#I was like they can give you some gas so you’re not alert during

[atlafan]

I remember this one time nick had a sore throat and he was being a baby, as most men are when they’re sick, so I grabbed one of the big spoons from the drawer, squeezed a ton of honey onto it, and shoved it in his mouth

[amethystina]

I just watched episode 1 of Devil Judge and I am not dissapointed! 😊

The whole world and setting are very fascinating. That trial did look like a real TV show (something that doesn't seem so far fetched to be in our world, a bit like people online are already condemming other people really)

Oh man, that end scene with Kang Yo Hang yawning and THEN letting that one tear fall down his cheek..... 😮😮😮Yeah, he's not a good person at all......

Kim Ga On looks like a sweet little puppy at this point. A bit naive even? But he's also strong enough to ask questions and raise his concerns to Kang, I find that fascinating!

(Also, the moment where Kang pushes Kim against the bookcase and then takes a bit too long to remove his hand as he talks about Kim being single and mentioning his shirt..... That was INTENSE)

Glad to have you on board ;)

And yeah, I very much like the world they've set up. It feels quite like our own, but still different enough that you can accept if some things are a bit weird — like the Live Court Show. Because while I agree that, in many ways, it just feels like an extension of all the condemning we already do as a society, it IS still pretty farfetched. But, man, does it make for a fun plot!

Trying to figure out the puzzle that is Kang Yo Han was literally one of the most entertaining parts of the drama for me. Like, is he a villain? An anti-hero? Both? Neither? They keep you guessing, that's for sure and it was one hell of a ride, at least for me.

And, in a similar fashion, Ga On isn't quite as simple as he seems, either. While he's very kind-hearted and perhaps a little bit naïve at first, he is also very clever and strong-willed. And very determined to figure out what the heck Yo Han is up to. And I truly adore that about Ga On. It would have been so easy to make him into a soft, gentle, and ultimately rather weak character, but no. While he might cook you a five-course dinner one evening, he's still going to punch you in the face the following one, should you piss him off too much. I like that about him.

Aaaaaand yeah. The bookshelf.

Fun fact: when I started watching this drama, I knew absolutely nothing about it aside from having seen the poster. As in this one:

And, not going to lie, it gave me pause because, uh, guys. That's kinda gay.

But then I saw it was a Korean drama and went: "Oh, well, not gay then. But someone at the marketing department DEFINITELY had a fun day at work."

Point being, anyway, that I decided to watch The Devil Judge because I was looking for something that WASN'T gay. I'd been bingeing a lot of those shows and just wanted a bit of a reset. So I went: "Oh, hey, this Korean show about corruption in a dystopian society definitely won't be gay. Let's give that a try!"

The Devil Judge: "... so about that..."

And, like, I could explain away Yo Han's lack of respect for personal space during their first meeting as an intimidation thing, and all of their verbal arguments made sense due to their differences in morals etc. But then the bookshelf scene happened and I just sat there going:

"... hang on a fucking second. Am I watching a gay show?"

Spoiler alert: I was.

I mean, sure, it's not officially gay. But it definitely is gay all the same. The subtext is about as subtle as the sub himself — i.e. will punch you square in the face more than once, with little to no warning.

BUT YEAH. Enjoy the ride? But also — and I will not stop repeating this — you give me way, way too much power over your media intake, darling x'D And, as I've stated to my followers before:

With great power comes great responsibility and, when it comes to The Devil Judge, I’m about as responsible as Kang Yo Han. That’s to say, you’re all fucked.

But thank you for joining me in this pit of sin also known as The Devil Judge fandom. Where the sugar babies are cheeky and the sugar daddies are, occasionally, manipulative mass murderers.

Whoops?

[koolcece22]

Enter Venomgirl

Ch.28

Shade’s Pov

“There you go. You should feel better right away. I say give it like couple hours for you.” Andrea put the IV in me. I did start to feel better a few hours ago. Whatever she pumping into me is a real kicker. 

“Thanks,” I said thanking her, Andrea waved while she walked away.

“Dobro pozhalovat. It mean-”

“It means you're welcome, I know the language. I guess it's from your country?” 

Andrea nodded “Yes, I’m Russian. And yeah, I know your earth doesn’t have a country but sectors so don’t worry about it. Just get some rest” She then turned to 42 who looked like he was about to sneak out while were talking.

“That means both of you.”

“I’m fine. Even my mom said I will be ok in a few days.”

“And those few days you are still not healed. Look kid, I can heal your neck but my web needs your body to work with it. If you're not fine the web won’t work well.” 

42 just rolled his eyes, like a teen getting scrolled by his parent. He stubbornly sat back on the bed, with his arms folded as Andrea went to the other side of the room to get some stuff. Both I and 42 just sat there awkwardly. 

“Sorry, I broke your promise.” 42 looked at me with a confessed look. I gave him a small sad smile.

“You know, trying not to kill anyone?  that was the shortest I broke a promise. Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. Those assholes trick us and caught us off guard. Also, they hit you with gas stuff which if you didn’t we all been in the mind trap.” 

“Yeah, but I turn Berzerk. I could of…”

We both turn as we hear the door open and see Miles, Gwen, Pav, and Hobie with Peter and his kid. I was surprised they were here. They must have come here for 42. 

“Shade! You ok!” Miles shouted causing me to flinch from how loud he was. My senses are all on high alert from not being well. Miles must noticed this as quickly covered his mouth.

“Sorry.” in a more quiet tone.

“You’re fine. Ugh…how are you all?” wanting to make sure they ok. Especially Hobie, Gwen, and Pav since they were hit with Dr. Rose’s gas. If it can mess my head up it can mess with theirs. Hobie walks up to me with a nonchalant look that he always has. 

“Were good mate. We were more worried about you since you… disappeared.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry you all saw that side of me.” I brought my legs to my chest, trying to resist to run away from them. I didn’t notice Peter walk up to me and try to rub my back. Too bad my tendrils weren’t having that as it shot out at him, luckily, it was slow as I wasn’t trying to hurt him and I wasn’t well. Peter just ignored, sensing that he had dealt with something like this before.

“Hey now. I dealt a bunch of symbiotes like you.” I look at Peter with a confessed look. He smirked proudly.

“I might not look much but I’m one of the oldest Spider-man.”

“Heh, you do look like an old man.” I mean he does, the kids agree as they giggle, while Peter huffs as he folds his arms

“Hey! Anyway. I know a few people who have Symbiotes. Not like you. But, they have their moments. Hell, even I had one.”

My eyes widened when Peter said that. He had a symbiote? 

“Yeah, I became a jerk during that time. I’m amazed that MJ took me back after all that. Symbiotes and negative emotions don’t equal a good time. Also, that whole host thing you went through with Miguel.” 

Right, I forgot about that. I still don’t know what that is all about.

“Do you always feel bad or does ugh…Kuro makes you feel bad?” 

I was taken aback by what he said. Kuro pops out me growling not like what he implying and neither I don’t like what he saying either. , her form was wobbly as she tried to take a form but me being weak was hard for her. Kuro isn’t not type to back down more like I’m not the type to back down.

“I think you told Miles and them that Kuro is still you? What do you mean by that? For symbiotes, most of the time act like two people sharing one body unless you Carnage.” Peter stated, I sighed knowing I had to explain to them about me and Kuro. I looked at the kids who also was curious about what I meant. 

“You remember when you saw my memory? When my…my house burn down.”

They all nodded, I took a deep breath as I continued “I just turned back to normal or as normal as I could. The white hair and blackened limbs were new features but it was better than being that monster. It was like a week after my school was bombed. I tried to reach my home, the time I got there…it was gone. I lost it and I don’t remember much. To be honest I am amazed that the Six didn’t catch me during that time. Zee told me I was too much for them to handle. Anyway, when I turned to normal again, Kuro was there.” I look at Kuro who is lying on my lap as I pet her, she looks like she going to melt back into me. It calms us both down when I do that. “I remember feeling like I split myself apart. I knew she was me or a part of me that … I was trying to discard. but I couldn’t, so she exists.” 

“ Yeah, and Shade has to deal with me till…”

“Till what?” Miles asked. Me and Kuro couldn’t answer as we don’t know ourselves. But something tells me when that time comes, something big will happen. 

“I don’t know. But did see Kuro as so what an anchor for me. She might seem impulsive sometimes but she helps me snap back when I need it.” 

Kuro huffed “ Yeah, just not good at it.” I hugged her to make her feel better. She trying for me and that is all I can ask for. If wasn’t for her and Patrick, I think I would have been gone a long time ago.  Peter nodded, from the look on his face he trying to make sense of what I just told him. Am I that much of an enigma to him?

“Well, Kuro don’t act like a normal symbiote. Then again I never meet a person who was born with a symbiote.” 

“Yeah…” I just now realize how tired I am. The room started to spin to me. everyone must take note. especially Andrea, as she walked over to us. She lay me down on the bed as I really didn’t want to. I hate beds, but I’m too tired or weak to fight her.

“Let's give the girl some space for a bit.” Andrea closed the curtains to my side of the room. I closed my eyes as I felt Kuro going back to my body. I’m so tired.

Miles’s POV

“Well, at least she resting now. I’m surprised she talking to us. If Miguel didn’t get to her soon she would of…” Andrea sighed probably from the fact that she saved Shade from dying. Man, Shade hated what she did. It wasn’t her fault I just hope she knows that.

“So how long do think she get better?” I asked

“I say about an hour or so. symbiote bounces back quickly. Just keep it down if want to stay.” Andrea walks over to 42 to check his neck again. 42 grumbled still hating the fact he hurt, I have been helping on his Earth since I’m one of the few people he allow on his Earth no problem. 

“Well, you done for today I want to see you back here in two days, and better not be doing hero work again,” Andrea smirked at him while he rolled his eyes

“Whatever, Russian mom- ow!” 

42 grabs his arm as it looks like he got nic by Andrea, hating when one of us teens talks back to her. She is a mom herself. Hobie snicker with a smirk as walks over to 42. 

“Well, glad you good mate and Shade back. Look the band back together.”

“Wow, you did miss Shade. Hobie.” Gwen folds her arm with a smirk. Hobie was always good at scouting character. Even with his beef with Miguel he still cares about him. Hell, he sees him as a third dad, or what he calls it. 

“Just like to have more band mates that all. She has a special tune that she wants to play, but no one likes to listen to. We all do.” 

We then heard a crash behind us where the area where Shade was sleeping, Andrea went over to Shade’s area and pulled back the curtains to see the same symbiote creature that Shade turned into back at the facility. She was still asleep to be surprised. 

“She really was at death's door if she turned into that. I’ll give her a strong dose once that one is finished. You all just make sure she doesn’t wake up and run away.” 

We all nodded as Andrea left us. I looked at Peter when I saw he wasn’t holding Mayday. Mayday started to learn how to walk so her getting out is more common now. We looked around for her till we saw her near Shade and were about to touch her, we panicked since we didn’t want to wake her up. I was closest as I used my web to pull Mayday away from her. Before I could, Shade opened her eyes and stared at all of us. I was taken aback that her eyes were purple and not red like last time. She didn’t move only stare. Mayday giggle at Shade 

“Bunny!!” 

Shade looks at Mayday as her tendrils wrap around her to bring her closer. We were all holding our breath. My spider sense didn't go off and I guess neither did the others. Mayday was playing around with Shade while she closed her eyes again and went back to sleep. 

We took a deep sigh. Then glared at Peter who gave us a nervous shrug trying to say ‘My bad’. Gwen and Pav quietly yelled at him while 42 and Hobie were trying to hold the laughter in from Peter. I look back at Mayday who was crawling around Shade's huge body now trying to reach her rabbit-like ear. Now looking at her, she does look almost like a rabbit. Maybe it’s her gimmick.

My phone went off as I looked down at it. Thank god I kept it silent, a habit I now have because of that one mission when I was almost eaten by a dinosaur. I looked at my phone to see who it was from and it was from my dad

‘We need to talk. Get back here as soon as you can.’

~

Miguel’s POV 

I haven’t been downtown in a year. It was still as gloomy as the last time. But it is not as dark, not after people are protecting the weak down here. It did help that I controlled half of Alchemax, banned Rapture, and made a rehab center that was easy access for people who were affected by it. It is the least I can do. I know they don’t like me since everyone thinks I’m a corporal sell-out. They're not wrong. But sometimes you have to kill something from the inside out. 

“Lyla, you called them right?” I asked for like a hundred times as I was waiting on the rooftop of an abandoned building. Lyla pops next to me and rolls her eyes.

“Yeah, I call them. She stops asking or you going to overwhelm my hard drive!” 

I sighed knowing she was right, I guess I was nervous mainly for one person in the group.

“Well, well, well. It has been a while itsy bitsy spider.”  I heard a croaking like voice, but I know its distorted. I turn around to see someone behind me. It was Green Goblin, she looked at me with a grin. I am amazed she still playing Goblin.

“Long time no see. Goblin. How is the church?” I asked know she was a priest of a church that I used to go to. Father Jennifer, is one of the people who helped me through some stuff before the spider-verse and also one of the few who doesn’t hate my guts. She didn’t come along behind her was another woman who was wearing red armor. Kasey Nash or otherwise Payback. She is my earth's new Ironwoman, she hates Alchemax more than the next guy. But that in turn, she hates me.

“See you still around. How are things going up at the top?” Kasey said sarcastically. I know she hates my guts. I was her biggest fan when I was first starting as Spider-Man. She was able to steal Ironman tech and made it her own.

“Sssppiiddeerr-mmmaaann.” 

Then there Venom, my venom. After I defeated Kron after I broke out, the symbiote ran away from Alchemax, it was also being experimented on as well. They caused it so much pain, it was later found a new host named Alea Bell. her arm was badly burned from a lab accident. So Venom fused with her as her new host. I check up on her a Miguel O’Hara one of her doctors as her father works for my division. She is the only one who doesn’t know who I am. I’m kind of happy that none of the others said anything about it. It helps us both out. I’m still waiting for the other two to co-

“Best buddy!!!” I saw a red and black color on the side of my vision that was heading at me fast. I just step aside so I don’t get caught from it. We all look at the far wall as ‘he’ crashes into it.

“Nice one buddy! Where have you been?!” 

I groan knowing ‘he’ will be here. Flipside was always a pain after I activated him as I was forced to or the bandits would have blown up the whole town. After barely surviving ‘it’ I could reprogram it so-what. ‘He’ still wants me as his friend as long its not causing trouble, he does have its uses.

They're all here, well Prowling was the only one who wasn't present or visible. I sigh as do need the information from all of them. I’m surprised they even took my call. 

“Thank you all for answering my call.”

Kasey huffed as she rolled her eyes “Goblin dragged me to be here. Venom and Flipside are just like your bithead ass. And Prowler…just make this worth our time.”

“I want to know if anything is going on with Alchemax on your end?”

Jennifer and Kasey looked at me confused about what I said. I did control half of Alchemax but not the other half. Tylor was still in charge even though the President of the United States gave me the position, but Tylor has his ways of getting back in power. 

“Well no, I thought you keep track? Everything has been quiet lately. Mainly, Prowler has been keeping taps. Something you should be doing, then playing hero up there.” Kasey sneered at me, I was not letting her words get to me.

“I know, I haven’t kept taps this area and Uptown I have been…busy. But there is a problem. Someone from the Alchemax South division has been giving our timeline technologies to a different Earth. That Earth has been compromised and it paying the price for it.”

Everyone looks at each other seeing. I was wondering what they were thinking till Goblin spoke up. 

“No, I haven’t noted anything.”

Kasey sighed “Me either,” Kasey said

“Nope, buddy didn’t see anything,” Flipside said with a salute that I ignored. I turn to Venom who was quiet as they were thinking.

“I…sense one my kind the other day. I know it came from me.”

Well, answer one question that I was about to ask them, I look at Flipside, it can kind of sense Symbioates since it is an android that mimics the first thing it sees. 

“Did you sense anything Symbioates besides Venom?” I asked, Flipside shook its head. Then back to Venom who was growling.

“They just made a new one with my missing pieces. They have torn me apart so we can create a new symbiote.”

“Yeah, I figure that much. There is a Carnage on the loose and it is from our earth. I want you all to be careful if you engage him. Carnages are very dangerous and he can infect people to turn them into symbioates slaves.” 

Everyone nodded to understand, that we might not see eye to eye but I still care for them, even though I failed them as a Spider-man. Flipside and Kasey head out, while Venom and Goblin stay. Venom walked up to me to ask a question

“You smell different Spider-man. Was there another?”

I was taken aback by the question then I realized he might be talking about Shade as she did almost possess me. Venom kept smelling something that I didn’t like, they gave me a look of confusion and disgust.

“They smell off, I don’t like it. Get rid of the smell. Others won’t like it either.”

Venom warned me as they left too. Now only leaving me with Goblin or Jennifer. She removed her mask to show me her face something I hadn’t seen for a long time. She almost looks like her sister and one of my ex-girlfriends Dana. there are some fresh scars from unknown fights.

“Well, that went better than I thought. Last time, Payback kicked your Shocking ass.”

“Yeah, and you guys watched.” still remember the last time I talked to them. Wasn’t fun.

“Hehe you can’t blame us, well Payback and…Prowler. Have you talked to him? Gabriel?” 

“No, the last time I tried to talk to him. He blew me off. I don’t blame him for that, I just…want to see him again to see if he ok.” I look over to the far wall and then back to Jennifer as she sighs knowing what we're doing.

“I know that you guys had some issues with each other. But, you two are all you have left. Forgiveness is a powerful thing that will help during these dark times.”

“Are tell me this as a priest?”

Jennifer chuckled knowing I’m an ex-catholic “No, I’m telling you as a friend. And a Priest. It’s my job to spread the word for our lord but I can tone that down for you as a friend.” 

I nodded as she hugged me, she was a good friend probably the only friend I had outside of HQ that don’t hate me. I heard a beep from my watch telling me to 

head back to HQ. something was going on. I quickly head back to HQ to see what going on.

~

Third Person

Jennifer watched as Miguel swung away back to HQ. She wishes that Gabriel didn’t do the silent treatment to Miguel. Hasn’t he been through enough? Jennifer turns to the far wall. 

“You know, maybe you should have told him that there has been an issue going on since you told me.”

A man de-cloak his invisible to show, his armor was Purple, dark green, and black. He wearing a face mask and has a scar over his right eye. It was also green while his other was brown but cloudy. 

“Well, he can take care of himself.”  the man said in a distorted voice and bitterness in his voice. Years of bitterness. 

“Gabriel, you can’t keep doing this. Avoiding your brother like this, you brothers are  heroes.”

Gabriel let off a bitter laugh as he walked up to Jennifer he was almost as tall as Miguel due to using an experimental drug when he was Goblin, he gave up the suit and gave it to Jennifer. Luckily, Jennifer doesn’t need the drug like he did. But however, the drug had some side effects on his body. One makes his skin greenish-grey. The other is one of his eye became green and brown eye look more greyish. Those were just the physical changes Gabriel had, Jennifer knew that they did more on the inside of his body. 

“He a hero? Yeah right. when things get tough, you guys go crawling to him. Have you guys forgotten he left us hanging for a year!?” 

“No, we haven’t! But we were able to continue. I’m ready to move on from that. For shocking sake, we still need Miguel the only reason why Alchemax hasn’t brought down the hammer on us. And make an all-right war.” Jennifer then took a deep breath, sick of being the messager between the two she just hoped one day by the grace of god they talk it out.

“Just…take care Gabriel and don’t push yourself, ok?” Jennifer put on her mask again and then flew away. Gabriel thought about what she said but shook his head as he headed out. Trying to focus on what Alchemax and Tylor are planning.

[strangernstranger]

Take You Home | Part Two

Eddie X Fem Reader Summary: After an argument, you’re determined to prove Eddie is wrong about you. You decided you’re going to Jason Carver’s party alone. Eddie is set on finding you, worried what kind of situation you might find yourself in. He quickly realizes how right he was to worry and convinces you to leave with him. (Mentions of drinking and potentially violent situations.)

Shit! Shit! Shit! Eddie forcefully smacked his hand against the steering wheel. How the fuck am I supposed to find her? Roll down the windows and call her name like goddamn Lassy? Eddie’s van tore down the pavement, Dio at top volume as he wracked his brain on where you might be. She wouldn’t really be at Jason’s would she?

The two of you made fun of Jason all the time. In fact, Eddie loved to climb onto tables, giving his best impression and interpretations of Jason’s speeches. Your favorite being his ‘where is the clitoris?’ speech. He’d mimic the hand gestures and all, his shaggy hair shaking wildly. ‘WE CAN FIND IT! If it exists. EITHER WAY WE’RE NOT GIVING UP!’ He literally had you laughing so hard you were in tears. That was a proud moment for Eddie. No way she’d go….but if she wanted to get back at me she would.

Given all the popular hangout spots were closed for the night, Jason’s house was the best lead. Problem was, Eddie had no idea where Jason lived. He was perfectly happy with that guy taking up as little space in his brain as possible. He wasn’t sure if it was his disdain for him and his basketball buddies or Holy Diver rattling the interior of the van, but he was now a man on a mission. He gripped the steering wheel tighter and laid on the gas. He’d drive all over Hawkins if he had to. Has she even drank before? Ugh, she’s probably a light weight too. He was certain if he didn’t find you soon enough, you’d be throwing your guts up in a bush somewhere. Which to Eddie, seemed like more fun than studying for biology. But it wasn’t something he wanted for you.

He found himself somewhere he wasn’t too familiar with. White two story houses with paved driveways and well maintained lawns. It’s gotta be around here. He cut the music and began scanning the area. It didn’t take too long to find. He came upon a modestly immaculate home. Through the trees he could see plastic cups littering the yard and teens smoking in the driveway. The thump of music could be heard coming from inside the house. Yep, this is definitely it. Eddie switched off the engine and began making his way to the house. He assumed there would be a few people there less than happy to see him. He just prayed you weren’t one of them.

The closer he got to the house, the more familiar the faces in the driveway became. Clients. One was a regular, Tate. Tate was a stand-up guy. Very punctual and genuinely pleasant during their transactions. Eddie was a little shocked to see him there. As he looked around, he noticed the crowd wasn’t entirely what he expected. He imagined testosterone filled, wannabe frat-boys everywhere. This seemed way less hostile. Band geeks, science nerds. And now, Eddie the Freak.

“EDDIE? NO WAY! You’re here?! NOW it’s a party!” Tate exclaimed, the light from the house driving the shadows away from Eddie’s clean, shaven face. His brown eyes darted from one group to another. He could feel their heads turning in his direction. It was so nice of Tate to alert everyone of his arrival, but he would’ve much preferred to be in and out without notice.

