#a lot of people say they wish the heist was more like the one in the trailer

[mail-me-a-snail]

hey. hi. listen. can you imagine being vance. can you imagine being vance and being told you have the opportunity of a lifetime; your ticket to all the eddies you'll ever need to skip town; start fresh; never have to look over your shoulder again (though you will, always; you cannot help yourself)

with the one catch being you have to willingly return to the people you're so desperately trying to escape in the first place. you have to venture into the den and come back out without ever letting them know who you are.

and that's easy enough. that's some kind of retribution, some subtraction of assets that could give vance an uneasy sense of closure. whatever i take from arasaka is what's going to take me away from them.

but can you imagine being vance and losing your best friend in the process.

(he got you out)

(he was going to get you out again)

can you imagine being vance and staring at your reflection, at the suit you swore youd never wear again, at the blood splattered on the once pristine white.

can you imagine wondering how you ever thought you could escape it?

[meazalykov]

tis the season

lea schuller x nwsl!reader

summary: surprises are apart of the christmas holiday

for @katelynnwrites

it’s two weeks before christmas when you make the final arrangements to fly back to munich.  

the lie comes easily when you’re on the phone with lea, her voice soft and slightly tired after a long training day.

“i wish i could come,” you say, shifting on your couch as you stare at the tickets on your coffee table. 

“but the pride has me doing all this promotional stuff… media shoots, a kid’s camp, the whole thing. you know how the off-season is over here in america.”

lea hums on the other end, a pause where you can tell she’s disappointed but trying to understand. “it’s okay,” she replies, though her voice says otherwise. “i know you’re busy.”

“you’re mad,” you tease lightly, trying to keep things playful so she doesn’t linger on it too much.

“i’m not mad,” she sighs, but you can practically see the pout on her face through the phone. 

“i just miss you. christmas is better with you here.”

its time likes this when you regret leaving germany to pursue the more competitive league. yes, you weren't getting much play time at bayern (now being a starter for orlando and winning the league and championship) but at least you had your lea there with you.

“i miss you too, sonnenschein,” you reply softly, a pang of guilt settling in your chest. 

you’re lying to lea, but for a good reason—one she’ll never see coming.

getting obi on board with your plan was surprisingly easy.

“so you’re telling me you’re flying back to propose to lea,” she says when you call her later that evening. you can practically hear the grin on her face.

“yeah,” you laugh nervously. “she has no idea. i’m gonna need your help sneaking around though… like a lot of help. can i stay at yours when i get in? i just need her to not know i’m there until christmas eve.”

“obviously,” obi replies immediately. 

“this is gonna be so fun. she’s gonna kill me when she finds out i knew, but it’ll be worth it.”

“she’ll forgive you,” you grin.

obi laughs. “maybe. just don’t mess up the proposal, y/n.”

“not a chance,” you say confidently, though your heart starts pounding at the thought of the big moment.

when you arrive in munich two days before christmas eve, obi picks you up from the airport. the cold air hits you immediately, a stark contrast to florida’s weather, but it doesn’t bother you. 

the city feels like home, even though you left for the opportunities in the nwsl. your chest tightens a little as you pass familiar streets and shops on the way to obi’s apartment.

“she thinks you’re still in orlando, right?” obi asks as she pulls your suitcase into her building’s elevator.

“yep,” you confirm, stretching your arms after the long flight. 

“we talked last night. she said she’s just decorating and baking for her christmas party. apparently she invited half the bayern team.”

obi grins. “you’ll have quite the audience, then.”

“i’m not nervous about the crowd,” you lie, though your stomach flips just thinking about it.

“i’ll believe that when i see it,” obi teases, unlocking her apartment door. 

“just keep quiet while we’re here. she’ll come looking for me eventually, and i’m a terrible liar.”

“got it,” you reply, plopping onto her couch. “and thanks again for this.”

“anything for my bestfriend and her lover,” obi says dramatically, earning an eye roll from you. but you smile anyway.

it’s christmas eve, two hours into lea’s party, when you arrive at the building you once called home. obi’s beside you, grinning like an accomplice in a heist. you take a deep breath as you stare up at the lit windows of lea’s apartment. 

inside, you can hear music playing and faint bursts of laughter—probably giulia or sydney causing chaos.

“ready?” obi asks, handing you a santa hat to wear.

“ready,” you exhale.

obi opens the door, and the warmth hits you immediately as you step inside. for a moment, you’re frozen in place. the room is full of people—some of your old teammates, like tuva and giulia, as well as other familiar faces from bayern. 

sydney spots you first, her face lighting up in pure shock as she nudges giulia beside her.

“y/n?!” sydney shouts, grabbing everyone’s attention. all at once, heads turn your way, and chaos ensues.

“are you kidding me?” giulia shrieks, pulling you into a hug that nearly knocks you over.

“what are you doing here?!” sydney adds, squeezing your arm as she laughs.

“merry christmas?” you offer, grinning as tuva joins the dogpile of hugs. you’re swarmed by familiar faces, everyone excited and surprised to see you back in munich.

across the room, by the tv, you finally spot lea. she’s standing there frozen, eyes wide, her lips slightly parted in disbelief. you can’t help but laugh at her stunned expression.

“did you know about this?” lea asks obi, her voice loud enough to carry over the chatter.

obi raises her hands defensively. “maybe,” she replies with a smirk.

lea gives her a light punch on the shoulder, shaking her head with a small smile.

when you’re finally done greeting everyone, you turn your focus to her. the room seems to blur as you make your way over, her eyes never leaving yours.

“hi,” you say softly, pulling her into a hug. she holds you tightly, her face buried in your shoulder as she exhales shakily.

“you lied to me,” she murmurs into your ear, though her voice holds no anger—just relief.

“i did,” you admit, kissing her temple. 

“but it was for a good reason.”

she pulls back slightly to look at you, eyes narrowed playfully. 

“you’re lucky i love you.”

“i know,” you grin, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before leading her toward the couch.

the evening feels like stepping back into a life you still hold close to your heart. you sit beside lea, your legs tangled as the two of you share cookies from a festive tray. her hand rests lazily on your knee as sam and georgia argue over which holiday movie to put on. 

the room smells like cinnamon and pine, the soft hum of laughter filling the spaces between conversations.

it’s like you never left.

after a while, when the last of lea’s guests filter out just after midnight, you watch as she shuts the door, her movements slow as if the weight of the evening is finally catching up with her.

you finally got to say goodbye to obi, who gave you a hidden smirk before walking about the door. 

“i didn’t think i’d see you this christmas,” she says softly, turning to face you. her smile is small but filled with warmth.

“i didn’t want to miss it,” you reply, standing up to meet her in the center of the living room. the apartment feels quiet now, the twinkle lights casting a soft glow across the space.

she steps closer, her arms wrapping around your waist. 

“well, i’m glad you’re here.”

you take a deep breath, your heart pounding as you reach for her hands, gently pulling them away so you can hold them in yours. she frowns slightly, confused by the sudden seriousness in your expression.

“i need to talk to you about something,” you say quietly, meeting her gaze.

“go ahead,” lea swallows nervously.

“lea… ever since i met you back in 2020, i knew you’d be someone important to me,” you begin, your voice steady but soft. 

“at first, it was just your smile—you were so confident, so full of life when you came from essen while I came from freiburg. then i got to know you a bit more as the first season together went on, and i realized just how special you are. you’re strong, lea. not just on the pitch, but as a person. you always take care of everyone else, even when you don’t have to. you have the biggest heart, and you love so deeply… being with you has made me better in every way.”

you pause to take a breath, feeling the emotion swell in your chest. lea’s eyes are wide, her hands squeezing yours tightly. you can see the tears already gathering at the edges of her lashes, but she doesn’t say anything—she just lets you speak.

“even after i left for orlando, even with the distance, we’ve stayed strong. you’ve been my home, no matter where i am. and i want to make that official. i want to spend the rest of my life with you, lea.”

you release one of her hands to reach behind you, pulling the small velvet box from your pocket. your heart pounds as you slowly drop to one knee, your gaze never leaving hers.

lea gasps softly, her hands covering her mouth. you smile up at her, your typical confident smirk softening into something far more tender.

“so,” you say, voice light but full of emotion, “will you marry me, sonnenschein?”

“you’re… you’re insane,” she breathes, reaching into her jogger pocket. your eyes widen as she pulls out her own velvet box, and suddenly she’s dropping to one knee as well.

you freeze, blinking at her in disbelief. 

“lea, what…?”

she laughs softly, tears brimming in her eyes as she mirrors your position. 

“you think you’re the only one who plans things, liebe?” her voice is shaky, her smile trembling as she opens the box in her hands, revealing a ring that catches the warm glow of the twinkle lights.

“i’ve been carrying this for weeks,” she admits, her cheeks flushed. 

“i thought about waiting until you came back to munich for the next international break… but now you’re here. and i don’t want to wait anymore.”

there’s a moment where neither of you say anything, both of you kneeling on the living room floor, tears streaming down your faces as you stare at each other. your heart is pounding so hard you think she can hear it.

“so,” she continues, her voice soft, steady despite her shaking hands, 

“if you’ll marry me… then yes, y/n, i’ll marry you.”

“you’re proposing to me while i’m proposing to you?” you choke out, a watery laugh escaping as you wipe at your face.

“looks like it,” she grins through her tears.

you don’t know who moves first, but suddenly you’re both laughing and crying, holding each other as the rings sit forgotten between you. you pull back just enough to look at her, cupping her face as you whisper, “yes, sonnenschein. a thousand times yes.”

“and yes to you, liebe,” she replies, leaning in to press her forehead against yours.

your hands are trembling as you both reach for the rings, and you can’t help but laugh when neither of you can slide them on properly at first. “stop shaking!” you tease, though you’re no better, fumbling with her finger as you finally slide the ring into place.

