#Time Delay Relays
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creativeera · 3 months ago
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Electric Vehicle Relay Market is driving towards Connected Mobility Trends
The electric vehicle relay market comprises various critical components that control and manage power distribution in electric vehicles. Relays form an integral part of wiring systems in electric vehicles as they switch electrical connections and circuits based on input signals. They offer reliable switching, high current carrying capacity, and durability—critical requirements for EVs. Major relay types used in EVs include main relays, pre-charge relays, high-voltage relays, and battery management system (BMS) relays to optimize power distribution across different EV systems and enhance safety. The global electric vehicle relay market is estimated to be valued at USD 12.09 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 30.45 Bn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.1% from 2024 to 2031.
Growing environmental concerns and stringent emission norms worldwide have accelerated the adoption of electric vehicles in recent years. This increasing demand for EVs from both commercial and passenger vehicle segments has fueled the need for reliable and efficient components like relays. With continuous advancements in EV technologies, relays are playing a vital role in enabling connected features, autonomous driving capabilities, advanced battery management, and infotainment systems integration. Key Takeaways Key players operating in the electric vehicle relay market are TE Connectivity, Omron Corporation, Panasonic, Fujitsu, Littelfuse, and Mouser Electronics. These players have been investing in developing new-age automotive-grade relays with enhanced switching capabilities and long lifecycles to meet evolving industry requirements. Growing environmental awareness and government initiatives offering subsidies and tax rebates on EV purchases have accelerated the global EV sales in recent years. This rising EV adoption rate is driving the demand for various EV components like relays from automotive OEMs and component suppliers. Major automotive companies are also expanding their global footprint to capitalize on the large untapped Electric Vehicle Relay Market Growth, especially in developing markets of Asia and Latin America. This is expected to boost the electric vehicle relay market globally during the forecast period. Market Key Trends One of the key trends gaining traction in the electric vehicle relay market is the increasing use of smart relays integrated with advanced technologies like IoT and cloud connectivity. These smart relays enable remote monitoring of relay health and failure diagnosis. They help improve reliability, support predictive maintenance needs of EVs, and aid in developing advanced telematics solutions. This rising focus on implementing Industry 4.0 standards is estimated to drive innovation and boost the electric vehicle relay adoption across connected vehicle platforms.
Porter’s Analysis Threat of new entrants: Low as there is moderate risk involved, high investment required and established brand loyalty. However, increasing demand for electric vehicles may attract new players over time. Bargaining power of buyers: Moderate as the buyers have multiple established brands to choose from. However, specific vehicle requirements increase switching costs for buyers. Bargaining power of suppliers: Moderate as raw material suppliers have established relationships with major manufacturers. However, rising demand increases supplier bargaining power over prices. Threat of new substitutes: Low as electric vehicles rely on relays for critical functions. However, continuous technology innovation may introduce substitutes. Competitive rivalry: High among the existing players to gain market share. Manufacturers compete based on product quality, innovation, pricing and expansion to new geographies. Geographical Regions Currently, North America accounts for the largest share of the global electric vehicle relay market value owing to high vehicle production and sales, supportive government initiatives and presence of major automobile manufacturers. The Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period due to rising initiatives towards emission reductions, focus on developing charging infrastructure and surge in electric vehicle adoption especially in China and Japan. Countries like India and South Korea are also contributing to market growth.
Get more insights on Electric Vehicle Relay Market
Alice Mutum is a seasoned senior content editor at Coherent Market Insights, leveraging extensive expertise gained from her previous role as a content writer. With seven years in content development, Alice masterfully employs SEO best practices and cutting-edge digital marketing strategies to craft high-ranking, impactful content. As an editor, she meticulously ensures flawless grammar and punctuation, precise data accuracy, and perfect alignment with audience needs in every research report. Alice's dedication to excellence and her strategic approach to content make her an invaluable asset in the world of market insights.
(LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alice-mutum-3b247b137 )
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timershop4 · 1 month ago
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Buy Off Delay Timer Relay Online
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nasa · 6 days ago
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All-Star Moments in Space Communications and Navigation
How do we get information from missions exploring the cosmos back to humans on Earth? Our space communications and navigation networks – the Near Space Network and the Deep Space Network – bring back science and exploration data daily.
Here are a few of our favorite moments from 2024.
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1. Hip-Hop to Deep Space
The stars above and on Earth aligned as lyrics from the song “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” by hip-hop artist Missy Elliott were beamed to Venus via NASA’s Deep Space Network. Using a 34-meter (112-foot) wide Deep Space Station 13 (DSS-13) radio dish antenna, located at the network’s Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California, the song was sent at 10:05 a.m. PDT on Friday, July 12 and traveled about 158 million miles from Earth to Venus — the artist’s favorite planet. Coincidentally, the DSS-13 that sent the transmission is also nicknamed Venus!
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NASA's PACE mission transmitting data to Earth through NASA's Near Space Network.
2. Lemme Upgrade You
Our Near Space Network, which supports communications for space-based missions within 1.2 million miles of Earth, is constantly enhancing its capabilities to support science and exploration missions. Last year, the network implemented DTN (Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking), which provides robust protection of data traveling from extreme distances. NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission is the first operational science mission to leverage the network’s DTN capabilities. Since PACE’s launch, over 17 million bundles of data have been transmitted by the satellite and received by the network’s ground station.
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A collage of the pet photos sent over laser links from Earth to LCRD and finally to ILLUMA-T (Integrated LCRD Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal) on the International Space Station. Animals submitted include cats, dogs, birds, chickens, cows, snakes, and pigs.
3. Who Doesn’t Love Pets?
Last year, we transmitted hundreds of pet photos and videos to the International Space Station, showcasing how laser communications can send more data at once than traditional methods. Imagery of cherished pets gathered from NASA astronauts and agency employees flowed from the mission ops center to the optical ground stations and then to the in-space Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD), which relayed the signal to a payload on the space station. This activity demonstrated how laser communications and high-rate DTN can benefit human spaceflight missions.
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4K video footage was routed from the PC-12 aircraft to an optical ground station in Cleveland. From there, it was sent over an Earth-based network to NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The signals were then sent to NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration spacecraft and relayed to the ILLUMA-T payload on the International Space Station.
4. Now Streaming
A team of engineers transmitted 4K video footage from an aircraft to the International Space Station and back using laser communication signals. Historically, we have relied on radio waves to send information to and from space. Laser communications use infrared light to transmit 10 to 100 times more data than radio frequency systems. The flight tests were part of an agency initiative to stream high-bandwidth video and other data from deep space, enabling future human missions beyond low-Earth orbit.
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The Near Space Network provides missions within 1.2 million miles of Earth with communications and navigation services.
5. New Year, New Relationships
At the very end of 2024, the Near Space Network announced multiple contract awards to enhance the network’s services portfolio. The network, which uses a blend of government and commercial assets to get data to and from spacecraft, will be able to support more missions observing our Earth and exploring the cosmos. These commercial assets, alongside the existing network, will also play a critical role in our Artemis campaign, which calls for long-term exploration of the Moon.
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On Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, at 12:06 p.m. EDT, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
6. 3, 2, 1, Blast Off!
Together, the Near Space Network and the Deep Space Network supported the launch of Europa Clipper. The Near Space Network provided communications and navigation services to SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, which launched this Jupiter-bound mission into space! After vehicle separation, the Deep Space Network acquired Europa Clipper’s signal and began full mission support. This is another example of how these networks work together seamlessly to ensure critical mission success.
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Engineer Adam Gannon works on the development of Cognitive Engine-1 in the Cognitive Communications Lab at NASA’s Glenn Research Center.
7. Make Way for Next-Gen Tech
Our Technology Education Satellite program organizes collaborative missions that pair university students with researchers to evaluate how new technologies work on small satellites, also known as CubeSats. In 2024, cognitive communications technology, designed to enable autonomous space communications systems, was successfully tested in space on the Technology Educational Satellite 11 mission. Autonomous systems use technology reactive to their environment to implement updates during a spaceflight mission without needing human interaction post-launch.
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A first: All six radio frequency antennas at the Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex, part of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN), carried out a test to receive data from the agency’s Voyager 1 spacecraft at the same time.
8. Six Are Better Than One
On April 20, 2024, all six radio frequency antennas at the Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex, part of our Deep Space Network, carried out a test to receive data from the agency’s Voyager 1 spacecraft at the same time. Combining the antennas’ receiving power, or arraying, lets the network collect the very faint signals from faraway spacecraft.
Here’s to another year connecting Earth and space.  
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!
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kurishiri · 20 days ago
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Mystery Bag 2025 ┊ Team 3: The adult nobles
William (bi-stander), Elbert (“Al pick me up I’m scared” Victorian child), Victor (bisexual mess #1), Darius (bisexual mess #2)
꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ @ notice ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱ this translation may not be 100% accurate or contain creative liberties due to narrative flow and characterization purposes. if you enjoy, please consider reblogging, but please don’t repost these or claim these as your own!
— the mystery bag 2025 sale is a story set sale where the guys are put into teams and participate in a relay event thing. this is one of three teams! you can read the prologue, translated by @.judesmoonbeauty, here.
— cw: maybe a near-death experience.
[SKY]
——Group 3’s round: William, Elbert, Victor, Darius.
[CITY]
Victor: Seeing this lineup, I take it we’re ‘Team Nobles’!
William: I find it intriguing how it has a pleasant and genuine ring when you are the one saying it.
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Darius: I see you are magnanimous, fun, and wonderful today as well, William.
William: Thank you for your kind words. I think you’re quite wonderful yourself too, Darius.
Elbert: …What are you two to each other?
Darius: I’m just very, veeery interested in William here, that’s all.
City girls: Lord Victor, you’re wonderful today as well~~!
Victor: Oh dear, thank you for your vocal support.
City girls: Lord Elbert~! Please blow a kiss~~!
Elbert: ...Blow...a kiss? (O_O)
William: There seems to be more spectators than usual.
Victor: Since it’s the first time we’re holding this selection for the Happy Boy. It’s natural then for there to be many spectating eyes.
V: Besides, did you know? We four are the strongest contenders, I’d say.
V: First up, William!
V: Those sheer prowess in your legs, and your peerless beauty! And by far, I know very well in these great many years I have stood by your side, just how swift of a runner you are.
Darius: How about you stop putting William up on a pedestal? (*^‿^*)
Victor: And next up, Elbert. There’s not a soul that’s seen you running before, but I hold high expectations for you!
Darius: What a wishy-washy basis.
Victor: And then the leader of Vogel, Darius. Same as above.
Darius: ...What?
Victor: And finally, there’s me!
V: With long, flowing jet-black locks, and these elegant and beauteous eyes. And not to mention——
Darius: William, let’s pay no mind to all his nonsense and prepare ourselves. If you were to get hurt anywhere, that would for sure be a problem.
Victor: Now stooop right there. Darius, I’ve been thinking this for a while now, but...
V: Have you by any chance fallen in love with me!?
Darius: And why do you say that?
Victor: Why, because there are times when you just can’t help but tease the one you like, you know. I see, I see it now~~ I hadn’t realized at all!
Darius: This is exactly what I despise about you.
Victor: What the— despise!? (O_O)
William: Haha, I see you two are getting along quite well.
Elbert: ...They are?
Steering committee: To everyone in group 3, there is something we must inform you about.
Steering committee: We do apologize, but due to mechanical difficulties, there is a one hour delay.
Victor: Oh my, one hour, you say? That’s quite a hefty amount of time.
Young man in steering committee: Lord Victor, the Queen’s Aide, Lord Rex and Lord Elbert. And the personage over there...
Victor: That would be Lord Darius Vogel, the leader of Vogel.
Young man in steering committee: Oh— then it’s all the more reason we can’t afford to keep you waiting in such a place.
Young man in steering committee: Please wait over here until the start time. Well then, if you’ll follow me.
[CAFÉ]
William: A table just for us, and warm tea as well. Very considerate of them.
W: ...However, Elbert. I would refrain from putting your hands on your cup of tea.
W: That is, if you do not wish to collapse, just as Snow White had when she ate the poisoned apple, and get cozy with the bed.
Elbert: ...Ahh, so it was like that.
Victor: It was like what? (O_O)
Elbert: You two gave off an air of bloodlust. For a moment’s time.
Darius: Ohh, so I see.
D: Basically, there is a target that concealed himself in the shadows of this lively event... is that right?
D: But why did they choose to sneak in a dose of poison for Elbert then?
Victor: Our target this time is a criminal who has spoken out against the authority of Her Majesty the Queen.
V: And so, what if a corpse turned up during this event?
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Elbert: It is highly possible Her Majesty, who has planned this event, will be faced with criticism.
Victor: And what’s important is who becomes the corpse then. It has to be someone whose corpse would cause a ruckus.
V: In other words, the perfect fit for such a role would be the one who snags the victory, and bonus points if they are of a high standing.
William: That said, Victor, while a perfect candidate to cause a ruckus among the people, would be too unabashed of a choice, as he is the Queen’s Aide.
W: And as I am written in a very positive light in newspapers, interestingly enough, there is a risk of facing retaliation.
W: As for Darius... targeting him would be an international problem in and of itself, so he is out of the question.
W: That would then leave Elbert. That would be why the possibility of your tea being poisoned is nothing to laugh at.
W: ——Or have we erred in our guess in any way, young man?
Young man in standing committee: Wha...
Young man in standing committee: I didn’t...
William: Your hands are trembling, and your lips resemble the sea in how blue they are.
Victor: And besides, we’ve already collected all the evidence, Christopher Olcott.
Young man in standing committee: ...How do you know my name...
Victor: You are a part of a revolution group that preaches against Her Majesty the Queen, and you were given the mission of assassinating Elbert here with poison.
V: I am also very much in the know of your personal history and family... care to lend an ear?
Young man in standing committee: ...gh.
Young man in steering committee: E-even if that’s the case! There’s something that doesn’t add up in what you’re saying!
William: Doesn’t add up, you say?
Young man in steering committee: If I really wanted to point criticizing eyes at Her Majesty the Queen, I wouldn’t kill any participant in the preliminary round.
Young man in steering committee: I would wait for the finals. I would kill on the most anticipated day.
Young man in steering committee: That would cause even more of a ruckus, wouldn’t it.
William: Yes, exactly. I did figure as much.
W: However——you could not.
W: After all, the birthday of your boss’ beloved daughter, whom he very much dotes on, falls on the same day as the finals, right?
W: And that was why you were ordered to carry it out by today, with no exceptions. Or am I wrong?
Young man in steering committee: ...!
Darius: Looks like that’s the end game for you.
Victor: You’re still young, so if it’s now, you can still turn over a new leaf. That is, if you are able to choose that path for yourself.
William: Indeed. All this happened before the tea could even cool, after all.
[CITY]
Darius: Based on today’s events, the group will be condemned at a later date for their repeated misdeeds...
D: What a magnificent way to plant fear of condemnation, William. I’d expect nothing less.
D: Oh, especially that ‘all this happened before the tea could even cool’ line.
D: Could you say that one more time, pretty please?
Victor: ‘ALL THIS HAPPENED BEFORE THE TEA COULD EVEN COOL’~~! (⌒▽⌒)☆
Darius: Not you. (눈_눈)
Elbert: ..There was something that made me curious.
Victor: Ask away, Elbert.
Elbert: Darius.
E: Since when were you aware William and Victor were going to carry out the condemnation?
Darius: ‘When’?
Elbert: When they revealed the target this time, you did not seem very surprised to me.
Darius: Hehe, look at you, so the Earl Greetia does have his wits about him after all. Color me surprised.
D: That said, it would be a stretch for me to know who the target was, you know? I just had a feeling there was something going on, I guess.
D: Victor, this is what you said.
—— Flashback ——
Victor: Besides, did you know? We four are the strongest contenders, I’d say.
—— End flashback ——
Darius: All the members of Crown and Vogel are participating.
D: And yet, there you were, touting about how we were the strongest contenders. That gave me a feeling.
D: You guys were tampering with information from the start. All to oust that young man.
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Victor: ......... (・ᴗ・)
Darius: Indeed, I really do despise you. And how sharply cunning you are.
Victor: I take it that when you say ‘despise,’ it is a form of your love, but...
V: If you really do insist that you despise me, then all you need to do is win against me in the match that’s about to start in a few minutes.
V: That is, if you can win.
William: Look at you, Victor. I’ll have you know that I would hate to lose as well?
Elbert: ...I also have no intention of losing.
E: Kate is cheering, after all.
Steering committee: Thank you for waiting. Group 3, we will begin the round.
William: Now then, how about we enjoy this match to the absolute fullest?
Fin.
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team 1 team 2 team 3
ko-fi ☕️ ┊ comms 🤍
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misguidedasgardian · 10 months ago
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The Hour of the Wolf (10)
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X. Lurking Shadows
MASTERLIST
Summary: Keep your friends and your husband close… and your enemies? Well…
Pairing: Cregan Stark x Targaryen!Reader
Warnings: Cursing, war, death, mentions of killings, genocide and war, threats, arranged marriage, SPOILERS for ASOIAF, and Fire & Blood, also, might spoil House of the Dragon, pregnancy!, fear of childbirth, discussing death in childbirth and all that comes with it, unrealistic birthing scenes, (I mean, what would I know really?) 
