#SIX SEASONS OF HATE AND FIGHT NOW IS TIME FOR KISS AND MAKE UP

[punkiexist]

samtory nation how we feeling with this??

really i just want them to be friends because at this point there's no hope for us gays, but there's hope for friendship

aLSO!!! they ""fight"" scene looking like a break up, who hurt you girls?? you on the same team now forget the past please

[i-like-writing-stuff]

the other five [ five hargreeves x reader ]

request: Hello! This is my first time desperately requesting a fic because the new season is SO bad 😭 Can you write a fic where the reader finds out about everything that happened between Five & Lila and then she gets taken away by one of the Fives at the deli and promising her that he’ll treat her better than OG Five (You can also add a part where OG Five finds out about this and lives to regret it)

a/n: AU where everything in that trash season was the same, except when five made the first jump in s1 he made it in his 32 yr old body bc i will not have y/n pull a zach justice (lmao)

even if lila did 😭😭

anyways basically everyone is the same age

i like to think of the five that comforts y/n as the five that explained everything to five in the last episode because that one literally felt like the five we were supposed to get, the five that was there all the first three seasons

sorry i cant stop trashing this season you guys 😭 i’m just so disappointed

summary: after breaking up with five, you make up with… well, five

part two

“Leave me alone, Five!” You yelled in despair, pushing the man before you away, “Actually, first take me back home, you psycho! I have nothing to say to you!”

“Y/N, please, just hear me out!” Five tried to reason with you, as if anything he would say could make your heart glue itself back.

You were standing in the subway station after Five had blinked himself and you away from the family- or what was left of it, watching him at loss of words. You didn’t recognize the man before your eyes, as much as you tried. You didn’t even have time to gather all your thoughts since there was yet another impending apocalypse on its way, so your mind was completely all over the place.

Five Hargreeves was not the same Five Hargreeves you fell in love with all those years ago. He was not the same man who had stolen your heart and made you feel like you were the most precious person in the world. He wasn’t your partner anymore, he wasn’t your lover. Your boyfriend wasn’t there. You looked at this person and there was a stranger, acting as if he was the same who had hugged you, held your hand, kissed you all those many times. You were questioning everything about him now.

“Take me back!” You yelled again, ignoring his same pleas, curling your hand in a fist, “I’m this fucking close to making you ash!”

As your pure anger got the best of you, you were ready to let your powers take over for a second. Obviously you weren’t actually going to hurt him, no matter how much you wanted him to feel your pain, at least physically.

You met him six years ago, during the first time you tried to stop the apocalypse. You were also one of the extraordinary kids, but luckily enough, Reginald Hargreeves didn’t manage to adopt you- more so, purchase you. You only met Five not long after he managed to time travel back to his family in 2019 after spending all those decades by himself. Before you knew it, you were dragged into the Hargreeves family and your relationship soon after developed.

Your six year relationship that was so merry a few hours ago. Now it was crumbled, trashed.

What hurt was that it was six years only to you. Five managed to block himself seven years away from you, only in the presence of Lila.

“This is so fucking stupid,” You scoffed, fighting back the tears in your eyes, “It’s fucking over! Do you want me to spell it out for you?!”

“I want you to listen!” Five didn’t give up on arguing, “I thought I’d never see you again!”

“You didn’t want to see me again!” You screamed, wailing your hands in the air, “Fucking save it- It’s over! I don’t want to ever see you again if we survive this apocalypse! You ruined our relationship, you ruined your brother’s marriage, family! For fucking Lila!”

You hated him absolutely. The mere thought of his infidelity, of the nerve to act as if he still loved you, it was all despicable.

You grew to love all of your boyfriend’s siblings, and also your nieces and nephews, even if you and Five were not yet married. You planned to be a part of the family officially, but still wanted to focus on your careers, you wanted to adjust yourself to your old life, back to your origins.

“Y/N, please!” He tried to step, towards you, but you started stepping away.

Thoughtlessly, because of all your anger, you just walked towards the first train approaching you, fully intending to be away from him at whatever cost.

“If you don’t want to take me back, I’ll fucking find my own way!” You hopped onto the train, watching as he tried to catch up with you.

But he was too late.

In hindsight, maybe it was not the smartest idea, but you were just so devastated nothing made sense to you anymore. You spent the past six years thinking that you are set for the rest of your life, now that the world wasn’t ending anymore. You reconnected with your family, you built a career for yourself and were living happily with Five, you had literally just finished settling yourself in the new house you bought together. You couldn’t understand how he could do this to you.

You couldn’t understand how Lila could betray your friendship either, especially Diego and their kids.

You tried to make it make sense, be reasonable- it was only a few hours to you, but they were lost in this subway system for seven years.

But then again, Five was lost in the future 45 years by himself and he didn’t give up on trying to return to his family once.

Now he did, he gave up on trying to return to you.

That’s definitely another aspect that stung.

“Fucking piece of shit,” You mumbled, as the train approached its first station, “How do I fucking get out of here?”

You stumbled out of the sub, taking in your surroundings. It was yet another crumbled down station, but if you were to be at least a tiny bit fair, it was maybe a bit better kept. You looked around curiously, trying to figure out where to go from now on. Your fire-based superpowers were totally useless in this situation, so you hated to admit that you were in a bit of a pickle.

You rolled your eyes, as Five rounded the corner and stopped in his tracks, watching you with widened eyes.

“You again?” You sighed angrily, “Take me back or get out of my sight, Five.”

Five raised his brows, putting his hands in his pockets curiously. He didn’t say a word yet, as a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He slowly stepped towards you, not taking his eyes off you once. For a split second, you stopped as well, sending that something was up.

You took in his features, trying to make sense of what was going on, realizing that he didn’t have a coat on him. He was wearing the exact three piece suit an black tie, he was wearing the same silver watch on his left hand, but he didn’t have his coat on.

“Y/N,” He smiled, stopping in front of you, “I never thought I’d see you again, more so here.”

“What the fuck is going on?” You calmly asked, over-analyzing the man before you.

His smile didn’t drop. It was a genuine one, a smile you hadn’t seen in a while. Things between you and Five were okay a few hours ago, but he hadn’t watched you with this look since you first met. His eyes were sincere, taking in every single feature of yours, traveling all over your body.

“I take it your Five danced the devil’s tango with Lila,” He sighed deeply, raising a hand to gently brush away your tears.

When did you even start crying?

Your mind was scrambled all over the place, but at that exact moment you couldn’t say another word. You just melted into his touch, feeling warmth. It really hadn’t been that long since Five touched you, but this touch felt different. His hand rested on your cheek, as his thumb caressed you lightly. His touch was so intoxicatingly sweet, sending shivers down your spine.

“I’m so sorry I’m a literal shitface in some other timelines,” He lightly shook his head, “I’m so sorry.”

“What is going on?” You asked once again, calmer this time.

For whatever reason, you relaxed in an instant. You couldn’t tell if it was because of his gentle touch or simply his presence. Ironic, since just ten minutes ago you were ready to set him on fire.

“Come with me, my love,” Five said, grabbing your hand in his, “I’ll explain everything.”

You didn’t fight his touch, locking your fingers with his. None of you said a word, as you watched you hands fit so perfectly in one another. How could your relationship be over when you were so good together?

You followed Five through the subway station, rounding the same corner he appeared from. You watched as he turned his head to give you a reassuring smile, lightly squeezing your hand in comfort.

After a few more steps and going down a couple of stairs, you widened your eyes seeing a literal deli tucked away in this godforsaken out of order subway system. The headlights above the front entrance were lit up, writing Max’s Delicatessen. You saw inside a huddle of people as you entered, gathering everyone’s attention.

When they all turned to look at you, you literally couldn’t tell whether you or the huddle of people was more shocked.

They were all Fives.

There was music playing inside, as the deli was full of different versions of your boyfriend, whether they were customers sitting at the tables, drinking coffee or having a meal, reading the newspaper or having a chat. There were also other Fives working around, waiting tables or cooking in the back.

Nonetheless, they all stopped to look at you.

“Yeah, yeah, Y/N is here, carry on, you guys,” The Five that was holding your hand waved the others off with his free hand, “She needs a moment, stop being creeps.”

“I can’t tell if this is a dream come true or my worst nightmare,” You said, looking around the deli, as Five guided you towards an empty booth.

You sat down as the other picked up again whatever they were doing, still watching you with the corner of their eyes. Five took a seat in front of you, still holding onto your hand on top of the table, using his other hand to rub small circles on your skin.

“I am not the Five that dragged you here, in case you didn’t tell yet,” Five managed to say, “But I’m pretty sure that you did, since I know you’re smarter than he gives you credit for.”

“He did mention that this subway system is the knot to multiple timelines,” You sighed, as Waiter Five set down two cups of steaming coffee on the table.

You watched him curiously, as he looked yet again exactly like Five, wearing just a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, with a black tie, pantsuit pants and a server apron around the waist. He smiled at you warmly, setting down two small packs of sugar and a creamer.

“I’m sorry, my love, we don’t have any Irish Capuccinos around here, since you’re the first Y/N to set foot in here,” He apologetically smiled, “I can only get you a shot of whiskey, if you’d like.”

Of course they all knew your favorite coffee.

“Make it a bottle,” You said, cracking a smile for the first time, causing him to chuckle, before walking away to attend to your order.

“I can’t begin to explain how much I missed your smile, darling,” The Five before you said, as you turned back to him, “The Handler got to the Y/N in my timeline,” He added, as sadness took over his eyes, “I missed you so much.”

“I can’t understand how you’re the same Five that fell in love with Lila,” You said, before quickly adding, “I mean- technically, you’re not, but still.”

“Everyone around here is a different version of me, from a different timeline,” He said, “I’m one of the many that didn’t go down that road.”

“Thank you, I guess,” You laughed, making him smile again.

What a sweet smile it was.

“When I lost you, I was a total wreck,” He confessed, as you couldn’t help but place your other hand on top of his, “I love you so much, Y/N, I could never hurt you like that no matter what. This is all such a fucked up turn of events, but when I saw you coming out of that train, my mind froze.”

“I love you too, Five,” You said, “But I need to wrap my head around what is going on- Everything is insane, I mean I’m right now in the middle of yet another apocalypse, I just found out that you love Lila and there’s just so fucking many of you.”

“I know, my love, I know,” Five nodded, “I wouldn’t dare to ask you accept everything so fast, I know it’s a lot to take in.”

“Can you just… hold me?” You asked, watching as he didn’t waste another second and got up to slide ne t yo you in the booth.

Wrapping one arm around your shoulders to pull you into his chest, he used his other one to caress your hair. You nuzzled your face into his shirt, taking in his scent, as you felt a wave of certitude wash over you. Five held you tightly into his arms, embracing you after years of your absence. He was grateful to have you in his arms once again.

And he was not about to let go anytime soon.

“I’ll always hold you, my love,” Five muttered, peppering small kisses in your hair.

The Five from your timeline watched from behind the window as you took comfort in his arms, but not exactly his arms.

This was only the beginning of his lifelong regret.

[kurosstuff]

could you do 🍯 3 with girl dick lute?

Of course~ decided to do it like the last one in a way? Demon x angel plot♡♡ but it's a different plot is- execution day still though(cause I don't think she'd go to hell for anything else)

Warning(s): demon x angel, unprotected sex, girl dick lute, tail and horns thing, wing stuff? Idk, mating season(both of yours) afab reader, mating. Heat/ruts(mating season) , Lute is MEAN(but also praising you♡)

Didn't say if you wanted fem reader so I did gn reade

Gp! Lute x GN!demon reader

There are a lot of things you hated about hell. One of the biggest things? Was mating season. All demons go through with it- it's a normal thing. Considering sinners now have animal tributes, it's just something you'll have to deal with. No matter what you are- for some it's easier to handle and deal with.

But the beginning of it is the worst. It's like you've never BEEN in one before.

Panting you hid in the abandoned building, looking around, tail curled, tucking nervously. Its like God himself hated you the most. As if waiting to laugh in your face considering its execution day.

And your being hunted.

The flapping of wings nearby made you duck to hide, but you were too late something hit your side, making you fly to the side looking back. You saw her. A executioner staring you down.

Just your fucking luck. It's the leaders second in command. Lute.

"He-hey-" waving backing up, ignoring how she snarled stalking towards you as she found her prey. Her victim. "Been a while, huh lute?' Swallowing the last time you ran into her. You somehow out ran her.

Ever since? Her sights have been on you.

"Yeah. After you humiliated me. A sinner outrunning me? You got lucky" she snarled out swiping her sword to the side the blood on it flhong around.

It was fresh.

And, of course, your big mouth had to just speak. "Yeah, six times, is it?" Cursing yourself for uttering that. How she stopped and stared snarling wings fluttering flapping. You really did it now.

You pissed her off more.

Yelping, you turned rushing off. "NO NO IM SORRY LUTE SHIT-" you screamed out, racing into the first room you could find stumbling into it. A dead end. Seriously? Who the fuck sleeps in a room with no windows? Sighing, you turned barley missed the swipe of the sword from lute as she attempted to kill you.

With her being silent? You knew you really fucked up. Hearing her snarling and..panting? You turned, kicking her back roughly. "Sorry!" You couldn't help but call out as she luckily? Landed on the bed. Turning around she on her back she groaned taking a moment-

Taking the time with her on her back, you pounced on her, holding her down. "Stop! I- I don't wanna fight!" As she squirmed, trying to buck you off, making you whine unaware she's trying to stop you from feeling her shame. Her guilt for feeling like this in this situation.

Gasping finally feeling something poking your thigh smirking, you grind against her waist slowly, making her moan snarling up at you. "y-your mating season is here too?" Whining softly as she grabbed your waist roughly bucking up into your hips, panting heavily

"Yeah~" she whined softly, getting harder at the reveal. "fuck~ you fought me on your mating day? Did you want to get fucked?" She snarled out allowing you to reach up taking her mask off biting her lip kissing you deeply flipping you onto your back

Gasping ypu flushed looking up at her "i- I had to! Had no choice it comes when it wants!" You panted out on instinct, almost submitting to her looking away feeling guilty. By the smirk on her

You knew she saw-

"Guess there's only one thing to do, no?" She purred out, grinding against you, leaning to take her shirt off "we fuck of course. We're both on our mating season? Why not?" She hummed answering for you when you didn't reply "I'm gonna ask you once. Do you want this" She huffed out

Gently rubbing your waist wasn't what you expected from her, but here she was, waiting for you to think ignoring her instincts. "Yes. I... I want this" humming in approval she kissed you leaning back to strip you using her sword - "wha- I- my shirt!" You huffed flushed seeing her roll her eyes

"Take my jacket after. Ok?" Grunting leaning back, pulling her pants down- pulling her hard cock out already leaking pumping herself slowly groaning softly "fuck~" moving close testing rubbing her tip on your entrance smirking

"Wait, wait! You're too big!" You gasped moaning at the sheer length of her- making her hum rubbing herself on your entrance, grinding against you moaning against your neck leaning back "you- will you even fit-?"

"I'll go slow" at first- left unsaid not fully answering- grinding more on you covering her cock in your slick she hummed "it won't hurt slipping in. Your to deep in your heat you'd already pooling of yourself." She Grunting slowly pushing into you moaning loudly "fuck~ your tight~"

"Oh- oh god~" you sobbed out, spreading your legs more, feeling her push in more stretching you fully "too much~" moaning loudly under her tail thumping whining more when she reached gently taking your tail making you gasping loudly slipped under her

"You were just crying for my attention sweetheart~ now your begging me to stop? You sure that's what you want~?" She hummed, moaning, pounding into you, gasping."fuck~ getting even tighter for me~ fucking rutting against me before no~? Now you want me to stop" Leaning back rubbing your tail, watching you squirm more under her gently pinching it making you sob moaning drawing a loud whine

"No~" you begged out, sobbing under her kissing her deeply sobbing out her name, making her smirk pinching your tail, causing you to gasp whining lewdly

"That's my good pet~" she purred, shoving Into you fully moaning loudly eagerly fucking you into the bed panting heavily "thank God there was a bed here no?" Kissing along your neck hearing the purrs mixed with your moans "fuck you like this~? Being fucked by your greater?" She moaned out gasping leaning up pulling you by your horns to show your neck more- forcing you into submission for her "that's a good pet~" panting heavily pounding rougher into you flushed darkly

Whining loudly wrapping your legs around her waist, yanking her deeper into her, fully submitting to her "oh fuck please~ c-claim me~" you sobbed out holding her close watching her wings flap in approval. Puffing in a way to show off- like a dance of sorts "oh please~?"

Humming biting your neck roughly "claim you? You want to be my mate?' She growled out pounding rougher holding the bed- your sobs moaning for her, making her hum "your tail sensitive or something?" Rubbing it making you nod sobbing out

"It- its a courting thing ~ like like- sensitive makes them want to be mated-" You choked out arching your back into her at her unrelenting pace "horns and tails make- make demons horny at the touch If not careful~" flushed at her smirk as she tugged at your tail once more

"Guess I'll take you as mine then, huh? My pet?" Pounding roughly leaning close biting at your neck,"making you my mate~? Mine?" Purring out moaning heavily holding their waist roughly claiming you as hers.

She didn't care for the consequences(she does but she's so lost in her rut to acknowledge it) that she does do it. She bites down roughly "my mate ~ my sinner~" she snarled out her cock twitching deep inside you moaning heavily feeling you tighten around her moaning her name out smirking she hummed "yeah you like that? Like being claimed?" Groaning "fuck~ go ahead cum for me my pet~"

Sobbing our nodding, releasing around her clinging to her feeling her pound deeper shoving fully into you cumming deep inside with a loud moan snarling into your neck claiming you from the inside as well "fuck~" Sobbing out panting heavily rocking up into her feeling yourself gush onto the bed from them "n-need more~" you gasped out sobbing out for her

"Fuck~ yeah?" Pounding into you against groaning, twitching deep inside you,"want more? Fill you up more~?" Kissing you deeply relishing in the moans and cries you let out for her "fuck~ doing so fucking good what a good whore I have huh?" Snarling against your lips wings puffing up expanding fully flapping happily showing off smug

"Yes fuck yes~" you sobbed out moaning arching your back cumming around her cock again sobbing from the overestimating from the unrelenting pounding- the roughness from her "oh please~ please~" Sobbing out loudly

Groaning "this- is this the last time~ go-got to go-" hearing the alarm go off for her to come back snarling loudly pounding roughly into you- shoving fully into you so lost in her rut she couldn't hold back cumming deep inside you once more moaning loudly rocking into you slowly before slowly gently pulling out watching you gush of her. Feeling smug- possessive she properly mated you.

Made you hers.

Humming, she reached up, plucking a feather from her wing, putting it on your chest "wear it. Make it a necklace" putting a claim physically on you. "Accept my mateship by putting it on~?" Purring out kissing you gently moving to get dressed quickly putting her jacket on you rubbing your twitching legs

After a moment, she fled. Flying away without a goodbye(she hoped to see you again) humming, she smiled happily, hopping it all would end well for you both.

-

-

-

But all acts. Have consequences. Mating a demon as an angel? Would have a consequence

[adventuringblind]

Drive With You Forever

Chapter eight: somethings missing

Max Verstappen x Charles Leclerc x Lando Norris x Reader

Chapter summary: the group deals with Daniel and his antics, max and Charles fight for the championship, reader is actively fighting her car.

Warnings: hospitals, drugging, talks of infertility, no consent medical procedures, anxiety, talks of abuse, mentions of depression, sexual innuendo

Notes: this one was hard to write tbh. There was just a lot going on. Also I feel like I’m getting bolder. I blame it on the face I’ve been on A03 a lot the last week.

Previous <-

7.5 <-

Masterlist

Moving day could not come fast enough.

Turns out Daniel is more perverted than they expected. They found him spying on them multiple times.

Mostly just enough for stolen kisses. Once on them doing things when they thought he was gone for the night. Turns out he lied.

That being said, he is a caring friend and made safety the number one concern. None of them posted anything about where they were. Daniel never had anyone over. He checked his locks and windows multiple times before bed just to help them sleep.

It was a relief to finally have their own space again. More space compared to the original apartment. Dating a world champion definitely has its perks.

The security is much better here also. More cameras around the outside. Not being able to come up unless personally invited and cleared with the front desk of the building.

They felt themselves being able to relax. Something they drastically needed before the start of the season.

~

The 2022 season came around fast. Already two races in and redbull was ready to dominate.

Much to Charles misfortune.

They didn't have hard feelings about anything, though. They all celebrated each others highs and consoled in the lows. The rest of the grid wondered how they managed.

Unless, of course, it's Daniel who knows exactly how they manage given the Brit slipped about his phone password and never changed it.

The third race of the season had just concluded. It's her first, Charles second, and Max third. Not exactly sure how she managed to get up there, but she didn't care.

As celebrations ended, she found herself going back to her room to get ready for the press conference. Occasionally, being stopped by fans on her way.

Charles spots her and is jogging in her direction. "Off to get the champagne out of your hair, I assume?"

"Correct. I'm leaving it everywhere else, though, for later." She winks. Her confidence had been getting better lately. The boys doing their best to help her come out of her shell. It also helps when the hate and nasty comments get to much for her. They make sure to stick her back together.

Her and Charles take a corner, and every sound goes underwater. It didn't matter that it had been six years since she'd seen him, her father looked exactly the same as the day she left.

Air left her lungs. Her hands shakily fumble for anything to help hold her up. Grateful that Charles is there to help her stay on her feet.

He's wearing a plain T-shirt and jeans. His face has more wrinkles now. He looks more built than she last remembers, yet he remains the same.

"Chéri? What's wrong?" Charles is scanning over her body and trying to follow her gaze. His eyes land on the figure moving towards them.

Then she's running with Charles in tow. The Monegasque is trying to put pieces together, but nothing comes to mind. That wasn't the man who'd given them the box. Was it..? No way. He absolutely refuses to believe her father had managed his way here.

"I need to know what's going on so I can help." He cradles the girls face. Her eyes are distant and moving rapidly to assess her surroundings.

"It's him- need Seb." She pants. Her words mildly slurred from her body's current lack of control.

Charles’ plan to text them is foiled by the figure - her father - now coming around the corner. Heading straight for them at a rapid pace.

Charles knows he's not going to get anywhere fast enough, and he'll just follow anyway. Instead, he takes the girl and tucks her protectively behind him.

Charles feels himself recoil in disgust. The entirety of this man drips unpleasant things. He tries to put up a brave front as he feels the girl behind him shaking like a leaf.

"Do you need something?"

"I actually want a picture, with just y/n if you don't mind." The man's voice is coarse and unpleasant to listen to.

"We're actually on our way to a press conference, but possibly later." Charles smiles unwillingly. Hopefully, playing along with whatever this game is will get him to go away.

Charles is taken off guard when he's shoved abruptly aside. He curses himself for trying to look relaxed, letting himself be moved so easily.

He tries to pull her away by her shoulder. Force her to keep walking until someone can help them. But she's frozen in place. The proximity of her father and his disgusting hands on her biceps makes Charles broil with anger.

Charles makes a move to get in between them, but he's too late.

A hand has left her arm and into his pocket. A blunt needle comes back at her so fast that even as Charles pulls her, it still makes contact. The contents spilling into her.

It is cold and unpleasant, and she hates it. Her father is just laughing as Charles drags her to safety. "You should have come home! Now you'll have to come back.��

Charles tries to hold the needle where it lands until he can pull it out. The awkward angle it entered below her collar bone makes if difficult.

Her body is failing. She wants to blame it on shock, but this feels different. The energy she's gotten good at controlling now surges with a lack of purpose and a heap of vengeance.

Charles can feel her skin heating up as he drags her to the redbull motor home.

He's thankful when he spots Christian and yells out to him. The team principle is volting to his side when he sees the female driver unresponsive.

"What happened?"

"It's a lot to explain. We need to get her somewhere safe, and then I need to find Sébastien." It's a demand and he's thankful Christian can tell he is trying to figure things out.

They successfully get her into her small driver room. Then he's calling Seb and texting their group chat.

When he receives confirmation that they are on their way, he turns his attention to the comically large needle stuck in his lover.

"Somone came at us while we were walking. I tried to pull her out of the way, but it didn't matter. He was too close." Charles is on the brink of tears now and Christian can see it.

The older man does his best to slide the needle out, wrap it in a towel, and throw it away.

Max and Lando come barreling through the door seconds later. Terror hitting both their faces as they set eyes on their sick looking lover.

She's lost color in her face, she's sweating more now then when she races on a blistering hit day, her body temperature is burning, and her eyes are rolling into the back of her head.

Seb also runs through the door and halts in his tracks. "Was it... was it him?"

Charles just shakes his head. Then Christian is yanked outside the room by Seb. The door clicking behind them.

All three of them get to work trying to soothe her. Max starts running a cold shower to bring her body temp down. Charles is patching the hole in her collar bone, and Lando is perched right next to her, talking and running his fingers in patterns despite the burn.

It doesn't matter, though. She isn't waking up.

~

They end up taking her to the hospital. Praying they don't take her away from them if they find something unusual.

She's woken up a few times, but her panic just made the doctors put her back under. They said she was drugged, and they needed to flush her system. Again, they hoped it stayed that way.

The press conference didn't happen. Neither did any other media, for that matter. The paddock was closed down due to the security issue.

Seb had done his best to explain to Christian that her father is a madman and had made threats but now was acting on them. The team principle is now working with security to try and figure out how to keep him away.

The boys left the room in shifts. Usually having to send a runner to go get essential items for survival.

They watched over her with vigor. Trapped in the ICU for three days. Only leaving when they were forced out by the nurses for the night.

