#I mean he might call it sentimental and say sentiment is for fools

[martianbugsbunny]

how did I not see it before it is absolutely UNHINGED behavior for Stone to draw that foam art of him and Robotnik with hearts on ROBOTNIK'S LATTE unless he feels a hundred percent flipping secure in doing so???? like there is an implication there

[feyascorner]

okay first of all i ADORE ur writing… wanna take a bite out of it..

anyway… uh… can i uhh… order a uhh…. astarion x tav.. and like..tav has a fucking insane pain tolerance and always has.. and like… uhh… one time she gets fucking TOTALED in a fight and like obvi it would hurt… and shes like crying subconsciously.. and when some1 points it out shes like “what???? why am i crying wtf???” and like looks down and is just fucking BLEEDING… n then.. astarion comfort…

only if u want thoo!!!!

a/n. Im like the exact opposite I'm very dramatic about the slightest pain but this is such a cute request so Ty!! ALSO PLS EXCUSE IF THIS IS A LITTLE CLUNKY I HAD TO TYPE THIS OUT W MY FINGERS🫠🫠

Astarion is grateful for your tolerance to pain.

Of course, he doesn't particularly enjoy watching you in pain, but he’s no fool. He knows the sting and the soreness that comes after he drinks from your neck. Well, at least, it should sting. However, it never seemed to bother you, and for that, he's forever grateful for it.

These strange sentiments expand past his thirst for blood, as the relief he feels when you’re battered up after a battle and you smile at him as if nothing’s wrong is incomparable to any other feeling he’s felt.

That relief does not come currently, however.

The battle was nearly hopeless. Overwhelmed in number, mages casting counterspell, fighters constantly aiming at you…he’s lost track of it all. By some miracle you and your companions stand victorious, and when he sees that you offer Karlach a lopsided smile, confirming that you're fine, he reaches to pick up one of his daggers.

“Tav—what in the hells, are you okay?”

It’s then that he spots the way your lip quivers and tears glisten threateningly at your eyes. And when you meet his own, they begin to drip down your cheeks like crystals and roll off your chin. He's seen you in tears before, but out of something more positive—not from pain. Before he can even tell what he's doing, he's rushing toward you.

“Why are you—” he sees the blood seeping from your stomach, and his face would've gone pale if he could.

You finally lift your hands to your face, eyes wide when your fingertips brush against the dampness of your cheeks. “Oh. Why am I?…”

Shadowheart scrambles to scrimmage around her bag. “Here, let me—gods, where did I—did we use all the healing potions?—”

“Oh for hells sake. Because you're bleeding!” Astarion hisses, his hand intertwining with yours as he drags you toward the nearest tree where he sits you down. He freezes when you flinch but you shake your head, wiping at your eyes. Your other companions are still searching the enemy corpses for anything that might relieve you of the pain, but they're taking far too long for his liking.

“I’m okay, it doesn't really hurt that much.”

“You’re crying.”

“I didn't even know I was-” you wince.

His eyes narrow. “Lay down.”

“What? No, I’m really fine!”

“Gods, love, please for once, listen to me. It’s quite straining to watch you clamber around with that ghastly wound on your stomach.”

You frown, but he guides you down anyway, careful to lay down your head against the grass. “Now wait patiently. Maybe if we’re lucky, our dear friends will find a potion before I start developing wrinkles.”

A momentary silence hangs in the air. It’s by no means uncomfortable, but there are words on the tip of his tongue he wishes to say. And when he notices you staring, he sighs.

“If you're hurt, tell us. I don't care how high your pain tolerance is—if you're hurt, call us. Call me. Don't be a fool and bleed out over a few enemies when we’ve been through so much worse.”

The sincerity in his voice is almost embarrassing. But with the way you're watching him so seriously, he can't bring himself to dwell on such irrelevant factors.

Then, you smile again, as if you've forgotten about the pain. “How minor can the pain be for me to call you?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“Can I call you when I stub a toe?”

“Absolutely not.”

“I will.”

He stares at you with lidded eyes and you laugh. He feels the weight on his shoulders get a bit lighter.

“You may call for me whenever you wish.”

[surielstea]

Ballroom Secrets (pt. 11)

Based on this request.

Read pt.I here.

Pairing: Eris x Fem!Reader

Summary: Cassian finds out about readers secret relationship with the High Lord of Autumn.

Warning: Angst | Slight description of depression | hurt/comfort | happy ending

5.6k words

A/N: Sorry this is so long 😭😭 I just really wanted to get the angst right so it got long quick, hope you enjoy! :)

I sat in the sitting room of the river house cuddled up next to Morrigan who was splitting a bottle of wine with me.

"Where'd you get this?" Mor asks, pinching the silk of my new dress between her hands. "Oh I'm not sure, it was a gift." I smile, remembering the way Eris handed it to me for no particular reason other than the fact that he wanted to take it off of me. "From who?" Feyre asks in her own chair, Rhysand standing beside her, leaning against the arm rest. My mouth goes dry.

"It's a male, look at the way she's blushing." Azriel hummed, leaning back against the wall. I cast him a glare but he only returns it with a soft smile. "The same male that gave you this?" Mor points to my neck. "Gave her what?" Cassian perks up from his sprawled out position on the couch, Nesta's feet in his lap. "Yeah, what?" I look to Mor confused. "A hickey." A smirk curves her lips and I slap my hand over where the mark lies.

"By who?" Nesta sits up, gods even she was interested. "No one, I don't know— just some guy." I stumble over my words, cursing myself for my horrible lie. Azriel nearly laughs and rightfully so, his shadows were probably picking up on every nerve that tensed in my body.

"Is that why you've been missing training?" Cassian raised a brow and I can't will the words to leave my mouth. I've always been a horrible liar, Eris has tried to teach me his ways of deceit but it was no use when every time I tried to be quick witted or malevolent it failed miserably and I made a fool of myself. "I've been missing training because you schedule it for the asscrack of dawn." I grumble, half truths however were my forte. Cassian narrows his eyes on me and I swallow thickly. "Oh leave her alone already, let the girl have her fun." Amren speaks up and I silently thank every god I can think of. "Cauldron knows she's had the three of you Illyrians hovering over her shoulder since she was born." The eldest of us finalizes and the conversation thankfully ends there.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

I was in the middle of reading a novel in my bedroom of the river house when a note fluttered down onto my chest, appearing from thin air. A soft smile comes to my lips as I close the book and pick up the note, recognizing the handwriting immediately.

Will you be home soon?

I twist my lips to the side and dwell over the question before flipping on my side to grab a pen from my nightstand. I quickly write back and watch the note disappear from my hands.

I'm waiting for everyone to fall asleep, we're all night owls evidently.

It takes only a minute for him to reply and the words on the paper make me audibly giggle.

Drug them. I miss you, and I'm tired.

Can't sleep without me?

Apparently not. I smile widely at the sentiment. I'll leave soon, just for you.

Soon isn't soon enough

I roll my eyes at his childish impatience but a smile forms over my face as I write out my retort.

Shut your whining up, I'm trying to read

You're so mean to me (I like it)

I don't write back, deciding that if I say anything else he might winnow here himself just to take me back, which wouldn't be good. I opened my book back up but as soon as I was getting back into the story there was a knock at my door. I sigh and use Eris' note as a bookmark before shutting it. "Come in." I call, sitting up.

Cassian enters, taking up the whole entry way as he shuts the door behind him. I smile at my brother as he looks to me with his warm hazel eyes. "I thought you were going to bed?" He creases his brows skeptically and I roll my eyes. "I say that, and then I read my romance novels." I lift up my book and it was his turn to roll his eyes, taking a seat on my bed.

Cassian isn't my brother by blood, but he might as well be. I can't remember a time when he wasn't taking care of me. When he was only seven years old he offered me shelter in his tent. I was six and lost, my parents deserting me, or so I presumed. He tucked me under his wing and shielded me from the rain until arriving back to the tent. He snuck me food from Windhaven and even stole maids clothes off of laundry lines. If it weren't for him I most likely wouldn't be alive today, ever since then he's been particularly protective of me, even towards friends from other courts. I wasn't Illyrian either, but he always said I acted like one. Perhaps that was an insult, but I took it as a compliment.

"What's up?" I shift in my bed so my legs dangle over the side and he's right beside me. "We haven't talked in awhile, I miss you." It was true. It feels like it's been months since it's been just him and I. Realization dawns upon me that all of my free time has gone to Eris, he's my mate sure, but that doesn't mean I want to leave the rest of my family in the past.

"I know. I'm sorry." I lean my head on his shoulder. "I've been busy." I murmur, fiddling with my hands.

"Alright, Who's the lucky guy— or gal, I don't discriminate." He hums and my heart drops. Gods I did not want to expose my relationship with Eris right now. Not ever. "Can we not talk about this right now?" I say, my voice gentle and pleading. "C'mon, you used to tell me everything." He groans and I lift my head from his shoulder, my hands coming to my knees to stop from fidgeting. "This is different." I shrug.

"How so?"

His question is met with silence, I was weighing whether or not I should just kick him out and tell him I'm tired. He'd leave if I asked. But I didn't want him to, just didn't want to talk about this.

"I'd like to meet who's got my sister glowing like this." He bumps my side with his. "Doubt it." I grumble, then curse myself for letting that slip. "What's that supposed to mean?" He snorts a laugh and I look at him nervously, gripping my knees tighter as his smile slowly drops. "I've met him?" He arches a brow and all I can do is slowly nod. Is this it? All that sneaking around summing up to this very moment? "Do I like this guy?" He guesses like this is a game and the health of our friendship isn't in my hands. "Not really, no." I answer honestly, lying is impossible and staying silent will only cause his thoughts to drive him mad.

"Well if he's got you this happy, I'm willing to reevaluate." He shrugs, carefree. He clearly doesn't understand the situation. "It's not that simple." I shake my head, looking away from him and back to my lap. "Talk to me, I won't judge." He reaches over, placing his calloused hand on my clenched ones. "Promise." He gives them a reassuring squeeze. A pit forms in my stomach. My nails dig into the skin of my knees and he understands, pulling his hand away. My eyes widen and I can only pray he doesn't hate me for this.

"Before I tell you, try not to be too mad okay?" I crease my brows, swallowing thickly and looking to him. "Uh, okay?" He looks at me foolishly. "I'm serious." I stress with wide eyes. "Okay, okay, I won't be mad." He promises and I force myself to take a deep breath. This truth that I've been hiding for nearly a year now about to be exposed. All because I forgot to glamour a fucking hickey on my neck. Gods how could I have been so stupid?

I realize the quiet has been dragging on for far too long and that if I don't tell him now I never will.

"Eris."

Silence. He doesn't make a sound and he doesn't move. A weight lifts from my shoulders and for a second it's bliss. "What?" His voice lacks emotion and a new weight envelopes me. Fuck. "Eris is the male I've been secretly seeing." It comes out in a pitiful whisper. "Are you mad?" I was quick to ask, but he doesn't reply for a long moment. Allowing me to think of everything I've done. All that I've risked just to be with my mate, to be happy.

"Please tell me you're talking about another Eris." He tries to remain calm but I can hear it, the quiver of his voice, the clenching of his fists. I shake my head no and I swore I could feel the heat radiating off of him, pure anger. "You promised you wouldn't be mad!" I stand to look at him, a fire in his eyes that is pure rage.

"Well that was before you let that bastard into your bed." He stands and my neck cranes up to keep eye contact, the power dynamics making my legs wobble. Gods I felt useless.

"It's not like that—" I try to defend but he doesn't let me finish. "What? Don't tell me you think he's in love with you?" He scoffs like it's the most improbable thing on the continent. Tears well in my eyes at the idea. "You don't know him." I defend. "I don't want to, for all I know he's probably using you for a good fuck—" He starts. "Stop it." I demand and he clamps his mouth shut. "He's better than you think." I will my voice not to break. "Has he brainwashed you? You can't be serious." He nearly laughed at the idea. I don't say anything, allowing him to get his anger out before I plead my case.

"Or have you forgotten what he's done to Morrigan?" A shutter racks through me and I can't bring myself to look him in the eyes. "That story isn't true." I rasped but I doubt he hears me. I must sound insane to him. "Do you know who his parents are? How you'll be treated if you ever married him?" He goes on but it's not true, none of what he says is true. "You'll be a fucking brood mare, forced to give sons over and over again. Do you understand that?" His hand comes to my shoulders, squeezing tightly. "He's not Beron. We've talked about it, he doesn't even want kids unless I'm willing to give that to him." My words are just above a whisper and he lets go of my shoulders like he's repulsed, as if I hold a virus and he doesn't want to get infected.

"It doesn't matter. Eventually you become parents." He whispered. "You really believe that? Tell that to Rhys. To Morrigan, or Azriel. Tell that to fucking Nesta." I grit out, whipping my head up to look at him and his hypocritical statements. I allow him to see the fury in my eyes, the tears streaming down my cheeks. "Leave her out of this." He narrows his eyes on me.

The first argument to this level we ever had was over his mate. I hated her, loathed every part of her and what she made my brother go through— and now she's one of my most trusted friends and one of my favorite people. A laugh escapes from my body. I must've looked crazy finding amusement at a time like this. "It's the same thing." I bring my hands up to wipe my tears. "Gods were so fucking predictable." I sigh out. He looks at me confused, eyes analyzing my body language. "Nesta is just like him, and you know it." I narrow my brows at him. "This is different." He clenches his fists at his sides. "How so? Give me one good reason as to how this is different?" I will him. "Eris hurt Mor." He says the crime like it's dirt in his mouth. "Nesta hurt Feyre." I reason with him. He grits his teeth. "He hates Illyrians. He hates you and I because of where we come from, do you understand how fucked that is?" His hands come to my wrists, as if pleading me to listen.

"His father hates Illyrians." I correct. "And stop saying I'm an Illyrian I'm not." I pull at his grip but it's iron. "Fine. But he hates me, are you picking sides right now?" His brows crease like I've betrayed him. "No! I—" My breath gets caught halfway up my throat. "I don't want to pick sides, I want both." Tears continue falling and I don't bother wiping them away anymore. "And Nesta hated the Fae entirely, don't be so certain that makes them different." I seethe out at him and he narrows his eyes at me. "We're mates. Nesta and I are cauldron willed, you can't ignore something like that." He says and I stare at him unwavering, not bothering to say anything but rather dropping my glamour around the mating bond connected straight to the high lord of Autumn.

