#Shards of Infinity

[madcat-world]

Keeper of the Datic Vessels: Shards of Infinity - Aaron Nakahara

[cobaltplasma]

Keeper of the Datic Vessels – Shards of Infinity: Saga Collection

card art I did for Stone Blade Entertainment's card game. I always forget that they've published a few of these projects I've worked on so I can publicly post up the work I've done hehe.

[whovian223]

Shards of Infinity: Saga Collection Coming Soon from Stone Blade

Shards of Infinity: Saga Collection Coming Soon from @StoneBladeEnt @UltraProIntl

One of the more exciting deck building card games that I’ve played is Shards of Infinity (and its two expansions). There’s just something about the game that’s attractive. It’s not hugely bloated with expansions, but the expansions it does have are very useful (including fixing one of my main problems with the base game). Now Stone Blade Entertainment has announced something really cool, or at…

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Shards of Infinity: Saga Collection - Keeper of the Datic Vessels by Aaron Nakahara

[this-side-of-paradisee]

help i forgot how fun it is to draw ponies also the thing Lloyds arm is Skurd from Ben 10

[incorrectsonicquotes]

Silver: "How does that work?"

Shard: "I don't know, it's like...I don't know! Do you know how every part of your body works?! Like why do your blood cells look like tiny innertubes?"

Silver: "Because they're in a liquid and that's how they float?"

Shard: "They don't-wait is that true?"

Silver: "Yeah! Wait, isn't it?"

[aresgodofwar23]

[sakkiichi]

HERE COMES THE SUN.

They comfort you while you’re having a difficult time.

ft. Childe, Lyney, Albedo, Shikanoin Heizou x gn! reader.

cw/genre: hurt/comfort.

for my dear @https-furina I know you’ve been going through trying times lately, so I hope this can comfort you a little <3 I also struggled a lot with Heizou’s part, so I apologize if it’s no good at all…

if you enjoy this, reblogs and comments help more than likes !

✧ CHILDE

Linen sheets feel like ropes on raw skin against the morning chill.

Its warm cream color, ashen, nothing like the mirror sunrises you were used to witnessing right after you opened your eyes.

What’s the point in opening them anymore? You wonder.

You bury your face against the pillows. In any other occasion, you would have been grateful for the coolness of its silk.

Now it’s just an iceberg. Like a missing shard of your shallow beating heart.

“Someone’s sleepy today.” A familiarly perky voice greets, the mattress dipping slightly with new weight.

You rolling in the other direction is all the greeting that meets him.

“Hey, love! It’s time to wake up!” Childe chuckles, his hand gently shaking your body.

Yet something already tells him this is not right; you usually would have already shoved him away by now.

But today you’re just… unresponsive…

The dull oceans of his stare rise in dangerous waves at your state.

Hesitant, he calls your name, his tone more like a question.

And this time, he does get an answer.

Familiar arms he adores wrapped around him loop around his middle, your face burying against his chest.

You’re warm, yet you feel so… faraway… as if the pain of past memories was seeping out your light.

Ajax is no stranger to the despair palpable in your strong grip around him, he’s endured it himself, through years robbed of him by an abyss that turned him into a master of all weapons.

So because he’s known the cold of endless nights where all he had was a tattered red scarf to remember the warmth of a distant home, he now holds you.

And for someone whose hands were tainted in the filth and bloodshed of a lifetime of slaughter, Ajax is undeniably gentle.

His fingertips ghost over your skin, easing the burning anguish of bed covers that felt too rough, too suffocating, too wrong.

When your lover’s hands get lost in your hair, combing it, you swear sun rays filter through the deep sea you’re falling through.

And then, suddenly, the choice to swim upwards presents before you, scarred sun-kissed hands extended towards you.

You take them.

When you open your eyes, russet sunsets and constellations over your beloved’s skin greet you.

His lips find yours, a bit chapped but gentle; not his usual playfulness, but soothing aquamarine waves.

You swear Childe’s kiss tastes salty. And that’s when you realize the dry tear-tracks down your cheeks.

He made them dry, sunlight evaporating puddles after grey days.

You break the surface, the waters now turquoise beneath Ajax’s light.

He won’t let you sink again.

✧ LYNEY

A whole audience’s cheers fill the Opera Epiclese. Lights shine upon every smiling face, every vigourous clap of hands after the magician’s grand finale echoing through the theater.

However, the illusionist’s gaze of amethyst is focused on the sole grim expression amongst millions of joyous others.

Yours.

Your hands move, clapping together, as if automated; your eyes stare at everything, seeing nothing; your mouth is a taut line, your lips devoid of their usual vibrant tint.

Lyney doesn’t like that being his last memory before the curtain closes.

When you step out of the Opera House, an infinity of starfields is abloom across the crepuscular skies.

What a mockery; a cruel jinx on display, for you to see the unfulfilled sparks dimming inside your heart.

A sigh escapes your dry lips, a small cloud forming when it meets the late night chill.

“You’ll catch a cold there, mon coeur,” Someone you know, tricks and all, utters behind you.

Welcome warmth tinted in lavender envelops you the instant your eyes meet the magician’s starry ones.

A small smile tugs at your lips, the curse of melancholy still clinging to you through it.

“Lyney…” You start. The twilit breeze picks up around you, your arms instinctively wrapping around yourself for some semblance of a warmth you haven’t felt in days.

“That won’t do, ma chérie.” Your lover chuckles.

Then, with a wave of his hand, a piece of the night sky itself seems to become tangible in his grasp.

“Here,” he offers, draping it over your shoulders.

Upon closer inspection, you realize it’s a shawl; the cloth feels delicate to the touch, quite fine too, and yet, you feel the warmth of a thousand suns. If you had to describe its color you would come up empty. Silver glitter seems to be embedded in the fabric, but at the same time, it looks like multiple tiny lights had been stitched to the material. You suppose you’d call the hue, dark; a myriad of indigoes merge into violets, threaded together with navies and cobalts. And yet, when you move it, the colors seem to shift, almost like the clouds drifting across this midnight.

“I take it you liked it.” Lyney smiles, softer than his usual cheshire-like grins, when he observes your wonderstruck features.

“Very…” You muse, awestruck at the magical silk.

“It’s a châle de ciel,” your beloved explains, “It will change depending on the state of the sky at each time of day.” He pauses, eyes, the color of lumidouce bells and rainbow rose petals merged, glinting as he admires how the garment fits you. “But I can guarantee,” your illusionist steps closer to you, plucking something out of your hair. “That it will always keep you comfortable… warm or cool, whatever you need.” He finishes, handing you a pluie lotus.

You take a few seconds to appreciate the second gift of the night. The flower’s petals are the same color as Lyney’s eyes, yet not as vivacious.

“Shall we go, mon amour?” Your boyfriend inquires, already offering your arm to him.

Together, you leave the opera house behind.

You hope for light blues on your new cape tomorrow morning. And somehow, you know that’s what you’ll find.

You squeeze Lyney’s arm gently. The sun will rise soon.

✧ ALBEDO

When he sets foot on his camp in Dragonspine, Albedo finds the heater already on.

Strange.

The sun hasn’t even quite awoken yet, the snowy peaks outlined against skies still clinging to dreamless cloudy nights; shards of ice, embedded in the softness of dawn clouds. An accurate representation of the region of freedom’s snowy mountains: menacingly beautiful, brimming with lethal charm, for one step in the wrong direction, and the cold might as well consume you for good.

At this hour, no one was ever already working at his lab, making of these moments calm sunrise-tinted memories in the alchemist’s mind, before the day’s hustle and bustle began.

However, today, the running heater is not the only out of the ordinary salutation to greet the chalk prince.

The acute sounds of clicking vials, books being rearranged and crunching snow are confirmation enough that he is, indeed, not alone.

With silent steps, Albedo advances, keeping one hand hovering over his trusty sword. Then, he finally lays eyes upon the cause for the commotion, and despite the lack of danger, the sight doesn’t calm him any better.

