#Ill be the first XD for this silly pair

[galacticghoste]

This is all bc I saw the short comic heart to heart T.T

Also I just decided bros literally any gender he/she/they/them whatever being an Ai and what not

NO BUT SERIOUSLY THOUGH IF A SINGER AND AN AI WERE TO HAVE A KID WOULDN'T IT JUST BE A VOCALOID ?!?!

[lexicorp]

Transformers Earthspark: Another Place, Another Prison

scribbled da hek outta this doodle so idk what type of style it is but its cute anyway sdnsifbsnd

This chapter ended up being twice the length I thought it'd be, and is a whole lot of just Starscream and Hashtag talking about an assortment of things. There's a good bit of silliness, like the ridiculous strain of conversation surrounding nicknames (the Hashbrown thing I got in my head from @the-sheep and their lore. Which doesnt totally align with my characterization of Star admittedly, but with my brother having been the one to point out that Sprite [the nickname for spitfire] is also a soda brand, the dots were connecting XD). Then there's some actual serious talk as well, that has a bit of sus, because of course.

Previous Chapter: A Game Of Charades

First Chapter: The Need For Read

Next Chapter: Scientific Method

Chapter 17: Helm In The Cloud

These past quartexs had been…odd. To put it lightly. 

The data cycling through Starscream’s processor was filled with strange, corrupted files that he couldn’t seem to access, aided by far too many painful memories to quantify. Although, in the past deca-cycle with the Maltos, he’d found himself remembering, or even creating, more pleasant events. 

The Malto brats could actually be…rather endearing. Of course, Hashtag was always his favorite. Anyone who said they didn’t favor a particular individual within a group was flatly a liar, a tactic which he could of course appreciate; since he’d only admit his favoritism blatantly to Hashtag herself, after all. She had by far the best style of spunk about her, as she easily dealt out smooth bouts of sass paired with her equally patient and excitable nature. Her strong determination when decided upon a task, was admirable, even. Hashtag would have made a great Decepticon! Although he supposed that…wouldn’t be a compliment to her.

Even so, after their more recent moments of “hanging out”, Hashtag had begun to cease her guarded posture that she had carried so often before. Only seldomly would he glimpse her shielding her chestplate protectively in that strange way Twitch or the human brats occasionally did as well. But it had become easier to get her back in a better mood as she seemed more comfortable with his presence. Something about that fact made a long smothered flame flicker within Starscream’s tired spark. 

He enjoyed seeing her happy, making her laugh, even at his own expense. Surely this foolish behavior was only to lull those fools into thinking him passive enough to grant him more freedom. He didn’t…he couldn’t care. It was far too risky to allow such a thing. Regardless, he still felt as if he owed Hashtag something, and wanted to be in her good graces. So many of the others here just fawned over Megatron. Was it too much to hope for his own fan for once? A feisty little student who would admire and stand by his side! He certainly didn’t need such a thing, but it would be…useful. Yes, that was the extent of it…

Hashtag was always quite the helpful young femme, even when some of her ill Earth gotten mannerisms or quips could be confusing. At least with that “Chess” game, it was just similar enough to Fullstasis that for a moment he felt even minutely connected to Cybertron again from all these lightyears away. Perhaps he could attempt to use that Chess to recreate Fullstasis so that he could share the superior game with her! Starscream could simply rotate the square-ish board on its side to be the correct diamond orientation, and modify the Chess pieces to reflect their counterparts. A “bishop” was nearly identical to a quarg in how it moved. Similarly with a vig to a “rook”. Although she might be disappointed that the King’s counterpart had far more offensive capabilities, while the Queen’s was defensive. Sure, one could skew their strategy either way, but that was typically the more popular approach. Even if Skyfire had often only buried his Pvaq in the corner while using the Staiv as a living shield leading the wall of mykns; which he’d always defend stubbornly when Starscream had teased him for it. Those matches had always carried on for groons of a painfully slow back and forth with both of them insisting the other conceded. That ridiculous shuttle had been more content with a stalemate than subjecting himself to yet another loss at Starscream’s blatantly superior tactical prowess. Perhaps Starscream should have relented more victories to him as he’d done Hashtag…

That doesn’t matter now.

Now, he had been given the task of collecting those fruits spawned from the stalky perennials plainly labeled “Apple Trees”, stationed around the perimeter of the cow containment field. Initially, he had assumed the pristine condition of those apples he gathered was irrelevant as long as they weren’t a crushed mess upon the ground. Yet apparently, as he was later corrected, it was important to examine them with more scrutiny to determine whether there were any pests infecting them, or blemishes that would need to be severed at a later date. The defective fruit was set to go to their lower class animals, while they kept the better portion for themselves. That ungrateful cow shouldn’t have made such a fuss when he’d attempted to liberate it. Then maybe that blasted bug wouldn’t have noticed, and it could have foraged its own, high quality fuel, instead of settling for scraps. 

Regardless, the squishy, oddly shaped fruits were strange to imagine as a means of fueling the humans’ fleshy frames. Skyfire never liked the idea of dissection, with how squeamish the soft-sparked mech was, although Starscream couldn’t help but be a byte curious of their internal functions. Yet the memory of those G.H.O.S.T parasites, and their similar interest towards Cybertronians, made that train of interest falter. At least, until a violet spark flickered with the revelation at what glorious revenge it would be if he could get his servos on one of those wretched humans to take them apart as well. 

Starscream chuckled darkly at the thought, with a fleeting image of those disgusting human organs arranged across a steel table.

Then, Hashtag’s voice cut through his ruminations. “Whatcha thinkin’ about there Spaceman?”

Starscream’s optical ridge furrowed as a look of disgust came to his faceplace that he couldn’t shield from entering his vocalizer. “What did you just call me?”

“What, Spaceman? It’s perfect right?” She strained to reach one of the apples on a hidden branch and flipped it into a crate. “I’ve been tryna think about more nicknames for you than just Screamer. Starship’s a fun one, but not goofy enough. I mean, sure I could also just go with Star as a different shortened version like how my siblings call me Tag, buuuut Spaceman is just funnier. You should've seen the look on your face!”

Starscream rolled his optics and scoffed with a grin. “If we are tossing around such absurdities, perhaps I should title you Hashslag.”

“Yoooo that sounds like a fire wrestler name!!”

“No it–”

Hashtag began making ridiculous poses as if flexing her physical prowess. “Hashslag comes into the ring and DEMOLISHES the competition! The undisputed champion that’ll uh–” She paused a moment to search their internet for assistance in her speech– “throw melted slag chairs at her enemies!!”

“You are quite proficient at twisting things to your advantage, aren’t you?” Even if Starscream had meant it as a minor jab in retaliation to her stupid Spaceman mockery–she had immediately translated it towards describing what she’d inflict upon her enemies, as opposed to a reflection of her capabilities. Decepticon material indeed. 

Hashtag’s grin widened, “Of course! ‘Cause I’m awesome! And that could be a great stage name! Maybe I’ll even use it as my gamer tag actually–”

Now that was too much. If she confidently proclaimed such a stupid title to the world, she’d be far too susceptible to the petty scorn of her opponents. 

“You are NOT identifying yourself as Hashslag.” Starscream ordered with crossed arms and a stern glare. “Your designation in such an environment should command respect, and THAT would be just as easily skewed against your character.”

“How?”

He put a servo to his faceplate in exasperation for her naivety. “Slag refers to the waste matter produced when refining or smelting ore. I am sure you found the definition with your abilities, but it is a commonly derogatory term when directed towards someone. In many ways. If you are a slagger, then you are an extremely low member of society and considered inept. If you call someone a lump of slag, it is comparing them to something useless. Sure, it can be used threateningly when proclaiming you will annihilate them so completely that only slag will remain; but pairing it with a portion of your designation will only allow those around you an easy pathway towards mockery. You cannot believe I was serious about such a title as that. It was clearly a joke. No one would take you seriously with that name.”

Hashtag put her servos up and allowed them to then fall heavily in frustration. “Okay okay! I get it. You were trying to be mean and whatever–”

“Wait- no, I wasn't– ugh scrap…”

Suddenly her expression turned to a mischievous smirk as she turned back to gathering more apples with a laugh. “Nah I know you were just being a goofball. But I gotta admit I’m a bit jealous. How come Spitfire gets such a cute nickname and I don’t? I might even be a bit offended!” She paired her last statement with an overly dramatic tone and servo to her chestplate that could have been mimicking his own manner of mock hurt.

“What, Sprite? That is only a title referencing her small stature paired with her typically sassy nature.”

“Aww, not that she’s sweet like the popular soda brand?” She snickered, “I guess that tracks. She’s actually way rude.” 

Starscream scoffed as he attempted to focus on the ridiculous apple gathering task again, “Yes, that would hardly be fitting. What even is this “soda brand” you speak of?”

Hashtag whipped out her datapad and trotted up to him with a sparkle in her optics, apparently finding amusement in the topic. “It’s this carbonated sugar water with mysterious “natural flavors” and citric acid made by the big wig Coca Cola company!” She pulled up a string of images displaying an array of bottles and cans detailing a green logo with the Sprite title. Then changed her keywords in the search bar to procure images placing the strange beverage alongside other odd products. “It’s sold everywhere! Like in stores, which we aren’t allowed in–or fast food!! We can go through drive-thrus with Mo and Robby on the way back from school sometimes to get stuff! Wacky D’s is their favorite.” 

Starscream leaned closer while squinting his optics in an attempt to acquire a better view of the ridiculous stream of advertisements for disgusting human fuelling varieties. He took the datapad from her to scroll through the panels of information himself, which she again seemed to find humorous for whatever reason as he hummed in thought. After a couple kliks of analysis, he came upon an image displaying a “breakfast deal duo” which showed that Sprite thing, as well as its orange and red mirrored counterpart titled “Fanta” that made him think of Twitch. But even more hilariously, was the particular item between them that was referred to as a “Hashbrown”. It was indeed brown, and frankly looked horrid. He had no idea why anyone would put it in their intake–but the fact that it shared the same prefix as Hashtag was too perfect to pass up. If she wanted a nickname tied to Sprite’s, she could get one comically linked to her foolish misinterpretation. 

He passed the datapad back into her servos and pointed at the items with a smirk. “If THAT atrocity is Sprite, then I suppose you would be this hashbrown slag.” Starscream’s wings fluttered in amusement at the absurdity as he turned to move aside one full crate of apples for an empty one to take its place. 

Hashtag paused a moment before looking his way with squinted optics of her own skeptically. “While Hashbrown sounds adorable–why do I get the feeling that it isn’t actually that wholesome coming from you?”

Starscream chuckled at the sight of her silly little scrunched faceplate. “Perhaps not. It isn’t nearly as reprehensible as Hashslag, yet I fail to see why humans would even want to purchase those disgusting products. Therefore I'd certainly say Hashbrown is ridiculous enough that it just might stick if you insist upon calling me Spaceman.”

Hashtag tossed an already bruised apple at him, which he easily blocked with a raise of his arm, as she too began to crack up about the prospect. “Oh yeah! What about I call you Starry instead? Or would that be too cutesy for Mr. Tough Bot?”

“Ugh, pass.” Starscream waved a servo as if dusting the horrid alternative from an imaginary shelf. “In all practicality, if you truly must decide upon some means of a secondary designation for me, then I may allow you to simply call me Star. That is “what my friends call me”, you could say.” More accurately, what Skyfire had called him. “It is more customary to select a shortened version of your companions true designation. Like how you are more commonly called Tag by your siblings. As you had previously stated yourself. Or referring to Bumblebee as Bee, and Elita-1 as simply Elita.”

Hashtag tilted her helm slightly in thought as she struggled to decide which crate the apple she picked belonged in. “Hmm… alright fine. I guess that works.”

Scrap. Now she seemed bored, or even a bit disappointed. 

“Although…” Starscream drawled as he tried to think of what in particular she could be looking for, since this apparently held more meaning to her than he’d initially thought. “If I were to bestow you with a more…creative, alternative to your designation–I suppose I could call you Amethyst. Most obviously because of your violet paint resembling the quartz’s hue, but also because it can be a symbol of beauty in impurities. Because of course, the fact that it gets its color from the presence of iron ions within its structure, that would then oxidize when exposed to radiation. Thus it is a rather inspirational gem, and could be worn to ward off negative energy. Such a thing that was far more popular in Caminus, but still quite interesting from a scientific perspective when studying the geology of varying celestial constructs regardless.”

Hashtag grinned as her spunk returned, “Man, I never would have expected you’d be a rock nerd–Wait! Let me figure out what gem you’d be!” Her optics went white as streams of color coded data flowed across them, until an image appeared on her visor that she then transferred to her datapad. “Found one! Some Pietersite can be red and blue like you! This one looks really cool with a gold streak too–And! Apparently it's considered a tempest stone, and a protective talisman that’d cleanse negative energies and emotional turmoil! Actually, maybe you could use some of that, huh?” She smirked and nudged him playfully with her elbow before continuing to poke his shoulder plating with her digits. “Right? You totally need some gem action to get those warm and fuzzies past your bad boy exterior. And you could call yourself the Tempest Protector! That would SO be your awesome wizard name if you played D&D with us.”

“Hm.” Starscream lightly waved her insistent digits off of him before tipping a servo in consideration of the prospect. “I suppose Pietersite could be marginally appropriate. Although I’ve always thought of myself as more of a Carnelian–but what is this “D&D” you speak of?” 

“Ooooooooh I’m SO glad you asked!” She was suddenly practically vibrating at the anticipation as she searched something else on her datapad, and motioned for him to take a seat under the trees with her. “I have to show you all my favorite youtube channels and podcasts and–Oh my gosh there’s just so many awesome things about it! I am of course the designated DM when we play, since I’m a master of storytelling! But I’m getting ahead of myself–first, I can introduce you to the classes by bingeing A Crap Guide to D&D! Because it’s hilarious and carries ALL the vibes. THEN I can show you SoOkayHerestheThing shorts, and Legends of Avantris, and Tales from the Stinky Dragon, and The Chaos Protocol, and–”

She went on and on for so long that Starscream almost began to regret asking. Almost. As even through the copious amounts of scrap being dumped his way, and how easy it could be to tune out, he’d admit it was actually rather interesting. Even the humor was occasionally comprehensible, and he was once again reminded of how similar Hashtag could be to Thundercracker. 

She showed him countless videos about the extensive background and absurdities rampant in this “Dungeons and Dragons”. In a way, it reminded him of when TC would construct an elaborate script and extravagant scenes, only for Starscream and Warp to interject their own additions and deviations. It was ironic thinking of the role a Dungeon Master was supposed to hold as the realm’s god, while the surrounding players could so easily meld, meddle, and masacre their power with complex combinations or inane side quests. Although he supposed if Hashtag was the DM, he would need to dial back such schemes. In fact, if any of the others even dared to derail the objective of her creation he would eldritch blast them into submission! Now if it were Bumblebee…it was far too amusing to tick that bug’s gears to not toy with him a little. Alas, Hashtag said he wasn’t a fan of the game when he’d given it a single shot upon their insistence. Starscream would have to drag that coward into it the next time he could, so he’d at least have one player he could shamelessly terrorize amongst a party of sparklings.

Hashtag’s presentation this time had far exceeded the one about that Hatsune Miku character. Nearing the end, Starscream still felt the urge to acquire one of these rule books himself for all those intricate calculations that she simply couldn’t properly appreciate with how her processor was wired. Not in some attempt to fall into the position of a Dungeon Master himself…as previously stated, it seemed DM’s were far too easily overruled. Although perhaps he could call that a skill issue on the part of others. Starscream could surely do better. He’d rule the world of his magistery with a script so perfect that there simply wouldn’t be any possibility of petty posterings of improvement; or any chance of challenging his direction with whatever absurd bardic tricks notoriously plagued the community!

