#also it’s the only reason he and Siobhan are friends

[cullenssapphic]

“Merry Christmas, Esme”

This is set just before carlesme are married in December 1921 - Carlisle tries to recreate what he did for Edward’s first Christmas as a newborn with Esme however he is faced with a small dilemma when he finds mistletoe Esme has made whilst decorating

they are engaged but you know Carlisle and his touch starved self

please enjoy and reblog <3

Esme adored the snow. In her human life, she spent those snowy Decembers wrapped up in stifling fabrics, trying to appreciate its trancing beauty of white yet not daring to encounter the cool bite of its touch. Her new life helped her to appreciate its beauty wholly. She loved the new sensation of snowflakes hitting her unbothered skin, running barefoot amongst the ground and laying for hours, watching the haze fall softly.

It was at Carlisle’s eager suggestion Edward take Esme out hunting for the day. Edward was very much aware of Carlisle’s plans for the evening - his thoughts were loud with elation as he pictured what her reaction would be like - lost in the reverie of every possible outcome.

Esme had stepped outside leaving the two to talk alone whilst she waited for Edward. Carlisle spoke in his mind, the surprise was sacred.

‘Please Edward, I want this to be special,’ He wanted to carry on the tradition he had done for Edward - making sure their human experiences were maintained and unforgotten. Although, It was different for Esme; it felt more important, more intimate. She was his guiding light and he longed to follow, to make sure she shone brightly. Her happiness was his priority.

‘Take her out in the snow. Perhaps she should bring her sketchbook? I know she loves to draw that lake nearby the little creek you know the one with the irises.’ The boy couldn’t help but scoff a little, they were not married quite yet but he had noticed how absolutely entwined they were with one another. The little details that were so obvious, their thoughts mirrored with saccharine positivity, their faces both reacted in unison as if rehearsed. It was heart-warming - even for a vampire. “Alright.” he nodded shifting to the door.

‘Good lad, be back around five I should be done by then’ he gently patted his shoulder ‘and please, keep her safe’ his warning was sincere yet stern.

“Of course I wouldn’t want to spoil this for her.” a smirk tugged the corner of his mouth, remembering the time Carlisle had done this for him. He wisped upstairs grabbing Esme’s sketchbook and shook his head wryly as he went, meeting her outside to go on a much prolonged hunt.

Carlisle was overwrought - he needed this to be perfect. She deserved perfection. He shuffled through the boxes of tinsel, string and nitid ornaments when he noticed a separate box underneath he couldn’t recall from the prior years. This was Esme’s.

He lay the small box on his lap, pulling out a wooden sphere painted with elements of rich carmine and artichoke. It was decadent despite its simplicity. The words ‘Cullen’ with ‘C.E.E’ underneath painted delicately in her handwriting. Carlisle held it gently to his chest in a sentimental fashion and sighed. Once the tree was brought in, he placed it on one of the centre branches. perfect he smiled.

When he had strung up the fruit he searched for items to put on the fireplace. There was a small item wrapped in linen enlaced with a knotted string. Carlisle’s name had been painted on it and curiosity bested him. He unravelled it to reveal the fresh mistletoe leaves tied neatly with ribbon. Oh. She was planning her own surprise for him then. His smile beamed, Edward was right - they truly were connected.

It was a symbolic custom; one he knew would be important to her. Lucent berries and leaves rested in his palm ‘What should I do?’ contemplating if he should spoil her own surprise and replace it with his own, Carlisle was reluctant to suggest it to her. They had kissed many times over the course of their engagement but he was still timid with his affections. Besides, it was Esme who had kissed him first. He placed it to the side and struck a match. They would be back soon.

The smell of candle wax thickened as he lit each wick - Since Esme had arrived, their house felt homely and affable. The mellow tones sunken in their living room along with the seasonal attributes made him realise that perhaps for the first time he was apart of a family, his family.

“We’re back.” the door twisted open, Edward came in and Esme followed; her swaying caramel curls decorated with the snowy confetti from outside. Her golden eyes lit up as she took in the new surroundings and her mouth was perched open slightly in awestruck.

Their living room had been masked floor to ceiling in gaudy decor - dashed with blotches of aureate that if they were human, their eyes would irritate greatly. When Carlisle had decorated the inn at the harbour he and Edward shared in 1919, it was never more than a tree and a couple items for their bedside tables; this was far too excessive.

‘How ostentatious’ Edward thought to himself, amused by Carlisle’s desperate need to go overboard for the woman he loved.

“Merry Christmas, Esme.” Carlisle made his way towards her

“Oh Carlisle this is- it’s just wonderful, thank you.” she was now admiring the tree and noticed her ornament had been strung up along with the others.

She pointed to it “you weren’t supposed to see that yet you know.”

“Well you didn’t really hide it that well,” he joked “and besides it’s very beautiful.”

Her smile was coy, “Did you happen to find anything else?”

“As a matter of fact I found something rather intriguing.” he turned to the fireplace to retrieve her spoilt surprise.

“mhm go on.”

he grabbed the mistletoe, motioning it towards her with one eyebrow cocked upwards for an explanation.

“I was saving that for Christmas Day!”

“You made this yourself?”

Her eyes dropped to the floor in a shy humour “Well it’s quite easy you just tie it all together.”

“So you made me a Christmas present and I foolishly found it and now am flaunting it about everywhere.” he scoffed

“I made you two Christmas presents and I didn’t even get to see your reaction,” her playful tone dropped ever so slightly “Do you like them?”

“I love them, angel.” his heart would have burst if it could beat.

“I’m glad.”

“So about this mistletoe, what were you planning on asking me?”

“Well, you’re the one that found it so I think it is only fair you ask darling.” she prodded, Esme knew that he was still nervous with affection; one reason was he did not want to frighten her and the other was that he was alone for so long. The starved intimacy he had craved centuries for - it was all so new to him.

“Oh.” he muttered then flashing an equanimous smile “well then Miss Platt,”

“I’ll be Mrs Cullen soon.” she added

“Then, Mrs Cullen.. would you do me the honour of kissing me underneath the mistletoe.”

“Of course, my husband.” she teased, leaning forward as he held the mistletoe above their heads with his free hand.

Edward coughed sheepishly “And on that note i think I’ll head out and enjoy the weather a little longer.” he had stood watching them, unnoticed, their love was mesmerising to watch but he’d give them their privacy.

‘Poor lad’ Carlisle thought as he went out the door but soon returned his thoughts back to Esme.

She pulled him close, tugging his shirt slightly “you know Carlisle we don’t need this as an excuse to kiss.” She grabbed the mistletoe from his hand and they kissed sweetly, both cherishing the closeness of one another.

“Thank you for doing this.” She murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.

“Of course,” he pressed his lips to her forehead. “Again, Merry Christmas angel.”

“Merry Christmas, Carlisle.”

[panlight]

hi! i’ve been really enjoying hearing your thoughts on the whole “olympic coven” thing (tbh it wasn’t something i had really thought about a lot before — i always just thought of them as “the cullens” lmao so i’m learning lots of new things)

but omg let me just say re: your possible alternative names post — “st. carlisle and his disciples” is canon!!!!!!! to me!!!!!!!!

i feel like to a lot of the other vamps the cullens do seem kinda cult-y, and even to the ones who know/like carlisle, it does kinda feel like there’s a little bit of an eyeroll and a “yeah my weird friend carlisle who likes helping humans — strange but charming i suppose”

i guess maybe it wouldn’t be like an “official name” but i absolutely 10000000% can see other vamps calling them that casually, or maybe it’s one of those things that was a joke one time and then it stuck

anyway, i just wanted to say that reading “st. carlisle and his disciples” sent me into absolute hysterics and then i was like “oh shit that’s so good tho like that’s literally them”

i hope you have a lovely day!! 🥰🥰

I'm sure I'm not the first person who has used some variant of that, but I find it so funny too and it seems like human nature--or, well, vampire nature--that Carlisle's whole deal would rub some vampires the wrong way, or they'd be inclined to tease him.