His eyes widen and his grip on my wrists loosens but I don't pull away. "No," His voice is a whisper. I nod. "Reject the bond, you deserve better than him I don't care if you love him." He rules. "I already accepted it, nearly half a year ago." I expose. If I was going to be honest I might as well lay it all out. "Half a year?" He rasps and I nod gravely. "You've been lying to me for half of a fucking year?" His tone is louder, more angry. "I don't understand why you care so deeply, I gave you my reasons now leave it alone." I match his lever of voice. "Why I care? I've always cared, you're my family—" He begins and I tear my wrists from his grasp. "You're not even my real brother!" I yell at him and I swore the world stopped spinning. Pain flashes across his eyes and he stumbles back, his mouth falling open before he clamps it shut and swallows thickly.

"Cass I didn't—" I try. "No." He looks at me like he's never seen me before. "You've made your point clear." He walks to the door. Every fiber of my being wants to beg him to stay. But my feet can't move and I stare aimlessly as he leaves, the door clicking shut with a gut wrenching softness. Leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I use whatever remaining energy I have left to winnow back to my apartment. Where I knew Eris impatiently waited for me to return. I land wobbly on my feet, tears slowly cascading from the wells of my eyes. Eris who was laid on the couch with a book sat up alarmed. I remove the walls around our bond and allow the misery that overwhelmed me to flood into his end of our connection.

He rushes toward me alarmed, fire raging in his eyes but not toward me, toward whoever made me feel this way. "Eris," I murmur, I was sure I was going to collapse. "My love," He brings a hand to my waist, keeping me steady but that didn't stop a choked sob from escaping me. "What's wrong?" His other hand comes to my cheek, wiping away my tears. "Talk to me." His brows crease and this feels so wrong, seeking comfort in the very reason Cassian is mad at me in the first place.

"He knows." I whisper. "Who knows?" His brows crease in confusion, before they relax with realization. I grip his shirt in my fists, looking up at him like a lost animal. "I'm a horrible sister." I confess, my voice breaking on the final word. "No," He shakes his head, pulling me into his chest, holding me close and warming me up. "No love, don't say that." He whispered into my hair, his arms tight around me.

Another sob racks through me but he doesn't shush me, he allows the dam of tears to break and every emotion I've kept bottled up for the past half year comes flowing out.

I tell him everything. From the moment Mor noticed the hickey to the point when Cassian left my bedroom. My voice shook when telling him of what I said to my brother. "And now I'm here and, and I don't know what to do." I sobbed, looking up at him as he ran a hand through the ends of my hair. "I see." His voice is soft, caring. "I was so mad, I wasn't thinking and with all the words he said about you I just— I hated him at that moment." I cup my mouth at the realization. I never wanted to hate anyone, especially not someone I love so much. I never want to feel that uncontrollable emotion ever again.

"It's not your fault." He stresses. "We'll figure this out together alright?" His thumb traces along my cheek and I nod, blinking away my final tears. "But what if he never wants to talk to me again?" I whisper. "What if he hates me?" My lip quivers at the thoughts, I don’t know how I’d live with myself if Cassian ever hated me. "Your brother loves you too much to ever consider that. Alright?" His hands grip my face slightly as if to stress his point and I nod meekly, slipping my hands around his waist again and hugging him tightly.

He releases a deep sigh and hugs me back, his touch warming my skin in a way that comforted me more than he could ever know. In the hug I begin to wonder how he feels about the world knowing. I hoped he knew how much he’s helping me, how much I appreciated that he’s here for me. Then I realized that he might be thinking of leaving for my benefit, so I can return to Cassian and tell him everything he said about Eris was right and I can stay with my family. I didn’t want that. Gods, why can’t I have both? The cauldron must’ve been playing a cruel joke on me. "Please, don't leave." I beg of him. He bends down and places a hard kiss to the temple of my head. "Never." But he would, if I asked.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

The next few days were long. I barely slept, every time I tried I'd be reminded of the words I spat at Cassian. I couldn't face him, didn't dare go back to the River House, much less the House of Wind. I stayed in bed, staring out the window of my bedroom, watching the sunset shining against the Sidra, the water refracting in rainbows as stars awakened in the sky. Another day passes.

I felt hollow, my limbs heavy and my stomach a pit. I knew I'd have to face Cassian soon, see him and the others. I wonder if he told them, warned them all to no longer speak to me. All because of who I'm in love with. Anger consumed me for a few days, thinking him deserving for what I said. Who was he to pick who I can and cannot love? I spent hours cursing him as a hypocritical bastard, spewing lies to convince myself I was in the right.

I slowly came to, deciding I needed to stop avoiding my own fate and face what truly lies at the root of the problem. The rest of the days of my solitude was spent in grief.

Feeling sorry for myself wasn't any better than the raging nights. It was truly pitiful how I ended up here.

There was a knock at the door frame. I didn't have to look to guess it was my mate. "I'm not hungry Eris." I say plainly, continuing to stare out at the river. "Have you eaten today?" I don’t expect his voice to be behind me as he slithers into the bed beside me, curling an arm around my waist. “I had a bowl of soup not too long ago.” I answer, flipping onto my side to look up at him. His golden eyes that rolled with sadness, he couldn’t help blaming himself for my situation and I hated that he did. “Okay.” He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. “I have to return to Autumn later tonight, high lord stuff.” He grumbled and I groaned, tucking closer to him. “I’ll be back in the morning.” He promised. I huff, wrapping an arm around his torso and burrowing into his chest. “Unless, you want to come with me?” He arched a brow and I look up at him, my head propped up on his chest. “To the Autumn court?” I ask. He nods, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

I haven’t been to my mates court since Eris’ coronation because it’d raise suspicion if a girl from Rhysand’s inner circle began to roam the markets of the foreign court. But I suppose that didn’t matter now if our secrets out. “You think your people will react well?” I ask anxiously. “After my father ruled over them they’ll take anything they can get, and if a pretty high lady is an option I think they’ll be over the moon.” He offers me a gentle smile. “High lady?” I can’t help but smile at the idea of ruling a court together. He nods. I fantasize about the idea for a moment, until the thought of Cassian finding out about me proudly wearing an autumn court crown settles over me. He’d fall into a fit of pure rage and I’d never forgive myself. “Can we wait?” I ask. “Just until all this is resolved with Cass, and then yes. I’d love to be your high lady.” I nod. He gives me a comforting expression. “Of course my love.” He leans down and presses a gentle kiss to my lips. I him against the action and kiss him back. Wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him impossibly closer. His lips slotted perfectly against mine and the feeling that bloomed in my chest when kissing him filled the pit of my stomach and the hollowness of my heart. I felt lighter. A knock sounds at the front door, loud and demanding. My ears perk at the sound and I pull back, he seems to want to chase my mouth back to his but he freezes too when another impatient knock rings through the house.

I sigh and sink down into the bed. "You can answer it." I say, removing my arms from his neck. "Are you sure?" He asks, his own warm arms slipping from my waist and I wished they didn’t. "They all know by now, what's the point of hiding it?" I grumble, and he nods as he stands from the bed, my eyes watching him as he does so. "Alright." He nods. “If it’s not Cassian I’m not interested.” I voice. He glances to me and only nods in reply.

He leaves the room and my eyes go back to the window. I strain my ears to hear for the voices in the living room but I can only hear Eris.

"She doesn't want to see you." He said. A mumble of a voice replied, it was soft, must be female. My hope diminished when I realized it's not my brother. "In the bedroom." Is the next thing I hear from my mate and I mentally prepare for whoever is about to walk into my room.

The door creeks open but I don't move. I stay looking out the window, watching as dusk now takes over the sky. "Gods its dark in here." Nesta.

I don't have the energy to reply, giving her enough of an answer with my silence. "Look, I know I'm not who you want to see, but he's in a similar state as you." She hums and that fact settles deep into my bones. I adjust, sitting up and facing her, leaning back against my headboard.

"He throws up every night too?" I ask with a wry sense of humor. Nesta tossed a glare toward Eris who stood at the doorway like a guard.

"No, much worse. He won't stop training." She hums, crossing her arms and sitting on the edge of the bed beside my thighs. Her eyes go distant as she thinks about her mate. "He's spent more time in the training ring than sleeping as of late, he doesn't joke anymore, and I haven't seen him smile in a week." She confesses, her brows creased in concern.

"Are you telling me this to try and make me feel better?" I murmur, avoiding her gaze.

"You know me better than that." She scoffs. It was true, Nesta is one of my best friends. The three Valkyries all are, but especially the eldest Archeron. I remember all the things I said about her, how I boiled her down to all of her faults. The hollowness returns and another thing I will never forgive myself about forms. "I care about you, but I care about him more." She stands up, Eris growls from the doorway but I wave him off, understanding what she meant. "And I just need the two of you to figure your shit out so he goes back to his usual self, it’s so quiet at the house." She crosses her arms over her chest defensively but her tone is soft. "He misses you." She reveals. "He won't admit it but he wants to see you, stop by the house, please." She finalizes, before turning on her heel and walking towards the door.

"Nesta," I call, she whirls around to look at me. "Thank you." Is all I can get out. She nods, then turns back around and exits the way she came.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

The house of wind was emptier than I expected it to be. Eris offered a dozen times to come with me last night, saying that he’d cancel his meetings in the Autumn court so he can offer some sort of support but I told him he had to tend to his own court, that I had to do this on my own. So here I was, about an entire day after Nesta's speech, ready to face my brother. Or at least I hoped I was.

I wandered the halls, stretching ny hearing for any sound but I was met with nothing. I remember Nesta mentioning the training ring so I ascend the steps to the roof.

The clang of metal swords clash loudly as I welcome myself onto the landing, staring at my brother and Azriel who were sparring just to get frustration out. Cassian was sloppy with his moves, not breathing through each step the way he usually did. And Azriel was going easy on him. It was rare for the competitive shadow singer to sympathize but in this instance he was working Cassian like a charity case. The general knew it too and only fueled more of that anger he held in each of his swings.

Azriel and I make eye contact and his movements freeze, shadows pooling at my feet as Cassian struck him down and pinned him with his sword. "Again." My brother demanded, reaching his hand out toward the spymaster. Azriel remained looking at me and with the distraction, Cassian whirled around to look at me with narrowed eyes that quickly turned wide.

His sword clattered down onto the mat as he let it slip from his hand. "Cass." My voice is a rasp. He takes a step out of the training ring until he's right in front of me and I'm looking up at him again.

Tears well in my eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said I just—" I tried to speak but was cut off by his large arms wrapping around me tightly into a warm hug. I melt into it, releasing a soft sigh of relief and hugging him back. "You were right." He confesses. "I was just hurt and wasn't thinking about how you might be feeling." He mutters into my hair. "No you were right to be mad," I shake my head. "I kept it a secret from you for a long time, I should tell you everything." I admit and he backs away from the hug.

"I don't want you to feel like you can't tell me things, I reacted poorly." He sighs. "I did too, the things I said about Nesta were uncalled for. You know I love her." I say with tearful eyes. “I know, it’s okay.” He reassures, squeezing me tighter and lifting me up off the ground slightly with his height. "But, I'm not sorry for being with Eris." I assert as he places me back on the ground and he backs away. His eyes soften and he wipes a stray tear from my face. "I know, it'll take some time for me to get used to but I want you to be happy." He utters and that's all I needed to hear. "I can't promise he'll be invited to all the family dinners." He scratches the side of his neck and I offer him a relaxed smile. "That's okay," I nod my head. "I doubt he'd want to come anyways." I shrug. "The prick should consider himself lucky for even being able to look at you." Cassian grumbles. I give him a reprimanding look and he puts his hands up like he's been caught for a crime. "Sorry, I'll be better." He promises. "Thank you, brother." I pull him closer into another hug. "Means the world to me." I mumble and he presses a kiss to the crown of my head the way he's always done for the past five hundred years.

"You're sweaty." I grimace, breaking away from his hug. I lean to the side of him to see Azriel waiting impatiently for him to return to the training ring. "Do me a favor?" I look up at him. "Anything." He hums without hesitation. "Kick Az's ass for me?" I arch a brow and a menacing smile curves his lips. "I heard that!" Azriel calls from a few yards away, dammed shadows.

I look at the blue siphoned male glaring at me as Cassian retreats back to his sword. I blow the spy master a kiss and he waves me off. I smile contentedly and winnow back home.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Eris leaned against the kitchen counter with a furrow in his brow, waiting impatiently for me to return. I was surprised at his early arrival, he said he’d be home tonight but the sun had barely left the horizon. I suppose he wanted to return as soon as possible. He pushed off the counter and looks at me expectantly. A bright smile curves my lips and I jump into his arms, he catches me without so much as a stumble back, his warm hands coming under my thighs and heating me up like a cozy fire. "Everything's okay?" He asks worriedly, I don't reply and instead bring my hands up to his sharp cheekbones and pull him in for a kiss.

It was soft and lasting, like he was afraid I was going to tell him to leave after this ends. That Cassian somehow convinced me my mate was some maniacal creature who didn't deserve love. He wouldn't blame me, he'd go if I asked him and that fact is tearing at me. So I deepened our kiss, pulling him closer with a hope to reassure him.

"Please tell me everything's okay." He begs against my lips and I nod. "Everything's okay." I whisper with a small smile and he releases a hefty sigh, the weight of a world lifting from his shoulders. "Cass said he'd try his best. But then he followed up by saying you're a prick so?" I scrunch my nose at the way it sounds and he grins widely. "Sounds about right." He nods, placing me atop the countertop.

"Thank you." I say, wrapping my legs around him. "For what my dear?" His brows crease. "You took care of me when I was at my worst, I appreciate it." I softly say, his eyes glaze over for a moment but the sheen quickly disappears after he blinks. "You would've done the same thing for me." He shakes his head, leaning closer and pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of my lips. "I think I'll miss sneaking around with you." He admits and I chuckle. "Me too, but think about all the things we can do now that we don't have to be a secret?" I grin wildly at all the possibilities. His eyes light up and a smirk curves his sensual lips.

