#Structural Fire Resistance

[rnsuae]

The Crucial Role of Fire Proofing: Secure Your Property with RSI UAE

In the realm of building safety, fire proofing is a critical component that ensures the protection of lives and property. Effective fire proofing measures can significantly mitigate the impact of fire, prevent its spread, and ultimately save both lives and assets.

What is Fire Proofing?

Fire proofing involves applying materials or systems designed to resist fire and protect structures from fire damage. This process can be applied to various elements of a building, including structural steel, concrete, and other building materials. The goal is to maintain the integrity of the building under high temperatures, allowing occupants more time to evacuate and minimizing structural damage.

Benefits of Fire Proofing

Enhanced Safety: Fire proofing helps to contain the spread of fire, protecting building occupants and giving them valuable time to escape. It also protects first responders by enhancing the stability of the structure.

Structural Integrity: By maintaining the strength of structural elements during a fire, fire proofing prevents the collapse of critical components, ensuring that the building remains safe for longer periods.

Compliance and Insurance: Implementing fire proofing measures helps meet building codes and regulations, which can also lead to lower insurance premiums due to reduced risk.

Reduced Damage: Effective fire proofing can limit the extent of fire damage, reducing the costs associated with repairs and reconstruction after a fire incident.

Types of Fire Proofing

Intumescent Coatings: These coatings expand when exposed to high temperatures, forming a thick, insulating layer that protects the underlying material.

Cementitious Fire Proofing: A mixture of cement and other materials is applied to structural elements to provide fire resistance. It is often used on steel beams and columns.

Fire-Resistant Boards: These boards are used to line surfaces and provide a barrier against heat and flames, commonly used in wall and ceiling systems.

Installation Tips

Proper installation is essential to the effectiveness of fire proofing measures. Ensure that the selected fire proofing materials are compatible with the building’s construction and that they are applied according to manufacturer specifications. Consulting with professionals can help ensure that fire proofing systems are correctly installed and maintained.

Conclusion

Fire proofing is a fundamental aspect of building safety that helps to protect both lives and property from the devastating effects of fire. For expert fire proofing solutions tailored to your specific needs, trust RSI UAE. Our dedicated team offers high-quality fire protection services that meet stringent safety standards. Contact RSI UAE today to learn more about how we can help enhance the safety and resilience of your building.

[tridipanel]

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[the-thing-inside-your-closet]

Who Started The Fire?

From the prompts list:

“That’s my emotional support entity of questionable moral standing.”

Batman stared down the two teens standing before him. The boy was pointedly looking anywhere but the Bat’s face, finding more interest in the dirt and gravel crunching under his shoes. Meanwhile, the girl stood with her arms crossed, head held high, meeting Batman’s gaze with a defiant glare that wouldn’t be out of place on any of his own children’s faces.

Behind them lay the smoking remains of what was once a warehouse that had been used as a front for a weapons smuggling operation that the bats had collectively spent the past few weeks investigating. Although their investigation had taken longer than anticipated thanks to this group’s rather impressive security, they had been so close to a breakthrough…when the place had gone up in an inferno.

When the Gotham vigilantes had first arrived on the scene the fire had been so intense that they’d had to put in their gas masks to avoid any inhaling any of the thick black smoke from not only the fire, but also whatever chemicals may have potentially been within the building that would have been released into the air.

Batman’s initial hypothesis had been that the group had become aware of their investigation and burned the place to avoid any evidence being discovered while they moved locations. However, that theory had been shelved when Red Hood had announced the presence of charred bodies amongst the rubble, and evidence of explosives having been used in multiple area where the building’s structure had been the weakest. Whoever had been inside had not had any warning of the blaze that had swallowed the building too fast for them to get to safety, and with the structure being compromised from the explosions all exists had been blocked, preventing the inhabitant’s escape. Red Hood and Nightwing had been discussing potential suspects as Batman and Red Robin searched for any evidence that could have survived the destruction, when a clattering sound followed by the sound of voices hushing each other had altered all of the on scene bats to the presence of possibly several unknowns.

The two teens had been apprehended quickly and ushered to the side, far enough away from the scene of the fire to avoid them overhearing details of the investigation and to prevent any potential tampering. Accidental or otherwise. The teens had been stubborn in their refusal to answer any of the bat’s questions to their presence. Nobody knew why they were there, where they had come from, and they had even refused to disclose their names. Oracle, unfortunately, was sick with the flu and had been gently ordered to rest by Agent A. Batman was nevertheless confident that they would be able to discover their identities quickly either once they had returned to the cave or if they could get the kids to talk.

He would have asked Red Hood to speak with the teens, he was the best with kids. And if caught up in anything illegal they often seemed to respond better to him due to his more ambiguous morals and reputation for ensuring kid’s safety. Both from rouges and in some cases, the rest of the bats and birds. But he had been needed in Crime Ally after he had been alerted to a gunfight breaking out between two gangs who had been more hostile and antagonistic in recent months. Nightwing had accompanied him, and Spoiler had diverted from her patrol route to assist. That left Batman and Red Robin behind to deal with both the police and the frustratingly stubborn teens.

Batman resisted the urge to punch the bridge of his nose as yet another question was blatantly ignored by both kids. The boy had begun fiddling with the sleeved of his letterman jacket and the girl had taken to checking her manicured nails for any dirt or imperfections.

Just as he was about to turn the questioning over to one of the on scene police officers, a writhing mass of shadow had emerged from the girl’s shadow. Two tendrils of black smoke reached out to wrap themselves around the wrists and hands of both teens, who had in turn glanced down at their hands and smiled.

“We’re fine,” the boy had muttered quietly, “no need to worry.”

“What is that?” Batman asked, eyeing the mass with a cautious suspicion. He wanted to believe it wasn’t hostile given the kids reactions to it. But this was Gotham.

The girl shot him another glare, one hand on her hip while the other remained in the hold of whatever the shadowy mass was.

“That sir,” she spat out the first word with such venom to her tone that Batman almost flinched, “is our emotional support entity of questionable moral standing.”

[thefugitivesaint]

Someone whose work I greatly appreciated and would suggest you (oh dear reader) seek out and read. In simplest terms, Scott explored the avenues in which people resisted and evaded authority and hierarchical systems of control. A good part of his scholarship involved trying to understand peasantry, one the largest "classes" in the world. Coupled to that was the study of subsistence economies and how people involved in those economies work around impositions made by State actors (and non-state actors). This led to a larger exploration of the above mentioned resistance and the various forms that this resistance took around the world. He also explored the relationship between State and non-state peoples. "What I learned is that centralised revolutionary movements have almost always resulted in a State that was more oppressive then the ones they aimed to replace. In other words, when the revolution becomes the State, it becomes my enemy again. That is why it matters greatly which methods are used in order to achieve power. .... "I am the enemy of hierarchical movements of opposition because I think they replicate State structures in their own organisation."

If you would like some suggestions that offer a peak into Scott's scholarship interests (which are similar to my own), here's some videos for you to peruse (if you have the time): 1. A Short Account of the Deep History of State Evasion 2. Beyond the Pale: The Earliest Agrarian States and “their Barbarians” 3. The Art of Not Being Governed 4. The Domestication of Fire, Animals, Grains and…….Us (Later) Edit: Some revelations concerning Scott's involvement with the CIA in the early 1960s in their anti-Communist activities has come out after his recent death that complicates his legacy as a "radical scholar". Take that for what you will. I haven't been able to find a great deal of detail about that involvement and the revelations here aren't exactly new but people have decided to highlight that relationship in the wake of Scott's passing as a way to discredit or cast a shadow over his later anti-statist research. I just wanted to note this. (Even Later) Edit: The Oral History Center at UC Berkeley released a documentary on Scott called In A Field All His Own: The Life and Career of James C. Scott. Just in case you wanted more Scott related material.

[mommageto]

Warmer (Himejima Gyomei x Hashira! Reader)

Title: Warmer

Pairings: Himejima x Hashira! Reader

Word Count:  1148 words

Description: Himejima and (Y/n) were sent on a mission together. But as the temperature decreases, you find comfort in the arms of a gentle giant. 

It’s wintertime, which is not a recommended time to travel. Ubuyashiki sent you and Himejima on a mission to a far away city where the number of people who have died recently from a demon attack has increased. It has been a long week since you and Himejima defeated a group of demons who have been disturbing the city. All (y/n) could ever think of is to rest after that stressful week as you recently felt frail. Being a hashira is not an easy task. Although you were strong you used a lot of energy and effort in ensuring that no individual in the village would get harmed which caused you so many injuries and ended up being poisoned by a demon. Himejima luckily came in handy in the whole scene. The 7 foot 2 giant was not named the strongest hashira for nothing. 

You were not close with him compared to the other hashiras, Himejima always felt distant towards you. Every time you come near him, he always finds a way to leave from that space. He always avoids making conversation and prays every time you are near. This was an unfamiliar feeling to you considering you had established a good relationship with most of the Hashira even with Shinazugawa. You have always found Gyomei to be captivating, with his size, strength, and dedication. These qualities really make him stand out the most. You have always admired him, but felt indifferent because of him being distant towards you. Nevertheless, you handled your unity well in the fight in a professional manner. 

Both of you are on your way back to the Demon Slayer Corps to report back from your mission. It was mostly quiet between you and you kept it that way since you knew Himejima isn’t the type to normally have a conversation with you. You still had quite some time to travel in silence. Your eyes felt weak, but you kept going because you cannot bear to be in an awkward travel situation with the giant man who you were least engaged with. As you cannot bear it anymore, you fell on the ground and passed out. 

Your eyes slightly opened feeling better and found warmth in a rock-hard structure you cling on. Looking at your surroundings, snow has finally appeared yet you find your environment to be inside of a cave which was lit up by the fire you can hear. You can barely get into your senses as you feel comfortable. It was a nice feeling and it caused you to be inquisitive of your surroundings and try to knock some sense into yourself. 

“(Y/n)”

A deep voice called your name and you took a closer look at the solid rock-hard structure you were clinging on and saw Himejima. You were startled as you realized the position you were in. He held you with his strong arms as he covered you with his robe to add to your warmth. You tried to move in a jerky motion, making sure to get out of Himejima. Your cheeks are flushed and you feel embarrassed at your situation right now. You did not expect this to happen. All you ever thought was to go home as soon as you can. You stay quiet as you try to resist him, but as the stone hashira, he proves himself to be super strong. 

“H-himejima-san, I…”

“I’m sorry (y/n) if you feel that this is somehow unorthodox. You passed out yesterday and your body felt cold. I worry that you won't be able to make it so I thought I should warm you up for now.” This feels strange and unexpected. As you took a glance at Himejima, you noticed how attractive he is. You can’t help your cheeks from flushing. Being so close to him, his chest feels firm and warm. You can also hear the beat of his heart. Your perception of Himejima has always been calm and stoic. Somehow you wonder how he could be like that considering his background story when Tanjiro defended Himejima when you told him how he avoids you. Despite how much he avoids you, you feel closer to him than ever. 

“(Y/n), I can feel your heartbeat so fast. You’re also warming up. Are you sure you’re okay?” He asks. You shook your head and you can see a slight panic on his face. Then again, you thought about his question. You nodded, “No! I mean, I feel better!”

You tried to escape from him due to embarrassment and to shun from his comment about your heartbeat. This time you were successful, yet didn’t seem too far away from him. There was a moment of silence between the two of you as it was the last couple days. This was probably the longest conversation you’ve had with him. You were puzzled on what to do as you feel how awkward your current situation is. 

“(Y/n), I’m really sorry if it felt uncomfortable for you. It’s too cold and I ought to find shelter and keep you warm,” you hear his plea. Tears started falling from both his eyes. This didn’t make you feel uncomfortable, but rather baffled. Though you appreciate him for trying to help you aid yourself, you can’t help but wonder why he’s acting this way all of a sudden when he clearly tried to keep his distance with you every time. You squint your eyes and carefully said, “Why do you always avoid me, Himejima-san?”

As your head turned to him you saw the man with tears stunned by what you said. Though, you said what you said and have long wanted to ask him that question. The man was at a loss of words. Himejima is blind, but he moved his head away from you. You could see from his expression how saddened this man is. Tears streamed down Himejima's face, his voice thick with emotion. "I was afraid," he confessed. He completely caught your attention now and you were ready to hear more from him. "After losing those I cared for, I vowed never to let anyone close enough to get hurt again. The thought of feeling that pain because of you...it terrified me."

“The truth is, I have always pined for you.” You were startled at his words and you did not possibly know how to feel about that. He completely caught your attention now and you were ready to hear more from him. You waited for him to continue, “Ever since you first entered the Demon Slayer Corps, I have always felt how kind and warm-hearted you are. The way you treat others and hearing about it from everyone. I am blind, but I can see through your heart. Due to my monastic background, I never thought I would be able to catch myself wondering about someone, about you but I did.”

Hearing Himejima confess his feelings for you made you feel glad because you knew felt this way with him, but only stopped yourself from the way he treated you. A lump formed in your throat. You reached out, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "Himejima-san," you said softly, "I understand your fear and I know that you carry such pain, yet you continue to protect others with such kindness. That strength is what makes me admire you."

A flicker of hope ignited in his voice. "Do you truly believe that?"

You nodded, your heart pounding. "Yes, I do..." you hesitated, then continued, "I just hope you won't keep your distance from me anymore."

