been more than just my best friend, Y/n. Ever since we were kids, I felt something about you that I didn't know exactly what it meant, but then when we reached adolescence, I realized that I loved you. I loved you as more than a best friend... I was already crazy about you. And I tried to put it aside because I thought it was the right thing to do, because you were too important to risk. But now... Now I'm here, in the middle of this bridge, and all I can think is that if I don't tell you how I feel, I'll regret it for the rest of my life... Y/n Gray, I love you. With every fiber of my being, I love you. And I'm not saying this as a friend, I'm saying this as someone who wants to cross that line, who wants to be your boyfriend, fiancé, husband and father of our babies. And if I'm messing this up, just slap me in the face and yell at me, and I'll understand too..."

Y/n laughed at the last sentence and bit her lips, as if trying to stop the tears from falling violently from her eyes. God, she had been waiting for this confession for years, and lately she thought it would never come, but here they are, declaring their love for each other.

"I'm not going to slap you or yell at you." She laughs, wiping away her tears. "On the contrary, I'm going to tell you that I love you too. Because yes, I love you, Lewis Hamilton. I love you beyond friendship, beyond everything we've been for 35 years. I love you romantically, and I also hope to be your girlfriend, fiancée, wife, and mother of our babies." She smiles, now with Lewis smiling and tears falling from his eyes. "And I confess that I tried to ignore that too. For years. I convinced myself that you deserved more, that our friendship was enough, that it wasn't worth risking." She laughs softly, the sound almost sad. "But I think last night took away all the excuses I had... That we had."

He lifted one hand, cupping her face gently, his thumb tracing a gentle path across her cheek.

"So maybe... we can stop risking everything by just being friends."

She laughed, a lone tear escaping, and Lewis quickly wiped it away. "Is that your way of saying you want us to stop pretending?"

"It's my way of saying that I don't want to pretend with you anymore," he replied, leaning in slowly.

Y/n closed her eyes, her heart beating so fast it seemed to echo in the silence around her. And then, his lips met hers, warm, soft and full of everything they had kept for years. It was a kiss that didn't need words, a different kiss than the one from the night before. Less drunk and rushed.

Y/n smiles between the kiss, when she feels Lewis's hand move further down her back.

When they pull apart, Lewis sees Y/n's loving gaze. "Well, is it too early to ask you out for real?"

She smiles, shaking her head.

"Okay then," he kneels down. "I don't have a ring here right now, but Y/n Gray... Will you date me? Officially? No rehearsed lines or plans in a notebook?"

Y/n laughs, crouching down a little. "Yes, Lew. I accept!" She smiles.

Lewis quickly gets up, picking Y/n up and spinning her around in the air, giving her several little kisses on the face before placing her on the ground and pulling her into a tight hug. With Y/n's face buried in the pilot's neck.

"You know what?" Lewis asks and Y/n questions. "The sex yesterday was good!"

She stands up, looking at him in disbelief, while having a mischievous smile on her face. Y/n lightly hits her boyfriend's chest.

"Hey, can you stop ruining cute moments like this with dirty comments?" She teases, making Lewis laugh and pull her into his embrace.

And after years and years, the two finally felt complete and with a weight off their bodies. They finally belonged to each other.

[glitterguts13]

NATLAN SPOILERS PLS DON'T READ UNTIL YOU FINISH THE 5TH ACT

Here me out on Ororon finding out he's pregnant after Capitano passes and having to give birth with out telling anyone who the father is

pretty please mpreg angst feeds my soul

I haven't been able to stop thinking about this...I'm never going to forgive them for taking Capitano from us.

TW: general angst of dealing with grief

The distant sound of celebration causes Ororon's head to pound. The music had been ringing out for days at this point, warriors and their families shouting thanks and praises, misty-eyed with relief, the war was finally over.

Ororon knows he should be with them, joining in on the cheer and celebrating the end of their long, weary battle. Part of him wants to stand beside the others, partake in a drink or two, and lose himself to the overstimulation of a hard-won victory celebration.

Instead, all he can bring himself to do is huddle further under his blankets, tears soaking his pillow as grief chewed through every fiber of his being.

A knock at his bedroom door,

"Young ones like you shouldn't be wasting their time in bed." Citlali chastises, "Everyone is asking where you are."

He swallows hard, emotion thick in his throat,

"Maybe....tomorrow."

~~~

He ignores it.

As his hands dig into the warm soil, the roiling nausea in his gut grows stronger. It had been weeks since it started, but Ororon stubbornly refused to acknowledge it as anything other than a lingering side effect of his grief.

Chasca hadn't faired much better once the adrenaline of battle had worn off, and the weight of her loss finally began to drag her under. Granny had spoken about how she'd vanished from everyone's sight for weeks before finally turning back up, red-eyed and much thinner than when she'd disappeared.

Its no different for him, except, his battle was private, and no one knew just how deep the cut had run.

Tossing his soiled clothing aside, and letting the water run down his aching body, Ororon closes his eyes.

Perhaps he was going mad.

The phantom feeling of Capitano's large hands trailing down his chest, over his thighs and belly, the weight of his body pressed against his back...

Ororon stumbles forward, barely able to grab hold of the sink before his stomach turns and the measly breakfast he'd managed splatters against the porcelain.

He shutters, feeling too cold for the Nataln heat, and stands up, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth.

His eyes lock onto his reflection, and that chill grows stronger as one hand slides up slowly from his side before his fingertips graze over the gentle swell starting to form under his navel.

Granny wouldn't be by that day, and Ororon is grateful for that, or else the scream he lets out would have shattered her peaceful view of her odd, but quiet grandson.

~~~

Everyone knows, but no one says a word aside from Citlali.

The months ticked by, and his belly continued to grow until it sat round and heavy against his slender frame. People stare, and he knows there's rumors being whispered when he's out of earshot, everyone quietly assuming the father must have died in the war, but how had no one known there was someone?

The midwife doesn't seem to care, offhandily remarking that the father must have been a large warrior, as Ororon's middle was already pushing full term at only seven months in.

Granny was furious, raging about how irresponsible he'd been, how foolish it was to risk a pregnancy during a war, how could he not have said something? Why hadn't he told her? Why wasn't he telling her more? Was the father so shameful, Ororon didn't want to claim their heritage?