Max was the one to greet her when she woke up. His fingers thread through her hair in hopes of keeping her from thrashing and trying to get out.

It worked.

"I feel awful." She rasps. Her throat is dry from lack of use and lack of liquids. She lets Max's piercing value eyes ground her as she gets her bearings. "Why am I-"

"It doesn't matter right now. You're alive, and that's what counts." Max brings her knuckles up to his lips, placing a soft kiss against them.

Now that she's awake, Seb forced the boys to take proper showers and eat a real meal. Claiming that she's going to need them at their best.

Hanna stays with her while they are gone. Something she didn't know would be best until a female doctor came in with unexpected news.

"Have you ever had a menstrual cycle before?" She asks carefully.

The girls eyes dart between Hanna and the doctor. "I'm not sure, actually. I've never bled before if that's what you mean."

The doctor sighed sympatheticly. "While we were running some tests, we did an ultrasound. We wanted to make sure you weren't pregnant, and we needed to also treat the baby just in case. We found that your uterus and ovaries have been removed."

The girl looks at Hanna. The older woman is on the brink of tears. "Thank you." She says. "Can you give us a moment please?"

The doctor nods her head politely then leaves the two alone.

"I'm confused. What does that - Can I not -"

Hanna shakes her head. The only confirmation she needed. Then she's mourning something she didn't even know she lost until now. Something she didn't even know she wanted.

Her father had put her through a lot as a child. She was drugged and unconscious for weeks sometimes.

Another thing he stole from her.

~

Seb is comforting an emotional Hanna when the trio returns. All of them are frantic now. Desperate to get into the room.

Seb stops them before they can get there. "Be gentle with her." Is all he says before letting them in.

She looks like she's not in her body anymore. Like her mind is in another place.

All of them file on around her. Max and Charles are taking the chairs, and Lando slides himself onto the end of the bed with her.

"He took something else." She stared at the wall. Lando touches her arm but gets no reaction. “My reproductive organs are gone.”

Their faces are shocked. Her period isn't something she brought up. They just assumed she's private about it or it's irregular because of everything she's been through. Now, it makes sense. Why she's never run out of hygiene products and why she never complains of cramps in her lower abdomen.

They don't mourn for her, but with her.

"It doesn't change the fact that we love you."

~

Going home felt scary. Like somehow he would be there waiting to snatch her up.

Max is hyper aware of everything. Charles is attempting to hold off any media that wants the story. Lando is dutifully keeping phones away from all of them. Then there's her, sitting, breathing, wondering if she deserves to be here with them still.

The bed is her new home. She spends her days recovering there. Everyone else is bustling about as she waits for the hours to slink by.

Max is the first to drag her out of bed. Well, not drag, more like man handle. He picks her up out of the comically large mattress and tosses her over the laps of the two boys on the couch.

She doesn't protest. Even as Max slides himself under her to join them.

"It's movie night and your turn to pick."

"Didn't I pick last week?"

"... we skipped three weeks to make it your turn again."

The boys shake their heads at Landos' poor excuse. It's a miracle they managed to come out to the world on their own.

They don't end up watching a movie. Instead, they just talk. The four cuddled up on the couch together. The comfortable atmosphere making her nerves settle.

And she thinks that maybe, just maybe, she can make it through.

~

The next race comes around far too quickly. She's not fully recovered, but she knows she wants to race.

Christian takes his time with her. He doesn't know everything, but he knows enough. He made sure to tell her that her health and safety is their number one concern.

She convinces him that she's fine.

The weekend goes smoothly until Q3 of qualifying. The car decides to not stear as she tries to take a corner during a flying lap, sending her straight into the wall.

Nobody understands what happened. She had seen it coming and tried to adjust, but nothing helped. She felt useless.

All these times, she could have prevented these terrible outcomes, and yet it feels as though something is actively working against her.

Her race engineer and Christian are quick to reassue her that it's not her fault. Logically, she knows that. Mentally and emotionally, she keeps blaming herself.

It's almost as if the car is trying to kill her.

The same thing happens on Sunday during the race. The brakes malfunction, and she hits the wall at speed that makes the crowd go quiet.

Thankfully, she's fine. The boys continue their race, knowing she's okay.

The next race is filled with more of the same. All four wheels of the car manage to puncture and leave her stranded along the track. Then, during the race, she struggles to deaccelerate.

It's unsafe, and her team knows it, but she refuses to retire the care. She manages to cross the line in third in a heap of exhaustion. Nobody knows how she managed that one.

The notes have started showing up in random places around Monaco. She feels like she's being watched all the time.

They tried to go out to a party one night just for her to end up with a spiked drink and an unknown male figure trying to take her somewhere else.

The boys were quick to put a stop to that and take her home.

Race after race, it seems as though everything is working against her. She can't help her team or Max in regards to racing. She's left to just watch and celebrate whichever of the two championship contenders comes out on top of each race.

It's high, and it's low, and she is definitely ready for the much needed summer break.

~

Next ->

Tags: @styles-sunflower @purplephantomwolf @boiohboii @reblog-princess-blog @jjsprobablywrong @jayda12 @faithm120601 @eugene-emt-roe @lpab @yaaadii @80sloverry @spongebeck3101 @eviethetheatrefreak @jjsprobablywrong

@chanshintien

[theawkwardanglophile]

Ranking The Rookie's season finales

I tried to be fairly objective, but yeah, that didn't really happen. Oh well, here we go!

6) SEASON 2 (The Hunt): When this first aired, it felt like huge stakes and was so stressful, but now, it just doesn't hit as well. I hate Armstrong was a dirty cop. Nolan was just acting dumb in this ep (shocker, I know). 😂 I didn't like Tim's sudden change of heart to make things work long-distance with Rachel, although we all know how that worked out. So yeah, it goes in last place.

5) SEASON 1 (Free Fall): They definitely weren't going as big with the finales yet, although this is a great Chenford episode, and there was a little cliffhanger with whether Tim would be ok. I wasn't as invested with the show yet when this aired. Tim was still my least fave character at the time, and I almost didn't come back for S2. I'm so glad I did, though!

4) SEASON 6 (Escape Plan): I might feel differently over time ranking it here, but for now, this is where it lands. It was...good, I guess. The truck scene was *chef's kiss*. But SO MANY VILLAINS. I couldn't keep up because every two minutes there was a new name or new character. I still don't know how it ties back to the beginning of S6. 🤷‍♀️ And while I never expected Chenford to get back together here, I'm still sad they're broken up in the first place. The elevator scene was sort of hopeful, but I think we deserved a little bit more.

3) SEASON 4 (Day in the Hole): If it wasn't for the insanely boring Nolan desert plot that went on FOREVER, this one would be higher. Because the Dim & Juicy doppelganger plot was the most delightfully unhinged story they've created, and it was so much fun. And our very first Chenford kiss! That kiss saved my summer that year. I had butterflies for weeks, and was just so giddy.

2) SEASON 3 (Threshold): This is how you do a season finale. I love this ep so much. Lots of high stakes. I loved the flirting scene. And even though I've never been crazy about Lucy being UC, she does an incredible job throughout the ep. I love Tim being Man of Honor and trying to save Angela's wedding. And of course, SAVE ME A DANCE. GEEZ, that scene is everything. 🫠 Then Angela being kidnapped at the end as the cliffhanger. I literally threw a pillow at the tv when this ep ended because those last few minutes were just SO MUCH.

1) SEASON 5 (Under Siege): This one has the highest stakes out of any of the finales, and a huge cliffhanger. So many scary moments for the squad, especially not knowing if Aaron would be ok. Tim and Lucy's hug was beautiful, as all of theirs are, and their fight scene was incredible. "I'm happy it's you at my six." ❤️ This finale just feels the most cohesive, and it works really well.

I'd love to know your rankings, too!

[blue-disco-lights]

One Year as a Beta!

@gallavich-fic-club said Sprinkle Some Joy on our writers this month, so I thought I'd compile all the incredible stories I've had the chance to help beta over the last year! It's been such a great experience and I've loved meeting and working with all of you!

✨ === ✨ Fics Below! ✨ === ✨

🌟 Miss_SnowWhitePink ~ @look-i-love-u

Puppy Love: People say nothing good happens after two a.m. Mickey's life experiences have told him that this rumour is very much true. At least till now - Enter a cute puppy which turns Mickey's life upside down and changes it for the better...

Sirens: Being an EMT during the holiday season is bad enough without having a TV crew watching his every step, so Ian hates everything about his superior`s new project. Including the members of the crew. At least till he sees the guy manning the huge camera as if it weighs nothing and isn't afraid to speak his mind...

🌟  IanGalagher ~ @ian-galagher

Africa: When Ian lands himself an internship with famous wildlife photographer Mickey Milkovich he can't believe his luck. Spending one month traveling through South Africa with his big hero is a dream come true. The two are off on a wild adventure but there's something mysterious about Mickey who seems to be holding more to his chest than just the tricks of the trade Ian had hoped to learn from him.

🌟 Pink_Ink ~ @palepinkgoat

The Ink is a Witness to This: six chapters about the stories tattoos can hold and hide.

🌟 tooschoolforcool95 ~ @too-schoolforcool

Ghosts of a South Side Christmas: After a fight on Christmas Eve, Mickey and Ian spend some time apart. Mickey gets a little hope and learns to be brave while Ian learns more about his crush.

🌟 sam_writes_fics ~ @sam-loves-seb

you make my dreams come true: post-canon: ian and mickey host their first thanksgiving

🌟 sweetbee78 ~ @sweetbee78

The Reunion: ... The ski resort that the reunion is held at looses power, Ian and Mickey are then sharing close quarters. Ian does tell him what had happened after high school; they agree to start over. Mickey finds out Ian was originally planning on hooking up with someone else...

Not So Secret Santa: Ian and Mickey are co-workers and are each other’s Secret Santa. Mickey is a manager at a financial company while Ian is a temp who was hired to work in the call centre.

🌟 NotAWriterButITry

What If?: What if Mickey was released from prison in season 7 instead of escaped? What if Ian found out because he got a call to the Milkovich house and Mickey turned out to be their patient? What if Ian has to choose between his new life with Trevor, or his old life with Mickey?

🌟 commonthugs ~ @stocious

lava java: He's being really unprofessional. Mickey might not even be gay. He might be hitting on a straight man through takeout cups.

🌟 MaySunshine ~ @honeyvanillin

Apple Tart and Salted Caramel: Stoneridge is a small but very picturesque town on the edge of the state. Surrounded by majestic mountains to the north, icy ocean waters to the west and impenetrable forests to the east, it is safely sheltered from tourists and GPS....

All Roads Lead to Rome: This story is about the breath of life with the berry aftertaste of Passito di Pantelleria wine, about the transience of time with lemon notes of magnolia blossoms, about the thrill of first kisses with the cool sweetness of creamy Gelato.

Lead the Way, Jedi: "Me?" the mechanic exhaled, mostly surprised that the Jedi had chosen to entrust him, a throwback from the filthy depths, with his droid buddy. "I'm sure you, proud droid dad, can handle it just fine. It's no big deal."

🌟 Itsuki59 ~ @shinygalaxyperson

Where is my Jell-O?: A conversation about the past makes our boys horny.

On His knees: Day 11 - “Open your mouth.” Ian definitely wants to try the glory hole. (Gallavich Kinktober 2022) Home at last: Day 29 - punishment X “Suck on my fingers and get them nice and wet for me"Ian wants to spend some quality time with his husband (Gallavich Kinktober 2022)

You are Mine: Usually, I don’t care about humans. I hunt them, bite them, kill them and throw them away in some sordid place. But not him. I don’t know what makes Mickey Milkovich so special.

🌟 roseapothecarys ~ @babygirlmickey

Designs on You: At twenty-four, Ian has just moved out of his family home to live on his own for the first time. Working as a paramedic, he’s finally happy, stable, and moving forward with his life. But first, there’s one last remnant of his past self that he needs to let go of: his accidental porn tattoo of his late mother. It’s nothing but a reminder of all the bad decisions he’s made. At his best friend Mandy’s behest, he makes an appointment with her brother who has just opened a tattoo shop nearby. Upon arriving for his consultation, he meets Mickey: intimidating, foul-mouthed, overall living up to the Milkovich name, yet somehow running a clean, professional, and legal business.

[zee-has-commitment-issues]

Alright besties, I have finished the season, and it is time to release my episode notes. I would like to call this my

Season Three Wrapped (Spoilers, duh)

I cried a whopping 25 times this season. I cried the most as Episode Six with 11 times sobbed I mentioned Nilcent a total of 4 times I asked where Walter was 3 times I said "I can't handle this" 12 times

Episode notes below the cut

Episode One:

I cried: three times

-Oh Kristina won’t even look at him.  -Oh she’s sick’ -Well Linda’s fired up.  -“You are a piss person” YES -TAKE HIS MONEY SIMON  -boyfriend time omg  -COZY OMG  -THEY’RE SO CUTE I’M GONNA DIE  -Oh shit they’re just exposing everything damn  -No but I actually hate Linda rn tho  -No but Kristina’s problem is that she needs Erik’s death to mean something and it never will.  -STEDRIKA  -Aw poor Felice is depressed  -FINALLY SOMEONE WANTS TO MODERNIZE THE MONARCHY  -Literally fuck you Linda  -angry Simon FINALLY  -NILCENT  -KISSING IN PUBLIC  -BOYFRIEND. THEY SAID THE WORD BOYFRIEND  -OOH THEY KNEW ABOUT SARA  -FUCKING MARCUS  -PICTURES OF SIMON IN HIS ROOM OMG  -THE HEART STILL ON HIS HAND I’M DYING  -NILS MY BELOVED  -SARA STILL HAS STELLAS SWEATER IM GONNA BE SICK  -NO NOT MICKE STOP NO OMG EW NO  -I love them for having an intervention for her  -HE’S SMILING FINALLY OH MY GOD  -HES TRACING OVER THE TATTOO IM GONNA DIE  -Oh shit  -Oh shit they’re blaming wilhelm  -WHERE THE FUCK IS WALTER?  -THEY X’D ANETTE OH HELL NO  -NOT CLOSING DOWN HOLY SHIT  -my candle just blew out and I don’t think that’s a good thing.  -Why do I feel like it was Nils that came forward? 

Episode 2

I cried: two times

Are they about to have phone sex? 

Oh my god they’re having phone sex 

Jk 

Oh homophobia 

Oh Jesus these reporters keep dragging Wilhelm into this 

Oh damn Kristina is REALLY sick 

And she really doesn’t want to talk to Wille damn 

Farima is more of a mother to Wilhelm than Kristina is 

Stop talking about Simon on the bus I will fight you 

Oh this bitch is racist 

THEY GET TO HIKE 

YES YOU WILL GET TO SLEEP TOGETHER 

I am once again asking where the hell Walter is 

Micke good father arc? Excuse me? 

Okay driving Queen 

Wilhelm get out of choir 

I literally hate this 

NOT A SINGING ARC STOP 

OH THEY’RE MAKING OUT NOW 

I literally can’t tell if I hate this or not. Wilhelm please quit choir everyone is begging you 

Fredrika being so depressed because she doesn’t have a cellphone is peak comedy 

I THINK IT WAS NILS. OH THEY KNEW HE WAS GAY BECAUSE OF HIS INITIATION 

NO NOT NILS CRYING OMG 

Oh my god. Oh my god. 

Damn didn’t think I’d feel bad for August but let the bitch run you know? 

August please don’t electrocute yourself it’s not worth it 

Oh he’s just gonna call Sara never mind 

AUGUST OMG STOP MAKING ME FEEL BAD FOR YOU 

OH THEY’RE GONNA FIGHT 

NO LET THEM FIGHT MORE PLEASE IM BEGGING 

DID SOMEONE SEND HIM CONVERSION CAMP SHIT?! 

I’m gonna murder someone actually 

Praying Simon sends this to Wilhelm and doesn’t post it because I can’t handle him getting into more public debate rn I will combust it is episode two 

Don’t post it Simon don’t post it Simon don’t post it Simon

Well fuck 

I TOLD YOU NOT TO POST IT SIMON 

oh maybe it was ok 

oh no it wasn’t 

Damn 

Well that was short lived. 

I literally can’t handle this rn 

Fuck. 

SAY IT BACK 

THANK GOD 

Simon deserves to stand up to his mom and I love him for it 

I need stedrika to be together instead of just acting like they are 

I love them so much and I love them for trying even though they don’t understand what Felice is going through 

FIRST WALTER SIGHTING 

The big three sharing a tent I’m in heaven 

ROSH AND AYUB SAVE THE PARTY SCENE 

Oh my god Rosh and Stella is real 

OH MY GOD FREDRIKA IS JEALOUS 

OH MY GOOD GOD 

JEALOUS FREDRIKA 

THIS IS SO AWKWARD I’M GONNA DIE 

Oh shit we’re fighting 

Oh fucking hell NO PLEASE NO 

OH THE QUEEN IS REALLY SICK OK 

Episode 3

I cried: two times

Oh damn she’s like… suicidal 

Wilhelm honey you don’t need everything on your shoulders omg 

Oh he looks so small 

STOP I HATE PEOPLE 

I hate Linda the most rn

Wait the year is wrong on their hats isn’t it? 

Never mind.

Oh damn Vincent called out 

Oh damn August called out 

People are gonna call Wilhelm selfish for this but I think it’s totally valid for him to be upset that Simon doesn’t care about his feelings rn I also think it’s valid for Simon to be distracted as he’s thrown into a world he doesn’t understand yet. I think they’re both selfish in this moment. 

WILHELM QUIT CHOIR IM BEGGING YOU 

YES TRICK AUGUST INTO THERAPY I’M BEGGING 

Malte’s ability to shapeshift into this shitbag needs to be studied

Linda begging you to read the room 

Literally fuck these guys leave Wilhelm alone 

Simon cry baby. Do it. Cry. 

YES THANK GOD LET IT OUT 

FUCK NOW IM CRYING 

I LIKE YOU SIMON. I DO. 

WILHELM LIKES YOU. ROSH LIKES YOU. AYUB LIKES YOU 

Simon’s no longer grounded and they’re gonna have sex 

Are they gonna get caught making out by the school inspector because I literally cannot handle that 

LMFAO 

Henry and Walter shut your mouths you’re undoing all your hard fandom work

CAN VINCENT SHUT THE FUCK UP PLEASE 

I love Felice getting to interact with her dad 

Oh I’m sobbing again 

Oh damn I’m nervous 

FELICE I SWEAR IF YOUR THE REASON THIS SCHOOL GETS SHUT DOWN ISTG

Valborg is back, baby! 

Sara’s gonna crash this car 

Augusts gotta a little crazy in his eye lowkey and I don’t like it 

Oh god he went to Micke’s 

MICKE ERIKSSON OF BJÄRSTAD I'M SCREAMING 

August…. Redemption arc??? 

No he made it about himself again never mind 

THEY'RE BAKING OMG 

Stedrika baking gfs

Sara and Felice be acting a little fruity ngl 

No because Micke is kinda slaying this season by being the best parent and I was NOT prepared for that 

WILHELM IN THE CHOIR WILL NEVER FAIL TO SEND ME LIKE BESTIE WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE 

HE'S NOT EVEN PAYING ATTENTION HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING AND HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO SING BESTIE I AM BEGGING YOU TO FIND ANOTHER HOBBY ANY OTHER HOBBY 

SARA’S BACK THINGS ARE GONNA GET WEIRD 

YESSSSS WILHELM’S GONNA FIND ANOTHER HOBBY MAYBE 

aw baby Simon doesn’t enjoy singing anymore 

THEY’RE GONNA FUCK 

OMG THEY’RE GONNA FUCK 

oh the girls are not happy about Sara being back 

Wilmon only stopped for a second they are ON A MISSION 

damn Micke why’d you let her down so soon 

OH DAMN OH DAMN OH THEY'RE ON THEIR KNEES FOR EACH OTHER OK THEN 

OH THIS IS EXPLICIT OH MY GOD 

OH MY GOD OH 

Wilhelm is a top confirmed I guess damn 

WILHELM IS NOT A TOP CONFIRMED I GUESS

If Micke is drunk or high I swear to god 

Ok we’re good I think 

They’re nakey 

Aw a little boy wants his picture. Like I know it’s gonna bite him in the ass later but it’s super cute rn 

HAPPY BABY SIMON 

Literally shut up Vincent stop making me hate you 

And it bit him in the ass 

Fuck. Simon go live at Hillerska I can’t handle this rn 

Episode 4

I cried: three times

FUCK HE’S CRYING ALREADY

I know this isn’t the point but them calling each other boyfriend makes me want to giggle like a child every time because OMG 

oh they’re taking a test and they’re all cheating 

VINCENT SHUT UP 

NO WILHELM NOT THE PRIVILEGE NOT A PUNISHMENT LINE PLEASE THATS YOUR MOTHER’S PLEASE I’M BEGGING YOU 

Simon and Wilhelm both having a crisis about their future because they don’t have a choice is gonna make me hurl I can’t do this 

August around Sara season 3 has Wilhelm around Simon season 1 energy and I can’t 

Oh did something happen to the Queen? Why are they acting like he’s the king right now? 

OH SHE’S SO SICK OMG 

Farima knows how to handle him and and that’s amazing 

Fuck they’re erasing him 

She passed! 

Again Micke is running away with the parent Olympics and that is BAD 

He deleted his accounts 😭

WILHELM STOP THIS NOW. YOU DO REPRESENT QUEER PEOPLE LET IT BE KNOWN JESUS CHRIST 

That poor dude shaved his head for no reason 

Nilcent moment 

HENRY AND WALTER 

I simply love Henry 

August is a good leader and I hate it so much 

WHERE IS ANETTE LILJA BRING HER BACK. 

Vincent, you look ridiculous. Stand up. 

Wilhelm you’re a hypocrite don’t make me mad at you I am BEGGING. 

Stop clapping for him. He doesn’t deserve this. 

DRAG HER ASS SIMON 

Vincent I’m so mad at you but that was kind of a slay 

They really said “we might give up because we don’t have dinner” and that is the most privileged accurate thing that could have happened 

Henry and Walter offering 300 for a half eaten lollipop is SO ME 

August just admitted to being anorexic and no one batted an eye like???! 

VINCENT ADHD CONFIRMED THANK GOD 

Oh shit the boys are fighting 

Henry spent 2500 on a bag of chips I’m CRYING 

“Show your dick for Hillerska” I’M SCREAMING 

FELICE IS YOU GET THIS SCHOOL SHUT DOWN ISTFG 

THEM WAKING UP ON THE FLOOR TOGETHER I’M NOT OK 

THEY DID IT BOYS! SUCCESS 

Nilcent moment 

FUCK Sara I hate you I love you I’m mad at you 

I love Rosh and Ayub and I know they’re trying to be good friends but like… yall gotta support him at some point 

Oh god oh no. Erik did it. Erik did the homophobic initiation. Oh this is gonna break him. Oh god 

No ERIK I TRUSTED YOU ERIK I BELIEVED IN YOU ERIK I WROTE A BOOK ABOUT YOU OMG PLEASE I CAN'T OMG NO ERIK PLEASE ERIK 

But who got beaten up? Who got the boner? Was it Nils? Was it Vincent? WAS IT AUGUST? It had to have been Nils, right? 

Episode 5

I cried: four times

They’re absolutely going to break up this episode. I can feel it. 

Oh he’s having a nightmare right? 

they’re passing notes and no one is ok 

Vincent you can’t be mean and gay and homophobic and racist. I need you to pick a struggle. 

Fredrika gf era 

Don’t be drunk don’t be drunk don’t be drunk don’t be drunk 

Don’t be high don’t be high don’t be high don’t be high 

What the hell is in August's letter I need to know 

I’m literally not okay with the fact that Wilhelm is raising himself right now 

Wilhelm’s idol being crushed in between his fingers and having no one to talk to about it is making me want to kill someone

NO DON'T IGNORE SIMON PLEASE OMG 

Please tell me Wilhelm has chosen another hobby 

NO WILHELM PLEASE FIND ANOTHER HOBBY YOU LITERALLY HATE SINGING 

don’t lie don’t lie 

Wilhelm stop projecting i’m begging 

The music room is homophobic I can’t take this anymore they couldn’t even get off in there like please 

WHAT'S IN THE LETTER 

WHAT'S IN THE LETTER SARA PLEASE 

Micke you were doing so well 

Micke please 

Stop comparing Simon and Felice, Wilhelm it never landed you anywhere good 

WILHELM PURPLE NAILS 

MICKE NO 

MICKE PLEASE YOU WERE DOING SO WELL 

MICKE 

MICKE NO 

Linda literally fuck you you don’t know anything I hate you so much take a break please I used to love you so much I’m going to scream

Simon can’t take care of everyone all the time please give him a break 

HIS PURPLE NAILS I CAN'T 

NO SWEETHEART DON'T TAKE IT OFF NO PLEASE 

Them all dressed as waiters is sending me into orbit 

WILHELM BIRTHDAY SIMON SINGING STOP THIS IS SO CUTE 

SIMON MADE THE SANDWICH THIS SEASON I'M LOSING IT 

August and Wilhelm should not be able to sit in the same car in case of another Erik situation. That is the entire Swedish line of succession in one vehicle. 

Wilhelm got one good dick and suddenly started liking kids 

WILHELM WHY WOULD YOU TALK ABOUT POISON RIGHT NOW 

the breakup is coming I can feel it 

Nilcent moment 

This is the most awkward thing I’ve ever seen in my life I can’t hand this 

HIS BIRTHDAY SONG IS ABOUT A FROG I CAN'T HANDLE THIS 

Sara and August things are weird 

NO NOT A NEW WATCH LET HIM KEEP THE OLD ONE OMG 

I HATE THIS I HATE THIS I HATE THIS 

oh August is chugging wine 

On a chair no less 

What have they done to Felice? No actually what did they do to Felice this season? I’m not okay with it. 

