#I think this was supposed to be some love triangle with twins

[replenaryindulgence]

Before the Light

Azriel x Calida (ka-lee-duh)/Reader

Summary: After getting lost in the woods on a camping trip and finding herself in an unfamiliar land, 22-year-old Cal must decide what she's willing to do to get back to her life if she still wants it.

Word count: 5.5k

Warnings: Panic, creepy guy in the woods

a/n: I know there’s a lot of backstory, I promise it’s worth getting through! I really wanted to set the stage and for you to get to know our MC.

I didn't intend for this to be so long, but d*mn my little hamster brain kept running on that wheel!!! The MC's name might seem a little strange, it's of Irish origin & I thought it was pretty and unique. Also, she's a redhead because so am I and me plus Azriel equals two (iykyk). Plz let me know what you think! Thinking about throwing in a slight love triangle moment with Morrigan eventually because how dramatic would that be & because our reader might be a little bi aren't we all? Strap in!!!

I'll try to update this as soon as I can! It might be a week or so. (P.S. my asks are always open! Thanks for bearing with me while I relearn how to use tumblr lol)

 Chapter 1

“I don’t think we’re doing this right. No, definitely not, this piece is supposed to bend across that one.” 

“You suck at this An,” Jack threw back. 

“I suck at this? You didn’t get it right either asshole,” Annie quipped. 

You shook your head, amused by the twins struggling to put together the first tent. The ground beneath the large pines was littered with dried needles, perfect for kindling. Circling around, you collected them into your jacket pocket.

“You hearing this, Cal?” Jack called out to you.

Turning to face your friends, you couldn’t help but laugh. 

“You guys are ridiculous,” You threw back, reaching for a small pine cone at your feet and rolling it in your palm.

You walked back and tossed your growing pile of fire-starter near the center of the clearing. It was still a few hours from dusk, but the hike had been long and you were eager to set up and be done with it. Jack and Annie were tasked with the tents while Brooke gathered rocks for the fire pit and scouted the area, something about checking for bears. A ridiculous idea, you had thought, though if you trusted anyone here with your life it was probably Brooke. Your guess was she wanted to get away from the bickering for a while.

The sweat from the hike still clung to your skin, sitting sticky and uncomfortable beneath your jacket. It’s much cooler now than it had been on the trip in. You touched the back of your hand to your nose to warm it. The sun’s rays peeked through the ever-rising pines, and you welcomed the sparse heat. Closing your eyes, you tilted your head back and let the afternoon look at you. Your feet shuffled slightly until light touched your face, and vibrant red filled your vision from behind closed lids. This moment reminded you of being a kid, observing and learning about the world around you. You tried to remember the last time you felt peace like you did now. It seemed as though no matter how hard you tried to clutch it, life slipped quickly through your fingers like sand. The years passed and suddenly, nothing was the same. But, this moment felt still; the sun was warm, and the lake welcomed you back with familiar hands.

”You’ve been a real help,” Jack whispered, startling you. His arm brushed yours, you smiled at the sky. 

“It’s nice that we’re staying out here. I love the cabin, but I think we could all use the seclusion,” you responded, meeting his eyes. He nodded back, folding his arms. Brown hair stuck to his forehead, damp with sweat. 

“Seclusion, huh?” He teased. 

“Seclusion, isolation, freedom from the expectations and burdens of society,” you replied dramatically.

“Okay, Thoreau, can we get some help sorting through the bags?” He questioned.

Before you could respond, you saw movement beyond the trees. Brooke approached and Jack walked over to help her with the arm full of small rocks she carried. 

“No sign of bears,” she stated shortly. “Only one tent? I’ve been gone for twenty minutes.” 

Brooke wasn’t angry, she just had a way about her. A way that was quick to say what was on her mind, and without much thought to how it would be taken. You learn to let it roll off of you when you’ve known someone for years. She’d been your and Annie’s suitemate freshman year. As a sensitive person, you found her bluntness unpleasant, but Annie liked her, and eventually, you came around. 

You’ve known Jack and Annie longer than you can remember. Your parents were once very close; you’d spend weeks out of the year at their cabin just east of the lake. When your parents divorced it got ugly and uncomfortable, like a festering wound, until neither of them came back to the cabin. You were grateful for that. The cabin, the lake, it remained a place untouched by the crumbling debris of your parents’ failed marriage. Jack’s mom had pulled you aside and assured you that you’d always have a place with them. You knew she meant it. Mrs. Henley, Ruth, was a soft-spoken woman, but always sincere. 

The cabin was almost two hours from the water by car, if cabin was the right word for it. You never talked about how much money the Henleys had, and they didn’t seem to care what your family had in comparison. The twins’ Dad, Eric, ran a few publishing companies in Washington, one in Oregon. After graduation, Mr. Henley lined up an internship for you as an editorial assistant, and asked you to persuade Jack to stay in Washington and work for him. A fruitless task, you were sure. Jack was over living out west, he wanted to travel the states, maybe move abroad for a while. No entry level job at his Dad’s company would sway a 22 year old from the intrigue of adventure.

A month ago, Annie suggested we spend these last few weeks before the fall, fully together. Camping was never your favorite, but you couldn’t say no to Annie. Not when you knew she was right. After graduation, you’d spent the summer mostly together, in your apartments in Seattle, at the Henley’s house in the city, or at the cabin. It felt right, it felt how it always did. But now, the discomfort of change was more tangible, less abstracted by time. Jack was talking of moving east with a friend you’ve known since high school and Brooke was heading to Alaska for grad school. Lucky for you, Annie didn’t seem in a rush to solidify plans, besides staying in the city. Who could blame her, with parents like that? 

You joined Annie in the one set-up tent, helping her spread a blanket over one of the thin camping mattresses. You worked silently, unpacking a small pillow, another blanket, and hooking a portable light onto where the poles crossed inside the tent. 

“You don’t need my permission, you know,” Annie said, breaking the silence. 

You furrowed your brows. “Permission? For what?” You continued looking through the bags, setting one aside and adjusting the blanket beneath you.

"With Jack," She said, smiling at your confused look as she grabbed a bag of peanut M&M’s from her bag. She tilted her head back, letting a few fall into her mouth.

You didn’t know what to say. “It’s not like that,” you assured.

”It’s always like that,” she smiled at you, offering the sweets in her hand. 

You took them, rolling your eyes. Annie assumed everyone was in love. You were definitely a romantic, but you also knew what disinterest looked like. You and Jack had shared a few lingering touches and almost-moments on drunken nights, but it didn’t sway you to gamble your friendship on the possibility that he was interested in anything serious. You were content wondering what could have been. You were typically more fond of fiction, anyway.

“Annie, come help me finish setting this up,” Jack called. She smiled at you once more before disappearing from the tent. You laid back, thankful for the swift death of the conversation. 

… 

The second tent was up much quicker than the first. You had organized them; Annie and Jack’s bags in one, Brooke’s and yours in the other. A small pile of sticks and pine needles glowed atop a circle of rock in the center of the camp. Jack and Brooke had found a small log and somehow managed to carry it over. You sat on it with Jack, rubbing your neck, the ghostly weight of your bag on your shoulders. You tried to pack light, but you brought a few books along; a mystery about a kidnapping that took place at a summer camp, some fairy book Brooke had suggested, and, possibly, one too many sweaters, which added some weight. 

The sun was setting now, teasing the horizon with a gentle touch, and although it meant the temperature would plummet, you were eager for sleep. The heels of your feet ached, your calves felt stiff, and you were sure you needed to drink more water. 

Brooke poked at the fire while Annie was engrossed in her phone, probably looking at pictures she'd taken on the hike in. You and Jack shared dried mango slices while you searched the shared playlist Brooke made for the trip. All Things End by Hozier began playing, and you smiled absentmindedly at the memory of hearing it live.

"Everyone is so quiet," Annie said, interrupting the hiss of the crackling embers. She and Brooke sat on a blanket across from you.

“I’m exhausted,” You responded with a yawn, staring vacantly beyond the campground. You thought you could spot the glitter of sunset on the distant water. 

“Let’s get in the lake,” she laughed. “The cold is supposed to be good for your nervous system, or something.”

The prospect of dipping into the lake woke your body slightly, sending a buzz down your spine. You liked the rush of adrenaline, the euphoria following it. 

“I’m in,” you responded with a smile. Brooke looked behind her, towards the direction of the water, and back with a scrunched nose, but eventually agreed. You turned to Jack, he only groaned. Still, he stood, mumbling something about how men weren’t built for cold water. Tell that to the Vikings, you thought.

You grabbed the thin towels from your tent, and headed towards the water. 

…

Pebbles crunched beneath your boots. It was a short walk to the mouth of the lake, Brooke had chosen a good spot to camp. You quickly stripped them along with most of your clothes, leaving you in a thin bra and hiking shorts. You dipped one foot in the water, wincing at the temperature. Your friends stripped behind you, while you tried not to lose your nerve. Jack was taking pictures of the sunset from a few feet away, and you quickly slipped out of your shorts while he was preoccupied. Brooke and Annie took to your sides, and the three of you stood apprehensively at the edge of the lake, glancing over the water that expanded before you.

“It’ll be worse if we think too much about it,” Annie said, folding her arms to hold her body.

Brooke took a few brave strides and sank below the surface, cursing as she came up, before tilting her head back and letting the water caress her. Annie squealed before following suit. You blew out a huff of air, trying and failing to compartmentalize the chill in the water. When it got to your stomach your body shivered. No, this definitely wasn’t helping your aching muscles. You pressed on. 

The water kissed your chest, then your shoulders. Finally, you gave in, dipping your head under. It wasn’t unbearable, but you weren’t sure you’d last long. You felt your pulse slightly in the back of your head as you swam under the surface. It had been almost 80 degrees today, but the water refused to acknowledge that. You broke the surface with a gasp, turning to face your friends who hovered near the edge of the lake. Why had you been so enthusiastic about this idea? You watched as Jack strolled over and dropped his clothes in a pile near the rest, quickly avoiding his gaze. Annie called out to him that it wasn’t so bad, and he shook his head in disagreement as he stood with the water just above his knees. He folded his arms, holding himself how Annie had. You stilled, lowering your head so your nose and eyes peaked just above the surface, and watched him sink further. You took a breath and sank below once more.

You had always loved the water. Brooke said it was biological, that it calmed something in the animal of us to be near it. When you were younger you pretended you were the half-blood offspring of Poseidon, counting how long you could hold your breath in it before your lungs felt like fire and you got light-headed. 

You felt something touch your hand, and you lifted yourself from the water and your daydreaming. Jack had swum out, treading water as he watched the sun set over the mountains behind you. Water trickled down his face, gathering in his lashes, and his golden skin was cast in a reddish-golden light. He looked ethereal. 

Turning, you faced the sunset. The sun lit the sky beyond the mountains in the most vibrant hues of red and orange. Where the darkening sky above you met the sun, pale shades of pink gathered. There was a good ten minutes of light left, and you thought that you’d never forget this moment. The beauty of it burned into your eyes. You saw it even as you blinked.

You broke the peaceful silence, "It feels like everything’s changing. I hate it." Change felt like putting on a new leather jacket. It chafed in all the wrong places.

He sighed, “Everything is changing. I for one am excited to leave this oppressive ass place.”

You thought of the vastness of the city, the lake that expanded before you, the mountains that climbed ahead, and wondered how anyone could call this oppressive. You knew he meant the people, but the city was big and it seemed like an excuse for wanting to leave. You stayed silent, sifting through your thoughts. 

“Dad sure is glad you’re staying. At least one of us won’t disappoint him.” He added, wiping his short hair back from his face.

You laughed at the idea of his Dad ever being disappointed in either him or Annie. Their parents were unusually understanding people. Of course he wanted his kids close to home but he never was the type to force anyone’s hand. Sometimes, you thought Jack wanted a reason to brood. 

“He wants you to stay, but I know he’ll live vicariously through you wherever you go, he’s an adventurer at heart. Maybe we can write about it when you get back,” you replied, smiling as you thought of the times you sat around their Dad’s faded armchair as he read you and the twins stories. He filled your minds with images of half-human creatures and monsters that swallowed ships whole. Of wars waged over beautiful women. Greedy dragons and cursed rings. 

He replied with a smile and a ‘maybe’, and you pictured his portrait in the back of a travel book. ‘Everyone has a story to tell,’ His Dad had said to him years ago. 

You heard laughter and splashing behind you as your friends jumped out of the lake. 

“You’re just like him,” he added, nudging your arm underwater. You raised your brows in question.

He continued, “You should come with me. No author came up with anything interesting to say by staying put. New York, maybe Italy, or Ireland. You’d get plenty of inspiration there.” 

“I want to be where the publishing action is,” you joke, “And I’m no storyteller, at least not yet.” 

“Yeah right, you’re a natural,” He adds, “You’ve got an eye for it.” 

You admired how sure Jack was. You liked how it felt to be near him, it put you at ease. He smiled and you could just picture late nights in the sticky bars of Dublin and Vespa rides along the coast.

Of course, you’d agree you had an eye for storytelling, otherwise you'd have wasted the last four years of your life. But, you didn’t have the option of relying on your rich parents for support as you found yourself at the Cliffs of Moher. The Pacific North-West was beautiful, you couldn't believe anyone would want to leave. You’d travel one day, maybe after you’d settled into your career. Until then, this would have to do. You looked out as the sun took its last breath, bowing to the mountains, passing its watch over to the moon. 

“Let’s go, I’m freezing!” Annie called out from the shore. 

"I’ll start dinner," Brooke added, attempting to shake the last of the water from her short hair. 

You didn’t wait for Jack as you made your way to them. You hurried out, thankful for the thin veil of darkness as you dried off. Jack dressed beside you, his hair falling in short ringlets over his brows. He caught your eye and you pulled your towel over your head, hiding your face, and squeezing the lake from your hair. 

…

The fire started quickly, and you ate slightly gummy re-hydrated pasta that Ruth made for the trip with her food dehydrator. You were sure this was the first time they’d used it. Shortly after dinner you fell prey to the lull of darkness and excused yourself with a ‘good night’ leaving your friends by the fire. The blankets in the tent felt damp. Great. Your sweats, thankfully, weren’t as bad. You fell asleep to hushed conversation, burrowing deep into your hooded sweatshirt. 

You awoke to a sharp, shining light. Brooke was reading something next to you. How long had you been asleep? You hummed a greeting, burying your face further into your blanket, and sank deeply into the comfort of sleep.

The next day consisted of meals around the fire and a short hike to get a better view of the mountains. You trailed behind your friends, deep in thought as you failed to push away Jack’s suggestion that what you needed was travel. You thought of Bilbo refusing to leave the Shire. 

Annie crept scarcely close to the edge of a boulder and you tried to hide your worried face while Brooke took her photo. They pulled you in for a group one, and you held tightly to Brooke as she captured your smiling faces.

The day seemed shorter than the one before, the sunset was more of a dulled pink, dimmed by low-hanging clouds. You made s’mores and failed at telling ghost stories around the fire before turning in early. You grabbed the fairy book from your bag, deciding the mystery should be read in the safety of daylight. You were on page 32 when Brooke joined you, crawling into the tent and kicking pine needles onto your blanket. 

“I swear fantasy writers all had a meeting and committed to only writing weak, sex-depraved female leads,” You tell Brooke as she slips into her sleepwear. 

“That or they become the best fighters and magicians all of a sudden. Can’t a girl just be a girl?” She adds.

You laughed in agreement and attempted to discuss the female archetype in fairy lands while she settled in. You pressed your legs to hers for warmth, and she opened a book about the history of the local tribes in Washington. Your thoughts drifted from the page, unable to comprehend the last paragraph of world-building you attempted to read twice, and you let your head fall back to your pillow. The serenade of cicadas filled your ears, and you tried to commit the sound to memory. A vision tugged at you, of laying on a porch swing in your mother's arms, listening to the cicadas call as she read to you from your book about flower fairies. You laugh at how little you’ve changed, and how much you’ve changed.

“My mom used to read me this fairy book when I was a kid. I’ve probably heard it a thousand times, and I swore I saw fairies in my backyard. My grandma told me if there was a ring of mushrooms, a fairy had been there and I looked all over the yard for them,” you admitted, the memory vivid and colorful in your mind.

