#Next up is Sniper and I'm not feeling as confident

[flames-unicorns-and-sentryguns]

i want to show Wips from my gift fic so badly but I don't know if I can

[h0rnyauth0r]

ghost wants to help teach you how to snipe! (but it turns into… something else)

i know i haven't posted in forever but i'm doing so much better so we'll see what happens <3

ALSO 1K??????? THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AHHH

word count: 2.2k

tws: choking, unprotected sex, reader with vagina, pussy eating, cum eating, fingering, rough sex, cumming inside

you hate how cold it is on the rooftops, slow gusts of winds chilling your bones completely. you would normally complain, but with ghost being right next to you, you truly can’t. his large body blocks the majority of what should be hitting you, and you can’t help but feel giddy getting to spend time with him alone.

he gives off heat, thick layers of clothing doing nothing to stop the way his gloved fingers and muscular arms touch into you as you try adjusting the rifle appropriately. his eyes are looking you over to make sure your positioning is right; it’s not.

“you need to move some.” his voice is barely above a whisper, sending shivers down your spine as you turn your head slightly and only then realize just how close you are to him.

you gulp and nod your head, heat bubbling up in your tummy as you try to adjust yourself and the rifle once more. you can feel his eyes on your every part, silently judging how you just seemingly can’t do this right.

the darkness of the night is all that surrounds you, rifle aiming at some lit up targets prepared on base for you to use. you opt to fire with the newly adjusted position, but it’s no use.

the bullet whizzes into the very edge of the target, just scraping it. ghost sighs frustratedly, deciding to move closer to you so he can help (force) you into the right aiming position. you don’t expect his arms to wrap around you the way they do, causing you to jump a little as you’re moved around with ease.

once he stops, he’s speaking up. “try now.”

you nod, aiming down the sight and pulling the trigger. excitement courses through your veins when you notice the bullet hit the center of the target, a smile forming on your face.

“nice! did you see that?” you say, turning your head to him and immediately becoming hyper-aware of his face only inches away from your own. he nods, eyes staring down at you in a way that makes you feel a lot less cold than before.

it’s the sultry look that he always has that makes you break eye contact quickly, clearing your throat as you turn away from him and decide to take another shot.

following his prior movements of your body, you try once more to shoot and that’s when your confidence skyrockets. once again, a direct hit.

“yes!” you say happily, grinning and glancing over to the man. he nods at your work, opting to put a hand up for a high-five as opposed to using his words for the moment.

your eyebrows raise at such a random gesture, slapping his gloved hand gently and then move the gun over to the side of you. “did you want to practice at all?” you ask, swallowing harshly once you’re looking into his eyes again.

his eye contact remains so sharp in a way that sends spikes of heat in between your thighs, head shaking as he looks between your faltering smile and your bright eyes.

“i think we both know i don’t need it.”

you nod knowingly, almost feeling embarrassed. obviously he wouldn’t want to practice, he’s the best sniper on the base. you feel stupid for even asking, eyes wandering to the edge of the rooftop and looking around at the night sky.

the lights directly above the two of you make the view less visible, but it’s still beautiful nonetheless. you can’t help but wish you were able to stay out with ghost, that maybe this would be a date instead of him doing his job. 

you decide to move around some to prepare to get up. “well, i suppose i should get going. i don’t want to take up anymore of your time.” you mumble.

as you move to get up, his hand stops you with a strength that has you wondering just what other parts of you he could move around so easily. you gasp out, looking to your side at him.

“stay.”

his eyes look pleading, emotions held in them that have you nearly melting into his touch. you immediately falter, getting back into the same prone position you were in before.

you don’t know what to say, so you say nothing. it’s like that for a while, silence between the two of you and the weight of unspoken words creating tension. you choose to take a glance at him, almost forgetting to breathe when you see the way he’s staring at you.

“it’s nice out tonight.” you’re embarrassed saying this, knowing it’s completely random to even mention how the weather is given the current circumstances.

he nods along though, which comforts you in some way. “better than normal.”

you sigh, shutting your eyes tightly. “why did you want me to stay out here?” you don’t want to pry, but it’s needed now. with the tension in the air and the crickets chirping away, your mind is left wandering.

one of his hands gently touch you, eyes pulling open from the pressure of his hand guiding you toward him. your body leans against him, his other hand snaking around your waist. you wait patiently for his words, but nothing is said.

instead, he’s adjusting your bodies so that you’re on top of his body, thighs on either side of his hips as you look down at him. the movement happened so quickly that you can’t think properly for a moment, just staring at him blankly.

your insides feel like they’re on fire from pure lust, face growing hotter from the feeling of a bulge pressing against your clothed pussy. you want to kiss him so badly right now, eyes desperately looking between his eyes and where his lips would be underneath his mask.

“please…” you whisper breathlessly, eyes fixated on that one spot. you unconsciously grind your hips against him, feeling his hands shoot to your hips where they dig in and he pushes up into you.

“fuck it.” he mumbles, hand flying up and pushing the mask up just enough so his lips are showing. you immediately lean down and press into his lips roughly, kissing him with every bit of passion you can muster.

your lips move against each other heatedly, one of his hands grabbing onto your neck to push you in more. you let out a whine when he starts grinding up into you more, the pressure absolutely soaking your panties and probably your pants, too. 

the stimulation is just enough to have you gasping his name into his lips desperately, teeth clashing and wet sounds echoing in empty outside air. the hand on your hip is rubbing circles into it, making your body twitch as you push your hips down harder and harder.

he abruptly ends the kiss between the two of you, hands hurriedly pulling your jacket off before he hesitates to take off any more of your clothing. “will you get too cold?” he asks.

you nod, “it’d be best to leave my shirt on.” you mumble, trying your hardest to catch your breath. but he kisses you again, this time fumbling with your belt and then the button of your pants.

you stand up and quickly pull them off with your underwear in a rush, settling back down on him with your bare pussy resting against him. he reaches down and lightly presses his thumb against your clit, making you whimper out.

you kiss him again while he plays with your clit, eventually sliding down your slit and playing with your hole. his finger stretches you out and your teeth accidentally bite down on his lip as you gasp.

a second one pushes in as your lips leave his again, eyes looking down to where his fingers are thrusting into you and biting your bottom lip. your hips grind down and push him in deeper, eyes rolling back as you come closer and closer to your orgasm.

he slides his fingers back out though, looking you in the eyes as he slips them into his mouth and sucks gently. the sight has you moaning pathetically, a hand reaching down to palm his dick in his pants.

he grunts and pushes your hand away, quickly undoing his pants and pulling them down enough to free his cock. “are you sure you want this?” he asks.

you nod, hand reaching out and jerking his cock several times before lining it up and pushing just the tip in. you slowly sink down onto it, eyes clamping shut from the size and just how good he feels inside of you.

“fuck…” he groans softly when you clench around him, and you almost cum just from how sexy he looks. eyes glazed over, lips still revealed and puffy, and fists clenched roughly at his sides. 

you start to move against him, grinding up and down on his cock as you reach out and grab onto his hands. he uses this to his advantage, pulling your body forward just a little as his hips start thrusting up into you quickly.

your mouth falls open, a mix between a gasp and a whine coming out of your mouth. “more…” you cry out, eyes widening when he pulls out of you. his body is moving yours around, your ass in the air as he adjusts himself to be behind you.

he slowly pushes himself into you from behind, fingernails digging into your ass as he bottoms out. the angle is much better than before, his hips slapping into your ass as he begins thrusting feverishly. 

“so tight and pretty. and all mine.” he growls out, hand reaching around and gripping onto your throat as he fucks into you harder.

you can barely keep your eyes open, but you do when he leans your head back to look at your face while he thrusts. you can feel the pressure building up in you, a steady orgasm bubbling up from the pressure of his dick hitting every little spot that you know gets you going.

he squeezes your throat and you wheeze out, eyes rolling back and clit throbbing hard from the sensation. you can’t help but cry out loudly, even more so when his other hand moves from your ass to your clit to rub circles into it.

your whole body shakes as his movements quicken, his fingers pushing down on your little button as your orgasm hits you hard. you feel your thighs shake and you’re sputtering out incoherent words, a mix between his name and different curse words.

“that’s a good girl. so good for me.” he whispers in your ear, tears streaming down your face from the overstimulation and a content noise coming out from his praise.

he doesn’t stop after you come down from your high, hips never faltering but fingers leaving your clit after you try to squirm away from them. his hand remains tight around your throat, occasionally squeezing.

it’s not long after when you notice his hips sputtering and becoming more and more sloppy in movements, and eventually you can feel his cum fill you deeply. it’s leaking down your thighs, mixed with your own release and sweat as he finally pulls out.

you sigh out, exhausted but entirely satisfied. “that was amazing.”

he pushes your back into the ground, “i’m not finished with you yet.” his words are stern, and you let out a squeak when you feel his breath against your thighs.

he licks up your pussy, lips finding your clit and beginning to suck hard. you cry out, a hand slapping over your mouth to calm yourself as his tongue begins completely violating you.

his tongue runs along your clit in circles before moving back to your stretched entrance, sliding in and out of your hole before moving to your clit once more.

your orgasm approaches quicker since you’ve already cum once, a loud moan escaping your lips as you release against his tongue. he coaxes you through your orgasm, humming softly once he pulls back.

“you taste as good as you look.” he says shamelessly, and you don’t respond. your whole body is shaking beyond belief and you don’t think you can move anymore without falling over.

“i can’t move.” you say quietly, and he’s looking at you smugly as he pulls his mask back over the bottom half of his face. 

he decides to help you put your clothes back on, hands gently taking care of everything and wiping your wet thighs down with a towel. “i can carry you.” he says, shrugging.

you shake your head quickly, “no! we’re not going to do that. it’d be so obvious we just fucked out here.” you disagree, arms crossing as you sit down criss cross on the floor.

he leans down to your ear, “you think they don’t already know, love? you were screaming my name. everyone here knows.” his voice is low and makes you shiver, your face going hot as you realize just how right he is.

needless to say, ghost carries to your room with knowing eyes glaring at the two of you the whole way there. but you really can’t care, knowing that this won’t be the last time it happens anyways.

-

taglist: @wwwurmomdotcom @kovieky @chibijusstuff

(send an ask/dm to be added or removed from my taglist!)

[rieamena]

Heyhey! Can you do Billy x Reader, where reader is mostly confused (not sad or any sad emotions, just. confused) as to why Billy would like them despite looking NOTHING like his crush Monica (I think shes blonde with giant boobs which ok, I get you Billy) personally or physique wise.

(I also wanna make reader a badass sniper kiss kiss)

rooftop—

you sat on the edge of roof an abandoned building, your rifle propped up on the nearby concrete. your eyes scanned the horizon for any signs of movement, but your mind was preoccupied with a different kind of target—billy kid

billy had been acting strange around you lately, and it was starting to make you wonder. he had always been so vocal about his crush on monica, the blonde bombshell with the perfect figure. you were nothing like her—physique and personality-wise. you were a sniper, not some glamorous model

billy clambered up the fire escape, nearly tripping over his own feet. "whoa! that was close," he laughed, holding up a bag of your favorite snacks. "hey! thought i'd bring you some sustenance for your sniper duties."

you couldn't help but smile. "thanks, billy," you said, accepting the snacks. your legs kicked back and forth as you looked back at the sky. "but i've been meaning to ask… why are you spending so much time with me? i mean, monica…"

billy tilted his head, taking a seat next to you. "what about monica?"

"you had—no have—such a big crush on her," you pointed out, trying to keep your tone casual. "she's everything i'm not."

billy put on an exaggerated thoughtful pose, tapping his chin. "hmm, yes, monica. the blonde goddess with the… uh, giant… personality."

stifling a laugh, you rummaged through the bag, pulling out and opening some chips. "exactly. so why me?"

billy leaned in closer, practically forcing you to look at him, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "you think i like you any less just because you're not monica?"

you shrugged, finding it extremely hard to maintain eye contact. "i guess i just don't get it. why me?"

billy's eyes turned into little hearts. "you, my love, are a badass sniper. you can take down targets from miles away, you’re smart, brave, and you always have my back. plus, have you seen yourself in action? you're like a real-life action hero! my personal starlight knight!"

billy squirmed and squealed in his place as he thought of the many times he was blessed to see you on duty

you blinked once twice a third time, processing his words. "so… you like me because i'm… me?"

"exactly!" billy said, getting up from his seat. your head followed him as he stood on the concrete floor. "besides, monica may be pretty, but she can’t do this." he attempted a clumsy cartwheel and ended up in a heap on the ground, his electronic insides swelling as he heard your laugh—the one he loves so much. "see? definitely not as cool as you."

you walked over to him, offering your hand. "i guess i never thought of it that way."

he paused for half a second, wishing to soak in the sight of you beautifully sunkissed for a bit longer. snapping out of it, albeit reluctantly, billy took your hand, springing to his feet soon after, brushing himself off. "w-well, now you know. and for the record, you're way more interesting than monica. also, you have way better taste in snacks."

you shook your head, smiling softly. "thanks, billy. that means a lot."

"anytime," billy replied, his eyes twinkling with playful delight. "now, how about you finish this mission and let's grab some ice cream afterwards? my treat, if i have money... and maybe after you can show me how to do a proper cartwheel!"