"What?" I ask him nervously when he doesn't say anything. "How would you like to be crowned high lady now?" He suggests and my cheeks heat. "But you've already been crowned, can we still do that?" I tilt my head. "It's my court love, I can do whatever I want." His arrogant tone makes me roll my eyes. "And what do you want?" I tilt my head, running my hands through the tufts of his deep auburn hair. "I want you on my throne." He purred, pressing a kiss to my jaw. "That can be arranged." I grin, throwing my arms over his shoulders.

"Anything else high lord?" I give him a seductive smile and he gets the hint. "I also want to fuck you by the fireplace." He confessed, pressing light kisses up the side of my face. "Then what are you waiting for?"

Taglist: @fxckmiup @olive-main @iluvyewman-blog @gaymistakeboi

Comment a “💙” to be added to the tag list!

[solarflaresdaddyissues]

”Goodbye. My Acolyte…”

I kid you not, SAMS fans, Creator is was in a romantic relationship with Acolyte and no one can change my mind.

I may be getting too invested into this because Acolyte is my favorite character and I’m coping with his death, but this had been a running joke for a long time with me and now I don’t think it’s a joke.

Going way back to episodes I’m not going to bother researching the names for just for a simple post I’ll forget about, Acolyte and Creator have always has a relationship similar to that of either toxic exes or an old married couple. Sure, they clearly don’t like each other, right? WRONG!

In the episode where Taurus confronted Creator, after Taurus was already gone and Acolyte was listening to Creator go on his long rant, we get that one scene. (Yes, I don’t have the video pulled up and I don’t know the exact quote, sue me) “I will rule this godforsaken planet, and you shall rule alongside me!” Oh? Will be now? What happened to you treating him like a servant? Now you want him to be what, the queen to you as the king? Cause if he’s ruling alongside you, I doubt he’s a servant anymore.

Next, in the Creator’s death episode, Solar had his whole monologue about how no one would miss him but maybe Earth. Then he leaves and Acolyte comes in. He spots Creator and he’s upset. His breathing’s shaky, he’s kneeling down at his body brain, he’s clearly very shaken about Creator’s death.

HE TRIED TO CALL HIM SVEN! We hear Acolyte say Creator multiple times, trying to rouse him in a vain hope that he’s still alive. Then he makes to say Sven and cuts himself off. He knows the Creator wouldn’t want to be remembered as Sven Isnolov. He’s Creator, through and through. So he stops. He knows it won’t wake him. He’s gone.

And then we get the recorded message. Made just for the man kneeling over his “body” at that moment. “Continue our plans.” “I can’t do this without you…” “You’re probably saying something like, ‘I can’t do this without you. You sentimental fool.” So you knew exactly what he was going to say? In a prerecorded message? My my, Creator, I think you’re a bit attached, if you know him that well.

And then Acolyte goes and messes with forces he absolutely should not have just to bring him back. (Side note: Despite how much I hate Creator, I am willing to have him live. Because that’s what Acolyte wanted. It may as well have been his last wish. Let him have this.) So he goes to Rez, right. And he asks him to revive him. He knows what the Creator wanted and he knows that Creator is useful to Rez. Win-Win. For them, anyways. Creator is brought back. Yippie, I guess.

Creator immediately figures out what’s going on and is, deservedly, disappointed with Acolyte. He didn’t want this to happen. Human emotions get in the way. But he’s back. Beat Eclipse’s respawn speed run. And he works for Rez. Great.

Now, Rez, I am now hating. Was my third favorite star, now he’s lower than that. Way lower. You can’t go killing my favorite characters like that, buddy.

Then, we get Rez’s command. To prove loyalty, kill Acolyte. Excuse me? Pardon? Now, I don’t think I heard you right??

And Creator APOLOGIZED to Acolyte for it. He knows that this would all be useless if he’s just killed again. And Acolyte might die either way. Creator doesn’t have emotions. But he felt sorry for killing Acolyte. And his speech?! He was trying to protect Acolyte by telling him to continue? He knew that something like this would happen and he would have to kill him. He didn’t want to kill him. That’s astounding.

“Goodbye. My Acolyte.” My Acolyte? MY Acolyte? I know acolyte as a title means “Attendant”, he’s calling him his servant. But that’s what he was called. Besides Felix. Which, lovely name, by the way. Never really thought much about it until now. He was called Acolyte. That was his title. And the Creator called him his before he killed him. That’s so sweet. And incredibly gay, man, what in Polaris’s galaxy made you get sentimental! I ain’t judging, I’m loving this.

I can’t talk about this enough. These two are my life right home. I love this.

(Also, petition to make their ship name BrainRot? Because Creator is a brain and Acolyte was Trashcan Man at one point. Best glowup, honestly)

[arntyoujustcute]

I belong to the small Sektor girlie population and I was wondering if you would do a second part or another One-shot with Sektor （人´∀`*)

Well, only because you asked so nicely (And I hit writers block on my Bi-Han longfic, so this was nice distraction)

"Me and My Girl"

(Prequel to my other Sektor fic here, Strange Manicure")

Being not just the Lin Kuei’s Master Armorer, but a talented machinist and engineer, one would expect Sektor to see the obvious crush her little assistant had on her.

She was not that intelligent, unfortunately.

Everyone could see it. You followed her everywhere around the clan, waddling after her even when you’re not needed. You say it is because you simply enjoy spending your free time with your superior, and Sektor pays no mind to your habit and doesn't tell you to stop. Sometimes the other engineers in the workshop try to call you over, saying they need your assistance with some random task and you just talk back and say that Sektor requires you more, as you merely hold a flashlight for her as she pokes around an engine. Even the Grandmaster and his brothers are starting to get suspicious of your little game, Kuai Liang and Bi-Han exchanging a look every time they call for Sektor and you come in right next to her. It’s like a supervillain and her ridiculous sidekick; Sektor giving orders to her fellow engineers while you hold everything she needs. It would be cute, if it also wasn’t pathetic.

Sektor has given no clue that she returns your sentiment, and you are centimeters from the breaking point. You never cease with bragging about your commander’s bright mind, and you always have a hot cup of tea prepared for her before she has even asked for it. Barely do you complain when she loses her temper and raises her voice, rarely because of something you did, but because some other fool in the armory has done something to raise her blood pressure. She apologizes each time, citing her growing anger with the Grandmaster’s slowness at approving her new plans for the clan (Bi-Han swears he has grown past his father’s views, but the minute Sektor showed him her ideas for technological advances in biology, he shot her down with ridiculous statements such as “Why would you want to replace parts of your body with robotics?” and “The Lin Kuei has no need for firearms of THAT caliber!”. The world is progressing, and the Lin Kuei will NOT be left behind), and you accept it each time. She is as close to a stubborn narcissist as one could be without reaching the criteria, and hearing her actually, meaningly, say she is sorry is enough to make you ignore her biting words.

After you come to terms with ‘Yes, she can mean but she is also pretty and somehow makes me happy’ and decide to come clean and admit it, the only issue that remains is how to say it. You’ve tried twice now to go up to her and just admit to your crush, but the first time your tongue twisted and the words refused to come out of your throat, and Sektor stared at you strangely until she told you to just speak, making you give up your plan. The second time, Bi-Han called for her presence and made her leave you behind, making you curse your Grandmaster’s name later that night. Now on attempt number three, you are ready.

You think…well, hope, you are ready.

You choose a night where it will just be Sektor in the workshop by herself. You even go so far as to get her flowers, a beautiful bouquet of red roses and baby’s breath, and a new toolkit with a lock because someone has been taking her open-ended and allen wrenches and now she is short three different sizes. You’ve let her borrow yours in the meantime until she puts in an order for replacements, and the barely visible thankfully smirk on her oil covered face sent your heart pounding. Her giving that look to anyone else is enough to make the wild animal in you pace it’s cage and want to tear someone’s head off, and it assures you that you have to come clean, or you might lose your brain in this love.

You poke your head through the door, making sure it really was just Sektor as the armory's lone occupant before you sneak inside. You can see her halfway underneath some recon vehicle, sparking flying from whatever she is welding underneath it, and you stalk closer to the unaware female. You hide the flowers behind some equipment just in case this all goes south and you can have some dignity intact before taking your life out of embarrassment; Sektor has never shown interest in anyone in the time you have known her, and not even before according to some of the more veteran warriors and builders- you are already prepared for her rejection. 

Despite your fear, you are Lin Kuei, and you have been taught that being a coward would get you nothing in life. You grip the new toolkit in your sweaty palms, and walk closer to the woman you’ve been hopelessly pinning months over.

You’ve been assuming she hadn’t noticed your approach with the loud welding gun and being under a car, so you are startled when she turns the machine off and calls your name. Your spine is straight when she rolls out, and you have to control the urge to go over to her and fix her soot speckled hair. She tugs off her safety google and cotton mask, and you want to smile at the oil outline the goggles leave on her face.

“How did you hear me?” You ask, watching Sektor as she lifts herself off the floor. Her work demands a strong figure, and you carefully look away from the little sliver of skin you see on her stomach when she stands.

“I recognized your footsteps.” She reveals nonchalantly, and you physically cannot stop yourself from overthinking about that statement. ‘Recognize? Do I walk that loud? Do my shoes squeak and I've never noticed? Do I walk in tune to something? Oh my Gods does she get mad when I-’

“My time is precious, speak your mind.  My father is expecting me to have this project finished by nightfall.” Sektor breaks you free from your rambling mind. She doesn't look annoyed that you dazed off, and you'll never know how her face looks when she watches you and takes notice of the brand new toolkit in your hands. She is not annoyed by your mind break, not all, it gives her time to look at you unnoticed after all.

“Sorry, it's just…I, well.” You stuttered, sweaty hands fidgeting with the toolkit. The armorer looks at you, tapping her foot against the metal floor. Her work is time sensitive, and as much as she enjoys you, you are pushing it.

“Just, promise not to be mad, and if you don't approve, we can just ignore all of this and each other. I will go back to my own private work, and you don't have to speak with me anymore.” You rush out, each syllable a struggle. Sektor says nothing, making you more nervous, but the tilt of her head is enough of an approval to get you to move.

“First, this is for you.” You walk towards and and hold out the toolbox. Sektor actually looks stunned at the gift, hesitating before taking it. The box is a bright fiery red, and inside all of the tools are a shining silver. Everything will eventually find use in her work, and she blinks up at you.

“You didn't have to do this, I still have that replacement order on backlog but they won't take long to come in.” She says, still processing the gift. This large of a set wasn't inexpensive to get, and she has no idea why you would go out of your way to get her this…unless.

“I wanted to, especially after the others kept taking yours after you told them to stop.” You beam at her. You've been with-well, known her long enough to tell when the engineer is in a good mood, and her wide eyes and lack of stress in her shoulders shows her equivalent of shocked joy. 

“That's not all.” You speak, moving backwards to where you got the flowers hidden. Sektor moves to put the toolbox down and follows, curiosity peaked. You take a deep breath and then another, the thornless rose stems digging into your palms before you give up and turn around, holding out the gift like a bridal bouquet.

Sektor’s eyes widen at the flowers, blinking rapidly like they are an illusion that will disappear.

They are still there, and so are you.

“I'm so sorry, I didn't plan for it to go this far.” You apologize, trying to hide your embarrassed face by looking down at the floor. “I thought if I ignored it, it would go away. Obviously it didn’t work, and now I’m just…well.” You shrug, looking up with wet and pathetic puppy eyes. 

Sektor is quiet, almost lost in thought- the most off guard you have ever seen her. With each second, you lose hope. In your hands, the flowers shake, and you’re about to apologize and run away and bury yourself alive somewhere in the forest. Your shoulders and head fall, but they come back up when Sektor speaks.

“In my office, I have been working on a letter.” She remarked, still looking at the dark red roses and pure white baby's breath bouquet. 

“It's the fifth draft, all of its predecessors not to the level I wanted it to be, not saying what I wanted them to say.” The armorer keeps going, walking towards you. It would be useless to run; Sektor is one of the clan’s best children outside of the Grandmaster’s family, and she would easily catch up to you. You stay still, heart pounding, when she is close enough to touch. You can smell the motor oil on her clothes, and you have grown to love the sting of it in your nose.

"I was about to start another one tonight, but it seems that I can finally rest from my pitiful word working." Sektor muses, and you hold your breath. Please, is she-?

“If you are proposing a relationship between us, I accept.” She answers, smiling happily for once. She hardly ever let the corners of her mouth rise, always emotionless, always hard to read. Here, for you, she is willing to show delight. 

With her more subdued glee, your happiness is a loud burst of sunlight in the workshop. 

“YES!” Laughter bubbling out of your mouth, the flowers are dropped to the floor in favor of running at your new love. Sektor catches you easily, not even stumbling as strong arms go around your waist and pick you up off the floor. You throw your limbs around her shoulders and hips, and one of her hands travels further down to your thigh and provides better support. Her firm grip sends shivers down your spine, her warm fingers gently caressing your leg through your layer of clothing. 

“Calm down, look at the mess you have made already.” Sektor tries to scold, but it comes off insincere with the big grin on her face. The flowers are scattered to the floor, and will need to be picked up before someone else comes in. Her dirty shoulder length hair shakes dirt down to the floor, but you still tuck some of the loose strands behind her ear.

“I’m sorry, I’ll get them in just a moment.” You chirped from your place in her arms. You two look at each, a scene from a romantic film if there ever was one, lost in one another. You had next to no hope of reciprocating, but the letter Sektor spoke of, the hardest project she has ever had the honor of working on and the countless hours she must have spent trying to figure out exactly what to say to you to win your heart makes you want to cry happy tears. She is so perfect.

“Can I kiss you?” You ask sweetly, making the engineer smirk with confidence. “Or is it too soon? I don’t mind wait-”

She silences you with her mouth, leaning forward and capturing your sweet lips with her own. Sektor tastes like coffee covered up with mint, almost like she was always preparing herself for this moment. It’s the best taste you’ve ever had. Your happiness is feelable even now, the armorer able to feel your smile as you lean forward to deepen the kiss. Oil and dirt from her face transfers to your, making it obvious who exactly has been kissing you to everyone. Your legs tighten around her hips, and her hand on your leg slithers forward, groping and searching for a belt to tug free.