 Starscream had begun doing a bit of research on his own after Hashtag offered her datapad to him again. While she accessed her own content remotely, and occasionally shared other random recordings she came across. There were far too many depicting Earth dogs. 

Eventually, he noticed she had seemed to be sending messages to her”fam”, as she’d done during their Chess games. Then, Hashtag flicked the silent conversation away to turn to him with a more serious tone about her. That was…unnerving. Surely they wouldn’t try to use her against him somehow. She was obviously just utilizing some sort of dramatic build up for something inconsequential. It was fine. What could she possibly be gearing to ask him that could really require this much apprehension? 

“Soo…” Hashtag lingered on the word as Starscream kept his optics trained on the datapad. “Since we’re uh, y’know, chill, and stuff right now. YOU seem pretty chill, right? Yeah–So I uh, I’ve been wanting to ask about…some stuff. Like maybe your reasons for the insane junk you did for and with the corrupted Emberstone, oooorr…what exactly is up with the chaos glitches you’ve had since. I feel like those are some pretty big things we should talk about. Especially when one of those problems is very much ongoing haha…” She chuckled nervously as she fiddled with her servos.

Ah. This again. Questions around his interaction with the fragmented stone had of course come up with Megatron and Bumblebee, but this seemed a byte different. Starscream wasn’t entirely certain in what way. Maybe it was only because of who it was this time. When the topic had come up with Hashtag previously, it was less about questions and more about venting her frustration. So what sort of explanation would she be looking for? He could go into great detail of his brilliant scheme for New Cybertron and its tragic outcome–but he wasn’t about to roll that dice on how well that would be received after last time. Then she also wanted information regarding his…glitches. That was certainly far too complicated. Especially when he wasn’t even truly sure of the details himself.

Starscream tapped his digit against the datapad a moment before lowering it to glance Hashtag’s direction with a practiced grin and straightening of his wings. “Now why should that be important? We were having a bit of fun, weren’t we? Why spoil that with a topic that is obviously causing you distress by even proposing it?” He offered her datapad back into her restless servos. “Dwelling on such things is silly, don’t you think?”

Hashtag hesitantly took back the tablet, and he hated that her bubbly demeanor was being tainted by her ridiculous insistence on committing to this course of conversation. “No. Star. It’s not.” She said firmly with a stubborn fire in her optics where, for a moment, he saw Skyfire in her place. Even the poorly concealed hurt in her vocalizer that could have only been placed there in an effort to manipulate him into cracking some sort of confession. “I just need some part of this to make sense. In stories, whether professional or a passion project with friends, things always have some sort of reason for why they happen. Even if it seems silly, or excessive, there’s always an explanation, and they’re supposed to end with a satisfying conclusion. But it’s not like YOU have a character sheet for me to reference when you do weird scrap! So I-I guess– I dunno I just wanna know what’s really going on here. That I AM making the right choice by giving you a chance. ‘Cause I still feel like we have a bit of that stuff around…lack of control…in common. But I don’t want to have to keep feeling bad about liking hanging out with you.”

“Well of course you like hanging out with me,” Starscream boasted with a servo to his chassis, “I’m an absolute delight to be around!”

She laughed, but it was dim, and her posture was again far too guarded. “Stop trying to dodge the question, Spaceman.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Hashbrown.” He smirked at her with a spun lilt to the ridiculous name that he hoped would bring that light back into her optics. 

Yet she only rolled them with a grin, “Pff. Sure. C’mon. I’m not dumb–”

“I never said you were.” He hurriedly assured her. “Far from it! You are the brightest amongst your siblings in fact! Did I mention that you’re my favorite–”

“Stop-stop–” Hashtag interjected while standing and waving her servos. “Please just at least tell me about what the Corrupted Emberstone did to you. We have to trust each other. Whatever is going on seems really dangerous, and we can’t just act like it’s fine, or like, normal crazy. Y’know? It almost made you shoot my head off, Star. I know that couldn’t have been you! I have to know that wasn’t you…”

“It wasn’t! It–” 

Crimson crashed his optics as static blazed across his processor. And he couldn’t remember. What was the name of that blasted creature he’d been aiming for?

Then, Starscream’s wings twitched stiffly in tandem with the smooth strings of lightning he could faintly feel flitting across them. A servo that he’d apparently lifted to his burning optic, slipped from his faceplate as he slowly stood and placed it behind him instead. Then, words were pulled from his voice box before he could even think to ask Hashtag to reiterate her question. 

“It was just as you said, little Terran. A glitch. That inverted Emberstone left a sort of echo that was only further ingrained while I was stuck inside that Titan. The chaotic force it possessed was simply not compatible with my systems, even if it sustained me through the lack of Energon available in isolation. Just like how Energon itself interacts with a human. Sure, it can give incredible surges of energy and empower certain…upgrades, but it is also quite damaging in the long term. It’s an inconvenience, but nothing particularly serious, I assure you.”

Something about that wasn’t right.

There was a pause for far too long as he felt sick. 

Starscream could barely hear Hashtag’s response over the static.

“...I’m not sure I believe you. Your optics aren’t...Are you having one of the glitch episodes right now?”

“Only a minor one. And you can have full confidence that I spoke nothing but the truth. I would never lie to my favorite Terran.” Starscream’s vocalizer danced across the final statement in a way that felt as if he were mocking himself, while placing a servo to her shoulder. It was laughable he could have any amount of fondness for her.

Lightning shot to the servo connecting with her frame as his digits clenched against her plating, and she pushed away. “You’re being REALLY creepy right now!”

Everything went black. If only for a nano-klick, that felt like groons. Weightless, with that familiar pressure. But he couldn’t think straight.

Suddenly he was torn from wherever he’d been, and thrown back into place. Just before the correct optics came online in his helm, he heard a collection of rattling voices all at once. Although they were more of a feeling than words.

Don’t mess this up.

Starscream stumbled and attempted to use the tree in place of his faulty stabilizers, but it cracked, and fell with him. His optics recalibrated rapidly to the light. While he blanked lied on the grass. Trying to remember where he was. 

“Euuuhgh…” He squinted to crispin the violet silhouette hovering over him. Then slowly sat up and tried to give her a grin, and chuckled in a way that probably wasn’t all that reassuring. “Sorry about the…tree there, Amethyst. I…slipped. Remind me…what were we talking about?”

Hashtag’s faceplate scrunched as she hesitated, then swiftly stomped over to inspect his optics. Odd. Then she sighed heavily as she slumped to the ground beside him. “Now I’m MORE confused.”

“About…?”

She dug her helm into her knees and groaned, “What about our conversation do you remember?”

That was a strange question. 

“We discussed alternative designations, and quite a lot about that D&D that we definitely decided we were going to play instead of that other ridiculous excuse for a “game night”. Then you decided to ruin our fun by bringing up Emberstone drama. Right? And something about the fun repercussions I’ve been experiencing, that somehow gifted you with guilt on the matter, I suppose. Which is ridiculous by the way.” His files started to get corrupted again after she’d mentioned his near miss while trying to blast that abomination’s smug faceplate. Hashtag still had a cringed expression. Had he gotten it wrong? His memory couldn’t be the problem here, so what was? The aching in his helm didn’t help with any of this.

“Yeah…and you were uh…telling me what sorta stuff goes on during your glitches. Like…do you see anything when your eyes go all red?”

He couldn’t admit to that. They already kept thinking he was insane. Besides, he knew those things weren’t real, so it didn’t matter. 

“No! No…Wait, do you mean as in hallucinations or just visual distortion?”

“Both…?”

“Well I can see just fine.” Starscream stood and attempted to salvage what apples he could from the downed tree to perhaps draw her attention to the more present predicament. “It’s nothing I can’t handle! You didn’t actually get hurt regarding that fleeting instance the other night, right? These glitches, as you call them, pass quickly enough.”

“But it’s–Oh my gosh…” Hashtag ran her servo down her faceplate. “I guess if you really want to insist on it not being a big deal, I’ll drop it, FOR NOW.” She pointed a digit at him after having stood up to pace. “You NEED to get better at telling us stuff though! It doesn’t help anyone hiding things, even if it’s hard to talk about. Plus I…it’s not just about you, Star. I hate having to be on edge around you all the time. I want to be able to really trust you after everything. But when you do creepy stuff like whatever THAT was that you APPARENTLY just forgot in 60 seconds, or don’t want to tell me what’s going on, or don’t give me any amount of context for why you’re being weird–I’m left to think the worst of it! This isn’t easy for me…and I’m tired of any time we ARE having fun together being tainted by everything else. I know that you can be a softy and a great teacher. But I also know that you’re still a scheming Decepticon, that I can never tell if whatever plot you have is for a good, or bad surprise. I thought I understood what was going on in your head before, but after what all went down with the corrupted Emberstone…I don’t know how much I can trust myself on that anymore. So all I’m asking from you, is a bit of proof that you aren’t trying to hide something to hurt my family that you’d just claim is fine because the laser gun wasn’t actually aimed directly at me.”

Starscream allowed the last apple to fall into the crate before he rested his servo on its edge. That was…a lot, and he was certainly not an expert at navigating all these intricate emotions these kids seemed to learn from the Autobots. He was supposed to find some way to relate to her struggle to receive it in the correct way, according to Bumblebee. The only primary connection he could make was her concern regarding stressing over the worst outcome. But then what could he say to mitigate the situation? Only stating that he wasn’t planning anything against them, would likely be unbelievable and unsatisfactory. He’d had plenty of ruminations against her annoying collective countless times after all; although in significantly less quantity or severity in recent times. Then, he wasn’t certain he trusted himself on such things either. So if HE wasn’t confident in his own intentions, how was he supposed to convince her?! This was impossible…

Then again, one thing he could assure her of was in fact regarding the glitches. He wasn’t hiding the intricacies of its effects for some sort of sinister purpose. It was far more out of concern that they’d perceive him in an even lower sight at the information. He didn’t want to take that risk…especially with Hashtag. Yet it seemed he was doomed either way. 

Starscream in-vented heavily as his wings fell to spite him through the anxious knot in his tank. “Alright, I get that I’m not exactly the most trustworthy mech around, but I…I’ve actually started to appreciate this opportunity. A little bit. It can still be extremely aggravating and I will admit I’ve fantasized about blowing up the place on multiple occasions–But! I wouldn’t actually do that! Anymore…” He chuckled and attempted to get himself back on track before it derailed any further. “Regardless, I promise that I’m not hiding anything of that nature. I’ve only ever used the apparent offensive capabilities of the curse for…retaliatory means.”

Hashtag crossed her arms. “Like against something you totally weren’t hallucinating the other day?”

“Yeeesss…about that…” Starscream tapped his digits together as he struggled to find the correct phrasing. “I keep having odd visions of…” Why couldn’t he get his vocalizer to work out Meridian’s blasted designation? “That human from before who stole the Emberstone for his mass murder machine. He is an extremely annoying little pest, as I am sure you can imagine. Paired with the curse’s occasional enhancement of my more violent impulses, is not exactly favorable. And as you’ve already figured out, I had been attempting to fire upon that stupid spector my processor has been projecting in an increased intensity since my exit from the Titan–or–Terratronus’ helm. I’ve gotten better at ignoring him, but sometimes it’s…difficult.” 

“So you DO see things? Is…” Hashtag paused for a moment as if scrapping a lingering thought. “Are you talking about Mandroid?”

A short spazz of the lightning shot through Starscream’s frame, but he ignored it and snapped his digits together before pointing one in her direction. “Yes! The most infuriating aspect of him constantly plaguing me is the fact that I can’t incinerate him on sight. Then I will also admit that the lapses in memory aren't new. This blasted curse has left many of my files corrupted somehow. Even so, it is not as if these things have left me dysfunctional. I can still operate just fine. Besides, any attempt I’ve made to explain it has…” Another flit of electricity flocked to his frustration at the ordeal. “Would I really be that much of a coward if I said that I just didn’t want to deal with it?! You all already think me some sort of lunatic! Forgive me if I assumed an admission of my apparent insanity wouldn’t be beneficial to my chances of proving otherwise!” 

Hashtag’s optics were wide, but her posture was looser. “Yeah…I guess that makes sense…” Then she approached him to put a servo to his arm for some reason as she looked at his own servo, which she’d slowly pulled down from its aerial position. “Thank you for telling me, and I don’t blame you for wanting to ignore that stuff. I know how horrible it is to have Mandroid in your head.” She looked up into his optics in a way that once again made him see Skyfire for a fraction of a nano-klick. “And this sounds way too much like when the creep was all up in my circuits with his dumb device before, but with like, a different level of jank. You have to ask Wheeljack, or Optimus, or–I dunno! Just-this seems more serious than just normal hallucinations if your files are getting corrupted. Plus what happened earlier was…We really need to figure out what’s going on with this. I don’t want it to make you do something worse…”

He hadn’t thought of that. It wasn’t as if it could control him to that extent. Could it? Well it wasn’t as if he could remember the data needed to answer that question.

A small scoff escaped Starscream’s intake as he drifted away from Hashtag’s grip, which she held as long as he could, like his frame would destabilize as soon as she let go. “I doubt they could be of any help on the matter. Wheeljack has already done plenty rooting around in my circuits, and has already stated his inexperience with processor damage. That Prime can only claim to be an expert on his Matrix of Leadership slag. What befell the Emberstone was an unprecedented catastrophe that would require far more research to decode the extent of its warped nature. And I am not particularly keen on being a test subject for such things…”

Hashtag wrapped her arms around her chassis again, which made his spark ache in that odd way it seldom did. “Could you at least give it a shot…? I am still going to let the others know what you told me, and it’d be better to try something than nothing. I can come with you, if you’re scared of medical exam stuff or something.”

“Please. Me, afraid of something as silly as that?” Starscream laughed and attempted to brighten the mood as he stacked her crates along with his for easier transportation. “Don’t be ridiculous. If it will ease your silly concerns, I’ll do it. Even if the idea of being crammed into that blasted trailer again for the trip is sure to remind me how much I miss my missiles again.”

Hashtag’s smile returned as she relaxed a little, and followed him to pick up a pair of crates to bring to the barn. “Pff, alright, I’ll talk to Bee about it. I’m sure it won’t be that bad. And you never know, maybe since we’ll actually have a bit of an idea of what we’re checking for, we could get at least a little bit of a better idea of how to go about dealing with it.”

“Don’t get your hopes up there, Amethyst.”

“Oh I’ll send you all the good vibes I want, Pietersite. I’m that inspiration gem after all!”

“Hah, I suppose you’re right.”

They soon moved on from the topic as they met up with the rest of the Maltos, who’d completed their own little portion of the chores. Although he later noticed Tag pulled Bumblebee aside to discuss it, he could worry about what that whole ordeal would entail when it came to it. As long as he didn’t have to run into Megatron for such a thing, he didn’t care. To make sure of that, he made certain to inform Dorothy of the situation as well. Since the human had wanted to extend her mediator standing after all. 

These odd occurrences surrounding Quintus’ curse could be sorted out in no time! It wasn’t as if the Emberstone even existed anymore, anyway, and what remained of its original power was now within those cyber sleeves held by Tag’s human siblings. Such an effect as he’s found himself with, was likely only some form of ailment caused by his exposure to the rampant power lingering inside the Titan for all that time. It’d surely lull into obscurity with time.

Although perhaps, now he too was getting too hopeful.