The birthday dinner is so uncomfortable that I actually can’t handle it like I will have to actively skip it every time 

I’m convinced they’re reading fanfic at this point I’m not able to think of any other explanation for some of this 

“Class Bad Boy” is August. Oh god if they only knew 

They call him Agge I hate August but omf that is so cute 

If they get back together and Felice sees it all hell will break loose and I am sure that is what is going to happen 

WHAT'S IN THE LETTER 

August’s letter just made me sob wtf 

OH 

fucking Fredrika 

Fuck Wilhelm stop. Stop sabotaging yourself 

Welp he’s popping off and Simon’s gonna dip 

Oh god

Oh 

Oh my good god 

Oh I can’t handle this 

Simon can’t either 

If Linda is the reason Wilmon breaks up and I will murder someone 

THEY JUST BROKE UP AND THE SHOW ENDED LIKE 

OH MY FUCKING GOD 

Episode 6

I cried: ELEVEN TIMES

No they’re so sad omg 

“It feels like you two are never really over” she’s right 

WILHELM TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS OWN PROBLEMS I CAN'T I’M SO PROUD 

Has that one extra been a 3rd year this whole time? 

Walty moment 

MICKE? 

Not Micke just a car

Sara better be the reason they get back together 

Walter’s outfit slays 

HOLY SHIT HILLERSKA STOPS MID DAY JUST LIKE THAT 

Oh August broke 

The third year trio breaking down together I literally cannot take this I will break 

Rosh and Ayub I need you to take a chill pill 

NO THE BOOK OMG 

POOR ONE OUT FOR HILLERSKA 

August coming clean omg 

Can’t believe Vincent is the voice of reason 

OMG CHESS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A METAPHOR I’M NOT MAKING SHIT UP

Oop library

Panic attack 

HENRY FUCK OFF 

“WE’RE LIKE BROTHERS” OK I'LL FORGIVE YOU HENRY BUT ONLY BECAUSE OF THAT 

HUSFAR DOING SHOTS OMG 

emo Wille is killing me. Like same. 

PLEASE HE ATE THAT 

PARTY PRINCE 

I love Malin being in on it 

PARTY PRINSEN 

FAKE GRASS 

REVOLUTION PLAYING 

August and wille???? 

Understanding 

Oh god I’m not surviving this conversation 

Oh fuck that HURT 

Fruity? 

Not fruity ok 

Yay Sara 

Felice and Sara made me cry

ROSH AND STELLA OMG 

NILS CAME OUT OMG OMG 

VINCENT IS THE BEST ALLY OMG OMG  

SAUGUST BREAKUP OMG 

“YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH THE PERSON YOU BECOME WITH ME” OMFG 

“IT'LL PASS” OMFG SHE SAID THE THING 

The boys’ immediate “we should leave” they’re learning slowly but surely

OH THE LAKE 

IT TAKES A FOOL TO REMAIN SANE OMFG 

I’m shaking 

Oh their breakup is killing me entirely I am sobbing like a child 

THOSE ARE BARE BUTTS OMFG 

STEDRIKA 

Henry and Walter OMFG 

THE LIGHTS 

his song omg 

WE HAD SIMON’S SONG AND NOW WE HAVE WILLE’S SONG AND I LITERALLY CAN’T TAKE THIS RN 

MIN REVOLUTION

SNOWGLOBE IN THE TRASH OH HE’S ABDICATING. OH SHIT HE’S ABDICATING. I DON’T NEED TO SEE THE REST I KNOW HE’S ABDICATING

THEY HAVE LAST NAMES 

WILHELM QUIT CHOIR THANK GOD 

HILLERSKA’S FIGHT IS FAR FROM OVER 

THEY’RE SINGING SIMONS VERSION I CAN'T HANDLE THIS I CAN'T HANDLE THIS I CAN'T HANDLE THIS 

BORIS AND WILLE 

MAMMA OCH PAPPA ÄR HÄR 

KRISTINA APOLOGY 

Nothing was in vain and I never gave up 

I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD SUMMER OMFG 

NEW YORK 

Oh he’s talking about not wanting it 

HE DOESN'T WANT THIS 

SHES GONNA GIVE IT TO AUGUST 

OMG HE'S GONNA DO IT 

Oh August just realized he’s gonna be king 

ALL THAT RUNNING PAYING OFF BABES 

He’s in the backseat 

Felice is in the front 

She didn’t go to new York 

ENDGAME BITCHES 

No I can’t handle a fucking montage rn 

THE FINAL WALL BREAK

[senditcolton]

for your headcanon night: slow mornings with andrei now that he’s in recovery/rehab from knee surgery

oh you know me, i am a sucker for soft, slow mornings. and i think that we are all missing our russian prince drei.

it might have been a little selfish of you to say but you loved waking up next to Andrei every morning

of course, you hated what lead him here. hated that he had to sit out for the rest of the season and watch his team fight for the dream without him.

but every single time you woke up and saw his hair splayed out on the pillow, his long eyelashes against his cheeks, the silver of his necklace a sharp contrast to his warm morning-sun-kissed skin...

yeah, it was selfish. but damn, you couldn't deny that you missed this.

every morning started this way. but each morning was different after you woke up.

sometimes you just watch him sleep, wanting him to get as much rest as he needed after giving his all for the past six months.

sometimes you woke him up with gentle kisses around his face, watching his eyes flutter open and he smiles and kisses you back.

(sometimes those mornings get a little more steamy, making up for lost time - so to speak. but sometimes it just stays like that - lazy kisses, encased in each other's arms.)

sometimes you sneak out of bed and prepare breakfast for the two of you. you always plan it on being breakfast in bed, but sometimes Andrei wakes up while you're in the process and pulls you back into the sheets while the coffee is brewing.

but on those days when Andrei doesn't wake, you go all out, pulling out all the stops. you carry it in on a tray and place it on your bedside table before gently nudging him awake.

and you sneak back under the covers, pressed together as you share the food you've prepared, going full cheesy and feeding each other, laughing.

and you might have added a little bit of champagne into the glasses of orange juice because, why the hell not?

but whatever way the morning starts, you're happy. because you get to spend all day with your best friend. what could be more perfect than that?

[elisysd]

A bold move

Masterlist

Six years after Paris

Ethan and Julia - 30 years old

It had been a disappointing season. For the team, for him, for everyone involved in the project and Ethan was starting to doubt about finally winning a championship. He was thirty now, he knew that even if he had time to think about it, he was closer to retirement than to his start in F1. And without any guarantee of having a car able to win, maybe it was time to consider a change. It was scary to think about a change but at the same time, the situation in Lamborghini was affecting his relationship with Julia. They hadn’t been able to plan the wedding, being both busy in their careers. She was thriving at Ferrari, she was happy there and he was feeling bad to rain on her parade everytime Martin was ending up on a podium and he had a DNF because the car was too unreliable.

The final blow came out after Silverstone, after his engine had decided to set itself on fire and he had to stop in the middle of a curve. He wanted to throw something against the wall so bad. His interviews were quick and he knew he was a bit harsh but frankly he didn’t care. He was done with the car and done with the team. When Christian had gone to him in hopes to talk after he decided to ditch the meeting, he made sure he knew exactly what he was thinking of the team and the management lately. He wanted nothing more but to go to his fiancée who sadly was in a late meeting with Martin.

“I’m sorry about your race, Ethan.” Charles said, coming from behind and startling him.

“Not as sorry as I am. My contract is over at the end of the year. I’m not sure I want to renew it but without any other possibilities, what else can I do?”

He heard Charles sighing and sitting next to him.

“And I feel bad because it starts to weigh on Julia and I’s relationship. I know she says it doesn’t but I’m tired of seeing her not going out to celebrate wins she is part of because she feels like it’s not right for me. I know she says she doesn’t mind, but I do. I want her to allow herself to feel happy.”

“Niels is moving to McLaren next year. It’s not official yet. I’m searching for an experienced driver. You could fit. I know Martin and you don’t always see eye to eye, but I also know how similar you both are in the way you drive. I know your abilities and it saddens me to see them being wasted. I know Lamborghini is your dream but, you could have a place at Ferrari. With a car fighting for championships and wins. You’re my son as much as Julia is my daughter and it pains me to not see you smile at the end of each race. You don’t deserve that. You don’t have to give me an answer now, just know that the offer is there and ready to be discussed whenever you’ll have made up your mind.”

That night he came to the hotel room later than Julia who rushed to him as soon as he went through the door.

“Where were you? I’ve been worried sick. You were not answering your phone.”

“I needed time to think.” he mumbled, kissing her shoulder.

“About what?”

“The future.” he replied, going to the bed to sit, followed by Julia.

“Talk to me…”

“I’m tired, Julia. Tired of pursuing a dream that is only bringing me more disappointment. Tired of feeling like a failure, tired of feeling like an obstacle to your happiness and tired of being a burden.”

“You’re not…”

“I am.”

She didn’t know what to say to make him feel better. She laced her fingers to his as he played with her engagement ring.

“I hate looking at your hand and not seeing a wedding ring around your finger. I hate that we have to postpone the wedding because of me.”

“I understand, Ethan. I don’t blame you. We will find a way, I promise.”

“Your dad told me that Niels was moving elsewhere. He offered me his place.”

When she didn’t say a word, he knew she wasn’t surprised.

“You knew.”

“Niels told me he didn’t want to stay at Ferrari. And I immediately thought of you. I just didn’t know if you would be willing to change, or even if my dad would actually consider you as a right choice. In my head, it seemed like a dream. You there, me as your race engineer… winning together. Like what you dreamed of so long ago but at Ferrari.”

“You would drop Saint-Martin for me?”

“Of course. For you, a thousand times.” she answered, snuggling into his side.

“You said once that dreams changed…. maybe it’s my turn to have a new dream.”

Author's note: Little by little I'm giving you little snippets of what you can expect in the next stories....

Don't hesitate to leave a comment or an ask, as well as reblogging and leaving a like. Besides the fact that I absolutely love to read you, it helps a lot for the story to find its audience. I also have a taglist for this story, so if you want to be added so you never miss a chapter, let me know.

Taglist:

@herondalism @aundercover @musingsbyshreya @karmabyfernando @reengard @mycenterfold @smoooothoperator

[http-byler]

okay listen. I spent like 40 minutes ranting about this to someone who could care less TODAY so I feel like I gotta put it on here too bc at least you guys will care…

Mike was SO outta pocket with that snide little “she didn’t look fine” comment and I think it speaks to all the relationship problems between him & El. and to preface, I am a Mike defender til I die so this doesn’t come from a place of Mike hate/slander. that comment was just so unnecessary and petty in its delivery.

you can tell that it was just him being upset about El lying to him and not about Angela because even Will gives him a look like “wtf are you doing”. everyone else is trying to make El feel better because they know her and they know she needed that reassurance. and I’m not convinced that Mike doesn’t know the gravity of the situation for El. he JUST saw the horrific bullying she’s had to deal with and Will told him that it’s been going on the entire time. so it’s completely hypocritical of him to praise her for humiliating Troy, and even going as far as to break his arm, for bullying Mike & Dustin. why is it okay for her to use violence to stand up to his bullies, but not her own?

he knows the answer and we all know the answer. he’s just upset that she lied to him! because now he’s like, embarrassed and everything he thought he knew just, wasn’t true. his relationship for the past six months has been solely through letter correspondence, and he’s just found out that all of it was fake (or at least, that’s the extreme I think his dramatic ass would take it too). Friends Don’t Lie. that’s one of, if not, the first things he told El about friendships. and yet, in s3 he’s the one to lie to her! so again, were at a stand still because he’s mad at El for something he allows himself to do.

ultimately, what I took away from that comment and their subsequent fight scene is that they love each other, just not the way that they feel like they should.

El’s basis for relationships is based on fantasy. she learned about romantic relationships from tv shows and movies, never learning what a real relationship should be like! Mike’s basis for relationships is his parents’ marriage and his friends’ parents marriage (as well as entertainment media). we can see just how little he knows about relationships throughout s3 when Lucas has to walk him through every single aspect of it, even the concept of an “olive branch”. and honestly, it’s not bad or wrong of them to not have a good level of understanding about romantic relationships! they’re kids! even Lucas and Max, who are established as the couple who does understand romantic relationships, get it wrong sometimes.

because they don’t have a grasp on what makes a romantic relationship work, they end up jeopardizing their platonic relationship as well! because I believe they do love each other, I just think it’s platonic! they’ve been through so much together, and I think a lot of Mike’s feelings that he believes are romantic are actually just a feeling of relief that she’s still there. he watched her “die” and he had to deal with the grief of her death for a year. having her back, that feeling of joy at her being alive and the fear of losing her again, it’s all such strong emotions! emotions one could mistake for romantic feelings. especially in a time where men and women were expected to date and not “just be friends”.

as for El, she might have romantic feelings for Mike. it’s hard to tell sometimes if she really feels the love for him she says she does, or if that’s just her going through the motions of what she has seen portrayed. because in season one, Mike is the one to kiss her, and she is understandably surprised by this (though not upset by it). but then she disappears for a year and in that time she watches movies and shows about romance. they teach her what that kiss means and how she should act with someone she likes romantically. so when they meet again in s2, she leans in as well and this time, she knows what she’s supposed to do. and I don’t doubt that she feels differently about Mike than she does about the rest of the party members. he was the one to take her in and he was kind to her and respected her before the other boys were/did. it makes sense that their relationship is set apart from the rest of the party. but that doesn’t make it inherently romantic.

their fundamental relationship problem stems from not knowing each other. they love each other so much, and they would (they have) risked their lives for each other. But! they don’t really know anything about each other and don’t necessarily share the same interests. El doesn’t know that much about Mike as a person, but she still knows a hell of a lot more about him than he does about her. she doesn’t know that much about herself.

s3 showed us just how much of her life revolves around the men in it (hop, brenner, mike). Max was integral to El’s storyline for an abundance of reasons but the s3 storyline has got to be the most important. she’s the first person to tell her that she is her own person and that she can make her own decisions about who she is. and we’ve seen her smile and laugh a couple times in the show, but that montage was the most fun we’ve seen El have ever in the show. nothing dampens the mood and she’s learning what SHE likes and who SHE is outside of the box she’s been shoved into her whole life. and it’s only for a day. then reality sets back in and she’s sudden thrust into the role of protector again. that silly, happy, pre-teen girl we just saw is gone in a flash. she’s still figuring out who she is and it’s impossible for Mike to know her if she doesn’t know herself.

in the place of knowing each other well, they put each other on this unreachable pedestal that makes them feel inferior in their own relationship. El is “Superman” to Mike. he believes that he’s “just some random nerd” and that he got lucky that he found El. he has no idea how harmful that ideology is to her and to himself. and he hasn’t even really learned his lesson. he put her on a pedestal and was upset when she fell. and yet, he puts her right back up there, expecting a different result. she doesn’t want to be some superhero, she wants to be a normal teenage girl, she wants to be someone outside of the powers she had/has. and she reminds him that she’s not a “superhero”, as least not anymore, but in the Van he expresses the same sentiment to Will because he thinks so highly of her anyway. he bases so much of his self worth on being needed and helpful that his self esteem is practically on the damn floor. it makes it impossible for him to connect with her about insecurities because he feels like his are true and hers aren’t. he IS some random nerd and she’s NOT scary or abnormal.

now El, she sees mike as this, righteous guy who is so good in his heart that he’d never do the things she’s done. she’s put him on a pedestal as well, though it’s not as dramatic as Mike’s. she wants to impress him, make him like her more because he is good. hop is gone and brenner was literally her abuser, all she has now is Mike and she wants his validation. she wants him to believe everything is going great and that she is normal and good and everything she think he is. she doesn’t want to be spiteful or angry or violent or bad. she doesn’t want to be feared. and Mike was the first person to make her feel that way. he’s one of the only people that can still make her feel that way (besides the Byers now probably). so telling him those lies made her feel like she could still be normal. as long as Mike believes it, then maybe it can be true. but eventually, he finds out the truth, and now she’s realized (she thinks) she “doesn’t belong anywhere”.

they don’t feel comfortable enough with each other to show who they really are or express their insecurities. that’s where their relationship really fissures. so unless s5 really reworks the entire foundation of their relationship I just don’t think they can come back from all that. even after Mike’s monologue! because that monologue can still be true as a completely platonic thing. he loves her, and he can’t lose her, he’s not lying! but I don’t think it’s enough to save their relationship.

especially because the things they want from each other can be fulfilled by other people.

Hop is back, all the love and validation she needs can be provided by her family. romantic love isn’t necessarily what she needs, she just needs someone to love her for who she is, and they do.

Will accepts, understands, and loves Mike for all that he is. his good parts and his bad. and Mike feels comfortable with Will too, he seeks him out to talk about his feelings and insecurities.

the things they want so badly in their relationship with each other aren’t being met, and they could get it from other sources. so in conclusion, I believe their relationship is over for good and that Mike is a complex and flawed character who is still learning how to be himself and love himself.

[wqintraining]

NEW X-MEN: THE ANIMATED SERIES - SEASON 2, EPISODE 3

We open on the Xavier Institute in the middle of the night. Dressed in casual clothes, sipping a beer, and with a six-pack at his side, Cyclops is seated on the roof and looking up at the stars. We cannot see his eyes, but we do not need to to know the pain in them. 

"Room for one more?"

With the grace expected of a goddess, Storm floats up to the roof. 

Scott is unsure until Ororo warmly smiles at him. He can't help but smile back at her, and pull out another beer for her. Ororo takes it and sits down next to him. 

The two sip their drinks and stargaze together. 

SCOTT: "I miss her so much."

ORORO: "We all do. We can only hope that, wherever Jean is, whatever she's doing, she's happy."

Another moment of silence. 

SCOTT: "Thank you. For still talking to me."

ORORO: "You did an awful thing. But, unlike someone else, you know it was wrong. It was a mistake, one with grave, unforeseen consequences, but not a mistake I expect you to make again."

Scott's smile widens as he hangs his head and thanks her again. 

ORORO: "We'll get through these dark times the way we always have. As a team. When Jean eventually comes home, your wife and my sister returned to us, our family will be whole again. And then, we need not ever even speak the name, "Emma Frost" again. 

Scott chuckles. He hopes that day comes soon. 

Scott raises up his beer, and Storm clinks hers against it. 

We cut directly to a large home in Mississippi, where Rogue kisses her mother, Irene Adler on the cheek. 

The two are standing in the doorway. Rogue wouldn't look out of place on a runway, while Irene, a blind, frail old woman with gray hair in a bun, glasses to hide her eyes, and a sweet smile on her face, is dressed far more conservatively. 

Rogue says it's been nice spending time with her again, but she really does have to get back to Remy. Irene understands, a wife needs to be with her husband, but asks her to please never be a stranger again. 

ROGUE: "If you can avoid stayin out of any more trouble, that won't be a problem."

Rogue gives her mom one more kiss, before saying she loves her and flying off. 

Irene waves goodbye and shuts the door, only to immediately shift personas, a sneer overtaking her face as she cracks her wrinkly neck. 

Irene puts on her Destiny costume, grabs her sidearm, and dons her helmet, all the while growling about how much she hates Gambit, and how she, for the life of her, cannot understand what Anna-Marie sees in her. 

In the basement, Toad, Blob, Avalanche, and Pyro - the Brotherhood of Evil - are gathered. It's been a while since they were all together, and they're all catching up. Pyro just got out of jail after three years, and is positively itching to burn something again. Avalanche says he should count himself lucky. He was living on Genosha, and only wasn't there when everything went boom because he was getting drinks with Blob. Blob meanwhile has been in therapy. 

PYRO: "You're in therapy, mate?"

BLOB: "Mmhmm. You should consider it too, Pyro. For a Flatscan, Dr. Garrison is the best."

Toad laughs at this. 

TOAD: "Well, while you've been talking about your fee fees, I totally banged Husk!"

PYRO: "The X-Men girlie?"

AVALANCHE: "Isn't she a kid?"

TOAD: "She's 19!"

The other three exchange glances. 

AVALANCHE: "Oh. Well then I just don't believe you."

As Toad shouts back, he's quickly silenced as Destiny comes downstairs, the boys all terrified of her mere presence. 

Now that Rogue is gone, they can get down to business. Her wife has been in SHIELD custody for months now, and she refuses to tolerate that any longer. The four of them are to break into the prison she's being held in and bust her out. 

Blob wants Mystique free as much as they do, but he raises the obvious question: won't the X-Men come to stop them?

TOAD: "Eh, he's got a point, boss. You see who's on their team these days? I'm awesome, but I dunno if the rest of these guys are up to fighting them."

Pyro smacks Toad on the back of the head. 

DESTINY: "Yes, on your own, there is no future I see where you can succeed. This is why I've enlisted someone else to lead this mission."

AVALANCHE: "And who's…that?"

The Brotherhood all strike looks of disbelief as they glance up the staircase. 

The camera pans up a short, muscular, excessively hairy man in a white tank top and jeans, chomping a cigar. 

LOGAN: "Sup, bubs?"

Back at the school, Cessily and Roxy are hanging out in Bling!’s dorm room. The two are seated on Roxy’s bed, her side of the room decorated with band posters, with instruments all over the place. Cessily has headphones on and is listening to a hip-hop track. She’s clearly enjoying it, bobbing her head along with it. Roxy is happy to just watch her reactions until the song finishes. 

Cessily takes the headphones off and tells Roxy that the song was amazing! Roxy plays it casual and says it’s not perfect yet and her mom and dad are still working out the kinks. 

ROXY: “Aaaand, once they have, I may have talked them into letting you audition in front of them for a spot as a background dancer in the music video.” 

Cessily freaks out with excitement and anxiety. That’s so cool, but also does she really think she can do this? Sofia’s the dancer, not her. Roxy assures her she’s seen Cessily’s cheer routines, and she should be perfect. And if she isn’t, her parents already agreed to let her be an extra no matter what. 

Cessily practically squeals with joy. 

CESSILY: “Roxanne Washington, you are the coolest girl in the world.” 

ROXY: “Girl, I know that already.” 

She smooches Cessily. To her surprise, Cessily suddenly shrinks in her seat, partially literally, as her face falls. Roxy questions what’s wrong, with Cessily explaining that she’s so amazing, and this opportunity is incredible, but…

CESSILY: “What will people say? Won’t everyone hate that there’s a freak in the background? Dancers in music videos are supposed to be hot.” Cessily partially melts onto the floor. “Not sure how *anyone* could look at me and think that.” 

Roxy holds Cessily, not caring one bit that Cessily is mostly goop right now, and tells her that, first off, she’s been starring in her parents’ videos since she was little. Anyone who had a problem with Mutants checked out a long time ago, and they’re still riding high as hip-hop royalty. And as for Cess herself…

ROXY: “You’re stunning. One of a kind. The most beautiful metal in the world.” 

Cessily liqufies even further, but this time with a smile creeping across her face. 

CESSILY: “You mean that?” 

ROXY: “I never lie.” 

Roxy detaches a piece of diamond from herself and sticks it into Cessily, tickling her with it. 

Laughing hysterically uncontrollably, Cessily jovially tells her girlfriend to stop. Roxy only joins in the laughter. 

We cut from Roxy laughing to Roxy shouting, as Bling! and her squad run drills in the Danger Room. The rest of Roxy’s squad consists of Pixie, Match, Indra, Loa, and Network. They are not doing well, with Roxy unable to hit the target circling her with her diamond shards, Loa unable to catch the target she’s supposed to disintegrate through, Match running out of steam before he can finish melting his assigned beam, Indra’s armor form unable to withstand the drone attacks it faces, and Pixie just getting scared of the drones she’s supposed to be fighting and flying headfirst into a wall. 

PIXIE, rubbing her bike helmet on the floor: “Aww, thanks helmet. You’re always there for me.” 

The only member of the squad who’s performing well at all is Network, who’s using her ability to interface with technology to shut down the other tests one by one. 

Above the Danger Room, the kids aren’t the only ones who are frustrated. Scott is on his phone, shouting at the top of his lungs. 

SCOTT: “Your vacation is over, Sunspot! Get back here, now! Northstar says he wants your spot, and I WILL give it to him!” 

Scott hands up and takes a breath as he joins the rest of the teachers present, Hank, who’s squad this is, Iceman, who wanted to come see his oldest friend, and Emma, who was curious to see what Bling! had since she’s spending so much time with her squad now. 

Beast knows it’s not what she was hoping to hear, but, no, Bling! Is, fittingly, quite close to Mercury’s skill level currently, not the rest of her little prodigies. 

BEAST: “Of course, there’s no shame in one’s strength being in the lab.” 

ICEMAN, obnoxiously eating a banana: “Yeah, we wouldn’t be able to do anything without you science dorks.” Bobby swallows. “Good thing to be getting your seat nice and warmed up for her.” 

BEAST, unamused: “Mmhmm.” 

Suddenly, Network is blasted across the Danger Room and into the opposite wall, hitting her head and getting knocked unconscious. 

As everyone freaks out, Scott orders Beast to shut the Danger Room down and tell his kids to stay bacl. He questions what happened, but Beast isn’t sure. Before she ever set foot in the Danger Room, he’d made sure Network’s powers would never trigger any defensive response. 

Scott pinches his forehead. He’s gonna go make sure Sarah is okay, and help calm the others, who are still visibly freaked out downstairs, but he wants Beast to make figuring out what happened and fixing it his top priority. No more kids are getting hurt inside these walls, dammit. 

