#I have an IMMENSE love-hate relationship with the IT support field.

[miss-conjayniality]

being the tech support hottie isn’t easy but someone’s gotta do it! 🤷🏻‍♀️💅🏼

[xxenia14]

The Barça Trio

Summary: Y/n who plays for Barça Femeni and Pedri are in a relationship and when Gavi reaches the first team they take him under their wing.

Story written by AI/ChatGPT because I am the most uncreative person this planer ever witnessed 🤣 don‘t like ChatGPT written stories, don‘t read it. Hate messages and name calling is unnecessary!

Y/N had always been passionate about football. From a young age, she dreamed of playing for FC Barcelona Femeni, and her hard work and dedication had paid off. Now a prominent member of the team, she felt a sense of fulfillment with every game she played.

Off the field, Y/N had found love with Pedri, an immensely talented player in the FC Barcelona men's team. Their relationship was built on a deep understanding and shared love for the sport. Pedri admired Y/N's skill and determination, and Y/N appreciated Pedri's support and encouragement.

One day, news spread throughout the club that a young player named Gavi was making his way up the ranks. Y/N had heard whispers about his exceptional talent and was eager to see him in action. As fate would have it, Gavi joined the first team and soon found himself navigating the challenges and demands of professional football.

Y/N and Pedri, having experienced the ups and downs of the game, understood the pressure that Gavi would face. They knew how vital it was for a young player to have guidance and support both on and off the field. With this in mind, they took it upon themselves to take Gavi under their wing, offering him guidance and looking out for him.

At joint training sessions, Y/N would often strike up conversations with Gavi, offering advice on positioning, technique, and mental resilience. She shared stories of her own experiences and how she had overcome obstacles as a female player. Gavi listened intently, soaking up every word of wisdom.

Pedri, too, took Gavi under his wing. He would spend time with him after training, working on specific skills and helping him adjust to the rigorous demands of professional football. Pedri's calm and patient demeanor created a safe space for Gavi to ask questions and seek guidance.

Beyond the football field, Y/N and Pedri made sure Gavi felt welcome and supported within the club. They invited him to dinners, gatherings, and social events, introducing him to their circle of friends and teammates. Gavi quickly became a part of their close-knit group, feeling a sense of belonging that eased his transition into the first team.

As Gavi's performances on the field improved, Y/N and Pedri couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. They had witnessed his growth firsthand and felt joy in seeing him succeed. Gavi, in turn, felt grateful for the unwavering support and guidance he received from Y/N and Pedri. Their presence in his life had made a significant impact, both in his football journey and as individuals.

With Y/N and Pedri's mentorship, Gavi blossomed into a vital player for FC Barcelona. The bond between the three of them grew stronger with each passing day, built on trust, shared experiences, and a mutual love for the game.

Together, Y/N, Pedri, and Gavi formed an unbreakable trio. They supported one another through the triumphs and challenges that came with their respective careers. Their friendship extended beyond the boundaries of the football pitch, reminding them that, with the right people by your side, anything was possible.

As they continued their journey with FC Barcelona, Y/N, Pedri, and Gavi knew that their bond would endure. Their story became an inspiration, highlighting the importance of supporting and uplifting one another in pursuit of their dreams. And together, they thrived, creating a legacy that would forever be etched in the history of FC Barcelona.

[autocann1bal]

part six of my playlist analysis!!

part 1 <;- part 2 &lt;- part 3 <- part 4 <- part 5 <- BACK TO THE SOUP WITH YEE

la seine - vanessa paradis no fucking clue what theyre saying but lockwood does idk he just knows french i feel it in my bones. he taught lucy the girls part and they sing it together. he didnt tell her wtf it meant hto and i think thats funny.

merry go round of life - nuvo orchestra THEY DANCE TO IT IN THE KITCHEN LATE AT NIGHT WHEN GEORGE IS ASLEEP SO THEY DONT WAKE HIM WAILS SOBS CRIES.  father - the front bottoms do i remember lockwoods canon relationship with his late father? no!! have i decided he has daddy issues?? yes!! (other than his dad being. dead. yk) young girl a - siinamota go look up the english lyrics. have fun. :) a match into water - pierce the veil we've seen how protective lockwood is of lucy, now what if someone almost killed her? think about that for a little bit smile. faster car - loving caliber this is about to give some people fucking WHIPLASH. im not even gonna explain this one cuz i wanna see how many people get it. its only sex - car seat headrest this song is just me projecting onto lockwood so im not. gonna vent here LMAOO laugh till i cry - the front bottoms more lockwood being reckless after lucy left? methinks yes. meteor shower - cavetown (i dont support or even like cavetown all that much i just have an emotional attachment to this song dont kill me please) RHHHGHGHGHFH THIS SONG IS SO CUTE ITS SO THEM ITS SO DOMESTIC AND SILLY JUST IMAGINE IF THE PROBLEM DIDNT EXIST AND THEY COULD GO OUT INTO A FIELD AT NIGHT (if they lived somewhere were feilds existed obv) AND LOOK AT THE STAIRS IM ACTIVELY SOBBING. ribs - lorde this song puts me into an immense state of grief everytime i hear it because it has one of those "nostalgia for something that never existed vibes" and i cherish it so dearly for that and it just gives them vibes. it fits their trio so well (i love holly but she doesnt exist yet here). alien blues - vundabar this is self explanatory i think. come a little closer - cage the elephant this one is similar to ribs for me. where is my mind - the pixies soft nighttime vibes reading together before snuggling up and going to bed <33. its ok i wouldnt remember me either - crywank lockwood thinking about death and how much he has to work with death just knowing jess is right there :( its one of those days when he just cant. get out of bed. luce and george always help him through those days, but its still hard.

memento mori - crywank same thing slightly different font. creature - half.alive uhh fuck you [throws religious trauma at lockwood] my alcoholic friends - the dresden dolls angry lockwood, but not anyone in particular, just angry at the system and the way it treats kids. because its a fucking nightmare and i hate the government. two birds - regina spektor owie owie owie norrie and lucy but the one who stayed didnt have a choice :(. i love you so - the walters rrhhfhhfhfhfhd angst angst angst theyre both feeling like their to much so they both start distancing when literally all they want is to be in the others arms but they cant because theyre afraid. goodbye, my danish sweetheart - mitski i love this song sm its so lucy idek why its just. her. cigarettes & feelings - the haunt absolutely locklyle skirting around talking about their feelings for WAYYY to long. perfume - lovejoy ouch lockwood constantly smelling lucys perfume wherever he goes after she leaves, he sees her shadow everywhere, thinks he sees her out of the corner of his eyes, but shes not there. its all futile! its all pointless! - lovejoy lockwood and his suicidal-ness just thinking for to long about how long he has to live and how hard it will all be. ramblings of a lunatic - bears in trees lockwood ranting to lucy late at night with her hands in his hair just listening to him talk about random shit but theyre together so its ok. snakes - mccafferty i have a slight mccafferty problem can you tell? i dont even know it feels like another just 'them talking' song. the house with no doorbell - mccafferty this entire song is so lockwood coded i will die on this hill. drop from our windows - mccafferty same as the last one. fentanyl - mccafferty i dont actually really know for this one i just think its lockwood vibes. water fountain - alec benjamin what lockwood thinks is gonna happen if lucy hangs out with kipps LMAOO. this is sorta a joke but hes genuinely scared that kipps is going to steal her from him. nights like these - pigeon pit another lucy-and-lockwood-are-both-having-breakdowns-and-panic-attacks-but-seperately-wishing-they-could-be-together type beat. little lion man - mumford & sons lockwood thinking about jess -> could also be lockwood thinking about how he drove lucy away after she left. trees II - mccafferty jesus i have a mccafferty problem. 'i need you more than you need me' NO YOU BOTH NEED EACHOTHER AND YOU DONT RELAIZE IT BECAUSE YOURE TOO BUSY BEING SCARED OF OPENING UP TO THE OTHER ONE DAMMIT. twin size mattress - the front bottoms yk i had to. lockwood is an angsty lad we know he aboslutely loves tfb. aesthetic? (more like ass-pathetic) - panuccis pizza lockwood you sad sad little man. internet ruined me - wilbur soot OK I KNOW. WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. but the actual sound of it gives lockwood vibes. not the lyrics but the sound. first love/late spring - mitski this is such a lucy song come ON its so her the whole 'i was so young when i behaved 25'??? literally her. helium - glass animals its just. its so them. also kinda feels like george watching their relationship unfold and being jealus vibes WHICH IS WHY I PROPOSE QPR- [gunshots] https://open.spotify.com/track/2BlDX1yfT0ea5wo0vjCKKa?si=32f77e7933024562 <- link because i dont know japanese!! this!! song!! if you where on anime tiktok at anypoint in time you know it and you know why its here.

1983 - neon trees dancing in the kitchen vibes. little talks - of monsters and men this song makes me so distraught but its another situation with talking to the moon (bruno mars) where its lockwood talking to himself in his room, pretending hes talking to lucy. and the series goes on!! we're more than halfway through tho :D part 7 here we go!!

[shakethatsassyass]

hi!! are u still active? i see the askbox is opeen sooo.

could i request some relationship of older!GOM like who's the marrying type, what do they like, who sleeps around most, who finds dating bother some etc etc!!! Maybe their ideal types in a s/o as well??? Thank u so muuuuch im so excited if everaaa

Hi! This request is really interesting and here are my dating headcanons for the GOM. You can request another one for their ideal types if you’d like since this ended up quite long 😅

GOM Dating/Marriage Headcanons

a/n: unedited

KUROKO

Come on, obviously this guy is the most emotionally intelligent out of all of them. 

But does he approach the people he likes? No 

But it’s painfully obvious when he does fancy someone

His ears become red. Warning: fair chance of passing out

He does his best to be more assertive though, meticulously planning how to approach his crush

Very very thoughtful, remembers what you told him 128 days, 13 hours, 6 minutes ago about that video you were showing him

When he’s with someone, you better bet the relationship will last for years

Not that he’s boring like that or anything but Kuroko hates the mind games that come with modern dating

But Kuroko’s immensely loyal to some may argue, a fault, I think

Like s/o wants to swerve careers? Kuroko supports

Wants to start a small business? He’s supportive 

Needs to rob a bank/hide a body? He has all the tools already......

I just imagine domestic fluff kuroko being the troll that he is. he purposefully hides in the corner to surprise you with a heart attack when you come back home 

KISE

Kise has quite a fanbase, as we all know

Headcanoning is that a word that Kise gets scouted by a Japanese company and becomes an idol for a short while

Kise’s a jack-of-all-trades so I can definitely see him working in different fields and having multiple sources of income

Which means he’s probably met a lot of people along the way

So yes this boy dates casually a lot, mostly just for publicity, and the other party knows it usually. People just come up to him and ask him out.

He has to have MAD respect for the person to even consider seriously or sometimes casually dating them or making the first move, though. Like the person of his interest has to be VERY good at what they do and have banger character

Kise is, contrary to popular opinion, not shallow at all. Personality and a person’s passion/morals comes first. He knows the feeling of being ogled for your looks and how those feelings of infatuation are fleeting

BUT I’D BE LYING IF I DONT SAY THAT KISE 100% LOVES THE CHASE. He’s a fast learner so I bet he also gets bored pretty quickly

If you wanna date Kise, you better not be the jealous type and not be controlling. Someone who can keep him on his toes. 

Fun, goofy, sometimes intimidating lover

AOMINE

Somehow I see him settling down earlier than the others. 

But before that he sleeps around a lot. 

He likes hot women, that’s canon, but like he doesn’t date seriously during his early 20s, just casually. 

Many fics present Aomine as this suave guy who can pick up any person he likes but I honestly doubt that’s the case 

Definitely gets with Momoi at least once, whether they cross the line between bffs and lovers officially is up to Aomine sadly (see Replace novel)

Thankfully, he’s as graceful on the court as he’s not on the dating scene 

So many people approach him on their own, often as fans who, if they ask appropriately enough, gets to go home with him

Boy just wants to have fun

But he never love bombs, and is in no way a manipulative lover

Respects your boundaries and asks for consent 1000%

When he falls in love tho, he falls hard

He might start off with seemingly cold feet and is indifferent but that’s just him actually thinking how to properly take the relationship to the next level considering all his hang-ups

Aomine’s insanely loyal and a committed relationship with him is something that even becomes sweeter over time. 

Once he’s committed, he’s all in: he thinks of marriage, kids, the works

Aomine may look tough but he’s all soft for his s/o

MIDORIMA

He’s a late bloomer in the dating department

Midorima just thinks it’s bothersome. He’s busy with basketball and medical school already. He just doesn’t see what the fuss is about 

But can you imagine if he just falls in love with an incompatible sun sign???