“My dearest?” He calls. The instant your gaze meets his, your condition scares him more than any bandits ransacking his research material. Your hair is messy, falling on your face; dark circles are etched beneath your lower lashline, darkness clinging to you like remnants of turbulent nights; and you’re shivering, whether from the cold or because you’re distempered he can’t quite discern, although it’s most likely due to both.

“Hello, ‘Bedo…” You mutter, the flesh of your lips bitten, flecks of Dragonspine’s freeze coating them, the cold lacing with your bones, chilling you to the core. Your eyes widen when you notice your lover’s teal gaze scrutinizing you. You quickly busy yourself with classifying some potions, by color and texture, whatever takes the longest for him not to worry about your less than ideal condition.

However, perhaps you underestimated his attention to detail; for he has a skilled artist, after all.

“My love, are you feeling alright?” He questions, gloved hands gently taking the crystal vial-filled wooden box you were carrying off your trembling hold.

And in that instant, you don’t know if it’s the warmth of your prince’s hands on yours; or the comfort of his voice, like honey on bitter tea, but you find yourself taking a deep breath, the fresh air of a midwinter’s sunrise filling your lungs.

And then you talk. You spill every worry and bad dream, your shadows opening up to the gilded starlight of him.

And through it all, the alchemist’s hands warm yours, fingers interlocked, very much in the way your souls are undeniably so too.

Because no matter how daunting the river seemed when you faced it alone, when you were with Albedo, its typhoons calmed down, stone bridges and his outstretched hand painting safety and comfort in hues of gold before your eyes.

While the kreideprinz grounds you, the sun reaches its peak, a canvas of aureate and cornflower blue grazing the mountaintops.

You would be okay.

✧ SHIKANOIN HEIZOU

Emerald eyes read through you as if you were made of clear glass.

The way you worry your lower lip between your teeth; your fingers almost going white at the knuckles as you clutch a pencil, its wood creaking in your grip; and the general absentminded state you’re in, papers scattered over your desk, several case files stacked in disarray.

Something is clearly weighting on your mind.

“I think a break’s in order, wouldn't you agree, sweetheart?” Heizou suggests, standing up, those striking eyes of his fixed on you.

The detective’s voice is enough to stop the quickening clock ticking in your mind, regrets and dark spirals momentarily coming to a halt.

When you rise your furrowed brow, shades of maroon and viridian flood your sight, vivid as summer and warming your up just as much.

Nodding, you stand up too, limbs feeling heavy despite the comfort of your lover beside you.

The brown shades of your office turn into blue skies and soft pink sakuras not long after, the scented tree branches swaying above you, like fragments of dreams someone had given up on, waiting to be picked up by another soul who dared to imagine.

Your back rests against your lover’s lean but strong torso, the sweet smelling breeze combing through your hair, as Heizou’s chin rests on your shoulder.

“So will you tell me what’s wrong, darling?” Are the words of his that break the birdsong-filled calm.

A pang settles on your chest, you didn’t want to take away that cheeky grin that most of the time decorated his quick-witted lips.

“I…” You hesitate. “Well, it’s- it’s complicated, Heizou…” Your lids flutter closed, a shaky breath raking through you, as you turn around in his embrace, your hands bracing on his shoulders. “I don’t want to bring the mood down, you know…”

The detective places a thumb on your lower lip, smoothing over the bite marks you left there earlier.

“You never, ever, bring the mood down, dear. Never.” He leans in, brushing a soft kiss over your forehead. “My intuition told me right away there was something up.” He takes a stray cherry blossom petal from your hair. “So, why don’t we take the rest of the day off, love?” Your partner proposes, as he takes your chin in between his fingers, mischief flashing in his features.

And perhaps your lover’s smile was more infectious than you had ever given it credit for; and maybe the way he flashes his green eyes at you has your heart trembling in ways that have nothing to do with the fear and guilt you’ve been festering, but you find yourself retorting back, with a grin of your own:

“Don’t you have cases to solve, detective Shikanoin?”

This time, he takes a full sakura flower, delicately placing it behind your ear.

“I have something more important to solve right here…” He smirks, cheekily, as he admires your now flustered expression.

When you lean the side of your head against his chest, he cradles it with one of his hands, the other playing with the ends of your hair.

It would be unfair, if gloom were to take your soul captive when spring seems to linger through Inazuma’s breeze.

With a last look at you, the detective’s maroon lashes flutter closed too. He hopes, at least for today, he managed to protect precious you from the crimes of cruel sorrow.

He leans his head on top of yours.

The case is solved.

[sailorstarr-chan4]

Anime Titles Summarized (Poorly)

Vampire Knight: *insert Twilight joke here* Ouran High School Host Club: *small child voice* There's debauchery here! Sailor Moon: Everyone's bi. No, I mean it. EVERYONE. Clannad: I'm not crying yOU'RE CRYING Your Lie in April: Mommy Issues & Lots of Tissues Fruits Basket: MOMMY ISSUES ON STEROIDS Yuri on Ice: Sexy gay figure skating Sk8 the Infinity: Sexy gay skate-boarding Blue Exorcist: "[Satan] may have been your father, but he wasn't your daddy." FullMetal Alchemist: Family is your best ally Trigun: Family is your worst enemy Kaguya-sama Love is War: Idiots to Lovers the anime The Ancient Magus Bride: What if a monsterfucker romance was also Ace? Violet Evergarden: Gorgeously animated ✨TRAUMA✨ Made in Abyss: Adorably animated ✨TRAUMA✨ Madoka Magica: *Admiral Ackbar voice* IT'S A TRAP! My Hero Academia: X-Men alternative universe where mutants are the majority of the population Yu Yu Hakusho: Yusuke came here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. And he's all out of bubble gum. Inuyasha: Time travel, youkai, and jewel shards, oh my! Ranma 1/2: The original bisexual harem Urusei Yatsura: Crack. Just pure, unadulterated alien crack. MAO: Feral Catgirl x Tired Catboy Tokyo Mew Mew: Cute girl fursonas are named after food Shugo Chara!: His Dark Materials magical girl!AU Kamisama Kiss: The How to Train Your Dragon of shoujo Noragami: Girl adopts homeless god Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle: Eat your heart out, Doctor Who Skip-Beat!: Eat your heart out, slow burn fanfiction Kiss Him Not Me: Losing weight = gaining a harem Baccano!: Murders on the Immortal Mafia Express Cowboy Bebop: Bounty hunters need therapy Attack on Titan: EVERYONE NEEDS THERAPY Alice in the Country of Hearts: The sexiest and unhealthiest escapism Cardcaptor Sakura: Beautiful gay representation, terrible Elephant in the Room Fushigi Yuugi: Look, when I said falling in love with a fictional character, I didn't mean that LITERALLY-- Angel Sanctuary: Mutual incest destroys the world as we know it Guilty Crown: Unrequited incest destroys the world as we know it Zombie Land Saga: The undead as cutesy idols. That's it. That's the show. Yurikuma Arashi: Lesbian bears Princess Tutu: Duck becomes ballerina

Part 2 Here!

[jellyfish-on-the-staircase]

Warp Trotters are very suspicious creatures in Honkai Star Rail.

Description :

"An interdimensional creature lost in the stars. Docile in nature. Sweet in taste. Inedible. Spends most of its life feeding and fleeing. Travelers who encounter these creatures see them as good omens."

Trotters are described as "interdimensional creatures" and "trans-latitudinal organisms". They are lost creatures that are always scared and try to flee when facing a fight. They can teleport by murmuring equations related to black holes like the Schwarzschild radius. They can basically move between dimensions.

In the Interstellar Travel (phenomenon) entry, it's stated that only beings that can manipulate the Imaginary Tree's energy such as Aeons or Emanators can travel through space. What the Trotters do is no ordinary feat.

Normal (golden) Warp Trotters have physical, quantum and imaginary weakness.