Eddie took a slight bow. “Don’t get too excited. I’m off the clock. No goody bags.”

“…Well that sucks. BUT it’s still gooda see you, man.” Tate swayed as he slurred. Sweet kid. Eddie was glad he was having a good time.

“Hey, you know y/n, right? Is she uh- is she here?” He questioned Tate hopefully.

“Oh yea, shesin the house. But if you’re looking to spend some quality time with her, you’re prolly gonna have to wait in line. Andy has been barking up that tree aaall night.”

That son of a bitch. Eddie patted Tate on the back as if to thank him for his service before storming towards the door. He just knew that basketball prick was up to something. The closer he got, the harder his heart pounded. Through the door, he encountered a sea of people. Some happily surprised to see him. Others snickering and undoubtedly whispering to their friends about him or cracking jokes. Not that he cared. He was only there for you. He began pushing and weaving through the hoards trying to find you. He tried to call your name but it was instantly lost in the pulsating music and endless chatter.

“Watch where the hell you’re going!” An all too friendly party-goer sounded as he was accidentally nudged. Eddie offered up his hands to show no offense. This was impossible! The house was sizable to say the least and there were too many people. He struggled to think of where to start. If I were a drunk girl at a party…where would I be? Eddie pondered this for a second, someone’s elbow digging into his side as he squeezed through. Kitchen. Always the kitchen. He could see the white glow of light reflecting off tile and into the hall from where he was standing. Not much further.

————

“Let me pour you another.” Andy was way too close to you for Eddie’s comfort. From the doorway he could see the two of you.

“A-another? I feel like I’ve had a lot. Things are getting a little spinny.” An involuntary chuckle escaped your lips. At first you liked the way the alcohol made you feel. Your muscles loosened. Your body felt warm. So warm in fact, Andy took the liberty of helping you out of your jacket. But after about the third or fourth drink, things started feeling too surreal. Almost dreamy. You felt the cold envelope you hands as Andy filled your cup once more. You weren’t entirely sure what you had been drinking, but it was sweet, pink and citrusy.

“Why do I never see you at any of the games?” Andy brushed a piece of hair behind your ear before letting his hand rest on your upper arm. His palm run up to your shoulder and slyly, he slid a finger under the strap of your dress. If you had your wits about you, you probably would’ve slapped him or at least told him off. But you weren’t even sure if what was happening was real. How could it be? Andy coming onto you at Jason’s Carver’s house? That was some alternate reality shit. You shyly tried to pull your shoulder to your ear to break the contact, but lost your balance as your head swiveled. “Whoa, careful.” Andy laughed, moving his hands to your hips to steady you. He kept them there. It didn’t feel right, but your inebriated brain lacked the coherency to understand why or shut it down.

You were visibly drunk. Your cheeks flushed pink and head heavy. Eddie knew with one look. Your body language was entirely different than your usual. Even so, he could see your discomfort towards Andy’s advances. His blood boiled under his skin as he watched him put his hands on you. He didn’t look half as drunk as you were. How fucking dare he think he can take advantage. No way that was happening. Eddie unapologetically shoved through the remainder of the crowd to get to you.

“Eddie?” You were so confused. You weren’t sure if it was really him or some girl with a similar haircut. It took a second for your vision to settle. Wait- Nope, definitely Eddie. “Wh-why are you-“

“Get your fucking hands off her, man.” His voice was low and gravely. Quick and biting. In one forceful motion, he grabbed The arm of Andy’s letterman jacket and ripped his hand off your waist. His sweaty palm leaving a wrinkle on your delicate dress.

“You got a problem, Freak?” Andy stiffened his posture. He turned away from you, giving Eddie his full attention. “Is this your girl?”

As quick as the flick of a lighter, Eddie’s eyes shot to you. There was something there, but you couldn’t read him in your state. “N-No, she-“

“Then I suggest you back off, Freak.” He punctuated the sentence with a shove to Eddie’s leather clad shoulder. But Eddie didn’t flinch. He barely budged. His eyes grew wild and dark. You’d never seen him like this. His nostrils flared and jaw clenched. Andy stepped closer and puffed his chest as if trying to instigate a reaction. You looked down and saw Eddie’s ringed hand curling into a tight fist. He was volatile. You felt like he could take him honestly, but one swing and Eddie would be jumped. Andy would definitely have backup nearby. You weakly placed your hand over his fist.

“Eddie, don’t.”

“Get your jacket. I’m taking you home.” You didn’t protest. He continued staring daggers into Andy, refusing to break eye contact.

“You really leaving with this guy, y/n?”

You ignored the question, allowing Eddie to drape your jacket over your exposed shoulders, eyes still locked on Andy. You’d never seen him look so intense or intimidating. It was kinda scary. Andy shook his head in disbelief. Munson had swooped in and stole you right out of his hands. “Whatever.” He huffed. Surprisingly, he let it go and skulked away. It was a relief. Things could’ve gotten messy. As you tried to walk away with your friend, you struggled to keep even footing. Why was it suddenly so hard to walk like a normal person? You nearly tripped over your own feet.

“I got you.” His voice was almost a whisper. He leaned down to drape your arm over his shoulder, his other arm around your waist. Maybe it was because he was familiar or maybe you could feel the difference of intentions, but his touch felt way more comfortable than Andy’s. You could smell his cologne mixed with the smoke of his last cigarette. Weirdly pleasant. “Let’s get you the hell out of here.” You leaned into your friend, the leather of his jacket sticking to your cheek. With closed eyes, you let him guide you back to the van.

————

For a while you drove in silence. You thought maybe he was pissed at you. Every so often you could feel him look at you, but you were too embarrassed to meet his eyes. You imagined the looks he gave you would either rack you with guilt or tear through you like paper. Such an idiot. The alcohol in your system felt amplified in the dark of the van. The road ahead you felt winding and barely recognizable.

“…You okay?” He finally spoke.

“Myeah, I’m fine. Woozy is’all.” You spoke quietly to conserve what energy you felt you had left. The silence overtook the two of you again. You could feel there was something else he wanted to ask, but he almost seemed afraid to.

“…..he didn't….he didn’t like-“ Eddie bit at his thumb and nervously shifted his focus between the road and you.

“No…no, that was as far as it went.” You looked down at the wrinkle on your dress. You wondered what might’ve happened if Eddie hadn’t have shown up when he did. “But I’m glad you were there.”

The air felt heavy with a tension you may have even struggled to grasp while sober. “You were that mad at me?” Eddie’s eyebrows pinched together as he spoke.

“I just wanted to prove you wrong. But I guess I fucked up. Probably ruined your night.”

”Ruined my night? Are you kidding? I got to crash Jason Carver’s house party and leave with the hottest girl there.” His toned lifted to it’s natural state, clearing away some of the edge you felt. He couldn’t have meant that. You smirked and rolled your eyes. “….you do look nice though.” His face softened as he eyed you up and down in your party dress. He had never seen you in something like that. His gaze lingered momentarily on the hem of the skirt, slightly raised and resting against your skin. It wasn’t a hungry look in his eyes. Still, he quickly pulled the back up to the road as if he was committing sin. “So is this a new look for you?”

“No. After tonight it returns to the back of the closet.” You preferred your jeans and T-shirts. “So…where are we going exactly?”

“Um, I’m taking you back home?”

“Nononono. I can’t do that. I told my parents I was staying with a friend. My dad has a nose like a bloodhound, okay. If-If he catches me sneaking back in, he’ll know right away. I-I can’t.” You we’re in full protest of the idea.

“Well is there somewhere else you can go?”

You thought about his question for a second. The first thing that came to your mind was Maddy. You always thought you’d be attending your first big party together. The two of you crashing at her place afterward. “No.” You admitted, voice sullen and small.

It didn’t go unnoticed. Eddie may not have known the nature of it, but he knew the word was laden. “Tell you what, I gotta stop of for gas. It was a bit of an adventure finding your ass tonight.” He grinned, begrudgingly. “I’ll run in, grab you something to sober you up a little then you can come stay with me. You can take the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor. And as soon as you wake up, I’ll run you back home. ‘Kay?” He’d really do all that? It seemed like such a grand gesture, but he was so casual about it. He was probably still feeling guilty about what happened in the woods.

All at once the heat radiating from the vents changed from pleasant to smothering and sickening.

“Eh-Eddie I don’t feel-“ A slight tremble at the end. His head snapped to you so quick he could’ve got whiplash. The color completely drained from your face. He looked at you in horror. He knew what was coming.

“JESUS CHRIST! Don’t you do it, y/n! DON’T!” He frantically bounced in his seat. The van bounced with him adding to the queasy, fun-house effect stationed on your insides. “D-D-D UHHHH” he stammered. “DOWN! ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN OR SOMETHING! I am NOT cleaning up after you!”

You clumsily grabbed the window crank on the side of the door. Just as quickly as you let the window down, you shoved your head out. The chilly fall air filled your nose and eased you back from the verge of sweat. The feeling in your stomach slowly began to subside. You breathed in the relief. It smelled of wet leaves and asphalt. You took a moment to appreciate it. Beyond the sound of wind fluttering past your ears, you could hear music. Eye’s Without A Face by Billy Idol. It played with Eddie inside the van. A bubbly smile found it’s way to you. Maybe it was the alcohol, but life seemed to lose all its heaviness in that moment. You were carefree. Is this what Eddie was trying to get through to you? He watched you from the corner of his eye, smiling to yourself. Hair blowing in the breeze, singing into the wind. The corners of his mouth curling into a proud smile. He sang along with you.

‘I’m thinking of you. You’re out there, so say your prayers’

[sugar-petals]

SuperM Fluff & NSFW Notes

↳ 🌹aka some of their romantic antics plus random 18+ imagines 👋

warnings ⚠️ rated (super) m, boyfriends hc, porn mentions, partial fem!reader, sex toys

FLUFF

since baekhyun knows how to make scented candles, he creates one for you as a birthday present with your favorite fragrances.

every entry in mark’s diary involves fond thoughts about you.

taemin kisses you more than his cat kkoongie on a daily basis so let that sink in. his smooch obsession is getting out of hand.

lucas, having giant fingers after all, learns how to knit in order to make you a warm scarf. he’s still a bit clumsy with it and had to call kun for advice, but the result is surprisingly proper and quickly becomes your favorite item. it’s a little huge but well, he thinks in his dimensions. lucas’ next project is a beanie.

ten overwhelms you with pet names. in fact, he seemingly seems to come up with a new one each day.

kai is a candlelight dinner, rose petals and music kinda guy. he does every old-school thing in the book.

taeyong can cuddle endlessly in bed. he just doesn’t wanna leave.

lucas gladly shares his sweaters. they’re ginormous so, perfect cuddle material.

baekhyun is already a fool. so — when he falls in love, he becomes an even bigger fool. or, the contrary happens: he becomes dead silent around his partner because he’s so enthralled. he can take this more seriously than you think.

mark likes to write little cards and many many texts to express his love.

lucas is the type who can help you put on your jeans when they were shrinking a bit too much in the dryer. he’s pretty sexy like that and things can get really touchy.

cheesy fucking kai, and there’s only one guy who would do this, has actually lowered himself over a puddle once so you would have a bridge. brushed it off like a daily workout rep.

not one shower missed without baekhyun joining you. yes, it’s not always sexy time, he likes it when you shampoo his hair and whisper sweet nothings. and obviously: it’ll all devolve to a laughing fit.

taeyong is the type who wants to be proposed to.

taemin will get a motorcycle license and take you for a frequent ride. he loves getting those kind of back hugs.

both ten and lucas are great at making bracelets. wayv’s dorm is fully equipped with charms, strings, and pearls, so expect matching ones for you.

we’ve seen it, that one’s his favorite move. kai wraps his hand around your shoulder when you walk together.

mark will ALWAYS share his melon.

making you swoon on a DVD evening is lucas’ favorite hobby. he will buy you the most sugary-sweet romance movies. he will often browse streaming sites to select the latest sentimental plots. all these dramas seem to have a male lead who is suspiciously tall and lanky.

if you allow him, taeyong customizes your white tees with his cute drawings.

since taemin swims in money thanks to his profession as the god of kpop (yes, this is a registered job name because i say so), he can fulfill you any wish. he’s stingy and pouty when the shinee hyungs can pay, and the motherfucker baekhyun is even richer since his albums have been taking off so he opens his mochi wallet when superm is gathered, but you... are a different case. taemin will humbly empty his entire pockets when he overhears you gushing over something. there’s a voice in his mind going: must splurge!!

mark loves christmas, you establish an annual tradition to stage a whole couple evening.

baekhyun likes to play charades and especially do karaoke with you. he’s always cutely wiggling his butt and dances like a drunk uncle. he hits the high notes anyway and makes sure you score 100 points.

taeyong can make out with you while at the same time making sure that the milk doesn’t get burned on the stove. kiss’n’stirr multitask tyong alert. gotta make sure the cocoa is served in time, you know.

all the members enjoy playing board games. yep, imagine the fun and sheer chaos.

lucas has the funniest laugh ever indeed. he’ll react to all your jokes, no matter how lame they might be. intensely reassuring.

taemin’s hand is basically glued to yours.

taeyong and mark are the kinds of boyfriends that spoil their partner with skincare. fancy a nice face massage with a nice fragrant oil?

baekhyun has been baking heart-shaped pizzas ever since you started dating. he just can’t make them round anymore.

mark will join you on anything you’re currently bingewatching. 

kai sometimes — only half-jokingly — goes down on both knees bowing forward with his hands on the ground just to show how much he wants to thank you. in case you didn’t notice: this guy treats you like a deity.

ten usually gets confused glances from the other members whenever he gets the current date wrong: he simply loses track of time with you.

lucas makes a habit of buying you flowers every other week. but on unpredictable occasions, and he arranges them in places you’d never expect.

taemin will build you a weird-looking snowman to make you laugh, and give it an even stranger name. ten will build one that looks like you. kai doesn’t build snowmen, he just stands there challenging you to throw snow balls at him.

mark will hang out with you at the beach constantly bringing his guitar. he’ll serenade you all the time.

returning from three months of touring, baekhyun has once climbed your balcony when your parents were in the other room. yep, he was that desperate to see you. somebody give this man a rope and helmet.

taeyong writes down heartfelt confessions on 365 folded slips of paper so you can open one every day. your reactions will range from ‘awwh!’ to straight-up tears.

ten does regular couple yoga with you. a mildly challenging form, not the circus acrobat version. he’ll do the difficult parts anyway. you can pretzel this guy up, he’ll do anything to make you laugh.

when it rains you hook your arm around his, and lucas always holds the umbrella. even the wildest gush of wind can’t make it turn inside out. you arrive home entirely dry. xuxi is so cute, he’s also a great source of cooling shadow in the summer without even trying.

taemin’s skinship overdrive doesn’t stop with endless hand-holding, back hugs and kisses. he wants to lay down in your lap whenever he can. he looks damn pretty with his hair splaying there. if you work on your laptop, you can pretty much count to ten and he’s already nestled there.

kai does pushups with you on his back. it’s a staple. each time he does one, he says ‘i love you’. he increases his count every day.

NSFW

it’s no secret that taeyong is great at acting or pulling off any outfit and costume. expect roleplay of the finest kind — literally. he looks good in a firefighter uniform. you’ll be burning up pretty much automatically.

taemin can’t keep his tongue in. it’s terrible. he’s always in the mood for head. his sloppy noises are the absolute worst, it turns you on way too fast.

lucas had some major problems finding condoms that fit him.

ten and taemin are so switchy, they have an unresolved power struggle going on. begs for a dominant third party to help them out.

kai owns expensive latex gear.

baekhyun may be the king of vocals and breath technique, but if you push him far enough he does get hoarse.

taemin often jokes how kai will one day break his dick from fucking too hard.

meanwhile, mark’s dick is already falling off – from fucking too often. this guy has some major hormones going for him. no surprise, a guy who can promote in four kpop groups at the same time is a stamina king.

taeyong likes eating pussy with another party involved. three’s a crowd my friend. sometimes it’s taemin who unleashes his spit waterfall power, sometimes it’s baekhyun who preoccupies himself with nibbling at the inner thigh while taeyong digs in.

taemin owns the most underwear.

mark takes valerian drops because he is so nervous in bed. it never really goes away, it’s his nature.

taeyong keeps a lube collection. a different flavor for all occasions. he likes associating certain scents with specific body parts.

kai has a heels kink. he literally goes wild over it.

taemin likes to have sex with favorite glasses on.

taeyong and kai are the most likely to cry during sex. baekhyun as well if you rough him up enough. 

mark gets rock hard the fastest, followed by kai. he’s a grower.

taeyong gets the best inspiration for a song when he gets a casual dick riding.

taemin watches extremely x-rated erotic thrillers and bdsm flicks that are heavy on the plot. he gets more invested in the characters and actors than you think. since his japanese is amazing? of course he also owns a giant 90s hentai collection. 

when he’s jerking off, baekhyun chokes himself. a) because he’d make too much noise otherwise and b) because asphyxiation is his favorite thing.

kai feels pleasure in his every cell. he cums the hardest. and, as you can expect, his body expresses it the most extremely, accurately, passionately. if you’ve seen it even once, you’ll never look at him the same again.

taemin has less experience than his discography claims, but more than you’d think. he researches sexual techniques as well. you can brace yourself.

mark has not just a tiger inside, but a freak inside, waiting to be unleashed.

sex while gaming is a go-to activity for baekhyun.

lucas has the best stamina when it comes to getting head.

taemin throws his head back during sex. and no, he doesn’t T-pose. i’m kidding — of course he does. but only when he’s on his back.

taeyong tends to grip a pillow when he cums.

or he humps one when he’s by himself.

ten has the best taste in sexy time playlists.

baekhyun has the best taste in singing his own playlist along.

oh, the things kai has bought at a gas station at 3AM.

baekhyun sucks strap the best. he can open his mouth the widest, drools a lot, and makes the best noises unsurprisingly.

how to turn on lee taemin? he likes getting slapped.

since he’s the most avid and most diverse eater, lucas’ sperm tastes the best. he’s shove 50 fruits into his system just to give you a sweet experience.

mark is absolutely a starfish. 

kai wears fishnet tops if you fancy it.

curiously, baekhyun out of all people doesn’t announce when he’s cumming. you’ll hear it, though.

taeyong’s dildo collection is one for the books.

taemin has visited a pro dominatrix a couple times. needless to say, he was the #1 favorite client at the dungeon. having fully submerged into a fantasy world, taemin was one whip crack away from falling in love with the mistress. but then covid happened and the venue closed.

mark’s dick looks really pretty.

taemin can grind on the strap at every humanly possible angle. he’s almost always ready to take it. he carries a prep kit.

kai — that fucker — knows how to make you wet the most with his bare hands. prepare for the thigh ride of your life, too.

taeyong, baekhyun, and taemin have the best arches. kai is coming for the top three as well. ten’s arch is so good, it can’t be considered one anymore.

baekhyun knows every adult movie out there. theoretically, nothing can shock him. in reality, he melts in your hands.

taeyong is so sexually active with you, he has quit eating garlic.

kai will exploit your muscle kink in any way he can.

taemin, being a devil, has that one button on his phone that he can press when you go out for dinner. he’s OBSESSED with getting you off. once you head home, it’s basically running down your thighs.

ten has once opened a condom with scissors to scare away a date that grew weird on him by the time it got to the do.

lucas is too tall for doing missionary normally.

this will surprise nobody: mark is great at constantly keeping up the dirty talk.

baekhyun’s car is sort of like a brothel on wheels. he can’t count how many times he got down and dirty in there. he cleans it all up by himself.

kai can technically grip you the hardest but he’s the gentlest and great at caressing the whole body.

taemin has the easiest time saying what precisely he wants. he is also the best people reader — most your wishes he can pretty intuit. taemin observes your interests well.

ten likes his hair pulled and makes angelic noises when you do so.

baekhyun likes camgirls and erotic chats with strangers online. he spends a lot of money for nsfw internet encounters.

[skymaiden32]

Burrow

Thundertober/Inktober 2022 Day 5: Mole

The Mole is a beloved piece of International Rescue’s fleet. When it gets damaged on a rescue, the team recalls their favourite rescues with the Mole.

Continuity: TOS

Tagging: @dragonoffantasyandreality @thundergeek59 @janetm74 @katblu42 @liseylou (Please ask if you would like to be alerted when I update or write new stories)

Prompt list

------

Brains stared incredulously at the crushed metal that once formed the drill head of one of his favourite non-Thunderbird creations. It could withstand even the hardest of rocks beneath the Earth’s surface. At least, that’s what he thought.

Virgil let out a low whistle as he saw the carnage, rushing to complete pre-flight checks before returning home. Scott had already left, and was likely halfway back by now. He patted the scientist sympathetically on the shoulder, prompting Brains to meet the pilot’s eyes. “I’ll give you hand with that when we get home…”

Brains let out a sigh of relief. “Thank y-you, Virgil…” Even with some help, taking off the damaged drill and redesigning the alloy they used was going to be a tough one.

------

“So…” Alan said nervously during debriefing. “How much trouble do you think I’m in with Brains?”

His brothers and father exchanged looks before replying.

“A lot.”

“You’re so dead.”

“Deader than dead.”

“Start running…”

“All so wonderfully ominous…” Alan huffed, sitting down in his usual seat rather heavily. “Thanks…” He finished with gritted teeth, narrowing his eyes at his family.

Gordon grinned impishly at his younger brother. “Don’t forget Virgil is on Mole duty too, so you’ve gotta watch out for him as well.” All eyes turned towards the second brother.

“Honestly,” Virgil smirked, “you don’t have to worry about me so much.” Alan smiled and relaxed a little. “But yes, absolutely run from Brains.” Alan was no longer relaxed. “I’m pretty sure he’s still in shock though, so you’ve got a little time.”

A few more moments passed before someone else said anything. “Hey guys.” John piped up from the other side of the room. “What if Brains and Virgil can’t fix the Mole? What do we do?”

“I’m pretty sure we can fix it, John.” Virgil raised an eyebrow at his brother. 

“The Mole is so well-loved by all of us,” Gordon strode forward, “I can’t imagine ever going without it.”

Scott nodded in agreement. “Some of my favourite rescues involved the Mole. I could never think of it not being part of the fleet either.”

Alan gave his eldest brother a look. “What rescues?”

“Off the top of my head,” Scott paused before answering, “the ‘Pit of Peril’ incident.”

“Oh yeah.” Gordon lit up. “That was one of my favourites too…”

“Seriously?” Virgil stared incredulously at his brothers. “I almost died in that pit. And Gordon wasn’t even there!”

“That’s why it’s one of my favourites.” Gordon smirked, leaning back in his chair, arms folded in front of him. “I watched the chaos from outside.”