Himejima remained silent for a moment and slightly nodded with a soft smile on his face, your hand reaching out to tentatively touch him. The warmth of his calloused fingers sent shivers down your spine. All that cold distance from him, was thawed by the warm feeling of that mutual apprehensive conversation you had with him. Despite the cold breeze of air from the fall of snow, being with Himejima and the light of hope you both share, only made you feel warmer.

[cenittxnadir]

Bad communication (Nightcrawler X FemReader)

Everything had gone well on the mission until Kurt's delicate landing in the Blackbird set fire to one of the abandoned barns near the mansion.

Hank was going to kill them.

Someone take away Kurt's permission to pilot ships please.

They were both trying to catch their breath. A couple of seconds more and both of them could have been trapped in the fire, but thanks to Kurt they managed to get out.

"First and last time I leave you behind the wheel Fuzzball" Y/N was leaning against the tree trying to gain posture.

"Look on the bright side, the mission was a success." Kurt's accent sounded thicker due to the lack of air. Y/N was going to say something but a crash interrupted her. The structure of the barn ended up collapsing on the remains of the Blackbird causing a loud noise.

"Let's blame Scott. He always destroys those things"

Kurt just nodded.

Y/N stood up and looked in the direction of the mansion, they were a little far away and they had no other means of transportation than walking, yes, Kurt could teleport them but the boy was exhausted so they had no choice but to walk back to home.

"Well... let's go, Azulito, there's still a long way to go" Y/N began to go down the hill, determined to get home as quickly as possible, Kurt followed closely behind her.

"What did you say? 'Azulito?' Well, my dear Y/N, how kind of you to give me a new nickname!" He smiled, appreciating the affectionate gesture.

"You needed a new nickname, and it suits you perfectly." She just shrugged her shoulders.

Kurt's heart skipped a beat at Y/N's compliment, a warm blush spreading across his cheeks. "Azulito…" he repeated, savoring the sound of his new nickname. "I must admit, it does have a rather charming ring to it." He shot Y/N a gracious smile.

"Thank you, my dear, for bestowing such a delightful moniker upon me. I shall treasure it like a precious gem."

"The pleasure is mine," Y/N responded mockingly, imitating an English accent followed by a small bow straight out of a Jane Austen movie.

Kurt couldn't help but smile at Y/N's attempt at a charming English accent. He laughed softly, completely amused.

"Ah, Y/N, you really have a talent for mimicry!" he exclaimed, playfully feigning fainting. "Your attempts at a stately English accent are quite endearing. Are you preparing to play the role of the damsel in distress, perhaps?"

"I'm not a damsel in distress Kurt, that position is yours. I always end up saving you." She winked at him.

Kurt couldn't help but burst into laughter at Y/N's spirited banter. He feigned a wounded look, placing a hand over his heart.

"Ah, Y/N, your words wound me! To be accused of being the damsel in distress, when I am clearly the suave and debonair hero of our adventures," he protested theatrically.

"I'll have you know, my dear, that I have saved your fair self more times than I can count." He smirked playfully, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.

She squeezed his cheek lovingly "Of course you're a hero, you're my favorite hero Krut."

A soft chuckle escaped Kurt's lips, his cheeks flushed with warmth from Y/N's affectionate gesture. He leaned a bit closer, his eyes twinkling.

"And you're my favorite damsel, Y/-darling," he replied, emphasizing the newfound nickname with a charming smile. He gently reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind Y/N's ear, his touch tender and reverent. "Your beauty and bravery make me feel like the luckiest hero in all the realms."

Kurt's words made Y/N feel something strange in her heart, she felt a warmth inside her.

She always knew what to say and now it seemed like her brain had short-circuited, she couldn't answer anything and just babbled.

Kurt watched her reaction with a mixture of amusement and affection. He could tell her words had affected her deeply, and he couldn't resist teasing her further. Closing the remaining gap between them, he gently cupped Y/N's chin, his thumb gently tracing her jawline.

"Have I rendered you speechless, my lovely damsel?" he whispered teasingly, his voice dripping with warmth. "I must admit, I rather like this flustered state you've found yourself in. It's quite endearing."

How frustrating it was! She couldn't speak and now Kurt was making fun of her! That little blue goblin was going to pay for it! Without thinking, he grabbed Kurt's tail and gave it a little tug, enough to take him without warning but without hurting him.

Kurt's eyes widened with surprise as Y/N seized his tail and gave it a sudden tug. He let out a sharp squeak, caught off guard by his quick move. His expression shifted from astonishment to playful indignation, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He intended to stumble, clutching at his heart as if wounded.

"Alas, a treacherous trick!" he dramatically declared, his voice laced with mock despair. "My tail has been betrayed by its own damsel in distress!"

"That happens when you make fun of me." She crossed her arms over her chest, feigning indignation while sticking out her tongue.

Kurt couldn't help but burst into laughter at Y/N's feigned indignation. He held his tail protectively, pretending to pout.

"Ah, you've wounded me, my fiery friend. Not only my tail, but my heart too!" He feigned a heartbroken expression, pressing a hand to his chest. "But I must admit, the sound of your laughter and the sight of your adorable teasing make me forgive you easily."

Y/N understood, she liked Kurt but she was too cowardly to do or say anything. So she was only content with their friendship, if that was the only way to have him close to her and to have a space in Kurt's heart.

She loved spending time with him, no matter if it meant getting into trouble or making jokes. She wasn't a fan of making jokes but Kurt loved them and she loved Kurt.

Kurt picked up on Y/N's internal conflict, sensing her unspoken emotions. He understood her feelings all too well, for he harbored a deep affection for her too. Yet, like her, he also hesitated to express his true feelings. He had his own reasons for keeping his emotions in check, fearing that revealing them might jeopardize their dear friendship.

Kurt loved the time they spent together, treasured their laughter and shared adventures. But he also yearned for more, to open his heart and voice the profound feelings that resided within. Yet he, too, was held back by a certain cowardice.

The rest of the way was silent and somewhat tortuous. Y/N wanted to hit her head, she ruined the conversation in just a second and now she didn't know how to continue the conversation, for a moment the floor looked more interesting.

Kurt's lighthearted teasing and laughter faded as he picked up on Y/N's internal turmoil. The silence that settled between them grew increasingly uncomfortable, the weight of unspoken emotions hanging heavily in the air. He glanced at Y/N, noting her distant gaze fixed on the ground.

Curiosity and concern compelled him to break the silence. "Y/N," he began softly, his voice tender and caring. "Is everything alright?"

"Eh?" She looked very distracted. "Yeah, sure, everything's fine." She gave him a small smile. "I'm just a little tired, I guess burning barns by accident is more tiring than it looks."

Kurt's concern deepened as she dismissed her feelings with a small smile. He noticed the tiredness in her eyes and the forced cheerfulness in her voice. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice soft and soothing.

"You don't look alright, my dear friend. Something seems to be troubling you." He leaned in a bit closer, his eyes filled with genuine warmth. "If there's anything you'd like to talk about, I'm here to listen. I hope you know that you can confide in me."

'Dear friend'. God how she hated that word, she didn't want to be his friend, she wanted to just be his darling! Is it too much to ask!

"Thanks Kurt, but I'm just tired" No Kurt! I'm not okay at all! But she decided to bite the inside of her cheek and continue on her way.

Kurt's eyes softened as he caught the subtle longing in Y/N's eyes, a hint of her true feelings beneath her guarded exterior. He wanted to reassure her, to tell her that she was more than just a friend to him. Yet, the words died on his lips, replaced by a warm smile.

"Alright" he finally replied, his voice tinged with a hint of unspoken affection. "If you ever feel like sharing, know that my ears and heart are always yours."

She truly wished that his heart was only for her, but it seemed like a cruel joke and Kurt didn't even notice it; those words caused her pain rather than encouraging her.

"It's not that big of a deal Kurt, that smoke is already taking effect" She laughed "Maybe a bath will take away the discomfort" she tried to calm him down and evade the situation.

As soon as they arrived at the mansion, Y/N said goodbye to Kurt and practically ran to her room without letting Kurt speak.

Kurt watched her run off to her room, his heart heavy with the unspoken words that lingered between them. He longed to tell her the truth, to reveal the depth of his affection, but as always, he hesitated. Instead, he simply nodded and watched her go.

"See you later," he murmured softly, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness and longing. With a deep sigh, he turned and made his way back to his own room.

On the way to his room Kurt ran into Rogue.

"Wow Fuzzball, what happened to you, why the sad face?"

Kurt turned his head to see Rogue approaching him with a concerned expression. He masked his disappointment and sadness with a small smile, feigning a cheerful tone.

"Oh, Rogue" he greeted her, his voice laced with a hint of forced optimism. "Sad face? Ah, it's nothing. Just tired after a long day of… hero duties." He shrugged nonchalantly, not wanting to burden her with his emotional turmoil.

"Hero duties? What are you talking about?" Rogue approached her brother "I know you very well Kurt Wagner, I know something is not right with you, come on! You know you can tell your sister anything"

Kurt's smile wavered, his facade cracking as Rogue's concern grew. He let out a weary sigh, realizing that his attempt to deceive her had failed.

"Ah, Rogue," he finally conceded. "You know me too well, sister. I… I am burdened with emotions I can't quite understand. Longing, frustration, and a deep ache in my heart. And yet, I fear to voice these feelings, for they may change everything."

Rogue invited Kurt to sit next to her. "Looks like this is going to take some time. Luckily I have all the time in the world for you, Sugar. Come on, tell me what's bothering you."

Kurt complied, taking a seat next to Rogue. He took a deep breath, releasing a weary sigh.

"It's Y/N," he confessed softly. "I find myself deeply in love with her. The warmth of her laughter, the brightness of her smile, it all fills my heart with a longing I cannot deny." He paused, a flicker of fear crossing his features. "But I hesitate to reveal my feelings, fearing the potential consequences on our friendship."

Rogue couldn't hide her happiness and jumped off the couch "Y/N! You like her!? I knew it!"

Kurt's eyes widened in surprise, a mixture of amusement and unease at Rogue's enthusiastic reaction.

"Ah, sister, please control yourself!" He tried to feign a stern tone, though a soft laugh escaped his lips. "But yes, I find myself enamored with Y/N's charm, her kindness, her everything. However, admitting these feelings feels both exciting and terrifying."

His sister approached and took him by the shoulders, practically moving him almost like a rag doll. "She has to know, brother, why haven't you told her?"

Kurt allowed himself to be moved around by his sister, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Well…" he began, his voice soft and pensive. "I've been hesitant, unsure of how she might react. I cherish our friendship above all, and I fear that expressing my feelings might disrupt the delicate balance between us. The thought of jeopardizing what we have is… daunting."

"Are you kidding?! Kurt, she loves you!" Rogue was definitely into this "Everyone knows, she's dying for you!

"That's true," Gambit's voice sounded from the hallway. "Come on man, you have to tell her."

Kurt couldn't help but chuckle at Gambit's interjection, though his eyes widened at Rogue's revelation.

"Everyone knows?" he echoed softly, a flicker of hope mingling with disbelief. "Could it be that Y/N returns my affection? The idea makes my heart swell."

He took a deep breath, his gaze lingering on Gambit's knowing expression. "Perhaps you two are right. I must find the courage to express my feelings to Y/N. But…" A hint of hesitation clouded his eyes.

"No buts" Gambit approached Kurt putting his arm over his shoulder "If you want to have the lady you will have to overcome your fear, do you want her to end up in someone else's arms?"

Kurt's expression darkened at the thought of Y/N being with someone else. A surge of possessive protectiveness welled within him.

"No, I do not," he replied firmly. "I cannot bear the thought of her being with another. I must find the courage to tell her how I feel."

He straightened his shoulders, a newfound determination in his eyes.

His brother-in-law gave him a few small pats on the chest. "Well said, now go get her tiger."

"Do you know where she is now Kurt?" Rogue's voice stopped them "You'll need a plan"

Kurt pondered Rogue's question for a moment. "I believe Y/N went to wash up in her room. She seemed tired and overwhelmed, but I couldn't quite discern the cause of her affliction." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should take some time to prepare, gather my thoughts and emotions, before I confront her. After all, I want every word to be perfect when I finally confess my feelings to her."

"We'll help you," Gambit offered. "You'll learn from the best teacher."

Rogue punched him in the stomach jokingly.

"I don't think you're the best one for that Sugar, why don't you let me talk to Y/N? We're friends, I can get information about you Kurt"

Kurt grinned at the playful exchange between Gambit and Rogue, appreciating their willingness to help. "Ah, my dear sister, your support means the world to me," he thanked them with a chuckle. "Gambit, while I appreciate the offer to learn from the 'best teacher', I believe that Rogue is the perfect person to gather information about Y/N. Your friendship with her will make it easier, and your understanding of women's hearts is unparalleled."

"Leave it to me, is there anything I should ask specifically?"

Kurt considered the question for a moment, his expression warm.

"First and foremost, find out whether Y/N harbors affections for me. Then, if she does indeed reciprocate my feelings, I want to know how deeply this affection runs, if she would consider a romantic relationship with me." He took a steadying breath, adding with a hopeful gleam in his eyes, "And if she does love me, inquire about her favorite flowers and romantic gestures. I wish to make my declaration of love truly unforgettable."