“you’re shaking too,” she fires back, laughing as she slips the band onto your hand with care. for a moment, you both just stare at each other’s hands, the weight of the moment settling in.

“we’re really doing this,” you whisper.

“we are,” she murmurs, smiling softly.

you don’t know who leans in first, but the kiss that follows is deep, filled with every unspoken word, every long mile you’ve spent apart, and every promise of the future you’re now building together. 

when you finally pull away, your cheeks are wet, her eyes shining as she looks at you like you hung the stars in the sky.

“merry christmas, y/n,” she whispers.

“merry christmas, lea,” you reply, your voice soft, steady, and full of love.

masterlist

[xxsycamore]

COOLDOWN

╰┈➤ 🖤You're feeling hot, and Ellis worries that it's a result of overworking yourself again. It's too bad that his methods of helping you have the opposite effect of cooling you down.

Ellis Twilight x f!Reader • rating: E (MDNI) • tags: Semi-Public Sex; Temperature Play; Oral Sex; Cunnilingus; Sexual Tension • wordcount: 1,927 • masterlist

a/n: A BELATED BIRTHDAY GIFT FOR @nightghoul381 !!! Happy birthday dear Ghoulie!! This is just a small thank-you for all the wonderful art and fics you've blessed us with, they're always living rent-free in my head. You know which ones I'm talking about. Wishing you many more fun moments on here, gacha luck, all the Ellis content... you deserve it all <3

Part of my Sexy Ikemen Summer Creation Challenge. Prompts: At the festival booth you're volunteering at + Go down on them with a cold tongue

"We're having a lot of customers! I had no idea running an ice cream booth can be so hectic!"

You place your hands on your hips and let out a sigh that does little to erase the liveliness off your face. Ellis finishes restocking one of the containers and gives you a look charged with just a bit of worry. He knows you've been enjoying yourself, but at the same time, even you are recognizing how tiresome this whole ordeal has become.

"You know we can close the booth now… Jude and Roger already took care of the thieves." Ellis reminds, his hand on your shoulder managing to startle you - it's only proof of how tiredness has dulled your reactions.

The mission given to you tonight revolved around catching the culprits behind the latest jewelry heist, expected to make their next big hit here, on the festival, allured by the shiny first-place reward for the competitions held during it. It turned out to be an easy job for your Crownmates, as the other pair consisting of Jude and Roger already reported to you and Ellis that the target had been neutralized.

While you ended up playing a key part in the mission, being on the lookout for the target the whole time from your strategically situated ice cream booth you volunteer at, you couldn't help but be a bit skeptical about, it in the beginning. While you fully understood that this was the safest option for you to help them out, it just sounded a bit ridiculous to remain here and sell ice cream…

This all changed when you realized how good of an opportunity this is to spend more time with your lover Ellis, especially since you both have been busy lately.

The booth's cramped interior keeps you in close proximity at all times, so much that Ellis' scent fills your head completely. He doesn't need to raise his voice more than a whisper for you to hear him, despite the noise of the crowd outside your little shared space. It's like there's a barrier separating you from the rest of the world, so you can't help but jump every time you snap out of your assigned crowd-watching between taking orders, by Ellis' hand accidentally bumping into yours.

You'd joke and say that the only reason your booth is so successful is because Ellis is quite popular with the town's people. He'd shake his head and argue that it must be you who lure them in, because of the happy smile you're able to put on their faces.

"It's alright! I can keep going a little longer. It's close to the end of the festival, might as well try to make it! Here, I'll have some nice cooling ice cream and replenish my energy in no time, just watch!"

Ellis smiles at your stubbornness, readily passing you the ice cream scoop. You feel his eyes on you, and it brings heat to your cheeks knowing that he's probably taking note of the flavors you mix, wanting to know your preferences as always. It's all the more reason to have your cool treat faster, before this heat can get the better of you.

"Mmm, it's so good. No wonder we have so much business! Here, try it too, Ellis!"

You lift the little spoon to Ellis, fully expecting him to take it from your grasp, but instead, he leans down and puts the end of it in his mouth. Your heart skips a beat at the unexpected dose of cuteness, and you barely survive it as he takes a moment to properly sweep it clean with his tongue and savor it thoroughly.

"You're right. It's delicious."

You nod and hurry to put some more ice cream in your mouth just as an excuse to remove your gaze from Ellis' dazzling smile… but you still feel his eyes on you.

"Are you feeling hot?"

Your eyes widen, spoon still in your mouth, as Ellis suddenly grasps the sides of your face, bringing himself closer to you.

"Here, let me. I'm worried that you overworked yourself and got a fever."

Before you know it, a pair of lips is pressing to your forehead ever so gently.

Ellis' lips are so cold… They feel good against your overheated skin.

"I'm afraid I can't judge properly. Should we get Roger? I think he might still be around."

"No, I'm fine! It's just…"

Despite being done with his little examination, Ellis doesn't stop holding your face in his large, roughened hands. There's no escaping from that twilight gaze, shimmering in question from your sudden protest.

"I'm feeling hot because… You're too close…"

In another second, Ellis' mouth opens in a small o-shape.

"Oh."

He removes his hands from you, taking a step back. "I'm sorry that I put my lips on you, then. I didn't realize."

"No, they were chilled from the ice cream and felt so good, actually…"

You said it without thinking, worried that you pushed Ellis away. It's the very truth but you'd rather keep it to yourself because…

"If that's so… Then it might help you cool down."

Because he'll never turn down an opportunity to make you feel better.

Ellis leans in close to you again, but slowly, giving you all the time to reject him. Heart hammering in your chest, you only turn your cheek to Ellis to receive his 'help'.

He plants a kiss on it, gentle as butterfly wings, and cooling as the air they're fanning into it.

It's only temporary however, because as expected, it only makes your blood pump hotter in your veins, receiving Ellis' attention after being in his presence for hours on end and not being able to be lovey-dovey with him.

He withdraws again before you can properly recover, and you see him retracting the poles that prop up the booth's shutter.

"Ellis…?"

"You're in need of a proper cooling down, so…" Ellis returns to you, and suddenly the room inside the booth feels as if it's shrunk drastically. He barely needs to encage you in his arms, but his scent flooding your lungs is so welcomed. The sounds of the crowd outside are a backdrop to Ellis' soft whispers, a sharp contrast between the intimacy and the reminder of where you are. He claims your lips next, and denying him is out of the question. Sucking on his plush lower lip, you want to rob him of all the sweetness and coolness lingering on it.

Once you're out of breath, Ellis lets go, taking in the expression on your face. He's smiling but his eyes are marked by a shade of lust now, and you're surprised to find him still playing along with the little game, taking another spoonful of the cold treat which has somewhat started to melt.

"Ah!"

Even if expected, the difference in temperature startles you when those mischievous lips find your burning nape.

"Here too… Let me kiss you."

His kisses begin littering the exposed surface of your skin, and once he runs out of it, he begins tugging down on the hem of your cleavage to cover more and more with his lips. Little shivers of shame run through you as your breasts spill out, but they're soon replaced with shivers of pleasure as soon as Ellis tongues at your nipples, just briefly enough to turn them into hard pebbles.

Quickly growing unsatisfied with his limitations, Ellis opts for finding the end of your dress and lifting it up instead, practically shoving himself underneath it just to kiss your belly.

The tickling sensation makes a few breathless chuckles escape your mouth, and you put your hands on Ellis' shoulders, though you're not even close to pushing him away.

"Hehe… Seems like we're closed for the day, actually…"

You come to the conclusion as soon as you realize Ellis is sliding his fingers under the waistband of your panties from both sides and dragging them down. There's no going back now, and despite the embarrassment lingering at the back of your mind, you're desperate to feel Ellis when you need him most.

"Ahhh!—"

"Does it feel good? You're being so loud already."

He doesn't have to ask - the combination of his skilled tongue and the enhanced sensation from the clash of the different temperatures makes your legs weak. Your back rests against the wall of the booth as Ellis is seemingly hard at work to make you lose your footing. The hands that caressed his shoulders are now clinging to the fabric of his jacket, each flick of his tongue making your nails sink deeper.

Ellis switches to sucking at your swollen nub, only letting go when he notices your legs beginning to tremble. He laps at the new flood of juices he coaxed out of you, and the hotness of your heat has already erased every memory of the chillness he brought to you.

You don't have the heart to tell him his little plan of cooling you down was doomed to fail from the very beginning, as every place touched by his mouth has only been lit in flames as a result. Or maybe he knew all along.

"Ellis, I'm—!"

"Don't hold back. Come now."

His calm yet sultry voice echoes in your ears along with the thump of your own heartbeat, and soon your vision is overtaken by hot-white. Ellis works you to a powerful peak, not pausing his ministrations for a second. His strong hands keep your legs open, and they're your only anchor keeping you upright. A broken cry of his name comes out of you in a series of moans that you're barely able to keep low in volume.

In your dizziness, you don't realize when Ellis raised to his feet again, carefully arranging your disheveled clothing, sliding your panties back in place. He holds you in his arms for a moment until you can catch your breath, even if his sweet kisses are slowing the process.

"We can open the booth again if you want to. There's still ice cream left."

You blink into Ellis' arms, considering his offer for a second, then letting out a chuckle.

"I wonder if it would cause chaos if we were to bring it back home?"

You certainly don't imagine yourself bribing the rest of Crown with sweets, that's Victor's job. You wouldn't want to take it from him. Though there's something else worrying you.

"But Ellis…What about you?"

He gives you another smile before busying himself with opening the booth once again.

"Don't worry about me. It was enough to see you enjoy yourself."

Despite his reassurance, the air in your lungs escapes you in a sigh. While looking at Ellis, you notice that he's doing a repetitive motion of swinging his arm back and forth, flexing it, sort of as if it's gotten stiff.

Oh.