A crib and a barrage of other newborn items had shown up on his doorstep days later, though she insists they weren't from her.

~~~

The stars are glittering in the sky, a peaceful calm settled over the land, while Ororon sobbed inside the side of his bed. A mess of blankets are thrown haphazardly over the floor, his nude frame glistening with sweat as his belly tightens like a drum.

Labor had started nearly a full day before, and Ororon is left cursing Capitano for putting such a stubborn child into his womb and having the gall to leave him.

It wasn't fair.

Why him?

Why was he left alone, carrying a child that would never be able to know just how wonderful a man their father was?

Ororon sobs, gripping the sheets as he deepens his squat, his waters bursting as the baby gives a particularly harsh kick.

Would Capitano even have wanted this?

Would he have hated him?

Would he have been happy?

Would they have been a family?

His belly quivers, another contraction finally forcing his stubborn child into crowning. The burn is instant, unlike anything he'd ever felt before, and he screams.

One hand reaches down, gasping for air as their head begins to bulge. He can't see them over the crest of his heaving middle, but his fingers gently trace the shape of their eyes, nose and finally, he feels their head pop free.

Blood and fluid trickle onto the blankets, one last desperate push sending his child tumbling into his waiting hands.

The midwife was right, the child is large, all chubby cheeks and hearty squawls as Ororon brings them to his chest. They flail for a moment before settling, snuffling and whimpering as Ororon all but falls to the ground, careful to keep them safe.

"My baby...my son." Ororon can hardly see them in the dark and through his tears, but his little boy has a mess of dark hair, and a delicate pair of ears matching his own.

"My baby boy..." he cuddles them tight, breaking down.

[scarred-but-still-smiling]

A Legacy Of Love

In which Odysseus finds a very odd man in his palace who looks hauntingly like the man he used to be.

Read here on AO3!

It had been many years since Odysseus had felt comfortable and at ease; from Troy, through 20 years of tragedies to get home, and the many moons since he finally returned, he was still getting used to not being in danger in his every moment.

Walking through the palace halls, just allowing himself to soak in the peaceful ambience, he suddenly heard a voice from the general direction of the central courtyard. Purely on instinct, Odysseus reached into a nearby vase and pulled out one of the many weapons he'd hidden around the palace since arriving home and crouching low and stalking, close up to the wall, towards the courtyard.

"My King! My King, there's an intruder in the courtyard!" A familiar woman's voice rang through the halls, and Odysseus heard footfalls rushing towards him.

As the woman rushed through the door next to him, he swiftly grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, covering her mouth to muffle any more screams that could give away their positions. "Amara," he whispered, "don't worry, it's just me." he released her once he was sure she had registered who he was. "Are you okay?"

The maid breathed heavily, hugging herself tightly, "Yes, my King, I'm okay, I don't think he saw me."

"That's good to hear," He smiled softly at her, "I would hate to lose you." his expression grew stern again, "Okay, did you see if our uninvited guest was armed?"

Amara shook her head, "Not that I could see. He was dressed very strangely, though. Like nothing I've ever seen before."

"And did those clothes look loose enough to be able to conceal a dagger he could get to easily?"

She shook her head again, "It didn't seem like it."

Odysseus nodded, "Thank you, Amara. Telemachus should be on his way to the weapon room with Athena. I need you to inform them both that we have at least one intruder, and possibly more. Ask them to comb the palace for anyone else while I deal with the man you saw. Then I want you to find Penelope and instruct her to arm herself, just in case someone tries to ambush her. Last I saw her, she was in our room, but she did talk about wanting to repair the drapes in the grand hall, so she could be collecting them. Understood?"

Amara nodded, "Yes, my King, right away."

Odysseus watched as the maid retreated until she was out of sight, before continuing his stealthy advancement on the courtyard.

Arriving at the doorway, he carefully slung the sword through his belt and picked up the bow and quiver he'd mounted above the arch, carefully positioning himself behind one of the support pillars to keep himself out of sight.

Carefully glancing around the pillar, he saw the man Amara had reported; she hadn't been wrong when she said he was dressed strangely: his upper body was clothed in an odd, pale blue, enclosed fabric sleeve, with sleeves enclosing his arms down to the wrist, and his legs were equally enclosed in a stiff, dark blue, fabric. He couldn't help but be bewildered for a moment; that couldn't be comfortable. Though, he thought, refocusing, it did mean there was no chance of any hidden weapons, unless they were strapped to his flesh, and those would be very difficult to access with the enclosed nature of the stranger's unusual garb.

Drawing an arrow back, Odysseus stepped out into the doorway, his aim locked onto the intruder's neck. "Who are you?" he snarled.

The stranger spun around, his arms raised, revealing a group of 4 strange characters on the fabric over his chest, and Odysseus almost released the shot, his eyes going wide in sheer surprise as he saw the man's face:

The stranger looked like him.

Like a younger him, the Odysseus who left for Troy all those years ago, an Odysseus unburdened by pain and loss.

He looked almost identical to Telemachus...

"What trick of the gods is this?!" He roared, glaring, his eyes burning crimson, advancing on the stranger. "Why do you look like my son?!"

The man stepped back in fear, his face turning the colour of ivory. "I-I'm not a threat." he stammered, "I'm not going to hurt your family, I swear to Horkos, I mean no harm." The man's gaze didn't waver from the arrow, "As for your other question, that's a very complicated story."

Odysseus cautiously lowered his bow, slowly releasing the tension in the bowstring. An oath to Horkos was serious, calling down a generational curse if broken.

The man relaxed, colour slowly returning to his face. "Oh, thank goodness." he smiled. "I was worried you'd Antinous me for a second there."

Odysseus froze. "What did you just say?" he began to raise the bow again, "The only people who know how I killed that bastard are my family and maids, how do you know that detail?"

The stranger slowly raised his arms again, "That's part of the complicated story, my friend." He laughed nervously, "I can tell you it if you stop pointing sharp things at me."

"You will stay here until my children finish combing the palace for any others who came here with you."

"I mean, I hope none of the others wound up here," the stranger said, "just me getting home is gonna be hard enough." He paused, "wait, children? As in plural?" He tilted his head, "as in you had another kid after Telemacus?" The man tilted his head the other way and began muttering to himself, "no, that wouldn't make sense; he doesn't look much older than his 50s, which means that, even if they had the kid 9 months to the day after he returned, that child wouldn't be nearly old enough to assist in recon, hell it would be barely old enough to hold a sword." He straightened up, beaming, "did you adopt?"

Odysseus was so caught off guard, seeing such joy on a face so like his son's, and his own, he couldn't help but smile himself. "You could say that," he unstrung his arrow and returned it to the quiver, slinging his bow over his shoulder. "It was Penelope's idea."

As if on cue, Odysseus felt two sets of eyes watching the pair of them.

"That'll be them now," he said, "report? Does this man have any friends in the palace?"

Telemachus' voice approached from his left, "Not that we could find, father."

Then Athena's from his right, "Indeed, it appears that, whoever this unusual man is, he arrived alone. What about you? What information were you able to gather? I notice your weapons are sheathed, so I gather you have determined he is not a threat?"

Odysseus nodded. "He's odd, but he seemed about as confused as to how he's here as we are, and if he wanted to hurt us, he wouldn't be in such an open area."

He watched as Telemachus squinted at the stranger curiously, "Is... is it just me or-?" He glanced at his reflection in the head of his spear. "Does he-?"

Athena nodded, "He does resemble you, yes. It's quite strange."

Looking between the two men, Odysseus was fully struck with how uncanny the resemblance was; if he were to remove the stranger's facial hair, they would likely be perfect mirrors of each other.