“It was one of the early ones, so it kinda stuck…” Scott admitted. 

Virgil rolled his eyes, before adding in his own two cents. “My favourite? The ‘City of Fire’ incident.”

It was Scott’s turn to stare now. “The one where we both almost died because we weren’t sure if that gas would work properly?”

“That’s the one.”

“Fair enough.” Scott shrugged. “Anyone else got any favourite Mole rescues?” 

Alan thought for a minute before answering. “That time we had to rescue the Duchess of Royston.”

“Oh, I remember.” Virgil shuddered, remembering how the noble woman had paused to pick up one of her prized possessions. “I know that painting meant a lot to her, but I was about ready to yell for her to hurry up.”

“Good thing you got out when you did.” Scott hummed. “I was so worried when the DOMO lost its grip on that wall…”

“We know.” The whole room chorused, well aware by now of the eldest’s smotherhen tendencies.

Someone cleared their throat on the other side of the room, cutting the conversation short. Everyone turned to see Brains leaning in the doorway to the rest of the house. “Y-you ready, Virgil?”

Virgil looked back at his father, silently asking if he was free to leave. “We’ve got this. You two go make sure we have more stories to tell about the Mole…”

The two engineers grinned at the instruction, leaving the rest of International Rescue to finish the debrief. They would make sure their favourite pod vehicle would survive to burrow another day.

[rainydaydream-gal18]

(The Bad Batch) The Awkward Chronicles

(Author’s Note:  Here is some wild Bad Batch content for you.  I’m still not entirely sure why I did this, but I was sitting here laughing and blushing at this madness.  I’m one of those people who gets embarrassed so easily, so this fic was a ride for me.

-We all have ideas on what it’d be like to live and fight with the Bad Batch.  These are some short examples of the less glamorous things that can happen when you dwell with five males on a tiny ship-

Warnings:  Some awkward situations, embarrassment, some crude humor, potty humor)

Link to The Sequel

   You were walking down the hall, minding your own business, when it happened.  The lights went out.  As a matter of fact, it seemed that power in the entire ship was down.  You were left stranded in the pitch black, feeling around for the wall for only a few seconds before a low hum sounded and the emergency lights came on.

   The hall was cast in an eerie red light.

   “Tech!” Hunter’s growl made you jump.  That’s when you remembered; the last time you’d seen the Sergeant was when he excused himself to the refresher to take a shower.  A loud bang sounded on the door just a few feet away from you.  “Tech, what’s going on?”

   Before you could respond, the door slid open, and a very disgruntled Hunter emerged. It was quite a sight.  His long hair was damp and full of suds, some of which was falling into his eyes, and he wore a towel around his waist.  He was trying to blink the soap from his eyes, and he must not have seen you there because he marched straight into you.

   You yelped, hands shooting up instinctively to try and cushion the blow.  They landed on his broad chest, and you shrunk away awkwardly.  The dampness of his skin and the proximity was enough to make your face flare up.  Embarrassment quickly took its toll.  You were glad that the emergency lights were dim.

   “__________?” Hunter asked in disbelief, swiping the back of his hand across his eyes.  His grumpy demeanor was replaced with surprise.

   “Um, yeah, it’s me,” you replied.  “Sorry.”

   “I’m the one who ran into you,” he said in amusement.  He was right, but something about the situation just made you feel like you should apologize.  Maybe it was the way you were trying so very hard to meet his eyes and not let your attention wander.  

   Funny enough, Hunter didn’t seem at all bothered by the situation.  He continued to stand there unabashedly, eyes flickering past you.   “Where’s Tech?  Do you know what’s going on?”

   “He was making repairs in the cockpit,” you said. 

  “Would’ve been nice if he at least waited until no one was using the shower,” he mumbled.

   “Yeah, very true.  Here, I’ll just…”  You glanced at the floor, biting your lip.  “I’ll, um, tell him to hurry up with the power.”

   “Thanks,” Hunter nodded.  He gathered up his damp hair which had started to drip more suds down his shoulder, and turned to head back into the refresher.  You spun around and hurried toward the cockpit, ready to face-palm.

   That image won’t stay burned into your mind or anything.  Nope.

- - - -

   You glared at the empty roll.  It sat there tauntingly as your brain desperately thought of options to solve your current predicament.

   If you really wanted to, you could pull your bottoms up just enough to shimmy out of the refresher and grab a new roll of toilet paper in the supply closet.  It was a small ship, though, so there were a few things that could make the plan go awry.  Someone could easily walk by and witness the unfortunate situation.  Or worse, someone could be waiting for you to exit the refresher and slip in after you walk out the door.

   Your best bet would be to see if someone could bring you a roll.  Wrecker was the most ideal choice.  He was likely the one who left you with an empty roll in the first place, and he was the most relaxed of the group about things like that.  Not to mention you’d rescued him from the same situation a few times already.  You could count on him cracking a joke and then just moving on.

   Speaking of which, you heard his heavy footsteps going down the hall right then.  Relief washed over you as you grinned and gave the refresher door a knock.  “Wrecker!  Can I ask a favor?”

   “Sorry, ________!  I’m moving something for Hunter,” he grunted.  “Crosshair’s here though!  He can help you out.”

   Your smile faded.

   Crosshair was not a bad guy, but to say that you weren’t exactly eager to ask him to get you toilet paper was an understatement.  How could you bring yourself to ask the man and have him know your awkward situation?

  “What do you need?” Crosshair’s smooth voice was muffled through the refresher door.  You took a deep breath as you decided to take the plunge.

  “I, uh, I need someone to grab toilet paper from the closet.”

  It was dead silent on the other end for a minute, and you were inwardly cringing.  Your heart was thumping wildly in your chest, and your face practically burned with shame.

   “Isn’t there any under the sink?”

   “Already checked,” you said.  “Someone forgot to restock it.”

   “That would be Wrecker.”  He sighed in annoyance.  “Give me a minute.”  It felt like forever before you heard him knock on the door again.  “I’m...I’m just going to leave it here.”

   “Thanks,” you called through the door.

   His footsteps faded away, and you cracked the door open just enough to snatch up the roll.

   In hindsight, Crosshair had been pretty cool about the whole thing.  You weren’t sure what to expect, but your wildest imagination had envisioned his tone being laced with disgust, or at the very least irritation toward you.  Or maybe a snide comment.  Even so, it didn’t do much to derail the embarrassment that had set in when you joined the others in the cockpit.  You had a hard time looking Crosshair’s way for a while.

- - - - 

   Where could they be?  You rested your hands on your hips, frustrated.  You had searched every inch of your bunk for your boots to no avail.  Hunter and Wrecker were waiting for you outside the ship to join them for a supply run.  The only thing you could think of was that perhaps during the last crash-landing, they slid up to the front.

  With a sigh, you typed up a quick message to Tech on your holopad.  He was already up there working on one of the panels: maybe he could check.

   Three dots appeared on the screen, which meant he was typing up a response.  Then, they disappeared.  They reappeared once more.  Confused, you were about to head up to the cockpit anyway before a ping sounded on your device, alerting you of his response.

   I take it you were asking about your boots.  If that’s the case, then yes, they’re here up front.

   Your brows furrowed.  “What…?  I did ask about boots.  What does he think I wrote?”   You scrolled up to see your original message, covering your mouth in shock.

   It read: Tech, have you seen my booty?

   You quickly typed up a response.  Oh my gosh.  Yes, I meant to say boots.

   That explained his hesitant reply before.  Your face heated up at the thought of the brainiac reading your typo and short-circuiting for a moment, being unsure of how to go about it.  You choked back a laugh on your way up front to fetch your boots.

   Tech was kneeling down beside the panel when you arrived.  

   “Heyy,” you greeted.  He paused his work to lift his helmet.  There was a hint of amusement in his gaze, and you could see the way he was fighting a smile.

   “Hello, ________.”

   “About earlier,” you grimaced.

   He finally cracked a smile, chuckling.  “No worries.  These things tend to happen.  I set your boots over there.”  He nodded in the direction of the co-pilot seat.  Face flushed, you grabbed your boots off the chair and pulled them on before heading out to join Hunter and Wrecker.

- - - -

   “Alright,” Hunter shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.  “Who was that?”

   Everyone in the cockpit exchanged looks, some accusatory.  Under normal circumstances, you’d think the whole thing was childish.  But for someone with Hunter’s abilities, you sort of understood why every time someone passed gas, it became a game of “who did it?”

   It was almost always Wrecker.  Sometimes he’d admit it proudly, and other times he’d try and deny it.  This time, it seemed, he was out for blood.

   “It was __________,” he said.  “I heard it.”

   All eyes turned to you, including Hunter’s vexed expression.  You glared at the largest Bad Batcher with your heart thumping in embarrassment.  “Was not!”

   The corner of his mouth twitched.  A hint of a smile, though he quickly hid it.  “Come on, _________.  It’s bad enough that you disturbed Hunter’s ‘advanced senses.’”  He quoted the phrase that he’d heard Tech throw around before.  “But don’t try and cover it up.”

   “It wasn’t me.”  You replied in disbelief.  Turning to Hunter, your eyes took on a more pleading look.  “You’ve got to believe me.”

   “You’re being awfully defensive,” Echo noted.

   “Yeah, awfully defensive,” Wrecker repeated, nodding furiously.  “Own up, ________.  That one was really bad.”

   You sighed.  “This is silly.  It wasn’t me, and you know it.”

   “Maybe it was,” Crosshair shrugged.  “And maybe it wasn’t.”

   “Either way,” Hunter interrupted, shooting each of you a look.  “I’ll ask all of you one more time.  Try and hold off until we land, so I can leave.”

   The cockpit fell into silence once more, and you turned around to take a seat in one of the passenger chairs, brooding over the situation.  Wrecker shot you a cheeky grin, and you rolled your eyes, though you couldn’t help the smile that crept its way onto your features at his childishness.

- - - -

   “__________, could you fetch me another wrench?” Tech asked, grunting as he pulled out a few wires from the opening in the wall.  “I’m going to need it in a minute.”

   Your eyes caught something shiny on the tool kit he had laid out on the floor of the cockpit.  Kneeling down to pick it up, you shrugged.  “You mean like this?”  Tech glanced your way and shook his head.

   “A smaller one.”

   “Oh alright,” you sighed.  “Be right back.”  You moseyed your way out of the cockpit, taking your time because it was a slow day and there was no rush.  It was unusual for the ship to be so quiet.  That was most likely because Wrecker wasn’t on board.  He went with Hunter and Crosshair to see the planet a little.

   On your way back to the rest of Tech’s tools, you saw Echo making his way up front.

   “How go the repairs?” he asked.

   “Pretty good,” you said with a nod.  Both of you had paused to converse for a moment in the hall. “I’m grabbing some more tools for Tech.  Apparently the toolkit he brought up front doesn’t have the wrench he needs.”

   Echo chuckled.  “Well, good luck to you.  I’ve got my own repairs to make, or else I’d help.”

   “Well, thanks anyway.”  You smiled.

   “__________!” Tech called.  “If I am to proceed, I will need that wrench.”

   “One second!” you called back.  Shrugging, you mumbled, “duty calls.”  Echo and you both stepped aside so the other could pass by first.  A few chuckles floated into the air, and before you knew it both of you were taking a step forward at the same time.

   “Wow, okay, I’m sorry,” you said, feeling a little shy at the awkward close proximity.  Both of you sidestepped, bringing your chests together again.  Echo fidgeted a little with the contact.  Heat flooded your cheeks at how you were so close you nearly kissed.  Your friend rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.  

   “Ah, sorry,” he mumbled.  “Why don’t you just go ahead?”  This time, he managed to take a step back and over against the wall, lighthearted laughter leaving his lips as you walked past.

   “Sorry,” you told him again over your shoulder.  As you walked away, you felt that familiar twinge of embarrassment.  Poor Echo looked somewhere between amused and a little embarrassed himself.  You were a little relieved to hear another laugh from him down the hall.

[jiminrings]

just wanna say: stemkoo + yoongs redemption arc. yoongi finally acknowledging jungkook as a love interest to oc and accepting it and jungkooks kinda confused because what now? is he safe alone with yoongi? are they brothers? and yoongis just "yeah kid you're here now and I see you but I'd still give you a knuckle sandwich anytime if u even breath wrong next to my baby soulmate"

cold senior!y/n x stem major!koo masterlist :D

stem koo has a breakdown over driving alone for the first time, and it just so happens that yoongi's the only one there for him. alternatively, it's koo and yoongs' redemption arc :-)

warnings: mention and descriptions of a panic attack

jungkook will not cry

not right here, in an emergency bay that's just five meters away from a bustling gas station where there's a convenience store and a couple of food chains and cafés he can go to in order to clear his head

not right now, in his brand-new car that his parents excitedly bought for him once they caught the news that he's already obtained his driver's license. he's admittedly already used to a lofty lifestyle, but somehow guilt settled in when he remembers telling his parents at night, and the next morning, his dad's calling him to come out of his dorm to see such a big purchase they didn't think twice in buying

jungkook already drove before. countless of times!!

tried it the first three times in his hometown with his dad on the front seat and his mom at the back, a little amused yet more frantic because this is perhaps the most frustrated state he's put his parents in

he's also took 30 hours in driving lessons during break and the happiest that he's been during the whole time is the part wherein he gets home by foot, relieved that he doesn't have to shared a confined space with his instructor that's far too chatty and intimidating at the same time

most importantly, jungkook drove endlessly and ultimately learned from you, jin, and yoongi!! he remembered mentioning in passing that he doesn't have a driver's license yet and he could distinctly remembering the three of you arguing about who'd teach him first

of course it was you whom he picked first, and it became a driving lesson that racked immense pressure and comfort from him

you taught him how to properly control his gas and brakes and then did jungkook only learn that he's a little too heavy-footed with the pedals, mistakenly thinking that he should press his wHOLE foot instead of just atleast a fourth of it

he learned how to accelerate without making the car jump and brake without making a god-awful screech!! also learned how to pull up the handbrake with ease because his wrist's too tensioned the first time around

seokjin taught him how to turn and park smoothly. how to actually command the wheel without his hands getting wrung and just nailing commando with like tHREE maneuvers max!!! max!!!

also jin taught him (reluctantly) how to reverse while looking back and holding headrest of the front seat bc jungkook read from somewhere that people apparently (read: you) find it attractive

and well... yoongi?

yoongi taught him everything

jungkook was a lil scared when he realized that it was yoongi's turn to teach him, but surprisingly, and uh well nO offense to his parents and instructor and girlfriend and girlfriend's friend,, but yoongi is the best teacher he's ever had

he taught him how to actually drive-drive if that's supposed to explain everything

he taught him how to not grip the steering wheel a little too tight and heavy. to be relaxed enough that he drives his car and not the other way around, but not too relaxed that the car feels too light in his command

yoongi taught him how to overtake and counterflow when necessary and how not to be a push-over and let every car pass even if it's him who has the right of way

jungkook was taught how to not squirm and be shy with honking because it's literally tHERE to be used!! yoongi taught him not to cower when there's a huge 4x4 with the truck horn that's aiming to squeeze in between lanes and just drive like normal

he learned how he shouldn't trust the mirrors at all times because it's not the accurate depiction of how far he is from backing into a tree and instead, open the window to see it for himself

yoongi taught him about the gearbox so eASILY that jungkook almost cried in realization that he finally managed to comprehend it fully without feeling the need to search in between stops

...

yes, jungkook did drive countless of times.

but this is the first time ever that jungkook drove alone and by himself; no company at all to tell him how he's going a little too fast or a little too near to the vehicle in front of him

he's alone. driving. in his own car. and now he's parked by himself near the gas station and the radio's playing a little too loud.

in second thought?

jungkook will cry

you're not there to console him as soon as you see his bottom lip tremble and his eyes freeze because you're someplace else

you're on a road trip with seokjin because it's his niece's first birthday and his whole extended family would be there and he doesn't know if he can actually handle that by himself ://

his family already knows you anyway and they're awarE of how their own relatives could be so now jin's immediate kim family is relying on you to be also their breather <3

the whole reason that jungkook decided to go onto this mini roadtrip by himself in the first place was to surprise you!!

he heard you over movie night once that you wanted to try these famous donuts from this shop that's an hour and a half drive away, and from your descriptions alone, yoongi and jin aND jungkook decided that they also wanted to try

and kook's just being a loving boyfriend and friend (?) that he made the collective decision that while you and jin were out, while yoongi's in the dorm — he's driving by himself for an hour and a half to get the donuts

but no, he hasn't even reached the donut place yet because he's an hour away still

he suddenly felt that his legs froze and he couldn't move at all because he realized that he's holding a wheel in his hands and the consciousness of it all makes his eyes widen, feeling the smooth leather go heavy within a blink

it was his sudden fear that the car's driving him and he doesn't have any control of it even if he has the means to do so, his mind too far in that he swerves to the right-most lane without his blinkers on and without checking his side mirrors

and even more concerningly, jungkook's still thinking about donuts even if he's in a state in which he's feeling a little dizzy and his chest is tight, having trouble breathing with his tummy aching that he feels he want to throw up

he can't think nor breathe straight and it physically pains him, the only thing registering in his hazy mind being his phone, the lockscreen that's set to you being the first thing that greets him

his fingers tremble as they move on their own and he doesn't realize it, only being jolted when his phone silently rings on his palm because even he doesn't know how nor whom he called

he's already removed his glasses to rub his eyes but they just blearily ache when he tries to see the name on his phone, his eyesight being blurred by the tears he's trying to keep at bay

jungkook's phone stops ringing until it finally connects, pressing his phone to his ear as confused as he is because he can't even remember who he called

"hello? why are you calling me, kid?"

it's yoongi.

jungkook breathes a sigh of relief that of all the people he's accidentally called — it's yoongi

he immediately welcomes the gruff voice, a sob racking through his entire body that he didn't even realize he was holding back

"y-yoongi! oh my god, yoongi! i-it's you!"

yoongi was merely napping when he felt his phone ring beside his pillow, an unfamiliar ringtone reaching his ears that he felt compelled to check it

his tone couldn't have been more abrupt but it's greeted nothing but warmly, the voice from the other side of the line making him focus concentratedly

jungkook greets him so eagerly and panickedly that it worries him, the large gulp of air convincing him that it's not just his airconditioner that's turned all the way up

"what happened to you? are you okay?"

jungkook whimpers at the question, stuttering over words that haven't even formed as he looks frantically left and right to see if his spot at the emergency bay is bothering anyone

there isn't anyone approaching him and-

"h-hazard! i-i need the hazard on."

all the red he's seeing reminds him of his hazard lights, remembering your words to keep them on if you're a potential hazard on the road

yoongi's remaining sleepiness dissipates as his eyebrows knot, overwhelmingly alert as he stands up from bed and find a shirt to put on before he even knows what's going on

"hazard?" he parrots, trying to see if he's slept through some urgent texts from any of you that could make him put the pieces together. "i need you to calm down for me, jungkook."

jungkook's busy eyes snap in one place at the mention of his name, blinking owlishly at the recognition of what yoongi's saying

"i-i forgot how to drive. the wheel — the wheel b-became too heavy on my hands," he stammers, looking at the circle that's in front of him that feels and now looks foreign to him. "i-i drove alone because-"

yoongi's heart pangs at the observation that jungkook's voice is breaking and desperate, turning off his fan before he scurries outside his bedroom and double-checks to turn off everything

"yeah, jungkook? come one, you can do it. you drove alone because?"

he once again affirms jungkook by reminding him of his own name to try and ground him, slipping on his shoes with a vague outline of a plan in his mind

"donuts. i-i heard — y-you all wanted these donuts and the uhm, t-the three of you had a bad day last week, right? i-i think. i'm not over there and you're the only who's home and i-i figured that-" his voice gives out at the end, unable to keep his tears from falling at this point. "help, hyung."

yoongi blinks once, twice, before he finds his voice

"i'm still proud of you, jungkook. good job," he rummages through the bowl of money the three of you drop your change into, dumping the entirety of it as he hopes it's enough to tip the cab driver he's gonna tell to drive as fast as he could. "now can you tell me what you see? can you tell me where you are? where you're parked? hyung will help you."

...

......

it takes yoongi a total of fifteen minutes to reach jungkook at the emergency bay by the side of the road.

his car's pristine and intact and it calms him to no end, immediately calling jungkook to tell him he's there so he wouldn't have to startle him with a knock

yoongi enters the driver's seat and his eyes immediately whip to jungkook who's already transferred to the passenger seat, his face teary and blotchy as he shakily grins at him through it all

"hyu — yoongi! h-hi!! oh my god, you're here."

he nods and softly smiles, adjusting the seat to accommodate his preferences that it makes kook put his seatbelt out of reflex

he's beyond happy to have another person in the car with him, enough to make him feel surrounded and reassured that he can't hear his breathing echoing in his vehicle

he's already mostly regained his breath but it picks up when yoongi doesn't drive straightly like what he thought he would — instead, yoongi drives five meters ahead and turns to the gas station, wordlessly finding a parking spot

"... b-but the donuts. y-you guys wanted the donuts, right?"

he purses his lips at the inquiry, shaking his head somberly

he can't even begin to gRASP why after all this, he's still focused on the donuts that he meant to get for the three of you — still beyond desperate to secure what was meant to cheer everyone up despite having gone through a new driver's version of hell

"how about we grab a bite first and then we could get the donuts after? my treat."

jungkook was about to politely say no and apologize for imposing, the words being caught on his mouth when yoongi reverses into a parking spot swiftly and gets out of the car before he can put a word in, already having him opening the door on his side

he looks up at him as if he's seen a ghost, a slow tick of a minute on his mind reminding him that yoongi's here for him

yoongi looks down to see the younger guy that still looks very much like what he's been through just minutes ago, making him spring into action

he wordlessly combs his hand through his hair like he does with you when you have a fever and cannot be bothered to keep up with appearances, pushing it back neatly

he grabs jungkook's glasses that are muddled with dried tears and fingerprints from the console, cleaning it with the end of his shirt before handing it back to him

"bite first, then we'll get donuts. i promise."

oh my god

is he having an out of body experience

jungkook can walk but he doesn't feel like it because now his steps are toO light, feeling as if he's gliding through air with ease

he follows yoongi's shadow and stares at the back of his head, the newly-dyed pink of it gleaming underneath the morning sun that he tries to focus on it instead of his raging thoughts

yoongi walks into a serene café that's only the calming kind of busy; people here and there in their own conversations, blenders humming and silverware clinking

it's not until yoongi tells jungkook to pick a spot as he lines up to order that it trulY hits him what's happening, picking the comfiest spot his eyes laid on

there's no build-up to the moment because unlike their previous interactions where it's only the two of them, there's no score in the background.

there's no tension nor ill intent and the only thing that's there between them is a comfortable silence, one that jungkook's insistent to break this one time

"i-i'm sorry i called you. you were probably busy. i didn't know what i was doing and-"

"no," he cuts him off, sheepishly putting a hand on his nape. "i called you, jungkook."