Don't you think it's weird that Trotters are literally everywhere, even in dreams (Penacony) ? Trotters can travel to the Memory Zone without using a Dreampool. In the Radiant Feldspar, some Trotters have been attracted to the floral scent of the swimming pool.

Even weirder, there is a Trotter in A Child's Dream, a realm created by Mikhail's memories.

In the Where Are You, Mystery Trotter mini-event, Trotters can shapeshift into inanimate objects like vending machines, but they can also disguise themselves as humans and imitate human speech to a certain extent. (Although they don't seem to understand it, the Trotter in the event was just repeating the same things over and over again)

Acheron is an Emanator of Nihility and her technique literally one-shots enemies in the overworld, except Elites and Trotters. Trotters > Acheron

In the Simulated Universe, Trotters have special abilities related to the Abundance, Preservation or Destruction. This could imply that Trotters can become Pathstriders or, since the power of the Aeons stems from Imaginary energy, that they borrow the energy as well.

The Trotter in the Aetherium Wars (Pokemon event) is an unique Aether Spirit with a mind of their own.

If you interact with the Trotter in the Astral Express as Hanu, this shows up :

If Trotters are lost, what are they looking for ? Their home ? What are Trotters ?

My theory is that Trotters are either Leviathans or their descendants. (like how chickens are descendants of dinosaurs)

Leviathans are ancient lifeforms that were in the Galaxy before the Aeons were born. It's possible that they could have Aeon-like abilities. Most of them have been wiped out by the Dusk Wars and their corpses are used by the Antimatter Legion to create Tramplers and the Doomsday Beast. There aren't any known Leviathans except Oroboros who is both an Aeon and a Leviathan.

After the Dusk Wars, the Trotters (the Leviathans' legacy) have been forced to wander across the universe. They are trying to find the Leviathans' homeworld, unaware if it has been destroyed or not.

A controversial theory in the Species of the Galaxy : Wubbaboo readable explains that remnants of the Leviathans became Astral Spirits (Heliobi). It suggests that they could have taken another form.

Trotter are the only enemies (excluding the Trashcans) that drop Stellar Jades when defeated.

"A fleeting gleam", "Catch it before it's gone"

The Oneiric Shard can be exchanged to Stellar Jades. The description coincidentally mentions Leviathans.

In that case, it's easy to make an association between Trotters and Leviathan.

In the Planar Infinity event (where the geniuses mess with the SU), Stephen Lloyd tries to attract Leviathans by using the Shattered Star Bait and ended up attracting Trotters. If the theory is correct, Stephen has unknowingly succeeded.

Note how Leviathans are attracted by an "unique aroma of cosmic dust"

What about Numby ?

Numby is a smart Trotter that can write mails and do actuarial sciences. Could every Trotter do the same ? If not, could Numby be special (like a Trotter King) ? How has Topaz tamed a Trotter if they always try to escape ? Topaz and Numby might be the Xiangling and Guoba of HSR

[pupkashi]

Pupkashi! Congratulations on 1k!! You deserved it!!🎉💙 may I please request a drabble with the prompt  “aw, sweetheart you know you don’t have to ask...come here.” From the Water category with  “you’re my everything.” From the Cocktails category with our favorite white haired man, Gojo Satoru!💙

thank you friend !! i hope you enjoy this little piece :3 let me know what you think <3 !

warnings: mentions of feeling insecure / not good enough

3:27 am

your eyes were burning, but the second you laid down the tears you were holding back threatened to flow, and the sobs you were keeping at bay would slip past your lips.

it wasn’t something satoru did or said to make you feel insecure, he was always so perfect to you. in fact, it’s because he was so perfect that you felt like you’d never be enough for him.

why you? from everyone he could choose from, why would he choose you?

‘he chose me.’

‘he chose me,’ you’re trying to remind yourself, hot tears flowing down your face. your fingers ghosted over the keyboard, debating wether or not you should message him. you put your phone down, you shouldn’t bother him.

it’s like he had a sixth sense when it came to you. your phone lighting up only seconds later with a text from him.

hi baby <333

through teary eyes and shaky hands you typed out your message quickly, biting your bottom lip as you sent the text.

can you come home?

he replies in seconds, attentive as always.

are you okay? I’m omw

you hear his footsteps before you see him, the door to your shared bedroom opening quietly, satoru quickly taking in your state and rushing to your side.

“oh sweetheart” he mumbles, not bothering to slip out of his uniform as his arms wrap around you, bringing you close to him, one hand rubbing your back and the other smoothing your hair. “I’m right here baby,” he whispers, kissing the top of your head.

when you finally calm down, he’s slipping out of his uniform, sliding under the covers with you. “you wanna talk about it?” his voice is gentle, thumb wiping away a stray tear from your face.

you nod your head, clearing your throat a bit, sitting a bit straighter and fiddling with the edge of the blanket, was that string always there?

“i just” you let out a shaky breath, satoru doesn’t rush you, only staring at you with soft eyes, “am i enough for you? don’t you deserve better?” you don’t look up as the words leave your mouth.

satoru can feel his heart break in his chest, he can feel the shards of his heart lodging into his sides as he stares at you.

“you’re my everything” it feels second nature to tell you that, to tell you how much he loves you and how much you mean to him, “you’re more than enough for me sweets” he’s leaning closer to you, one of his hands slipping under you chin, gently making you face him.

“you’re all i ever need” telling you that was easy to him. it’s easy to love someone as perfect for him as you were.

“who else is gonna tell me off? who’s gonna laugh at my terrible jokes? who am i gonna watch bad romcoms with?” his eyes look like they’re shimmering with love as he stares at you, like you created the universe.

you laugh a bit, sniffling as you tear your eyes away from his, wiping away the couple of tears that ran down your face.

“i love you, pretty” his words are dripping with sincerity, and the feeling of his hand intwining with your serves as a reminder of his words. the warmth of his hands mending your heart, because it’s only you in the entire world who feels the warmth of his palms.

it’s only you that know how warm he runs, how cuddly he gets at night. it’s only you who he never has his infinity on with. it’s only you he drops everything for at a moments notice.

the two of you only sit there in silence for a second, letting you compose yourself before you’re excusing yourself to wash your face, coming back and finding satoru standing at the foot of the bed.

“are you leaving?” you ask, satoru smiles at you.

“you think I’m gonna leave you at a time like this?” he’s throwing his uniform in the hamper and taking large strides to you, kissing your nose before sweeping you off your feet and throwing you onto the bed.

“I’m not going anywhere sweetheart” he mumbles, “just picking up after myself” smiling as he peppers kisses on your face. he only stops when your lips capture his, smiling into the kiss.

the two of you slip under the covers quickly, battling for the blanket for a second before you both finally settle in.

“can i be the little spoon?” you whisper.

“aw sweetheart you know you don’t have to ask” he mumbles, extending his arms and scooting a bit closer to you, “cmere.”

he’s kissing the top of your head, arms gripping you tightly and sighing happily. you felt the warmth of his body on yours, his lips just barely ghosting over your shoulder before he presses a kiss there.

“gnight sweets” he whispers, “i love you so much” he presses another kiss to your shoulder.

“i love you more, my angel boy” you mumble, eyes heavier by the second, the comfort of his body against yours paired with his cologne making it harder to stay awake, “sweet dreams.”

you’re asleep by the time satoru replies, “any dream with you is sweet” giggling to himself before closing his eyes, squeezing you a bit closer to him.

[mikobeautifulheart]

Touching their weak spot

-Part 2-

INCLUDING: GOJO, GETO and NANAMI

ALSO SURGESSTIVE.

~Gojo~

"I'm not gonna hurt you pookie, just turn your infinity off" You said smiling.

"Uh nope. Nuh uh you called me pookie, somethings up." Gojo said somewhat afraid for the first time in his life, he came home from a mission only to sense you from behind him.

"Look Satoru you've been gone for so longgggg I miss you so muchhhh."