The stranger clapped his hands over his mouth, "Holy crap," he gasped, "you adopted Athena?"

Telemachus drew himself to his full height, "That's Goddess of Wisdom, Princess Athena of Ithaca, to you."

Athena bowed her head and laughed softly, "That's quite alright, Telemachus. I don't mind."

Telemachus pouted, "But you deserve your full title!"

Odysseus sighed happily as the two laughed together, looking over at the stranger, "Like I said, it was Penelope's idea." He laid a hand on his son's shoulder, "go tell your mother that the coast is clear, she and Amara should be in our bedroom, worried out of their minds. We'll be in the family room when you're done; the stranger has to explain who he is and what he's doing here, and, apparently, it's going to be a long story."

Exiting the courtyard the way he came, Odysseus replaced the bow, arrows, and sword to their hiding places along the way. The stranger raised an eyebrow as the sword was placed back in the vase, "So," he mused, "you've not been home all that long, have you?" Odysseus mimicked his curious expression, "I've noticed a few barely visible pommels between the courtyard and here," he said in response, "you might wanna hide them a little bit better; if I can see them, then there's a good chance attackers could too."

Arriving in the family room, Odysseus saw Penelope and Telemachus already waiting for them, a platter of olives, cheeses, dried meats and fruit sitting on the table in the centre of the room.

As they approached, Penelope stood and smiled, bowing slightly at their guest, "Welcome, strange visitor," she said warmly, "it's nice to meet you, I am Penelope, and you are?"

The stranger's eyes went wide, and Odysseus saw the tips of his ears turn slightly flushed. The man bowed back, "Greetings, Queen Penelope of Ithaca, my name is Jorge Rivera-Herrans, it's an honour."

"That's a very strange name," Athena mused, as the group sat around the table, "from where do you hail, Jorge Rivera-Herrans?"

Jorge paused, as if trying to figure something out, "In terms of the where, somewhere far to the north and west of here."

"What do you mean by 'in terms of the where'?" Penelope inquired, "are you trying to imply that the when is also a factor?"

Jorge laughed, "Sharp as ever, I see," he smiled at Odysseus, "I can see why you fell in love with her all those years ago."

Odysseus blushed; the man wasn't wrong.

"She reminds me of my Talya," Jorge smiled softly, "beautiful, sharp as a new blade and powerful enough to make a man quake in his boots."

"So she was right?" Odysseus asked, "have you somehow come from a different time?"

Jorge nodded, "That's part of why it's such a complicated story."

"Father is remembered?" Telemachus asked excitedly, "for how long? How far in the future are you from? How did you get here?"

Jorge sighed deeply, glancing from Telemachus to Odysseus and back again, "A little over 2800 years. And I predict you'll be remembered for thousands more. Greek myth is full of stories that have been told and retold for centuries." He looked back at Odysseus, and the king felt the weight of eternity on his shoulders. "That's why I know how you killed Antinous, for one thing. And as for why we look so alike," the man from the future smiled kindly, "I'm one of those storytellers."

Odysseus found himself leaning forward in his seat, fascinated by the odd man's story. "2800 years? That's such a titanic span of time, how could you have ended up here?"

Athena tilted her head owlishly, it was a motion that always made Odysseus smile, even though it looked rather uncanny. "Unlike my grandfather, I am no authority on time," she ventured, "but I do know that it can be rather malliable under the right conditions."

"Grandfather?" Jorge said, "That'd be Chronos, correct?"

Athena nodded, "Indeed. If our stories are as retold as you say they are, I'm sure you know his tale."

"How do you mean malliable, Athena?" Penelope asked, "you mean it can be shaped? Altered?"

Athena nodded again, "That's correct; there are spots in the world, places where something monumentous enough happened, where time can be," she gestured for a term, "somewhat thin."

Jorge grimaced, "Note to self, stay away from Troy. Got it."

"While I'm not sure why Jorge arrived at the precise location and time he did, it's likely the thinning caused by Odysseus' return and slaughter of the suitors is what caused it." She looked to their guest, "Would I be correct in assuming that you were, perhaps, walking through whatever stands in this spot in the future?"

Odysseus opened his mouth to ask Jorge a question as the other man nodded in response to Athena's question, but the many he needed the answers to surged forward to choke him.

"Are you okay Odysseus?" Penelope asked, eyes filled with worry.

"How..." he hesitated, afraid of the answer he would get, "how am I remembered?"

The smile Jorge gave him was filled with warmth and care and kindness. "You're remembered as a man who loved his wife and son so utterly, so completely, that he would give anything, sacrifice anything, suffer any pain, to get home to them." the man slid from his seat and knelt in front of him, a gentle hand on his arm, "your legacy, King Odysseus of Ithaca, is a legacy of love." Jorge looked around at them all, "All of you, though your adoption of Athena isn't a tale that carries forward, are remembered as one of the most solid family units in history."

Odysseus felt something catch in his chest as Jorge spoke; to know that history remebered him, not as a monster, but a man, that they wouldn't condemn him for the atrocites he had to commit in order to get home.

"If you don't mind my asking, Jorge," Telemachus piped up, "you said you were one of the storytellers who tell our tale in the future. How did you tell it?"

Returning to his seat, Jorge looked over at Telemachus. "In song." He smiled, "I had the idea to make a musical retelling of your father's story, so i asked around and found many singers who would, over the course of writing and recording, become my dear friends." Jorge looked to Odysseus, "the reason we look so alike, which is also the reason I look like Telemachus since he looks more like you than you think he does, is because I was the singer to portray you." He bowed his head, "And, might I say, it was an honour to do so."

Athena squinted at Jorge, "There's something you're not saying."

Odysseus watched, puzzled and a little astonished, as Jorge glared at Athena, "That part isn't important," he snapped, "all stories change as eons pass, that's a given."

Athena bristled, feathers briefly appearing on her shoulders and neck.

"Talking about the specific details I changed would only cause pain. In Odysseus if I was accurate, and in Penelope and Telemachus if I was not. Do you want that, goddess of wisdom?"

Athena averted her gaze, and Odysseus was lost for words. "No. I do not, they have suffered enough."

Jorge sighed in relief, "Thank you."

For the briefest of moments, hearing the tone that Jorge used in his thanks, Odysseus remembered the argument he had had with Eurylocus before he'd climbed to petition Aeolus, and he shivered.

"Jorge," he said, trying to diffuse the tension in the room, "you're from hundreds and hundreds of years in the future, so I want to know; Athena told me she wished for a world that was kinder, has it come to pass yet?"

A sad smile spread across their visitor's face, "Almost," he said softly, "there will always be cruelty, there will always be ruthlessness and monsters, that's just how things shake out, but so much progress has been made." The man shook his head, a hint of song slipping into his words, tears beginning to sparkle in his eyes, "if that world exists, it's still far away from here, it's one I'll probably miss, it's far beyond my years. But she will live forever, I have faith she'll make it be. It's Humanity's endevour, you have my word it's one they'll see."

Odysseus looked over at Athena, eyes wide, hearing the familiar words, only to be met with an identical expression from the goddess.

A quiet chuckle brought their attention back to Jorge, and they saw him wiping the tears from his eyes with a smile. "From the looks on your faces, it looks like I was right. That's good to know." He sighed, "now then, I'm grateful you didn't shoot me, King Odysseus, and I'm grateful for your hospitality Queen Penelope, but I have friends to get back to who were probably very alarmed when I walked through a crumbled archway and seemingly vanished in front of them. So then," stood from his seat and bowed to Athena, "Goddess of Wisdom, Princess Athena of Ithaca, if you could find it in your heart to help me return to my loved ones, I would greatly appreciate it."