“My brother and I used to build little homes for them out of sticks and leaves,” she added. You enthusiastically agreed, remembering sitting outside of your grandparents’ house arranging pieces of earth with your cousins. Hours content in the world of your imagination. You missed that part of yourself, the child in you. You thought of her as you drifted asleep.

…

The next day the sky was filled with thick puffs of soft gray clouds, the air cooler than it'd been a few days ago. You started the morning off slowly, accompanied by Annie as you laid on a blanket near the water and read. Lunch had been brought to the lake, the four of you determined to spend the whole day in this spot. 

Hours later you sat, Jack at your side, and watched as Annie and Brooke swam further and further out. So far this week you’d gone hiking, swimming, read your books, and walked around looking at fauna. You weren’t sure what camping for a week looked like. The longest you’d camped out was two nights, and it was technically in the backyard of the twins’ house. 

“What time are your friends getting here?” You asked Jack as you chewed the inside of your lip. He sat with his arms resting on his knees beside you.

"Mmm, around five I think," he responded, glancing at his watch. 

A few of Jack’s friends were coming to camp for the rest of the week. They were nice guys, and you weren’t exactly feeling antisocial, but you wished it would have stayed just the four of you. 

“Dylan’s bringing is his girlfriend I think,” he added.

You hummed in response. You liked her, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

Mirroring Jack, you looked at your watch; 4:14. Wanting to spare yourself from awkward small talk and having to help set up tents, you decided you’d go for a run along the shore soon. The energy bites Brooke had made and the coffee you drank with lunch were making you restless, anyway. You sat with Jack a little longer, and at half past four you stood, slipping back into your shoes. 

Jack laughed amusingly when you told him of your plan, seeing through your avoidant ploy, but he just reminded you to be careful and to be back before dark or they’d have to form a search party. You called out to Brooke and Annie and they both echoed a warning too. A ‘be careful’, and a ‘bring your charger just in case.’

Back at camp, you threw your small solar charger into your jacket pocket, along with a granola bar, and drank from your water bottle. Anxious thoughts filled your mind, though you weren’t sure why. You’d woken up slightly on edge this morning and chalked it up to the company arriving soon. The path you’d run would be easy and mindless, no reason to worry. You’d stick to the shoreline, and come back the same way long before it got dark; the shore near the camp would be unmistakable. You took a breath and willed your stomach to settle.

You tied your hair up, swinging it to your back, then wrapped your jacket around your waist and began jogging towards the water. You’d gotten a little addicted to running this past year. It trained your breathing and focused your mind, something you’ve been trying and failing to do all your life. In Seattle, you always ran the same four-mile route from your apartment to around the park and back. It took you a few weeks to map down the perfect path. Past the gift shop at the end of the block, steering clear of the traffic near the middle school a half-mile down, and along the widest sidewalk that led to the park closest to your apartment. You focused on your breath and willed your anxious mind to focus on your surroundings. The pines loomed above you, it almost made you dizzy to look at them. The water reflected the mood of the sky. You could see a small group of people kayaking in the water towards the East side of the lake. 

One mile down. 

Deep breath in, deep breath out. The trees thinned out near the edge of the lake and the view was stunning. You sometimes felt like you couldn’t fully experience how beautiful it was here, not in the moment. It would hit you on the way home or when you’d get your film back from being developed. You almost brought your camera but decided it wasn’t worth the risk.

Two miles down.

Stopping, you caught your breath as you snapped a photo with your phone, then slid it back into the band of your leggings and picked up your pace. Your mind drifted to the book you were reading. 

Three miles down. 

Your headphone cord swung annoyingly across your chest, and sweat started to prickle your forehead. A large boulder sat in your path and you swerved around it. 

Shit. You threw your hands up on instinct, hitting something hard. Blinking for a moment, you steadied yourself. How had you not seen this tree? You brought your fingers to your face and winced as your eyebrow stung. Your eyes fell to the blood prickling the back of your hand. You felt it suddenly, the annoying ache of scraped skin and you cursed yourself for being unobservant. You looked at your watch with a sigh; 5:09. You tried not to let your injury annoy you as you turned to start the journey back towards camp. 

Your heart sank. Head darting back and forth, then behind you. Eyebrows knit in confusion.

The lake was gone.

Ripping your headphones out, you scanned the forest before you. What the hell?

Okay, you thought, don’t freak out, don’t panic. Just think. Did you accidentally run further from the shore? You knew the lake was North and camp was West. You looked above you for the sun to verify, but the clouds had gotten even thicker. You scanned the forest confused, trying to find the boulder you had swerved just moments ago. How hard had you hit your head?

Shit. You grabbed your phone and opened the compass app to verify your direction, chewing on your lip nervously as it loaded. You sighed in relief, yes you were facing North. If you walked forward there’s no way you wouldn’t see the lake soon. 

Goosebumps prickled your arms and neck. When did it get so cold?

Throwing on your jacket, you tucked your headphones into your pocket and gripped your phone anxiously. You took deep breaths and tried to settle the sick feeling in your stomach. You’d be fine. 

You walked further and further North, anxiety creeping up into your body with each step. You settled into a light jog and searched for anything familiar. The minutes dragged on. The panic set in. You checked your watch again; 5:15. Keep going.

Darkness flashed suddenly in the corner of your eye and stopped you in your tracks. You swung your head toward where it’d appeared. Your ragged breathing broke the suffocating silence of the forest. Your anxiety screamed into your mind, animal, and all you could think of was Brooke’s comment about bears, but there was nothing. Just you and the never-ending expanse of trees. Did you have a concussion?

The wind howled behind you, and your body reacted before your mind. Shivers ran up your spine into your neck and you ran. Hopping over fallen branches and swerving between trees. The forest grew thicker, swallowing you whole. You felt your vision tunneling; you were panicking but you couldn’t stop moving. You spotted a clearing ahead and prayed to whoever was listening that it was the shoreline. A low-hanging branch scraped your shoulder as you reached the field. The field. Not the shore. Your eyes searched wildly. 

The darkness appeared again, but stood still. 

Not darkness, but pure blackness against the muted brown trunks of the forest. You turned to face it, and there, at the edge of the clearing stood a man in a black suit.

All thoughts left your mind. Something in your DNA clawed at you to run, but you stood, perhaps in shock, staring at this man before you. He was much taller than you, you could tell even through the distance, with golden skin and hair black as night. 

Seemingly out of thin air, another man appeared by his side. Something covered him, or hung behind him, extending above his head. They looked like… What the hell? Was there a group of guys out here role-playing? Your head ached, this wasn’t happening, this had to be a hallucination, maybe from the injury and the anxiety.

The man in the suit took a step further into the clearing and slipped his hands into his pockets. You stood frozen at the edge of the clearing. He cocked his head to the side and squinted, seemingly assessing you. You thought of the group you saw kayaking and a small amount of hope hit you. Of course you weren’t the only people out here, you were bound to run into someone. You could ask for directions back to the lake. If they were playing make-believe in the forest that was their business. A woman with a long brown braid and a dark leather suit walked into view next and you took a calming breath. A woman. 

You swallowed your panic but it stuck in your throat as you took a step forward and lifted your hand to wave. You hoped they didn’t see you shaking. There was a woman, yes, but the two men kept you at edge. Everything seemed out of place.

“Hey, sorry you startled me,” you began with a nervous laugh. “I was running along the shore but I went a little too far, do you know how much further North the lake is from here?” you inquired, heart beating in your throat.

No answer. The suited man looked to the woman next to him, and the man with the giant fake wings kept his arms held tightly at his thighs. Seconds passed.

“Your costumes are great,” you added, trying to sound at ease, and gesturing to the man’s wings. He took a step forward, but the suited man stopped him. 

Time to go whispered into your mind and you managed a tight smile, as you took a few small steps away. 

“Well, I better head back to my group,” you called out. You needed to put more distance between you. You needed to get the hell out of here. 

You started to jog away, but something shot out into your path. You slammed to a stop. Another man, with shoulder-length brown hair half-tied up, clad in black leather gear and the same towering wings rising above his head stood before you. What the hell? He looked at you with creased brows, and glanced at the group of people to your right. He pressed his lips in a line, eyes darting back to you. Your heart raced; you felt like prey. Every hair on your body stood and every instinct told you to run, but the man in front of you was huge. At least six foot five.

You had to go. Whatever this was, you needed to remove yourself from it. They couldn’t run very fast with those things hanging on their back, anyway, right? You took a step back and glanced beside you. You could break for the trees and start heading West.

You began to move, but something stopped you like you'd run into an invisible wall. Whipping around, the suited man now stood before you, just feet away. Your eyes met his. They almost glowed an unnatural purple. He was handsome, they all were, which freaked you out even more. The man next to him looked at you sternly, like he was assessing a threat. What the hell is this?

"I need to get back to my friends, they’re waiting for me," you lied, straining to keep your voice even. 

The man spoke back in a language you couldn’t understand. You tried to pick out familiar words but the dialect was too strange. It wasn’t Native, or any of the Latin languages from what you could tell. You looked to the woman who stood slightly further back, with pure plea written on your face. Her eyes softened and she spoke back in the unfamiliar language. She would help, you convinced yourself. 

They conversed once more. You took a step back, but hands wrapped around your arms tightly, fingers digging into the sleeves of your jacket. You tried jerking them away, but the long-haired man held firm.

Panic now coursed through you in a dam-less stream. “Please, just let me go, what do you want?” you begged them all, looking to the woman once more. She and the suited man exchanged glances before turning to face you. So this is how you’d die, crossed your mind. What kind of sick game had you stumbled into?

The man spoke once more and took a step closer. You looked to the man at his side, the one with towering wings. His hazel eyes met yours. You searched his face, what you were looking for you didn’t know. Sympathy maybe? His jaw loosened slightly and he held your stare. 

You turned to the purple-eyed man before you and pleaded again. He responded, nodding, but you didn’t understand. Tears filled your eyes. A scream pierced your ears. Your scream. It tore its way up your throat as a hot, white pain pierced your brain like a jagged knife. Your knees gave out, but the hands gripping you kept you upright. A golden-brown light filled your blurring vision. Your head fell back, heavy, and your mouth hung open in agony as your body finally gave in.

Darkness washed over you.

...

Ahhh! I'm so nervous to post this but so excited! Already getting started on Chapter 2. Sorry this was so long LMAO I just really wanted to set the scene for some hard-core angst.

[raviosprovidence]

I already told some friends this but it makes me extremely mad seeing Lucifer's design in Hazbin because...vivzie already designed lucifer for zoophobia and he's *so much better*

Look at him! Like yeah it is all red but at least it's a nice muted red with lighter accents in the eyes and eyebrows. He's not 50 shades of blood.

The big horns that reference a broken halo are a wonderful touch. I love the grizzled face and hunched back that show he's Old and Has Seen Things. I like the cloak that adds an air of mystery as to what's behind it.

Compared to this...

This is just a White Onceler. He doesn't convey anything lucifer to me other than the snake and the apple on his top hat. He's just another generic triangle tooth twink.

Going back a bit, It also helps for zoophobia that he was supposed to be in a world of characters who WERE bright and colorful so he actually stood out in a good way

Look at these guys! Sure, it's busy, but I can actually tell which characters are what. They all feel like they have their own identity and aesthetic due to their different colors. It's what a cartoon cast is SUPPOSED to look like.

Old lucifer would have stood out in that cast because not everyone is fucking red. New lucifer barely stands out, only because he looks so much like Charlie. And even THEN, they look like siblings!

this isn't official art done by Vivienne but I couldn't find any other good screencaps showing them side by side. If someone didn't know shit about hazbin they'd think charlie and lucifer were twins. Nothing about new lucifer's design suggests that he's a father or even older than 25.

It's sad, honestly. I used to look up to vivienne when I was younger. Now, she's a shadow of her former self as an artist.

[reashot]

Red VS. Blue

Bleiss: Hello everyone let me introduce you all to my leader and Ruby's counterpart/"evil twin" Bluby.

Ruby: *gasp* (She looks exactly like me) 😮

Blake: How many more versions of us are there?

Yang: Yay! I got two little sisters for me to hang out with.

Weiss: Oh no, there's two of them now...

Jaune: (She's beautiful...)

Bluby: *hides behind Bleiss* 😶‍🌫️

Bleiss: C'mon Bluby just introduce yourself to everyone.

Bluby: hi... 😶

Bleiss: *sigh* Well as you can see my dear leader is quite shy compared to Ruby.

Ruby: Oh, she's so cute! I mean I'm so cute. C'mon I'm not going to bite you. 😘

Bluby: Uh... *Hides behind Jaune* 😨

Jaune:

Yang: Oops. He, he. Looks like you have a competition with your clone Ruby.

Weiss: Oh great, not another one.

Blake: A love triangle... (Scandalous! I'm so gonna post this online)

Ruby: Very funny everyone, but everybody knows that a copy can't beat the original. 😤

Bleiss: Well I wouldn't be so sure about that. Remember that Bluby is your opposite in every way.

That means unlike you she is very demure, very mindful.

Ruby: Hey! I can be both demoor and mine things too. 😡

Bluby: wait... 😔

Bleiss: And unlike you she's not obsessed with weapons and is not on the no fly list.

Ruby: You smuggled in one hand grenade and for some reason you ended up on the terror watch list. I thought Vale supposed to be a free country!

Bluby: stop... 😢

Bleiss: And also unlike you she's not a homophobe.

*record scratch*

Jaune: Wait?

Weiss: What?

Blake: Ruby you're...

Yang: Do you want to explain yourself, oh sister of mine?

Ruby: W-wait you-you do not actually believe in what she just said right? I'm your sister for goodness sake. *Sweats*🥵

Yang: I don't know Rubes you're sweating a lot for someone that said she's not homophobic.

Ruby: Grrr... Fine I admit okay I think realtionship should be like Adam & eve. Not madam & eve! 😖

Bluby: No...🥺

Blake: Ah ha! I knew it. You're the only one that's not happy that I finally dated your sister.

Jaune: Ruby is a homophobe... No... But I thought you liked my sister Saphron and her family?

Ruby: Th-that's different she's your sister and I liked everything about you... No matter how wrong I think same sex relationship is.

Weiss: Girl, I think you should shut up before you dig yourself any further.

Ruby: Oh, that's rich coming from a racist! 🤬

Weiss: Hey! Don't drag me into this.

*starts bickering & arguing*

Bleiss: Oh, ho, ho. This day couldn't be any better. *Opens bag of chip*

Bluby: *starts crying* 😭

And any suggestions for the name of JaunexBluby ship?

Or if you have any other questions just leave your message here.

[chillinglyadventurous]

Spooktober Day 23 - “Look at the mess you made.”

I believe this is BillStill AU (I don't remember who created it, but I love it).

Ford had wanted to clear his mind. He enjoyed his daily adventures with you and Dipper, but he wanted some alone time, to relive the good old days. He loved his adventures with you. Sometimes, however, he wanted to have his own time. There were certain dangerous activities he just didn't think were safe for you or Dipper to experience.

He had been gone for longer than he had anticipated. He had gotten caught up in an intricate labyrinth beneath the lake. He was excited to tell you and Dipper about it and planned to take the two of you tomorrow.

Once he'd finally made his way home, he couldn't wait to see you, to see the excitement on your face when he told you what he'd found. When he walked in, the Shack was quiet.

“Hello?” he called out, setting his bag down by the door. “Anyone home?” Silence greeted him. His brow furrowed. Normally, he would hear the chatter of the twins, your voice in conversation, or Stan grumbling about something, but, now, there was nothing.

“[Y/N]?” he called again. “Kids? Stan?”

The living room was empty and so was the kitchen. Then, a sinking feeling gnawed at his stomach. He quickened his pace, heading toward the attic. That’s when he found you. You were lying on the floor, unmoving. Dipper and Mabel lay beside you, equally still, as though they had simply collapsed where they stood. Your bodies were oddly posed in the shape of a triangle.

Panic shot through Ford. He rushed to your side, kneeling down. His hands trembled as he checked your pulse. You and the twins were alive, but unconscious, and he had no idea why.