Like an Aquarius or a Libra (Murasakibara’s one)… or god forbid an Aries!!

And he just freaks out and questions his beliefs and does research on the rest of his/their birth chart. Lmao

Takao secretly made Midorima a dating app account and his profile gets plenty of traffic

Midorima knows nothing about this and refuses downright every time Takao tries to set him up with someone

Doesn’t do casual. Period.

You have to be very patient with him he’s the densest out of all of them you might as well just spell it out for him for Midorima to get the hint that you’re flirting

Midorima’s romantic relationships can only ever happen organically so you can’t 1. Force it. 2. Expect him to seek out relations for its own sake

Will either have to be set up by a friend on a date OR

Have some Kdrama destiny shit to occur for romance to get through his head (Doctor Midorima with patient reader AU???

Needless to say Midorima’s a faithful partner in all senses of the word. He’s consistent, hard-working, and responsible. He’s the kind of person who’d literally grow old with his lover and wake up next to them each morning. 

MURASAKIBARA

Another one who doesn’t like initiate dates

No formal conversations of labels or anything like that

He may be a man child at times but no one is more loyal than this giant

You wanna date him? You better know how to cook. Or at the very least love food

He will not ask you out, well not directly anyway

Doesn’t take breakups well

He will sulk for days, someone from the GOM or Himuro or his siblings has to drag him out of the room so he could take a shower

One day you’ll just notice him hanging out with you

Anyway I hc that he gets the most jealous out of everyone in GOM. Like he gets too little attention and you’ll find him pouting like a kid

Mura also really easily distracted, and might even come across quite cold

It’s only because he rarely sweats the small stuff

So sometimes you’d be upset and he wouldn’t notice

WARNING: this could go on for days so unless you tell it to him straight up he won’t know you’re even upset

Buuuuut gets the hang of it after several months

He’s attentive when he needs to be, especially when it comes to his partner’s needs

So fights would rarely occur, unless it’s about his habits

His ideal s/o is a mom. Sorta

There I said it

TL;DR Murasakibara baby in the streets daddy in the sheets

But tbh any established relationship with him would be quite stable, his life would simply revolve around his s/o, food, and basketball

AKASHI

Akashi’s future is all planned out.

Being the only child in his political and influential family, marriage and family’s simply part of his duty. I read somewhere that his parents were most likely in an arranged marriage and that it’s not far off that he would be too, as Masaomi expects, when the time comes.

He sees the appeal in dating around but eventually decides against it because it��s seen as taboo (his family seems to be traditional), though he thinks about it from time to time when he feels lonely :-(

Lots of women (and men) fawn themselves over Akashi, he’s used to it, while he appreciates the support, emotional connection and bond is an important factor for the redhair

So he’s either seeing someone properly or not talking to anybody at all. Akashi’s forward like that.

He’s very discreet about his dating life. Like one day he just announces to the Miracles that he’s engaged to the love of his life and like??? No one knows he was even seeing someone?? Maybe just midorima and kuroko. Maybe Momoi (and by association Aomine)

Akashi haaaas relationships… they’re just very selective and won’t last long if he can’t see marrying them

Eventually marries for love. I just can’t see him tagging along an arranged marriage (like his father expects) with someone if he doesn’t like them

Yes boy do clear that karmic ancestral baggage

If you want to date Akashi, you should probably not be afraid to take the lead too sometimes. He already juggles plenty of responsibilities outside the home, he appreciates if he can just let go of the reins when he’s with his s/o

Bonus bonus if you can hold an intellectual conversation with him. He also takes a keen interest in your hobbies

Akashi’s a generous, kind, faithful, and attentive lover. You’re provided for for life.

[mylordshesacactus]

Hey, as someone who is kicking around a project concerning the character and the lack of content with her... Any advice on writing Luminara? Sense of humor, very good example of a *good* Jedi in being a person who cares but also upholding the code. Trying to get a strong basis because uh, let's just say that Luminara starts in a ringer because Empire custody because that's where the divergence point happens and trying to do the character justice while also just not in a good place for a bit.

Honestly, those two things are pretty much the cornerstone. She's a strategic genius and a damn good head for tactics, though not actually better than average as a fighter--not bad by any means, "average for a Jedi Master" is still fucking good, but not particularly gifted in that regard. Her technical skill is excellent but she's rigid in her form, mentally doesn't react well to sustained skirmishes, and she's consistently shown to get overwhelmed when her mobility is limited in any way. Her sense of humor also tends toward the "wry observation" variety rather than making outright jokes, though she's not above (very) gently pranking someone--look at her setting Barriss up to meet Ahsoka with NO preparation for what her and Anakin are like!

She's also very warm and, honestly, quite nonjudgmental. Just look how friendly she is with Anakin in the Second Geonosis arc ("I love your simple logic, Skywalker"), when you'd expect them to grate on each other like sandpaper. Things get a little bit testy at first, when she feels he's going to put Barriss in danger/force her onto the front lines in what we recently learned was her first field mission since the disastrous invasion in AOTC--but after that's resolved, they actually get along very well and have a deep mutual respect.

(There's a little moment in Legacy of Terror that I adore--after cutting Luminara down, she willingly clings to Anakin's arm to steady herself. He supports her weight, slips her lightsaber into her hand, and she nearly steps closer to him slightly as she draws it, until she's had a moment to take stock of the battlefield. He has immense respect for her, and she respects him right back.)

There's also a Legends story that I find extremely IC, about her setting Barriss up with a meditation exercise that she wasn't ready for--achieving levitation--and the instruction that Luminara wanted to know how many objects were on a ledge that Barriss couldn't see from her position sitting on the floor, but would be able to see if she levitated. Luminara was very clear that counting the objects was of utmost importance and nothing else mattered. When Barriss failed to levitate before Luminara returned, she very gently and with good humor guided her apprentice into realizing that levitation had never been the point--she just assumed it was, and then went into an anxiety spiral that prevented her from meditating when she failed.

All she had to do to count the objects on the ledge was stand up and look.

Obviously that anecdote isn't canon anymore--but it's clearly things like that (from the Medstar novels, which are....fine....and VERY MUCH NOT from the godawful Approaching Storm book, fuck that book, I hate that fucking book it's SO bad) that the TCW writers based Luminara's personality off of.

She tends to overthink her personal relationships--holding herself at too far a remove from the people she loves out of, ironically, fear of attachment. But she doesn't generally overthink kindness, offering it freely, and she's very protective of Barriss.

All of which you seem to have down pretty solidly tbh! But those are my thoughts.

[theintrovertedarchitect]

post 2521 syndrome

What a rollercoaster of an emotional journey it was...

I slept and woke up to find myself dreaming and thinking about the ending of 2521. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either. An elephant was sitting on my chest and somebody was strangling me all throughout the episodes 15 and 16. I knew that was going to happen ever since the beach trip episode but still, I was not ready (it didn’t help that I was having my period). 

I am sad. I still want to cry. I haven’t been this affected from a drama ever since CLOY which ended on a happier note. I understand where NHD was coming from. Putting myself in her shoes, I would be breaking up with BYJ if I saw that there was no effort from him. His career is a very stressful and busy one. Some careers are not easy to handle when in a relationship. Especially if your SO is also in a very busy and stressful field. Both parts need to be understanding and patient. Both has to bend in order to make it work. Here we see that at that stage of their lives, both NHD and BYJ don’t know how to navigate this kind of relationship. NHD sees that she’s dating her mother, BYJ is afraid that the more burden he puts on her, the less of the NHD he knows and loves will remain (which I think not really would turn out as he was worried about but, well). We need to remember that these people are young. NHD only 22 and BYJ 26. I am slightly older than BYJ and I’m still not ready for a serious relationship with the direction I am taking in my career. Loving someone is not the same as being in a relationship. A full clear communication and a common goal are needed. I think that’s why it didn’t work out for them. 

But the thing hurts the most is that they lost someone so dear to them, they lost their best friend. Because above everything, they were best friends. I lost a best friend when I was a teenager (not dead, just drifted apart as we grew up and found that we hurt more than we supported each other) and this was the most painful breakup of my life. It took me so long to get over because I loved and trusted my best friend so much, and when we changed for the worse, I felt like I lost a vital limb. It took me years to feel like I could let people in, and I still have problems with trusting people with my heart. In 2521, adult NHD seems bitter, fed up. Adult BYJ doesn’t seem happy either. Because they lost the purest form of friendship and love. They know it is not coming back and there won’t be anything as pure as that. I just wish that life brings them together again as best friends, friends who can just be there. 

About the memories of youth... I can agree that all the memories that seemed so grand and perfect in youth can decay and become fragments of past when you get older. I am not as old as the adult NHD, but I forgot all my happy moments. Because as you grow up, new memories and life erase and replace all of them. Only when I think too hard about a moment of past that I can remember, yes I was happy. I remember it fondly, but it doesn’t bring me immense joy or pain that time flew away. Life goes on, we grow, dwelling on past memories only keeps us from going forward.

Let’s talk about our new favourite couple, KYR and MJW. They worked because MJW could up and design his life according to KYR. It worked really well for him in the end, but theirs is a relationship where one side sacrifices a lot more for the other, and he is happy about it. So, happy ending on their side, I don’t think I could deal with more breakups.

JSW, my girl. She was the character I resonated with the most. She is me at times, and she is someone I want to be. Especially when she never bends for anything when it comes to her principles and beliefs. Hers was the most realistic story of all. She studied hard, had setbacks because of people and life, but persevered. Now she works and takes life one day at a time. She is bored, but she finds happiness in small moments too, like BYJ’s brother :) 

One thing to remember all the time is happiness is not a direction, not a goal. Happiness is fleeting. You will feel sad, angry, devastated, proud, accomplished... Like how these feelings don’t last forever, happiness is like that too. We wanted NHD and BYJ to be together and happy forever, but life isn’t like that. If they didn’t break up then, they would have hurt each other more and their time together would become tainted. I am at least happy that they could end it on an amicable note and remember each other fondly. I wish I had that with my best friend too, but I was not that lucky. So NHD, BYJ, KYR, MJW, JSW. You became my friends for 8 weeks and I’ve learned a lot from you. Thank you for the memories :)

[lythea-creation]

Jealousy - Rania x fem reader

summary: Rania and you are in a secret relationship. Layan doesn't know and isn't willing to share her best friend who is suddenly hanging out with you for no reason.

warnings: bullying

word count: 2.105

Author's note: Feel free to check out my Masterlists and make requests. No reposting please! Reblogging, comments and requests are always appreciated <3 If you like the story/my writing, please don't be shy to say it via comments or asks! It takes you a few seconds and might make my day. It's the best appreciation you can show to a writer you like.

----------

Currently I was watching Rania playing basketball as I was sitting on the bench. I loved watching her during P.E. This seemed to be the only time where she could be completely free without thinking about any worries.

Miss Jumana praised Rania as she scored two more points for her team before being benched.

She sat down next to me with a bright smile on her face.

“You're incredible”, I complimented my girlfriend.

We had just started dating one week ago and had spent a lot of time together. I even got her dad to like me by being immensely polite, although that would quickly change if he got to know that Rania was not just my friend but girlfriend.

Rania took my hand unobtrusively as our relationship was secret. We did not know how anyone would react, especially the school. Maybe the school would inform our parents and we did not want that to happen.

Layan glanced at us every other second. We had never really come along. I hated the negative influence she had on Rania.

Rania was not a bully. She had told me herself that she did not like Layan's behavior from time to time, but that she was scared to lose her as Layan had been Rania's only support for years.

Considering her dad was an angry alcoholic I could understand how deep the relationship between Rania and Layan had to be and I did not want to separate them. I only reminded Rania sometimes that she should not do anything she did not want to.

“(f/n), it's your turn”, Miss Jumana encouraged me.

Reluctantly I got up and entered the field. I would have preferred to stay with Rania, but I did not mind basketball that much either. I sucked at dribbling, but I was pretty good at aiming from afar. So I soon scored three points.

When I had the ball the next time, Layan intended to snatch it away from me as she was on the opposite team. But in the process she bumped me over and Miss Jumana interrupted the game.

Rania immediately sprinted over to us and pulled me up.

“I'm really sorry, (f/n). I didn't mean to be so rough”, Layan apologized.

Miss Jumana observed the whole scene.

“It's fine. Don't worry about it”, I assured Layan.

Meanwhile Rania inspected my bleeding hand. “Should I get you a band-aid?”, she offered.

I shook my head. “Thanks, but it's not that bad. I can still play.”