"Noted" Rogue got up from the chair as she walked out into the hallway "I'm going to go see Y/N, in the meantime you should calm down Kurt, you look worse than a nervous Chihuhua. Everything is going to be fine you'll see. Who knows, maybe Y/N will soon become a my sister in law"

Kurt chuckled softly at Rogue's playful remarks as she left to go find Y/N. He leaned back on the couch, taking a moment to steady his nerves.

"Perhaps she is not far away from the truth," he murmured under his breath, a flicker of anticipation and excitement stirring within him. He couldn't help but hope that Rogue's words would come true, that Y/N would someday become a part of his family. And he was determined to do everything in his power to make it happen.

Rogue arrived at Y/N's room and knocked on the door hoping that she would be in the room, otherwise she would have to look for her in every corner of the mansion.

"Rogue? What happened?" Y/N opened the door, Kurt was indeed right, she had just gotten out of the shower.

"Nothing, I just wanted to talk to you for a while. You know, a girls' night."

"Sounds good" Y/N said with a smile and giving her friend space to enter.

As Rogue entered Y/N's room, a mischievous grin played on her lips. She took in Y/N's appearance, noting the fresh scent of soap clinging to her friend's skin and the way her damp hair clung to her neck.

"Ah, it seems my timing was impeccable," Rogue remarked with a chuckle, closing the door behind her. She took a seat on the edge of Y/N's bed, stretching her legs out comfortably.

"Yes, it's been a while since we've had an afternoon together." Cenitt fell onto her bed next to Rogue. "How have you been? How have things been between you and Gambit?"

Rogue's smile widened knowingly as she reclined on Cenitt's bed. Her friendship with her friend allowed her to feel truly comfortable.

"Ah, Gambit and I are doing just fine," she replied, a spark of mischief in her eyes. "But let's leave aside the talk of my love life for now. I'm more interested in yours, Sugar."

"Mine?" Y/N lifted her upper body carrying her weight on her elbows. She could notice Rogue's mischievous look.

Rogue nodded, her eyes twinkling with intrigue.

"Indeed, yours. I'm curious to know what's been happening in the romantic realm of your life."

She leaned closer, her smirk widening. "Has a certain blue, furry mutant piqued your interest lately?"

"You speak of Beast?" Y/N was pretending not to know what Rogue was talking about. "Don't get me wrong, but don't you think Hank is a little too old for me?" she was trying not to laugh

Rogue chuckled at her friend's attempt to play coy.

"You know very well, Sugar, that Hank is not the object of my curiosity," she teased, her eyes gleaming. "I was referring to a certain mutant with a tail and a penchant for teleporting. A certain Nightcrawler, perhaps?"

"I've never heard of him. Is he new?" She was definitely playing with Rogue, trying to evade reality. She slowly get out of bed with clear intentions to flee.

As Y/N attempted to make her escape, Rogue's reflexes were quick. She darted forward, gently tugging her back onto the bed.

"Oh no, you're not escaping that easily, my dear friend," she teased, pinning Y/N down with a soft but firm hold. "We're going to talk about Kurt and your feelings for him."

Y/N ended up under Rogue, she held her without moving on the mattress "I have nothing to say, you won't make me talk" she tried to squirm.

Rogue kept Y/N pinned with a mischievous grin. "Oh, come now," she teased, her grip tightening. "You don't think I don't know how you look at him? The way your eyes light up whenever he enters the room. The way your breath catches in your throat when he smiles at you. You can fool others, but you can't fool me."

"Am I really that obvious when I see him?"

Rogue nodded, a knowing smirk on her lips.

"Oh Sugar, your feelings for Kurt are written all over your face. It's impossible to miss the way you look at him. Your eyes follow his every move, and your heart skips a beat when he's near."

She released her grip, allowing Y/N to sit up as she continued speaking. "But the real question is, does he know how you feel? Does he know the depth of your affection?"

Y/N looked at Rogue sadly "No, he doesn't know" her voice sounded very sad and almost like a sigh.

Rogue's expression softened at Y/N's answer. "Ah, why haven't you told him how you feel?" she gently asked, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's clear to me that your affection for Kurt is genuine. Why the hesitation?"

"Because your brother doesn't love me, at least not that way. I've seen how Kurt treats other people and believe me, there isn't much difference in how he looks at me and how he looks at the rest of the team." She sat up, leaning her back against the headboard while hugging her knees. "He doesn't love me. Rogue."

Rogue gently shook her head, a sympathetic smile playing on her lips. "Sugar, you couldn't be more wrong," she said softly, putting her arm around Y/N in a comforting but firm hold. "Kurt's affection for you is different. There's a warmth, a depth of feeling that he doesn't show towards others. He may not have expressed it yet, but he loves you. I can see it and I know it."

"You're only saying that because you're my friend Rogue, Kurt likes pretty girls like Amanda or Wanda, not simple girls like me. He deserves to be with someone like them."

Rogue's expression turned firm yet compassionate. She gently turned Y/N to face her, holding her friend's gaze earnestly.

"Listen to me, Y/N. You are not 'simple'. You're intelligent, kind, beautiful in your own way. Don't underestimate yourself or underestimate Kurt's capacity to see the beauty within you. And trust me, he does see it. I wouldn't lie to you about something like this."

"How do you know? How do you know he's not lying?" Y/N looked at her eagerly awaiting her response.

Rogue met Y/N's eyes with a steady, sincere expression.

"Because I've seen the way Kurt looks at you when he thinks no one is watching. There's a depth to his gaze, a longing in his expression that he simply can't fake. When he gazes at you, his eyes light up as if he's looking at a treasure he can't quite touch. I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you."

"So… do you think I have a chance?" The color seemed to return to Y/N's face. "Do you think Kurt wants to be with me?"

Rogue chuckled softly, a mixture of amusement and affection in her voice. "Sugar, if there's one thing I know for certain, it's that Kurt Wagner would be a fool not to want to be with you. You have a chance, and not just any chance - a great one. Trust me, he's just struggling with his own insecurities, but deep down, he feels the same for you."

"And what should I do?" At one point she felt like she was going to hyperventilate. "What if I tell him and ruin it? You know I get very nervous being with him."

She thought for a moment before agreeing with Rogue. "Yes, you're right. I'm going to tell him." She got up from the bed and walked out the door, leaving Rogue confused by the change in attitude.

Not two seconds passed when Y/N came back through the door.

"I better tell him later"

Rogue got up from the bed and grabbed her by the shoulders. "No, no way. You'll go right now and tell him what you feel." She turned her around as he pushed her toward the door. "The both of you are like a pair of love-struck teenagers."

"Well, tell me what he likes. You're his sister, you know what he likes." Y/N began pacing back and forth in front of her. "Maybe I can prepare his favorite food."

Rogue rubbed her chin thoughtfully, a smirk playing on her lips. "Ah, Kurt has a weakness for good food. He does have a sweet tooth, and anything involving chocolate usually puts a smile on his face." She chuckled softly, then added with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "And speaking of things that make him smile... don't forget, he's a gentleman at heart. Acts of kindness and thoughtfulness mean a lot to him, especially from those he cares about. Just remember, my friend, be yourself, be genuine."

"I'll make Kurt a chocolate cake, maybe I can get a German recipe." Y/N took out his cell phone and started searching for recipes on the internet. "I can get the ingredients and maybe write him a letter. And, Since you're so interested in my romantic life, are you going to help me with the cake" Y/N took Rogue by the hand and together they left the room laughing on their way to the kitchen without seeing that Gambit and Kurt were behind them.

Rogue shared a secret smile with Y/N as they made their way to the kitchen. She had no idea of the duo following behind them. As they entered the kitchen, Kurt and Gambit silently crept closer, their curiosity piqued.

Gambit whispered to Kurt, who seemed on the verge of panicking. "Easy there, mon ami," he said, trying to maintain his cool composure. "Rogue and Y/N don't know we're here. Let's just see what happens, alright?"

Y/N was finishing measuring the flour when someone entered the kitchen and greeted the two girls. He was the new boy, he had not long arrived at the mansion, he began to talk to the girls, paying special attention to Y/N.

"Oh that's not good" Gambit said quietly turning to look at Kurt.

Kurt's eyes widened as he watched the newcomer's attention on Y/N He glanced over at Gambit, a mixture of anger and jealousy evident in his expression.

"No, it's not good," he hissed through clenched teeth. "I know that look. He's eyeing Y/N!"

Y/N didn't realize the boy's intentions and was just being nice to him. She was more interested in the cake for Kurt but Rogue was beginning to doubt the boy's actions. At one point the boy was very close to Y/N.

As the boy came closer to Y/N and leaned in an all too familiar way, Rogue's protective instincts kicked in, her eyes narrowing.

"Hey, buddy, you're getting a bit too close to my friend there," she interjected, her voice tinged with warning. "Maybe dial back the charm a bit."

Rogue's response calmed Kurt but left Y/N confused. "Come on Rogue, he is just being nice, right?" She looked the boy straight in the eyes.

The newcomer, emboldened by Y/N's naive response, smirked and leaned even closer, his intentions becoming quite clear.

"Nah, Rogue's just jealous of our chemistry," he said, his tone oozing with false confidence. "We have a connection, don't we, sweetheart?" He reached out to touch Y/N's hand.

Y/N tensed when she felt the boy's hand on her and it was worse when he pulled her to his side.

and Kurt didn't like that

"Okay, enough. Hit him." Gambit moved from the door, letting Kurt pass.

Kurt, filled with a mix of protectiveness and anger, stormed into the kitchen without hesitation. His gaze landed on the newcomer, and before anyone could utter a word, Kurt's fist flew straight into the boy's face, sending him stumbling back.

"Hands off," Kurt growled, "Y/N is not a toy for you to play with."

"Kurt!" Y/N expected anything but this, she had never seen Kurt so upset, but it didn't stop her from moving away from the boy.

Kurt's eyes met Y/N's, the intensity of his gaze softened as he realized his reaction might have startled her. He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself.

"I'm sorry, Y/N," he muttered, his voice laced with a mix of frustration and regret. "I couldn't stand the thought of that guy touching you or disrespecting you. I acted before I thought."

"Don't worry Kurt, I'm fine" Y/N gave him a small smile to reassure him "Your hand…" She reached out to take his hand in hers but she was shaking.

"I think it's better that we go somewhere else" Rogue was upset.

Kurt's expression softened at Y/N's concern for his hand. He glanced down at his bruised knuckles, a small grimace on his face.

"It's alright, Y/N. Just a bit of bruising," he muttered, his tone a mix of annoyance and resignation.

As Rogue spoke up, Kurt turned his attention to her. Recognizing the tension in her voice, he nodded in agreement.

"Yes, let's leave this place."

Everyone left the kitchen in silence, they chose to go to one of the rooms on the second floor, at that time there was no one in that part. All the way Kurt didn't let go of Y/Ns hand. Once they arrived, Rogue went to the bathroom to look for a first aid kit.

"You have blood on your hand Kurt." Y/N caressed her knuckles.

As Y/N gently caressed his knuckles, Kurt couldn't help but cringe slightly at the sight of the blood.

"Oh, don't worry about that," he muttered, a hint of pain in his voice. "It's nothing serious. These hands have been through worse. A little blood doesn't phase me."

Despite his dismissive words, Kurt secretly appreciated Y/N's concern for his injury.

Y/N took the first aid kit that Rogue brought "Can I?"

I take out a couple of gauze and bandages.

Kurt was going to refuse but out of the corner of his eye he saw Gambit moving for him to accept the offer, giving him a thumbs up.

"This is your chance" Gambit was trying to tell him, Rogue understood what Gambit was implying and followed Gambit's plan.

"We'll go make sure we haven't gotten into trouble."

Kurt hesitated for a moment, feeling slightly self-conscious about the attention. However, taking a deep breath, he decided to accept Y/N's offer. "Well, fine… If you insist," he said with a hint of reluctance, trying to sound indifferent. As he extended his injured hand towards Y/N, he shot a subtle glance at Gambit and Rogue, silently acknowledging their plan.

"Tell me if it hurts." Y/N began to carefully clean Kurt's hand. "Thank you... Kurt"

Kurt watched quietly as Y/N tended to his injured hand with gentle care. He winced slightly as the cloth touched the wounded area, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "It's alright," he muttered softly. "I've suffered worse. Besides, I would do it again to keep you away from that disrespectful fool."

"I'm not going to lie to you, that boy scared me a little. I didn't think he would try something like that."

Y/N was finishing cleaning the wound "But I guess I have the best hero on my side"

Kurt smiled slightly at Y/N's words, feeling a mixture of pride and humility in his heart. He could feel a tinge of blush on his cheeks, but he tried to suppress it, keeping a composed expression on his face.

"Ah, you flatter me too much, my dear friend," he replied with a hint of humility. "I'm just doing what any true friend would do. Protecting you from those who don't deserve your kindness."

Y/N couldn't help but feel a pain in her heart when she heard Kurt call her friend. Rogue was wrong, Kurt was just being nice to her.

"Yes… It's good that you're my friend" She said, turning to look at his bandaged hand.

As Y/N grew silent and tears threatened to spill from her eyes, Kurt gently reached out to cup her chin, tilting her face gently to look at him. His gaze held a deep affection and sincerity as he spoke softly.

"Y/N, please don't feel like you have to say anything. I just wanted you to know that my feelings for you run deeper than mere friendship." He spoke with a gentle vulnerability, his words holding a genuine love for her.

"Please stop" Her voice sounded so broken

"Don't play with my feelings Kurt."