[true-blue-sonic]

I have so many sonilver Brainworms, do you by any chance have any more sonilver fics 👉👈 they're my comfort ship and I love Ur writing

I have one (1) fic wherein they get shipped as a couple; the premise is that they're celebrating Silver's first Christmas. I wrote it four years ago, though, so my characterisation of Silver specifically will be quite different compared to now. I also got one I wrote for an AU that @xxlea-nardoxx made ^-^

I do have more fics with the two of them as friends, though! This actually makes them my second-most-written pairing, with 7 fics tagged (Espilver is first with 40) XD One of them is an Espilver fic, though, but the 6 others are purely Sonic and Silver. This link should take you to my Ao3 page that they're on, with the filter in place!🍀 I've got an (unfinished, alas) fic for Silver's birthday, a sick fic with Silver being ill, a silly drabble about Silver's gloves, an alternate way the events in '06 could have gone, a fic that takes place after Rivals 2, and another silly fic of Silver swiping Sonic to go to the future with him and clear up a misunderstanding. If you read them, I hope you like them! ^-^

[saudadexmses]

✨henry | ✨✨levi | ✨ravi | ✨✨ever | ✨viktor please.

send me ✨ for a silly thought i have of one of my muses

✨✨ okay so this first one is a henry and viktor one but I have a head canon that they know of each other. I'm trying to remember what I wrote because I even made a moodboard of them both, I think they were roommates in university and viktor was like the first person henry fell for he but didn't do anything about it because he was afraid of ruining things and they both went their separate ways in the end mostly to henrys doing because he started to distance himself.

I like to think that they find one another later in life depending on the au (yes i do picture them dating because I'm a weak and I keep picturing henry in a million universes xD as one does.)

✨ now for Levi! So Levi knows how to handle themselves but honestly when someone is able to look through them and break the walls that they neatly crafted, because it's easier to pretend and games are fun and one gets hurt when falling in love, they don't really know what to do. They are young and naive, that is why Liam is always one step ahead even if they do have similar personalities.

✨ Levi does know how to draw, they do freelance work to keep up with appearances and because they do really like it. They were the one that made the new logo for the Agency, Ever didn't ask them but they did it anyway for fun (because technically the Agency cover is a publishing house)

✨ oh ravi!! Ravi is one of my sunshine characters, he can do no wrong and always tries his best, they are up there with Alice, Anita, Diego and Holly ( there's other of course but those come to mind). They enjoy wearing earrings and usually something flower themed, his favorite are a pair of lily pads he has ( bought from an artist fair) or the sunflower ones, they do also have a constellation earing that they usually wear for work.

✨ So Ever, ill be honest I think about their dynamic with Ezra very much its so complicated that at times I don't even know it and I write them both! Is it just locality or is there more between them? They should let go of each other but they don't because for so long they only had one another to hold unto and then Ever go married things seemed to change a bit but sadly their wife passed away. They can't imagine letting of Ezra even if it might be best for them. Ah they are so complicated what do they want xD

✨ Ever is some what inspired in Poirot, so every time I watch an episode I think of them, especially when Poirot goes ' mon ami! '

[padmerrie]

Bookends [3k, ongoing; AO3 link here]

book·end [ ˈbu̇k-ˌend ] n. a support, one of two usually similar things that begin and end something.

Summary: Kakashi Hatake is no stranger to taking in strays.  But when his former comrade and friend mysteriously disappears after the murder of his entire family, leaving behind his little brother, Kakashi learns that there's more to getting lost on the path of life when you pick up an Uchiha brat along the way.

A modern adoption AU exploring various moments in the life of Kakashi, Sasuke, eight dogs, and one vengeful cat.

a/n: Did I expect to become obsessed with Naruto in my 30s?  Short answer: no.  I guess you could say I got lost on the path of life. XD

It’s the same thing almost every night lately.

“I picked up dinner on the way home.  Hope you don’t mind.”

He doesn’t.  Kakashi knows this by now.  The passive hn of acknowledgement that greets him when he steps through the door and into their apartment tells him as much.  If it really bothered him, he’d have made it known by now.  What Sasuke lacks in words he more than makes up for in opinions - something he’s never short of.

The dogs, at the very least, are happy to see him.  

“Yes, yes, I missed you too,” Kakashi says a little exasperatedly, holding the takeout bags out of reach for their overly excitable noses and trying to return their enthusiastic welcome without the use of his hands.  Sasuke stays seated at the table, pouring over a textbook, and decidedly choosing not to offer any assistance.  Beside him, Pakkun, the oldest and most loyal of his four-legged companions, raises his head from his crossed front paws.  Sleepy eyes meet Kakashi’s for a moment, blink, then slip shut as he lowers his head and goes back to his nap.

Loyal, indeed.

It takes Kakashi a minute to break through the wall of dogs barricading him against the door after slipping off his shoes.  They follow at his heels as he crosses over to the kitchen, tossing the keys onto the counter island that overlooks the living room before setting down the bags of food.

“I thought we’d go a little greasy tonight,” Kakashi continues, starting to unpack the bags.  The small apartment is quickly filled with the sinful smell of fried food and seasoned vegetables.  The dogs eagerly circling his feet quickly devolve into a panting mess.  

“We’ve talked about this,” Kakashi chastises Biscuit, who is not nearly tall enough to reach the counter but nevertheless tries, standing on his short hind legs and nose snuffling frantically back and forth along the edge of the counter like it's being pulled by an invisible fishing line.  He’s going to have to deal with them first if there’s to be any chance of getting the food safety to the table.

“Hey, give me a hand, will ya?” he calls to Sasuke as he wades through the dogs to get to the cabinet with the cups and plates.  They get impossibly more hysterical at the sound of the clinking dishes, a tell-tale sign that they’re almost close to the main event.  This isn’t the first time it’s occurred to Kakashi that this apartment is too small for two people, let alone eight dogs.

“Oh, for the love of- Sasuke.”  

Sasuke, it turns out, isn’t listening - or so it would appear given that Kakashi’s appearance hasn’t prompted anything but deafening nothing since he walked through the door.  However, Kakashi has lived with Sasuke for a couple years and observed him for longer.  He’s learned to read the subtle shifts in the boy's silences.  Sasuke has so much to say if one takes the time to listen.

Sating his (and the dogs’) appetite suddenly doesn’t seem so pressing.

“Alright, have at it,” Kakashi relents, dumping the contents of one of the take-out cartons onto the plate and setting it down at his feet for the dogs to fight over.  He’ll clean up the mess later.  For now, he grabs the carton of udon, a pair of chopsticks, and leaves the dogs to their feast, carefully stepping over them and making his way out to Sasuke.

He sits down, looking far more relaxed than his much younger counterpart.  Sasuke’s eyes remain downturned and concentrated on his homework.  Kakashi lets him be and turns his attention to his food.  He can multi-task after all.  He breaks apart his chopsticks and opens the carton, then picks at the noodles a bit before twirling them around and raising a helping into his mouth.  It doesn’t quite pack the punch he’d been fantasizing about on his walk home from the shop.  

“Trouble with homework?” Kakashi eventually asks, his tone light.

The pen in Sasuke’s hand stills.  Then, after a moment - and without meeting his gaze - Sasuke slides a folder across the table with his free hand.

Kakashi’s chewing slows and he looks over his carton.  Sasuke is content with providing no further explanation, already pursuing his assignment like nothing happened.

Kakashi doesn’t need to read past the over-the-top swirly cursive heading to know what’s soured Sasuke’s mood.  The pink and read hearts dotting the top of the single sheet of paper tucked neatly in the folder’s pocket are a dead giveaway.  He shuts the folder, then picks up the carton and digs into his noodles a little more enthusiastically than before.

“So… it’s that time of year, huh?”

Sasuke makes no indication that he’s heard his question.  Kakashi understands.  He would have had a similar reaction at his age.  But he’d like Sasuke to be different.

“Should be simple enough,” he goes on, surreptitiously glancing up from his carton, but Sasuke is stubborn.  And naive.  Because Sasuke has already given himself up.  

In some ways, Sasuke is exceptionally mature for his age.  But at the end of the day, he is still a twelve-year-old boy and not immune to acting as such.  He’s not above shutting himself up in his room and blaring his music at some wholly unnecessary volume until neighbors get involved (“This is the only apartment complex in Konoha that will take 8 dogs,” Kakashi is reduced to shouting through the door in his bathrobe and slippers at 1 in the morning.  “Are you trying to get us kicked out?”), or staying out much too late roaming the streets and only slipping through his bedroom window when he thinks Kakashi is in bed (He’s not.  He’s (once again) in his bathrobe and slippers waiting outside his bedroom door and prepping a lecture that is sure to be ill-received.)

In other words, if he truly wanted to avoid facing Kakashi, he wouldn’t be here.  

So Kakashi waits.

And waits.

And waits.

Until…

“Look, Sasuke-”

“It’s so- annoying.”

Sasuke glowers at the space in front of him, refusing to look at Kakashi.  It was a slip, one he quickly recovers from, however.  The grip around his pen tightens and he attacks the page in front of him with conviction.  He’s clearly annoyed.  With himself, with the predicament Iruka has so unjustly put him in.  Kakashi allows him a couple sentences to take his frustration out on his assignment before moving forward.

“I think it’s nice.”

Sasuke drops his pen and his head snaps up.

“Nice?”  He says the word with such fierce disdain that Kakashi can’t help but chuckle.  He merely picks at his noodles with amusement.  

“Nice??” Sasuke repeats, eyes narrowing incredulously.  “As if you would have ever lowered yourself to something so meaningless.”

Kakashi chews thoughtfully.  He’s not wrong.  Still, he simply shrugs.

“Sure, it’s a little silly.  But there are very few things in life that are truly meaningless.  What holds no value to one person could mean the world to another.”  He pauses.  The intensity of Sasuke’s stare doesn’t waver.  “There’s nothing wrong with building relationships among your peers and having a little fun.  A hard word for you, I know,” he adds dryly, poking at a mushroom, “But give it a shot.  These opportunities won’t be around forever.”

“I don’t even like these people,” Sasuke mutters with a bitterness that most adults would find unnerving coming from a 12-year-old.

(He knows; his colleagues have told him as much.)

“That’s not true.  You have Naruto and Sakura-”

“Annoying and annoying-er.”

Kakashi frowns a little at that.  He sets the carton aside.  “Look, I’m going to tell you what I told you last year.  If you really don’t want to do this, I’m not going to make you.  I’ll understand… but your friends might not.  And despite what you say, when your classmates come to you with their cards, I think you’re going to realize too late that you might like to give them something in return.”  

Kakashi lets the words sink in.  Sasuke’s expression is unreadable.  It takes some time - a long time, really - but eventually, his shoulders slump forward, and after a tense moment, he relents.

“Fine.”

“Good,” Kakashi says, satisfaction evident in his tone.  “I think we still have supplies leftover from last year somewhere in here,” he muses aloud, rising from the table and disappearing into the hall that leads to their respective bedrooms.  The sound of him rummaging around in the hall closet fills the air until eventually a pleased Ah interrupts the silence.  When Kakashi returns cradling an assortment of craft supplies in his arms, Sasuke looks as though he’s already regretting his decision.  

“Here, I’ll even do it with you,” Kakashi says in a show of solidarity once he spreads out his findings on the table.  There’s still several paper heart cut-outs leftover from the previous year.  Kakashi’s hand hovers thoughtfully over the pile before making his selection and pulling them towards his end of the table.  

A sharp, derisive snort comes from the seat next to him.  Kakashi looks up.

“Yes?”

“There’s no way you have that many people to give valentines to,” Sasuke retorts with all the bluntness of a kunai knife.

Kakashi blinks at him, then peers down at the pile, a puzzled frown tugging at his brow underneath his silver fringe like Sasuke’s right.  That he’s made some sort of horrible mistake.  A split-second later, his expression clears.  

“Actually,” he replies, reaching across the table and grabbing an additional heart, “I missed one.  How could I forget my most cherished pup?”  He shakes his head somberly, giving Sasuke a meaningful look.  

It takes Sasuke a moment to understand.

“You’re making valentines for the dogs.”  It’s not a question, and there’s no mistaking what he thinks about that.  

“Well,” Kakashi acquiesces, eyes crinkling, “I can’t play favorites.”

They hold each other’s gaze.  Despite the pleasant smile Kakashi puts forward, Sasuke’s eyes remain cold and unfeeling.    

In the end, Kakashi exhales a patient breath.  

“Go get dinner, Sasuke.”

It's going to be a long night.

* * *

It’s when he’s sorting through his mail on Valentine’s Day that Kakashi runs into Iruka.

“Yo.”  The word is barely out of his mouth before being promptly met with an angry grunt, after which Iruka slams his apartment door shut so violently that the decorative Cupid hanging there falls to the floor.  

Kakashi slow-blinks down the empty hallway, hand halfway raised in greeting.  With a small shake of his head, he sticks the mail under his arm and digs into his pocket for his keys.

The dogs are on him the instant he opens the door.  Unfazed, he glances around the apartment expecting to hear the sounds of Sasuke’s self-imposed banishment to his room, the kind that expressly tells him that under no circumstances is he to be disturbed.  Only there’s no pulsating bass.  It’s quiet.  And Sasuke’s not in his room but on the couch by the open sliding glass door, back propped against a slumbering Bull and a book open in his lap.  He surprises Kakashi further when he deigns to look up.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Kakashi greets back, closing the door behind him.  It should be a welcomed sight, but he can’t help but feel a little wary.  It’s not often that he sees Sasuke so... at peace.      

He walks over to the kitchen and drops the mail on the counter beside what can only be the fruits of his and Sasuke’s labor.  He smiles to himself.

Popular as ever, I see.

With a sense of satisfaction, he sifts through the sizable pile of valentines, familiar names popping out at him.  He pauses on one in particular.  Sakura’s careful craftsmanship stands out from the rest, the evidence of her feelings clear as day.  Kakashi only hopes that Sasuke didn’t say anything unkind.  

Naruto’s stands out too - though, for entirely different reasons.

“I see Naruto’s scissor skills haven’t improved.”  With two fingers, Kakashi picks up the pitiful thing and gives it a good once over.  He can only assume that it was supposed to be a heart, though he can’t be sure.  It’s a sharp contrast to Sakura’s, which Kakashi knows she probably spent days laboring over.  A glob of glitter glue drips from Naruto’s abstract creation pinched between his fingers and drops onto the counter.  He shakes his head and hangs it up on the fridge anyway, Sakura’s joining soon after.  He lingers on them for a moment, eyes crinkling with a familiar fondness before he turns away to join Sasuke in the living room.  

“I take it everything went well today,” he says, plopping down onto the adjoining couch and humming contentedly when he props his feet on the coffee table and leans back.  Pakkun leaps up and settles himself next to him, a low, warm growl rumbling underneath his hand when he begins to massage his wrinkled head.

“You could say that.”  Sasuke has his back to him, but Kakashi detects something in his voice.

“Meaning?”

There’s a pause before Sasuke shuts his book and looks over his shoulder at Kakashi.  “Let’s just say I got what I wanted for Valentine’s Day.”

What Sasuke wanted for Valentine’s Day was for all its practices to be dismantled and done away with for the greater good of humanity - or so he claimed in a rare moment of awakeness on their way to the academy that morning.  Somehow Kakashi doesn’t think exchanging a couple valentines with his classmates is responsible for this drastic - some may say, miraculous - shift in perspective.  

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with Iruka, would it?”  He jerks his thumb at the door.  “I just ran into him in the hallway and he didn’t look too happy.”

The corner of Sasuke’s mouth twitches, but he only shrugs, facing forward and cracking open his book once more.

Kakashi exchanges a look with Pakkun whose doleful eyes stare up at him, equally suspicious and, if he’s not mistaken, wholeheartedly unimpressed.  With some reluctance, Kakashi swings his legs off the coffee table and gets to his feet in one languid motion.  He crosses the short distance to where Sasuke sits, plucking the book out of his hands as he comes up behind him.