He leaned over you, shaking you gently. “[Y/N], please wake up.” He glanced over at the twins. No response. Ford’s mind raced, trying to think of what could have done this. Was it a curse or a spell?

As he stood up, his heart pounding with fear, a slow clap echoed through the room.Ford turned sharply, his heart stopping mid beat as he saw the source of the sound. Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the dim light was Stan. The yellow glow in Stan's eyes.

“Bill,” Ford whispered, his blood running cold.

Bill grinned wider, tilting his head in mockery. “Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show up. You’ve been a little busy, huh, Sixer?”

“How are you here? We erased you!”

Bill chuckled darkly, taking a step forward. His hands tucked casually in Stan’s pockets. “Oh, come on, Fordsy. You really think you could get rid of me that easily? I’m a multi-dimensional being. You can’t just zap me out of existence.”

“What have you done to them?” He glanced at your motionless body. Ford’s jaw clenched. He could feel rage bubbling beneath his skin, but he knew better than to let Bill Cipher provoke him.

Bill’s grin stretched wider, “Oh, don’t worry. They’re just taking a little nap. I needed them out of the way.” He waved a hand lazily at the scene before him. “Look at the mess you made me make.”

Ford’s eyes narrowed, confusion and fury swirling inside him. “What do you mean?”

Bill spread his arms, still wearing Stan’s twisted grin. “You made me do this. All those years of chasing after things you weren’t supposed to know, I helped you find, smart guy! You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?”

Bill laughed. The sound was horrific, Stan's gruff laughed mixed with bill's high-pitched shriek. Ford put himself between your unconscious bodies.

"We had a deal, Stanford," Bill insisted.

Ford’s heart ached at Bill’s words, but he shoved the guilt aside. He wouldn’t let this monster break him. “If you’ve come to kill me, just do it. Leave them out of this.”

“Now, where’s the fun in that? You think I’d come all this way just to end things quickly? No, Sixer, I want you to suffer. I want you to see the people you care about get hurt and it's all because of you.” Bill tsked, wagging a finger.

Ford’s breath hitched, refusing to show fear. “You won’t win, Bill.”

Bill’s eyes gleamed with delight. “I already have.”

Ford was torn. He wanted to protect you, protect the twins, but he couldn't hurt Stan. One hand hovered over the gun on his hip, fingers twitching as he struggled with his own logic.

Bill strolled closer, his grin never fading. “Oh, don’t worry, IQ. I’m not going to kill you, yet. I want you to watch me take everything from you. Your brother Your girlfriend. The kids. One by one, and you’ll know it’s because of you.”

Ford’s vision blurred with rage, but before he could even think of a response, Bill snapped his fingers, and the room began to warp. The air felt heavy, the walls bending and distorting as reality itself twisted around him.

[charlie-pippin-faraday]

My danganronpa v3 chapter 6 running commentary:

"MY NAME IS MAKOTO??????"

excuse me you black-haired bitch you're not makoto naegi

bro what the HELL was going on in that cutscene i'm so confused

"if my actions result in your deaths so be it" nah there's something wrong here, that doesn't sound like that keebo i know

keebo's protecting us he's stalling keebo i love you i love you so much

guys i gotta level up my FRIENDSHIP POINTS to move ROCKS

ah shit fam we finally found kokichi's lab. it looks like a door from fallout in a literal tunnel underground lol

kokichi wants to be a batman villain so bad

is kokichi actually the ultimate improv comedian or something what is this

what is the "inconsistency" in the hope's peak academy book that shuichi pointed out but won't tell me? come on now don't leave me hanging. is it that makoto established the academy for normies actually? or is it something to do with the secret DR2 killing game?

i'm not wrong about either of those facts, am i? am i misremembering? didn't makoto say in i think the anime that he wanted to establish the new hope's peak for everyone and not just ultimates? and weren't the events of jabberwock island kept a secret from the general public? the fact that he was trying to rehab the remnants of despair in the neo world program was supposed to be a secret, right? to protect them?? am i wrong about that??

that flashback light only had me more confused

woah you can go outside and watch an action sequence of keebo fighting an exisal that's fucking sick

kokichi has the wax figure of rantaro?? just strung up by his bed?? what the????

oh THAT'S where the caged child document went!

so he really WAS the leader of the ultimate improv comedy group

i bet they do flash mobs

i think a more accurate title for him would be "ultimate little shit"

obsessed with the whiteboard in his room with all our pictures on it. he wrote who murdered whom, then wrote "suspicious" by maki, "weird" by keebo, "trustworthy?" by me, and "annoying" by the monokubs lol

REAL makoto naegi??? in the flashback flesh???

hell yeah we're FINALLY going to rantaro's lab!

...now that i'm in here i instantly regret it i don't like it in here

how did kokichi know about the vaults in rantaro's lab early enough to leave those notes? did HE even leave those notes? and WHY do the vaults have a monokuma USB in them?

is it gonna have that message from rantaro that we saw in a cutscene earlier?

ha i knew it

ultimate survivor? maybe himiko wasn't joking when she said maybe he went on a bunch of game shows lol. get this man to CBS

"i never imagined rantaro the first victim would come up again like this" i mean, *i* could! at least i was hoping. there were way too many unanswered questions about him

the voice of one of these unnamed classmates in this flashback sounds SUSPICIOUSLY like bryce papenbrook. i've learned never to take his presence lightly in these games

cold sleep room?!

aw hey the whole gang back together in the flashback! man it's been awhile since i've seen some of these people

i'm sorry, kaede has a TWIN??????

bro this game actually game overed me because i spent too much time clicking on people to talk to. I WAS TRYING TO BE THOROUGH IN MY INVESTIGATION!!!!!!! i didn't think it would do that to me, i just thought the time limit would be done once i'd completed everything. ffs

...motherkuma?

oh the mastermind just be making flashback lights to include whatever memories they choose? so yeah they all have to be COMPLETE crap

if himiko suddenly reappeared and is once again being super unhelpful about how she escaped the sealed hidden room, i'm guessing that means there's another door to that room

oh shit fam a hidden passage in the girl's bathroom? hm

hey they repaired keebo's ahoge! which was the key to his inner voice clearly

ha i knew those "small bugs" were actually cameras of a sort

"i'll hit them with my 'all your relationships will end up being love triangles' curse!" damn himiko that's cold. i feel like a remnant of despair would enjoy that tho

you know, if you'd asked me to predict who my final group would be, i NEVER would have guessed himiko and tsumugi. maki absolutely, keebo maybe, but never those two. this is such an odd grouping to be the final one

wait how the fuck do you know about jabberwock island, shuichi? or was that less secret than i thought?

i need to know more about this "previous game" rantaro survived

god how i fucking WISH rantaro was the ultimate game show host that would be so funny

your honor my girlfriend kaede was innocent!!!!!!!

are you telling me that the throwaway joke the game grumps made about the shot put ball landing right next to rantaro and not actually hitting him is what ACTUALLY happened???

i knew everyone kind of brushing off that tsumugi went to the bathroom back in chapter 1 was odd

we're doing a closing argument now? we haven't even hit intermission. i assume part 2 of this trial is just gonna be off the rails then

they're literally all begging tsumugi to tell them she's not the mastermind but she can't do it

dude if kokichi were here he would be tearing her apart verbally

junko the 53rd?! new ultimate despair?

is tsumugi just doing a REALLY effective cosplay rn?

they all keep trying to tell me that kokichi was a remnant of despair but i don't believe he was

don't tell me that makoto went back on his promise to have hope's peak be for normies

i like to believe that toko wrote this book

yeah i knew all those memories were fake as shit. we're in like a hunger games arena i'm calling it now

lol they weren't even hope's peak students? i'm willing to be they're not even ultimates at all, and not a single one of their backstories is real

i like to imagine everyone who's died so far is watching this from another room like everyone eliminated from a season of the bachelor or survivor watching the finale episode

the ONLY piece of evidence leading me to believe anything told to us might've been even remotely real is kaito's strange illness. other than that, i'm fairly certain every single thing told to us about the backstory and the outside world is fake. i bet there is no gofer project, there were no meteorites, there is no disease

what the- HAJIME?????

mahiru? okay this is starting to get a little batshit. felt some whiplash when she turned into hiro and then soda

hey don't you DARE turn into makoto naegi that feels disrespectful

bro does this take place in a different universe from the other two games???

this is getting way too meta

i have no idea where this goes from here if this isn't in the same universe as the other games

wait are we actually in a time loop of sorts, like i'd predicted awhile back?

oh dude i just noticed there are little "V"s and "3"s in the eyes when tsumugi is cosplaying

is this girl really blaming her actions on ~society~?

bro this is getting WAY too meta. like, past the point of being fun

shuichi just shouting at them to shut up is my mood rn

is this a roundabout way of saying they're all quote-unquote actors?

damn even that illness was fake huh

bro not her actually becoming soda to make the tenko comparison 😂

guys i'm not really sure what to make of this. idk where to go from here

like i genuinely feel like a bucket of cold water was just poured on me. like. what the fuck is this

guys i'm gonna be real: this fucking sucks. i've never been a fan of "it was a dream this whole time and none of it mattered or was real" storylines. it's lazy writing. and i really feel it here

bro i got the BAD END??

...or maybe not?

oh my god is keebo gonna be my actual savior??

i knew keebo was the only bitch around here i could trust

hang on am i playing as keebo now?? it's my dream. he had an ahoge for a reason! the TRUE true protagonist! this game is starting to redeem itself

lol of course that was an antenna. and he was basically the first person camera for the audience? interesting

you know this means in the final chapter the audience wasn't watching the rest of us running around finding clues for the situation, they were watching keebo fight exisals lol

ULTIMATE HOPE ROBOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

there's always an ultimate hope at the end of these. and it's very interesting that unlike the other games, they didn't have it be the character i was controlling for a majority of the game. and tbh i think that was the correct choice. shuichi you're great and your heart's in the right place but you're not the ultimate hope lol

oh this is now a battle to save keebo's life???????? oh i am putting my ALL into this

the fuck kind of rules are these? even if we win we gotta sacrifice two of us? huh?

speaking of, what happened to the 11 other people in this game? are they actually dead? or not? that feels very unclear now

i gotta fight shuichi in verbal sword battle? i gotta fight essentially myself?

i was never good at the sword minigames i could never figure out the best way to control it

oh man that poor boy is just so clinically depressed

and the fact that we had that sword fight to clair de lune...oh man

shuichi i am unsure about this logic of yours

oh am i shuichi again now?

yes shuichi we stan a weak king

tsumugi don't you dare talk as makoto you're making a mockery of everything he stood for

wait now i get to be himiko too? i better get a turn as maki by the end of this

oh thank god i do

thank goodness i didn't enable the "more time" skill

did they fry keebo?????????? unforgiveable unforgiveable UNFORGIVEABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh my god they took him over i hate this. let me go back to playing as keebo again

THEY ERASED HIS PERSONALITY??????? i'm never forgiving this game. this last chapter is like the finale of how i met your mother

at least he came back to say goodbye 😭

I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT THIS FAR AND THEY FUCKING TOOK KEEBO FROM ME NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

can't believe i had to fight keebo and not tsumugi in the final battle

"we're friends, aren't we?" oh shut the fuck UP, tsumugi

no votes? thanks keebs

keebo fucking razing the place to the ground and executing everyone else in the process was NOT how i expected this game to end

oh shit they pulled a fast one on me with this epilogue - shuichi and maki and himiko lived?!? damn

they've made it unclear whether or not this is ACTUALLY in the same world as makoto and friends ughhh

i hate that they ripped keebo from me at the last second. they erased his personality and made him self-destruct. he was the hero but at what cost. this is a personal betrayal

could they rebuild him? maybe? all i want is a reunion with keebo and the survivors (VERY small survivor pool this time btw)

i'm going to be thinking about keebo nonstop for days fyi

guys, i gotta be real with you. this was the most unsatisfying horseshit. it felt like nothing mattered, and honestly it felt like they were making a mockery of us for enjoying the previous games and content. i didn't like it. and honestly it felt...lazy? like i had been speculating so much about how this would connect with the rest of the danganronpa plot and how this would build upon the already established story and characters. like you should've seen the theories i had in my head (one of my best ones: tsumugi was a rogue hope's peak student who idolized junko and wanted to do a killing game in her honor. keebo was a plant from makoto and the future foundation/academy to guide the others and eventually help lead to their rescue - that would've been a great plotline tbh). but no, none of that happened, it didn't build on the story, it didn't add to it, it wasn't part of the same story. it was just............nothing. it didn't lead anywhere, it didn't build up to anything. it just went nowhere and did nothing, it wasn't connected. it felt like all the investigating i did to find out the truth was a waste of time, and all the plot twists and turns that happened and all the choices the characters made had no fucking payoff. it was so frustrating. there are so many creative choices they could've made to build on the story in the danganronpa world but...that meta bullshit was not it.

in other news, i have already started writing a fanfiction: an alternate version of v3 that actually takes place in-universe, therefore making all the games connected! and i think what i've thought up is pretty good, ngl. it might be related to that theory i mentioned above. if you're interested in reading, lmk and i'll work to write it faster!

and thus officially concludes my v3 gameplay commentary! i might post here and there about my experiences in the bonus modes as i do them

[bluepickle36]

I watched the hobbit trilogy (the theatrical version) over the last several days and I can now say fairly that they are terrible.

And I'm not just talking about the addition of Azog and Tauriel.

[a word of warning: this got looong]

An Unexpected Journey is really not that bad. It sticks to the books (for the most part. Obviously Azog isn't in the books but I'll talk about him later.) and it even includes the songs. I don't think I'll ever forget the misty mountains song; it's beautiful. The humming harmony to Thorin's singing is amazing and the additional singing voices in the chorus and the way they fall in and out and only come in on certain phrases is something I don't have the words to describe. I like how the riddle game was done and I think the twin natures Smeagol and Gollum were neat. (I know they're in lotr but the idea that Smeagol and Gollum have been in conflict since the finding of the ring has never occurred to me and I find it interesting.) I like how in the beginning Thorin is skeptical of Bilbo and how by the end of Unexpected Journey he has grown to trust him and considers him a friend.

What I don't like is Azog. I think he's an interesting character and all but his design especially bothers me. He is more reminiscent of a man and less like an orc. He makes me think of the Uruk-Hai from lotr but the Uruk-Hai were created by Saruman. They didn't exist during the Hobbit. The orcs in the Hobbit are more like the lotr orcs in Moria. The orcs in Moria chase the Fellowship but seem to do it in a more animalistic way. They are sentient, yes, but they are less intelligent and more like pack animals than the Uruk-Hai. I guess Azog just seems too smart to me? I don't know if that makes any sense but he really just feels too much like an Uruk-Hai and they're not around yet and that bothers me. Azog is redundant of Lurtz. The addition of his character does make narrative sense and add to the story in some aspects but I really think the movie would have been fine without him.

All in all I think Unexpected Journey wasn't that bad and that was what prompted me to watch the other two movies.

Unfortunately, they make Unexpected Journey look perfect.

Let's start with The Desolation of Smaug. In the beginning of the movie the Company takes refuge in Beorn's house, chased by Beorn himself, which is weird. Is he supposed to be under a curse or something where his bear form is evil? (because that's definitely not in the book.)

Then there's the spiders, and the elves are introduced. I think the addition of Legolas to the Hobbit is definitely intriguing, but it just feels like a forced tie-in to the lotr films. Maybe if it was just a cameo (perhaps we see him in the party that rescues the dwarves as a background character, or perhaps we see the tail end of a conversation between Legolas and Thranduil later on) it would be better.

And where to start about Tauriel. She isn't in the books, even as a minor background character, and she adds nothing to the plot except a weird love triangle with Legolas and Kili that is absolutely pointless and takes up screen time which could have been used for something else.

Like Dol Guldur. Like I said, I watched the theatrical version, but I have seen the extended Dol Guldur scenes and the way the theatrical version was cut makes it seem incredibly rushed, especially given the extensive build-up to it.

Also what's up with Galadriel and Gandalf? They're represented as having an almost romantic relationship, but Galadriel is MARRIED to Celeborn!! Nothing in the books, the hobbit or the lotr, implies that there's anything between Galadriel and Gandalf. Poor Celeborn. Does he know his wife is off cavorting about with a Maia?