+18, MINORS DNI
Wordcount: 3,4 k 
Notes: Sorry for the delay, I think I lost my connection to this story. I know some of you didn’t like where this was going, the reader being so “defenseless” without Cregan, I had to re-read the whole thing to truly return to it.
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Summary: Keep your friends and your husband close… and your enemies? Well…
Pairing: Cregan Stark x Targaryen!Reader
Warnings: Cursing, war, death, mentions of killings, genocide and war, threats, arranged marriage, SPOILERS for ASOIAF, and Fire & Blood, also, might spoil House of the Dragon, pregnancy!, fear of childbirth, discussing death in childbirth and all that comes with it, unrealistic birthing scenes, (I mean, what would I know really?) 
+18, MINORS DNI
Wordcount: X k 
Notes: Sorry for the delay, I think I lost my connection to this story. I know some of you didn’t like where this was going, the reader being so “defenseless” without Cregan, I had to re-read the whole thing to truly return to it.
After that horrid and terribly realistic nightmare, you never saw your uncle again, neither in the realms of dreams nor the realms of men, so that was a relief
But how could you see him? He was dead, he couldn’t hurt you anymore…
It took you a while to fully comprehend that, the next nights were tormentous, but then, something happened that brought you back to reality…
Your baby started kicking
You smiled as you felt the little kicks inside of you and touched your belly, that certainly grounded you, it made you come back to reality as of sorts, and it made you more focused, you attended every meeting, you held audiences, and you even appeared more in front of the people of King’s Landing, that gathered every afternoon chanting for you.
You were blooming, and even though you had relayed in Cregan a lot, you were beginning to settle in your post, without a hand.
But you missed him, terribly, specially at night 
days turned quickly into weeks, and then into months, and soon you could barely move, you grew tired quickly, you devoured everything you could during meals, and your babe moved tirelessly inside of you, specially at night
It had moved so much last night, that today at the small council meeting, you were fighting to not fell asleep
You couldn’t help it, you closed your eyes for barely a second, and you managed to open your eyes again, your lords were looking at you with kind eyes and soft smiles
“I’m so very sorry”, you muttered, rubbing your belly, trying to accommodate in the uncomfortable wooden chair
“You have nothing to be sorry for, our gracious lady”, muttered Lord Lannister, “perhaps we should move the meeting”
“No! no”, you insisted, “please continue”
“A new prince or princess to the seven Kingdoms, heir to the Iron Throne will be born soon, is a matter of great celebrations, a ray of hope, an unmistakable sign that the war is over and new times are coming, a new era of dragons, we should celebrate”, Lord Redwyne was a great narrator
“I agree”, said lord Celtigar, “the people need new things to look forwards to, I can see it from reports all over the Kingdoms, everyone should know”
Celebrate an heir you still didn’t have in our arms, gods, it was almost too similar of the story of Queen Aemma, your grandmother, as was told by your mother
“He or she isn’t born yet”, you said softly, and you had come to terms with the fact that there is a big chance you would perish in childbirth, but you were hopeful
“We are aware your grace”, muttered Lord Lannister, “but… as Lord Celtigar said… the people need a reason to celebrate”
“That might be true but, what if we do it after? after the birth, we should send word all over the Kingdoms, and then… when we have her or him in our arms, then we celebrate”, your lords seemed to realize what you were implying, and they of course nodded understandably
“Have we received word from our Lord Cregan?”, asked the maester
“Only his weekly reports of advances in the restoration of the North”, said quickly Lord Celtigar, who was indeed seating in your right as he was the hand
“The one who keeps demanding an audience is still… Lord Corlys”, you looked away, not wanting to face the man, perhaps you were being childish, but… you could not face the man that was supposed to be your grandfather by name 
“I don’t want to see him”, you said shortly
“Very well”, muttered Lord Redwyne, “He has send his bastard son Adam, to the capital, to seek an audience”
“I’m sure he doesn’t actually need anything”, muttered Lord Celtigar, “he is looking for a way in”
“Perhaps a meeting with our own master of coin would ease him enough to stop bothering us?”, you tried
“That will do your grace”, muttered Lord Redwyne
“Any other news of importance?”, you asked after a long sigh, rubbing your belly, your back had started to hurt
“We have completely lost contact with the Citadel, and oldtown”, confessed the Maester, everyone looked at him, concerned
“Explain”, you demanded 
“The situation was delicate after the end of the war, I have trusted brothers with which I exchange letters and they have all stopped”, that did truly concerned you
“What about the Hightowers?”, you asked then
“The last report is that they received tons of grains from the Tyrells and then they… stopped sending reports as well”. You took a long breath
“Should we… send someone to Oldtown?”, you suggested
“That would be best”
“Escorted by an army and a dragon?”, you continued, the lords were nervous and they exchanged looks between them
“Your Grace has a point, to send only lords would be a mistake”
“We cannot jump to arms against Oldtown for no apparent reason”
“Keep trying to contact your people, anyone, inside Old Town, if in a moon we don’t get any more news, we will gather a small force, and choose an envoy”, you commanded, and they all nodded 
Finally they released you as the sun was setting, and you thought about taking a nap, but if you did, then you were not going to be able to sleep at night, so you decided to go to the gardens to enjoy the sunset 
You liked to think you didn’t need a master of whispers, that you knew fairly well what was happening in your Kingdoms, but apparently… not…
He came unannounced, one second you were watching a beautiful winter rose bush, and the other, a presence came rushing to you unannounced, you raised your eyes and you thought you were dreaming
Cregan, you gasped with a wide smile, but it wiped quickly when you saw his scowl
“I thought you were happy with me, with our marriage”, you frowned as you looked at him, this is the first words to you for months?, “I thought this is what you wanted”
“It is! I am happy!”, you said quickly
“You must despise it, despise me, if you kept this from me so…”, you took a step towards him and around the bush, he got quiet when he saw you, the roses were hiding your round form but now he looked at you with wide eyes and open mouth
You looked so, so beautiful, in his mind, he had never seen anyone so breathtaking as you
He quieted himself and jumped to grab you in his arms and kissed you hungrily, all his anger slipped away from his mind and from yours and he wrapped his strong arms around you and held you lovingly and tightly
“I fucking missed you, you resentful little creature”, he growled, against our lips, right before he nibbles on your lower lip making you whimper
“I missed you”, you whispered, kissing him back, “So much”, you promised, gasping desperately against his lips, against the short beard he was growing.
There was no more time for anything else… 
. . .
Soon he had you naked in your rooms, resting on his chest after he actually proved to you how much he had missed you, and grabbing you so tightly as a way of a small punishment
“how did you manage to come without being announced?”, you asked, hugging him tightly
“I have my ways”, he muttered back, “but I really need to know”, he said, his voice choking with worry, “why?”, he asked, still caressing you, “I’ve been going over it over and over and many answers come to mind, none of them pleasant”, he needed an explanation of why you kept this from him, and you understood that
“I wrote you a letter”, you defended yourself, he signed, “You didn’t receive it?”
“I did not”, he muttered
“It was moons ago, explaining why I didn’t tell you, told you I missed you and asking you to return, then I received a letter from you asking me to go up there, and I couldn’t, I didn’t want to chance it”, you whispered, he caressed your belly tenderly, and it felt as good as you imagined it, his big warm hand, your babe kick inside your womb, making Cregan chuckle
“Have you been able to sleep?”
“Not when I eat strawberry tarts after the tea hour, then… it moves a lot”, you answered, Cregan laughed softly
“Well, you are carrying a wolf pup in there”, he teased
“Or a dragonling”, you answered back.
“oh gods, how could you let me leave you like this”, he said, he truly, truly felt bad
“When you got sick, and were about to die”, you confessed, “you whispered your son’s name in your fever induced dream, and I realized that if you were truly going to die, you were never going to see your son again, if you knew I was pregnant, you wouldn’t have gone North for another year or so, and your people needed you”.
He thought about it for long minutes, thinking about everything you had told him. And he sighed
You were right
“But what if something… had happened to you?”, he asked then
“I devised a plan, and I made everyone swear on it”, you confessed
“Which was?”, he asked
“If I perished in the birthing bed… My brother was to be crowned King, with the same council, and four regents to rule in his name until he became of age… Jeyne Arryn of the east, you, from the North, Lannister from the West, and a Tyrell from the South”, he nodded, “if our child had survived me, regardless, I asked them to give him to you, with a dragon egg…”, you told him, he was resigning her own children’s crown only for him to go back home where he wanted to be
“Well, it was a good plan”, he whispered. But he felt chills at the very thought of raising a little dragon without her beautiful dragon Queen by his side. Without even realizing he held you more tightly against him.
“But we will not come to that”, he said severely, “but I will go with it, if anything happens”
“Alright”, you whispered, “good to know”
But he was back now, no harm was going to come to you as he remembered the tumultuous this last weeks had been for him…
It took him weeks, a whole moon, maybe two, to get back to King’s Landing, more than he ever thought possible, he had to move a big group of people and as such, it required time… You could have given birth by now.
He thought about it again and again, to where it might have gone wrong.
Well, he now knew the reason why you couldn’t travel up North to meet him, because you were pregnant, he really appreciated you were being careful, and if the reports from the small council had any truth to them, you were doing great in the command of the Kingdoms, without a hand to help you.
You were truly magnificent 
You had managed to send compensations and start reparations for everything that needed repairs after the war, even though some town were ages away from truly recovering, you had even started talks with Dorne
It was a new age, and you were shining like the fire your family incarnated 
He was truly proud
And as Cregan was in the White Harbor, trying to sail south despite the weather, he had to prepare his son and leave him to travel behind with a stronghold of his house to come with im, including maesters and cooks, anyhow, he rode his steed from Winterfell to the White Harbour, he was so desperate he made the trip in half the time it took him last time, and then he sailed on a small, faster ship, back to the capital, he wasn’t even announced, he traveled almost in hiding, hoping nothing bad was going to happen, and it didn’t
That is why he could travel so fast, like no man has ever done before.
In a moon, his son and a small army was going to reach King’s landing, but the important part is that he made it… you were still pregnant, and he could accompany you through the birth, and… he was going to be here, to be with you 
“Please don’t ever keep something like this again, I thought we were trough that”, he reprimanded, and you nodded
“Yes husband”
You promised, inside this room or when it was just the two of you, you were his wife, not his Queen, and… it was hard to balance both, but he was patient, and you were smart.
In the next day Cregan would spend his days trying to get ahold of the current situation in the Kingdoms, and he felt somewhat unneeded, you were doing great without him, but he was happy to be back to take over so you could rest, as he had been told that you were falling asleep sometimes.
He was very concerned about the situation in Old Town, truly concerned, that was dangerous, but at the same time, he didn’t want to risk anyone from the small council, good thing though they had the Lannisters on their side this time
“We should call in the Tyrells”, you muttered as you ate a strawberry miniature pie, “make sure their alliances are still with us”
“Good plan”, he said over breakfast, “that way they will know they are alienated”
You had a bad feeling over the Hightower situation, it made you truly nervous. Summing up to the fact that Cregan wouldn’t leave your side.
It's like he didn’t trust you anymore, he was looming over you, watching you closely. Whenever you had an audience or a meeting he was right beside you 
You had grown impossible bigger, you could barely move, you had to call in your maids and ladies in waiting again, for you couldn’t even put on shoes without assistance.
Your only consolation is that your baby was kicking wildly every morning, and according to the maesters, she or he was healthy and ready to come out at any moment. 
You had also seen them very nervous, consulting with the stars and other methods to calm the small council about your own wellbeing, nobody said it outloud, but you could see the worry in their faces
Also according to the maesters, it was a 50/50 chance that you’ll perish, taking into account your family’s history, but they were hopeful, because you, as Queen, as access to the best maesters, and as it was more at stake, they were going to take great care of you.
Besides, your mother had given birth to 5 healthy boys, and you, and survived seven pregnancies. 
But her mother didn’t
You tried not to think about it
The small council, despise it all, were hopeful and had huge celebrations planned for the arrival of the future Prince or Princess
You were concerned about the future, of you, and of your child, but that was reduced to nothing as suddenly, when you were getting dressed, you felt like a fountain inside of you collapsed, and you released a large amount of water
“The babe!”, cried your lady in waiting, “fetch the maester and the midwives!”, she commanded quickly
Cregan had left early to go on a mission deep in the city, and he wasn’t in the castle when the midwives came to you, changed your clothes to a simple nightdress, and laid you there in your own bed.
You started crying out in pain as the contractions began, and according to the midwife, it could take all day, the process was long
“Mmmmm”, you moaned in pain, “I need to be on my feet”
“My Queen!”, you wouldn’t take no for an answer, they help you up and you walked around the room, rubbing your back with one hand and your belly with the other 
You needed to obey what your body needed, and you felt relieved as you walked around, taking deep breaths
“You are doing great, your Grace”, they encouraged, the sweet ladies. 
Another construction swept over you
“Notify the small council, and please try to find my husband”, you begged them, and they nodded and one of them ran to fulfill your command 
But your sweet and calm disposition didn’t last long
“THAT FUCKING CUNT!”, you screamed, hours later, laying on your bed, legs spread wide open, “I fucking hate him for doing this to me”, the oldest of the midwives just smiled, having flashbacks of Rhaenyra when she gave birth herself 
“Not long now, sweet Queen”
The small council was gathered, nervously waiting for news of you, they had servants all placed from the small council chambers to your rooms, so they could know what was happening.
“I had commanded the high Septon to keep our Queen in his prayers for the last week”, muttered lord Redwyne, who was very devout, but, it was not of great comfort to the remaining men in the room
“She will survive this”, asserted Lord Celtigar
“The maesters and midwives agree that it was a easy pregnancy”, affirmed the Grand Maester
They didn’t know what else to talk about
“Where is Lord Cregan?”
“He reached the Queen’s chambers”, said the Lord Commander, entering the room
“Good”
You felt so relieved when you saw Cregan entering your chambers, kneeling by your side
“Your Grace, is not customary for the King to be present during the Birth”, muttered the lead Midwife
“i don’t care”, he leaned in, kissing your sweaty forehead
“Are you alright my love?”, you barely nodded, grabbing onto him and the bedsheet, preparing for the next contraction that made your whole body tremble
“They are more close to each other, I think it's time”
“It hurts so much”, you cried, the grand maester showed up then, and made you drink the last of milk of the poppy that was allowed for pregnant women 
Cregan looked at the scene concerned, there was no blood yet, and it had been barely a couple of hours so, he was optimistic, you were in good health, and he was there by your side, it had to be alright, it had to.
“Alright, when the next contraction comes, your grace will start pushing, alright?”, you barely nodded, grabbing onto Cregan so tightly he was afraid you’d snap his hand, turning his bones into dust
And it washed over you, more intense and painful than the ones before, with a scream, you did exactly that.
You had never done it before, but it felt like your body knew exactly what to do 
But you have never been in so much pain in your entire life
Never
“Again”, demanded the Midwife, and you were really losing it in the pain
“There's blood”, muttered Cregan, truly concern
“That is normal your grace”, the pain never left you now, it took ahold of you and wouldn’t let go
You started crying, you were in so much pain you feared that there was never going to be relief again.
“Don’t cry my love, you are doing great”, he whispered against your temple
“I’m scared!”, you cried
“Again your grace please, I can see the head”, encouraged the youngest and sweeter of the midwives
“Arrrggghhhhhh!”, you screamed at the top of your lungs
. . .
Fast steps could be heard against the stone walls of the Keep, resounding in the empty corridors
The sun was hiding in the horizon when a young boy interrupted in the small council chamber, where the men inside jumped at the intrusion
“What has happened?”, demanded Lord Lannister
“The Queen!”, he said hastily, there were the longest seconds as he regained his breath
“Well? SPEAK BOY!”, demanded Lord Redwyne, he took a long breath and then he finally managed to spoke
“She is well, and we have a Prince! my lords! a boy!”
They all jumped from their seats and hugged one another
“A prince! send the ravens to every corner of the Kingdoms!”
“Long live our Queen!”
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jesswritesthat · 7 months ago
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Rody Soul: Crush
Fandom: BNHA // MHA — [ Masterlist ]
Summary: ~1.4k, fluff
• You knew Rody well enough to know he doesn't just disappear, but until he returns someone's gotta look out for his siblings.
Warnings: World Heroes Mission spoilers
>>>>——————————>
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There was a reason besides job hunting that Rody frequented Stanleyk's Bar so often, and that reason was a part time bartender who surely had to be in today.
However, once more he was disappointed with your absence and apparently he hadn't hidden it well this time regardless of Pino.
"Your little crush is off working."
"I— I didn't even ask. Besides, I thought (Y/n) worked here."
"Only part time kid. (L/n) takes on jobs just like you." Both he and Pino fell into awed silence, they heard you lived in one of the nicer residences in Shanty Town with little threat due to your renowned fighting ability, but to know you were contracted too? Wow, no doubt higher ranked than him considering you were away for longer periods.
"Bonjour! I'm back~" Gladly you entered, greeted by a soft pelt nuzzling into your neck, cooing affectionately despite Rodys' chiding outburst.
"Oh hello Pino, aren't you beautiful today."