"huh?" he couldn't hold back the audible surprise that left him, making him backtrack instead of continuing his sentence

yoongi thinks that the truth wouldn't hurt, leaning to his chair as he relaxed to put the guy across him at ease somehow

"you did call me, but you dropped it in less than two seconds," he admits, drumming his fingers on the armrest. "i called you back."

jungkook visibly awes at that, head tilting as the confusion he has in his head doubles over and starts crawling on four limbs

"w-why did you that?"

was that it?

was that why he felt so confused when he could barely see a caller ID? it was ringing out for him to answer and not the other way around

yoongi's the one perplexed this time but he doesn't blame him, answering sincerely

"because i look out for you too."

there's a pregnant pause between them and yoongi could clearly see the way jungkook's shoulders slump, making him lean forward out of instinct because he thought he was gonna break down again

"i'm sorry," he looks up at him with glassy eyes, wide but not threatening to cry out of despair. "i'm sorry, yoongi."

he knows by that tone that jungkook's not talking about the call anymore, making him raise his hand to wave it off lightly

"we don't have to do this right now, kook. the both of us probably haven't even had breakfast yet."

the much-awaited talk between them has been set far enough for the perfect timing but the bulk of everything just points to now, only getting more strengthened when jungkook breaks the silence again. "but i mean it."

"i was so stupid back then and i didn't know how much i hurt you through y/n," he reflects back to how distraught and angry yoongi looked at him, not to mention the fact that seokjin told him how yoongi didn't sleep at all for a week because of how he was kept up just thinking and trying to protect you. "i-i know it must've hurt to see your soulmate hurt because of me and that she forgave me still. a-and made me her boyfriend, even."

his mouth dries because the younger boy recites his previous heartaches almost word per word, taking his time to digest each one

"i did hurt, jungkook."

there's no denying that. no cover-up of jin as he tries to boost everyone up can ever hide that. no lies to how tae, who barely even knows yoongi, felt his chest tighten when he came over one morning to deliver the cookies and see yoongi sitting outside your door with his ear pressed to it — trying to hear if you were crying while holds his own.

there's no denying either the truth that reflects why exactly yoongi made a cab driver break almost every traffic law to man just to get to jungkook faster.

"but y/n's not hurting anymore — i'm not hurting anymore," he enunciates. "i'm not mad at you anymore, jungkook."

the guy in question looks alarmed, sheepish even at the words he's been wanting to hear but couldn't believe now that they're being uttered

"you should be."

yoongi snorts because jungkook reminds him of you so so much, an uncanny resemblance between the guilt you've always tried to live with before trying to acquit

"i'll hold it over your head if it makes you sleep at night or remind you when you decide to act up again," he chuckles but he's met with jungkook's frantic no's, waving him off when he realizes that his egging's truly working. "but i don't have it in me to be mad at you for any longer."

it's the truth. it's the truth that yoongi always tried to refute because for the past weeks, all he's done is try to find the most miniscule flaw to try and make him hate jungkook

he's only thought once in his lifetime that he'd ever forgive jungkook, but now did it become crystal clear

"you've proved yourself enough, even jin said so," he admits humbly. "but i know you're not doing all of this to prove yourself to us or to me, kook."

he looks up at from his hands to train his gaze on his girlfriend's soulmate, listening attentively

"i know you do it from the heart."

he feels like crying but only this time is it for an entirely different and positive reason, a leap on his chest heightening tenfold

"as much as you rely on y/n — you can also rely on me too, jungkook."

the two of them hold eye contact and neither of them shy away from it, a silent fact in the air as they know that it's not only you who's linking them at this point, but rather because they're somewhat brothers at this point

"i forgive you."

"y-you forgive me?"

he feels his ears ringing in happiness as he tries to dodge the waiter who's blocking his view of yoongi with the way he's putting down the meals, frantically looking for confirmation

yoongi finds it cute, laughing as he throws his head back

"you're the one who does the quizbees. why are you making me spell it out?"

then he knows.

"you forgive me," he parrots, repeating it once more to himself

the two of them eat throughout thoughtful conversation, stemming from the inquiry of how yoongi made a thirty-minute drive into only half of it, until it bloomed to how kook claims to be forgetful but remembers a whisper about bread from a week ago

"tell me if you want to try and drive to the donut place," yoongi turns to him as he settles the bill, watching jungkook finish the last of his food as he throws him a sheepish smile — much like how you do

"i'll be watching over you, koo. don't worry."

.

.

.

how r we feeling bffs </3 i'll have to speak into the mic and say that this is perhaps the drabble i hurted the most while writing :O

as always, lmk what you think!! i love answering asks :D what do you want to see from the lunchbox lovers next? send them here <3

[marauderundercover]

Taking Chances Ch. 25: Fighting Alone (Grounded)

AO3

Prev

Marinette was exhausted. Adrien’s father had sent him out of Paris for a week for some fashion show that he couldn’t be bothered to go to in person. Instead, he had Natalie with Adrien. Since Marinette herself wasn’t in Paris, she usually wouldn’t mind Adrien’s week-long trip. Except, she wasn’t in Paris. And now, neither was Chat Noir. Which means for nearly a week, she’d been sneaking out of her dad’s house at random times to do patrols in Paris. Luckily, there hadn’t been any akuma attacks. She knew her dad would be beyond angry if she was the only one to show up for an attack. And if he knew that she knew about Adrien’s absence ahead of time and didn’t ask any of her family to help? She’d been in big trouble. Even more if he knew she’d been not only going on patrol in Gotham under his supervision, but also in Paris. Getting next to no sleep. So yeah, she was ready for a nap. Just as her eyes are about to close, the shrill akuma alarm screams from her phone. Groaning, she sits up. 

“Marinette, you’re exhausted.” Tikki admonishes her, her tiny arms crossed. 

“Tikki, I have to do this. I’m sorry, and I promise I’ll sleep when we get home.” Marinette says, giving her friend a pleading look. Tikki huffs, letting her little arms drop. 

“Fine, but when we get back you are going to talk to your father and stay home from patrol tonight.” She says. Marinette frowns, but quickly agrees. It never went well arguing with the goddess of creation. 

“Tikki, spots on!” She says, letting the warmth of her transformation flow over her. She glances at Kaalki. “Ready?” She asks. The Kwami nods and Marinette combines the transformations, quickly opening a portal and dropping into Paris. She could do this. 

---

The sudden blaring of the akuma alarm breaks Bruce from his thoughts. He raises an eyebrow and quickly pulls up the newsfeed of the attack, letting it play in the background as he continues working. 

“Ladybug has just arrived on scene! No direct confirmation on the akuma’s powers yet. We just have to hope it’s a weak one today folks as it appears speculation is correct and Chat Noir is not currently in Paris.” The reporter says, making him snap his attention to the video. His jaw tenses and his phone starts ringing and flooding with text messages. No doubt the boys were also watching the video. He answers the phone as he swiftly walks towards the elevator. Work could wait. Right now he needed to get home and take the Zeta tubes to Paris. 

“Hello.” He says, not even bothering to look at the caller id. 

“How many of us are going to Paris?” Dick asks. Bruce frowns. 

“I will be going alone.” He says. Dick snorts. Bruce hits the button for the garage, shifting impatiently in the small space. He could’ve taken the stairs, but he had a reputation to uphold. He couldn’t sprint down the stairs like he could as Batman. People would talk. 

“Yeah right, B. There’s no way you’re gonna get Jay and Little D to agree to that. You know the three have been attached at the hip lately.” Dick reminds him. 

“Will you please monitor the tubes until I get there? I don’t want your brothers rushing off and doing something stupid.” He says. 

“Sure can, B.” Dick says. Bruce hangs up the phone and stares at the number indicating the floor the elevator is on. The second it switches to ‘B’, he’s prepared and storms through the door, not slowing until he’s in the car. He pulls up the news feed immediately, pushing down on the gas as he drives through the city. 

“It’s been confirmed that the current akuma has a sword and appears to be skilled with the weapon. Ladybug herself has urged citizens to remain in their homes until this battle is over.” The reporter says. Bruce curses under his breath and pushes the gas pedal down even more. Almost there. Almost there. The car alerts him to a phone call and he answers. 

“Father, why have you locked us out of the Zeta tubes?” Damian demands, his voice harsh. “The akuma has a sword, Marinette is not skilled with a sword yet.” 

“Damian, I don’t want you or Jason going to Paris. I already told Dick that I’m the only one going.” Bruce explains, pulling the car over at the front of the manor and switching the call to his cellphone as he rushes into the house. 

“Yeah B, that’s what Dick said before we tied him up. But how the hell did you lock us out of the tubes? Even Timmy can’t figure it out.” Jason says, and Bruce freezes. She wouldn’t. She…. she couldn’t, right? 

“Jason, untie Dick and have him put in my alternative password.” Bruce orders, rushing through the manor to get to the entrance of the cave. If his suspicions were right, his daughter had managed to shut down the Zeta tube in the Batcave. And maybe even halted any attempts to enter Paris. 

“Still not working, B.” Tim’s frustrated voice comes through the phone. Damnit. Bruce storms into the cave, slipping only a domino mask on. Protocol be damned, his daughter was in danger. He hangs up the phone as he storms in, walking past his sons and straight to the tube. He quickly changes the destination to the watch tower and steps through, ignoring his son’s protests. Once at the tower, he tries Paris. And then he tries again. How the hell had she managed that? He quickly returns to the Batcave, looking at his sons with a tense face. 

“Somehow, your sister has cut off the Zeta tubes’ ability to go to Paris.” He says with a clenched jaw. 

“Why the hell would she do that?” Jason asks, looking both angry and hurt. 

“Does she not trust us?” Dick asks, frowning. Bruce pinches the bridge of his nose, trying hard not to yell. He wasn’t mad at his sons. They hadn’t done anything. His youngest daughter, on the other hand. 

“I’m sure she does. But I’m also sure that this is her idiotic way of keepin all of us safe. Even if it’s a danger to her.” Bruce says, glancing at the giant computer screen where the battle was playing out live. The boys had muted it, and Bruce was glad. Glad that he didn’t have to listen to the reporter constantly mentioning that this was dangerous and that Ladybug was alone. She didn’t have to be alone. But she was, and he had no way to help her. 

---

Damian Wayne is not one to give up. He had been trained by the best of the best his entire life, and he refused to back down from a fight. Especially one where his sister was so obviously unqualified. His thoughts rush through his head as he attempts to find a different path, a different way to go and assist his sister. He nods slightly as it comes to him. This could work. 

“I will be upstairs, if you need me.” He informs his family, ignoring the questioning. They would only slow him down. He remains in his uniform though, no need to cause panic while he goes through with his plan. Once he is out of the cave, he calls out: “Jon? I require your assistance.” He walks outside the manor and stands just outside the front door, waiting for his acquaintance- friend- to arrive. 

“What’s up?” Jon asks, hovering slightly above the ground. 

“We are needed in Paris and the Zeta tubes are down. Care to join me?” Damian asks, and Jon grins. 

“Let’s go!” He says excitedly, grabbing Damian and flying away from Gotham. Damian briefly wonders if he should have told his Father his plan. After all, he had his own friend- acquaintance- with the ability to fly. Hmm. He doesn’t bother thinking on the subject long as the Eiffel tower comes into view. He scans the ground quickly, looking for the tell-tale red and black of his sister’s uniform. 

“Have you spotted Ladybug?” He asks Jon. He had shown Jon videos of previous battles, in case he ever needed assistance to find Ladybug rather than Ladybird. 

“Found her! Wanna drop in?” Jon asks. Damian nods and Jon flies over, the two landing right behind Ladybug. She whirls around, a shocked look on her face. 

“Really, Robin?” She snaps. Finally able to look at her up close, instead of through a screen, he is able to see the exhaustion on her face. And how worn down she looks. 

“You blocked the others from assisting. I had no such trouble. Now, let's finish this.” He says, pulling out his katana and shifting his position. She could be angry at him later, right now they had a job to do. 

---

“-and reckless, and totally irresponsible and-” Damian cuts off her ranting. 

“Are we still discussing my actions, or yours?” He asks, quirking an eyebrow. Marinette glares at her little brother, dropping down to sit on her bed, slouching her shoulders. She was tired. 

“There’s a reason I blocked the Zeta tubes from going to Paris during attacks, Damian.” She sighs, running a hand over her face. She cared about her brothers and her father and Cass. She really did. But while she loved them, Paris was her fight. She needed to get through the battles alone. Or with Adrien.

“No matter the reason, it was still reckless. And Father-” Damian starts, but is cut off. 

“Is very angry.” Her dad says, and Marinette winces. She turns towards her door, smiling awkwardly at her dad. 

“Hey, Dad, uh, fancy seeing you here.” She says, laughing awkwardly. 

“How long has Adrien been away?” He asks. 

“Only a week.” 

“And you have been patrolling both Gotham and Paris during that time, correct?” He asks, and she sighs. 

“Yes.” 

“I see. How much have you slept this week?” He asks. She opens her mouth to respond when Tikki zips out. 

“Twelve hours. Total.” She rats her out, and Marinette huffs at the Kwami. Traitor, she thinks, but doesn’t say it. 

“You also messed with the Zeta tubes.” He says and she purses her lips. 

“Paris is my fight, Dad.” Marinette says, standing by her decision. 

“You made it nearly impossible for any of us to help you. What would have happened if this had been another akuma that killed you? Marinette, no one would have been there to take the earrings. No one to cast the cure. You would have stayed dead, Marinette. And we would have been stuck here watching it happen, unable to protect you.” Her dad lectures her, and she can tell by the tension in his shoulders that he’s mad. Really mad. More than the Batmobile incident or the sneaking off to the Watchtower. Really, really mad. 

“But-” She starts, almost glad when he cuts her off as she didn’t really have a good comeback for him. 

“You are grounded. You have to take one of us with you to Paris when there’s an attack until Adrien returns. And you’re benched on patrol here. If you insist on patrolling in Paris while Adrien is away, you will also take one of us with you. Do I make myself clear?” He asks, and she wants to argue. She’s a hero, she knows the risks. She knows that she could handle that akuma alone and if she couldn’t, she would have brought in a temporary hero. She would’ve been fine. But then she looks at the tension in his shoulders and remembers the time that her whole family watched her die. On tv. Remembers that her dad has had to go through the death of a child too many times, even if they’d all come back (and formed the aptly named chaos trio), he’d still had to watch them die. So she decides she’ll accept the punishment, will go along with the new guidelines. If only to give her dad a little peace of mind.

Next

Tag list: @maribat-bdbwm @vixen-uchiha @stainedglassm @liquid-luck-00 @laurcad123 @waiting247 @jayjayspixiepop @mizzy-pop @jjmjjktth @trippingovermyfeet @queenz-z @thepaceperson @iloontjeboontje @toodaloo-kangaroo @ritacrow-blog @deathssilentapproach-blog @kittenmywaythrulife @nerd-nowandforever @tazanna-blythe @jaybird-and-co @jumpingjoy82 @lady-bee-fechin @corporeal-terrestrial

[hxwks-gf]

» 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖇𝖆𝖈𝖐 𝖙𝖔 𝖒𝖊

𝖑𝖊𝖛𝖎 𝖆𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖓 𝖝 𝖋𝖊𝖒!𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗

𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢: 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚎𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚢. 𝚠𝚑𝚘'𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐?

𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: 𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚜𝚝, 𝚏𝚕𝚞𝚏𝚏

𝚠𝚌: 𝟸.𝟼

𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜: 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍 & 𝚒𝚗𝚓𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜, 𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐

That familiar stench of thick, viscous blood stretched far across the open field in which you stood, breathing heavily with your fingers gripped tightly around the hilts of your swords. They, along with half of your face, were stained red with it. 

You were so tired. Every muscle in your body ached with exhaustion. But no matter how many Titans you viciously cut down, more and more seemed to take their place. Fighting them in an open field put you and the rest of the squad at an enormous disadvantage, and now you were paying the price. 

You clicked the bottom triggers and listened to the empty space within the gas canister. You had maybe one or two good forward pushes before you were completely out. 

“Fuck,” you muttered, sheathing the swords and wiping the blood out of your eyes. Looking around, you could see no one else nearby. You were completely alone after you had been separated on your horse by a handful of Abnormals. And as soon as you had vaulted from your horse’s back to attack, it got in the way of the onslaught of Titans and was ultimately crushed beneath one of their enormous feet. 

Their blood had evaporated, leaving behind only your own from a wound at your hairline. Your eyes were getting heavier and heavier by the second, and the soft patch of grass underneath a lone tree nearby was suddenly calling your name. Dying in comfort didn’t seem like a bad way to go….at least it wasn’t getting eaten alive. 

But the sun was already setting, slashing the sky with vibrant reds, oranges, and purples. You couldn’t remember what phase the moon was in tonight; all you could do was pray it didn’t give too much light for the Titans to walk around after the sun disappeared. 

No food, no gas, no back-up. In the middle of Titan country. No matter how you looked at it, you were fucked. The fields stretched on and on as far as the eye could see—the rest of the squad could be miles and miles away by now, having absolutely no idea where you were. 

You decided to at least take a rest under the tree while you figured out how much longer you had left, and what you would do with that limited time. You leaned back against the trunk and stretched your legs out in front of you, watching the sun sink lower and lower behind the mountains that loomed in the distance. 

It was strangely beautiful, you thought to yourself as you rested your heavy head against the tree and stared at the sunset through half-lidded eyes. The winds whispered through the grass and brought with it the scent of the forest, extinguishing the putrid odor of Titan blood that had lingered behind. If these were your last moments on earth, you weren’t complaining too much. It was as close to peace you would ever get.

Movement out of the corner of your eye made you sit up abruptly, nostrils flaring with alert. 

“Shit,” you muttered, seeing the gangly limbs of a ten-meter ambling across the field. You could feel each of its footsteps reverberating through the earth. 

It was the only one you could see, and you could take it down easily enough. But that would use up the last of your precious gas and leave you truly helpless if a more pressing matter arose in the future. 

You tapped your finger against the trigger of your sword in thought, weighing your options. The Titan hadn’t seen you yet, but if you moved, it most definitely would. If you sat still for long enough it just might pass you without noticing. 

Decisions, decisions. 

What would Levi do? 

“Tch,” you scoffed, glaring toward the Titan. You knew Levi never would’ve gotten himself stuck in this situation to begin with. And you could already hear the earful he would give you if by some stroke of luck they found you alive. You’d be stuck scrubbing the floors for months. 

You raised your eyes to the sun that had sunk behind the mountains, casting the valley below into hues of dark blue and black. The moon was nowhere in sight. Could you have been fortunate enough to have a moonless night? 

The Titan in the distance still meandered about languidly as the last few remaining rays of the sun stretched over the mountains. Just a few minutes more and you would test Hange’s theory about the Titans’ inability to move without a light source. 

It was getting harder and harder to see with each passing second, and soon enough your vision of the wandering Titan became just a dark speck on the horizon. The air was still and quiet, save for the whispering breeze that ruffled your hair and your green cloak. As you slowly got to your feet, your eyes scanned your surroundings to the best of your human ability and saw that you were completely alone again. 

Trost was east of you. You wondered how far you would get before the sun rose again or you collapsed from exhaustion. The wound along your hairline had stopped bleeding, but it was giving you an excruciating headache. 

“Just get as far as you can,” you commanded yourself, leaving behind the comfort of your tree as you started walking east. Your footsteps were silenced by the soft grass. “Push as hard as you can, and we’ll figure out the rest from there.” 

You could hear Levi’s voice in your mind. “Don’t give up on me, cadet,” he’d say. “Come back to me.” 

“It’d be easier if you came to me,” you argued with his voice aloud as you picked your way across the open field. “You’re the one with the horse.” 

No one answered except the crickets chirping in the grass. The stars twinkled overhead, as if trying to keep you company while you walked on foot in the most dangerous part of the country—alone, with scarcely enough to defend yourself, and no food to give you energy. 

If you were fucked, at least your last thoughts would be about Levi. 

“There’s still no sign of her,” Jean called down from atop the abandoned farmhouse. “I can’t see anything without the moon.” 

Levi tried his best to keep himself under control. Goddammit, why did she have to be the one to get separated from the group? He looked up at Jean and nodded stiffly. “Keep looking.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

He paced the length of the farmhouse with his hands folded tightly behind his back. He had half a mind to go out and look for her himself, but Jean was right. Without the light of the moon, he wouldn’t be able to see much of anything. And he couldn’t risk overexerting his poor horse. 

Levi felt a hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and sighed, wishing he could tell the rest of his squad not to bother him until they had any useful information regarding [Y/N]’s whereabouts. 

“She’s resourceful,” Hange said softly, and Levi let his shoulders relax. “And she’s smart. Too smart for her own good, to be honest.” 

“I know we should have made for Trost hours ago,” Levi muttered, kicking a rock with his boot. “I’m putting everyone at risk for making us stay behind and look for her.” 

“We take risks every day. What’s one more?” 

“You’re the only one who knows why I took this risk.” He glanced over at them. “You’re the only one who knows what she means to me.”

Hange smiled knowingly and patted his shoulder. “We’ll find her, Levi. I know it.” 

You lost track of how many hours had passed, and you could no longer feel your feet. Your legs felt like jelly. You could barely see straight. At some point during the journey, your wound had split open and dripped fresh blood down your face. 

You were so tired. Every inch of your body ached. 

Come back to me. 

“I can’t!” you sobbed into the open air, feeling salty tears spill from your eyes and mix with the blood on your face. “I can’t do it!” 

As you cried out in anguish, your knees buckled with exhaustion and you fell to the ground with a pained grunt. The grass felt so soft against your cheeks as you pressed your face into it, sobbing uncontrollably into the dirt. Pretty soon the sun would rise again, and the Titans would wake to hear your cries. You knew for a fact you had no strength left to fight them. 

Come back to me.

You sniffled, wiping the snot and blood from your nose with your sleeve. Levi would be disgusted by the state of you, but the thought of his repulsion made you crack a smile.  

With some effort, you rose into a kneeling position and tilted your face towards the sky. You could hear birds beginning to chirp, and the glow from the rising sun in the distance slowly started to illuminate your surroundings. 

You closed your eyes and exhaled softly, feeling the cool morning air on your bloodied cheeks. Mornings have always been your favorite time of day. It was quiet, still and peaceful, before everyone else in the world had a chance to wake up. You wondered if this would be the last early morning you would ever get to see. 