Then there's the chase down the river. This whole sequence is dumb. In the books the dwarves just float down the river and wash up on the lakeshore. In the movie they're discovered almost immediately and then attacked by orcs? And then Legolas and Tauriel save them and just...let them go? Why don't the elves kill the orcs and recapture the dwarves?

I do like what was done with Bard's character. Obviously he had to be fleshed out a little for the movie since he's a minor character for most of the book (except where he kills Smaug, obviously, but that's really an exception). Making him a poor single father while maintaining the only real description he's given in the book (a doomsayer whose dour predictions are ignored by most of the town) is one of the few good decisions made on these movies.

Then Tauriel and Legolas save the dwarves again (granted, only four of them, but still). Tauriel heals Kili in a painfully obvious parallel to Arwen healing Frodo that never truly comes to fruition. Legolas does some fancy fighting moves.

(Side note: WHY DOES HE HAVE CREEPY CONTACTS? There was nothing wrong with his brown eyes and the blue just makes him look overly intense and deranged.)

The way Sauron as the Necromancer easily overpowers Gandalf I thought was a very neat way to tie‐in the lotr. Gandalf sends the Fellowship because he knows he's not powerful enough to stand against Sauron himself. He raises up Aragorn and Frodo because he isn't powerful enough to do it himself. He's learned that here, when he acknowledges to Radagast that Dol Guldur is a trap and then walks right into it thinking he can stand alone. Granted, he sends Radagast for Galadriel, but he believes he can hold Sauron off long enough for help to arrive. In lotr, he doesn't even attempt such a thing. He puts his hope in others' strength: Frodo to carry the ring to Mordor, Aragorn to distract Sauron, the Rohirrim and Ents to destroy Saruman, the rest of the Fellowship to assist and support.

(It could be argued that he was wrong to allow Boromir to join the Fellowship, but that is a discussion for another day.)

The entire chase scene with Smaug is very cool but I don't understand why Smaug would have turned away from Thorin on the bridge to chase the other dwarves. I would think Smaug would kill Thorin first before he goes after the others. Thorin is the main danger- he's the King Under the Mountain, the one who started the quest. I don't think the entire quest would fall apart without him at this point; they've come too far for that. I do think Thorin's death at this point would seriously demoralize them, though. (I get why Smaug was distracted [plot armor], it just doesn't make sense to me in-universe.)

The death of Smaug was amazing both in the acting and in the cinematography. Where was Legolas though? He and Tauriel hadn't yet left the town, since Tauriel helps the dwarves escape. Did he decide to take after his father and just sit and watch without bothering to help?

Dol Guldur, again, seems very rushed. I'm still not sure if that's because I've seen the extended Dol Guldur scenes or if the sequences simply are rushed. Saruman fighting for the good guys was interesting to see, since he's only ever evil in lotr and merely alluded to in the hobbit book. Galadriel being the only one capable of standing against Sauron but unable to do anything against the Nazgul is weird. If she's stronger than Saruman and Elrond, why were they able to fight the Nazgul while she collapsed?

Thranduil rolling his eyes when Gandalf tries to warn him and Bard of the incoming orcs was absolutely hilarious and a hint at the fact that, even though most of the characters in these movies respect Gandalf as a wise wizard, there are also those who think he is only a stormcrow.

Then there was the actual battle between the five armies. What were the worm things Azog used to get his army to the battlefield? I have never seen mention of them in any of the lotr or hobbit books. And how did Azog get the windmill thingy set up on the hill without anyone noticing?

The scene where Thorin realizes what he has become was well-done, as was the scene where Kili stands up to him. Kili's finally had enough of sitting and letting others die; he finally had the courage to confront his uncle. I thought that was an interesting character development.

The charge of the dwarves, the way they rallied to their King, and then the elves coming to their aid are precisely the sort of epic action I started this trilogy expecting.

Then Thorin takes Fili and Kili with him to kill Azog, who has explicitly stated- and proven by his actions- his desire to end the bloodline of Durin, of which Fili and Kili are a part. Why did Thorin make this decision? He should know that Azog wants all three of them dead. I know the brothers aren't kids and would argue to come with him, but still. Doesn't he want to protect them as much as he can? (Especially since Fili is his heir. Not only does this not really make familial sense, it also doesn't make tactical sense.)

Azog killing Fili in front of his brother and uncle just proves his cruelty all over again. That scene hurt to watch.

Legolas fighting Bolg really showcases the superhuman ability of the elves.

Then Thorin dies. I was happy the filmmakers at least included him making peace with Bilbo before he dies.

But why, WHY, does Thranduil tell Legolas to go find a Dunedain ranger who goes by the name of Strider? At this point in time, Aragorn is about 10, living in Rivendell, and being called Estel. He doesn't even know he's the King. The nickname Strider doesn't come into being until he is in the vicinity of Bree. ("'Round here, folks call him Strider.") Does Legolas just show up at Imladris, looking for a Dunedain? Does Elrond shake his head at the ridiculous antics of the King of Mirkwood, point at the child playing with Glorfindel, and tell Legolas that's who he's here for?

The auction scene was funny, though.

The actors/actresses did an AMAZING job. At no point did I think, well that's obviously an actor, which I have done with other movies. All the characters were sold. The soundtrack, with all the little hints and callbacks to the lotr trilogy, is absolutely brilliant. I think the main problem with these movies is all the extraneous material. Cut out Azog and Tauriel (and maybe Legolas, because he really feels like a namedrop), combine the second two movies, leave the extended Dol Guldur scenes, and voila. Perfection.

(I've heard it said that Peter Jackson wasn't given as much freedom with the hobbit trilogy as he was with the lotr trilogy. If this is true, then it's a shame. He did so well with the lotr, he should have been allowed to do the same with the hobbit.)

If you made it all the way here, thank you for reading my Very Long Rant.

[shadowcrafter-28]

Omg this is perfect

(Heads up, I’ve headcanoned Katie Mitchell with pronouns, She/He)

So, I thought about how the Mitchells and the pines exist in the same universe since like both Michael Rianda, creator of The Mitchells vs The Machines and creative producer of gravity falls, and Alex Hirsch, creator of gravity falls and I think also creative producer of the mitchells vs the machines, worked together on the film.

And then I thought maybe Bill could come back after being accidentally summoned in California (same place where the pines twins live and where Katie attends school)

And then I also thought about Kill Bill because I love that movie, Katie loves the film, and it would be the best school project for Katie, Katie’s gf, Jade, and her friends, along with Mabel, who’ve i’ve added to the story!

Anyways, this is what I think should go down with Katie being possessed by Bill Cipher

I thought about Mabel attending the same film college as Katie and she’d either have one of the journals to guard or for film props (since Bill “doesn’t exist anymore”) or Bill could just comes back randomly and take revenge.

Katie and Jade plan to do this college project (maybe as a side or for school) that will be their version of Kill Bill, both volumes, and Katie feels like he’s still failing his interest and not impressing Jade enough despite her and Jade being together for a while.

Mabel would try to mention of Bill’s chaos and demise as she’s making friends and also talks a lot about how Katie and her family were known for saving the world from robots since she didn’t know who stopped the apocalypse. Mabel does get distracted so she doesn’t tell too much about bill so Katie is still unaware of what comes next.

(I think one of the college students or Katie might summon bill somehow accidentally without noticing)

Anyways, Bill would appear in Katie’s dream one day and talks to him abt making a deal to help her succeed and impress Jade. She does refuse at first cause ofc, talking, glowing, and floating triangles are sketchy to her 😭

After more doubts towards himself and abt the project’s success, Bill returns, this time to convince her again, Katie finally agreeing to a deal. It takes a turn though when Bill kicks her soul out of her body, Doctor strange style, into a television screen in her dorm.

And then Bill takes over Katie’s body. He does mention about his last possessions, including dipper. He’d probably say “it’s like pine tree all over again, but I’m not twelve, not so smart, and I actually have some talent.”

The real Katie is only able to appear through television and phone screens, also speak directly through radio frequencies and she cannot escape any of em unless her body is not occupied with another being.

Katie, before possession, agreed to play “Bill” in the shooting of volume two, Jade playing the main character, the bride

Jade does become concerned and wants everyone to look for him but still get most done with the project, her doing the same.

The real Katie attempts to make contact with her friends, including Jade and Mabel, speaking through their phones, speakers, and even video cameras.

She talks to Mabel and mentions on how she made a deal with the “bill guy” she mentioned and her body’s now taken over by bill. Mabel is then hunted down by “kill” who comes through the shoot, all dressed in the “bill” costume and since Mabel was supposed to be there anyway

Jade helps protect Mabel from her gf who she thinks has gone crazy (jealous that Mabel came into the project? I probably shouldn’t add that) at first before Mabel tells that she’s possessed by bill (obviously shown in her pupils)

I’m thinking there should be a katana (fake katana props) duel between Katie and Jade to defeat Bill.

Katie is also like dipper with getting sleep, so what if like Katie had three or four caffeinated drinks that morning and the energy from them had finally worn off. Plus, he’s always up at night working on stuff and ends up losing sleep half the time.

Bill then being driven out of Katie’s body and the real Katie now able to enter back, now in serious pain since Bill treated it poorly before his main objective.

In the end, Mabel would have to let Dipper know, including Stanford, that Bill has returned.

All of this is messy but yeah!! :))

Bonus:

Bill probably got a look into Katie’s memories and learned about PAL, so he’d do something to bring her back and work along side with her so he can try and bring back weirdmageddon.

PAL and Bill, I know, would get along, but both would turn on each other real quick. Or maybe Bill could convince PAL to be taken over by him and be unstoppable, even defeat their enemies finally.

Another bonus:

Here’s a WIP of “Kill” artwork coming soon!! (If I don’t procrastinate)

[dont-blame-it-on-the-kids]

50 Random Character Asks: Mako

OH MY GOD this took me 4 hours sitting down lmao

here you GO lins underway i am not accepting anymore FULL Asks but if you have a few numbers (up to 10) and a character i will accept those

1. Canon I outright reject

All of book 2 my fucking god. The whole love triangle never happened. He found Rina, and he fell in love. They’re married and pregnant with the twins in book 3 

2. A canon or headcanon hill I will die on

His wife and twins, foreverrrrrrr

3. Obscure headcanon

He turned into the unofficial handyman for his apartment and is always helping when plumbing goes wrong or when the aircon units go haywire 

4. Favorite line

I like any line where he's pointing something ONLY HE noticed out like it was obvious and just being a good detective. (also those cheesy cop lines he was practicing lmao) 

5. Best personality trait

That hes pretty willing and ready to face challenges head on 

6. Worst personality trait

Hes so stubborn and thick headed i love it 

7. Age/height/weight headcanon

Hes like 18-22 throughout the show 

I think he’s 6ft 5inch 

Idk weighs probably a little underweight in book 1 cuz street rat probender, but after then lin gets him set up in an apartment and she and kya along with asami just make sure he’s got food stocked. 

8. Unpopular opinion about them

I know its not mako specific but I hate Wu*ko I HATE IT 

9. Scene that first made me love (or hate) the character

Him getting work at the electric plant ONTOP of being a probender, a part of the Krew, and trying to keep bolin from trouble. True big sibling activities. 

10. Best moment on screen (or in the book)

I really like the scene where he fights the red lotus in zaofu. He does a good job. 

11. Faceclaim for the role

Chai Hansen

12. Crack headcanon

He’s allergic to Lychee nuts but thinks Lychee juice is supposed to be spicy. 

13. Dumbest thing they’ve ever done

If we’re looking at canon he fumbled BOTH Korra and Asami, my mans, 

14. Most heroic moment

Honestly I know end of book 4 was a big moment for him but I think he was a hero LONG before with keeping him and Bolin safe on the streets and as out of trouble as they were. 

15. Worst thing they’ve ever done

Godddddd that good intentions but ruining the investigation in book 2 i CANNOT dont get me started 

16. Deepest darkest secret they won’t even admit to themselves

He hates bolin, he hates that bolin doesnt remember their parents well, he hates that he had to raise him, he hates that bolin gets to be irresponsible while he had to grow up at 8 to make sure they were okay. He loves his brother, he really does, but when he’s no longer responsible for bolin mako refuses to accept the relief that comes with that for a while. 

17. Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them

Can't Go Wrong by Phillip Phillips

Sleeping In by All Time Low 

18. What they’d go to see a therapist about

Everything for reall like his parents being murdered infront of him batman style, to raising bolin, to having every adult that new him before we did in the show was abusing him (i.e. the probending owner taking his entire winnings, the triad they worked for when he was younger. My boy had it ROUGH) 

19. Vices/bad habits

I think he picks up smoking honestly. I think he’s been smoking since he was like 11 with the triad and he doesnt let bolin know but he hasnt been able to kick the habit. 

20. Scars

I think he's got a few thinner like knife and burn scars before the explosion scarred up his arm. 

21. Drink of choice (not just alcoholic)

Milk 

22. Best physical feature

Cheekbones lmao the cheekbones in that show are insane 

23. If they were a scented candle, what would they smell like?

You know that moment when someone throws pine needles on the fire? And its pine and charcoal and fire and smoke. Yeah, maybe like that. 

24. Most annoying habit

Sleeps with socks on 

25. 3 things they’d want to take with them if they were dropped off in the middle of nowhere

Some money, a map, and his scarf he’ll make his way home lmao 

26. What they would do if stuck in an elevator with [insert character of your choice from the same fandom]

Dont matter who hes with hes gonna get them all out lmao 

27. Their guilty pleasure

Wood carving, he doesnt think it’s a useful use of his time and as the unofficial handyman in his apartment he’s usually rather busy.

28. How they feel about [insert character of your choice from the same fandom]

🤷idk i depends on the person lmao 

29. Eating habits

Bad, bad bad until he meets rina. He gets like A cup o noodles in mid day and mostly survives off milk and juice lmao 

30. Sleeping habits

He has stints of nightmares sometimes but most of the time he can sleep anywhere, unless its too soft. He cant stand soft beds. 

31. If the had a tumblr what would it look like?

He would have a family blog where its pics of his family and the twins and updates and their art and stuff. Then maybe he’ll reblog some like fandom stuff from probending or a radio show he and rina listen to. 

32. Something guaranteed to make them smile/laugh

His twinssss he loves them so much 

33. Something guaranteed to make them cry

Theres a song that his mom used to sing all the time. He still cant listen to it without crying. Rina finds out the hard way when she was humming it cuz it was stuck in her head one day. 

34. How they react when they are feeling X emotion (sad, angry, excited, scared, etc.—can specify as many as you like)

Bottle it mostly. Emotions can be dealt with later. 

35. Their idea of a perfect day

Wake up and make the family breakfast, head off to work for a bit, move a few cases forwards, get home, have dinner, bathe the twins, get them to bed with a story book then cuddle on the couch with Rina until bedtime. 

36. Their favorite season

He loves winter because hes not overheating and people stand closer to him for warmth lmao 

37. What they really think about themselves

He thinks he’s doing well by the end of the series. In my hc world He’s married with his twins, he and bolin have found a name and a path for themselves and they’re not struggling anymore. He’s really grown up and done a lot of work. He’s proud of what he’s done and who his family is, both chosen and blood related.

38. Favorite holiday

Growing up on the streets they did not celebrate holidays for many reasons. He hated them for a long time. but seeing the twins opening gifts on the in universe equivalent of christmas, lin, kya, and asami over for dinner while korra and bolin were away during the timeskip and seeing the twins so happy and opening gifts and stuff. He found he could enjoy the holiday again and even was looking forward to the next years dinner when the twins were older and bolin and korra were back. 

39. Favorite game

He enjoys playing Cabbage Land with the twins (thank you @btheleaf for the Candy Land knock off name)

40. Favorite book

He really got into the romance series lin brought with her to the stakeout once lmao hes not so slyly asked to borrow her copies. Rina, Lin, and Kya have included him on their book club meetings now xD 

41. If they could have lunch with anyone in the world (living or dead, from any fictional universe or the real world), who would it be?