"Its been 2 hours-"

"Aww and i'm touch starved, turn the damn infinity off."

"Baby I love you but your scaring me"

In reality you were no competition, you knew if you fought Gojo you would lose. Unless you pulled your special move.

"You know what? forget it." You said walking out the room leaving him confused.

Not even a second after there was a loud crashing sound from your direction, he panicked and rushed into the room.

There you were on the floor, seemingly unconscious, flower vase knocked over with shards of it everywhere. Flowers and petals alike scattered around the ground.

"Y/N?" Gojo said rushing to you and elevating your upper body, looking for injuries.

You opened your eyes and dramatically gasped for air before mouthing words.

"What, wait Y/n I can't hear you"

He leaned his head in closer to hear you whiper.

"Gottcha"

"Hu-AHH"

You had took the opportunity to glide your fingertips down the back of his neck.

"So you did really miss me huh?" He said with a smirk while you repaired the vase with your cursed technique.

"Not as much as you miss me" you said feeling something hard on your lower back.

It wasn't his hand or leg.

-Geto-

"Suguruuuuu" you whinned while throwing your arms around his neck from behind.

"Your so busy with work and missions all the time , spend some time with meee."

No response.

"Suguruuuuu pleaseee"

Still no response. You hummed in disappointment. He left you no choice but to do that.

You put your lips right behind his ear and whispered to him.

"God, Suguru I'm so lonley." And topped it off with a small sigh.

His body shuttered.

You felt his ear heat up against your lips and before you knew it you got his attention for sure.

"Your so needy" he said lifting you up and placing you on the couch.

His hands slowly went up your thighs until they reached the hem of your skirt.

"I told you not to go there, remember? Can't keep myself restrained if your going to keep going on like this ya' know."

"Whatcha doing Suguru?" You hummed as your eyes patiently locked with his.

"Whatever you want~"

•Nanami•

"Ken, you looked stressed" you said standing nexted to the very exhausted Nanami.

First he had to work over time, then he came home late and now he has to do all this paperwork by tomorrow without getting distracted by his very pretty wife.

"Mhm, I am." He hummed, turning the page over to finalise everything.

"You should have a break. It's not good on your health to be that stressed." You sighed

"I have to get this done now or I'll be behind in all my work y/n, I can't kust have a break."

"Not even for me?" You asked brushing your lips against his neck and loosening his tie slowly.

His breath hitched as your gentle lips only grazed his skin. His heart burst and he couldn't keep his composite any longer.

"Well that's another story." He said pulling you by your hips and guiding you onto an empty spot on your desk.

You pulled his tie to bring his lips closer and he pushed the paper work off the desk while he felt another hand play with him belt buckel.

"You really know how to deal with stress huh?"

"I don't know, let's find out."

THAKS FOR READING ♡

AUTHOURS NOTE: Yes this is a part 2, yes there will be a part 3, it will be a Yuta and Toge one, yes I take requests and reblogs r welcomed. Have a good whatever time.

[the-winter-spider]

The View Between Villages: Part Six

Word Count: 4.1k

Pairings: Bucky x reader, TASM!Peter x reader

Warnings: Mentions of su!cide

Masterlist

—

“Y/N, I know you’re in there. Open up, doll, please.” Bucky’s voice was soft, laced with desperation as he rested his forehead against the door. It had been almost a month since he last saw you. He’d walked by your apartment countless times, even though it was nowhere near his place or his therapist’s office. It was the only way he could feel close to you anymore.

Especially when you wouldn’t answer his calls or respond to his texts. The only reason he figured out how to use his phone remotely was to reach out to you, but he’d settled for listening to your voicemail. The familiar message played over and over in his mind: “Hi, you’ve reached Y/N. If you have this number, odds are you’re probably in the compound with me and are too lazy to come find me.” A pause, and then Natasha’s voice in the background, “It was one time… okay, maybe more than 10.” Steve and your laughter followed before you continued, “But if not, I guess leave a message.” Tony’s voice cut in at the end, “She won’t get back to you, bye!” before the beep sounded.

But four weeks was far too long. He had to know you were alright. Sam had told him that he stopped by two weeks ago, heard the TV on, and saw your shadow under the door, but you weren’t answering him either. Bucky was hoping this wasn’t about him telling you he needed time. He felt so stupid doing that. He’d talked about it with Steve after you left, the night Steve told the two of you he was going to stay.

Steve had told him he was being stupid, that it wasn’t by chance all three of you were alive—just like it wasn’t by chance when he went to collect the Infinity Stones with Tony, he just so happened to hide in Peggy’s office. It was fate. Bucky knew he was being stupid, knew everything Steve and you had done for him, to get him back, to save him. All the sacrifices you made. But it was just so easy for Steve to toss him—and you—aside. He was scared that once you realised he wasn’t the same Bucky anymore, you’d do the same. But you also weren’t the same Y/N he fell in love with anymore, and nothing scared him more than falling out of love with you.

What was a little more time, he thought?

You stood there, staring at the door, your heart pounding in your chest. You could see his shadow from under the doorframe. You felt like you were on fire—quite literally possible for you to set yourself on fire too—and you would if it meant Bucky was here to beg for you back with a ring in hand.

“Please, it’s about the shield, about Steve. We need to get it back, back to where it belongs.”

Burning.

“I’m done, Buck.” Your voice was hoarse, your throat scratchy. You were positive he wouldn’t have even heard it if it wasn’t for the serum.

“What do you mean you’re done?” His voice grew louder as he banged on the door a little harder. “Open the door, let’s talk, please.”

“Go away, James. I don’t want you here.”

Wincing at his name coming out of your mouth, made something in him churn, he scoffed, the sound cutting through the silence like a knife. “You’re really going to do this? After everything Steve did for you?”

You winced, the glass cup in your hand shattering to the ground, water pooling around your feet. The fire within you momentarily extinguished, replaced by a cold, empty feeling that seeped into your bones.

Silence stretched between you, the only sound was the drip of water from the broken cup. You stood there, unmoving, surrounded by shards of glass.

“Y/N, I didn’t—I’m sorry.” His voice was softer now, filled with regret. He lingered for a moment longer, and you heard the floor creak as he slowly walked away.

The echo of his footsteps faded, leaving you alone in the quiet, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. You looked down at the shattered glass, the water still seeping into the cracks of the floorboards. The fire was gone, replaced by an overwhelming numbness that you weren’t sure would ever leave.

You sank to the floor, your back against the door, knees drawn to your chest. The water soaked through your clothes, but you didn’t care. The silence was suffocating, pressing down on you, making it hard to breathe. You rested your head on your knees, closing your eyes as a single tear slipped down your cheek.

You didn’t know how long you sat there, the weight of your grief pressing you further into the ground. But as the hours passed, the numbness began to fade, replaced by a dull ache deep in your chest. You weren’t sure what hurt more—Bucky’s words or the fact that he was right.

Steve was gone. Tony was gone. Natasha was gone. And now, it felt like Bucky was gone too.

But what did it matter? You were done. Done fighting, done caring, done with everything. You were so tired—tired of being strong, of holding on to something that had slipped through your fingers long ago.

But as much as you wanted to give up, you couldn’t shake the feeling that Bucky was still out there, still hoping you’d open that door. And a part of you wanted to—wanted to reach out, to hold onto the one person who understood what you were going through.

But that part of you was buried deep, smothered by the pain and the grief and the endless darkness that surrounded you. So you stayed there, on the cold, wet floor, alone with your thoughts and the broken pieces of your heart.

—-

Louisiana 2024

Sam stood on his front porch, his phone clutched tightly in his hand as he stared at the call log. The screen dimmed, reflecting his own frustrated expression back at him. He exhaled sharply, his thumb hovering over your name before he pressed it and brought the phone to his ear. When it went straight to voicemail, he let out a groan, squeezing the phone so hard that, if he had the serum running through his veins, it would have shattered.