Kurt's heart sank as he heard Y/Ns broken voice, her pain evident in her pleading words. "No, no, Y/N." He rushed to reassure her, pulling her into a gentle embrace, "I would never play with your feelings. You mean too much to me for that. My words come from the deepest depths of my heart. I care for you deeply, and my love for you is -"

Y/N looked at Kurt interrupting him "I like you Kurt"

Kurt's heart leaped in his chest as Y/N confessed her feelings for him.

He gently brushed away her tears with his bandaged hand, a tender smile on his face.

"Y/N," he whispered softly, "I feel the same way. My heart has known for a while, and now my mind understands it too. I like you, Y/N… No, it's more than 'like.' "I love you."

"I love you too..." She hugged him "Why you never said anything?"

Kurt wrapped his arms around Y/N, encircling her in a tight hug. As he held her close, he let out a soft chuckle. "I suppose... I was afraid." He admitted quietly, his voice tinged with a mix of vulnerability and contentment. "Afraid of ruining the friendship we had, and of jeopardizing something so precious. But... I can no longer deny the depth of my feelings for you. It's become too powerful to ignore."

"We both think the same thing, I liked you from the first day I met you but I was very afraid to get close and when you offered me your friendship I knew that I didn't want to be far from you, I accepted it but I always wanted to be something more"

Kurt listened intently to Y/Ns words, his heart swelling with a mix of joy and regret. He gently cupped her face between his hands, his touch both tender and filled with passion. "We were both fools," he whispered, a hint of self-deprecation mingling with his affection. "All this time, we've been yearning for something that was right in front of us. But now... now that we've confessed our love, we can finally make up for lost time."

"I would love that" She looked at him lovingly and rested her head on his shoulder.

Kurt's eyes sparkled with affection as Y/N rested her head on his shoulder. Softly wrapping his arm around her, he gently squeezed her closer, relishing the closeness they now shared. "Then it's settled," he whispered, his voice filled with adoration. "From now on, we'll cherish every moment we spend together. No more hiding our feelings or fearing what could have been. We'll love each other openly and passionately, just the way it was always meant to be."

"I told you they ended up together" "We already know that, everyone in the mansion knew it except them" Gambit and Rogue were leaning against the door listening to the conversation between Kurt and Y/N

Kurt's cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson as he heard Gambit's teasing remark. He had completely forgotten that they were listening in on their heartfelt confessions. With a sheepish grin, Kurt turned his head towards the door, locking eyes with Gambit and Rogue. "Oh, come on," he groaned, a mix of embarrassment and amusement in his voice. "You didn't have to eavesdrop on our private moment, you two."

Gambit chuckled, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Well, what can I say? We couldn't resist witnessing this long-overdue romance unfold." He shared a knowing glance with Rogue, both of them smiling at Kurt and Y/N's newfound relationship.

"Azulito = Bluey in spanish"

[probablyasocialecologist]

How can a person make up for seven decades of misrepresentation and willful distortion in the time allotted to a sound bite? How can you explain that the Israeli occupation doesn’t have to resort to explosions—or even bullets and machine-guns—to kill? That occupation and apartheid structure and saturate the everyday life of every Palestinian? That the results are literally murderous even when no shots are fired? Cancer patients in Gaza are cut off from life-saving treatments. Babies whose mothers are denied passage by Israeli troops are born in the mud by the side of the road at Israeli military checkpoints. Between 2000 and 2004, at the peak of the Israeli roadblock-and-checkpoint regime in the West Bank (which has been reimposed with a vengeance), sixty-one Palestinian women gave birth this way; thirty-six of those babies died as a result.That never constituted news in the Western world. Those weren’t losses to be mourned. They were, at most, statistics. What we are not allowed to say, as Palestinians speaking to the Western media, is that all life is equally valuable. That no event takes place in a vacuum. That history didn’t start on October 7, 2023, and if you place what’s happening in the wider historical context of colonialism and anticolonial resistance, what’s most remarkable is that anyone in 2023 should be still surprised that conditions of absolute violence, domination, suffocation, and control produce appalling violence in turn. During the Haitian revolution in the early 19th century, former slaves massacred white settler men, women, and children. During Nat Turner’s revolt in 1831, insurgent slaves massacred white men, women, and children. During the Indian uprising of 1857, Indian rebels massacred English men, women, and children. During the Mau Mau uprising of the 1950s, Kenyan rebels massacred settler men, women, and children. At Oran in 1962, Algerian revolutionaries massacred French men, women, and children. Why should anyone expect Palestinians—or anyone else—to be different? To point these things out is not to justify them; it is to understand them. Every single one of these massacres was the result of decades or centuries of colonial violence and oppression, a structure of violence Frantz Fanon explained decades ago in The Wretched of the Earth. What we are not allowed to say, in other words, is that if you want the violence to stop, you must stop the conditions that produced it. You must stop the hideous system of racial segregation, dispossession, occupation, and apartheid that has disfigured and tormented Palestine since 1948, consequent upon the violent project to transform a land that has always been home to many cultures, faiths, and languages into a state with a monolithic identity that requires the marginalization or outright removal of anyone who doesn’t fit. And that while what’s happening in Gaza today is a consequence of decades of settler-colonial violence and must be placed in the broader history of that violence to be understood, it has taken us to places to which the entire history of colonialism has never taken us before.

[maladaptive-ninja-returns]

Warm and Cozy

Nanami Kento x F!Reader

Summary: Nanami Kento did not show up at Shoko's Infirmary after a mission for his usual checkup so she sent you to his place to check up on him.

Warnings: Smut. 18+ I am not responsible for any underaged baby reading this. Wrap that willy before doing the silly.

Word Count: Your girl got horny.

MASTERLIST in bio, darlings. Tags are open (check bio)

"Since when did you start doing house calls?"

"Since you stopped taking Shoko Senpai's calls and returned home instead."

Kento Nanami is still dressed in his blue shirt and tan blazer, holding the door with his hand and looking at you with zero emotions.

You can see the wretched dotted tie lying at the small dinner table behind him along with his glasses, not knowing why their site bothers you so much.

Nanami's free hand goes to his face to rub the incoming tiredness in his eyes. "Y/L/N, I'm fine. You should go back-"

"I've been threatened by senpai to heal you back to proper health or she'll fire me. So, if you don't mind, Nanami, I'd like to keep the job I finally love. Also, you are reeking of curses right now," you wring your nose in the end.

His brown eyes look at the resolution in your figure at his door before looking at the night sky behind you. He notices a moment in the corridor outside, his brows furrowing in some calculated thought.

The hand holding the door turns enough for Nanami to look at the time. And while he is contemplating something in his head, you cannot resist observing the six-foot-tall man; looking so different from what he was when you first met him.

He definitely worked out, your inner voice purrs inside your head, making you clench your office bag to resist any more stray thoughts.

"You are not going back alone at this time anyway," he murmured under his breath and stepped to the side.

"Oh!" you scoff, "I am pretty sure I can navigate my way around Tokyo at night just fine, sir. Or did you forget the time I-"

Nanami's senses are focused on the figure clad in a black hoodie coming from the other end of the corridor. The figure reached for something in the pocket of his hoodie and Nanami is quick to grab you by your arm- in the gentlest of way possible- and pull your surprised frame inside his humble abode.

You walk into the apartment and let your lungs inconspicuously breathe in the scent of Kento Nanami's safe space. And just as you expect, it smells of vanilla and beeswax.

Maybe it's the soap he uses?

The apartment is spotless. Everything has its place. Maybe the only thing out of place is you.

The entrance has you open to a cozy beige-clad living room. Walking a little further, you are standing in his open kitchen next to the kitchen island and looking at the table next to you where his tie and glasses lie.

Right opposite the kitchen is a space separated by a wooden structure made of hollow rectangular blocks housing plants, books on anatomy and humans, and a single empty space right in the middle.

The bed beyond that is covered in a grey duvet, astonishingly wrinkle-free.

Too clean, your nose wrinkles, it should have some-

Now what would make a bed that neat wrinkled and dirty, your inner voice whispers in your ear, spiking up your heartbeat.

"Would you like some tea?"

You jump at Nanami's voice, turning around towards the kitchen.

The man is already rolling his sleeves up and putting a kettle on.

"Yes, please," you plead softly, walking towards the kitchen island, and picking up his tie on the way.

"Did you meet the new kid yet?" you ask him as your hands and eyes get busy with the tie, wrapping it around your neck to try your hand at the few knots you learned in school.

Nanami opens up a drawer to take out two mugs- one purple and one grey- before turning towards the island.

There is this tiny second of a moment when he pauses to look at your fingers busy with the fabric that is practically a part of him. But he is quick to regain his usually stoic momentum even though his eyes keep going back to how carefully your fingers are running over his tie.

"Gojo's kid?"

You break into a chuckle, your eyes closing in the tiny flash of elation, never seeing how Nanami's eyes follow the moment of your head as it dips back and then tilts sideways.

"Well, you're not wrong in a way. His name is Yuuji. Yuuji Itadori. He's a really cute kid." You have finally made a passable knot and are trying to pass the other end through. "I was assigned to check him up yesterday and that boy made me laugh the entire time."

Nanami is just standing there with his arms folded when a whistle starts to form at the mouth of the kettle.

"And he is so pure, Nanami! He let me explain to him the culture samples in Senpai's lab and he looked at every single one of them with the same excitement as he did the first one."

The whistle goes harder on that kettle.

A fresh pack of Hojicha tea is opened. Nanami's rugged hands are careful with the bits they pick up to sprinkle in the earthen pot waiting for the brew time before the boiling water goes in.

"Oh, I love him! He's so precious." you declare in excitement.

You do not notice when Nanami comes to stand in front of you. You notice his hands first; when they come to take over the tie from your hands.

"I haven't washed it yet. It might still have some curse blood on it," Nanami slowly announces before delicately pulling the tie up your head.

"Oh...right. My bad."

Moving the tie away from your head, his hand unconsciously comes back to undo the mess he made in your hair, making you pause a breath.

Stop, you tell your insides, trying to shake away the gentle gestures as something more.

.

Your tools are neatly arranged on the dinner table. Nanami sits on a chair.

"See? Nothing to worry about," he declares in his usual nonchalant way as you are done examining his head and arms.

"Not so fast, love. I still have to scrutinise the rest of you," you warn him sweetly while you rub your palms together and walk behind the chair.

Nanami's head tilts a little in your direction.

"Okay....love."

Your hands freeze behind him. The word vibrates inside you with his voice.

Oh fu---haaa----Focus!

"I need to run the energy down your spine." You try your best to sound composed.

He undoes the first two buttons on his shirt and lifts away the collar, exposing his neck and shoulders to you.

"Tell me if it gets uncomfortable at any point," you announce softly before gently putting your hands on the back of his neck to observe for any anomalies.

What you don't get to see is the rugged hands of the Grade 1 sorcerer curling up into a fist at the first touch of your fingers on his exposed skin, or the goosebumps on his arms and back as your fingers do a little stroke at the nape to guide the energy down his spine.

"Oh, this is not good," you state, stepping away from him to look for something inside your bag.

"What?" Nanami almost blurts out, not really sure what the question was for- the 'not good' part or your hands- that seemed to bring him some much-needed relief- not touching him anymore.

Taking out a small maroon spherical crystal from your bag, you look Nanami straight in the eyes. "Take off your clothes. We're getting in the shower."

.

The shower head is fixed back into place by your fingers. "There," you exhale and come down from the stool to give one final look of satisfaction at your work.

Nanami is standing at his bathroom door, leaning on the doorframe, observing you. You are out of your overcoat, exposing your usual colourful self in a sweater, a skirt and skinny tights. This is the first time he has seen you wear a sweater in blue. It suits you, he thinks to himself, though it irks him to imagine if it ran up your waist like it is doing now- when you are adjusting the angle of the shower- when you travelled all the way from Jujutsu High to his place and if anyone else dared to see you like this.

"I've fixed the disinfectant in your shower head. Now just stand under the running water for about a minute or so and I'll take out the curse sample."

Nanami looks at the shower head and then at you. "How lethal is the infection?"

"Oh," you shake your head, "not lethal if we do this right now. Lethal if you let it sit overnight. I am going to take the sample back to Shoko Senpai for culture study and antidotes. It'll wash away in no time, don't worry about it."

"I'm not worried for me," he mumbles.

"Hm?" you furrow your brows in confusion, which melts away at the speed of light when the man unbuttons his shirt, taking it off and neatly stacking it in the laundry basket next to the sink.

It takes you some time to let the beauty of Kento Nanami's body seep into your mind. It also takes one long inhale to realise that Blazer had been hiding a sculpted Renaissance art underneath it.

But your brain goes to hell when he takes off his trousers and stands there in his black boxers, revealing some incredibly toned legs.

Oh, mother of curses!

Embarrassed for looking at him with budding sinful thoughts, you turn around in the shower temple to smack your head into the towel rack.

Cursing under your breath, you walk out of the tiny space with your gaze on the ground. "The infection is on your left shoulder blade...o-on the back."

"How bad is it?" Nanami tries to take a look at it in the wall-length mirror on the sink.

"I've handled worse. It's okay, you can trust me, Nanami." you shrug at his reflection in the mirror with a smile.

"I do, Y/L/N-" Nanami takes off his watch and places it beside the sink, leaving that sentence hanging, leaving you blinking at your own reflection for a moment.