I sort of imagine it really started in Volterra, with its proximity to Rome/the Vatican and the seat of the Catholic power. Carlisle's not Catholic, but I'm sure to ancient vampires who pre-date Christianity, that distinction is hardly important. "The Vatican's that way, Your Holiness," etc.

I also suspect that early on Carlisle was probably a bit more "preachy" in the sense that he was 'young' and native and idealistic and the first few times he met another vampire he had probably assumed they'd be THRILLED to learn the Good News that animal blood was enough and they didn't have to kill people. And he'd give them this pitch that probably sounded like the vampire equivalent of someone knocking on your door and trying to convert you to their religion.

There's also this thing people do where they get kind of . . . defensive, in a weird way, when they meet someone who opts out of doing something that 'everyone' else does. For example, I don't drink alcohol. Not for religious or moral reasons, but more about family history, mental health and a genuine lack of interest. But some people get SO WEIRD when this comes up, like they think I am judging them for drinking or think I think I'm better than them for not drinking. And I imagine Carlisle gets this from other vampires, too that even if he's not proselytizing, other vampires still get this defensive reaction and respond with "okay St. Carlisle we get it, you're pure and holy and we're soulless demons."

But yeah, pre-BD I wouldn't have guessed he has as many friends as he does; I had kind of gotten the impression that only the Denali coven and Aro liked him and everyone else found him kind of annoying, the Ned Flanders of vampires. BD paints a different picture of vampires who like him, would risk dying for him, but I imagine there's still an element of teasing there, especially with the likes of Siobhan and Garrett. Maybe less the off-putting religious zealot who tries to convert you and more like the weird hippie vegan friend who lives on a commune. Nice guy, means well, but super weird.

[mcq-heartmark]

the gang's hobbies (and a little bit of an insight to them)

this is my first time posting something like this publicly! as I'm writing this, I'm still a bit unsure. I think this is not good enough, but I still want to share anyway. posting this without people knowing their personalities is probably not a good idea, but I hope their personalities shine through in my writing (u_u). I'm certain there will be grammar mistakes in here as english is not my first language, so I apologize in advance. please be kind (= =;)

characters: tommy, eva, tyrone, akira, tatsuaki, hiromasa, jackie, siobhan, ursula (everyone is here!)

🐚 tommy - drawing

tommy has been drawing for as long as he can remember. when he gets sick and unable to go outside — which happens more often than he would have liked — he'll get restless. finding something to distract himself from his sickness, he'll pull up a sketchbook and then start drawing

he doesn't have much time for his hobby however. between his usual sports practices and a part-time job as a waiter at sakura's cafe, he often finds himself too tired to do anything after the day ends. at most, he'll just draw the illustration for the cafe's chalkboard

I imagine his artstyle would be something like akame kiyose's chibi artstyle in love live school idol diary. he does know realism but he just prefers to draw chibi more

he only does traditional art and is not familiar with digital mediums, but someone adaptable like him could certainly pick that up in no time

🌟 eva - stargazing

eva has always preferred the night sky more than any scenes in the world, thinking about the endless possibilities that lie beyond the horizon, which is... unexpected of someone seemingly crass and direct like her. she doesn't really care about the scientific aspect of it, she just likes to see the stars

back when she hasn't moved to the island yet, she used to work in retail with a shitty pay. one day, she found a second-hand telescope for cheap at a thrift shop. she was still saving up money to move out, but she just couldn't pass on a good deal. the sole reason she bought it was just because she wanted to see the stars better. it's super old and barely works half of the time, but it's good enough for her. to this day, the telescope is still one of her most prized possessions

other than this, she also does makeup! she doesn't consider it as a hobby, but she's pretty skilled at it

🔆 tyrone - singing & dancing

tyrone actually started doing these hobbies quite late — at 23, around when he had just moved to the island. it was his first time being free without anyone controlling him. having the freedom to explore himself like this was trilling, but also terrifying at the same time

at first he was listening to music and just... kinda walking around, imagining some scenarios inside his mind. it later evolved into learning dance moves and now he's full on dancing! when he feels courageous enough, he'll record himself dancing and post it on youtube. his videos don't have much viewer, barely hitting 200 views, but maybe in the next 10 years they will become internet relics, who knows

about singing: he found out a bit later that he also like singing. he drags his friends to the karaoke so often that it's now a tradition to go there every friday night. he also sings in the shower. (tommy does hear that but he doesn't mind)

the kind of music that he enjoys is vocaloid music! he first discovered vocaloid in high school, introduced to him on a school computer. he has been a fan ever since then

🌸 akira - cooking

akira's family runs a ryokan business, so he already have an experience in cooking by helping out. even though he mostly cooked japanese food back home, his skills in other cuisine are not to be scoffed at. his specialties are japanese sweets (wagashi)

despite akira's outer demeanor as someone who's meek, he has a burning passion inside to strives to be a better cook. but lately, he has been trying out new recipes for western cuisine. his housemates (hiro and tatsu) said that the food is good, but akira himself still needs a new perspective. then he realized, he needs a new tongue. he needs helps from a certain someone who's not japanese like his housemates to try out his food...

👓 hiromasa - …playing rhythm games, maybe?

hiromasa has always have an interest in rhythm games, especially arcade games. but even then, he considers that he doesn't do it that often to count as a hobby. even back in japan, he usually reserved those moments for a special day, or a really bad day. what he does more often though is playing mobile rhythm games, but he doesn't count those as "real" rhythm games (that's just his elitism coming through.)

on the island here, hiro usually goes to the game center at the least busiest time of the day (early afternoon) just so he could has that place all to himself. the mobile rhythm game that he's playing the most currently is llsif, which he has frequent banters about it with tyrone (who also plays it.) it's a great source of entertainment in the group

(bonus: at some point, hiro made some scouting videos and uploaded it to youtube, documenting his strings of bad lucks and tragedies. those videos have gained him a small, but dedicated following)

🎸 tatsuaki - playing guitar & marimo care

music has always been tatsuaki's interest ever since his teenage years, started when he bought his first ever cd at 14. he was in the music store, just looking around. when he was about to leave, he didn't want to seem like a suspicious person who came out of the store empty-handed, so he picked out a cd at random from a clearance sale, which turned out to be coaltar of the deepers's 2001 album "no thank you". when he went back home and listened to it, the album immediately made an impression on him and sparked his interest in music

tatsu's one and only guitar that he owns is the tokai love rock. he chose this guitar because it was simply striking to him, always seeing it on the front of this very same store that unintentionally introduced him to his favorite band. he bought the guitar with his own saving of three years and started practicing right away when he got his hands on it

while tatsu already plays guitar as a hobby (and formerly as a job), he also has another unexpected interest — marimo! he has a tank set up with its own current switch, so the marimo just kinda tumble around when he turns it on. he finds watching them to be very relaxing. he wouldn't be caught dead admitting that he like these little moss balls though

↓ a little doodle I made about this around a year ago

👆 jackie - …no hobby currently

before jackie moved, she spent most of her time doing her job as a writer, sparing no time to do anything, staring at her laptop screen. at most, she would just watch some reality shows or whatever that was on at the moment. she did travel for a bit to refresh herself and to gain inspirations, but she was still too focused on her job to enjoy anything properly

when jackie was younger, she used to go camping with her father all the time, but she stopped doing it since his passing. if she has to count, it probably has been around 10 years since then

since jackie finally moved to the island, she has been trying out new hobbies, but none of them seem to really stick. one thing she has come to realized recently though is that she likes to try out whatever akira was cooking, so maybe her current hobby is tasting akira's food?