Feeling the heat return to your cheeks, you feel very guilty about giving Ellis a boner he can't tend to at the moment, even if both of you knew it was gonna happen.

Still, the image of him having to do that instead of waiting it out is somehow terribly hot to you. Along with the show of his well-toned arms, with shirt sleeves rolled up. Blaming it on being lightheaded from what he just did to you, you know you too should focus on anything but the newly formed arousal that pools in your already damp panties.

You just can't wait to make it up to Ellis, once you return home tonight.

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[luna-rainbow]

Hi

Like your posts especially your Bucky posts. He is my precious cinnamon roll, and a character whose popularity makes sense.

Can you explain to me why T*ny Stark though is so popular? I just... cannot see the appeal of him. He's self-righteous, self-centred, reckless, irresponsible and very likely narcissistic.

Also, for all his fans go on about how "sacrificial" he is I do not see it. Or rather, its not actually that admirable to have to sacrifce yourself to solve the problems you created in the first place! That's just... being a decent human.

Now Cap, there's a guy. Resisting authortarinism and fighting for freedom all his life. T*ny though? He's like "yeah kill myself to kill he villain my father/me created". Nope. Not a hero.

Even in Endgame, he's selfish because he's not willing to even give his backing to the Time Heist if it might negatively impact him/his family.

Why do people see him as such again?

Thanks for the ask!

I think most people like characters for a few reasons: a) they think they are their blorbo, b) they want to be like their blorbo, and c) they want to have sex with their blorbo.

Tony, especially with RDJ's portrayal, is exactly the kind of guy that appeals to the intended audience of the comics-loving (mostly male) fanbase: who identify with Tony's "intellectual and pragmatic" over sentimental (ala Pepper) or moralistic (ala Steve), and who wishes they could be the playboy billionaire who has all the sex and buys all the toys and shrugs off all the accountability. Tony is 40 but RDJ plays him like he's 14, he's misogynist and self-centered, cocky and reckless, who won't listen to anyone else's advice because he genuinely believes he knows better until real life proves him wrong (...so many socialised males are like this...)

To be honest, on the one hand, I can see why Tony appeals to the audience. He's at once a a reassurance and a fantasy. If you take away his billionaire status, he's an extremely flawed (all the ones you've listed and more) middle-aged guy who struggles to maintain human relations and makes frequent mistakes but does strive, at least in the earlier movies, to try and do the right thing. I think a lot of people relate to that, because most of us are lonely and messed up and likely misunderstood to some degree. But he's also very much a power fantasy -- he's swimming in money (if you forget where it comes from), surrounded by fawning hot women, he has fast cars and a man cave to tinker with his hobby while his girlfriend/secretary does the real work of running the company. He then gets the ideal redemption story where he proves all the accusations of immorality wrong by doing A Good Deed, and all the fame and glory that comes with it. Yeah, some fans like to lean into how he's still ""misunderstood", but his critics in universe are the minority, and his new hero status has enabled him greater access to what is essentially political power and intelligence networks.

To me, Tony's appeal lies in his struggles and the redemption. He is a morally grey character just learning to look beyond his own needs and still occasionally relapsing into self-centered recklessness. His story was never one about sacrifice - because as you say, doing the bare minimum of fixing your own mistakes isn't sacrifice, it's being a grown up.

And I ignore Endgame XD

[tbhimnoteasyonmyself]

TL;DR: If You Dislike Jack & Joker, Maybe It Just Isn't For You (And That's Okay)

I'm gonna start this post by stating that you are free to dislike or even hate any piece of media you want. And you're also free to criticise it. I'm not trying to censor anyone, I just wanna give some perspective on 1 thing:

The Claim that Jack & Joker's Script Made no Sense

Bc, to me, it did.

I've seen ppl comment on grandma's ability to fight, on the 4 Horsemen's Games, on Joke's heist plans...

And it's fair you don't like any of that, you're allowed to find those weird or distasteful but I want you to consider what this show's whole thing was:

Cranking up real situations to ridiculousness in order to highlight and point out the absurdity that it is that we live in a society that is classist and full of judgments made based solely on what meets the eye that actually end up determining a lot of people's lives AND that lets powerful people toy with other human beings with no remorse, for their own profit, putting those people constantly between a rock and a hard place.

This is the ENTIRE THING of this show (YinWar's chemistry aside, of course).

So, of course, you can say you dislike it. Of course, you can wish they'd taken a more realistic approach or, at least, a less comedic one, but... The truth is: the show did what it set out to do.

If you don't like it, you don't like it but, at least, get it, you know? Understand what it is and judge it for that. Don't come towards it exclusively based on your expectations and what you wish it was. That's being narrow-sighted. And it's just not fair to the show.

So, idk, maybe my 2 scents won't matter to anyone but, at least, I got it out of my chest.

Anyway... Regarding the fact that we didn't get a TattooAran kiss, we ride at dawn, as scheduled. akdjskdjdkd

Cheers! 💜💜💜

[sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee]

The Holidays In Gotham (Rogues Party)

It's that time of year. I didn't do anything last year but I wanted to get it done this time- at least before New Years. Hope all of you are warm, safe and healthy this year. Personally, I'm hoping for a much happier year with good health all around.

And as a baseline, all the rogues would respect your beliefs and celebrations and partake in them with you.

Tw: Mentions of family abuse/neglect, religion, depression, ableism, mentions of character death

The Riddler

For some reason people assume Jonathan is going to be the scrooge given how much he loves Halloween- no it's Edward. Edward is the biggest Christmas holiday hater. Thanksgiving ends and he's ready to plan some heists because the idea of Christmas cheer is far from sacred! Will he still wear a Santa suit for a Christmas Crime? Yes, because it's thematic and he's still a sucker for a theme.

Much of this comes from his childhood of systematic abuse by his father. As soon as his mother left, the holidays became a distant memory and his father wasted no time in telling the small child that Santa wasn't real and that all of it was a corporate sham. Edward has already had an idea even at such a young age due to how bright he already was- Yet it still stung. What stung more was being surrounded by other children whose families celebrated, further isolating him from his peers.

If he celebrates anything winter-holiday now, it's most likely at the behest of his friends or for the sake of a partner. He'll be grumpy, still, to an extent. Yet he wouldn't deny his loved one if that was something they really enjoyed. He'd make his own gift, a technological marvel suited to their personal interests that he made with his own two hands. Whatever they give him he'll hold at high sentimental value. It means a lot.

Side Note: Show him "A Muppets Christmas Carol" and he WILL get misty at the end.

Penguin

So many memories of holidays where he was isolated away from others due to his appearance. His mother had a soft spot for him, it was true, but even she wouldn't stand up to the expectations held for the Cobblepot name. So alone he would sit in a locked bedroom, eavesdropping onto the grand party being held on the floor below him. Fantasizing about the fun times he would have if only he could be down there.

Nowadays it's one big celebration, all leading up to the culminating New Years Eve bash. Loud music, lots of drinks and a line of suckers he can milk all their money in illicit activities. Girls, gambling and a touch of blackmail never hurt anyone. And he's the star of the show. The ringmaster guiding the events, so to speak! If anyone has anything to say about him being so front and center, he'll shoot them in the goddamn eyes so they don't have to see!

And if there if someone in his life, they are right next to him getting spoiled. They are getting everything on their wish list and more. He'll insist he doesn't need anything but their presence, and still... if they get him a gift, he'll be grateful. Hopefully they like the spotlight he's in! It could easily get overwhelming, however and there's no shame in needing to step out of it for your own sake.

Mad Hatter

Loves this time of year. There's a genuine whimsy and wonder surrounding the holidays. Stories of warmth and love and belonging- Oh he eats that up. As a child, he was never outright abused, but he was very much ignored and neglected emotionally. Christmas would come and he would get a book or a science kit while his parents worked. Instead of it making him bitter, however, he seeks out that kind of warmth of found family.

On that note, if he happens to be in Arkham without his usual companions this time of year, he gets... a little more morose and deeper into his delusions than usual. It's a defense mechanism to try and protect himself from severe depression feeling alone and trapped.

There is a caution to be placed on an s/o for the holidays. Jervis can be a lot in a relationship generally due to his issues. This on top of it, the pressure of him making it perfect and warm and like you're a happy family unit (you are but are you happy ENOUGH)... He can malfunction a bit and go overboard. Anxiety city for the two of you. At least he's not hypnotizing a fake family for the holidays (again), right? Just reassure him. He's going to give you a gift he made himself, hours of work all for you.

Scarecrow

This time of year was one of the few that granny would be warm and almost... almost kind. She was still religious and certainly strict. Yet, she took some of the lessons of Christ being born, of the gifts of the three wise men and giving shelter to those who needed it, to heart. Did it mean more services? Yes. Did it mean the woman was just a fraction more forgiving and pleasant to be around? Jonathan would take it.

Nowadays, while religion is something Jonathan has a complicated relationship with, he does celebrate. The way he celebrates is by cooking and baking until his home is bursting with flavorful scents. Everyone is getting something in the form of food that he absolutely did not lace with fear toxin. The fear toxin laced goodies are for the Mayor. Just don't expect him to put an inflatable Santa anywhere near his property.

He has a huge dislike of what he considers overly bright and gaudy decorations. If his s/o brings anything like that in, you'll see him blink at it for a few moments before going "...what is that?" Otherwise, he'll welcome a bit of "cheer" into his home, and even a bit into his work. As long as they don't mind him trapping them underneath a mistletoe every once in a while.

Music Meister

Clarence has a schedule lined up for several theatrical winter productions. The Nutcracker, a Christmas carol, and there's someone even doing a production of It's a Wonderful Life! This is the perfect thing to do when it gets cold in his opinion. Get into warm but elegant dress clothes, get the best seat in the house, and watch the magic unfold on stage. This was pretty much what he's being doing from the time he was a kid. In comparison to pretty much every other rogue on this list, he's got 0 christmas/winter holiday trauma.