"Congratulations, the contact was very pleased with your work and have requested your services at a later date." Stanleyk bluntly interjected, usually he received only positive feedback on any job associated with you.
"You get requested?!"
"Yeah, more elite clientele tend to stick with trusted confederates. It's just how they work, casual clients don't mind who they get as long as they suit the requirements." Came your experience-infused reply to Rody, reaching into your bag with renewed brightness. "Here, souvenirs for your siblings."
Rody had only introduced you to them once over the years and he hated that you were so thoughtful. It was hard not to develop a stupid crush on you even if he'd deny it to his last breath. Luckily you both had a withholding deal that prevented the disclosure of quirks. It annoyed him that yours was a secret but it was a worthwhile sacrifice when he realised he was attracted to you early on - and Pino had no shame in expressing that. You'd connect the dots way too fast for his liking.
That was your last interaction and you'd never gone so long without an encounter together before this - so knowing his address, and noting his delayed return, you knew something was awry.
When you'd brought up the matter to Stanleyk, he'd relayed a call he'd received and immediately you'd raced over to Rodys' home. Roro and Lala were cautious when you'd knocked but recognised you upon mention of their eldest brother and were glad for the company. 
Days passed and you'd opted for short-term jobs which allowed time to cook for them, play with them, and tell any bedtime stories you could conjure all whilst dozing on their corner seating area once the pair fell asleep. Although, with the impending bomb detonations and inevitable death that followed, your babysitting gig got harder.
Soon enough, you found out Rody was in the hospital after apparently putting an end to said calamity.
When you'd taken the worried Soul duo to visit him, you found Pino flapping about Rodys' siblings with vibrant joy whilst they hugged their bandaged brother. You assumed the other patients were the heroes he'd fought alongside, the green haired one being the most gracious toward your presence. It was then Pino awkwardly fluttered around you, unsure of what to do with herself and blushing fiercely meanwhile Rody offered a charismatic smile.
"Hey (Y/n), thanks for looking after my family whilst I was away, Stanleyk told me you took quicker jobs to check on them."
Before you could respond, Roro and Lala excitedly chimed your praises.
"Yeah (Y/n) cooks way nicer food than you!"
"And tells the coolest bedtime stories!"
"You— you did all that?"
"Eh you know, I have to balance certain aspects of my life with good deeds." Immediately the little pink bird was in your arms embracing what she could - to which Rody rapidly pulled her away with an embarrassed mumble.
Once visiting time was over, you all bid him farewell, leaving Rody with a knowing Midoriya.
"Does (Y/n) know about your quirk?"
"Nope, we have a deal."
"I see... which means they don't know how you feel—"
"Not another word! I don't have the confidence to tell them alright, you've just seen how beautiful and amazing they are..." It was a friendly exchange, and though chuckling Izuku gave his support.
"I think you should be honest about your feelings, after all you just saved many lives worldwide Rody. This shouldn't scare you."
Meanwhile outside the hospital room, you were experiencing the same revelation in a different form.
"That's why you came to check on us, because you're big brothers' partner?" Roro hummed in thought, Lala way too giddy with the information even if you were thoroughly confused.
"Where did you get that idea?"
"Rody is in love you." Roro cemented, shocked you were apparently unaware.
"I don't think—"
"Yeah just look at Pino. She's always nuzzling and admiring you." There must be some miscommunication here.
"What's that got to do with Rody? If anyone loves me then surely it's Pino." You happily laughed, assuming this was just a child's' fantasy and thought you were playing along with it.
Their puzzled expressions had you second guessing though, then came their matter-of-fact enlightenment.
"Pino is Rodys' quirk. You know that right?"
No you did not, you thought she was a pet.
"She expresses exactly what Rody is feeling, making it impossible for him to lie!"
It suddenly all connected, why he came to visit on your shift days and how affectionate Pino had grown to be with you - warmly greeting you every time she saw you, fretting over any injury, tackling you, and flustering whenever you touched Rody. That was how he truly wished to communicate with you?
"Hey, I just need a minute, wait here." Obviously the pair did so with gleeful grins upon their faces as you dashed back into the room. The heroes seemed perplexed, especially when you pulled the curtain around Rodys' bed stating you wanted to see his injuries without children around.
He was equally as confounded, and this time you didn't miss the flourishing Pino despite the contrasting coolness her owner exhibited. You sat on his bed, staring him dead in the eye before you broke his very soul with your whispered question.
"Rody, are you in love with me?"
There was a flush of colour on his cheeks, but without another second to think he smirked casually and leaned closer to you.
"If you've fallen for me (Y/n), it's okay to confess, I won't judge."
Pino however, crash-landed in embarrassment with a white feather of submission waving above her demonstrating the answer you'd desired.
"I see, thanks Pino."
"Wait— you know, crap who told you?" The charade was up and the pure horror finally set in.
"Yeah, Pino shows your true emotions right? So what happens if I do this?"
You matched his previous false confidence, leaning closer with only centimetres between you that allowed you to feel his warm breath brush your lips. He didn't retract though, and so you closed the gap, Rody more than willing to kiss back when gentle fingers reached up to your jaw and a melodic chirping emitted from Pino as she soared though the air right over the curtain and around the room as if she was set aglow.
You pulled away slightly, amused by the display even if your opposite was heavily embarrassed - still, you moved in to kiss him again leaving Pino to enjoy the moment.
"Would ya get that damn bird to shut up already?!" It was the voice of the explosive blonde which fractured the fantasy, excusing yourself once opening the curtain with plausible cover.
"I'll stock some bandages for the wounds ready for when you get back. See you!"
———
Life seemed to resume to normal with both of you giving up the shady lifestyle, whilst you quit your position at Stanleyk's Bar to pursue your true passions, Rody in turn ended up getting employed there.
You spent nights over with the Soul family, even if it meant sleeping on the corner couch, Rody always ensured to cook you breakfast. He listened to your bedtime stories with a dreamy look on his face, and when his siblings fell asleep came to join you prior to heading to bed himself.
You'd gifted him pilot books, and you became a feature drawing upon their wall, all the while both of you saved to improve life for the better.
"Hey, if you need a flight attendant oh future pilot captain, may I apply early?"
Just then, Pino held a wing over her heart and promptly fainted whilst Rody ran a hand through his hair.
"Actually, I'd rather you be my copilot so we could always fly together..."
“Is that your idea of a proposal Rody?”
“Wha— not yet! I haven’t saved enough to buy you a—“
“I meant a job proposal, what were you thinking?” Your witty tone left him slumping begrudgingly in his chair and briskly swiping Pino before you could see the classic engagement proposal position she’d admiringly taken.
“Ah, of buying you a pilot manual too if you want to fly with me. That’s all.”
<——————————<<<<
[ Masterlist ]
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justinssportscorner · 6 months ago
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Anna Merlan at Mother Jones:
By the time J.K. Rowling, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump were falsely referring to her as a man, the lies about Imane Khelif had already traveled halfway around the world. Last week, two Olympic boxers—Khelif, from Algeria, and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan—were subjected to brutal international scrutiny about their sex and gender, and whether they were entitled to compete in women’s events; the attention on Khelif became particularly acrid after her opponent, Italian Angela Carini, quit 46 seconds into their bout, declaring that she had “never been hit so hard in my life.” A photo of the two women exiting the ring, Carini in tears, Khelif casting a glance, was widely shared, with people like Rowling—who’s promoted transphobic views for years, but has denied being transphobic—offering heated and derogatory commentary about Khelif.   “Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better?” Rowling tweeted. “The smirk of a male who’s [sic] knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered.” 
While the attacks on Khelif are of a piece with familiar recent Western controversies over who is allowed to participate in girls’ and women’s sports, many of the articles and individuals magnifying the debate relied on or relayed the claims of a discredited group with strong ties to the Russian government, a deep grudge against the International Olympic Committee, and a seemingly vested interest in proving that the IOC-run games are, as the group’s leader has claimed, a venue for “sodomy.”
In trying to unravel what led up to this moment, many individuals and news outlets cited a statement released by the official-sounding International Boxing Association, which stated that both Khelif and Yu-Ting had previously been disqualified from competing in the IBA-administered Women’s World Boxing Championships in March 2023. The women were barred from that competition, which took place in New Delhi, following tests the organization has not publicly clarified, citing privacy rules. At the time, IBA president Umar Kremlev told a Russian state news agency that the women had been found to have “XY chromosomes” and claimed the two had “pretended to be women” and “tried to deceive their colleagues.” Even if the IBA’s findings were true, having XY chromosomes does not automatically make someone male—women with Swyer syndrome, a rare genetic condition, have XY for instance. Nor are XY chromosomes proven to constitute an “unfair advantage,” although that is exactly what an IBA official claimed in a press conference on Monday. One pediatrics expert told NBC in 2009—one of the innumerable times this issue has been raised in women’s sports—that such a claim was “malarkey.”
[...] When Khelif and Yu-Ting were disqualified by the IBA back in New Delhi, skeptics questioned how it benefited Azalia Amineva, a Russian fighter. The women were not ruled ineligible until after they’d already competed and Khelif had won a bout against the previously undefeated Amineva. While IBA officials said the sequence of events was due to a week’s delay in being provided testing results, as the Associated Press has pointed out, the decision meant the Russian fighter’s perfect record was retroactively restored. Kremlev isn’t shy about expressing a broad fixation on gender and sexuality, with him, as the sports website Defector has pointed out, decrying the IOC on YouTube for promoting “outright sodomy and the destruction of traditional values.” In the wake of the Paris games’ opening ceremony, he blasted the spectacle, which featured queer performers, as “pure sodomy,” while saying the IOC “burns from pure devilry” and that its president is a “chief sodomite.” He also claimed that “men with changed gender are allowed to fight with women in boxing at the Olympics.” (Videos with such remarks have been helpfully subtitled in English to draw a wider, Western audience.) Last week, Kremlev announced the IBA would give $50,000 in prize money to the defeated opponents of Khelif and Yu-Ting.
[...] The Khelif affair captures English-speaking transphobes with rigid ideas about the nature of womanhood picking up on a politically motivated campaign from a discredited organization at open war with the IOC. Indeed, right-wing organizations in the United States, including the Independent Women’s Forum and CPAC, via its chair Matt Schlapp, have paid for sponsored posts on Musk’s X platform, calling her “a man“—posts that appear when users search for information on the controversy.
The International Boxing Association, which is a Kremlin-led body led by Umar Kremlev that is permanently banned from being the sanctioning body for Olympic boxers, has instigated a transphobic war against cis women boxers Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif.
The IBA issued politically-motivated disqualifications of the pair in 2023 that don’t stand up to scrutiny.
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hgfictionwriter · 6 months ago
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Maybe This Time - Part Six
Jessie Fleming X Reader
Summary: Jessie’s on top of the world and simply cannot wait to see you. She can finally hold you in her arms and call you hers. Final confessions as you reunite.
Warnings: Nothing but Fluff (capital ‘F’) and emotions, folks.
A/N: Romance! Slow burn finally pays off! Hope you all enjoy. I loved writing this. Other parts are available here.
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Jessie's body felt like it was buzzing as she rode down the street. She cleared her throat as she tried to fight off an impending smile, but was only half successful.
She got to her destination and hopped off her bike, walking it to a nearby rack to lock it up. Her phone vibrated and she smiled before even looking at it. She unlocked it and read the last few messages in your conversation.
"Made it back to my apartment 👍 Are you done work?"
"I'm glad! I hope you're planning to take a nap. And do absolutely nothing this evening other than rest. I know you slept on the plane, but still. Sorry for the delay – I just got out of a meeting. I'm logging off for the day. Hallelujah lol."
"No worries at all. I know you're a busy and important lady lol. And no naps just yet, but I did laundry! What are you up to this evening?"
"Of course you did laundry already lol. Why am I not surprised haha. Promise me you won't do chores all evening. I'm not up to much tonight. TBD, I suppose lol."
Jessie smiled to herself furthermore as she called you.
"Hello?" You said, a curious laugh in your voice as you greeted her.
"I promise I won’t do chores all evening," Jessie replied, pulling a laugh out of you.
"Very good," you said in approval. "Cause, you know, I'd hate for our first fight to be about laundry. That would just be silly."
"First fight?" Jessie inquired. "That seems like something that usually requires more than one date, so that sounds promising."
You laughed. "True. Well, if you play your cards right we'll have enough dates that we'll eventually hit the 'first fight' milestone. Where are you anyway? It sounds like you're outside."
"Yeah, just finished biking," Jessie relayed, smiling into the phone. "Are you done work yet?"
"Yeah, I've shut everything down. I'm just looking for something to watch. I'm too lazy to start dinner just yet," you explained. "Wait, hold on, I'm getting another call. Oh, it's my buzzer. That's weird."
"Maybe you should answer it," Jessie suggested. You gave a weary sigh, that made her stifle a laugh.
"Fine. Okay, hold on."
Jessie stood there as the call on her phone went silent and your voice came through the buzzer speaker.
"Hello?"
"Hi," Jessie said, voice cheerful as she tried to tamp some of her excitement.
"Jess? Wait. Hold on, I thought I switched over to the buzzer. Just a sec."
Jessie stifled another laugh and waited patiently as you sorted things out. She finally laughed while you muttered to yourself.
"Buzz me in," Jessie said.
"Wait. What? I'm confused."
She laughed again. "Y/N. I'm at your apartment. Buzz me in."
"What?" Your voice was high with surprise. "You're kidding me."
"I'm not," Jessie chuckled. "I mean, if you want me to go..."
Instead of receiving a rebuttal, Jessie simply heard the click of the door along with the tone to alert her that the door was unlocked. She stepped inside and headed up to your apartment. She was about to knock on your door when it swung open to reveal you standing there with a scrutinizing look.
Jessie wore a complacent smile on her face as she held up a bag of take-out in front of her.
"I brought you dinner."
"What the heck," you exclaimed as you stepped out, bypassing the bag and pulling Jessie into a tight hug, which she readily returned.
Jessie tucked her head against yours and couldn't resist the content sigh that escaped her as you fit into her arms and pulled her close. It felt new and yet entirely familiar and natural at the same time. The hug lasted several, long moments until you pulled back, though only enough to look Jessie in the eye, arms still around her waist and sending further jolts of electricity up through her body.
"I didn't know you were coming," you said, eyes bright with wonder. Your smile widened. "I didn't think I'd get to see you until next week."
"I know." Jessie nodded. "We were landing and I just..." She paused, gaze flicking away as heat built in her face before she felt something click inside of her and she looked to you, a sudden feeling of ease and comfort coming over her as she took you in. "I just kept thinking about how much I wanted to see you. I know our date's only a week away, but we've waited long enough. I've wasted enough time and don't want to waste any more."
Jessie nearly beamed at the way your cheeks reddened and the way you looked at her. She'd waited years for you to look at her like this. And, well, while maybe she'd seen hints of it years before, now it was unhindered and there were no 'maybes' left.
Jessie's posture straightened and her breath hitched momentarily as your soft hand came to rest on her cheek.
"You're incredible. You know that, right?" You asked, eyes gentle and warm.
Jessie swallowed. She could hear her pulse pounding in her head as she held your gaze.
"I'm just being honest," she eventually managed to say.
"Well, I love it. And I agree, we've waited long enough," you said as you pulled back and led her into your apartment by her hand.
She followed wordlessly, watching you the whole way through and eventually jerking her head to the side when you finally turned back around. Despite her attempt to hide her staring, she caught the smirk that had snuck across your lips as she turned away. You took the bag of food from Jessie and set it down on the counter, releasing her hand in the process and leaving her missing it immediately.
"If I had known you were coming by I would've tried to look a bit more presentable. You know, not immediately changing into my worst sweats and t-shirt immediately after work finished," you said with a chuckle as you leaned back against the counter. Jessie's head immediately snapped back to you with a deep frown etched on her face.
"What are you talking about? I love it," she said unequivocally. She hesitated momentarily before relaxing into the moment. “You always look good,” she said assuredly. She frowned deeper as you gave her a look that was both disbelieving and affectionate. Eventually, you relented with an eye roll and a faint smirk.
"I suppose you've seen me in worse states than this," you admitted. A wry grin crossed your face as you folded your arms across yourself. "Remember the night after Teagan's year-end party?"
Jessie practically snorted a laugh. "Remember holding your hair back while you puked your guts out all night and morning? Running all over getting whatever remedies for you? Yeah, I remember."
"Yeah, it was like the exorcism," you said plainly before turning haughty, holding your head high. "Well, I learned to never try to out-drink an Aussie."
Jessie laughed and a moment later she smiled wider. "Oh, and remember when you had that extreme flu for like two weeks?"
"Oh yeah, let's not forget that," you deadpanned, giving her a comical stare before slipping back into a smile. "I get it, you've seen me in some very unflattering states."
"And I still-" Jessie caught herself, smile tightening and she cleared her throat. "I'm still interested."
You held her gaze, smiling softly at her before dropping it momentarily as you gently pushed off the counter and took a step towards her. "I'm glad."
The room was silent and the air around you began to infuse with anticipation and brightness. Your smile grew as you held her gaze.
“And I’m still super glad I got up the nerve to tell you about my delusional moment years before.”
Jessie let out a breathy laugh though she didn’t break eye contact. “Not delusional at all. I would’ve done anything to take you on a date.”