Her father’s project might just be a little late, unfortunately. His favorite daughter has found a new toy to study and take apart, and it will take her hours before she is satisfied with her beloved plaything, touching here and tugging there, figuring out what each caress does and what music she can get you to make.

Lucky you.

[tinkerbelle05]

I See You

Characters: Ao’nung x GN!Metakaynia!reader, Lo’ak x GN!Metakaynia!reader (one-sided on Lo’ak’s part)

Warnings: angst, denial of feelings, jealousy, fluff at the ending

Summary: After seeing you had become close to Lo’ak, Ao’nung started to feel jealous. But he wasn’t jealous because he liked you, he was simply looking out for you. Then, he noticed that Lo’ak was getting closer to you and then you saved him from drowning. Ao’nung realizes his feelings and takes some inspiration to snatch your attention away from the forest boy. 

Word count: 4,935

Taglist & Masterlist

Ao’nung has known (Y/N) for as long as he knew life. He couldn’t think of a time when you weren’t attached to his sister’s hips. And in a way it made sense, your parents were good friends with his parents. So for most of his life, you were just another annoying sister and someone he generally ignored unless he wanted to prank you with his friends. 

But then at some point, he saw you in a different light. The way you smiled at him, all toothy and sweet. The way the sun would shine on your blue eyes, how your skin was the same teal color as the ocean, and the marking on your skin looked like the waves. How he would love to trace them with his fingers.

In every sense of the word, you were undoubtedly stunning. You gave him butterflies, and Ao’nung didn't get butterflies. Sure, he gave other people those feelings because look at him. But it was never the other way around. 

 Instead, it was. And there was proof of those feelings whenever your hand brushed against his or how your laugh made him smile. Hell, even you looking in his general direction did something to him.

“Oh Eywa, dude this is getting depressing now,” Rotxo grumbled in irritation. “This is the 3rd time this week I caught you staring at them, looking like a lost baby ilu.” 

Ao’nung and Rotxo were sitting by the shore, watching you play with your ilu. You were just laughing and splashing in the water with him, no care for anything but the two of you.

He groaned at his friend but before he could say anything Rotxo stopped him. “No, no, I am being serious right now. You like them, so why not just grow a pair and tell them how you feel? Your whole personality is being confident so I don’t get it.”

Ao’nung looked at him and saw the sincerity in his eyes. While he and Rotxo were close, they weren’t the type to pour out their feelings to each other. It’s just not the type of person that he was. It wasn't an easy thing for Ao’nung to do. To expose the deepest part of himself to others. 

His pride is something he greatly valued but it’s so fragile, like glass, that he will do anything to protect it. Which is why he couldn’t tell you how he felt. Ao’nung and you were at a place where you could consider yourself comfortable in the presence of the other and, telling you might end up ruining the comfort you felt around him.

“Because it’s not that serious, man.” He quietly chuckled at his friend like this was a joke. One big joke. “It’s just a little crush. Trust me it won’t get any deeper than that.” Rotxo didn’t look the least bit convinced with his answer by the way his eyes flicked up and down, judging me like I was a fool. And hey, maybe he was the fool for making things harder than they needed to be. But this is his plan so he’s sticking to it. “Hey, wanna go on an ilu race? Or is all this sentimental talk to stop me from absolutely destroying you?”

Rotxo has many great, and equally horrible, qualities. One of them was extremely 50/50, his competitiveness. Sometimes he’d get way too into it, and if that’s coming from Ao’nung, then you know it’s bad. Sometimes, not as much. However, it also means if you pushed the right buttons, he’d lose track of whatever he was originally thinking.

He glared at Ao’nung, offended that he’d even imagined the idea of beating him, much less speaking it into existence. “So, that’s how it’s gonna be?” He got up and started to call to his ilu and Ao’nung readily followed suit. It was supposed to be a ruse to get Rotxo to drop the topic, yet he’d only just scratched the surface.

“Yo, (Y/N) come and be the ref for our race!” Rotxo called out to you and gave his friend a knowing look. That conniving little shit, always having something up his eywa-damned sleeve.

But before he could give Rotxo hell for it, they appeared. The forest people, riding on their..ikans? He thinks they're called. Ao’nung wonders what they were here for. Forest people belong in the forest, not the reefs. 

“Guys, father is calling a clan meeting,” Tsireya called out to us. She looked confused, and slightly anxious, mainly confused. Her lips were pursed together and her eyes were darting around. Ao’nung knew why, the last time a group of Na’vi, he assume from the forest, traveled out this far it had not been good news.

It happened 15 years ago, a year just after hr was born. The war, as the people called it. The Toruk Makto, a former Dreamwalker, rallied up the many clans who lived in the forest, along the reefs, and on the plains to fight against the other Dreamwalkers. The war was devastating even though we won. Homes were destroyed and families have ripped apart.

They all walked along the path to the clan meeting grounds. The usual chit-chattering was replaced by dead silence as each Metkayina racked their brains for why this was happening, and what it could mean for their clan.

____________________________________________

Ao’nung was fucking seething, frothing at the mouth even. He was so irritated, it wasn't fair at all. It wasn’t, it just wasn’t fair. For some reason, his father had asked, no, he had demanded that Ao’nung and his sister help the Omatiakan teens settle into their new home.

It turns out that the oh-great Toruk Makto and his family are being hunted, so instead of fighting  like an actual Na’vi would have, he ran away like those Dreamwalkers do. Ao’nung guessed under the blue skin and towering height, he still was nothing more than a Dreamwalker, a demon. 

He didn’t come asking for help to battle, but to hide and cower like a coward with his family. And on top of that, some of them had 5 fingers. And they were forest people. Their indigo skin would stand out starkly against the vast and rich cerulean sea and make it harder to hide from predators that they couldn’t outswim or fight. Speaking about outswimming, their skinny tails and arms would make it hard for them to swim against the harsh currents. They would never survive in the reefs. And if Ao’nung had thought of all this, for certain, his Father did as well.

“Okay,” Tsireya says, clapping her hands together. “First order of business is introducing each other.” She smiled warmly at the forest people, that’s his sister for you. Always kind and welcoming, even to outsiders. He definitely hoped that you would have a better head on your shoulders.

 Right now everyone is sitting in a circle near the ocean. The actual first order of business was to teach the forest people how to breathe underwater. So pretty much teaching the basics that even kids as young as three could do in their sleep. 

Ao’nung still couldn’t understand why his father would volunteer him to waste his precious free time teaching these forest people. His sister seemed more than happy to teach them by herself so why’d he have to tag along? His only saving grace was that you were also in attendance, Rotxo having tagged along too. Not that he’s happy because he likes you or anything. Just that having his both friends here makes it more bearable.

“Well, I’ll go first,” You started with a warm grin on your face. So you didn’t have a good head on your shoulder. He didn’t know why he expected better, you were always one to lend a helping hand. 

You looked breath-taking today, your hair hanging loose and a set of matching bracelets adorned your wrist. They’d look really pretty with a necklace to finish off the look. “Hello, my name is (Y/N). It’s really nice to meet you guys, even if it’s under these circumstances.”

“Oh, that’s a pretty name,” one of the forest people said. “My name is Lo’ak.” he gave you a ‘charming’ smile that had Ao’nung pouting like a little baby.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ao’nung saw his sister smile slightly and murmur something under her breath. Now, he wasn’t the best mouth reader but he was pretty sure that she said that boy’s name. Does she like him? Already? It’s only been a few minutes, damn. Oh, Eywa help him.

The rest of the forest freaks and Rotxo introduced themselves but he couldn’t be bothered to listen to any of them. He saw the lingering glances that Lo’ak kept giving you and how you’d laugh at all of his stupid and frankly cringe-worthy jokes. But he doesn’t care, well he does care but not that much though.  But not because he likes you or anything, just looking out for you like a friend should. Yeah, just looking out for you because you deserve a good person and this Lo’ak dude is below average.  

Though, Ao’nung understood exactly why Lo’ak fell for you. While teaching them how to breathe, you were always patient and calm with everyone. Especially with Lo’ak who just so happens to always need extra help. And will always need it from you. To Ao’nung’s dismay, Lo’ak’s constant longing stares, bright smile directed towards you, maybe a touch that lasted too long all continued well into the months that the Sullys had stayed here. 

And then, it happened. It was during their training sessions when Lo’ak went under and hadn’t come out. Tsireya was the first to notice his absence, shouting at the others for help. Ao’nung brushed it off as him just wanting attention from you yet again. He’d been pretending that he can’t ride the ilu so he’ll need help or something along those lines if that didn't work.

However, you had dived right into the water in search of him, while his sister and Rotxo called to their ilus. 

“Neteyam, you guys stay here in case he washes up along the shore!” Tsireya called out before riding out into the blue waves on her ilu in search of the ‘missing’ teen.

“Shouldn’t we call the adults?” Kiri, the freakiest of them all, asked her brother. Neteyam was by far the only tolerable one. Then she looked at me, “Aren’t you gonna do something, fish lips?” She sneered the question out.

Ao’nung only rolls his eyes at her naivety. She had grown up with the idiot and still didn’t know his tactics.  “Oh give me a break. You guys have been here for weeks now, the only reason that idiot is ‘drowning’ is because he wants attention!” He snapped back at her.

Whatever the freak said next fell on deaf ears as he watched you pull the idiot out of the water. You were mesmerizing, the ocean blended in with your skin, making you seem a part of it. You looked powerful and fearless, carrying the boy on your back effortlessly. Once you got to the shore, the others quickly surrounded you guys. Ao’nung watched as you laid Lo’ak on his back, checking him over. Giving him your undivided attention. You started chest compressions on him and in a few minutes, he was coughing up water.

But let this be known, Ao’nung is not jealous because he doesn’t like you like that. He just doesn’t want you with someone who would pay a cheap trick like that on you. 

Laying his head in your lap and looking down at him you spoke gently. “Are you okay, Lo’ak? Can you breathe?” You looked up, face wrecked with worry and terror as you turned to Tsireya. “Reya, please go get your mother.”

“No,” Lo’ak protested weakly. He sits up but his hand is still holding on to yours. “I’m fine. Thanks for saving me.” He’s all smiles and heart eyes. Gross.

After the situation died down he went to his family’s shared Mauri, laying on his back and staring at the huts roof. That’s when he realized it. Thinking about the feelings he had regarding you and Lo’ak. He always knew, deep down, that he liked you. More than a friend. 

“I like them.” He says to himself, softly. Testing out the sentence on the tips of his lips. “I like them.” He said again, with more confidence this time. He likes the way saying it makes him feel. The beating of his heart and the heat from his cheeks. This feeling was familiar but foreign in the same way. Either way, he loved this feeling. He loved you.

The pain in his chest returned once he realized he was more than likely too late. He knew what that forest freak was going to do after this. It was clear as day, anyone could see it.  And he doesn’t know who he hates more. Lo’ak or himself.

____________________________________________

Ao’nung had an idea. It was a stupid and hypocritical given his thoughts on what Lo’ak had done, but it was an idea nonetheless. He wanted to tell you about his feelings. He wanted to say them so much that it hurt and his throat closed up from how dry his screams of confession would become. He didn’t know if you would accept his feelings but the least he wanted to say was the he tried.

Ao’nung and you were alone for the day, with the forest freaks off exploring and only Eywa knows where his sister had run off to. He didn’t know what was up with her these days but she’d been moody and snappy. 

The sun was high in the cloudless sky and the waves were calm. Usually, this scenery would soothe Ao’nung but nothing could with the pounding of his heart.

“So, wanna go for a swim today?” He asked you, he had assumed newly courted pairs would be together unless you had rejected Lo’ak or the fingered demon hadn’t said anything yet. No matter the reason, this was his chance.

“Yes, that would be great, Ao’nung.” You gave him a smile before a devilish smirk slipped onto your face. “The last one there is a rotten ilu egg!” Was the only warning he had gotten before you took off into the ocean.

Ao’nung let out a bright laugh and ran to join you in the ocean, determined to not lose. He dove into the water, the coolness of it was a relief from the scorching sun that was burning him a few minutes ago. One of the best things about living among the reefs was how calm the water was. The oceanic life around him was just beautiful, he saw it every day yet it always managed to take his breath away. The plants were colorful and the animals swam around you both, not paying attention to either of you as both you and Ao’nung admired them.

The swim was one of the best he had in a while, and it was most definitely not because you were there. Okay, maybe it was because you were here.

 He wanted to do it, to have your attention. No more forest boy trying to steal you away. And that's when he realized how. He'd go under, you'd save him, and then he’ll confess his feelings. It would be perfect.

So with a deep breath and his mind set on putting his plan into motion, he let go of his breath and let the water push their way into his lungs. The waters presence in his lungs was immediate and uncomfortable. Oh, Eywa, it was terrifying. His instincts were telling him to swim up or breathe correctly or do something. Ao’nung would like to say that he refused because he wanted the plan to work. But truthfully it was because he was in shock and he begged you'd notice.

And when you did, the panic in your eyes crushed him. Regret filled him immediately. You swarmed quickly towards him and, once securing your hold on him, swam upwards. You struggled slightly with the weight of you both dragging you down, not to mention how scared you were. Your tears mixed with the seas, a sight that broke him even more.

Death by drowning did not happen frequently because of how strict the Metkayina were with learning to hold your breath. But when it did, it was a tragedy, mostly because the victims did it on purpose. Ao’nung watched you as you dragged his body to the golden sandy shores and quickly began chest compressions on him. He watched as you pressed into his chest, counting to yourself. He was starting to hear a ringing noise and his vision started to blacken. The last thing he saw, the last thing he remembered was how wide your eyes were. How the eyes he had grown to love so much had tears pouring out of them as you screamed, but Ao’nung didn’t hear it.

When he had finally woken up in his family’s Marui, Ao’nung slowly blinked and tried to remember how he had gotten there.

Oh. 

Oh no.

He had to find you! He had to explain, he had to apologize. Shame and panic filled him and his heart grew heavy as he remembered the fear in your eyes and the tears that were already spilling. He had just wanted your attention, and was too much of a coward to be upfront with it. 