“Hey!”

“I’d like your undivided attention for this if you don’t mind,” Kakashi says calmly, perching himself on the arm of the couch, one foot on the ground, the other propped on the seat cushion.  Sasuke glares at him resentfully, but keeps his mouth shut, albeit with the air of one whose time is being profoundly wasted.

“Ok,” Kakashi starts, folding his arms across his chest.  “What happened at school today?”

“Nothing.”

“Sasuke.”

“Nothing,” Sasuke repeats, drawing out the word.  When Kakashi continues to stare at him, he huffs in irritation.  “Tch, I didn’t do anything.”  

“I didn’t say you did,” Kakashi replies smoothly.  “However, it’s not like you to take pleasure at Iruka’s expense.  I thought you liked Iruka.”

There’s a pause.  Sasuke averts his eyes out the window, uncomfortable.  A gentle breeze rustles the overgrown jungle habitating the balcony.  

“Yeah, I do,” he confirms grudgingly.

“Ok,” Kakashi continues ever so patiently, “so what’s got you in such a good mood?”

There’s another long pause.  However, this time it’s Kakashi who breaks the silence.  The answer hits him over the head and leaves him feeling - if he’s perfectly honest - like a fool.

“What did Naruto do this time?”

Sasuke hasn’t looked away from the window, but Kakashi sees a flicker of something cross his face.

“Well?”

Sasuke mulls it over, then simply relies, “Naruto was very generous with his valentines this year."

An image of the limp heart dripping with barely dried glue on their fridge comes to Kakashi’s mind.  “How generous are we talking?”

“500 ryō worth.”

Kakashi can see where this is going.  He suppresses a sigh.

“And where on earth did Naruto get the money for such a selfless gesture?”

Sasuke’s eyes slide to meet Kakashi’s.  “Iruka.”

“Knowingly?”

A flash of annoyance flares in Sasuke’s dark eyes, again, like he’s wasting his time.  In fairness, he is; the answer is obvious.  

Kakashi leans his head back against the bookshelf behind him and briefly closes his eyes.  A sigh falls heavily from his lips.

“Well, as long as he doesn’t come knocking on our door looking for money…”  He glances down at Sasuke.  “Was it worth it, at least?”

“Was what worth it?”

“Whatever it was that constituted stealing 500 ryō?”

Sasuke’s eyes narrow almost imperceptibly, but his reply is void of any feeling.  “How should I know?  I’m not Sakura.  Now, do you mind?  I was in the middle of something.”  He holds out his hand then, waiting.

Kakashi regards him with patience, not entirely content to end the conversation there.  It’s the familiar way in which Sasuke holds his hand out to him that cautions him to hold back.  Patience, it whispers.  Remember how you found him.  Reading.  At peace.  At home.

He hands the book to Sasuke, who takes it without thanks, and thinks as he watches him leaf through its pages and settle against Bull that he could do with some light reading too.

[prettywordsyouleft]

Head First

Anonymous said:

Congrats on your milestone. Daring is dangerous Chelle! I dare you to write yourself with Jinyoung and admit that you love him! Everyone knows your hatred is actual love for him! Not a enemy to lovers au like you usually do either. Love from first sight!

Pairing: Park Jinyoung x reader

Genre: love at first sight / office au / fluff

Warnings: none

A/N: You know, anon, daring is dangerous. And you didn’t specify who was the one who fell in love first, hehehehe. Prepare yourself for a different Jinyoung – after all, there’s no enemies to lovers au in this XD

Word count: 2742

He didn’t understand why he was like this around you. Jinyoung had always prided himself as someone with tact and was respected by all those he worked alongside. From his university degree to the office, he was known for his tenacity for a productive working environment.

Yet why was he falling head first at your feet every time he crossed paths with you?

“Are you alright, Jinyoung?” you asked with concern, reaching out your hand but he wasn’t going to allow you to help him scrape himself off the ground. He was dumbfounded and frankly mortified to have tripped over, well, his own feet in front of you.

Slipping your hand back to the folders you held in your arms, you smiled weakly, nodding a little as you walked on by. And once you were out of sight, Jinyoung let out a groan, thumping the wall beside him.

Just what was wrong with him when it came to you?

“I did it again,” he admitted with an elongated sigh as his roommate Jackson handed him the ice pack he had requested. Although he had acted as if his clumsy fall at work hadn’t amounted to much during working hours, once he was off the clock, he was all but limping to the underground parking lot. Now sprawled out on the couch with the cooling pack over the affected area, Jinyoung let out another exasperated whine. “Just why do I keep being so clumsy in front of Y/N?!”

“Because you like her.”

“I don’t even know her!” Jinyoung retorted, throwing his hands up in the air. “Unlike you, I can’t even speak more than four words to her without stuttering or ending up injuring myself! This is the third time I’ve embarrassed myself in front of her. The members in my team are starting to talk; soon I’ll be the butt end of every joke at the company!”

Jackson grinned, shrugging a little as he threw back the remnants of some green juice he made as his pre-workout fuel. Jinyoung glared at his friend, he wouldn’t be able to get in a good gym session tonight with how sore his ankle felt and that annoyed him too.

“Maybe next time try and aim to fall on your butt. It’s probably got the most cushion to handle how clumsy you are right now.”

“I’m not amused.”

“Come on, Jinyoung! Just admit it. What was it like when you very first saw Y/N? Sure, she seems nice enough to me, but something had to have happened when you first met her for you to be this messed up. She’s not someone who’s going to turn heads everywhere she goes, that’s for sure.”

Jinyoung sighed; you were definitely average in looks and skills to most people. As an entry-level worker who was older, you had gained attention quickly throughout the office before Jinyoung had first crossed paths with you. Not many were hired so long out of university by the company and so rumours had travelled fast on what your situation was. Unlike the rest, gossiping wasn’t something Jinyoung partook in during his office hours, focused on getting the tasks he needed to be done and in a productive manner.

It was on your third day when he finally met you when you stepped into the elevator he was already on. Not that he had seen you yet, just the enormous stack of papers you carried. “Oh uh, excuse me, could you please push level eight for me? I can’t let this go right now.”

“Done,” he replied after pressing the button. And like he always did for other employees, Jinyoung reached out to help take some of your load. He took half the stack of reports off the top which you started reacting to immediately.

“Oh thank you! I didn’t expect help but it’s so nice to have someone to share the burden with!”

Now with your face exposed from behind the stack of papers, Jinyoung’s stomach lurched immediately. He wasn’t sure why his body was now tingling or what the reason was for how round his eyes had grown at seeing your face. Yet his system had gone into overdrive, his heart now thumping erratically in his chest.

“You’re very kind for helping me,” you continued, leaning around your stack to read his name badge. “Thank you, Park Jinyoung.”

And it was the warm smile you shot him after saying his name that sealed his ill fate, the weight within his arms dropping and scattering over the entire elevator floor. For the first time in his working career, he was openly flustered, attempting to apologise and scrape everything up before the doors dinged open, your smile now weak, restrained. It was a scramble, and he was certain in your eyes he looked like a complete idiot. Jinyoung had managed to pick everything up just in time for the doors to spring open, dashing out of the elevator and then dumping the pile of files on top of the reception counter for the sales office. He couldn’t even remember if he had said goodbye to you, acutely aware of the weird incoherent sound he had made as he sped walked down the hallway to his department.

Your first encounter had been such a mess, and despite all attempts, he had only continued to be flustered and seemingly incapable of being a proper functioning human in front of you.

Jinyoung sighed, shaking his head. “The only thing that happened was I was a complete idiot and I’ve been that way since.”

“Hm, let’s see,” Jackson replied thoughtfully, reaching out to place a solemn hand over his friend’s head. He then jerked it away dramatically and nodded his head in answer. “That’s it, I dub thee lovesick.”

“You’re not helping.”

“Nor is your damsel in distress act whenever you see her. I have to admit, I’m deeply amused. You, of all people, are the last one I expected to become this messy when you have a crush.”

“I do not have a crush!”

“Jinyoung, you basically avoid her at all costs, even I’ve seen you do it. You definitely are feeling something for her.”

“Yeah, continued mortification,” he grumbled, the annoyance he felt sinking his stomach further.

Jinyoung desperately wanted to regain common ground in the very least. His pride and professionalism were at stake the longer you bothered him and he had worked too hard to let it slip away all because of, well, he still wasn’t prepared to claim he had a crush on you. This wasn’t high school and he was a grown man capable of relationships with others.

He would just have to work harder and prove that whatever silly phase he was in would soon pass. Jinyoung was determined to not let you affect him any longer.

His determination was short-lived. The very next day he had locked himself in the supplies closet by accident when he saw you and diverted his path, stepping into the first room he could find. On Tuesday he accidentally split his iced coffee on his brand new shirt when he choked on his straw when you greeted him on passing and by Thursday he could tell you were now uncomfortable to even see him around the office.

He had successfully made you just as awkward as he was.

And when the doors opened to the elevator and showed you he was riding inside, Jinyoung noticed the way you hesitated to step on. Still, you did so and he pressed himself into the wall anxiously, hoping if he stayed away from you and remained silent, this would be the longest time in your company where he didn’t make a complete fool of himself.

Or you.

“Can I ask you something?” you finally said after a minute of travelling in silence and Jinyoung glanced at you quickly, gripping the bar when he felt his heart rate increase. You sighed heavily. “Are you having fun?”

“F-fun?”

“With teasing me. Everyone says you’re one of the best workers here and very diligent. Yet all I’ve seen out of you is… well, are you acting stupid on purpose?”

Great. So now all this had amounted to you thinking he was doing this intentionally. Jinyoung groaned internally at the predicament before moistening his lips in preparation to talk. Right then, the doors sprang open and he sucked in a deep breath of relief seeing Jackson step inside.

“Morning Y/N!” Jackson greeted and then turned to his friend. “What’s wrong with you? Are you hyperventilating? Ah is it because of-”

“Justdropit,” Jinyoung breathed out hastily, uncaring if this was his stop or not when the doors opened again. He dashed out into the hallway and then turned for the door for the stairs, leaning against the wall as he willed himself to take deep breaths in and out.

Just why were you making him so pathetic?

Jinyoung began to take the stairs for everything. It was safer that way, no longer needing to worry about bumping into you whilst he made his way throughout the company building. Sure, it was a downright hassle, and everyone thought he was nuts even when he proclaimed he was using it as exercise since he sat in a chair all day.

Still, it was easier than dealing with his issue with you.

And because of this newfound avoidance tactic, Jinyoung hadn’t seen you for three weeks.

He thought he’d be more pleased about this.

And he was to some extent. No longer did he leave the office kicking himself for being so flustered each day. He didn’t spend his nights ruminating over how he could have prevented an incident with you earlier in the day because he hadn’t had one. And he was much more productive with his work.

Instead, he yearned to break away from this new habit just to see if he was cured of acting ridiculous in front of you.

And he realised he was feeling down because he hadn’t seen you in person.

Which was completely confusing for him. Of all the things Jinyoung wanted to be known for, clumsy and incapable were not it. And yet that’s all you knew of him. Sure, he had tried to change that and then you had come back with thinking his behaviour was intentional.

He hadn’t faced his problem; in fact, he had run from it and that was equally as stupid as before.

Because strangely, he missed you.

Jinyoung couldn’t fathom how he missed someone he didn’t exactly know more than a name about. He understood missing a family member you hadn’t seen in months. Or a friend who moved overseas. A connection that was lost. But he had no relationship with you and seeing you usually gave him anxiety.

Why did he crave seeing you even after establishing you were the cause to all of his incompetence?

This uneasiness compelled him to linger in hallways more than necessary. He slowly started to return to using the elevator. And strangely, he hadn’t crossed pathways with you within an entire week.

“Y/N?” Jackson repeated as Jinyoung enquired about you, and his friend speared a piece of sushi with a chopstick before frowning. “Didn’t you know she took time off? Maybe a week ago she stopped coming into the office. Something about a child needing her? I think she’s a solo parent.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Jackson looked at Jinyoung as if he had sprouted an extra head. “Dude, you were losing it over that girl and specifically preached that I never mention her in front of you. Sue me for actually following through for once.”

Now Jinyoung was foolishly mourning the loss of a potential connection – one that he had been blundering his way through over the past three months.

Turning down the chance to go out with his friends in the weekend, Jinyoung instead went to do the groceries, mulling over the list Jackson had given him and trying to decide if the packet he held was macro and organic or not.

And before he had the chance to move off, a familiar face came into his view, smiling hesitantly at him. “Jinyoung, hello.”

“Y/N, who’s that?” the young teenage boy beside you asked and you brushed the hair away from your face and sighed.

“Jinyoung is someone I used to work with.”

“Was my sister really good at her job?! I keep telling her to go back now that I’m better but she won’t!” the boy implored and Jinyoung merely opened his mouth and then closed it again.

You took that as a sign to move on. “Let’s not bother him anymore, hm? It looks like he’s busy with his groceries.”

Before you left the aisle, Jinyoung spun around, taking in a sharp inhale. “I think I like you!”

“W-what?”

Waiting for you to turn around, Jinyoung gripped onto his grocery cart and nodded. “Actually, I know I do. I wasn’t doing it intentionally. You just made me really flustered, is all.”

“Me?” you repeated, glancing at your brother beside you and then back at Jinyoung. “You were flustered by me?”

“Why not, Y/N? You’re awesome!”

Jinyoung nodded rapidly in agreement, feeling dizzy with the action. He groaned. “You see, I don’t know why you get to me but you have ever since I met you. That’s why I made all those errors. I must’ve looked like a fool in front of you, and I often tried not to. And I’m honestly not this clumsy or ridiculous or pathetic normally. Yet in front of you, it was as if my brain stopped working. I even tried avoiding you, taking the stairs instead so you wouldn’t be burdened by me.”

“So that’s where you disappeared to,” you murmured, your smile growing shy.

“You had been looking out for me?”

Nodding, you chewed at your lip. “I kind of missed you.”

“Just kind of?” your brother chirped and you tried to grab onto his mouth to silence him. “If this is the guy who you kept complaining about, then you definitely have missed him. She’s been moping. Take her back to work, please. I’m honestly okay now!”

“Why don’t you go find us what’s left on the list and I’ll pretend I didn’t see the cookies you slipped into the cart earlier,” you bargained, handing the shopping list over to your brother and then clasped your hands in front of you as he went off eagerly. You let out a small laugh. “I guess I missed you more than I wanted to admit. Which is weird right? Because I only know your name.”

Jinyoung shook his head, smiling broadly. “No, I missed you too.”

“You did?”

“My buddy Jackson believes in love at first sight and I always told him that was nonsense. But I can’t think of any other reason as to why you have stirred my life up completely. And sure, love is a bit… well, I wouldn’t go as far to say I love you because all I know about you is your name and that you have a brother. But I’m ready to find out more if you are. This could be the start of love, at least.”

“I didn’t take you for such a romantic,” you teased, though you nodded lightly, your blush indicating just how affected you were by his admission. “And maybe it’s lust at first sight?”

“It’s something,” he admitted with a chuckle and you giggled in response.

Which promptly turned his legs to jelly and he had to crouch before he fell to the ground. Looking up at you exasperatedly, you stooped down to his level, grinning at him happily. “I’m looking forward to getting to know more about you Jinyoung, but could you stop falling at my feet? You make me feel bad because normally it’s me who is incredibly clumsy and in front of you, strangely I’m doing better than I thought. Maybe this is some sort of love.”

You held out your hand and he finally took it, the warmth radiating up his arm making him bury his face in his free hand with how foolish he was acting. Still, he didn’t let you go and you made no attempt to do so either.

“Try to have some patience with me as I combat this, please?”

“With how adorable you’re being towards me, I could wait forever if you needed me to.”