Athena smiled kindly, and Odysseus couldn't help but remember the friendship that they'd built together as he grew from a child into a man. His thoughts drifted to the relationship between Athena and his son, and he looked around the room in search of him, but noticed that Telemachus had left.

"Very well, Jorge Rivera-Herrans. I believe speaking with my grandfather would give us a better understanding of how exactly you got here, and thus how to get you home. Unfortunately that means travelling to-"

Jorge nodded, "If I remember my mythology correctly, he's either prisoner in Tartarus or a king in Elysium, right?"

"I'm impressed." Athena replied, "would you like to join me? There's a chance he'll be able to send you home directly."

"I mean, as long as you're aware that I'm the furthest thing from a warrior and would require your protection."

"That is acceptable."

"Wait! Hold on!" Telemachus rushed into the room with a collection of weapons clutched in his arms; a sword, a dagger, a spear, a bow and a quiver of arrows. "You can't go on a journey without a way to defend yourself, it's dangerous out there, right father?"

Odysseus laughed, "I'm so proud to call you my son." He looked to Jorge, "he's right though. Though I think you know that very well, don't you, Storyteller?"

"Yeah," Jorge chuckled, "and, unlike you, danger and I aren't on the best speaking terms." He turned to Telemachus, "I think, if I'm being protected by Athena, meaning Quick Thought is in play, a bow and arrow would probably combo the best. Though I would also appreciate a dagger, just in case."

Odysseus understood about half of those words, but, as he watched Jorge recieve his weapons, he was brought back to the day he left for Troy, so full of hope and determination. "Be careful out there, Jorge Rivera-Herrans, I would hate for the future to lose a man such as you. And... thank you. You've given me some much-needed hope this day."

"Of course. It's only fair, really; your story has given hope to so many others in my time. Even just from my own telling of it."

Odysseus watched as the strange man turned away and walked with Athena out of the palace, Penelope following behind and calling the maids to escort them to the kitchens to pick up provisions for the journey.

"Oh!" Telemachus shouted after them, "what is father's story called in your time?"

Jorge laughed, not even turning around as he answered.

"The Odyssey!"

[atzhrts]

　　 ⠀˖　⠀˙⠀　｡ thank you guys so much for 3k ⠀˖　⠀˙⠀　｡　⠀

⠀⠀⠀ᯓ★ ⠀⠀⠀ i am genuinely so thankful !! thank you to everyone who reads my stuff and an even bigger thank you to everyone who sends in their thoughts - without you this blog would not even work <3 && thank you to all my moots and everyone who likes who reblogs my stuff - love you

　 ・ෆ・ to celebrate i want to do a little prompt list event - feel free send in a prompt, member of zerobaseone, ateez or riize and wether you want it as a text prompt or written!! ( if the prompt would make sense as a text ) - i will keep the requests for this open till the 13th ・ෆ・

prompts ⠀ ⠀ 🦢🩰 please use the numbers to request

　　 　 　ways to say “ i love you “ ⠀: ・┈ ᕱ⑅ᕱ・┈・┈・ෆ・ :

⠀˖’ you know i love you, right ?’ (1)

⠀˖’ you met my mum ‘ (2)

⠀˖’ i can’t think of anyone else i’d want to be here with ‘ (3)

⠀˖’ we’ll figure it out together, we always do ‘ (4)

⠀˖’ i want to stare at the stars with you ‘ (5)

⠀˖’ it’s you, it’s always been you ‘ (6)

⠀˖’ you’re everything i’ve ever dreamed of ‘ (7)

⠀˖’ i’m not leaving you like this, i care about you ‘ (8)

⠀˖’ i care about you, i want the best for you ‘ (9)

⠀˖ letting you ramble about your day, listening with a small smile (10)

　　 　 　・┈・ᕱ⑅ᕱ・┈・┈・ෆ・ friends to lovers/ beginning of a relationship

⠀˖’ you mean more to me than that ‘ (11)

⠀˖’ you look - uh, good. you look really good ‘ (12)

⠀˖ ‘are you blushing?’ ‘ i can’t help it if you look at me like that ‘ (13)

⠀˖ ‘ you, uhh... you... sorry. i didn't mean to make you... I mean... ‘ (14)

⠀˖ ‘ you’re blushing ‘ ‘ so are you ‘ (15)

⠀˖ ‘ can i kiss you, please? ‘ (16)

⠀˖ ‘ i didn't like the way they were looking at you. i hope you can understand what l'm trying to say ‘ (17)

⠀˖ * meeting each other's friends/family - ‘ i'm nervous ‘ ‘ don't be. i'm sure they'll like you. hell, they'll love you. ‘ (18)

⠀˖ walking next to each other, the back of your fingers touching theirs, too shy to initiate hand holding (19)

⠀˖ playing with your hair, being too shy to make eye contact (20)

⠀˖ covering cornered edges when you bent down (21)

⠀˖ hesitant smile and blushy cheeks (22)

⠀˖ learning about your body insecurities and finding out it’s their favorite part of you (23)

⠀˖ feathery forehead kisses (24)

⠀˖ late nights cuddled up and quiet giggles (25)

⠀˖ turning your head to hide your blush but he doesn’t let him (26)

⠀˖ smiling fondly when he sees you blushing, pulling you into his chest so you can hide it (27)

⠀˖ comparing hand sizes (28)

　　 　 　smut ⠀: ・┈ ᕱ⑅ᕱ・┈・┈・ෆ・ :

⠀˖ ‘ that's it, fuck, that's a good girl/boy.’ (29)

⠀˖ ‘ you’re mine ‘ (30)

⠀˖ ‘ is this okay? ‘ as he stares up from between your legs (31)

⠀˖ ‘ do that again- shit, just like that, right there ‘ (32)

⠀˖ ‘ please mark me, i want everyone to know i'm yours ‘ (33)

⠀˖ ‘ on your knees ‘ while their fingers thread through your hair, guiding you onto the floor (34)

⠀˖ ‘ my little slut to ruin ‘ (35)

⠀˖ ‘ you're in no position to tease baby, remember that ‘ (36)

⠀˖ fucking someone so good that they struggle to kiss you back (37)

⠀˖ interlocking your fingers above your head while making out passionately (38)

⠀˖ pulling them closer by the collar of their shirt or their belt (39)

⠀˖ fucking you so good that you struggle to kiss you back (40)

⠀˖ sex in front of a big window where anyone could glance up and spot you (41)

⠀˖ fully clothed x stark naked (42)

⠀˖ finding your sex toy/toys and making you play with it in front of them (43)

⠀˖ quickie where you don't take any clothes off, just tug and pull and expose the essentials (44)

⠀˖ fucking, but one is still trying to keep all of their attention on the game they are playing (45)

⠀˖ seeing the love marks they left on their partner later and getting turned on all over again remember how it got there in the first place (46)

　　 　 　・┈・ᕱ⑅ᕱ・┈・┈・ෆ・ prompt credits/ most are slightly altered : @angelilacs @novelbear @distort-ted @thepromptswhisperer @prompt-heaven @creativepromptsforwriting @loveisanimaginarydagger3000 @me-writes-prompts

[frostfires-blog]

Hello, it's MXTX Ask Game :

1.) From the 3 works by MXTX, who is your favorite (canon) couple? Why?

2.) From the 3 works by MXTX, do you have any non canon fav ships?

(FYI, I have at least 10 non canon ships from those 3 series, sorry)

3.) From the 3 works by MXTX, do you have any favorite quotes (from each series)?

4.) Who is your favorite love interest in MXTX three novels (luo binghe, lan wangji, mobei jun or hua cheng)? Why?

5.) Who is your favorite mc in MXTX three novels (shen qingqiu, wei wuxian, shang qinghua or xie lian)? Why?

6 a.) Which do you think is more tragic, Yi City arc or BeefLeaf arc or the Fallout between Shen Jiu - Yue Qi? Why?

b.) Can I ask your opinion on the comparison between bingqiu, wangxian, moshang, and hualian (their plus and minus sides)?

P.s 1 If you have not read SVSSS, it's okay, then you can answer based on TGCF & MDZS. But if you have the time, please read SVSSS, too. It's so funny. Yes, they're not as deep as TGCF or MDZS, but still have depth in the story.

P.s 2 As Jiang Yanli fan, do you love the canon ship of Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan? For me, she is too good for him, and I'm not really the biggest fan of JZX.

P.s 3 As Yushi Huang fan, too, I'm so happy and excited that you include her in your top 5 fav characters in TGCF. You're the first one that I know of that include her in top 5 favorite. Until now, I thought it's just me (and I have been TGCF fan since 2020). Also, who do you ship her with? I ship her with Pei Ming (sorry, please don't be mad). It's just funny that playboy like him meet a woman that he can't seduce like her. Oh and in the new revised version, it's canon that Pei Ming have a crush on Yushi Huang.

Sorry for my long ask.

[Hey! Once again, thanks for sending me this! Sorry, it took me so long to get around to it. To avoid offending anyone, I would want to stress once more that these are just my personal opinions.]

1.) Some of you will call me predictable for this... I'm sorry, but it has to be HuaLian. They are the epitome of enduring love and devotion to me. They embody so many tropes I love while remaining so refreshingly impactful. Their journey, their struggles, their aesthetics... I just adore everything about them. I've mentioned this before, but their relationship feels so authentic and sincere because their affection for one another is built up so steadily and meticulously. Their affection for one another is truly palpable through every held glance, melodic sigh, and subtly delicate touch. Undoubtedly what makes them not only my favourite MXTX ship but also my favourite ship of all time is that they embody the concepts of loving someone without expecting anything in return and loving someone at their worst; that sort of unadulterated, unconditional love is something I aspire towards but will likely never find.