Every once in a blue moon, he'll make sure he's actually in one of these productions as the star. He can play a delightful Scrooge if put on the spot. Of course it needs to be a musical version where there's singing- there's plenty of those about! Then he's giving all of his friends tickets so that they'll appear. And, if no one gave him the role, he'll set up a crime based upon the original stage play, choreographed by him :)

With a partner, he's the one who has a "one gift on christmas eve" rule (because of course he has several for them). That, and matching winter pajamas. Bonus if they're one pieces and incredibly cheesy! He'll have them all warmed up with hot chocolate he made himself to get ready for a movie marathon.

Victor Zsasz

Grew up in a vapid rich family where nothing was ever enough. Accomplishments, gifts, parties, they were all... empty. It wasn't particular to the holidays, really. That was just his life in general. It was what led him to gambling, to small time crookery, to eventually becoming the assassin and serial killer everyone knew and feared loved. Something about the holidays just tended to exacerbate that need, the capitalistic want and greed.

He tends to charge this need by taking a lot more jobs. For some STRANGE reason, the happy holiday cheer just doesn't extend to everyone, does it? Nah, some people are always unhappy, always asking for a hit or a maiming. He's just glad to fulfill these little wishes for everyone! Ho ho ho, call him Sandy Claws! And New Years there's always some party to crash and cause problems until he has a reason to start some violence.

He loves "Home Alone" and thinks he should be allowed to do that but with people who made him bored or upset. Really, it's just creative ways to torture people. He will tell his partner this as they watch it for the third time this season as well as the physical damage each of these stunts would actually cause in detail. Hope you like spooky shit for presents all year long because that's what he loves giving!

Killer Croc

Waylon is... getting back into it now. There was a long time where any of the winter holidays would pass by without phasing him. Just another fucking day of being him, either running from the law or struggling to make it looking the way he does. Yeah, his family celebrated, but he wasn't exactly welcome anywhere but his grandparents home. Then he left and there wasn't anyone he thought would want to celebrate with him.

It wasn't until later when he not only gained real friends among the rogues party but reconnected with his mother that the idea of the holidays started to appeal to him again. Colored string lights outside of a home. Putting up a tree or other decorations inside of a house. Making a family meal and making an event of it, maybe even a potluck with all his friends.

If he has a partner whose been doing the holidays their whole life, he's going to follow their lead. Support their idea of what they personally celebrate while also incorporating his own new traditions. Maybe at some point they can go back to his home for the holidays? Have something with his family that he didn't get to have when he was younger.

Harley Quinn

Harley grew up in a Jewish household with her well-meaning but overbearing and psychologically abusive parents. She celebrated every passing year, the whole thing treated as yet another event to rein in her personality and spirit that was so disapproved of. She was not to be part of the planning. Gifts were only practical and usually consisted of neutral tones. At some point she wasn't even allowed chocolate coins because they would make her fat (as so decreed by her mother).

There was a time period between meeting Joker and The Breakup where she tried to erase all of that. It was easier than processing the emotional turmoil while also dealing with the current abusive and toxic relationship at hand. After the breakup, she went back to her roots, trying to find the blend of herself and her background. So now she celebrates Hanukkah her way. She picks passages of the Torah she resonates with to read off her phone as she lights the menorah. She'll even try her hand at fried latkes- They may not be the best but... they still taste good!

With a partner in the mix, it's just one more person to celebrate with! She'll really enjoy finding a gift to blow their socks off to open that first night. If they don't know about Hanukkah, she'll guide them through all of it! If they celebrate something else, she'll do the work to combine the two. Whatever it takes, she's going to have a fun time making it a fun time.

Poison Ivy

Her holidays used to be filled with gifts of makeup, body wash and frilly feminine clothing when all she'd wanted was children's chemistry sets and botanical supplies. It was always her Aunt Gigi that would get her exactly what she wanted. It left a bittersweet impression of the season on Pamela, even before her transformation. Then Aunt Gigi came out (as herself), was kicked out, and yet took Pamela in when she was at her sickest, all in the cold season.

Now her seasons are mostly celebrated with Harleen, observing the nights of Hanukkah. For her, she'd never had a specific religious attachment to any of it, so she weaves through it all with attachment to the people rather than the event itself. She always makes sure to have dinner with her Aunt Gigi at least once during the holidays. She's the only family she considers as "hers" at this point.

In respect to a partner, she will be hyper-vigilant about getting them something they actually want for the holiday. It won't be something she mentions, but she distinctly remembers opening up gifts, feeling that excitement- for it to fall to the pit of your stomach. Not for her love. If nothing else, she'll get them something she knows they'll enjoy like a treat while cultivating a plant or flower for them.

Two-Face

For some reason, the holidays make Harv tense. Perhaps it's a psychological thing Harvey has had lying in wait inside his mind. Maybe it's something Harv came up with on his own. Whatever it is, it makes him snippy while Harvey just wants to get through the holidays without killing someone. There's a large cognitive dissonance that ruptures through not only them, but on their "workers" as well.

There are not decorations and if there are decorations, they better not have some jolly fat fuck saying "ho-ho-ho" at Two-Face or he's going to actually flip a goddamn table. The mirrored-symmetrical rule applies to anything. Or rather... There's a wreath on the door that's been cut in half. One side for cheer, the other for... Not. Apparently Harv had done it in a rage after a bad deal.

A person seeing them in the middle of that can disrupt the balance... With Harv begrudgingly celebrating if they really can't miss it. If not, sorry Harvey, just be glad no one is dying. They may be able to at least ease the rage behind it- Harv having the fractured memories of when Pops was still around. The anger around ruined events and having their mother tossed into the snow with a black eye. It's something if actually talked about, he might be able to move past it.

Black Mask

The holiday season for Roman was much like most of his interactions with family- Showy, expensive and hollow. More presents than he could count, almost all of them expendable and easily forgotten within ten minutes of playing with them. Gifts from "friends of the family" he'd never even met so they could try and curry favor with the Sionis empire. All of it feeding further into his role as the heir apparent. It never really struck him until the fall out of everything.

Now he typically celebrates with a cigar and a bourbon, staring out into the icy landscape of Gotham. No one seems to want to work this time of year and he can't help but utter a "bah, humbug" under his breath when people complain. If people don't want something from you, they want to be lazy. If anyone on this list needed a ghostly visit, it would probably be Roman if we're being honest. He's not expecting shit from anyone otherwise.

Things will vastly shift if he gets a partner that celebrates. He's not quite in the spirit of things as one may hope, but he'll at least put the effort in. If nothing else, he'll spoil the shit out of his s/o with a gift or two. Something very nice and probably useless. But fuck practical- it's a gift. Should be pretty, he says.

Mr. Freeze

His memories of his childhood at this time are rather... unremarkable. They were neither good nor bad. His family was loving, they gave him things he wanted along with siblings. Nothing in particular stands out. What he remembers was his first New Years Day with Nora, the heat barely working and the two of them huddled under a blanket with cups of coffee. Neither of them religious or seeing the need for a gift giving holiday when they were barely making it by. Yet they were still some of his best memories.

This time of year is spent depending upon if Nora is still in cryo-stasis. If she is, he's working. Constantly working- Maybe this year he'll get it all done before things heat up outside and there's more stress on her already fragile casing. He doesn't recognize holidays or even dates anymore. If Nora has passed, he will either be alone in a dark room still not paying attention to dates or sitting at a party he's been invited to, cup in hand staring into the distance. Hopefully there is a companion animal here.

If another person is in the mix he's going to be SO awkward about it. Do they... do things for this? Are they like him about it? He will partake in whatever they wish for him to do. Just don't expect him to do it well.

Ra's Al Ghul

Doesn't celebrate anything specific lol. He's been around so long and in so many different places, he's been part of many types of rituals and events. Something about the cold when everything has died for the season makes people want to come together. Many cultures and religions have a variation of a winter solstice celebration which then extends to a new calendar year celebration. He's seen it all before. Nothing is particularly inventive at this point.

He'll spend this time as he would any other day. Nothing special about it.

If he had a partner that celebrated a holiday in this time, he would ultimately respect them. He would allow them the space to decorate and do what they liked, but he wouldn't add to much of it himself. If he gets a gift, he will reciprocate. Yet, it doesn't seem to be as big of a deal for him. As if it's all just passing by his eyes.

Bane

Christmas and other holidays were a mere concept to Bane. He would see other prisoners trying to celebrate in their cells. Watch it get torn down by guards or other inmates out of rage and anger. Sometimes he would hear stories, likely twisted versions of parables long since told at times such at this. He never received a present or much of a kind word in this time over any other time. One time someone even told him about snow, although as a child he didn't believe it until he learned the scientific processes behind it.

In truth as an adult, he was curious about being part of events like this. He'd first experienced snow in Gotham, a snowflake falling on his open hand- and he understood a want to celebrate it. The... feeling it gave him. He doesn't know the first thing about it. Yes, he does the research so logically he's aware. That's different from a feeling of knowing it naturally, to him.

No matter how his s/o may partake, he wants to be part of that. It's likely already more than he's done in most of his years of living. Is it truly a joyous time for them? Do they exchange gifts? Do they fast- he will fast with them! There's something about that sharing and blending of cultures that makes him feel... welcome in your life.

[imhere-imqueer-ilikedeer]

Respawn Denied Species Worldbuilding (Species Building? idk)

Since a lot of these guys have some headcanons of mine, I figured I'd make it all into a post so yall could see what I'm talking about when I mention the species :)

Blaze-Borns (Tango Tek)

Pretty standard by fandom standards. Fire hair and fire resistance. Only lore that's specific to my au is that their magic fire is very resistent to outside magic, and it'll literally just burn it out of a blaze's body.