_________________

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[venus-says]

Healin' Good Precure Episodes 19-20

Anju looks good in purple.

I'm gonna be honest with you all here, I don't know how to start this one. I've watched these two episodes back to back TWICE and I have so many mixed feelings, I have no idea how to put my thoughts in a cohesive order for this post to make at least a little bit of sense. So bear with me because I have a lot of conflicting emotions.

So beginning from the basic stuff, Episode 19 was strong, with great emotional moments, and I loved it for almost all of its run-time. Episode 20 was a bit of a letdown, the emotional parts didn't work as well, and what were supposed to be great moments felt like they needed a little more gas to me, and how things were solved in this episode made me like the previous one a little less than I did on my first watching.

You see, my major problem with how both of these episodes went down is that the pay off for the build-up wasn't exactly that satisfying.

When the matter is Mid-season Cures, my preference will always go to when the character that will become said Cure has already been introduced before because these are characters we already know and already had some development so when the "Curefication" happens that moment feels like a turning point or an essential moment for those previously established characters arcs. When they become Cures, it's rewarding, it's exciting, and when they need to integrate that character with the original group it feels more natural because they already knew each other, at least to a certain level.

Cure Earth's case falls under the situation I like the least, where a character comes out of nowhere, transforms, and saves the day. And I don't know how to feel about those situations because I don't know that character, I don't know how I should feel about them. When they just appear it's not a rewarding build-up, it's frustrating. It feels like a Cure Ex-Machina and it can ruin what in other circumstances could've been a great moment. And the way things happened in these two episodes felt just like that.

Episode 19 was everything centered around Rate, it was an episode where we finally got to know more of her and see her thoughts for once in a situation where the girls had to run to fight a monster right after. She was sick, she was feeling weak and powerless, and the entire episode was walking in a path where Rate would be the main star. Whatever happened there, it should be Rate in the spotlight, it was Rate's moment. But in the end, she didn't do anything and she was just the poor, defenseless little puppy that she has been all this time along. And in Episode 20 she was robbed even more of her spotlight, she didn't even get a chance to help in the battle like the other healing animals and it felt like such a missed opportunity. The sensation I had was that originally Rate was supposed to give a group power-up at this moment and this would be like a level up for her, but because they're so bound in this "Sixth Ranger" tradition they changed the focus to a character that literally didn't exist before she was needed to exist.

And I feel like I would be more okay with this if Rate at least had an active participation in creating Asumi and making her Cure Earth, you know? Rather than making Teatinu being the one who awakened the spirit, it could've been Rate that did it, it would show how powerful she is and how much she has grown and it would go hand-in-hand with her conflicts we've seen earlier in the episode. It would also serve as the reason why Asumi feels so connected with Rate and her strong feelings about protecting her, without mentioning it would explain why Rate was able to bond with her and turn her into her Cure partner immediately instead of the three characters that for 20 episodes have been giving their all to take care of her.

With that being said, I also had many things that I liked in these two episodes. Seeing the girls caring for Rate in Episode 19 was very endearing, Nodoka waking up in the middle of the night to give her comfort, Chiyuu skipping club activities to be with her because she's concerned, Hinata taking advice from costumers of her family's clinic to give help on her own way, even Nodoka's father that was there just to be comic relief, all of these moments were pretty sweet.

And the magical-girl-centered part of the episode was pretty good as well. For example, I like that because Rate is sick with a real illness she can't feel the Earth calling for help so the girls go unaware of the Mega-Byougen wreaking havoc in the mountains which gave Batetemoda a huge head start so the monster was stronger than usual which lead to the cures being trapped in that situation, that eventually lead to Rate taking up action where it gave Batetemoda a chance to capture her which triggered Cure Earths birth at that moment. Aside from the problem of a character coming out of nowhere, it was a natural progression of events that had me on the edge of my seat for the entire second half of the episode.

And Earth's entrance was pretty cool as well, the way she fought the Mega-Byougen doing all of those jumps and kicks was amazing, and seeing her creating an Elemental Bottle made me go crazy. Her second fight on Episode 20 was even better, going toe-to-toe with Batetemoda and sweeping the floor with him and the powered-up Mega-Byougen, that was awesome. My mind went places when she reveals she's not a human, and that she's technically a newborn. That paired with how clueless she is about everything and how she acts a little silly at times made it for an awesome time following her around. I joked about it on twitter, but Asumi sounds exactly like Anju from PriChan, and not just because Mimori Suzuko is doing the exact same voice she does for Anju but because this "cluelessness" reminds me a lot of how Anju acts sometimes whenever she's hiding her true identity. I'm just waiting for the time where someone will do an AMV of Cure Earth with Fortune Karat playing in the background and an edit of Anju's coord change with Earth transformation song playing as the background.

Oh, and by the way, can we talk about how freaking gorgeous she is? Both in civilian and Cure form. Earth is one of the prettiest Cures ever and if you don't think so I recommend you to leave because I don't think we can be friends (jk, I condemn favorites shaming XD). I love her transformation, I love her attack, I love her weapon. I'm all here for these aesthetics and I have no doubt that in a couple of weeks I'll be here with an "I ♡ EARTH" headband and two purple lightsticks going "GO EARTH! GO EARTH!" because of that. Like, I can get tired of it??? From Rate's running to Asumi, to her grabbing Rate's little paws, to them snuggling each other TWICE, how her hair changes, and how she gets her earrings and the winged headpiece everything in that transformation is perfect. And gosh, the attack, after 20 episodes with attack animations that weren't all that exciting or inventive how fresh it feels to have a Healing Hurricane to blow us all away.

I think from these episodes the only thing I can't forgive it's the villains' side of things, again. Like, they just lost their more interesting member, and now I just don't feel as engaged with the villains once more. Also, that power-up thing coming from a Mega-Byougen fragment was also a bit meh. More because we haven't really seen that being mentioned before, you know? And it's not like they didn't have the chance to explain it either, I believe Batetemoda was born from something with similar properties so they could've introduced this element before. I don't know, I'm just sad my good boy is gone and now we're stuck again with those boring three and the main villain that probably had less screen time than a side character so far.

Another sadness was the new ending. I'm sorry y'all but I don't like this song, I don't like this dance, I don't like the visuals for this ending, and I'm just very sad. I'm gonna miss Miracle tto Link♡Ring SO SO MUCH... and this Ending doesn't even have hints for what the next season will be, I'm sad.

Oh well, like I said CONFLICTING FEELINGS, I'm a mess but I hope I could pass my point to everyone. If you have anything to share about these episodes or my thoughts please let me know in the comments down below. I believe that's all for now, don't forget to stay healthy, stay safe, and never stop resisting. Thank you so much for reading, and until the next time, Healin' Goodbye~

[thegayfromrulid]

Frkm 1 allll the way to 99. Also, the next SAO game eugeo lives as a sword and not die (thank GOD)

@2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

Chocolate bars- I will not eat lollipops. 

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

Cotton candy! I actually get super bad headaches from bubblegum.

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

Probably lonely genius...

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

Soda bottles!! I feel so fancy!! And old-timey.

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

I guess tomboy even though I’m a boy??

7. earbuds or headphones?

Aren’t these the same thing? I think I prefer over-ear headphones, but I don’t really like either. 

8. movies or tv shows?

Depends on the genre I guess. But as a main rule, live action- movies, animated- TV shows.

9. favorite smell in the summer?

Potato salad.

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

Frankly, I wasn’t good, but I was really good at pissing all the jocks off-

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

I make myself these homemade egg mcmuffins. I enjoy them a lot. I am very picky about breakfast.

12. name of your favorite playlist?

I only have one and it’s very generic: The Gay From Rulid’s Playlist. Yes it’s on Spotify. Yes, it’s 99% anime openings and endings and maybe Bet On It from HSM2. Be ashamed of me. Go on.

13. lanyard or key ring?

Lanyard! Mine is a BNHA one I bought from an artist at Nekocon!

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

Either Sweet Tarts or Nerds. 

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

I usually have one leg tucked up under me and the other stretched out.

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

A black and white pair of Skechers. They look like shit. They almost never are replaced by another shoe. Not even in the gross muggy heat.

18. ideal weather?

When it’s just warm enough to wear a t-shirt and sit in the sunshine, but cool enough that I’m not hot, and a little breeze is going. I think of this weather quite often. 

19. sleeping position?

On my belly kinda spread out like a shounen protagonist.

21. obsession from childhood?

J.R.R. Tolkien. Have always been obsessed with him and his works. 

22. role model?

Redundant, but Tolkien again. Linguist and writer. Living my dream. 

23. strange habits?

I unplug things like microwaves, lamps, and TVs when I am done using them. Very little remains plugged in at my place. The modem, the fridge, and the clock. That is it.

24. favorite crystal?

Amethyst. It’s my sister’s middle name. And I especially like the purple ones.

25. first song you remember hearing?

Blue by Eiffel 65. I don’t know why that song sticks out so much in my memory but it’s nostalgic for me. Tiny AJ hyperfixated on this song before anything else ya’ll. 

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

Curl up in the sun on a blanket and nap. 

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

Hot cocoa blanket cuddles. 

28. five songs to describe you?

Uhhhh...I’m not very musically literate. Let’s go with Born This Way (the first person I came out to sent me that song so it feels special!), I’m Free to Be Me by Jamie Grace, Praying by Kesha, Shake It Off by Taylor Swift ( @delicateeuphorias​ would you believe it xD), and right now thinking about someone dear to me who’s been gone See You Again is stuck in my brain.

30. places that you find sacred?

Arboretums or big botanical gardens where I can get lost in the plants for a moment and take in how pretty they all are. And old monuments/big things people of the past built. A lot of things were built by people with no rights/freedom and I think about them and how despite the fact that they had nothing, they made such a lasting impact on our world. 

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

*slips on my Owari no Seraph cosplay* I will kick ass in this sweet ass cape-

33. most used phrase in your phone?

My phone seems to think it’s “Kirito’s ass” and I want it to not think that.

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

O-O-O-O’REILLYYYYYYYYYY’S...Autooo PARTS.

35. average time you fall asleep?

I’m an insomniac it could be 10 pm it could be 3 am who knows I sleep for an hour I’m up again...

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

Fucking CAN I HAS CHEEZBURGR cats. 

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

This all boils down to how much I’m packing. Going for a sleepover? Duffel. Going to con? My giant suitcase with room for all the bells and whistles of cosplay.

38. lemonade or tea?

Tea!

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

Oh cruel I looooove lemon. The pie!

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

In high school here- so, aside from me being the resident weirdo (I DID come to school dressed as the TARDIS), my senior class decided to squirt hundreds of bottles of chocolate syrup on the sidewalks. We were an open campus so it’s all in front of our classroom doors- we had no hallways. And then they. They fucking EGGED ALL THE DOORS. The whole campus smelled like...ick.

41. last person you texted?

My father and mother in a group text to cry about customers treating me poorly. 

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

I prefer the jacket pockets because I still haven’t found a way to get men’s pants under the radar of my ever-watchful parents and women’s jeans pockets are SHITTY. Women gotta boycott this shit it is UNACCEPTABLE-

44. favorite scent for soap?

Peppermint...peppermint ^-^ I like to smell like...mint.

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

Fantasy!

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

Recently I was reminded I live alone and my new favorite sleeping outfit...is...just some boxer shorts. Suck it dysphoria. Manly nightwear.

47. favorite type of cheese?

Pepper jack, Swiss, or ricotta. 

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

Strawberry :3

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

I’m gonna sound so gay but when @disasterbikirito​ started laughing about a certain GIF and his laugh was so infectious I couldn’t help but laugh too. 

51. current stresses?

Are you shitting me it’s everything. Every. Single. Thing. I cannot breathe. I am having meltdowns. Someone fucking save me I cannot deal with COVID well.

52. favorite font?

Garamond for writing in my free time, Doulous SIL for all the linguistics IPA symbols my greedy heart desires. 

53. what is the current state of your hands?

Smooth but my fingertips have been gnawed on. I am stressed, okay?

54. what did you learn from your first job?

Gosh, lots of things. But the most important takeaway is that a good boss will genuinely care about you. I miss that man. He was so wonderful and so caring and taught me so much about theater. Technical things and artistic things and historical things. Sometimes I wish I could have made a career out of working under him. 

55. favorite fairy tale?

Beauty and the Beast (AH...AH...I SEE YOU ROLLING YOUR EYES BECAUSE I’M TRANS. I KNOW. I *KNOW*.)

56. favorite tradition?

It’s a family tradition kinda unique to my household. Each year, we draw a name from a hat, and that name comes with a lot of words that describe us and what we liked over that year. We then each take a $20 bill and we go to a little hobby shop with cheap things in it and use that $20 bill to fill a Christmas stocking. We then hang them back up and empty the stocking full of candies and random silly things and have a good laugh and guess who filled whose stocking. 

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

The first one is coming to terms with knowing my dad has a severe illness. It really shook my family up, and it’s terrifying us right now with everything going on, but after a while, I learned that he was smiling, so I could smile, too.

The second one is my mother coming back from her tour in the Middle East on top of the murder of my godmother. Two very stressful things happened at once. My mother got very violent from her PTSD and her best friend died in a horrible way. It was an adjustment for everyone, and it kind of ripped my family to pieces. I can say, though, that my parents are still married and are getting better, and my sister and I are coming back to the family to be more open and healthy.

The third, and maybe some of my followers are aware, was getting rid of my ex-fiance. He was a man who sexually assaulted me repeatedly and I won’t go into details beyond that. It took me 5 years to get rid of him and accept what happened, but I am a much happier person now and while I work through the trauma that caused me, I have the most wonderful partner by my side and if you had told me back then I’d find someone as kind and patient and loving as him, I would have laughed and thought you were insane. 

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

Probably what I put on all my fanfic updates: “I know. I’m an asshole.”

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

Some kind of shoujo romance but it’s bi also I want a sword.

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

There was nothing more smartass than Alice Synthesis 30 in SAO 18 asking a reporter to open up his head and prove he was human I’m sorry like OOF-

63. five songs that would play in your club?

Get in losers, we’re playing Steppin’ Out by FLOW, Elle me dit by Mika, Blue by Eiffel 65, ADAMAS by LiSA, and Touch Off by UVERworld.

64. favorite website from your childhood?

I was on Webkinz more than I want to admit. 

65. any permanent scars?

Yup. I have one on my toe where I split the skin in half. I tripped. I have three surgical scars from when I had my appendix removed. And...the mystery scar. I was supposedly born with a scar it’s at the part where my foot meets my leg on my left side and you can see how it’s stretched over the years if you run your finger over it. The joke is that the doctor taking out my mom’s appendix scratched me in the womb. 

67. good luck charms?

Not really a charm but I do have a little Kirito keychain I carry everywhere I go that I fiddle with when I’m nervous.

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

Artificial bubblegum. Disgustiiiing.

70. left or right handed?

I am right-handed.

71. least favorite pattern?

Zig-zags. 

72. worst subject?

History...I am ashamed. It’s interesting, I just suck at it.

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

Gingerbread and marshmallow. I am a bit picky about mixing foods and flavors, so this was the weirdest I could think up. 

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

Can you hear that? It’s my hysterical laughter. 12 on a scale of 10. I get up there pretty frequently. Thank you, chronic crippling pain. 

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

I...I don’t remember...I don’t even remember...I think I had to be like what...kindergarten? 

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

THIS IS CRUEL I LOVE ALL POTATOS I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH-Au gratin.

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

Aloe!

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

Coffee from a gas station. Mark my words...I will never get grocery store sushi. Ever. Again. My stomach has not forgotten. What a mistake. That was. 