2.) Regarding non-canon couples, I support many fan-favourite ones, but I am not as passionate about them as most other fans are. In fact, I partially understand MXTX's decision not to make any more side ships canon. The ones I'd say I have positive feelings about are the following...

⚬ BeefLeaf: They're my favourite non-canonical side ship in the MXTX universe. Admittedly, I didn't take much note of them on my first read-through (which is my attitude towards most side couples). I wanted to feature them in my side edits earlier this year, but sadly there wasn't enough material for them. ⚬ Pei Xiu x Ban Yue: Underrated but pretty cute ⚬ Pei Ming x Yushi Huang: I'll expand on them at P.S. 3 ⚬ FengQing: A classic. ⚬ QuanYin

⚬ SongXiao: Another classic... I've heard that the Yi City arc was supposed to be a separate story entirely, so I feel like this makes sense. They remind me a lot of another ship, but I can't put my finger on it.

⚬ A lot of you are going to be mad at me for this, but I really like LiuShen—as in Liu Qingge x Shen Yuan (aka our Shen Qingqiu). SVSSS is the only MXTX novel where I ship the protagonist with anyone else other than the main romantic interest. While I could see certain characters having one-sided feelings for Xie Lian and Wei Wuxian respectively, I can't see either of them returning those feelings at all. Shen Qingqiu is just so shippable for some reason—so I totally get why he is shipped with a lot of other characters. As for LiuShen I just like their easy dynamic—namely the trust they place in each other and them being on almost equal footing. Also the tension, the denial, the pining...

3.) Honestly, there are a myriad of quotes I like—but for the sake of keeping this brief, I've picked out a few that I found impactful. Since I've only read SVSSS once—and haven't done a hanakotoba analysis post on it—I didn't have a list of quotes at hand like I did for TGCF and MDZS...So there are fewer quotes listed for it. Additionally, the tone of SVSSS is very different from that of TGCF and MDZS, so finding fitting quotes was more difficult... Everything Shen Qingqiu says and thinks is especially hilarious, but I didn't want to post anything crude or too colourful here...

+ Bonus: My favourite non-serious quote from each series...

4.) Definitely Hua Cheng (surprise surprise). I just love how sincere, charming, and straightforward he is compared to the other male leads. I think he has the coolest design out of the four as well. While he might not have as complex of a backstory as the others, his sheer commitment and charisma more than compensate for that. His sassiness and snarkiness is really endearing as well. I really do like Lan Wangji, but I have complicated feelings about Luo Binghe. Somehow I always forget about Mobei Jun—he just doesn't have much presence, though his awkwardness and stoicness are entertaining in their own way.

5.) I truly like all the MCs though, which makes this choice a lot more difficult. Shen Qingqiu is so funny and relatable—as is Shang Qinghua. Wei Wuxian is so multi-layered, charismatic, and inspiring. Xie Lian is so profound and endearing. In the end, I'd have to say Xie Lian is my absolute favourite, though. What sets Xie Lian apart for me is that his kindness stems not from him being unable to see the bad in people, but from him actively choosing to believe in their goodness. Despite being subjected to tremendous adversity, he continues to be resilient and virtuous. Even so, he is not a perfect character and has made mistakes—but he has learned from them and has grown immensely from his experiences. This makes him not only incredibly captivating but also immensely inspirational. Furthermore, his awkwardly blunt humour is both relatable and endearing.

6a.) Damn, this is a tough one. They are all impactful scenes in their own ways so I'm going to go by process of elimination... The "fallout between Shen Jiu and Yue Qi would probably be in last place. This isn't to say it's not tragic but rather that I wasn't as emotionally invested in either character as I am in the others. It was a necessary part of the plot and I can understand both of their situations. That is to say, I couldn't see things turning any differently. Next would probably be the Black Water/Beefleaf arc. This arc didn't really hit me on my first read-through because I was mostly focused on HuaLian. Also, I was very suspicious of Ming Yi so his betrayal felt a little anti-climatic—not to brag, but I have a pretty good eye for that kind of thing. That being said, I still was somewhat taken aback by his motives. On my second read-through, I started becoming more invested in all of the side plots, and it all hit me much harder. What pulls this down to second place is that I can greatly sympathise with He Xuan. While Shi Qingxuan didn't deserve to be punished for something, he had no active part in—He Xuan's feelings were justified. Given that their respective conclusions in the series' final volume have left room for a possible reconciliation—I selfishly and delusionally hold onto the hope that they will.

This leaves the top spot for the Yi City Arc, which gripped me from the first time I saw it. This hits me so much harder since, by its end, 4 lives are irrevocably changed. Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan and A-Qing truly deserved better. While this arc is often overlooked and criticised, I think it's one of the most complex and powerful arcs in MDZS. The dynamics between Xiao Xingchen, A-Qing and Xue Yang are incredibly complex—with the latter's motives being much more complex than simple revenge. A-Qing's strength and bravery truly stood out to me while Xiao Xicheng's compassion and selflessness were truly moving. Although the arc mostly consists of flashbacks, it still ties in well with the present storyline. The parallels drawn between the main cast and the Yi City group are very clever and add depth to the series. What truly makes this arc heart-wrenching is that its conclusion leaves no room for any hope whatsoever. It's truly a heart-wrenchingly beautiful story.

6b.) In all honesty it's difficult to compare them given their respective complexity and differing circumstances... While I'm not sure if I answered this in the intended format, I did my best.

i) BingQiu: ➜Pros: ⦁ Binghe's assertiveness complements Shen Qingqiu's evasiveness and willful ignorance well. Considering that Shen QIngqiu would likely never be honest about his feelings unless prompted. ⦁ They are the most complex MXTX pair, as both characters are grappling with numerous actual-life problems (such as comphet and abandonment issues, respectively), which lends them a sense of nuance and authenticity. ⦁ Shen Qingqiu shows commitment to learning to be more accommodating of Binghe's relationship needs towards the end of the series while Binghe is learning to make necessary compromises. ➜Cons: ⦁ They have differing values, with Binghe caring only about Shen Qingqiu while Shen Qingqiu cares about other characters, which is a source of contention between them. ⦁ Sometimes, Shen Qingqiu doesn't respect Binghe's agency or personhood and makes high-handed decisions on his behalf. While this is not done maliciously, it nonetheless hurts the latter. This stems from them never truly stepping out of their roles as student and master. ⦁ Oftentimes, Binghe's possessiveness and jealousy terrify Shen Qingqiu (and me)—this causes him to flee from Binghe, aggravating the latter's abandonment and control issues. ⦁ Shen Qingqiu's lack of transparency with Binghe—and himself—is another issue. While the system prevented him from being transparent for a long time, I was disappointed that we never saw him come clean to Binghe at all.

ii) MoShang: ➜Pros: ⦁ The trope of an author's love for their character being reciprocated is very indulgent and gratifying. ⦁ They gradually bring out the best in one another—with Shang Qinhua becoming more standoffish and bold while Mobei-jun becomes more expressive and compromising. ⦁ While they face many of the same issues as BinQiu, I feel like they efficiently subvert many of them. For example, the uneven power dynamic of Mobei-jun being much more powerful than Shang Qinhua and the latter's fear of him is subverted by Shang Qinghua being the creator of PIDW and thus having a degree of omniscience over its characters, setting, and plot points. ➜Cons: ⦁ The physical violence and master/servant aspects of their dynamic are off-putting. ⦁ The lack of straightforward communication between the two results in many misunderstandings. ⦁ In comparison to the other main pairs, they are not as noticeable, defined, or developed due to their limited screen time and prominence in the series.