“Anything except ask me out,” you replied with a wink. Jessie blushed and her gaze dropped momentarily before she smirked up at you.
“Well, I’ve asked you out now,” she said. You took a step towards her and nodded with a quiet smile.
“You have.”
“And I’m really excited for it,” Jessie added. Her blush deepened a bit despite herself. She didn’t let it stop her this time though. “So excited in fact that I just couldn’t wait the few days to see you again.”
Your smile grew and you closed the space between you, wrapping your arms around the back of her neck. Jessie beamed before quieting her smile while she wrapped her arms securely around your waist.
“Well I'm glad I'm not the only one,” you told her. “Because I didn’t want to wait either.” You swallowed your hesitation. “I missed you. I know it’s silly, b-”
“I missed you too,” Jessie cut in, smiling brightly at you. “All the time. Janine’s always making fun of me because I check my phone way too often to see if I missed anything from you.”
You chuckled and sent a shiver down Jessie’s spine as you began to caress the back of her neck.
“You are far too cute. I love that you do that. I’m the same,” you confessed. "It's hard to believe now that there was a time - too long - when you weren't a constant in my day."
Jessie’s face hurt from trying not to smile too much. She gave you a nod. "I know the feeling."
She took you in, the softness in your eyes as you stood in her embrace. One that wasn't fleeting or masked as something it wasn't. She could hold you, truly hold you. Emotions began to rise in her throat and she let them out in a rush.
“I just can't believe this. I can! But I can't. I just-" She lost her words and shook her head affectionately at you. "I’m glad it’s not too much. You know, me calling you in the middle of the night. Me showing up unannounced. If it’s ever too much, just tell me. I’ve never really dated, so I don’t really know if I’m coming on too strong. Not that I think we’re dating. I know you didn’t agree to that, but-”
Jessie’s words ceased as you brought a single finger gently to her lips. Her breath stilled in her lungs and her heartbeat pounded in her ears as you slowly leaned in, dropping your hand to rest delicately on her shoulder and suddenly your soft lips were upon hers. The kiss lingered and Jessie’s eyes fluttered shut as you leaned subtly into her.
No thoughts registered in Jessie’s mind and she belatedly realized that you’d slowly drawn back, though remaining in her arms. When she gradually opened her eyes she saw you looking at her in what she couldn’t help but interpret as adoration. It made her feel weak in the knees.
“For the record, that’s confirmation that you’re doing great,” you said with a soft laugh.
Jessie was stunned. Elated. She’d pictured kissing you countless times, countless ways, but no dream of hers, no matter how vivid, lived up to this. It wasn’t even a heated, passionate kiss, but it was everything and she felt it down to her toes.
Jessie leaned in and kissed you once more. Deeper this time. Longer. Pulling you closer in her arms, feeling the shape of your body fitting perfectly against hers.
When she finally broke off the kiss, she smiled upon seeing you breathless, a dark pink tinge colouring your cheeks. She wished she could take a picture of you like this.
“Wow,” you breathed. Jessie beamed before tamping her excitement and ultimately just looking smug instead. You gave her a soft shove as you rolled your eyes, but leaned into the embrace further.
“So, dating, huh?” You asked, cheeks still pink.
Jessie’s smugness immediately shifted. She was about to speak, but you beat her to it.
“Don’t get me wrong, it sounds amazing. But I want to be really clear. I know we’ve shared a lot recently, and I don’t know if it’s like this for you, but things feel so natural and right and such a long time coming, but I also know you have your career and you’re at a really special and important time during it. You weren’t exactly looking for a relationship - you have a lot of obligations you need to balance. I don’t want to take you away from anything or be the reason you don’t do the things you want to do. That would never be my intention and I’d never ask you to sacrifice anything, but I don’t want you to make different decisions because of me.”
Jessie waited patiently, ensuring you got everything off your chest before she spoke.
“Y/N, I’ve been searching for this for years. How I felt for you all those years ago, it felt right. And it feels unequivocally right now, too,” she gave a breathless shrug and felt her throat constrict under the strain of her emotions. "And now that you're back in my life. I don't know how I managed without you. And I don't ever want to do it again. It’s you. It’s always been you.
"And I hear you - you don’t want me to compromise my career. But I don’t have to. You have your career as well. We both have obligations, but we already make time for each other. I’m going to keep playing, but if I’m not on the pitch - I’m yours. That’s what I want. And if you’re okay with it, then that’s how it’ll be.”
Jessie’s chest tightened exquisitely as you captured her lips once more.
“I am more than okay with that,” you told her. You narrowed your eyes playfully at her. “So did we just skip the first date and go straight to girlfriends?”
Jessie’s heart jumped into her throat in the best way possible.
“I am perfectly okay with that,” she said, doing her best to keep her voice steady despite the excitement that coursed through her. She couldn’t help herself.
“If I’m being honest, I’ve pictured you as far more than my girlfriend many times.” She paused. “I saw how your exes were with you. I saw how they disappointed you and frustrated you. I’m human and we’re new to this, so of course I won’t be perfect, but I know I can and I do love you better and more than they ever did. I know how to make you smile when you’re feeling your worst, I know how to make you laugh when you’re trying so hard to be stern and serious with me, I know you so well, even after all this time. You’re a part of me. And I want nothing more than to make you so happy.”
She watched your reaction. She expected herself to be blushing, but the things she said were so deeply rooted inside of her it seemed second nature to say. She waited as you stood there speechless, staring back at her with shimmering eyes.
“So, head over heels really did mean you loved me,” you said with a gentle laugh. Jessie didn’t waver.
“Yes. And still do.”
You swallowed, but immediately kissed her once more.
“I know it’s a lot,” she said when the kiss ended, but you spoke before she could go on.
“It is. But it’s real. You were my person all those years. And here you are again. You’re perfect for me. So you’re silly if you think I don’t love you, too.”
“Then say it properly,” Jessie challenged teasingly. “I’ve been waiting a long, long time to hear it.”
You cupped her face in your hands and smiled affectionately at her.
“I love you so much, Jessie,” you professed softly, your words followed up with another kiss from her.
When she pulled back her eyes were bright.
“Let’s get through date #1,” you laughed. “And if the topic of rings comes up at some point over the next few months, well,” you kissed her softly, "so be it."
210 notes · View notes
alahmorah · 2 months ago
Text
Picturesque Pranks
A/N: I’m excited to be writing again and to share it with others. This was fun! I hope you enjoy it. I always love stories with plenty of fun dialogue, so I hope it reflects in my writing.
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader, no y/n used
Warnings: 18+ only, Smut. No one’s read this but me, so mistakes may have been made lol. Praise and dirty talk.
Summary: Bucky and you are friends who enjoy pranking your fellow teammates, The Avengers. You’re stuck alone in a safe house after a mission and find yourselves in a predicament. Bucky is hot, as always. 
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The small cabin you were achingly drudging towards was an old safehouse. The mission that just kicked your butt was over, and you and your teammate were supposed to be picked up here by the rest of your team. The only problem was that another mission had arisen, as they frequently do, and Tony had called to let you know there would be a slight delay. "It should just be a day or two, honestly. But, we've got a lead that we've got to take now, and..." he sounded rushed and admittedly apologetic. You kind of zoned out as he relayed the information on this lead -- something about a big-shot mobster with international clout making some sort of deal -- and you didn't care. You were tired and had walked miles through the woods after your getaway vehicle sputtered to a stop. Apparently, the hail of bullets that sprayed down upon you as you escaped had caused several important fluid leaks. You'd been looking forward to the ride back home on the Quinjet, but this cabin would have to do for now.
Your partner had been silent ever since you made your escape, only groaning when the car broke down. As soon as you entered, he muttered "Finally" and proceeded to guzzle three bottled waters from the stash left in the fridge. His metal hand crushed each one as he emptied it, tossing it into the small plastic basketball goal some goofball had hung above the trash can. The interior around you was so random and quaint. It was nothing like the sleek and technologically forward designs that you were used to, and none of the decor had Pepper's special touch. You were used to living with the Avengers, and this screamed cottage-chic. You supposed that it wasn't made to look like a hideout, so it made sense. You started checking out the ingredients in the pantry, deciding on making some quick and filling spaghetti. "How's Italian sound, Bucky?" You held up the jar of sauce and box of noodles you'd found.
"Honestly, that sounds perfect. Do you mind if I take a quick shower while you get it started? I promise to warm us up a can of green beans when I get out...might even consider adding some salt and pepper to 'em." He ripped off his mud-caked shirt while he asked, causing you to quickly avert your eyes from his strong torso. "Umm, okay Gordon Ramsey, don't show off too much. And, yes, please get out of those filthy clothes." You turned away from him to hide your blush as you realized what you'd said. He chuckled, "Yes ma'am" as he made his way to the small bathroom in the back of the house.
You hummed a tune as you filled up a pot with water and thought about the water that was making its way down the planes of Bucky's body right now. You dumped some back out into the sink as it overflowed, your thoughts keeping you from performing simple tasks. The noodles were done by the time he returned to the kitchen, and you heard him slowly walk up behind you as you were getting ready to drain them. "Here, doll, let me help. Oh, and don't you dare laugh. Just avert your eyes if you need to." He carefully grabbed the hot, heavy pot from your hands and proceeded to drain the water into the sink. You get a good look at him and let out an embarrassingly loud laugh, unable to catch your breath at the sight before you. Bucky just sets the pot down and does a little twirl as he rolls his eyes. "Ha, ha, ha. I know it's terribly funny, doll, but I swear this was the best of the four choices I was forced to make." Your eyes roam over his super-soldier body, which is currently adorned in a blue muumuu with a delicate yellow flower print. You finally catch your breath, "You've got to be kidding me. Why the hell would they stock a safe house with muumuus?"
He rolls his eyes, "I have a feeling this was all Stark. I doubt they're even on another mission, I think he's just fucking with us. I don't care at this point, I just want to eat and rest. I'll chew him out tomorrow."
Looking down at your dirty clothes, you realize there's no way you can sleep like this. "Ugh, I guess I have to accept my fate, too. Can you dump the sauce on the noodles and make your famous green beans while I clean off real quick? I'll just be a few minutes." 
"Yeah, go for it. There's not a washer, but I'll handwash our clothes after we eat so we can hang them to dry. I'm not giving anyone else a chance to see me in this." 
As he gets to work on finishing the meal, you head to the tiny bathroom. The heady aroma of Bucky's scent and soap washes over you, and you shiver under the hot stream. You swear he was going to drive you crazy. You and Bucky had a natural friendship from the start. He wasn't one to open up to new people easily, but something about your personalities just meshed. You often annoyed the team with your inside jokes and small pranks you'd pull on them. They were always harmless, just silly things like the time you replaced all of the spoons with gag spoons that had holes in them, or when you switched all of Tony's boxers with Natasha's lingerie...oh. Suddenly, your situation made a lot more sense. That happened months ago, and Tony laughed it off like it was nothing. Now you had to set some ground rules for the prank war that was sure to start. The first rule is to keep it at home.
You quickly finished cleaning up and wandered into the only bedroom in your towel. When you opened the closet door, you were confronted with three muumuus of varying colors. You grabbed one at random and went to the drawers to hopefully find some underwear. The first drawer was full of socks, so you checked the other three to find... more socks. There wasn't any underwear, and all of yours and Bucky's clothes were in the bathroom, which meant he didn't have anything on underneath either. Even the fact that he was in a muumuu did nothing to quell your body's response to that thought. You swiftly pulled the garment over your head, your stomach growling loudly as the scent of dinner made its way to you.
Bucky was sitting patiently at the table in front of two steaming plates of spaghetti and green beans when you entered, and he did nothing to hide his laughter at your appearance. "Thanks for dressing up for the occasion, doll." he smiles widely, spinning his fork in the spaghetti, and taking a big bite. "Mmm, to be honest, these things are comfortable. Maybe we can get the whole crew on board for Muumuu Spaghetti Mondays or something."
"Yeah, we can get a red, white, and blue one for Steve. I'm sure he'll go for it." As you imagine the formidable Avengers in muumuus, your shoulders shake with silent laughter. Bucky and you take a few moments to eat without filling the space with words.
The image of Tony flying around with a muumuu flapping wildly in the wind fills your mind, and you speak up, "By the way, I can't believe I forgot about what we did to Tony a few months back...of course this is all him."
"I was wondering how long it'd take you to remember. He's probably going to show up any minute so he can snap a picture and," Bucky's words stopped mid-sentence as the lights all went off suddenly, "speak of the devil." He quickly got up and went outside, looking for a sign of the man himself, while you picked up your plate and headed to the door, still shoveling spaghetti into your mouth. The night was exceptionally dark, as the moon and stars were covered by dense clouds. There was no sign of the Quinjet or a vehicle, and your eyes followed the dark shape of Bucky's figure as he searched the area. After a few minutes of quiet eating, you almost jumped as he rounded the corner of the house. "There's no sign of anyone. I checked the breaker, and it seems to just be a power outage." he huffed.
"Seems being the key word...I'm calling him." You carefully made your way back to the table to deposit your plate, quickly hitting Tony's name in your phone. He didn't answer but sent you a text a few seconds later.
Sry, busy. Surveillance. Sup?
                                                    Dude, the lights? Seriously? Stop fucking around.
Idk what you're talking bout. 
                                                    Electricity's out at the cabin. I know you're getting us back, we found the clothes. Game's over, Tony.
Look, I g2g. Sorry bout the electricity, but it wasn't me. I take responsibility for the clothes, though. Lol. 
                                                      You really on a mission?
I swear. I'm sorry, but we'll be there when we can. 
                                                        K, I'm trusting you.
Good. Have fun, and take a pic of Barnes for me. 
"You're not getting that picture, punk." You felt his warm breath on your neck, and goosebumps erupted over you. While texting Tony, you hadn't realized how close he had gotten. "Trust me, I wasn't about to obey him. Besides, we need to save the battery on our phones. We don't know when the power will be back on or when they'll be here to get us."
"Mmm...I guess so. Well, what now? I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly sleepy." You hear him shuffle about and rinse your plates in the sink.
"Well, it's too dark to read, we can't watch Netflix, can't play a board game. I guess we just have to entertain each other till we're ready for bed." you reach out for direction as you make your way to brush your teeth. The dark wasn't about to keep you from good dental hygiene. Thankfully, there were unopened toothbrushes and a tube of toothpaste in the cabinet that you both quickly used. He held your hand and led you through the unlit hallway to the bedroom, only letting go once you were sitting on the bed. "I'll be right back, doll...just gonna clean our clothes and hang them to dry."
You reached out, quickly grasping the metal of his arm. "I'll help," you started to stand when you felt both of his hands firmly on your shoulders.
"Hey, let me do this for us. Take some deep breaths and relax, I promise I'll be back soon, ya punk."
"Okay, okay. Thank you." You took his advice, though it didn't help you relax much. The sounds of him washing in the other room mixed with the consistent thump of your heartbeat in your ears. This symphony blended with the thoughts of sleeping next to him tonight and the worry about accidentally revealing your feelings in some way. You were wound up even tighter by the time he returned.
While the weather outside was calm and cool, the temperature inside the cabin was comfortable with a slight tinge of a chill in the air. You could feel Bucky's warmth as soon as he dipped onto the bed.
You picked up one of the smaller pillows from the mismatched selection and turned it over in your hands nervously. "Well, there's a fireplace in the living room that we can use if it gets any colder...we might want to see if we can find any candles around here tomorrow, too. If they haven't returned by then."
"While you're right, let's not think about tomorrow." He placed his hand on top of the pillow you were spinning. "Are you okay, doll? You seem a bit jittery."
"Yeah, sorry. The mission is still fresh in my mind, not to mention we don't know how long we're going to be here with no power. I guess it has made me a little anxious. I know everything's going to be fine." You shifted slightly closer to him. He was sitting near the end of the bed, facing you, and you were at the head of the bed. Your eyes had slowly adjusted to the inky blackness around you, and you could make out his shape. You wished you could view the details of his face right now and see the expressions that came across it. His body heat and your blush warmed your body as you felt him come closer, your crossed legs now touching his.
"Let's play a little game to relax your mind." His smooth voice dropped down to a husky tone. "What do ya say?"
"Okay, sure. Did you have something in mind?"
"How about word association? We can take turns saying a word or name, and the other person has to say the first thing that comes to mind. I used to play it with Steve. It's so simple, but it can help get emotions out and clear your head. Wanna try?"
"I'm down. Will you start?"
"Absolutely. Okay....Tony"
"Asshole!"
He laughed heartily. "See? That felt good right?"
You nodded into the void of the room, "Yeah, it did. Umm...blanket"
"Fort. I haven't made a blanket fort since I was a kid. Potato."
"Soup... sounds good. Hard"
"Wood. Lip"
"Stick. Blue"
"Balls." he said quickly. 
You laughed hard, trying to catch your breath and falling backwards onto the pillows. 
"Blue balls are no laughing matter, sweetheart." You could hear the smile in his voice as he tried to avoid laughing. 
"I mean, it's kind of funny that that's the first thing you thought of." You just knew he was rolling his eyes. "Okay, Buck, give me a word."
"Blow"
"Suck. Hand"
"Job." he let out a quiet laugh, "Sorry, but once a game starts getting dirty it's hard to steer it back to normal."