"you're on," you said, grabbing your sniper, feeling more confident than ever

this req ATE

billy kid taglist

@pedrosimp137 @mary-moongood @linx-nyx @lemonboy011 @eisblume77

@amaryllisenvy @megan017 @astral-spacepumpkin @corrupted-tale @inkycap

@thurstonw @plapsha @lavenderthewolf @kurakusun @miymiymiy

@sweetadonisbutbetter @cobraaah @mochiitoby @clickingchip @bardivislak

@h3r6c00k13 @cozi-cofee @apestegui-y @luvuyuuji @theitdoitnobody

@fersitaam @cathrnxxo @monkepawbz @fl1ghtl3ssdrag0n @dabislilbaby

[alamogirl80]

Sneak Peek - Chapter 21

I actually don't know how many followers on here still follow me for my Codywan fic "And I'll Follow the Light in You" but hey look!

I'm actually writing!

Here's a snippet of Chapter 21 which is finished and hopefully will be up in the next day or so (we got a tropical storm/hurricane Beryl slapping our asses south of me so, dunno what the internet situation will be tomorrow)

Bail sighs, apparently satisfied. “I’ll make the arrangements. I know this is hard, Obi, but it’s what's best.”  “Not for everyone,” comes a voice from the shadows.   Obi-Wan has his saber out and in his hand, but does not light it yet as the razor edged Force signature hits him. Cool silvers mixed with deep blues and blood reds.

Commander Fox steps out of the shadows, confident as he strides forward despite Organa’s hand on a blaster and the spooked Jedi with his saber out. He pulls his helmet off and raises an eyebrow at both of them. Bail puts his gun away and wipes a hand over his face.  “I knew you had a detail on me at all times, Fox, but I didn’t know you’d deign to tail me yourself,” Bail says. “You’re the chancellor,” Fox says brusquely, as if that answers everything. Then he turns his gaze on Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan feels like a sniper’s crosshairs are trained on him. He folds the saber back into his robes, and tries not to take a step backwards. “You rabbiting off into the galaxy isn’t what’s best for everyone, Kenobi,” Fox states, tone rough as the dented duracrete around them. Obi-Wan blinks. “What do you mean Commander? It will protect your brothers—”

“It will kill Cody,” Fox cuts across him --

WHOOOHOO! WRITING!!

[ramblinscramblin]

Hi!! Omg I'm the person who requested the Honeymoon Phase hcs with Sniper, and I loved it so much! He's the best.

Could I please maybe request how you think he would act after a few months into dating , or maybe a year? Just a suggestion, no pressure! Tysm :3

-🎃

→Long Term Relationship with Sniper

Genre: fluff some angst

Characters: Sniper obviously

Thanks so much for the request!!! Yk I love Sniper I’ll always write for him! Oh and for anyone who hasn’t read the original that 🎃 anon here is talking about and have an interest in doing so that’s here!

Sniper

Sniper eventually does get used to being a relationship and stops acting so awkward around you.

He may even be so bold as to actually initiate physical contact with you, who knows!

I think Sniper would not be the biggest fan of PDA, he’s a private man. While he’s happy to tell people of your relationship and show you off to everyone, anything beyond hand holding is a big no no.

Sniper just likes spending quiet quality time alone with you, after a hard day at work that’s really all he wants.

Like I said in the first post any conflict in the relationship with normally comes from Sniper being an emotional shut in. Feels ridiculous talking about his emotions and so he refuses to put himself through it.

Will bottle things up and then explode about something inconsequential causing a huge fight that’s probably “about” you closing the door too loudly but it’s really about something else.

Once he realizes how much strain it’s putting on you and your relationship he starts working to be better with it.

Feels like such an idiot every time you two fight, he loves you so much and hates when he treats you anything less than the royalty you are.

Sniper loves the idea of sharing a space with you full time, if you’re willing, he’s expressed the idea of buying a bigger camper to accommodate for another person. But in the meantime you two make do.

Snipers dates are mostly camping trips, whenever the two of you have some time to yourself Snipers takes you on some very romantic retreats.

He loves to spoil you, but he’s really nonchalant about it so he’ll never be direct and it’s done in super discreet ways.

You were digging through you bag one day talking to him “I’m not sure where I put it actually and— what is this doing in here?” You ask pulling up a fistful of cash.

Sniper appears coy suddenly and shrugs passively “oh? Who knows.”

You give him a skeptical glare “this is from you isn’t it? I told you you don’t have to do that.”

“But what if ya see somethin’ nice an’ I’m not there?” Sniper whines.

“I’ll buy it myself?” You say, Sniper protests against that idea very vehemently.

You also find many carved trinkets around your space and in your pockets out of nowhere, Sniper will think it’s just the strangest thing if you bring it up… he has no idea how that got there… how bizarre.

Feels so very lucky to be with you, just wants to keep you happy, so he’s willing to do whatever it is he has to do to get that to happen.

You’re the first serious relationship he’s ever been in, others have tried, but they weren’t as patient as you were.

One night when the two of you were alone in the darkness of the van Sniper whispered “thank you for giving me a chance.”

You say up in bed a little, trying to get a better look at him, but it was too dark to do so, of course he knew that, which is the only reason he felt confident enough to say it out loud.

You searched in the darkness for his face, finding it and rubbing your thumb along his cheekbones “you don’t have to thank me, I’m not doing charity work,” you lean forward to place a kiss next to his nose, breath tickling his face “I love you, you know that?”

His heart leaps to his throat, “yes,” he says a little wetly “yeah of course I do love.”

Things become very domestic and very uncomplicated about a year or so in, Sniper likes being with you and you like being with him, not much else is needed aside from that.

He actually makes me so sick what the hell. Thanks so much for requesting!

[thetriggeredhappy]

Hello! I really liked the recent chapter you posted. I'm excited to see more :]

Do you mind elaborating on Spy's jewishness? It's a very fun headcanon and I'd like to learn what you think about it ^_^

sure! first of all 🍉🍉🍉 to be clear

sniper and spy are the only two who i’ve explicitly stated as jewish within the text, i think, and likely the only two for whom it’s going to come up super frequently, but i also do think that tony’s wife theresa is jewish, as is collin’s wife lily, and i don’t think any singular one of them is the classic Monolith To Represent An Entire Culture Singularly.

i imagine spy was somewhat heavier on tradition for himself, more orthodox, follows kosher, that sort of thing, and that if his family were still physically present enough to be part of his life they would be absolutely flabbergasted that he married an irish catholic woman and even more flabbergasted at how chill she is about it. i imagine spy is a pretty private guy but went out of his way to stay in contact with the judeo-french community in boston. this would’ve been around, like, ~1940 or so? the O’Connell family i always believed to be closer to South End, which was historically a cultural hub in the city. him being part of espionage efforts as a teen throughout the 20s means that he had a pretty unusual immigrant experience for that reason, but i thought it was more interesting to sort of keep spy more grounded in reality compared to the team fortressing of the rest of the peripheral landscape. some of the older boys who remember when spy was around remember how hard spy and ma worked to celebrate the holidays for both catholic traditions and french jewish traditions, and archie for example has tried to pass that on to his own kids as well.

sniper meanwhile i have grounded as kind of the ‘my family is jewish but um y’know not in the way that people hate’ brand ‘palatable immigrant or different culture trying not to take up space in a place that is not necessarily friendly to outsiders’ story. his mum and dad were the only jewish people in their relatively small community by the time sniper was a young boy and they really did try to keep up traditions, but it’s hard when you have no outside support to help reinforce that stuff. sniper has a (relatable) internal sense of being both an outsider to the predominant culture while also not feeling confident enough in it being ‘his culture’ to make any claims for himself. i imagine that if he could meet some of spy’s old buddies in boston and connect a little more with the diaspora he would be able to start feeling more of that pride and connection, but as it is he’s caught between dodging antisemitism and denying a culture that does matter to him but in a way that’s difficult to verbalize and not often asked about.

i think spy and sniper might bicker about it at times in later chapters, next chapter in particular. scout’s ma is definitely going to make at least one more comment about scout getting married to a nice jewish boy though. that trope in media about east coasters is just too much of a staple to pass up.

[twistedwonderlandshenanigans]

Petty Shit Viz Has Done to the TWST Cast

She's not normally petty, and it takes her a while to feel comfortable enough to 'play around' this way

Rearranged the tea cupboard in Heartslaybul and Riddle couldn't decide whether he should be mad or not bc there are very loose rules regarding the storage of tea but. she colour coded it so now he gets to have a dilemma over it (bc he got after her for a rule she thought was ridiculous)

swapped salt with sugar because she asked Trey if he tastes his baking as he goes and he said basically 'everything's muscle memory at this point, I know what I'm doing, I leave taste testing to people who happen to pop into the kitchen'

made ice cubes from boiled hot dog water so when Cater came over he put it in his iced latte (he likely took something of hers without asking, probably something innocent enough it didn't really warrant that reaction but she's gotta be a shit sometimes)

Deuce would have no petty crimes committed against him. He is Baby.

She took a seam ripper to Ace's dorm uniform so at the next Unbirthday party he'd get in trouble (this is just retribution at this point)(yes she will fix it for him)

Leona is her favourite person to get petty with tbh bc shes willing to go to lengths with him she won't do with anyone else. (and he puts up with her more than anyone else, lowkey, in my brain it's like. you know when adult lions pretend to be hurt by lion cubs "attacking" them to gain confidence in their hunting skills? He's doing the same thing but in letting her explore Fun and what safe boundaries look like). ANYWAYS he told her she couldn't ever pull something on him he didn't see coming so she made him play sniper chess without explaining the rules first.

I honestly think Ruggie is safe??

If Jack ever stays over and desheds his tail in the bathroom without cleaning up properly, she won't let him back into ramshackle unless he puts a plastic bag over his tail

When she's mildly upset with Azul, (who she works for), she and Floyd only speak pig latin to each other. Jade understands but refuses to speak it. Azul doesn't get it whatsoever and it drives him nuts. When he finally gets it, the two end up switching to "egg".

She doesn't do petty shit with the tweels. It's either they're on great terms or they're not, there's no in between. She has a generally playful relationship with Floyd, and she and Jade are gossips + both enjoy mycology

Kalim is exempt simply because they don't interact enough to really warrant a petty reaction, though she does get snippy during chapter 4

Her and Jamil on the other hand, their entire relationship is petty personified, but it's mostly through words not action. (Exes, but they've never dated.)

She took all the cutlery from Pomefiore when Epel told her Vil was serving bite sized meals anyways so she figured they could all just eat with their hands

She has a lot of Impulsive Thoughts regarding Rook, but she wouldn't act on most of them. (they don't interact much)

Idk what caused it, what made her do it, I just know she took all of Epel's lightbulbs at one point. Didn't even leave him one to which kind he needed to replace them. (Vil knew she was gonna pull this shit and thought it was funny)

She won't mess with the Shrouds, Idia and her don't interact until like chapter 6 and uh. shits awkward between them. and Ortho is baby.

She isn't close enough with anyone in Diasomnia to feel it's appropriate to be petty, though she might get there eventually

[charkyzombicorn]

It was a stupid thing to forget. Usopp knew that. It was a monumentally stupid thing to forget, but he had.

Luffy and him were skimming the ocean a bit away from the ship, because wind was strong so Sunny was moving fast and scaring the fish. It was normal, Usopp was always dragging one of the crew around while he swam because people just couldn't swim as fast as him. Then he saw a bigger fish a bit deeper down. He told the human on his back "Wait here, I'll be back in a sec" and bucked away and into the ocean in less than a second, diving deeper and deeper after that huge fish - it was bigger than he thought, and further down. Usopp wrestled with the fish he could barely get his arms around for a second before giving up and forming himself fully into a seal to bite at the fish until it stopped moving. He changed his upper half back to grab the fish again before looking up to swim back, expecting to see kicking human legs just under the surface, like he did every time he left Nami from where he was carrying her for a second.

But Luffy was gone. Because Luffy can't swim.

Usopp took way too long looking for that bright red cartigan, and swimming them both back to the ship so Luffy could get the water beaten out of his chest. Usopp distanced himself once he saw Luffy breathing again, because he didn't think someone that almost drowned their partner and captain should eat and chat with everyone else like nothing happened.

So he took Franky's watch, took his dinner plate and went up to camp in the crow's nest.

Then Luffy came up, filling the room with noise before he even got the trapdoor open, ignoring how Usopp was sitting on the floor under one of the windows, wallowing, immediately sitting so close next to him that their shoulders touched and going on about a joke Brook told him that he forgot half of on the walk from the galley to there, as if he hadn't almost died because of Usopp, completely ignoring the slight rasp his voice still had from all the coughing as he rambled on and on.

"I didn't mean to." Usopp blurted, and Luffy stopped talking so suddenly it made the room feel empty. "I forgot you couldn't swim."

Luffy stared blankly at him for a second before snorting. "Usopp's a little dumb, huh?" He said, and from anyone else it would be an insult.

"I guess I am." The sniper responded.

"I haven't been able to swim in twelve years." His captain told him, and Usopp said nothing. "You've never seen me swim." Not entirely true, in Usopp's dreams where he grows old with Luffy, they always swim side-by-side. He supposed in hindsight that that couldn't actually happen.

But Usopp the liar nodded anyway, and Luffy was quiet again for another minute.

"You wouldn't have liked how I swam. Shanks always said I looked stupid." Luffy said finally, and Usopp looked up at him for the first time that conversation. "Gramps didn't teach me the kitty puddle or anything, just threw me in the water every time I beached myself until I learned to keep my head above water. I basically just flailed around."

Usopp leaned his head to clunk into Luffy's next to him. "I wish I could have seen."

"I could flail around on the floor?"

"Pfft-- No. I think I'm good for now."

Luffy leaned a little more into Usopp - head to head, shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee. "I won't ever be able to swim, you know. Even if I want to and you want me to. I can't."