“Alright then”, Miss Jumana exclaimed. “Something like this can happen during a game, but you dealt with it the right way. So Rania, please leave the field and the game can go on.”

After P.E. we had a break. Ruqayyah and Layan joined Rania and me as we were looking for an empty bench.

“Hey, Rania. How about we go and get something to eat while Layan and (f/n) search for a place to sit”, Ruqayyah suggested.

Rania looked at me for consent and of course I nodded.

Layan and I walked around until she pushed me into an empty path between the buildings where usually no one was during break.

“What are you doing?”, I wondered slightly anxious.

“What's up with Rania and you? All of a sudden you're everywhere”, she claimed.

“Yeah, since we've been assigned to a school project together. We come along well and I see that it must be hard for you to share Rania with anyone because you've been her only close person for years. But ...”

She interrupted me by pinning me against the wall. “Don't pretend to have any clue about me and Rania. If I made her choose between us you would be dead for her faster than you could imagine”, Layan growled.

“It's cruel to even consider making her choose between two precious people”, I shot back.

That made Layan laugh. “You seriously think you're precious to her just because she spends some time with you? That's hilarious! Listen closely. Vanish from Rania's life and everything will be fine. Rania has been happy before you appeared. She doesn't need you. You're just a burden to all of us.”

“That's ridiculous”, I proclaimed.

“Ridiculous is how desperately you cling onto Rania. Ruqayyah and I are keeping an eye on you. If you don't make a move, we will”, she warned me.

“If you really are Rania's best friend and truly care for her, you should support and not sabotage her”, I remarked.

Then I pushed Layan away from me and searched for Rania. Luckily I spotted her quickly and immediately approached her.

Rania smiled when she noticed me.

Right now I wanted to make our relationship official. Kiss her on this spot and show everybody how lucky I was. But that would be selfish.

So instead I took the food from her hands, passed it on to Ruqayyah and said: “Hey, Ruqayyah. Layan's waiting over there. Rania and I will join you in a few minutes.”

Then I pulled Rania with me without waiting for a reaction of the two.

“(f/n), did anything happen between Layan and you?”, she worried.

I opened the door to the restroom and was relieved to see that it was empty. This restroom was not used often to begin with.

I pushed Rania into a stall, locked it and kissed her passionately which she mirrored after a few seconds of realizing what was going on.

“I guess I should leave you alone with Layan more often”, Rania noted with a grin when we left the stall again.

“Please don't”, I mumbled. “She can't stand me.”

Rania placed her arm around my shoulders, nothing unusual for her to do with her friends.

“Maybe you just need more time”, she considered.

“I'll try for you”, I promised with a sigh which earned me a content smile from her.

It did not take us long to find Layan and Ruqayyah sitting on a bench.

“There you are”, Layan greeted us kindly. “We already wondered where you had gone.”

“Time passes quickly when you enjoy it”, Rania stated with a chuckle.

Her sense and timing of humor were truly unique.

“So hand over the food”, Rania requested happily.

She passed some of it over to me and I lost myself in my thoughts for a while as I was eating. Meanwhile the trio next to me was chatting contently. Rania actually appeared to be happy talking to her friends. For a moment I caught myself doubting myself. Of course Rania enjoyed talking to her friends. They were important to her as well after all.

“Hey, you okay?”, Rania reassured.

“Maybe you want some tea?”, Ruqayyah considered and stood up to hand me the cup.

But in the process she tripped and the hot tea was poured over my stomach, lap and thighs.

A startled scream escaped my lips, luckily quiet and short enough to not raise any attention.

“Oh, god! I'm so sorry”, Ruqayyah exclaimed.

Rania pulled me up and led me toward the restroom. Then she pushed me into a stall and opened my skirt leading it to fall to the ground before pushing me onto the toilet seat. One useful thing about going to such a prestige school was cleanness.

When I was sitting Rania opened my blouse.

Afterwards she moved over to the sink, poured water over some paper towels and placed them on my burning.

“Rania”, I uttered.

“Huh?” She intended to get more paper towels but I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

“You're unusually quiet. Please talk to me”, I asked her.

“How are you feeling?”, she wondered.

I waited for her to look at me before answering: “Pretty hot, but I'm not sure if it's because of the burning or because you're so close.”

That actually earned me a laugh from her.

“No, seriously”, she insisted with a chuckle.

“Luckily the tea wasn't that hot anymore.” I inspected my body under the towels. “I don't think I'll get any blisters.”

Suddenly the door to the restroom opened and Rania left the stall to see who it was.

“We got a new uniform.” I recognized Layan's voice.

“I'm really sorry. How's (f/n) doing?”, Ruqayyah questioned.

I removed the towels from my body and took the uniform Rania handed me.

Ruqayyah and Layan approached us and the former apologized again.

All of a sudden Rania turned around to face them. “Stop that shit!”, she exclaimed furiously.

I had never seen Rania like this. Most of the time she overplayed anything uncomfortable with jokes. She was not one to yell at someone, especially not her two best friends.

“Rania, what's up with you? We already apologized and got her a new uniform. What else can we do? It was an accident”, Layan claimed.

Rania scoffed. “An accident?! You seriously think I'm stupid? I know you two well enough to recognize that it wasn't an accident. Why did you do this?”

Carefully I took Rania's hand as I was dressed properly now.

“What's gotten into you? We didn't even do anything! Why are you yelling at us?”, Layan shot back.

“I see.” Rania's voice sounded bitter. “Don't come near us unless you're willing to tell the truth.”

With these words she left the restroom with me.

“Rania.” She kept on walking. “Please stop.”

That made her stop in her tracks. By now we were outside again.

Rania's hand moved through her hair as a frustrated sigh left her lips.

“Hey”, I uttered softly and took her hands to ground her.

“I can't believe they hurt you and lied straight to my face”, she noted.

“I know. But actually I feel sorry for them”, I declared.

A frown captured Rania's face. “What? Why?”

“They're afraid to lose you, Rania. You've changed, for the better if you ask me. You're acting more considerate toward others, but Layan and Ruqayyah are still the same. They don't know how to deal with their emotions and let it out on others, in this case me and therefore accidentally you”, I assumed. “Maybe you should talk to them.”

“Right now I just wanna spend some quality time with you. And you are right. I am changing for the better because of you”, she stated with a smile.

“Alright, but I don't wanna be the girlfriend that snatches you away from your friends”, I clarified.

“Don't worry about that”, she assured me.

For the next days Rania barely talked to her two friends despite their attempts to approach her.

They sent me some glares from time to time but did not dare to do anything as Rania was always around me.

I enjoyed spending time with Rania, but I was also worried about her. I did not want her to lose her friends no matter how much I wished to keep her to myself.

“Rania, maybe we should tell them about us. That way they could understand”, I considered when we were eating lunch outside.

Rania chuckled. “You know that we're talking about Layan, right? No matter how precious she is to me, if something doesn't go her way she screws it up. What if she tells everyone?”

“Then at least you could tell her that you're leaving her if she forces you to choose, if she cannot grow personally”, I suggested.

“Why are you so eager for me to make it up with them? Wanna get rid of me?”, she joked.

“Of course not. But I know that you're suffering and don't want to lose them. Despite all their flaws Layan and Ruqayyah make you happy. Maybe there is a chance to talk with them on eye-level and help them to improve as well.”

Rania shook her head with a smile. “You really are a handful. You tell me not to follow them blindly and yet you want me to hold onto them. But maybe I will talk to them.”

And she did. I did not know what she told them, but the next day Layan treated me kindly. At first it made me suspicious but over the next weeks we actually came along better and better including Ruqayyah. They were starting to act considerate and the whole school atmosphere somehow changed.

In the end Rania had been the one with the most power. And I was the lucky one right by her side.

[royaleofury]

Congratulations for 400+ followers 🥳

It makes me feel so happy when meet desis on tumblr (idk why😭) 🫂. Single Pringle me would like to have choose reading 1 if you please.

Also, you remind me of lily flower (water lilies more than normal ones) That's the first thing that popped up in my mind. i find them really calming and cute and aesthetic.

And here's my natal chart -

Have a nice day 🌱🌳

B.S

Thank you so much for this. I remember my birth flower is lily I guess. I don't remember the exact type of lily but it is definitely lily.💞

4th house Venus in scorpio indicates being too much attached to relationships and partners. Like you see them as someone who can provide you the support and love that has been missing in your life. You have this feeling, no matter what goes wrong in your life but the person you love the most, will always stay by your side. Sometimes, you may hate getting so much dependent on them and other times, you feel that this must be how a relationship should be like. More like pull and push kind of relationship, is what you experience with your partners. Also, may be you have gotten into many online relationships or its like friends to lover tropes or maybe you most of the times, meet your partner in communities or through mutual friends. You have this immense love and respect for your partner. Because 4th house is ruled by Libra , and you feel that the only person with whom you can enjoy life and actually start living it, is with your partner. You mercury and Venus are in conjunction, meaning even your siblings can introduce you to your partners. You may also play the role of a good communicator in your relationships. You like to keep things as communicative as possible. You aren't afraid to actually speak out your thoughts with your partner and expect the same. This can also suggest having family members who were naturally inclined to arts and creative fields. At the same time, you have the power of using words where they are most needed. Not the kind of person who'd throw words as and when they want, very careful with what you speak. You maybe into writing love letters to your lovers, maybe you find them cute. Venus is trine Saturn and Uranus too. This is actually quite good, where your relationships with other people , will help you bring out all those stuffed emotions and hidden aspects of your personality. You may have hidden those for a long period of time, because you were not comfortable but with your person you will definitely bring them out and clear out major karmic issues in your life time. For Uranus, you are always up for something new and out of the box with your partner. You want a solid chemistry with your person, and you can even get very much verbal in bed because of the mercury Conjunction. Every relationship of yours must not remind you of your previous ones. But here comes the tough part, with Venus square Neptune, that you have the tendency to plan out everything for your future on your own, without consulting much with your partner. For eg, you may plan out how after some years, you may get married and have a family with your partner but your partner may not be ready for this and when they tell you this, you may think that they are not serious about this. But that's not the case, it's just that people need time to take up various responsibilities.

[princesssarcastia]

2021 Harry Potter Fanfic Primer

im here to point fingers at the incredible authors that have enabled my new interest in HP content.  im still conflicted and upset about it, tbh, but for now we’re leaning into the curve.  we’re getting out our shovel and finding out just how deep we can make the hole we’re in.  hand in unlovable hand my beloved <3.  anyway, these fics are wonderful, their authors are wonderful, and you should go read their stuff. if there’s a star next to it that means im losing my mind over it and always will be.

Creatively Maladjusted, by elumish on AO3, 101k  (they also have a wonderful writing advice blog on tumblr, @elumish, which I recommend following if you are a writer) 

A very excellent re-telling of harry’s first year at hogwarts if he were sorted into Slytherin, plus some more not!fic or piecemeal re-tellings of his second and part of his third year.  Harry, in this, has a slightly different trauma response to growing up with the Dursley’s.  He’s a bit quieter, and the signs are a bit more obvious to the people around him, and I enjoyed that immensely. 

Honestly, if you’re going to get sucked into something you have absolutely no business getting sucked into, elumish is the way to go, their fic is incredible. their teen wolf fic is also immaculate, if you’re so inclined. 

Dissonance, by ImpishTubist on AO3, 2.5k (@impishtubist on tumblr)

Set during fifth year.  Oblivious!Harry has always been a delightful trope when well executed, and this is well executed.  Plus, some angst between Remus and Harry over what Umbridge has been doing to him.

I would certainly recommend a lot of ImpishTubist’s other hp work on AO3, like Lacuna.

blow us all away, by rexcorvidae on AO3, 23k (@rexcorvidae on tumblr)

In progress (like, updated last week in progress).  Currently in the beginning of Harry’s first year.  Fem!Harry, Indian!Harry.  Hagrid puts Harry in touch with Remus when she has questions about her parents, and they become reluctant, traumatized, angst-ridden pen pals who keep missing each other’s true intentions like ships in the night.  hot DAMN do I love this fic.  there’s hints of the way the dursley’s treat Harry peaking through in her letters, and I appreciated the attention to “hmm, her experience as a girl of indian descent in britain under the thumb of a bunch of white people who like being Normal may not have been gucci”

Definitely comb through the rest of their HP fic, too, I may or may not have gone feral over it.

Where the Heart is, by silver_fish on AO3, 15k (@kohakhearts on tumblr)

Woof.  This one said, “hey, harry was probably SUPER depressed in the summer after fifth year.  like, clinically.  maybe someone should do something about that.”  Fuck yeah.�� Then this one said, “that someone was Snape.”  You all know my opinions on Snape; generally, Bad.  But damn if this fic didn’t wholly convince me by the end of it.  I thought it was a very realistic way for Snape to start seeing Harry as a person all on his own, and not a proxy for Snape’s angst over James and Lily, respectively.  The angst is wonderful, the ending is even more so.