🎧 siobhán - people watching

when siobhán is not making music or doing anything significant (or when she just want to goes outside in general), she will grab a drink and something to eat, get on her bike, go to her usual spots — the fountain or a rooftop — and watch people going on their way, imagining what they are talking about over there. simply observing them

because of this, siobhán's friends often compare her to a stray cat, not just in appearance alone, but also her mannerism, like a cat watching over peasants on the rooftop. but truthfully, she doesn't like cats that much. she doesn't even care about animals in general. to her, they are just living things, nothing to fawn over about

I would say that music is also siob's hobby, but that's more of a side job

🎀 ursula - garage kit assembling

ursula came from a rich family, so she has plenty of money to order garage kits directly from japan, along with buying equipment for painting. airbrush, paints, all that jazz

she would spend months focusing on one kit. sanding out the nubs, applying masking tape oh so carefully, airbrushing each piece, slowly painting the eyes and other details. these require endless patience, which she fortunately already has

ursula displays her work on the glass shelf in her bedroom. occasionally, she brings one of them out to place at her desk

sometime she thought about filming her process and upload it to youtube, but she decided against it because her workflow is quite messy and sporadic

...and that's all! thank you so much if you read this all the way through :>

[crownofconvergencerp]

𝐒𝐈𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐍-𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐓

simone is a leanan-sidhe vampire and goes by she/her pronouns. She is physically 27 but technically 38 years old. she originally grew up among the court in withermore, and only recently moved to destarin to get away from unfounded accusations against her..

TW: sacrifice, death, attempted murder.

Born the youngest child to an eccentric viscount in Withermore, Simone grew up around all manner of persons from within Withermore's court and from without. A naturally shy and sweet girl, the viscount delighted in showing off his sole red-haired child to the masses, and possibly delighted more in the social blunders of his youngest. As the young girl grew, many within the court took to calling her "Lady Love" - a misnomer to mock the both name and her atypical wallflower nature that haunted her upon her debut into society.

The years that passed were barely any better for the so-called Lady Love, as her eccentric father began to invite even more odd characters into his home. And whatever friends Simone hoped to have began to distance themselves as rumors swirled around court. The most heinous rumor, however, was that the viscount had raised his sole redhead child for slaughter, as a means of paying off debts to some alleged being. Unfortunately, that rumor also proved correct, though not in the way people thought.

It was the first night of the new year, and moonless sky at that. The viscount, alongside his "friends," marched his youngest child out to the middle of the wood, where a wooden altar had been erected. Simone, half asleep and half afraid, dared not speak out against her father as they chanted over her. But when he brought out a flaming scimitar, the young girl screamed for her life, that it be spared, that her father remember that she is his child. All for naught, as the flames licked her flesh while the blade entered her body.

It was then that an almost ethereal woman appeared, drawn by the scent of blood. Simone's father seemed absolutely enthralled with the woman, who placed a kiss upon his head before turning to the bleeding girl.

All the young girl remembered was a searing, white-hot pain, and then blackness. She awoke the following night in the crypts below her ancestral home, that same ethereal woman beside her. The woman, her sire, introduced herself as Siobhan, who hailed from a small hamlet somewhere off the coast of the continent. Siobhan went on to explain that she was a vampire known as a leanan-sidhe, seductresses who grant boons to men in exchange for their blood. The ritual was to continue on Siobhan's own vampiric line.

Simone's father only lived another three years after the ritual he'd thrust his own child into. And after the funeral rites had been performed and the viscount laid to rest, she ran. Where and for how long, she did not know. She did not even tell anyone of her condition, though that apparently wasn't enough to keep people from knowing. Starved and delirious was how she was found by a witch that came to claim her life.

Simone begged, just as she had at that wooden altar, pleading to not have to deal with the horror of a second death. She was no horrid creature, just a scared girl who had never been freed from her own home until she'd been given a chance. The witch, for some reason, seemed to take pity on her. He had granted her mercy, allowed her to drink from his veins. She had been so scared to drink, but the kindness in his eyes made her bold. He warned her, told her to run. Told her he belonged to a coven of witches known as Ahnci, and to avoid any that bore their crest like the one on his ring.

Years passed like sand through fingers, as she learned to control the abilities that her life as a leanan-sidhe, and years spent fearing the very same crest of the man that had granted her life, such as it was. Simone wondered if her family ever missed her. If they had even noticed her flight from their home. Likely not, as she had never seen even a "MISSING" poster hanging in any of the villages she skirted through. But her atypical life had to end at some point, when a run in with the mayor of some small village she had been near ended with an accusation of corruption. So she fled to Destarin, the one place where she might finally be left alone.

Taking a job at the first available place she could, Simone tries her best not to be too much of a burden. And, thankfully, her landlord doesn't care much when her waking hours are, so long as she pays rent every month.

WHAT ARE YOU...?

species: leanan-sidhe vampire. weaknesses: direct sunlight, beheading, iron is lethal, requires blood to live, cannot access holy ground without invitation. strengths: enhanced senses, can offer endless inspiration to artists in exchange for blood, can appear in dreams, immortality, ability to seduce male-aligned prey for ease of feeding physical description: mostly mortal appearance, she has fangs and round blue eyes that draw people in, long, curly red hair, and is generally a very curvy woman. she also has a scar that runs vertically along her ribs from the ritual her father performed. additional info: simone has had no contact with her sire, siobhan, outside of receiving little notes aiding her in learning her abilities as a leanan-sidhe. she purposefully does not disclose her identity as a vampire, though people find out eventually anyway.

simone love is played by greenie and their fc is nicola coughlan

[skittykitty300]

🖊️

// thank you whomever you may be! :D

//long slew of misalious fun facts about Siobhan are below!

//Originally, Siobhan was supposed to be my trainersona, but I scrapped it because I thought that'd be too confusing and just turned her into an oc

//Those bleach blonde highlights in her hair are natural! Without the pink hair dye, it's blonde! She gets it from her mom's side

//Her mom's side of the family is on the bigger side and mostly from Unova, and her dad's side is smaller and all in Hoenn

//She used to have a Stunky, who she tried to train, but they never really listened and was a little air-headed but overall very sweet. She found her under her porch, thinking it was a Purloin. (Congrats if you knew that already from reading my rambling in the tags on some post!)

//She traded that Stunky to an old friend for their Shuppet, which was Sweeney, because he was wayyyy too dramatic for them.

//she will probably never trade with somebody over the internet ever again after the "Aloan Raichu" incident

// Siobhan has really bad social anxiety and is generally awkward towards people because I am generally socially awkward towards people and have bad social anxiety :]

//Siobhan is also queer because i am queer :3

//Siobhan's first pokemon was supposed to be Sylvestor when she turned 10, but she couldn't wait and took home Silly by hand and caught Spike

//speaking of Sylvestor, he was a gift from Siobhan's great aunt from Kalos

//Originally, Siobhan was trying going to evolve her Eevee into an Umbreon or Espeon, she really didn't care which.

//Siobhan isn't as truthful as you think when talking about her past when she lived in Hoenn.

//She hates the stereotypes dark-type and ghost types get. She used to advocate for them in pokecontests, trying to show they aren't "evil"

//She strongly believes that there is no bad pokemon, only bad trainers

//her Absol, Sybil, highest Stat is speed! (:

//Speaking of Sybil, Siobhan found her near Flannery's gym, thanks to somebody dumping her there

// After receiving her third pokemon, she decided to just name all her pokemon with names that start with S since she thought it would be cool.