You opened your eyes and looked forward again, expecting to see Titans milling about. But to your fortune, there were none in sight. 

But what was in sight was a cluster of old, abandoned houses. A village. 

Shelter. 

“Holy shit,” you breathed, struggling to get to your feet. It wasn’t Trost, but it might as well have been a chest of treasure waiting for you. There would be rations hidden somewhere, and maybe a bed to sleep on. Protection from Titans. Maybe you would live to see another day. 

Each step forward was agonizing, but you ground your teeth so hard you thought your jaw would fall off to keep yourself from faltering. A hundred yards. Fifty yards. Twenty—

“Captain!” you heard someone shout. You froze in your tracks and tried to find the source of the voice, and your eyes landed on a familiar face standing on top of the one of the houses. It was Jean. You had found them. 

He slid from the roof and landed not-so-gracefully in the grass, running full speed towards you. 

“Jean,” you said weakly, reaching out a hand to him. He caught you right before you could collapse to the ground again, hefting you up in his arms and carrying you towards the village. Your head lolled to the side and fell against his warm shoulder. You couldn’t stay awake any longer. The last thing you saw was the rest of the squad running towards Jean carrying you, but the only face you could focus on was Levi’s. 

Levi rescinded his normal post at the head of the squad to sit beside [Y/N] in one of the wagons as they began their journey back to Trost. He still couldn’t believe it. She had survived a night alone, with no food, barely enough gas for one launch, and blades that were one strike away from snapping. If she had been anyone else, she would be dead. 

The others had said nothing when he held her hand the entire time Hange stitched up the wound that had split open along her hairline. They said nothing when he ran his fingers along her jawline and over her parted lips as she slept. It was as if they had known the entire time. 

Levi watched [Y/N] carefully in the back of the wagon, his grey eyes never once leaving her face. She hadn’t woken up yet, not since she had passed out in Jean’s arms after he found her in the field. He was concerned her head injury had forced her to slip into a coma, but Hange dismissed it. 

He vowed that once [Y/N] awoke, he would tell her how he truly felt. 

White light filtered in through an unseen window, and you were certain you were dead. This was what came after. Eternal blankness. 

But pretty soon your surroundings came into clearer view. You were in an unfamiliar room, in an unfamiliar bed. Sunlight was trickling through an open window nearby, and the sounds of a city spilled over the sill. 

You blinked your groggy eyes and groaned in pain. God, everything hurt. With a weak hand, you reached up and felt the coarse bandage that was wrapped around your forehead. 

You had survived. 

“You shouldn’t touch your bandages,” a voice said beside you. “You’ll get them dirty.” 

You slowly turned your head and focused on Levi sitting next to you, a book in his lap. The dark circles underneath his eyes were harsh against his skin, as if he hadn’t slept in days. 

“How long have I been asleep?” you croaked, wincing at your voice. 

“Two and a half days,” he replied, closing the book and setting it aside. 

“Shit,” you muttered. You shut your eyes and swallowed painfully. “I thought I had died.” 

He was quiet for a moment before scooting his chair closer to your bed. You cracked an eye open and watched his furrowed brow and concerned expression as he folded his hands atop the sheets. Something was bothering him. 

“What is it?” you asked.

Levi didn’t look at you, but his eyes narrowed while he studied his folded hands. “Everyone I’ve ever cared about has been lost,” he spoke, and you could hear the emotion hidden behind the words. The muscle in his jaw twitched. “But you—you’re the first one to come back.” 

You were stunned into silence and the only thing you found you could do was stare at him in shock. Levi...cared about you? “What are you talking about?” 

“I...I thought I had lost you,” he said tightly, still not meeting your eyes. “I was willing to force the entire squad to stay behind and look for you, even if it put them at risk. I couldn’t leave you behind, not knowing if you were alive or not. I just...couldn’t do it.” He looked up at you then, his face hardened with determination. “[Y/N], I can’t bring myself to say the words because I’m convinced I’ve been cursed and you’ll be taken away from me again if I do, but…” he trailed off and focused on his hands again. 

“You don’t have to say anything,” you said softly. “When I was out there, all alone and trying to find the strength and courage not to die in some forgotten field, you were the voice in my head telling me to get up and move. You told me to come back to you.” 

Levi’s jaw twitched again, and his dark hair fell into his eyes as he bowed his head to his folded hands. 

“And I did,” you murmured. “Because I knew you would kick my ass if I disobeyed an order.” 

A flicker of a smile passed across his face, so fleeting you almost missed it. He stood up and tenderly placed a hand on top of your head, ruffling your hair. His thumb stretched to gently caress your bandaged forehead as he watched you with those tired eyes. 

“I’ll be back soon,” he said, picking up his book. “Get some more rest.” 

You nodded and he turned towards the door. 

“Levi?” you found yourself saying. 

He glanced at you over his shoulder with his hand resting on the doorknob. “Yes?” 

Your lower lip trembled as you looked at him with glistening eyes. “You’re not going to make me scrub out the mess hall for being reckless, are you?” 

Levi arched an eyebrow. “We’ll find out.” 

Before you could sputter out an answer, he was already gone. You settled back against your pillow with a happy sigh and felt the exhaustion sneaking back into your bones. Another nap sounded nice. As you slowly closed your eyes and slipped away to the dreaming world, your last thoughts were of Levi. 

They would always be of Levi. 

[calaofnoldor]

Winchester Welcome

Characters: Sam x F!Reader, Dean

Words: 3,878

Summary: Everyone’s ecstatic about the impending birth of your twins, but since when do these things ever go off without a hitch for the Winchesters?

Warnings: labor/birth/complications (but nothing too graphic), potential medical inaccuracies, slight angst, bit of language, dean being an awesome big bro? 

A/N: this is part 2 of ‘Dean, Don’t’ (though i think it can be read as a stand alone) which was very kindly requested by @carryonmywaywardbucky, so if you don’t like it, you can go take it up with her (jk!). also, i’m so sorry, i don’t know where all this angst/drama came from 😬

← BACK UP | MASTERLIST

Sam had one foot up on the bench seat and the other planted firmly on the floor of the Impala. He had managed to maneuver you between his legs, where he could offer comfort and support in whatever form you needed.

With one hand pressed against the side of your colossal baby bump, Sam could feel your stomach tense up each time a contraction came, and he always urged you to breathe through them. His face would be nuzzled within your hair, while his other hand kept itself busy rubbing along your neck, shoulders, arms, back, and hips. Indeed, the man had become remarkably handsy ever since you began to show and you unwittingly loved it, even now, in the throes of labor.

“Ugh, Sam!” You grabbed his wrist in a moment of frenzied pain.

“I’m here, baby! I got you, it’s OK.” Sam burrowed his nose into your neck in consolation, and you were beyond glad he had decided to join you in the backseat, despite the tight quarters.

As the blur of buildings and trees whizzed by, your contractions intensified in both strength and frequency. “This hurts more than that time I got shot,” you groaned miserably.

Sam laughed but continued to offer gentle susurrations in his low, soothing tone, lips grazing along the shell of your ear, whilst his doting, reverent fingers brushed the hair away from your face before travelling downwards to work their magic along the base of your spine.

Although Dean tried to grant the two (soon to be four) of you some privacy, he was still able to hear every whisper of love and encouragement Sam uttered your way. He knew that there was nearly nothing his brother hated more in this world than to see you in pain and figured Sam had been doing a pretty awesome job so far, considering. And you, of course - as proven countless times before - had the pain tolerance of an indie wrestler, and Dean had never been more aware of or impressed by the fact than right now.

On this, your boyfriend agreed wholeheartedly. “Breathe, baby. You’re doing so good,” he commended with pride as you huffed through yet another massive cramp, your hands laid protectively across your distended belly.

But something didn’t feel right. Your contractions were growing closer together at an alarming rate, though no one cared to vocalize it, and although you were tempted to pull your usual shit of swallowing your discomfort in silence, you reminded yourself that this time it was about more than just you.

“Ohhh,” you finally let yourself moan aloud, “Sam, I think you might have to check me.”

“Check you?” Dean asked from the driver’s seat; his voice was a little higher than usual.

“To see how far she’s dilated,” Sam replied for you. “Baby, I can’t do that unless Dean pulls over. Do you think we should stop the car? Tell me what you’re feeling.”

“Mmm, I don’t know,” you rasped, “There’s just a lot of pressure and it feels like there’s no break between the contractions anymore.” The string of words left you panting, and you leaned further back into Sam’s embrace.

“What’s the sitch, guys? We stopping the car or should I keep driving?” Dean questioned as he turned his classic rock down a little lower.

“Keep driving,” you confirmed weakly.

Dean complied but made a point to meet Sam’s eyes in the rear-view mirror. They shared a brief moment of wordless, brotherly communication, after which Sam nodded resolutely, his jaw set and eyes ablaze with a mixture of fear and rigid determination.

As the tension in the car mounted, however, the tension in your body seemed to fade. You felt awful for becoming so depleted this early into your labor. You hadn’t even given birth to one of the twins yet, and already you were feeling drained. How could you possibly carry on this way? But all these thoughts quickly disappeared when the weariness became too much.

“Y/N?” Sam looked down at you with furrowed brows. He could feel your body growing limp within his arms.

“Sammy, I don’t feel so good,” you whispered hoarsely. Dean would have thought this was a very normal thing to say during labor, but the change of tone in your voice alerted him to something more.

Sam too, was immediately alert. He scanned your form and noticed two terrifying things right away: first, there was blood on your pants and second, your eyelids seemed to be drooping involuntarily.

“Y/N? Baby, stay with me,” he pleaded as he gave your shoulders a light shake, “Come on, wake up Y/N!” But the darkness was beginning to take over, and you could no longer respond.

“Dean, she’s bleeding,” Sam spoke as an urgent aside, his heart pounding wildly inside his chest.

Dean could tell his brother was beginning to panic, just as he always did when your well-being was on the line, and he knew he needed to remain calm for Sam. “What? OK, just hold on, Y/N/N! We’re almost there.” Dean’s lead foot pushed even harder against the gas pedal.

Behind him, Sam held you tightly in his arms, filling your ears with delicate murmurs of reassurance, desperate for you to wake up. “Come on, baby. You promised me. Just hang on a little longer. You’re gonna be OK.” But even as he said this, he saw more blood seep through your pants. “Dean, drive faster!”

About to tell Sam that he was already going thirty over the speed limit, Dean made the wise decision to shut up and simply put the pedal to the metal, his face a mask of absolute focus.

It was only a matter of minutes, during which you drifted in and out of consciousness, before the Impala screeched to a halt in front of the hospital’s emergency entrance. Dean scrambled out of the car at lightning speed and ran around to open the rear, passenger-side door for you.

Likewise, Sam wasted no time lifting you into his arms and bounding out of the car, practically sprinting towards the reception area. It was an impressive feat of strength, even for Sam, but Dean knew his little brother would have moved mountains for you and those babies if he needed to.

A nurse was there to greet Sam upon his frantic and rather rowdy entrance.

“Help! I need help! My wife’s in labor with our twins, and she passed out on the way here! Her water already broke a-and she’s bleeding!”

The two of you had created fake identities when you decided on a hospital birth, concerned about the chances of complications for delivering twins (and big ones at that), and Sam had never been more grateful for the foresight. He had suggested you go with the credentials of husband and wife to make things easier and ensure the hospital would give him all the privileges of a marital status. Fortunately, despite his hysterical state, Sam hadn’t even hesitated when he called you his wife; the word just seemed to roll off his tongue naturally.

Meanwhile, Dean glanced at his beloved car for a moment, its keys left haphazardly in the ignition. There was a slight grimace on his face as he faltered, considering whether he should go park his Baby in a more legal location or let her get towed and head directly to you and his brother. When he looked back towards the ER and saw your head lolling against Sam’s shoulder, he made his decision. Sam needed him, and Dean would be damned if he didn’t fulfill his lifelong job as the solid and unwavering base of support for his baby brother at this pivotal moment.

“We need a stretcher over here!” The nurse hollered out before turning back to Sam, “OK sir, can you tell me when your wife’s water broke?”

Sam blanched for an instant. He couldn’t focus on anything but your unconscious form. “Um… it was before we left, about, I don’t know-“

“About an hour ago,” Dean supplied as he strode up to his brother’s side. “And we noticed the bleeding around fifteen minutes ago.”

Sam nodded appreciatively, his eyes still wide and frenetic. A stretcher suddenly appeared next to him and he reluctantly laid you down on it, opting to grasp for your hand instead. Dean was busy informing the doctors of your situation, but Sam couldn’t hear any of it.

“OK, let’s go!” a male doctor called out. “Get an OR prepped just in case. Tell them we’ve got a female in active labor with twins, possible placental abruption.”

Trotting alongside your stretcher as the hospital staff pushed you down the hall, one of Sam’s large hands still held on firmly to yours while the other wiped the hair away from your face. “Baby, if you can hear me, please just stay strong, OK? Everything’s gonna be alright. I’m right here. I’ll be here the whole time.”

As if you had heard his prayers, your eyelids began to flutter open. Sam nearly collapsed with relief, but he willed his legs to continue pumping, his eyes never leaving your face. He waited as you tilted your head this way and that, trying to make out your new surroundings.

“S-Sam?” Your voice was still feeble, but Sam had never been happier to hear it.

“Oh, thank god! I’m here, baby, I’m here,” he choked out in a sob.

“Where are we?”

“The hospital. Dean got you here in record time. Everything’s gonna be fine.” He repeated. “Just stay awake for me, OK?”

You tried to nod, but you weren’t sure how well it translated since every muscle in your body felt utterly exhausted.

“She’s regained consciousness. Let’s bring her to the delivery room first.”

As soon as you were wheeled in, an oxygen mask materialized before you, and despite your weak protests was promptly attached to your face. Regardless, you barely got the chance to take a few deep breaths before the contractions began to pick up exactly where they left off.

Yet it seemed like an eternity until the urge to push finally and abruptly overcame your body. You gasped, mouth forming a wide “O”, as you felt your first baby descend swiftly through the birth canal.

“What? What is it?!” Sam inquired hurriedly in trepidation.

“She needs to push,” the doctor answered for you. “Alright Y/N, on your next contraction, I want you to put your chin to your chest and bear down for me as hard as you can, you understand?”

Your answer was a resounding growl as you squeezed your eyes shut and gave your first push of many.

Sam never left your side and he never let go of your hand. He could only marvel at your strength as he tried desperately to provide what little physical and moral support he could. He wanted so badly to kiss you but with the mask in the way, his lips could only settle upon your sweaty forehead.

It took hours, but eventually…

“The baby’s out; it’s a boy! Time of birth - 2:37am.”

Sam was granted only a second to rejoice, his iridescent eyes lighting up at the sight and sound of his firstborn entering the cruel world.

“The mother’s hemorrhaging!” a nurse bellowed and Sam instantly paled, his gaze returning at once to your fatigued figure on the bed.

“We need to get the second baby out now! Call the OR, tell them we’ve got an emergency C-section coming in,” the lead doctor commanded in reply.

Sam watched helplessly as the blood drained from your face and your eyes refused to open yet again. “No, no, no! Please, baby. Please don’t do this to me. Stay with me, Y/N. I need you. Our babies need you!” Sam pleaded for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

“Damn it!” he cursed as the tears began to fall. Sam rose to his full height, his hands balled into tight fists as he pumped them erratically through the air. His imposing form might have frightened some of the nurses if they hadn’t seen the look of horror and anguish that engulfed his features, or witnessed his unequivocal love and devotion to you throughout the labor and delivery process.

Sam forced himself to heave deep breathes as he observed the medical professionals bustling about your room, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. “Where’s my baby? At least tell me my baby is alright?” he demanded in a shaky tone to no one in particular.

“Your son is just fine, sir. They’ve taken him to the NICU to get checked up but from what I saw, he’s a big and healthy baby boy,” one of the nurses provided with a cautious smile.

“My son…” Sam breathed, looking back down at your unconscious form, “Our son… Did you hear that, baby? Oh, god!” He wanted to take you in his arms, to simply will the life back into you, but the doctors were swarming around your bed, poking and prodding at your still swollen abdomen.

“Sir, you need to back up and let the doctors do their job.”

Sam’s chest puffed up on instinct and he was about to retort when Dean, who had been watching in vain from afar, was suddenly there to hold him back. His hands gripped Sam’s biceps from behind and he pulled his brother back with all the strength he could muster, but Sam would not budge. Dean had no choice but to come around to Sam’s front and push against his inflated chest with both hands, while eyeing his little brother with a pointed look that told him to listen to the nurse, that there was nothing he could do right now to help you.

When Sam finally relented, he could no longer hold back his sobs. He had never felt so helpless, so useless. Dean managed to pull him into a waiting room before he broke down completely.

“Hey, you listen to me.” Dean’s ‘big brother voice’ was in full effect, “Your girl in there, is one hell of a fighter. We have seen her go through hell and back both with and for you, literally. And I know you’d do the same for her, Sammy. And so does she, alright? So I know for a fact that Y/N is gonna be fighting with everything she’s got to get back to you and your family. Just like she always does. I mean, hey, she’s practically a Winchester, right? And since when have we ever let death get the best of us?”

At his brother’s last point, Sam’s heart jolted in his chest. You really were practically a Winchester. And he’d loved the way it felt being able to call you his wife and being referred to as your husband in return.

The next hour passed at an agonizingly slow rate, with Sam and Dean fidgeting silently in their seats through most it.

“Mr. Windsor?” When the doctor got no response, he tried again, “Family of Y/N Windsor?”

At the sound of your name, Sam vaulted off his chair, realizing he’d nearly missed his calling. Hurtling towards the doctor, Sam almost miscalculated his braking distance. “I’m here! That’s me, I’m her husband!” he burst forth breathlessly.

“Well I’m here to tell you Y/N’s out of surgery. The C-section was a success, and she should be waking up shortly. Oh and congratulations, you have another son.”

“Wait, so she and the babies are OK?” Dean checked from his spot behind Sam.

“Yes, we have no reason to believe she or either of the babies are in any further danger.”

Sam released the largest breath known to mankind. “C-can I see her? Can I see them?”

The doctor sent him a smile and a nod before giving them your room number. Sam was off like a bullet with Dean hot behind his heels, but when they reached your door, the older Winchester elected to stay back a little, wanting to permit your new family some time alone first.

You were just coming to your senses when Sam walked in. Adjusting your bed to a seated position, you looked up to find him staring at you, “Sam?”

“Oh, thank fuck,” he exhaled before falling to his knees at your bedside. “You scared the shit out of me, baby. Please don’t ever do that again.” Sam buried his head in your thigh, so you ran your fingers lovingly through his soft chestnut locks, allowing him a moment of reprieve.

When he raised his head to face you, his eyes were red and cheeks stained with tears. “I’m so sorry, Y/N.”

You gave him a confused look, “What do you mean? Are the babies OK?”

“Yeah, they’re fine but the doctor said your complications were most likely the result of previous injuries and the fact that you were carrying big babies.”

You huffed a gentle sigh, “Baby, we both knew there was a higher risk associated with a multiple pregnancy. And of course my hunter background wouldn’t be any help. But how is any of that your fault?”

Sam didn’t respond with words; he merely fixed his watery puppy dog gaze upon yours, which just about caused you to break down with him, but you had promised yourself to always denounce this type of behavior. “Sammy, how many times do I have to tell you? I never wanna hear you apologizing for things you can’t control. And I especially never wanna hear you apologize for any part of who you are, because I am so completely and irrevocably in love with that person that it hurts me just the same, do you understand?”

Sam nodded and you wiped the tears from his cheekbones, beckoning him to stand back up, though his head was still pointed down.

“Hey, I’m OK, alright?” You grabbed his hand, waiting until his shoulders visibly relaxed before adding impatiently, “Now when do I get to see my babies? Please tell me I can see them now.”

“Y-yeah, lemme go bring them over.”

You nodded enthusiastically, feeling a surge of energy flow back into your body at the thought of finally meeting your twins. So when Sam returned, wheeling two hospital cribs through the door, you were virtually bouncing with anticipation.

“You were right, baby.” Sam shot you a handsome little smirk.

“What?”

“We’ve got two boys.”

“Really?” You gasped, the emotions finally catching up with you after all the hardships you’d faced in the past twenty-four hours.

“What? No ‘I told you so’?” Sam teased lightly.

But you were much too in awe for that. “No, just… gimme,” you pouted, holding your arms out expectantly.

“You sure?”

“Sam, if you don’t hand me at least one of my babies right now, I swear to Chuck-“

“Alright, alright, no need to bring God into this,” Sam chuckled, sliding your firstborn carefully into your eager and waiting arms.

“Oh my god, he’s perfect.”

“Yeah? So is this little guy,” Sam had picked up the other infant and was beaming fondly down at him.

You spared a glance at them and giggled at the sight.

“What?”

“Nothing, just… he looks so small in your arms.”

Sam’s entire being exuded radiance, “So what are we gonna name them?”

It wasn’t long before you called for Dean and he strolled somewhat nervously into your room.

Cradling his eldest son in his arms, Sam sent his brother a warm and proud smile, “Dean, we’d like you to meet Robert John and…”

“Lucas Dean Winchester,” you finished, gesturing to the baby boy in your arms. “Well, Luke and Robbie for short.”

Dean’s emerald eyes grew wide and a little wet. He looked back and forth between you and Sam as if to confirm what he had heard was true.

You smiled at him, nodding. “You’ve always meant the world to Sam, and if I’m honest, you mean the world to me too. And I am beyond certain that these boys will grow to love you no less than either of us. Besides, none of us would be here if it weren’t for you.”

Dean was quiet for a moment, and you knew he needed to process his emotions.

“That’s awesome,” he said, though you knew he meant ‘thank you’.

“You wanna hold them?” Sam asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Dean grinned back, then looked toward you.

You held back a laugh, “You wanna start with your namesake, don’t you?”

“Hell yeah!” Sam shot him a mini bitch face, “Sorry, I-I mean, heck yeah!”

Snorting, you carefully handed Dean the bundle of blankets in which Lucas Dean was wrapped.

“There’s just one more thing I wanna say,” Sam’s voice brought your attention back to him.

You gave him a curious look and he seemed to almost blush under your gaze, which only confused you further.

“Y/N, I never thought I’d get to have all this, but you’ve made me so unbelievably happy, and I know it shouldn’t matter, but there’s been something ruminating in the back of my mind ever since we got to the hospital- no, actually ever since we made those fake IDs.”

Now you were really lost, eyeing him perplexedly. You looked over to Dean for some help, but he seemed not in the least bit surprised. In fact, he appeared to be perfectly content, paying zero attention to you and his brother and cooing happily at baby Luke as he bounced him in his arms.