Nanami steps into the shower temple, turning on the shower and letting his left arm and shoulder soak in the cold wetness of the water.

Soon enough the infection starts to wriggle and make screeching sounds as the energy in the water starts killing it.

Grabbing the container from your sample kit you step into the space. "I'm taking a sample now."

A few mud-coloured droplets that are still screeching are caught in the container while the rest of them are washed away in the water and down the drain, leaving Nanami's body healed to its original perfection.

"Feel better?"

Nanami does feel better. He can feel all the tiredness leaving his body with the water. He turns around to tell you the same.

You are looking at the container and about to walk out of the shower temple. "Let's get you back to the lab to Senp-"

Your words get stuck in your throat when your foot slips on the wet tile and your hands are grabbing at the air to break your fall.

The air does not break your fall. But Nanami does. His one hand is quick to cushion your head from hitting the wall while his other hand grabs your waist and pulls you to himself. Fearing not to make you fall for a second time, he backs into the wall behind him for support, bringing you both under the shower.

The container falls on the tiled floor as your hands grab onto his shoulders for support and your heart tries to get accustomed to the fear of the fall.

Neither of you move for a moment. Neither of you wants to in fear of doing something the other might now like in such close proximity to each other.

Close proximity? You both are grabbing onto each other as if your lives depend on it.

"Y/N? You okay?" Nanami finally whispers when he does not feel you move for a long while.

"Yes," you breathe, moving your face away from his shoulders- which are welcoming and hot- and facing him. "Sorry. I slipped."

Before Nanami can point out the futility of an apology that is not your fault, you smile and move your hands through his hair. "Aw shucks! I ruined your hair. It's wet now."

That does it for Kento Nanami. That one brush of your fingers in his hair reverberates through his whole body.

"Stop, Y/N," he refrains from growling.

Your hand immediately retreats from his head, pausing in the air and wondering with lost eyes if you did something wrong.

Ah, shit. He doesn't like his hair messed with.

"Stop giving me wrong ideas," he whispers, turning off the shower with his free hand.

"Wrong...what?" your voice barely rises above a whisper.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?" You try to wriggle out of his hold, a little hurt at the assumptions you are making in your head. "I'm sorry for messing your hair."

"My hair isn't the only thing you are messing with."

You scoff, feeling offended. "I'll fix it, okay! Your hair and whatever else I messed with."

Nanami runs his hands through his hair and you have to gulp back some things that rather not come to your lips.

"Are you sure, Y/N?" Nanami looks you in your eyes with a stare you have not seen him with. And you don't want to curl up or back down, so you match his gaze with yours.

"One hundred per cent."

"So, would you be okay if I kissed you?"

The question catches you off guard. But not in the way it is supposed to. "Why would I not be okay?" you scoff. Only after you have given the answer does your brain realise what the question was.

Nanami does not waste time. His lips are on yours within seconds. His arm wraps itself around your waist to bring you closer to him.

Your hands do not know what to do at that sudden kiss. It is when Nanami draws himself away to look at you do they find themselves caressing the dip of his jaw and welcoming him back for another kiss.

Your tongue licks his lips, inviting him. Nanami lets his tongue dance with yours, bringing out a guttering moan from your throat; a moan that heats up something inside the sorcerer forcing him to lift you up by your thighs, making you wrap your legs around his waist as he carries you out of the bathroom to his bedroom.

He is careful when putting you down on his bed.

Oh! The grey duvet.

But that duvet is the least of your concerns right now when the six-foot-tall man stands at the edge of his bed wiping the water off his face, breathing a little heavily and looking at you with...what was that emotion in his eyes?

"Tell me to stop if you don't want to..." he whispers.

"Don't," your voice cracks. You can visibly see him pause his breath for a second. "Don't stop."

The dim lighting in his bedroom is perfect for watching him as his shoulders relax.

He gets on the bed, one leg at a time, dipping the sheets around you with his weight, crawling to catch your lips with his.

Your hands are nervously working on your sweater's buttons under him. He moves away to help you with it, forcing out a tiny wince from you; getting a low chuckle out of him.

Your skirt's zipper is stuck, not budging when it should be sliding down like a seal on an iceberg. Nanami is being as gentle as possible with it but it's all going in vain.

That's when you feel him dig his fingers in over the edges of the fabric near the zipper, your skin heating up where his fingers are in contact with you.

"Y/N-" he looks up at you with embers of unflinching will in his brown eyes, "let me buy you another skirt tomorrow."

The sound of the rip registers after the fabric comes apart in your brain because your eyes are too busy studying how his shoulders tense up just to get you out of your clothes.

The tights are next. But they are taken off with the most delicate touch by the sorcerer. So is the underwear.

He starts by planting kisses on your thighs, moving slowly to the inside while making your nerves light up at every touch. And if that is not enough, his hands tease and massage them to relax you every time you tense up.

He inhales the smell of your core as if he is breathing in the fresh waterfalls in the forest, and then sits back up. Lifting you up by your waist, he rolls to the other side of the bed with him at the bottom and you at the top. He adjusts your thighs on either side of his waist before dragging you further up his torso.

You watch in confusion as he takes the support of the head of his bed and slides further down.

"Sit on me," he announces.

"....what?"

"Sit on my face," he does not stutter.

But you do. "N-Nanami."

He simply lifts your thighs up and brings your core closer to his face.

Do I weigh anything to you?

His hands push your thighs apart, letting him get better access to you. You are not putting your weight down and taking the support of the headboard instead, worried about suffocating him.

But the first flick of his tongue on your clit makes you jump up.

Nanami is quick to anchor your thighs with his hands, forcing you to put all your weight on him. He starts what seems like an incantation being written with his tongue inside you.

Sucking and licking, flicking and teasing, he is your very own roller coaster of pleasure tonight, making you writhe with pleasure under his touch.

And lo...you can feel the wetness gather around your walls.

"Nanami-" you are trying your best to breathe right- "I'm gonna-Nanami. Wait. I'm gonna pee. Ah!"

This man keeps touching all the right nerves again. And again. And again.

You are being driven to the edge. "Nanami stop!"

And he stops for a minuscule second, giving you a window to lift yourself up and flop on your back next to him, trying to bring your lungs back to normal.

"Did it hurt?"

Nanami's hand comes to move the stray strands of your hair away from your face glowing with sweat under the dim bedroom light.

He is looking over you, half up on his arm while his other hand is caressing your face. "Y/N, did it hurt?"

You shake your head. "No. No, I just felt I was about to pee and I didn't want...to do it...over you."

You can see his lips glisten with your juices. He closes his eyes and licks his lips before rolling to the other side, sitting up at the edge and eventually getting up.

The light coming from the bathroom perfectly draws out the cuts of the tensed muscles all over his body while his back is still towards you.

Wait...is it over?

You can see him curl his hands into fists before releasing them and finally walking the length of his bed to come to your side.

You rise up on your elbows.

It's over, isn't it? Your inner voice is smacking you left and right, blaming you for stopping the pleasure harp of a lifetime just as it was about to reach its crescendo.

He goes for the chest next to his bed, opens the top drawer and takes out a small packet that glistens under the scarce light.

"Next time-" he removes his shorts, freeing his already hard length, and gets up on the edge of the bed in front of you- "when you are on top of me-" he tears the packet with his teeth and takes out a condom, pumping his length with his free hand- "I have already played out the probabilities of me suffocating in between your thighs-" he puts the condom on his length and then rests his arms on your raised knees, finally looking into your eyes with a passion you have not seen in him before.

"Next time-" he bends a bit forward to lean in for a kiss and undo the hook of your bra- "waterboard me."

Your bra is on the floor. His hands cup your breasts perfectly, massaging them as his kisses grow intense with every passing second. Then he moves onto your neck, biting it in places before licking the heat away.

Parting from you, he takes one pillow and places it under your head, another between you and the headboard and the last one under your lower back.

Letting his cock gather the juices on your edges, he looks at you while taking his time to enter you.

Both of you feel your breaths cemented in your throats letting you get accustomed to each other. He leans closer to you, planting a kiss on one of your cheeks while caressing the other with his hand. "You okay?"

You nod, feeling your walls adapt to his length.

Nanami drives out before slowly driving himself back in, giving you time to adjust to the pace. Once he knows you are comfortable, he lifts up your legs in the air and brings them to rest on his shoulders.

This time when he drives himself into you, you can feel your core light up with a different brand of intensity, leaving you to gasp for air and letting a moan slip from your throat.

Nanami smirks to himself and plants a kiss on your ankle. He has found your spot. He increases the pace a bit, loving every second of your view; as your breasts bounce to his rhythm, as you try to hold onto his duvet and his pillow, as your eyes close and your head dips back when you feel the pleasure spots light up and your moans get louder. He is loving every moment of you because you are his pleasure.

"K-Kento!"

His name from your mouth feels like a prayer, making his core shudder.

"Yes, love," he sputters between his strokes.

"I'm-ah-"

You don't get to finish your sentence.

He can feel your walls tighten around his cock, undoing his restraints and making him grunt.

He fastens his pace, the squelching and clapping of your bodies growing wilder. Taking both your legs in the hold of one arm, he lets his other hand go down to your core. His fingers find your clit and rub it to let you have your release as he starts feeling his length swell up.

Soon enough, the damn you feel rising up breaks, leaving you with shuddering legs.

Nanami elongates your orgasm as he feels his length at the edge of the eruption. Soon enough, he finds his high with one guttering growl leaving his lungs.

Sweaty and breathless, the both of you.

Nanami is spent; lying on top of you.

You run your hands through his hair as he rests his head on the nape of your neck to catch his breath.

Getting up on his arms, he looks at you with concern. "Are you okay?"

You can't help but smile as the edge of your eyes water up. Cupping his face in your hands, you bring him closer for a kiss.

Nanami carefully gets his length out of you before going straight for the bathroom. You hear the tap run for a few seconds before he comes out with a wet towel to clean you up.

The condom is disposed and you are directed into the bathroom to take a shower. Nanami joins you a few minutes later, planting soft kisses on your back.

Layered up in his oversized black t-shirt and grey shorts, you come out to find the grey sheets gone and a purple duvet waiting to greet you.

Just as you are looking at the new sheets, a needle of anxiety pricks you in your chest.

Do I stay? Do I dress up and walk out? Is...this...was this a one-night...

The thought makes your heart sink.

"Get in," Nanami orders you as he comes out of the door in a white t-shirt and grey shorts, raising the duvet from the edge for you.

The sinking heart rises up a little from the depths of darkness.

You get under the sheets and watch as he moves- first to the edge of the bed to keep something in the empty partition cubicle, and then- to the other side, switches off the lights and gets under the sheets.

You slide down the sheets while your heart rises a bit further.

You feel his arm looking for you under the sheets, finding your waist and pulling you closer to him.

He extends his arm to let you rest your head on it.

The light from the city outside is enough for him to watch your face glow and your eyes search for something in his. He moves your hair away from your face and caresses your cheeks.

"Nanami?" you whisper, still not taking your eyes off him.

"Hm?"

"Do you...like me?"

Silence.

The calm of the apartment is broken by Nanami's chuckle.

"Oh. Y/N-" the depth of his voice reverberates through his home as he exhales your name still titillates your core- "what will I do with you?!"

The maroon crystal rests on the once-empty space in the partition in Nanami Kento's home.

[supremechancellorrex]

Avatar in my head and I was thinking about Maiko and Mai.

Now, Mai's character arc in Avatar, from my interpretation, is rediscovering herself and her wants and personhood that has been stripped from her as a noblewoman part of a family that submitted to the Fire Nation Imperialist structure and Ozai. We see in Book 2 set up for this. Mai in early Book 2 does not resist Azula's will aside from brief sparks of rebellion where she isn't present. "Of course not, Princess Azula" she notes formally and apathetically when Azula asks if she "minds", knowing she has no choice as Azula 'just' ponders if Mai's hostage brother is worth an Earth King like Bumi. Mai is always aware that Azula, as Princess in an authoritarian nation where the Fire Lord is God, can have her executed and her family punished. The unequal power dynamic is surprisingly consistent in the show.

Mai can't even insult Azula back in Zuko Alone as a child. She just lets Azula put an apple on her head (as Ty Lee loyally sniggers along), set it on fire, and when Zuko pushes her into the fountain to put it out, Mai, drenched, glares and says "You two are such… ugh". We know Mai can have an acid tongue, yet her fear of Azula prevents her from using it. Her most rebellious act in Book 2 is when she says "She can shoot all the lightning she wants at me. I am not getting in that wall sludge juice". Mai actually has self-respect, but she can't express it in the presence of greater threats, meanwhile Ty Lee merely says "Come on! Azula said we have to follow them", because Ty Lee follows Azula's will even when she isn't there.

Even when Mai gets with Zuko, she falls into a subservient role. When Azula interrupts Maiko's smooching, lazily dismissing Mai with "Oh Mai, Ty Lee needs help untangling her braid" Mai responds quickly "Sounds pretty serious" with only a touch of dryness and leaves, only able to muster throwing Azula a dirty look a split second after passing her. However, this little ember of rebellion will grow.