"S'okay, Buck, we're both adults here." You hated how breathy your voice sounded now. He was getting to you, as he always was. You suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to lean forward and kiss him, though you couldn't make out the expression on his face to help you judge the situation. The risk of losing Bucky as a close friend kept you from moving forward. You didn't want to push your romantic feelings on him, though you knew you couldn't keep them secret forever. You extended your legs beside him and reached out for his arm, needing something to anchor you in the midst of your storm of thoughts. Your fingers landed on cool metal. "Will you lay down with me? Please?"
His shadowed figure moved to your side and stretched out. "Sure. Ugh, this feels so much better. Alright, it's my turn still. Let's see, Steve."
"America." This drew a chuckle from him. "Whipped"
"Cream. Lap"
"Dance. I got a question for you, Buck. What word starts with f and ends with u-c-k?"
He paused a moment, trying to think of anything but the obvious. "I've got to be honest with you, doll. Fuck is the only word I can think of right now."
"Firetruck, Bucky! Your mind is so dirty."
"You got that right." He shifted his bare legs next to yours, causing warm, electric jolts to move up your leg to your center. "Well, doll, I'd tell you a joke about my penis, but it's too long." 
"Oh, yeah? Well, do you want to hear a joke about my vagina?"
"Sure."
"Nevermind, you'll never get it."
"Is that so?"
"Mmmm...possibly."
"Baby, are you a sea lion? Cause I see you lyin' in my bed."
As turned on as you undoubtedly were, Bucky still made you laugh uncontrollably. You both giggled, trying to release the tension that had been building up since the day you met.
You caught your breath just long enough to utter, "Is that muumuu from space? Because your ass is out of this world!" Another round of chuckles erupted, only to slowly come to a stop when you felt both his warm flesh and cool metal hands cup your cheeks.
"I love to hear you laugh, doll. There's no one else I'd rather be stuck with in a tiny cabin with only muumuus to wear." You nuzzled into his touch, brushing your lips against his palm. His breath hitched, and he retreated his flesh hand quickly. You were instantly worried that you'd taken it too far, and your mouth opened to apologize when you suddenly felt his soft lips upon yours. Bucky's hand crept up the back of your head into your hair, and you moaned into the gentle kiss. You could feel his smile as you vocalized your appreciation.
He pulled back slightly, and you could hear the smirk in his voice. "I take it that sound means this is okay with you, doll?"
"It's more than okay, Bucky." Your lips met his again, capturing his plump bottom lip between your own. The low hum of his groan ignited you both, and you both opened up, tasting each other. You were quickly drunk on Bucky; his smell, taste, and touch were all that you could focus on.
He shifted in the bed, making his way between your thighs, which spread open eagerly in anticipation of feeling him completely. "Baby, you've been driving me crazy since the day we met. Steve had to talk me out of pursuing you. He said the way I was eye-fucking you in front of our teammates was unprofessional."
"Steve said that?"
"In his own words," he let out a breathy sigh and rubbed his hard length against you, "you feel that, babe? That's what you do to me every day. Every time I watch you fight, when you stumble into the kitchen half-asleep in the mornings, or when you get mad at paperwork, it doesn't matter. I always want you, want to hold you, fuck you senseless."
"Please," you start pulling up on the flowing garment in the way of his gorgeous body, "please, let's get out of these."
"Mmm, I love how eager you are, baby." He pulled the clothing over his head in one swift motion, but stopped your hands as they pulled at your own fabric. His large hands engulfed yours, forcing you to slow your movement up your thighs.
"I can't do this if you're unsure in any way, doll. I want you for more than a night, more than a few months. This can only happen if you want to be mine as much as I want to be yours." He nuzzled his nose against yours, his mouth open so close to yours.
You tried to taste him again, but he moved just out of reach as he waited for your answer. "I've been yours, Bucky...always have been." He groaned into your mouth as your tongues met again, slowly savoring one another. He pulled the garment further up to your hips. His thumbs caressed your hips on either side before he moved them back to grab your ass. "Mmm, so soft."
You whined as he continued to slowly bring the fabric up your body, molding his hands to your sides as he went. He finally removed it, but just as you thought he would ravish you, he pulled himself back. Your collective pants of want filled the silence of the dark room. You heard him take a shaky breath as you felt his hands gently touch your cheeks, moving down your neck and the sides of your breasts before stroking your waist. The wait made your skin even more sensitive; trails of goosebumps were the evidence of his light touch. "God, I wish I could see you," he groaned.
Unable to help yourself any longer, you smoothed your palms down his chest and abs, feeling the softness of the steely muscle. You felt your heart skip a beat at the light gasps he let out as your hands explored him. As your touch traveled lower, he stopped your movement and leaned forward. "Please...everything in me wants to savor you first. You're making a mess of me, doll." His lips met yours again as he lowered himself, before kissing his way down your neck. Sharp bolts of pleasure shot through you with every touch, every kiss. He was igniting you in a way you've never felt, and the intensity you experienced with each pass of his lips was leaving you breathless. His hands molded over your breasts, and you once again relished the duality of cool and hot, soft and hard.
"You're so gorgeous and so, so responsive for me." He smoothed his fingers over your hard nipples, circling them gently and making you ache even more for him. The sensations jolted through your body, and you could feel yourself grow wetter with each caress. Bucky added his soft tongue to the mix, alternating between lapping at each peak and sucking lightly. As he made his way down achingly slowly, his teeth grazed your breast and sensitive stomach.
His warm breath set you on fire, and you were torn between pulling him up for more kisses and lifting your hips to align his mouth with your core.
You felt his lips on you first, softly kissing your clit. You let out a pleased, breathy moan as he eased into it, warming you up with gentle kisses and suction. Then, his tongue swept across your clit and you yelped at the pleasure.
He hummed deep in his throat, and you felt the vibrations from his mouth on you. "Ah, fuck," you uttered, unable to hold back all the sounds he was coaxing from you. Your hands released the sheets they were gripping beneath you to grab Bucky carefully by his hair. You accidentally tugged the strands once he started moving back and forth on the perfect spot, and he groaned in pleasure.
He grabbed your thighs rougher than before, and you could feel him grind against the bed as he tasted you. You felt yourself clench tighter.
The contrast of his hands on each of your thighs heightened the sensations of his tongue. You felt as though you would burst when he lifted his head to groan, "Mmm, I've been missing out."
"Bucky, I want you in me so bad" you gripped his strands again, eager for him to enter you.
"And I want you to come first, doll," he started thrusting his tongue into you, teasing you with what he knew you wanted.
"I'm, mmm, going to explode if you don't fuck me," you shook, feeling yourself losing control as he flattened his tongue against your clit.
"Fuck yes, please explode for me."
It was easy to comply with his command as he started to swirl his tongue on the perfect spot. You gasped, and he knew you were done for. "Mmmhmm," he vocalized deeply, urging you to release for him. He pressed two fingers inside, flexing them and massaging with a skilled rhythm as his colder fingers smoothed over your nipple. Your pleasure rose and burst, rumbling through your entirety.
"So delicious..." he nipped at your quivering thighs as you came down.
You caught your breath for a moment before moving to sit up. "Please, Bucky, please let me taste you."
He groaned deeply, almost growling. "If I let you do that now, I'm done for sweetheart. Another time, I promise."
"Let me ride you then? Fuck, I need you, I want to make you feel good."
"You're already making all my dreams come true, doll" he lays down and you quickly straddle him. He's so hard and hot against your cunt, and you can't help but slowly rub yourself up and down the underside of his length. You lean forward, suddenly desperate for his taste again. He's just as ready for the kiss, leaning up to catch your lips and tongue with his own. You lose yourself for a moment as you devour each other, before Bucky's whimper alerts you to his need.
You move your hips to catch the head of his thick cock and sink down gradually, allowing yourself to both adjust to his size and fully appreciate the moment.
"That's it...you're so perfect." He twitched inside you as you sat all the way down, stilling yourself for a moment once you fully engulfed him. You stay this way, feeling full, as his hands caress your hips. He drags them down your quivering thighs, which ignites you to lift up and slowly push back down. You can feel him trembling beneath you. It's as if you're both fighting the all-consuming passion you feel inside by keeping this leisurely pace, but you want to savor your first time together and remember every second. With each gentle drag of your hips, his groans become more drawn out and louder.
Bucky breaks first. "Fuck, I've got to..." he sits up and grabs you, flipping you around to the bottom. He's shaking with need as he grips your thighs and lifts your hips before entering you. You don't know how long you can handle this new angle, it's so good and hits everything inside of you just right. He leans forward enough that your clit slides against him with every thrust, which are steady and deep.
"You're going to make me come again" you breathe out, trying to not sound as desperate as you undoubtedly are. 
“That’s what I’m hoping for, doll.”
You grip his rocking hips with your thighs, trapping him against you. You’re so close and need to feel him as closely as possible while he fucks into you. 
“That’s so hot, baby” he whimpered, “squeezing me like that, fuck. I’ll stay here as long as you need, sugar.”
He leans down to nip at your ear, groaning  “I only want to here between your luscious thighs, baby. Need your cunt, yeah, need you like this all the time. So perfect for me…” Bucky's words turn into moans and whimpers mixed with your name.
You could feel him swelling inside you, his hips wildly thrusting now. Your own end was blossoming throughout your body, quickly building. “Cum inside me, Bucky, it’s safe. Please.”
His groans came out with every movement now, and the sound of Bucky coming undone made you get there first. Your thighs trembled against him as your orgasm took over your muscles, your eyes rolling back in pleasure. At the peak of your bright, spasming pleasure, you felt the heat of Bucky’s cum filling you. He looked euphoric as he gasped and fucked into you with a few more powerful strokes as you both let go of everything together. 
Bucky took a moment to catch his breath, then gently brought his face close to yours, kissing your lips and neck reverently. “You're finally all mine…needed you for so long…” He mumbles against your skin as he stays inside of you, your bodies still together. You spread your fingers over his beating heart and doze off happily.
You drift slowly out of a comfortable dream as the dance of light is perceived through your closed eyes. You feel so warm, so safe. As you shift, you feel Bucky move to pull you closer, and you smile.
It’s too cozy to get up or even to open your eyes, so you just nuzzle closer to him, feeling his bare skin against yours. He drags his fingers through your hair and you feel him sit up slightly. His touch moves down your neck and shoulders. “Fuck, you're gorgeous, baby. You open your eyes to meet his heated gaze as it drifts over your body. Something about the moment feels otherwordly, like you’re both still dreaming, but as you hear the quick turn of the door handle and the click of a camera, you both turn your eyes to see Tony himself.
“Oh shit…um, guys, hang back. DO NOT COME IN, I repeat, DO NOT COME IN!” He quickly backs away and runs outside as you hear the Quinjet landing. Bucky and you stay frozen for a minute as you hear him take off outside. 
Bucky takes a deep breath. “He doesn't even know what's coming to him, now. And don't worry, doll. Tony Stark's not going to get a free nude from either of us.” You give him a soft kiss as you both stand up to get ready for the ride home. “I can think of a few ways to get him back, Bucky. You?”
“Of course, doll. Let's discuss this in your room when we get back?”
“Can I use the whiteboard?”
He laughs as you pull on your clothing. “Yes. You could even make a PowerPoint if you want, baby.” 
“Thanks, Bucky. At least he didn’t get an embarrassing picture of us in muumuus….right?”
Bucky's eye roll that day was legendary.
Thanks so much for reading! 
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emilyprentissluvr · 17 days ago
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A Special Gift (Don't Blame Me: Chapter 7)
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Emily Prentiss x Reader
Warnings: Typical Criminal Minds stuff
Words: 3.2k
EMILY WAS the first to arrive at Howard Barnes's apartment. She waited outside the door with her gun in her holster. Hotch had given her clear instructions to wait for SWAT and the rest of the team.
Emily had planned to wait, but when Hotch felt the need to reiterate it, she couldn't shake the feeling that she might be in serious trouble with her boss. 
Was it deserved? Probably.
But as long they caught Y/n, Emily couldn't care less about the consequences that came her way from doing so. 
"Geez, you got here quick," JJ panted as she jogged over to Emily. The three flights of stairs were enough to make her break a sweat, something that had never happened before she'd gotten pregnant.
"It was only ten minutes away from my apartment," Emily started as she turned to her friend, but was taken aback when she saw a deep gash from JJ's forehead to her eyebrow. A bandaid covers most of the cut. "Oh god. What happened, JJ?" Emily asked as her finger hovered over the bandaid, blood starting to seep through the fabric.
JJ quickly pushed away Emily's worried hands, "I was putting away the dishes and accidentally dropped a plate on my face while reaching for the top cabinet. I'm fine, Em, I didn't have time to glue it." JJ said softly.
"Okay," Emily nodded skeptically, "I have some medical glue in the car, I'll fix it after we're done here," Emily said, and JJ just nodded silently. Emily wanted to ask more, but she could hear the rest of the team from down the hallway, so she decided to save her questions for later. 
The SWAT team came, and when they cleared the apartment, they let the BAU in.
"Howard Barnes, a 28-year-old science teacher at Saint Luther High School." Penelope relayed on the phone from her lair at Quantico.
"Well, it was Y/n," Derek crouched down by the body, "Single gunshot to the head and the angel wing," Derek continued. 
Spencer was crouched next to Derek, noting the body's warmth and lack of rigor mortis,  "Time of death had to have been less than an hour ago," Spencer added.
"Damn, we were close. Did the neighbors call it in?" Rossi asked Hotch. 
Emily looked up from the body and saw Hotch staring at her blankly. And honestly, that look was scarier than his usual frown.
"I called it in. I was on the phone with Y/n when she shot him." Emily said, earning a resounding "What?!" from everyone.
"Why do you still have her number?" Derek asked.
"Why would she call you?" Spencer added.
"I'll explain later. Can we focus on the case, please?" Emily asked a slight pleading in her tone.
"Prentiss is right, let's focus on the case," Hotch told the rest of the team before turning to Emily, "Well, talk later."
Emily nodded, happy to delay the berating for later.
"Can you see if any of the students or staff filed a complaint or reported him," Emily asked Penelope as she recalled her phone call with Y/n.
"Hmm, let me check... Three years ago, a student anonymously reported Mr. Barnes for sexual harassment. Oh geez, the school didn't even look into it, they just swept it under the rug. Good thinking, Em." Penelope said as her fingers typed over the keyboard.
"Well, he fits victimology," JJ noted as she looked anywhere but the body. The nausea in her stomach started to roll at the sight and smell.
"How does she find all these guys, though?" Derek asked.
"Well, there's never a shortage of perverts in DC," Emily muttered, causing Hotch to send her another look.
Derek ignored Emily's comment as he gestured to the body, "I mean that this guy and all her other victims look perfect on record. Does she background-check every guy in the cities she kills?"
"Approximately 47% of the DC population is male, with a total population of 591,833-" Spencer started before Hotch abruptly cut him off. If the statistics had been relevant to the conversation, Hotch would have kept Spencer talking. "Garcia, would it be possible for her to create a computer program like that?" Hotch asked the technical analyst over the phone.
"I mean, it is possible. But hacking into sealed documents is a whole other ball game. Especially when its government sealed like some of the victim's files," Penelope answered.
"Okay, I want you to look deeper into that. See if there are any online forums that she could be using to find her victims," Hotch told Garcia before hanging up the phone.
Emily had been looking around the apartment, unintentionally tuning out the team's conversation, when her eyes landed on the kitchen counter. She'd completely forgotten that Y/n had left something for her.
The brunette walked over to the counter and saw a small gift bag and what looked to be a manuscript. 
Emily picked up the papers, flipped through them, and noted that there had to be at least 300 hundred pages of words. She felt someone walk up behind her before she heard Derek's voice, "What's that?" he asked as he looked at the papers in her hand.
"Something Y/n left for me," Emily sighed as she handed it to Derek and reached over to grab the gift. 
"Her next book?" Derek asked as he started to read the words on them, "Huh, I thought her being a ghost writer was a cover," Derek muttered to himself, referencing back to the first night they'd come in contact with Y/n.
Emily hummed in acknowledgment as she took out the tissue paper and saw a small gold charm at the bottom of the bag. She pulled a pair of gloves out of her pocket before grabbing the charm. 
She held it at eyesight and noted it to be some kind of bird. The embedded diamonds were shining from the kitchen light, and Emily knew this had to be expensive.
"It looks like a blackbird," Spencer said as he walked up next to her. "Blackbirds symbolize transformation, inner strength, and freedom," He continued as he observed the charm for himself. 
Emily frowned as she stared at it, was it some sort of sign? Did the symbolism have meaning for Y/n, or was this something else to throw the team off? Or maybe Y/n just wanted to impress Emily with something shiny. 
The brunette was still trying to piece it together when she heard a gasp from behind her. She and Spencer quickly turned around to see JJ flipping through the manuscript, "Oh my god," JJ said as she held the papers up to the team, "I know this book series! Will's nieces love it," JJ continued.
"Nieces?" Derek asked, practically voicing everyone's surprise that Y/n wrote novels for kids.