A whirlwind of emotions churned inside him—frustration at how vague you’d been, anger at Bucky for keeping him in the dark, and an overwhelming sense of dread. He’d seen the headlines, the video footage of you walking away from Bucky with lightning cracking the sky behind you. At first, he thought it was just another argument, a clash of wills. He knew how stubborn Bucky could be, but you—you were supposed to be the glue that held everything together. Steve had always said that about you. Sam had hoped it would hold true, that you and Bucky could find common ground, that the three of you could weather this storm together.

But everything had changed. Six months was a long time, too long. Sam had given you space, knowing you needed time to process everything, but the silence was unbearable. Every day he checked his phone for any sign that you were okay, scoured the news for anything that might hint at your whereabouts. When he heard about the lightning strike that split a 100-year-old tree in half, part of him was relieved—at least it was a sign that you were still out there. But it was clearly intentional, and that worried him more. He tried talking to Bucky, but all he got was the same dismissive response: “None of your business.”

But now, as he replayed your last conversation over and over in his mind, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t just a “see you later.” It felt like a real goodbye, the kind you don’t come back from. His heart pounded in his chest as he thought about one of the last conversations he’d ever had with Steve, the one where they’d talked about you. Steve had been so sure that you’d be okay, that you’d find your way. But now… Sam wasn’t so sure.

He paced the porch, the old wood creaking under his boots, trying to figure out what to do next. Should he try to find you? Track you down? Or was that just pushing you further away? The more he thought about it, the more his mind raced, caught between his loyalty to you and the promise he made to Steve—to keep the team, the family, together.

Sam ran a hand over his face, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on him. He was Captain America now, but he felt more lost than ever. “Damn it, Y/N,” he muttered under his breath, glancing out at the horizon, where the last light of the day was fading into darkness. “I can’t lose you too.”

—

2023 - A Little Before Steve Rogers’ Passing

“Hey Sam?”

“Yeah, Cap?”

A small smile tugged at Steve’s lips. “You know you can stop calling me that. The shield’s yours now.”

Sam rolled his eyes, but there was a warmth in his voice. “You’re always gonna be my Captain.”

Nostalgia washed over Steve’s face before his expression grew serious. “Y/N hasn’t come by, I haven't seen her since the stones. I haven’t heard from her. I’m worried, Sam.”

“I’ve stopped by multiple times, called, texted… She’s just not answering. I don’t know what’s going on.”

“Bucky won’t tell me anything,” Steve paused, sensing a lie in his own words before continuing, “They must be fighting again.” A small, bittersweet smile played on his lips as he thought of the countless, trivial arguments between you and Bucky.

Sam snorted. “Makes two of us. I think she’s just not handling all this…” He gestured toward Steve, who was lying in the hospital bed. “Well.”

Steve nodded, his expression conflicted. He opened his mouth, then closed it, weighing whether to say what he was thinking. Finally, he spoke, his voice tinged with hesitation. “I know this is asking a lot of you, Sam, but you need to look after her.”

“You know I will, Cap. Always. She’s family to me too.”

Steve’s face softened, but there was a deep sadness in his eyes. “I’m gonna tell you something that only Y/N, Tony, Fury, and I knew. You can’t tell Bucky. It’ll just make things worse.”

Sam’s demeanour shifted as he leaned in, sensing the gravity of what Steve was about to reveal. “Yeah, of course. My lips are sealed.”

Steve took a deep breath. “Y/N… she didn’t just go for a walk, fall asleep, and wake up here,” he said. “She died, Sam.”

Sam’s mouth dropped open in shock. “What? That wasn’t in any file…”

“I know. We decided it was best kept a secret. But a little bit after she woke up, she couldn’t remember much. When it all came back to her, she was hysterical. We had to sedate her. It was like everything she felt before hit her all at once. But we got her to talk. It wasn’t uncommon after the war for people to…” Steve hesitated, the weight of the truth heavy on his shoulders.

Sam’s eyes widened, his discomfort evident as he anticipated where Steve was headed.

“She lost us, Sam. She didn’t have anyone left. She attended not one, but two funerals where there was no body. I couldn’t imagine what she felt,” Steve continued, his voice growing softer. He looked directly at Sam, his expression grave. “She did it, Sam. She went to… and she did.”

“Steve, that’s… a lot,” Sam stammered, standing up to pace near the foot of the bed. “That changes everything. I gotta—”

Steve cut him off gently. “I know it’s a lot. But as long as you know she’s still in there, alive… that’s all that matters, Sam.”

“Why didn’t you tell Bucky? That’s his girl,” Sam pressed, clearly struggling to process the information.

“He was going through a lot. He was healing. She was healing. She promised me everything was fine,” Steve replied, though his voice was tinged with doubt.

“He’d kick down that door if he knew,” Sam muttered, almost to himself.

Steve managed a small smile. “Yeah, I know he would. He wouldn’t let her out of his sight. She’s his everything.”

“Any idea why they’d be fighting?” Sam asked, his tone tinged with frustration.

Steve shrugged, though the gesture seemed forced. “Can’t say I do, Sam.”

But of course, Steve knew. Bucky had come to him two weeks ago, asking for advice about you. He’d admitted he didn’t know who he was anymore, and by extension, he didn’t know who you were either. He was afraid of dragging you through the dark tunnel of his self-discovery. Steve had told him that was a stupid notion—that you’d be more hurt by him saying he needed space, that he needed time. After all, the two of you were already on borrowed time.

Steve had promised Bucky he wouldn’t say anything, no matter how badly he wanted to, because he’d hoped that the two of you would sort things out before it was too late. But by the looks of it, that wasn’t the case. It was a secret that Steve would take to the grave, trusting that Bucky would confide in Sam when he was ready, when the trust between them was strong enough. He just hoped it wouldn’t be too late.

As Sam paced the room, his mind raced with the implications of what Steve had just revealed. He couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running out, not just for Steve, but for all of them. He stopped and turned to face his old friend, his expression hardening with resolve.

“I won’t let her slip away, Steve,” Sam said, his voice steady. “I promise you that.”

Steve nodded, a faint smile on his lips. “I know you won’t, Sam. I trust you.”

The two men shared a moment of silence, the weight of the past and the uncertainty of the future hanging heavily between them. Sam could see that Steve was tired, but there was a peace in his eyes, a quiet acceptance of what was to come.

“Steve… I need to know. Do you think she’ll be okay? Really okay?” Sam asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Steve’s gaze softened as he looked up at Sam. “She’s strong, Sam. Stronger than she knows. But she’s been through so much… too much. She’ll need you. She’ll need both of you.”

Sam nodded, feeling the enormity of the responsibility settle on his shoulders. He knew that he couldn’t let Steve down—not now, not ever.

As he turned to leave, Steve’s voice stopped him at the door. “Sam… thank you.”

Sam looked back, his hand resting on the doorframe. “For what?”

“For being the man you are, for taking the shield. For everything, for looking after my family” Steve said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.

Sam nodded, unable to find the right words to respond. He simply gave Steve a small, respectful salute before walking out of the room, his mind already racing with what he needed to do next.

Outside, the sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, golden light over the compound. Sam took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. He knew what he had to do. He had to find you, had to make sure you were okay, and most importantly, he had to keep Steve’s promise.

—

The front door swung open.

“What the hell, Sam? Was that Y/N?! Don’t even lie to me—I heard you say her name,” Bucky’s brows were creased in frustration, his finger pointing accusingly at Sam.

Sam hesitated, knowing that Bucky was already on edge. He had promised Steve, but he also knew that Bucky needed to know the truth. There was no way around it anymore. “We should go inside,” Sam finally said, his voice calm but firm.

As Sam turned to walk inside, Bucky grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. The two men locked eyes, and Sam could see the worry, panic, and heartache in Bucky’s gaze. He could also see the deep love Bucky had for you, and it only made what he had to say harder. Sam nodded toward the table inside, motioning for Bucky to follow. He could hear Bucky’s heavy footsteps behind him, each step filled with a mix of dread and anticipation.