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

So, my driver’s license hasn’t had an updated photo since I was 15 and just had a learner’s so I look like I want to murder a man but my school ID I had just run about a mile in the cold because the bus wasn’t running that day and my face is red and I look like I’m crying...probably the school ID...

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

Jewel tones~~

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

I am from the South and we call ‘em lightnin’ bugs.

82. pc or console?

Errrrr console. I’m not a gamer by any means but there’s way fewer things to press on a console controller. 

84. podcasts or talk radio?

Neither...what...no...neither...they will put me to sleep...I will be out in seconds...the most dangerous things...people talking...and then I’m out...

84. barbie or polly pocket?

Barbie, she’s a LOT easier to dress. Those rubber clothes. SMH.

86. cookies or cupcakes?

Cookies but they gotta be the soft ones.

87. your greatest fear?

Being swallowed in the ocean. By a fish or a whale. I don’t play. Church kid don’t play with big things in the ocean with big mouths.

88. your greatest wish?

To make enough of a difference in someone’s life that they learn to love themself.

89. who would you put before everyone else?

Such a selfish thought...gosh...the mere thought of prioritizing someone troubles me. 

90. luckiest mistake?

Telling a cute guy sending me dog pictures was an excellent flirting technique as he sent me pictures of his puppy. I immediately thought “oh god I’ve fucked up bad” and at present we’re kinda head over heels for one another so maybe just be stupidly blunt once and a while you might find true love. 

91. boxes or bags?

Boxes. My cat didn’t force me to say that. Not at all. Sock, buddy, off the keyboard-

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

Sunlight. I like the sun. The sun is my friend. It is warm and would never betray me.

93. nicknames?

Sister calls me “spoony” when she’s being ridiculous. No, I don’t know what that means. Mama calls me “cakes.” I had friends who called me “Deku” because I’m a crybaby. Had a few people DM me and straight up call me “Eugeo” or “Eug.” AJ is technically a nickname. 

94. favorite season?

Springtime!!!!! It’s...HERE!

95. favorite app on your phone?

I use like three apps...so Discord.

96. desktop background?

It’s. It’s Kirito and Eugeo. What did you expect.

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

Mama’s, dad’s, mine, and my parents’ house number. And does the emergency 911 count (pahahaha). 

(I answered the others in delicateeuphoria’s ask!)

[vivypotter]

Vivy’s Harry Potter Fic Recs

I’ve had a load of people ask me for my favourite tomarry fics, so I thought I’d compile a fic rec! This will probably be updated as I think of things. However, I have a lot of favourite fics which aren’t Tomarry, so I thought I’d add a few other pairings as well. I think I’ll put up a few recs of other fandoms as well when I get ‘round to it, like Hannibal or the Hobbit (I have weird reading habits okay?) It’ll help me find them too xD.

Tom Riddle or Voldemort/Harry Potter

Consuming Shadows by Child_OTKW (WIP)

On the night of the attack, Lily managed to escape with her infant son, but at the cost of her husband’s life. Distraught and distrusting of her friends, she fled to France with Harry, to raise him away from the corruption in Britain and the rising influence of the Dark Lord. She trains him to the best of her abilities, shaping him into a dangerous, intelligent and powerful wizard.

But when Britain re-establishes the Triwizard Tournament, and Harry is forced to return to his once-home, he finds himself questioning whether he really wants to kill the Dark Lord. Voldemort finds an unexpected challenge in the child, and as his intrigue and amusement grows, so too does the desire to possess the spark in those defiant green eyes.

I feel this is genuinely one of the best Tomarry fanfics maybe ever written, and I’m sure you’ve probably read it since it’s so popular - but I thought I’d recommend it anyway! It’s not finished, but there’s enough of it to really sink your teeth into and action is properly going down right now. Harry is such an interesting character and his cat and mouse dynamic with Voldemort is so entertaining. I anxiously wait for every update!

Set the Sails (and don’t look back) by Terrific Lunacy (Complete)

1724. All Harry wanted to do was to cross the Atlantic and start his apprenticeship under one of the most renowned physicians. Tom Riddle is convinced everything floating in the seven seas belongs to him. That includes ship-wrecked, green-eyed youths. Especially if they tell him to fuck off.

This is a fic that’s really stuck with me. It’s complete (a miracle in the tomarry fandom) and there’s a fun back-and-forth between Voldemort and Harry. Our goodhearted Harry is a doctor! And for some reason, I’ve been really into Pirate AUs recently.

A Thousand Paths Among The Stars by haplesshippo (Complete)

Harry Potter, newly appointed Captain of the Marauder and son of the famous Captain James Potter, was falling apart at the seams. His crew didn’t respect him, he was lost in the empty expanse of space, nightmares plagued his sleep, and his Commander deserved the Captain position more than he did. Good thing multiple attempts on his life and a vicious warlord after his head was all it took to turn it all around.

Alternatively, that space fic in which Harry Potter almost dies too many times, Tom Riddle slowly becomes the most smitten fool on the ship, and the rest of the crew are all just a bunch of assholes with popcorn watching the show. And exploding ships, don't forget the exploding ships.

Another pirate AU, kind of! But this one is in space! And it’s actually more of a Star Trek AU. Okay, it’s not really a pirate AU but I wanted to keep the theme going. This is such a freaking good fic- the relationship between Tom and Harry is very unusual (not as combative as the last two fics) and there are some nice twists, as well as combination of HP lore and what I assume is Star Trek (I’ve never seen it okay). And the extended cast is excellent. I fully recommend!

The Dragon's Mate by Strange_Soulmates (Complete fics but WIP series)

Harry Potter has recently escaped from his dragon-guarded tower. So has his fellow prisoner - the dragon who was enchanted to guard him. Harry's friend is missing, however, and so he sets off to assure himself of his well-being before he finds the person responsible for imprisoning them both. Accompanied by a stranger with a familiar name, Harry finds himself with more questions than answers as he slowly learns about the customs of dragons and the history of the dragon he befriended, the fearsome Voldemort.

I really love pretty much all of Strange_Soulmates’ fics, but this is definitely my favourite (and maybe the only complete one? Don’t quote me on that.) The characters are so well done, and although I love the first fic a little more than the second, they are both excellent reads! Dragons and wizards? Yes, please!

Everything's Fine in the Beast Division by Merrinpippy (Complete)

Harry's lifelong ambition is to become an auror, but as his knowledge of Dangerous Beasts is somewhat lacking, Newt Scamander agrees to take him on as an apprentice. Contrary to the Weasley twins' predictions that Harry would die of boredom, Harry finds his time at the Ministry very interesting, and befriending the very attractive Tom Riddle doesn't hurt at all- in fact, quite the opposite.

This is such a fantastic fanfiction, and a crossover with Fantastic Beasts (a franchise I can’t stand but that’s a conversation for another time). It manages to be fluffy without going OOC which is difficult for tomarry fics, and the supporting cast are adorable!

To Be Set Free by Merrinpippy

Harry Potter, raised and abused by the Dursleys ever since his parents died, lives in the cupboard under the stairs. He has no friends or family who love him and his life is dull until one day a letter arrives arrives for him, written in green ink, that promises freedom. Sounds familiar, right?

King Thomas Riddle's illness combined with his political paranoia pushes him to arrange three royal balls, after which his son, Prince Tom Riddle, must choose a guest to marry, thereby securing the kingdom's future and solidifying their strength in the eyes of their allies/enemies. Tom is convinced that he will be able to defy his father and choose no-one, or at least he is until at the first ball he meets an attractive stranger with dark hair and glasses who won't tell anyone his name...

This is also excellent, and I love a good Fairytale AU. Merrinpippy has some really good stuff. I love all of it!

As Clichéd as Clichés Go by thecrimsonmonarch (One-shot)

Harry Potter wasn't known for his social skills, mainly because they were practically non-existent.

This is a bit random but very fun. Harry is a fucking dork. That’s all there is to say. A thoroughly amusing Lawyer AU.

Lily and the Art of Being Sisyphus by The Carnivorous Muffin (WIP)

As the unwitting personification of Death, reality exists to Lily through the veil of a backstage curtain, a transient stage show performed by actors who take their roles only too seriously. But as the Girl-Who-Lived, Lily's role to play is the most important of all, and come hell or high water play it she will, regardless of how awful Wizard Lenin seems to think she is at her job.

This is a still-uploading fanfic and one of my faves. It’s not for everyone- it’s a fem!Harry and she’s so different that she’s really an OC to be honest, and the story is slightly complicated. This is certainly not a fic to go for if you want IC characters. But I really love the writing and the ideas and it’s basically a new, fascinating universe. And even if they’re not IC, I love the characters all dearly. The Carnivorous Muffin is certainly an extremely talented writer- all of her stuff is excellent.

Little Bits by lordmarvoloriddle

Inspired by Cinderella. Only there's no prince and surely no one is singing about their feelings and Harry's life could be a lot worse than having three step-brothers and a father who didn't liked him. He's going to be proven right.

This is such a bloody creepy fic and so so good. The ending is a complete twist and you should definitely read it!

Drarry

Draw a Line from Your Heart to Mine by CreateImagineWrite (Complete)

Being Harry Potter's best friend isn't always fame and beating off raving fans. It's also the anxiety of hearing your best mate's been cursed by another Dark Lord, or love potioned by some crazy woman. Or having his boyfriend you knew nothing about turn up on the Burrow's doorstep.

This is a bit of a random inclusion, but I was just reading this and it is SO GOOD. Perhaps a bit cliched in places, but Ron Weasley’s inner monologue makes up for it.

Turn by Saras_Girl

One good turn always deserves another. Apparently.

This is an also an excellent fic that I read bloody ages ago and has apparently stuck with me. There’s this whole Harry going into an alternate dimension where he’s married to Draco Malfoy plot, but the really beautiful thing is Harry exploring his dissatisfaction with his life- through carpentry! I know it sounds like a crack fic, but it’s not- it’s a gorgeously written fic.

Away Childish Things by lettered

Harry gets de-aged. Malfoy has to help him.

This does the ‘Harry was abused’ revelation so well and really interestingly explores both Harry and Draco’s childhood. The overarching plot is also excellently done, which can’t always be said for character-focused fics!

Jily

#Jily by Chie (Chierafied) (One-shot)

Twitter seemed awash with the hashtag Jily. Lily blinked at in confusion, until she realised it was one of those silly couple monikers people had bestowed on her and Potter. …Though there was a small dissenting crowd following a tweet from Potter’s bandmate Sirius Black: Jily? Hah! More like LAMES.

This is such a fucking cute one-shot. I love social media AUs (if you find any, send them my way), so I loved this!

The Rise and Fall of the Extraordinary Jilysanschilly: Including Excerpts of their Best Collected Works by elanev91 (One-shot)

James Potter and Lily Evans are both wildly successful YouTubers and Sirius cannot believe that people ship them enough to write erotic fanfiction about them. 

You might be picking up on my love of modern Jily AUs. This is so cute, Sirius is weirdly IC as he gets caught up in a smut addiction and James and Lily don’t hate each other from the beginning so that’s fun. A very sweet YouTuber AU.

Hit the Like Button by elixirsoflife (One-shot)

YouTube star James Potter is living it up at uni: filming videos, getting drunk and professing his love for aspiring singer Lily Evans to anyone who'll listen.

It’s another modern AU, but this time, Lily is a famous singer! This was fucking adorable, enough said.

The White Album by cgner (Complete)

James poses as an advice charm in Lily's diary. He's really got to start thinking through his shenanigans.

This is the strangest mix of angst and fluff that I’ve ever read, but it really, really works. It’s also kind of a crossover, as it’s written by the co-author of:

Haggis from Algernon by Rude Gus (Complete)

The fic about nothing.

Everything written by both Rude Gus and cgner is brilliant (not a surprise as they’re almost the same person), but Haggis really is a classic. And check out their Bachelor AU fic! It’s surprisingly brilliant.

Gen and Misc

Kid by Anonymous (Completed)

A Potion's "accident" turns Harry into an eight year old. Draco Malfoy begins planning his kidnapping/conversion to the Dark Side. But Harry's a passive-aggressive, revenge-obsessed little bastard. Maybe Draco will wait on that whole Dark Lord thing… 

Such a cute fic! A really nice character study of Draco and cute kid Harry is always a bonus. I’m not usually a Draco Malfoy fan, but this is a great fic.

Harveste by kyaru-chan (Complete fics but WIP series - probs abandoned)

He's done it. He's just five years old, but he's finally done it. The Dursleys are gone. And now he's with a new family who seems just as twisted as he is. How strange.

This is a really weird fic series. It’s actually an Addams family AU? Harry kills the Dursleys and gets adopted by the Addams family, and then there’s a separate fic for each HP book up to Half-Blood Prince, where I think they stopped. It definitely still worth a read though. Harry is certainly not IC but it’s a fascinating combination of the two universes with all the quirky Addams family humour. It’s certainly a bit of a crack fic to read when you’re down.

Sarcasm and Slytherin by sunmoonandstars (Complete stories but WIP series)

After ten years of misery with the Dursleys, Harry Potter learns that he has magic. Except, in this story, it's not a surprise-the only surprise is that there are others like him. Including his twin brother, Julian Potter, the savior of the Wizarding world.

This isn't the Harry you think you know.

This is WBWL kind of story (although we don’t know if Harry actually is the BWL yet. Harry is a really interesting character and his relationship with his family- especially Jules - is very well developed and nuanced. Harry’s friendships and the authors interpretation of Slytherin house is also a new twist on old tropes- it feels very fresh! I’m eagerly waiting for updates!

So there it is. Just some of my HP faves. I’m considering doing one for Hannibal, Yuri on Ice, The Hobbit, Labyrinth (my tastes are so weird) etc, so let me know if you’re interested!

[fullvoidmoon]

Our Little Thorin

Pairing/s: Thorin x wife!reader

Setting/Timeline: Few years after BoTFA, Durins live!AU

Warning(s)/Genre(s): Fluff

Word Count: 1,521

The Hobbit, The Durins, Bilbo Baggins, and Any of the Company © J.R.R. Tolkien The Hobbit films and Tauriel(mentioned) © Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Warner Bros., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and New Line Cinema Context © me

Based on my imagine.

A/N: Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all! (I hope I didn’t screw this one up XD) And I’m sorry for overdoing this :P

The Hobbit tag list: @igotanaddixon @fizzy-custard@fromthedeskoftheraven @deepestfirefun @evyiione @mrs-thorin-oakenshield @life-is-righteous @sdavid09 @dreamsofrivendell@epicallychrissy @petals-overdaisies @aspiringtranslator

Thorin II Oakenshield tag list: @fab-notfat @patanghill17​

Permanent tag list: @imagines-for-multiple-fandoms @thepoet1975@cd1242 @thegreyberet

Masterlist: HERE

Never have you been so nervous in your life.

Probably except when you were crowned as Queen of Durin’s folk. Or maybe it is the hormones that make you think of the unnecessary things.

“You need to calm down namad(sister),” Dis lightly reprimands as you pace around her living quarters, holding her own chuckles ,“you are wearing down my the carpet, and stress is not good for the young one in your belly.”

Exhilaration and surprise became the understatement of the year when Oin told you of your pregnancy. Though you have been feeling off and quite ill in your first month, the possibility never crossed your mind; accepting the fact it will be a hard time for both you and Thorin to conceive due to his age and the stress your duties as King and Queen entails.

But deep down you haven’t given up hope. You knew of your husband’s wish of having a family of his own one day and the joy of seeing his children growing up to be the best they can be. Even if your stubborn King would tell you it doesn’t matter if both of you will be blessed with children, your positivity and belief never diminish.

“I am sorry Dis,” you sigh, frustrated of how ridiculous you are for fretting over such trivial thing, “but, what if our plans will not go as it should?”