iii) WangXian: ➜Pros: ⦁ Their natural chemistry is exemplary with each of them supplementing the shortcomings of the other. ⦁ Despite their opposing dispositions and approaches to things, they share similar values and priorities—which enables them to respect and trust each other and collaborate effectively as they mature. ⦁ The extras highlight how, after getting together, they continually work to understand each other's boundaries and learn to accommodate each other's needs. ⦁ Their adaptability is another one of their strong points as a couple. Although they are both pretty headstrong, in Wei Wuxian's second life they gradually learn to make concessions for one other. ➜Cons: ⦁ Their differing communication styles caused a lot of miscommunication and distance between the pair in Wei Wuxian's first life. Although I feel like they've considerably worked through this by the end of the novel and balance each other out nicely now. ⦁ Lan Wangji's limited expressiveness and directness are another point of contention. While Wei Wuxian's obliviousness is legendary, if Lan Wangji had been more transparent, Wei Wuxian wouldn't have misconstrued things to such a large degree. If not for Lan Xichen's intervention, Wei Wuxian might never have realised the extent of Lan Wangji's affection for him. However, over time, Wei Wuxian learns to better read Lan Wangji overcoming this obstacle.

iv) HuaLian: ➜Pros: ⦁ The age-old trope of "even if everyone abandoned you, I would still stand beside you" is unmatched. Hualian embodies the sentiment of loving someone not just at their best but also at their worst; which is an unparalleled depiction of unconditional love. ⦁ Their relationship was founded on a good friendship centred around mutual respect, open communication and sincerity. As such their interactions in the present time always feel comforting and natural as opposed to the other pairs. ⦁ Hua Cheng is very respectful of Xie Lian's agency and supports him in his endeavours. That being said he will step in when Xie Lian is being careless with his own wellbeing which is something the latter needs. ⦁ They greatly complement one another and have both helped each other overcome their respective issues. Namely, Hua Cheng being strong enough to help shoulder Xie Lian's burdens and continue believing in him even when everyone else abandoned him. In the same way, Xie Lian gave Hua Cheng a reason for existence and a place to belong—this not only gave the latter direction but also helped him to value himself more (since someone cared for him). ➜Cons: ⦁ They are sometimes perceived as dull in comparison to other pairings because most of the trials they face are of an external nature, which means they rarely deal with disagreements with each other. ⦁ Hua Cheng's lack of well-developed friendships with anyone other than Xie Lian is somewhat disconcerting.

P.S.1) I have read all three MXTX novels, though I rarely speak about SVSSS. This is mostly because I'm not the biggest fan of BingQiu and Binghe in general. This isn't because SVSSS is a bad book, but rather that I went into it with very high expectations and it was very different to what I thought it would be like. I'm not the biggest fan of the teacher x student trope or large age gaps, so that threw me off as well. Someday I want to reread it and take more time considering it as I do—since I feel like I've greatly misunderstood some characters' intentions midway, especially Binghe. Maybe I'll come to appreciate more someday after becoming more open-minded...

P.S. 2) I do like Jiang Yanli x Jin Zixuan (I would've mentioned them at #2 but you only asked about non-canonical ships). That being said, I totally understand your feelings—especially since I used to feel that way too. I only started appreciating the ship after having watched the live-action and rereading the novel. During the intial arcs, Jin Zixuan doesn't have much respect or care for Jiang Yanli—which was really upsetting. However, judging by the context given one can slighly empathise with his discomfort. After all, no one wants to be forcibly married off to someone they barely know, especially when your peers don't think highly of that person. The disolution of their enagement was something I think was totally necessary at that time. After the war, he grows up a bit—he realises how compassionate Jiang Yanli is after the Soup Incident... This is when his feelings start to shift and he starts pursuing her. Yes, his mother is encouraging him—but at the hunting tournament, he states that he is pursuing her out of his own volition. Added to this, the fact that, even as prideful as Jin Zixuan was, he was willing to put aside his beef with Wei Wuxian and not only invite him to Jing Ling's One-Month Celebration but also go to Qiongqi Path to fetch him to make Jiang Yanli happy really moved me. The live-action's added scene of him having lotuses planted at Golden Carp Tower so Jiang Yanli wouldn't get homesick was endearing as well. Ultimately, Jiang Yanli deserves to be happy, and she was happy with him, so I have no issues with their relationship. They both deserved to see their son grow up...

P.S.3) I'm glad you like Yushi Huang too! She's incredibly underrated—I fear most MXTX female characters are as well... I do ship her with Pei Ming as well—but I'm not too disappointed that MXTX never made them official. I also like the idea that Pei Ming for once wants what he can't have. Xuan Ji's curse on Pei Ming has indeed turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts... How awkward he is around her is incredibly amusing. As prideful as he is, he respects her. Somehow he consistently finds himself being saved by her despite his male chauvinism, which humbles him. I quite like their dynamic and wish we had gotten more scenes of them—hopefully, the donghua will expand just as they did with the Fangxin Arc. I've heard about the revised version but haven't checked it out yet. I'm quite attached to the original, and the bits and pieces I've heard about it have given me mixed feelings. I do like that MXTX expanded on Pei Ming's feelings towards Yushi Huang and hope to find time to read that part sometime soon.

[ Ahhh! Sorry for rambling so long...I wanted to make sure I covered all my bases, and ending up getting ahead of myself again... ]

[celestialmantdonna]

Groot and Drax exchanged glances as Reks and the other guard started speaking. Drax, always humble, mistakenly assumed that Arvin was an admirer of his who wanted to say hello. Groot, on the other hand, initially thought he had gotten in trouble for chasing the lizards.

The more the two men spoke, though, the more questions the two Guardians had. Looking at each other, Drax and Groot shrugged simultaneously, neither of them knowing what Reks and Arvin were talking about. Apparently, the Guardians had uncovered a plot against the King and Prince of Dalmasca.

"We have?" Drax asked with both hands resting on his belt. But when he saw the look Groot gave him, he stood taller. "Yes, we have indeed."

"Why is everyone trying to kill everyone today?" Groot asked, though only Drax would understand him. He stood on Reks' shoulder carefully. "I don't get it... Why?!"

"Exactly!" Drax said with vehemence. "Why would anyone want to kill the Prince? He is beautiful!"

"Maybe someone's jealous of the way he looks and they think he has to die," Groot suggested innocently. It seemed like a perfectly logical explanation in his young mind, but saying it aloud made it appear all the more real, and he gasped audibly. "Oh no! What are we gonna do?"

"We do not know if that is certain," Drax replied. After a brief pause, he added, "But it seems plausible."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* . ───

Mantis smiled at the maid when she complimented her, before gesturing for Elin to follow her.

"Thank you! Elin... That's a pretty name! Come sit, please." She ushered the young woman to the sofa; it would help in case Elin needed to lay down due to the delicate nature of the topic at hand.

"Elin, as you can probably tell... I am not a human, or... hume, as you say. I possess certain... abilities," she began. "There is a reason why I wanted to speak to you privately. I am an empath. I am able to read others, and I can feel sources of energy. Life. Like the life sir Azelas attempted to take from me. So in return, I made him tell us his... um, tell us his secrets."

Mantis held out a hand so Elin could take it if she needed. "If there is anything I can help you with..."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* . ───

Gamora stood still and showed a blank expression as Raminas spoke with his son, though she nodded politely and offered a small smile when Caelen thanked her and said he would assist the Guardians as they needed.