Mai has continued difficulty understanding Zuko's anger and reactiveness, or how to even function in a relationship. She initially tries to joke in a dismissive fashion, as if saying 'ugh, feelings are lame, right?', but that would only work with Azula logically. The Beach episode is a key Mai episode. She continues to be emotionally repressed, to the point Zuko, Ty Lee and Azula comment on it. However, Zuko's insecurity at her talking to Ruon-Jian to the point he physically removes him from her presence, and his accusative comments like "You like him, don't you?", also makes Mai feel a little boxed in, controlled, and that does irritated her given her history. However, at the Beach's emotional narrative climax, Mai is able to finally express herself at the rest of the group (Azula included) for the first time, telling them to "Leave her alone" and that she's "still mad". After Zuko explosively reveals the extent of his pain and confusion, we see a 'smoothing' effect on her attitude. She realises her and Zuko are dealing with pain in different ways and his way is understandable.

Mai says softly, "I know one thing I care about, I care about you". This is the one thing Mai can grasp in the confusion. This is where Mai betraying Azula becomes inevitable. We see Mai continue to be more supportive with Zuko, more actively trying to cheer him up in Nightmares and Daydreams with big smiles and jokes while Zuko remains shut down over the War meeting and is acting irritated and repressed due to his family trauma. When Zuko later leaves and joins the Avatar, Mai is hurt and angry, which shows in the Boiling Rock, saying "All I get is a letter? You could have at least looked me in the eye when you ripped out my heart". They have a tense conversation, but it's their most honest one. I actually think Mai already made up her mind in this scene to support Zuko over Azula, and she doesn't quite realise it. "Save it? You're betraying your country" she accuses, to which Zuko replies, resolute, "That's not how I see it", and in response Mai just folds her arms and turns her head away in an almost defeat.

I find it very telling she doesn't respond. It's because she realises Zuko is more passionate and resolute about his mission than she is hers. It's because she knows the Fire Nation under its current authority is not exactly great. Sometimes in life we fall into a box and we need someone to give us that little push so we can realise we can climb out of it, that the toxic space we're in isn't normal, and we don't have to tolerate it. I like to think Mai was thinking in that moment where Zuko locked her in the cell and he and she gazed into each others' eyes, what she was really thinking about was what life she actually wanted to live. She was thinking of Azula and being under her thumb, and she was thinking of all those moments with Zuko, like when they were lounging on the sofa together, smiling and joking in Nightmares & Daydreams, and she realised how ridiculous it was to be afraid of Azula killing her when the real fear should be being Azula's servant until her dying days, decades of repression and misery.

After all, what does Mai have left to fight for? Fear of Azula? Hah, what a joke. She remembers "I know one thing I care about. I care about you" and when she sees Zuko about to die she has to intervene.

"I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you" Mai says to an increasingly-enraged Azula's speak of 'consequences', because Mai did fear Azula, but now in her love for Zuko she has found a purpose she has been lacking, her feelings and wants over Azula's will. Zuko being true to himself is contagious. Iroh's love for Zuko puts him on the right path, and in turn the love Mai has for Zuko saves her. As a consequence Ty Lee chooses Mai and their friendship over Azula's toxic, fear-based one and even later bonds with former enemies like the Kyoshi Warriors. Like Zuko says to Ozai, "an era of peace and kindness" will replace an "era of fear". In the face of fear, love and empathy win.

[lowkeyrobin]

yesss love, just saw that ur accepting requests heheheh 🥰🥰

Could I request a Minho x fem reader one, where the gladers are all chilling and having fun together by a lake in the deadheads (similar vibes to bonfire night) and some gladers decide to give her a “proper greenie welcome” by picking her up and throwing her in the lake. However, she can’t swim and tries to resist them but they don’t believe her so still throw her in. She almost drowns, crying for help and Minho jumps in and rescues her. Minho carries her out, and gets mad at them, almost picking a fight.

From here she sees Minho in a different light, could end in spice, if you’re willing, if not then it’s algds hehe 🙈

nah this is so cute lol ; also I do only write they/them / gn readers so I apologize 😭😭 but I'll try and not really specify gender at all to keep it really ambiguous ; i also dont write smut but i tried to make it a little like?? makeout? idk ; thank you for requesting, hope you enjoy! ; also I've seen at least one of ur other reqs to other creators and they're so 🙏🙏 trust me when I say writers love u

MINHO ; sweet memory

summary ; you find yourself looking at minho in a new light after almost drowning

warnings ; language, almost drowning, slightly heated kissing (?)

track ; wildflower and barley, hozier & allison russell

word count ; 1.7k

masterlist

You were the newest Greenie welcomed to the Glade. But, lucky for you, you remembered your name on your first night here. The amnesia was still getting you good here and there, but by the time the sun set on your second night, you were adapting well enough. A large group of you Gladers sit out on some logs in the Deadheads, the sun softly setting over the horizon of the maze walls as you sit around a little bonfire.

A small kind of lake structure sits beside the group, the soft sound of the streaming water filling your ears instead of all the other boys around you talking and chattering over drinks. You sit beside Minho, the Keeper of the Runners, sharing a drink with him. You took small sips here and there, just trying to fit in with the others under the blanket of trees and brush around you. Minho sits the glass jar back on the ground between his left leg and your right leg, talking to Fry a few feet away.

You're more focused on the water than anything else now as the boys talk loudly.

"What's the Greenie looking at?" Gally asks, an eyebrow raised as he talks in almost a mumble, looking between a few other Gladers.

Newt, sitting beside Fry, shrugs. Ben looks over at you, studying the dazed look in your eyes.

"Shank seems focused on the water," Ben speaks, giving a little shrug.

Gally's eyes light up as some invisible light bulb flicks on in his head. "Why don't we give them a proper Greenie welcome?"

"What're you suggesting, shuckface?" Jack sighs, sitting beside Gally.

A smirk tugs at the wannabe tough-guy's lips as he looks at you. You don't notice, as you're still zoned out, staring at the water.

"Let's throw them into the water for a minute"

Gally's plan had been set into motion behind mostly everyone's backs. Ben didn't say a word, considering he didn't actually think they'd be mean enough to throw the newest Greenie into that deep water. Newt and Fry hadn't heard as they'd been bickering about food, and the others, Winston, Minho, Eric, Adam, and Scott hadn't heard either.

Gally stands up, setting his special drink down. Jack, and Doug follow his actions, standing up and setting their definitely alcoholic beverages down. They sneak their way over to you, and stand over you, their shadows cast over you as well due to the fire.

You look up at them, shaking yourself out of your trance-like state.

"Can I help you?" You ask kindly, not wanting to start any drama.

Gally grabs you by the shoes, then Jack and Doug lift you up at your shoulders. They pull you toward the water, where you try and squirm out of their grip and fight back, but are unable to. The attention of the others is caught as they watch and laugh, thinking that your desperation to get away is to just not get wet and cold, unknowing that you couldn't swim.

Minho is the only one concerned, not knowing he was the only one to know that you couldn't swim. You'd brought it up when you first met him, explaining how you weren't much of a special soul, and that you couldn't swim or climb trees, or run that fast like some others could. It was a little dimwitted comment that clouded his vision in the moment.

"No, no, no, please! Please put me down!" For some reason, you didn't want to admit that you couldn't swim.

Doug hands over your other shoulder to Jack so he and Gally could rock and throw you into the water, standing off to the side. You continue to shout in protest as they begin rocking you side to side like they were reading a jump-in jump rope.

You look down at the water, fairly still, but clearly deep. You wouldn't be landing on rocks and busting your ass, you'd be drowning in five seconds if they didn't put you down.

Minho stands up, deciding to intervene as he sets his drink down. "Hey!"

"I can't swim! Put me down!-"

They toss you into the water, listening to your shriek of terror as the water splashes beneath your crashing weight. You reach your arms up as you'd fallen in on your rear, and kick your feet rapidly under you, unable to feel the bottom on your feet.

Being soaking wet was the least of your worries as you felt the water rush into your mouth, struggling to keep your head above the surface. You choke up the dirty, muddy water, trying to use any strength you had left in you to call for help and keep yourself floating.

Minho, now wide-eyed, quickly jumps in after you, realizing you truly couldn't swim. The water splashes under his weight like it did yours, and by the time he resurfaces, you'd fallen under the surface, water quickly filling up your lungs.

Newt quickly rushes forward, Frypan and Ben following him. Newt shoves Gally.

"What're you thinkin' klunkhead?! They said they couldn't swim, yet you throw them in that deep water!" He shouts, looking for an answer or at least some remorse.

Minho pulls you out of the water, the help of Fry and Ben leading you back up to land. You cough up a fair amount of water, completely dripping wet. Your clothes cling to your cold skin, weighing ten times their normal weight.

"What is wrong with you? Are you that shuckin' stupid?!"

Fry pulls Newt away from Gally before he potentially ends up in the slammer. Doug and Jack share unsympathetic looks, same as Gally. He uses the excuse that he didn't know until you shouted it at the last second, and it was just an innocent prank.

The second in command steps away from the three boys, rushing to your aid. Your legs hang over the little ledge, feet still emerged in the water. Minho is slapping your back, trying to help you cough all the water in your lungs and throat out.

Minho rubs your back softly as you finish coughing, your face pale, your eyes clearly showing the adrenaline rush and panic.

"You need the Med-Jacks, Greenie?" The blonde asks, one knee in the dirt while the other leg supports him.

You shake your head no, leaning forward as you pound at your chest and cough on command, wanting to make sure your airway was clear of any water or debris. Minho quickly stands up, stomping toward Gally to repeat the same things as Newt, the two essentially swapping roles.

"Are you stupid? Can't you leave anyone alone?!"

"It was a joke!"

"A joke that could've killed someone, Gally!"

You share a look with Newt.

"Thanks for like, helping me, by the way" You softly speak to Minho.

The group is now departing the Deadheads, seeing as the moon indicates that it's about one in the morning by now. The fire is slowly dying out, crackling as dead leaves crush under your feet while you walk away. You and the runner lag behind a bit, wanting to stay far away from Gally and his friends. Newt leads their way, making sure you're all accounted for. Gally, Doug, and Jack would only have to hope that the blonde wouldn't tell on them to Alby in the morning.

Minho nods in response to your thanks. "Yeah, of course. I mean, I know you can't swim, and it just." He holds his hands up to his head, mimicking an explosion as he opens them. "Sorry about them, really. I think they were just trying to innocently mess with you cause they didn't know, but they should've at least asked. They know that water is deep"

You nod, your hands stuffed in your pockets. You're still damp, but not as cold and not as wet, thanks to the fire. Luckily for all of you, Zart and Jeff didn't have to wake up at that hour to tend to you. They would've killed you all for that.

"Thanks for being nice to me and stuff, I appreciate it," you comment, feeling like you aren't remorseful or thankful enough as he'd probably saved your life.

"It's cool, Y/n." He lightly smiles, making sure you're able to see it.

The fact he called you by your actual name and not Greenie made butterflies rise in your stomach. You didn't even know why, just the thought of fitting in, with him, was infatuating. Your name on his tongue sounded like the most beautiful song you'd ever heard, like your brain was going to melt if you heard it again.

You both stop in your tracks, putting space between you two and the rest of the group, now at the edge of the Deadheads. You share soft smiles, exploring each other's eyes for some sort of look, which you mutually shared.

You lean against the tree behind you, trying to read his expression as he does the same. He's inches away, like he's taunting you.

"I think you owe me, actually," He smiles. Christ, he's really gonna dangle that over your head.

"How do you want me to repay you?" You ask with a soft chuckle. "Not much I can do"

He shrugs, leaning in a little closer. When he speaks, it's just above a whisper, sending a shiver up your spine. "I know that you know how use those lips of yours"

You quickly place your hands on his cheeks, closing the distance between your lips. His hands dig into your waist, pinning you against the tree. Your left hand transfers from his cheek and into his hair, tangling your fingers in it. You feel him melt into your lips, unable to not pull you any closer.

You can feel the bruises he's creating against your lips, the way he's draining your lungs of air for the second time tonight.

He pulls away, needing to control himself. "Thanks, Y/n." He smiles before jogging away, wanting to catch up before Newt discovered their lack of presence.

You watch as he jogs away, then walk behind him as he's a few yards away, a goofy smile on your face.

"Thanks, Minho," you whisper under your breath.

[jpscsolutions]

There are two types of fireproof paint: in tumescent and contentious. In tumescent paint is a thin film that expands when exposed to heat, creating a foam-like layer that insulates the steel. Contentious paint is made from cement and other materials that create a thick layer of insulation when applied to the steel. Both types of paint are effective in Fireproofing steel structures, but in tumescent paint is more commonly used because it's easier to apply and maintain.

[tridipanel]

Explore Tridipanel's groundbreaking projects in fire-resistant homes! Discover innovative construction methods ensuring safety and sustainability. Dive into our gallery showcasing resilient designs, providing ultimate protection. Elevate your home's safety standards today. Embrace the future with Tridipanel's fire-resistant solutions!

[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: What use is honor in war?

( Please come see me on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord Every bit helps)

*Clouds of ash part to reveal burnt out husks of barracks complexes, shatter communication towers, and looming over all of it was the crumbling structure of the once proud command center itself.*

*Setting down in front of the command building a small squad of human soldiers approach and form a cordon to either side of the lowering boarding ramp.*

*General Marius Fimble slowly walks down the ramp flanked by a pair of black clad honor guard. His robotic left foot slamming against the ramp with a resounding cannon like echo until he reaches the bottom*

Colonel: *Salutes* General.

Marius: *Returns salute lazily while scanning surroundings* Colonel.

Colonel: You can relax sir; we’ve cleared the area of all resistance.

Marius: Complacency breeds overconfidence; never forget that.