Beast understands, but Iceman wants to help. He may not understand any of this stuff, but there has to be someway an Omega can be useful. Besides, it’ll give them more of a chance to catch up. 

BEAST: “Oh, that’s really not necessary.” 

ICEMAN: “Come on, I don’t mind, it’s all chill.” 

The others all groan at that. 

EMMA, putting a hand on Scott’s shoulder: “Well, while you boys get to work, I have some new students to greet.” 

SCOTT, swatting Emma’s hand off of him: “New students? I haven’t received any reports about any. Who’s bringing them?” 

EMMA, clearly displeased with Scott’s attitude: “Oh, don’t worry about that. They have their own means of transportation.” 

At an airport, a private jet lands. With a driver and limo waiting for them, attendants seeing to their luggage, and a carpet rolled out, five identical blonde teenage girls, sporting sunglasses, exit their place and enter their car. The limo rolls out and drives across New York City, until arriving at the Xavier Institute. 

The girls get out and step through the school’s gates. As they remove their sunglasses and put them in their purses in unison, their eyes look like they’re all judging the school. 

ESME: “This seems…” 

SOPHIE: “...adequate.” 

As the five strut toward the school itself, the bombshells draw the attention of the students who are presently outside. For one student, however, simply looking at these mysterious new girls isn’t enough, as he rushes up to them. 

DJ, with a cocky shithead smirk on his face: “Hello, ladies! You must be new here. I’m Mark. I basically run this place. Want me to show you around?” 

The girls smile as their eyes glow a familiar shade of blue in unison. 

“Go jump in a well.” 

Mark’s eyes flash blue for just a second. 

DJ, with the dopiest dumbass grin on his face: “OK!” 

DJ runs off to go jump in a well. 

(AUTHOR’S NOTE: DJ was never seen again.) 

As the girls laugh among themselves, they’re greeted by Emma. 

EMMA: “The Stepford Cuckoos. A pleasure to meet you all.” 

Pointing at them one by one, she makes sure she knows who is who. In the center of their arrangement is Sophie, at her sides are Esme and Phoebe, and on the ends are Celeste and Irma. 

Emma notes that, with her now teaching Jean’s telepathy class, she’s gotten a chance to know an obnoxious, arrogant young man who thinks he’s the most powerful telepath of his generation. She hopes that her expectations for these five remarkable, well-bred young women are rightly placef, and they’ll be able to crush his dreams. 

THE CUCKOOS: “We settle for nothing but the best, Ms. Frost.” 

EMMA: “Girls after my own heart.” 

Emma volunteers to show them around and introduce them to her current prized students, but they tell her that won’t be necessary. They’ve already ripped the knowledge of the campus’ layout out of the other students’ heads, and they already have a very good idea of who they want to be friends with. 

Emma pays no mind as they all smile obviously evily. 

In the Danger Room, Beast is going around opening to panels to examine the system’s inner workings. He remarks to himself about how this room has always been such a scientific achievement, always updated to be on the cutting edge of progress. Professor Xavier truly is a genius like no other. He hopes he can live up his standards on its maintenance. 

While Beast says all this, Bobby stands behind him, clearly not paying attention and lost in his own little world. Hank notices. 

HANK: “Bobby, are you even paying attention, or am I speaking to the air?” 

BOBBY: “Sorry, sorry. Yeah, the professor was great…mostly. But come on! I wanna hear about what you’ve been up to, fuzz. Get it? Rhymes with cuz? And you’re fuzzy?” 

Hank pinches his nose and tells Bobby that between teaching and his research, he hasn’t had time to “be up” to anything. Not anything he’d understand at least. 

Bobby questions why it seems like Hank isn’t happy to have him around. Didn’t he miss him? As Hank starts to answer, he presses a series of buttons on a panel, which results in a trap door opening and the two men falling through it. 

In Scott’s office, he’s hard at work as ever when Emma slinks in. She tells him to cancel his non-existent plans for the night, because she got them seats for the grand opening of the hottest new restaurant in the city. Scott flatly tells her he isn’t interested as he continues to type. 

Emma questions if he really wants to do this whole dance AGAIN. She sees how he looks at her, she knows what he thinks about her, and she sure as Hell knows how she made him feel, so what’s the problem? 

Scott doesn’t even respond. 

EMMA: “Oh, is this about poor Jean? Still feeling sorry for how you betrayed her? Genosha’s destruction isn’t the only thing which would have happened without us. The second you rightfully obliterated Stryker, Jean’s fate was already sealed. Cassandra Nova had seen to that. She feels no guilt for what she’s done, not as we do. Unless you wish to tell me that you regret killing Stryker, and that it wasn’t the most freeing moment of your life, then you have nothing to brood over, and no reason to resist what you desire.” 

Scott stands, not changing his expression. 

SCOTT: “This isn’t you, Emma. I’ve gotten to see a different side of you, a side I care for, respect, and am grateful to have around…but this? Chasing after me when I’m not interested? That’s beneath you. So whatever game you’re playing, drop it.” 

Scott heads for his door, only to stop momentarily as Emma responds. 

EMMA: There’s no game. Not currently. I’m just looking for someone to play with.” 

After hesitating for a moment, Scott exits. 

Back in Bling!’s room, with class having gotten out early due to the accident with Network, she’s jamming out on one of her guitars. Across the room, her roommate, Pixie, has puffy, pink-furred, over-sized headphones on, is watching one of Sofia’s makeup tutorials and taking notes, her facorite stuffed animal, Mr. Dogbear, “watching” with her. Pixie’s side of the room is filled with flowers and many other stuffed animals. 

When Roxy takes a quick water break, there are multiple simultaneous knocks on their door. Roxy puts down her guitar and goes to see who it is, opening her door to reveal the Cuckoos all smiling at her. 

ROXY, confused: “Uh, can I help you?” 

SOPHIE: “You’re Roxanne Washington. Daughter of Roy and Angel Washington. I’m Sophie Cuckoo. These are my sisters Phoebe, Esme, Celeste, and Irma. We’re going to be best friends now.” 

ROXY, weirded out: “Riiiiight. Listen, it’s cool you guys are fans but you can’t just do…this. How about you come sit with my friends and I at lunch tomorrow? Sounds good? Good.” 

Roxy starts closing the door, but Esme keeps it open with her high-heel. 

PHOEBE: “We’re going to be famous Mutant pop stars one day. Like Dazzler. It only makes sense we get along.” 

Just as Roxy is started to get freaked out by these girls, Pixie notices what’s going on and flutters over to them, taking her headphones off. She tells the Cuckoos their outfits and hair are really pretty, only for the Cuckoos to flash their eyes blue, and making Pixie’s flash blue for a second. Pixie spins around and, from her perspective, all of her stuffed animals have been mangled and torn apart. 

Pixie screams hysterically as she flies over to them in tears. 

PIXIE: “Mr. Dogbear! Everyone!” 

As the Cuckoos giggle, Roxy questions what the Hell is wrong with them…only for her eyes to flash blue. An instant later, she’s pointing and laughing at Megan with her new best friends. 

ROXY: “This is hilarious.” 

IRMA: “We knew you’d think so.” 

At a SHEILD prison in Arizona, two uniformed agents are having coffee in the break room. One of the guys mentions that they need to go feed the inmates. The other guy groans. He really doesn’t want Mutie duty again. 

SHIELD AGENT #1: “Heh. Duty.” 

SHIELD AGENT #2: “Real mature, Dave.” 

The other agent doesn’t want to have to go near the Mutants either, so they play rock, paper, scissors for who gets to feed the human prisoners, and who has to feed the Mutant prisoners. 

Naturally, Dave loses. 

Mumbling and grumbling the whole time, Dave brings a food cart to the Mutant section of the prison. Along with season one villains such as Mastermind and Sabretooth, we get cameos from Lady Deathstrike, Black Tom Cassidy, Frenzy, and Nanny & Orphan Maker, all of whom are in SHIELD custody. 

Simultaneously afraid and disgusted by all of them, he eventually arrives at Mystique. Her, he takes an extra moment on. He doesn’t get her. She was one of the good ones, helping the government capture dangerous Mutants. Why would she throw away the good thing they had going by picking a fight with the X-Men? 

Mystique laughs as she seductively saunters over to the agent, a glass-quartz wall separating them. 

MYSTIQUE: “Well, David, it’s really quite simple. Capturing Mutants was business. Desiring the death of your entire race? That’s what I dream of.” 

The agent snorts. She should recheck the scoreboard. Mutants are the ones who look like they’re on the way out. 

MYSTIQUE: “Perhaps. But your numbers are dwindling too. For instance, you’re about to be crushed to death.” 

SHIELD AGENT #1: “Huh? What are you…?”

Blob crashes through the cieling and crushes Dave to death, leaving nothing behind but blood and gore underneath him. 

BLOB: “Ooph. That hurt my butt.” He dusts himself off and stands up. “Rescue team’s here, Mystique!” 

Mystique speaks as the rest of the Brotherhood drop down from their plane. 

MYSTIQUE: “Of course you are. Just as she said you would be.” 

 In the school cafeteria, Cessily, Sofia, Sooraya, Brian, and Laura are at their usual table. Sofia is frustrated. She’s been pumping out more content than she has since she got here since she’s no longer spending so much time with Julian, but that jerk is all people are commenting about. They just HAVE to know how the “Mutant Prom King and Prom Queen” are doing. 

SOFIA: “It wasn’t even a prom!” 

Before this can be dwelled on too much, Roxy enters the cafeteria alongside the Cuckoos. Cessily enthusiastically calls over to her girlfriend to introduce her to her new friends, while Laura questions who these new girls are. 

LAURA: “They’re cute…but they don’t smell right.” 

 Roxy and the Cuckoos turn their attention to the squad and laugh, before finding a different table. 

CESSILY, confused and hurt: “Huh?” 

BRIAN: “Hey, don’t panic. Maybe they just madea funny joke, and she wants some time alone with the girls.” 

SOORAYA: “You panicked at the dance. I don’t know romance, but I know you can’t become afraid of everything.” 

CESSILY: “Yeah. I guess. Maybe you’re –”

Before Cessily can finish that sentence, Sofia picks her up with her winds and flies the two of them over toward the Cuckoos and Bling!

SOFIA: “She does NOT get to do this too!” 

CESSILY: “Sofia, wait, I don’t want to…!” 

Cessily trails off as they land. 

CELESTE: “Oh, look, Roxy. It’s your girlfriend and…” 

SOPHIE: “Sofia Mantega. The most popular girl in this school. Of course, without your man, that won’t last.” 

SOFIA: “Who do you think you are?!” 

ESME: “Careful, Sophie. Get her too mad and she’ll try to kill us.” 

Bringing up the Shaw incident partially shuts Sofia down. 

ROXY: “They’re the Stepford Cuckoos. And I’m trading up.” 

CESSILY: “Wh…what do you mean?” 

Roxy laughs. 

ROXY: “Sofia gets it. It’s why she brought you over here. You two are a matching set.” She mockingly waves at Cessily. “Buh bye.” 

Cessily starts crying, as the Cuckoos cackle. 

ROXY: “Honestly, I was just curious what you’d be like in bed. There are no other freaks as freaky as you out there. One of a kind.” 

Cessily breaks down completely, sobbing and begging Roxy not to mean this, at which point Sofia utter a somber sigh and flies them both away, hugging her. 

SOFIA: “It is going to be, Cessily. I will get you through this. I know what you need.” 

In the school’s gymnasium, Scott is playing basketball with two members of his squad, Quill and Specter. The game of course is brought to a sudden end with Quill accidentally pops the ball on one of his spikes. While Specter gets mad at him cause that was HIS ball, Scott walks away to take a call. 

On the other end of the line, we see Maria Hill, acting commander of SHIELD, on the Helicarrier. She informs him that Mystique is presently being broken out of prison by the Brotherhood of Evil, and the agents they have stationed there won’t be able to hold them off for long. They require immediate assistance. 

Scott questions why they can’t handle this themselves. Maria answers that “The X-Men deal with Mutant problems” was the deal their predecessors made, and she intends for him to stick to it. 

MARIA: “Not to mention, there’s someone with them we can’t do anything about.” 

Scott raises an eyebrow. 

We hardcut to a new Blackbird being geared up for takeoff. The only ones on board are Cyclops and Storm, and Scott is livid. 

STORM: “You don’t wish to bring the others?”” 

CYCLOPS: “Kitty and Laura have enough on their plates. If Logan’s actually cracked, they don’t need to know. And we don’t need Bobby for this…or Emma. You shouldn’t have any problem dealing with the Brotherhood while Logan and I have a talk.” 

STORM, calmly: “You had me, “or Emma”.”

The Blackbird takes off, heading for Arizona. 

Iceman and Beast wake up suspended in mid-air in darkness, their arms and legs wrapped in metal cables. 

Bobby notices where they are and asks if it’s weird that was the best he’s slept in ages. Beast ignores him and notes he has no idea where they are. He’s looked over the Danger Room’s schematics a million times, and he’s never seen anything about a lower level to it. 

BOBBY: “According to Cyclops, the Professor hid a sister from us. Not too hard to assume he’d hide a scary basement or two.” 

BEAST: “Hmm. Touche.” 

Bobby says he’ll get them out in a flash and tries to freeze the cables, but no matter how hard he pushes, the ice melts. Hank tells him it’s no use. Between this and what happened to Network, he can only hypothesize a virus has caused the Danger Room to resist being examined or tinkered with, and with its ability to counter every X-Man’s powers, there’s nothing they can do. Not till someone comes looking for them, at least. 

BOBBY: “Soooo, we’re stuck here?” 

HANK: “That’s what I said, yes.”

BOBBY: “Right…so what fur brush have you been using? Cause I could definitely use it for my hair.” 

Hank groans in annoyance. 

At the Grindhouse, Cessily is crying her heart out to Sofia as they both have coffee. She just doesn’t understand why Roxy would do this. Sofia says she can’t understand herself, but maybe that Quentin kid has some points about people like her and Julian. 

Cessily takes a deep breath in. She questions if Sofia is going to fight Bling! for her, with Sofia laughing that, no, she isn’t Noriko. Surge fighting Hellion didn’t make her feel better. Doing what she loves with a friend, and remembering that’s what’s important, did. So, they’re going to put together an Xavier’s cheer routine to do together to post on her Instagram and TikTok. 

Cessily slightly smiles and says that’s a sweet idea, but she can’t. She’s a freak. She can’t put herself online. Sofia slams her hands down on the table. She insists that Cessily cannot listen to the cruel things Roxy said about her. She is beautiful, and she promises all of her Sofia Stans will say so as well. 

CESSILY: “I don’t know. Also, I thought you were calling your fans Wind Babies.” 

SOFIA: “People didn’t like it.” 

CESSILY: “I didn’t either. I don’t like tihs name either.” 

SOFIA: “Really? I am off my branding game.” 

Now working here as a waitress, Noriko approaches her friends. 

NORIKO: “Hey, Sooraya let me know what happened. Said she was telling me so I wouldn’t say anything insensitive or dumb. Anyway, you wanna know what I think you should do?” 

CESSILY: “Nori, I appreciate the thought, but I’m pretty sure whatever you’re about to say is going to make me feel infinitely worse.” 

NORIKO, slamming her hands down on the table: “YOU GO UP TO THIS NEW BITCHY BIMBO BRIGADE, YOU GIVE THEM A PIECE OF YOUR MIND, AND YOU DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT THEY DID TO YOUR GIRL! THEY’RE MUTANTS! THEY PROBABLY USED THEIR POWERS ON HER!” 

SOFIA, sighing: “Noriko, I’m helping her move on. Accepting the facts is the only way she will–”

CESSILY: “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you’re right, Nori. Yeah. The Cuckoos? I’m gonna figure out what they did to Roxy and save her from them!” 

NORIKO: “Hell yeah!” 

The two high-five as Sofia embarassedly put her face in her hands. 

In the SHIELD prison, SHIELD agents fight a desperate, losing battle against the Brotherhood as they make their escape from the secure facility. The agency’s marksmen are useless as the Blob acts as a bulletproof wall to protect his team, while their martial artists are no match for the supernaturally agile Toad and Mystique, Avalanche and Pyro using their localized earthquakes and flamethrowers to ensure none of their enemies can even stay still. 

This isn’t a fight. It’s a massacre. 

All the while, Logan stands back and does nothing but seethe. 

TOAD, taking a pistol from an agent whose neck he just broke and mockingly bowing as he hands it to Mystique: “Madame.” 

Mystique takes it from him and, with a sadistic grin on her face, swiftly headshots the entire next round of agents to come for them. 

They’re almost out the front door, when, at last, they’re stopped in their tracks by the appearance of Cyclops and Storm. 

Blob and Avalanche shrink a little, nervous about taking them on, while Pyro and Toad appear excited to throw down. Logan is sneering right at Scott. 

MYSTIQUE: “Cyclops. I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been waiting for another chance to kill you. And, would you believe it: there’s someone who wants to kill you even more?” 

Logan steps forward and pulls out his claws. 

ORORO: “Logan, do not do this.” 

LOGAN: “Sorry, Stormy. This isn’t about you.” 

As the two teams stare each other down, Cyclops fires the first shot. 

In the school’s dance studio, the Cuckoos are performing a routine to the most soulless pop song imaginable, with Bling! cheering them on. 

As the song enters its final verse, however, their speakers are unplugged by a pissed off Mercury. 

The Cuckoos and Roxy all ground around and taunt Cessily, but she isn’t backing down. She doesn’t know who these girls are or what their powers are, but she knows Roxy would never act like she’s doing, and she would never, ever enjoy trashy music like she was just listening to. 

CELESTE: “Aww, can someone not accept they were just used and tossed aside?” 

PHOEBE: “Like a tin can?” 

The Cuckoos cackle. 

Cessily holds herself together, hard as it is for her, as she says she doesn’t care if they’re telepaths or just have mind control, but they’re going to undo it NOW. 

Roxy gets right in Cessily’s face. She tells her to face facts. She was never into her cause she’s a loser. Although the Cuckoos did get ONE thing wrong. 

ROXY: “We never slept together. Girl was a damn cheerleader, but she’s still a virgin. She’s as freaky on the inside as she is on the outside.” 

As the Cuckoos all start mocking Cessily, she  just utters, ”Please”, as she tenses up, grits her teeth, and clenches her fists. 

SOPHIE: “I don’t believe she’s gotten the message yet.” 

ESME: “Let’s teach her this time, Sophie.” 

As Cessily struggles not to let her rage get the best of her, her eyes flash blue. She roars and stretches out her entire body to attack the Cuckoos, only for the quintuplets to effortlessly blast her away and nearly knock her unconscious with a single psy-blast. 

Roxy hollers as the Cuckoos stand over the half-way melted Cessily. 

IRMA: “You can believe what you’d like.” 

CELESTE: “But we hope you get the message.” 

SOPHIE: “Never fuck with us.” 

Cessily cries as she further melts into the floor, as her tormentors strut away…only for her eyes to widen upon hearing what Roxy is shouting. 

ROXY: “Ms. Moonstar! Wherever you are, we’ve got a problem! One of your kids just tried to kill the new girls!” 

Cessily belts out a high-pitch screech of despair. 

Back at the SHEILD base, the X-Men and Brotherhood’s fight has begun. 

Storm is battling Mystique, Toad, Pyro, Avalanche, and Blob all at once. With what Storm can do limited by the confined space they’re in, Mystique and Toad’s taunts and difficult to hit natures, Pyro being able to manipulate his flames to move in any direction, Avalanche staying behind Blob, who’s durable enough to even tank Storm’s attacks, as he launches his seismic waves at her, they’re able to keep her busy, if nothing else. Still, Storm clearly has them all on defense, and it’s evident that they really do need all five of them to be a match for her. 

While the Brotherhood are able to successfully keep the big gun busy, the main event of Cyclops vs Logan takes place further down the hall. For all of Scott’s skill and precision, he struggles to land a hit on Logan with his beams, while Logan jumps around his attacks and picks key moments to move in and kick Scott around. 

Scott questions what the Hell Logan is doing, with Logan spitting back that he’d have loved to ask him the same thing before it was too late. 

SCOTT: “Wiat…is this about Jean?!” 

LOGAN: “What else would it be about?!” 

Logan manages to slash Cyclops across the chest and, while he’s stunned, kicks him to the floor. 

LOGAN: “She trusted you!” 

Scott can only cringe. He knows he cannot defend himself. 

In Dani’s classroom, Mercury continues to cry as she’s chewed out for attacking The Cuckoos, with no knowledge of how she was manipulated into doing so. Dani is starting to think therapy should be mandatory for every kid who went out to fight the sentinels, because she knows they’re good kids, but they just keep on acting out. 

DANI: “Two weeks detention, Cessily. I’m sorry.” 

CESSILY: “WHAT?!” 

DANI: “You didn’t nearly destroy the school like Noriko, so you’re getting off easy by comparison. But you can’t do this again. No matter how much you’re hurting.” 

Cessily sniffles.

CESSILY: “I’m sorry, Miss Moonstar. I don’t know what came over me. It’s like one second I was just angry, and the next, I felt like I HAD to hurt them.” 

DANI: “I know, but…” Dani trails off as she has a thought. “Cessily, you said Roxanne only started acting differently after The Cuckoos showed up, right?” 

Cessily nods and tells her that just this morning, Roxy was arranging with her parents for her to audition for their next music video, but she guesses that was a lie. 

Dani, without another word, proceeds to give a call to Roxy’s father. We only see Dani’s side of the conversation, but all she does is check to see if Roxy was lying or not. Of course, she was not. 

With Cessily still deeply confused as to what’s going on, Dani hangs up and hops onto her computer. Cessily questions what she’s doing. Dani pulls up The Cuckoos’ file and the audience gets to see two of Emma’s notes about them: 1) They’re among the most gifted telepaths she’s ever met, perhaps on the same level as Captain Britain, and 2) They have sociopathic tendencies. 

Dani smacks her desk. 

DANI: “God dammit.” 

CESSILY: “What’s going on?” 

Dani gets up and tells Cessily to follow her. She’s not the one getting detention today. 

Iceman and Beast are still stuck in the under-level of the Danger Room. Bobby asks Hank if he’s seen any good movies lately. Hank doesn’t answer. Bobby asks Hank if he’s built anything cool lately. Hank just sighs. Bobby, starting to get a little pissed at his old friend’s attitude, begins whistling obnoxiously. 

Hank tries to ignore it, but the longer Bobby goes, the louder he gets. And, eventually, Hank snaps. 

HANK: “Would you quit it with that infernal, brain-rattling whistling?!” 

BOBBY, instantly shooting back: “Only if you tell me what your problem is! You’ve had a stick up your butt ever since I got here. What, have you come so far as a scientist that I’m too low brow for you now? You’re too good for me, so you don’t want me around?” 

HANK: “No, I DON’T want you around, but it has nothing to do with me.” 

BOBBY: “Then why?!” 

Hank sighs. 

HANK: “When I got the call from Jean that the school would be re-opening and the X-Men would be re-forming, I was thrilled. I thought it would be just like the old days, but better. But…they aren’t. They’re so different, I’m not even sure I fully comprehend them. What I understand is that we’re moving in the wrong direction. And anyone who’s on this ship when it reaches its endpoint will be worse for it.” 

There’s a pause as the atmosphere becomes more somber. 

BOBBY: “Look, if this is about Scott and Emma–” 

HANK: “Not just them, but…yes. And please, do not try and defend their actions to me. As far as I’m concerned, the man who’d cheat on Jean and who’d murder a woman, even a monster like Cassandra Nova, in cold blood, is not the Cyclops we grew up with.” 

Another pause.

BOBBY: “So what are YOU still doing here then?” 

BEAST: “I’m seeing out the rest of the school-year for my students. I’ve already arranged for Forge to come and take my place come September.” 

BOBBY: “Damn. It’ll suck not having you around, but I’m not going anywhere.” Bobby chuckles. “And hey, when things do work out for the best, I’ll be able to laugh in your face that you were wrong about something for once.” 

Beast smiles remorsefully. 

BEAST: “I’ve never hoped for you to make stupid jokes at my expense more.” 

Storm continues to battle the Brotherhood, but the fight doesn’t last long. 

Toad hops on Storm’s back and sniffs her hair, poorly flirting with her as he asks what shampoo she uses, because it’s making his heart go crazy, only for her to blow him away with a fierce wind, sending him flying into Pyro, and launching them both down the extended hallway headfirst into a wall, knocking them both out. Without Pyro as backup and Toad’s distractions, Avalanche is defenseless as Storm takes him down with a single lightning blast. 

STORM: “Dammit.” 

Ororo realizes in the middle of the action, Mystique abandoned her team and made a run for it. She goes to fly after her, but Blob attacks. Storm proceeds to just lift him off the ground, leaving him to wiggle his legs, as he’s left helpless. 

BLOB: “Hey! You let me go, now! I’ll knock your head off!” 

STORM: “Fred, weren’t you in therapy?” 

BLOB: “I still am! Just here supporting my family.” 

STORM: “You may have meant well, but this destructive behavior under any circumstances will only ever set you back. You need to cease being a super-villain if you wish to make progress. Do you understand?” 

BLOB: “I…you…yeah. Sorry, Storm.” 

STORM: “It’s okay.” 

As Fred smiles, Ororo grabs his face and electrocutes him at point blank range until he’s unconscious.

With the boys all down, Storm calls out to Cyclops, who’s barely holding his own against Logan in hand-to-hand combat, that she’s pursuing Mystique, and flies off. 