//She thinks she's pretty good at naming pokemon

//Her family had to move for a reason.

//Siobhan only has three gym badges from Hoenn and two from Kalos. She wishes she had more time to battle more.

//She grooms dog and cat pokemon for a living in Kalos!

//and due to the fact above, she's grown a hatred for furfrous thanks to many irresponsible furfrou owners

//she keeps a box of old pictures and memories that she can't seem to get rid of from back then

//I hope you liked my facts about my ocs :]

//I try to post some ooc stuff on my ooc blog, @kittyskitty-pokehub like doodles of my ocs or silly things related to pokemon

[daybreakrising]

HEADCANONS - G.ALLAGHER & SIOBHAN

as always, these are simply my opinions on the subject, and i don't expect everyone to agree with them (particularly not any writers of said characters). however, there is one thing i will not budge on when it comes to this dynamic for a very specific reason, which i will highlight at the end for extra clarification. until then-

HISTORIC RELATIONSHIP

and no, i don't mean romantic-

of everyone we speak to in p.enacony with regards to g.allagher, only siobhan seems to actually... know him. most people haven't heard of him at all (understandably, given who/what he is), but not only does siobhan know of him, she knows him. he's not just a name or someone she's met in passing, he's someone that shares a certain degree of history with her.

when we first meet siobhan, it's obvious they're already familiar with each other. they talk like old friends (though i would concede to acquaintances at a push), there's a degree of banter between them ("you're not over the hill yet"), and she speaks like she has experience around him:

siobhan: and let me tell you, don't underestimate the bartenders of p.enacony, especially not g.allagher. this guy is pure magic... he can satisfy even the pickiest of customers.  siobhan: don't go easy on this old man. give him a real challenge.

she also honours his memory specifically in farewell, p.enacony, as one might say a final farewell to a lost friend. so i believe siobhan is one of the few people within p.enacony that g.allagher has actively forged connections with. on the surface, he has no obvious reason to do so-

A SLIVER OF THE TRUTH

-except for the fact that i believe siobhan knows more about g.allagher than one might assume.

just as a reminder, my main verse for g.allagher has him being the 'human' form of dormancy, aka, something unto death. both forms were created specifically for p.enacony, and he can be both g.allagher & dormancy at the same time to further conceal the truth of his identity.

with that being said, given siobhan's knowledge and experience with the dreamjolt troupe, i hc that she sensed something different about g.allagher from the start, though she never pried. what did it matter if he wasn't completely human, as she suspected? monsters are welcome in her bar, after all. it makes no difference to her.

because of this, i believe g.allagher trusted her enough to let a little of the truth slip. whilst he couldn't reveal his actual identity, surely it could only benefit him to have someone know he is tied to dormancy - and not in the way most believe. how siobhan came to learn that he is dormancy and not simply in control of it, i leave open for now - did g.allagher tell her outright, or did he simply leave enough clues for her to work it out for herself? if so, did she approach him about it, or simply acknowledge it silently?

regardless, revealing this "truth" is a deliberate act: both as one of trust for one of the few people he has forged a bond with, and to further cover the actual truth to ensure he could continue to carry out the plan as intended.

IMPORTANT NOTE

as i mentioned at the start, there is an aspect to this dynamic that i will not budge on, and that this is for a very good reason. and that is:

siobhan cannot know that g.allagher, in either form, is an avatar of the e.nigmata.

and the reason should be fairly obvious: if she knows, his identity is discovered, and he will cease to exist. he says it himself: "once something fictional is seen through, it ceases to exist" - therefore, she cannot know anything more than what he has allowed her to know / believe, otherwise it would disrupt everything.

to that extent, she also only knows the g.allagher that exists in p.enacony. whether or not she comes to know the g.allagher that comes after (as per my verse), or the original pathstrider who created him... well, that's another story.

[inquisimer]

MER MER MER POLITICAL MARRIAGE! POLITICAL MARRIAGE! Siobhan x Sebastian + ❛ it’s not for you. it’s not a favor. it’s the cruelest thing i could do. ❜ from the hero x villain prompts? 👀👀👀

POLITICAL MARRIAGE yeah I knew I would get you with that one hehehe

so like, they're rivals but they're friends? because I like to add a bit of nuance to the da2 companion approval mechanics lol

also this went a bit somfter than I intended whoops ;-;