I think he would want to meet his grandfather (i’m excluding his parents cuz thats a copout answerrr)

42. 3 comfort items

His scarf, a tiny glass bird a homeless man made him when they were on the streets (he made bolin a small fireferret), and a photo he has of him korra and bolin from the probending team 

43. 3 favorite foods and 3 they despise

Fav - strawberries, Rina’s chicken fried rice, and he was surprised he enjoyed walrus-cow chowder as much as he did in the south. 

44. Their happiest memory

Hes got a few lol, when he married Rina, and when his twins were born. 

45. Their favorite celebrity

He doesnt seem the kind to follow celebrities too closely honestly. 

46. The person they most admire

Lin Beifong 100000% shes the reason he joined the force and he kinda is always looking for her approval. 

47. Their dream job

He seems to be really good as a detective. Maybe he would have liked to stay a probender for life but the trauma from the attacks were too much to go back really. 

48. Scariest moment of their life

When the dust settles in book 4 and he doesnt know where Rina and the twins are. He doesnt know if they were on the last train out or stuck in the city during the attack. 

49. Favorite toy as a child

He used to have this wooden bird that worked as like an ocarina. Hes using his wood carving skills to try to make one again and maybe make some for the twins.  

50. A memory they’ve blocked out

👀👀 lots of things can happen to young kids on the streets.

[ejzah]

A/N: It can never be said that I don’t run with an idea. Do we think Kensi and Deeks have successfully rid their house of Russians?

***

Deeks, genially: Anna, so good to see you. I take it your here to retrieve your long lost husband. Don’t worry, we’ve kept him fed and watered.

Anna, smiling: Hey, Deeks. Actually, I was wondering if I could come in.

Deeks, resigned: Of course. Welcome, the more the merrier. *then just under his breath* What’s seven people in a 2-bedroom house? We can just get bunk beds.

Kensi, standing to greet her: Anna, hey, how are you?

Anna, pausing to say tweak each of the twins’ cheeks: Ah. I’ve been better. I think I might be more stressed than leading up to our wedding.

Callen, rising to kiss her: I thought you said things were calming down between your dad, Yuliana, and Roberta.

Deeks: The world’s most dangerous and disturbing love triangle.

Rosa, chuckles: I don’t know about that. You haven’t heard Roberta’s story with the two electricians.

Kensi, wryly: Fantastic.

Deeks: Anyway, getting back on track. What’s going on? Is Arkady dead? Do we need to send in the CIA or call a Russian ambassador?

Anna, cracking a thin smile: No, fortunately there was no bloodshed as of when I left. However, Yuliana began sharing some of my father’s more colorful behavior and your mother *she nods to Deeks* joined in. The switch was remarkable and a little unnerving.

Callen: And you just left them?

Anna, shrugging: What else was I supposed to do? It got very awkward after a while. When I left, Yuliana was sharing a bottle of wine with Roberta while Arkady tried to defend himself.

Kensi: So, there’s a small chance that they might reach an accordance soon?

Deeks, snorting: Are you kidding? You know my mom, Kens. She will happily talk about every minuscule mistake Arkady has ever made for as long as Yuliana will listen. It looks like we’re in for the long haul.

Anna: We can get a hotel, right Callen? It’s not a big deal.

Kensi: No, no, no. You can stay here. We’ll figure out something.

Rosa: So… sleepover in the den?

Callen, happily: I’ll make some popcorn.

Deeks, pursing his lips as he puts his his arm around Kensi: Kensalina, I fear we have just unofficially adopted two Russians.

[samalvsinpanic]

The hole/ Billford oneshot

I remind you again that English is not my first language, if you notice any mistakes please let me know.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

There was Ford, after the end of the world, next to his twin brother who was recovering his memory after saving the world, and all Ford could think about was the feeling of deep desolation that settled in his heart, burdening him with something heavy that left a bitter taste in his mouth. He felt stupid and selfish, what his brother had once told him, he shouldn't be feeling that way, at least not for who did it, please! In front of him was his brother, who sacrificed his memory for the whole world, and don't get him wrong, he really felt sad and scared when his brother looked at him with empty eyes without recognizing the twin face that looked back at him, but now he was getting better, the children were helping him remember who he was, and Ford also helped by telling anecdotes from his childhood. No, the one he felt so sad for was the damn Bill Cipher, the demon who had started everything, who had deceived him, betrayed him, used him, threatened his family, hurt his brother, who had understood him like no one else, who he had loved like never before. Ford had a lump in his throat just remembering the triangle, he wanted to scream, laugh and cry, he couldn't, after so much time, keep some affection for the terrible being, but he did it, a rational part of his brain told him it was normal since he never really went through the grieving process when the relationship ended, but it was still unpleasant to have that heaviness in his heart for someone who he was sure hadn't loved him the same way. Although now he wasn't so sure about that either, when Bill had him captive, for a few minutes, he thought that the demon really cared about him, that he really wanted him by his side, but he also wanted something from him, the equation to get out of Gravity Falls, he wasn't sure of anything anymore. He had spent the first night awake, looking for any sign of the demon, trying to convince himself that he was only doing it to make sure that he had really left. That night, after receiving nothing, he cried, he cried knowing that he really left and that he had not said goodbye, which was stupid, that demon deserved every second of his end, but that night Ford discovered his heart that was still beating, and unfortunately it was for him. What a terrible way to find out, a sick hatred grew inside him towards himself, not being able to get the demon out of his memories, even though Cipher was dead, he still had control of his mind. But everyone seemed to move on, his grand-nephews left, his brother was getting better every day, the strange man who worked at the cabin ran it wonderfully, and now he was on a boat sailing with his brother as they always dreamed, Ford supposed that he would simply have to learn to live like that, with silence in his mind and a hole in his heart.

[bunnysnuff]

Chapter 3.

Pairing: Charlie spring x F!twin!Reader (siblings), Charlie spring x nick Nelson, nick Nelson x F!reader.

Trigger warning: slow burn, love triangle. Charlie’s POV.

Masterlist.

—

Summary: Dear Charlie, we shared the same womb; I love you. I’m sorry.

harlie knew something was off, but he couldn't quite place it. His twin sister, who normally shared everything with him, had been acting differently for weeks. They used to joke about everything, from their teachers to who could finish their homework faster, but lately, there was an edge to their interactions, a silent tension that neither of them wanted to address.

It all started when Nick Nelson joined their lives. Charlie had known he liked Nick almost from the start. The way Nick smiled, his easygoing laugh, the way he made Charlie feel like he mattered just by being there—it was impossible not to like him. But recently, Charlie noticed that his sister had been spending more time around Nick, too. Little things, really, but they added up.

Like how she seemed to find her way into conversations that were just supposed to be between Charlie and Nick. Or how she’d offer Nick her seat in class, brushing her hair back and smiling in that casual way she did when she wanted to charm someone. The looks she gave Nick were subtle, but Charlie had known her his entire life—he could see it. She liked Nick, too.

But instead of talking about it, the rivalry simmered quietly between them, unspoken but very much alive.

One afternoon, Charlie and his sister were sitting at lunch, Nick across the table from them, laughing at something Tao had said. Nick looked relaxed, his broad shoulders leaning comfortably against the back of his chair. It was a typical day, but the atmosphere between the twins was anything but.

"Hey, Nick," she said suddenly, leaning forward with a bright smile. "I was thinking, you should totally come over to help me with my art project this weekend. You’re so good at sketching, I could really use the help." Her tone was sweet, but Charlie caught the way her eyes flicked to him—like a subtle challenge.

Charlie’s stomach twisted. She’s trying to get him alone. He shot her a quick glance, but kept quiet. Instead, he turned to Nick, forcing a smile.

"Actually, we were planning on watching that new show together, weren’t we, Nick?" Charlie chimed in, his voice casual but firm. "You should definitely come over, we’ll make a day of it. Watch a few episodes, maybe order pizza."

Nick blinked, glancing between the two of them, clearly oblivious to the tension brewing beneath their friendly smiles. "Uh, yeah, both sound great," he said with a little chuckle. "I can help with the art project and then hang out with Charlie after, I guess?"

There was a brief silence, the kind that wasn’t uncomfortable for anyone but the two of them. His sister's lips twitched into a half-smile, but there was something sharp in her eyes. Two can play this game, she seemed to be saying.

As the days passed, the competition for Nick's attention grew, though neither of them ever mentioned it directly. They started trying to outdo each other in small, subtle ways—who could make Nick laugh harder, who he’d text back first, who he’d sit next to during lunch.

One Friday after school, Charlie had planned to walk home with Nick, just the two of them. He was looking forward to it, imagining the quiet conversation they’d have, maybe some awkward flirting. But when he reached the lockers, he found his sister already there with Nick, talking animatedly about some music playlist they had both been into recently.

"You guys ready to go?" Charlie asked, trying to sound casual, but his voice came out tighter than he wanted.

His sister looked up, her smile widening as if she’d won some secret battle. "Oh, actually, Nick and I were going to stop by the music shop. He wanted to check out some new vinyls." She shot him a quick glance, her tone almost too innocent.

Nick turned to Charlie, a little apologetic. "You’re welcome to come along if you want, Charlie."

But Charlie knew what she was doing. She was trying to pull Nick away, to get him to herself, and Charlie couldn’t stand it. Not when he’d been waiting for a moment like this all week.

"Thanks," Charlie said, trying to keep the frustration from his voice. "But I’ll probably just head home."

He gave Nick a small smile, but his eyes flicked briefly to his sister, and there was no mistaking the look they shared—both of them knew what was happening, even if they weren’t willing to admit it.

The walk home felt heavier than usual. Charlie’s thoughts were tangled, his heart pounding in a confusing mix of jealousy and guilt. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. They were supposed to have each other’s backs, but here they were, silently competing over Nick, neither willing to talk about it.

He wasn’t sure how long they could keep this up before something had to give.

—

Diary entry 3.

Dear Charlie,

I don’t know how to start this without it sounding weird, but I feel like I need to tell you. I need to get it out because it’s been sitting in my chest for weeks, and pretending like everything is fine between us feels impossible right now.

You’ve probably noticed it too—the distance, the weird tension, the little moments where I know we’re both biting our tongues. I hate it, Charlie. I hate feeling like there’s something standing between us when we’ve always been so close, like we’re not even being honest with each other anymore. And I think we both know what this is about, even if we’ve never said it.

Nick.

I didn’t mean for this to happen, but I like him. And I know you do too. Maybe you’ve liked him for longer, I don’t know. It’s not like I planned on developing feelings for him—it just kind of happened.

At first, I didn’t want to admit it, not to myself and definitely not to you. But then I started noticing how much I wanted to be around him, how my heart did that stupid thing where it speeds up every time he’s nearby. And that’s when I realized… I think we’re both competing for him, in our own way, without saying it out loud.

The thing is, Charlie, I don’t want to compete with you. I don’t want to lose the connection we have over something we can’t control, over feelings we didn’t ask for. But I don’t know how to handle this. I don’t know how to be honest with you about liking the same person without it hurting one of us.

What scares me the most is that I’ve seen the way Nick looks at you, and I think I already know how this is going to end. He likes you, doesn’t he? Or maybe you’ve already told him how you feel. I don’t know—I’m scared to ask because I don’t want to hear the answer.

But Charlie, you’re my brother. My twin. We’ve always had each other, and I don’t want to lose that. No matter what happens with Nick, I just want us to be okay. Can we be okay?

I guess I’m writing this because I want to stop pretending. I want us to be able to talk about this without feeling like we’re both hiding something. I don’t know what happens next or how this will work out, but I need you to know how I feel. Maybe we’ll figure it out together.

Please don’t hate me for this.

Love,

[Your Name]

[jake-whatthefisgoingon-kiszka]

I don’t even know what to say about this except… sorry? Here you are, part 11! How did we get to all this? Check it out in part 1 here.

Pairings: Jake Kiszka x fem OC, Sam Kiszka x Danny Wagner *slash per the usual

Warnings and tags: please only 18+, absolutely no minors this is not for you!, lots of sexual content, m/f sex including some cock warming and unprotected sex (please be safe out there guys), m/m sex including fingering and rimming (yep!), slight infidelity, smoking and drinking, talking of sensitive material such as death, jealousy, love triangles, restaurant AU, third person POV Sam, Jake, Danny, and some Kim, if I missed anything, I’m sorry, please lmk!

Word count: 7.3k

Danny and Sam were a giggling mess when they came barreling back into the Kiszka house, Sam dramatically retelling a story about the time when they stole all of Jake’s underwear, got them wet, and stood them up outside in the snow. It was a tradition for Sam and Danny to get up to no good the night before Christmas, playing pranks on the twins that only got more elaborate over the years especially with the added fuel of alcohol when they got older. This year they’d decided it would be fun to pick on Josh since he didn’t get enough hell from them all the way up in New York.

Before they could sneak off again Danny’s name was called. “There you are, I want you to meet someone” Danny’s dad intercepted them in the hallway and pulled him off into the dining room. Sam followed, thinking they would only be stalled for a moment then they could continue planning their big move.

“Thomas, this is my boy” Danny’s dad wrapped his arm proudly around his shoulders as he introduced him to someone Sam had never seen before. Their parents were making acquaintances with people all the time, so it was never a surprise to him to see a dozen new faces at the Christmas party every year.

“This is the man I was telling you about” his Dad continued, talking to Danny about a conversation they must have already had. “His company is building a new office over in Bay City. Supposed to be a bunch of new jobs, pays well, benefits, paid time off, the works”.

“Nice to meet you” Danny shook hands with him and Sam pretended to be interested in straightening a few pictures on the wall while he eavesdropped on them talking about what classes he’d been taking and how his degree could be applied in the workforce once he graduated in the spring.

“Well I’ll certainly keep all of that in mind. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I’ll let you get back to enjoying the party now”.

Sam could tell Danny didn’t sound too interested in the job he was being offered, but he was still overly nice and respectful when he spoke to the man, trying to please his Dad as well for getting him the set up. He couldn’t help but feel a little twinge of irritation though. Danny hadn’t mentioned a job opportunity after graduation, and by the sounds of it he all but had it in the bag as long as he agreed to move back up to Michigan when their office opened in June. The same month Sam’s internship started in LA.

“Sorry, you want to go upstairs now?” Danny asked Sam after he snuck away. He seemed tense now, like he hadn’t expected to be caught discussing jobs and moving before he had a chance to talk to Sam about it first. Too late for that now.

“Actually, I want another drink” Sam replied, pushing past Danny and making his way into the kitchen for a new cup filled with more cocktail. He was glad Josh offered to make one great big bowl to serve drinks from, so he could get a break from pouring glasses for once and just enjoy the drinking.

Danny followed Sam this time, and they found that Jake, Josh, and Kim had all congratulated into the kitchen as well.

“You see love, I can act just as well as my counterpart here. Only he can’t cook a meal to save a life” Jake spoke to Kim in a terrible faux British accent, Josh trying to interject any chance he got but continually being cut off and ignored.

“And where have you two been?” Josh finally noticed their arrival, leaving Jake and Kim with a huff who were too busy giggling and flirting with each other over their drinks.

“Around” Sam replied, sounding anything but innocent in his quick response.

Josh shared looks between the both of them, suspicious but with good reason considering their track record on this night.

“Well before you two disappear again, want to head to the garage for a bit?”

They all knew what that meant, Kim and Jake also peaking up at the offer.

The five of them trailed off through the backyard and into the garage, more folding chairs being pulled out to accommodate everyone as Josh lit up the first roll.

“So what’s new?” Jake ditched the accent in favor for his normal conversation voice. Though it was twinged with a little more midwestern than usual since he was sufficiently tipsy enough for it to come out.

Josh was the first to jump at the question, rambling on about the big city and how much he was loving his job as they passed along the piece.

“Well, sounds to me like Daniel is going to be moving back up here pretty soon” Sam spoke up once he got the chance. “Got himself an office job in Bay City”.

“Wow, never pegged you as an office kind of guy” Josh replied, handing off to Danny next.

Danny took a hit before replying “I’m not” with his exhale, quickly passing back off to Kim. Though getting pretty messed up sounded appealing right now, something told him he needed to be somewhat coherent for this conversation. “My dad told me last night he’d made friends with this big corporate guy at the golf course. Said he talked about me a lot and the guy mentioned a new branch with a bunch of openings for high positions as long as you had any kind of college degree”.