As Logan and Scott continue to fight, their conversation continues. Scott tells Logan that he knows he messed up. No matter what he was feeling toward Emma at that moment, he shouldn’t have betrayed Jean. 

SCOTT: “And if you think I haven’t been beating myself up for what I did every second since it happened, then you don’t know me at all.” 

LOGAN: “Guilt doesn’t make things any better, Bub.” 

SCOTT: “No, it doesn’t…but isn’t there also a reason she chose me over you?” 

As Logan loses his cool completely at that and attacks more like an animal than the master martial artist he is, Scott is finally able to land a blast on him and put distance between them. 

Scott tells Logan that he knows he loved Jean just as much as he does, and that Jean loved him back, but while Scott may have hurt her worse, Logan hurt her first. 

SCOTT: “Or do you think she didn’t end things with you for good because she couldn’t stand your attitude? Your jealousy, your sense of “ownership”, and the way you’d run off on her for “business” on a dime. Face it, Logan. Neither of us was good enough for her. Neither of us was ever good enough for her.”

Veins practically pop out of Logan's head as he hears all this. Once Scott is done, however, Logan finally gets a hold of his temper. 

Both unsure of what to say, but their fight over, the two simply stand where they are. 

The Cuckoos are getting moved into their dorm room, with Bling! helping them decorate. They're all laughing about something when Dani appears in their doorway, Mercury nervously hiding behind her. 

Sophie asks if Cessily has received her punishment and has been brought here to offer an apology, but Dani tells her to cut the crap. She knows what they did. 

The Cuckoos play dumb, but Dani doesn't play around with this kind of thing and uses her powers on them. While we don't see what they see, Dani subjects them to their worst fears. As they cry and scream, Roxy threatens Dani, while Dani orders the Cuckoos to undo the brainwashing. 

The Cuckoos quickly relent in the face of a challenge, as bullies so often do, and free Roxy from their control. Dani turns her powers off, and the sisters collapse on their beds. 

CESSILY, sheepishly: "Roxy?"

Roxy groans as she rubs her aching head. For a moment, it seems like she doesn't remember anything, but her mind is just playing catch up.

Roxy runs into Cessily's arms as she apologizes profusely, but Cessily is just crying happy tears none of this was real and that she has her back. 

Roxy spins around, not letting go of Cess, and shouts at the Cuckoos that they're all fucking psychopaths. 

Roxy leads Cess out of there. 

CELESTE, holding herself: "Sociopaths, actually."

PHOEBE: "People always get those mixed up."

IRMA: "We're in trouble, aren't we?"

DANI: "Ooooh, big time."

Scott and Logan stand next to each other, backs against the wall of the SHIELD base hallway. 

It's silent at first, save for the occasional sniffle or cough, until Logan speaks. 

LOGAN: "So…seriously? Frost?"

Scott laughs. He knows it seems crazy, but he's gotten to know her better than anyone, and she understands parts of him he never even knew existed. Parts of him which were repressed for so long. 

Intending to insult himself, Scott says he might actually have more in common with her than he ever did with Jean. Still, that doesn't change anything. He isn't taking their relationship any further. 

Another brief silence. 

LOGAN: "Why the Hell not?"

Logan says there are few things he cares about less than the love life of Scott Summers if Jean isn't involved, but she clearly means something to him, and he did what he did for a reason. He acted on instinct, and instinct? That's who you are. 

More silence. 

SCOTT: "Are you just saying all of this so you have no competition when Jean comes home?"

LOGAN: "That depends. Do you agree?"

Before this subject can be further discussed, Storm returns. Mystique got away…again. 

She questions what Logan was doing here, and the succinct answer just makes her pinch her forehead over how stupid her boys are. He *really* helped break free one of their greatest enemies just so he could fight Scott. 

Logan makes a point that he didn't actually kill anyone here, he just didn't stop the Brotherhood from killing the cops who'd be rounding them all up if Charles hadn't made a convenient arrangement with them. Storm tells him Maria Hill is still going to want him locked up just for being here and helping Mystique escape, but Scott assures them both he won't let that happen. X-Men don't just turn over their own. 

Scott and Logan fist clasp. 

In the cafeteria, Cessily and Roxy are having dinner. Roxy feels so incredibly violated by what the Cuckoos did, but she's more concerned about if Cess is okay. She knows she didn't mean any of what she said, right?

There's no doubt in Cessily's mind. Now that she has her girlfriend back, everything is perfect. For her. She's going to do everything she can to make sure Roxy is okay too. She's heard a bunch of kids are going to see a guy named Dr. Garrison, a Mutant ally therapist, lately, so maybe they can give him a call. 

Roxy shakes her head, saying she doesn't want that.

ROXY: "But, seriously, if after all this you don't want to be in my rents' music video, it's chill. You gotta take care of yourself first."

Cessily giggles and, under her breath, remarks that "Nori actually brought it back." 

Picking her head up, Cessily says she's more confident than ever that she wants to be in the video. If it took literal brainwashing to make the coolest girl on Earth think she isn't hot, and girls like the Cuckoos are the only ones who disagree, then she has nothing to worry about. 

CESSILY: "Maybe being a Mutant isn't the worst thing in the world after all."

As the two hold hands, the Cuckoos enter the cafeteria. 

ROXY: "Yo barbies!" The sisters turn to look at her. "If you wanted to be my friend that badly, you could have just tried being nice."

The Cuckoos seem like they may have something apologetic to say, but they quickly turn back around and continue walking, sneers on their faces. 

Continuing to pan across the cafeteria, we find Sofia and Noriko. Sofia questions how Noriko knew all wasn't as it seemed with Roxy. Noriko sighs and tells her that, after her fight with Julian, she no longer thinks things are with him either. Sofia isn't sure what to say to that. 

In Emma's bedroom in the school, she's in her nightgown and brushing her hair before bed. There's a knock at her door. 

Emma gets up and opens the door to reveal Scott. Before Emma can even get out the first three words of a witty remark, Scott grabs her and plants a long kiss on her lips. The two walk over to and fall onto the bed as Emma shuts her door telekinetically. 

Scott, on top of her, pulls up to breathe, smiling as he sees the widest grin on Emma's face. 

EMMA: "What changed your mind?"

SCOTT: "Instinct is who you are. I'm done denying who I am just to make others happy." Pause. "Even if she hates me for it."

The two resume enthusiastically making out as they rip each other's clothes off. 

We cut directly to Mystique and Destiny, also making out in bed. 

MYSTIQUE: "I counted the days till we would be reunited."

DESTINY: "As did I, my immortal love."

MYSTIQUE, smiling innocently: "I only wish my prison stay could have been as lovely as time with our daughter." Pause. "Is everything still on track?"

DESTINY: "Yes. We are still moving toward the sacred timeline."

The two resume having sex, as we cut between them, Scott and Emma having sex, and Cessily and Roxy just resting their heads against one another as they listen to music together. 

In the Danger Room basement, Bobby and Hank are both passed out when Kurt BAMFS in, having been looking everywhere for them. With Beast's back aching and Bobby joking about not getting to do his skin care before falling asleep, Kurt teleports them out. 

Once back in the common area, Kurt asks what happened. Beast isn't positive on the details, but it shouldn't be anything serious. So long as no one uses the Danger Room, everything should be fine.

We close out in the Danger Room, sinister music playing as a feminine face forms in one of its walls.  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BONUS: 

Since several members were revealed this episode, I’ll mention that Scott’s squad consists of Quill, Specter, Armor, Greymalkin, Wolf Cub, and, formerly, DJ.

[yerimbrit]

[flufftober day 6, wc: 673] - pumpkin pie baking contest gone wrong : p. hanni

THE LIFETIME MISSION that you decided had been assigned to you the day you met pham hanni (which was at the ripe age of six and a half), is to make her happy no matter what. so far, you think you’ve been doing your best to make your girlfriend’s life the best and enjoyable it can be. 

it is fall, the season of pumpkins, horror movies, trick-or-treating, and arguably the time your clothes start disappearing from your closet, only seeing hanni wearing a suspiciously-familiar hoodie a day later. not that you mind, but it is getting a bit breezy without your outerwear. the sleeves are too long for her, so she inevitably gains way-too-cute sweater paws, and if your girlfriend wants to steal your source of warmth forever, so be it. you’d do anything for her.

and if she wants to compete against you in a pumpkin pie baking contest, who are you to deny? it doesn’t matter if you’ll lose anyway because you’re inept at baking, because of the fact that it will not fail in making hanni happy.

earlier this morning the two of you went to the grocery store to grab ingredients for the contest. it was nothing unusual, just the regular short jokes, and her saying she’ll definitely beat you (which is true, but it’s not fun if you accept your defeat so openly), and the fight over who pays.

now you’re in your kitchen pulling up someone’s grandma’s “best pumpkin pie��� recipe off of the internet, with a whopping 1.1 thousand five star reviews. unsure of how it’ll turn out, you put your full trust into grandma esther. ‘please, grandma esther. please don’t let this be the recipe you use for the son-in-law you hate.’

“what are you praying so hard for?” hanni comes up to you, nudging you by the shoulder, making you jump. she snickers, and you flick her forehead. 

“i’m praying that my end result won’t give us both food poisoning.

her eyes soften, and she intertwines her fingers with yours, squeezing your hand before smiling. it melts you in a burning pile of rainbows and unicorns, and that’s okay with you. “i’m sure it won’t be that bad. not enough to beat me, but not bad.

“okay, bro.”

you’re basically done with the recipe. grandma esther’s aesthetic touch is a joy, and you’re truly grateful because now you stand a chance against hanni. probably. maybe.

you feel a light tap on your shoulder, and turn around only to get whipped cream smushed on your nose.

of course, hanni is the culprit, grinning devilishly at you with remnants of cream on her index finger. 

“oh, it’s on.” you were not going to lose in this situation.

and that is how you end up pinning hanni to the floor with whipped cream all over your face and hands. your girlfriend is sporting a similar look, but with more of a mess on her face because you obviously won this fight.

determined looks disperse into giggles, and you’re pushed down by the back of your head to the crook of hanni’s neck. it’s warm, like heat emanating from a cozy campfire on a cold night. it feels like you need this warmth, her warmth, to live.

you nuzzle into her neck. “han.”

“what?” she strokes your hair gently, pressing a light kiss to the top of your head. 

“i won the biggest prize.”

“you didn’t win yet, though.”

wrong. loving hanni is the biggest win in your life. “mine is already better than yours. i put all my faith in grandma esther.”

you feel the vibrations from hanni’s laughter buzz against your nose, and it tickles. it’s almost liberating; it’s how you feel after a small part of your lifelong mission is completed. home.

“we’ll still have to see if this grandma esther’s recipe lives up to your expectations.

you don’t say anything after that. instead, you push yourself off from the warmth of hanni’s neck, stare lovingly into her eyes, and let your lips take hers.

flufftober masterlist!

a/n : i love u forever hanni pham ALSO HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNI!!!!!!

[f1ct1onalplaces]

Visit Me?

a/n: Hello fabulous people! Okay I am definitely a Korrasami shipper, so I never really shipped Mako with either of them and I found him annoying in Seasons 1,2, and 3. Though, with that said I enjoyed his character in season 4 and felt like writing something with his character in that season. Enjoy!

P.s. I definitely did not edit this and it's not my best writing, so sorry about that.

TW: angst and almost smut

The hotel bed is small but comfortable and the only other thing in the room is a desk crammed beside a lamp. It isn’t anything grand, though every time she thinks about how she ended up here a smile spreads across her face.

It's been months since y/n got a proper day off from her job as a writer for The Republic City Times. With the air benders taking over for the Avatar, Kuvira rebuilding the Earth Kingdom, and Prince Wu’s coronation tomorrow there had been so much to keep the city informed about that she was constantly busy.

So, Mako had planned a little getaway for the two of them. Okay, well it isn’t exactly a vacation since they were both still working, but staying in a hotel (even a tiny one) always makes everything better.

With the coronation, tomorrow Mako has been given the night off to rest up before Prince Wu’s big day. Thus, his first thought wasn’t to take a night for himself but how he could spend time with his girlfriend. Sadly, it isn’t much time.

Even as she sits up in the bed waiting for Mako she is furiously writing away. Her boss had asked her to write about the Avatar’s disappearance even though there was very little that anyone knows about it.

Y/n had asked Mako about it (off the record of course) and all he knew was that Korra had left the South pole six months ago to make her way here, but obviously, that didn’t pan out.

She has never met Korra considering she only moved to Republic City a year after the Avatar defeated the Red Lotus.

The door slowly cracks open until a familiar figure appears.

“You’re not supposed to be working.” Y/n has just finished her story and at this she quickly lets the papers fall beside the bed.

“Who said I was,” she says smirking. Though when she looks up to see Mako’s neatly kept hair, plain uniform, and saddened expression her smile falls.

“What’s wrong?” She scoots over, crating room for them both. This is her invitation for him to come join her on the bed but he simply stands there. She watches as his expression changes from sorrow to anger.

Y/n hasn’t seen that look since his first day of being Wu’s bodyguard.

“No, they didn’t.” Her movements are quick as she slips off the bed making her way to him.

Mako isn’t always very forward with his emotions so when a tear slides down his cheek it hurt her as well.

Y/n wraps her arms around his waist and he quickly buries his head into her shoulder, bringing her even closer.

“They have to let you back on as a detective. You’re the best they have.” It takes him some time to respond. His breathing is heavy and her sleeve slowly becomes damp. In the meantime she holds his head, raking her fingers through his hair, giving him the time he needs.

“I’m so angry.” Mako’s voice is no louder than a whisper, a confession that carries more than his conflicting feelings.

“But, why would they even do this? Wu will be crowned king tomorrow and return to Ba Sing Se. Then Beifong can have her best detective back. It doesn’t add up.” Mako lets out an uneven sigh and kiss’s the exposed skin of her neck.

“It’s not that she doesn’t want me back it’s that she can't. Wu personally requested me to stay his bodyguard.” She lets in a sharp breath.

“Beifong can't refuse. Her hands are tied,” Mako finishes, finally looking up at her.

Y/n wants to be nothing but comforting in this situation because she knows how much he hates his current job, but now it was taking him away from her. She fights the tears from surfacing.

“Oh Mako, I’m so sorry.” His hands are now back at his sides, eyes searching her own. She knows he wants her to say that she will join him in the capital of the earth kingdom, but she can’t. Her job and life are here, granted he has become a huge part of it. She can’t just drop everything and leave. Right?

Instead of answering she grabs his wrist and drags him to the bed. She crawls on and he follows. Y/n sits with her back against the headboard and Mako rests his head in her lap. She runs her hands through his hair, messing up his neatly combed side part.

“At least come visit me?” His chin tilts back so that he can see her face. It was then that she finally understood. He didn’t expect her to go with him, it probably didn’t even cross his mind. Mako was concerned that she didn’t want to do the whole long-distance dating and would ultimately decide to end things.

“Of course, I will.” She leans down, placing a kiss on the corner of his mouth. She’s about to pull away, ready to give him any needed space, but he tilts his head, causing their lips to meet. It’s quick, nothing extravagant due to the awkward angle, but he seems determined to change that.

With a swift motion he sits up, legs spread apart, and pulls y/n close enough that her hands gripped his jacket. Mako kiss’s her again, his hands firmly pressed to her jaw as he deepens the kiss.

A soft sigh escapes her lips as he moves his hands below her shirt, calloused fingers gripping her waist. At this he smiles against her lips, only making her want him more. Y/n begins to fumble with the buttons of his jacket and quickly rids him of it to only find another shirt.

By this time Mako has moved down, his lips trailing her jaw, and he stops to chuckle at the sound of her annoyed huff.

“Eager are we?” His voice is low, teasing and this only makes her stomach tighten. He quickly removes the only thing blocking y/n from running her hands down his bare chest. She wastes no time immediately outlining his toned stomach with her finger while he finds the sweet spot on her neck.

This would be their last night together for a while and neither wanted to waste it sulking about the future. They have right now, a moment that will be spent loving one another unconditionally. And they intended to just do that.

[seijorhi]

Unprofessional

as promised, the MSBY manager AU 💕 

MSBY Black Jackals x female reader

TW non-con, smut, gang-bang, nsfw(ish)

You second guess yourself, now that the Captain’s right here in front of you, fidgeting in your seat like a little kid sent to the principal’s office.

In all fairness, you were the one to ask him to come in early, figuring that it’d be easier to say what you needed to before everyone else arrived, rather than having it eat away at you while you waited for practice to end.

Yet under the scrutiny of his dark eyes, you wonder whether you should have just let it slide. At least for a few more weeks. Taking a formal complaint to the higher ups was a step too far, and you hadn’t wanted to bother the coaches this close to the start of the season for something so… trivial. Meian seemed like the better choice. He’d listen to you and be able to help; you trust the Captain and you know the team does, too. If he told them to back off, they would, you’re almost positive. But now that he’s here, there’s this nagging feeling of-

A hand touches your shoulder, and you flinch at the sudden contact, jerking back to the present. 

“Hey,” he says, a slight frown marring his features. “Whatever it is, you can talk to me - don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve been a little out of it lately.”

There’s nothing but concern in his eyes - no judgement, or irritation, and something inside of you eases just a fraction. This is Meian, right from the moment you signed onto the team - granted, only a few months ago - he’s done his utmost to make sure you’ve felt welcomed and part of the team.

You take a breath, offering him a small, tight smile. “I-it’s um, some of the guys- well a few, I guess…” your fingers twist in your lap, and Meian squeezes your shoulder lightly in response. 

“Miya hitting on you, right? Getting a little outta hand?” he surmises. 

And for a split second, you’re surprised. But really maybe you shouldn’t be. Miya’s the one who’s overt about it, drawling stupid, cheesy pickup lines whenever you walk in, slinging an arm around your side and dragging you close, all the winks and the innuendos about as subtle as a tank.

Of course Meian noticed, but that’s just how Atsumu is. He doesn’t bother trying to hide it because nobody but you seems to mind. And maybe, if that’s all that it was, you’d be able to grin and bear it, but it’s not. 

“Yes and… no.”

His brows draw together. “No?”

Taking another deep breath, you begin to tell him everything. Miya’s incessant flirting, all the hugs and touches that fell just the wrong side of what you considered professional. They’re a tactile team, with one notable exception, and you understand that, but the way Bokuto, Hinata and Miya feel comfortable just grabbing you and dragging you around, interrupting you in the middle of whatever task you’re doing to make you pay attention to them is a little alarming. 

And then there was the incident last week, when Inunaki had caught you smiling at your phone during their cooldown and called you on it, which drew the attention of the rest of the team - only to have Bokuto snatch it out of your hands and start reading through your messages. Of course, Meian was there for that, putting a stop to it only when the wing-spiker had started reading them aloud, much to your mortification.

But he hadn’t been there two afternoons later, when an old friend of yours had swung by to pick you up and you’d had to deal with half the team glaring daggers at him over your shoulder like a pack of overprotective mother hens.

Even Sakusa, who usually kept his nose out of the others’ nonsense, stood off to the side with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket, glowering at your friend until you both disappeared from sight.

The texts that blew up your phone in the hours that followed crossed so many lines, it honestly scared you a little. 

Meian doesn’t say a word as you talk, the words flowing easier the more you tell him. It’s not that anything they’re doing is wrong per se. They’re not hurting you, and you think that aside from Miya, the team’s attitude is coming from a good place - some protective, irritating big brother kind of thing. 

There’s nothing wrong with it, except the fact that you don’t want any part of it. You’re a professional and this is a job - a new one, an important one. If you ever want anybody to take your dreams of coaching a pro team seriously you cannot have so much as a whisper of anything less than absolute professionalism. God forbid, if rumours start spreading that you were sleeping with somebody on the team you can pretty much kiss your dreams goodbye. 

At the end of it, Meian’s chin is resting on his fist, faint dissatisfaction pinching at his face, and for a moment, you’re worried that he’s about to chew you out for wasting his time - you know he’s stressed with the start of the season only days away - but he only sighs, leaning back in his seat and shaking his head.

“Thank you for telling me, I’ll talk to them.”

And it’s like this huge weight just falls off your shoulders and suddenly you can breathe easy. “Thanks, really,” you tell him, and the smile on your face is genuine this time.

“Anytime.”

—

You don’t know when he finds the time to pull them all aside, but the next morning when you walk into the gym and Bokuto catches sight of you, golden eyes widening in delight, he starts to bound towards you-

“Bokuto.”

-and stops mid-stride, face falling like a kicked puppy. His shoulders slump, glancing over his shoulder at the Captain, watching the both of you through narrowed eyes.

He doesn’t say another word to the wing-spiker, turning back around to continue his conversation with Adriah - something about tightening up their blocks before the game against the Adlers - and despite the fact you can see half the team’s attention drawn towards you both, none of them say a word either. 

It’s strange, compared to the last few weeks, it’s suddenly like you’re a ghost. They thank you when you pass them their towels and bottles, and for once Hinata sits still when you help him tape up his ankle, though his eyes still follow your every movement with unnerving focus.

They’re polite and respectful, but unless you’re directly addressing them or they need something, it’s like you don’t exist. 

Even Atsumu manages to keep his comments to himself when it comes time for the team to stretch out, though judging from the scowl on his face whenever he glances towards the Captain, he’s not particularly thrilled about it. 

There’s one more day before game day, and they’ve got bigger things to worry about, but for you it’s like you can suddenly breathe easy. You don’t have to tiptoe around your own discomfort, you can just do your job and help them. It’s not that you hate them, not even Atsumu - though he does grate on your nerves at times - you just can’t afford to let them fuck this up for you.

They’re your team, and you’ll help them and you’ll stand on the sidelines and cheer and support them until you’re red in the face. You’ll celebrate with them and commiserate if they lose, but there has to be a line. 

And maybe finally they’re realising that.

Meian sends you home while the others head off to the showers with a clap on your shoulder. “Go home. Today’s been long enough, and you need your rest. We’ve got an early start tomorrow.”

You don’t fight him on it, already feeling the exhaustion creeping through your body. 

But after months in this job, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find that by the time you’ve had a quick catch-up with the coaches about tomorrow’s training, changed and gathered up your things, you find yourself falling into step with Sakusa, freshly showered and also on his way out. 

Dark eyes find yours, but he doesn’t say a word - at least until the two of you reach the big double doors at the gym’s entrance. “Do you need a lift home?”

It’s rare of him to offer, but you suppose that it’s later than you’d normally leave, the sun already disappearing beneath the horizon. Nevertheless, you shake your head, “No, it’s only a ten minute walk, I’ll be okay,” you say. And almost as an afterthought you smile and add, “Thank you, though.”

He regards you silently for a moment, but simply shrugs his shoulders, “Fine.”

Sakusa turns to leave, heading off to the carpark when a sudden thought strikes you, and before you can think better of it, you call out to him, “Your lineshots were incredible today, by the way. You played well. And please don’t forget we’ve got an early start tomorrow!”

It’s a pointless statement, on both counts. Sakusa doesn’t crave praise the way some of his teammates do, and you can imagine how little it means coming from you of all people. He’s also the most punctual, usually the first in, preferring to get stretched and warmed up before the rest of the team arrived. But the change in plans was kind of last minute and a reminder never hurts.

Sakusa pauses mid-stride, glancing back at you once more over his shoulder. “I know,” he says, and maybe it’s a trick of the light, but you swear there’s something different in his eyes as he stares back at you. Not angry per se, but… you can’t quite put a finger on it. It’s odd, you think, out of character for the usually aloof spiker. “Captain told us.”

—

It’s still dark when you arrive at the gym, and the lights are all off, not a soul in sight. That in itself doesn’t strike you as odd though, checking your phone you see that there’s still twenty or so minutes until you were all supposed to meet, but you would have thought that the coaches at least would’ve been here, or Sakusa maybe, if not Meian.

“Mornin’ princess,” a familiar voice drawls, and you jump a little at the sudden weight of his arm draping over your shoulders.

Atsumu’s smile is far too wide and upbeat considering it’s only a little after six in the morning. You’re used to a dead-stare, don’t-talk-to-me-until-I’ve-had-caffeine Atsumu, and it’s almost startling enough to make you forget the arm he has around you.

Either that, or you’re just bewildered that he’s actually arrived early for once in his life.

“You’re awfully chipper,” you mutter, trying to shove his arm off of you as you walk in tandem towards the gym. It’s a pointless endeavour - he replaces it a moment later, tugging you closer. “And early. Do you normally do this the day before the season starts, or can we expect to see you bright and early every morning for training?”

The corner of his lip quirks into a lazy smirk, and Atsumu laughs, “Nah, I’m actually late. All the others are already here.”

You’re halfway through fishing for the keys when he just pushes the door open, and you falter. “Wait- they’re here already?” you glance inside, and the lights are all still off and there’s not a soul in sight, but- “I thought Meian said we were meeting at 6:30.”

There’s something in the way that his smirk widens that’s almost unsettling, but he’s already pushing you forward, flicking on the lights as you pass.

“Oh, he did.”

Your eyebrows draw together in confusion, but it’s too early and you’re too tired to try and decipher Atsumu’s cryptic bullshit. He already has you on edge with how close he’s got you - you can feel the heat radiating from his body, the familiar scent of his cologne invading your nose. “Fine, whatever. Just- just put your stuff away, grab the others if they’re here and I’ll see you on the court in a few minutes.”

You try to shrug off his arm, but his grip only tightens, “Nope,” he says, firmly steering the both of you in the direction of the locker room.

“Miya,” you start, squeezing your eyes shut. You can already feel the beginnings of a headache taking root in your skull, but Atsumu just chuckles lightly, patting your shoulder. 

“Relax, wouldja? Jeeze, yer so tense!” 