"Yeah, I think this is the fifth or sixth book in the series," JJ said as she recalled looking at the novels on the little girls' bookshelf, "The series is about an orphaned teenage girl named Angela, who's trying to solve her parent's murder. Or at least that's what I got out of the synopsis on the back. " JJ finished as she put the manuscript back on the table.
Hotch nodded as he took JJ's words in, "Do you remember the author on the covers name?"
"Ana Wells," JJ responded as she pulled her phone out and scrolled through her photos. "She's a real person, too," JJ said as she showed a picture of Will's nieces with a middle-aged woman at a bookstore meet and greet. 
"I'll have Garcia look into it more tomorrow," Hotch said as they all stared at the manuscript.
"I'm sorry, but this is just crazy." Derek scoffed, breaking the silence. "How the hell does she have time to murder hundreds of people, taunt us, and then also write what looks to be a best-selling children's book series."
"She's like serial killer Barbie," JJ muttered, her exhaustion and hormones enough to loosen her usual professionalism. Derek chuckled but was cut off by Hotch's sharp gaze. 
"She left all this for you?" Spencer asked Emily, getting the group back on task.
Emily nodded, "Yeah, but... I don't know why. Providing us with the manuscript and the name of the author she writes for benefits us, not her." 
"Well, maybe she's trying to tell you something with the manuscript and the charm." Rossi pointed out, and Emily just shook her head, "But what?"
"That's what we have to figure out," Hotch said, "But it's late, so we'll pick up tomorrow. Luckily, I was able to get a hold of Gideon, so he should be by tomorrow morning. Hopefully, With his insight, things will start making more sense." Hotch said before dismissing the team. Emily tried to escape, hoping Hotch wouldn't remember, but when she heard her last name ring through the apartment, she accepted defeat and turned around to meet Hotch's disappointed eyes. 
"A word," He said, gesturing for her to follow him into the hallway.
She nodded, instructing JJ to wait by her car so she could tend to her cut after her hopefully brief conversation with the unit chief. 
"Why did you not inform me you were talking to Y/n?" Hotch asked, getting straight to the point. 
"I was going to," Emily swears, "I just wanted to get enough out of Y/n before telling you." As she said it aloud, she realized how bad it sounded. But in her defense, it wasn't as if anything crazy had happened. 
"But that's not your call to make." Hotch said shortly, "For this team to work, I have to trust the people on it."
"And you can trust me. I just couldn't risk you cutting contact with the only lead we have."
Hotch raised an eyebrow at Emily's argument, "So, I can trust you, but you can't trust me to make the right calls for this team?"
"That's not what I'm saying-"
"Prentiss, if you're too close to this case, I will not hesitate to remove you from it," Hotch interrupted. 
"I am not too close to this case," Emily argued back, trying to keep her voice down and not yell like she wanted to. "I apologize for not telling you, but I'm getting somewhere with her, Hotch. And if you pull me off the case, chances are Y/n is just going to move on," Emily said.
Did Emily feel slightly conceited saying that? Yes.
But was it true? Also yes.
Y/n may have been toying with the whole team, but it was mostly Emily that she showed interest in, and Hotch and the whole team could see that. 
The Unit Chief thought silently for a moment before relenting. "Fine, you can stay in contact with her. But I want past and future conversations relayed through Garcia. And I want to be briefed every day."
Emily nodded, relief filling her chest, "Yes, sir."
Hotch studied the brunette momentarily, hoping he made the right call, "If you do something like that behind my back again, I will remove you from this case. Am I clear?"
"Yes sir," Emily nodded again before her boss dismissed her. 
Well, that had been easier than she thought. Honestly, she'd expected a lot more pushback from Hotch. But right now, they needed as many leads as they could get. 
A slight shiver ran through Emily as she headed to her car. The moon and the stars illuminate the parking lot, and Emily's reminded once again how late it is. " He read you the riot act?" JJ asked as she stood perched on the hood of Emily's car. Emily chuckled as she unlocked the car, "If it were any other case, he probably would," 
JJ hummed as she watched Emily pull out a medical kit from the passenger seat compartment. Emily motioned for the blonde to take a seat as she pulled out all the items she needed. "Jesus, JJ." Emily gasped as she carefully pulled the bandaid off and realized just how deep the cut was. 
"Maybe we should go to the hospital-" Emily started before JJ cut her off. "It's fine, Em. Just bleeding a lot." JJ insisted sharply. Emily held her hands up in surrender as she dabbed the cut with disinfectant. 
"I thought part of being pregnant meant your partner does everything for you," Emily said, trying to lighten the mood, and to her relief, JJ chuckled a little. "We both work full-time jobs and if I left everything up to Will, our house would be a wreck." 
Emily hummed, adding another tally to the reasons she disliked Will. 
"Well then, let him put away the dangerous dishes," Emily smiled as she pulled the medical glue out of the bag, "We can't be ruining our money maker," Emily teased as she held the cut together. "Ass," JJ muttered under her breath, and Emily smiled. 
She worked quietly as she patched up JJ's forehead. She was lost in thought when she felt JJ's eyes staring at her. "What?" Emily asked, not liking the look on her friend's face.
"It was Y/n calling you earlier, wasn't it," JJ said, her voice soft and lacking judgment. JJ didn't understand why Emily hadn't told them. But she trusted her friend and knew that there had to be a good reason for not telling the team.
"Yeah," Emily sighed as she finally put the bandage over the glued cut. "I know it was stupid; you don't have to tell me," Emily defended, an instinct even though there wasn't a hint of judgment in the blonde's eyes. "Did I say anything?" JJ chuckled, used to Emily's ways by now.
"Sorry. I just... I know what I'm doing."
"Again, did I say anything?" JJ said with an eyebrow raised. 
"No, you didn't" Emily shook her head, "Sorry, I just really want this case over," Emily muttered as she squeezed JJ's shoulder, signaling that she'd finished tending to her cut. 
"As do I. But I have a feeling that's not going to happen anytime soon." JJ said as she hopped out of the car. Emily hummed in acknowledgment before saying goodbye to JJ. She made sure her friend was safely in her car before heading out for the ten-minute drive back to her apartment.
●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●
It was 7:30 in the morning when Emily walked into the BAU. Usually, she was the one to cut it close, barely arriving to work on time. But she could barely sleep last night and couldn't stand the eerie silence that had fallen over her apartment. Hence, her being the first one at work.
Although, when she arrived at her desk, she saw three people in Hotch's office. The unit chief, Rossi, and what looked to be Gideon were deep in conversation, looking at case files. Emily's eyes widened at the sight of them. 
She knew Gideon was coming obviously, but it was still a shock to see the man. She was dreading the awkward reunion that was bound to happen in a couple of hours and decided to keep herself busy.
 Last night she had texted Y/n asking where she'd gotten the blackbird charm and about the manuscript.
But to her surprise, the younger woman never answered. Usually, Y/n would get back to her within 5 minutes, so what was going on? 
A part of her wanted to believe that it didn't have anything to do with the fact that she'd told Hotch about their contact. But she wasn't naive enough to believe that it didn't have anything to do with Y/n not answering her back. 
She decided to put her phone away and focus on the other case files that she'd neglected since coming across Y/n. 
It was about an hour later when the rest of the team slowly filtered through the bullpen. 
"Gideons here?" Derek asked as he sat at his desk, the surprise in his voice mirrored Emily's earlier in the morning. 
"Yup," Emily nodded. "I honestly didn't think he was going to come so soon."
Spencer scoffed, something so unlike him that Derek and Emily couldn't help but pause their conversation as they stared at the youngest profiler. 
Wow, this was going to be a long day. 
"Well, whatever he knows must be important if he's coming out of retirement to consult with us," Derek said with a shrug as they all stared at Hotch's office. The blinds were pulled down but the three senior profilers were still in there, none of them having left since Emily arrived. 
Spencer scoffed again, "It also means that he's been close this entire time. We just weren't enough for him to want to come back." 
"Spencer-" Emily started with an empathetic sigh.
"I'm getting coffee," Spencer said, pushing his chair back forcefully as he practically stomped to the kitchenette, ignoring the concerned glances thrown his way. 
"I take it your guys's talk yesterday didn't help." Emily sighed as she turned towards Derek. 
"What do you think," Derek said as he gestured to Spencer who was furiously adding sugar to his coffee.  
Emily hummed when suddenly Hotch's office door opened. "Conference room. Now." He said as he headed down the walkway with Rossi following after him. Gideon gave Emily and Derek a small nod of acknowledgment before following after the two men. 
"This should be fun," Emily sighed as they headed to the round table. 
"Tell me about it," Derek murmured as he took his seat next to Emily. Spencer came in and sat as far away from Gideon as he could. 
As soon as the two blondes took their seat Gideon rose. "I know I'm not here under the best circumstances," He said and if it was possible, the room was even more stiff and awkward than it was before. 
"But I'm here to help you guys, and even if you don't want it, you're going to need it," Gideon said as he grabbed a small box from the floor next to him and put it on the table. "I was the one that sealed the case in 1992." He finished as he handed the files over to the team.
"Why would you seal an unsolved case?" Derek asked, the confusion written over his face.
"Because it's not unsolved. We found the Wood Stalker in March of 1992, dead in his cabin from a single gunshot to his head." Gideon explained.
"Why isn't that in any of the files?" Penelope frowned.
"It's not in any of the files because I wanted to protect the person that turned him in" Gideon sighed as he ran a hand through his short hair. 
"Who turned him in?" JJ asked.
"His eight-year-old daughter. Who was also the one that killed him." Gideon answered.
"What?" The rest of the team said in unison.
"I sealed it for her, she didn't need the whole world knowing what she'd done just to stay alive," Gideon said honestly. 
"And everyone was just okay with that?" Spencer asked snarkily, notable not about the case and more of the fact that it was Gideon he was talking to. "The brass was different back then. The killer was gone and that's all they cared about. Other agencies backed my decision, although I didn't understand their reasoning why."
"What agency?" Emily asked with a frown.
"CIA. And I still don't know why, but I think we're going to find out soon." Gideon said and Emily looked at him skeptically, "How can you be so sure?"
"Because your unsub, Y/n,  is the daughter of the Wood Stalker."
A/N: If I were to do a tag list, would anyone be interested in being on it? Thanks for reading!
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timershop4 · 2 months ago
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Best Dome Light Dimmer Circuit
Add several modern features to the basic dome light that monitors ignition and add the best dome light dimmer circuitthat provide modern car functionality to the dome light.
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grimm-writings · 9 months ago
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hello! <3 i read your dungeon meshi stuff and it was great!! is it alright if i request some relationship headcanons with chilchuk? preferably with a male s/o, but gn is alright too! thank you sm! i hope you have a good day.
chilchuck relationship headcanons!!
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…ft! chilchuck x m! reader
…tags! fluff, mentions of chilchuck's wife, chilchuck bisexuality crisis, teeny weeny hurt/comfort, talk of marriage, just word vomit tbh
…wc! 1561 (UHM...)
…notes! m! reader food come get it!!!!!!!! thank you for giving me the opportunity to go crazy stupid with this request anon i love chil so much is it obvious yet
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Ok let’s get one thing straight.
(He isn’t.  Haha.)
But!  In all seriousness, Chilchuck has one thing he needs to do before considering a committed relationship.
Yep, even with all the longing glances, late night conversations, and helping each other learn and grow, he has to delay the fruition of your relationship until after everything after the dungeon dies down.
Well… he just needs to talk to his past lover first.  He needs to have a long, long conversation with her, and he’ll be sure to mention you too.
He relays this to you during the great feast privately.  Despite his nervousness, the sigh of relief that escapes him is noticeable.  His shoulders slack and he closes his eyes.  Finally, it’s off his chest.
Before we talk about the actual relationship, though, let’s talk about stuff that happened during the pining phase!  Yay!
Chilchuck only had one flame his entire life, and that was his childhood friend.  He never really ‘dated’, never really had any sort of time to explore his feelings for anyone else.
To put it plainly, he had no idea he was into guys.
“I dunno, Senshi was always kind of handsome,” Chilchuck notes with Laios, and his doppelganger nods in agreement. You and Marcille pause for a second, processing the words the two men said.  Like a house pet that has certain opinions regarding these sorts of people, you side-eye one another. “How would you know that?”  You challenge. In response, one of the Chilchucks glances over at you – the more tired looking one – and he shrugs.  “Not anyone would have the kinda bold look in his eyes he has.  The pinnacle of masculinity,” he huffs with a small grin, as if daydreaming of the very such thing. You have no words.  You quite simply don’t.
It’d be a major “oh FUCK” moment when he does realise.  Honestly the entire realisation of feelings for Chilchuck is Good Medicine but times a billion.
He’s pacing he’s pulling at his hair he’s questioning how the HELL did this happen.
If he has a pillow he is screaming into it more often than he normally does.
If you’re more on the masculine side, or are a dwarf, this man is a right mess around you.
Like he’s stammering constantly and hates himself for it.  Constantly red in the face around you and has to excuse himself.
But like . Not in a gay way or anything.
(Seriously if you think how he avoids his friends is ridiculous, this is eleven times worse.)
It takes some time, but I can imagine there’s a moment in the dungeon where you kissed at least once.
Chilchuck is the one to break away first, his eyes wide and face beet red.  It doesn’t take long for him to take his hands away from where they were, interlaced with yours, to hold his face and drag his skin down in dread. “...Did you like it?”  You nervously ask.  He’s the king of mixed signals… The half-foot nods slowly, still looking like he experienced some form of unwanted enlightenment.  “Yuh–huh,” he squeaks. You smile.  That’s good enough for you.
Marcille definitely picks up on SOME tension though.  She’s oddly observant of that sort of thing.
Once you actually reveal to the party that you’re seeing each other post-canon, Marcille disrespectfully shouts “I KNEW IT!”
As Chilchuck and her have an arguing match about that, you’ll look at Laios who looks shocked.  He had no idea.  Some things never change.
Senshi and Falin are normal and actually just congratulate you.  Give them hugs for me.
BUT FINALLY ONTO ACTUAL RELATIONSHIP HEADCANONS!!!!!! (This is like 600 words so far.)
He’s still uneasy about a lot of things.  He has a deep-rooted fear of messing this up again.
When the relationship is established he might distance himself for a bit.  Not on purpose, mind you, he’s just… not sure of what to do, and he’d rather not do anything at all than mess up.
Chilchuck no that in turn is messing up noo!!!!
You’d have to tell him this and he’ll try and turn his behaviour around instantaneously.  He’ll be nervous and frustrated with himself, but take it slow and he’ll come around eventually.
His nicknames are … unique.
He’ll use stuff like “idiot” with the greatest affection in his eyes and a soft grin, but he’ll say “hey handsome” with the most dripping sarcasm and sneer.  Why is he like this—
Play with his strands of grey hair and he’s so flustered, swatting your hand away.  If he’s tired and cuddling into you, though, he… well, he wouldn’t mind it.
Speaking of cuddling!  He didn’t really do much like cuddling in his previous relationship, to your surprise.  He just shrugs and says he and his old flame weren’t that kind of people.
This is how you inadvertently find out Chilchuck is a wombo combo of touch starved and too embarrassed by it to do anything about it.  How does he live…?
He knows himself if you’re not a half-foot that him being a big spoon is too ridiculous of a notion.  Yeah, he immediately assumes he has to be the one spooning you.  He realises with time though that he… drastically prefers being in your arms.  Feeling secure, loved…  He really really likes it.
Not like you can ever get him to admit it verbally.
(You can still see it from how he relaxes into you and smiles as he drifts off into dreamland.)
It’s been a long day, and Chilchuck wants nothing more than to see you.  You look up from where you were sitting when your boyfriend enters the house and smile.  “Good evening, love.” God, your smile.  If he didn’t know he’d be coming home to this, then the work day wouldn’t have been worth it.  He sighs and smiles, walking to you and immediately falling onto your lap.  His face tucks itself into your stomach and his arms wrap around your middle. “Hm, someone’s tired,” you remark with a grin.  Chilchuck merely groans into your form. Sparing him from any teasing, you card your fingers through your hair.  You can already feel how he melts into you as he loses consciousness. You lean down and kiss the shell of his ear.  “Sweet dreams, Chil.”
For a long time, he struggles with actually calling you his boyfriend.  It’s not like he’s ashamed of you, it’s just…  It’s always been “my wife” for such a long time.  He still can’t quite fathom this change in his life.  That you’re his and he’s yours.
Eventually, he’ll be the one to proudly proclaim “my boyfriend!” when he gets the chance to mention you.  He’s quite proud of the fact he’s got you, after all.
His kisses are usually quick and brief pecks on your temple or if he’s not in reach, your hand or shoulder.  
Ugh can you imagine him taking your hand and giving a kiss to the back of it?  And you can feel his thumb ghost over your knuckles reassuringly before wishing you farewell to work?  Dying dead.
Kiss him and he’s always taken aback every time.  He still won’t be able to comprehend it no matter how many times you’ve done it.
(To be slightly on the more suggestive side… really likes making out when in the mood.  He can do that for hours with him on top of you.  Though he wouldn’t mind being underneath if he considers it…)
He daydreams more often than he likes, especially early in the relationship.  He’ll feel ridiculous for it, like some lovestruck schoolboy but… well, yeah, he IS utterly enamoured with you!  Don’t be surprised if you catch him staring at you or checking you out in some way.  Call him out, and he’ll flush with a furrowed brow and glance away.