Colonel: Sir!

Marius: Do you have him?

Colonel: We are keeping him in the main building to prevent escape.

Marius: *Confused* Have they made attempts?

Colonel: First one he killed three and injured twelve.

Marius: First?

Colonel: Second he killed seven and injured six, then again three hours later with eight injured.

Marius: He’s tried escaping three times already?

Colonel: Oh no.

Colonel: Those were all within the first seven hours of capture; we’re on twenty seven attempts by now.

Marius: *Grunts*

Marius: Let’s get this over with then before he kills any more of my men.

*Colonel escorts the general and his guards inside the command center. Descending three flights of stairs the group comes to an armored door guarded by twenty soldiers and an auto turret pointed at the doorframe*

Marius: Open it.

*The armored door slowly creeks open as all twenty guards take aim at the opening. The auto turret slowly begins spinning its turrets in preparation to fire as the general walks by.*

Marius: *Waves his bodyguards* Wait here.

Colonel: I would not recommend that, sir.

Marius: *Walks past Colonel and into the room* Noted.

*The door slams behind Marius as he takes in the surroundings. A single light hangs from the ceiling illuminating a lone figure secured firmly to the ground my numerous heavy chains*

Marius: Commandant Fring, we meet at last.

Fring: *Spits out glob of purple blood at Marius’s feet*

Marius: *Steps over it without acknowledging it*

Marius: I had heard tales of the great Grung military back in my academy days and I must say after fighting you, I am deeply underwhelmed.

Fring: *Low growl*

Marius: *Circling the room* Over a thousand years of military prowess and I took you apart in less than a day.

Fring: YOU STRUCK WITHOUT HONOR!

*Fring lunges at Marius who doesn’t flinch. The chains straining under the sudden pressure with Fring just out of reach of Marius’s throat*

*Marius watches in silence as Fring continues for several minutes before relenting*

Marius: I never understood that.

Fring: What?

Marius: Honor.

Fring: You do not understand it because you have never held it.

Fring: You preach of taking down our military when you attacked like cowards and thieves in the dead of night! Slaughtering my warriors while they slept rather than dying by their hands on the field of battle!

Marius: The purpose of war is to win.

Marius: Everything else takes a back seat to that one concept; because if you don’t win nothing you were fighting for matters.

Fring: And yet it is the manner of how you fight that defines who you are.

Fring: And you are a coward!

Marius: So you justify your incompetence by claiming I am a coward?

Fring: You dare!?!

Marius: You were unprepared for an attack despite declaring war on my people. They should have been mustering for war and already onboard troop ships heading out of system; instead they were…how did you put it? Ah yes, they were sleeping.

Marius: *Leans in close to Fring who lunges again only to be grabbed by the general’s hand*

*The general’s grip is iron and Fring claws at it as he gasps for air. There is no emotion behind the eyes of the human leader as he watches his foe*

Marius: Honor, is a novelty for those who can afford it. A justification to fight in a manner of combat they prefer regardless of how many souls die by the outdated ideal that is “Honor”. I fight to win wars, and though my victories seem beneath you I ensure that my men, my soldiers, will return home safe and sound because I fought using my head and not my heart.

*Marius let’s go of Fring who collapses to the ground*

Marius: *Looks down at Fring* You fought with your heart and you lost five field army’s worth of soldiers in a single night.

Fring: Do you keep me alive just to mock me? End me then, for I will hear none of this.

Marius: *Chuckles* I’m sure I had a reason for keeping you alive, but seeing you now I can’t for the life of me wonder why I thought it was worth the effort.

Marius: *bangs on door and the door opens*

Marius: *motions to the soldiers* kill him.

[loveemagicpeace]

💕Understanding Signs🧚🏼‍♀️

🥊Fire element-fire suggests to many the intuition function. This is because fire tends to perceive in pictures, and to get an instantaneous grasp of a situation. Fire does not reason or think in any classical sense of the word: it either understands or it doesn't. This is why fire people can be extremely creative yet not good at logical reasoning. People with a lot of fire energy have a great impulse, which is sometimes difficult to control. They often make a decision all at once and quickly. They don't like waiting.

They perceives things through pictures and sudden flashes of insight. A fire person will study something for a long time without comprehending it, and then the significance will become clear in an instant. Fire is often psychic, in the ordinary meaning of the word. Fire is the most positive or yang of all the elements. It is the energy of spirit, and operates within the universe by energizing and transforming. It is not characteristic of fire to work along lines already set, or to respond to energy patterns that are imposed from without. Fire rises: it cannot stay at one level for long. This gives fire people a dramatic, intense quality. They do not enjoy standing still.

Fire element-fire is an emotional element, but it tends toward the more active and dynamic emotions— anger, joy, ebullience, and enthusiasm. Also fire signs are very positive in everything they do. For ex.: Leo Mars - Regardless of the situation, they will always want to cheer someone up with a funny show or put on a show to make the person happy again. Leos in general always have an inner child (they will always be ready to watch cartoons with you). Sagittarius Venus-They will be the best at helping you through a difficult breakup. They always find faith in life and know how to find meaning even when it is difficult to see it. They have a special charm with which they always bring people good mood and instill hope. They will never stop believing. Aries Sun- will always be ready for action. They are not afraid of dangerous things and like something that is more risky. They are the only sign that is rarely afraid, usually they will be the ones who will be the bravest. They have harder time dealing with sadness, depression, or the kind of feeling that comes from quiet contemplation of one's surroundings.

Fire people do not like to show sadness or grief: their typical response is to make fun of their own unhappiness. Even when they are down, they are often capable of making others feel better. Being an outgoing, positive energy, fire does not easily play passive roles.

Earth element- earth signs are most concerned with perceiving an external, physical reality. But earth is not simply concerned with perceiving it, it is also concerned with ordering it in the way that is most effective in a given situation. Earth signifies concern with the physical, with practical, common-sense matters. Earth is a symbol for direct sense experience of the physical universe, without ideas, concepts, beliefs, or wishful thinking to cloud perception. Thus matter, and through it the symbol earth, signifies limits to our freedom in which regard the element earth is related to the planet Saturn).

Unlike fire, earth is stable, the most stable of all the elements. Also unlike fire, earth is passive: it needs to be acted on and formed by an external energy. For earth people to be really productive, there must be a positive, assertive energy provided by the planetary combinations in their charts.Otherwise, the earth type of personality remains passive.

Taurus is a sign who will give you a lot, spoil you, buy you gifts, take you to a luxury hotel, take care of you. They do a lot related to money. They are a sign that will spoil you with material things and may not be so creative themselves. But they also know how to be selfish and stubborn and do not care about your feelings.

Earth tends to resist change, and it can signify structures that break down under pressure because they lack the flexibility that allows adaptation.Earth signifies making do with what is available. Earth people are adept at dealing with the details that must be attended to in everyday reality in order to make it work effectively. Being a relatively passive element, earth perceives better than fire. Earth people are usually close to their gut reactions to life. Inner experience is valued less highly by the earth temperament, because earth tends to focus its perceptions externally.

Virgo and Capricorn especially are inclined to sacrifice emotional needs when these come into conflict with their view of reality. Although Capricorn looks like a cold sign and people wouldn't expect it to have so many emotions and make sacrifices for others - in fact it does. Capricorns often sacrifice their time for the people they love and can build a relationship for years and years, even if it ends up not being what they might have wanted. A Capricorn can have a lot of work and responsibilities, but still finds time to see you or cook you lunch, do something practical for you. Virgo it is often seen as a judgmental and sometimes not so accessible sign (a sign that gives you the feeling that they don't like something or that they are angry). But in reality, they are a sign that cares a lot about others-they will always be ready to take care of you.

Air element-Like fire, air may be more concerned with things that are not yet real, that are abstract and unrelated to a given reality. Air is as concerned with the relationship of things in the outer world as earth is, but air is more interested in abstractions. The difference between the symbols fire and air can be seen in the difference in the behavior of actual fire and wind. Fire rises, whereas wind moves horizontally.

Like fire, air can become so involved in abstractions that it loses touch with physical reality and practical considerations. But unlike fire, air hovers just above the Earth's surface, so that though it is fond of abstractions, the abstractions are closer to physical reality than those of fire. Air is associated with thinking and logic, and as such it is less personal than fire. Fire is usually connected with the vital, personal drive, or the will, and the abstractions are one's personal abstractions. But air, which has a social, external conception of truth, is more inclined to abstractions that have little to do with the individual.

In this way air is similar to earth: both are primarily concerned with a reality external to the self. Fire and water are more concerned with personal, inward kinds of truth.

Air always has a strongly social quality. All three air signs have to do with relating to others— Gemini to the immediate world through mind and speech, Libra through achieving perfect balance within a one-to-one relationship, and Aquarius through group consciousness and interaction.Air lacks fire's ability to go off on its own to be itself.

Aquarius as a sign of revolution, it is related to revolutionary movements, not non-conforming individuals, thinking in a different way, breaking the rules. Aquarius desire freedom to impose their ideals on society as a whole. Gemini they like to open different topics, talk long into the night. Their thoughts are quick and unpredictable. But they often have problems with getting attached to someone. Although air is very social, it is sometimes unable to handle real intimacy well. This is because air operates extensively, rather than intensively.

Libra is the only air sign in which the drive for close, personal relationships is strong, but even here there is a detached, non-intimate quality often obscured by the cleverness of the sign.

Water element presents the greatest difficulty. But even though water may feel good or bad much more quickly and sensitively than the other elements, it is no more judgmental as to whether something may be good, bad, pleasant, or unpleasant. Of the four elements, water is in some ways the most difficult to understand. Water is the most yin of the four elements, and the most bound up in the maternal, feminine archetype which is so poorly expressed in our culture.

Strongly watery people who comprehend this element from first-hand experience cannot readily communicate what they comprehend. Water people are poor at communication or unwilling to communicate. It is just that what they have to communicate is extremely difficult to put into words.

Scorpio communication is difficult because water represents non-linear, non-rational, non-discriminative modes of thought-the very antithesis of air. Fire and water both represent non-rational functions, but fire has more to do with sudden, lightning-like comprehension, whereas water has a subtle, feeling- toned understanding that comes into being at no particular point, seeming rather to have existed always.

Water is the best at feeling relationships and the ways every thing interacts with every other thing. Water may see and understand in a way that is hard for the other elements, especially air, to comprehend, but it sees very well.Often the best way for water to communicate is by means of art, especially poetry and music. Water people usually are artistic. Another factor that sometimes places a barrier between water and other elements is that water experience is very personal. In this respect water is nearer to fire, and more distant from air and earth. Water people's personal experience can be so vivid that external reality fades into insignificance beside it.

Pisces are very artistic and also the most dreamy sign of all water signs.They have their heads in the clouds most of the time and are also the sign that is the most naive. Cancer is the most family-oriented and caring sign. A sign that also prefers to spend time with people close to it. They like to be in their comfort zone. Scorpio is the most mysterious, the sign that fights the most. Is also the most private sign and doesn't like to share his stuff with others. It is a sign that has a problem with trust. Scorpio is also very deep sign.

Water is a symbol of empathy. Empathy is the ability to feel what another feels as if one were that other person. A water person understands feelings and emotions better than any other elemental type, and is capable of great emotional depth and compassion for others. Men in particular have a problem with the water parts of their nature because watery qualities are so out of accord with masculinity. Water people often have stronger ties with the past, a stronger involvement with familiar people, places, and situations. In a strong water person there is the protective, maternal streak; in a weak water person, there can be emotional grasping and possessiveness. Water has a need to self-dramatize like fire; but unlike fire, water is willing to take other people's emotions seriously as well.

🎸For personal readings u can sign up here: https://snipfeed.co/bekylibra 🎸

-Rebekah💍🦋🌙

[ghostboneswrites2]

The Girl in the Shack || One Shot

New account! @ghostbones was banned! Transferring all my work here slowly!

Summary: Daryl & Aaron are out recruiting when they find you holed up in an old shack.

18+ MDNI || WARNINGS: profanity, nongraphic allusions to SA & general abuse, killing, TWD typical violence, description of malnourishment

        The sunlight filtered through the small cracks in the tiny shack, dust particles floating peacefully in the small beams of light. You had been there for days, too weak to move on. You didn't even feel the pain anymore, not from the bruises or the hunger. Not from how dry your throat was or how cracked and bloody your lips were. All you felt was tired as you stared up at the ceiling, crumpled up on the floor like you were already dead. You would be, soon, probably.

        That day was particularly nice. Daryl enjoyed the light breeze as it blended with the warm air. Perfect weather. He and Aaron were trekking silently through the woods. Aaron said he had a lead on a small group of men before Rick's group came along and he decided to pursue them instead. Now that Rick's people were settling in among the Alexandrians, Aaron wanted to give that lead one last chance before they moved on to scouting a different area.

        "Last I saw them, they camped out right over here, outside this little shack." Aaron told Daryl, as the two men came to a halt when they emerged from the trees into the small clearing around the dilapidated wooden structure. Daryl didn't speak, instead silently making a circle around the shack, examining the small signs of life left behind by this supposed group of men. There was definitely a fire there, and people, as he could see the tracks and some singed fallen foliage, but he wasn't sure the tracks were fresh enough to follow. They were hard to identify as it was. After all, this would have been at least two weeks ago, now.