"Just remember to get us the blade for my teammate and that will be enough repayment. It will make her smile." Her tone was a little more engaging and friendly this time, betraying the smallest hint of playfulness.

Moments later, Gamora was a bit surprised when Munoh reappeared, but it gladdened her to know that they brought word from Nabradia.

Apparently, Prince Rasler and Princes Eswynn would arrive sooner than intended; a formal dinner would take place. And Caelen wanted to... invite the Guardians? Gamora's eyes widened slightly, glancing and Munoh when they agreed with their chosen mortal.

"I will find my fellow teammates and tell them we have been invited. Thank you." She offered a polite nod. "Rest assured, we will not mention the invasion. I will inform my comrades of this as well."

With that, Gamora spun and left the throne room.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* . ───

Rocket and Quill were leaving the Benatar when they spotted Gamora from afar. Quill called her name, waving his arm with a big grin on his face.

"Gamora! Here!"

The woman saw them and approached the two Guardians. Her arms crossed over her chest.

"Any luck with the ship?"

"It's gonna take me a while to fix it, that much I can tell ya," Rocket replied. "Until then, I made somethin' to... uh... y'know, help improve Mantis' abilities."

"How?" Gamora asked.

"Uh, I dunno, remember that one time when she put a livin' planet to sleep? 'Cause you saw it, I saw it, we all saw it. The girl doesn't know how powerful she is, but I do. She's said before that she can't dull her powers. That means they can only grow. This will simply... dial 'em up to eleven. She'll be able to fuck shit up."

"I see." Gamora nodded and straightened. "I thought you said you don't care about us."

"You know me, I love a little mayhem and she's got the power. There's a lotta potential for chaos there."

"In any case..." Gamora smirked and shook her head. "We have been invited to have dinner with the royal family tonight, as well as the Prince and Princess of Nabradia."

"Huh?" Rocket narrowed his eyes.

"It's a celebration," Gamora clarified.

"A celebration," Rocket repeated numbly. And then he broke into a fit of laughter.

"What are we celebrating?" Quill asked.

"The wedding. Princess Ashelia is going to marry Prince Rasler. And I... I suspect it's an arrangement," Gamora said, remembering how anxious Ashelia seemed when she told Gamora and Mantis about the event.

"And why the fuck should we give a shit 'bout the wedding?" Rocket barked.

"Yeah, I don't get it either. Why would the King invite us?"

"The King didn't invite us. Caelen did," Gamora clarified.

"Ah, of course." Rocket rolled his eyes. "Of course Prince Charming's gonna take us under his wing, Mantis was able to get along with his invisible friend after all. Wonderful."

"Dude..." The Star-Lord's voice was a whisper. "Dinner means there will be food..."

The two stared at each other for a moment as Gamora's hands moved to rest on her hips.

"Okay, fine, we're goin', whatever," Rocket said.

"We must not mention the invasion in front of the Prince and Princess of Nabradia," Gamora explained. "King Raminas believes Prince Rasler might want to go defend his home which is... understandable. For his safety, we should refrain from bringing that up."

Another Time, Another Place (A Hollow Universe In Space) || closed with tarnishedxknight

@tarnishedxknight continued from here

The Guardians stood there, letting Captain Basch formally introduce them to King Raminas. They all then bowed respectfully except for Rocket, who only did so because Gamora pushed his head down. They trusted Basch for the most part, as he assured them no one would hurt them after telling them to leave their weapons at the ship. Quill and Gamora were the first ones to leave theirs; Drax didn't want to leave his knives, but did so after Mantis looked at him, while Rocket pulled a comical amount of retractable weapons from his pockets.

As they followed Basch, Mantis had stayed behind for a moment to approach Vossler. She felt much better after Munoh sent her some calm energy, and she smirked at the man. Suddenly, her hand was on his cheek, her antennae aglow. "Whenever you open your mouth to say something unkind, you will wail like a baby. Honestly, it might be more coherent than anything else you have said," she whispered. She patted his cheek twice as if to seal her whimsical behest, and hurried to follow the Guardians as Basch guided them through the palace of Rabanastre.

Quill straightened and cleared his throat to speak to the King. Mantis took his hand; Quill was a little confused, but he allowed it since he knew she wasn't feeling great.

"Your Majesty," he said, once again lowering his voice in an attempt to mirror Basch's formal tone and presence, hoping it would make the King like him more. "We come in peace. We thank you for your time, and we apologize for occupying one of your docks. I think I have–" He stopped talking rather suddenly, and swallowed. "Uh... I think... I have..."

What was happening was that Mantis was frantically reading his thoughts as he spoke, using her powers to interrupt him because he was going to say he had the perfect stuff to make up for it, wanting to show the King some Terran music with the Zune. While Terran music was excellent, Mantis knew not everyone would like it, nor find it an acceptable form of apology.

"I have no excuse," Quill said instead. "And I have to... shut up... now."

[blushingdread]

hii i read ur hero/opportunist fluff and it’s so good! how do u think hero falls for oppy? how do u think they’d work out as a duo

Hi hi! Thank you!!!

To me, Hero gets a crush on Oppy in the middle of the Molment of Clarity. Shit has seriously hit the fan, and every voice is at their worst except Oppy!! Boy steps the fuck up stopping fights, comforting the voices, and over all being a more gentle level head compared to Cold who is also trying his best but his one advice starts just making them upset. Like Oppy is still himself and has a list ranking them from best to worst bc this little weasel can't help himself, but he's genuinely looking out for their mental states. Hero in a Molment of Clarity sounds like Broken. The others still either mostly or half way sound like themselves except for Hero and it fucks me up. Cold takes over as the one that leads you, but Oppy felt like he took over Hero's role of cheering you on. Anways I started thinking about who Hero would cling onto for comfort, and Oppy was kinda the obvious one.

Sometime in one of the deeper loops where Hero spends the entire time wrapped in Oppy's arms as he stops the others from picking a fight with Skeptic again Hero thinks that he never wants Oppy to let go and he's like "Oh fuck I have a crush on him" but nothing comes of it at that time because frankly he's too depressed. (I imagine Opportunist with two sets of arms, so he gives very nice and comforting hugs)

Post getting all his memories back he remembers being gently held for a solid half of the horror of Clarity and he remembers his crush and brushes it off, he can remember all the dumbshit Oppy did like with Witch and trying to kill the decider and chalks it up to going though the worst experience of his existence making him crave comfort from anyone and puts it out of his mind. This seemingly works for a time until he catches himself thinking about how he wishes Oppy could of held him during Fury or looking back for fondly about how he acted during Wraith and man, the weasel is just complementing the stuff the voices accomplish/build while out on their own (I need them to all hang out post game, I'll cry if they don't) because he's a asskisser but Hero never thought to look at things that way, it's nice to have someone who always points out the roses and the brightside of everything. It's genuinely really nice, and he starts seeking him out, and he's fallen in love, great (Falling for the local weasel doesn't make Hero blind to his slime ball ass behavior. Oppy will be himself™ and Hero just sighs in defeat because, really?? Him????)

As for what I think them together would be like

At first, things would be rough. Oppy can barely express a genuine emotion to save his fucking life and Hero is well aware that Oppy can barely express a genuine emotion to save his life and has seen Oppy at his worst. So Hero hides his feelings as best he can because Oppy taking advantage of his feelings to get something would both be really shitty, but it would also retroactively ruin all the quiet moments they spent together in tMoC and rip the comfort those memories give him away, and Hero really REALLY doesn't want that. But he can't hide forever.