for @dadrunkwriting and an honorary mention to @melisusthewee who sent me the same prompt for the same ship uwu

~~~

“If we do this—“ Siobhan began, and then stopped. She wasn’t sure where the sentence would end, and she didn’t care to continue like that.

“If?” Sebastian echoed. “You seemed quite certain a few days ago.”

“I am certain, it’s just” —she pursed her lips and pulled aside the curtains to gaze out at Hightown— “are you?”

His armor rasped a familiar cadence as he came to stand beside her. “And why would I not be?”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Act like I’m not clearly getting the better end of this deal.” Siobhan scowled. Her breath fogged against the glass, obscuring the servants and couriers in the square below. “The most valuable part of Kirkwall is her port. And Starkhaven hardly needs marine access.”

“The most valuable part of Kirkwall is her leader. And there is nothing more precious than one who cares for her entirety."

He leaned sideways, one shoulder against the glass, and regarded her with those damnable eyes that always pierced her soul. “As you do.”

“I’m not even guaranteed the throne,” she countered.

“Oh please, Champion.” Sebastian chuckled. “It’s only a matter of time before Elthina sees reason and restrains the Knight-Commander. Who else do you suppose the nobility will turn to when that happens?”

“You never know who’s lurking in the shadows.”

The prince sobered. “True enough. Although, in all fairness, I’m hardly guaranteed Starkhaven either. That makes us rather even, no?”

“Starkhaven is your birthright!” Her armor smacked against his as one arm snapped out to whack his chest. “The only thing standing between you and it is your damn self.”

“While I would gladly leave Kirkwall in your very capable hands” —he cupped them as he spoke, rubbing comforting circles over callouses and scars— “I would not abandon you in this hour of need.”

“Starkhaven—“

“—has not yet fallen under the incompetent rule of my cousin. I very much doubt those who pull his strings are angling for the city’s destruction.”

“Must be nice,” Siobhan muttered darkly.

Sebastian’s fingers curled around her fist and she did not stop him as he pried her fingers open. In her palm was a ring, warmed from her skin and glinting in the torchlight. The design was custom, silver chains entwined with the furred dragons of Starkhaven.

Symbolic and beautiful and—

“But that’s not your only concern, is it?” Sebastian murmured.

Her hand clenched around the ring once more and she pressed it to her mouth. “Of course not.”

With the patience of a brother who has sat through many a stilted, awkward confession, Sebastian waited, giving Siobhan the space to find her meaning.

“I am…new…to nobility,” she began, slowly and methodically choosing each word. “I know that you do not always expect to marry for love. But I—my mother gave up everything for that chance.”

She took a deep breath and forced herself to look the prince dead on. “I’m not in love with you, Sebastian. I don’t know that I will ever be. I would not ask you to share your throne with someone who cannot give you her heart.”

“Ah, I see.” Sebastian hummed and she steeled herself for his anger, his lashing out with bitter pain.

“Hawke.” One gloved hand caught the underside of her chin. They were nearly the same height, so rather than tilting back, his hand traced the line of her jaw with gentle reverence. “There is love between us, but no romance. I have always known that and I brought this to you regardless.”

“Love is hardly so simple as to be a flat coin with only two sides,” he snorted and the tension Siobhan had imagined between them snapped like a cord under a blade. “The both of us would give anything for our cities. There is connection enough in that, and more in mutual respect, for this to flourish.”

“But what if—“

“As you said, you are new to nobility. And you know nothing of royalty.” Sebastian leaned back, a bit of a cocky smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Should I find a lady who could turn my attention from both you and Starkhaven, there is always room at a prince’s elbow for a consort.”

Siobhan rolled her eyes, but relief was a warm buzz through her veins. “It doesn’t bother you? To close that path forever?”

“No.” Certainty reverberated in a way that shouldn’t have been possible with just one syllable. “Don’t forget—I was to give up such earthly pleasures regardless. I have not thought of my own personal future in some time.”

“Of course,” Siobhan murmured. “But now—“

“Now I have a duty to Starkhaven,” he said firmly. “Anything beyond that is in the Maker’s hands. I will look to Him when that time comes, if it comes.”

He was so sure. It was enviable and unobtainable and Siobhan resented it as much as she loved it for him.

“Very well,” she opened her fist again and Sebastian threaded a thin leather cord through the ring. His breath ghosted over her skin as he lifted it over her head. The ring settled below the hollow of her throat and he fastened the cord with a strong knot behind her neck.

“You have walked beside me, down the paths where a thousand arrows sought my flesh,” he quoted softly. His accent shaped the Chant into something almost palatable; it pulled at the weary edges of Siobhan’s faith. “You have stood with me when all others have forsaken me.”

Her fingers found the foreign metal and played with it, staring out the window. She leaned back against Sebastian’s chest, solid, sturdy, supporting. Her rock. She was, as always, a fool to doubt.

“Though I bear scars beyond counting,” she murmured. “Nothing can break me except your absence.”

[almea]

I thought the 2.3 story would be longer than it was because of the trailer, but I think it was a good length, especially after the monster that was 2.2.

I fucking CRIED that Dan Heng's dream was just for the five of them to continue travelling on the Express together forever. Between this and his line in 2.2 about his companions being "once-in-a-lifetime treasures" he is truly the softest boy. I read a fic where I think Himeko told Dan Heng that he could travel with the Express for as long as he wanted, and he thought to himself that he wanted to stay forever, but "forever" means something different to him than it does to the others, and that line has lived in my heart ever since and these last two versions have really shown how that author really nailed the part of Dan Heng that loves the crew so much.

I love the jokes about how trigger happy Dan Heng is with the Jade Abacus in 2.2, but I do also think it's very sweet and a little sad because it feels like his desire to keep the crew safe can get very desperate and frantic. It's also feels like the only reason Dan Heng seems so cool and levelheaded all the time is because he usually has to keep March and Stelle from going too crazy, but when they're gone he's just like. No thoughts, head empty, if I get even an inkling that they're in trouble I am going to make the most reckless choices I can in the moment to protect them and it's all anyone can do to try to stop me.

It's so fucking sad???? That no one knows what exactly happened with Gallagher. Like, Siobhan doesn't know what happened to her friend. This is a crime!! I don't know if we're ever going to see him again in the future, but if we do, I will cry. I didn't really have any thoughts about Misha or Gallagher in 2.0 or 2.1, and then 2.2 happened and now I'm in tears every time either of them are mentioned in the story lmao.

Seeing Stelle be an absolute gremlin who's being babysat by March and Dan Heng from Firefly's perspective was such a treat. She's so unhinged and it was like. Ah yes. This is exactly how I act when I'm playing the game. Opening every chest I see, looking for birds, breaking every destructible item. Getting to hear more of Stelle's voice was also a blessing and a gift.

The last cutscene was soooo beautiful. I loved the shots of everyone in Penacony. It just feels like such a nice way to wrap things up.

And the Firefly and Stelle parts, oh my god. Stelle praying for Firefly's to be okay was so cute. I wasn't expecting that and they just hit me with Stelle looking so adorable. And then Firefly princess carrying Stelle?? First with Sam and then without it?? In that moment Firefly really decided she was the hero of the story and Stelle was the heroine. I just love them so much. Seeing them so happy and relieved together made me so happy too.

There is something there about Stelle first entering the dream by falling from the sky and crash landing, and then ending the story flying through the sky and going even higher with Firefly.

And then they go from that to stabbing me in the heart with the final goodbyes in Penacony. I just. I'm so fond of the Penacony Trailblazers and seeing how the crew honours them was so sweet. I love that Razalina was the one writing those messages in the Dreamscape Pass because that means she's kind of been with us since the beginning. I want to believe we'll get to learn more about her one day, maybe in a Penacony Trailblaze Continuance. I saw a theory that she's Black Swan that was pretty compelling, so Black Swan temporarily travelling with the crew has potential.

I can't believe they made Acheron's farewell skippable. I can't believe there was an option to just go back to the train without saying goodbye to her. I picked the second option first because I thought the sentiment of "If that was the first time we met, then the next time we meet will be a reunion" was very sweet, but I went back and picked the first option afterwards because I figured it was going to be an Impact 3rd reference and I wanted to see it even if I wouldn't really Get It. I wasn't expecting the scene to be so much longer and so touching, with not one but two absolutely beautiful CGs of Acheron. And they made it skippable.

All the new visitor unlocks popping up one after the other after finishing the story was so funny. Especially Sparkle because, girl, you just gave everyone a heart attack because of your bomb threat and then you invited yourself onto the train???? And then I read her text messages, cried hysterically, and was like, okay, you can come visit whenever you want.