Sam pulled out a chair and sat down, while Bucky remained standing with his arms crossed, a stubborn look on his face. “Sit down, Buck.”

“No,” Bucky replied, his voice flat.

“Bucky, sit down,” Sam insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Bucky lingered for a moment longer, his jaw clenched, before finally giving in and pulling out the chair across from Sam. “You better start talking, Sam,” he demanded, his voice low and tense.

Sam took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. “I will, under one condition: you don’t interrupt me. And know that the only reason I didn’t tell you earlier is because Steve made me promise.”

Bucky’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded. “Fine. Just talk.”

“One of the last times I went to visit Steve, he told me something that only he, Fury, Stark, and Y/N knew. It wasn’t in any of her files for good reason—it was need-to-know information, and Steve didn’t want to burden you with it while you were recovering. He believed Y/N would tell you when she was ready.” Sam paused, watching Bucky’s reaction carefully. “What do you know about the night she disappeared?”

Bucky’s scowl deepened. “Peggy told her about Steve…” he cleared his throat “And me, after the funerals, she just disappeared. Steve told me she fell asleep by our spot and woke up in 2012. The ground absorbed her or something, right?”

Sam shook his head, his expression somber. “She didn’t fall asleep, Buck.”

Bucky’s eyes flashed with confusion and anger. “What do you mean she didn’t fall asleep? So Steve lied to me?”

“Bucky… she died.”

Bucky shot out of his chair, the force sending it flying back. “What do you mean, she died? So she’s a ghost?! That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!” He started pacing, his mind racing as he tried to process Sam’s words. “Why’d they lie to me?” He slammed his fist down on the table, making Sarah jump in the kitchen.

“She committed suicide,” Sam said quietly, the words heavy in the air. He wanted to break eye contact with Bucky, but he couldn’t. Now, he understood what you meant when you said Bucky’s ocean eyes could suck you in like a whirlpool. Sam felt like he was drowning as he saw them fill with water.

Bucky shook his head in disbelief. “No, no, no… Why would she do that, Sam? Did he say why she would do that? My girl wouldn’t do that. She—she—”

“She lost both of you, Buck. She lost you, then she lost Steve. You two were all she had. There were no bodies to bury—no closure. I can’t imagine what she was feeling.”

Bucky slumped onto the couch, the weight of Sam’s words pressing down on him. He had millions of questions, but he was scared to ask them. The answer to this one was already too heavy, and he wasn’t sure he could carry any more.

“Steve said they ran tests and they were never able to find out how she was resurrected, but they assumed it had to do with her powers. There was no other logical explanation,” Sam continued, his voice softening.

Bucky nodded slowly, the silence in the room thick and suffocating. It hung between them until Bucky suddenly jumped up from the couch. “She lost Steve.”

“We all lost Steve,” Sam replied, confused by Bucky’s sudden outburst.

“No, you don’t get it,” Bucky said, running his hands down his face in frustration. “She lost Steve, and I—fuck, I’m so stupid. I wasn’t thinking. I gotta call her Sam. This is bad. Do you think she—do you think she would do it again?”

“Whoa, Buck, slow down,” Sam said, standing up. “What are you talking about?”

“I told her I needed time, Sam. She gave me the ring back. We broke up. She lost me, then she lost Steve.”

“Did Steve know?”

“Of course he knew. He told me I was stupid. I am stupid.”

Sam’s eyes widened as he connected the dots. “That was her on the phone… She told me she was proud of me. She was saying goodbye, Buck.”

“Well, call her back!” Bucky shouted, panic rising in his voice.

“I tried. It goes straight to voicemail,” Sam replied, frustration evident in his tone.

“She called me,” Bucky whispered, his voice breaking. “A day ago. She didn’t say anything, but I could hear her. Then she just hung up.” He paused, the realisation hitting him like a punch to the gut. “What if she already…”

“Don’t say it, Buck. She’s not… She can’t be,” Sam said, trying to keep his own fear in check.

“We gotta go now. We gotta go to her place and kick her door down!” Bucky was already heading toward the door, determined in every step.

“Wait, Buck,” Sam blurted out, stopping Bucky in his tracks. “48 hours ago, a single lightning strike hit a 100-year-old tree in the park.”

Bucky froze, understanding immediately. He knew what you were doing. “She let me go,” he whispered, his voice trembling as he wiped away a tear. “She was letting me—us go.”

Sam looked at Bucky, his heart sinking. “Do you know where else she could have gone?”

Before Bucky could answer, Sarah’s voice called out from the kitchen. “Hey, guys? I hate to interrupt, but you might wanna see this.”

Both men rushed into the kitchen, their eyes locking onto the TV screen. Spider-Man was on a video call with a news reporter, but this time, his mask was off.

“Just the truth,” Spider-Man spoke.

“Oh, sure,” Jameson replied, rolling his eyes.

“I thought he wore a mask for a reason?” Bucky questioned, confused by what he was seeing.

Sarah’s eyes widened. “You two missed a lot while you were fixing that damn boat. They revealed his identity—just some kid named Peter Parker from Queens,” she shrugged, still watching the screen.

“The truth is, that this is all my fault. I accidentally brought those dangerous people here,” Peter admitted.

“Well, he admits it!” Jameson exclaimed.

“And if those people are watching, just know that I really did try to help you. I mean, I could have killed you at any given moment. But I didn’t, because my Aunt May taught me that everyone deserves a second chance. And that’s why I’m here.”

“And where is ‘here’ exactly?” Jameson pressed.

Peter turned the camera slightly, revealing his location. “A place that represents second chances.”

As the camera panned, both Bucky and Sam caught a glimpse of you standing on the Statue of Liberty before the camera turned back to Peter.

“Did you see that?” Bucky asked, his heart racing.

Sam nodded, his mind racing as well. “She did promise Stark she’d watch out for Spider-Man, and if Peter is Spider-Man, she’s gonna watch out for him too.”

“The Statue of Liberty?! Good God, folks, he’s about to destroy another national landmark!” Jameson continued to rant.

“But world, if you’re watching—”

“Believe me, the world is watching—” Jameson cut in.

“Wish me luck. Your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man could really use some,” Peter’s video ended, leaving the room in stunned silence.

Bucky turned to Sam, urgency in his voice. “Do you have his phone number?”

“When I became Captain America, they auto-synced phone numbers in my phone, but I’m not sure,” Sam said, reaching into his pocket.

“Well, check!” Bucky urged, his anxiety rising.

“What the hell do you think I’m doing?!” Sam shot back, scrolling through his contacts. “At least we know she’s alive.”

“Yeah, but not safe. What ‘bad guys’—plural, might I add—is he talking about?”

“I got it! I found it,” Sam said, turning his phone around to show Bucky the contact labelled ‘Spider-Man.’

Without hesitation, Bucky ripped the phone out of Sam’s hand and hit the call button, pressing it to his ear.

“What the hell, man? That’s my—”

Bucky put a finger to his lips, signalling Sam to be quiet as he waited for the call to connect. “Put Y/N on the phone,” Bucky demanded as soon as someone picked up on the other end.

[imyourbratzdoll]

hiya love, a request for nomad/infinity war!steve and witchcraft/wanda inspired powers!reader! 💌

you’re both on the battlegrounds, before headin there; you and steve are somewhere on private ground/room together on wakanda, steve decides to help your practice your abilities once more before fighting. steve being completely in love with you, your abilities, how you look, act and say when using your powers & him kissing her hands, cause he’s not afraid of them! (totally not basing that off of wanda and vision🤭). being a dime helping you with your abilities, guiding you, him showing how you can use you power and his shield together, etc! lastly, steve has a special name for you to bring out your witchcraft abilities. you two being the most powerful mcu couple :)

hello, I hope you like this. I've made her powers a mix between jean grey and wanda.

the gif and links aren’t mine, divider by @newlips

Y/n and Steve walk to an open but private field, Steve dressed in his worn-out Captain America suit, his beard nice and bushy and hair slicked back from the length. At the same time, the short woman beside him who walks with power wears a tight black corset with tight black pants, her hair in a messy ponytail. Their friends watch as they go off to train, smiles gracing their faces as they feel the love radiating off the couple.