“You need to rest, my son,” his mother’s voice spoke to him as she entered the Marui. It was soothing and almost lured him back. Almost. He got up and tried to push past his mother, but she stopped him in his tracks.

“No. Mom, I have to..” He struggled against her and attempted to break free of her hold. But she was stronger than him and managed to get him back into his cot. “What you have to do is get better,” she corrected me with a hard look. But her eyes softened, “You have a visitor though.”

She gave Ao’nung a smile, before walking back out again to grab his visitor. Not even a minute later you come rushing in. Tears still stained your cheeks and your eyes were still red from how much had been crying. “Oh, Great Mother! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” You repeated like a mantra and hugged him. The hug was fierce but not too strong. Even when you are hurting, you still are considerate.

“I’ll give you two a minute,” His mother said, standing by the entrance. Nothing gave away her true feelings but, with a knowing look directed to Ao’nung, she left the Mauri.

Once you’d calmed down, you smiled sheepishly at Ao’nung and cleared your throat, “Um, sorry for how I acted earlier. It…it was just so scary seeing you passed out like that. You looked so terrified and then you were out for days. But anyways, how are you feeling?”

Guilty, like an idiot, like…like how I described the Toruk Mako at the beginning. A coward. “I- I am fine.” He finally smiled back at you. He had to tell you. No no, he should tell you. He had no right to your attention. Not after what he had put you through. “Listen, I have to tell you something.”

“Wait! Wait, before that,” You smiled at him. The same bright smile that he loved to see so much. “I have something for you.” You pulled out a bracelet, it looked similar to the ones you always wore. Hell, you are even wearing them right now. You slipped it on his wrist and it was gorgeous. Made from different types of seashells that could be found littered around the shores.

“It’s an apology bracelet, and a little something more.” You said, not looking at him and with a small blush creeping its way onto your face. “Ao’nung, I am so so sorry. I wasn’t strong enough and I should’ve called for help but I didn’t. If I did, then maybe you would have woken up sooner.”

“Hey, hey. None of that.” He corrected you. “What happened to ‘it is your fault and your fault alone Ao’nung!’? Okay, do not blame yourself.” Guilty was absolutely wrecking him, how long had you been thinking this? He should tell you. Tell you now. But... ”Something more?” He questioned you. Yes, he was being racked with guilt and this ‘apology bracelet’ did nothing to help the feeling. But Ao’nung couldn't just ignore the ‘something more’. He couldn't ignore the beating of his heart. He had ignored his feelings enough.

You took a deep breath before confessing. You tell Ao’nung these feelings were always there and that you were worried that you’d always be the ‘childhood friend’. But having him almost die right in front of you, watching his eyes close with the possibility of them never opening again stirred you into action. 

Ao’nung was delighted to hear this from you. He’d never allow himself the dream that you’d actually reciprocate the feelings he kept hidden. It would hurt too much if he got his hopes up for nothing. But, like all good things, he knew this moment would not last. So he savored it, the emotions he felt, the way you looked at him, committing everything to memory. 

Then he confessed. 

For the kind and gentle soul you were, seeing you angry was like seeing a completely different person. Rage consumed you, and you lashed out at everyone. One of the elders described it as being stuck in the storm’s path with no clear way out. Another said it’s because you don’t get angry often so it just builds and then erupts like a fiery volcano. Doing more harm to yourself over anyone else.

You pulled your hands out of his quickly as if they were a piece of fresh coal, burning away at your skin. The look you gave made his body ache with sorrow, nothing but anger and disappointment could be seen in your eyes.

“So, let me get this right,  you were jealous of my ‘closeness’ with Lo’ak, and gave me a heart attack…gave everyone a heart attack-!” You shout at him in rage. And then proceed to throw up more screams of bitterness and anger. Not just at him, but everything. Ao’nung clutched the bracelet you had given him, to hold on to a sweet memory. It was no use trying to talk to you.  Too blinded by your emotions to listen. No less believe the boy.

“I…I can’t believe you’d do something so reckless, so selfish, so stupid! Everyone was worried for you. You could’ve died, Ao’nung!” You roared with your fists clenched at your sides. That’s when Ao’nung saw the tears that were rolling down your face. Not bothering to brush them away.

That was when Tsireya came running in, probably hearing your shouts and sobs. She looks between you two in puzzlement before looking at him in vexation. “What’s going on here?” She demanded of Ao’nung with a facial expression that looked eerily similar to their Mothers.

She turns to look at you but you simply shake your head at her with a weary smile before leaving. She turns to look at her brother with her signature ‘you are fucked’ stare. “What did you do?” She demanded again but spoke a lot more harshly.

Ao’nung could only sigh and tell her the whole story. She gave him a disappointed look, her eyes blown wide and mouth agape. Normally he’d give her shit for looking at him like that, but he deserved every last bit of disappointment that was about to be thrown his way. And, every bit of the verbal lashing his mother will soon give him when word gets out.

After a moment of silence, she talks. “You need to apologize to Ao’nung. I know that is a given but seriously. They were a mess and inconsolable for days after you passed out, and would hardly leave your side.” She looks away from him for a minute but then talks. “Lo’ak, did like them and the stunts he played were for their attention, but they always liked you.” With that, she leaves him to think about the revelation. He couldn’t mistake the voice crack she had halfway through though. 

For days, Ao’nung sat there, thinking of what he should say and how he should say it. He’d twist the shells on the bracelet you gave him before everything went to shit. 

“What troubles you, my son?” His father asked him one day while Ao’nung lay in his bed, his depressive state yet to pass. He just wanted to curl up and hide away, even if he did have a game plan to apologize, he couldn’t either way. “Well.” Tonowarai walks over to his cot and sits on the edge, a patient smile on his face.

Ao’nung let out a low exhale and proceeded to tell him everything that happened. He was honestly surprised that Tsireya hadn’t ratted him out yet but she hadn't been there for a few days. 

His father narrowed his eyes at him. “So you endangered yourself…because you were jealous?” He asked the question slowly and stared at him puzzled. “First, you are definitely grounded for that stupid stunt because I and your mother did not raise a skxawng. That behavior is not of someone who will one day lead the clan.” But his father’s eyes grew softer as did his tone. “Secondly, be honest with them. It’s been a few days so maybe they might’ve calmed down but know this. They are not obligated to accept your apology or to be as close as you once were.”

Every time Ao’nung would come to you, he was ignored. He would try to say hello just for you to mumble an excuse and scurry away or if it even looked like he’s walking in your general direction you would take off. He doesn’t take this to heart, remembering his father’s wise words. It was rather annoying but he knew he deserved it. For the next three days Ao’nung has been collecting seashells from the sand and asked Rotxo to collect shells from the ocean. Not that Ao’nung was scared or anything because that would be embarrassing. It’s just…easier to have Rotxo do it while Tsireya teaches him how to weave a necklace for you, that he was planning to be similar to the matching bracelets you had. 

So, maybe he was a bit scared of the water, liking going too deep with no one around. But, slowly, with the help of his mother, he was getting more comfortable. 

Today was the day. It was nearing eclipse when Ao’nung found you with his gift in hand and he slowly approached you. He didn’t get that close when you held a hand up, stopping him. In a monotone and cold voice, you spat at him “What?”

“I am so sorry-” He started to say.

“No!” You butt in. “I do not want to hear this from you, I can’t hear this from you Ao’nung. I can’t.” Despite your attempts at keeping your voice leveled, it still broke. To hear this emotion in their voice just shattered his heart. To think that your hurt was because of him.

Ao’nung held on to your shoulders as you tried their best to get out of his grip and just away from him in general. He forced your eyes to meet, and for the first time in weeks, he saw those gentle blue hues he missed so much. Saw the bright white freckles dotting your teal skin, and saw the wave-like marks on your body. He saw the anger and pain he had caused you, the tears that never ended, the glare you sent at him. He saw them all.

He caressed your face like it was the most precious pearl in the ocean  and spoke, “I am truly sorry for the pain and despair I caused you. The reasoning will not make it any better but please let me explain. You can go our entire lives hating and wanting nothing to do with me, but please let me explain.” 

You slowly nod your head and put some distance between the two, now his grip had loosened. “Go on Ao’nung.”

Ao’nung began, “I’ve always…liked you, but I thought that you would never like me the same and so as to not ruin our friendship I said nothing and pretended that I didn’t like you. But then those fore-.” He paused, “The Omatiycans came. Lo’ak came, and he got too comfortable with you. It made me jealous to see the closeness and the attention you gave him. So instead of being honest with you, I decided to pretend to drown. But I did not do this as a sick joke, I did it because I care for you a lot and I just didn’t know how to say it.”

Ao’nung sucked in a breath, before he whispered to you, “ I…I did it because I see you.”

Silence engulfed you two as Pandora became alive in the night. The bright plants bloomed around the two of you, definitely setting a more romantic vibe. Ao’nung watched as you took a deep breath and considered some things. He did not know what was going on in your head but he surely hoped that you took his words into consideration before taking action. He even pleaded with Eywa.

“You said that you..see me?” You question him, your eyes widen as his words finally click.

He blinked, nervously looking to the side as his teal skin showed some resemblance of a blush. “Yes..I meant every word that I said. What I did was childish, and for that I am sorry.”

“It’s okay, Ao’nung I forgive you. But you will be making it up to me.” You said with a serious tone.

Ao’nung lets out a small chuckle, just happy that he was forgiven. He leaned in, his breath fanning your cheek, before giving it an almost experimental kiss. “Well,” He brings out the matching necklace he spent days crafting, a cheeky grin growing on his face as he pulled back. “This is for you.”

You gasp at the sight of it and take it gingerly into your hands. Your eyes wide with and your hold gentle, almost as if it could break at any given moment.. Ao’nung watches as you inspect the necklace, your love for crafting making this stare a lot more nerve wracking for him. Truth be told, he was nervous as hell, but if it wasn’t up to your standards then he’d remake it until you're satisfied. 

“Wait, Ao’nung..this matches the bracelets I made.” You marveled at him with shining eyes and a bright smile on your face. It was just nice to see you smile at him like you used to.

“Yes, which means that we have a matching set.” He shows his wrist, shaking it and looking at the bracelet you had made him. 

You wrap your arms around his neck and hug him, staying still and relishing the moment as he wraps his arms around your waist. After a few seconds of silence you whisper into his ear,

“I see you too Ao’nung.”

____________________________________________

Tag list & Dedication

I would love to give a special thanks and dedication to  @enslique for being my lovely editor and making the fic 10x better, and to  @crabcollectorskykid for allowing me to use their idea from a shitpost they made. 

[dragonblobz]

The Desert Pt2

I fixed the pov stuff. It will continue as first person pov. I love this fuckn alien ass robot your honor.

The engine is such a quiet pleasant purr. A lovely rumble beneath me. And I can’t even feel upset about the lack of a seat belt. Shit's PLUSH in here.

There’s cold air blasting from the dash. Like the ghost car just KNOWS I’m a cooked turkey. And honestly, it’s appreciated.

I don’t bother to talk. I mean, what would I say anyway?

The landscape flies by me….. us? It’s actually kind of pretty, now that I've got the luxury of sitting in cool air looking at it anyhow.

I reach into my bag and yank out my Fiji bottle. Still half full. Hell yeah. I unscrew the cap and tilt my head back. Might die. Might be trapped in a ghost car. Don’t care. Thirsty.

“You’d better not spill that…..”

It’s such a fast hateful sounding voice. From all around me. I choke a bit and splutter.

“I MEAN it……”

I wipe my sleeve across my face and scowl at the dash of this ghost car.

“It’s WATER, Christine.”

No comment apparently. Just that same quiet oddly pleasant hum under my butt from it’s engine.

I put the cap back on my water, still scowling. Then stuff my hand into my pocket. Pull out my phone to peer at the screen.

Shit. Not just one barely shaky little bar that wouldn’t let my calls connect before. Just that big crossed circle that means my phone is dead in the water.

“That isn’t going to work in me.”

That same voice. Oddly masculine. All around me. I scowl.

“It didn’t work OUT of you, thank you very much. Service in the desert blows I guess.”

The car just purrs under me. That scenery melts around us. The sun is setting. Casting a pinkish glow thru the windshield. It’s kind of… pretty…

I gawp at it. The cactuses… cacti… seeming so small and harmless. The rippling heat on the pavement before us sways and ripples. Seems so….. almost nice. And I’m here in air conditioning.

“Thank… thank you.” It sounds so stupid. But I feel compelled to express the sentiment.

“Why are you thanking me?”

It sounds grumpy and so perplexed. But I’m too thankful for the ride to be hateful.

“Well….. thank you for not killing me. And not leaving me.”

“It’s clearly too hot out here for you. Just don’t make a mess.”

“Alright.” I smile, despite myself. Leaning back a bit in the seat. Just watching that pink sky turn into velvet purple. Starting to feel sleepy. Heat exhaustion? Can’t be sure.

“You’re so cool.” It’s a drowsy slur. I feel comfortable. I’d been walking in an actual desert for hours, after all.

“I would hope so. I figure I’m creating the appropriate temperature for humans.”

It’s so curt. But I’m not mad at it. This car is apparently TRYING to make me comfortable. I laugh quietly.

“No. I meant that you’re… that you’re COOL, ya know?”

Just that engine purring. I can FEEL the perplexity. And it tickles me pink. Just giggling sleepily.

“You’re a ghost car. And you’re giving me a ride to Vegas. And you’re a Lamborghini. It’s just… very cool.”

Still nothing. Just that quiet lovely purr under it’s hood. White noise. My eyelids drift closed.

………………………

This fool of a human…

Sunstreaker continues to drive. He could never explain why he’s even doing what he’s doing.

Transporting this human? Why?

He’d blown past it easily the first time. Intended to do just the same on his way back.

But that little middle finger….. oh he knows what that means. Other bot’s interest in these creatures isn’t completely ignored on his part.

Foolhardy human. Insulting him with its stupid hand sign. Shouldn’t mean anything. But it was still irritating.

He’d only intended to scare it. Running off the road like he’d done. He hadn’t expected the defiance that it’d shown. How very brave it had been. Showing that insult with it’s hands even thinking he might hurt it.