When Sparkle created the illusions of the Stellaron Hunters in Acheron's trailer, I had the thought that maybe my dumb theory that they were the ones who hired her to come to Penacony had a chance of being true, but I assumed it was Elio who hired her because she had a part in the script, but no! It was Silver Wolf! Silver Wolf, who was just worried about her friend and wanted to take measures to keep her as safe as possible! I always believed Silver Wolf was secretly very soft for the people she loves beneath all her attitude and I was right!

Silver Wolf and Sparkle being gaming friends is so random and I love it. It's this version's "Blade has a driver's license" for me. I can't believe they dropped this lore on me without adding new voice lines for them about each other. I'm holding out hope for the future…

My mono-Quantum team is Qingque, her boss, Silver Wolf, and her gaming buddy. It's so perfect.

[lonelier-version-of-you]

I, as it happens, have been having a bit of a rubbish day. So what a cheer-up moment it was for Jacob to be the first character I saw in Casualty tonight! I needed that.

Charles Venn is an incredible actor. I feel like I say that every time Jacob is at all the focus, but it's always relevant! There was a lot of excellent character work for Jacob tonight. Even the scenes at the beginning with him running into the building were great - it's amazing how much more I like those kinds of scenes when Jacob has them than when Iain does. (On that note, I kind of like that we seem to be getting more stunts again. I didn't really miss them that much, but it's still nice to go "wow, look at those special effects" every now and again.)

The bit when he went to apologise to Danielle was also really good. Great writing, great acting.

Also, I got yet another reminder of why I like Iain a lot more when he's Jacob's supportive best friend than when he's doing anything else. He bounces off Jacob in their scenes really well, it makes him so much more likeable. Jacob being the focus and Iain as a supporting character > Iain being the focus and Jacob as a supporting character, any day.

I've been wanting a Dylan and Stevie friendship for a long, long while. I think I'm finally getting it, so yay!! Like Jacob and Iain (on a good day when Jacob is at the centre), Dylan and Stevie bounce off each other really well. Tonight, with Stevie going to Dylan's boat, reminded me of Jac's trip to find out why Henrik had been absent from Holby. Like Henrik and Jac, I think Dylan and Stevie see a lot of themselves in one another, which initially led them to dislike each other but can now become a friendship.

Also, it'll be hilarious and gleeful if Faith has unintentionally caused Stevie - who Faith has been able to control for a long time due to being like her only friend - to make another, better friend in Dylan.

I felt really sorry for Dylan and how sad he was. William Beck was great. Tonight did seem to verge closer to a retcon, but I'm not assuming this will go into a "Dylan doesn't know he's autistic" rewrite yet - if we get even one line where he's like "I've thought I am for a long time, but I never saw the point in getting a diagnosis" and that now because of Patrick using it against him, he's thinking again, I'll be fine with it and won't say it's a retcon.

Rash's story was very good. Neet Mohan was great once again. And I think this isn't the last we, or Rash, will see of his therapist Uma. If that means Rash does get more therapy after all, good.

Siobhan mentioning "the CEO" without naming a name (unless I didn't hear it; my auditory processing hasn't been great)... that feels either like building up to a new CEO of Holby or to Henrik coming back. I really hope it's the former. I don't want Henrik appearing. His character has been wrecked too much. Besides, we already have a substitute for Henrik who can do anything Henrik would when it comes to management...

Patrick really reminded me of Henrik tonight. His management style is very similar. For some reason, tonight also reminded me that Patrick's actor, Jamie Glover, also played Angus Ferrell on Holby. Lol.

I love Nicole, still. She can light up any moment of the show. What a great character.

I'm kind of surprised with myself for not being able to think of much more to say, I must just be tired. But yeah, it's great to see Jacob, Dylan and Rash at the centre - three wonderful characters!

[bobfloydsbabe]

⌨️ - I think you know what I'm going to ask... MOB BOSS BOBBY!

I also hope you are doing well and having a lovely day 🥰

My darling Beth, I'm not the least bit surprised. MBB is a reader favorite and for good reason. I hope you're having a wonderful day too! Let's carry on from the snippet I shared with Siobhan 😉

"She should have told Warlock all my secrets. She has the information to destroy me and this organization, but so far nothing's happened. Why?" Natasha face softens, and she uncrosses her legs, leaning forward in her seat. "Maybe because the idea of hurting the man she loves more than she already has is worse than whatever Warlock might do to her for keeping quiet." He raises the glass of bourbon to his lips and finishes the drink in one go. He looks at his friend and right hand woman with an expression that can only be described as somber. "You think she's protecting me?"

Send me ⌨ + title to one of my fics and I’ll write a sentence for that fic!

[goldenchildminmin]

|| Minho & Siobhan ||

“It’s so loud!” Minho shouted out into the young woman’s ear over the sound of booming music as he leaned over, a large class of a colorful cocktail in his hand. It looked sugary and sweet and he sipped on it occasionally through a bright pink straw. Minho had been to his fair share of night clubs and parties but never for personal reasons, mostly for work. This meant that what he did and how long he stayed was more often than not very limited and even then, he had to be at his best behavior, lest someone took a candid photo of him in unflattering circumstances. This, naturally, also limited the levels of fun he had, never being let to fully relax and just enjoy the night.

In Opulence though, he was mostly off work (though never completely because being in the music industry was not a nine to five job) and rarely recognized as the celebrity that he was in the eastern Pacific region of Asia, so he could afford certain experiences that he couldn’t possibly indulge in back home. He did still keep some habits even here, reserving a VIP section of the club way ahead of time so him and his friend who kept him company tonight could retreat there and be undisturbed during their rest from dancing and be served drinks rather than having to get across the club through crowds to order something at the bar. Minho was spoiled and he made it his lifestyle, making sure that he was comfortable and catered to in every situation. He did not drive here, he was driven, he did not wait in line, he was let through upon arrival, he did not mingle and got pushed and shoved by others, he had his own corner reserved only for him and only the people coming in with him had the privilege to share these benefits and enjoy them. 

And he extended them to Siobhan generously, simply for the virtue of her keeping him company tonight. She would drink the best alcohol with him, get everything she wanted tonight and also be kept safe from unpleasant encounters and awkward situations women usually had to deal with in clubs and on dancing floors. And perhaps, in turn, she could help Minho relax and show him how to be reckless in a fun way. “I believe I am a little tipsy! Are you tipsy? Or are the lights supposed to do that?” He asked with an amused giggle - there was nothing wrong with the flashing lights there to enhance the atmosphere of the club, those were supposed to do that. But maybe alcohol or fae sight made Minho see things that weren’t exactly there.

@shivthedoc​

[dzmoot]

In the wondrous land of Aaz, you never know what might be lurking around the corner. There's tiger bear hybrids, blue monkey people and fairies with fishy faces. You might find fields of fragrant flowers, cities made of green glass and sand-witches smushed into jelly by foreign farmhouses from far away.

There was also a group of friends, one made of hay, one made of tin, one made of porcelain and two who were fur and blood. They were on their way to see a mysterious wizard in the glass city to get the things they desperately wanted, a heart, a brain and some nerve. They danced, sang songs, skipped down the yellow stone road like they were in a musical and then.....

Zappy, Kruonch, Hampire, Siobhan and Zilch came soaring in from Namasis straight into the bodies of these misfit friends, their alternate counterparts. As Siobhan came to in her alternate body, she looked down at her getup and examined her pigtails. She wasn't too thrilled about her look but was excited and glad that everyone now knew that what she was telling them about the "manyverse" and Aiken Drum was true.

You didn't believe me, but here we are. I believe you owe me an apology, Zappy!

But Zappy just staggered around, unable to support himself with his wobbly, hay filled legs. Then he tried to talk, but he spoke in an unintelligible gibberish and slobbered from his mouth. Siobhan looked under his hat and to her shock saw a hole in his head revealing no brain inside!

What is this, Star Trek?

Kruonch just stood there like a statue, ironic considering that's basically what he was in this universe. Siobhan asked her father if he understood anything the scarecrow Zappy just said, but he spoke like a pompous dirtbag, appalling Siobhan.

Who cares about him, who cares about any of you! I have no feelings, no ticker in my chest. It's as hollow as Zappy's IQ!

Siobhan couldn't believe that her own father, physically and metaphorically had no heart and that Zappy had no brain to speak of, only straw and a broken broom handle as a spinal cord. As for Hampire, he stood still like Kruonch, but not for the same reason.

I have no magic in this universe! I haven't got anything. I'm a big, scared coward!