When they reach a secluded area, they turn to each other and smile. Steve takes a step closer, looking down at his girl, “you ready?” Y/n nods, her eyes closing slowly as Steve’s hand comes up and cups her cheek before leaning down and kissing her gently. A flow of gold rushes out of her and surrounds them. Steve slowly pulls back as Y/n begins to hover.

The magic wraps around her small form as it transforms her clothing into a golden dress, butterflies covering some parts as her skin gives off a glow, her hair down in waves and her feet become bare. After her transformation, she slowly lowers to the ground and looks toward her husband, and his eyes are lit with love and admiration as he gives her a dopey smile. 

“Wow, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how beautiful you look every time that happens.” Y/n’s golden eyes fill with love as his words enter her before they get into position. 

“Okay, show me what you got, my love.” He steps back, watching Y/n lift her hands slightly. A misty gold ball forms before she puts her hand forward, causing her magic to hit a tree, the ball turning into strings as it begins to wrap around the trunk and branches, slowly beginning to squeeze until the tree explodes. Steve quickly goes to stand in front of his wife with his shield held in front but grows confused when nothing hits. His head comes up and looks over his shield, seeing the shards of bark frozen, and his gaze turns to Y/n, watching as golden veins make their way up her face.

She casts a quick gaze on her husband with a soft smile before focusing on the bark again with a wave of her hand. The broken pieces form together again. Steve stares wide-eyed as he watches in amazement, his eyes flickering between Y/n and watching the tree slowly become itself again. 

“You underestimated me, handsome.” She chuckles when Steve’s pretty blue eyes lock with her golden ones, “now throw me the shield. We are a team, are we not?” Steve stands straighter, and a light chuckle leaves him as he shakes his head. 

“I’d say be careful, but I just watched you stop us from being impaled.” He gets into his position and throws his shield. The sound of it fizzing through the air fills their ears as Y/n lifts a hand, her magic wrapping around it softly before directing it into the tree and back to her husband. They continue manipulating the elements around them to see what would work with the shield and what wouldn’t.

When they finished, Steve walked over to Y/n and lifted her hands to his lips. His eyes locked on hers as he placed soft kisses along her fingers, on the back of her hand and turned them over to kiss her palms. “You’re beautiful and powerful, and I love you. Never forget that.” Y/n smiles softly, nodding as she whispers that she loves him too.

They both agreed only to say her other name when absolutely necessary, knowing that her magic would become too powerful and they’d rather leave that for the enemies to deal with.

part 2

thank you for reading!

feedback and reblogs are greatly appreciated.

[call-me-rucy]

Beginning by the beginning (1)

I guess this is the start of my "The Vor Game" live blog! Full disclosure, I'm already 15% into the book so I'll be using this post (and maybe some others) to quickly recap my thoughts up to date.

The story so far:

Shards of Honor

Barrayar

The Warrior’s Apprentice

The Vor Game (I am here!)

Cetaganda

Ethan of Athos

Borders of Infinity

Brothers of Arms

Mirror Dance

Memory

Warning: I'm reading the Spanish 2019 edition, and I'm a translation nerd so I'll be commenting a lot of that.

For starters, the title in spanish "El juego de los Vor", already lets us know something that the original doesn't explicitely: the "Vor" in the title is plural. Looking forward to those class dramas.

This edition, although very recent, is a reedition of the first one there was so it's fun to read the prologue: "Barrayar, coming soon in the year way way before you were born even". Man, I've already done and loved Barrayar. The world needs more characters like Cordelia.

Anyway, onto the story.

I love books that reward you for remembering specific details. For example, by remembering from passing comments that Kyril Island is somewhere that no one, no one ever wanted to be asigned to. In fact, wasn't someone sent there as punishment? My boy, what are they gonna do to you this time?

"Very good. But your most insidious chronic problem is in the area of... how shall I put this precisely... subordination. You argue too much." "No, I don't."

So fun, I adore him, your honour. I didn't know the notorious "you see your superiors as cattle" conversation was in this book, it was a nice surprise. They're not wrong lol

Miles not ten minutes into the island, already lying by ommision, pretending he doesn't know barrayaran greek: it's a surprise tool that will help us later.

Also, the sentence about barrayaran greek is the first instance so far of the word "barrayaran", which I looked forward to, since sometimes they translate as "barrayarano" and others as "barrayarés". I prefer the first one, so I'm in luck with this book :D

Overall enjoying the Miles suffering so far, I'm very pleased with the evolution of the character, he doesn't seem as wild and desperate as in The Warrior's Apprentice but he's still him.

(To be continued...)

[bloody-bee-tea]

June of (minimal) Doom 2024 Day 29 - I'm so cold

Suguru does not expect the curse to explode in a flurry of ice. The curse had shown no signs of that power when they fought it, but now that it’s done for, ice shards appear all over it, right before it goes off, a wave of biting cold crashing into Suguru before he manages to hide behind one of his own curses, keeping the shards at bay.

He spares a brief thought for Satoru, but with his Infinity it’s unlikely that the shards can harm him and so Suguru concentrates on protecting himself for now.

It goes on for longer than he cares for but eventually the cold dies down a bit. Suguru huddled himself together with a curse that runs hot, so he’s not too affected and none of the shards made it through his other curse, so he’s perfectly fine.

“Well, that sucked,” Suguru says as he stands up and hears Satoru laugh from his right.

“You can say that again,” he gives back and Suguru throws him a grin as he looks over to him.

Just like he expected Satoru is completely fine, the mess of ice around him testament to the fact that nothing could get through Infinity and despite everything, Suguru breathes a little bit easier when he sees it.

“Ready to head home? For once, this mess is bound to clean itself up,” Suguru says with a shrug, because the sun is high in the sky and the ice is bound to melt soon enough.

“So ready,” Satoru agrees, a little bit too eagerly and Suguru narrows his eyes at him.

It’s unusual for Satoru to not insist on getting some sweets on their way back and it’s enough to set warning bells off in Suguru’s mind.

“You okay?” he asks, not beating around the bush with Satoru but his concern is only met with a scoff.

Suguru doesn’t know why he even expected anything else, this is Satoru after all, and he’s chronically allergic to someone caring for him.

“Peachy,” Satoru immediately replies, trying for a cheerful tone but Suguru doesn’t miss how his voice shakes.

It’s worrying, to say the least, especially since Suguru knows that Satoru is not going to ask for help, no matter what, and so he just decides to keep a closer eye on him for now. If something is wrong, like Suguru thinks it might be, then eventually Satoru won’t be able to hide it anymore and Suguru will be there when that happens.

“Meet in my room for a movie?” Suguru asks as he calls upon the manta ray curse he has, because it’s their most trusted way to get home after a mission like this and Satoru hops on without hesitation.

“Sure,” Satoru mutters, keeping his hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunched over and Suguru fights the urge to push him off the curse.

He hates that Satoru is so unable to talk about himself when he doesn’t feel well and Suguru wishes he would just confide in him every now and then.

“Great,” he still gives back and then doesn’t prod Satoru for the rest of the way, because he needs to figure out how to approach this first.

Satoru is bound to lie right to his face should he simply ask, so Suguru has to figure out another way to find out what’s going on with him and for all that they are close, he’s not certain he can, if Satoru doesn’t want to tell him.

When they reach the school and hop off the curse, Satoru immediately walks over to Suguru’s room, leaving Suguru to scramble after him.

“Hey, don’t you think we should shower first?” he asks as they step into the room but Satoru only shrugs.

“You can go. I have Infinity, I don’t have to.”