“Baby,” Sam continued, “I know you’ve never really wanted or cared about this, and I know we can never make it a hundred percent official, but- Y/N, will you marry me?”

It was a good thing you were no longer holding any babies, because Sam’s question took you completely off guard.

“W-what?” you stammered, staring at him with large eyes.

Sam chuckled and looked down at Robbie, “I think your mom heard me just fine, don’t you, buddy?”

Your mouth stayed open for some time as you tried to absorb it all.

“Any time now, Y/N. Any time,” Dean interrupted without glancing up from Luke.

“Y-yes!” You finally replied.

“Really?” Sam asked again.

“Yeah! Obviously! I mean, who else would I marry but my incredible, brilliant, tall, and gorgeous baby daddy?”

At this point, Sam had passed Dean his oldest son, helping him balance both babies in his arms, before rushing back over to you. He took your face in both hands and kissed you like it was the first and last time. You leaned up to reach him and run your fingers through his shimmering tresses but you refrained from taking the kiss too far, figuring you’d save Dean the torture given all he had just done for your family.

“Well, alright! Two Winchesters coming in, and five going out. Nice work, Sammy!”

You released Sam and sent Dean a bitch face of your own.

“But- I mean, none of this would have been possible without you, Y/N/N,” he quickly amended, “I mean, who could forget that you nearly died bringing these two to the world? What’s that, the third time you’ve cheated Death now? That alone is enough to make you an official Winchester in my books.”

“Well, technically we’re all Windsors in this hospital.”

A/N #2: thank you for reading! ...i’m thinking of turning this into a series of sorts, like a collection of stories about sam and reader’s lives after the twins (because i’ve got iDeAs brewing), would anyone be interested? ❤️ also, here’s a look at some new stuff at lexicolor.redbubble.com:

tagging some peeps who seemed to enjoy part 1 :) @carryonmywaywardbucky @girl-next-door-writes​ @sams-sass​ @swiftlymoniquesblog @austin-winchester67 @idreamofhazel @hoboal87 

[weirdnaturalscience]

Well-Known and Obscure Toxins: How They Work

Well this is a morbid subject but HEY it’s almost Halloween baby!! I was super curious about what toxins actually do on a molecular level after reading about cone snails. Obviously toxins can kill you, but how?? I wanted to know the grisly details. This is not an exhaustive list, just some types of poison, venom, and other toxic substances I was curious about, so let’s get to it.

Deadly Nightshade

Where is it found? Atropa belladonna grows in Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.

How it works: speeds up your heart and generally fucks with your nervous system. Deadly nightshade contains tropane alkaloids atropine, hyoscine (scopolamine), and hyoscyamine which disrupt the nervous system’s ability to regulate activities such as heart rate, breathing and sweating. It can cause narcosis, paralysis and heart failure as a result. Yikes. But an antidote exists that can reverse these affects if administered in time.

Toxicity: the entire plant is toxic, with roots having the highest toxicity but berries posing the greatest threat to humans because of their appearance. 10-20 berries can kill an adult, and 2-4 can kill a child. Symptoms of mild poisoning include dilated pupils, sensitivity to light, loss of balance, confusion, hallucinations (wild) and convulsions. Doesn’t sound like a good time.

Do not eat the shiny attractive berries!!! (Cows and rabbits and other animals can eat it but humans, dogs and cats...NOT SO MUCH) You can also get toxins on your skin just by touching the plant but this will not kill you.

Totally fun and not morbid fact: during the Renaissance, belladonna was used by women in small quantities to dilate pupils and give a seductive appearance, and this is how it gets its name belladonna, or beautiful woman. Atropa comes from the Greek Fate Atropos who cuts the threads of mortal lives with her shears. Snip snip!

Hemlock

Where is it found? Conium maculatum grows naturally in Europe and North Africa, and has spread to North and South America, Australia and Western Asia.

How it works: stops your breathing. The flowers contain an alkaloid called coniine, which directly affects the nervous system and causes paralysis of respiratory muscles, leading to death from oxygen deprivation. Hemlock poisoning is treated by artificial ventilation for 48-72 hours until the effects wear off.

Toxicity: about 100 milligrams of coniine is fatal to an adult. That’s about 6-8 hemlock leaves, or a smaller dose of the seeds or root. Animals can also be poisoned and killed by hemlock, but luckily dangerous substances cannot be passed into the human food chain from milk or fowl. Similar to nightshade, you can get a non-lethal amount of the toxin on your skin simply from touching this plant.

Basically you’re only gonna get poisoned by this if someone puts it in your tea, because I assume you’re not gonna just go around just like...chomping on pretty flowers. Right? Right?? ok good.

Arsenic

Where is it found? arsenic is a metalloid that occurs often with sulfurs and metals. It can be present in volcanic ash and groundwater, and as a result can be found in low (acceptable) levels in plants and seafood. Good news: it is rare to find arsenic occurring at dangerous levels in nature.

How it works: in high levels, arsenic disrupts ATP production and causes organ failure due to necrotic cell death. This process can last between 2 hours to multiple days. It can also be fatal in lower doses administered over a period of time, and as such, was a popular murder weapon when it was readily available during the 1800s in England. Symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea don’t immediately alert someone that there has been an attempted murder unless maybe you’re Sherlock Holmes.

Toxicity: google probably thinks I’m a murderer and won’t tell me just how much arsenic will kill a person. COME ON, google!!! it’s for SCIENCE!

Arsenic is no longer readily available for people to just get in large quantities, so that’s a RELIEF.

Cyanide

Where is it found? cyanide is a chemical compound produced by certain algae, bacteria and fungi. It is also found in plants such as peaches, apples, apricots and bitter almonds. A type of bamboo that grows in Madagascar is so rich in cyanide that it would kill humans, but not the golden bamboo lemur for whom this bamboo is a primary source of food!!! You go girl, eat that cyanide bamboo.

How it works: for everyone who’s not a golden bamboo lemur, cyanide disrupts ATP production, affects the central nervous system and heart, and causes histotoxic hypoxia: the inability of cells to take up oxygen from the bloodstream. Antidotes can work if administered in time for lower doses of cyanide.

Toxicity: 200 milligrams of solid cyanide or a cyanide solution, or exposure to airborne cyanide of 270 parts per million is sufficient to cause death within minutes. Um, YIKES. Really, cyanide was already scary enough as a solid before nature went and made it into a gas that kills upon inhalation. DEEPLY uncool.

Murder mystery writers: slip belladona or arsenic into your literary victim’s tea. Belladonna is sweet, arsenic is tasteless, but cyanide has an acrid and bitter taste.

Fun (well, not fun) fact: if you eat 200 apple seeds (about 40 apple cores) you will receive a fatal dose of cyanide. So like, don’t do that. An apple a day keeps the doctor away and is completely safe, but 40 apples apple cores a day WILL KILL YOU

Vampire Bat Saliva

Where is it found? Vampire bats are found in the Americas.

How it works: a toxic substance called Draculin (I’m serious) in the saliva of vampire bats acts as an anticoagulant by inhibiting an enzyme involved in the coagulation pathway.

Toxicity: vampire bats are indeed venomous and toxic, but they are not at all lethal. It just sorta sucks if you’re being bitten by a vampire bat, but you’ll live. Unless that bat has rabies. Vampire bat saliva also contains an analgesic, meaning the bites are almost completely painless. SO THAT’S SOMETHING

Cobra Venom

“hello do you have a moment to hear about cell death?”

Where is it found? Many species of cobra are found throughout Africa, Southwest and Southeast Asia.

How it works: most cobra venom includes neurotoxins that cause paralysis as well as cytotoxins that cause necrosis and blood coagulation. blood coagulation can happen in minutes.

Toxicity: many types of cobra venom are treatable, but may leave disfigurement from necrosis. If this isn’t scary enough for you, just know that spitting cobras can reach 2.7 m (8.9 ft) in length and like to aim for the eyes.

But you’d still rather be bitten by a cobra than THIS deadly mofo:

Venom of the Inland Taipan

Where is it found? the inland taipan is the most venomous snake in the world and lives, YOU GUESSED IT, in Australia, ie the place where everything is designed to kill you. Evolution decided it can reach 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) with a maximum length of 2.5 meters (8.2 feet), which I think everyone can agree is a dick move on evolution’s part. Take it back, TAKE IT BACK!!!!!

How it works: the venom contains neurotoxins, hemotoxins, and myotoxins AND an enzyme to increase absorption of the venom. Basically it causes paralysis, blood coagulation and muscle damage, because one of these things wasn’t enough apparently. Antivenoms against Australian venomous snakes exist but are least effective against the venom of the inland taipan.

Toxicity: the inland taipan’s venom has a murine LD50 value of 0.025m/kg. This means there is a 50% chance that .025 milligrams per kilogram of weight will cause death. It’s bite contains enough venom to kill at least 100 adult humans. But GOOD NEWS! the inland taipan lives in such remote places that it rarely comes in contact with people. Other slightly less venomous snakes are therefore responsible for more deaths. ....So that’s...still terrifying. just don’t go into the woods in Australia FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

What’s deadlier than the deadliest snake in the world, you ask?

Tetrodotoxin

Where is it found? tetrodotoxin is found in several animals such as pufferfish, moon snails and the small but deadly Australian blue ringed octopus (DAMMIT Australia)

How it works: blocks sodium channels. This prevents normal transmission of signals between the body and brain, causing loss of sensation, paralysis and inability to breathe. Fun!!! Don’t pick up the frickin evil little octopus

Toxicity: more powerful than cyanide, that’s for sure, about a thousand times more powerful in fact. the oral median lethal dose (LD50) for mice as 334 micrograms per kilogram. Fatal pufferfish poisoning result in death in about 17 minutes. The blue-ringed octopus, however, carries enough venom to kill 26 adult humans within just a few minutes. There is no anti-venom.

What’s worse than that, you ask? Ah, you shouldn't have asked.

Conotoxin

Where is it found? Cone snails are found in the Indo-Pacific, the Cape of South Africa, the Mediterranean, and even southern California. Smaller species are not that dangerous. Larger species, however...

How it works: paralysis within minutes. cone snails have multiple harpoons to administer venom to prey (or unsuspecting humans). the harpoons deliver a venom that has HUNDREDS of different types of toxins, each targeting different nerve channels or receptors. Some cone snail venom even includes pain-reducing toxins. These pain reducing toxins can be 100 to 1,000 times more powerful than morphine. How THOUGHTFUL.

Toxicity: vastly more potent than tetrodotoxin. the oral median lethal dose (LD50) for mice is is 10 to 100 micrograms/kilogram. So like, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT LOL

Ricin

Where is it found? Ricin is obtained from the beans of the castor oil plant.

How it works: inhibits protein production and results in organ failure, respiratory failure and circulatory shock.

Toxicity: The median lethal dose (LD50) of ricin is around 22 micrograms per kilogram of body weight. If that sounds bad just wait till you hear about poison dart frogs 😭

VX

Where is it found? Nowhere in nature. VX is synthetic. It is an oily amber colored liquid in its natural form, was first developed as a pesticide and later for chemical warfare. It is considered a weapon of mass destruction and is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993.

How it works: causes stimulation and fatigue of muscarinic and nicotinic ACh receptors, resulting in violent contractions followed by paralysis and death by asphyxiation.

Toxicity: 7 micrograms/kilogram. this is one of the most toxic synthetic substances on earth. Humans have got nothing on mother nature though...

Batrachotoxin

(This guy is called phyllobates TERRIBILIS. but is his cute little face terrible? noooo.)

Where is it found? in certain types of beetles, birds and poison dart frogs found in Central and South America.

How it works: similar to conotoxin, batrachotoxin interrupts sodium channels. The resulting migration of Na+ ions causes heart failure and paralysis.

Toxicity: The LD50 is around 2 micrograms per kilogram, meaning that an amount the size of two grains of table salt will kill you, and that this is even worse than a cone snail, Ricin, or VX. Batrachotoxin is one of the deadliest alkaloids known. No antidote exists.

Fun frog fact: this was the poison commonly used by the Embera-Wounaan for poison darts, and that’s where poison dart frogs get their name! How...cute.

Botulinum, most toxic substance in the world

Where is it found? made by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum and related species.

How it works: causes Botulism, which if untreated can result in paralysis and respiratory failure by preventing the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Botulinum is used in very very very VEEEEEEERY small amounts in Botox, in case you ever needed reasons NOT to do Botox lol.

Toxicity: the lethal dose of 1.3–2.1 nanograms per kilogram in humans. of any toxin natural or synthetic, this is the deadliest known. However!! Actual good news this time: treatments involving antitoxin therapy and intubation are very successful and mortality from Botulism is extremely low. Yay! 

More good news: toxins have been instrumental in medicinal breakthroughs throughout history and continue to be vital to modern medicine. A drug for diabetes was recently synthesized from Gila monster venom: it increases the production of insulin when blood sugar levels are high. A painkiller has been developed for chronic pain patients that is derived from a component of the venom of our friend, you guessed it, the cone snail! These are just two examples of toxins being used in medicine, and a lot of research is still being done because face it: we still don’t know a lot about how our bodies work. Paralyzing agents are extremely important to our understanding of the body and the development of non-opiate non-addictive painkillers because of how they disrupt signals between nerves and the brain.

Long story short: don’t eat nightshade and stay OFF AUSTRALIAN BEACHES and you should be just fine. 

Oh and your tea is getting cold ;)

[dearlymrme]

Can you write Silco being with his s/o during labour and delivery pls🥺🥺🙏🙏

My first beautiful anon. Yes, I can!!!

The months of your pregnancy your brain was filled with well-justified questions: What did labor pain feel like? How painful is childbirth?

Both you and Silco had read the books and asked your doctor questions, but what did paper and a man know about childbirth? Your mother was no longer around to ask, you had no other family. One day you nervously stepped through the doors of the clinic to find a woman sitting in the wait with her daughter and instantly was asking her questions.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude-”

“First time? Oh, you’ll be fine. It’s not as bad as some people make it out to be.” She had advised and you trustingly took her word for it. What would later be a mistake.

Once again you find yourself in the bathroom at around five in the morning. Just to use the bathroom, thankfully the morning sickness was already done and over with. You were washing your hands and staring at your tired self in the mirror. Your bulging stomach pronounced with stretch marks that while you found unappealing Silco had taken to littering them with love and affection, soft kisses placed at your stomach that had you feeling nothing but cherished.

You brush your thumb over one patch of marks and smile.

You didn’t consider yourself much of a vain person but Silco made the comment that you had never looked more beautiful. Jinx, blessedly had taken the news well, over excited and assaulting the two of you with names but creative, made-up and-

“Rocket is a nice name for a girl but we still don’t know if they’re going to be a girl. You may have a baby brother Jinx.”

“Then how about Bang?” And you bite your lip and give Silco’s raised brow a little glance because that actually sounded kind of nice.

You're interrupted from your daydream by a tight throb from your lower abdomen. It didn’t hurt too bad, so little in fact that you considered it just gas and went back to bed.

Eight in the morning and you are woken up by a swift kick of pain to your lower stomach. It had you gasping and curlin in bed. Had you been standing it would have knocked your legs out from under you. It was an intense pressure, traveling down your stomach from low into your pelvis, a serious cramp that felt worse than any other you’ve ever had.

You are in the midst of regaining your breath before it’s once again knocked out of you, this time it’s worse. You feel your mouth opening, you know you let out a pained shriek but you can’t hear it. Horrid heat laces through your lower abdomen.

You fight it, you fight it tooth and nail. You hear white noise and all you can focus on is the incredible cramping and since fighting was losing out, flight kicked in and you are out of bed and back into the bathroom before another cramp hits and you are griping the sink for dear life.

There is a slight jolt, you're given a small shake by firm hands on your shoulder and your eyes snapped open, when had you closed them? Burning red as hot as molten rock stares at you with its twin blue primary. His mouth is moving, a spit command.

“Breath!”

You suck in air and sobs and the world comes back into focus. Silco is there, just woken up but entirely alert as he looks you over and he almost looks panicked but Silco doesn’t get panicked. That can’t be right. But right now you’re too busy enjoying the momentary bliss of relief before the next wave hits…The con-what are they called?

“It’s time.” Silco states.

“I’m…not due…for another-” Silco levels you with an emploring and concerned stare. He sets a warm hand on your stomach and soothes it.

“That’s up to them, not us.”

It hadn’t taken you long to get ready. Given how soon you were due, Silco felt it was close enough time to have a bag already packed and waiting to go. You felt the baby was going to come immediately given the cramps--contractions, that’s what they were called. Silco assured you there was time. He reminded you of what the doctor of the clinic had said, that there would be time to get ready, don’t rush too much. Remain calm, keep breathing.

Jinx was practically sleep-walking her way out the door with you. You’re not even sure she heard you when you had told her that you were going into labor.

“Mm comin’.” She snoored as she shucked on her boots and was led out the door by leashing her fingers to the back belt loop of Silco’s pants. While he had gotten moderately dressed, as in, a pair of pants complimented with his crew neck nightly shirt both you and Jinx had forgon traditional clothing to brave the clinic in your pajamas.

You may as well have went nude because as soon as you got in the carriage your water broke, and then when you got the room the nurse had barked for you to strip and gave you a thin paper gown.

This happened in a span of an hour in a half…And when the doctor arrived to check on you he had the audacity to say that you weren’t ready.

“Your water just broke. You still have a few hours to go before you’re dilated enough.” And you have the sudden need to see his teeth broken on the floor. You lifted to make that vision a reality before Silco put his hand on your knuckles and pulled it back down to hold with his at your side.

“We need him alive, dear.”

You were told to make yourself comfortable and Jinx happily took up the offer by collapsing into one of the nearby chairs and fell back asleep.

You can’t though. You can’t sit still. You feel like if you lay down the next wave of pain might just drown you. You slowly pace the room with your hands pressed against your lower back as now the pain has moved there, a knife twisting jab that has you whimpering.

“What about the epidural?” You whine sucking in breath through your teeth as another cramp hits.

Silco, in his own chair by the bed, looks up from the book he had brought, a bright creamy colored cover of ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting.’ and frowns.

“You're not dilated enough for it.”

“And just how long am I supposed suck it up for!?” You growl.

“Considering what time they started and when we got here? And according to this--?” He waves the book. “It could be about two more hours.” You lift your head back and whine. Silco takes this cue to close the book and pat the bed.

“Lay down, my lovely. You’ll feel better.”

“How is laying down going to help me feel better?!” Your growling turns into whimpering as your back goes straight with another tear jerking cramp before it subsides and you turn around and stagger back to the other side of the room for the fifth time now.

“If you lay down I will show you.” And you sniff, wiping your eyes as they had gone gummy at some point and waddle your way over to the bed, painstakingly getting into it and laying atop the covers.

Then Silco climbs into bed with you. When you realize what he has planned you shuffle over to give you both the room you need, which it’s not a big bed, it’s a little cramped but when Silco gather’s you in his arms and holds you to his chest you practically sag.

His skin feels soft and warm against yours and you sniffle as you rest your head against his chest and nuzzle into him. The clean smell of him helps you with your breathing. His hand brushing through your hair makes you feel safe despite the pain triggering your fight response. His legs tangle with yours and with each hiss as another contraction hits he places a rewarding kiss to the crown of your head as you manage to suffer through it.

The room echoes with your soft whimpers, his soft humming, and Jinx’s loud snoring.

It goes on for two and a half more hours before you feel the need to push and Silco gets the doctor. The man arrives already dressed for operation and is fitting you in the bed with the stirrups. Silco is shaking Jinx by her shoulder to wake her.

“Jinx. Jinx, wake up. You need to go out into the hall. You're too young to see this.”

“K” She gets up without opening her eyes, pillow cradled closely to her chest, Silco guides her towards the door. She gives a little tired wave to you that you try to return without grimacing.

This is the absolute worst pain you have ever been in, in your entire life and you haven’t even been stabbed.

Silco’s fingers give a small pop as you clench at his hand, holding him down. The man, bless him, doesn’t complain at the tightness of your fist. He gives as good as he gets while standing beside you, maintaining a supporting point of contact that you need. Support, everything he had been throughout this pregnancy and will be and more. He stands next to you and the labor bed as the doctor ducks his head between your legs.

It’s a process. It was already painful but this is life alerting and you’re practically threatening Silco’s life for doing this to you.

“It takes two.” He hisses as you give a punishing squeeze of his hand from his sass.

“It’s crowning.” The masked man in scrubs says. He gives a glance up from his position to Silco, still with nervousness in his eyes, knowing that if something goes wrong he will likely be dead by the end of the day. It won’t be Silco he needs to worry about, if this doesn’t kill you then you’ll be the one after his throat. He then looks at you and gives a nod. “Just one more big push.”

“I can’t.” You sob because it feels like it’s tearing you open, a blistering hot stretch that feels like you're being snapped apart.

“Yes, yes can.” Silco urges and gives his own firm squeeze. “You’re almost there, my lovely. You can do it. You’re almost done and then we get to meet them.” He lifts that hand and presses a kiss to your knuckle.

“Don’t you want to meet them?” He asks because you all do. Him, Jinx in the hall and likely woken up by now given your screaming, and you. Yes, you want to meet them. You’ve been wanting to meet them for nine months.

You scream as you try to bring your child into the world.

Your face is hot with tears as they streak messily down your cheeks. Your face is hot as every draw of breath pushes blood to your cheeks from force of exertion. Your knuckles white as you clench Silco’s hand and the bedside bar with your other. Another scream, another push. Silco talks words of encouragement and praise into your ear.

“Almost. You can do it. They’re almost here.”

It had taken a hefty two hours of labor before there was an almost immediate relief and the garbling cry of a newborn infant. The sound has you falling limp in bed and sob half hysteric giggles as you hear your baby’s cry for attention, their first healthy breath of life.

“Congratulations. It’s a boy.” The doctor says, cleaning the baby--your son, off before laying him against your bare skin.

The skin contact feels like a soothing balm across a hot burn. You keep him close to your chest, still half dazed that it’s finally over and you’ve done it, this is it, this is your reward, and what a wonderful blessing it is.

You gaze down and press a kiss to his small mop of black hair, more than able now to ignore the follow up contractions of the afterbirth. Your attention is too focused on him. How perfect he is. How beautiful he is. You’re crying for a completely different reason now and can’t stop smiling. You look to your side at Silco, expecting to see the same expression. But it’s not there.

His face betrays no emotion. You can see his jaw flex as he clenches his teeth, as though he wants to say something but is holding back the words. He had released your hand and now he lay clenches at his side as blue and burning red trace every bit of detail on his newborn's face.