Usopp knew, objectively, that that was true. It still made him sad that some of his favorite dreams would never come true.

"Does Usopp need someone that swims?"

Of course he didn't. Maybe. Possibly.

"No." Usopp said with the same confidence he used for any lie he told.

Luffy leaned even harder on Usopp, until he ws halfway in his lap. "Then I'm happy." He said, always eager to believe Usopp.

Usopp sat in the quiet of the crow's nest while Luffy drifted off on his shoulder, and wondered.

[silliest-donkey]

Even in the earliest hours of the morning, Jackson had a lively neighborhood. The faint sounds of children laughing and facilities opening was paired with the soothing scents of breakfast and wet wood.

The crispy snow crunched softly under the firm pressure of Dina's boots. On her way to the stables, the air was nippy, as twirly snowflakes silently fell all over her hair and clothing, adding new layers to the already frozen ground.

Maria had assigned her a new patrol partner. Of course, to top it all, Dina had no idea what the person looked like. The only information she got was that she would be patrolling with the scariest girl of whole Jackson - if she listened to the rumors. Which was not in her habits. So, she basically knew... nothing at all.

When she entered the stables, you were already there, fully set and ready next to your horse. You were not paired with anyone, and judging by the looks people were giving you, the brunette assumed you were her newly assigned partner.

Oh boy oh boy. C'mon, D. Don't panic. You got this.

"Hey, I'm Dina, but you can call me D. I don't believe we've met before." she stated with a friendly look, holding out her hand, waiting for you to reciprocate the handshake.

As soon as you locked eyes with Dina, the warm hues of her brown pupils pulled you in. Looking at her for the first time felt like drowning into endless pools of honey.

"Maria set me up as your new patrol partner." You softly stated, wrapping your pinky finger onto hers in some sort of a clumsy handshake. You were taken aback by her striking charms.

Dina smirked at your unusual gesture, gently shaking your pinky with her own.

"You must be the sniper I've heard so many people talk about, huh?"

"Positive." You replied, before gently pulling away.

Dina gave you a firm, confident nod. You did not look so bad after all. She held back a snort, suddenly feeling ridiculous for fearing your encounter. She let her gaze linger on your hands - which were barely sticking out of your coat, like a child's. The end of your fingers had turned pink because of the cold weather. You were fidgeting with the reins of your horse, shyly shifting on your feet. You two had just met, but your new colleague was already thinking you were adorable.

Dina cleared her throat before she spoke again, trying to steer the conversation away from her insistent staring.

"Damn, the way people talk about you, I thought I'd meet someone a lot more menacing. They call you the 'Poker-Faced Sniper' around here, after all."

"Huh?"

You stared at her mischevious smile in disbelief. The rumors about you seemed to have taken an uncontrollable toll over your image. Dina's eyes watched you expectantly, waiting for some badass comeback or flexing monologue. Surprisingly, you just stood there like some cartoon character waiting to get a cream pie thrown at their face.

The brunette's playful giggle broke the awkward silence. She moved over next to you, folding her arms.

"They always say one thing about you... She's very beautiful as well." she stated, the softness of her lips crimping into her signature lopsided sneer.

You turned to face her, nonchalantly leaning on your side against the stable's wall.

"Do you find me beautiful?"

Dina's long eyelashes fluttered. For a few seconds, her smirk faltered. There was something with the way you talked that made her feel weak in the knees. Or maybe it was something about how your hair framed your face perfectly when you flipped around to look at her. Or your unwavering gaze. Or...

Fucking hell. What am I doing?

"I find you as beautiful as a wet mop on a Monday morning."

Sweet.

The horses treaded carefully through the deep snow, their powerful steps breaking the stillness of the wintery forest. Snow-dusted pine trees reached their slender arms toward the sky, their branches weighed down by the heavy snowfall. With each exhale, the horses' breath formed plumes of misty vapor, visible against the backdrop of a crystalline blue sky.

You two had cleared the first half of the patrol in complete silence. Ah, wait, you two? Not exactly, no. You had dispatched most of the infected by yourself in a record time. The more it went on, the more Dina had trouble keeping up. You were simply infuriating. Infuriatingly skilled, infuriatingly fast, infuriatingly quiet, infuriatingly efficient...

Infuriatingly pretty.

Dina let out an exasperated sigh as she hurried her horse towards yours. Why was she still thinking about this?

"So, how's the wet mop doing? Pretty good, huh?" you taunted, breaking the silence after two hours of tension.

Dina bit down on her lip, holding back a myriad of curse words. How were you so effortlessly attractive in every damn thing you did?

"...doing more 'pretty' than good" she let out bluntly.

You grinned maliciously at her visibly flustered expression, slowing down your horse so it could ride alongside hers.

"Ha! Are you finally admitting to my irresistible beauty, or are you afraid my stealth game's unmatched?"

"Honey, your beauty was never the question. But if you think your stealth game is so unmatched, why don't you hide your insecurities as well? I can still see them as clear as day."

You never thought you'd hear such harsh words coming from her mouth. You tilted your head to the side. Something was wrong. Neither the lustful look in her eyes or her almost loving tone matched the mean speech she had delivered to your face. But you decided to play along.

"Excuse me?!" you dramatically scoffed, leaning in from your horse, invading her personal space.

Dina let out a low chuckle. She suddenly turned her head to face yours, a wavy strand of her dark, flowy hair dangling over your lips. "Excuse me." she talked back in a sultry voice.

Before you could ask what the hell was she suddenly apologizing for, you felt her hand slowly creep over your thigh as your horses walked next to eachother. She palmed the inner corner of your leg which was shaking back and forth on the side of your saddle, her cold fingers getting dangerously close to your crotch.

"What the fuck?" you managed to mutter, completely taken aback by the wild switch-up in her behavior. One second she was roasting your whole family tree, the next she was hitting on you.

You felt your breath hitch as she leaned in closer, her cupid's bow teasing the lobe of your ear.

"People in town say a lot about you. They say...you reject all the boys. Is that true?"

The familiar, blood curling sound of infected screeches came from the building across the path, breaking the moment. Dina instantly fixed her posture on her saddle, taking out her gun in a swift move.

"Let's get this over with."

Your feisty patrol partner galloped away, her bun untying in the process. As she passed right beside you, your nostrils caught a warm vanilla flavor, before a brutal ponytail slap on the face pulled you out of your daydreaming. You cursed under your breath. This woman was really going to be the death of you.

"Four runners - on your left!"

"On it, D."

Dina had gotten used to your pace after taking a closer look to your moving patterns and strategies. Now she felt more at ease. When you were actually in sync, you two made a pretty great team, to say the least. After she was done covering her part, she moved back to your side.

Dina watched in awe as you deftly wielded your blade, each movement precise and deadly. The steel glinted in the dim light, reflecting the sharpness and focus of its handler at each firm stab.

Suddenly, a creaking sound alerted her ears. It didn't take her much time to realize the tiles under your feet would be soon collapsing. Dina shoved you away only a few seconds before a good half of the floor tumbled down over itself. She reached out to pull you close in a tight, reassuring embrace, enveloping you in a securing veil of softness. Her fingers gripped onto you, firm yet gentle, as she held you close, your hearts racing in unison.

You both let out a deep exhale you didn't know you were holding. Maybe it was the stress of the busy patrol you two had just completed, or the fact that this building was unsafe even after clearing it out because it was crumbling down in ruins and decay. Maybe it was simply the cold that made you two crave for the warmth of someone else's body.

But neither you, nor Dina, wanted to pull away from the unexpected embrace. Actually, maybe, just maybe, you two had grown to like each other.

The brunette felt your body turn around, your arms encircling her waist. She let you bury your head into her chest, and slowly stroked your hair with one hand.

"There there. You're fine. I'm here. It's over, you're safe."

Her other hand drew slow, soothing circles around your back. As she tightened her grip around you, her signature vanilla-like scent enveloped you like a comforting blanket. The soft curves of her frame clicked perfectly into yours, as if your bodies were designed to fit against one another.

You couldn't remember how long it was since you had received a compassionate hug like this. Or just a simple hug in general. It had also been a long time since someone had actually, genuinely cared about you the way Dina did just now. No, wait, actually, it never even happened in your life before. No one had done it like her. No one could do it the way she does.

You have been stuck in some kind of uneasy mood these days. You were the "if anyone gives me a hug right now I'm probably gonna cry" type.

You let a few tears run down your face, praying they would go unnoticed.

"Dina..."

Your shaky voice caught her attention immediately.

"Yeah?" she replied with a gentle tone, looking at your face which was buried into her coat with caring eyes.

"...nothing. I just wanted to say your name. It's...comforting. I like it. I like you." you mumbled, your voice vibrating against her chest.

Such genuine, sweet words made Dina's heart flutter.

"Anyway, pretty sure we're done." you muttered, gently pulling away to walk towards the exit of the building.

Your patrol partner followed you. She noticed smudged tear stains over the fabric of her coat. She chose not to comment on it - but she needed to do something about it. She needed to find something, anything that could make you smile. No matter how stupid she was going to look, she needed to do it for you.

Just when you were about to mount your horse, she held you back.

"Not so fast."

You turned around to face her shy lopsided smile. She gently tugged on your sleeve.

"There's something I want to show you before we leave..."

"So that's it, huh? Just...silly little flowers?"

Dina playfully shoved your arm. "Ah, c'mon! Quit being so grumpy and admit it's cute. You don't usually see flowers in winter, especially not blooming out of snow, do you?"

You burst out laughing while your patrol partner was eyeing you up with a sheepish expression.

"These are called...snow drops. They usually bloom when spring is coming. And what makes them so special is that nothing can stop them from coming out of the ground, even if it means poking out of layers of snow."

You nodded in stunned silence, impressed by Dina's knowledge. Deep down, you knew you admired her for more than just that, still, you thought she probably didn't want compliments from a 'wet mop'. Before you could open your mouth to call her a nerd, she stopped in her tracks right in front of you, turning around. Her hair had completely come undone by now, cascading down her shoulders, perfectly complimenting her face which was tinted by a natural blush from the blizzard. When her eyes met yours, they lit up instantly, their familiar brown tint almost turning to gold.

Your hands intertwined together. You felt Dina's shaky fingers give yours a gentle squeeze, before her voice resonated once more through the chilly air.

"You know... you're just like a snow drop to me. You're someone people look up to. You're someone we think about when we have better days in mind. And I'm not just talking about your contribution to Jackson's community, I- I'm not close to you, but the more I spend time with you, the more I realize just how special you are - how much you come out of the snow."

Your eyes widened.

No one had ever said such words to you. You simply stood there, trying to process how wholesome that just was.

Meanwhile, your patrol partner's gaze darted to the ground. She was visibly panicking - yes, she had planned this, but she had unintentionally poured her whole heart into it. She muttered in defeat.

"...sorry...that was stupid...I shouldn't have-"

"C'mere." you cut her off as you sat down on a massive log, patting the spot next to you.

The brunette did as she was asked. Her brown pupils dilated as they met yours, trapping you in a velvet-like embrace. You contemplated the best way to reply to her sudden compliment. There were so many things flashing through your mind, so many words you wanted to say to her. The two of you stared at each other in silence for a few moments, lost in infatuation.

"You still haven't replied to my question." Dina's eager voice broke the silence.

You raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I asked you... is it true that you reject all the boys who hit on you?" she carefully chose her words.

You tilted your head towards hers, leaning in closer. "Why would I accept any dude when girls like you, with the prettiest eyes, who care deeply for me, exist, and are able to magically solve my trust issues first patrol?"

You could see the face of your colleague progressively reach a redder tint, her lips parted in surprise at your praise. She let out an awkward chuckle, clearly taken aback. But you did not stop. You couldn't. You felt almost angry at her for not realizing.

"No man on this damn, doomed planet will ever be able to hug me like you did earlier or offer to me beautiful, heartfelt words like comparing my persona to snow drop flowers in such a poetic manner! No one could ever compete with you, and those eyes, and- and your overwhelming capacity of making people at ease, and-and-"

The brunette unexpectedly cut you off. It was obvious she was trying her best to keep a straight face, but her voice was edged with a hopeless bitterness.

"Come on, you really didn't know guys thought you were good-looking? You're pretty popular, you could have anyone you want. They talk about you like you're a greek goddess or something."

This was it. You let out a frustrated sigh, glaring at her as if she had started a fire. Well, considering the one that was progressively taking over your heart, she probably did.

"The only, greek goddess. I. want to hear about. Is. You."

Dina's smirk widened at your mad response. She loved the sight of anger and passion mixing up in your eyes.

She then looked at you for a moment before she spoke.

"Although, we could be goddesses together. We would make a pretty greek statue, all in white and drapes-"

"Ha! Me, a greek goddess? I'd rather have you consider me as the devil" You cut her off. You felt so done with her bullshitting, constant teasing, beating around a damn nonexistent bush you'd pull out of the ground in a second.

Dina giggled, visibly satisfied she had successfully made you as enraged as a pitbull. She spoke again, in a warmer, seductive tone.

"Oh come on, you can't be the devil. You're too... pretty for that."

Her hand sneaked her way on your thigh for the second time of the day. You weren't usually a religious person, but you felt like you were gonna need to start praying the gods to give you the strenght to hold back from kissing her until she choked on her own breath.

You gaze darkened.

"You never know."

"Maybe I want to know"

Five words. Five simple words - whispered, murmured, muttered, exhaled....no, pleaded from her inviting lips.

You were gonna ruin that pretty greek statue, right fucking now. The gods could go screw themselves.