He'd felt a little silly letting it inside. But how could he not? Brave stupid brash bold little thing…

So much like how he’d once been…

And now here he is. A comfortable cruise down this lonely desert highway. Little human making quiet sleeping noises against his window pane. It’s face smooshed on the glass.

It's oddly intimate to have something inside him like this. Comfortable like this. Nobody is this comfortable around him.

“Is that… a human???”

Sideswipe’s consternation breaks these thoughts in Sunstreaker’s mind. The red Lamborghini, his twin, purring quietly behind him. Pulling around him to match his pace in the suicide lane.

He accelerates. Pulling ahead. A hateful response.

“I’m just taking it where it needs to go.”

The red car relents, pulling back to fall behind him in the same lane, as if he just knows that Sunstreaker would prefer him where it’s safer.

“Still… this is GREAT right? You’re helping it!”

Sunstreaker can feel every ounce of the true sentiment here. He’s being mocked. Playfully, but still mocked.

“I’ll drop it off in Vegas, like it wants. And then we’re gone.”

“Yeah! Alright! Sure!”

Sideswipe’s cheerfulness makes his systems grind. But he doesn’t respond.

They drive like this. An hour. Two. The human is snoring an awful noise. Drooling on his window pane. Gross.

Lights on the horizon. They’re close to their destination. He can feel the human stirring inside him.

But the peace is shattered. Too soon. All gone.

His sensors pick up the jet before it fully arrives. One of the elite trine.

His tires squeal as he pulls to a stop. Door pulling open in an elegant hiss over his body.

“Out. Get out. Now.”

…………………….

My face hurts as I wake. Pressed fully on the window pane of a car. I haven’t fallen asleep like this in a car since I was a kid.

Vegas. It’s absolutely beautiful. Bright lights illuminating the dash of…. A Lamborghini????

I’m in….. a……

My memories pull in sluggishly. Catching up with my sleepy brain. And with them comes a child’s joy.

I honestly don’t know what aspect of this is the most COOL. The fact that I’m in a ghost car. The fact that the ghost car is a fucking Lamborghini. Or the fact that this ghost car Lamborghini is taking me to my destination safely. Voluntarily.

I notice headlights in that fancy rear view mirror. There’s another car behind us.

I blink slowly. Eyes still feeling dry. Where’s that Fiji…..

My face jolts forward and smacks against the dash as this ghost car squeals to a stop. I feel blood erupting from my nose and spilling down my lips and chin. I hope my nose isn’t broken. No fucking seat belt. And we’re shrieking to a very sudden halt. Right in the middle of the fabled Las Vegas strip I’d been so excited about pulling into on my stupid crappy Yamaha.

“Out. Get out. Now.”

“What….”

I’m still sleepy and in pain and so confused. Face smearing blood in the dash of this ghost car as I try to push myself up. What is even happening?

“OUT NOW!”

It’s urgent. I feel the seat shift beneath me. The seat itself moving beneath me. Before I’m on the hot pavement with the blaring bright lights of Vegas glaring down on me.

Coughing and spluttering blood. Looking up to see what the loud noise is. Jet screaming. A plane morphing into a monster above me.

“Oh no…. No…. Oh god… God help me…”

[2demondogs]

Born to Lose Twice | Hosea & Arthur

Tags: Good dad Hosea gives Arthur advice, referenced Arthur/Mary Linton, referenced Hosea/Bessie and VanDerMatthews Word Count: 1.3k A/N: Set after the first Mary mission that literally had me fuming.

He should have known Hosea's offer to go fishing was not without cause.

It is infrequently, nowadays, that they spend time together as when Arthur was a lad — he's too busy, Hosea is too busy, and forget pulling Dutch from his own head if there won't be dollar signs waved in front of his eyes, eyes that Arthur is beginning to think of as beady.

At least, sometimes. He is still one of Dutch's boys.

He is the Dutch Boy.

He's learning he can hardly hate anyone, and it's exactly this inability to do much but let his heart bleed which Hosea is undoubtedly about to crack into.

Beside him at the shore of the lake, the older man is twisting his lips the way he always has before offering some advice he's really, truly thought on. It makes him look pensive, and older. Maybe that's why he does it. His age always has made him seem wise, not bleary-eyed.

Arthur finds it comforting to recognize something so small after all these years.

They had been fishing not far from here the first time he spoke about Mary, if he isn't pulling things from his ass. He may be. They'd rode a while to reach this lake and while Hosea insists it is for better catching, Arthur knows he's really a sentimental old coot.

It is just as pretty as it was when he was young and in love. The beauty hurts now that he's old and in love.

Arthur still wants to bring her here one day, the same he did when he was a scrappy mutt and thought the world was evil 'til something in the clean, freshwater-air of that calm lake quelled just a bit of his hate. So young, so dumb, he really thought everyone was scorned as he was — that the world outside the city might mean something to them, too, besides a lack of common decency. He cannot rid his mind of what he scratched into his journal that day, or yesterday, or the day before.

At once, he's pleased to finally have a reason and disgusted he's fallen to his knees and provided without promise yet again.

"S'what's been on your mind, son?" Hosea asks. It's the first thing either has said since they cracked open the tackle box.

Arthur feels something he rarely feels — a sense of smallness. The wilderness is huge, but he's never felt so humbled by it.

Maybe it's the way Hosea calls him son, and he feels his experiential smallness in comparison to him.

Trees don't have girl problems, either. That's a little old fool's chore.

Lady problems, now, he supposes.

"Dunno," Arthur lies.

Hosea gives him a disappointed look. "Malarky."

He huffs dryly. "Yeah. It is."

"C'mon, Arthur," he says. "I know it's somethin'."

"Surprised you dunno what," he says. His tone is more bitter than he'd like it to be. "Nobody's shut up 'bout it since I rode in last."

Hosea nods as if he's gone in the right direction. "They know you love Mary," he says. He studies the lake, the promising ripple around where his line is cast. "Love can be ugly. But I don't think that's the end of it for you, is it?"

"What'd'ya mean?"

"Sometimes I hate Dutch. I don't like him most'a the time." Hosea considers the rocks near the toes of his boots. "He ain't as easy to like as he is to hate, and ain't as easy to hate as he is to love." He glances at him expectantly, and Arthur is almost peeved that he's eerily right. "So why do you hate her?"

"I don't hate Mary," Arthur sighs. It is half-true, more misconstruement than lie. "Think I hate the way people treat me. Anybody, e'rybody."

He perks up. Girl problems never were his strong suit; he took Bessie and Dutch — whatever that emotional web stands as or for is beyond Arthur — and was satisfied with his fill of loving. Interpersonal conflict he can understand.

"How are they treatin' you?"

"Like a damn machine," he says. "Like I ain't got no worth beyond doing." Hosea's mouth firms into a line. A moment lingers, and Arthur adds: "Not you, old man."

"Naw. I know, not me." He winks at him. "You think I'd ask if I knew I's the problem?"

Arthur snorts.

"What did she say?" He asks, tone falling back into seriousness.

"Nothin' particular," he says, and then goes on to say something particular. "Just... I ain't no good use to her and them rich folk, 'til I can go wrangle up their son. Ain't that a damn thing." He licks his teeth, tries to offer a lilt to his next words. "I'm a broke conman's son to them. I ain't matter to nobody but some more conman fellers. Guess it don't sit right with me."

Hosea nods, corner of his mouth lifting at conman fellers. They certainly were not broke, not between the two and a half men their jolly gang was made of back then.

"And it don't sit right with me, that I ain't ever..." — searching, struggling to find the words — "Ain't no one stuck around me without wantin' me to do somethin' special." He scratches his throat. "Everyone but you, again, really."

Hosea has asked a lot of him, but his tasks were few and far between when they were not survivalist in nature; he wanted — still seems to want — Arthur to do things with him, not for him.

Not a bad padre at all.

"No one wants Arthur," he says, and Arthur nods solemnly. "Nobody likes you just for yourself, so you think."

There's the words for it, always comin' out of his mouth.

They go silent. Arthur draws from the lake the courage to ask: "When do I find a girl who'll love me that way?"

It feels too soft, too vulnerable to speak aloud.

"Maybe you have," Hosea says. "She's just got bad timing." He offers him a sad smile. "I know it don't make the rest of it go away."

Silence passes.

"I met Bessie, and..." — he doesn't say Dutch, never says Dutch, but Arthur thinks of them both of fathers and supposes that links them in that inextricable, loving way — "I thought my hands would never be clean enough to touch her. Angels don't hang around with old demons. But she did." His mouth morphs, a frown, then a pucker, then a firm line. "My big age, I figured it was the end of lovin' for me. I'd been too bad for it to find me ever again."

Arthur is well aware of how much the two loved each other; how much Hosea loves her, still. Selfishly, perhaps very selfish — a part of him that is still tender, still religious, prays for someone to love him how Hosea loves her: unstoppable, lingering, a bad taste in their mouth when the wind shifts wrong and all they can think of is him.

To be thought of, just himself.

To be held in someone's heart like an artery, bleeding inside of them even after the old age begins to warp their memory.

To be yearned for.

He realizes he's been quiet when Hosea's hand squeezes his shoulder, gentle in the way an outlaw is.

At the end of the day, nothing of their kind's can be gentle. He feels the emptiness of it, then, the missing hole in his mind where the thing once sat that would let himself embrace another human being with kindness.

Hosea sits his pole on the ground and his toe stays atop to keep it in place, always a damn showman, always expecting a catch; but he wraps his arms around Arthur the way he had when he was younger, when they both were, and Arthur had been starving or freezing or burning with fever. He hugs him with his kindness, and Arthur melts his face down into his shoulder, sighing.

He half-expects a quip about life not being easy, women being harder; something light to transition away from how heavy he feels. But Hosea is silent, and he rubs his thumb along the nape of his neck as if soothing a stray dog.

Maybe if he never finds her, never finds no one — maybe it'll be fine to fill just one of those voids with Hosea.

[starryknightwrites]

Gabriel is Not Actually Dead

Well, his mind/soul isn't anyway.

Okay, this is my crack theory for the Season 5 finale. I avoided the finale until tonight because I read the leaks months ago and, like many, was disappointed in Adrichat's absence and Gabriel's weird semi-redemption death. So as I'm watching it tonight, ready to fully embrace disappointment and determined not to be fooled by any wishful thinking red herrings, I fell into a theory trap. I'm probably wrong, but if it's true, it would make Season 5 more tolerable... for me anyway.

I think Gabriel might be the primary antagonist of Season 6 and this ended arc is a fakeout.

I find it very suspicious that Gabriel NEVER says his wish out loud. At first, it just appears that he's being sentimental. But so far, almost everything Gabriel has done- from inviting Audrey Bourgeois to an event and snubbing her to making Adrien pancakes has been a manipulation. He is constantly putting on an act to draw eyes away from his true motives.

It would have been simple to have Gabriel state he wants to be with Emilie in death and to sacrifice himself for Nathalie. But he stayed mum about it, asked Gimmi to read him, so Ladybug couldn't actually hear. I think that was a choice.

Darker motives also just make sense. You mean Gabriel Agreste who was adamant about bringing his wife back and achieving absolute power using his 14-year-old son and another kid as avatars 5 minutes ago was so changed by Marinette's speech that he decided to just save Nathalie and be done with it? I don't buy it.

I think it's possible that Gabriel traded places with Nooroo. And perhaps changed some rules around the Butterfly miraculous.

This may mean that Nooroo was his sacrifice. I'm not sure how he plans to swing this, but he'll definitely try and manipulate Lila. He has become the evil genie.

I think this, not just because whatever came out of the Butterfly miraculous at the end and scared the hell out of Lila was nothing like Nooroo has ever presented, but because of the visual tell:

It's the same crackly, lightening that appears when Gabriel corrupts one of Nooroo's enchanted butterflies.

I don't think Lila will be operating alone next season.

If this crack theory IS true, I'm not sure why he wouldn't just wish to restore himself, Emilie and Nathalie. Possibly because memories apparently sustain after a wish is made. Ladybug (and whoever else she may have called and told ) might retain her memory of the wish and his identity- as she did in the finale. If he made his original wish, she might tell everyone including Adrien. Regardless of Emilie's return, he and Nathalie would be in big trouble.

So in true manipulator fashion, he asks Marinette never to tell Adrien at all and fakes his death, leaving everyone to think of him as a hero. Meanwhile he plans to use whomever picks up the Butterfly next as a pawn and a scapegoat. He may have even seen Lila getting it.

I guess it could also be true that Gabriel WAS trying to be halfway decent and screwed himself over with his "read my heart" BS. Maybe Gimmi could see subconsciously that he wanted to live and cursed him to be a genie too in his own way.

Regardless, I'd prefer this fakeout. It makes Gabriel's story end a lot less abruptly. It keeps him in character or gives him a sufficient punishment. It almost guarantees that the truth will come out eventually. It gives another chance for Gabriel and Adrien to have a real reveal and conflict (can you imagine Adrien putting on the Butterfly?). It opens the door for all the Agreste backstory we barely got...

So come through, crack theory 🤞

[herrling]

🥀💋 HAUSKATZE RANDOM HCS 💋🥀

Katze's pronouns are they/he/it, just in case!

- Katze is very chaotic at expressing their feelings. I mean they can freely show physical affection and shower me with compliments, but when it comes to being sentimental and deep they seem a little bit... avoidant? like simply saying "I love you" with a straight face is quite a challenge for them. it's 1000 times easier for them to say "oh darling keep on being so adorable and I might end up eating you alive~" or something like that.

- they DO say some soapy stuff at times. Katze once finds themself willing to be sentimental with me. it's such a weird (and a bit annoying) feeling for them but they get quite curious about it.

- okay it's obvious but he's a KISSER. but of course, they kiss me for the sake of kissing, as showing affection, and not to steal my appearance like he did with other people before. and he's quite random with it. they can randomly appear in front of my face and give me the lewdest smooch imaginable and then disappear, leaving me flustered and confused (not in a bad way tho. never in a bad way!)