Syrens (Jimmy and Lizzie)

They have legs okay. Essentially humans with some scales and fins (depends on the syren. Jimmy had fins around his ears, Lizzie has them on her ears and her arms. And of course Jimmy's are cod scales and Lizzie's are blue.) Syrens in this world have deadly singing that, unlike irl myths, kill just by hearing, instead of by luring. Unfortunately, they also kill the syrens who sing it. This has led to some natural selection which means Respawners are more common in syrens.

Tanukis (Joel)

(yes I got inspiration from melloz heist shut up /lh). These guys are raccoon dogs like in the Japanese myths, however I have ascribed many of my own headcanons to this world's tanukis. First of all, theyre shapeshifters. Technically their true form is a raccoon, but these guys often have a most comfortable form they spend most their time in. For instance, Joel's is his human form which has a raccoon tail and ears. Tanukis are known for being cheeky buggers. In my au, they can only turn into things of the animal kingdom, and only have one form per species. This is why Joel is short, despite wishing he was tall.

Shapeshifters (Mumbo Jumbo)

You'd think this is similar to Tanukis, wouldn't you? (this is an actual dilemma I had which forced me to come up with differences lol) So, unlike tanukis, Shapeshifters can turn into inanimate objects as well. They also have the ability to change their form within a species. So if Mumbo wanted to be taller, he could be. He could also be a teapot, or a bridge, or a tree, or a clock, or you get the idea.

Guardian-Borns (Scott and Martyn)

These guys are quite similar to syrens, but also not. For one, no deadly singing. They are also more accoustemed to deeper, colder waters, while syrens prefer shallower, warmer waters. They are very protective and driven, and are excellent fighters, on land and in water. They also have to be in water more often, while syrens can go a long time.

Shades (Etho and Cub)

This is what yall voted for, a headcanon that I am not even kidding when I say I made it up in 20 minutes. Essentially, a Shade is a person decended from Phantoms. They're usually nocturnal, but don't have to be. They have white hair like the underside of a phantom, and green blood (Why does Cub not have white hair, I hear you ask? Well, he's being dramatic. He died it). The longer it's been since you've slept, the more it hurts to get punched by one of these guys (this means if you havent slept in ages, Etho can oneshot you into next week).

Centaurs (Gem)

Pretty standard as centaur headcanons go. Expert fighters, very robust and hard to kill. Can have different animal legs, Gem's is a deer, but it's not really explored in my au. Also she has a *wicked* kick.

Whatever the fuck is going on with Cleo

Cleo's technically a human, but she has this weird thing where each time they die a part of themself dies, essentially slowly turning them into a zombie. She can detach those parts of herself, and it makes Mumbo throw up lol.

Non-notable species/people

these guys have basic headcanons/ don't show up in this particular story, but may in future.

Grian: avian (surely I don't need to explain it to you, its the most basic headcanon there is)

Scar: Vex

Bdubs: plant guy. I honestly don't even know whats happened there, he's just plants.

Ren: Dog man (?) (also not relevant in this part of the au, along with martyn)

Skizz: angel

Impulse: demon

BigB: creaking, not relevant in this part of the au

and of course, the fic itself.

[crazyfanoffandom]

How things developed between Freya and Lucanis…

This is just the storyline I’ve drafted briefly in my head. Combining that slow but also adding in stuff…mostly off screen content.

For many Rooks, they saw Lucanis and fell for him right away. Not Freya (I really need a new name). Her own journey with the crows and training tainted her view a little. She is aware of the stakes of a job. She is aware that she could die if she doesn’t perform as they need her to. And the killing the elvhen dweebs and stopping Solas’ circus is the same. It’s an ever present mindset that doesn’t go away. Getting Lucanis out of prison was just part of the job. Just another heist. Though this entire quest line has been different than norm. She goes after people to destroy them. But she’s being used to stop destruction.

Some jobs require her to flirt her way to the kill. So she knows how. Rarely has she flirted because she wanted to. It was something out of her control. She did what she has to do to get the job done. Flirting with Lucanis was helping her find a little independence and differentiating thinking from the crow ways. It surprises her evermore when he responded to it. But she figured he saw things the same as she did. Goodness, it didn’t even bother her when he flirted with Neve in front of her. They were all colleagues getting along. None of their flirting (hers towards Lucanis included) meant a lot.

But during a night discussion and heart to heart with him, she realized that it wasn’t harmless anymore. At least for her. She liked him (though she never downright thought “oh wow I like him.”). And as time went on, those feelings flourished and blossomed. And then he almost kissed her. She didn’t second guess why he stopped. She was aware of his situation. She could only guess how that impacted that moment, but she concluded it the source. A part of her thought that an accident. But it seemed unlikely because who accidentally leans in intending to do that?

What truly got her was the flirting. His flirting towards Neve didn’t relent. She pretended not to notice. She continued teasing them as she had before. But her own heart shattered. And confusion rippled. But this is when she drew the conclusion that, despite logic, maybe these feelings weren’t replicated. And this is when she’s thankful for poker face training when she was training with the crows!

She couldn’t remember the kind of coffee he liked, so she went to ask him which beans to buy. And when he tried to tag on to their conversation, “If I could…I want…” She drew a greater confusion. Even more when she heard from a distance a conversation between Neve and Lucanis at the lighthouse. She believed it about that moment where he nearly kissed her. But after that, neither flirted. Boundaries had been drawn out of earshot. Neve would tell her at a later date about this. And when all this is over and she reflects, Freya would become grateful her friend was observant and able to take action when neither Freya or Lucanis know how to handle this.

There would be so many unknown stolen moments during this time. Neither realized what they were. They were growing closer and closer and closer. They weren’t touchy feely. There was no “touching his arm” or “lean in so close you can their breath moments” but there would be little things in the in between. Talking over coffee. Bonding over crow training memories. Making fun of Viago (he heard about one incident, and Freya made sure not to consume anything he gave her for weeks afterwards).

But the conversation eventually strayed towards that almost kiss during a venture (Lucanis initiated). And Lucanis admits he’s been thinking about it for sometime. Now he thinks he knows what he wishes to say, but at the light house. And that leads to a night long private conversation. They talk about everything and anything over coffee (well tea for Freya, much to Lucanis’ disgust). Long after others have gone to sleep, the flirty charm has been turned back on. Both admit they don’t know what this is…but it’s something they want to pursue. So they’re going to go forward and see where it takes them.

No kiss happens until after he makes her the dessert that pairs well with tea. They’re running from antaam they’d been tracking (and of whom caught on and gave chase). They don’t want to get caught. They’re hiding in a squishy place. They started flirting and sassing��and then they lean in. There’s no almost kiss this time. It’s the kiss. They linger for a few seconds and pull away. Freya is about to comment on what she thinks and suddenly, they hear one antaam alerting the others to their location and they run.

That’s how I think it may happen. But these are just thoughts.

[kitkatt0430]

17, 33, 35, 44, 50 for OTP Asks (coldflash) please

17.) Who's more likely to pull the other in by the waist and kiss them passionately?

Hmmm, this is a tough one. I think it's something they both do, but who does it most?

Barry definitely has a kink for being manhandled and taken care of. He's constantly having to be the hero and on top of things and so having Len take charge, pull him close and demand kisses... it's nice to just give in. He trusts Len whether it's with something small and romantic like this or, uh... other things. ;) So Len enjoys taking advantage of this in order to draw Barry close and kiss him whenever he wants.

Conversely, Len likes that despite being a twig in human form (until his thirties anyway), Barry can still push him around if he wants. Len definitely enjoyed being shoved around by Barry in S2, though he was definitely wishing for a kiss there. So I think his preference is less being pulled in by Barry and more by being shoved against a hard surface and crowded in by Barry, but he does enjoy getting pulled forward, into Barry's arms, and kissed senseless too.

I think, ultimately, Len is more likely to pull Barry into a kiss, but it's definitely something that goes both ways.

33.) Who's the better cook?

Barry. Len's not a lethal chef or anything like that and he enjoys cooking with Barry because it's something he's doing with Barry. But for it's own sake, Len's more of an 'eat what's convenient' type. Whereas Barry is very much a 'shows love through food' type.

Mick supports the relationship in part because he's no longer the only one making sure Len doesn't wind up with scurvy for avoiding his veggies.

35.) Who's more artistic?

Probably Barry. He can sketch really well and I can see him doing the ADHD cycle through various artsy hobbies. (I do this. Best to keep the projects in what are doable chunks for me or something I can put down and pick up again a few months or a year down the line.)

I think Lewis really stunted Len's artistic talents. He strikes me as the kind of father who sees his son taking art classes or home ec and gets super homophobic about it. Len expresses his creative side through his heist plans. He's maybe starting to allow his creativity roll into creating things - starting from learning how to repair and then recreate the Cold Gun to adapting what he learned to create ice grenades and the like. But overall, Barry's much more of the artsy sort.

44.) Who would dance in the kitchen making dinner? Would the other join in or watch from the doorway?

Barry is absolutely the dancer. We see that in canon with him dancing around in the kitchen in his boxers making breakfast. He will dance around and sing to music on the radio/streaming on his phone when he cooks alone - especially if he's cooking something special for Len. Romantic dinner? Barry is extra bouncy while he cooks and sets up a candle lit dinner.

Len won't admit it, but he finds it really charming how Barry romances him and he does try to romance Barry in return. But when Barry's dancing around in the kitchen, he definitely loves to stand back and watch. Just kind of take in that this ridiculous man loves him so much.

50.) who's more likely to do something out of spite?

I'd say initially it's Len. He's used to pushing people away and he expects eventually he'll push Barry away too and gets snippy and spiteful about things. But Barry's stubborn and as Len realizes that it'd take a hell of a lot to run Barry off, he starts to relax and accept that what they have is actually going to last and his tendency to say spiteful things while angry tapers off.