With no other sound but the eerie echoing of your footsteps across the linoleum floors, his laugh is too loud, too grating. It sets you on edge, and you have to bite back a scowl of your own and remind yourself that you only have to put up with him a little longer - just until Meian gets here. Unperturbed by your silent irritation, Atsumu continues, “We know how hard you’ve been working lately. We came in early to say thank you, y’know, for everythin’ ya do for us.”

And for one split second, regret fills you, snuffing out the spark of irritation simmering through your veins. Here you are, seconds away from slapping the setter when he is - for the first time in his life - actually trying to do something nice for you. You sigh quietly, smoothing your expression over as he slows down and pulls you to a stop.

He lets you slide out from under his arm, your back to the locker room door, moving so that he’s standing directly in front of you. You open your mouth to speak, an apology on the tip of your tongue, but once again, Atsumu beats you to it. “Yer the best manager we’ve ever had.” He takes your hand in his, twining long fingers with yours and steps closer.

Too close.

“Atsu-”

“We really do care about you - love ya, even -  which is why it kinda felt like a kick in the balls when the Cap came and told us ya wanted some space. Said we were bein’ too ‘overbearing’ and ‘inappropriate’, just cause we want ya nice and close.” Dark eyes harden, “It hurt us, baby. You gotta realise that.”

The grip he has on your hand is painfully tight, but you don’t have a moment to focus on that. Not as Atsumu sweeps forward to close the distance between the two of you, his lips crashing against yours. Hungry. Demanding. A tongue snaking between your lips, melding with your own.

His arm snakes behind you to open the door, and for a moment you’re stumbling backwards into the dark-

Only it’s not dark, not as the blinding fluorescent lights flicker on around you, and you’re not stumbling, not as you collide with a warm, muscular chest and strong arms find your middle to steady you. 

“You took too long,” Bokuto whines, and you’re yanked from Atsumu’s hold and spun, barely having a second to register the gleaming golden eyes before he’s dragging you into a needy kiss of his own.

Dizzy, lightheaded, your heart thumping erratically, you can’t think straight as his hot, wet mouth moves against yours. Greedy fingers grope and squeeze at your body - utterly frozen in shock, pliant under his touch. 

“Aw, quit yer whining, Bokkun,” the blonde growls as Bokuto finally pulls back enough to grant you a few precious gulps of air, gazing at you with a kind of love sick adoration that makes your stomach clench. 

A scoff sounds behind Bokuto, “A bit rich, coming from you, Miya. The two of you just are as bad as each other.”

It’s then that you realise the three of you aren’t alone. Wide eyed, on the edge of hyperventilating, you glance over your shoulder to find two pairs of eyes watching; russet eyes blown wide, enraptured, and swirling black depths, narrowed and glaring over at the blonde. 

Hinata and Sakusa.

It doesn’t feel real. Even with everything they’ve done so far, their possessive behaviour, their smothering affection - even the kisses, it feels like a fever dream. 

Even as Atsumu’s fingers are tugging your jacket off and Bokuto drags you forward, you can’t bring yourself to accept it, to properly fight back against it.

(Not that it would make a difference. They’re professional athletes, and there’s four of them against one of you.)

When your eyes fill with tears, Hinata’s there to brush them away, smiling down at you as he shrugs his own shirt off. “Don’t cry, angel. We’re gonna make you feel amazing, just wait!”

His words don’t fill you with ease. They can’t, not when he has that manic excitement bleeding through his expression - the same one you know he gets when he’s lost in the game, flying across the court like the laws of physics don’t apply to him. 

Hands are on you everywhere, teasing and exploring, too many to keep track of. Your clothes are pulled off, tossed aside and discarded without a second thought, and theirs follow suit. Fingers are tweaking your nipples and palming at your breasts, smoothing over the curve of your ass and trailing between your legs to play with your clit. 

“So fuckin’ pretty, ain’tcha? Our pretty girl, gonna be such a good little cockwhore for us.”

There’s lips against yours, at your neck, trailing down the column of your throat with a pleased hum. And between the kisses, you think that you’re crying, pleading for them to stop and let you go, but nobody listens as you’re manhandled onto one of the benches.

Your legs refuse to obey you, trembling as you try to kick out and wriggle away, only for rough hands to find your hips and drag you back. “C’mon, baby. Be good for us, you’ve already made us wait so long.”

Somebody smacks your ass and you jolt, crying out, only for a hand to soothe over the welt, another squeezing at your hip in a mockery of reassurance. “Don’t make us have to hurt ya, sweetheart.”

It’s easier, you think, to just close your eyes tight and pray that any second now, you’ll wake up in your bed to the blaring of your alarm. But the moment they flutter shut, teeth digging into your bottom lip as fingers dig into your thighs, warm breath ghosting across your sex, a low voice whispers in your ear, “Look at me.”

And you have no choice but to obey, forcing your eyes open to find Sakusa standing to your side, stroking his cock. It’s pretty, you distantly think, and you suppose that it suits him. Well groomed, long but not terribly thick with a slight curve, flushed pink at the tip and glistening with the pre-cum beading at his slit. His other hand comes to rest on your cheek, cupping it with a gentleness that feels out of place, considering the hunger burning in the black depths of his irises. 

He doesn’t say another word as he coaxes your mouth open and guides your head forward to take his cock into your mouth, but the low moan that escapes him as your lips wrap around his length makes you shiver. 

Sakusa isn’t gentle as he fucks your mouth, his thumb stroking your cheek as fresh tears well, but it’s hard to focus on that alone when Hinata’s face disappears between your legs, his tongue laving at your cunt, eager for a taste of you.

It doesn’t take long for the other two to join, and you’re manoeuvred between them, forced to sit on Bokuto’s lap, his thick cock stretching you out while Hinata sits between your legs, diligently slurping at your folds, sucking at your clit, one fist wrapped around his own length, lazily pumping it. Sakusa continues to use your mouth to get himself off, uttering backhanded praise between instructions, hissing in pleasure when he hits the back of your throat and you choke around him, while Atsumu has one hand playing with your tits, the other gripping yours, forcing you to jerk him off. 

It’s too much for your brain to take. 

Your sobs and whimpers, already muffled thanks to the cock in your mouth, are lost to the symphony of grunts and moans, lewd squelching and the sound of skin slapping against skin. There’s too many hands touching you, too much pain fused with unwanted pleasure, overwhelming you as heat and panic and terror build up inside of you, and it feels like there’s an inferno burning beneath your skin, and you can’t breathe and you just want it all to stop, you want to wake up, and-

Suddenly, the door to the locker room snaps open, and all five of you freeze in place as the Captain stops dead in his tracks and eyes the scene before him. 

There’s no possible way for Meian to misconstrue it, not with everything you told him. Not with your face flushed and teary, your eyes glazed over and all but broken from the sick, twisted debasement his teammates have subjected you to. You’re naked, your body littered in love-bites and bruises, spread out before him like a feast.

And still, your eyes meet his, silently pleading for him to say something and stop this.

Meian takes a single step forward and a muffled whine leaves your lips as the cock inside of you twitches insistently. Sakusa draws his hips back, pulling himself free from your mouth, and despite the burn in the back of your throat, you swallow and try to speak.

“Please.” It’s little more than a squeak, hoarse and choked, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference. 

The Captain barely acknowledges that you’ve spoken at all, his attention fixated instead on your body; the way your pussy’s clenching around the base of Bokuto’s length, the tremor of your thighs under Hinata’s rough hands, the way your tits rise and fall with every quickened breath, your lips, swollen and beautifully fucked, glistening with spit before finally, those dark eyes meet yours once more.

And slowly, a grin breaks across his face. “You’d better hurry it up, the others aren’t too far off.”

[katsukikitten]

Just some general warnings and disclaimers, this is an aged up Victorian era AU that I did a sort of collab with @bakugotrashpanda, so please check out BTP’s work as well. We had so much fun discussing this idea and breathing life into it, we would love to hear how these stories made you feel. Please also note that the woman in the banner is NOT the set skin tone for reader so please feel free to have that match your own skin tone! Also this is one of my bigger works coming in at a little over 14,000 words! (maybe a part two idk) but enjoy~

The room ebbs in the low light of flickering candles, people gather in clusters like lost geese as they honk their gossip at one another causing you to sigh. It would be another long night of mental games as your cold eyes fail to warm from the eccentric sights. Silk dresses, long gloves, shimmering gems, and endless drink and food. 

Yet you hated how little power you had over your choice of being here or not. 

Countless eyes rake over your long dress, always choosing a color so deep in hue it is often mistaken for black. They often murmur curiosities as they ponder over what exactly you are mourning.

Little do they know it is your freedom. 

Tonight you are in blood red with matching gloves to your elbows, diamonds, garnets and rubies drip from your throat and ears. A sight to be seen in your bold dark colors that are often frowned upon during the bright season of spring and summer. 

A bold male approaches and yet the closer he gets to your stunning form the more meek he becomes. He nods his head and reaches for your hand, pressing his lips to your gloved knuckles. 

"May I have your first dance?" He peers up at you as you stare down with an icy glare. Removing your hand with deadly precision from a man you know of but could not care less about. 

"You may not." You say simply and all he can do is stew in his rejection, affirming your wishes with a small nod. Another male in a smooth storm grey suit approaches. His large hand grasping onto your fingers, bringing your knuckles to his lips. 

"You look exquisite my dear. Would you honor me with your first dance?" 

"I shall not." Another subtle yet swift removal of your hand from his, wishing you had worn two pairs of gloves for this sniveling little asshole. Not everyone knew his secret love for abusing women but you did. He would never get the pleasure of dancing with you and in the two years since your introduction into the market you've made sure he had no one to wed. Using the power and respect people had towards your Father's name, towards you for guidance, ultimately steering them away from this pathetic sack of bones. 

And with your power you were dubbed the icy hot debutante of Alryne, fierce as a flame so hot, it felt cold. 

You wear a neutral face, but you do not smile, making yourself a touch unapproachable. This already weeds out the weak men who want nothing more than to suck the blood and money from your father's estate. 

But it wasn't as if the neutral face was easy to achieve, oftentimes you had to fight a scowl. For two years you've hated every second of every ball, party, or soiree since the Queen smiled in your favor during your first debut. She often praised, as did your mother, your cold precision, quick wit, and intelligent political decisions that were so well disguised that men just thought you modest. 

When in actuality you were playing the game, and since you were being forced to play by your father then by Hell's flames you would win it all. 

The first half of the ball drags in stupor of tedious repetition as you idly chat with women of various titles to gather any information you could without revealing your own hand. 

Besides all of the pestering gnats, everyone knows that your first dance is always reserved for important males, to never approach until after the two of your six stamps have already been taken. Even then there was a high chance of rejection, as there were no men of value to be seen. 

At least not yet. For as long as you could remember the higher ranked males arrived a touch late, "fashionably late" they claim. Abhorrently annoying is what you call it.  

Fashionably late men such as Lord Bakugou, son to the Duke of Summer or his distant cousin Lord Kirishima, son to the Duke of Spring. 

Bakugou arrives first, his grin wolfish as he scans the crowd, women flock to his arrogance in troves, although he ignores them. He has one woman in his sights yet it is not the woman he stands before. You give a small courtesy as you speak. 

"My Lord." Offering your hand gently. 

"My Starlight." He presses his lips to your silky glove for a long moment unable to keep his cocky smirk off of his face, "May I take your first dance?" 

Fighting to keep the delighted smile off of your face you offer a flutter of your lashes. He kisses your knuckles once more as if you needed convincing but the two of you know what you are doing. 

"You may." And with that his wolfish grin returns as he sweeps you onto the dance floor, showcasing your abilities as he shows off his own. Not to mention the dance floor is a great place to talk in private. His hand lingers just above your lower back, firm in his grip as his other hand holds yours almost delicately. 

"We match tonight, my Starlight. A brilliant touch." He guides you along the floor with ease, his eyes gesturing towards his vest and tie. 

"I only took an educated guess as to what you would wear, my Lord." 

"Do not sell yourself short. I know how sharp that mind is." Another wolfish grin, his eyes never leaving yours while feeling the court gaze upon the two of you. You give him a knowing smile before asking. 

"Any luck with her majesty, the prized diamond?" You ask, eyes blazing with curiosity. He smirks again, only his eyes revealing his true scoff as he twirls you in your jeweled slippers. 

"I did as you instructed and went with my father to that dreaded stay at the countryside Manor, how did you know her Majesty and Princess Amila would be close by." 

"I took an educated guess." A blatant lie that has him grinning from ear to ear. He leans closer, pulling the attention of the ladies especially as his ember eyes burn into you. 

"Far more than an educated guess." He spins you again and you fight the tightness in your gut. Enjoying the dance as he parades you around the room as if to say look at what I have that you could never. 

Even if the two of you agreed you would never be his. The two of you having struck up an arrangement of sorts on your first dance. He was forced by his Grace to ask at least one woman to dance and he had only chosen you with hopes that you would say no. 

But you loved the honest, irritated look that lingered in his eyes and on his lips. So of course you said yes as misery loves company. It was then he told you not to fall for him as he had his eyes set on the Crown, you laughed loudly and said "As if I would ever fall for an arrogant pig such as yourself, my Lord." His smile was wild as he enjoyed your insult, it was then you told him you would help him with the Crown, only if he made you his first and last dance of the evening at every event. 

Back then he had hesitantly agreed, now he can see how far your scheming mind went. Saw the numerous callers and suitors who loitered in your parlor, the extravagant flowers that they sent in excess. The rings they bestowed to you as they dropped to one knee, bold enough to peacock the large diamonds in front of other callers. 

And all after Bakugou had done as you asked for only three parties. He got a front row seat to rejection every single time, which in turn started the talk, the gossip, that this city loved.  You were desired because of how you painted yourself and in turn made Lord Bakugou desired as well. Talked about, all because he was the only male who had your approval. 

He loved your scheming mind so much he could kiss you, but alas you did not wear a crown. Although you often had a braid of jewels atop your head, sadly you were not kin to royalty, only a Baron's daughter after all. 

Bakugou wonders what you could have done as a queen. He would think you an empress.

"Is that all the detail I get? Just a confirmation that I was correct about their holiday?" He spins the two of you in step, hand guiding you although you did not need it. Having memorized every step to every dance there was since before your debut. 

"She saw me." 

"And?!" You can hardly keep up the façade of calm collection as you wait. 

"And she flushed. Her cheeks were as red as any rose, Starlight, she was a rare red diamond sparkling by the lake. She must already be in love with me."  You snort, unable to stop the smile on your lips. 

"I've never heard you so poetic before. Normally you leave that to Lord Kirishima. How many times did you run into her? Not more than three I hope."

"Oi, I am a well versed student and I listened to my teacher. I made her wait for the fourth and denied it. Left her in wonder and hope as you said." He rolls his eyes, fingers sliding up to your dress line touching your bare skin with his beneath your guise of hair. The sensation of his warm fingers against your cool skin does not go unnoticed. 

"Are you practicing for your dance with the 'rare red diamond' now?" You taunt, earning that chest tightening wolf grin. 

"I'm only doing as my teacher has instructed." 

"Well the Princess will fall for you the moment you kiss her hand." 

"One can only hope. Her official debut is less than a month away. I want it to be perfect." His eyes shimmer with plotting mischief as does yours. 

"So it shall." 

The music flows and ebbs to the end of the song as Bakugou deposits you right back where he got you. Bringing your hand to his lips, kissing your knuckles as he holds your gaze once more. 

"My Starlight." When he straightens you curtsy.

"My Grace." With that he leaves, heading towards the table of sweets and beverages, you were sure he would be ordering bourbon. Your mother clears her throat from her chair, the out of season silk blanket over her thick skirts pulls at your heart. She sits on that plush chair as if it were her throne. 

"You dance with Lord Bakugou often." An observation. 

"Indeed." A dry retort. 

"I am sure Lord Kirishima will be your next dance, correct?" 

"One can only hope." 

"So you have an eye for a Duke's son?" 

"I am happy to dance with those deserving, Mother." Your mother keeps her eyes on the turning bodies on the hardwood floor, Kirishima makes his way through the crowd once he spies you. Your mother turns to face you as she says 

"Is the Duke of Winter's son deserving?" 

"Hmm, he has three sons, mother." You keep your eyes away from her until she finally looks back into the crowd. 

"Ah yes but only one is ever at these events." You follow your mother's gaze and they fall upon the Lord, he is the third son, he opted to chase after the world of medicine rather than women. Earning his doctorate much faster than his peers, he only just returned to conduct his practice in Alryne. 

Pity he returned at all. 

He catches your eye and you make a point to turn your cheek, unable to stomach his heterochromatic, condensing gaze. Your turned cheek was as close to fuck you as you could ever say to the high and mighty Lord. Still the words burned on your tongue as if you swallowed acid. 

"It is not as if he ever dances mother. Therefore, how can I give him my attention? As you taught me a woman must wait to be asked as it is every woman's dream to be wed to a handsome, skilled dancer." Out of the corner of your eye you can feel her displeased look before she straightens. 

"At least do not string along Lord Kirishima, that boy is not as zealous as his cousin." She says just as the large man slips through the last throng of the crowd. 

"My shining gem." He smiles with sharp teeth before he places a chaste kiss atop your hand. 

"My Lord." A curtsy before he asks. 

"May I have this dance?" His smile is plastered on his face as he knows your answer. 

"You may." Kirishima sweeps you across the floor in a different manner than Bakugou. Lord Kirishima is more flirtatious in the way that he guides you. Always choosing more of the upbeat dances as opposed to his cousin's serious selection. You do not hesitate to go in for the kill. 

"So when do you plan to ask Lady Mina for her hand?" He blushes at your words. Biting the inside of his lip subtly, a habit you could only notice from being up close. 

"Have you even attempted to court her? What fear plagues you, Lord?" Confusion dots your features as a sad smile paints his soft lips. 

"I am not sure she would- That we would be an ideal fit." Kirishima admits, turning you gracefully, pulling you close to his body. Scandalous some would say had the two of you been an inch closer. 

"Well my Lord, I believe, had you actually talked to her while the two of you danced, as I suggested, then you would come to find out that she is lovely. Pure hearted as she is honest in this game seeking love. Most women here are making attempts to move up in position, my Lord. As a Duke's first son the title of Grace is yours to master. She is a delight and air is not the only thing between her ears as some of these…"You survey the room as everyone watches with greedy eyes, "Vultures." 

He laughs never used to your own unwavering honesty. He knows you are not participating by your own free will, he knows because you are helping himself and his cousin when he was sure you could have had anyone in this room.

If the Majesty's nephew, Prince of the Yarrow were to attend even one ball this season, Kirishima was sure you would have his attention too.  

He twirls your body away from his and brings you back to the safety of his sturdy form. Your eyes are molten determination as you all but hiss 

"Ask her to dance next. You know the host prefers the set to be serious, flirtatious, and then a slow dance. It will be the perfect time to talk." 

Lord Kirishima sighs, squeezing your hand as he guides the two of you closer to your mother so he can leave you in her company. 

"You could turn any dull man into something more. Whoever wins your hand is getting a precious gem indeed." He kisses your hand as the music begins to change into something slower as you had predicted. 

"One shall only hope." You curtsy as he takes his flushed neck towards a certain Countess. Your mother gives you a knowing look and you offer her a cat smirk. She shakes her head but even she cannot hide her own satisfied smile.

A blonde male approaches, as he does every third ball after he ensures your first two dances have been taken. The flamboyant male has not once asked for a dance first, trying to be just as calculating as you. Although he is much more obvious. 

You suppose it was not half bad for a male. 

"My lady." He bends lower than he should for his station in life, but he is obviously copying the cousins before him having seen how it makes you smile. 

Lavender eyes shine up at you as the Viscount brings his lips to your gloved hand. You debate if you should say yes tonight. Having left him in the dark as your desire to dance with him solely depended on your mood. 

"May I show the room the grace in which steals the breath from my lungs?" Your eyes smirk as your lips form a small smile. It seems flattery would earn him a dance tonight. 

"You may." 

The Viscount smiles with delight as he gently takes you to the dance floor, holding you to him as he takes you across the hardwood. The candle lights play along your features as Monoma's face grows soft. Had he been anyone else his gaze might have brought a flush about you. The two of you shared a few dances before, he has sat in your parlor in the time he has attempted to court you and the flowers he sends are always the most expensive. 

He has even brought you chocolate from a month's long trip. Even you had to admit that was thoughtful, not too many people knew of your Achilles heel. A small part of you thought that if no one else would do, at least this man would bring you luxurious chocolates. 

"No trips this season?" You smile politely, he blinks as he seems to come to. 

"Only if I can take you with me." He smiles, a hint. You pretend yourself modest and look away to fight the roll of your eyes. 

Maybe chocolate would not be enough to sate you. 

His eyes flicker to your mother as a question forms on his lips. 

"Neither your brothers nor the Baron attended tonight?" 

"Ah unfortunately no. My mother is my chaperone tonight." You say tilting your head, he turns so you can face her, stepping slowly as the song lulls on. 

"I am elated she is well enough to attend." He smiles, you cannot tell if it reaches his eyes so instead you offer 

"As am I." 

The rest of the night is filled with rejection tumbling from your rouged lips as champagne flutes seem to find their way into your hand. 

"Not too much of that dear or you will not be able to enjoy the company of your suitors." 

"Truly a pity." You say taking another from a passing waiter. Eyes trained on Lord Iida and the lovely dancer in his hands, a blue dress sweeping across the floor and a white carnation nestled in her hair. 

A beautiful touch and it pays homage to their first dance before they were even wed. 

The love that embraced the couple could turn anyone in the room green with envy. 

You down your flute as you reach for another. 

Night brightens into morning much too soon as curtains are ripped open in your room. 

"My lady callers will be here soon." Rose, your handmaiden says softly, "I have a bath waiting for you."

You groan in response having not had enough sleep after pouring over your drafts for your book until your candle snuffed itself out. 

"Turn them all away Rose." You growl turning away from the irritating light, could it not have rained this morning to delay the suitors as it always did in this forsaken town?

"She will do no such thing." Your mother says as she walks into your room with her cane, her hand gripping onto the golden beak of a bird. 

"Mother, why not marry off Hendrix or  Hideki?" 

"Hendrix must apprentice under your Father for a period of time while Hideki can do as he pleases for now. He is only 20, besides he makes an excellent chaperone does he not? He isn't too nosy nor does he neglect his duties to intimidate pushy men." She pushes some of your hair back as she sighs, "Although I doubt you need help in that manor." 

"I deserve a strong bloodline, so I will do what I must to ensure that. Even if my face has to be scary at times." You and your mother share a laugh before she adds. 

"Your face is far from scary my dear." She touches your cheek softly rising from the bed to allow you to get ready, "The suitors shall arrive within the hour. Make haste." 

"Yes mother." You half groan rising to wash. Enjoying the warm water that Rose has so kindly added aromatic flora and citrus to. Once you enter your bedroom Rose has a dress picked out for you, waiting for your final approval. You nod allowing Rose to assist you with your corset and strings of your dress before you pick out jewelry to match your silver finery. You choose a silver bracelet with little diamonds as stars that Lord Bakugou had given you for your birthday this past year, smiling down at the small thing before assessing yourself in the mirror. 

"What do you think Rose, should I add some rouge to my lips?" She gives you a smile of delight. 

"And your cheeks too, my Lady." 

Breakfast is served in the parlor as it consists mostly of fruits and finger pastries that will be served to the other guests. Hideki comes down in a fine and deep sapphire suit. 

“Sister.” He gives a smirk to which you nod.

“Brother.”

“And what trouble will you get into today?” He stage whispers, causing you to cut him a glare as your father comes around to loom in the arch way of the parlor. 

“Remember, you need to pick a husband this season or I will pick for you. It is disgraceful to have gone through two seasons at your age.”

“I am only twenty four, dearest Father..”

“That just proves my point. You have a month before I extend an offer to the Duke's-.” He takes in a sharp breath to chide you further only for his Grace to swoop in and save the day.

“Baron.” Bakugou says, his eyes challenging as your father bows his head. As Bakugou makes his way towards the delicate foods. Father cuts you a knowing glare. As if to say I know your games child.

You offer a sweet smile as you make your way towards your small writing desk, fighting off the urge to groan outwardly. You just wanted to work on your manuscript or read for that matter. Instead you would have to entertain men who cared not what you thought only what your pretty mouth would not say. They would swarm you, demanding attention as you waved them off gently, half you had never even spoken too.  Bakugou gives you a wicked smile from beside you as if he could read your thoughts. At least he always sat closest to you, saving you in a way although you never instructed him to sit close. 

He just always had. 

"Do you not want to play the piano today, my shining Gem?" Kirishima asks from the door. 

"Ah I am not sure I am in the mood for it, my Lord." 

"Easier to avoid people as the bench is only meant for one." Bakugou gives a devilish smirk, Kirishima almost pouts, his sullen expression does not go unnoticed by his cousin. 

"It has been an eon since you last played for us." Bakugou adds. 

"Am I to be your song bird today?" You cut a glare at him. 

"Yes, Starlight I believe you are." It seems it had no effect. Sighing you stand, collecting your skirts as your wrist twinkles in the morning sun. Garnet eyes bore into the delicate wristlet. Your fingers pluck a key here or there until you begin to play. Losing yourself in the music as you sing ballads from ages ago, melding them into songs you've written until it all sounds like a cohesive piece. Each old song is lost in transition to the new one, time ticks on but you do not notice the string of men who come and go from your parlor. Resting your voice for the time being as your fingers fly across the keys to something you composed while thinking of your father and his ever pushing hand towards a Duke's son you had great distaste for. The notes are sharp, almost jarring at times yet still the piece is stunning.  In that time you had not noticed the lavender eyed man who sat closest to you, right in front of the piano in the corner of the couch. The finger cramping song ends on a somber, harsh note. 