*bernie sanders voice* I am once again asking you to read through the rest of the author’s HP fic.  a lot of them have similar themes; there’s actually a great one with Molly that i’m not reccing here, Wonder.

☆Bindings, Bindings, by Quietlemonhush on AO3, 60k (@quietlemonhush on tumblr)

WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS TO YOU HOW MUCH I ENJOYED/AM ENJOYING THIS.  If I had to pick a single fic and say “you, it’s your fault I’m stuck here,” it would be this one.  Anyway Lily in the afterlife is So Very Angry about how Petunia is treating Harry, and how Sirius is rotting in Azkaban, and how Remus is alone, that she literally brings herself back to life and drags James and Regulus with her.  All three of them are there to chew bubblegum and fix everything that went wrong after they died—and would you look at that, they’re all out of bubblegum!  There’s only Fury left.  That inciting premise is very crack, but every moment after that is very much not crack.  Lily and James love harry more than anything, the way a child should be loved; James and Sirius have the epic friendship of a lifetime; Sirius and Remus have staggering amounts of resolved sexual tension and take turns keeping each other in check; Regulus, though he realized that Voldemort and his family were shit before he died, is still unlearning all his racist bullshit and, also, years of trauma.  Actually, they’re all traumatized, but hey: now they have one another again and not a damn one of them seems inclined to let go anytime soon.  Quietlemonhush went, “hey, HP has a lot of Awful people in it, and a lot of Righteous people in it, and many of them are Very, Very Powerful; also, love is the most powerful force in the universe” and i said “hell yes tell me more right now.”  And then they did!

Quietlemonhush writes Sirius/Remus in a way that makes it sooo much fun to devour, so the rest of their HP fic is most certainly worth a look, if that’s your thing.

Rebuilding, by Colubrina on AO3, 113k (@colubrina on tumblr)

Hermione/Draco (*shrug emojis into the abyss* yeah, yeah, like none of us have ever been there before).  Takes place during Hogwarts 8th year, and while the beginning is, IMO, a little unfair to Ron, it gets much better.  Tells the story of Hermione and Draco clearing the air, learning to like each other, having some hormones over each other, and then falling in love.  Also tells the story of Hermione and Theo Nott becoming friends; the story of how every single 7th and 8th year student is fucked to hell by the war and the Carrows; the story of how they start an emotional support group about it and all become friends; and the story of, what the hell do you do with yourself after that kind of trauma?

I’ve been dipping in and out of Colubrina’s HP since before I was even on tumblr; I actually found them in those dark yesteryears when the only fandom interactions I had were on fanfiction.net.  Of such fame as Green Girl, which is an HP fic staple, and has also written a lot of wackier, crackier, and darker things than that.  If you don’t take yourself too seriously, I highly recommend many of their big HP works, though I imagine it’ll press some people’s buttons.  Colubrina’s work really does take up a corner of my mind whenever I’m in an HP mood, and will take up yours if you let it.

☆ all waiting is long, by shuofthewind on AO3, 149k ( @shu-of-the-wind on tumblr)

This is so well written that I can’t stop thinking about it.  It is occupying my mind when I lie awake at night, you know?  It’s one of those.  Hermione messes with something she probably shouldn’t have in Grimmauld Place, so when Sirius is sent through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries, she gets thrust into an alternate universe...in 1975.  Instead of handwaving it away, shuofthewind actually gets into the mechanics of it in a way that makes sense, to emphasize that hermione is never going home.  ever. The world she finds herself is shifted slightly to the left, quite a bit darker, but in a “the author is treating the idea of a society-wide conflict over blood purity much more seriously than JKR ever did” way, not a sensationalist way.  Now, Hermione has to grapple with all her grief at losing everyone she’s ever loved or known, the moral/ethical/magical implications of sharing what she knows about her future in an alternate world, and, you know, a goddamn war with people who want to murder her for being who she is.  This Hermione is smart, and she’s kind, and she’s powerful, and she’s making real friends.  If you hate JKR’s guts I’d go read this right now, because it delivers in all the ways she failed us.  It’s plotty, its got great world-building, and it pulls back the white curtain on the wizarding world to show you that, like real life, it’s multicultural and full of queer people...and the discrimination that comes with both.

shuofthewind write epics, mainly for the MCU, and I’ve read some of them a looooong time ago, so this fic kinda seemed out of left field for me but im SOOOO GLAD it exists.  If you want MCU fic you can sink your teeth into, go for it, but alas, they do not have any more HP fic (.......yet?)

Speak Now [+] Listen Now, by mrsfrizzle on AO3, 33k altogether

Harry reaches out to Remus for support because Umbridge is getting to him with her literal torture.  Remus, being a former professor, former mandatory reporter, person who loves Harry and has since he was born, and all around good man, tells Harry he has to tell someone, or Remus will.  It’s everything any adult looking back on that time in HP canon ever wanted, which is for an actual adult to say “what the fuck, those are literal chidlren” and then do something about it.  Then, a far more dangerous task: Harry trusts Remus enough to go to him about the Dursleys.  Harry and Remus’ relationship develops SO WELL, and there’s a bit of exploration about how Sirius may not exactly be guardian material, because he did in fact spend 12 years of his life getting tortured instead of growing up.  I think I’m actually going to go reread this right now, because it speaks to my id.

they do have some other HP fic which did not appeal to my hyperspecific wants, but may appeal to some of yours.  I think they’re also a published author, there should be a link on their profile page.

chase the stars, by Duskglass on AO3, 101k (@felix-duskglass on tumblr)

When Harry is five years old, a picture of him ends up in the Daily Prophet, and Sirius Black, Terror of Ministry Officials Touring Azkaban everywhere, gets a hold of that issue.  He then, in order: breaks out of Azkaban; crosses the countryside to Surrey; Finds Harry: Kidnaps Harry; Breaks Into Remus’ Apartment; starts processing (or maybe just acknowledging) his trauma from Azkaban, the war, and his childhood; and pines after Remus.  It’s a little plotty, and deals a lot (sometimes through flashbacks) with the specific awful things that happened to Sirius—largely because, after years in the constant presence of Dementors, those are nearly literally the only memories he has left.  It’s a wonder he’s got the strength to love Harry and Remus at all.  But then, maybe it isn’t.

This is a Very Serious Fic, but the rest of Duskglass’s HP work is actually just cracky enough to tickle your funny-bone, while still making you think “okay but why couldn’t we have done that in the first place.”

So!  That’s it for recs, for now.  These are all things I’ve found and read in the last month; if any of y’all are interested in my old HP recs, let me know and I can make a post for that, too.  While I’m still very conflicted about my choice of current fandom, I am not in ANY way conflicted about my taste in fic and authors.  Send these guys some love, read their fic if you’re so inclined, and leave some nice comments at the end of it.

[as8bakwthesage]

im thinking way too much about my self ship with Nathanos, so lemme just elaborate a bit on that

unlike most of my self ships, I do not end up in the world of WoW. Rather, instead of Nathanos going to the Veil post his death, he ends up in my “universe.” (More accurately, a universe with slight differences to my real life.)

He just,,, lands in the field behind my house and I’m like “da fuq??” so i rescue this random pale ass mofo and he has no idea where he is until I explain

Then the rest of our relationship is just mutual therapy and sarcastic remarks towards each other until someone confesses. Probably me lmao

some cute headcanons as

I’m already an archery and foam sword loser, so add Nathanos to that mix and you can bet your ass we’re having competitions

He also gives me pointers on how to shoot and fight better

I love his facial hair so much and his eyes remind me of warm sunsets, and I routinely complement him on those attributes (I’m the softer of the us two obviously)

He loves my hair and how floofy it can get and he deeply enjoys bathing together

He also finds my top surgery scars immensely attractive and i find his scars also very sexy

He can dish out a lot of sarcastic wit and I am... not that lmao-

My rsd/bpd ass routinely thinks he hates me in the beginning but he quickly clears that up (”No, Sage, I do not hate you. Stop putting words in my mouth.”)

he actually knows what transitioning means in terms of gender and he is fully supportive of it (hc that Sylvanas is a transwoman!)

[shatteredhourglass]

AO3 Tag Meme

took me a minute to get around to this, but i’m doing it! thank you @trashkingtater​ and @hopelessly-me for the tag!

1) How many works do you have on AO3?

126, currently! there are more unposted. they’re coming.

2) What is your AO3 word total?

921,148. that sure is a lot of words! let’s see if i can hit 1,000,000 by the end of the year. someone check back in on december 31st.

3) How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

on the shatteredhourglass account i’ve written for marvel variants, genshin impact, until dawn. on other, no longer existent accounts, i’ve written for various (emo) bandoms, hetalia, other anime, homestuck, supernatural, and a million other fandoms besides.

4) What are your top five fics by kudos?

Disclaimer: i hate this question because it’s never my best fics, it’s always the oldest ones.

Left Foot Forward (2018, M Rating, Winterhawk.) - soulmate angst where bucky’s soulmark was on his left arm and clint is generally quite tetchy about the whole situation.

Misinterpretations (2018, E Rating, Winterhawk.) - a/b/o fic with omega clint who doesn’t quite work the way he’s supposed to. generally smutty.

crack the whip, shape-shift and trick (2018, T Rating, Winterhawk.) - trans!clint. we love to see it. very soft and a little hurt/comfort.

Showdown (2018, T Rating, Winterhawk.) - stony romances annoy the winterhawks so much that they decide to also be obnoxious, because that is a normal response to PDA.

a little fun (not the number one) (2019, E Rating, Ameriwinterhawk.) - pre-war stucky, post-avengers steveclint, then post-breakup(?) winterhawk, then ameriwinterhawk. steve is bad at relationships.

5) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

i always respond to comments! i don’t know, i like people knowing i appreciate their support.

6) What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

ooh. hmm. these fics are both part of a series so it’s not a concrete ‘ending’ of the series, but the endings of the fics are both pretty dramatic and sad:

goddamn shame of the goddamn pride (2019, T Rating, Winterhawk - Part 4 of 6) - musician au where everyone focuses on the female half of one of the biggest bands in the modern world and clint has one fan, bucky, who has a few more secrets than necessary.

Hit Me (With Your Best Shot) (2021, M Rating, Winterhawk - Part 3 of ?) - dc and marvel collide as we meet a poison ivy and harlequin that aren’t quite right.

7) Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you have ever written?

while i don’t write straight-up crossovers, i was 100% convinced that The Harlequin & Poison Ivy(?) series would not work. a series where clint is harlequin? bucky as poison ivy? but it’s rad and i’m proud of it.

8) Have you ever received hate on a fic?

i don’t often get outright hate on a fic and if someone is being passive-aggressive i just ignore it. bear in mind that if i did get hate, i’d just delete it. my field of fucks is barren.

9) Do you ever write smut? If so, what kind?

ugly snort.

10) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

stolen???? people do that??? can’t say i have. or if i have, i don’t know about it and i like that for me.

11) Have you ever co-written a fic before?

nope! wouldn’t even know how it works. i’d be up for trying it one day, though.

12) What's your all time favorite ship?

oh, i don’t know, it’s so hard to pick...

(special mention to moonhawks, though. my babey.)

13) What was the first fandom you wrote for?

uhhhh. warrior cats, probably. :,)

14) What's your favorite fic you've written?

i don’t know that I have an all-time favourite, but i am immensely proud of Off The Mortal Coil, (2021, E Rating, Winterhawk, 15/25 Chapters Published) aka ‘fucket barnes and the very bad, no good, zombie-infested day.’ it’s so long and i was convinced i’d never see the end of it but here we are, and i get to watch people enjoy the story unfolding. my greatest joy.

i’m not gonna tag anyone but if you’ve read this whole thing without getting bored, you have to do it now. you are tagged. go forth. onwards. tag me once you’re done.

[gemmaswriting]

Anidala Fanfiction Recommendations!!

I’ve been asked for a long time for my fanfiction recommendations, so I’ve finally taken the time to compile them. If there are any you love that I missed out (this includes Vaderdala!) leave them as a reply so we can all have a good time reading together. 

Writer: Shelivesfree (fanfiction profile) This wonderful girl has some of the most amazing Anidala stories I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Unfortunately, a lot of them have been hiatus for a while but her Boy Next Door trilogy has two amazing parts completed. 