Barry isn't at first because he's had to learn to be very careful with his relationships and choose his battles with Joe. He'd argue to hell and back about his dad's innocence, but he was very afraid of Joe not wanting him anymore so he got in the habit of swallowing down his feelings about things until they boil over. He's a lot more likely to do this when something's triggered his trauma reactions. The first time Len realizes that Barry flipped out over something relatively minor with him and talking it out later reveals it was really because Barry was already on edge over something Team Flash did that triggered him that his team dismissed as inconsequential? Len absolutely reads them the riot act about the way they treat Barry's mental health so dismissively.

I think once Barry's trauma responses start being taken seriously and his boundaries are better respected, the spiteful responses become less likely to show up too. That said, I think maybe he still struggles with it more than Len.

[restinslices]

Mortality

Jesper Fahey x Spouse (no gender specified) Word count: 2150 Summary: You and Jesper aged differently. You aged as any Otkazat’sya did. Jesper on the other hand is Grisha and ages much slower. As your mortality gets closer and closer, you and Jesper have a much needed talk. Wrote this on my phone at midnight😀

People could say a lot of negative things about Jesper Fahey. 

He was a shit gambler, a flirt, a drunk, he didn't think, he could be selfish at times, he could give you a headache with one sentence, among other things that could make anyone go in the opposite direction. 

But it was impossible to say he wasn't loving. Jesper held onto people and treated everyone like family, even when there were conflicts. There were plenty of times when you and Jesper would have a disagreement, yet he still looked at you like he'd both die and kill for you. Jesper could sometimes make promises he'd easily break for the right price. The promises he made to you though? There was no card game, no shiny gun, no heist, no amount of cash that could make him turn on you. 

Jesper supposed that's how he got himself to where he was now and honestly? He wasn't sure he liked it. 

Was it selfish to say apart of him wished you two never became something more or maybe that he never met you? Was it selfish to look at your aging body and wish he walked away and stayed away after The Ice Court heist? Maybe. He wasn't sure he cared though. 

Aging gave him a tap on the shoulder, but aging slammed into you. That didn't mean you were unattractive in his eyes, it just meant your body felt the stings of aging. Bad knees, hips, shoulder pains, wrinkles, all that was normal and expected. Jesper practically looked the same as he did when you two met. You were closer to death but he felt like the true ghost; forever stuck in a single moment. No changes to himself, only to his environment and the people around him. 

Or maybe even a time loop, but only for himself. Everyone else was free and moved on. Not him though. 

Jesper didn't realize he was staring until you said something, 

“A penny for your thoughts?”. 

“What?”

“You're staring”

“Oh” Jesper said with realization, “an accident”. Partially true. 

He smoothed out the blankets in front of him to distract himself but that worked as well as anyone would imagine. Your face was imprinted on his mind, and although Jesper could've just laid down and went straight to sleep, he knew it'd be all he'd see when he closed his eyes. 

Jesper heard you close and set your book down, then felt your eyes on him. 

“What're you doing?”

“Smoothing these blankets. They're quite wrinkly”

“Why?”

“Why? Why does anyone do anything?”

You sighed, “why won't you look at me?”

“I'm getting rid of the wrinkles on this blanket like I said”

“Because you can't get rid of mine?”. Jesper's hands stopped moving and he finally looked at you and another wave of sorrow hit him. Why did your inevitable death hit him so hard? 

Maybe it was because you were the last one left. 

Kaz, Inej, Wylan, Matthias, they were all gone by now. Matthias’ death was the first hit he received since his mom passed and as time went on the rest of his family, even if not by blood, passed on. Sure, he had Nina but Nina’s home was Ravka. Nina was more often busy than not and she was not the fondest of Kerch. Many times you suggested moving to Ravka for a “change of scenery”. He knew the truth though. You wanted him to get used to living somewhere else so he could be closer to Nina and not alone. You were the last consistent thing attached to his younger life and by some twist of fate, he'd be doomed to outlive majority of the people he met. He wondered if he did something awful in a past life to deserve this. 

“You've gone quiet again Jes”

He shook his head. “I don't know what to say”

“Too much on your brain? Don't know how to get it out?”. He assumed you took his silence as an answer because next you said “just say whatever, even if it doesn't make sense”. 

He took a deep breath then. It's not like you two hasn't talked about this before, but it was usually a small conversation that he'd slip his way out of with some dumb excuse. 

“I have something to do”. “I'm tired”. “Let's go eat”. “I have to go write a letter”. The list went on and on. This time though he couldn't think of an excuse and with limited time, he knew he had to speak to your living body now instead of a tombstone. 

“I don't think I'm ready to do this without you”

“Do what?”

“Live”. It came out breathy and quiet. He could tell he had upset you by how deep your frown was. Or maybe that was another sign of aging. He couldn't tell. 

“I can't do it”. 

“Yes you can”

“I can't”

“Jesper Fahey you can break into a Fjerdan Ice Court, escape, survive months at sea with Kaz Brekker, go toe to toe with every gang in Ketterdam and you still use the words 'I can't’?”. In any other circumstance he would've laughed and made some comment about how amazing he is. He didn't this time though. Nothing really felt enjoyable or funny anymore. Not when you could have some attack at any moment and be gone. 

“You're beautiful,” he said. “Absolutely stunning. I don't think I've ever seen anything as beautiful as you”

“There's the stars and sea yet I’m the most beautiful thing you've seen?”. 

He nodded. “Absolutely”. 

“Is that why you're with me then? My charming looks?”

“You could look like all things wrong with the world and I'd still want you”

“Jesper the poet? I think I like it”. Your fragile hand held his and your eyes locked onto his. “You can live without me-”

“I can't”. The tears he had been fighting so hard to keep away finally slipped. He didn't bother wiping them away, too scared to let go of your hand. “I wanna be able to but I can't”

“Why?”. 

“Why?”, he  repeated. “I just can't”. 

Your thumb rubbing over his hand soothed him for a moment, but only a moment. That calmness died when you spoke again. 

“If this is hard for you, you can go. You don't have to see me like this”

“Where would I go?”, he asked with furrowed brows and a mix of hurt and confusion etched on his face. 

You shrugged. “Ravka maybe? Make it your new home-”

“My home is here. With you”

“You'll have to find a new one when I go”. 

His hand slipped from yours, frustration building in his chest. It all sounded so easy but it was only easy because you were the one dying. You wouldn't have to feel another part of you ripped away. You wouldn't feel anything anymore. He would. 

He'd think about it almost everyday and a hole would form in his chest and pull him into this thick fog and within this fog he'd hear the future. He'd hear a heart monitor go flat. He'd hear your breathing become shallow before it eventually stopped. He'd hear his own crying. Yet you would come along and act as if everything was alright. You'd be calm and fine while he was breaking on the inside. 

“Jesper Fahey, I am going to die and there's nothing you can do about it”. 

“What?”

“Jesper Fahey, I am going to die and there's nothing you can do about it”. 

“Stop”. 

But you didn't stop. You repeated it again and again and he thought he must've been hallucinating and finally reached his breaking point. He covered his ears but you grabbed his hands and intertwined your fingers with his. You opened your mouth but he cut you off with a broken voice. 

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you don't understand you can't control this”

“I understand fully” he said quickly. “That's the whole problem. Can you stop being calm and show some sort of emotion for once?”

“What do you want me to do? To cry? To think about it and stress myself to a migraine like you do everyday?”. He hated how you looked at him then; with pity. It felt like with one foot in the grave, you'd always use the other to stay near him and soothe him and it made him feel selfish. “You wanna know how I feel?”. He didn't answer but you continued anyway. “I am terrified of death. Faith exists to calm us of this fear but honestly, I'm still scared. I don't know what's next. I don't know how it'll feel. I don't know if I'll see a light or if I'll be in darkness. I don't know how I'll go out and I don't know how it'll feel to take my last breath. I'm terrified but worrying about it everyday? That's not living. I'll be on my deathbed slipping away and all I'll think about is how I should've lived more”

“You are so stressed about me dying but honestly Jes? You're just making yourself live through the inevitable every single day. We should be loving each other now more than ever when we have the time. We're gonna get to my final moments and we'll both have regrets, the only difference is you'll have to live with yours”. 

Jesper couldn't help but let tears fall from his eyes. He knew you were right and that he should be holding you close during this time, but he couldn't help but listen to the tiny voice in his head that drove him insane everyday. Everyday was a reminder that for some unknown reason, he'd live much longer. Years would pass and he'd forget your face and always have to look at pictures or letters to remember you. One day he'd even forget your voice. How long would that take? 10 years? 20? 30? 

The more he thought, the more his breathing became erratic and his vision blurred. Blinking away tears didn't work. They'd just come back. You guided his head to your shoulder before your hand found its way to his back to rub circles on it. Jesper wasn't known to cry, but he cried. Hard. And you let him. When his breathing returned to normal, it wasn't because he was no longer sad. It was because he was exhausted. His eyes and nose had gone red by now and his face felt incredibly sore. 

When he quieted down, you spoke again. “I want to love you while I still can but if you don't want to see what'll eventually happen… I’m… I'm willing to let you go”. It was hard for you to say. He could tell because of how quiet it came out. Were you willing to? Probably. Did you want to? Absolutely not. He didn't need to ask or look at you to know. 

Jesper had a big choice to make. He stayed, spent the rest of your life with you and eventually buried you or he could leave and try to get a jumpstart at a new life. He wouldn't see age continue to eat at you and when your time came, he wouldn't be there. He'd be leaving you alone. He probably wouldn't know exactly when you died. Years would pass and he'd just guess that you were gone. 

Jesper was ashamed of how long it took him to make a decision. Leaving seemed so good. The pain of watching you continue to grow old would be no more, but then he'd be left with another pain; the pain of never seeing you again. Of knowing he abandoned you when all you wanted was to hold him close. You had no family and no notable friends besides him and Nina now. You'd probably be found and with no one to identify you, who knew what would become of your body in Kerch. A body with no name. And he'd become a body with no home. 