And you were indeed blessed by Mahal, and on Durin’s Day no less, with one of the most wonderful gift a woman could ever receive; the gift of having a growing child in one’s womb and of giving the chance to a mother. 

“It will go as it should,” Dis reassures, approaching you with surety evident in her azure eyes, “you have been planning this since the day after Durin’s Day. And you, of all people that I have the privilege of knowing, are one of the very best at planning and executing big surprises.”

You couldn’t help but smile at your sister-in-law. Truly you are very grateful of having such headstrong and compassionate dwarrowdam at your side, and you know you will always have her through thick and thin.

“Just make sure I will be their godmother,” Dis cheekily winks as she gives your growing belly at teasing pat, “I helped you with the preparations you needed after all.”

And you can’t wait to bring the good news to everyone, especially to your unsuspecting husband.

-----

Never has Erebor witnessed such festivity in all its years of reign as the most powerful Dwarven kingdom in all of Middle Earth.

Its citizens love any kind of celebration as long as food, music, and booze are abundant, the children of Durin never thought of having such grand festivity in the Yule much like what they have on Durin’s Day. 

But because of their love and adoration for their Queen, they now celebrate it much like how they would want to celebrate their New Year; Erebor’s Great Hall packed with dwarves, men, and elves, the banquet table filled with food of all kinds, barrels and caskets overflowing with wine and ale, and music and laughter could be heard in all corners of the gigantic room as gifts and well wishes are exchanged between attendants.

“There is a grand celebration at the Great Hall already,” Thorin jests as he is being dragged by Fili and Kili away from the hundreds of attendants, “why have a separate one when you could have it with the rest of our people?”

“Though we would love to fill you in Uncle,” Fili answers, his smile never seizes even if he is receiving death glares from Thorin, “we do not know what is really happening.”

“We were only instructed by amad to drag you away from the Great Hall and to come with us,” Kili added before dodging Thorin’s hand as it attempted to give him a hard wack on the head, “and there’s no need to be so violent, you know.”

“You are snickering the whole time Kili,” Thorin hisses, certainly feeling uneasy as he could see the glint in both his nephews’ eyes that he knows too well what it implies, “and you, Fili, definitely know something.”

“I swear I do not!” The older prince exclaims, “amad never even said a single word of what this is all about.”

Thorin is about to give both princes another stern word, or give them a death glare that will certainly bring nightmares for the rest of their days, when they arrive at one of the conference rooms located in the Royal Wing. Laughter and music could be heard from the inside and Thorin couldn’t help but recognize each voices of the Company.

“Thorin! Finally you’ve arrived,” exclaims Bilbo after opening the doors for the three Durins to come in, “we thought you would never come.”

“Or ye’ got lost, again,” Dwalin adds, earning a huge laughter from the rest of the Company.

“Master Baggins, you are here,” The Dwarven King asks as he throws a boot at his snickering cousin, his irritation towards his nephews are replaced by surprise and delight, “and why have you not informed me you are to come here?”

“(Y/N) actually planned this reunion a year ago,” Bilbo gives out a hearty laugh as he points at (Y/N)’s direction, looking more radiant and beautiful in a simple royal blue gown as she helps Bombur and Tauriel set out more food, “she invited me to come over, since she thought of having this gathering on the Yule season.”

Never would Thorin expect for his wife, his One, to have everything planned in just one year. But he knows of her capabilities as one of the most excellent plan-makers, witnessing it first hand during the Quest and at their charge towards Ravenhill, saving his and his nephews’ lives.

And such quality is one of the few things that made, and still makes him, fall madly in love with his Queen.

“Good! My insufferable brother and my rambunctious sons are finally here,” Dis exclaims, making Thorin break his reverie and earning another round of laughter from the company.

“Amad,” Fili and Kili both jest at the same time, “we are not rambunctious!”

“Settle down now and let us all eat,” the Lady of Erebor adds, rolling her eyes as she ignores her sons’ pouting lips and puppy eyes, “the food will get cold, and I do not want to disappoint dear Bombur, my future daughter-in-law, and the lady of the night.”

(Y/N) couldn’t fight the heat spreading across her cheeks, looking flushed as she shyly smiles at each member of the Company. Though she is Queen, and her presence is as much needed as Thorin’s in every meetings and gatherings, she will never get use to receiving a lot of attention for the rest of her days. 

And Thorin’s endearing but teasing smirk doesn’t help ease her embarrassment one bit.

“You are adorable, my wife,” he mouths, taking a seat at the head of the table and giving her a playful wink.

“Shut it,” she bites back, chuckling at how silly her husband is acting.

‘If only he knows what’s in store for him,’ (Y/N) couldn’t help but think as she places a hand on her still flat stomach. When suddenly a small wave of realization comes rushing into her as she subtly looks at Dis, who in turn gives her a secretive smile; encouraging (Y/N) to do what she planned to do for the night.

“Thank you all for giving your time to attend this small gathering,” (Y/N) says, making everyone’s attention turn to her, “I never thought this will even be possible.”

“Considering our Master Hobbit here lives at the far end of Middle Earth,” Gloin grumbles, earning him a chuckle from those nearest to him,“me wee lad had been wanting to meet ‘cha, ‘ye know.”

“Little Gimli now has the chance, brother,” Oin replies before looking back at (Y/N), knowing full well what his latest patient and Queen plans, “and I believe there is something you would want to say, your Majesty?”

And that certainly earns her curious but very inquisitive glances from these dwarves she calls family, especially the bluest of all blue hues that stands out from the rest.

“Yes, dear Oin,” she replies, her hand now rubbing comforting circles on her belly, “for, I believe, this is the perfect opportunity for me to give you all such wonderful news.”

Never had (Y/N) thought of experiencing such waves of emotions all in one night; emotions filled with joy, surprise, and excitement as she looks onto every member of the Company giving both her and Thorin congratulations and well wishes.

For her wish of giving Thorin a chance to make his dreams come true.

And seeing her husband, her King, and the love of her life, the happiest of all as he showers her with kisses and hugs; his eyes filled with happy tears and giving her words of endearment in her ears makes everything she did for the night to be merry worth it. 

“I can’t wait for you to meet our little Thorin.”

[ilyasvieltrevelyanshepard]

Unusual Friendship - Day 7

My participation on the Day 7 in the Cullen Appreciation Week! 

Noodle Salad! - Rare pairs and non-canon ships

This is where you hit us with all those ships we’ll never see in the games but which you’re super passionate about!

I didn’t write anything new for that day because I LOVE how this one ended and is one of my favs XD 

Is a Cullrian (Sorry, if you don’t ship them, but if my Inquisitor can’t take care of Dorian, for me, the better option is my beloved Commander... sooo sorry, but not sorry :P)

Link to the A3O work Unusual friendship (2 chapters, smut is in the second one, the fluff and adorkable part in the first :P)

Summary: Dorian has fall head over toes for the Commander, but the man sees him only as a friend... or that is what the 'vint thinks.

My characters tend to be extra sweet, maybe non-canon personalities, but is how I imagine them. For me, Cullen is a very sweet and loving person, and Dorian is even worse, using his sense of humour and the 'peacock attitude' to put some distance between him and whoever who can hurt him. No beta reading!

A snippet of the fic (is a long one ._.)

The sun is setting behind the mountains, long shadows starting to cover the garden of Skyhold. Not a single soul is roaming the area, even the Chantry sisters are inside, doing their evening prayers. Dorian takes a look around, casting a little orb of light. “Well Commander, I think we will need to postpone our rematch or move our little party to another place. It seems like we’ve been sitting here for hours!”

Cullen moves a hand to his neck, in a gesture that always makes Dorian’s heart jump inside his chest. “Yeah. Maybe we can continue tomorrow. I distracted you almost all the evening, and you have a lot of work to do.”

Dorian starts to put the chess pieces inside the wooden box, “Don’t be silly, Rutherford. I needed the distraction, almost as much as you. Is not every day that we can take a break without thinking that the sky will explode again or a crazy old Tevinter can unleash his army against us. Let me enjoy it for as long as I can.” The part where he thinks about expending time with him remains inside his head. Is painful enough to fall in love with a man who didn’t want you, no need to let him know about it to give him the weapons to hurt you even more.

Cullen nods, helping him to store the rest of the pieces. “We can continue the evening on my tower if you want. I have a chessboard there, Lavellan bought it for me at Val Royeaux.”

“Add some wine and food, and you have a deal, Commander. Prepare yourself, the next will be mine.” With a movement of his wrist, Dorian makes the orb of light disappear. The darkness around them has grown while they talked. Pushing the chair back, Dorian stands up, moving outside of the gazebo with all the care he can.

When he is almost outside it, Cullen collides with him from behind, his arm wrapping his waist to stop his falling. “Sorry, Dorian. Did I hurt you?”

Dorian closes his eyes, memorising the feeling of Cullen's body against and after a few heartbeats, he sighs softly. “No worries, Commander. I suffered worse fates than being hit by a handsome ex-Templar.” His irony always gives him an extra layer of protection and gives the rest a way out if needed.

Cullen let him go, retaking a step. “Maybe it will be a good idea to light one of your orbs, at least until we leave the garden.”

A little ball of light appears near Dorian's head, lighting the area around them softly. “Come on, Commander. Let's go before one of the Chantry sisters starts to chastise me for using magic against you.”

The Commander takes a long step to put himself beside Dorian before he starts walking to the main hall door. “They still pester you? I can't believe the close mind one has to have to think ill of you after all you have done.”

They reach the passage that leads to the door and Dorian ends the spell, the light of the torches on the corners of the hallway gives enough light to find the door without tripping. “Then the Inquisition is full of closed minded persons, my friend. But don't worry about me. I learned to ignore them, and after your last intervention, no one has harassed me, at least physically.”

Cullen's lips are pressed into a tight line, displeasure clearly over his face, even in the little light of the area. Dorian just shrugs, giving him a pat on the arm when he opens the door to the main hall. When they cross the second one, they find the room almost empty. Some nobles and soldiers are eating around the long tables, and Varric is sitting in his usual spot near the fireplace, reading and taking notes. He raised his head when he heard the steps move closer to him. “Good evening, Curly, Sparkles. The match has been a long one, right? How many cheating did you let him make this time, Curly?” A soft chuckle leaves the Commander, and Varric looks very pleased with it. “Keep going then, don't let this boring dwarf distract you from the fun, I have to read another dozen of reports of my investments on Kirkwall. So much fun for a lovely night like this!”

Dorian passes by his side, stopping in front of the door to the rotunda. “Try not to bore yourself to death. The Chargers will be unbearable without you stealing his gold almost every night.”

The sound of Varric’s laugh accompanies them inside the rotunda. The area is quiet; is dark enough for the crows to be sleeping and only Helisma is still working on the Library. Even the rotunda is empty, Solas’ desk lacks a bald and stiff elf. Cullen walks directly to the door that leads to his tower, but Dorian stops in the middle of the rotunda. “Commander, I got a couple of antivan wine bottles in my room, we can share them if you want. Maybe with some wine on your system I can even beat you.”

Cullen’s smile is so bright that Dorian feels his inside melting but remains with a neutral face. He has never been grateful about the strict formation he received as a child to not let his thoughts show on his face, until now. The blonde nods to him, “Do you need help?”

“I think I can handle it, Commander.”

With a shrug, Cullen gives him his back again, opening the door. “Don't be late, or the siren song of my paperwork will kidnap me again.”

[kusunogatari-a]

[ As You Wish ] [ @despairinghxpe ] [ Uchiha Itachi, Suigin Ryū ] [ Verse: Ryū no Ryokan]

“Itachi...Itachi, wake up...!”

Obsidians fogged with sleep open to look at the gentle whisper. A small halo of white chakra lights Ryū's face, blooming from her palm to illuminate an eager smile and sparkling silvers. “...what...?”

“I want to show you something.”

The Uchiha's brow draws. “...what time is it...?”

“After midnight.”

“Ryū, what...? Why now?”

“Because, it's your birthday now, silly.”

Itachi stills, taken aback. “...how do you know that...?”

“It's in the bingo book.”

A brow perks. “You...looked at my bingo book entry?”

“Well...how else was I going to find out? I knew you'd never tell me if I asked.”

After a pause, the raven sits up and chuckles. “...fair enough. All right, then...what are you showing me...?”

“Well, it's going to be a bit of a walk...feel up to it?”

“...I suppose.” There's little use in lying – she'll know the moment he feels weary. And it's more than likely she'll simply carry him, if she's determined enough.

She's done it before.

“Okay...come on!”

Once he's dressed, Itachi lets Ryū lead him through the house to the paths outside, the glow of her chakra to guide them. Fireflies stir as they move, the air warm and heavy with moisture. But rather than into the buildings, she takes them toward the valley's wall. “One rule: don't take your eyes off your feet.”

“I'm not about to trip.”

“That's not the point – just do it!”

“All right, all right...”

She should have said climb rather than walk.

The stairs are unforgiving, carved right into the steep mountains that form the vale's edge, worn by generations of her line and their journeys. After several stops for breath, the pair ascend to the crest of the shelf-like cut into the mountain where the shrine rests.

As Itachi calms his lungs with hands on his knees – tired, but not ill – Ryū turns back to look the way they've come. “...okay. You can look now.”

“What am I...?” Looking up from his hunkered posture, Itachi stills.

Having ascended through the fog line, a blanket of white obscures the valley floor. It almost looks as though they're standing among the clouds themselves. But the sky is clear, and above them is a wide expanse of star-splattered sky – so many, there's hardly a patch of black to be seen, no light to dull them. At this height, Itachi almost feels he can touch them.

Between the plumes beneath them and the heavens above, it's as if everything else has ceased to exist, leaving just the two of them in a void of starlight and mist.

“...I've spent quite a few nights up here like this...too tired to make my way back down after a day of training. But it still takes my breath away...”

Itachi manages to tear his eyes from the view to her figure, even more ghost-like in the moonlight. “...I can see why.”

She in turn gives him a glance and a smile. “...I thought this would be better than any thing I could give you. I know it might be hard to see, but...”

“...I can see what I must just fine.” Scarlet of Sharingan blooms from the black, but it's not the stars he's looking at.

Hesitating as she notices as much, there's a tick before she asks, “...want to sit down...?”

A nod is his reply. The pair of them drop to the plateau's edge, Ryū carefully cozying to Itachi's side. “So...is this worth a little lost sleep...?”

“Very much so...thank you. I've seen the stars many nights, but...never quite like this.”

She gives a hum, head leaning upon his shoulder with a soft sigh. “...happy birthday.” The offering is quiet, her apparent happiness at the milestone still tempered by the somber knowing that he has few of them left...if any.

“...you know, you haven't told me yours.”

“Hm?”

“Your birthday.”

He can feel her cheek rise against his shoulder as she smiles. “True...and I have no bingo book profile for you to cheat from...”

“Well then, you at least have to give me a hint.”

Ryū is quiet for a moment. “...it's the tenth day of the tenth month.”

“Drat, I've missed it, then...”

“Just a few more months...” Ever so slightly, her tone tinges airily, trying to cover up the fact that time is not on their side.

“...not long at all. I'll try not to miss it...days often get lost on the road.”

“...fair enough. I suppose I can forgive you if you do...”

He turns his head to glance at her, but she keeps her gaze forward and upward.

“...enough about that, though. This is your birthday, now. Maybe we'll see a comet, and you can make a wish...?”

“I have very little left to wish for with any possibility of coming true.”

That draws her gaze. “...you can't think of anything...?”

“Mm...perhaps one thing...but I've no need for comets.”

There's a draw of her brow, but it raises in surprise as Itachi's smile tilts into a soft smirk. “...all right, then...what do you want?”