His love language mostly comes in the form of acts of service.  Although there’s a slight bit of gift giving too.  He likes giving you wordworks or embroidery he made if he knows you like it.  Maybe he’ll make you a teddy or ragdoll if you’re into that!
You also get Chilchuck thinking about the impossible after a while.  He doesn’t try to make a big deal out of it, but it’s kinda hard when…
“I think I can give marriage a second chance,” Chilchuck says out of the blue to you one relaxing night in bed.  His hair is messed up by you burying your head into it, and your lover is tucked into your chest, holding onto your waist. His words certainly catch you off guard, and for once Chilchuck doesn’t make a thing out of being the one to fluster you for once.  Instead, he tucks his nose into your neck and sighs.  “I just…” he pauses for a few seconds.  “I think I can do it right this time.  If you’re here with me.  I think I can do it.” The silence is thick with a kind of tenderness you’d only associate with the colour pink.  It’s deep and you can feel your face glow in the heat. You pull Chilchuck closer and kiss his head. “I’d really like that Chilchuck.  I really would.” He chuckles slightly at the soft sensation, closing his eyes again. “Thank you,” he says, “I mean it.  I couldn’t have made it this far without you.”
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ww2yaoi · 10 months ago
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[here's a little taste of a multi-chapter clegan post-war fic I've been working on. note: I've taken creative liberties with the timeline and John and Gale's post-war lives. it's very much intentional]
Winter 1948
Marjorie Cleven dies on a Tuesday in December, two weeks before Christmas Eve.
John gets the call a few days later. Gale’s voice is steady on the other end of the line, but John knows his heart is broken. It’s the first time they’ve spoken since Marge got sick. After the wedding, there had been some letters exchanged, few and far between, but John has always been a crummy pen pal. There were reunions, but those were annual at most, and John rarely stuck around past a couple of drinks and a war story or two. When they got back stateside in ‘45, he thought the distance would be good for Gale, thought it would help put their past far behind them.
Now, in hindsight, it seems futile. John feels it all rushing back, like VE Day was just yesterday and Gale’s boots are still underneath his bed.
It’s warm in southern Florida. The sun beams down on the tarmac, hot enough to fry an egg on the airfield, sunny-side-up. John watches from the control tower as planes taxi below him. His trainees will be on furlough soon, but he won’t be going home for Christmas this year. Any excuse to maintain the two thousand miles between him and Gale.
It doesn’t last. John should’ve known he could never keep away for long.
Spring 1949
The back of the cab smells like menthol cigarettes and cheap cologne. John drums his fingers against his thigh, feeling suddenly restricted by his uniform now that he’s been let loose in the civilian world. Laramie, Wyoming passes by his window, a cluster of shops and banks and schools on a stretch of agricultural land bisected by historical railways and boxed in by mountains on all sides. The air is thinner here than in Manitowoc, and there are no waterfronts to be found. The terra firma is dusty and brown, the sun a sepia pinprick hanging low in the sky.
The cab weaves through neighbourhoods of modest-looking houses. John had handed the driver the address on a slip of yellowy paper, which Gale had relayed over the phone. John doesn’t know how close they are to his destination, but he can feel his anxiety rising like bile in his throat. He makes nervous conversation, the driver mentioning the geology museum, the fact that the town was named after a French fur trapper who disappeared somewhere in the mountains. It doesn’t do much to calm John’s nerves.
“What brings you to Laramie?” the driver asks, glancing up at the rear-view mirror to get a glimpse of John.
He’s young, probably around Gale’s age. Young enough to have served at least, but he doesn’t comment on John’s uniform. He just peers at him curiously, eyes darting back and forth from the road.
“Visiting an old friend,” John says and tries not to squirm uncomfortably under his gaze. “He goes to school here.”
A moment later, the cab slows to a halt outside of a quaint-looking bungalow. John regards it from his window: white siding, yellow door, slate roof. Rose bushes line the walk-up, not yet blooming, and the grass has recently been mowed.
“Thanks,” John says, fishing a few bills from his pocket and handing them to the driver. “Keep the change.”
The driver smiles at him, close-mouthed, and pops the trunk. John slowly gets out of the car, like he’s trying to delay the inevitable, then fetches his suitcase from the back. He rests it on the sidewalk for a moment while the cab speeds away, looking at the house once more. A gaggle of kids darts down the street on bicycles. A few doors down, a lawnmower springs to life. It’s picturesque, like a postcard Gale might’ve sent him a few years back. John immediately feels out of place, still used to Nissen huts and crowded mess halls and military time. If he wants to turn back, now’s his chance, but he picks up his suitcase from the ground and forces his feet forward, climbing up the porch steps.
He thumbs the doorbell and it chimes. A dog barks gruffly inside the house. John removes his cap from his head and smoothes out his hair. He feels ridiculous, like a socially awkward teenager picking up his sweetheart for prom. His heart is in his throat as the door opens gradually, almost startling as a golden retriever pokes its head through the opening. It squeezes outside and dashes into the yard, yelping happily.
“Archie, get back here!”
John recognizes that voice. The door opens all the way, and suddenly, Gale is standing in front of him. Everything John had thought to say on his way over dies on his tongue. Gale looks practically the same, if not a bit filled out in his middle than he was during the war. His cheeks are smooth and shaven, flaxen hair styled off his forehead in a coif. John could never get used to seeing Gale in civilian clothes, but that’s how he appears in front of him now, crisp, white button-down hanging off his shoulders, navy slacks belted around his waist and brown cap-toe shoes on his feet.
They look at each other for a moment, unspeaking, then a smile splits Gale’s face in two. “Hello stranger,” he says.
“Gale.” John can’t help but return his grin. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
He holds out his hand for Gale to shake it, but Gale takes one look at his outstretched palm and instead, pulls John into a hug. It surprises John, so much so that almost all the air shoots out of his lungs at the contact. Gale’s fingers meld into the muscle of John’s back. It takes John a moment, but he eventually returns the gesture, squeezing Gale gently. They part and Gale turns his attention towards the dog, Archie, who’s taken it upon himself to start digging around in the garden.
Gale whistles. “Come here, boy,” he shouts, clapping his hands, and Archie bounds over.
He pauses to sniff John’s shoes. John crouches down and pats the dog, rubbing his ears, and is instantly reminded of Meatball.
“He’s usually not so ill-behaved,” Gale says. “He gets excited around visitors.”
“I don’t mind,” John replies, smiling down at the dog.
Archie pants, long, pink tongue hanging from his mouth, then he retreats back inside the house. Gale reaches down and picks up John’s suitcase from the porch. John straightens. They look at each other again, a bit too long without words to be comfortable, but John knows they’re both adjusting to being in close proximity again after so long.
“Lead the way,” he says, motioning towards the open front door.
Gale seems to snap out of it. “Of course, come on in.”
John steps inside the foyer and closes the door behind him. The interior is small, but well-decorated and tidy. The ocean blue walls are hung with artwork, the hardwood floors carpeted with rugs. John sets his cap down on a table peppered with framed photographs but doesn’t stop to look at any of them. He follows Gale past the dining room, down a hallway, and through the kitchen to another hallway at the back of the house. Gale opens one of the four doors that line the hall and carries the suitcase inside. John peeks his head into the guest bedroom. A double bed sits against the far wall, night tables on either side of it that host brass lamps with cream shades. On the other end of the room is a cherry wood wardrobe and an armchair to its left, upholstered in a muted green. Above it lies a square window, lace curtains pulled together to drown out the harsh afternoon light. The bedroom is sparse and unlived in, like most guest bedrooms are, but John appreciates it just the same.
“Hopefully this suits you alright,” Gale says, setting the suitcase down beside the bed.
John nods. “Suits me just fine,” he says. “Better than what I have back at base. That’s for sure.”
Gale looks at him. An emotion John can’t exactly pinpoint passes over Gale’s face, something like recognition, bordering on wistfulness.
They return to the kitchen, and Gale beckons John to sit down at a round table in the corner. Archie laps water from a bowl as Gale putters around the kitchen, opening cabinets. He appears tense, but not in his usual stiff, reserved way. His energy is almost jittery, nervous, and he taps a rhythm on the countertop. It’s not like him, at least not like the Gale John knew during the war. He pretends not to notice.
“So, how was your flight?” Gale asks eventually.
“Good,” John says and adjusts his uniform, crossing his legs. “Felt strange not being the one flying the plane.”
“I’ll bet,” Gale replies with a suggestion of a smile. “Do you want something to eat? Some coffee?” He reaches into the cabinet and produces a tin of Foldgers.
“Just coffee, thanks,” John says.
He looks around the kitchen as Gale spoons coffee grounds into the machine. His eyes trace the checkered red wallpaper, the white-tiled backsplash, the laminate countertops, the icebox in the corner. He’s never seen Gale in such a domestic setting, not even during the wedding. Maybe that’s why he stayed away for so long, even when he was invited time and time again. Perhaps he didn’t want to experience Gale so far removed from the world they both inhabited for so many years, a world where the only people they could rely on were their men and each other. Now, there’s no avoiding it. It’s all laid out for John to see.
The coffee maker beeps and steams. Gale rests his elbows against the kitchen counter and looks over in John’s general direction, but doesn’t quite meet his eyes. John doesn’t know what to say to him. He doesn’t know how to fall back into the easy camaraderie they had at the beginning, before the stalag, before the march, before the end of the war. Seeing Gale has ushered back a slew of emotions John has been distancing himself from since they parted ways four years ago. He feels like an intruder in Gale’s home, looking for Marge in the corners of the room but not finding her. Guilt stirs in his stomach, and he asks himself again what the hell he’s doing here. This isn’t his place. This isn’t his life.
“How’s training?” Gale asks. “Are the boys following their orders, Lieutenant Colonel?”
John smirks at that, partly to hide his discomfort. It feels wrong that he should outrank Gale after everything they’ve been through, flight school, then serving together, then imprisonment.
“It’s busy,” John replies and drums his fingers against the table. “They’re good kids. Fucking caterpillars though. So damn young.”
Gale smiles softly. “Were we ever that young?”
“Maybe you were,” John quips. “I feel like my bones have been creaking since before our war even started.”
Gale laughs, and the sound hits John like a fist to his sternum. He realizes suddenly that he’s missed Gale’s laugh so goddamn much. It rings in his ears, out-of-reach and yet familiar, like a favourite song of his he hasn’t heard in years has come on the radio out of the blue. For a brief moment, John regrets denying himself this for so long, even if it was the only way he could get on with his life.
“How’s school?” John asks in turn. “Master’s coming along?”
“Yeah, it’s good,” Gale says, nodding. “I like my classes. Lots of grading, lots of writing, some teaching. I’ve got a meeting on Tuesday with my advisor about my thesis.”
“Well, well, look at that,” John says, the corner of his lips twisting into a grin. “Professor Cleven.”
Gale dips his chin towards his chest, almost shy. “Not just yet, John.”
“You’re getting there,” John says. “Y’know Marge wrote to me about your thesis a year or so back, not that I understood a word. Astrophysics, not exactly my wheelhouse.”
Gale’s face falters imperceptibly at the mention of his late wife’s name, and John immediately feels apologetic for bringing her up without much warning.
“It’s not done yet,” Gale says flatly, his gaze falling from John’s face to look at his interlocked fingers resting on top of the counter. “You can read what I have though if you’d like.”
“Yeah, I might,” John says and grimaces at his own inadeptness while Gale’s eyes are elsewhere.
The coffee maker beeps and Gale goes to it, removing two mugs from the cabinet and setting them down beside it. He takes the sugar out of the cupboard and the cream from the icebox.
John bites the inside of his cheek, knowing what he needs to say but unsure if he has it in him to say it. “Buck?”
Gale’s head snaps up at the sound of the nickname. He regards John with a puzzled look, like he’s no longer used to being called anything other than Gale to his face. The name is a relic from a different time, John supposes, something that belonged to them only, and when John was no longer around to use it, there was no one else around to take up the task.
After a moment, the expression on Gale’s face smoothes out. “What is it, Bucky?”
John swallows, then pushes the words out. “I’m sorry, y’know, that I, uh, I couldn’t make it. To the funeral.”
Gale looks at him for a moment, then his face softens. “It’s alright,” he says. “Marge didn’t much like being the centre of attention anyway.” He pours coffee into the two mugs, then adds sugar to one and cream to the other. “My mother-in-law appreciated the flowers you sent.”
“Oh, good,” John says. “Azaleas were Marge’s favourite, right? I remember them from her wedding bouquet.”
Gale’s eyes grow heavy with sadness. He nods. “Yeah, they were.”
As if on cue, John hears a grumbly cry coming from one of the bedrooms down the hall. It starts off quiet, like a baby stirring from sleep, then gradually gets louder until it becomes a full-blown wail. Archie’s ears perk up before he quickly sulks away.
“Sorry,” Gale says as he grips the coffee with sugar and hands it to John. “I just put her down for her afternoon nap, but she’s in that phase where she’s rebelling against sleep.”
John says nothing, frozen in his seat as Gale crosses the kitchen into the hallway and slips inside the bedroom. John had been so caught up in seeing Gale again that he’d almost forgotten. He stares into the inky well of his coffee, too stunned to drink from it.
Gale emerges a moment later with a bundle in his arms. Now calm, the little girl clings to him, her head tucked into the crook of Gale’s neck as she sucks her thumb into her mouth. She’s wearing cream-coloured footie pyjamas with pink roses on them, her curly blonde hair tangled from sleep. Gale draws circles against her back, rocking her slightly from side-to-side. John regards her carefully. She must be at least a year and a half now, much bigger than she was in the pictures Gale had sent him however long ago.
Gale approaches the table where John is sitting. “Lucy, this is your Uncle Bucky,” he says, pointing over at John. “Can you say hello?”
Lucy turns her head and looks straight at John, and John sees the Marge in her face right away, the slight upturn of her nose, the fullness of her cheeks, the pink purse of her lips, but her eyes are all Gale, blue and round and yawning. She quickly looks away, hiding her face back in her father’s neck.
“Sorry,” Gale says again and rubs her back. “She gets shy around strangers.”
John doesn’t expect it to, but the comment stings. The fact that any child of Gale’s could be a stranger to him is borderline unforgivable.
[To be continued...]
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rea-grimm · 4 months ago
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Sleep protector Kid
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You just finished another job. You could claim to be one of the best auto mechanics in the area, and maybe the best in the area overall. 
You've worked on classic cars, you've even worked on race cars, relays and generally wherever the opportunity arose. You even got your hands on a few vintage cars. But it was mostly about looks and it was mostly cars that weren't that old that you could handle. 
But now you're in the old oil slick chair wondering how you're going to manage it all. Less than an hour ago, you had a man who had brought with him a particularly old and well-preserved car, with which he wanted to win the vintage car competition that was taking place in a few days. 
You had no idea how much delicate work was involved in such a short space of time. You saw the challenge and while admiring the car you completely missed how quickly it had to be done. It wasn't until after the man said goodbye to you with a reminder of when he was coming to pick up the car that it hit you. 
You had plenty of time to order the parts, but you were worried about everything arriving on time. Once just one part goes wrong, it will mean a delay in the overall plan. 
Every day that passed, you got more and more stressed until you couldn't sleep. And when you fell asleep, you'd wake up screaming from nightmares. 
The poor sleep made it harder and harder to concentrate on your work. Sleeping pills, stimulants, caffeine... nothing helped. 
Finally, you decided to use a supernatural store that a friend recommended. She said they have help for all your problems, and they must have something for your sleeping problem. 
You hesitantly walked into the store and looked around. There were lots of books, crystals and strange things you'd be afraid to find out where they came from. There were even a few bones and mummified fingers... 
You were about to leave when you noticed a small section of stuffed animals. And they had a great selection. You originally wanted to pick up a blue teddy bear with a hairstyle reminiscent of the Ace Ventura movies. 
But eventually you changed your mind, as your attention was drawn to another teddy bear with fiery red fur and what looked like a robotic paw. He was wearing a black vest, yellow and black spotted pants, and goggles on his head. You picked it up and looked at it closely. 
You had no idea why, but you had the impression that this was it. That this was your cure. You walked with the bear to the cash register, where your eyes searched for the cashier. 
When she came in, she looked at you with a look of shock, almost fear, and asked you again if you wanted to buy the teddy bear. She was hesitant to sell it to you at all. You got the impression that she was as worried as if it were some kind of evil relic. In the end, she sold you the stuffed animal because, in their words, you chose it. 
At home you found that although the plushie's fur was pleasant to the touch, it was slightly matted and rough. The biggest surprise, however, was that the stuffed animal was like one big magnet. It didn't stick to his fur as much, but you couldn't say that about his metal hand. Anything that attracted the magnet stuck strongly to it. 
Since the day you bought it, the bad dreams have disappeared. Or rather, a young man with hair as fiery as the teddy bear's fur had defeated and destroyed them. 
It looked like he was looking for a fight with your nightmares. All he had to do was see one, and he'd grin with satisfaction, wriggle his fingers, and go at it. The nightmares preferred to run from him. 
Then when he had nothing to protect you from in his dreams, he'd evaporate. Despite that, you got the impression he wasn't too far away. 