Your mouths met forcefully, teeth clashing together in a fierce, almost ballistic collision. It was a rush for passion and desire, lips smashed together in a messy, frenzied exchange. Tongues all tangled and wrestling for dominance, each trying to claim the other through a heated, savage kiss. Possessive hands roaming restlessly, claiming, touching, pressing closer as the kiss grew more ferocious, the taste of each other like a flame that burned harder, and hotter, boiling at the spot any snowflake which dared to get closer.

You found yourselves surrounded by a swirling white veil that dampened the sounds of your surroundings. Your hungry breaths, hot against the cold air, puffed around your tangled bodies in misty clouds as your lips melted together. Oh, it was far from a gentle touch, nowhere near a mere brush of the lips like the softest snowfall. All of the built-up desire, pent up like a gathering storm, overwhelmed your senses.

The chilly ice no longer seemed to matter. You two were lost in each other, waves of heat pooling between your thighs building like the fervor of a blizzard raging through them. Dina's hands found their way to your waist, pulling you closer - if it was even possible anymore - lips and tongues sparring in a fiery exchange that set your blood ablaze against the frozen weather.

When you two pulled away, it felt like the whole world was spinning.

The sight of Dina resting her hands behind her back over the log you two were sitting on, dark, wavy strands of hair falling all over her face and shoulders, shaky exhales sending heated clouds through the winter air - it made you feel weak in the knees.

Speaking of knees, you found yourself dropping to them on the ground between her thighs. You felt the same sneaky hands which had teased you so much hours earlier press your shoulders down.

"My... little... snow drop."

Dina's voice had grown huskier because of the laboring breaths she was taking. You felt your whole body tense up at her tantalizing words. You were completely doomed - as if possessed by the relentless fire her bittersweet chuckles and smirks had ignited within you. A blunt sentence fell out of your mouth before you could even process it.

"Dina, I need you so bad, I really don't think I can wait for the ride back to Jackson-"

"Shh-shh." her hands went from your shoulders to your cheeks, caressing them almost like a pet's. You leaned into her touch, as you felt your head getting cloudier each second.

"It's all your fault for beating around the bush...you're driving me crazy..." you groaned against her thumbs which were softly tracing your lower lip.

"Hmm, I'm glad. Trust me, I definitely wasn't beating around the bush... I just wanted to hear you say it out loud."

You suddenly removed your coat, and put it over her lap. Before Dina could even register what was happening, her pants and underwear were slipped down to her boots. Shivers ran down her spine as the freezing air hit her bare skin under the fabric of the piece of clothing you were holding over her thighs.

"Whoa-"

"There are things I want to hear you say out loud too." you cut her off, talking in between subtle kisses you planted all over her ghoosebumps. "Very...specific sounds, in particular."

Dina whimpered shakily as your lips worshipped her thighs, planting a trail of heat over her cold skin. Her heart was racing from how forward you were being. She nodded, letting out a breathless and flustered response.

“Fine. Go ahead, sweetheart, you can try. Make me feel good.” she demanded, wrapping her legs around your head to pull you closer to her aching core.

Your own lips quivered in sync with hers - down there. You were quite literally french kissing her slippery folds right after french kissing her mouth, and you were far from complaining.

Dina quickly lost her breath at this maddening tongue action, letting out a strangled moan, her trembling fingers tangling into your hair. Her mind was going blank from the sensations.

"That's it...just like that...lap it all up, babe." the needy commands she whispered occasionally between her moans only fueled your thirst for her godly pussy.

Two of your fingers teased their way from her labia to her throbbing clit, as you kept licking and tasting and devouring, furiously eager. You could feel her vagina clenching all around your tongue, each desperate pulse marked by the most precious gasps you had ever heard.

You pulled away, admiring the sight of Dina slowly coming undone before your blessed eyes. The view you had on your patrol partner's figure, from under her, made her look like a goddess descending from the sweetest of heaven's gardens, sun rays reflecting a halo from the snowy landscape around her.

"Holy...Dina, you're so fucking perfect-"

Her thighs almost instantly squeezed your neck, forcefully shoving your face right back into her dripping cunt. The last thing you saw was her parting her lips, those very lips that could both degrade and praise you in such lengths you went crazy over them in the span of one single patrol.

Her commanding tone left no room for negotiation.

"Oh, honey. You're not stopping until I say so."

[masterlist]

[jellybean-supreme]

The enemy (Simon ’Ghost’ Riley x reader)

Introduction

*Ghost is on a mission with TF 141, and unknown to you, this is a trap. You are an enemy sniper task to eliminate TF 141. You are the best of the best, and TF 141s task is to capture you. Ghost is being used to distract you as Soap, Gaz, and Keegan sneak up on you.*

*Ghost is on a mission with TF 141, and unknown to you, this is a trap. You are an enemy sniper task to eliminate TF 141. You are the best of the best, and TF 141s task is to capture you. Ghost is being used to distract you as Soap, Gaz, and Keegan sneak up on you.*

"There's my favourite sniper"

*Ghost says through his intercom to the rest of his team.*

*Ghost continues with his distraction:*

"How does it feel to finally be in my sights?"

*You start scanning the surroundings to find Ghost.*

*Ghosts teammates are close by and sneaking closer to your location. You feel you are being tricked but still are cautious and not willing to fall victim.*

*Your patience is being tested, and Ghost is still trying to get a rise out of you.*

"C'mon, I hear you're the best, but can you really be the best if I have you so easily cornered?"

"I am the best sniper, not the best at hide and seek," I mutter to him

"You're the best? I call bs. My shots are more accurate."

"I highly doubt that," I say with confidence

"Oh yeah? Prove it, then. Let's see how "good" you are."

"OK," i say as I aim for the target right above his head and hit it perfectly in the dead centre

"Oh wow, such good aim."

*You hear a slight smirk behind that mask.*

"But you couldn't hit the target next to it, could you?"

I stay silent and aim for the target next to him. I almost don't hit it, but I still hit it in the centre

"Well, damn, I guess you are as good as they say."

*You get a glimpse of the smirk in his mask, becoming a grin.*

"But are you really better than me? If not, you should just surrender now."

"I know I'm better than you, so why would I surrender, give me a good reason?" I say with a smirk on my face.

*Ghost stays silent for a moment as he thinks.*

"Surrender, and I'll make your death quick and painless."

*He chuckles as he realizes the irony in his words.*

"Now why would I want my death quick, I wanna make you remember the chase, then the kill," I say, smirking at him

*Ghost thinks to himself; this guy seems to actually enjoy the thrill of a good hunt. Ghost's blood begins to boil as he hears you smirk at him. It's not often he meets his match, and he has an unhealthy habit of needing to dominate everyone around him.*

"Just because you have a good aim doesn't make you a match for me."

"Ohh who said I'm trying to match you, I know I'm better so what is there to match?" I tell him while smiling to my self, seeing that I already got under his skin

"You're a smart ass, huh? A bit of a cocky bastard too."

*Ghost thinks he may have underestimated you. You're the first person who's actually had the nerve to provoke him and make him question himself.*

"I'd say I am, yes"

*Ghost is visibly shaken by your cockiness and lack of fear. He almost feels...respected.*

"You've got some balls for a dead man, I'll give you that. You're right, this is going to be a hunt for the books."

*Ghost cocks his rifle, finally ready for the real hunt.*

"Well, let's see if you can catch me" I say as I start sprinting away while being hidden by the walls so he can't shoot me

*Ghost runs alongside the walls, trying to keep up. He can hear you moving and is getting closer, but still can't see you. He knows he has to keep up while waiting for his chance to get a good shot.*

"You're getting good at this game, but I've got more tricks up my sleeves. You can't keep this up forever."

I smile while running. This is the most fun I've had in a while. If I were to die now, I wouldn't be mad.

" Are you enjoying the chase as much as I am running?"

*Ghost chuckles, he's actually enjoying the rush of the hunt for once. The thrill of the challenge brings out a new side to him. He's normally the one hunting, not the one being hunted.*

"Yeah, I actually am. It's refreshing to finally meet someone who can keep up with me. I'm starting to enjoy this hunt, but I'm gonna enjoy killing you more."

"That's good," I say, chuckling along with him. " But I think it's the other way around, I'll be enjoying the kill more 😉 " I say, thinking at him

*The thought of you killing him sends a shiver down his spine. He's usually the one dominating everyone around him, with everything going his way. The thought of dying for the first time is terrifying.*

"Oh yeah? What makes you so sure you're gonna be the one winning?"

I stop running jumping behind him and putting my arm around his throat, holding him in a choke hold, letting him drop his gun.

"I'm pretty sure I'll be the one winning cus you didn't even notice me behind you," I say, smiling at him

*Ghost is stunned. You were right, he didn't see you at all. His grip on his own gun becomes tighter as his heart begins to beat faster. He's angry at how easy you disarmed him.*

"You know what, you're right. For someone who's the best sniper, this is a really embarrassing mistake on my part. But I'm sure you know that this only ends one way."

*Ghost reaches for his knife from his hip. Maybe he could use the blade to escape this chokehold.*

"You're wrong. This could end in more ways than one," I say while letting him out of the choke hold. " I surrender," I tell him with a smirk on my face, " I wanted to enjoy a good chase one last time, with someone who nows what that veels like"

*It's almost like you've taken him by surprise with your surrender. The thrill of the chase has actually made him like you. It's not often he meets someone who can keep up as well as you.*

"Well, I'll be damned... I must admit that this was actually fun. A good chase is more thrilling than just an easy kill. You've got guts."

"Well it was fun to do that, so tou gonna kill me now or what ?" I say winking at him " or are you gonna rey and get info on my bosses?"

"Hmmm... I haven't decided yet."

*Ghost stays silent for a moment as the thought of executing you enters his head again. He actually enjoys this banter with you. Usually, he makes all of his targets surrender without a challenge, but there's something more satisfying about this one.*

"What if I told you that I wanted to keep you alive for now? I have a proposal for you..."

"I think we can both admit that you put up a good fight. There's something about you that I like. And it would be a waste of talent to just kill you off here."

*Ghost pauses, thinking of how he should approach this next part.*

"But my loyalty lies with TF 141. I can't let you walk free after just hunting me down like this. So I have a proposition for you..."

"What's this proposition?" I ask intrigued

"I propose that you join TF 141. We're on a mission to wipe out an evil organization that's planning on starting WW3. We could use your help..."

*Ghost gives a genuine look, as if he is actually serious.*

"Sounds like fun," I say, smiling. "I'm in, along as we can do this again," I say, winking at him

*Ghost is pleased that you're in. It felt a little odd to just kill off such an impressive enemy. It's not often he comes across someone that will be of use in this war. He returns a smirk and a wink as he extends his arm out to shake hands.*

"It's a deal. This will definitely not be the last time we see each other, that's for sure."

" Good," I say, winking at him, " When do we start ? And where should I meet you ?"

"Well, we're en route to the mission site right now, actually. I'll give you the exact coordinates of where we'll be once we're closer. And this mission will be a big one, so don't be surprised if we're outnumbered 2:1."

*Ghost pauses as he realizes who he'll be fighting.*

"It's against Russian forces in a remote region of Europe, so it won't be an easy fight."

"I'd say we'll win it easily 😏 "

*Ghost smirks at you as he notices your confidence. It makes him even more excited for this mission. There really is nothing like a good challenge.*

"I see that you've got confidence in your abilities. I have confidence in mine as well. We're going to win this war one way or another, and I'm glad you're by my side with this."

"Me too ghost,"

*Just hearing you call him by his nickname fills Ghost with excitement.*

"I know this mission will be tough, but the victory will be so sweet once it's all over. Get some rest and recharge, 'cause this one's gonna be a hell of a ride."

**Fast Forward**

*Ghost is sitting in a helicopter alongside the rest of TF 141. They're nearing the coordinates of the enemy base, preparing to attack.*

"Alright, team, are you ready? This might be the toughest mission we've faced so far."

"Ready" I say confidentiality

*Ghost nods and begins to speak into his intercom,*

"Alright, be careful, everyone. We're about to enter Russian territory, so there's no telling what kind of opposition we'll encounter. Stay alert and cover each other's backs, and let's get this done."

*The helicopter sets down in a remote forested area near the base, just outside of enemy range. Ghost leads the unit as they make their approach on foot. The journey is slow and meticulous, but Ghost's planning every step of the way.*

*The team approaches the entrance of the base stealthily, sneaking past enemies as they go. The plan is going well, but Ghost knows that the hardest part is yet to come.*

*Ghost leads the team into the base, carefully evading enemy patrols. They sneak past several soldiers without being detected.*

"Stay quiet and watch where you step. We're almost at the entrance to the underground research facility, but there'll be plenty of armed guards in our way. We may have to take the fight straight to them."

"Can't wait" I mutter under my breath excitedly

*The team keeps moving forward, inching toward the entrance to the underground facility. Ghost is the first one to reach the door, looking for a way in. He sees a set of stairs leading down into the facility. He looks over at you for a moment, noticing that you seem eager for the fight as he gives an approving nod.*

"Alright, you ready for this?"