“Well what did you say? Did you tell him you don’t want to work in an office? That you want to actually do something with your degree? Not just use it as a fancy piece of paper?” Sam pushed, a little bit of hostility in his tone which had Jake and Josh adjusting in their seats. Clearly this wasn’t a conversation Sam wanted them to be getting in between.

“No” Danny sighed knowing what he was about to say next was not going to be what Sam wanted to hear. “I told him I’d think about it. Finding a good job right after college is difficult. Besides I still don’t even know what I want to do after graduation”.

“Yeah, this is a good opportunity for you. Take some time to figure out what you want. I’m sure your parents will be thrilled to have you back home for a while”. Jake ended up butting in anyways. He knew Danny had some apprehension about his life after school, they’d talked about it on more than one occasion, and it was pissing him off a bit that Sam wasn’t being supportive of his boyfriend.

Had he even told Danny about his plans yet?

Jake decided to bring it up and see. Either Danny knew and it would be out in the open amongst all of them now, or Sam would have to come clean. Which in Jake’s mind he should have a long time ago. Either way, Jake was too drunk and faded to care anymore.

“I mean it’s either that or move to LA with Sam”.

“Woah woah woah, LA?!” Josh piped up, shooting Jake a look for not sharing this information with him sooner. He expected as much from Sam, but Jake usually turned around and clued him in on everything.

Sam kicked Jake in the shin. He’d promised he wouldn’t tell Danny, but Sam had taken too long with trying to sort out in his mind how he was going to bring it up. So now here it was.

Danny looked over at Sam, nothing in his expression yet a silent ask for him to explain.

“I’m still sorting some things out which is why I haven’t told you yet, but I got accepted into a paid summer internship with a record label in LA” Sam finally revealed to everyone. He knew they should have been excited for him, just like he should have been excited for Danny’s job offer, but there was an overlaying tension in the air as they waited with bated breath for Danny’s response.

“So when exactly were you planning on telling me?” Danny questioned, but Sam started to shy away, looking down at his hands wrapped around the cup in his lap.

Danny nodded at his silence, breathing in a shaky breath to try and fight off the rampaging sea of emotions he’d spent the entire evening trying to put at bay. They were all flooding back to him now, threatening to explode in some way that Danny couldn’t anticipate yet if it would be with tears, more fear, or finally anger. “Were you even going to ask me to move with you?”

“Of course I was!” Sam answered quickly this time to defend himself, though immediately returned back to the cup in his lap. “Sounds to me like you want to move back here though” he countered, trying to remind him that they had started the conversation there.

“Yeah I want to move back home. I never wanted to leave in the first place, but I did, for you”.

He just had to bring that up again, Sam thought to himself. He was so tired of being reminded by both Jake and Danny that everything Danny had done up until now had all been because of Sam. Because he was in love with him.

He understood the grand gesture of it all, but it was starting to feel like they were using it as a means to control him now. Like he owed Danny something for all he’d done when in truth, Sam had never asked Danny to come to Nashville in the first place. He was glad he did. Sam didn’t know where he’d be in this life without his best friend with him every step of the way, but he was starting to wish that things could just go back to the way they were before.

Danny could see the distance in Sam’s eyes, see him retreating into his head away from all the progress they’d made tonight. In turn, he started to lose his own sense of control. “What else have you not told me?”

Jake and Josh shared a look then turned their attention back to the youngest, hoping Sam hadn't done something they needed to scold him for later.

Kim started to feel a little sick. She knew that Danny was insinuating Sam was keeping another secret, and she hoped that he didn’t mention that she was the reason Danny knew what Sam had to hide.

Josh seemed to pick up on her discomfort, sighing as he leaned over to put the little remaining end of their joint out on the concrete then stood from his chair to offer her his hand. “Come on mama, let’s go back inside and let the children fight this one out hmm?”

Once she took his hand he stood her up and threw his arm around her shoulder, walking her out the garage as he leaned in to ask her “have you tried any of my secret Christmas punch yet?”.

Jake was thankful Josh was here to whisk Kim away, because he didn’t think he could tear himself from this conversation right now. He felt defensive, partly because Sam was his little brother and he’d always felt a sense of responsibility for him even in the stupidest mistakes he’d made. The other part was because he knew there was still a piece of himself that cared deeply for Danny and wanted to make sure he was okay. Because no one, even his own brother, was allowed to hurt Danny.

“Come on Sam, out with it” Jake demanded once he was sure Kim was safe inside with Josh.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to get out of me” Sam replied even more defensively. This was the exact situation he didn’t want to find himself in. Stuck in an interrogation between his brother and his best friend. “I’m sorry, I know I should have said something sooner about LA, but I’ve just had a lot going on right now and I needed a minute to soak it all in. Figure some things out, make sure I’ve been making the right decisions for me”.

Danny couldn’t help but feel like Sam wasn't just talking about accepting the internship, but that Sam was also still trying to figure out whether deciding to be with him was the right decision. Maybe that’s what he’d been doing with Savanna at the party? Trying to check if he’d picked the right one.

“Kim told me she saw you and Savanna kissing” Danny finally spilled it out, and felt immediately relieved when he did so. He wasn’t sure why he’d kept it in for so long now, other than he was afraid of hearing what Sam had to say about it.

“Wait! No! She kissed me!” Sam was caught off guard. He’d had no idea anyone had seen the brief exchange between them, and Danny heard about it… why didn’t he say anything?

“Please Daniel, you have to believe me. When she kissed me I stopped her and I told her that we’re together”.

Jake scoffed, if Sam had just told the whole truth originally then he wouldn’t have been in this mess in the first place.

“What the fuck do you think you have to say about this Jake? You’re not the one dating him, so you don’t have a say in how we deal with what’s going on in our relationship” Sam spat out, irritated that Jake had chosen to stay when Josh and Kim had read the room and already left.

“What do I have to say Sam?” Jake raised his voice to match the level Sam was already at, making Danny’s ears thump as their words bounced off the thick walls of the garage and hit him dead on. “Only that you’ve been fucking this up from the get go”.

“Is that what you told him?” Sam turned his venom back towards Danny, worried now that he’d been going behind his back to complain to Jake about their torpid relationship when it had been Danny who wanted to take things slow to begin with.

“I didn’t say anything to Jake. I didn’t say anything to anyone because I didn’t know how I should react to that information” Danny replied. He was worked up as well, but still the calmest remaining. “I know you’re not over her Sam”.

“How could you even come to that conclusion? There was no time to get over her. I went straight from one person to another” Sam sighed, already exhausted from the amount of effort this was taking so he took it down a notch as he continued . “It was me and Savanna, and you, my best friend. Then all of a sudden it was us together, and it’s great. At least I thought it was but now I’m starting to second guess things”.

Danny felt like all his fears were coming true. That Sam had only agreed to date him because he felt like he had no other choice. “Why second guess things now? I don’t want you to feel trapped in this with me just because it’s me”.

Sam’s heart dropped, because that’s exactly the opposite of how he felt. He didn’t feel trapped by Danny, only pressured to act like this all wasn’t very overwhelming for him at some times.

When it was just the two of them he felt comfortable, valued, loved. When others, like Jake, got involved though feelings he had as a child started to rear up again like possessiveness, jealousy, and envy.

Savanna too, he wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about her anymore. Maybe Danny was right, maybe he wasn’t over her. That didn’t mean he would ever go behind Danny’s back and get with her again, or whatever it was Danny thought he was doing with her. Now that Sam was thinking about it, he wondered if any of the emotion he felt towards Savanna had bled into the beginnings of his and Danny’s relationship.

“I just wish we would have talked about this sooner”. They clearly had a lot to work out, and he thought deep down they both knew that and just chose to ignore it. Neither one of them were at fault more or less than the other, and he could admit that while still being upset. “I wish you would have said something to me about Savanna if you were concerned about her. So I could have tried to give you some kind of assurance. Especially before we up and left to have sex earlier”.

Jake cleared his throat and Danny’s face started to burn bright red. Sure he didn’t mind Jake sticking around when he was in his corner, but now he was embarrassed to be called out like that. Because looking at it this way, he had used the appeal of sex to attempt to fill in the cracks that were slowly starting to form in the foundation he had tried so hard to lay down easily.

“You’re right” Danny sighed after they all took a moment to gather themselves. He reached over from where he sat on one end of the couch, an empty spot between him and Jake where Kim was before, and hesitantly took one of Sam’s hands. “Let's try not to keep things like this from each other anymore okay? I want you to be able to come to me with anything. Savanna included”.

“I’m sorry Dan” Sam sniffled a little bit, not even realizing he’d worked himself up to the point of near tears, but squeezed his hand in response.

“I’m sorry too” Jake stood up, deciding it was officially appropriate for him to give them some alone time. He scratched the back of his head, thinking he actually had stayed a little too long and heard some things he wished he didn’t. “I don’t mean to get in the middle of things, I just care about you both you know”.

“I understand Jake,” Danny gave him a small glance before fixing his gaze back on Sam, “we care about you too, right?”

“Yeah” Sam croaked out, barely raising a brow towards his brother's direction.

Though the tide seemed to recede for now, Sam still had his doubts and reservations.

When the party finally died down and the last of the guests made their way out the door, Danny and his parents being the only ones left behind until they too retreated back to their home, everyone filed away one by one off to sleep the evening's festivities away. Jake laid in his bed, staring up at the ceiling waiting impatiently for sleep to come when it was clear it wasn’t. A soft knock at his door caused him to sit up, watching as the door creaked open and a fluffy head stuck inside.

“Nightcap brother?”

“Of course” Jake sighed in relief and tossed the blanket off, scooting over to make room in his bed next to him for his twin who carried in two mugs.

Jake took a drink and nearly choked when the hot liquid hit his tongue. “Is this hot chocolate and whiskey?”

“Close” Josh replied with a faltering grin when he took his first sip as well. “I could only find one pack of hot chocolate mix. So it’s half a cup of hot chocolate and about two and a half shots of warm whiskey. That’s all the liquor we had left… aaand a dash of cinnamon!”.

“Yeah, that’s what I said” Jake rolled his eyes and they both laughed for a minute as they continued to drink what was sure to have them drooling on their pillows for the rest of the night.

“So what was all that about earlier?” Josh asked, referring to the argument in the garage. Though he’d left he was still concerned with what had been said, especially because Sam and Jake had seemed to distance themselves from each other for the rest of the night.

“It’s a long story” Jake sighed wondering now why he hadn’t been talking to Josh about any of this up until now. He guessed he just felt like once Josh was gone, he needed to learn to start dealing with things on his own. Getting to spend this time with him and everyone else for Christmas was reminding him though that no matter what they each had going on in their lives, or the distance between them for the time being, they would always be there for each other specifically.

Josh waited for Jake to sort out his thoughts and begin telling him what happened. Although Josh was a talkative person, he always knew when it was the right time to sit quietly and just listen in return.

“You know Sam and Danny have been going out for a while now?”

Josh nodded, “yeah, Sam called me and told me a little over a month ago. Seems he knows how a phone works better than you do”.

“Shut up, I know” Jake knocked his shoulder with his own then took a steadying breath as he began again, “well, shortly before that Danny and I were kind of… messing around”.

He waited for Josh to say something. Scold him for being an idiot for getting involved with Danny when they both knew Danny had his thing for Sam for years. Instead Josh just placed a hand on his shoulder and held it there for a moment, giving a silent acknowledgement for what Jake must have gone through.

“It was never anything serious. Just a couple of friends getting together every now and then, you know, helping each other out”.

“Suuure” Josh quipped, “you’ve never been the friends with benefits type Jake. Never can keep your feelings out of it. And that’s not a bad thing, you're an emotional guy and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s good even, hope that there’s still room for young men to return to their former glory”.

“Alright, alright” Jake cut him off. Looks like Josh’s silence was short lived, but that wasn’t anything surprising considering they were both pretty fucking drunk. “Anyways, Sam kind of saw us at work, and that’s what started the whole thing. Danny confessed to Sam, Sam broke up with Savanna, they started dating.”

“You started dating a girl that absolutely adores you” Josh stepped in again, “She’s a sweet girl, and I can tell you like her, but do you think you love her?”

Love her? He hadn’t even begun to think that far ahead yet. “I don’t know, it’s only been a few weeks, a month maybe, you can’t tell if you love someone in that amount of time”.

“Yet here she is,” Josh replied, using his little mind tricks he knew always worked on Jake to get him to see things his way and realize what he was trying to deny, “and you do know”.

Jake set his cup down on his old nightstand and slid back down until his head was resting against his pillow and he was back to staring at the ceiling. Maybe he did know, but he wasn’t quite ready to come to grips with that yet.

Shortly after Josh gave him one last good night and left for his own room. The house was quiet after the tiny sound of his door closing from across the hall, but Jake still couldn’t sleep.

Though dreamland beckoned him with tiredness in his eyes and mind, the abundance of alcohol still coursing through his veins raised a stronger problem. He was entirely too horny for sleep right now. Horny enough that he didn’t think a simple handy would do the trick.

He checked the time on his phone, one in the morning, a good hour plus some since they’d all gone off to bed.

Jake took the chance and snuck into the basement in nothing but his boxers, hoping that Kim wasn’t already asleep, or if she was that he wouldn’t be bothering her too much when waking her with his drunken need.

The blackness of the room took him by surprise until his eyes adjusted in the dark and found the curvy form rising from underneath the covers on the bed like tiny islands in a deep sea.

He slipped his boxers off, tossing them to some blank corner of the bed, then lifted the edge of the blanket and slid underneath until his legs came first into contact with a pair of smooth thighs. His hands snaked across the warm mattress, finding hips next that he gripped onto and pulled until her body was flush against his.

She stirred slowly having fallen asleep a while ago, falling into the bed after doing nothing but stripping off her pants. When she opened her mouth to ask what Jake was doing she got her question preemptively answered with a feverish kiss.

She sighed into his mouth, letting her lips fall open and welcome him inside with a flick of his talented tongue. Without wasting a beat one of his hands left her hips and slipped underneath the waistband of her panties, immediately finding its way to her sweet spot.

He groaned at the warmth and how her body immediately started to react to his touch, pooling with wetness at just a few targeted swirls of his fingers.

Kim returned the gesture by bringing a hand between their bodies and wrapping it around Jake, who she quickly realized had crawled into the bed naked. She didn’t mind one bit, in fact she found it rather hot that Jake had needed it bad enough that he’d come down in the middle of the night to find her and take it. Only as she palmed him she noticed there seemed to be one slight problem.

“Jake, is everything ok?” Kim whispered, trying hard to make out any of the facial features that were right in front of her in the darkness.

He moved his kisses to her neck, in a trance and completely unphased by her question.

She tried to ignore it, hoping that if she gave a few more concentrated tugs it would resolve itself, but when it didn’t she stopped and spoke up again. “Are you sure? It’s just you’re not hard”.

Jake paused for a moment, only just realizing himself what she pointed out. Jake played it off as the liquor, trying to lighten the mood a little bit by pulling out the British accent again. “Thas no worry love, jus need a little warm up is’all”.

He tugged her panties down until she was kicking them off the rest of the way then lifted her leg, hoisting it around his hip and nudging up against her core. “You wan’ta warm me up baby?”

Kim pulled Jake back down into a kiss, using her leg around him as leverage she angled her hips upwards to allow him to slip inside. Even soft he felt amazing, and he moaned into her mouth as he felt her clenching around him, begging for more.

After holding each other and kissing again for a bit his voice returned to normal again, only this time even more muddled with lust than before. “Can I fuck you from behind?”

“Sure” she smiled against his lips, waiting for him to slide back out before rolling over and pulling up onto her hands and knees.

She pulled a pillow underneath her chest and rested on it as she arched her back. Jake situated himself between her legs and plunged back inside, this time finally at his full potential.

Kim bit into the pillow, trying to stifle her whiny moans. Though the sounds of his hips snapping against her ass weren't much better.

Whether it was the alcohol, or the lingering high, or the fact that he was hornier than ever for no apparent reason, his mind wandered in the void that had consumed this basement. His hands gripped into the flesh below him, guiding that ass where he wanted it as he plowed his way towards his release, and the first thing that came to mind was picturing it was Danny’s.