And he began to weep into his paws. Zilch, who for the first time in his life had legs to stand on, came up to Siobhan and whimpered.

THE LADLE! Where's the ladle?!

She and Zilch began searching enviously in the nearby woods and flower beds but had no luck. The stiff Kruonch pulled an can of oil off the nearby tree stump and began squirting himself with it, moving his joints around and getting in every crevice. Zappy collapsed on the yellow stone road and began squirming around trying to get back up. Hampire continued to sob buckets and wiped his eyes with his tail. As Siobhan and Zilch continued to search for the missing ladle, a large pink bubble approached them. As it dissolved, out came an odd looking good witch with fins, gills and a large wand. Her bulging, fishy eyes stared down at the baby doll and dog and she knew from the start they were in quite a dilemma.

You're not from around here, are you?

Siobhan's nerves were shot, but this magical mistress did seem friendly.

No, we're not. I'm Siobhan, this is my dog Zilch and those three doofuses over there are my friends. We came here via magic ladle but it's gone and we can't find it anywhere.

The fishy fairy, forming a large grin with her large rubbery lips waved her arms in the air.

Oh, my little dot, do not fret. Your ladle has been taken by Worthiggs the Bellow Bodied. He lives in a cottage not too far from here. I'm sure he'll gladly give you the ladle.

Siobhan smiled and ran up to give the fish fairy a big hug.

Thank you, you're a lifesaver!

The fishy fairy departed in her big pink bubble as Siobhan, Zilch and the others made their way to this Worthiggs' cottage.

Come on, you pickleheads! Get a move on!

Zappy once again spoke in his gibberish as the stuck up Kruonch pushed him out of the way to get to the front of the group. Hampire nearly scraped his leg on the walkway and, you guessed it, started crying. Siobhan was rolling her eyes at her friends' new personalities and hoped that the next dimension they'd go to, they would be back to their old selves or something pretty darn close to it. They slowly approached Worthiggs' house when from afar, in a dark castle atop of spooky mountain with a hundred or so winged lemurs swarming about, a wicked witch was spying on them through her bubbling brew, her eyes set on Siobhan's footwear.

That brat has my sister's scarlet shoes! I must have them!

She then summoned her lemurs, telling them to fly to Siobhan's location and bring her and her friends to the castle.

I have some fun things in store for those little pretties, and their little doggy too!

[kashilascorner]

Originally posted this as a comment on this video but I just finished The banshees of Inisherin and I have some thoughts I'd like to put here (obs spoilers for the film)

To be honest, the second half of the film made me quite uncomfortable due to the self m*tilation. I really don't "get" Colm other than he's probably depressed and for whatever reason he looks (by the beginning of the film) as unnecessarily mean to Padraic who is overall a nice guy. But is he really? It's interesting how Padraic becomes increasingly ''meaner'' as Colm becomes increasingly ''compassionate'' (taking as reference the beginning of the film), as shown by Padraic's lies to the visiting musician, his words to Dominic, his demands to his sister and his final actions, and shown in Colm helping Padraic after the policeman knocked him down, recognizing how interesting he can be after his drunken discourse at the pub, and feeling sorry for accidentally killing Jenny the donkey.

Colm felt more of a catalyst than a fully fleshed character, which is very interesting because by the end of the film I ended up with a vague impression that there were two banshees: the first banshee (allegorical or real) is obviously the old lady. But Colm himself is a bringer of death (though also because of Padraic's fault), a grim, bloody figure in his own right and most importantly, someone who seems to (unknowingly?) announce/bring upon calamities. Hell, he literally wrote a song called The Banshees of Inisherin. The most prominent one would be the end of his frienship with Padraic (a sort of death, arguably a "killing" of said relationship on Colm's part at the start), though the most obvious would be the donkey's death. But there's also his own demise. Colm is a musician, therefore cutting off his own fingers not only shows his unwillingness to compromise and reflects what the priest refers to as his "despair", it's beyond m*tilation. He's quite literally sealing his fate and writing his own death: without a livelihood, without his craft (and mind you, writing songs was at one point one of the arguments he had for cutting off ties with Padraic), his very self identity.

On a textual level, it's obvious that Colm needs help and though it's perfectly understandable people around him had no idea how to deal with that, it's frankly appalling that they just don't do anything at all (the scene of his hand bleeding all over the music sheets as the musicians play and he feasts in the pub being genuinely horrifying), no apparent attempt at talking about it, no doctor called, nothing --except fot the very mild attempt of the priest during both confessions... And Padraic's ultimately misled but headstrong attempt to understand and just be by his hide. The thing is Padraic wants his old friend (and perhaps most importantly, his routine) back, so to which point is he actually willing to accept an ill (mentally ill) Colm? He does discuss it with his sister Siobhan, so I think he tried to help in his own way, but by the end we see a lot of it was based on selfishness and his fear of loneliness. A fear that came true.

On a more subtextual level, Colm's mutilation is more of a metaphor and he is just someone who wants to let go. I have been in that situation too, having a friend go away and never return without any possible explanation. It just happens sometimes that people drift apart. And it hurts like hell, but we all do it. In this level of analysis, Colm is not destructively self isolating but just genuinely wants to cut ties and be on his own and with other people and move on while Padraic -desperate, needy, lonely and simple Padraic- won't let him. Colm hurts himself (or in other words, he suffers by being forced to stay in a relationship he wants to leave) in an attempt to drive him away but maybe Padraic doesn't care enough for his friend and instead cares more about his own feelings, his own loneliness, his confusion, his own fear. I think both layers interact, and in both Padraic's confusion and need for an explanation, refusal to accept the new situation and yearn for closure are central. Both Padraic and Colm sin in their blindness towards each other, and leave victims on the way (the victims being third parties, but also themselves).

While I tink the movie wasn't satisfying (not much happens and as pointed out in tbe video, nothing gets solved) it was definitely thought provoking, very well made and modt of all, stunning to look at.

Also to me it wasn't comedic almost at all (it is listed on verious sites as a "black tragicomedy") but it certainly felt absurdist. My favorite scenes were the one in which drunken Padraic confronts Colm and reflects on niceness vs leaving something "important" for posterity and the scene when Padraic finds the poor donkey (and since Siobhan had left, Dominic was presumably already dead, so Padraic is now really all by himself). The last scene is superb too, with the old woman taking Colm's chair and sitting to watch the pair's true breakup talk (here too, there are two chairs in the scene: one tumbled down which I presume Colm used to break the window and scape the fire, and a second chair besides. The old woman/banshee takes up one and the other one is left empty apparently for Colm, according to my opinion of Colm himself being sort of a banshee figure too)

[margoshansons]

I will say, Saccharina succeeds where Daenerys fails. 

TLDR: Saccharina Frostwhip is a fantastic character and everything I wish Daenerys Targaryen could’ve been, and her flaws and entitlement make her relationship with Ruby and Amethar so fucking interesting. I’m still Team Ruby when it comes down to it though.

Also Emily Axford and Siobhan Thompson I love you.

Because here is a woman I can actually see earning the respect of the people through her deeds and not just through name alone, especially because so much of the politics of Candia rely on the Sweetening Path vs the Bulbian Church, so rumor of a Witch Queen from the streets who can literally call storms with a wave of her hand would of course draw the attention of the common folk, especially if she had a legitimate claim.

But they both have the same flaw which is a lack of empathy and a sense of entitlement. Saccharina’s comes from a more noble place. She’s been denied love and family her whole life and was told there was a family out there who would always accept her, and her excitement overcame any sort of empathy she could offer in the moment she meets Ruby and Amethar. 

As a result, she’s hurt and upset that they don’t immediately accept her, especially because she has a constant echo chamber of marauders who worship her at every turn. And then Theo and Cumulous drop into that same level of worship almost immediately, because they see Lazuli, they see an answer to their problems. 

But that’s not the love she was promised, the love she wants, the love she was denied. And so she can’t fathom why these people won’t accept her and love her, especially since not only is she blood related to them, but she’s actively helping them out and saving their asses over and over again. 

But she can’t get out of her own wants and ambitions and entitlement to consider what Amethar and Ruby and everyone else are going through. Ruby lost her sister, Amethar lost his daughter. Their home has been taken from them, they were betrayed by one of their closest friends and the man that helped raise them. The man that put swords in Ruby and Jet’s hands and then tried to kill them when they thought they were safe. They do not have the emotional or mental capacity to entertain anything but political alliances at this point. 