“Yeah, but the cold—” Suguru starts but then trails off when he realises that that is exactly what’s wrong with Satoru.

He reaches out to snatch one of Satoru’s hands in his and just like he feared it’s ice-cold, the skin almost blue and Suguru’s stomach drops.

“Satoru, you’re freezing!”

“The curse didn’t touch me though,” Satoru mutters, and Suguru fights the urge to slap him over the head.

He doesn’t understand why Satoru is so hell-bent on being invincible when they learned early on that Infinity doesn’t work on temperature and his current state is just proof of that.

“And I’m not that cold,” Satoru then adds which is just more worrying in Suguru’s opinion because now that he looks, he sees that Satoru’s lips are blue as well.

He thinks Satoru should probably be shivering and if he remembers correctly it’s a bad sign that he isn’t. Suguru wrecks his brain on what to do in case of hypothermia and he thinks he remembers that a slow approach is crucial, so the system doesn’t get shocked.

“Come on, let’s just lay down for a moment, okay,” Suguru tries softly, as he drags Satoru towards his bed because he’s running cold all the time, so he has a heated blanket.

It’s probably easier to get Satoru to lay down on it than it is to wrangle him into a shower.

“’m not tired,” Satoru whispers out and Suguru gives him a shaky grin.

“But I am. Will you keep me company for a while?” he asks, and he’s aware that it’s a little bit unfair, but just like Suguru runs cold, he’s also prone to nightmares and he always deals better when Satoru is close. He even has his own futon for Satoru in his room, just for those nights.

It’s not quite fair to use that fact to his own advantage right now, but Suguru can’t find it in him to mind when Satoru does climb onto Suguru’s bed and settles under the blanket when Suguru prods him to.

Suguru quickly switches the blanket on at a lower temperature, hoping that it’ll be enough to bring some warmth back to Satoru and he doesn’t hesitate to get into bed himself, settling in front of Satoru, so there’s no way he can simply run off when he finds out what Suguru is doing.

He’s not sure if it’s a good thing that Satoru’s eyes almost immediately slip shut, but he’s not about to wake Satoru back up and instead just scoots closer, remembering something about body heat as well.

It supposedly works better skin on skin, but he’s not about to strip Satoru and raise any more questions from him, so this has to be enough. While Satoru drifts off as soon as his eyes are closed, Suguru stays awake, worrying and checking Satoru’s hands every other minute.

His phone is nearby in case he’ll have to call for Shoko, but after not even fifteen minutes Satoru’s hands start to warm up and his lips regain their previous colour, so Suguru guesses Satoru is out of the woods for now.

Still, he doesn’t turn off the blanket and he doesn’t move away either, at least not until Satoru sluggishly blinks up at him.

“I’m all good,” he says, startling Suguru who was zoning out a little bit and Suguru huffs out a breath.

“Yeah, now maybe,” he mutters, pulling Satoru close and bonking his forehead against Satoru’s. “But you weren’t and you lied to me about that.”

There’s a brief silence before Satoru speaks again.

“Sorry. Didn’t wanna worry you.”

Suguru rolls his eyes, because they both know that’s not possible; it’s basically Suguru’s job to worry about Satoru and he does so all the time anyway. Satoru pretending to be fine only makes matters worse.

“I would worry less if you were honest with me,” Suguru gives back, trying to keep his voice soft, even though it is a reprimand and Satoru scoots a little bit closer.

“I’ll try to remember that,” he offers and Suguru knows that it’s the only thing Satoru can offer him.

Suguru doesn’t know why Satoru is so adamantly against admitting that maybe he’s not completely invincible, even just to Suguru, so he’ll have to take this and hope for the best.

“Are you still cold?” he asks and tucks the blanket more securely around them.

“Kind of too hot actually,” Satoru admits and Suguru immediately reaches over to turn the blanket off.

“I’m not going to let you move, yet, though,” he then says and isn’t too worried about Satoru running off on him when he snuggles further into the pillow.

“Fine by me,” Satoru agrees and then apparently dozes off again.

This time, worry isn’t keeping Suguru up, so he follows close after him.

~*~*~

“Suguru!” Satoru yells out as he barges into Suguru’s room and Suguru muffles his groan in his pillow.

It’s too soon for Satoru’s antics and he would love to tell him to get the fuck out but that would mean he has to move and even speak and Suguru is not about to do that.

Sleep is still clinging to him, despite the rude way Satoru just woke him up and he knows that if he were to engage with Satoru right now, it would slip right through his fingers.

“Suguru, I’m so cold,” Satoru whines out, coming to a stop right next to Suguru’s bed, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Suguru only grunts as he barely manages to lift the blanket up a bit but it seems to be enough because not even a second later Satoru is sliding into bed with him, pushing Suguru further towards the wall and then cocooning them right in with the blanket again.

It would be annoying, if Suguru wasn’t still so sleepy, the bed still so warm, and Satoru now close enough to curl up against his side and he drifts back off with a smile on his face.

~*~*~

It keeps happening. Satoru somehow keeps ending up in Suguru’s bed, always claiming he’s cold and sometimes truly being that as well.

Suguru suspects what’s going on after about the third time it happens but he doesn’t say anything until he sees Satoru run around in nothing but shorts and a t-shirt outside even though it’s cold enough to warrant a snow warning for later that day.

It’s absolutely no surprise when Satoru barges into his room not even three minutes later, his trademark grin on his face.

“Suguru, move, I’m freezing,” Satoru exclaims, moving to get into bed before Suguru can even say anything and it’s only when Satoru is relaxed on his side, their legs tangled together that Suguru lets out a sigh.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” Suguru softly says and immediately Satoru tenses.

“Do what?” he carefully asks and Suguru sighs again even as he reaches out to pull Satoru closer.

He makes a startled noise, clearly not expecting to be pulled flush against Suguru’s body and Suguru thanks all the gods for the fact that he’s still sleepy, because otherwise his face would be bright red by now, he’s certain of it.

“Lie. Freeze yourself to death.”

“I’m not—I can go,” Satoru offers, his voice quiet and unsure and he’s still so very tense.

Suguru can’t have that, so he nuzzles against Satoru’s face.

“No, you can’t,” Suguru tells him, tightening his grip on Satoru in the process as well. “I’m just saying—you don’t have to lie if you want to get into my bed so badly. I’m not gonna kick you out. I like you here.”

“Here,” Satoru repeats and clearly takes stock of where exactly he is.

He’s pressed against Suguru head to toe, their legs tangled, Suguru’s arm around his middle, their faces so close together they might as well be sharing their breath.

“Like this?” Satoru still asks and Suguru blinks up one eye at him.

“Exactly like this,” he confirms and leans in to brush his lips over whatever skin he can reach without moving too much.

Satoru thankfully helps by tilting his head just right, so it’s not long before they meet in a kiss.

“Please stop freezing yourself,” Suguru says when they part and Satoru chuckles, clearly embarrassed.

“I was kind of obvious, huh?”

“So very,” Suguru agrees and then shushes him with another kiss when it seems as if he’s going to say something else. “Please just sleep. We can talk about how embarrassing you are later.”

“Well, you seem to like it, so that makes you embarrassing, too,” Satoru argues back but his voice is quiet and he’s soft in Suguru’s arm.

“Yeah, guess so,” Suguru easily agrees because it makes them embarrassing together and that is really all that matters to Suguru. “But we’re that together.”

There’s a brief silence before Satoru huffs out a laugh.

“You’re such a sap,” he says and snuggles even closer to Suguru, clearly knowing that Suguru doesn’t mind.

“Mh,” Suguru manages to hum out before he drifts off again, his Satoru in his arm and being comfortably warm.

That’s going to change soon, he knows, because it always gets incredibly hot with Satoru under the blanket as well and Suguru will wake up sweat-soaked and disgusting but even that is something he’s looking forward to, because it means Satoru is right there.

Right where he belongs.