- their tail is always there - around my waist, my leg, my arm, or simply tickling my chin or cheek. it's texture is incomprehensive, but it's not uncomfortable - far from it, actually

- Katze treats me like his dress up doll. "darling, look at this dress I found for ya~!", "sweetie, let me try some make up I think would suit for you~", "oh Sophie-Sophie, I think this nail polish is perfect for your cute little fingers!". (it's not like I complain though)

- still learning about his feelings, and along with that about feelings in general, so... needs some time to come up with proper way to provide comfort when needed. what they can always guarantee though are 1) their arms to wrap around me and chest for me to lay on 2) some quality time to distract me, be it video games, movies or just fooling around, like hide and seek or "catch uncle Katze!" (yes I picked on that russian localization of "Katze-san" as "uncle Katze" (as a way to refer to male strangers/older acquaintances) in fandub because it's kinda cute)

- isn't immune to cuteness aggression. again, the will to just eat me alive right here right now they'll express verbally or just by playfully biting me a little, or simply pinching my cheeks

- calls me his "ho". yeah. "merry christmas ho <3", like that.

- our relationship started as "well bothering humans in general is not fun anymore anyway~" kinda way, so yeah, he's a big tease and likes to mess with me. steals my stuff, yaps a lot, gets in a way of me doing my chores. sometimes even scare me off, but not too harsh after one... unfortunate attempt.

- likes when I do something with their hair. play with it, style it, run my fingers through it, pull it. they cherish their hair, basically proud of them, and it feels nice when I interact with it somehow (in a pleasant way, of course, otherwise get tail whipped, Soph </3)

- ah, yes, nicknames. a fan of more flirty/silly ones, like "darling", "sweetie", "pookie", "babygirl", "hot stuff", all that. also some... variations of my name?? like "Sophie-Soph", if that makes sense (similar to how they called Rui "Rui-Rui").

- speaking of doll treatment again, Katze find themself not opposed to help me with hygiene - that includes bathing too. yes, bring able to look at me naked and touch me is one of the reasons, but i don't mind.

- is my guard basically - even when they don't follow me around they somehow sense when I'm in danger or simply in distress, nd quickly come to comfort me at least with being nearby.

A/N: OH MY GOD I STARTED THESE IN DECEMBER 9TH AND COULD ONLY BRING MYSELF TO FINISH THESE NOW---

[howlingday]

Engineering Conflict

Merlot: You are Arthur Watts, are you not?

Watts: My reputation precedes me!

Merlot: You are the original, are you not? The genuine "Good Doctor," not one of his clones?

Watts: (Shrugs) Does it matter? They are me; I am them; geniuses all!

Merlot: And they say I'm arrogant! Though not unfairly, I suppose. But I may have met my match in that regard.

Watts: I am arrogant. What genius isn't? I am a genius, like you. A wise man acknowledges what he's good at. You will find no false modesty in this room, I think. But he also acknowledges his failings. Acknowledgement of one's talents cannot be accompanied by blindness to one's shortcomings, otherwise the wise man is not wise at all.

Merlot: How very humble.

Watts: Humility is a virtue most of those born in our era neglect, Merlot. I would venture you have little time for it yourself.

Merlot: Little. I find humility gets in the way of my self-belief.

Watts: Take my friendly advice, as one scientist to another. You should embrace humility. You should look within yourself with complete honesty. You will be better for acknowledging your fallibility.

Merlot: I never said I was infallible.

Watts: You believe you are, though. Take your great work, your mutated Grimm. I admit I was excited to see the work of this supposed genius. You, I mean.

Merlot: I got that, thank you. And what did you think of my work, as one scientist to another?

Watts: I found it disappointing. I found little of interest, Merlot. I have examined your work exhaustively. It is nothing revolutionary; merely variations of the same, tired old theme. Enhanced powered super Grimm, bigger, stronger, more annoyingly aggressive... Calling them an improvement might be technically true, but you cannot truly improve upon a flawed design.

Merlot: I did what was needed.

Watts: You probably did. That stiff, old bastard Ozpin probably sweated a little seeing them. But you and I, we are genitors of rare repute, and we both know you could have done better.

Merlot: Perhaps.

Watts: Come now! It is a poor craftsman who only delivers what is expected of him. An artist aims to exceed what is expected of him. Always.

Merlot: You understand, I only had a few decades.

Watts: Are you mocking me?

Merlot: More myself. I had to design a whole new facility, androids, turrets, and holding cells for my Grimm, if we're going to be fair to me, which I think we should be. I wanted to improve on the designs of the Grimm. The fools in Vale couldn't see that, so I had to make them. I think, given the circumstances of my position, that last improvement trumped any benefit to me showing off any supposed artistry I may or may not have, don't you agree? I have seen the results of your art, Watts. You're not a scientist. You're a butcher.

Watts: You are naive. You believe I have sided with the Grimm? (Shrugs) I suppose that is understandable. It is also not true. This goddess my colleagues choose to worship is a means to an end. A mere deliverer that serves no greater purpose than bringing me closer to mine. There are no gods, Merlot. There is only time, and being, and thinking things that brew themselves up and out of the two.

Merlot: That's a way to look at it.

Watts: I am sure it would surprise you to learn that all I wish to do is what you wish to do.

Merlot: Which would be?

Watts: Come now. (Shakes his head) I want to destroy humanity.

Merlot: A fine sentiment for the man with no augmentations of his own. Most of the time, when people want to destroy humanity, it's done with fewer aspects of their own humanity still attached to themselves. If I'm not mistaken, you have been associating with the very same group of huntsmen fighting to save humanity for the past who knows how long. You have aided their armies. You have aided in the Grimm's destruction. When you have not contented yourself to fighting them, you have supplied them yourself with the very keys to their own victories! Your name is a byword for misguided innovation across all of Remnant! Wherever you go, it's always through the ashen remains of the Grimm you serve! I have files on the weapons you designed to destroy my work! Railguns, dust guns, guns that double as melee weapons imbued with the powers of gravity dust! I have this sickening feeling you believe you are irredeemable! I am astounded. Yes, yes! Astounded! You are a hero!

Watts: I have been called a hero once before, and by people that would surprise you. Look at yourself. Do you honestly believe you would give any children nightmares?

Merlot: I may not be without morals, but I am nothing like you.

Watts: No, you are not. You are not as good as I am. I have gathered samples from one of your creations. More than one, in fact. But this one sticks in the mind. It was massive, larger than you or I. It was a creature found only in Mountain Glenn. It was abducted, if that word can even be used to describe what happens to these creatures. Ripped from its ecosystem, experimented on for decades. Decades of experimentation only to be turned into a weapon to be destroyed by true Grimm. Ha! And you say I'm the hero! We are both heroes, the pair of us.

Merlot: If I am a hero, then I am a hero on the wrong side of history.

Watts: And I say the same! (Laughs) But there is no wrong side! There's no good or evil, only two sides, equally as terrible as the other, locked forever in a death spiral until the end of Remnant! Ozpin's circle is as corrupt and rotten as Salem's own.

Merlot: Then why do you help them when you are sided with the others? You could have used your talents for good from the start!

Watts: (Scoffs) What do you think I am trying to do? What do you think would have happened if I had come to Atlas willingly after the accident? Would I have been welcomed with open arms? Hailing my genius, my contribution to humanity? They would have shot me! If I had come back later, after learning I triggered the explosion, then they would have executed me publicly! There's your precious "heroes" for you!

Merlot: If I am not mistaken in my history, and do remember that this is a rhetorical question, then I would say that is nonsense. You spent countless decades scheming against your colleagues long before the accident.

Watts: And? You believe this corrupt empire of hard light and slave labor to be "the good guys". There is no "true evil". There is no "equality for all". We are at the mercy of a pair of gods who abandoned us to fend for ourselves.

Merlot: Oh, I see where this is going. Next you will tell me that you have been secretly sabotaging Salem's own Grimm and the efforts of her minions. In what way? By giving them stronger weapons?

Watts: I have made strong weapons, but strength does no good.

Merlot: I've heard this story already.

Watts: And I have heard enough to fill a library. Fairy tales and epic poems, but no more! Fear, Merlot. It is fear that will end this world, not stories. My fear! Your fear! I know you want to see this all end, to wait for this all to go away. As do I.

Merlot: And now the evil genius proclaims his plan. You are a cliche wearing rings.

Watts: I have nothing to lose by telling you what I need, Merlot, nor what I wish to achieve. I have everything to gain. Humanity is weak and imperfect, and the Grimm are stupid and aggressive. We, and they, both as a species, are finished. Don't argue with me on this point. You even admitted yourself that humanity is inferior, if not only to the Grimm. Many people, Salem included, have spent time in trying to create superior strains of humanity and Grimm. Not one of them has had any success.

Merlot: Until now? There's a surprise.

Watts: I have labored long to create a better race, one that would not be so easily destroyed by the Grimm, that would not war endlessly with its own. For decades I have attempted this, until, weary, I became tired of it. I, Arthur Watts, became bored.

Merlot: Well, you have my sympathy there.

Watts: I became bored because I made a fundamental mistake. I believe that I must control everything, That only I could save humanity. I became disillusioned, knowing that was impossible, and I abandoned my works. Cruelly. Some of what you say is right about me. Through good fortune, it was the best thing I could have done. Since my rebirth, I became aware of my utopia again and it has changed! You should see it, Merlot! It's truly perfect! It's immune to in-fighting, war, and conflict, physically mightier than anything else Remnant has ever seen, with its inhabitants immune to time and illness. Society, egalitarian and just, everywhere! Everyone has a place and a purpose and Every place and person has it's person. I have seen what was made and I was humbled. I know now that the greatest of creations must be like children, molded by their creator but never finished. No, the greatest creations finish themselves. I have made weapons, Merlot. They have all failed. If I were a more arrogant man, I would say that this is certainly the fault of the person who holds the creation and not myself. But I must accept the possibility that I did not have all I needed to create a perfect weapon successfully. The error was with me.

Merlot: You still want to create weapons?

Watts: I did. It doesn't work. The first weapons I made wore and tore, but I got better. I, like you, am still a believer in the heart of innovation, and through observation and elimination refined my designs. It got to a point that the last few I made were perfect in almost every way. So near perfect that they had only the flaws to be expected from their standard issues, including their tendency to break in the fingers of imbeciles. I had believed that all of humanity was cursed to be forever tainted by ignorance, just the same as those abominations you call "perfect".

Merlot: Then if you don't intend to create weapons for humans or Grimm, then... What do you wish? (Extends finger) Aha! That's it! You wish to change the direction of those holding your weapons, not create entirely new, unbreakable weapons. A person not capable of using your weapons, but something similar?

Watts: I see you have insight. (Bows) I am human. I am imperfect. The Brothers mistakes plague me still. As many times as I may wish I'd truly cheated death, I cannot live forever. My new soldiers must have leadership if they are to improve where humanity failed. They need help to survive. I wish to make a leader worthy of them. Something that avoids all the errors The Brothers, Salem, and Ozpin have made.

Merlot: It's certainly an intriguing plan.

Watts: Despite the simplicity of what you have made with your mutant Grimm, I admire the elegance of your solutions. You are certainly a genius, Merlot, but you are a generalist. I am a specialist. I have knowledge and experience that you never will.

Merlot: Possibly.

Watts: Definitely! No one is limitless in ability. If you give me what I want, you will have played your part in saving humanity. Think, Merlot. Their own huntsmen, the Atlas Specialists, the White Fang... The Grimm are not the only threat that exists on Remnant. We are too weak to survive what is coming. Do not let humanity perish at the hands of its myriad of foes. Aid me. Let us put an end to these wars. All these Grimm and uncaring "heroes," their kingdoms... These are the labors of lesser beings. True scientists like you and I know the value of the greatest innovative minds, the variety of life and purpose to be found beyond our worlds, even if you believe in the Grimm and I do not. Humanity is not where the story of Remnant ends and should be the origin of our greatest triumph! Let us rise above it all! Help me bring peace to Remnant. Give me "Niager Cor" and you will be remembered as the greatest benefactor to the new era. Your name will live on forever, enshrined in memory, a great hero to all of Remnant.

Merlot: ...

Watts: Well? (Extends hand) What do you say? As one scientist to another, LET US COOPERATE.

[samobservessonic]

We join the Freedom Fighters on the tail end of a successful mission, but what’s most intriguing about this issue is right there in the title box. While we’ve had a story from Lew Stringer already over in the poster mags, this is his first story in the main book. Not only that, but this story is called “Metamorphia” and if you have even a casual interest in StC, you’ve probably heard of this addition to the rogues’ gallery, who Stringer is about to introduce us to

Amy shoots her shot and gets shot down, as this bear mobian asks Sonic for help. Now, you might think they’re playing the old “Sonic ignores Amy in favour of another girl” card but as I’ve pointed out a few times already, Sonic is just really invested in helping civilians and shows them a kindness that he doesn’t seem to show his own team. Maybe it’s that he feels his team can handle him for being the asshole he is? But that’s besides the point right now

Also, I’m not going to beat about the bush with this. I’m sure you’ve probably already guessed that, with the villain in the title being a play on the word “metamorph”, this bear isn’t who she’s claiming to be

Amy might not be able to read the title, but she also gets bad vibes from this stranger and Tails agrees with her. But Sonic passes off these concerns as jealousy and is quick to head on his way, leaving the two of them behind

Yeah, sure, this looks like the safest zone I’ve ever seen

Sonic shares this sentiment and while he looks away, our damsel in distress suddenly looks a lot more sinister…

They get attacked by soldier badniks (I tend to call them Troopers, but I’m not sure if they’re actually called that?) and while Sonic thinks they’re the most dangerous thing here, he’s seconds away from being proven wrong

Here she is, Metamorphia! She introduces herself and her home, the Grim Zone, with Sonic having to admit that Amy & Tails were right not to trust her

Metamorphia transforms into a gas to knock Sonic out and like, damn, I know shapeshifter characters are often OP, but that’s pretty OP! Not that I’m complaining at all, since it’s always good to have more powerful threats on the villains’ side. Though unlike Captain Plunder, it turns out that Metamorphia is another agent working for Robotnik

Sonic wakes up in a some kind of prison cube, but it doesn’t even take him a few seconds after Metamorphia explains how it works for him to bust out of it lmao

Metamorphia escapes and Tails shows up, but I’m sure we can all figure out that Tails hasn’t suddenly developed the ability to back-talk Sonic

There’s something so funny about the villain being so blatant as to say “take a look over that cliff”. Also, I guess Metamorphia really hates Bluey. That’s my headcanon now

Sonic was about as fooled by her disguise as we were and leaves Metamorphia to her fate. Turns out that even if she can turn into a gas, she can’t mimic Tails’s ability to fly

I had wondered if Sonic would eat humble pie when he got back to Amy & Tails, but nope, he’s vague about what happened. Amy saying “Did your new girlfriend chuck you” is yet another reminder of exactly how British these characters sound. Meanwhile, our story ends on the confirmation that Metamorphia lives to see another day and we’ll certainly be seeing her again in future

Now, like the previous issue, this was a standalone story setting up lore to pull from in future. But I have to confess that I enjoyed this one a lot more. Even if I didn’t have much to say, I felt like there was a lot more stuff I wanted to hold up and go “Look at this!” Which isn’t me saying that I think Stringer is a better writer than Kitching by any means - both of them have wonderful stories that I enjoy and you wouldn’t have StC without either writer. But this was a strong start for Stringer and I’m looking forward to more

As for Metamorphia, I just like girl villains, so I’m obviously looking forward to her comeback. Having started reading StC with issue 80, the only story I saw of Metamorphia was the end of her character arc and the final story she appears in (which actually ends up being a Tails solo story), so I’m looking forward to seeing how her journey plays out before she gets to that final destination

[twilightmalachite]

2×2 - Children on the Streets 10

Author: Akira

Characters: Yuuta, Hinata, Shinobu

Translator: Mika Enstars

"Y-You damn bastard~! Hands off my friiiiend!"