His hips staggered when he shook his head, trying to get the image out of his mind. Thanks to the darkness of the room though, when he opened his eyes he could nearly see Danny’s form. A small waist, broad shoulders, and tuffs of curly raven hair. His face squished against the mattress as he pleaded for Jake to go easy on him… it was all too much and before he could reel himself back Jake was finishing without warning.

“I’m so sorry” he huffed, feeling a sickening wave of guilt wash over him as soon as he came down from his orgasm.

“It’s alright, I’ve got an IUD” Kim replied, thinking him finishing inside was what he was apologizing for and not the fact that he’d just cum at the idea of fucking someone else entirely. “Just don’t think we should make it a habit”.

“Yeah, no you’re right” he raked his fingers through his hair, realizing that this was the first time they’d ever been active without protection before. Drunk or not he knew better, but he just was not in his right mind.

“I wish you could stay. I don’t want to sleep alone tonight”. She rolled back onto her back, trying to keep from making too much a mess on the sheets.

Jake found his discarded boxers and used them to wipe the inside of her legs before tossing them onto the floor and lowering himself next to her.

She lifted her head and he slipped his arm underneath while she curled into his side. He grabbed the blanket and situated it back over their tangled bodies, not wanting to leave either. He was afraid of sleeping alone tonight, afraid of what or who he’d be dreaming about if he did.

“I’ll stay” he whispered into her hair, “I’ll leave early in the morning before anyone gets up. No one will know I was ever down here”.

Christmas morning Kim woke up with the sound of breakfast being made again upstairs. She rolled over and found that Jake had stayed true to his word. He’d left sometime ago, probably already dressed and waiting for her to make her way up to join them.

While eating the best stack of homemade waffles she thought she’d ever had, Kim watched in amusement as a few thoughtful gifts were exchanged. She’d been given gifts from her extended family a few Christmas before. The most she’d ever gotten was the first Christmas since her mothers passing, but they were nothing like this. Though the gifts weren’t extravagant or in abundance, she could tell they came from the heart by the looks on their smiling faces and the hugs that were exchanged afterwards. Even if she didn’t have a box to unwrap, just getting to be witness to a loving family Christmas was a gift in and of itself for her.

“Thank you so much for letting me stay” Kim hugged Jake’s mom one last time as he loaded the rest of their things into his car.

Sam had already said his goodbyes. He and Danny were driving back in his new car, so it was just going to be the two of them on the way back.

“Sweetheart, you are welcome back anytime!” She got one last squeeze in before turning to Jake, “and you! Call your mother more often”. She kissed him on the cheek and squeezed him even harder.

“I’ll make sure he does” Kim promised her after they hugged and Jake walked around to say his goodbyes to Josh who had a flight early the next morning.

“You take care of him, he may be a man now but he will always be one of my boys”.

Kim blushed, thinking if she’d gotten the approval of his mom then things might just continue to go well for them.

Jake was quiet a lot of the way home, lost in thought, though not too unusual for himself. Kim figured he was just already missing his family. She offered to drive some, which he agreed and swapped out with her after getting a good long chunk of it out of the way.

“So,” she began, finally breaking down and needing to talk a little to keep focused, “Sam and Danny huh? They’ve been friends for a long time right?”

“Since elementary school” Jake replied flatly. Sam and Danny were the last thing he wanted to be talking about right now, but she hadn’t had a chance to ask him about any of it since learning about their relationship. Surely he didn’t have a problem with them right?

“Can you tell me something?” She asked, remembering a comment Savanna had made when she told her the news. Jake looked over at her, sitting up straight in the passenger's seat like he was nervous about what she wanted to know.

“Did they get together before or after he broke up with Savanna?”

“After” Jake assured her without wasting a beat. “There’s always been something there for Danny, but they got together after. Or well the breakup was because…” he started to fumble a bit, trying to keep out his involvement in his retelling this time.

“It’s ok” she saved him from having to continue, “I get it. Must be pretty complicated for them right now”.

He thought back on the conversation between Sam and Danny in the garage. If he learned anything from that, it was that keeping secrets obviously didn’t fare well for those in a relationship.

It’s not like Jake knew much of Kim’s dating history before him either. That conversation had yet to come up between them. He supposed if she asked then he would tell her, and if she didn’t then he’d just keep it to himself.

Definitely though he’d have to keep that night to himself. While trying to rationalize it the next morning he chalked it up to his drunk mind being influenced by learning Sam and Danny were officially taking the next step into starting to have sex. He knew it would happen, he just didn’t expect to know when it happened.

“Yeah, it is pretty complicated”.

In the week since Sam and Danny arrived back at their apartment in Nashville things went relatively back to normal for the two of them. Well, with the welcome addition of being more physically intimate now.

It seemed like Sam couldn’t fall asleep in Danny’s bed anymore without at least being jerked off first. Danny was happy to oblige him, liking nothing more than the warmth against his palm, the sweet and saltiness underneath his lips as he kissed and licked and sucked on the small patch of skin on Sam’s neck he’d found was a pleasure point for him. Right above his collar and next to his Adam's apple.

Most nights ended with the both of them rutting into each other's fists. They’d already gone at least a quarter of the way through the brand new bottle of lube Danny had bought from the drug store their first day back.

Tonight though, with it being their first days off together since being back, and no class in the morning, Danny had other ideas in mind. Starting with a shower.

Danny’s hands trailed across the ridges of Sam’s shoulders like a waterfall of fingers. One by one taking the plunge over the edge as gently as the drops that rolled down his skin from the spray of the shower head. He lathered Sam’s back and chest up from behind, always insisting on being the one to clean his body in the few times they got to take a shower together.

Usually Sam whined about being doted on so much, but tonight after the few shots of tequila they’d randomly decided to bring out with dinner, Sam was loose and carefree. His head fell to the side as Danny moved his hair over with his suds free hand to keep it from getting in the soap since it wasn’t the night to wash it. Of course that barred his irresistible neck again and Danny immediately latched on, sucking over a bruise he’d only caused the night before.

Sam hissed at the slight pain, though his dick twitched at the same time. “You really like leaving hickies don’t you?” He asked rhetorically, reaching his hand through the stream and digging his fingers into Danny’s scalp to hold him there for a bit longer, surely turning the fading bruise into a fresh blazing pink and purple badge of affection.

“I can’t help myself, your skin is so inviting and silky, and it colors so beautifully” Danny replied letting his hands trail down Sam’s chest now to his stomach, though not as low as he wanted.

“Danny” Sam groaned, wiggling his hips impatiently, wanting his hands on him already.

Though Danny had given into him easily all week, tonight he wanted to take his time. Show him a thing or two.

He pulled back from the warmth of the water and the body in front of him. Wanting to make sure Sam knew he was in good careful hands before things got a little too far. “Sam, you know I want to make you feel good right?”

“Yes?” Sam looked over his shoulder, smirking a little at the glimpse of Danny’s already hardened length from just the brief touching and kissing they’d been doing. “Why do you ask?”

Danny admired the person before him, from his dripping wet locks that trailed down his back like velvety curtains, to the plunge of his waist, and then the roundness of that Kiszka ass. Everything about him was appealing, even when he didn’t even try. Some days it was annoying, and some days, more and more recently, it drove Danny absolutely mad with desire.

He reached out to touch again, this time taking a handful of Sam’s ass and squeezing tightly. “So you trust me right?”

Sam bit his lip and arched his back. He knew Danny liked admiring him from behind, he just never knew he’d like the feeling it gave him just as much. “I do. Just, be easy with me?”

“Always loverboy” Danny cooed, returning his lips to trailing along Sam’s shoulder and running through each scenario he had in his mind trying to decide on the perfect one.

Danny’s eyes flicked forward, noticing the unique tile pattern on the walls of the shower. They were mostly white with a border of larger tiles in a pattern of black and white.

“You see those black tiles in front of you?” Sam raised his head, careful not to let the water spray into his eyes and nodded his head. “Place your hands on them”.

Danny waited for Sam to obey, which he did, doing just as Danny had said by placing his left palm flat against the cold wet stone, then the right almost a shoulder's width apart.

“Good boy” Danny praised him, then grabbed his waist and gently yanked it backwards causing Sam to catch himself by shifting his weight onto his arms to hold himself up. “Now, don’t move them”.

Sam inhaled a shaky breath, closing his eyes and tilting his head back to let the water run down his neck and chest, actually shuddering at the way the warmth felt trailing down to his groin.

Sam felt all his nerve endings on fire, catching his breath when Danny’s hand slipped unceremoniously between his cheeks and pressed a slightly soapy finger to his entrance.

“Don’t hold your breath” Danny told him, but Sam was too wound up to notice he’d said anything at all. Instead his focus was on the odd feeling of having a finger petting him where he never had before. At least until Danny paused his circular movements. “Do you want me to stop?”

Sam shook his head. Though he was tense he wasn’t scared. Actually, he was a bit intrigued by this point about what Danny had in store for him. He exhaled finally, unable to hold his breath any longer and Danny pressed inside. With a groan he let his head fall forward, the shower head spraying his crown making his hair fall over his shoulders and blocking out the rest of the world.

“Do you feel okay?” Danny asked, checking in with him before he tried to move anymore. Sam nodded, but Danny could barely tell. “Use your words”.

“Yes! Yes, I’m okay” he spoke up, pressing his fingers into the black tiles to try and focus his mind on something else. Once he grounded himself he lifted his head again and rocked his hips back, inviting Danny to keep going.

“You’re doing a good job” Danny praised again, sending Sam’s mind swirling through the steam.

“Are you going to fuck me tonight?” Sam questioned out of the blue once he started to get more used to the feeling of a finger inside of him.

Danny chuckled, which caught Sam off guard. “No baby, not tonight”.

“Not tonight you say, with a whole finger in my ass” Sam scoffed, groaning again when Danny retreated. He grabbed him by the waist and turned him around, pinning him against the tile then smashing their lips together.

“Yes, not tonight” Danny repeated between toothy kisses, “but that doesn’t mean you have to be bratty about it”.

Sam wrapped his arms tightly around Danny’s shoulders and kissed him back just as hungrily. “You act like you want to fuck me, but what if I want to be the one fucking you Daniel?”

Danny reached over and shut the water off, Sam clinging onto him like a hot noodle. “I want that too” he replied with a mischievous smirk, “I just wanted you to say you wanted it first”.

“Who knew you were such a tease?” Sam pouted, but let Danny gather his hair into a loose makeshift ponytail with his hands and gently wring some of the water out.

“Only because you make it too easy”.

He helped Sam out of the shower and they walked together the short distance down the hallway and into his bedroom. Danny pushed Sam down onto the bed without a bit of concern about getting his sheets wet. “On your knees, hips in the air”.

“How am I supposed to-”

Danny cut him off, “I’m not done having my fun yet, you keep doing as you're told and I’ll give you what you want”.

Sam smirked and turned over, feeling a bit exposed in this position, though he figured that was the point. He braced himself for the return of Danny’s fingers again, but gasped loudly when he felt instead teeth sinking into the plushness of his right cheek.

“No biting!” Sam yelped, pulling away with a surprised chuckle.

“Okay, okay” Danny grabbed his hips and pulled him back, placing an apologetic kiss to the tiny teeth marks. “I won’t bite, but I will use my mouth. I know how much you like that Sammy”.

With that declaration he pulled his cheeks apart and dove right in sending a shiver up Sam’s entire spine.

Being eaten out was another first for him. By now he was sure after the end of the week he wouldn’t win a game of ‘Never Have I Ever’ again. Not that he’d played that game since he was eighteen and a freshman in college.

“Dan-Danny” Sam called out. Just when he was starting to think of asking for more, maybe a finger again, he was interrupted by the ring of a phone.

Danny recognized the ringtone as his own, pulling back to find the cellphone still sitting on his desk where he’d left it to charge before the shower.

It wasn’t the phone ringing that had shattered the mood, but the name on the screen that took him by surprise.

Jake.

@alwaysonthemend @twistedmelodies @psychedelicstardust-gvf @heckingfrick

[leo-sharks-struggles]

I've invaded your inbox to ask if you'd like to infodump about your WIPs to me! Seriously, go ahead and write an essay if you'd like to 👀 Your WIPs just sound very cool and I'd like to know more!

Hi! Thank you! Sorry for taking forever to answer!

I actually have a few different wips that I'm going to add eventually. But these are the first two I'm worried about.

Anomalous is actually an older wip that I have. It actually started very different and focused on just strange shenanigans in the town with the vampire twins as the main characters. Although, Vlad hasn't changed much except to have more depth beyond horny vampire dating a faery. The village didn't even have a name until I tore the story apart to start anew. I am a huge sucker for stories that center in a town or village that spooky scary things live in. Unfortunately those stories rarely involve anything adult or the kinds of detail stuff I like. So now I just try to write them myself. Anyways, Anomalous is my hope to have my romance and found family and supernatural drama all in one.

Now, Vlad's family isn't necessarily bad, they're not even very terrible in most regards. Vlad just has his own way of thinking and his family doesn't agree with him. They don't resent him either, there isn't any hard feelings. They both just have their own way of living. They literally just visit because the oldest of their children is finally getting married after centuries of dating. Going into the idea once I decided to focus on Vlad and Aerin I didn't want any serious over the top conflict. Drama yes, death murder slaughter no. This is suppose to be a fun while also have Vlad on the seat of his pants scared he'll be single by the time his old fashioned family leaves, if they ever do. I want to play with old fashioned vampires and supernatural town and also some getting married in there too. I also plan to try make like little bios for the characters and the town down the line when I have more time.

Originally in his back story, Vlad was suppose to have been some punk, former pirate guy obsessed with getting his vitamin D. And Aerin was his newest fling. Now I like the idea of Vlad being a punk former pirate that met the love of his life accidently and they decided to finally take the next step for the tax benefits and also that 'gross shit' called love and commitment, you know, a few centuries in. He also founded the town just so his boyfriend could have neighbors that weren't gonna chase him out of town with pitchforks and torches for being a faery.

But if there is specific things yinz are looking for about Anomalous, you know, just send me another ask. :)

The Dragon's Suitors is a much newer wip. I've been struck with the bachelor(ette) sort of tropes for a hot minute and I also love dragons. A lot of the details of this one are still in the works because it is so new. A lot of the wips outside of Anomalous are rather new for me.

Weylan, our mc here, is a cool headed pro at her job. Her father was in charge before her and made sure to teach her everything she would need to know. Now it's her turn to take the lead and keep the village safe. And as any dragon with a treasure, the only thing they could also need is a spouse. So the king himself has sent his best matchmaker as a favor to her father. She's got 5 different people looking for her hand in marriage. Basically it's a love multiple triangles except not really because she has no interest in that shenanigans.

So yeah, with it being rather new I am still going to work on the details so I can get the ideas I'm actually interested in writing. But if anyone has questions in particular go ahead and send me an ask. It'll probably help me work those details out faster!

Thank you for the ask my dear! I appreciate it greatly!

[joyful-patient-faithful]

I've seen a ton of peanuts specials lately for funsies and there's like a few things that don't really matter that just really kill the specials for me when they happen.

When the special revolves around the Little Red Haired Girl. I've never been a fan of this storyline in the comics either. It's just overused and not that interesting to me personally.

When Marcie and Peppermint Patty obsess over Charlie Brown. I don't mind when they kinda crush on him a little bit, but every special with those three in it ends with some sort of weird love triangle thing and I do not like it at all.

The way they portray schools in the specials also makes me so mad as someone who's way too into Peanuts. First of all, I don't know their exact ages, but I assume literally everyone but Linus, Sally, and Rerun are like 8, Linus is like 7, Sally 5, and Rerun like 4-5 depending on if he's in preschool or kindergarten for the storyline. None of this is that important except that Linus is younger than Lucy, so if he's in the same grade as Charlie Brown (which he is not), Lucy should be a year older (but actually Linus should be a year younger). Linus and Lucy are not in the same class. They are not twins. They should not be in the same class. It bothers me so much.