The stories I recommend: 

“The Boy Next Door”: “When Padme Naberrie returns to her home after 10 years, the last thing she expects to find is her childhood friend, Anakin Skywalker; the boy next door. But 10 years is a long time, and he has changed more than she is prepared for. How will she react when little Ani is now a grown man, impulsive, handsome and completely infatuated with her? Modern AU.”

“The Girl from Harvard”: “Sequel to ‘The Boy Next Door’ Absence makes the heart grow fonder. It also makes it grow more paranoid. Padme is in her last year of Harvard. Anakin has just started at the University of Chicago. Though they won't admit it, their long-distance relationship is taking it's heavy toll. Will their love prevail or will the distance prove too much for both of them? Sequel to The Boy Next Door. Modern AU.”

“look into my eyes, that's where my demons hide”:  ”Each time he comes back to her, a little piece of him is missing... left out there, in the field, with his brothers. She can see it in the way he smiles and it doesn't reach his eyes. In the way he cries to himself when he thinks she's not awake. And all she can do is hold him. Modern AU.”

“I Know Your Type”  “Am I dead?" It slips out, accidentally. She turns her head towards me, a confused look on her face and tips her head. "Excuse me?" Flashing her an impish grin, I lean casually against the wall. "I must have died and gone to heaven, because you look like an angel." The look she gives me is far from impressed. "Do you use that with all the girls, or am I just lucky?"

“we both know what we want, so why don't we fall in love?” “Rhythmic Gymnast Padme Naberrie has dreamed of being an Olympian since she was five years old. Now, after years and years of training and preparations, she's finally made it to Rio, and nothing is going to stand in the way between her and a gold medal. Except a certain Canadian beach volleyball player, perhaps.”

“Infinite” “ My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.”

“for a moment” “And, just for a moment, all the worries and concerns that troubled the young couple cease to exist. Fade away to just this. Husband and wife. Asleep. Dreaming of the sweet little life they will soon bring into the world and into their hearts. Set somewhere in ROTS.”

“Procrastination” “Padmé is busy with a new bill she must bring before the next Senate meeting. Her husband has other ideas, it would seem.”

“There’s a million reasons I should give you up”  “Padmé struggles to deal with Anakin's frequent departures for weeks, even months, at a time during the Clone Wars. It's in these moments she contemplates the practicality of their marriage. Grief-stricken with loneliness, she stumbles across something she wrote a long time ago... a list of sorts. The find brings about a whole host of emotions she'd rather not deal with.”

“all I need is you” “It was her fault. His pain, his jealousy, his insecurity. It was all her fault. Padme looked up at the beautiful man in front of her, her husband, her Ani, and decided she needed to make him remember. Remind him of how much she loved him. Because no one, no man in the entire galaxy, could take the place of Anakin Skywalker.” 

“Her” “A glimpse into the Cosmic Force after Darth Vader's redemption and return to the Light Side. Anakin Skywalker is consumed by guilt and Obi-wan and Yoda are there to appease him. But it's been twenty-four years and all he wants is to see her.” 

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  Writer: SphinxScribe (Fanfiction profile/ Tumblr account @sphinxscribe ) This fantastic writer has many, many alternate takes on the plot of Revenge of the Sith - often allowing our favourite couple to have a happy ending. Their writing captures the world of Star Wars perfectly. 

The stories I recommend: 

“Where Catalysts Stand Down” “Palpatine issues Order 66, and Anakin and Padmé flee Coruscant. ROTS AU. Anakin/Padmé, Anidala.”

“Viability’s Edge” “Anakin tells Obi-Wan the truth. ROTS AU. Anakin/Padmé, Anidala.”

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Writer: Disco Shop Girl (Fanfiction profile) This writer’s take on Anidala is so well written within every story of theirs I have read. They truly capture their dynamic and relationship perfectly. 

The stories I recommend:

“Your helmet cracked” “He'd been restrained, forced to watch while her helmet cracked and the Mon Calamari sea water threatened to drown her before his eyes. Now they're free. And alone. Set at the end of the Clone Wars season 4 Water War arc.” 

“Order 66-S” “The order was to exterminate all Jedi: Past, Present and Future. Captain Rex has a different plan. Order 66-S: to save General Skywalker.”

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Writer: Rogue Darth Skywalker (Fanfiction profile/ Tumblr - @roguedarthskywalker) This wonderful person has been one of the biggest supporters of my own writing for a long time and I value them immensely! They have many delicious Anidala/Vaderdala stories for you to obsess over for hours and hours. I highly recommend following both profiles linked above.

The stories I recommend:

“Pin up Problems” “He hated the nose art. He hated seeing others degrade her other exceptional qualities by depicting her as some pin up girl. He hated thinking about how many other beings across the stars fantasized about her in such a way. At the same time, he can't deny that the art makes her look… hot. He can't deny that the sight turns him on.”

“Letting Go” “It was their custom. Every year on that fateful day, Anakin would make his way to the cemetery with his children and seek out the mausoleum where she rested."

“Far from Perfect” “Darth Vader is dead. Anakin is redeemed and lives on Naboo with Padme and their children. But not all happy endings are perfect.”

“Far from Easy” “Sequel to Far From Perfect. Redeemed Anakin Skywalker tries to make things right with his wife and kids.

“Perfect” “Happy Family style AU post ROTS. Padme wakes up in the middle of the night and ponders the most recent events in her life.”

“A Dangerous Fantasy” “Pure Smut. Padme helps Anakin fulfil a fantasy he has had since they were married- one that involves the Jedi Council Chambers.”

“Untitled” “Anakin and Padme deal with having to tell their young twins they are having another baby.”

“Strictly Professional” “There are times she hates that she has to resort to this- that rather than being in a long term relationship with someone, she chose to instead pay someone for sex. Modern AU.”  

“Out of his Depth” “I fought in a war. I commanded legions of soldiers against battle droids. I think I can handle my own four-year-old twins."

“Love and Jealousy” “Anakin gave the binders an experimental tug, testing his chances of escaping. There was none. A light chuckle left his lips after a few moments, letting his head fall back to rest on the chair. What a compromising position for a Jedi Knight to be in. Handcuffed in a respected senator's bedchambers practically naked… oh, how the holonews would rave should the story get out!” 

“Against all Odds” “He shouldn't be here. The election was only a few weeks away and the final debate was due in the next few days. There were so many other things he should be doing. He shouldn't be here, in enemy territory wrapped in the arms of the woman his boss despised. Modern AU. Smut.” 

“What we Hope is Never Found” “The impending existence of a recording of them together held dangers that went a little deeper than if they were found naked and tangled together in her office or on his cruiser. The physical proof of their relationship would cause an uproar if it were discovered. But she trusted Anakin. Smut.”

“It was Found” “Sequel to What We Hope is Never Found.”

“Things that go bump in the night” “Luke and Leia think there is a ghost in their home. Their parents know better.”

“Preparations” “She couldn't wait to meet their little ones. It hadn't been too long since they learned she was having twins, and as stressful as that idea was at first, she was quickly growing accustomed to the idea of having two perfect little babies. Her husband, however, seemed to be taking it a little worse than her.” 

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Writer: Skywalkersamidala (Archive of our Own profile/ Tumblr @markantonys) I absolutely adore the Anidala stories created by this author whether they’re aus or canon! They nail the couple’s dynamic throughout their many wonderful stories. 

The stories I recommend:

“Snow Place like Home” “For genre-typical convoluted reasons involving ill-timed blizzards, Padmé is forced to spend the holidays at Anakin's house. Anakin isn't as upset about his boss staying with him for Christmas as he probably should be.“

“Soulmates R Us” “Anakin works at a toy store, and single-mother-of-twins Padmé is becoming one of the store's best customers.”

“Heirs of Light and Darkness” “After escaping the Jedi purge two years ago made him the most wanted fugitive in the galaxy, Anakin Skywalker has at last been captured by the Empire. He expects to be killed, but Lady Padmé Amidala, the imperial heir, has other ideas.”

“Friendly Competition” “Playing Quidditch is awfully difficult when you’re in love with the rival Seeker. Snapshots of Anakin and Padmé’s 7 years at Hogwarts.“

“Perfect” “The war is over, Luke and Leia are five years old, and Anakin and Padmé finally have the peaceful life and big family they've always dreamed of. But their life is about to get a little less peaceful and their family a little bigger.“

“Nos Cedamus Amori“ “Anakin is a gladiator and a slave. Padmé is the wife of the Roman emperor's heir. Circumstances should never even allow them to meet, let alone fall in love.“

“I Do Take Two” “Thirty years after their clandestine wedding on Naboo, Anakin and Padmé decide to finally do the proper wedding ceremony they never got to have, with all their friends and family present.“

“Flat Tire” “Who knew something as simple as getting a flat tire could change the entire course of your life?“

“Strays” “Anakin had always had a penchant for taking in strays.”

“Five weddings and a funeral” “Padmé's feeling gloomy about her perpetual singleness, but everything changes when she meets an attractive stranger at her sister's wedding.“

“Pipe Dream” “Padmé's new plumber is the most attractive human being she's ever laid eyes on, so naturally, she keeps faking plumbing emergencies so she can keep seeing him.“

“Birthdays and Birth days” “Anakin gets a birthday surprise — two of them, in fact.“

“Spouses with Benefits” “Anakin and Padmé wake up after a wild night in Vegas and discover they accidentally got married—and that Ahsoka posted about it all over social media, so now every single person they know is texting and calling them to offer congratulations. They decide to save face by pretending the marriage was totally 100% intentional and not a drunk mistake at all, keeping up the charade for six months, and then quietly getting divorced. But a lot can change in six months…“

“Two Halves Make a Whole” “Anakin is the single dad of Luke. Padme is the single mom of Leia. Luke and Leia meet in kindergarten and become best friends. The rest is history.“

“Home” “In which "Darth Vader" is no more than Anakin's playtime alter ego (happy Skywalker family AU)“

“Someday” “At age fourteen, Padme receives a marriage proposal from the nine-year-old boy next door and tells him to ask her again when she's thirty. Surely he'll have forgotten all about it by then.“

“Across the Centuries” “They meet each other in every century, but something always goes wrong before they can make it to happily-ever-after.”

“Madam President” “Between late nights and headaches and mountains of paperwork and fierce opposition from her political opponents, President Padmé Amidala already had enough on her plate. And then she just had to go and fall for one of her bodyguards, a relationship which would ruin her reputation and his career if anyone were to find out about it. Also, someone's trying to kill her.“

“Scars” “How do Anakin and Padmé go from "I love you" to "I do"? Missing scene from Attack of the Clones.”

“The Bet” “Anakin's had a crush on Padmé since fourth grade, and after putting up with his pining for seven years, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are finally stepping in and making a bet that he can't ask her to junior prom in the spring. Meanwhile, Padmé is realizing that Anakin isn't as annoying as she'd always thought. In fact, her feelings towards him are starting to go in quite the opposite direction...”

“Three” “His and Padmé’s first wedding anniversary isn’t going nearly as well as Anakin had hoped it would. Until, suddenly, it’s so much better than he could have ever imagined.“

“The Anakin Disaster” “Padmé is mortified upon waking up beside her strictly platonic childhood best friend Anakin Skywalker the morning after a drunken one-night stand. A couple weeks later, she discovers that's the least of their problems.“

“Will You Fake Marry Me?” “Anakin's boss may or may not have accidentally given her family the impression that she's engaged to him. Anakin may or may not be pleased about the situation”

“Aggressive Negotiations” “Empress Amidala invites Lord Vader to her private rooms to persuade him to form an alliance with the Empire. Her methods are very effective.”

“Troubling Implications” “Perhaps he hated himself for it—Padmé thought he probably did—but he came that night (several times, in fact). And the night after that, and the next one, and the next, until it became a habit that neither of them seemed especially inclined to break. (Sequel to "Aggressive Negotiations")

“Imperial Obligations” “Padmé's advisors suggest that she get rid of Vader and make a politically advantageous marriage. The Empress is less than pleased. (Sequel to "Aggressive Negotiations" and "Troubling Implications")”

“Welcome Home” “Anakin Skywalker closes his eyes on the face of his son. When he opens them again, he is in Naboo, and someone is waiting for him.“

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Writer: Shawn30 (Fanfiction profile) The one, the only, the deservedly famous! I think every Anidala fan is aware of this f a n t a s t i c writer’s work. Deliciously smutty. Unbelievably well written. Unfortunately, many of their works have been left uncompleted for years but the stories are still worth reading!

 “Whisper” “Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but can also whither your soul and breed doubt in your heart. AP angsty erotica.”