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Spring

Location: Back Alley in Downtown

1 hour since the start of the sudden event, “Survive in the Concrete Jungle (tentative title)”…

Hinata: BANG! BANG! BANG!

Yuuta: Hyaaah!? H-Hey…! Aren’t you supposed to be a zombie, Aniki? It makes no sense for you to shoot a gun!!

Another rule violation! Is that all you do, Aniki?! Coward! Good-for-nothing! Shitty Aniki!

Hinata: Wha~? While we weren’t armed at first, it’s not like there was a rule that says we can’t pick up and use weapons we find~?

By the way, you guys are only out if you get touched by a zombie; otherwise you’re not considered dead—

So technically, maybe you won’t die even if you get shot by a gun? So come on, come out of the shadows, don’t worry~♪

Yuuta: So we won’t die, “maybe”? I didn’t miss that, you know!

You’re trying to trick me with ambiguous wording. But really, I saw if you get shot, you’ll be forced to be considered dead!

You plan to shoot dead anyone who lowers their guard and shows themselves! Just how many years have we known each other? I understand how you think from the inside out!

Hinata: Tch~, so I really can’t fool you, huh.

It worked on Shinobu-kun, I was able to kill him after he cluelessly showed himself after persuading him well.

Shinobu: But… so unfair… I became worried when you suddenly buckled over clutching your stomach, Hinata-kun…

You were groaning in pain, when I came out asking if you were okay, you suddenly looked up and, chomp! Chomp…!

Yuuta: Shinobu-ku~n!? We were made to start at different locations, so I didn’t know how you were doing—Did he get you!?

Shinobu: Without meaning to… I’m infected with the zombie virus now, de gozaru.

I don’t know if I’m a ninja or a zombie now, the scenario is so congested I don’t know what attitude to take, de gozaru.

Hinata: Ah, the scenario is that anyone who dies turns into a zombie, so from now on you’re on our side—so act like an assailant!

Shinobu: I see, so it’s like those games of tag where the demons keep increasing, de gozaru![1]

Hinata: Fuhahaha! Welcome to the world of evil! Let’s get along, Shinobu-kun, *squeeze*~♪

Yuuta: Y-You damn bastard~! Hands off my friiiiend!

Shinobu-kun! Stay strong! Don’t you give in to my degenerate Aniki’s charm! Love only me…!

Shinobu: I-I kinda feel like the story’s changed a bit, de gozaru~!?

Hinata: Ahaha~♪ I mean something like that’s fine, isn’t it?

Let’s do whatever’s interesting, and liven up this show at the very least!

‘Cuz that’s our specialty, right?

Yuuta: Grgh… Well, you’re right.

I’ll give my all for the producer in charge of this episode, Anzu-san.

Hinata: No, it doesn’t matter who is in charge. We pride ourselves with always showing up and always giving it our all.

We 2wink have always been proficient like that. Although it didn’t pay off well, and it ended up corrupting Yuuta-kun with evil—

Yuuta: What do you mean, “corrupting with evil”? It’s not like I started cutting corners with my work, did I?!

Hinata: Right. It was just my sentimentality, wasn’t it… I felt lonely because you seemed like you’d completely changed, Yuuta-kun.

As an idol, you’re trying as hard as you can to find a form that suits yourself perfectly, Yuuta-kun—You’re just doing your best.

That’s why you grew out your hair. You didn’t lie to yourself, you revealed your true feelings as they were.

It’s how you’re expressing yourself to the best of your extent, without conforming to me, or the world.

And I think that’s amazing. Because, you know… That’s something I couldn’t do.

I admire you, Yuuta-kun.

[ ☆ ]

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In case you might not know, in Japanese, the game of “tag” is called “onigokko”, where whoever is “it” is a demon/oni!

[forevfangirlwrites]

play stupid games, win stupid prizes chapter 2

She walks into school on Monday with her new mission in mind. As expected, Percy appears at her locker first thing in the morning.

“You never sent the math notes,” are the first words out of this mouth.

Wordlessly, she pulls out the copies she made and hands them to him. The shock on his face almost makes the hassle of making the copies worth it. It’s rare she catches Percy off his guard and now that she knows how great it feels, she’s determined to do it again.

“What happened to you?” He asks, scanning the papers as if to confirm she actually did give him the notes.

She just shrugs, trying to act casual. “Nothing, just keeping my word.”

It might be a light jab at the fact that he barely helped with the script and if he wants to take it that way, then that’s completely fine with her.

Percy’s eyes narrow at her words. “What’s your deal princess?”

Boys are entirely too easy to provoke. “It’s called being nice,” she replies, shutting her locker. “You should try it sometime.”

Percy makes a face (another win for her) and sighs. “Whatever.”

The bell rings, saving her from further conversation and she walks away with a small smile on her face.

She might actually be able to pull this off.

-.-

The fact that Percy actually shows up to the library later that day is also surprising. Sure, she told him to meet her and sure he’d nodded disinterestedly, but she hadn’t actually expected him to show up.

It must show on her face because he rolls his eyes when he sees her.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“I’m not looking at you like anything,” she replies as innocently as she can. Might as well take the opportunity to get on his nerves.

He slumps down on the opposite chair and crosses his arms. “Whatever, let’s just get this over with.”

Now that’s a sentiment she can agree with. Pulling out her notebook, she flips it to where they had been working on the script. It’s evident she’d made zero progress over the weekend. (To be fair, discussing Piper’s plan took up most of her time).

Percy, of course, notices. “Looks like you didn’t get far without me.”

“It’s ‘cause I have a life, Jackson,” she snips back at him.

He leans back in his usual cocky manner and raises and eyebrow. “Really? Could’ve fooled me.”

“Jackson!” a voice across the library shouts, eliciting an angry “shhhh” from the librarian. She glances past him to see one of Percy’s friends, Jason, walk up to their table.

Jason is the reason she came into contact with Percy Jackson in the first place, being Thalia’s brother and Percy’s friend means it was only a matter of time they’d run into each other anyway.

It’s been a small encounter (Thalia didn’t really talk to her brother in school that often). Jason, along with Leo and Percy, had walked up to Thalia’s locker where she and Piper had been standing simply because he needed a textbook that Thalia had.

All Thalia had done was hand him the textbook and he thanked her. But in that amount of time Percy had already managed to shoot an annoying grin her way.

“Who’s the princess?” He’d said in the snarkiest tone ever, nodding in her direction. It had been so rude and caught her so off guard that she hadn’t been able to respond right away, which then led him to comment on how quiet she was.

And that’s when she decided she hated him and that’s when he decided to keep making life miserable for her.

“What’s up?” Percy says to Jason who’s made it to their table, breaking her out of her thoughts.

“Party at my place tomorrow night, you in?”

“On a Tuesday?” she can’t help but say it. Thalia had mentioned that Jason might throw some party since their parents were out of town, but she didn’t realize it was tomorrow.

Both guys turn to her and she feels her cheeks heat up at the unwanted attention.

“It’s called having a life, princess,” Percy retorts, throwing her own words back at her.

“You’re welcome to come too,” Jason adds, nodding at her. “Feel free to bring friends.”

“Didn’t you hear her, Jason?” Percy cuts in mockingly. “She can’t, it’s a school night.”

KEEP READING ON AO3

[countlessrealities]

"Shut Up" Kiss starters || Accepting !

@technodromes sent: "You know what? Let's just…" 💋 (Bishop for SR)

Why is he so bad at this? He's never been a charmer, not even in his golden years, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he has to embarrass himself every fucking time. He's too old for that, he should be at least a little smooth. He might not have a lot of experience, but he has some. He has enough.

And yet, there he is again, stumbling over his words and making a fool of himself in front of the person he likes. He's tempted to call Bishop his "romantic partner", but he's not sure they aren't there yet. Officially, at least.

...Which is probably part of what's making things so hard.

"T-That's...uh, I-I guess that what I-I'm trying to say is..." He tries again, biting back a groan as he suddenly realises that, in truth, he has no idea of what he was trying to say. He has gotten so worked up and lost in his head that he has forgotten why he was talking in the first place.

"...Uh...I..."

And that's when the Bishop cuts him off. Rick blinks in confusion when the Utrom trails off, but the feeling quickly turns into flustered surprise when the alien's tentacles take a gentle hold of his face and he's pulled in a kiss.

The guard's eyes go wide for a moment, but then he can't stop himself from melting into the contact. This is much easier than saying...whatever he had meant to say, and not just that. It's more comfortable, more meaningful, more right. He's not sure if it can convey his thoughts, but it does convey...something. A honest sentiment, no matter if it can be named or not.

Rick isn't sure of how long the contact lasts, but he would have gladly remained in that moment forever...if not for the sound of a phone camera going off.

Startled, he breaks the kiss, frantically looking around until his gaze lands on the smug figure leaning against the door jamb. Son of a bitch.

"W-What...AR!" He splutters, not knowing if he's feeling more flustered or more enraged. "What the actual fuck?! W-Who...I-I can't fuckin' believe you!"

Of course, his words are met with nothing but a sly smirk and a wink.

"A-And this is going in my personal SR's embarrassing shit folder," the black marker dealer teases in a sing-song tone, waving his phone and waggling his eyebrows. "H-Have fun, lovebirds!"

And with that, he's gone, leaving Rick to throw his hands in the air with an exasperated growl. Oh, he is so going to kill the motherfucker this time.

[pocketramblr]

What if Giran was actually Hisashi Midoriya? (Inko got good taste lol)

goooood take nonny because one of the things that fascinates me about Giran is his working with KD in Vigilantes- like, Giran only works with people he respects, and apparently he respects this one hero enough to supply him what he needs to save his daughter from one of All For One's villain factories- AfO being his MAIN network/empoloyer! honestly it makes sense to me that Giran has some fondness for some heroes and/or some family that he can support KD's goal- and in this au, it can be both!

So, Giran is an information broker, and analysis on quirks and fights would be very useful information to both heroes and villains, so you know he shares that with his kid here. He indulges Izuku's love of heroes too because he has a soft spot for a couple and thinks the All Might fanaticism will fizzle with age

Initially he was planning to be slightly more direct with setting Izuku up with a potential criminal career, but then Izuku was determined quirkless, and he kinda figured if it was going to happen as it was likely to, Izuku'd end up there on his own and it was better to leave him what peace was left before then. In the meantime, he gets sentimental and helps a retired hero save his quirkless daughter from AfO

Annnnnd then Izuku was determined to be a hero so much he suddenly developed a quirk and got into UA. And now Giran is low-key panicking because AFO gave his son a quirk without telling him!! or asking a price!! which means Izuku made the deal!! and what, does AfO not have the decency to ask Giran himself?? Is he trying to replace him with Izuku?? or... did he find out about some of Giran's side sales, that cost AfO's empires? is this punishment?

Giran decides to casually ask him about it as one does, but AfO reacts... strangely. As if he didn't give him the quirk, and then asks "Oh, yes, i forgot what it even was, something too slight to think of asking a price for it... But we respect each other too much for that. Remind me what it was?"

and Giran is like... "huh... Told me it something explosive and he can't use it in the house. i would have thought he was joking, like i always say my quirk's firebreath to get an excuse to smoke and can't be expected to prove it, but his bandages and injuries tell me he's being honest. but maybe hurting himself was the price then?" and AfO is like 'huh............... maybe thats ofa but i wouldn't call it an explosion quirk... can this kid copy quirks? does he have an afo mutation??? somehow????'

And so Giran decides he's got to ask izuku directly, "hey, who gave you that quirk and what did he ask for because i know you got it from my boss and he was acting real weird when i asked him." and Izuku's like "YOU WORK FOR ALL MIGHT???" and Giran, who knows his son would not be fooled by any impersonation of All Might, let alone that AfO wouldn't do one, is like "YOU GOT YOUR QUIRK FROM ALL MIGHT??? CAN YOU STEAL QUIRKS??? HOW???"

after they um, have to clear things up Giran realizes they only have a small amount of time until AfO figures where Izuku's quirk actually came from so he's like 'welp. guess its time for me to do my best to sabotage the league. i'll make sure they don't get any useful info about 1a's quirks, that All Might will wipe the floor with the extremely lame villains i set up for Shigaraki, then i leave a very helpful anonymous tip.' and so he deliberately introduces Toga and Dabi to Shigaraki because he knows the chances of them killing each other and Dabi burning down the bar are very high at this point and leaves to let the magic happen........ and to hurridly create a few new identities for his family because no way is he actually dealing with the consequences of his criminal history, All Might cant cut that nice a deal even for AfO info so he's making his own deal