“Just a little something...” In a slow but fluid motion, he tilts around to bring his face to hers, stealing a kiss as her expression softens.

“...is that really what you'll use a wish for...? You know you need only ask. In fact...I wouldn't even mind if you didn't.”

“...then perhaps I'll think of something else, and...save it for later.”

That finally brings a smile back to her face, and her head returns to its perch upon his shoulder.

“...as you wish.”

     Hello and welcome to the sappiest thing I have written in...a very long time x’’D But hey, it’s Itachi’s birthday, and this is the first time I’ve celebrated it in...a while. Because I typically forget, rip.

     So while this verse can’t really have a happy ending, I figured I can at least give it happy moments. Hence a really mushy birthday blurb for him. And of course it’s shippy because when do I ever not write shippy, I mean...come on.

     Anyway...while I have a few other Itachi floating around in my mutuals, I haven’t really interacted with any of them, sooo...I’m being biased and writing this for Phoenix’s Itachi specifically, buuut you can take it however you want lol

     Because Itachi in general needs some happiness and love, okay.

     ...and now it’s getting late and I still have drafts to do sO I’m going to stop my blabbering and go see what else I can get done xD

     Happy birthday, Itachi - you’ll always be my problematic fave <3

[oh-mother-of-darkness]

asks (30)

@novelty--night said: 

Can you recommend any angsty dick Grayson fanfic?

I don’t really read other people’s fanfiction, so I’m afraid the only ones I can give you are mine :/ 

Those are here: 1 2 3 4 5

You might ask Dawn for some others? I think she would know

Anonymous said: 

Hi! I absolutely love your work. Can you please say anything about Steph? Maybe interactions with the Dead Robin Society? Please? Thank you! Your blog is AMAZING!!!!

The Steph content is here:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (hc)

1 2 3 (fic)

I’ll go ahead and save the ask for the next time I have Steph ideas :)

Anonymous said: 

I would very much like to join your ace crime-fighting squad, but I am rather tall and not good at concealing myself should hiding be necessary. What should I do?

Hm well we do have several non combat positions available in the organizational sector if that sort of thing interests you, but our standard training program includes a week of camouflage and concealment instruction, so I’m sure we can find some way to accommodate you.

I would also note that if you meet the (single) requirement for membership, you’re already largely invisible soooo

kpopfreaksgeneral submitted: 

Something good that has happened to me

So, short story before all this: i’m 20 years old with autism, and I’ve dropped out of highschool (or i think the danish equvilant to that) when i was about 16-17, because I struggled with keeping up with homework. I was thrown around in the system for years, not getting meds, not knowing what to do.

Last year, I was told about an educations program which is targetted at young people with autism. Basically, it’s made to be suited around how fast you learn, how many hours you can work a day and how you will function most optimally when working. It’s within a certain supermarket chain’s stores that I’ll be taught working in.

So far, it’s going great, I get to work, get taught in it, do something and I’ll have a secured work place afterwards, all over Denmark as long as it’s in one of the chain’s stores.

Also, I’m back on meds, not the some one’s as before, but I got my med’s back.

That’s really great!! I’m glad things are falling into place for you!

Anonymous said: 

something good, besides the obvious of seeing u on my dash: it was really nice and sunny today for the first time in a really long time and it was so warm i laid out in the sun with my roommates dog for a bit just to hang

Ooooh that sounds really relaxing

Anonymous said: 

I got full mark and a bonus for a subject I didn't study well for.. I'm grateful and I think I should study next time so I deserve it XD

Whoop for grades coming out better than expected :)

@shieldshawk said: 

I got kissed by a dog named Sirius Black. Because the people who come to my store are awesome nerds.

!!! Congrats on living the dream

Anonymous said: 

I was on a date that had gone sour this weekend, and I was ready to go back home and call it a loss. When! My friend called me and told me she got into a study abroad program and wanted me to come over and get drunk with her! We had a great time!!!

That sounds like fun! Sorry bout your date ://

@nightwing1536 said: I watched Gordon Ramsay make donuts on YouTube today so that was pretty good

nightwing1536 said: It's awesome whenever I get new glasses cause then oh shit things are clear again!!

nightwing1536 said: Finding Teen Titans and getting into DC Comics was a great thing for me

nightwing1536 said: Once I made myself hot chocolate when I was alone and it was really nice

nightwing1536 said: A lady I don't know very well asked how I was doing once because I was sleeping in my old teachers class room that she sometimes popped into and she was worried so that was a great reminder

nightwing1536 said: I got a pair of really nice dentist people when I had to get root canals! Only two. But they were so nice as my usual dentist guys are mean.

nightwing1536 said: I'm friends with the dentist root canal people now

nightwing1536 said: Eating corn is always a good thing that happens for me

nightwing1536 said: My teachers influenced made me know I'm more than what everyone else thought of me to be. Made me like art as one once said "...your art is really unique, don't ever give up on that." It was a girl with a mole smoking a cigarette. Terrible picture that I let him have but it means a lot to me

nightwing1536 said: Another teacher, the teach I hang with that's now my old teacher, tapped on my desk when I had him first time(known him before ish from club) and he said "If you wouldn't mind drawing me something so I could put it up on my wall? Your style is very unique and I like it." Not sure what my style was besides melting creatures and whatnot but it was nice, gave it to him at the end of the year and he says its nightmare fuel <3

nightwing1536 said: Another teacher told me I was good enough to be in her AP ceramics class, simply because of my dedication to it. I had never taken ceramics before and only ever made a few things in her club. She and I aren't very close this year but I wish we could have been. I'll write her a letter, it's what I did for all my teachers before.

nightwing1536 said: In 8th grade my science teacher said I had potential, I didn't care much at the time but he was a huge inspiration for me to live and continue. He was the first teacher I ever drew anything for, a pic of himself, I remember his head was too pointed in the picture.

nightwing1536 said: Finding you was a good thing too

That’s a lot of good stuff! Thank you <3

@silly-fuzzy-babies replied

Bill Potts on Doctor Who saved my entire life

Oh man I need to catch up then!

@cannibalfood replied

Im almost done college, just have exams left then i graduate, my gpa so far is 3.7, not great, but I'm studying hard for exams

Listen I think most people would agree that 3.7 is a reaaaaally good GPA. Congratulations!

@therealstephaniebrown replied

Well! I'm going in on May 4th to get a new tattoo! A really beautiful thigh piece. I also got in to see a doctor and am starting to take better care of my mental illnesses. Three medications so far to help balance things. Oh, and my boyfriend is flying out to Cali with me to meet my family so he can finally propose to me cx I hope you're okay <3

WHOA CONGRATS!! I’m doing okay now. I wasn’t so much last night, but I’ll be fine

@freres-toujours replied

I got the new Mass Effect game when it came out and I've been slowly working my way through it. I finished off a planet today, and this one was particularly satisfying.

I’m glad you’re having fun :)

@another-nameless-person said

I’m gender neutral and was really scared when I found out I was pregnant(months ago) that my family would treat my gender identity badly but…. They’re surprisingly concerned if they are being rude in any way? My mom even offered to buy me a binder for after I have my baby? Also, they’re all excited for my baby to grow up having someone as open about gender, sexuality and equality raise them? Which is a HUUUGE step for my family. So that’s really something that is really good until next month and I finally get to see my daughter :D

HOLY SHIT YOU’RE HAVING A BABY!!!! I’M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!! CONGRATS!

@entrthematrix replied

I have been really sick these past two weeks and have not able to stomach any food so I've been on a liquid only diet. But, I had my first bit of real food for the first time yesterday and wasn't sick after, it is a real sign that I am getting better now.

Oh man I’m glad you’re getting better! That sounds terrible

@thelittlechibi replied

We recently released one of our birds into the wild, but he keeps hanging around the house, and last night he landed on my lap out of the blue. Ruined it by having a go at my face and leaving a scratch over my eye, but it's nice to know he's still safe and chill with us.

Whoaaaa that’s super interesting

@pallet-45 replied

I met you!! Ahaha wow that was lame

Aw thanks Danny <3

@minami-the-door-lord:

I saw a stray cat. It let me pet it.

Yoooo that sounds great I would love to pet a cat today

@richardgrays0n replied

One of my best friends just had a baby! And I got to meet him and hold him. He's adorable and so tiny. So very tiny. I love him already and I'm super proud to be his honorary aunt.

!!!!!!! Y’all I love babies so much

Thanks, guys! Y’all are really kind and helpful, and I super appreciate it <3

[pyropsychiccollector]

Random Natsu Pairings: Natsu x Juvia/Natsu x Erza - Mine (Part 1: Erza)

Erza drummed her fingers on the table as she glared holes into the back of a certain Dragon Slayer's head. There he was again, talking animatedly with... that girl... Instead of his team. Happy was with him, of course, and it looked like the trio was planning out their next fishing expedition. A tick mark pulsated on Erza's head as she thought about those expeditions. They'd been happening with increasing frequency over the past month, and only recently did they seriously start eating into Team Natsu's time together.

The scarlet knight growled under her breath. She had nothing personal against the Water mage; Juvia really was a sweet girl. It's just... Natsu was he- theirs. His first priority should be bonding with her, Gray, Lucy, and Wendy! Okay, so for the last month they might've been branching out a little and spending time with other people... Sometimes they just needed to change up their day-to-day lives so that they wouldn't neglect their other friends. Jellal had been around for a bit longer than normal, and Erza had really enjoyed their time together.

But... Erza also knew these periods of branching out were hard on the Dragon Slayer. He got along just fine with everyone in Fairy Tail; it's just that, well... there's a reason Team Natsu formed and stuck together through thick and thin. Natsu in large doses was not recommended for the average mage; The four of them - plus Happy and Carla - were about the only people who could manage to associate with a 'walking volcano' so frequently, and even then, he would, at times, test their patience.

.... Then again, didn't they all get on one another's nerves a bit? They were like a family within the larger one that is Fairy Tail.

Except it seemed one of them had strayed from the flock, now that their time apart was dwindling down, and requests were coming in with more frequency. Who knew Natsu could get along with Juvia of all people? Their opposing elements aside, Juvia was enamored with Natsu's rival; she was as calm and collected as the deep blue sea - you know, when she wasn't fantasizing or draped over her "Gray-sama" - and he... he was as wild and untamable as a raging inferno. You'd think that these two wouldn't bond very well, but it'd obviously gotten to the point that Natsu would invite Juvia to tag along on some of Team Natsu's missions.

And the worst part was... instead of fawning over Gray, as one might think she would on those trips, Juvia had been very buddy-buddy with the Dragon Slayer. Almost as if she'd unearthed some great secret about the loveably dense Pyro that made their friendship truly blossom instead of fizzle out. She'd even blown up at Lucy a few times when the blonde criticized the Dragon Slayer.

And Natsu... Ohhh, Natsu. When he wasn't inviting Juvia along on their missions, he was getting to know her better and "showing her the ropes" with fishing. And when he wasn't doing that, half the things that would come out of his mouth in general would be about Juvia. Juvia, Juvia, Juvia. It made Erza's blood boil, seeing the abundant affection twinkling in his eyes as he talked about his and Juvia's adventures when the rest of Team Natsu wasn't around. Juvia had really... wormed into his heart........

"Uh-oh! Somebody's looking a little green over here!" Mirajane giggled as she briefly stopped beside Erza's table, balancing two trays in her arms.

Erza narrowed her eyes and raised a gauntleted hand to her cheek instinctively.

"Green...? Do I look ill?"

Mira laughed. Seemed like somebody wasn't all there if she wasn't registering figures of speech.

"No, silly... Well, not physically." A mischievous smile played on her lips before she rolled her tongue playfully. "Somebody's jealousss!"

Erza adopted a frustrated blank face.

"Jealous? Of what?" Mira waited, never dropping her playful smirk for a second. Erza didn't need it spelled out. And indeed, after about a minute, Erza's eyes connected Mira's line of sight with the bluenette listening to her Dragon Slayer with such rapt attention, and she spluttered as her face became the same color as her hair. "M-M-M-ME?! Jealous of Juvia?! That's absurd!"

Erza roared this at the top of her lungs, and only belatedly did she realize that at least half the Guild was looking over at her and Mira now. Even the Dragon Slayer stopped in his engaging storytelling to stare at her, along with Juvia. Putting on the sternest expression that she could, she glowered at her "audience".

"Is there a problem...?" After receiving many hurried 'no's', and the Guild went about its day again, Erza glared scathingly at the barmaid. "Damn Demon..."

Mira tilted her head and offered a serene smile.

"Guilty as charged!" She giggled before offering one piece of advice. "If you want my opinion, just go and be blunt with him! The longer you put it off, the more you'll regret it, y'know."

Erza turned her face away from the Takeover mage, though she could still see Erza's cheeks redden.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about... I just think Natsu has been neglecting his team lately, that's all."

Mira appeared unimpressed.

"... Uh-huh. And who was it again that was off gallivanting with Crime Sorciere for the past month?" Mira rolled her eyes as the redhead opened her mouth to protest; she cut off her rival before she could butt in. "Gray, Lucy, and even Wendy I can understand; Wendy doesn't want to turn anyone down when they ask her to go on a mission with them, and Lucy can get a bit carried away when she's going on jobs without losing any serious reward money. And of course Gray likes to get away from his rival from time-to-time... But you... What's your excuse? Y'know Natsu's been moaning about wanting to go on S-Class Quests with you."

Erza opened her mouth to refute the fact that she would take Natsu on something as dangerous as S-Class Quests, but.... she closed her mouth within seconds as she also knew that he and Gray were about the only ones she would take on those missions. Lucy and Wendy were strong, but they hadn't bonded with her like Natsu and Gray had; and with Gray wanting to take a "break" from his rival, as Mira put it, Erza knew Natsu would be the only one she'd be "gallivanting" around with.

For some reason, that made Erza's blush intensify...

"W-Well... he should've said... something... sooner..." Erza weakly, albeit stubbornly argued, arms crossed over her chest and her cheeks puffed out.

"Riiiiiiight. Like Natsu is going to interrupt your alone time with you-know-who." Mira rolled her eyes and waved off the scarlet knight as she tried to refute her again. "You have to know by now that loveable Pyro places your happiness above everything else. If you wanna hang around with Crime Sorciere, that's none of his business, as far as he's concerned. And because you so insist he be the one to break the ice, that's why you're gonna lose him, at this rate. So I'll repeat it one more time... go be blunt with Natsu. We both know it's the best way to get through to him. Unless... You want Juvia-chan to win his heart?"

Having spoken her peace, Mira turned on her heel with a serene smile on her face, leaving Erza there at the table, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly, like a fish on dry land. It wasn't like Tincan to hold herself back from something she wanted; but then again, her rival was probably wrestling through her emotions, and was unsure that what she was feeling was burning jealousy for the Water mage that had apparently swooped in while the gallant knight's back was turned.

It was enough to send Mira into another fit of giggles, really. Tincan could be so much like her pet dragon in so many ways, it was so cute.

While Mira was finding amusement in the whole situation, Erza was slowly coming to grips with the fact that she really was jealous of Juvia. Natsu and Gray would always be the most special people in her life, but it was unsurprisingly the Fire Dragon Slayer that she'd grown more attached to. That she got more physical with. That she admired out of everyone else in the Guild.

Damn it! Natsu Dragneel was hers! She'd staked her claim long ago! And it was about time she reminded... everyone.... of that....

~*~

Note: hehe. I was gonna make this a single "Nervia" post, but then my mind stuck to Erza-chan for a while, so I'm making this a mini-series. The next part obviously centers around Juvia-chan, and the part after that, Natsu-boy. From there.... I dunno if there'll be a fourth part yet. Part Three might be the initial conclusion, at least. Let's see where this harem takes me. I'm looking forward to it. XD