“The Ties that Bind” “Given a brief period of time off during the Clone Wars, Padmé and Anakin visit her family at the Lake Country estate on Naboo. A family that still doesn't know they are married, although they are about to find out. Complete.” 

“The Light and the Dark” “Chapter 1 in the Hearts and Souls series. An unexpected Separatist attack 'accidentally' reunites two star-crossed lovers, giving them a brief moment of peace at a time of war. Complete.”

“Shadows of Winter” “Chapter 2 in the Hearts and Souls series. With six days to spend together celebrating their two year anniversary, Anakin and Padme travel separately to a remote planet in the Hoth system. Romance, passion, and danger await them. Complete.” 

 “Beloved” “Chapter 3 in the "Hearts and Souls" series. When faced with the most horrific news imaginable, Padme's utter desperation forces her to turn to Obi-Wan and even Chancellor Palpatine for help. Her greatest personal challenge awaits... Complete” 

 “Paradise” “The sequel to "Beloved." Following Padme's daring rescue of her husband, the Skywalker's return to Naboo for eight days to heal, unwind, spend time with family, and deal with their connection to the Dark Side of the Force.” 

 “Salvation” “After facing his moment of truth, Anakin and Padmé must finally deal with the consequences. Obi-Wan reveals a startling discovery. Complete” 

“Scandalous” “The sequel to Salvation. On the eve of Padmé Skywalker's official ascension to the role of Vice Chair of the Republic, Anakin steals her away for a wild vacation to Cloud City. Complete.”

“Sacred” “Chapter 2. Ahsoka and Jo'Seth grow closer. Padme's trip to the Jedi Temple on Republic business turns a bit more adventurous. Anakin and Obi-Wan have a heart to heart talk about moving forward.”

“Belonging” “A private afternoon lunch to catch up with an old friend during the Clone Wars reveals a great deal to ObiWan Kenobi. AP”

“Before the Seasons Change” “With the Darth Sidious finally defeated and the Clone Wars ended, Anakin and Padme consider what comes next in their lives. Anakin/Padme”

“Amor Vincit Omnia” “AU. After a three and a half year separation Vice Chair Amidala and Jedi Master Skywalker have some unfinished business as the Clone Wars have finally ended and Palpatine is dead.”

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If there’s any stories I missed, let me know!

[k347]

Apparently Seb has no tattoos, at least not to the naked eye. What tattoo do you think Seb would choose to represent Chris? I don't see him putting his bf's name on his body do you?

I love you 💞@loricameback for asking this question. It's so thoughtful and interesting. I have actually thought so much about this, I could go on for hours. But still here are a few of my ideas- (this turned into a long headcanon and I am not even sorry about it 😅)

Sebastian is a fairly modest man. He admires beauty in the simplicity. A minimalist. I agree he wouldn't be the one to staright up get Chris' name tattooed. It would be something more subtle, deep, meaningful. Something that nobody else could decipher easily except for Chris and himself.

He would probably get a small shooting star tattoo on his wrist/ankle/behind his ear. It would symbolify their shared love and enthusiasm for astronomy. Also he'd tease and mention playfully how Chris is an angel fallen on the earth, a star from the skies that was sent to light his way in life. Chris facepalms and thinks Seb is pulling his leg for being a hopeless romantic. But the truth is Sebastian means it. He really does.

The other one would definitely be some eastern philosophical symbol that means peace. It is from one of Chris' favourite books by Eckhart Tolle. It explains the power of presence. Being in the moment, immersing yourself fully into the present.

Whenever his anxieties get too high, Sebastian looks at the tattoo and remembers the feel of his boyfriend's warm breath, ticklish feel of a full beard on the nape of Seb's neck and a hushed calm, soothing voice in his ear.

"This little symbol asks us to take a deep breath in. Let the reality of the moment sink in. Be grateful for existence.", Chris had told him. So he got it tattooed on the side of his forefinger. He looks at it too often when he is on press tours alone. It grounds him. Makes him feel at peace. A safety band aid that he wrapped in his palm forever.

It's like Chris is holding his finger and guiding him through as someone would to a lost child. Sebastian loves having this constant support and guidance. It also reminds him of Chris' being his lighthouse. The guiding light to follow whenever he feels he is lost and life is planning conspiracies against him.

There might also be another small, delicate but detailed tattoo on the back of his shoulder or at the bottom of his spine. Something honouring Chris' star sign. Maybe the Gemini constellation. Or maybe a beautiful tattoo of a single Lavender branch, since lavenders are known as a Gemini's birth flowers.

Sebastian had thought a lot about getting this one. Back in Romania, they used to have lavender festivals in the month of June when the flower fields are flourished and bloomed to the brim.

In his childhood Sebastian had learnt the meaning behind the gorgeous flowers from his grandmother. He might not have thought about the significance of it then but now as an adult he could piece all of it together.

Lavenders have multiple florets on one stem. They grow in different directions and spread their vibrant beauty all around. Similarly, Chris' true gemini heart and soul is blessed with the ability to always find his muse, astonishing creativity and productivity. But it can also get “all over the place” just like the flower.

The memories and comparisons of beautiful, expansive lavender fields Sebastian ran through as a kid fit perfectly with the expanse of Chris' big, strong emotions which he feels so deeply in his beautiful, generous heart.

That lavender tattoo had been his early birthday gift to Chris. A surprise in the middle of one of their lazy-afternoon impromptu makeout sessions. Chris had gotten all choked up with emotion when he realised what it was.

Tears in eyes, unable to swallow the lump in his throat, Chris had just pulled Seb in for another deep, toecurling kiss while his long, deft fingers gently roamed over the still sore skin on the small of Sebastian's back.

There had been obscene amount of kisses placed on that tattoo, with Chris filthily licking and singing praises to the dimples at the bottom of his spine. A lot of whimpering, almost pathetic moans escaping Sebastian's own mouth while his body floated with immense pleasure and rippling shockwaves.

After that they had somehow grown into using a lot of aromatic lavender essence oils, bath bombs and candles. This one little tattoo had opened so many doors of new experiences for both of them.

There's a saying, 'the beauty of Lavender is that it spreads itself far and wide for onlookers to enjoy.' They've used that line as an innuendo in the bedroom way more times than any one of them would care to admit.

So next time, if and when someone tries to tell him floral tattoos are not 'tough or manly enough', Sebastian might actually go and punch the toxic masculinity out of that person's face.

Chris laughs wholeheartedly whenever he hears this. He knows full well that despite of the obvious calm and sweet nature, his Seb has got zero patience for dumb comments and stupid shit like that.

Seb would never get in dumb frat bro physical fights despite of what he cutely rambles, but he would surely throw some sass and smart-subtle insults with deadass intimidating glares along that person's way. Rightfully deserved. Chris is only proud. And maybe even a bit turned on by the idea of that.

These small, permanent tattoos are a very well-hidden secret. Not for the world to know. Or the purpose of putting on a show.

They are promises exchanged between just the two of them. Silent declarations of love.

The fake/temporary ones Sebastian got for filming though, they're a constant topic of long running jokes.

Like that medal ribbon tattoo he had to get for the bronze. It had to stay with them for two long weeks and Christopher being the smug bastard that he is, had made probably a thousand inappropriate jokes about it.

Not just about the medal. Literally anything and everything he'd see hanging in anywhere. It had been an interesting week to say the least.

When Chris had himself admitted he couldn't shut up about it no matter how hard he tried, Sebastian had managed to do just that (by offering him the prize). So it had all actually worked out real swell in the end. For both of them.

The destroyer tattoo, when he got his mom's photo on his bicep, Chris had gone on and on about how much he admires Seb's love and devotion to his mother.

To the point, where seb had to remind him that the purpose of the tattoo was to make him appear as an intimidating, dark-ish guy not a nice, sweet mama's boy.

Chris chose to plainly ignore that comment and continued to gush over him. His own mom had texted him back only regarding how good she looked in the picture instead of freaking out over the flashy tattoo as expected. (Till this date, he suspects Chris had something to do with it). And Sebastian still couldn't be more thankful for having these amazing weirdos in his life.

It's really fortunate to be able to love and be loved back. The tattoos, they're here to stay. Just like their relationship. Forever.

After some heavy action and a few good rounds of going at it non-stop, his exhausted boyfriend loves to give him a light spank and say it'd be great if they ever got 'Property of Chris Evans' tramp stamped on his cute butt. Sebastian plays along and replies mischievously that someday he'd do just that and the look on Chris' face would be priceless and a sight he'd love to watch.

"Too bad you wouldn't get to see it then. I'd have your head buried in the pillows while you make all those pretty little noises for me, sweetheart", Chris muses darkly and Sebastian can't help the deep shade of red that spreads all over his skin.

Tattoos. Something Sebastian was originally never passionate about. Not that he hated them. He had just never thought about it before meeting and falling for Chris.

Now they mean so much to him. Hold a great importance. Make him feel special. Loved. Treasured. They're a source of inspiration too.

"Wear your heart on your skin in this life", Seb types out before closing the doc file that contains his yet unpublished story.

***

***

Note- I don't know jack-sh*t about astrology and star signs. Just googled a few terms for writing this. If you are an expert and any of these are wrong, kindly ignore and forgive the mistakes.

[damnusillygoose]

Jerza fanfiction(Fluff)

Title: Some insecurities to overcome

summary: Erza has some insecurities. Can Jellal help her overcome them?

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Hiro sensei

'Mira, listen. I think I am overdoing it but I can't stop.'

'I know right? A woman cannot stop her raging heart inside a shop selling skincare products after all.'

'This is very addictive', Erza grimaced, looking down at the products in her hands, ranging from body lotions to SPF to cleansers to moisturizers. All sorts of products a woman can buy to pamper herself.

'You are finally paying attention to your skincare routine. I wonder who is that lucky man who triggered such a change in you, huh?', Mira smiled in a suggestive manner.

'wh-what makes you think I am doing this for a man?! I am doing it for myself you know-

'Yes, yes feminist, I know. In fact, we all know when you exactly started paying attention towards this department. Especially your hair. Stop trying to divert the topic, will you?

'….'

'Does he make you happy?'

Her eyebrows de-tangled themselves from her frown as her face softened at the mention of the man who held her heart within his. 'He does, Mira. He makes me really happy', she gushed in a barely audible whisper.

'I am going be the "best aunt" to your kids. Mhm, though Meredy could be a potential rival for this title', she rambled.

'M-Mira?! That's- You are going too fast! Slow down! It's been just six months to us, give us a break. I would…love to have a family with him in future but right now, it's too soon and I…. I would like to marry him before that', she stammered and covered her face with her hands, turning red at her confession.

Mira eyed her friend smugly, studying her reaction. Erza truly acted different when Jellal was involved. She would turn into the sweetest cinnamon roll around him. Not that she purposefully acted different in front of him.

Erza felt free when she talked to Jellal. She could act spoiled, flirty, bossy, whatever she wanted. She could act vulnerable in front of him because Jellal was her place of comfort. She could be herself within his arms, he was her childhood sweetheart after all.

'Yes, yes grow as a couple, bloom as a couple. Take your time. You guys don't have to rush anyways. Make up for the time you lost', Mira remarked.

Erza lowered her hands slowly, producing a shy smile. 'Yes, we are making up for the time we lost.'

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Seriously though, skincare was such a hassle. It needs dedication and consistency. You have to be patient. You don't get results overnight. Jellal's face was super soft and absolutely blemish free, no dark spots whatsoever. He didn't even use any special product.

'Greens Erza, greens. Eat your greens. Plus, I don't go snacking on sweets in the middle of the night, you know.'

Erza pressed her lips together in defiance. Cutting out sugar redeemed results when someone is trying to achieve clear skin but that's something she couldn't accomplish, if she were to be honest. Leave it, I will try to compensate in other departments like quality sleep and exercise, she tried to convince herself.

She finished applying her hair mask and tied her hair into a secure bun. She reached for her tea tree scrub, took some of it in her hands and started rubbing it in circular motions on her face.

She rinsed it thoroughly after 2 minutes of exfoliating and entered the bathroom to prepare her bath.

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Jellal entered the front gate of their little cottage which they bought just at the outskirts of Magnolia. The location had advantages of its own. They both enjoyed and appreciated scenic beauty away from the clanging energy of the city. They could wake up peacefully, hear the serene chirping of birds, as the soft morning rays would kiss their faces gently. After spending an entire decade fighting battles, they thoroughly appreciated the tranquillity provided amidst nature.

Plus, they could very well use some privacy from media houses because Erza and Jellal's relationship was a hot topic going around in the city. They could take long walks without being pestered by them, flirt and make out whenever they pleased, without the fear of being stalked by them. No one could invade their privacy. It was their personal heaven.