“I'm not going anywhere”. He finally lifted his head up to look at you and although he still felt that pang in his heart, he didn't look away and try to avoid your gaze. He just looked at you, mapping every detail of your face so he could look back and remember just how beautiful you were when you're gone. 

“I am so going to miss you”

“Of course you will” you said with a small smile and you finally got a chuckle out of him, even if it was small. 

You didn't have forever. You both knew you were on limited time and one day you'd be apart, but you both promised to love and cherish the time you still had together and maybe, just maybe, you'd see each other in the next life when the sun finally set on the both of you. 

I am feral for this man in the most wholesome way possible. Legit just wanna hold his hand and hear him talk about dumb shit.

[rizaposting]

big bang ask time!! woohoo!!

1. what was your favorite thing about the event?

2. favorite and least favorite canon things about royai?

3. what was the most challenging thing to draw for you?

Can't wait for everyone to see your work!! ☺️💕

Yippieeeee!!! Thank you Ana!

1. what was your favorite thing about the event?

I know everyone has been saying it BUT it's been so fun to get to chat and get to know everyone involved. We have so many silly conversations and everyone is genuinely so nice and talented!!!! ;w;

2. favorite and least favorite canon things about royai?

Oh this is a tough one hmmm... I think my favorite thing is their dynamic, which is kind of a wet noodle answer but! Even before we know about their past you can really tell that there's history between them, and they care about each other more than a usual amount. Some might even say... They are really abnormal about each other. I also love the potential!!! Almost any scenario you could propose, I could see there being a way for it to happen between them. Childhood sweethearts? Secret dating during canon? Post-PD confessions? I could go on.

For my "least" favorite... It's not that I dislike it, but something I wish more people would address is that Royai grew up entrenched in fascism, and I think that's, in part, where their rigid black-and-white idea of punitive justice comes from. And I see a lot of people interpret it as the Correct mindset to have or don't really think about it and it can be so frustrating. I ALSO wish more people would address how self-centered Roy's ambitions are. They're good and well-meaning, don't get me wrong, but he (and Riza) tends to view himself as The Only One Who Can Make Things Right And Make Sure There Is Justice. Which stems from a good place but man it really smacks of his (both of theirs, really) martyr complex WHICH I THINK IS AN INTERESTING FLAW. CAN WE CONFRONT THEM ABOUT THAT? It's one thing to go "if you want something done right you have to do it yourself" and it's another to be like "if Roy doesn't become the Good Guy Dictator this can NEVER happen by any other means. No one else cares about it". I dunno. I'd love them to get called on their bullshit <3 Like babes, get over yourselves <3

3. what was the most challenging thing to draw for you?

I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to draw for 'Accretion' (by raisingmybanner on AO3; get hyped it's a SUPER fun art heist fic) but I struggled a lot trying to figure out the composition. I wanted to show Royai of course, but also show the art piece in question, but also show the gallery. I wanted a lot of depth but I really struggled with it XD The most "classical" art training I have was high school art courses, so my lofty ideas made me really feel that lack of technical skill and know-how. I still ended up really liking the end result! But I certainly had to reign it in to match my current skills hahaha

[feralboo-the-weirdo]

Here's the thing I've been thinking about after watching Legend of Korra, it's not a good sequel to the the last Airbender, but it's not supposed to be. It's supposed to be a continuation of the world. Am I sad that the original gaang Is not in it as much as I wanted? Yes. Season 1 (the only season I've watched so far, for context. I've heard about the horrors of S2 though) was good, but it was missing a lot of things. Character growth for one. It felt like if you put all of the characters from the begining of the season into the final episode they would have made the same decisions. With the exception of maybe Korra. It shows they thought they only had one season. And personally I think the writers could have worked harder to make it a full story with only one season. They had thirteen episodes and yet they still rushed episode thirteen.

But even still, it wasn't supposed to be ALTA. It was supposed to be tLoK. Was it well written? Eh some of it. I'm deep diving into this now I guess.

The plot? Good, felt disconnected though. Start of season: trying to win a sport, end of season: fighting god. (This disconnect is similar to the one in S2 of Arcane. Starts with a revenge heist ends fighting god) I wish they'd used what they learned as a team to beat Amon. Or that them doing the bending matches had any impact on the final episode. Though Amon holding the debend everybody rally in the finale in the probending arena (I think) was so dramatic. Like bro? Freaking king for deciding he hated pro bending so much he was going to hold a rally against bendingon the old stage. That's like if someone really hated baseball so they did a giant rally about how awful baseball is in the biggest field for it. Though, even with that it's so disconnected. Like if I had only seen the finale and someone told me the midpoint was them winning a sport I would not believe them and that's a problem. The season feels split in two. The bending matches and then the big Amon problem. It's like couch that's made of cardboard on one end, cement on the other. Little to no overlap. It's not cohesive, and that's part of the problem.

The villan? Decent, started out as one of the most well written characters I've seen in a while, ended kinda mid. Though the scene of him jumping through fire in the finale was SO COOL and I need that to be acknowledged at least once. Amon felt like a threat, this looming thing no character could escape. However that was also a problem because it made a writing corner because he was too cool. Too OP. Give your villains fatal flaws people! :)

Setting? I liked the setting, liked how the technology from ALTA bled into the tech in Korra. But I know I'm not the first to say this, Republic city felt empty. Post episode like six I think it's just so empty, and muted. Not enough people. Not enough life. Maybe that's intentional, but it made me feel like I was in a liminal space. I wish we'd spent more time with a crowded Republic city so the empty one felt like it meant something.

AtLA doesn't have this problem. Everywhere they go has people, has atmosphere. LoK is just empty, even when there is people. The people somewhat feel like they only have lives when Korra is around. Mako, Bolin and Asami have a similar problem. Their stories only progress when Korra is around to be what drags them around.

Also, side note but they should have brought Katara to the meeting where they arrested Yakone. Suspected bloodbender? Wouldn't it be convient if there was a person the council knew, specifically Sokka, was able to resist bloodbending? Just Incase he was super dangerous and might create a son who would take away people's bending? Just Incase something went wrong? Also why did everyone float when they were bloodbend? Like, um? What?

The next big thing. The finale. It was so rushed. I think it was like half a season squished into twenty minutes. Korra andin should have had to deal with not being able to bend, Korrs should have had a longer breakdown, and Mako should not have kissed her in my opinion. Their romance is fine, not the worst writing, but it makes Asami feel like a prop for the love triangle, nothing else.

I'm going to split up my thoughts so this isn't a mega post. Expect multiple posts soon. I have many thoughts. Idk if anyone cares, I just want somewhere to put them.

First thoughts, the thoughts on characters, then maybe how to fix season 1.

[aldieb]

the first half of the siege of burning grass is a solid entry into my favorite genre-that-isn’t-a-genre, “two people who can’t understand each other go on a terrible road trip.” on one level, i think it’s an interesting twist to make the two dudes realize that they’re actually from the same cluster of small villages in the huge war machine country since it highlights the thematic question of whether geographic boundaries can make someone an enemy or an ally. but on another level, i think it’s a little bit of a cheap trick to make the characters very quickly connect over tiny familiar things like a word game that the people from round there play. because it feels so worked-for and rewarding when the exact opposite happens—the moment when one character in this dynamic is suddenly fascinated by something small but alien about the other, can’t resist trying to learn more about it, and thus opens the channel of communication a bit wider. idk, maybe this book is deliberately a total reversal of the encountering-the-other trope, though? the next half is a combination of a lesson in political organizing (this was good; fantasy about what The Resistance actually gets up to is lacking and the details felt real) and an action movie that you catch the final confusing 40 minutes of because you happen to flip to the tv channel it’s on (i… do not know how we got here). i just don’t get how a whole story about pacifism ended up hingeing on a bloody heist—i would say that it’s a refutation of pacifism, but that’s counter to the ideology expressed throughout the entire rest of the book. uhhh idk i feel like i say this a lot in the sff sphere lately but i’m glad that this type of book exists and also wish another of this type existed that was better executed. i want to know whether the author has read the dispossessed (also ends in a rather violent fashion as a result of revolutionary organizing but manages to square that with its purported themes). i liked the writing style a lot

[perotovar]

twenty questions for fic writers 💖

tagged by @kedsandtubesocks and @nerdieforpedro thank you, loves! ♥

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

technically 4 lol i'm slowly moving my stuff over there. i barely get any traction there compared to tumblr so it's sort of just there in case anyone prefers that format. i like the community i've built over here so i'm not worried about it!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

apparently 60,272 which is WILD

3. What fandoms do you write for?

the pedro pascal cinematic universe! i've thought about branching out into the bg3 fandom or possibly a couple other games, but the inspiration is with the pedro boys rn ♥

4. Top five fics by kudos

i'll go with the highest number of notes on here i suppose??

baby i'm-a want you (joel x javier p)

into the beat of the night (frankie x oc!river price)

bloody kisses (shane morrissey x tim rockford)

ásjá (pero tovar x ofc!helga)

rebirth (javi g x reader)

5. Do you respond to comments?

i've been really bad about it, but yeah, i certainly try to!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

ch1 of bloody kisses ends pretty angsty, but it's got nothing on given to fly, my joel x tess drabble (which i don't think a lot of people even know i wrote lmao)

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

i can tell you right now, itbotn will have a happy ending :)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

i don't think i write the popular boys enough for that. and most of my stuff is queer, which has a smaller audience. so, fingers crossed, no not yet

9. Do you write smut?

yep

10. Craziest crossover?

i feel like putting one of the characters in a macho man heist movie into a goth club was a pretty insane crossover lol but probably bloody kisses, too, because it's between a criminal and a detective. who says opposites don't attract? 😉