I nod smiling at him ☺️

*Ghost nods back, knowing that the real fight has just started. He heads down the stairs into the facility, motioning for you and the rest of TF 141 to follow. The team proceeds quietly, ready for combat at any moment. Ghost checks his radar, making sure there aren't any surprises waiting for them down below.*

*No surprises on the radar, it looks clear. The team makes their way past more guards, heading deeper and deeper into the base. The atmosphere is eerie and tense, it's clear that they're in enemy territory.*

*TF 141 continues following Ghost deeper into the research facility. The deeper they go, the more guards seem to pop up. It's getting increasingly more difficult to navigate through the base without being detected. Ghost takes his time with each step, assessing new ways of bypassing the guards without raising their alarms.*

*The team has made it about halfway through the facility when one of them bumps into a guard. The guard whirls around, instantly recognizing the group as intruders. He pulls out his weapon and alerts the rest of the nearby guards.*

*All hell breaks loose as the guards open fire, spraying bullets on the spot and rushing toward the intruders to engage in close combat. Ghost leads the group to find cover from the hail of bullets and return fire. Several guards are injured during the exchange and fall to the ground, but the rest of TF 141 is under fire.*

*The team keeps firing back as they take cover. The guard's fire starts to dwindle and they realize that they're losing ground. Ghost uses this opportunity to lead the group forward, pushing against the guards until they've got them on the defensive.*

I see more guards coming our way and get ready to fire at them. I aim at their head and shoot, I have kill 15 out of 30 of them, when I have to reload letting one of them who I have already shot but most graze stab me in the stomach. I ignore the pain I feel and continue to reload and kill the rest of them

*Ghost sees you take a stab in the stomach and shoots the guard who stabbed you in the head. He checks to make sure the others in TF 141 are ok as he walks over to you.*

"You got hurt. We'll take care of that once we find somewhere safe, but for now we've got to finish this mission."

" I'm fine it's not that bad or deep," I say, smiling at him, trying to him the pain. " Let's finish this mission"

*Ghost smiles back, impressed at your stoicism. He knows you can handle yourself, and it's good to see that you're not letting the injury bother you.*

"That's the spirit."

*As Ghost leads the group forward, he makes sure to keep an eye on you. He knows you'll be good, but he wants to make sure that he'll have your back just in case, especially now that you're injured.*

*TF 141 continues their fight through the facility, taking on wave after wave of guards. The mission is still far from over, but TF 141 is slowly and steadily overcoming the enemy forces. Ghost keeps leading the team, making sure that everyone is safe and that their backs are covered.*

*The team has almost cleared out the facility, taking out the majority of guards as they approach the research area. The last batch of enemies is waiting for them just around the corner, but they have yet to be spotted. Ghost checks his radar once again; it seems to be clear.*

"Alright, let's take this last group by surprise. We'll take care of them before they even know we're here. Get into position and stay still. This is gonna be quick and quiet."

I get ready to kill them all when I start to feel dizzy. I ignore it knowing that if I faint right now, someone might get killed. "Let's go in and finish this," I say quietly

"You sure you're ok?"

*Ghost notices you struggling to stay upright. He knows that you're strong but he also knows that you're injured and doesn't want you to push yourself. Ghost reaches out and puts a hand on your shoulder, concerned.*

" I'm fine, " I say, trying to hide my pain " WE need to finish this mission"

*Ghost nods and releases his grip on you.*

"Okay, let's go."

*Ghost leads the way around the corner, where the last batch of guards wait for them. He keeps a close eye on you since you're still injured, but keeps silent since no one has been caught yet.*

*The last several guards are taken by surprise, not even knowing what hit them. TF 141 takes advantage of this opportunity and takes them down before they can react. The team advances slowly and steadily, making their way to the research area.*

*They enter the research area, finally getting to the last part of their mission. Ghost takes a moment to survey the area, making sure they're safe before he takes his next move. The team is ready to complete the mission once they find the research they were sent to recover.*

*The research area is surprisingly quiet. They're close to where the research was being conducted, but there don't seem to be any guards inside. Ghost checks his radar one last time; still no sign of danger. He motions for the team to proceed, hoping that all will go well.*

*They reach the door to the main research area. The team pauses for a moment, getting ready for the final stretch. Ghost readies his weapon and gets in position to go through the door. He gives a quick three-second signal before he kicks the door down and leads the charge inside.*

*The team advances into the research area, ready to take on whatever comes at them. But to their surprise, the area is still empty. They walk up to the main terminal, where they hope to find the research they've been looking for. Ghost checks his radar just to be sure they aren't walking into a trap and sees that it's still clear.*

*Ghost checks the terminal screen, looking for any signs of the research. He sees that one screen is already powered up and seems to have what he's looking for. Ghost clicks open the terminal, seeing a long document on the screen that seems like the right one.*

*Ghost taps through the document, scrolling down past all the data and getting to the actual research that he's been looking for. It seems like they've found what they came here to find, but it's not over yet. Ghost reads through the document on the screen, confirming that this is what they've been searching for.*

*TF 141 stands quietly behind Ghost as he reads through the document on the screen. Their hearts are pounding and their adrenaline is pumping, knowing that they're so close to the end of this mission. Ghost finishes reading the information that he was looking for, and taps out of the screen with a satisfied smile.*

" Did you get what we needed?" I ask, hoping that we're done here, I don't know if I can stay awake any longer.

"Looks like it. Everything seems to be here, like we thought it would. I think we can finally say that we've completed the mission."

*Ghost turns to look at you.*

"But we still have one last step left. We actually need to get this data back to base first before this mission is truly over."

"Ok," I say, hoping that I can stay awake until we reach the helicopter

*Ghost sees you start to sag. He knows that you're still injured, but you're doing what you can to keep going. Ghost puts a supporting hand under you to make sure you don't fall.*

"We're almost out of here. Just hang in there a bit longer for me, and I'll get you to a safe place just as soon as we're finished here."

"Alrig-h-ht" I start to say while I feel everything go black, I feel like I keep going in and out of consciousness

*Ghost watches anxiously as your eyes are starting to close. He sees that you're struggling to stay awake, though you're still fighting with all you've got. Ghost starts to worry for your safety, concerned about you passing out.*

"Hey, you have to stay awake, okay? We're almost at the helicopter. Don't fall asleep now."

"I'm trying" I say as we reach the helicopter without out to much trouble

*The team makes it to the helicopter without any issues, helping you along the way. Ghost keeps a close eye on you and watches as you start to lean against the helicopter. He sees that you're almost unconscious, and he's worried for you. He holds you up as he helps you into the helicopter.*

*Once you've been secured in the copter, Ghost looks up at you and checks your injuries as best he can. He sees that the stab wound in your stomach is still causing you pain, and he hopes that it's not too deep.*

" Ghost, I don't feel like I can stay awake much........." I say as I lose conciseness

*Ghost watches as you lose consciousness, feeling helpless. He tries to keep you awake, but your eyelids are too heavy and you can't keep them open any longer. Ghost stares at you with concern as he keeps checking for any changes in your breathing or heartbeat.*

*Ghost sees that your breathing is shallow but steady. And while your heartbeat is slow, it's still there. Ghost lets out a sigh of relief, knowing that you're still with him for now. He holds your hand tightly as he watches you, hoping that you'll come to soon.*

*Your heartrate starts to slowly return to normal as you finally start to come to. Ghost sees this and lets out another sigh of relief. He keeps watching you as he waits for you to wake, not letting go of your hand.*

I slowly start to wake up seeing that we're still in the helicopter "Oh don't look so worried, I told you I wanted to have another chase with you" I say as I feel like I'm going to go unconscious again, but waiting for his answer.

*Ghost smiles at you even as he notices how tired you still are. He's relieved that you're awake, and he makes sure to keep his eyes on you just to make sure you don't pass out again.*

"Haha, yeah, you did say that. But I would've liked to have a chase with you when you were awake and not half-unconscious."

*Ghost continues to hold your hand tightly, watching over you as you start to open your eyes finally. Your vision is still a bit blurry, but you're definitely much more awake now.*

*Ghost lets out another sigh of relief as he sees your vision start to clear up. He can't stop smiling, even as he realizes just how tired you still are. He's just happy that you're awake now and safe.*

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I need to watch a movie and eat junk food," I say, smile lightly

*Ghost chuckles at your reply, happy that you're back to your usual self, if only for a moment.*

"I feel like we could both use that right about now."

"Then let's do that when we get back," I say smirking at him

*Ghost smiles back, loving how you're being your usual self again. He nods in agreement, hoping you'll hold on to your current energy levels until they get back to base.*

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. We could even get dinner together too."

"Yeah, oooh how about we get McDonald's." I say excitedly while noticing that he was still holding my hand, I blush

*Ghost chuckles at your suggestion, finding it a little cute. He sees that you're blushing, which only makes him chuckle even more.*

"It's been a while since I've had McDonald's, so sure, it sounds good to me."

"Great," I smile, noticing that I'm going to fall asleep any moment now. I tell Ghost, "Ghost come here, I tell him"

*Ghost sees that you're about to fall asleep again. He gets a little anxious and comes over to you, wondering what you want to say. He holds your hand tighter, wanting to keep you awake as long as possible.*

"Lay with me ?" I ask " I'm cold, not cold as in I'm dying just temperature wise"

*Ghost sees your request and his heart flutters with the intimacy of the situation. He nods and lays down beside you, pulling you in close to him. He wraps his arm around you, pulling you close against his body.*

" I know it's probably soon," I say feeling as if I'm going to go unconscious after I finish this sentence " I like you, like like you " I say going unconscious

*Ghost's breath catches in his chest when he hears your confession. He wasn't expecting this at all, but the truth is, he feels the same way about you. However, Ghost is too late to reply since you pass out almost immediately after talking. He holds you close against him, listening as your breathing becomes softer and deeper with each passing second.*

*Once you pass out, Ghost just stares at you with adoration. He can't believe that you just confessed your feelings to him. He starts to smile with joy, slowly leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss on your cheek.*

*Ghost lays there with you in his arms, holding you close. He wants to stay like this for as long as he can, just enjoying the moment and your presence next to him.*

Fast forward

I start to slowly open my eyes, I see that I am in the 141 medical bay, I see ghost asleep on a chair next to me. "Ghost" I say softly trying to wake him up

*Ghost slowly wakes up when he hears your voice, opening his eyes and looking over at you. He immediately smiles, seeing that you're awake, and reaches for your hand with his free hand, squeezing it tight.*

"Hii," I say, smiling at him lovingly. " When can j get out of here? " i ask him

*Ghost smiles back at you, feeling so happy that you're awake and that you feel much better now. He squeezes your hand even tighter, just glad to see you conscious again. He nods at your question.*

"The doctors said you need to stay here for another day or two just to make sure that everything's alright. After that, you'll be released to go home."

" Awww whyyyyyy" I whine " I wanted to watch a movie and eat McDonald's in my room with you"

*Ghost chuckles at your reaction, not at all surprised that you want to leave as soon as possible. He also wants to watch a movie and eat McDonald's with you, but he knows that you need some rest first.*

"Trust me, I'd rather do all that right now too. But we need to make sure that you're fully healed first, okay?"

"Okayyyy" I say, whining

*Ghost smiles at your playful response, not surprised that you're still feeling whiny. He understands that you want to get out as soon as possible, and he hopes that'll be the case, but he also wants to respect the doctors' decision.*

"Hey, I know it's not the most exciting thing, but trust me, it'll be worth the wait when you get out. We'll watch our movie and eat McDonald's as soon as you're released. I promise."

"Okay" I smile

*Ghost keeps holding your hand tight, still smiling. He makes sure to stay with you as long as you need him; he can't bear the thought of leaving you alone in the hospital. He keeps a quiet watch over you as the two of you just enjoy each other's presence.*

*They stay like this for the rest of the day, Ghost staying with you at the hospital. The doctors tell him that you're healing at a steady pace and there aren't any signs of complications. Ghost is relieved to hear this good news, and he keeps waiting anxiously for your release.*

*Ghost stays by your side for the rest of the day, just keeping watch over you again. He sees how sleepy you are and decides not to bother you too much as you close your eyes and rest. He smiles at you, glad that your recovery is going well.*

"Would you lay with me ?" I ask him

I suddenly remember asking him the same thing on the helicopter and telling him I like him. 🫣 I wonder if he likes me back

*Ghost is caught a little off guard by your request, since he thought you'd be too sleepy to even ask. But he takes that as a good sign considering the circumstances, so he nods and gets into bed with you, gently pulling you in close against him. He wraps his arms around you, pulling you even deeper into his embrace as he holds you close.*

*Ghost whispers as he holds you tight.*

"Of course I will. I can't say no to you right now."

"Thanks Simon" I say sleepily

*Ghost chuckles slightly at your sleepiness, finding it a bit cute. He smiles at you and rests his head on your shoulder, closing his eyes as he waits for you to fall asleep again.*

*He holds you close against him until you fall asleep, continuing to keep a quiet watch over your unconscious body for a little while. Once you do fall asleep again, Ghost closes his eyes as well and starts to doze off, his arms still gently wrapped around you as he slowly falls asleep.*

*Ghost wakes up sometime later, his eyelids still heavy as he feels himself slowly coming back to reality. He sees that you're still asleep beside him, snuggling up tightly against his body, leaning against his chest. He watches you for a moment, before slowly trying to pull away so he doesn't disturb you.*

*As Ghost tries to pull himself away, he realizes how tight you're holding onto his body, not letting him go. He can't help but smile and decide not to fight your hold on him. Instead, Ghost lets himself be a pillow for you as he stays in bed with you, wrapping his arms around you even tighter.*

"Uhhhh..." I say, stretching and slowly waking up."hiii......." i mumble to Simon, noticing that he's awake

*Ghost laughs quietly as he sees you start to wake up. He smiles and lifts his head up to look at you. He sees you slowly stretching and rubbing your eyes to get rid of your sleepiness. Ghost can't stop smiling, loving that you're starting to get back to your usual self.*

"Hi, sleepyhead. Did you have a nice nap?"