Their friends obviously knew about their location, they came to visit them often.

Team Natsu would often come by to annoy Erza but Jellal knew she loved when they visited and she loved picnics as well, so he tried to create an aesthetic arrangement by adorning the flower pots in their lawn with golden lit fairy lights, situated within the close vicinity of their seating layout. He would switch them on late in the evenings, as they all would watch the sun set while sipping tea, stargazing and laughing with each other. Sometimes, Gray would bring his music speakers and they all would dance and listen to some traditional songs together as the fairy lights embellished their surroundings. Jellal truly enjoyed their company, they were a fun bunch to hang out with.

Crime sorciere was no less. Jellal would often play cricket with them on Sundays and afterwards, they would laze around in his lawn, basking in the sun, as it was the closest place from their playing field.

Jellal would find Erza trying to engage herself with his team and serving them pastries. It would warm his heart immediately when he would see her making attempts to integrate with his people.

'Well, you try to spend time with my friends, I want to know yours as well.'

Not to forget the fact, Erza had taken upon herself to look after Meredy, just like she did for Wendy. She would also do her best to include her in girl's night out and slumber parties. The two of the most important women in Jellal's life became close pretty quickly.

He was grateful to have such an exceptional woman who tried to indulge herself with his life, entwining them together, just like they both were meant to be. He was lucky, he contemplated.

He had gone out to visit Meredy. She had recently rented a place in magnolia and Jellal went to check on her if she needed any assistance.

He closed the door behind him quietly and proceeded to place the groceries he bought in the kitchen. He treaded upstairs to their bedroom and found her sitting in front of her dressing table-applying some lotion on her face, her hair neatly wrapped in a towel.

'I am back.'

'Hey. Everything okay with Meredy?'

'Yes, she is ecstatic to have her own place'

'I see. That's good. I should visit her soon and inform her of some cheap shopping complexes, which offer quality clothing in Magnolia. I love to frequent those with Mira. A woman should have some tricks up in her sleeves.' She replied as a matter of fact.

'I am sure she would be grateful for that', he almost laughed. 'What are you doing?'

'Applying moisturizer'

He sat at the edge of their bed and observed her closely.

'What?', she asked

'Can I help you in drying your hair?'

The corners of her mouth raised on hearing his request. She closed her eyes relishing his adoration for her hair that he named himself.

'Please do', she said as she finished applying her lotion on her face.

They were always like this around each other - content and serene, just like two important halves of a single soul, reunited after treading a long and strenuous journey of self-actualisation. Erza took note of the fact how loved he made her feel even through his tiniest action. Like how he was helping her dry her hair right now.

Jellal, unaware of her musing, took hold of her towel and carefully unwrapped it. Her hair was damp but not dripping wet. He divided them in two partitions and gently started squeezing the excess water out with immense concentration and meticulosity. He repeated the process with the other section as well until he was satisfied with his job. He kept the damp towel aside and ran his hand through the soft and glossy texture of her locks reverently.

Erza felt the tension residing her shoulder muscles leave when she felt his expert hands massage her the nape of her neck firmly. He moved his fingers, tracing her collarbone, bringing her against his chest gently.

'Erza, please remember that you are beautiful. Blemish free or not.' He reminded her, whispering gently in her ears before kissing her cheek lovingly. He held her face softly in his hand and turned her to face him, as they held each other's gaze.

She recently developed a complex regarding her skin not being flawless. Those cursed vogue magazines she picked at a store depicted ladies with blemish free faces. They continued to attack her newfound insecurity.

Jellal often witnessed her groaning while examining her face more than usual in front of the mirror. He saw her reading some magazines where models were photoshopped to an extreme extent, as if they had no skin texture at all. Some didn't even seem human with their body enhancements. It was abhorrent, he felt, to make women insecure regarding something which was naturally unachievable. He just wanted to let her know that he was going to love her no matter what and that outward appearance would never dwindle his feelings which he held for 14 years.

'Thank you Jellal', she took a deep breathe and smiled at him, being grateful for his support. 'I am not hating myself anymore for not having clear skin. Those vogue magazines depict a very unhealthy beauty standard and some women end up hating themselves for not looking that fabulous.'

'You shouldn't read them anymore. I don't want you to feel sad over something unrealistic. You are beautiful the way you are.' He didn't think she knew how beautiful she was in his eyes along with her flaws, especially her flaws.

'I am not, believe me. People are meant to be imperfect after all. That's where the real beauty lies. right?', she replied, meaning every single word she spoke, finally brimming with some self-confidence.

'Come here love, sit between my legs, come', he urged her and she relented by walking towards him. He shifted further along the mattress to make some space for her. She crawled over and seated herself comfortably between his legs and laid her back against his chest. He brought his legs around, boxing her within his hold. She brought her hands up to hold his and leaned into his cheek, sighing contently.

They spent a few moments in this position, simply observing and cherishing the sunrays falling into their room-for warming them up in this cold morning. Their hearts-already warmed up with the love they held for each other.

'Hey sleepyhead', he nudged her mildly when he noticed her blinking in exhaustion, almost ready to fall asleep owing to the cosy atmosphere they created, 'Aren't you hungry? What about breakfast? No- brunch.', he corrected himself when he turned his neck to look at the clock. It was almost 11.30 A.M.

'mhmp...? Oh brunch, right. I almost fell asleep', she chuckled, still slightly drowsy.

'What about strawberry sprinkled donuts glazed with white chocolate?!', she exclaimed ecstatically with her eyes wide open, now fully awake.

Of course, he should have known she would reply something of this sort.

'Sure, but after I feed you some healthy omelettes along with salad consisting of broccoli and beans.'

Jellal was kind of particular about nutrition.

'But those donuts are baked, not fried!', she argued. Apparently eating sweets for breakfast was perfectly healthy in Erza's dictionary.

'You can eat fried as well but after we have our brunch.', he hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. Forget brunch he wanted to eat her right now.

She smiled and rolled her eyes in her apparent defeat.

'Salad it is then.

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A/N: This drabble is also a gentle reminder to all the beautiful ladies out there who feel inferior after browsing through Instagram, looking at those models and wondering why aren't we like them. We are not like them because they themselves do not represent a reality. Instagram is not real, nothing depicted there is. Keep loving yourself and stay hydrated. Do check out my others stories and leave a review if you liked this one. Constructive criticism is appreciated!

link to my profile on fanfiction.net

https://www.fanfiction.net/~damnyousillygoose

[escher-room-with-a-view]

williams family headcanons

this will focus largely on my HCs regarding the dynamics between different members of sarah’s family. jeremy is also there.

looooong post under the cut!

for much of her life, especially after her mother left, sarah has felt like she hasn’t had anyone to talk to or anyone who cares about her. because of this, she would often keep her feelings to herself because she didn’t think anyone would understand, and she didn’t want to bother anyone who wouldn’t care anyway. it’s this restraint that used to make her feel like lashing out and hurting people whom she knew didn’t deserve it, particularly members of her family. linda was usually exempt from this anger; sarah feels tremendously guilty for her occasional violent desires and is trying to work on them, but she appears to be clinging to the vain hope that linda might someday change her ways and the two can be at peace. even after her journey, she seems to have difficulty accepting that that “someday” might never come.

whether sarah inherited or learned her temper from linda is up for debate; what is known, though, is that it runs in her mother’s side of the family. when the two argued, it was often because sarah felt that linda was putting too much pressure on her or not understanding her. in the heat of the moment, linda has said things once or twice that one can’t exactly take back. sarah once justified this to herself by thinking that she provoked her mother, but she’s coming to realize that it isn’t what she thinks so much as it is what she believes she’s expected to think. either way, it hurts her deeply. in fact, sarah is so close to linda that the idea that her mother can do (and has done) anything wrong still comes as a shock to her. she’s especially inclined to forgive her mother for having been petty and nasty in the past because of linda’s affectionate (and admittedly sincere) way of trying to make up for it. sarah’s RSD is the type that makes her feel enormous relief whenever she has some sort of closure. she can spend days agonizing over the idea that someone might hate her, but the minute she’s told she’s been forgiven or even that the other person was never angry at all, she can let it go in an instant. (in fact, this is partly why she’s so kind to her friends, especially hoggle. she knows how it feels to think you’ve done something horrible and unforgivable, even if that isn’t the case—and she doesn’t want anyone to feel the same way.)

sarah likes jeremy, who is exceptionally nice to her and genuinely wants her to feel included. he does his best to be a “fun” sort of father figure, but also acknowledges that he can’t replace her own father and doesn’t try to pressure her into accepting him the way irene somewhat did when she moved in. in fact, jeremy treats sarah almost like a friend and is more lenient with her even than her own mother. he’s always standing up for her and buying things for her that he thinks she’ll like. the two also have several inside jokes that they find hilarious. in general, whenever jeremy cares about someone, he’s very keen on making it known so that they never doubt his authenticity; this is partly why linda gravitated toward him, as she felt like he was more compassionate and cooperative toward her than robert was, and they had more in common.

sarah wasn’t pressured into sharing her mother’s interest in theatre; it came naturally. though linda had some influence, most of sarah’s special interests developed largely on their own. however, sarah tends to be saddened by the fact that linda doesn’t seem to care about her interests unrelated to theatre and never really has. when it comes to anything she has no personal connection with, linda seems indifferent and unaffected no matter how excited sarah is. linda wishes she could bring herself to care more, but she simply doesn’t know how and in some cases isn’t even willing to put in the work. there are few subjects on which linda and sarah are able to have in-depth conversations; one of these is the performing arts, so whenever sarah is around linda it makes up the bulk of what she talks about. sarah desperately craves her mother’s approval, still blaming herself for linda’s departure, and often catches herself acting in ways she thinks will earn that approval even when linda isn’t around.

this is compounded by the fact that sarah has no way of knowing whether or not robert and irene are interested in her thoughts at all. if they are, they certainly don’t show it. on most occasions that they do show intrigue, sarah has some difficulty not interpreting it as them judging or interrogating her. in other instances, she’s simply gotten frustrated and given up trying to communicate with them because she doesn’t feel like they understand or listen. irene in particular wishes she was closer with sarah; however, the two have very little in common. irene has difficulty expressing warmth toward others’ children and doesn’t exactly know how to foster a good bond with them, aside from disciplining them and following the rules she’s read about in her parenting/self-help books. her collection of these books is enormous; many are under the impression that, because of it, she fancies herself an expert. irene tends to be a bit literal and persnickety with rules. she would like to foster emotional and mental health in both her son and her stepdaughter, in addition to raising them to be upstanding citizens; however, she doesn’t quite know how to do the former and is kind of learning as she goes along. though she has difficulty expressing it, she’s fiercely protective of sarah and would like to shield her from anything that might hurt her.

linda and robert separated partly because they had very different ideas on how to raise sarah. while they both had relatively equal expectations for her, they wanted her to pursue different fields; robert sought to push her in the direction of something more conventional while linda wanted sarah to pursue her dreams in the arts—so long as they aligned with linda’s dreams, as well. however, this was just the tip of the iceberg. in reality, the arguments that eventually led to their divorce (sarah was 10 at the time) began when each parent felt that the other’s career wasn’t supporting them as much as they would have liked. linda and robert had lost the spark in their relationship over time; they simply didn’t connect with one another. the phrase “you’re not the person i married,” or a variation of it, was said often on both sides. when the environment in the williams household became too stressful to her, and robert grew too obstinate, linda decided that she was leaving; this happened after she met jeremy, who understood her in a way that she felt robert never had. the realization that linda was forming a relationship behind his back was, for robert, the straw that broke the camel’s back. i think that when it comes to the relationship between sarah’s parents, the song “moral of the story” by ashe applies pretty well. like, really well.

linda’s love language is giving and receiving gifts. she sometimes sends presents and letters to keep in touch with sarah; over the years, though, the influx of gifts has declined for reasons sarah doesn’t understand. linda is usually just too busy or too forgetful to bother; it’s often jeremy who sends gifts in her stead and apologizes on her behalf. furthermore, it’s made sarah uncomfortable how linda always seemed to expect something back whenever she gave a gift or did a favor for as long as she can remember. sarah considers herself lucky that linda sometimes finds the time to send her mail without having to be reminded. because linda can’t be there to physically provide sarah with affection, she instead appears to use gifts as substitutes. in fact, she’s almost always used material objects to convey the things she couldn’t figure out how to communicate otherwise.

part of what makes sarah feel so angry is, ironically enough, the feeling that she isn’t allowed to be angry. when she gets upset, she wants to mouth off or yell, throw things or hit someone; because all of those things will get her into trouble, and she has some difficulty handling her emotions, she has no idea what she’s supposed to do to not be upset anymore. all she feels like she can do is wait for it to go away—which is not only something that she rarely manages to do, but also something that makes things far worse in the long run.