(I'm making this a separate point but it's just a continuation of number 3) Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Franklin also should not be in Charlie Brown's class. Their whole thing is that they live on the other side of town. They go to a different school and they play on a different baseball team. I also believe they're 8, so they would be in the same grade, but not the same school. (Although I think originally, Marcie was supposed to be a year younger than Peppermint Patty, but I think that's the same as baby Schroeder, Linus, Sally, and Rerun, where it just doesn't matter anymore.)

[twotwinks]

p3 and M, I, N, A, T, O :)

this made me smile so much it's so smart i love you

M - Say something genuinely nice about a ship that you don’t ship (or its shippers, or anything related to you)

while i may not be into it, i will say the ryominas popped off with the aesthetics. everything that i've ever seen for those two absolutely fucks, even the sweet fluffy stuff that isn't meant to look cool is so chef's kiss thematically. if i were to ship them i'd be eating good

I - Has tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why

.....that being said, ryomina also happens to be one of the very few tags i have blacklisted on tumblr dskhld the ryominas are just too prolific. every other p3 post i see is about these bitches (affectionate) i see cool art of minato and thanatos and think ooh this fucks and then i see the tags and discover that it's also meant to be ryomina and i'm like aw man. Every Time!

also unrelated to p3 but ace attorney

N - Name three things you wish you saw more of in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice)

minato's hair drawn correctly (i.e. not symmetrical or so aggressively parted that you can't tell it's supposed to be hanging over his eye)

the protagonists together! i see a lot of matching art of them but i don't really see them actually being together often. i love to see them all hanging out i think they should all be bestest friends. as an extension of this, i also want to see more bankita of course. and more specifically of minato and minako together, especially as twins because that's my jam

more art of minato and thanatos that isn't meant to be ryomina akjds i don't say this to be hostile i just think thanatos's design fucks and i want to be able to interact with art of him without encroaching into a space i don't belong

A - Your current OTP(s)/OT3(s)/OTX(s)

bankita! bankita forever raaaaaah! they make me craaaaazy send help. i think i've probably already said everything i need to say about them multiple times over but i just really like them a whole lot. i've even started to drift away from souyo, which was my main ship involving yu, in favor of this one. it's also my only ship involving minato who is my favorite so i guess it gets priority dfkljhd

i'm also quite fond of akishinji, and it's even better if you throw minako in the mix! it's not an ot3 i was expecting to have, but her romance routes with both of them are really sweet and i already shipped them together, so. i was happy to find that there's at least a few other people out there who ship them too!

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending, about anything at all (gender identity, sexual or romantic orientation, extended family, sexual preferences like top/bottom/switch, relationship with poetry, seriously anything)

i'm not really aggressive about my headcanons dhkld they're headcanons for a reason. that being said i guess i did try to start a fight with p3re's first cutscene for making a minor change to minato's reaction to the dark hour which didn't work as well with my headcanon that he believes the dark hour to be a series of hallucinations and nightmares. he does actually have recurring nightmares too, the dark hour just doesn't happen to be one of them. i'm writing a whole fic about this, please wait warmly.

O - Choose a song at random, which ship or character does it remind you of

this one's mean. do i like put my spotify on shuffle or what.

untranslated liz triangle song...a minute-long reprise from a musical...an instrumental from a different musical...sappy country song that i could probably apply to a ship but is too generic to hit right...greensleeves...oh alright here we go

this one isn't quite as perfect as some other kairiki bear songs like heart nonsense and batten but i will say it's very baby minato core. to me. i dunno i think a lot about how none of his relatives ever wanted to keep him for very long and what that must have been like for him as a little kid. more thoughts about this will also appear in the aforementioned fic!

[songsofadelaide]

Covet

tw/cw: set in 2013, we're in high school, always sleepy female reader, established relationship, fluff, slice of life, mentions of other female students gossiping about reader, making out, dry humping, atsumu going through it, reader trying to prove a point — From where you sat, gently cradled in his arms, you could see why other girls seethed at you in jealousy. His brown eyes drank in your every feature like you were the only thing worth looking at in the world. wc: 2.6k words

Everyone knows that the sleepy second-year girl is happily taken by Japan's number one high school setter.

Your relationship goes back a year from now, when you were both first years. Atsumu had found you asleep nearby while he was closing up the gym, book in your hand but your head definitely in dreamland. It wasn't your intention, but you had overslept and woke up at dusk fall, which was way beyond the afternoon time limit you set for yourself.

You walked home together that one time and became fast friends afterwards. He would catch you at the cafeteria and drop a milk box or juice box in your hands from time to time. ("Y'know, to keep you awake, aho," he once told you.) On other days, it was one of Osamu's experimental onigiris. Some days, it would be two or three jelly fruit sticks he obviously nabbed from Suna. His loud laughter whenever he'd tell you a stupid joke would draw everyone's attention to you both until he was unwillingly dragged away by his twin for their next class. 

There were rumours spreading around about Atsumu being a heartbreaker, but you thought it was already given seeing as he was popular and had a lot of admirers around him. You never quite understood why he wouldn't date anyone, though. Apart from volleyball and classes, there was nothing else in between for him. 

...except there was something. Or someone. Because that's what he'd been telling the girls who confessed to him...

Not that it was any of your business, but if he were seeing someone while also hanging out with you, it would pose a problem because you didn't want any jealous girlfriend on your tail, especially when you just wanted to sleep in peace. 

"I think we should stop hanging out with each other too much."

You recalled how red his face went after you told him that while you were on your way home together one time. 

"One of the girls from my class said you rejected her because you were already seeing someone. Now I don't wanna be caught up in some vicious love triangle, Miya. You of all people should know that I value my quiet life and I just want to sleep and write in peace—"

"Man, are ya dumb or what?!"

"What?! Why am I suddenly the dumb one here?!"

"Because you are!"

You stared at each other angrily, red-faced and ready to shout again before he finally let out a sigh of defeat. 

"Ya really don't get it, do ya?"

"G-Get what?"

When you arrived back home, it was your mother who opened the gate for you, and she was caught entirely by surprise when Atsumu bowed down before her and formally (and nervously) asked if he could start dating you. 

(Apparently, your mother and his mother knew each other since they were both part of the same local tea club, so he pretty much had her approval from the get go.)

The fact that you were what was in between his volleyball and classes made you absolutely self-conscious. You had asked him to keep it a secret for the meantime until just recently...

What was supposed to be an unconfirmed rumour finally came to light on your second year, when Atsumu first came to your homeroom to join you for lunch. Seeing him there surprised your classmates, particularly Suna, who jokingly raised the question of dating at his teammate. 

"Huh? Yeah, we're dating." 

It slipped out of the setter's mouth so smoothly and easily that it completely gave away how long the two of you have been going out. 

It was no surprise that some of the girls at school considered you some kind of odd bird when word came out that you were Atsumu's mystery girlfriend.  Whispers and murmurs were afloated a lot when  the other girls from your class thought you weren't around. 

"Maybe he likes prudes?"

"...a sheltered girl from a traditional family..."

"He found her asleep near the gyms. She probably waited for him out there and..."

Locker room talk like this was rampant and it definitely put a dent on your peaceful school life. Yes, somehow every aspect of your relationship with your boyfriend was whispered about, passed around like notes in class. Atsumu was popular in his own right and was often the subject of things you wished you never heard. Things you wished you could shut your ears to. 

"Ah, I wish he dated me instead. I'd give him such a good time."

And while you were completely dense to his feelings at first, you knew exactly what the other girls meant when they talked about giving him a good time. 

You didn't have the nerves of steel that other girls did when it came to such perverted talk, but you had an iron will to change how such words were being thrown around you so casually. Especially since they were talking about your boyfriend.

Saturdays meant half-day training for the volleyball club and Atsumu found himself invited to your house at the most convenient and curious time. He arrived there still in his club tracksuit, obviously not thinking much about the invitation, but he looked rather unnerved when you opened the gates for him in that airy pale blue sundress with the ribboned straps resting on your shoulders. He followed you in soundlessly as he looked around the compound, looking to greet your family.

"It's unusually quiet here today. Where's your mom and aunts?"

He had taken his seat on the tatami floor of your spacious bedroom, training bag set aside on one corner. 

"There's no one else here," you told him, shutting the sliding doors behind you. 

"Oh."

You stared at each other for a solid minute, faces slowly turning red at the prospect of finally being able to spend an hour or two completely alone with each other.

"D-Don't stare at me, aho!" You started, cheeks obviously flushed as you stomped towards him. 

A chuckle left his lips, a grin finally appearing as he stretched out his hand to reach for you. You gently slid your hand into his and felt yourself be pulled down beside him. Surprisingly, you both let out sighs of relief at the same time, but he could tell that yours was definitely out of defeat. 

"Are ya finally gonna tell me what's going on, sweet thing?" 

There was no way he could make himself small, even as he sat before you, broad shoulders slightly hunched so he could meet your gaze. 

"I'm sure you're aware that you and your brother are pretty popular at school. Everyone was caught by surprise when they found out that we've been dating for quite a while now."

"Yeah, I know that. Are ya hearing any troubling things?"

He reached out to caress your cheek, callused fingers brushing over the warmth of your face. You lowered your eyes, avoiding his gaze as you pursed your lips. 

"Sex talk makes you uncomfortable, huh? Especially when it's me they're talking about," he said. "I don't think there's much we can do about that. Ya know how people will still talk about whatever they want."

"I... I don't like hearing how other girls think they can give you a good time. It's annoying," you stated, another sigh of defeat leaving your lips. "I'm sorry. I  know I shouldn't let their words get to me, but it really leaves a bad taste in my mouth whenever I have to play deaf to their words."

"A good... time? Like what? They gonna receive my sets or something?" He said with a laugh as he pulled you into his arms. "Whatever they say won't change the fact that it's you I want."

He couldn't see how your lips curved upward as your cheek collided with his collar. "I love you."

The softness of the way you spoke those words made him tense up for a moment, but he smiled as your eyes met again. "You really put one hell of a love spell on me, ya know." 

From where you sat, gently cradled in his arms, you could see why other girls seethed at you in jealousy. His brown eyes drank in your every feature like you were the only thing worth looking at in the world. 

"Do you want to, uh, kiss or something?" You asked him, observing the expression on his face. "I mean we've kissed before, but not the, uh..."

"Yeah, I think I get why Samu called this a tasty situation," Atsumu chuckled to himself once again, as he finally came to terms with something. "Sure, sweet thing."

He shifted his sitting position as he gently hoisted you onto his lap while you moved to straddle him, hands on his shoulders. 

"Perfect," he stated, the tips of your noses brushing against each other. "All yours."

The boy was smiling as you kissed, obviously delighted with the little sounds you made as your lips moved in sync with his. His hands made their way to your waist and he could feel you trembling. 

Ah. 

The heat coursing through your body shot up to your head and you hesitantly pulled away from the kiss as you felt callused fingers gently sliding under your skirt, part of which had already pooled around your waist. 

"I-Is that your... S-Something's poking my butt."

"Yeah, that's definitely mine," he replied with a lazy grin, holding your gaze. "You don't see anyone else here now, do ya?"

"Right, uh..." You stammered, head too hazy to form a coherent sentence. "Can... Can I move closer? C-Can I move?" 

"Stop asking questions, babe, just— Tch."

A low growl through clenched teeth left his mouth as he felt your hands paw at the bulge under his immaculately white track pants, antsy fingers gently shifting the twitching length before sitting down on him, your crotch rubbing against his erection. His fingers sank into your waist as you slowly started rocking your hips against him.

You told yourself that this was the farthest you could go for now, seeing as it took so much courage for you to even start this conversation. 

And yet, you couldn't help but applaud yourself for this little achievement, especially after seeing the look of resolve wash away from your boyfriend's face, his expression a mixture of both frustration and pleasure. You coiled your arms around his neck and dove in for an open-mouthed kiss which he met so eagerly. 

The afternoon heat and your exchange of heavy breaths made your head go cloudy. Your mind was so fogged that you didn't even realise the soft moans slipping out of your lips and how your hips moved so erratically. Atsumu was staring at your face through half-lidded eyes, a heady, absent-minded smile on his face as he tried to pace his own movement, his fingers digging into your thighs as his own hips instinctively thrust upward. 

You felt a warmth pool at the pit of your stomach, the buzzing in your head blocking out everything save for the electrifying pleasure you shared with your boyfriend. Atsumu felt hotter than usual, most probably due to his black training shirt taking in all of his body heat and part of yours as well. 

"Ngh... I l-love you so much— ah!"

Your words were drawled out and garbled, but the smile on his face only meant he understood what you said, but he was more focused on the way your body tensed up. You threw your head back as a sharp cry of pleasure escaped your lips, your movements finally slowing to a halt. He rested his forehead on your shoulder and you swore you heard him curse under his breath. You felt his shoulders tense up as well, your fingers gently raking the hair just above his nape to soothe him as his climax concluded as well. 

The buzzing in your head was replaced by the sound of your own pulse, the sound of your own blood rushing through your ears making you so self-conscious that you almost pulled away from Atsumu's grip. The same heavy exhales left his mouth as he raised a hand to sweep away the strands of hair that was stuck on your sweat-sheened neck. 

"You..." He started. "Look at ya. You're so fucking pretty and those scrubs oughta be jealous."

You cupped his face in both your hands before leaning down to kiss him softly, tears pooling in your eyes as he tucked a lock of hair behind your ear. 

"I love you, too," he said, his voice low that it reverberated through your chest. "Only you."

Your aunts found the two of you curled up together comfortably as you dozed off, the sliding doors drawn open to let in the cool afternoon breeze. Your father was oddly suspicious as to why you were wearing a longer dress compared to the flimsier one you had on earlier, but you brushed it off as dressing appropriately for your guest. 

Your mother and aunts were laughing and whispering to themselves as they observed the boy placing food over your rice before finally getting some for himself. "My, Atsumu-kun, we're sure she can get her own food, so don't worry and eat up."

"Ah, but I, uh, like doing things for her," he replied with a bashful smile on his face, a hand suddenly on the back of his head. "She does a lot for me, too. I guess I just want to take care of her."

Your father quirked an eyebrow at the younger man's reply, but your mother playfully nudged him. The older women's chattering filled the dining room again, but you paid no mind to their banter. You smiled to yourself as Atsumu stuffed his face with rice and steamed vegetables. 

This boy was yours, all right. And you could take care of him way better than anyone else could claim.

Atsumu messaged you when he got home that evening after having dinner with your family, including the part where Osamu teased him for coming home in his spare training shorts. 

He was visually surprised when you turned up to school the following Monday wearing the darkest pair of tights underneath your black skirt uniform. 

"You probably left welts on her, Tsumu," you heard Osamu tease his twin. "Try not to be so hot-blooded next time."

He wasn't wrong, though.

The girls from your class were surprised when you entered the changing room with them for gym class, even taking the middle locker as you stripped down from your school uniform. You heard the whispers die out as you slid out of the dark tights, revealing fading purple streaks on your thighs and waist which were obviously greedy hand prints left by Atsumu.

"I-It's nice of you to join us today, uh..." one of the girls started, her eyes flitting from the bruises to the calculating look on your face. "You rarely change with us whenever it's time for gym class."

A soft hum left your lips as you pulled up your hair to a ponytail, revealing a single love bite just below your right collarbone. You smiled at them coolly, allowing them to gaze and gape at the little love bruises printed on your body.

"Looks like you had a fun weekend," another girl remarked, the verve in her voice gone as she eyed the red and violet bruise on your chest before finally looking away. 

You got into your gym uniform and stretched your arms upward, feeling absolutely accomplished as you made your point without even speaking yet. All eyes were on you again as you spoke rather happily. "Ah, thanks. Atsumu and I had a great time. Anyway, I'm heading out first. Nice to talk to you." 

The girls' changing room was oddly quiet whenever you were there afterwards.

Author's Notes: Happy new year, friends and folks! May we all have a prosperous one. During my short break, I decided to read some of my old work and thought of publishing a select few - my favourite ones and some which I thought were pretty bold pieces, this one included. Atsumu is one of my favourite dark horses, one I never thought I'd like so much. This is part of my older HQ series on AO3, Dreams of Fire Trees and Silver Moons. I can still recall how much I enjoyed writing this, though I was a little doubtful about it. I hope enjoyed reading this one just as much. 💛