"What a beautifully charged song." Monoma says breathlessly. 

“Well I was thinking of my enemies when I composed it.” You smile at the sunshine blonde with a devilish grin, he feels unsettled by it but says nothing nonetheless. His lavender eyes glance over to the wolves at the back of your den. Hideki gives him a small nod, Kirishima a soft smile but Bakugou gives him a glare that feels like Monoma is gripping needles. 

He swallows thickly, adjusting himself on the plushed silk of the couch before your small piano. 

“Ah before I forget.” He smiles pulling out a box setting it atop the polished wood. Gifts were a natural part of courtship or so your mother said. You offer a smile, grabbing for the box with poised eagerness and yet not overly so. 

Not that you were excited but you had to pretend to be. You unbox the obvious jewelry and fight back the distaste as you stare down at a gaudy, overly large necklace. The colors are a soft green and yellow, colors you avoid for many reasons. 

“Thank you.” You think to add a chord or two to your unnamed song in honor of Monoma. Bakugou laughs loudly from the back of the room, feeling how much you hate the gift, you look over your shoulder to send him a glare that he can only smile at. 

After hours of trepid and boring conversation Monoma takes his leave. 

“Another evening my Lady.” He smiles softly and you return it half heartedly.

“Another evening.” Lavender looks over your shoulder before Monoma clears his throat

“Your Grace and your Grace.” He bows his head, the ash blonde and redhead nod in unison. 

"Shall we go and drink my high friends?" Hideki asks, hoping for an excuse to leave the stuff house. He was more than over bearing witness to  gag worthy stares and compliments some of these men gave you. 

"An excellent idea!" Kirishima exclaims, standing before stopping by you. He takes your gloveless hand with a sharp, flirtatious smile. 

"My shining gem." He presses his lips to your skin and you return his smile. 

"My Lord." He nods and takes his leave, Hideki at his heels as Bakugou approaches. He does an exaggerated sigh unable to hide his smirk. 

"Little songbird how will I ever get through the night without my Starlight?" He holds your hand, lowering his upper half as did his cousin before him. 

"I suppose you will fumble in the dark."

"If only I had the pleasure." He purrs as he presses his lips to your bare skin. Suddenly his fingers are too warm as he holds your gaze, he looks as if he could devour you. 

Lest he forget he is staring down a panther himself. 

"Have fun fumbling in the dark by yourself, my Lord." You remove your hand and look out of the corner of your eye at him. He backs towards the door of the room. 

"I should hope to have thoughts of Starlight." He calls before he disappears into the hall. You tap a key as your mind wanders before you rise, famished and ready for dinner before you would take a long night of writing. 

A month passes by faster than you'd like and you find yourself outside of the ballroom in the grand hall of the castle. Soft music filters in through the doors as your Father insisted the family be a bit late this evening. 

For he wanted to make a statement and one at your expense. 

"If Duke Enji's son asks you for a dance you will oblige." Your father hisses, his large hand curling around your bicep. You bare your teeth, stepping out of his grip as you collect yourself. 

"He has three." Acid drips from your tongue as sure as morning dew. 

"The doctor. Not the failure first born and not the inadequate second. The third. Shoto. Think of your ailing mother...would you abandon her for such vile, pointless ambitions?"

"I think you will not weaponize her. So do as I please and decline." You hold his burning glare as you add, "If the Duke's family is as bad off as you make it seem." 

"Oh I think you shall accept his dance. Or so help me God I will burn every book your ill, grief stricken mother ever shoved into your scrubby little hands." He leans closer, a nasty smile forming as his lips, "And if that is not enough I will throw your manuscript into the fire for fodder." 

Your eyes blaze with a rage that ignites beneath your skin, burning your blood as your eyes make unspoken promises. When I am through with you 

You part your lips to retort but your eye catches Hendrix and Hideki, their eyes filled with pity before your mother slowly approaches. 

Father chose his battleground well, knowing you would be unable to react as you pleased and with Bakugou already at the party there was no other male to save you. You bite your tongue until you taste blood. 

"Is everything alright?" Mother asks tentatively, fussing with your hair, "Darling you must mind your face, my love." 

You swat her away, breathing through your nose as if you were a dragon. Heat still dancing in your veins as you allow your feet to move on their own. 

"Announce me. Only me. And do not announce another soul until I am beyond the last step." You hiss to the harbinger whose eyes grow wide before he nods. His voice booms over the murmurers of the crowd and once eyes begin to land on you they are silenced. 

Your eyes are set hard and as cold as stone as you look over the crowd, slowly descending the steps in your deep ombre gown. Starless night black from the bodice before it lightens gradually into a charcoal grey, glittering crystals sewn into the material shine in the candle light like miniature stars. Your gloves followed the same gradual pattern except it seemed as if each finger was dipped in glittering silver and atop your wrist was your favorite piece, diamonds winking in the low light set into silver pointed stars. Woven in your hair were diamonds and pale citrine alike forming a crown in its own nature. 

Had Her Royal Highness not have already been announced and seated it would be easy to mistake you for the Crown. Considering how you commanded attention and held yourself, eyes looking at no one but seeing all. 

The envy, the awe, the lust. 

A pivotal moment was coming, the last three stairs is where a woman would normally hold out their hand, expecting their favorite suitor to take action but you did not hold out your hand. Keeping one firmly on the dark wood of the banister while the other was eloquently posed beside you. Even if you had held out your hand the men in the room were too stunned to step up to help you. This allowed a soft, devilish smile to form on your painted lips as they performed exactly as you had planned. Finally your gem encrusted slipper touched the hardwood, parting the crowd before the spell was broken by the announcement of the rest of your family. The room let out a collective breath and instantly erupted in hot gossip. All of it falling on deaf ears as you grabbed onto a flute of trusted champaign. 

From across the room you felt burning garnet eyes on you, you met them briefly before sipping at your bubbly beverage. He begins to cross the sea of bodies when a large man steps into your view. 

His eyes are cold as they bore into you, a shining sapphire paired with a smokey quartz. Distaste curdles your stomach as you fight to keep your face neutral and your eyes trained on him. Fans block painted lips as they spread more gossip about the man before you. 

"Is she ensnaring another Duke's son?" 

"She is becoming too haughty for a Baron's daughter." 

"Do you think she insulted the Crown with her entrance?" 

"Would you allow me your first dance?" His deep voice cuts through the vultures' cries pulling you back to him. He has your glittering left hand in his. Brining the dazzling glove to his lips in greeting, there is no joy in his gemstone gaze. 

The hot rage bears its teeth again as it surges through your blood like liquid fire, burning so hot it felt cold as it licked at your bones. Your lip barely twitches, No poised on your tongue as your father's grating voice echoes in your head. 

"Think of your ailing mother...would you abandon her for such vile, pointless ambitions?" 

And so your mouth finally forms the words. 

"You may."  He looks surprised, surrounding faces mirror his own before he fully takes your hand. Guiding you to the floor during one of your favorite songs that you always sat out as no dance partner ever dared the secret, advanced steps. You were steeling yourself for disappointment 

Shoto's grip on your body is tight but not uncomfortable as he sweeps you across the dance floor, twirling you, guiding you as he holds your gaze. His stare is heavy and intense in a different manner from Bakugou's with a hint of something that could be mistaken as flirtatious. But you saw it for what it was, discontent. 

As the song pushed on the discontent seemed to change into something new entirely as he showcased your skill while hiding his own. Allowing you to twirl away from him in several rotations that would make even the most skillful dancer fearful of misstep and yet you breathed in the music as if it were precious air. Neither of you notice how the other dancers give you room, allowing for more twirls and advanced steps as the two of you are becoming lost to the music. His fingers brush your bare skin as he pulls you back to him for  guided, sharp steps as the music heightens. His skin brushes yours again, electricity thrums beneath the pads of his fingers before he sends you into another dizzying rotation but to you it was nothing. Briefly you wonder if this were a test until you see the soft smile on his lips when you return to his arms safely for the final set of guided steps before the music were to abruptly end, just as the dance was intended. His eyes were glued to yours the entirety of the dance, softening with each step. 

Both of you stop in beat with the last soaring note panting as the movement seems to catch up with the two of you. Neither of you realize how quiet the room is until clapping comes from the royal dais high above the room, the rest of the crowd follows suit. Shock melts into a smile as your eyes return to his. A sharp pain rings out in his chest. 

"Not bad for a Baron's daughter." Disgust settles on your face faster than you can stop it spewing from your lips. 

"Not bad for a recluse of a Duke's son." You tilt your head up, fighting the snarl of your lip as his face becomes so mind numbingly neutral while his eyes darken. Shoto drops you off by your mother only for Bakugou to approach, swiftly bringing you to the floor for a slow song. 

"Starlight. How did I not know you could dance like that?" He is astonished by your skill, "I've never seen you so happy. Maybe the Duke of Winter's third son will do you justice yet." 

You scoff but all Bakugou can do is offer you a deadly smile. 

"Enough about my dead end dancing." Your eyes glance towards the dias, the Princess cannot look away from the two of you, "This should be enough for the Princess to want to dance soon." 

It is Bakugou's turn to scoff. 

"Are you sure she is even going to have the opportunity to dance? No one is even allowed on the stairs to their enclave." 

"Ah but this is her debut. The Queen will allow it, besides the princess cannot keep her gaze off of a certain ash blonde." 

"How could she ever?" Your laugh rings out, it warms even the coldest hearts as Bakugou pulls you closer to him. Heat radiates from his body in a calming manner, your fingers squeeze his. 

"Arrogant as ever." You smile, thinking how you will miss dancing with him or even having him at the back of your parlor to laugh with over sad attempts at your hand, "Remember once you take her one dance for the night, she must be your first and last dance of the night in the future, if not your only." 

Bakugou cannot hide the dejection in his eyes even as he feigns cockiness. 

"I am a well versed student, remember?" His fingers brush over your skin, his middle finger tracing a small circle. 

"The best student I could ask for." The music comes to a close on more than just the song as Bakugou returns you to your family. He presses a long kiss to your glittering glove. 

"Until we meet again, my Starlight." He holds your stare. 

"Until then my Grace." With that the night sets into motion as you turn down dances left and right. Eyeing a ruby haired man who twirls a certain countess in his hands. As the music ends the Queen stands earning a hushed crowd. 

"My daughter, the Royal Princess shall take the dance floor, she will only allow one dance on the night of her debut." It is not a shock that she is allowed so little but there is no worry on Bakugou's face. The princess straightens at the top of the stairs, trying to exude the same commanding energy you did. She falls short in power but outshines you in other wordly innocence and grace. As if she were a lily that only bloomed for the moon, her beauty unmatched in her pale pink dress. Carefully she guides the layers of it down the steps as diamonds and pearls drip from her hair and throat. She tries to keep her eyes from sticking to a broad shouldered man and yet at the same time from wandering, as she stares at the back wall of the room. 

As she nears the third step Bakugou struts towards his prize with the ease of a relaxed swagger, glaring at men as he passes before he reaches the bottom of the steps. Extending his hand to the Princess just as she hits the third step from the bottom. She cannot keep the smile off of her face as her gloved hand claps onto his bare fingers. He bows deeply, raising her hand above him to look from beneath long lashes before he brings his lips to the silk. 

"Your Royal Highness, my shining diamond. You are truly the envy of the night." A flush gives the Princess' lack of experience away, "May I have this dance?" 

"You may." It is a breathy answer before Bakugou sweeps her off of her feet. Charming her with each calculated step and  arrogant quip. The princess smiles wide and almost pouts once the music begins to ebb. Bakugou returns her to the stairs, supporting her hand as long as he can before she rises out of reach.

But to Bakugou she never was and never will be unattainable. 

Before the night is over an envelope is pressed into your hands with the Crown's seal pressed into the wax. You quirk your brow, tucking it away to be read at home. 

"I am so elated you came." Her voice is like honey as the butler opens the doors to a parlor so large it could hold your entire home. She guides you towards a small table and fights with the layers of her silk dress before sitting.

"How could I reject a personal invitation from her majesty?" You sit across from her, eyes going over the deck of cards and a set of tea. 

"Well, believe it or not, I do not have the pleasure of friends, so please call me Amila." 

"Everyone would desire to be a friend of the Crown, your Royal Highness." You counter, quickly she points her fan towards you, tapping your side of the small ornate card table. 

"Ah but you do not have the desire to befriend the Crown, so I have high hopes that you will befriend me for me." She smiles, a certain gleam to her eye before she says, "Now let's talk about handsome Bakugou and how well you played me." 

Your face gives nothing away as you look up from the cards you've been dealt. Your mind rushes down all possible avenues but you know to avoid the one of playing dumb. It is obvious that the Princess has a keen eye. 

"Surely you'll reveal to me what gave us away." 

"After that dance Bakugou had with me, had I been anyone else he would have returned to you. He either has his only dance with you or his last dance with you. I figured him or Lord Kirishima to be heavily interested in you. You are a sparkling gem amongst the coal down there so I know you have many callers and suitors. But the last to leave are always Lord Bakugou and Lord Kirishima. That is what has thrown me off the scent."  You laugh at her honesty of the knowledge she has obviously collected about you or was tactful enough to guess. 

"This is what we do, your Royal Highness." Your gloved hand gestures to the table, "I take them for all that they are worth." An honest giggle leaves Amilia's lips.

"For that I am grateful and some would dare say I am in your debt." 

"A brazen statement." Your eyes return to your cards, "I would not state it as a debt although I am happy to receive your gratitude. Especially since it is in the form of cards and cake." 

A laugh falls from her lips as a smile settles on yours. The round of cards continues. You win the first few rounds and then Amelia has a lucky hand. Winning the last white tea macaron. 

"Did you allow me to best you?" 

"Lady Luck just happened to take favor of the Crown." 

"Or maybe she took pity. " She smiles, fingers fidgeting nervously, "Would you care to admire the art? Mother allows me to have this as my own personal parlor so I decorate it as I wish." 

"I would love to admire some of these lovely paintings. Starting with the one behind you." You stand, heading to the large piece you had been eyeing for some time during the games. You could tell by the stroke of the brush that the artist was newer to painting but they were quite talented, the strokes almost went unnoticed even by your sharp eye. 

Most importantly were the emotions the work of art evoked from the viewer. 

Silently the two of you drank in the large oil painting. The canvas colored in deep pinks, reds and oranges as the sun laid to rest to allow its lover the full scope of the sky. Shadows stretched far and towards the viewer and if one paid close attention they would notice the black cat in the corner with two large moon eyes. 

You especially liked this painting, the ease it made you feel even earning a small smile. 

"I can already tell this one is by far my favorite, your Royal Highness you have a fine eye for art." She blushes at your compliment, twisting some of her low hanging hair. You keep your amusement of her flustering to yourself, eyes trained on the swirling colors of the rippling blue mirror of the sky, looking for a signature. 

Odd, there isn't a looping set of initials in the corner like most have. As if reading it on your face she speaks. 

"I- I am the artist…" It is shy and soft, unlike the Princess and you realize the weight of the truth. That she had not heard one genuine compliment of anything that she had ever done. 

All she would ever receive is flattery and only for the hopes of kindness from the Crown. Finally time swallows up her sudden meekness as she blurts out.  

"Are you sure Lord Bakugou is not in love with you? I know you fancy Lord Todoroki, Doctor Shoto." 

"I do not fancy the Doctor, he simply is the most logical option I have currently, he would make a fine partner and husband. The seasons have not brought anyone new and my days of spring are limited." You idly move to the next painting as you speak, "As far as Lord Bakugou, he and I are too much alike. Too ambitious for our own good, we'd either explode or implode I'm afraid. Like some tragic star in the vast galaxy." 

"You would not marry for love?"  

"It is best to marry for a strong partnership, love is a possible byproduct, however it proves to be a rarity. Love comes with time, your Royal  Highness, a luxury us women do not have." You glance her way, "Not even a Princess is immune to this unfortunate condition from which all women suffer." 

"But he looks at you with intense burning, with...love." 

A quiet moment passes between the two of you before you offer your honesty. 

"He would learn to look at you that way, more than he would see the Crown. Especially with your mind and artistic skill. He would be a fool not to fall for you." Her eyes water at your response, "Come, let me teach you how to best Bakugou at his favorite card game, Amelia."  

When you return home later that afternoon Bakugou is fidgeting outside of the manor causing your brow to furrow. Then it dawns on you that one of your brother's has a big mouth and told his Grace where you would be. 

"My Lord." 

"Starlight." He offers you a strong arm and you take it as he guides you up the stairs and into the parlor just off the foyer. 

"Are you here to gossip?" You trust Bakugou enough to go without a chaperone, besides the doors to the parlor are wide open. You sink into your writing chair as he takes his normal seat by your side. The plush cushions do not ease his twitching fingers before you give him a playful shove. 

"Out with it then!" You giggle, the sound pulls a devilish smirk from the blonde seemingly easing whatever troubled his mind. He leans back into the cushions. 

"So, how much did her Highness speak of me? Endless compliments no doubt." His teeth flash white as you roll your eyes. 

"And here I thought you had a pressing matter." You move to turn away from him to focus on writing but he grabs onto your knee. Giving it a gentle squeeze as his face gives him away. The tips of his ears burn before he clears his throat. 

"I have to show you something and I need your honest opinion." Silence is his answer as you patiently wait for him to produce the mystery item. Slowly he reaches into his pocket, a black velvet box is in his hands. A smile blooms on your lips as you anticipate the ring he must have picked for the princess. He opens the box and your heart free falls into your stomach. 

It is a pear shaped black diamond flanked by silvery diamonds that wink in the afternoon sun. At the top of the circle of diamonds was a deep red garnet that looked like a drop of blood. The ring felt powerful if it could make one feel such a thing. You fist your skirts as you collect yourself.  He watches your face contort as you look over the ring, his jaw ticking with worry as you assess what is essentially both his ego and pride. 

But the ring is breathtaking, perfect really. 

"Katsuki, it is a gorgeous ring…" Your voice trails as you admire it, "But I believe the princess to have less...moody tastes. She does not normally wear dark colors." 

A small silence stretches between the two of you, almost as if he expects something else, quickly he snaps the box shut. 

"This is why I ask you things, my stunning Starlight." He pulls out a red velvet box popping it open. This ring is beautiful as well but does not have your heart as much as the first. 

It is a stunning and giant marquise cut white diamond. Blinding in the light with a halo of pale pink diamonds. It is vibrant, radiant like the princess. Katsuki always did pick out the perfect jewelry to match a woman's tastes. Bakugou watches your face carefully, the sad smile that pulls your lips upward causes a deep ache in his chest. His jaw ticks again but you answer before he can even think to lash out. 

"Your Grace, this will surely win her heart." He looks you in your eyes, a flash of an emotion you cannot quite catch before his arrogance returns. 

"Indeed it shall. We can discuss the best date to ask another time." He closes the box and tucks them both away, he grabs your left hand, fingers ghosting over the bracelet he gave you, "You seem tired, you should get some rest." 

"I believe that to be a grand idea." You say softly as he kisses each knuckle. He squeezes your fingers. 

"My life would be dark without you my Starlight." You fight to keep the bitterness out of your voice as you reply. 

"Soon you will have a shining diamond to light up your life." 

"Only thanks to you." With that he takes his leave. 

With burning eyes you add to your manuscript, foolishly writing a love story as your other novels have been completed. The candle dwindles as the hours pass before your hunched shoulders ache from the poor posture and lack of movement. You stretch, yawning as you do before you decide to head to bed. 

Expecting an empty foyer you are surprised to see your father looming in the hall, your mother standing solemn by his side. Her fingers clutch at her pearls as your eyes catch sight of bags at their feet. It is not unusual for them to leave in the middle of the night in order to keep the severity of your mother's health from the limelight. 

"Is there troubling news?" Anxiety twitches in your fingers as you clasp them together. Although your father's next words make your fingers want to wrap around his thick neck. 

"We have been invited for an extended stay at Duke Enji's manner in the countryside in hopes the two of you will court one another." 

"Father that is scandalous in itself." 

"Not if an engagement comes of it. Which one will, whether you fall for him or not, young lady. The matter has been decided among the men." His words sting like a slap in the face. Where most would cry you lash out. 

"Oh, I get it. Per usual the men can think with nothing more than what hangs between their legs, fearful that theirs is not long enough. So the men do all that they can to control everything but their own fragility." You step towards your father and he takes a step back, "Or is it more gruesome than that? One blackmailing the other? I just cannot imagine the ambitious Duke wanting a Baron's daughter for his son. Unless his family is so far in decline he must place the weight on his new heir and bride." 

His eyes widen unnaturally before he is frothing at the mouth. 

"YOU WILL NOT SPEAK OUT OF TURN. YOU WILL LEARN YOUR DAMN PLACE. " He slaps you, causing a hush to fall over your family. Your eyes are wide with animalistic rage as you lunge only for Hendrix and Hideki to hold you back. Both strong men begin dragging you away.

"Forgive her, Father." Hendrix starts before Hideki finishes, "You know how the heat gives women a touch of hysteria."

"We will help her pack her bags." 

All the while your mother looks at her husband in horror.  The sight falls beneath the stairs before you are shoved onto your bed. 

"Sister!" Hendrix roars while the youngest brother looks flustered, worried, "What were you thinking? You know how closed minded father is." 

Hideki cuts the eldest a look before he adds. 

"We are just worried. Normally you keep your wrath at bay." 

"As much as it may come as a surprise. I am only human." You rise from the bed asking Rose to prepare you a trunk. To pack anything, that you did not care as you sat at your desk furiously writing. Your bothers watch you with curious eyes as the tension seems to subside before they take their leave.

Minutes tick by before you're standing in the foyer. Father and mother were already sitting in the carriage that waited outside under the cover of misty rain. Hendrix and Hideki stand awkwardly by the round table in the middle of the foyer. Pretending to fuss over lavish flowers Lord Bakugou had sent that morning. A beautiful arrangement of roses and hydrangeas, two of your favorites, the Lord knew of them through observation alone. You wait patiently until one brother makes eye contact with you. Hideki breaks first, guilt shining in his eyes as it threatens to spill over. It is obvious he does not want you to leave the house, his normally crooked smile falters. You cup his cheek, smiling up at your sentimental younger brother, he acts as if you will never come back. 

Maybe there is some truth in that. 

"Cry not, for I have an iron will while father's is but made of glass." You swipe the tear, before pressing two letters into his chest, "Besides I have an important task for you." 

"Is it your scheming?" Hendrix chides and you laugh in answer before continuing. 

"These are for Lord Bakugou and Lord Kirishima, it is imperative you deliver these letters." The paper contained important instructions for not only a successful proposal but a marriage as well. 

You'd be damned if all three of you would turn out miserable. 

"I'll put them in the post." 

"No hand deliver them." Your eyes turn icy causing both brothers to go rigid, "And should I find out the seal has been broken before their arrival I shall take the family jewels from between your legs."

"Is that any way for a lady to talk, my dearest sister?" A jest in an attempt to lighten your souring mood. 

"Yes, it is."

"They will be in their hands by this evening. We are wagering on a fight tonight. Enjoy your stay." Hideki leans in close with a tease but his voice almost cracks, "Make sure the rock is huge." 

"Indeed." Hendrix agrees with an almost sad look in his eye, leaving you to wonder what it is that they know and you do not. 

Well, you do know why they have such long faces, you just do not care to admit. You wave to them and their eyes catch on the silvery reflection of diamonds on your wrist. 

The manner is stifling to say the least. The large, grand thing is as your trunk is set in your room that overlooks a small garden and the long sweeping hill that leads home. You pace your room before a knock comes at your door. 

Hoping to ignore it, having not the desire to speak to a soul, your feet quiet. You listen for them to retreat but instead a louder knock sounds out. Before his grating voice floats from beneath the door and through the keyhole. 

"I know you are in there, my lady." 

Ugh, that stupid doctor stood on the other side of the door. Still you ignore him. 

"It is rude to ignore your host."  It ignites something in your stomach before you rip the door open. Eyes ablaze as Todoroki stands perfectly still in his onyx black suit sans jacket. White sleeves rolled up showcasing his strong forearms. 

"Surely, a good host would not force his guests to his estate?" 

"A good host would not mention how unwanted their guest is." His smile is sickeningly polite, eyes as cold as yours. It is hard to keep your composure as you breathe in deeply through your nose, eyes widening before you slam the door in his face. 

Only once you hear his footfalls retreat and the moon shines long on your floor boards do you finally make your way towards the door. A woman on a mission as you yank the door open, uncaring that you were not in much but a thick white nightgown that could be mistaken for a dress.  You rush for the stairs and through the door just off their back parlor, having memorized it from the long winded tour both your father and his Grace Enji insisted the small party take of the grounds. 

A cool summer breeze whips your hair this way and that as it dries the sweat that sits at your nape. Normally people would describe this feeling as miserable, that even the breeze had a bit of heat to it, but you. 

You lived for it. Twirling in the moonlight you allow yourself a moment for vulnerability you often cannot afford before you go deeper on the grounds, closer to the woods that lie just beyond the manor. 

Once you are at the edge you give the grand home a glare with your back towards the woods. The creatures of the night sing their symphonies well into the late hour. A twig snaps behind you cause you to turn about face, your eyes meet with lavender framed beneath light lashes. 

Ice runs through your blood as you faintly recall him speaking of these trees by his own countryside manor. He often went to these grounds to hunt. 

So why was he standing on the Todoroki grounds? 