overall, sarah has a complicated relationship with her mother. on the one hand, the two are very close with one another. linda loves sarah dearly and is immensely proud of her; in spite of all her flaws, she seems to be coming to the realization that she should try and be a better mother even if it’s from a distance, and that just because sarah isn’t physically with her anymore doesn’t make the two any less related. on the other hand, though, linda has quite a few selfish tendencies she hasn’t matured past; her love for sarah doesn’t stop her from using her as a pawn to stroke her own ego. she also isn’t afraid to lash out at her own daughter for bruising said ego, intentionally or otherwise. the only reason she initially considered doing better was because she didn’t want sarah to stop talking to her entirely, though she’s begun considering the principle of it all. it would be interesting to juxtapose linda’s selfishness with sarah’s at the beginning of the film, with the implication that linda is the way she is today because she never got what she needed in the past and/or made the conscious choice to put herself before other people—but sarah doesn’t have to be the same. in fact, throughout her arc it’s proven that she won’t be the same—not only because her journey provides her with courage and her friends provide her with support she may not have and otherwise, but because she chose actively to be a kinder person out of compassion and not because she feared repercussions.

sarah’s insistence that linda has never done anything wrong ever is almost certainly denial. logically, sarah knows that some of linda’s actions have been wrong; that doesn’t stop her, however, from scrambling for a million different ways to justify it. part of this can also be attributed to what sarah feels is an unspoken rule that forbids her from being angry, especially toward the people whom she loves and who love her most; she wants to say that linda has hurt her on several occasions, but doesn’t know how to communicate it and is afraid of setting off some sort of nightmarish consequence. as such, she settles for trying to rationalize it when no amount of explanation can make it okay.

linda is also fiercely protective of sarah and doesn’t want her falling in with the wrong crowd by any means. it does sadden her that sarah doesn’t have many friends (at least to her knowledge), and she’s always encouraging sarah to put herself out there; however, a small, wicked part of linda has wondered if it would be better if she just had sarah all to herself.

sarah has felt ever since the divorce that, to her father, she’s more of an inconvenience he has to “deal with” than his actual daughter. of course, robert doesn’t see her that way; but he doesn’t know how to communicate with her or connect with her, as much as he’d like to, which results in a wall between them. despite this, she does know that he loves her and is doing her best. as bad as it makes her feel, she explains it to herself by saying that she sometimes wishes his best was better.

i personally interpret sarah putting away linda’s pictures at the end of the film as her realizing that there’s someone else who has no power over her: her mother. granted, sarah doesn’t destroy the pictures because she still loves linda and hopes she gets better as a person. but the fact that she puts them somewhere safe can be thought of as symbolizing how she isn’t going to let linda manipulate her anymore and it isn’t her responsibility to help her get better—let alone be her personal echo chamber. sarah has decided, in my opinion, to keep a reasonable distance from linda (to the extent where “i can talk to you, but you can’t hurt me”) until she can be certain that linda has changed. in particular, sarah feels safest interacting with her mother when jeremy is present, as jeremy isn’t afraid to come to her defense and has made linda reconsider her behavior on several occasions. i also think it could be interesting to contrast maria’s fierce and unconditional love and linda’s genuine, but often self-serving and distanced love toward her own child.

sarah remembers her family being happy before things went downhill and still finds it difficult to grasp the fact that it wasn’t her fault in some way. when her family tells her that, she doesn’t think they’re telling the truth. when her classmates tell her it wasn’t her fault, she feels like they just don’t understand.

robert feels like he didn’t pay enough attention to linda’s needs back when the two were married, and he thinks that’s most likely the reason she left. to make up for what he perceives as his neglect of his ex-wife, he does his best to make irene feel like a queen.

i think of sarah and toby when i listen to “evelyn evelyn.” i’m not sure exactly why, but it would make a good comic or animation someday.

i also made picrews!

post-canon!sarah - in this one, she’s about 16. i always loved the idea of her just deciding to cut her own hair one day and her parents being shocked about it. shorter hair is also especially conducive to speedrunning the labyrinth every other week

link: https://picrew.me/image_maker/1272810

adult!sarah - my headcanon is that she was a stage actress for a while and later went on to have a film role, but eventually decided that the life of an actress wasn’t for her and settled down to become a college drama professor. once she cut her hair as a teenager, she never went back. her family was frustrated by it until she got older and they mellowed out about it because they realized there was really nothing they could do

links (in order): https://picrew.me/image_maker/457566 and https://picrew.me/image_maker/696219

adult!toby - i don’t know why, but i feel like he’d be really into alt fashion. like i think sarah would introduce him to her punk and hair metal vinyls one day and he’d just latch onto those and never let go. i also think that he didn’t leave the labyrinth unchanged, and sarah does her best to help him readjust and cope with it all; i’m tempted to also headcanon him as ND, so it’s possible that she’d be able to relate to him a lot in the future and that would make things easier for him

link: https://picrew.me/image_maker/696219

sarah and toby! i think they’d get along really well as toby was growing up, with sarah telling him these wonderful stories and playing fantastical games with him and whatnot. she’d have some of influence on his taste in music and books, too, i think, as explained above. but because of the whole “evelyn evelyn” thing i’m considering incorporating some degree of angst into their relationship when they’re adults. i do have an idea, but i’m not quite ready to spoil it yet! i’ll wait until i manage to draw At Least One Thing for it!

link: https://picrew.me/image_maker/399481

[trickthecloak]

Whumptober 2020 Day 5

No 5. WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING? On the Run | Failed Escape | Rescue

"C'mon," Will grit out, panting as he readjusted his friend's arm over his shoulders again. "Keeping helping me. C'mon."

Gilan was trying; however, there was only so much one could do when he had a large gash through the back of his thigh, rendering the leg practically useless. Factoring in the blood loss... Gilan was in no state to help anyone, and Will knew it.

Without warning, Gilan buckled. He'd have pulled both of them to the ground had it not been for Will's agility and reaction time. Will ended up on one knee, bracing a hand against Gilan's chest to keep him semi upright. "Gilan. Gil, hey. You're alright. C'mon- up-"

"Will," Gilan gasped out. "This isn't working."

The younger Ranger ignored the words, instead taking the time to check the rough field bandage he had thrown on Gilan's injury in a feeble attempt to stem the blood flow. The fabric was soaked through and skewed, and Will bit out a curse. Absently patting Gilan's chest a few times, Will then propped his friend against his shoulder and prepared to readjust the slipped bandage, because Gilan couldn't afford to lose anymore blood to the forest floor-

"Will, you've gotta go."

"Yeah, we're going, just give me a moment to fix this," Will replied distractedly. Gilan hissed in pain as the bandage pulled tight, reaching fingers out to insistently grab Will's sleeve. Their weak grip made Will pause and turn to meet Gilan's bloodless face. "What?"

"You have to go."

Will simply stared for a moment before his face twisted. "Don't be stupid," he snapped. "I'm not leaving you, so just stop."

Wearily wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Gilan doggedly shook his head. "They're going to catch up, and... I can't keep going."

"Yes, you can!"

Gilan gave a faint, sad smile. "No," he answered gently, sounding immensely tired. "I can't."

"Then let them come," Will snarled, drawing his saxe. Gilan's face scrunched in distress.

"No! Just get out of here! Think about Halt - you don't want to that to him, do you?" The older Ranger hissed, locking eyes with Will. For all the pain they were in, they were also alight with defiance.

Will scoffed and pulled the bandage tighter, making Gilan groan. "Don't be stupid. Halt has two apprentices, idiot. Neither of us are dying here, alright? Now, c'mon, time to back get up."

"You didn't see him after you were taken to Skandia," Gilan wheezed, breath hitching as Will yanked him back up. "You didn't see him in Arrida. He lives for you, Will. Please, just go. Better me than you."

Gilan sounded so resigned, so sincere, that for a moment Will just gaped at him. "... Why would you even say that?" he said finally said, tone heated and face horrified.

Gilan was spared from answering by the sound of rough trampling through the underbrush. Both Rangers automatically turned toward the sound, and a long moment later, Horace burst into view.

"There you two are! We couldn't find you, and the blood trail, and we had to take care of the others, and Halt is finishing up with them, and..." The knight gasped for air, eyes frantically roving up and down his two friends, at Will supporting an ashen Gilan. "Gilan. Will, what do we need?"

"Yeah, the horses are nearby, Horace, right?" Will said tightly, and Horace nodded as he moved forward to take Gilan's weight. "Good. I'm going to get them. Horace, stay here and get more compression on the wound. I'll be back soon."

If Horace noticed the tension or the way that Will refused to look at Gilan, instead passing the latter over to Horace and immediately stalking off into the trees, he didn't comment on it. Instead, the warrior pulled out his own handkerchief, and with a quick apology to a quiet Gilan, pulled it tight.

Gilan gave a pained yelp, and it was almost a mercy when he finally passed out into Horace's shoulder.

"You need to stop putting holes in yourself," Halt said, briefly resting a hand on his former apprentice's hair before retreating and settling into one of the chairs. They had tracked down a healer in a small, nearby village, and Gilan shrugged from the cot where he sat propped, the gash underside his thigh looking far more manageable now that it was carefully and neatly wrapped in crisp white bandages. He'd been lucky. "Any deeper," the healer had said in wonder and relief, "And you'd be looking at a limp for the rest of your life. As is it, you should be all right, so long as you let it heal properly."

"You're telling me," the tall Ranger said lightly in response to Halt's complaint, though there was an undercurrent of strain in his tone. Halt flicked his eyes to Will, who sat slumped in his chair with his feet propped on the small table, twirling his throwing knife between his fingers. The tension in the room was practically tangible.

Halt raised his eyebrow. "Is everything all right?"

An awkward silence followed, before Will suddenly slammed his knife flat down on the table. "No, everything's not all right. This one-" he gestured roughly to Gilan, "Tried to make me leave him today because of some stupid notion that his life is worth less than mine. He even went as far as to suggest that only my death would be upsetting to you, Halt - that he would hardly factor in at all in comparison. And as much as I would like to blame it on delirium from blood loss, I need an explanation, for my own sake, at least."

Heaving a breath, Will leaned back again and crossed his arms, eyes trained heavily on Gilan as he waited. Gilan's face had gone practically grey during Will's rant, and he opened his mouth wordlessly for a moment before closing it again, looking very much like a cornered animal under Will and Halt's stares.

It was Halt who broke the silence. "Gilan, is this true?" he asked, his expression and tone carefully blank. Halt knew Gilan would never flat out lie to him, and felt himself sink as his first apprentice withered under the question.

"It's not like that," Gilan answered finally, face hot and throat tight because it wasn't like that and he hated being on the spot like this. Halt and Will had a special relationship, everyone knew that. Gilan knew that. Will had experienced his first taste of family only when Halt had taken him as an apprentice - Halt, the first person who had truly wanted Will for being Will. And with Halt, came the Rangers, a tight knit group that was practically a family in itself... and more specifically, with Halt came Gilan, practically a built in older brother, due to Gilan's former position as Halt's apprentice. Gilan loved Will. Gilan had a family of his own and a plethora of father figures. Gilan and Halt's relationship was different - Gilan simply hadn't needed the older Ranger the way that Will did, a fact that Gilan understood and respected.

However, as much as Gilan understood that, and as much as he convinced himself that being the second favorite didn't hurt... sometimes it did.

"It's not like that," he repeated, then fluttered a hand towards the youngest Ranger. "Will is... Will. You two need each other." You wouldn't need me, hung unspoken in the air.

Halt didn't answer for a long moment, absorbing the words. "When I apprenticed you both," he said finally, "I took an oath to protect you. This oath still stands. I don't mean it lightly when I say that I would die for either of you in an instant." Halt nodded to Gilan. "I need you to understand how important you are to me."

Gilan nodded slowly, his eyes shiny. Halt leaned forward to tightly embrace the younger man. Gilan responded in kind, clinging to his mentor like a small child. Halt whispered something in his ear, and when they pulled away, Gilan was smiling.

Will leaned in for his turn, all anger -no, fear- gone from his being. "Self-sacrificial is a bad look on you," the youngest Ranger said as he firmly hugged his friend, and Gilan gave a wet laugh.

From the doorway, his arms full of food, Horace smiled. He wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but he'd resigned himself a long time ago to the fact that he would always be a half-step behind these Rangers.

The warrior cleared his throat. "I have food. Anyone interested in a cup of coffee?"

A resounding chorus of "Always" answered, and Horace knew everything was fine.