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i'm aware of omfg

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

no, but that would be cool!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

yeah, me and @chronically-ghosted work on bloody kisses together! her contribution is my favorite chapter so far, definitely

14. All time favorite ship?

joel/tess has been one of my absolute favorites for years. halsin/astarion is a very close second <3

15. What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

i really wanna write the metal!pero and metal!ezra fic but i'm not sure i'll figure out the plot for it sdflkghjdg they're messing with me a lot

16. What are your writing strengths?

i think i'm good at dialogue? banter?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

interesting descriptions. describing a mood/atmosphere is fucking hard and idk how y'all do it lol

18. Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

i think it's cool! i wish i spoke spanish better than my beginniner duolingo ass can so i can use it more often, but yeah lol

19. First fandom you wrote in?

it was for a band lmao like 10 years ago. i wrote like 2 smutty oneshots and have promptly deleted them off the internet

20. Favorite fic you've written?

god, that's an evil question! tbh it might be a tie between itbotn and bloody kisses. those are my babies and i'm super proud of the universes i created with them!

np tags: @ezrasbirdie @sp00kymulderr @qveerthe0ry @for-a-longlongtime

@goodwithcheese @missredherring @marisferasiop @swiftispunk @mrsmando

@ghostofaboy and anyone else that wants to ♥

[zahri-melitor]

Future State:

So this is a qualified opinion based on the fact I have only read the Bat-related titles and have not yet read the Bat book storylines subsequent to this, but my first impression of this is that you are just fine to skip anything in Future State that you don't want to read.

It does contain 'who is the Magistrate'. The Magistrate are a paramilitary force paid for by Mayor Nakano to hunt down 'masks' in Gotham (both capes and rogues). Their major members are called 'Peacekeepers'. If you literally just substitute the current cape-hunting paramilitary force of Peacemakers commanded by Amanda Waller in your mind, you've got the entire effect without needing to read any of it (Also Gotham is indulging in its neon futurism aesthetic, so think Batman: Gotham Knights the game, or just Bladerunner).

I only have time to read one title: Future State: Dark Detective. The A story in this title follows Bruce working undercover to find a way to reveal what's going on inside the Magistrate. The creative team is Mariko Tamaki, Dan Mora and Jordie Bellaire. One of the only stories in the entire set where I would confidently say this was still a solid yarn even out of context.

I'm interested in John Ridley's Fox Family Drama: read the A story of Future State: The Next Batman. Tam's had a relapse (because nobody can track whether or not Tam is supposed to be better or not), Luke's literally at a loose end because of plotting changes, you meet Jace, Tiffany has been aged up by the time jump to effectively be the age she was back pre-Flashpoint, Tanya is angry at the world because reasons (Tam) and Lucius is making bad decisions because ???.

What else do you think is a fun story? Future State: Catwoman is a train heist story with neon futurism aesthetics, which is busy indulging in re-education camp/concentration camp themes with more than a dash of Hunger Games references. Creative team is Ram V and Otto Schmidt (no prizes for guessing why it's a good story hey). Worth it just for Selina and Talia working at slight cross purposes but acknowledging the other has her own goals.

The E plot of Future State: The Next Batman (the Gotham City Sirens) has Ivy, Selina and slave android named Dee-Dee who has broken from her creator. This is fun for me personally because it is the rare concept where Ivy and Selina are bouncing off each other and Harley is nowhere in sight. The characterisation is at best fine, but the GCS vibes are there and fun.

The rare 'look I don't want to read this but it's well written' award: Future State: Harley Quinn. I deeply, deeply do not care about Harley, but if more of Harley's books were written like this, I think I would enjoy her far more as a character. So, recommendation for the 2021 run of Harley Quinn under Stephanie Phillips, I suppose (I am not planning on reading it).

The rest: look, the biggest issue with basically all of the Future State titles is due to being set in media res of an altered future, there's an awful lot of characters with changed personalities and no clear connections as to why they're acting OOC. And I'm a full believer in 'if you show me how the character got there, it's not OOC', but the whole concept of this is we don't get to see how the characters got there. So you're stuck going "why is Jefferson Davis currently a being of pure lightning, this isn't Jakeem Thunder". "has this writer read a single Stephanie Brown story not written by Bryan Q. Miller? (Vita Ayala I have been anticipating getting to your Wonder Woman stuff but wow you can't write Cass or Steph)". "I really wish this story where Dick is based in the bowels of an abandoned Arkham Asylum was leaning more into the Batman RIP/Reborn era storytelling around Dick and Arkham Asylum" and so on.

Characters don't fully track in their storylines between titles. Who's imprisoned when? Who are Two-Face and Croc working with? What hero titles are Cass, Steph, Barbara and Tim using? What costumes are people using? And so on and so forth.

You can really tell it's worked up from existing plots that got some surgery to rewrite them from the initial concept. Damian is Sir Not Appearing for the entire set of Bat titles, which makes sense on one level (given this is based out of scrapped 5G material) but makes absolutely no sense on another. Talia al Ghul is running around the background of at least two stories helping out the Bats, with no explanation given, but Damian can't be thrown into the art of group scenes because???

Like, read Mariko Tamaki, Ram V and maybe John Ridley because they can actually write solid stories and know (or are busy creating narratives for) the characters they're working with. Ridley's busy retconning a huge amount of existing Fox family stories but as it is he's setting up what will be their default for the ongoing future. Skip everything else unless you're feeling completionist (or interested in the Jason Todd-based alternate future title that spins out of this in Future State: Gotham).

[stevetonyweekly]

SteveTony Weekly - December 30th

Welcome to the final SteveTony Weekly of the year! Tomorrow I’ll be sharing my short list of favorite reads of the year--enjoy these and be sure to leave comment and kudos for your authors if you enjoy them! 

~

ends of the earth by meidui

“We have a new deal,” Tony interrupts. “From now on, you feel like you messed up, you come home to me. You come home to New York and we figure it out together. If you’re on this cross country road trip and living on a farm because you like it, fine, I’ll come out and visit. But if you’re out here because you’re sorry, I’ve got some bad news for you, buddy. Not even you could fix the entire world.”

They always slip so briskly and unexpectedly into conversations like this. There’s never been anything between them to thaw. Tony has been a bullet through the heart since they first met and he’s still lodged there, and Steve doesn’t know how to get him out.

He doesn’t deserve Tony coming all the way down to Illinois with his million watt attention and a slice of that blunt kindness of his.

the steve rogers rating system by meidui

Tony has an internalised Steve Rogers rating system, but it’s not standardised. It’s also not a foolproof system because Steve behaves in ways that crash it all the time.

everything and the kitchen sink by meidui

Steve eats a lot after the serum (and stashes snacks in his utility belt).

How Close Am I To Losing You by tinystark616

Three different stories about the first time Steve says "I love you" to Tony.

Unseen, unheard by lomku 

Tony and Steve have a furtive encounter. Tony wishes they could have more.

you'd think they'd be married by now by FunSizedMomo 

Tony can cook.

Steve loves Tony's cooking. And baking.

Oh and he loves Tony too.

Thoughtful Indulgences by HeLovedYou (come_chaos)

Tony takes Steve to space for their second anniversary together.

Sun Spots and Other Warm Things by s_p_r_o_u_t

Steve takes care of Tony on a bad mental health day. Lots of sappy fluff!

Nothing Wrong by tinystark616

As the Avengers' leader, Steve always praises each member of the team for their good work.

Except for Tony.

In Arrears by Sineala 

Steve had nearly forgotten what day it was, because he hadn't exactly wanted to write "roleplay elaborate landlord/tenant sexual fantasy with Tony" on his calendar where other people might see it. He suspected Tony actually had written precisely that on his, but, well, that was why he and Tony were two different people.

Coincidences by ladyshadowdrake

Steve hasn't been to a Quidditch game since his mother was still alive, but the US is playing in the World Cup, so why not? He definitely doesn't expect to run into Tony there.

light of my life by tinystark616

Steve has always loved Tony's arc reactor.

And he's always loved Tony.

Make Me Laugh, Make Me Come (At the Same Time) by Sadisticsparkle (sadisticsparkle)

This was it. After many months of sudden invasions, unexpected heists, and at least two zombie outbreaks, they had an entire night for themselves.

this love came back to me by complicationstoo 

It's been two and half years since the last time Steve and Tony saw each other, but the pieces fall right back into place when a chance meeting connects them again.

fourth time's the charm by complicationstoo 

Three times Steve's gifts for Tony didn't go as planned, and the one time it went right.

dreamt of you all summer long by complicationstoo

Steve spends months after the breakup trying to forget Tony, but it never seems to work. That's alright, though, because Tony can't forget him either.

once in a lifetime by meidui for Areiton

“You should be worried that I'll break into your apartment, steal your identity and flee the country with all your money,” Steve says, one arm slung lazily across Tony's chest, playing with the key to his safe. “You shouldn't go around handing out keys to people, you know.”

Tony makes a low, offended noise and grabs Steve’s chin, making him laugh. “Is that what you think I do?”

By The Numbers by JenTheSweetie

“I’m not certain that obtaining a larger vessel will assist him in vanquishing this most dangerous sea creature,” Thor said firmly.

Or, five ways other than battles that the Avengers measured a year.

The Ballad of Captains America by JenTheSweetie

“The thing I want you all to remember, when this is over,” Tony said to Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, and Bruce Banner, and fuck, they really needed to find Thor, or possibly Thors, “is that I was planning to use this for good, not evil."

do i wanna know by JenTheSweetie

When Steve Rogers woke up, they told him a lot of things.

They told him they’d fixed things been wrong back before, and that the world was better now. They told him that SHIELD was where he belonged, that they took only the best and the brightest and the bravest. They told him that with his help, they were going to save the world.

They also told him Tony Stark was dangerous.

But Steve Rogers once jumped on top of a grenade, so really, it’s all relative.