You were incredibly grateful that you had gotten the stuffed animal, as you could finally get back to work on the veteran that required and deserved your attention. It had always been your wish to work on a car like that, and now that you were sleeping better and the stress had sort of fallen from your body you were working better. Not that the stress had completely disappeared, but now it was the good kind of stress that drove you on. 
Every day when you fell asleep, you had an interesting dream where you encountered at least one robotic animal or element. It always resulted in some great adventure that you ended up enjoying. 
You wondered what happened to the red-haired protector. Plus, you wondered where all the robots that guided your dreams were coming from, and one day you decided to find out. 
In your dream, you followed one robot back to where it came from until you got to this shabby little booth. You walked around the box at first, but you didn't find any windows, just a door. 
You put your ear to the door and heard metal clicking here and there, and nothing else. Finally, your curiosity got the better of you and you took the handle and looked inside. It was much bigger inside than it first appeared. It was a working workshop filled with all sorts of robots and inventions. 
On one side, products were stacked and robots were divided, while on the other side, the necessary materials were laid out. Right in the middle was a table where your red-haired protector sat and seemed to be concentrating on something. 
You quietly walked in and closed the door behind you. The young man didn't seem to notice you as he was still engrossed in his work. You walked over to him and peered over his shoulder. He was in the process of creating a bird that looked lifelike. 
He was in the process of creating the bird's internal clock aside, as he carefully and precisely stacked gears, springs, and other parts. You watched the whole process with interest. 
"You're blocking my view," came the mechanic's voice after a moment, and you realized that you were being drawn closer like a magnet. 
"Sorry," you apologized, and again you stepped over to get a good look at it. The mechanic just grinned, but said nothing in response. 
Eventually it became a bit of a habit, where instead of various adventures you were tempted to watch him at work. He didn't really understand what you saw that was interesting. 
Though of course he appreciated your compliments, and until you complimented him, he was grumpy. After the compliment, he was satisfied and willing to say something extra. 
You went to the workshop to work on the car in question and unknowingly took your teddy bear with you. You didn't want to leave it lying around and get it dirty, so you decided to use its magnetic properties. 
You had a fridge in the workshop where you kept certain things for the car and water for refreshment. You attached it to the fridge door with a metal hand as a magnet. You left it hanging there while you went about your business. 
You didn't take it down until the evening when you were done and your hands were clean. You still took it to bed, and you didn't want it to get dirty with oil or diesel or anything. 
As soon as you went to bed at night, you fell asleep immediately. In the dream, you appeared in the familiar workshop. But the metal dream maker was nowhere to be seen. 
You took a few steps into the room when he suddenly appeared from nowhere, took your hands, put them above your head and pressed you against the nearest wall. 
"You look pretty damn tasty like that," he said, pulling you up on your tiptoes by your hands. "Maybe I should leave you here all day to see what it's like," he added, leaning closer to you. 
You had no idea if he was serious or not, but at that moment you were more focused on the way he leaned in close to you. How he held you and that if it was someone else, he could easily take advantage of that. 
It already looked like he was going to kiss you when he suddenly pulled away and let go of your hands. You fell to the ground in surprise. The protector turned his back to you and you had the impression that his ears were the same red as his hair. 
The deadline to finish the car was fast approaching and you were spending more and more time in the workshop. You even had an old chair that you used for little rest breaks. 
Today you were particularly tired and this time you left the teddy bear in the chair instead of attached to the fridge. 
You curled up in the chair, hugged him, and as soon as you closed your eyes, you fell asleep. But before you did, you felt like you were being held by someone's big arms around your waist instead of the teddy bear. 
You didn't know if it was already a dream or not, you felt that it was your protector, who was now there with you, holding you. 
The work on the car was nearing completion and you felt you would soon cross the finish line with it. You were sure that no matter what the competition, the vintage car had it in the bag. 
Even though you were in a kind of stressful state of mind where you just wanted to get it over with. The next day, the owner was picking up the car, and you finally got some well-deserved rest. 
You curled up in bed and fell asleep in no time. You didn't even notice you didn't have your stuffed animal with you. You must have forgotten it in the workshop, you thought before you fell asleep. 
You had no idea what you were dreaming about, but that you were jerking in your sleep and screaming. Despite that, you didn't wake up. You knew this had been happening to you since you were a little girl. You didn't know why, but you never remembered what you dreamt at that moment. 
That your sleep was only awakened when someone shook you. It woke you up instantly, and in your shock, you kicked the person out of bed screaming. You immediately reached for the wrench you had laid out on the table like a weapon. Now you were glad you accidentally took it out of the workshop with you. You swung at someone, but they grabbed the wrench like it was nothing. It was just accompanied by the sound of metal hitting metal. 
"First you scream in your sleep, and now this? What's gotten into you? ' came a grumpy familiar voice. 
It was only now that you noticed the red-haired guy sitting on the ground, holding the wrench in his metal hand so tightly you couldn't move it. You felt like you were in a dream, even though you thought you were wide awake. 
"Kid? What are you doing here? I'm sure this is just a dream," you muttered, feeling like you were probably overworked. 
You continued to babble, as you felt like your brain hadn't picked up on it. You heard Kid say something to you, but you had no idea what. 
Instead, he grabbed you around the neck with his other hand and pulled you closer and kissed you. That finally made you shut up. You were completely taken aback by it and especially by how real it felt. This was proof to you that this wasn't just a dream. 
"You're finally quiet," Kid grinned in satisfaction as I pulled away. You still didn't want to believe it was real. 
After that, he sat down on the bed next to you, sat you in his lap, put his arms around you and rested his chin on your head. 
"Its my job to protect you, silly. In your dreams and here. And from yourself too," he quipped towards the end, but the rest was honest. 
Kid was glad you picked him up at the store that day. He hated to just sit there and wait aimlessly while the dust settled on him. He didn't understand how you could be so weak and so badass at the same time. That's what he loved about you, and at least he had more opportunities to protect you. He kept that to himself though.
Kid Masterlist
Sleep Protector Masterlist
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astrobydalia · 1 year ago
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Saturn🪐
by astrobydalia
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There’s a lot of emphasis on the ‘delay’ aspect of Saturn. It is true that the house where you have this planet are themes that might be delayed in your life until your Saturn return (your 30s) or until you’re mature enough (age and maturity don’t always go hand in hand). Up until then, you could struggle to find stability in these house’ themes to the point where you might think you’re not cut out to have them like everyone else since nothing here seems to come easily or naturally.
Example:
Saturn in 4th - could face early abandonment from family (emotional and/or physical). May spend a big chunk of their lives feeling like they have no support or quite literally no family. Constantly feeling rejected by the people and places they try to call home and lack a sense of belonging. Eventually they learn what it really means to become a support system for themselves and the people they love, this might have come at the expense of their own comfort, but learned to build this stability within themselves once they mature
However, that is the most forgiving manifestation of Saturn in my opinion because it can actually do the exact opposite. Saturn placement can also show themes that are imposed on you very early on and you have to stick with for a veeeeery long time until you’re ready to mature out of it or until you know better. In other words, a karmic lesson. This is because Saturn also represents burdens
Same example:
Saturn 4th - could actually have a strong bond with their family and have a stable place to call home, but they could be inseparable from family/roots in a way that is detrimental for the native. Could feel the pressure to stick up for family and what they want at the expense of their own needs which results in another form of emotional abandonment. Family is limiting, could feel like you can’t escape from them or their influence. Ultimately the lesson is the same cause it’s the same placement, but instead of learning it through trial and error like the last case, they learn it from being hands on in a less than ideal situation
There’s also a combination of both: having to deal with a certain burden because you it’s like you lack the possibility of anything better in the long run. Following the example: could be the case that your whole family is gone and you only have one relative to relay on but they’re abusive
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Saturn isn’t here to make sure your life is crap, it can actually bring blessing if you’re patient and resilient. After all it rules karma, so it eventually delivers what’s fair. That’s why Saturn’s exalted in Libra and also because the concepts of boundaries, respecting the common rules and detaching for the sake of compromise are things both Saturn and Libra understand perfectly. “time ends up placing everything where it should be”
It’s true that Saturn is tricky because it’s all about prioritizing growth over comfort. It’s about the sacrifices that make you tougher, stronger, bigger. So at its worst it actually be very bad. The shadow of Saturn is all about doing whatever it takes for growth and benefit. In the case of Capricorn that relates to climbing the social and economic ladder. For Aquarius, that’s detaching from your humanity in order to be more ‘evolved’. It has a lot to do with detaching from your heart and soul in benefit of the 3D world, that’s why Saturn is debilitated Aries, Cancer and Leo, because these signs are all about checking in with yourself and staying true to yourself and your heart so don’t like accepting Saturn’s limitations in terms of these things. I’d argue that it can even be worse than the other ‘malefic’ planet because it’s associated to all of the things that can be devastating for any human in a permanent basis: loneliness, depression, coldness, abuse of power (saturn=limits, control, authority)
On the flip side, Saturn at its best represents everything a healthy person needs: stability, structure, boundaries, the barriers that keep you protected and responsibility. The growth over comfort motto is actually positive when channeled healthily. As we all know, in order to mature and be a better person, we have to take responsibility and compromise some of our comfort zone, we need to learn to ‘tame’ and take control of ourselves and that’s not always a walk in the park but it’s worth it at the end. This is what helps you build a solid ‘you’ and that’s what Saturn can teach you. Saturn also represents the matrix, the rules and limits of this big game so at its best, it can be the most helpful planet when it comes to teaching you how to navigate this world and to grow from your lessons. It other words it can help you manifest!!!! Saturn gives you clues on what you can do to materialize what you want, how you can translate things into reality
Saturn is actually very rewarding and liberating in the long run if you embrace the process of growth and take responsibility for yourself in the themes it is influencing in your chart. It gets to point in your life were Saturn’s like “yeah it is what it is. It sucks. Too bad. But the ball’s in your court now, what are you gonna do?”
Anyways this was a little spontaneous ramble of my thoughts. As always, don’t hesitate to share yours :)
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by astrobydalia
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ggomos-maribat · 1 year ago
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1 | in which Tim Drake tries to propose to the PA
Part 1 of No Mr. Wayne You Can't Adopt Me! | Masterlist
Bruce tried not to flinch as he sat down on his swiveling chair. He had twisted his ankle from pursuing Penguin's goons the previous night but had to cover it up for work. Sure, he was used to hiding injuries and slipping into his CEO persona, but that didn't mean his muscles weren't sore and beat-up. 
Just in time, his PA entered the office, carrying a stack of folders and a hot mug of coffee. "Here are the partnership offers I filtered from the initial pile." She placed the papers atop his desk. "I've also noticed that there is a defect in the new prototype of the research department that they are yet to attend to." 
Bruce frowned. "But isn't the demo and meeting for it scheduled today?" 
"Yes, that's why I've convinced the head supervisor to push it back to next week after they deal with the defect," Marinette reported. "I've also postponed the investors meeting to tomorrow since there was a delay in the materials." 
She lowered her voice as if relaying a secret. "I noticed you have difficulty walking today, Mr. Wayne. With your modified schedule, all your work can be done here at your desk. If there's other legwork to do, I'll take care of it." 
Somehow, in perfect timing, Marinette always managed to accommodate the times when he was injured. Bruce didn't know if he was getting bad at hiding it because of his old age or if the girl's intuition was just crazy sharp. Maybe it was both. He cleared his throat. "Thank you, Marinette. I appreciate it." 
She opened up the first folder in front of him and transferred the mug to an electric warmer. "Another skiing accident?" 
"Not as bad this time. Just a twisted ankle." 
Next, she lowered the blinds just to allow just a peek of the sunlight and prepared a snack tray on a circular table beside his desk. Bruce never communicated the particulars about his preferences and he wasn't actually picky about his office space (unlike his son-slash-co-CEO). But this PA of his, just somehow knows. Like Alfred-levels of expertise. It creeped him out a little if he were to be honest. 
She clasped her hands behind her back. "Anything else, Mr. Wayne?" 
"None at the moment, thank you." 
She raised an eyebrow. 
. . . Which drew out a sigh from him. "Fine. Can you maybe help limit Tim's caffeine intake today? He had too many cups last night and he didn't listen when I told him to take the time off today." 
"Of course, I'll do that right away." She nodded in satisfaction. 
When she left, Bruce pulled up a tab on his computer to search for the legal documents, wondering if there was etiquette about an employer legally adopting their employee. 
***
Marinette entered the office of Tim Drake after receiving a greeting from Tam at her desk beside the door. The young PA kept her hands behind her back as she approached the boy who was glued to his computer screen. Upon closer look, she could see the heaviness under his eyes, accentuated by the dark circles on his pale skin. 
"I looked into your request of acquiring a commission piece from M.D.C.," Marinette told him. 
There was only a slight shift in his exhausted expression—a downturn of the mouth—before his scratchy voice replied. "I thought they don't accept commissions anymore." 
"Yes, but I re-visited our correspondence and apparently they still make pieces for selected clients." She took a deep breath. "And I got you an in." 
The clicking of the mouse suddenly paused, followed by the widening of Tim's red-rimmed eyes. He practically crawled out of his seat to kneel before Marinette to take her hand in his. "Please marry me." 
Marinette gently pulled away. "Sorry, Mr. Drake, my contract with Mr. Wayne prohibits me from marrying or getting into a relationship with any of his children." 
"Why?!" Tim cried out.
"Perhaps he precisely predicted this kind of situation." She smiled apologetically. "And by my guess, I think he wants to adopt me first and not marry into the Wayne family." 
Not that she actually wanted to be the newest addition to her boss' family. 
With a pout, Tim retreated back to his chair while muttering about Bruce's adoption addiction. But in a second, he brightened up once more as he seemingly remembered the new opportunity he gained with M.D.C. "I have to compile my requests for the clothes!" He furiously tapped at his keyboard.
Marinette's heart went out for Tam. It looked like Tim wasn't getting proper work done that day again. 
"I will forward the list to M.D.C. as soon as it's ready," she assured. 
And while the co-CEO was immersed in researching designs in his half-conscious state, Marinette brought out the mug from behind her back and exchanged the coffee on his desk with decaf: a custom brew which was guaranteed to help him sleep for the afternoon. 
In triumph, she exchanged thumbs-ups with Tam through the glass window of the office. 
***
Marinette kept a watchful eye on Bruce's office to keep anyone from entering and disturbing the boss. But when she peeked into the room to deliver more files to him, she saw Bruce facing the open window and talking softly with Superman himself, who was at the other side of the glass. 
Fortunately, neither of them seemed to notice her. She closed the door slowly and leaned her back against it, wondering if she should be guarding the door with her life. At the strike of bad luck, one of the company executives was heading straight towards the direction of the office. 
He shot her a look as she blocked the way. Head to toe. "Mr. White," she greeted slowly.
"I have some papers Mr. Wayne must sign urgently." He narrowed his eyes. 
"Sorry." She forced out a smile. "Mr. Wayne is a little . . . preoccupied at the moment. Why don't I take those papers off your hands and I'll have him sign them later?" 
The executive clutched the stack tightly as if it were some precious treasure. "No, I need to have them signed now. If you can let me in, I'm sure Mr. Wayne won't mind a short interruption." 
He stepped to the side but she moved in his way just as swiftly. Marinette sighed inwardly. This is beyond my paycheck. And judging by how White went here on his own, it must be some fund-farming project proposal Mr. Wayne would never agree to. 
"Get out of my way!" He cried out. "Who do you think you are?!" 
"I apologize, but Mr. Wayne is meeting an important guest. Under no circumstances must he be disturbed," she told him firmly. "I'm certain the papers can wait. He's not going anywhere." 
"Listen here," Mr. White spat out. "I have more authority over you. You will do as I say right now!" 
"Mr. White—"
"I will tell Mr. Wayne how incompetent you are! Rude to company executives! How dare you speak to me like this?!" Marinette stared with disinterest as his neck turned red and his forehead threatened to pop a vessel. 
"What is going on here?" 
Marinette felt the door open behind her to reveal Bruce, looking at White with clear exasperation. What she didn't expect was a bespectacled man emerging from behind her boss clad in business clothes. 
"Mr. Wayne!" The executive squeaked. "I need you to sign these—"
"Did you not hear my PA?" Bruce punished him with a cold look. "I was receiving a guest. And you had the nerve to cause a commotion right outside my office." 
"But—" 
"Leave. Now." 
Mr. White scurried away, tail between his legs, as other passing employees whispered to each other. Marinette stepped aside to give way to the two men. 
Bruce cleared his throat. "Thank you for your time, Clark. I'll get back to you soon." 
Superman—Clark—responded with a nod and a gentle smile before excusing himself out of the area. Marinette watched his back whilst he left. If anyone looked more attentively, they'd notice that the button-up and slacks Clark was wearing was too tight for his size, pointing to the fact that they were Bruce's and not his. 
"Marinette, if you can keep quiet about . . ." Bruce trailed off, face twisting as he tried to pick his words carefully. She, of course, would know that no guest had entered his office despite Clark Kent exiting it only a few moments ago. 
"Don't worry, Mr. Wayne. I won't tell anyone about your affair with Mr. Kent," she promised before walking back to her desk. 
"Thank you . . . Wait, my what?" 
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