        Daryl circled back to Aaron and gave him a nod, to signify that the coast was clear, before they decided to check inside. They moved for the door with silent steps, slowly pushing it open. You, in an act of pure, fear fueled adrenaline, shuffled to your feet and pushed your back against the wall opposite to the door, squinting at the raw daylight that cascaded over you. The two men stood stunned, taking in the tragic sight of you.

        You were clearly malnourished, as your bones were defined anywhere your skin was showing. Your lips were as crackled and bloody as they felt. Most of all, you had bruises over your entire frame, head to toe. Not just ordinary bruising, either. These were the kind that looked painted on. There were so many shades of green, yellow, purple, blue, and almost black. You pressed harder against the wooden panels behind you the longer they stared.

        "A--Are you okay?" Aaron was the first to speak. You didn't answer, you just studied him intently, watching his hands for any sudden movements before your eyes flicked over to Daryl, and back to Aaron when he spoke again. "Are you thirsty? I have water."

        You swallowed dryly at the mention of water. You didn't know how long it had been since anything liquid made it past your lips but it had been long enough to kill you by this point. Aaron could read the signs of dehydration all over you as he slowly reached in his pack and pulled out a full bottle of water. He held it out to you. "Here you go." He offered. "Untouched. Still sealed."

        After you took some time to consider, you ultimately decided you couldn't resist even if you wanted to. In the blink of an eye you snatched the bottle, causing Aaron to flinch at the quick movement. The two of them couldn't take their eyes off you. The way the whites of your eyes contrasted the dark bruising around them was uncanny. Your hair was so matted up that you leaves and dust clumped together within the knots. You looked absolutely feral, and your actions didn't exactly give off a different impression. You cowered in fear, but your eyes were full of rage, like a feral cat.  Beyond that, your clothes were torn and hung from your body loosely, like tender meat sliding off the bone. You had definitely been through something unimaginable.

        "Would you like some food?" Aaron offered softly, after they watched you down three quarters of the water in just few gulps. You looked at him with that same look of desperation and apprehension. He nodded, and passed you over a jar of applesauce that he liked to carry around, just to show people that they had an apple orchard nearby. Part of his selling point, he guessed.

        You flipped the top of the jar and poured it in  your mouth quickly, gulping loud as you swallowed the sweet sauce. When it was gone, and the men were still there, you realized you had no idea why they were helping you, or what they wanted. Aaron picked up on the sudden curiosity and offered you a smile. A warm, friendly, welcoming smile that you hadn't seen in a long time. The only people that smiled out there were the ones who relished in pain and suffering of others.  This one was different.

        "My name is Aaron, and this is Daryl." He introduced himself and his partner. Your eyes flicked between the two. Quite the contrast, as Aaron was clean cut and maybe even  a little casual, while Daryl was more grungy and dark, at least in the wardrobe department. The way Aaron looked at you was open and maybe even a little nervous, while Daryl's gaze was more narrow and calculated, as if he'd catch even the slightest sign of malicious intent.

        You decided neither of them could have been helping you out of the kindness of their hearts. Kindness always came with strings attached, at least in this world. You clenched your jaw, grinding your teeth together tightly,  and sucked in a deep breath. You clenched your fists as you mustered the courage to speak.

        "Just get it over with." You said. Your voice was laced with defeat and irritation. You looked away from the two men, staring blankly at the aging wooden walls.

        "I'm sorry?" Aaron tilted his head, knitting his eyebrows together.

        "Easy way or the hard way, right? If I surrender now can you just make it quick?" You asked with a quiver in your voice. 

        "Woah, we're not here to hurt you." Aaron said, eyes growing wide at the realization of what you were implying. 

        You allowed your eyes to peek back  over at them. They eyed you sympathetically. Even Daryl's untrusting glare softened when he realized what had happened to you, why you looked so rough.

        "Why don't you step out here?" Aaron suggested. "I--We come from a community. A big one, with walls, and food, and lots of nice people. We can help you. That's our job."

        "Community?" You asked. The word seemed to take your breath away. "I--I--'

        "It's okay." Aaron assured, stepping back a little and offering you his hand. "We promise. No tricks. Just good people trying to help. Come on out."

        When you took his hand and stepped out of the tiny shack, the sun illuminated you in your entirety. Daryl took notice of where your shirt had been ripped, exposing a large portion of your ribs. He noticed a boot print shaped bruise and his fists clenched a little.

        "That bruise." He nodded to it. "You know who did it?"

        "Not their names." You shook your head. "Just some guys."

...

        A week had gone by. As promised, Aaron and Daryl led you back to their community safely. Alexandria. Aaron's pictures did it no justice. It was an absolute paradise. A warm bed, hot showers, food, water, everything you could ask for at your own disposal. 

        A nice blonde lady named Jessie had come by on your first day and detangled your hair. She even trimmed it up to get rid of the split ends. She told you it would help keep it from matting up again. Later that day she brought you a basket of supplies, like food and hygienic products. Soap, a brush, even toothpaste and a toothbrush. You were still convinced it was all a dream, even a week later.

        Deanna, the leader, had checked in on you daily and reminded you that whenever you were ready, to come see her and she would give you a job chosen specially for you. She also still needed to finish your interview, as you weren't really in the place for that upon arrival.

        You were getting ready for a dinner at Aarons.  He stopped by to check in and offer you a meal. You had a little trouble eating a lot at once with how much your stomach shrank with starvation, but you couldn't turn down a real, homecooked meal. Not when a week ago you would have probably killed for a slice of bread.

        You smiled as you put on soft, clean clothes that actually smelled good and didn't feel stiff and crusty with blood and sweat. You couldn't believe you were in such a dilemma, but you had a hard time choosing a shirt. What was proper dinner attire? You just settled on a long sleeved gray V-neck that clung to your body. It reminded you of something you would have worn to high school or something. 

        When you checked the time, you realized you only had a few minutes until seven, when Aaron told you they'd be ready. You hadn't met Eric, but you heard about him from Aaron and how he was a nice cook. You took a breath to inflate yourself with some semblance of confidence before you headed two streets over and knocked on the door. It didn't take long for them to open the it, Aaron's smiling face greeting you nicely.

        "(Y/N). Glad you could make it." He grinned, stepping aside to allow you space to enter. You stepped in and looked around the house. It was nice, a little bigger than the one they gave you, but that was okay. You didn't need much space, and more space meant more places for threats to hide. "Dining room's that way. Make yourself comfortable. Eric's just finishing up the food. I'll go get the wine."

        "Wine?" You gawked, earning a small chuckle from your host. 

        "A particularly sweet one, I might add."

        Before long you were sipping wine and enjoying a mouthful of mashed potatoes. Aaron and Eric made small talk with you, and surprisingly you felt pretty comfortable chatting back. There was a small knock at the door that interrupted the conversation.

        "Oh. Must be Daryl. Hope you don't mind, (Y/N), we usually have Daryl over for dinner on Tuesdays." Aaron said as he stood from the table. You shrugged and shoveled another spoonful of mashed potatoes into your mouth as he walked away, chuckling at your content attitude. 

        "When's the last time you had a real meal?" Eric asked. You set your spoon down and wiped your mouth, looking up to the ceiling as you tried to recall.

        "I'm honestly not sure." You admitted. "Probably the night before the outbreak hit my hometown. I had made alfredo and chicken parm for the first time. Burned the chicken to hell but the noodles were good."

        "Wow." He said, sadly. "I'm sorry you've had it so hard all this time."

        "Yeah." You nodded.

        Aaron entered the room with Daryl, who looked much cleaner than the day you met him, and the two of them took a seat. Daryl sat beside you, opposite to Aaron and Eric.

        "I'll get your plate." Eric announced, heading into the kitchen.

        Daryl snuck a few glances in your direction. You were still bruised up but they had faded into a lighter range of yellow and purple, as opposed to how dark they were last time he saw you. Your hair looked shiny and soft, and most of all you looked human. He thought about how long he and his people had been on the road, how close they were to losing their humanity. They still looked better than you when they first got here. He thought you were a goner when he met you, that maybe the world had taken away everything that made you a person. He was glad to see that he was wrong, and shocked at how friendly you seemed to be. 

        All things considered, you cleaned up well and you were actually pretty now that he could see you without all the grime and suffering. 

        "Hey." You said timidly, offering a shy, thin lipped smile.

        "Hey." He grunted. "You been alright?"

        "Um.. Probably better than I've been in years." You chuckled nervously. He nodded, understanding.

        "It's a lot to get used to." He said.

        "I think I stayed in the shower of over an hour that first night." You admitted. 

        "Hope you like chicken." Eric chimed as he stepped into the dining room and set Daryl's plate in front of him, along with a glass of wine. The man began eating immediately, bite after bite, finishing before anyone else, and sucking his fingers clean. You could tell he was used to being out there in the world, and that he was good at surviving. You wished you were the same.

        "So, (Y/N), Daryl and I.." Aaron trailed off, taking a breath as he tried to find a gentle way to ask. "Well, the men that did that to you. We were hoping you could give us a description, maybe."

        "Why?" You asked, suddenly tense. Your throat felt tight as your mind raced at the mention of them. "Do you think they're here?"

        "No! No. Nothing like that." Aaron assured. "We just--"

        "I'm gon' find them bastards and beat 'em for all they're worth." Daryl spoke up. You looked at him with wide eyes, still trying to calm your racing heart.

        "What he means is that we wanted to make sure they never  cross paths with any of our people here." Aaron added.

        "Well, they had, um.. There were three of them, and they all had beards, and they, um--"

        "What were their races? What were they wearing?" Eric asked, trying to help guide you as you recalled their appearances.

        "Oh. I think they were all white. Not old but not young. Maybe in their forties? And they all had jeans and boots on and different shirts."

        "Perfect. Thank you. We're sorry we had to ask, but--"

        "It's okay."  You cut Aaron off. "If it helps then I get it."

...

        That dinner was two weeks ago. You were surprised when Daryl stopped by your house every few days to check on you. Sometimes he'd even stay for a while and watch a DVD with you or let you make him some food.

        When he came over one evening in the middle of one of your movies you were welcoming.  You were glad to make a friend. 

        "Hey!" You grinned. "I was just watching this corny rom-com. I'll restart it so we can suffer together." 

        He didn't say anything as he stepped in, and you giddily rushed over to the DVD player to restart the film.

        "Oh! Eric brought me some whiskey, too. I'll go get it." You rambled. "And, that lady Carol brought me some cookies, and I found some chips at the pantry. Jessie said they usually go to Deanna's family but she let me take them this time--"

        "We got 'em." He said. You paused, confused.

        "The chips?" You tilted your head.

        "Nah. Them assholes. We got 'em." He said. "Bunch o' sorry pricks. Just killed some guy for his car when we found 'em."

        You stared at him, wide eyed, as you took in what he was saying. You let out a breath as you plopped back on the couch.

        "Y'alright?" He asked, stepping closer to you.

        "Y--Yeah, I--I just wasn't--" You stuttered, unable to form a response. He gave you the time you needed to gather your thoughts. "I guess I just didn't think you'd actually find them. Figured they'd be long gone by now."

        "I told you I'd get 'em." He said, taking a seat beside you. You chest felt tight. You wanted to feel the relief he worked so hard to give you, but somehow the image of them just sent you into panic, alive or dead. "Hey." He said, gently pushing a finger under your jaw to tilt your head toward him. You looked at him as you blinked back tears. "They're gone. Ain't nobody gonna hurt you like that again. Now go get them snacks and that whiskey and lets watch this corny ass movie."

        And there it was, the beginning of it all. Daryl came over every two to three days after that and did whatever mundane activities you suggested. Sometimes he'd put his arm around you during a movie, or sometimes he'd give you a tight hug before he left after dinner.

        One night he came with some wine and a casserole Carol had made. 

        "Two nights in a row?" You asked him as you let him in.

        "Figured you were missin' me already." He teased. You rolled your eyes with a little smile. He went straight to your kitchen and got wine and casserole ready for the two of you before he met you back on the couch. You sipped the wine and dug in, as did he. He finished before you as he always did, and once you were finished, he pulled a DVD out of his jacket. 

        "Austin Powers?" You laughed, taking the movie and walking over to the DVD player to pop the disc in.

        "Never seen it." He shrugged.

        "I loved these movies when they came out." You told him, taking your seat back on the couch.

        "Guess I picked a good one." He commented as the movie started to play. When the movie finished, he looked over to find you sleep, curled up on the other end of the couch. He huffed a laugh and shook his head, standing up and scooping you in his arms, carrying you down the hall and to the single bedroom, before gently laying you down. Your eyes fluttered open as you watched him stand up over you. "Didn't mean to wake ya." He apologized, noticing a small glisten in you eyes as you looked up at him.

        "You carried me to bed?" You asked groggily.

        "You fell asleep." He said, clearing his throat and shifting uncomfortably.

        "It's okay." You smiled. "Wanna stay?"

        "Huh?"

        "With me. Wanna stay the night?" You clarified.

        "Like a slumber party?" He scoffed.

        "You're right. That was stupid. Goodnight Daryl." You said, scooting over to the side of the bed you usually slept on and rolling over, feeling a tad embarrassed.

        You heard him walk to the door and pause, before you heard quiet shuffling and then some silence. You were surprised when you felt a weight on the other side of the bed. The mattress rocked a little as he wiggled under the covers and found a comfortable position on his side, facing your back.

        "Wasn't stupid." He said quietly. You smiled to yourself as you scooted back. He took the hint and wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close to him.