“Silco.” You murmur, exhausted. His gaze snaps to you, there is a kind of fear in his eyes and for a second you think that perhaps he is having second thoughts. Perhaps this is what it took for him to realize that this isn’t what he wants. You quickly and violently pound away those thoughts because no, that’s not what this is. That’s not who he is. He’s simply processing this.

And you were right because then he gives you a soft smile, one of pure love and adoration. It’s eyes that are normally shared between him, you, and JInx and now he has another he can gaze at with such soft warmth.

“Do you want to hold him?” He opens his mouth and closes it looking between you and your son and that trepidation is back. No, he’s not backing out, he is second guessing himself like most father’s do when confronted with their baby for the first time. You watch his throat bob as he swallows hard and you smile at him.

“What if--”

“You won’t drop him, Silco. Remember the doll?” It had been a hefty doll. Approximately how much the baby would potentially weigh. It was in order to figure out how to properly hold the child, support the head, grow used to holding the weight and how to carry.

Silco clears his throat and approaches closer, ready for the infant and you gently coax your son into his father’s awaiting arms.

He’s perfect, he’s practiced, cradling his son close and keeping his neck supported and looks down at his newborn with shock and awe in his eyes. You watch with a smile on your face as he swipes his thumb against his child's face and simply stares at him.

And then you see his throat bobbing again, his jaw clenching, and his eyes flutter. He takes a deep and stuttering breath before a disbelieving smile breaks on his face and his eyes cloud with tears.

Silco tenderly pressed a kiss to the crown of his head.

[xoxopandapanda]

InuKag Week 2021: Day 1

@inukag-week

Day 1: Battle Couple

It was a long and difficult day to say the least. The baby wouldn’t go down for anything, quickly becoming irate and angry at any attempt his parents made to help him settle down. Inuyasha’s shoulders and arms were of no comfort, and he didn’t want to nurse from Kagome. He cried and cried.

Soon his parents cried with him.

Inuyasha held it together for a while, taking the babe from Kagome when she started to choke up at his rejection of her breast. “Here,” his voice was soft, barely audible over the screaming child in Kagome’s arms. “Give him to me. You get some shut eye while we go out for a walk.”

Kagome had shaken her head at first but didn’t stop Inuyasha when he lifted the bundle out of her arms and tucked it into the crook of his neck. “I’m serious,” he told his wife sternly, “get some rest.”

Kagome felt the burn of tears down her face and saw through the waterworks Inuyasha’s shoulders fall slightly. But he turned on his heel and quickly left the hut they occupied, true to his word of taking the baby out for a walk. Kagome dropped her head into her hands, not bothering to even tidy or cover herself up before falling over to cry.

She felt like such a failure, of a mother and wife.

Kagome had gone nearly two days without a few hours rest, and exhaustion quickly crept on her. She was too tired and far too upset herself to remember that Inuyasha needed far less rest than her and could handle a fussy baby for a while. Once she was rested, she would probably blame baby brain for forgetting such a vital part of her husband’s characteristics, but that was for a rested Kagome to worry about.

Sleep came to her quickly, albeit restless sleep. She kept waking and searching for the other occupants of her home, before remembering they were out on a walk. She moved in and out of awareness, not having slept alone in what felt like eons, but realistically was only two years. Her bed felt cold and the room too quiet without her boys in it.

Sunlight finally peaked through the crevices of the walls. Inuyasha had promised her that he would fill in the gaps that the aging wood had created. But that was before the early labor and dramatic entrance of their first-born son just a few short months ago. Kagome half thought to remind him of the task, but then thought she couldn’t risk his attention been separated from her and the baby.

She wasn’t ready to be solely responsible yet.

Sure, reasonably she knew she could do it. It would probably just take him a few hours to gather the straw and mud to bulk up the walls, and with his speed and strength the longest part of it would be waiting for it to dry before adding more. He could help her out during those times, but the thought of even a moment where he wasn’t beside her with his full attention on their baby was too much to imagine.

Kagome started to choke up realizing she had left him to her own worst fear last night – solo parenting.

She rubbed her eyes, and the voice in the back of her head told her “Inuyasha is his father. He is just as capable of taking care of him for a few hours, if not more so.”

She threw that thought to the wind and continued to berate herself for leaving him alone with a very upset and very inconsolable baby for an entire night.

Kagome forced herself to sit up, stiff from having slept in the position she fell over in, rearranging her clothes. She winced at the soreness of her breasts and was sure to loosely cover herself.

“He should be hungry,” she said aloud to no one in particular. ‘Hopefully’ went unspoken.

As she dusted herself off and walked to the bucket of water in the corner to get a drink, Inuyasha’s head ducked in the room, eyes scanning for her.

When he saw her, he gave her a sheepish look. Kagome panicked for a moment – did he leave the baby with Sango and Miroku? What would they think of them as parents if they just dropped the kid off when he got fussy?

Her thoughts were interrupted when he stepped into the room, a whimpering lump on his chest alerting her to the baby’s presence.

Later she would realize her panicked thoughts were more of a manifestation of her own desire to ask her friends for help but wouldn’t out of an irrational fear of judgement. That was another thing she was going to have to work out.

“Sorry to wake you, but he’s suckling on me.”

Kagome blinked, her brain still foggy and slow. Oh. Inuyasha meant the baby was hungry.

She went to grab the baby from her husband, but then thought better of it. Wouldn’t be good to drop the kid in her exhaustion trying to get herself sorted to feed him.

She put down the ladle she was drinking from and sat back down on their futon, crumpled and unmade from the events of the night before. The smell of it made her speak. “We got to air this out today.”

“Once he’s fed, I’ll bring it out.” Inuyasha stepped up into the main room and crouched beside his wife, waiting for her to be ready for the baby – who was still whimpering, but had at least dried himself out of tears.

Kagome adjusted her clothes before holding her arms out for her son – her perfect, fussy, big, loud, demanding son. He quickly latched and took off suckling, eager to fill his stomach and rehydrate after the waterworks of the last few hours.

Kagome felt Inuyasha settled behind her, his arms coming around to hold up their son with her, so her arms didn’t have to hold up the weight. Sighing loudly, she leaned back into him, her head resting against his shoulder and his chin nuzzling into her opposite shoulder. Kagome closed her eyes and started to drift of.

Okay, maybe she did drift off.

Next thing she knew Inuyasha had switched their baby on her breasts and was rubbing his wet nose into her cheek. “Hey,” his voice in her ear was a nice change from the screaming of the night before, “I need you to lay down. I’ve got to burp the brat.”

Kagome nodded, slumping over on his arm, until he removed it and let her flop onto the futon. She could hear the shuffling of his feet walking and bouncing the baby up and down to help him release excess gas. The wet blech told her that more than likely the fire rat robe was going to need to be washed.

Groggily she called out, “He did drink pretty dang fast.”

“Yeah,” came the reply, “let’s just hope he kept enough down to keep him calm for a little bit.”

“Maybe he’ll go into a food coma, and we can rest to.”

Inuyasha snorted. “If there’s a god out there, then let’s pray it happens.”

Kagome knew she should help her husband. He was probably having to juggle a baby while getting out of his clothes and then having to clean both of them up. She knew she should just get up and even if it was to wipe off their son, at least do something. But she couldn’t even manage to open her eyes to watch what she was sure was quite the scene playing out in her house.

She could say she was surprised when she was lifted up and put onto some blankets, but she wouldn’t because she didn’t have it in her to even register what was going on. Managing just a little bit of strength, Kagome saw her son on his back next to her, his chest going up and down and a very light snore coming from his mouth that also caused his ears to twitch in rhythm. He was naked which Kagome knew was probably a bad idea but couldn’t even find it in her to care.

If he soiled the blankets, he soiled the blankets. They washed.

Besides, it wasn’t like she was exactly clean herself.

Rolling to her side, she gently tucked an arm under her head and the other coming down softly to rest on his chest. The movement of his breath quickly lulled his mother into a far more peaceful rest than before.

The sun had well slid its way across the sky by the time Kagome woke up. Inuyasha was sitting in the genkan, a shallow dish of water before him and the boy in his lap. The baby seemed very fascinated by the light dancing across the surface and was enchanted by the experience.

Kagome could tell that her husband was just as enchanted by watching their son experience the world for the first time.

“Some partner I am.” Her voice was rough and gravely from dehydration. Inuyasha’s ears moved before his head. He looked over his shoulder at her, bemusement in his eyes.

“Didn’t know I married a bear demon.”

Kagome rolled her eyes at his quip. Gods help her if her son developed his father’s sense of humor. “I’m sorry for leaving you to all the work. I’m not a very good wife, am I?”

Inuyasha’s eyes narrowed, whether in confusion or annoyance, she couldn’t tell. She was too far gone in her emotions to care. “What kind of mother am I, even? I just leave my boy alone and don’t comfort him?”

Inuyasha cut her off before she could continue down her path of self-deprecation. “No one could comfort him last night. Miroku told me that babies get that way sometimes, so we’ve just got to stick together and make sure he knows we’ll be there for him.”

Ah. He had gone to see Miroku and Sango last night. Kagome felt a sting of bitterness in her chest, worrying about judgement for no reason.

“But,” Inuyasha looked back at his son, stroking the top of his head and lifting his fine sliver baby hair, “we aren’t going to win the battle unless we rely on each other and have each other’s backs.”

Kagome nearly stopped him, wanting to know what battle before she realized Miroku had probably use an analogy to get through to his half-demon friend.

Inuyasha continued. “You had my back with Naraku, and when I got injured. I had your back when you had to fight off Hobo and the entrance examples. It’s no different now.”

Kagome opened her mouth to correct him like she had thousands of times before about Hojo’s name, but her heart had other plans. “You’re right,” she spoke softly, her eyes beginning to close again now that she was comforted. “We’ve got each other’s backs. Thanks for having mine last night.”

If she had kept her eyes open for a few more moments she would have seen the color light up across her husband’s face before he turned to look back down at their boy, who was now touching the water to refract light differently, although he didn’t understand the science of his actions.

If she had stayed awake for a second longer, she would have heard her husband say, “I’ll always have your back.”

[daringyounggrayson]

Could you do 25 or 30 for Bruce and Dick? I’d really like for you to make Bruce say those words to his son!

I think we would all like to see that! oh, and for this one, I’m mixing things up: Bruce took Dick in as his ward but never went on to adopt him. 

25: “You know I love you, right?”

30: “I love you, okay? I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear it.”

AO3

"Mr. Wayne!” a photographer calls, waving his arm toward their small group as they try to make their way inside. “A picture of you and your sons, if you wouldn’t mind?” 

“Sure!” 

On cue, the four of them turn toward the camera with easy smiles. 

“Oh, sorry sir.” The photographer directs this at Dick. “Could I just get his sons for this shot?”

Dick doesn’t blame the reporter, honestly. He was probably assigned to get pictures of the Waynes, and when you google the Waynes, Dick’s name doesn’t pop-up—at least, not under family. And it makes sense; he was never adopted, so he’s legally not part of the Wayne family. Dick’s relation is just a small, unimportant detail. And to outsiders, especially people outside of Gotham or people who simply don’t keep up with Wayne Family News, Dick looks like more of a family friend, if anything. 

It’s an honest mistake, and Dick doesn’t take it personally. Unfortunately, that doesn't make it any less awkward. 

Dick glances at Bruce, trying to decide what to do. This evening will be long enough as it is, and if Bruce would rather let it go and get through the photos as quickly as possible, Dick wouldn't blame him. And it’s not like Dick needs his face on another magazine. 

Bruce tightens his hold on Dick’s shoulder, decision made.

“If you don’t mind,” Bruce pipes up with a charming voice, “I would like Richard to be in the photo. I did raise him for a decade, after all.” Bruce laughs to ease the tension, and Dick joins him to tell the photographer it’s okay.

The photographer’s eyes go wide, face going slightly pink. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize. I, er, here—” he holds the camera up “—smile!” The camera flashes twice. “Perfect. Have a nice evening!” And then the photographer is gone.

“I think I’m going to run ahead,” Dick says. “Find me when you can.”

“Dick, you don't—”

“It’s fine, B. Seriously.” Dick grins.

Bruce frowns. 

Dick shrugs and ducks away from his group, heading toward the building. He ignores the flashing of cameras and calls from the various photographers, and he ignores the three pairs of eyes that dig into his back as he goes.

oOo

All in all, the party was uneventful and the four of them excused themselves early after receiving an alert that Scarecrow had been spotted on the other side of town. If Scarecrow hadn’t been spotted terrorizing civilians with fear gas, Dick might’ve been able to enjoy the free ticket out of the gala.

“Shit,” Tim mutters.

“What?” Dick asks, not taking his eyes off of Scarecrow.

“Forgot to grab a new rebreather. I still have the busted one from the other night.”

Dick pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a breath before grabbing his own rebreather. “Here.”

Tim pushes it back toward him, shaking his head. “It’s fine. I messed up; I can deal with the consequences.”

“I’m offering you the solution,” Dick insists, pushing back. “We don’t have time to argue. Take the rebreather so we can move in.”

“I’m not a kid anymore, I don’t need you to protect me like I’m,” Tim looks away, down, “like I’m Robin. Besides, I think we both know that I’ll be able to handle fear gas better than you.”

Dick clenches his jaw, then relaxes it. Not the time. “Maybe, but I’m in charge right now. So: take the rebreather or you’re playing look-out for the rest of the night.”

Tim’s head shoots up, eyes scanning Dick to see how serious he is. Tim takes the rebreather, shoving it into his belt. “Happy?”

“Thrilled. Let’s go.”

oOo

If anyone had to get gassed, Dick’s glad it was him. Even though he has an objectively bad reaction and treatment isn’t always effective, he has more experience and can deal with it better than his siblings. During and after. On top of that, Tim was and continues to be his responsibility; his top priority was getting Tim home safe. From those perspectives, it was logical for Dick to take the lungful of fear toxin.

Then there’s the selfish, probably more powerful perspective: Dick can’t stand seeing Tim on fear gas. The screaming, the tears, the things he says, the inability to comfort him and take the pain away. It’s awful to see once, and Dick’s seen it countless times, in real life and in nightmares. He’d do anything to avoid it—for Tim’s sake and, when Dick’s being honest, his own. He knows his family probably feels the same way about him, but that just means they’d act out of selfishness too. 

Tonight, Dick had more say, so Tim got the rebreather and Dick got more than a lungful of gas.

“Sorry again,” Tim mumbles, passing Dick a fresh ice pack. “About the rebreather.”

Dick takes the ice pack and presses it against his right shoulder, which he agitated at some point during their fight with Scarecrow. “’S fine. Knowing you, you’ll triple check next time to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“No kidding,” Tim mumbles, running a hand through his hair. He stifles a yawn. “Need anything else?”

“Nah.” Dick starts reciting pi in his head, trying to drown out the voices he knows aren’t real. “Get some sleep. And good work tonight.”

Even with the gassing, he and Tim were able to take down Scarecrow fairly easily. It’s nice to know that the two of them can still work well together, even when the circumstances aren’t entirely ideal.

“Thanks, you too.” Tim bounces on the balls of his feet and fails to stifle another yawn. This time, Dick yawns too. “You don’t want company or anything?”

“I’m good. Besides, I’ll probably just try to sleep until Alfred is happy with the blood work.”

Tim shrugs and takes a few steps backward. “If you change your mind.”

“Night, Timmers.”

“Night.” Tim turns around and makes his exit.

Dick throws his good arm over his eyes and tries to sleep.

oOo

Unconsciousness comes in waves, broken by adrenaline spikes and Alfred or Bruce checking on him. But no matter his consciousness status, Dick’s reality is shadowed and manipulated by voices and figures, hallucinations and lies that feel like absolute truths. It’s hard to tell the difference between sleep and wakefulness, but the shaking is a good tell. He doesn’t usually shake in his nightmares.

He's in his room, lying in his bed and shaking. He doesn’t remember coming here, but that doesn’t say much. He’d been having a dream, something that felt real, but wrong. Something adjacent to reality.

A camera kept flashing in his face, the photographer morphing into something less and less human. And Bruce, Bruce had been there. Yelling at him, telling him to—

No. That hadn’t happened, and now that he’s awake, Dick can barely remember the lies.

Dick kicks at his sheets, trying to reach the cool air above them. At first it’s a relief, but soon it’s not enough because he’s hot and sweaty and something keeps telling him to run. He glances out the window, trying to figure out if he could survive the fall—

No. He’s fine. He’s fine.

Dick pushes himself upright, takes some deep breaths, tries to recite pi. 

He jumps at the knock on his door.

“Dick?” the door creaks open to reveal Bruce, who enters the room before Dick can answer. “What are you still doing here?”

“I—” Dick feels hot, his palms are sweating again and he can feel his heart pounding against his chest, trying to escape. He blinks, twists the skin on his forearm until it hurts.

Bruce is in front of him, sitting down on the bed. “I trained you to be a detective. Can’t you piece together the clues? You’re not wanted. Get out of my house and stay away from my family.”

Dick shakes his head, fists his hair. The room feels like it’s getting smaller, twisted and darker. Louder. Wrong. This is a sign, but Dick can’t remember for what. “But you—no. You trusted me with Damian, you said—” 

What had Bruce said? He’s a master manipulator when he wants to be, needs to be. He might’ve trusted him with Damian, or maybe, just maybe, he was only trying to protect Alfred in case Damian had been given orders to assassinate them. He’d already attacked Tim, after all, and keeping that fact in mind, Bruce would have needed to consider safety and who he’d be willing to lose in order to protect someone else. Dick’s death and its repercussions would have felt minuscule if it meant Alfred would be saved.

Hands tug at his wrists. It’s three fourteen. The voice is lying.

“Shh. Take a breath.” Dick tries, but it’s like his chest has stalled. “Tell me how many posters are in your room.”

“There’s—”

“Take them and go. I don’t want any trace of you left in this house.”

“Dick, you’re alright. Take a breath.” Hands are on Dick’s shoulders, trying to restrain him. He brushes them off, tries to get to the window. “I’m out of patience. I won’t be subtle any longer—I’ve regretted taking you in from the moment you moved in. Go!”  

His fingers barely brush against the window’s lock before he’s slammed into the ground. His shoulder pops, making him grunt.

“You’re not thinking clearly. Focus. Wait it out.”

Dick struggles against the weight on top of him, but it doesn’t give, not even when he resorts to biting. The hands simply shift from his chest to his stomach, and his attacker doesn’t even make a sound.

The voices in his head build up. There are millions, all shouting conspiracies at him, all of them sounding too true. His heart pounds so hard that it must be bruising his chest, and he’s so hot that his brain must be about to melt. And, and—he can’t breathe. He can’t breathe. He’s going to die. This is it—he’s going to die.

A hand forces his head down, and it’s not until then that he realizes he’s been slamming it against the ground in an attempt to silence the voices.

“Shh, shh. You’re alright. I’ve got you.”

“Leave! Jump out the window, you’d be doing everyone a favor!”

Dick tries to lift his head again, but the hold is firm. There’s not enough room to hit it against the ground, there’s not enough room to shut the voices out.

“No one will miss you!”

The familiar feeling of a needle slides into his arm.

“Shh.”

Something happens. The room shifts, he shifts, and he realizes that he’s no longer shaking. It’s a sign.

The hallucinations shift into a nightmare that feels too real.

oOo

Dick wakes up to nausea and a headache. He tries to move his hand to rub at his head only to find that he’s been restrained. Bad night then.

He opens his eyes and turns his head. There’s an empty chair by his bed and the bedroom door is cracked open. 

“Bruce,” he calls. 

Damian steps into view, pushing the door open a little wider. The quick response tells Dick that Damian has been listening from the hallway. “Father is answering a call from Kent. Would you like me to collect him?”

"It can wait.” 

Damian still hasn’t entered the room, and it makes Dick wonder how much he’d heard last night, how much last night has to do with the distance, the hesitance. He doesn’t remember seeing Damian at all, but he probably came back when Dick was still in the Cave. And even if they hadn’t seen each other, it’s not like Dick’s bedroom is soundproof.

“Everything okay, kiddo?” He can remember Bruce having a handful of especially bad reactions to fear gas from when Dick was a kid—they’d been terrifying, seeing Bruce like that had made them terrifying.

“Of course. You are the one who was incapacitated.” Damian tugs on the sleeve of his sweatshirt, pulling it halfway down his hand. “But you are alright now?”

Dick quirks his lips into a smile. “I’m fine.”

“Good. I imagine last night was quite difficult,” Damian begins. “Titus woke up several times.” Damian tugs on his sleeve again, he looks like he wants to ask something.

Damian’s head turns abruptly, and whatever he sees causes him to take a step back. Into the hallway, he says, “Richard is awake.”

Now that he’s paying attention, Dick can hear Bruce’s footsteps. Bruce pauses outside of Dick’s bedroom, and he and Damian exchange words in quiet voices that Dick can’t understand. Then Bruce steps inside and closes the door behind him. 

“How are you feeling?” Bruce asks.

“Lucid,” Dick starts. Bruce tilts his head, expectant. “Not great overall, and I still feel a little on edge, but I think the worst of it is over.”

“Hnn.” Bruce looks him over for a moment, trying to confirm Dick’s self-evaluation. He must pass because soon Bruce is taking off the restraints. 

“Did I . . .” Dick tries to think back to last night and work out what was nightmare and what was hallucination and what was reality. “Did I try to jump out a window last night?”

“Yes. I had to hold you down until a sedative was administered. After that, we decided it would be safer to use restraints until the toxin wore off.”

Dick sits up as the last of the restraints are removed. He stretches his ankles and wrists. “Did the antidote not work or something?”

“It either wore off early or the toxin was stronger than usual. Possibly both, considering how you reacted to additional doses,” Bruce explains. 

Dick frowns. “How many doses did you give me?”  

“Three. You probably won’t need a fourth, but we’ll check your blood in a few hours to make sure that the traces still in your system are gone, or at least decreasing.”

Dick groans and slides back down against his pillow, draping his arms over his face. The fear toxin antidote, while helpful, isn’t without side-effects. With three doses, those effects will stick around for days.

Bruce, the bastard, has the audacity to chuckle at him. Dick blindly throws a pillow at him, smiling when he hears it meet its target.

Then, “Are you hungry?”

“Not even a little.”

Bruce runs a hand through Dick’s hair. “Sleep.”

He doesn’t have to be told twice. 

oOo

Dick wakes up alone again, but this time the chair is gone and the door is completely shut. It’s a good sign, and since Dick isn’t currently disoriented, very much preferred. 

It’s much later in the day now, a little past noon, but he knows he could very easily close his eyes and sleep for another few hours. Possibly until the next morning. But to his misfortune, his stomach growls in protest.

With a dramatic sigh that no one can hear, he gets out of bed, quickly showers and dresses, and goes downstairs to find something to eat.