Eventually, Oppy figures him out and is ecstatic! Without TLQ or princesses around to bring them together, Oppy is very aware that all the voices at best dislike him and at worst hate his guts (none of them actually hate him, Oppy doesnt do good with social rejection and its a lot worse in his head), and finding out that not only one of them has a crush on him, but it's Hero?? The one everyone collectively likes and respects?? This is like Christmas to him. Then it's like cold water is dumped on his head as he immediately realizes this is what everyone hates him for, so he changes strategy. If he can be perfect for Hero, everyone will see how truly good and reliable he is, and he'll be allowed into the in-group, and they'll like him and he'll have someone by his side he can truly trust and— This, as you can imagine is a terribly unhealthy mindset to be in for a relationship, luckily Oppy is terrible at lying and hiding shit, so Hero figures him out like immediately. He told Oppy to stop trying to turn himself into someone that he thinks Hero would like because Hero already likes him, for himself.

This leads into a deeply awkward phase in their relationship where Oppy is trying his absolute hardest to be genuine with Hero, to let someone in, to make himself vulnerable, to try and form a genuine relationship. While Hero is excited that Oppy is actually trying, he's trying to also put his trust in Oppy despite seeing him at his absolute worst. In this stage, they just spend a lot of time hanging out and getting a feel for each other outside of high stress situation with an ever changing threat looming over them. It's nice. Oppy is still himself, and he's a shit sometimes, but when Hero hits him with a "Please don't do that, it makes me feel bad," he reels himself in. Hero helps Oppy get used to an environment where there's no need to try and get one over on people because their safe, and Oppy helps rebuild Hero's confidence and encourages him to be more firm with his actions. Hero never takes over TLQ body and is always taking his lead, I can imagine he isn't the best at doing things alone or being firm because he's so used to following.

They get together slowly, inching closer into eachothers lives, until eventually they're able to trust each other and then start dating. Friends to lovers slow burn, baby. Oppy helping Hero follow a project he was thinking of through, and then they start talking about how they feel about everything that's happened and at the same time they both realize they feel the most comfortable around eachother than anywhere else.

Finally, together, and my apologies for writing an essay, they're a very peppy couple that's always doing something?? Hero is always trying to make things better for everyone, and Oppy eventually starts having genuinely good ideas for that. They wake up and get ready together, make breakfast together, go outside to garden together, and talk to the voices to see if they need any help before either helping going off to do things™. Their always talking to each other, Hero lovingly laughing at Oppy while they go about being insane people who like having tasks to work on. (Does Oppy like manual labor? No. But he likes doing nothing less, and there's not much else to do so. Plus, it's downright nice when Hero is next to him, laughing at his jokes). Truest friends to lovers, they seem like bestie with gay tension until they kiss, and it's confirmed that the tension was because they are dating.

[dolliecreature]

Okay, still in my brainrot, but let's now talk about music! Here some songs that make me think of some DOL characters:

• Ivory Wraith: Hole Dwelling - Kikuo; It's a dark song about being together in sadness and madness, like the deep secrets of the lake. Creepy vibe, I love it!

• Kylar: An Unhealthy Obsession - The Blake Robinson Synthetic Orchestra; I mean... do I need to explain? Kylar DO sneak, not only a walkie-talkie, but a WHOLEASS CAMERA to our room! And he's very cool for it, I love the little guy.

• Sydney: Angel - Judas Priest; Sydney can be a bit codependent on the PC sometimes, as they're the first person of their age to really listen and welcome him. He sees his lover not only as such, but as his angel too.

• Avery: Groan - Dazey and the Scouts; Avery, when I catch you Avery He is a older man who has a "contract" relationship with a younger orphan person. They both know what the writing on the wall is saying, they just don't want to read it.

• Robin: Feel Better - Penelope Scott; No matter how hard Robin worked or tried to gather money, by his own, he will always end up destroyed by life itself. Is hard to see someone you love being hurt, but saving them is much harder.

• Whitney: Allies or Enemies - The Crane Wives; This clown boy is hard to understand. He hate us 99% of the time, but whenever he's kind, it's so... genuine. Catching feelings is hard, huh, buddy?

Extra: • PC (Rin): Remember My Name - Mitski; "I'm hollow and desperate for love, my identity resides within whom I love. I will desapear one day, will you remember me then?"

Sources: The voices inside my head.

[stabbyfoxandrew]

Meet the Polycule!

Isa:

He's the seventh son of a seventh son of a seventh son. (Third generation seventh.)

As such, he's expected to be a very powerful wolf.

His first name is actually Isaiah but he doesn't like it. Because it's his dad's name and his grandfather's name. :/

Met Aaron when they were both eight (Isa was about to turn 9) and knew immediately they were meant to be together forever.

He didn't keep it a secret either. He wasn't shy. He and Aaron were attached at the hip growing up!

When Micah brings home his friend Ashley, Isa is hit with the 'holy shit, that's my mate' feeling. Again. And he stresses about it until he talks to his dad and is told it's okay. Some people have more than one.

He has two hands! Yippee. Two mates<33

Big bad scary wolf who gets carsick if he's in the backseat. :(

Had an anxiety problem as a kid but grew out of it.

Aaron:

Was found by Isa's oldest brother (Elijah, age 19 at the time) while he was on a morning run through the forest.

After explaining her situation, Elijah asked if she'd come to his house and tell his mom. So she reluctantly agreed.

He carried her through the woods to his house and sets her down in the yard, then heads inside to get his parents. He explains what she told him, that she smells like vampires, and that she's alone.

They decided to take her in until her parents got back, but they never did.

Became instant-friends with Isa and Micah. The three of them were inseparable.

Isa told them his family's secret a couple months in and then they grew up wanting to be a wolf.

Came out to Isa in the middle of the night at age sixteen and had him chop their hair off. (It was a total hackfest but they liked it.)

Wakes up one night with fangs and glowing eyes, scaring the shit out of Isa.

Ashley:

Grew up with a single mom who really didn't care much about anything, especially him.

Was desperate for her approval so he'd always do his best at school, but was never really noticed.

At age thirteen, he witnessed his mom's death— her boyfriend Mitchell shoved her down a flight of stairs during an argument. He heard everything and knew what really happened but no one believed him, except his best friend Micah.

A couple weeks after the funeral, Mitchell starts trying to get handsy with Ashley. When he takes it too far, Ashley accidentally burns the house down.

It's a miracle he survived, says the EMTs who arrive on scene. But it wasn't a miracle, Ashley knows. The fire didn't come near him at all. It was as if he had a protective bubble around him— because he did.

He goes into foster care for a bit then the wolves snatch him up. (He was over at their house constantly and they're well liked in town so getting custody wasn't super hard.)

Shares Micah's bedroom.

He has some scars on his upper arms from cigarettes being put out on him. (One of his mom's old boyfriends used to call him Ashtray.)

The three of them are all holding hands 5ever and they'll also kill over each other if they have to. :3

[fluffle-writes]

I wanna. Pick them up in my mouth and shake 'em around like a dog obliterating a squeaky toy

[strike-9]

saw a post on here about making friends as an adult and i feel conflicted cuz like, overall i agree that all you have to do is get the courage to show up and get the ball rolling by talking to people/getting their numbers even if it feels cringe or 'wrong' to do so however i can't help but raise my eyebrow at the 'act like they're already your friend' part because some people lean way to into that to the point where they forget we're not actually friends yet which inevitably leads to them saying/doing something that's pretty out of line so like. yes put yourself out there, talk to them and get to know them but please remember that people need to actually like, warm up to each other which could take weeks of speaking to them regularly at minimum