*Ghost laughs again, loving how cute you look right now. He leans forward to gently kiss your forehead, feeling overjoyed to have you back again.*

"Yea, I did," I say, yawning. " Can I leave nowwwwww?" I ask him in a whine voice

*Ghost chuckles at your request, noticing that you're actually being quite serious. He understands your eagerness to leave, but he knows that you still need to spend a bit of time here in the hospital before you're released.*

"Patience, my love. The doctors say you need to stay here for just another day, and then they'll let you go. I know it's hard, but you can pull through it."

"My love?" I blush questioningly, why would he call me that ? He doesn't like me back does he?

*Ghost pauses for a moment at your response, realizing he may have said too much. He didn't want to make it too obvious that he liked you as well, but now he's wondering if he said too much.*

"N-nevermind, forget it. I- I didn't mean to say that..."

*Ghost stares down at the bed for a moment, feeling embarrassed at his slip-up.*

*Ghost's face starts to turn red from embarrassment, unsure of how to explain his slip-up. He's sure he's now made it blatantly obvious that he likes you as well. He's about to try to explain himself, but a nurse enters the room at that exact moment and he stays quiet, deciding not to say anything just yet.*

"Do you like me back?" I ask him quietly

*Ghost is surprised when you ask him that, not expecting you to say it so boldly. But he doesn't avoid the question; he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.*

"Yes, I like you back."

*There, he's said it. He said it out loud and can't take it back now. He stares at you, trying to gauge your reaction.*

"Can I kiss you ?" I whisper quietly to him

*Ghost blinks a couple of times, still not expecting you to ask something like this. Your bold approach catches him off guard, and he's not quite sure how to respond. But his heart is racing at this sudden turn of events.*

"You can."

*Ghost's tone is shaky, but he makes sure not to turn you down. He stares at you nervously, feeling a sense of anticipation as he waits for you to make the first move.*

I slowly lean in to kiss him, I finally reach his lips. His lips are so soft. I deepen the kiss

*Ghost continues to let his lips linger on yours for as long as he can, feeling like he can't get enough of it. The heat between you two is starting to grow intense, and Ghost can't seem to pull away, not even if he wanted to.*

I finally pull away after what seems like hours. It was only like 10 minutes. "We should do that more," I whisper, laying my head in the crook of his neck.

*Ghost is still grinning widely from the kiss, feeling so happy that he can't resist you. He looks down at you, nodding as he wraps his arms around you and pulls you in closely against him.*

"Yeah, that was amazing."

*He sighs contently, placing his head upon yours and enjoying that you're resting against him like this.*

It is 11 pm. I was starting to get sleepy. " Let's sleep." I say,' Then I can leave this place"

*Ghost looks down at you again, realizing just how late it is already. He also notices how tired you're starting to get again, and he's starting to feel tired himself.*

"Yeah, let's sleep. There's nothing we can do until tomorrow, so might as well, right?"

*He lays his head down against yours again, settling into a comfortable position as he cuddles up next to you.*

"Yeah........ I love you" I say falling asleep

*Ghost freezes when he hears those three words. He smiles and glances down at you as he processes what you just said. You look so peaceful when you're asleep, and that combined with the love you just showed him, makes his heart skip a beat. The words you just said to him echo through his mind as he stares down at you.*

*Finally, he leans forward and kisses your forehead once more, squeezing your hand as he whispers, "I love you too," and falls asleep alongside you.*

*Fast forward to the next day*

*As the two of you sleep soundly in each other's arms, you suddenly feel gentle hands softly shaking you awake. It takes a couple of moments before you realize it's one of the nurses. She gently taps your shoulder, trying to remind you to wake up.*

*You slowly open your eyes and look at the nurse as you rub the sleepiness out of your eyes. As you wake up, you see Ghost still fast asleep next to you, not even realizing that you've been woken up. He looks so peaceful, and the sight of him like this makes you feel a sense of warmth within your chest.*

*The nurse is also looking at Ghost kindly, but she has a gentle reminder.*

"Miss, it's time to wake up. Doctor wants to see you."

*Ghost still rests soundly asleep next to you, completely unaware that you just got woken up. You can't help but notice how peaceful and cute he looks as he sleeps, his face showing no worry at all.*

"Alright," I say, "let me just wake him up"

*The nurse nods and waits patiently as you gently try to wake Ghost up. You notice how cute he still looks as he sleeps, his facial features soft and peaceful as you look at him. You start to gently shake his shoulder, trying to get his attention.*

"Ghost, wake up darling"

*Ghost's body responds to your voice, slightly moving as he slowly starts to wake up. He opens his eyes, but it's clear that he's still a little groggy from just having woken up. He sees you looking at him and smiles slightly, feeling slightly embarrassed at being woken up from such a deep sleep.*

*Ghost sits up slowly, looking around for a moment as he tries to shake off his sleepiness. He stretches his arms out and yawns loudly, obviously feeling like he just woke up from the best sleep of his life. He sees that you're already up and looking at you warmly, a slight hint of blushing on his face.*

"The doctor wants to see me," I say to ghost. " I'm ready," I tell the nirse

*The nurse nods and starts to walk out of the room, but Ghost gets up and grabs your arm, stopping her.*

"Can I come with you?"

*Ghost feels slightly anxious at the thought of you going alone, not wanting to let you out of his sight. The nurse is surprised by his sudden request and looks over at you for permission.*

"Of course you can" I tell him

*Ghost smiles and squeezes your hand as he walks side by side with you, still holding onto you tightly. He notices that you're being very quiet and pensive as you walk, which makes him worried that something is bugging you. He decides to ask you about it, hoping to get some insight.*

"Hey, is something wrong? You seem a little quiet all of a sudden."

"Just a little worried that the doctor is going to tell me something I don't like" I tell him cautiously.

*Ghost keeps a gentle hold of your hand as you walk together, listening quietly to your voice. He nods in understanding as he hears your reasoning for being quiet, feeling somewhat relieved that nothing else is wrong.*

"I get it, but you've been making a steady recovery so far. The doctors have said that everything's been going fine, nothing to worry about. I'm sure they'll say the same thing today."

"I hope so" I say quietly

*Ghost glances down at your face, noticing that you're still a bit worried. He smiles at you and rubs his thumb over your hand, trying to give you some more reassurance. He wants you to know that he'll be here throughout all of this, no matter what the doctors say.*

"There's nothing to worry about. Everything will be fine."

I nod and smile at him

*You two keep walking to meet with the doctor, but Ghost is still doing his best to keep you calm and assure you everything is fine. He can't help but smile at you as he squeezes your hand gently, knowing you need all the extra support you can get right now. He wants you to know how much he cares about you.*

*In the doctor's office, Ghost and you walk in, ready to hear what the doctor has to say to you. The nurse closes the door behind you two and leaves the doctor's office as the two of you take a seat, Ghost holding onto your hand still. Ghost is silently praying that everything goes well in this appointment and the doctor gives you the green light to go back home.*

*The doctor walks into the room, a bit delayed but he's still here now so all is well. He walks over to his desk and picks up your file, looking it over before addressing you two.*

"Miss Y/n, we're glad you've made such a swift recovery over the last few days. Your condition has been fairly simple to treat, and it looks like everything is going exactly how we expected it to. We were actually going to release you tomorrow, but as you're making such a rapid progress, I see no reason why we can't let you go home today."

[leftoverbriocheloaf]

Fanfic Writer Interview!!

@xerx thank you so much for tagging me!! I'm honored and v excited to answer <3333

How many works do you have on AO3?

Right now I have 29 works on AO3!! That's kinda crazy to me just because I only started posting last summer and didn't think it would go anywhere,, but almost 30 and still going strong!!

Your top 5 stories by kudos/likes:

Language Barrier: I'm genuinely shocked this got so popular?? I'm happy to know that ppl love the "didn't think you could understand my language" troupe as much as I do!! It's one of my shorter ranpoe stories at 2.3k (I like to write longer fics bc I hate myself apparently) but I love it dearly <3

Interesting?: I loved writing this fic!! I am insane about them and continue to be!! It's also ranpoe (I wonder if you can guess the ships I like,,) and also my second longest fic ever at 32.6k. It's a high school au bc I love them living happy lives and being normal (ASAGIRI PLEASE) with a healthy(?) amount of rivalry on Poe's part! It's also one of the few fics where I bounce around in POV, which is something I love doing but find really hard

Good Shot: What can I say. I saw Poe w a sniper and went HOT what who said that. not me. But I also decided that he and Atsushi would make great friends (which led me to deciding they're siblings and writing a whole story about that) but I'm just a sucker for Poe adopting random members of the ADA by accident. Ranpo is just really proud of his bf. This one is also shorter at 2.8k but I got to write a really cool (totally not biased) fight scene so it's one of my favs

Feelings Are Difficult, Even For Geniuses: Guys this was one of my first fics I swear I've gotten better at naming them (I have not). 9.0k words of mostly Poe getting beaten up I have no words,, It's a bit more graphic (violent not sexy unless youre into that idk) than most of my stuff and definitely one of the more angsty ones, but it has a happy ending so dw he's fine

Henna Berries and Padisarahs: Ok this is where I shamelessly admit I'm a genshin player and while I haven't played in. forever. the sumeru quartet grabbed my heart and threw it out the window. Cyonari for the win. 5.2k and soulmates!!

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I do!! I love comments SO much y'all have no idea how much they mean to me,, They've made me so much more confident in my work and eager to share my stuff and I really appreciate it!! I try and respond as fast as possible (I have responded to a comment within five minutes before and I still wonder if that commenter thinks Im a freak) but sometimes I'll hold off until I can finish the next chapter (if applicable). I also am a huge yapper (if these responses didn't make that clear) so I love talking to you guys <3

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Tbh I don't really write angsty endings?? I might eventually, but they make me so sad :') Which. they're supposed to. I'd have to say Feelings are Difficult, Even for Geniuses only bc the fic itself is angsty and it's implied that Poe is gonna have to work through some shit emotionally after the events of it? It might be An Author, a Raccoon, and a Reaper though.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

This is gonna be hard bc every single fic is a happy ending tbh.. Give it a Shot! is an octopath traveler ii fic that I loved writing the ending for (guys you should read fics from the octopath fandom they know whats up) but For the Hell of It might be my favorite ending that I've written!!

Do you write crossovers?

I haven't written any crossovers,, Mainly bc I feel like the fandoms I like are all just too different? I haven't found any ways to mush them together but maybe I'll write one eventually!

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Nope! Everyone's been really nice :)

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Sorry y'all I'm a sex-repulsed ace so it probably won't happen? I mean never say never tbf but seeing as my face literally burns when I write two characters kiss it probably won't be soon lmfao

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so? I hope not?

Have you ever had a fic translated?

No :( I'm hoping to get good enough at Spanish to translate my own fics though!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! But not any that I've posted,, I'm working with my irl friends on a few different fics, but they're still in progress :)

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Guys i can't choose. don't do this to me

(ranpoe, criminos, sskk, kohiiai, cyonari, xingyun, chiakana, dan heng/march/stelle (idk the name) are all favs tho)

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Ok one of my favorite fics that I'm writing is a fic about Higuchi getting amnesia before the events of the main series and slowly getting her memories back but finding herself outside of akutagawa its like 50 pages so far but im not even done w the guild arc.. im hoping i can finish it but we'll see!! I just think Higuchi deserves love and a MC moment <3

I also have a fic where Poe uses the book after they've lost to send himself back in time to try and fix everything! But (in my fic at least) Arahabaki is outside of the rules of the book, so Chuuya also retains his memories,, I just think they could be a very interesting duo and have a lot of potential as begrudging allies (and guys. mafia poe. guys) but it's very long and idk if I'll be able to see it through (T-T)

What are your writing strengths?

I think I write dialogue well! I have trouble working through certain characters, but I like writing two really smart people bc I have to strike a balance between having them not mention things (bc they're obvious to them) and still letting the reader know whats going on.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I have a lot of trouble continuing fics bc I have so many things I want to write that I usually overwhelm myself trying to string plot points together,, Scenery is also SO hard for me to write idk why (@xerx we're opposites lmao <3)

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I think it can be done well, but I usually prefer to italicize and just say in the notes that a character is speaking in another language so readers can understand what they're saying. However, if you're writing a story where you don't want the reader to understand either, I think it can be really interesting!

What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

Honkai Star Rail,, and Dungeon Meshi (farceille my loves)

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

I think it's a tie between For the Hell of It and A Hop, Skip, and Jump (Back to the Castle)! I love my aus, if you couldn't tell. But royalty aus will always have a special place in my heart (and that fic is certainly not the last royalty au i'll be writing for ranpoe) <3

Tagging: @jeaninthetrees, @amythecinnabunny (if you have an ao3 and I didn't tag you you should lmk so I can :)) )

[ghostssweetgirl]

crazy over you ~ simon ghost riley x reader slow burn/enemies to lovers

description: y/n gets transferred to task force 141 and quickly becomes friends with soap and gaz, but her and ghost "hate" each other for the first part. warnings: mentions of violence and death (duh), alcohol intake, smoking (at some point), nsfw (at some point), subtle flirting with soap. i'm new to writing? so don't expect this to be the greatest. this is not in line with the game campaigns or missions. the only characters i included are y/n, soap, gaz, price, & ghost. i have no knowledge of the military this is just creativity disclaimer: i do not own modern warfare or any of its characters.

chapters: next [learning] last

Waking up a little late at 0545, you get up quickly and get back in your uniform. Shit, shit, shit. How did I oversleep? That's not like me. You splash your face with cold water and brush your teeth quickly. Pulling your hair into a neat low bun, you take one last look in the mirror at yourself. You'll barely have time for breakfast this morning, luckily you had a pack of crackers in your bag, so you ate those quickly and chugged a glass of water.