"So it is true?" Monoma chokes out an ugly sound. It is between defeat and a snarl. He takes a step closer, "Whisked away in the night. Did Todoroki steal your maiden head from me?" 

Your eyes widen at his scandalous accusation and it is then you see how truly disheveled he is. Hair plastered to his forehead, his canary suit stained green from foliage. The fabric even darkening beneath his armpits and at his collar, it sends a sort of frantic look to his eye. He steps forward and for once in your life you yield, stepping back. 

"That is a damning accusation." You fight to keep the cracking rage from your voice, the small fear that blooms in your belly like poison nightshade. Swallowing thickly he steps forward. 

"He, he can't take what's mine. I- I was going to propose today. But that damn Bakugou is always lingering around like toxic gas. Poisoning your mind with his….ambitions." It is then you see red. 

How dare anyone thing you were so fucking fragile and innocent some young blonde could corrupt you. Your palm strikes his cheek with enough force that he is facing away from you. You strike again and then as you rear up your fist he pulls you to him. Pressing his whisky soaked lips to yours as he swallows you whole. Mouth extended over your lips, sloppily engulfing you as he makes sounds that make you want to retch. His tongue slides past your lips and you bite.

Not enough that he loses it, although you wish you could afford to do such a thing. But you still lived in a society where a man's word was far more valuable than that of a "whore." Shaking you pull back, so much rage that you do not see the flash of light until it is too late. 

"Fucking bitch!" He slashes at your nightgown, cutting the fabric away as you think you've doged, he goes to slash again, "God damn whore!" 

His voice echoes through the trees and that scares you more than the knife in his hand, his sloppy demnor creates an opening as you kick him so hard between his legs he falls to the ground, puking up his belly full of liquor onto the moss floor. 

Suddenly the summer night is too hot, the frogs and crickets too loud as an owl calls deep within the wood. Thunder roars overhead before the clouds become too heavy. Panic slicks your skin before the pounding rain as you turn to run, hopping you kicked hard enough to rupture something in this cowardly man. 

If you lived in any other world, you would have tried your best to seize that knife and plunge it into his chest. 

But you didn't, so you ran. Vision blurring as the pain finally catches up to you. Hand instinctively flying to your stomach only to come up wet. 

"It's the rain, it's just the rain." You gasp out rushing into the house and shutting the glass paned door as quickly and quietly as you can. Fumbling for a lock before you give up all together, arms outstretched in the dim room looking for a candle or a mirror. Shaking fingers find a match that you light using the wallpaper, uncaring of the risks as you frantically look for a stick of wax. Lighting the wick once you've found one and taking it to the mirror above a small runner table. You set the wax down, close to the glass, thunder shakes the windows and the house as you pull the fabric from your torso. It reveals an angry red slash that weeps crimson, a choked gasp leaves your lips as lightning flashes illuminating the whole room. Still you do not see the reflection of the man in the mirror. 

"What happened?" It sounds animalistic as it comes from the corner. Your whirl to face him, pulling the cloth back down to cover your decency. A lie falls from your lips as easy as breath. 

"Nothing." Your rasp, feigning embarrassment, "My-my courses have come early. Your Grace this is not something you should witness." 

"Do you take me for a fool?" He steps closer, eyes burning in the candle light, "I may not be an expert of female anatomy but I know the basics." 

You swallow thickly, trying to jest. 

"Then my Lord you are far more experienced than myself. I am bashful to be in the presence of a skilled womanizer. This truly is nothing." He closes the distance, wrapping his deadly hand around your small wrist. Pulling it away from your body.

"That laceration does not look like 'nothing'." He mocks, "I will not ask again." 

Silence engulfs you as the storm rages on, it competes with the roaring in your head. Your knees slowly buckle as Shoto keeps you up right. His winter's night by the hearth scent floods your senses. 

"I feel a bit faint." Your voice sounds so small, so far away that it stirs something in Todoroki. In the year that he has watched you, he has not once seen your falter or become meek. He makes way to scoop you into your arms and is a mixed of relieved and agitated as you swat him away. 

"I-I can walk." You straighten your back, smoothing the reddening fabric over your bodess and for once you're thankful the blasted nightgown is so thick. He gently guides you to your room. 

Once there he prepares a basin as you try to sit on the plush bed. 

"Aht!" He whispers harshly, "Change." 

You relax into the foot of the bed anyway, unable to hold yourself up right any longer. He sucks his teeth, bringing the supplies to the bedside table before searching through your trunk. 

"A Lady's things should not just be rummaged through." 

"Hmm is that so?" He finds another night gown before he hovers over you, face pinched as he asks, "Can you undress yourself, truthfully?"

Moments pass before you admit that you are not sure that you can with a shake of your head. Slowly he eases you out of the damp fabric, dabbing at your wet skin with a towel. He avoids looking at your breasts and as much as he would love to stare a weeping wound commands his attention. He places the gown just enough to hide your breasts before he lies you down on your back. 

"From beginning to end, tell me what happened." When you do not answer he forces your chin to face him, "Tell me, now." 

And your name slips off his lips like poisoned honey, a truth serum you swallow whole. You retell the quick exchange, including the damning kiss as you watch rage blister across Shoto's handsome features as he silently begins to work. 

"We must  prosecute him."

"We must not!" You exclaim as he dabs antiseptic at your wound. He gives your an exasperated

"What would have happened if he had nicked an internal organ?"

"I suppose I would be free of this wretched world." A nonchalant shrug as best as you can manage.a glare cuts your way as his roar turns soft.   

"Why would you say such a thing? Do you think no one would mourn the loss of you? Do you think he would not weep at your service?" Shoto touches the bracelet of dancing stars and you pull your wrist back. Tears burning your eyes, you do not allow them to fall. 

"He is not up for discussion!" It's a loud whisper before you grip Shoto's jaw with enough force it grinds, "I am more than capable of taking care of myself, Lord. You can take your leave as I do not need a soul."

He melts as he watches the pain flutter in your eyes, a long sigh escapes him as he melts into your touch. His fingers feathering over your forearm.

"Pride is a deadly sin. Allow me to help. I will be quick." Slowly you drop your arm away from him. He digs around in his bag before you change your mind. He disinfects the sutures before he sends the needle through tender flesh, your tears dry as you allow your mind to retreat. Shoto takes quick notice. 

"You do that a lot…" He comments softly, pulling the suture through your skin, you glance his way, "You seem to disassociate." 

"Well, feelings hurt so it is better to not feel at all." You grind your teeth as he pulls the widest part of your wound together. 

"Is that why you push him away so often?" He holds your gaze before returning to his work.

"Did I not tell you that he is not up for discussion. No matter, I do not have feelings for Lord Bakugou." He scoffs at your lie. 

"Ah so then it was not you who suggested the Princess in the form of flattery? Lord Bakugou is a smart man but you played into his blind spot, stroking his ego and enticing his ambition." Your gritted teeth say it all. 

"And how pray tell would you even guess at such grandor things when you are not in attendance at even half of these events?"

"I am privy to this knowledge because I too keep everyone and everything at arm's length. It is much easier to see the moves when one is far enough away from the board." He dabs at your abdomen, "And you my Lady are by far the best player." 

"Flattery does not go far with me." You sigh softly,  fingers idly playing with the wrinkles in the sheets,  "Father wants me to set a final round."

"Mine wishes for me to begin and end in the same turn." He slowly places your nightgown down, "Which is why we should make an effort to at least get to know one another. With your wound I suggest staying an extra week or two to ensure it closes properly. I can convince our Wardens that the extension is for an attempt to win your hand."

He leans back in his chair, sweat on his brow from fusing with your wound, from worry as it furrows. Your chest tightens and suddenly the urge to be in control sinks its teeth into your skin. Quickly you unclasp the birthday present Lord Katsuki had given you, setting it on the nightstand beside Shoto with dramatic flare. His eyes widen as he reads between the lines, the silent vow of "I will make an effort...for now". The promise seems to pierce his heart. 

"Fine. I enjoy picnics, I suggest we do that on the grounds so that we may be chaperoned from afar and yet have privacy. My expectation is unbashful honesty from both parties." You turn over to give him your back as you pull the fine blankets to your shoulders, "Furthermore you must come up with some sort  of endearment for me. Anyone who has ever tried to seriously court me has. I have come quite fond of them as titles bore me. Something lovely so give it thought."

Shoto is stunned into silence for a moment before he lets out a dark laugh. 

"I see, this is still your game"

"Precisely." You say, he stands, lingering in the doorway before shutting the heavy oak. 

It was difficult to sleep to say the least. Still you were grateful to have risen before Rose. Dressing yourself before she could see your wound. More grateful still when Rose set down some tea claiming Lord Shoto sent it.  

You downed the scalding liquid in three swallows, surprising Rose, before she passes you a folded note. 

Meet me in the back garden for lunch. 

-Shoto 

A muscle ticks in your jaw as pain blooms across your stomach as you stare at his lovely script. 

Shoto hates to admit that the first thing he looks for is that bracelet on your wrist, when he does not see it he lets out his held breath. Drinking in your deep, sapphire dress. It sparkles as if covered in stardust, his heart clenches. He looks towards your stomach, worry etched on his features. 

"How are your stitches? No corset right?" He asks, gently guiding you to the plush pillows on the ground. Maybe he should have asked the butler to bring out chairs instead. 

"I feel naked without it." You admit, he sees a bit of nervousness you have normally schooled away. 

"You look lovely." His eyes are gentle, lips formed in a soft, genuine smile. Your heart tried to skip a beat. It's the heat you tell yourself. 

"Flattery will not get you far remember?"

"I'm only being honest, my sweet petunia." You give him a puzzled look, was this going to be his nickname for you? You were not a delicate thing. 

"A flower?" You give him a look but his smile does not falter. 

"Ah would you rather I say my dew kissed rose? My begonia?"

You both laugh at his last suggestion. 

"My sunflower." Your heart stutters, you glance away for just a moment and he takes notice. 

"Ah so you approve," He collects a strand of your hair between his fingertips, "Sunflower?" 

Heat rushes your cheeks as you fight the smile on your lips. You lose as he kisses your hair. Maybe you could be a delicate thing. 

"Did you know sunflowers can remediate soil? It is why they are planted after tobacco is harvested in hopes to use the fields once more." He is quiet as he waits for your admission. 

"It is my favorite flower, it is in season now. Alas not one suitor has sent them. Roses and hydrangeas are my favorites too but nothing quite says summer like a sunflower." You sigh, looking over the manicured bushes and flowers in the garden. 

"Is that your favorite season?" He is perceptive, you take  a moment to breathe in the sweltering breeze with closed eyes. Humming your answer. 

"Indeed." You kick off your shoes and place your feet into the grass, leaning back to allow your face in the sun. Not many women would be so open to sitting on only a blanket and with no umbrella or covering. And yet here you were soaking up the sun like a lazy cat. Heat rushes Shoto's cheeks as he realizes just how perfect his name for you is. 

"Have you ever had intercourse with a woman?" You ask, eyes still closed as Shoto flushes further. His cheeks are as red as part of his hair. 

"Sunflower." He gasps but you giggle. 

"Unbashful honesty, remember?" He lets small silence stretch between the two of you before he answers. 

"I have. My brother convinced me it was a good idea." His eyes look sad, it makes your gut clench as you look away for a moment. Question burning on your tongue. 

"What if I were to say my maiden head was taken?" 

"Who am I to judge after I have slept with another. Sadly I know some are stolen." He answers without hesitation. 

"This is true. Mine is still intact, I am grateful Monoma had only stolen a kiss." You sigh.

"You'd never kissed anyone?" His tone is curious although his eyes are dark with anger for you. 

"I tried to be a proper lady. More so because I do not like to touch people or feel their skin. Touching them makes them real, you know? And when someone is real they can have power over your heart." Shoto mulls over your words and realizes how much he relates. He places his hands near your fingers but does not touch them. You notice the gesture and scoff without the pretension you skillfully lace his fingers with his. Delighted to see the burning blush on his cheeks. 

Maybe life with Shoto would not be half bad, if only he gave you more moments like this. 

Moments like this last over the two weeks that drag into three. Days are spent  beneath the summer sun with exchanged and often heated, intellectual debates. Both of you feeling mentally stimulated for the first time as each of you allowed a few walls to come down, pulling each other closer than arm's length. While a few hours of the night are spent beneath the moon. His gem stone eyes raking over your abdomen in worry but nothing more than his checking on your wound as he was ever the gentlemen.

On Monday of the second week Shoto has come fond of his summer sunflower, so much so he brings a large black box to the next picnic, tucked away in his pocket is a matching, much smaller box. He presents to you the medium sized box as you giggle in delight. 

"My Lord, my shining Shoto. What could this be?" Your cheeks hurt from the width of your smile as he opens the box for you to see. Your face flutters into shock before joy returns as you hold out your wrist. Shoto takes the delicate golden bracelet that has several round onyx surrounded by citrine in the shape of petals. Sunflowers dance on your wrist as you twist it this way and that, unable to school your features into your normal distaste for guadry gifts from suitors. But this gift was far from gaudy, only one man before Shoto had earned this reaction. You bring your parasol to hide your face and his from the prying eyes of the manor as you gently press your lips to Shoto's cheeks. 

"I love it." You admit. It gives him enough courage to commit to ask you on Friday, the bigger question. 

Having you walk for "therapy" through the grounds, pointing over your shoulder to point out phantom ducks on the lake as he nervously sinks to one knee. 

"Shoto, love I do not see-" You turn to face him and see his loving eyes, wavering smile and shaking fingers holding open the box that reveals a giant oval ruby surrounded by diamonds.  He clears his throat. 

"My sunflower," You fling your arms around him, making him fall off balance as you land on top of him. Peppering his face with uncharacteristic kisses as excitement, for once, rushes through your veins like a second blood. He laughs lifting you by your ribs, careful of your slowly closing wound as he spins you before setting you on your feet. He fumbles for the momentarily forgotten ring before he slips it onto your ring finger. He presses a kiss to your cheek, smiling warmly. It reaches his eyes in such a way your gut clenches. 

And for a moment you forgot you were ever anyone's starlight. 

For one returning to the manor seems almost dreadful and not because of waiting suitors but because you would be without your own. He insisted the two of you be seperate as your mother and his, prepared to arrange the wedding, as you demanded the ceremony to be small. Despite your desire for to keep the engagement quiet for just a week or so, your mother and father took it upon themselves to spread word back home before you could even arrive. 

You exit the carriage as the house looks quiet, earning a soft smile. Your ring catches your eye and you remind yourself that this truly was the best possible outcome. 

The foyer is covered in flowers, from congratulations to a giant trove of sunflowers on the center table. 

You smile at the flowers Shoto must have sent this morning, they sit in a glass globe of a vase, their usually tall stems cut short. Their flower heads are large and vibrant even in the ambient candle light. You finger a petal as you reminisce over the past few weeks, your stomach hardly protesting as you stand on tip toe to look at them all. Relishing the moment of silence before you realize you are most likely home alone. Your brothers lost in some fighting match while your parents took their leave from the Todoroki manor to busy themselves with venues. You figured a change of clothes would do you nicely before you settled down over your much neglected work. 

A black nightgown and almost sheer robe clung to your frame as you stepped down the grand staircase, smiling once more at the flowers before slipping into your parlor. Lighting only one other candle by the door before taking yours to your desk. With deft hands you pull out one of your manuscripts and tap along the top with a manicured nail. A sigh leaves your lips, you finger with your bracelet, with the ring on your finger before a fresh page is found on your desk. You write furiously. 

About something as trivial as love. 

Still the quil seems to move on its own as if enchanted as words dot the parchment in ink. Suddenly your work is disturbed by someone entering your parlor. You assume it is a brother who has come home, glancing up you see locks of ash blonde causing you to grip at your robe to close it tighter. The moment you realize it is just Bakugou your grip on the fabric loosens.

"I wasn't expecting you at this hour." Fear of needing a chaperone barely crosses your mind since it was Lord Bakugou who was your company. You relax into your seat as he crosses the room to sit in his normal seat, on the corner of the couch, closest to you. His posture is poor as he leans his forearms on thick thighs, garnet eyes cast downward, he grips at his own hands as his knuckles turn white. You wonder if he did not heed your letter. 

"How did the proposal go with Princess Amelia?" Your voice sounds out over the silence of the room, still he remains quiet. It is unnerving how solemn and silent the normally wolfish man is. Something pulls at the strings of your heart. His eyes seem misty. He keeps them to the ground or so you think, as they rake over the ring on your finger, on the bracelet on your wrist. The onyx and citrine dance in the low light of your burning candle. Bakugou feels a sheen of sweat coat his hands, bile rising in his throat that he has to swallow down. 

You think the worst, you think the Princess rejected him but that didn't make sense either. She was so obviously in love with the ambitious man, you heard while away that she even turned down a dance with a forgein prince. 

"What's wrong, Katsuki?" The way your voice forms around his name, the way your eyes look with unbiased worry causes Katsuki's limbs to act on their own. In one swift motion he cups your face in his broad hands, bringing his lips to yours so softly. Once the plush of your lips touch his he cannot stop as his hunger for you comes to the forefront. He kisses you with a fervor unmatched as his lips move yours, his hand moves to the back of your neck. Tilting your head so he may deepen the kiss, tongue sliding over yours as the world falls from beneath your feet.  

But as quickly as it fell it returns, pushing him away while turning to face away from him. You keep your head held high as he pants on the couch beside you. He grabs your thigh, desperate for touch, for anything but rejection. 

"Starlight." His voice is deep, rough from what might be disuse as it cracks on the second syllable. A question runs rampid in your mind.  How long had he felt like this? 

"Please, my starlight." He squeezes your smooth thigh and you look towards him. Watch his force contort with pain, as if you held his beating heart in his hands and crushed it.  

Really it is what he had done to you, as you look down at him with hot tears. 

He is the first and only soul to see you cry in decades. It seemingly tears him about but he brought this among himself. 

The kiss is answer enough as to why he is here. 

It should not be this tempting to throw it all away. 

"Get. Out." You seethe, fat droplets catching on your sheer robe, falling down your cheeks as if you were an actress going through a tragic scene. He does not move, does not breathe as he hopes your temper will cool. 

Instead it heats. 

"Get out, Get OUT. GET OUT GET OUT!!" More composure lost with each increase of volume before you completely lose it, "FUCKING GET OUT!" 

He hardly moves and the ruckus calls alarm for your brothers who were home, who let Bakugou in at such a late hour. They come from the office across the hall in hurried steps, expecting to see an assailant, hoping that Bakugou could fight them off. 

They silently determine what they see is far worse. Bakugou gripping at your thighs with this pleading look while your face is now firmly buried in your hands. A sob racks through your body setting your brothers ablaze. 

Hendrix speaks first. 

"What did you do?!" His eyes are flaming as he sets them on Bakugou, who ignores the two men. Hideki begins to close the distance and his eldest brother follows suit. 

"What have you done to make my lovely sister cry?" Hideki's voice is full of hurt, disappointment and when they receive no answer they decide it is time to remove your true assailant. 

Both grab at Bakugou, pulling him away from the couch as you wet your palms with years worth of tears. 

Everything in your life, no matter how hard you tried to conduct it, was truly wrong wasn't it? 

The fresh swirling ink on the pages answered you enough, the love story you did not know you needed with a protagonist with soft ash blonde hair. 

"Please. Do not make me BEG!" He yells as your brothers' sad attempt at forcing him from the room topples furniture and the like. 

Still you weep your self pity away. 

His next words are deafening  as your heart finally cleaves apart, the pieces falling to the floor before shattering like glass at your feet. He brandishes the black velvet box with the black diamond ring tucked inside as you finally look up to him. 

"IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN YOU, STARLIGHT!"

[standingappablog]

My interpretation of Toni and Shelbys relationship.

I am re-watching the wilds and I wanna talk about a few things I missed in my first viewing. 

Toni

Starting off in episode one, which I think a lot of us picked up on the gay vibe from both of them, was Tonis front with shelby at the beginning of the show. All talk, and takes no shit. But you can spot her flustered moment easily when Shelby puts her hands on her shoulders and when she begins to sing (while she pees yes lol) But you can just SEE IT on her face. This quickly subsides though as not long after Toni lets a tree branch fly back in her face.

The writers also try confuse you and make you think the reason why Toni  dislikes Shelby so much (at least untill episode 6 before the homophobia) is becuase of her possibly stealing her best friend away. Which of course played a part in it too.

The scenes of her looking at Martha and shelby was a common 0occurrence. You notice though, in most scenes how Martha is sort of out focus and in the backround while shelby takes up most of the shot. Indicating that shelby is the person Tonis gaze is fixed on.

I think the reason why Toni so strongly disliked Shelby in the beginning  is becuase she found herself attracted to her, which she obviously didnt like. With shelby having this happy go lucky optimistic front, and all the jesus talk really clashed with her pretty pesimistic personality. Not to mention how Toni thinks Shelby is extreamly privileged,which in a lot of aspects of her life she is. Considerably more after you find out Tonis backstory. So with that knowledge of her backround you could see why she would assume her life is better than hers. I mean she is a rich white girl from texas, so her assumption wasnt unreasonable. To Toni the idea of liking someone like Shelby is unexpected for her, so she does as much as possible to push her away. Explaining why she was pretty rude to her for the first half of the series. 

Along with Shelbys little “westburo baptist” moment Toni got pretty angry (rightly so) and this probably solidified the irationality of thease feelings she had for Shelby. Giving her even more of a reason to dislike her.

 Despite this Toni finds it in herself to try cheer her up when the two run into each other in the woods after Shelbys biggest insecurity is revealed by leahs theories. Tonis feelings for Shelby are on view a little bit here. Beforehand she barely could interact with her without expressing her dislike for Shelby.

 Though the mood shifts again after Shelby brings up the subject of her views on being gay.

Right up until shelby kisses her, Toni outwardly berates Shelby on how medieval her veiws are, and what a priveleged life she leads. She tells her on this island they are free, and Shelby takes this opportunity to show who she really is.

The kiss the two share as we all saw was in no way one sided, Toni does kiss her back. Obvioiusly this shocks Toni, as well as shelby herself. WIth shelby running off as she tries to escape what she just did with a girl who she thought hated her.

You immideatly see Toni run after her. Her feelings for this girl who Toni thought hated who she was where reciprocated. In this moment her whole attitude towards Shelby changes as she begins to understand why she is the way she is.

Shelby

Shelbys sexuality was pretty obvious to many of the LGBT viewers, we have all been there, obviously not the religious cult part, but putting up a front, hiding who we are. So it was easy to tell that she was gay from the beggining. Its also pretty common in the media to portray a closeted LGBT person like this. The question was how the writers where going to go about revealing the fact that she is gay.

You notice Shelbys attempts to be friendly towards Toni pretty early on with inviting her out to the first exhibition. Of course we all know it ends with her getting a branch to the face. But when questioned about the cut on her temple, she doesnt reveal that Toni was the one who caused it. 

Though as we all know as Shelby begins to become friends with Martha, Toni becomes increasingly more hostile towards her. Probably shattering the hopes of being friends. So we see less of Shelbys perspective of the relestionship between the two from her, and more from Toni. The two become pretty bitter with each other after the shelter building contest, the tension rising pretty quickly, although it seems that Toni is always the one who initiates the fights they have. Even after Toni destroys the hut and storms off, Shelby goes to find her and still tries to have a friendly conversation, possibly she went to comfort her, but of course we know from watching Toni interact with those around her she only initates in deep conversation with those she trusts, and the weird feelings she has for Shelby probably didnt help. 

Fast forward to episode six and Shelby has her little moment when the others are joking around with the shellfish. Of course this one isnt as subtle as previous scenes but it shows Shelbys internalized homophobia.The gestures Toni demonstrated made her uncomfortable becuase she knew thats who she was, the idea of being gay freaked her out, so she did the only thing to stop it. To lash out and reveal how she truely felt about herself. She proably never intended on revealing this, becuase really she doesnt hate the fact that Toni is gay. She hated the fact that she is gay herself. This probably shattered any hope of frienship with Toni after this incedent. (She also mentioned to martha afterwards that she knew it would happen, this revealation pushed everyone away from her considerably for the rest of the season)

When everyone begins to get sick, we see Shelby desperatly trying to prove to everyone and Toni that, she doesnt hate her. Ofcourse we knew by now that the two felt something for each other. In a way this was Shelbys feelings acting out. Her romantic feelings yes, but mostly guilt.Ignoring the others offers to let them give her the pill, instead she desperatly overcomes Tonis pride. Making her take the pill  forcably, so that she would stay alive.

Just before the two share their first kiss, shelby finally opens up about how miserable she finds her life. Toni as we know with a troubled backround claims that she cant “out sad” her. The only thing that Toni has that Shelby doesnt is freedom. Toni seeing the solution around them points out she is more free than ever and that moment you see the contemplation in her face, you can almost see whats going on in her mind just before she leans in and impulsively kisses Toni.

She then runs, obviously horrified with herself. The immeanse internalised homohpbia making her feel ashamed for following her heart.

I honestly loved watching this couple come together, their chemistry and writing was great and super intriuging to watch. I am glad a rewatched it again, there was a few things I missed out on in the first veiwing becuase i was too busy chanting “kiss! kiss! kiss!” everytime they appeared on screen together. This is completley my interpretation of their releationship and how the scenes are done, I honestly could be completley wrong and they are as they are shown to be on the surface. I just really enjoy delving deep into the motives and feelings of characters I enjoy watching. :)

*Edit* My apologies if this is written bad! At the time when I wrote this I was extremely tired. I hadn't slept the night before and I was just back from a full day of school.