"I was just about to check on you," Alfred says when he spots him entering the kitchen. "How are you feeling?"

Dick shrugs. “Tired.” It’s a side-effect of the antidote, but the nightmares probably hadn’t helped. “Did you guys have lunch already?”

“It would seem that everyone has gotten a rather late start to the day. We were just about to settle in for a brunch of sorts.”

“Do you need help?” Dick asks.

Alfred points toward a tray of what looks like buckwheat pancakes. “If you could bring that tray into the dining room, please.”

Dick hums and grabs the tray, carrying it into the dining room with Alfred behind him. He’s just setting the tray down when Titus storms in, running into his legs with a force that threatens to knock him over.

He takes a step back with a small laugh, reaching down to pet Titus. His tail thumps against the ground as he takes a seat on top of Dick’s feet.

“Master Damian!” Alfred shouts, setting a bowl of fruit down on the table.

“What’s up with you, buddy?” Dick asks the dog as he bends down to pet him better. Titus doesn’t usually tackle him, especially not when they just saw each other the day before. “What’s goin’ on?”

Alfred tsks to the room at large.

“Yes, Pennyworth?” Damian asks when he eventually reaches the room.

“What have I told you about animals in the dining room, especially during meal times?”

Damian rolls his eyes, prompting another “Master Damian!” from Alfred. Dick almost laughs, but the adult in him tells him to stand up and keep his mouth shut.

“Titus, come,” Damian says.

Titus whines.

“Titus, come,” Damian repeats.

Titus obeys, tail low as Damian leads him out of the room.

“And please gather the others before returning.”

Damian mumbles something under his breath that Alfred claims to have heard. Despite the resistance, Tim comes into the room a minute later, so Damian must’ve done as Alfred asked.

“Morning,” Tim says. He juts his thumb toward the hall. “What’s Damian mad about?”

“Oh.” Dick huffs a small laugh. “Titus ran in here and Alfred kind of went off on him.”

“Ugh, and I missed it? Bummer.” Tim takes a seat next to him and steals a piece of fruit from the bowl. “Feeling any better? Bruce said you had a rough night.”

Sometimes a little fear toxin exposure can be so mundane and minuscule that it isn’t mentioned the following morning. Dick wishes this was one of those times.

“Yup.” Dick taps his fingers on the table. “What happened to your ankle? You didn’t report it last night.”

Tim looks down at the ACE bandage wrapped around his left foot. “Oh. Just an old injury that started acting up this morning. I can still kick your ass at sparring later, though.”

Dick snorts and grabs one of the buckwheat pancakes, deciding he can’t wait any longer. “You wish.”

oOo

Breakfast is uneventful, aside from Dick literally falling asleep on the table. Bruce shakes him awake after everyone’s finished eating and then drags Dick down to the Cave to check his blood levels. Titus joins them, pressing himself against Dick’s legs and nearly tripping him as they make their way down the Cave’s stairs.

One blood test later and they learn that the toxin levels haven’t budged. Bruce decides to give him another dose of the antidote.

“Fourth time’s the charm, right?” Dick says.

“Hnn.”

Bruce sets a timer on his phone, just like he used to do in the early days. Draw blood, antidote, set a timer, draw more blood. That had been the routine for so much of his life.

Although, Dick supposes, they hadn’t really had antidotes back then; they’d had attempts at treatments. Desperate attempts to manage symptoms. There was no testing to guarantee their effectiveness or safety, and their chemical makeup had been based purely on theory and desperation. It was better than nothing, but it was risky, so they took precautions: monitoring each other not only for effectiveness but also for the inevitable side effects.

Dick will never forget the time an “antidote” caused his throat to swell up and chest to stall. The timer had only had a minute left, too—they’d increased the time after that, and Dick hadn’t complained about having to wait the whole time for almost a year.

These days, monitoring isn’t always part of the routine, and when it is, it’s mostly to check for effectiveness. But since this is Dick’s fourth dose in a relatively short timeframe, his risk for adverse effects is higher and he needs to be monitored to make sure he doesn’t keel over. Bruce will probably force him to stay at the manor until all side effects of the treatment subside, longer if new side effects arise.

“Have you been able to get any restful sleep?”

Dick jerks as he’s pulled from his thoughts. “Uh,” he starts, needing a second to process what Bruce just said. “No. Not really, no.”

“Someone can patrol in Bludhaven while you recover.”

It’s an offer, Bruce trying to be helpful. Dick knows that, but something makes it feel like an order, proof that Bruce thinks he’s incompetent.

“I’m fine on my own.”

Funny how Dick’s still trying to prove that, after all these years. He remembers when he was eight and first moved in with Bruce, how he’d been adamant about not needing a parent, not needing Bruce, but he became attached anyway. He’d told himself Bruce was a want, not a need, but that hadn’t been true, not in the early days.

Then things shifted. He grew up and no longer needed Bruce, but he’d wanted him. Dick had lied to himself again, telling himself that Bruce was the last person he wanted. The lie was easier to believe on some days than on others, but it had been even harder to convince himself that Bruce felt the same way. That even if Bruce didn’t need Dick, he wanted him.

That feeling of uncertainty, insecurity, had been with Dick since he was a kid, and it had persisted and worsened as he’d gotten older. It had been exacerbated after Two-Face nearly killed him and Bruce promptly fired him from being Robin. He was twelve and lost back then, and in what he now knows was just his twisted, hurt kid-brain, he’d convinced himself that Bruce didn’t need nor want him, as Robin or anything else.

Back then, he’d been certain that pity and guilt were the only things stopping Bruce from tossing Dick out onto the streets. He’d felt like a burden, and he’d hated everything about his life in those moments. So, he’d done the only thing he could think of—he ran.

And Bruce—Bruce didn’t chase him.

That was—maybe is—the important bit, the part that Dick still thinks about. Not the initial rejection, not being fired—that Bruce didn’t come after him.

After all, that’s what he’d wanted, wasn’t it? For Bruce to prove him wrong, for Bruce to chase after him, fight for him. To want him.

Bruce fought for Jason, then for Tim and, eventually, Damian. It’s clear that they are and always will be wanted, and Dick knows it’s stupid, but he doesn’t always know if that’s true for himself. At the end of the day, his brothers all have Bruce’s name, and all Dick has is a man who stopped being his legal guardian when he turned eighteen.

Dick is useful, even needed on the rare occasion, but he’s not always sure that he’s wanted. And he desperately needs to be wanted.

“Something’s . . . bothering you.” Bruce’s brows are furrowed, searching Dick’s face and trying to find the clues that will tell him what went wrong and where.

Dick scratches behind Titus’s ears, looking at him instead of Bruce. “Just the toxin.”

“Hnn.” Bruce sits down next to Dick, grunting slightly as he settles. “I imagine that the photographer’s comments last night didn’t help.”

Sometimes Dick hates how well Bruce knows him.

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Maybe. But fear toxin twists things, and it’s been known to draw on recent events, especially the latest versions.”

Dick says nothing, just nods in acknowledgment as he attends to Titus.

“Dick, you are my family, in every sense of the word. And I . . . I was bothered by the comment last night that implied otherwise.”

Bruce reaches over and squeezes Dick’s knee, and Dick wonders how much he’d said last night when the fear toxin was in control.

“You know I love you, right?”

“Yeah, I know. It’s just—” Dick sighs, leans his head against Bruce’s shoulder, squeezes his eyes shut. “Sometimes I don’t.”

Bruce shifts. He cups the back of Dick’s head and pulls him toward his chest, pressing a kiss into his hair. “I love you, okay? And you are wanted here. So, so wanted.” Bruce holds him in a tight hug and traces circles into his hair. “I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear it.”

Dick hugs him back and nods into his chest. It doesn’t fix everything, but it makes it better. And sometimes that’s all anyone needs.

[gamergirl929]

3 Women And A Baby (Preath x Reader)

@everygayiam​ Request: Could you do a preath x reader where they are starting to have a family and they're going through the process of finding a donor, getting pregnant, etc.? If not, any preath would do.

You grimace rolling back and forth as you attempt to get comfortable, though the second a hand settles on your protruding belly, you smile, the woman behind you mumbling, voice rough from lack of use.

“Y/N? Are you okay?” Tobin rasps and you nod, wiggling back against her, the woman smiling as she buries her nose in the back of your neck.  

Christen is soon alerted to you discomfort, wiggling until she’s able to duck down, and bury her face in your neck.  

Her hand settles on top of Tobin’s, the feel of kicking feet beneath their palms.

“You sure you’re okay?” Christen asks sleepily. “She seems a little livelier than usual.” She smiles as the unborn child kicks her and Tobin’s palm.

“I wish she’d break dance during the day.” You yawn, the two women giggling, Christen pressing a kiss to the tip your nose while Tobin kisses the spot just below your ear.

“Maybe she’s getting us ready for when we have to wake up in the middle of the night?” Christen giggles and you yawn.

“We?” You snort. “You and Toby are on nightly baby duty for at least 9 months.”  

The two women share a glance, both smiling.  

You smile when both women cuddle into you, your hand resting on there’s as you all snuggle together.

“I think we can do that…” Tobin shrugs, nuzzling into the nape of your neck, Christen’s nose playfully nudging yours.

“You did carry her. I think you deserve a break.”  

You grin.  

“Best girlfriends EVER.”  

Tobin grins.

“We know “

You roll your eyes, pecking Christen’s lips before rolling over, pressing a kiss to Tobin’s lips as Christen snuggles into your back.  

“Sleep.” Christen whispers as she and Tobin snuggle back into you, hands on your stomach.

Soon you can no longer fight your fluttering eyelids, eyes heavy with exhaustion.

You mumble, voice slurring as you fall headlong into the world of dreams.

“I love you guys.”

                                                           ***

“It worked... I’m pregnant.”  

You would never forget the look on Christen's and Tobin’s faces, the two women bursting into tears, their hands on your stomach as they peppered your face with kisses.  

After multiple times of the IVF not taking, after many tears and many thoughts of giving up, it had FINALLY taken, you, Tobin and Christen were going to be parents.  

Christen sniffled, pressing a kiss to your lips before Tobin followed suit, their kisses salty from your and their tears.  

“We’re going to be mommies.” Christen sniffles and you grin, wrapping your arms around the both of them.  

“And I have two of the best mommies right here.”  

Tobin and Christen each cup one of your cheeks.  

“You’re going to be the best mommy too Y/N.”  

                                                           ***

You wake with a smile, the dream of one of the best days in your life making your heart swell.  

You glance around, grimacing, realizing both Tobin and Christen must’ve waken early, but the smell of bacon makes you grin.  

Christen’s head pokes into the room, the forward beaming when she realizes you’re awake.  

“Look who’s awake.”  

Christen moves towards the bed, leaning down to press a kiss to your lips as you wiggle around until your feet touch the floor.  

“There she is.”  

Tobin makes her way into the room, leaning down to steal a kiss too, the two women helping you to your feet.  

“How’s our kick boxer?” Tobin laughs and you groan.  

“She’s using my bladder as her kicking bag.” You grumble, your girlfriends giggling as they lead you to the bathroom.  

“You both know I can walk right.” You snort, the two of them sharing a glance.  

“Yes...” Christen mumbles.  

“BUT...” Tobin grins. “We just want our two girls to be safe.”  

You shake your head, the two women helping you into the bathroom before taking their leave.  

“We’ll be right outside the door.” Christen smiles and you chuckle.  

“Of course, you will.”  

                                                           ***

“You look like you’re about to pop!”  

You pick your head up, your bottom lip jutting out at the words Kelley had just said, the defender’s eyes widening as she flails her arms around.  

“No! No! I’m sorry, don’t cry.” She winces as your eyes fill with tears.  

“Now you’ve gone it.” Emily grumbles as she slips passed her, wrapping her arms around you.  

“Y/N... I’m so sorry.” Kelley hurries to the couch, wrapping her arms around you too.  

“I’M FAT.” You cry out, drawing the attention of Christen and Tobin, the two women joining in on the group hug.  

“You have our little girl growing inside you.” Tobin kisses the top of your head.

“You’re beautiful Y/N.” Christen kisses your temple. “Even more beautiful for carrying our baby inside you.”  

You look up at the two of them, bottom lip trembling.  

“Really?”  

They both nod.  

“Really. We love you.”  

Christen and Tobin pepper your face with kisses, Emily and Kelley watching with beaming smiles.  

“They’re going to be such a good family, aren’t they?” Emily whispers, and Kelley nods, beaming.  

“The best.”  

                                                           ***

You wiggle on the couch, grimacing.  

“What’s wrong love?” Tobin asks as she plops down beside you, immediately wrapping her arms around you as you lean against her.  

“Cravings.”  

Tobin hums.  

“What do you want? I can call Chris.” Tobin nuzzles into your hair and you shake your head, tears gathering in your eyes.  

“I’m just annoying.” You pout, Tobin quickly slipping off the couch to kneel down in front of you.  

“You are not love, your body is going through a lot.” She cups your face, ridding your cheeks of tears.  

You sniffle as you lean into her touch.  

“There’s a baby. OUR baby. Growing inside you, you are NOT being annoying love.”  

Tobin kisses the tip of your nose and you giggle, the woman peppering kisses all over your face until you’re unable to stop laughing.  

“Now, tell me what it is you want honey, so I can call Chris and tell her.”  

You hum.  

“Peanut Butter? Pickles? Ice cream?” Tobin guesses and you shake your head.  

“Wings.” You shrug, the look on your face telling Tobin you aren’t done.  

“Maybe some Lucky Charms and Ice Cream... Peanut Butter... Maybe Beef Jerky?”

Tobin laughs, leaning in to press a kiss to your lips.  

“Whatever you want babe, whatever you want.”  

                                                           ***

Christen and Tobin watch you with smiles, the women shaking their heads as you dip wings in vanilla ice cream, and peanut butter, snacking on it like it’s the best thing in the world before doing the same with the beef jerky.

Emily opens the front door, walking in as if she owns the place.  

“What in the ACTUAL fuck are you eating?”  

You wiggle happily in your seat, ignoring her as you chomp on a wing, covered in ice cream, peanut butter, and lucky charms.

Christen giggles as she watches her pregnant girlfriend eat the strange combination of food, a smile on your face as you inhale the beef jerky.

“She’s so cute.” Tobin whispers, eyes glazed over and Emily groans.

“Don’t be all lovey while I’m here, just had Chinese.”  

Emily misses it, but Christen and Tobin noticed the way your head snaps up at the mention of Chinese.  

Lindsey makes her way into the apartment, sticking her tongue out.

“Way to wait for me Sonn.”

“You were taking too long.”

You grin as Christen makes her way into the kitchen, coming back seconds later with a menu from a local Chinese take out.  

“How did you know?” You blush and Tobin grins.

“Your eyes lit up at the mention of Chinese.”  

You hum, taking the menu and eyeing it intently.  

“I’m absolutely starving.”

Emily’s eyes widen, the woman’s lips parting, no doubt to comment in the amount of food you’re eating but a deadly glare from Christen makes her mouth snap shut.

The blonde dives behind Lindsey, the woman snorting.

“She has murder in her eyes.”  

“Because Y/N is sensitive and you don’t think before you speak.”

“I know, it’s a problem.”

                                                           ***

You let out a growl, your girlfriends sitting up as you roll around between them.

“How the fuck am I supposed to sleep when I’m this fat?" You grumble eventually ending up on your left side, facing Tobin.

“Better?” She asks and you nod, curling your legs slightly.

You smirk when Tobin shuffles forward, her stomach resting against yours.

“Oof!” She grunts when she feels the baby kick, kicking so hard Tobin was able to feel it against her.

“Someone is going to be good at power shots.” She grins and you laugh.

“I mean she DOES have two of the best forwards in the world as mommies.”  

Christen snuggles into your back.

“Don’t forget one of the best mid-fielders.”  

You grin, tears welling up in your eyes.

“No tears.” Tobin whispers, gently swiping the tears from your cheeks as Christen snuggles closer, arms wrapped around you as she kisses the spot just behind your ear.

“I just love you guys so much.” You sniffle, the two women beaming as they pepper kisses all over you.

“We love you too.” Tobin grins, and Christen nods.

“So, so much.”

You don’t reply for a beat, the two women worrying slightly, but when a loud snore sounds from your parted lips they giggle both whispering.

“Night Y/N, we love you.”

You let out a sleepy mumble, voice slurring.

“Love you too.”

                                                           ***

“Oh, my FUCKING GOD.” You yell from the other room, and Tobin comes rushing in.  

“Chris said we need to stop swear-

Tobin freezes her brown orbs wide when she realizes what had happened.

“Did, y-y-your water just break?” She asks and you nod, your eyes bulging out of your head when they lock with hers.  

You let out a grimace, grabbing your stomach.  

“O-O-Okay. I...”  

“TOBIN!” You cry out in pain, the forward springing into action, albeit it stumbling as she does.  

“Come on, I’ve got you lets go.” Tobin takes your hand, helping you out of the house and to the car, grabbing the overnight bag she and Christen had prepared, the two of them double checking it every morning.  

Tobin’s phone rings the second she gets you in the car and you grimace, groaning loudly.  

Tobin starts the car and slams on the gas, zooming down the street as she answers her phone.  

“Hey Tobe what’s-

“SHE’S COMING.” She screams into the phone, cutting Kelley off, the defender turning to Emily and Christen who she was with.  

“THE BABY IS COMING.” The defender screeches, and Christen’s eyes widen, the woman sprinting out of the mall, Kelley and Emily a good few yards behind her, considering Christen literally ran like Usain Bolt.  

“We’re on our way!” Kelley yells, hearing a guttural howl from the background.  

“MOTHERFUCKER.” You scream and Kelley grimaces, holding the phone away from her ear and Emily snorts.  

“So much for not swearing.”  

                                                           ***

Tobin barely gets the car put in park, the woman stopping at the emergency room entrance and sprinting inside.  

“MY GIRLFRIEND IS HAVING A BABY.” She screams, a number of nurses following after her, wheelchair at the ready.  

They help you out of the car, tears streaming down your cheeks as you grimace, the pain becoming unbearable.  

“LINDSEY PARK THE CAR.” Tobin yells, throwing the keys at the blonde, the woman’s brows furrowing.  

“Who’s Lindsey? I’m not Linds-

“PARK THE CAR.”  

Tobin races inside, not even realizing she’d given her car keys to an absolute stranger.  

The woman is hot on your heels, piling in the room with the other nurses and your OBGYN.  

“Looks like someone is coming a little earlier than expected.” She smiles, noting the wide eyed terror on Tobin’s face.  

“Where’s Christ-

Suddenly, the door flies open to reveal a panting Christen Press, the woman’s cheeks flushed and covered in sweat.  

“TOBIN! CHRIS!” You yell, the two women rushing to stand beside you, their hands covering your own.  

“It’s alright, it’s going to be okay.” Tobin whispers, brushing a wisp of hair out of your face and you wince, the doctors working below the belt to get your legs up in the stirrups.  

You lean into Christen’s touch, the woman cupping your cheek.  

Tobin leans in, kissing your temple and you sigh, teeth gritting in pain.

“We’re about to meet our little girl.” Tobin whispers, tears swimming in her brown orbs, tears welling up in Christen’s green orbs when she realizes in fact that they were about to meet the little girl they’d all wanted for so long.  

You chuckle despite the pain, your tear-filled eyes darting from Christen to Tobin and back.  

“I can’t wait.”

                                                           ***

Christen slips an ice chip in your mouth while Tobin wipes the sweat from your forehead, the two women doting on you considering labor was taking a LOT longer than expected and you were absolutely exhausted.  

“You’re so close Y/N, can you try and give me one more big push?” The OBGYN asks and you grimace, taking a deep breath, Christen’s hand in yours and Tobin’s hand in the other giving you the strength you need to push as hard as you can.  

It’s then that the most beautiful sound in the world pierces your ears, the sound of your little girl’s first cry.  

Christen and Tobin pepper kisses all over your sweat covered face, the two grinning as the OB beckons them over, the little girl still wailing in her arms.  

“Who wants to cut the cord?” She asks, Tobin and Christen sharing a smile.  

“Together?” Christen asks and Tobin nods.  

“Always.”  

The two women hold the scissors, cutting the baby’s cord before she’s given to you, the baby snuggling into your bare chest.  

The little girl immediately goes quiet, as she cuddles against your chest.  

Tears stream down your cheeks as you hold the tiny body in your arms, the little girl you, Christen and Tobin had been waiting for, for so long was now in your arms.  

Christen and Tobin smile lovingly at the little girl, Christen’s finger running back and forth along her cheek while Tobin runs a gentle hand down her back, the little girl yawning in your arms.  

“She’s perfect.” You whisper, brushing the little girl’s bottom lip, the baby suckling on your tip of your finger.  

You’re in utter awe when the little girl’s eyes flutter open revealing your bright Y/E/C orbs to the three of your, tears gathering in your eyes as the baby looks up at your face curiously.  

“Hey sweetie.” You whisper, the babies eyes darting around your face as you lean down, kissing her forehead.  

“I’m your mommy and I love you so so much.”  

Christen and Tobin grin, tears in their eyes as you look up at them, nodding to the little girl in your arms.  

“Come meet your daughter.”  

                                                           ***

It’s a few hours later when Kelley, Emily and Lindsey make their way into the room, their eyes lighting up when they see you fast asleep in bed, the baby in Christen’s arms, also fast asleep.  

“Oh my god, she’s so precious.” Emily’s bottom lip trembles as she moves to look at the little girl, stroking her finger until the little girl takes her finger, the hazel orbed blonde sniffling softly.  

Kelley brushes some of your hair out of your face, smiling.  

“She’s exhausted.” Tobin whispers, smiling when you smile in your sleep, the forward turning towards Lindsey.  

“Do you have my keys?” She asks and Lindsey’s brows furrow.  

“What are you talking about?” She snorts and Tobin’s eyes widen.  

“I-I... I gave you my keys, didn’t I?” She asks and Lindsey shakes her head.  

“No... You didn’t I got here just after Sonnett and Kelley.”  

Tobin covers her face with her hands.  

“Holy fuck I gave someone my keys.”  

Christen’s green orbs widen.  

“You what!?” She whisper yells, the little girl in her arms waking with a cry.

You immediately sit up from a dead sleepy, eyes blinking rapidly.

Christen hands you the little girl who snuggles into your chest, going silent after a moment before the two of you fall back asleep.  

Christen and Tobin share a glance, the two women moving towards the bed, leaning down to kiss you on the head before kissing their daughter.  

“We love you both...”  

“So so much...”

Finally the thing they wanted for so long was currently fast asleep in your arms.

And they couldn't be happier.