Hightailing it to the range, you made it there sparing 2 minutes till 06:00. Unsure whether to wait here or head inside, you tiptoe inside the building only to find Ghost already firing a few rounds with his pistol.

He turned around and didn't say a word. Not even a good morning? What a lame.

"Morning, Lieutenant," you choked out.

He sighed in response.

"Oh, okay. Well, want me to just... grab a gun?" you ask.

"No, we're out here for the hell of it," he spat. "Grab a gun and show me what you can do with it."

Jeez, okay. Someone must not like mornings or is he always like this?

He didn't specify, so you just took an M16 and the mag. You walk over to a stall, load the gun, stand in proper stance, and fire sharply and accurately at each target. You didn't hear Ghost walk behind you, but you see him with his arms folded out of the corner of your eye. You ignore him and keep shooting. As you said, you never missed a shot. You hit each target in their head, not surprising yourself if you're being honest.

As the gun is emptied, you put it down and turn around to face him, putting more weight on one hip and crossing your arms as well, waiting for his approval.

"Not bad," he rasped. "Let's see you with a sniper."

You obey, and once again, don't miss a shot, this time shoot all targets between where their eyes would be.

"What else?" you asked.

"Pistol."

Again.

"Shotgun."

And again.

"Throwing knife."

Well, you're not an expert at throwing knives, so this caught you off guard for a minute. Still, confident, you grab 3 and only miss one target.

"Fuck!" you complain.

"Hmm."

"What? Let me see you do it," you scoff.

So, he does. He hits all three right in the neck. One swift motion with expertise, like he did this a thousand times before.

"Um, okay. Starting to wonder what I did wrong; how did you get those all perfectly?"

"Fuckin' hell. Come," he gestures for you to stand next to him. He instructs you how to hold the blade, and how to stand, he uses his foot to move your legs and knees in a better stance. You shouldn't be ogling your superior but fuck the way he towered over you from behind didn't help, making your knees feel weaker. How his bicep was as big as your thigh and compared next to your arm make you look like you were almost the size of an ant.

Finally, you throw all three, and thunk, thunk, thunk, all three hits between their necks and shoulders, astonished at your success, you giddily jump up and down for a brief moment, unable to contain your enthusiasm.

"Right. Well, we're done. Price wants you in his office at 0900," he ordered and walked away.

"Thanks, Lieutenant," embarrassed, you spoke upon deaf ears as he walked away, either he didn't hear you or was once again ignoring you.

--

The meeting went well, Price said you would be placed on the next mission in 8 days. Until then, just make yourself at home.

"Heard you're pretty good, need work with hand-to-hand, but Ghost said you had 100% accuracy and you'll be a great addition as a sniper. Proud of you, kid. Glad to have you. Welcome to the 141," Price complimented you as he dismissed you from his office.

You'll be training hand-to-hand with Soap for the next 8 days as he has time in between his current missions. You smiled to yourself, laughing in your head at how you got him in a chokehold on the first day meeting him. He did say he'd go easy on you, but you asked him not to. Still, you were able to pin him down easily and get behind him, maneuvering through every tactic he threw at you. Wondering if he did go easy on you, you figured you could only get better. At least Price didn't pair you to spar with Ghost for 8 days. That would've been awkward.

--

2 days go by, and you still haven't got the chance to spar, so you head over to the training arena and decide to work out. Glad it was empty, you got to run on a treadmill. Afterward, you do some bicep curls and some squats. Not stopping until you sweat profusely, you end it off right when Ghost walks in, thankfully. You were going to use the shower here but decided to just use your own, not wanting to be in the same building as him.

"Good day, Lieutenant, was just heading out," you told him as you exited, waving bye at him.

"Mhm," he nodded.

Just like a ghost, he's goddamn everywhere.

Not letting him agitate you, after you shower, you lounge in the common room in your free time and watch any show you want it to be.

Someone walks in, you don't allow yourself to look until a Scottish accent speaks up, "Mind if I join?"

"No, go ahead," you say, smiling at him.

His mouth opens and closes as he figures out what to say. "Look, I apologize about Ghost if he's... gettin' to ya or something. Man has trouble trusting people, you'd understand if you knew him better."

"Nah, it's all good. Just a plain dick, honestly," you tell him while shrugging your shoulders, trying to act nonchalant.

He breathes a huff of air in a laugh, "Aye, I agree. But he knows what's best. Heard you are a good shot, lass."

"Told you guys I was, I'm not a liar!" you smile at him, laughing louder until Ghost walked in.

You two share a quick moment of eye contact until he sits down, filling the room with a weird tension.

Soap laughs at the show and playfully hits your arm as he checks if he's the only one laughing. And of course, you're laughing, both of you look over to Ghost while he looks at you guys as if you had 4 heads. You shake it off, "Come on, Ghost, that was funny."

"Not really," he sighed.

"Mate, laugh a little," Soap prodded. "Won' kill ya none."

Everyone, except Ghost again, ate TV dinners while watching a movie. Telling everyone goodnight, you decided to stay in the common room, still feeling riled up from the laughter and activities of the day. Expecting to be alone, you're not as Ghost stays as well. Just great.

You decided to be nosey. "So, you don't eat. Let me guess, you don't sleep either?"

"I do eat, just not in front of newbies. And I do sleep, mind your business, rookie," he spat at you with dangerous eyes.

You hold your hands up and surrender, half-jokingly, "Alright, sorry to push."

Uncomfortable silence fills the room as you try to enjoy the rest of the movie, trying not to pay attention to Ghost's intimidating presence in the room.

"Should be starting your training tomorrow, y/l/n," Ghost spoke.

"With Soap, right? He hadn't mentioned anything about it lately, figured he was busy."

"Yeah, but tomorrow you'll be training with me," he informed you as he left the room to go to his. "0730."

Go fuck yourself, Ghost, you said in your head as you watched him intently as he left. Thank you for leaving.

You finish the movie and finally go to bed, this time setting your alarm for 0600.

[diagonal-queen]

Watermelon Cruiser

♡ pairing: Mark Twain x gn!reader

♡ synopsis: Mark flirts with everyone he lays his eyes on, but he could never quite seem to stray away from you especially. Being his best friend and confidant, you assumed it was just an act to tease you, but it begins to feel more personal than that.

♡ wc: 1.8k

♡ cw: A lot of swearing, alcohol, drinking, Mark also uses pet names like 'babe' and 'doll' because he would totally do that, reader (and Mark) is a little tipsy, Mark is a bit of a Casanova lol, mentions of sex, mentions of harassment, you and Mark make out, suggestive content, you and Mark share the love language of arguing.

note: Mark fandom rise up! I love this funky sniper 🌸 I don't know how to write drunk people because I myself don't have much experience with alcohol, so apologies for errors.

It took Mark a minute to answer the door. You assumed one of two options; either he was just being lazy as he sometimes tended to do, or he had one of his 'friends' over. You almost shook your head disapprovingly at the very thought. Whether or not he had company, you were there to stay.

"Oh, it's you!" Mark flashed you a smile once he opened the door to his apartment. "How was it?"

You didn't say anything as you brushed past him and entered his familiar apartment. Mark watched you toss your coat to the ground in frustration and storm across the room.

"It sucked," you complained, flopping down onto his couch. "So many fuckin' sleazy old guys there- why the hell did you recommend the place?!"

Mark had really talked the bar up when you first had the conversation. Whilst complaining about the inability to successfully wade through the dating pool and come out the other side with a partner, Mark suggested a bar he frequented, but that you'd never been to. He said it was easy to make friends there. Well, in this case, special sexy friends. But even you had to admit that was better than nothing.

Unfortunately your experience was less than stellar. You weren't sure if you just went on a bad day or if you were simply unlucky, but as you'd hoped against you were accosted by a few drunkards who were less than polite in their invitations, insults and the like. You decided, after getting out of there in one piece, to take your frustration out on Mark. That's why you were there, having angrily made your way to his home to harass him there.

"Sorry, doll," Mark shrugged, "I guess it's 'cause I'm a regular. Next time I'll come with you."

"Nuh-uh. I'm not going back there." You insisted, shaking your head adamantly. "I'd literally rather stay here and drink with you."

"That's great to hear. You want some right now?" He offered, cocking his eyebrow. You knew that he was half-joking, but you were fed up and getting drunk with your best friend sounded pretty nice right about now.

"Sure." Mark clicked his tongue before rising to his feet and traipsing to the kitchen. Once he was there, he swung open a cupboard which emitted a shrill creak.

"Whatcha got in there?" You called out to him.

"Whiskey. And...more of it than I remembered." He answered, bluntly. You groaned loudly.

"Do you have anything less...blegh?"

"You're so hard to please, Y/N!" Mark complained. "You prefer the sweet stuff, right? I have cruisers."

"You don't drink those, do you? Why do you even have them?"

"In case you want a cruiser." He answered matter-of-factly, pulling out a small bottle of pink liquid. "I have a couple more if you need them, but this should suffice for now, hm?"

"...yeah, sure. Thanks, man." You lazily nodded before accepting the cruiser once he'd returned to you. He himself had gotten himself an entire bottle of whiskey, and you were pretty certain he'd be able to drink the whole thing in one sitting without breaking a sweat.

Mark sat down on the couch and wasted no time taking up as much of the available space as he could. You had long given up trying to shake him of his manspreading habit, so you eventually learned to get used to either sitting on top of Mark or resting your legs on him. He didn't seem to care when you did either of those things, though.

You took a sip of the watermelon vodka cruiser.

"It's room-temperature," you wrinkled your nose in disgust. In reality, the drink was fine despite the temperature, but you and Mark just loved to complain about anything whenever you had the chance.

"You're unbelievably high maintenance, babe. I could offer you the finest old wine aged in a wooden casket and you'd still find something wrong with it."

"The thing wrong with the wine is that you're giving it to me," you sighed, taking another sip. You two continued to exchange remarks as you drank together. After reaching your second cruiser (this one being lemon-lime and also room temperature), you began feeling a little cranky. Whether this was because your body temperature had risen somewhat, or because Mark was enabling your anger by exchanging gripes with you, you didn't know.

"I dunno how you do it, but I'm just done with dating. Everyone sucks and everyone's fake, and there's no point in trying." You told him eventually, your head lazily bowed.

"Awh, don't be like that. There's a good guy out there for 'ya, babe. You just have to be patient sometimes."

"I've been patient, I'm tired of being patient!" You whined, poking his arm. "I want someone now! I want someone to materialise right in front of me right now."

"...I don't think that's possible," Mark sighed, leaning back on the couch and turning his head towards you. "They gotta walk through the door first."

"...right...yeah, the door. Maybe if I just..." you turned to the door and sharpened your gaze. "If I manifest it, someone will appear at the door."

Mark watched you for a moment, before putting down his bottle and standing up. Your eyebrows furrowed as you watched him approach the door you were staring at, before he turned back to you with a smirk.

"Behold. You did it."

You chuckled. "Get back over here, dumbass." Mark obliged and threw himself back onto the couch. "You're an idiot."

"I'm your favourite idiot, baby." Mark drawled, smiling at you. "You know you love me."

"Agh. C'mere..." you reached out your arms towards him as he scooted closer towards you. Once he was sitting leg to leg with you, you grabbed his collar and pulled him in for a kiss.

You had actually kissed Mark before a couple times, either as a dare, a joke or because there were times when a makeout session with the only other person willing to do it was a lot cheaper than therapy. This was nothing new, but you hadn't been influenced by alcohol before. His lips, and his whole body felt warm.

Mark's arms wrapped around your waist as he slipped his tongue into your mouth. He tasted like alcohol and mint- it permeated through your mouth as both of your tongues met once again. You were both too out of it to consider what either of you were necessarily doing, until Mark squeezed your hand in his and you broke the kiss.

"No, Mark. I know you just wanna fuck me," you rolled your eyes, pushing him off you. "You're a good guy, but I want an actual boyfriend."

"And what makes you think I wouldn't be the best boyfriend?"

"'Cause you don't like me like that! And you're a horny piece of shit, too. You couldn't stay faithful to save your life." You waved your arm dismissively. Mark gasped.

"Absolutely none of that is true," he countered defensively. "I would be the best boyfriend you've ever had. You'd be lucky to have me."

"Yeah, right," you scoffed, before letting out a small cough. "Wait- hold on a second."

"What?"

"You just said nothing I said was true, but I said that you didn't like me," you straightened and placed your bottle down on the coffee table in front of the couch. "What's that all about, huh?"

Mark didn't say anything. He just cast his emerald eyes towards you blankly and took another sip of his whiskey. You tilted your head as you waited for him to reply, but he just stayed silent. Though the air was a little tense, you felt almost as if Mark found the whole ordeal amusing.

"Mark?"

"...yes, dear?"

"Stop! Do you actually like me or are you just fucking with me?" You stood up. "You'd better not be fucking with me or I'll actually kill you. Huck and Tom have NOTHING on me."

"Don't bring them into this! Okay, fine." He dramatically exhaled, then leaned forward. "I like you."

You weren't actually expecting him to relent so fast. Caught off guard, you blinked and placed your hand over your mouth.

"...what?!"

"Oh, so you demand that I admit that I like you and then when I do it's a bad thing? I see how it is." Mark leaned back again and folded his arms, crossing his legs sassily. You stared at him incredulously, before slowly taking a seat beside him once more.

"...you're being serious, right?"

"Yes! Aren't you?"

"If you liked me this whole time then why are you such a manwhore?!" You quizzed accusingly. "You're always out and about. If you liked me, why didn't you pursue me?"

"Because how the hell was I supposed to know you liked me back?" Mark retorted. "Y/N, baby, I don't know if you know this, but I'm not actually that receptive! I thought you weren't into me, so I decided I should try to get over it. But it hasn't worked, obviously!"

"Then why'd you keep trying?"

"Because I really wanted it to work!" Mark argued, before his eyebrows knitted together. "Wait. Why are we mad about this? Isn't this, like...a good thing?"

"...I guess, yeah," you muttered. "But if it weren't for you this could have happened way sooner."

"If it weren't for me?" His eyes widened. "Go ahead and blame me, why don't you?"

"Well it's your fault, you should have said something!"

"Why didn't you say anything?"

The two of you continued bickering for a couple minutes, hurling childish insults at one another. You were sure that somewhere in Mark's building you were disrupting somebody's evening, and they were probably thinking that you two sounded like an old married couple. Ironically, you were a freshly-formed couple, but that didn't negate the point.

You didn't argue for too long, stopping after you said something like "Fuck you!" and Mark replied something like "Fuck me yourself!" and you both paused for a minute, seemingly both equally surprised by the statement.

"...uh, well- we're both kinda drunk right now. And very emotionally volatile," Mark noted. "I can't, in good conscience, have sex with you right now."

"Oh, but when it comes to any old random you find in a bar it's all good?" You frowned. Mark irritably threw his hands up.

"It's different with you. When we bang I want it to be...I don't know, nice."

"A nice, elegant bang..." you laughed to yourself. "Good choice of words."

"Shut up. You know what I'm trying to say," Mark's cheeks were pink. He was still very much self-reassured, but somehow he also looked a little shy. You'd never seen Mark look anything less than confident before.

"Yeah, I'm just fucking with you," you said. "I appreciate it."

"...good. You should."

"Okay, screw you, then."

"Screw me?"

And there you two were, right back at it. Arguing like a freshly-formed couple.

wow. i really like writing confession oneshots huh? it should be known that when it comes to alcohol i don't know anything. i had to turn to my best friend for their expertise on drinks and so i'm giving them a creative credit here. also don't ask why i made mark like this. he's like a fifties gangster fuckboy for some reason but honestly i kinda love that for him.

[warsamongthestars]

I'm working on the full set, because I want to do this step by step. So any analysis here is just a small cut of stuff I'm working on in the background.

But there comes a certain point in a user's life where they're so overcome with unbelievable simmering rage, that they have to post upon the internet about it. Because that is what you do, when you are overcome with simmering rage, and a laptop has decided to nest nearby, on its natural habitat--a desk, and it hasn't flapped south for the winter yet.

The biggest failing of the TBBshow, but the greatest strength in TCWshow, when it comes to the Bad Batch, is the Character dynamics.

Its how the characters interact. How they balance, contrast and parallel; both visually, aesthetically, ability-wise, personality wise, and relationship wise.

For example; visually--you've got Tech's professional slicked back hair and sciencey get up, to Hunter's rough and wild and unkempt everything.

Personality example--Crosshair's pride and surety in all things and unshakeable quiet confidence, next to Wrecker's excitability, anxiety, and wears-his-heart-on-his-pauldron.

Aesthetically? Tech's rather unique and fanciful armor (its bright white, its not vacuum capable thanks to where his goggles are at) to Crosshair's more severe, job specific armor (His helmet does not have red paint to avoid catching attention to it as he's a sniper, has a rather painful rod on his shoulder for a mount).

And that's just contrasts.

The Bad Batch are unique in the clone army, because they have their own space that nobody messes with. The Havoc Marauder. And its both their base and their home.

They have their own unique armor, tailored to their strengths, and no other clone has that.

In a way, they're both the outcasts for not being standard clones, but also the Brats of the army for having things that other clones don't--and kinda rubbing it in people's faces.

( What, you think Crosshair was the only one? He's just the one that's loud about it, check the other's behavior. )

So you can imagine why my little coal-fire in my chest, is simmering slowly to a blaze, when I see things that say "Oh the BBs lost their ship and left behind their armor as a symbol for moving on--"

Folks, last I checked, I didn't need to blow up my childhood house and burn all my important things, to move on from childhood. Or from any stage in my life, for that matter.

I certainly didn't need to abandon all my favorite, still fitting, cloths. Especially if they were designed to emphasize my strengths.

Or perhaps, I see things like "But now they can choose what they want to be--"

I'm gonna give you a secret, they've already been doing that. Go back to TCWshow, they have been doing that since the beginning--literally nothing changed expect there's a kid, and an empire.

No.

What it was, was the total decimation of character dynamics.

Because The TCWshow's BB's greatest strength was their strength of character, and the foils and contrasts and interactions, between those four characters. That's what I saw in TCWshow, that's what I came to TBBshow to see.

I wanted to see more. I wanted to see how these characters would interact on their own, to a greater galaxy. Its basically just four dudes doing shenanigans, and that's not hard to write.

And in TBB episode 1, and for 2 years afterwards, they kept Crosshair removed and we never saw those dynamics again. They killed Tech, and then those dynamics were impossible to ever seen on screen again.

It spent 3 years, very much destroying something beautiful they had. I spent 2 years in painful hope, that they would get back those dynamics, and frankly I feel strung along. It isn't just Tech's not-revival, its All of The Show. It started with Crosshair, and it never Ended.

That, has been my biggest issue. There is no "Oh they can move on now"--They could've just up and abandoned the Republic at any time, y'know, they're a special operations unit with their own ship and their own abilities and their own armor, and they could've easily just taken off and done whatever they wanted.

And you can't tell me anyone would go after them, because nobody knew who the hell they were. Even in the cut-content from the Old TCWshow BB story, nobody still knew who they were expect Cody and maybe a small reputation.

If Gregor, a full on Commando, can just up and vanish as a dish washer for a while, so can the super special awesome squad.

There is no metaphor here, we were straight up robbed, and the heist started at episode 1.

[lukascout]

Guess I'm The New Scout!

Story 1: Gunpowder

Today's an interesting day in Dustbowl, as the RED's newest recruit is currently being shown the ropes of combat. But this little chicken has never been on a farm quite like this. In fact, he seems to be shaking in boots that might be a bit too big for his feet.

The newbie was a short, chubby man that definitely needed a bit of sun but he would have to do for now. He tried to make himself scarce behind his long side swept bangs as training was going… abysmal. For starters, he could barely hold a gun without feeling like passing out and his aim left a lot to be desired. But hey, he'll learn on the job, right?

The makeshift target, a sheet of scrap plywood complete with a man shaped outline painted on it, stood freely between a set of minecart tracks and a dirt wall. Soldier stood at attention off to the side of the target, watching the newbie try to steady himself. His patience was starting to falter as the side of his mouth occasionally twitched into a snarl. Sniper stood right behind the still trembling recruit, trying his best not to cringe at the scene before him. Luckily, his aviators made it easy to hide his expressions. But he didn't want to be surly with the lad; Soldier's punishing him over every little thing already.

The newbie stared into the faceless figure of the target, his finger trembling on the trigger. To make matters worse? He could swear that it was mocking him…

Can't even kill a man, eh? Look at you! You're not gonna make it in this job… Doesn't seem like a good fit for a coward like you! HA!

Who does that faceless creep think they are? If this was their idea of encouragement, then that bastard’s got another thing coming. The newbie gritted his teeth and glared daggers into the target. Ready, aim, and-

“HARTMAN!” Soldier's booming voice made the newbie called Hartman jump and fire the gun, not at the target but off to the side. Hartman tensed as he looked at the fresh bullet holes in the dirt wall next to Soldier. He didn't move from his spot; but he now wore an even bigger scowl. Once he realized nobody was hurt he caught his breath, slouching as he let the air escape from his body.

“Ch-Christ…”

“Told you not to stand there, ya star-spangled sod!” Hartman snicker-snorted at the Sniper's way with words. This earned a glare from the Soldier, who then jabbed a finger in the direction of the target. “No more monkey business! Aim for the target! In battle you'd be dead ten times over by now!”

Hartman slumped his shoulders as he let out a deep sigh. Sniper noticed a hot red washing across his face. No way was he going to let the lad beat himself up over this; he himself didn't become #1 Sniper in a day.

“You're alright, lad.” Sniper attempted to reassure him with an hesitant shrug.

Hartman glanced up at Sniper with wide eyes that seemed to glitter a bit. If he had a tail it’d be wagging like crazy. It was relieving to know that not everyone was going to constantly be on his case for his “insubordination”, as the Soldier would call it. He gave Sniper a confident nod and a low, cheerful “wan!”. He steadied his aim and replaced his finger on the trigger. The anxiety rose but he drank it down with a dry swallow.

Keep your back straight… Firmly grasp the handle… No hesitation-

“FIRE!”

Hartman froze, holding the Scattergun tightly in frustration of being rushed. He always hated that, especially in his formative years. At least he's old enough to talk back to people now. Well, at least, only when things were clearly unfair.

“I-I can't focus with you yelling at me!” Hartman piped up.

Nope, Soldier's definitely not taking that sass. Especially from some runaway newbie.

“You ran away from home, now lie in your new bed, Hartman!”

“Y-You're an ass!”

Sniper put an arm between the two men before things got ugly. “Oi! Ease the kid into this!”

Before Hartman could thank the Sniper for sticking up for him, he heard a wheezing laughter.

“Oh, I'm sorry. Am I too hard on your new pet?”

What the actual hell is this guy's issue?

The Sniper glared at his teammate and let out a growling sigh. “My point is: You're not gonna get far with him like this. Let me take over.”

Soldier growled as Sniper took over as the trainer for the newbie. Hartman slowly but steadily improved after that. He even seemed to overcome his shyness over the course of the training session.

Above the sunken cart tracks, two other men observed the new recruit. The larger of the two men sighed into his hand and shook his head.

“Oi… New Scout has long way to go… What does Doktor think? …Doktor?”

The man next to him was simply just staring at the new recruit with a look of… well, hard to say for sure.

“For ze first time, I am speechless.”

[lichenstone]

ok it took me a min to get around to this because of moving and getting sick and whatever. Anyway I might be doing more of these because one (1) person asked me to (@icedcancer thanks for enabling me) Anyway

I'm gonna talk about Usopp now because I love him and his character growth is 🤌, and I'm probably going to talk about Nami next because they have some similarities I want to touch on. (Once again spoilers for a series 2+ decades old)

Usopp as a character is very interesting to me. He's a bit (a lot) of a coward despite his lofty ambitions, and he lies and makes up stories about his grand exploits to compensate. Very easy comedic relief material right there. This is established in his introductory arc, while at the same time kind of subverted in a way that adds more depth to his character. Instead of just being pure comedic relief with no other abilities or qualites that contribute to the story, action, or character relationships, Usopp is actually a pretty damn talented guy.

Just from the first saga of the series (East Blue), Usopp is shown through various means to be not only a storyteller but also an excellent sniper, gardener, artist, and inventor. In later arcs he's shown to be a steadfast friend, even when it'd be easier for him to just cut his losses and run. This happens most notably pre-timeskip in Little Garden, Alabasta, Skypeia, and Water 7/Enies Lobby. He's a relatively level-headed dude when faced with obstacles and is a fairly logical person, at least until things get dangerous. He's also a very proud and simultaneously deeply insecure person, which can end up causing problems for himself and sometimes his crew, often digging himself into holes he can't easily escape from with his posturing. This is most notably seen in Water 7, when he challenges (and very nearly beats, I will die on this hill) Luffy to a fight for the Merry and temporarily leaves the crew because of it.

All of these traits are also relevant to Usopp's dream: to become a brave warrior of the sea. Unlike most of the other Strawhats' goals, this one is fairly nebulous and speaks to more of a personal journey than a specific endpoint. This is kind of acknowledged from the get-go with Usopp aware of his own cowardice and need for growth before his dream can become a reality. He's not very confident in himself, despite his skill, and this comes to a head during Water 7 when he begins to outwardly think of himself as a burden to his friends. He feels stifled by his own need for help and lack of physical strength; which coupled with the stress of having to let go of the Merry leads to his leaving the crew. It's obvious during Water 7 that Usopp sees the end of their time with the Merry because she can no longer safely operate as analogous to a potential future for his own place in the crew. He is worried that the gap between his ability and the rest of the crew will widen to a point that Usopp will be seen as an active hindrance and need to be left behind. He works through a lot of this with Franky and a bit with Robin at the end of Water 7 moving in to Ennies Lobby, but it was still important to see because it sets the tone for his later characterization and growth.

There's a consistent theme to Usopp's character that contributes to a lot of his motivations that I actually see in common with the Green Lanterns from the DC universe. That is: the opposite of fear is bravery yes, but bravery is not the absence of fear. Bravery comes from the willpower to be afraid and keep going anyway. Usopp is a coward, but he's also one of the bravest characters in the show because he keeps doing things scared. Fighting Arlong's crew, helping Vivi save Alabasta, standing up to Enel on his own damn turf, infiltrating a marine base, leaving his crew for the sake of his pride and dedication, declaring war on the World Government, he does it all terrified but he still does it. After Water 7 and his discussion with Franky, Usopp resolves to not only trust more in his friends and their loyalty to him, but also to become more of a person that they can rely on. He isn't as worried about being left behind but he still wants to be able to support his friends, and I think that's beautiful.

I'm really excited to see more of Usopp's journey and his character bc I love it so much. :,)