When Amethar looks at Saccharina he doesn’t just see his oldest daughter. He sees the product of his biggest mistake, his biggest shame. He sees an endless reminder of the fact that he is not his sisters. That it was a mistake to have him on the throne. He sees a way out of his duty and a way to save what remains of his family. 

When Ruby looks at Saccharina she doesn’t see a sister. She sees a political rival playing chess with her family’s lives. Using the situation to exploit and manipulate them into giving her exactly what she wants. She sees someone trying to take the place of her OTHER HALF, someone trying to replace Jet. She sees exactly who Jet would’ve been and everything Ruby herself isn’t. Saccharina is a constant reminder of how much Ruby has lost and it infuriates her that Saccharina can’t be happy with either being Queen or being her Sister, she has to be both. 

“I understand that you lost everything, but I was born with nothing” 

That statement alone proves that while Saccharina may understand the hurt and pain that Ruby is going through, she cannot empathize with her family’s reactions or understand her own lack of awareness when it comes to the fact that she has everything to gain and her family has everything to lose. Yes, she was born with nothing, but she is actively taking everything away from Ruby. Her mom and by extension, herself, are the reason Ruby lost everything. From Ruby’s perspective anyway. 

I love all three of the House Rocks Princesses, but Saccharina’s inability to understand and empathize with Ruby and her constant expectation that Ruby should love her despite having only known her for three days makes me unable to like her and enjoy her as much as I originally would, although it makes her an incredibly compelling character.

[litgwritersroom]

Picture Perfect

Siobhan - 1900+ words - @banirareiko

Jakub is dumped from the Villa, and has a surprise meet with old flame Siobhan shortly after. Their time in the Villa was short, and can hardly be described as sweet...

When Lottie decided to save Noah from being dumped, Jakub’s fate on Love Island was sealed and he would have to leave the villa in the same night. That actually annoyed him to no end. The fucking public was his demise on the show. The public, for fuck’s sake. How could they possibly vote off a confident, fearless and overall a total catch like him? Just how could they?

Also, spineless Noah out of all people being saved over him? The hell?

Jakub left the villa angry. Very angry. Not only he couldn’t even get the woman he wanted, but he also was remembered as the villain. The troublemaker. The homewrecker.

And after Casa Amor, the player.

Wasn’t the goal of being a bombshell on the show to step on toes if needed to find the right one? Wasn’t the goal of the Casa Amor days to crack on with the new girls?

Jakub did exactly just that. And yet, people still disliked him.

I swear to God if this is about Siobhan–

Ah, right. Siobhan. Hope 2.0, even. Skin dark and smooth and sweet like chocolate when he ran his mouth teasingly on her, but personality bitter and dry like plain cocoa powder. Actually, he should rephrase that. Siobhan was once actually pretty spicy and flavourful like mole sauce, which was the entire reason why Jakub could see Hope in her. If he couldn’t have Hope, then he would settle for someone who looked like her.

Siobhan, in fact, humoured him and welcomed his advances with open arms (and a day later, legs), even after he had eaten her friend Emily out the first night the new girls arrived at the villa. Even when he had told her how much she had reminded him of Hope. Even when he never promised to bring her back into the villa, despite the popular assumption around the villa that he would (he never made such a statement, in his defence).

And yet, Jakub thought Siobhan should’ve known better that he wouldn’t bring her back, and this wasn’t even personal. Siobhan just happened to be a Casa girl, and unfortunately, couldn’t measure up to an OG like Hope. She should’ve known, and maybe then she wouldn’t have thrown such a tantrum and literally chucked Bobby’s wooden spoon at him (which she narrowly missed; the poor thing ended up in the pool in the end) when Jakub declared at the stick-or-switch recoupling that he would much rather be with Hope.

That was when he decided Siobhan was bitter and dry. Emily just sorta let bygones be bygones (eventually) after he pied her off, but Siobhan couldn’t even take a rejection that was never personal to begin with, and that changed her image in his eyes completely.

Oh well.

It wasn’t like he would have to ever see her again anyway. Bristol was too far away from Rochdale, after all.

—

“Zabinski, mate, you ready? Your photographer just arrived and got the gears ready. Shoot starts in ten minutes, so get that costume sorted in a bit, ya hear?”

“Aye aye,” Jakub waved one hand dismissively at the production assistant who was sent in to check on him, his other hand fumbling at the side zipper of his bull costume, “I hear ya. Be right there.”

Jakub’s ego had suffered a massive blow following his unwanted exit from the Love Island villa, but thankfully, a modelling offer sent his way had somewhat helped smooth things over for him. If anything, this was proof that he indeed was still an influential figure in the entertainment world. The theme of the photoshoot was “bull in a china shop” – Jakub vaguely had an idea of what that meant and the lowkey dig at him, but hey, he was already out of the villa, so he might as well just live up to that name and show them that at the end of the day, he was a brave and fearless man after all that happened on the show.

He especially was pleased with the way his muscles bulged in the bull costume, if he was honest.

Today’s photoshoot would be a blast. Or so Jakub thought.

No flipping way–

“It’s been two weeks. Missed me?”

Why is she here? And why the fuck is she standing behind the camera tripod–

The woman behind the tripod grinned almost too wickedly to Jakub’s liking, and that made him a little uncomfortable.

He dry-swallowed.

This has got to be a joke. Why would they get her out of all people–

“Let’s be professionals and introduce ourselves properly, shall we?” the woman extended a hand, and when Jakub shakily took it into his in a handshake, he felt as if there were invisible pins in her palm pricking at his skin.

“My name is Siobhan. I’m your photographer today. Pleasure to met you, Mr. Zabinski.”

—

Jakub was feeling uneasy the entire photoshoot, as much as he tried to put on a straight face and keep his behaviour professional.

In fact, he was scared shitless. But he would never admit it anyway.

In all honesty, he’d rather Siobhan was a proper cow to him. But no, his former Casa Amor flame had actually been keeping everything strictly professional, even as far as instructing him on which poses would look best on him and taking her hand camera to follow him around to get the best angles she could get for his shoot.

What bothered him the most was that he just had this irrational fear at the back of his head that she would wreak vengeance on him at any moment, when he least expected it.

It never happened.

When the shoot was over, Siobhan simply nodded at him in acknowledgement, before packing up her equipment and leaving the scene.

For some reasons Jakub couldn’t understand, he actually felt terrible. Like, really terrible. He wasn’t sure it was because he just saw Siobhan again and she acted as if nothing had even happened between them, or it was because his conscience was starting to kick in and tell him that he had, actually, been a terrible person during Casa Amor because there would be no way did Siobhan deserve to be played by him like that.

He went with the former, because he never once believed himself to be a terrible person after all. He had been true to himself. And being true to himself was never a bad thing at all.

—

A few days after the photoshoot, Jakub got an email from Siobhan, containing all the photos she had taken at the shoot that she mentioned she edited.

The tone of her email was professional. She had conducted herself professionally at the shoot. There was nothing for Jakub to be scared of. At the very least, Siobhan had shown herself capable of doing her job the way she should, and by the time the photoshoot was over, this had given Jakub a sense of security, in the end.

As Jakub clicked the folder open, fear and anxiety filled up his eight-pack abs. All sense of security he had had from Siobhan acting professionally evaporated in less than one second.

Every single photo of him had marks drawn all over his face. Marks that he couldn’t remove because she had embedded them into every single pixel of the photos.

“Player” written in bright red, “Liar” in blue, emojis with the letter X for eyes in green– Siobhan had ruthlessly used his face like a fucking brick wall for her masterpieces in digital graffiti.

Jakub was fuming. Before he knew it, he was already furiously typing a response to the email demanding Siobhan undo her vandalism of his precious, pretty face.

Inside, however, he was bricking it as he hit the “send” button on his screen.

Please, Siobhan, don’t do this to me.

—

Siobhan wasn’t surprised when her Macbook loudly pinged, signalling a new email in her inbox, less than ten minutes since she had sent Jakub her prank folder to get some payback at him for playing games with her.

Sure, she was a Casa Amor girl, but she was still as valid as any of the OG girls. She deserved a fair shot at finding herself a connection with someone. She deserved to be treated with respect.

And the way she was led on and played by Jakub was far from respect.

She really thought he would bring her back to the villa. Everyone thought that, too. And he legit couldn’t make the excuse of never saying it to her. Even if he didn’t make such a statement, his actions were more than indicative that he would switch for her, and it had given her hope at a shot of being with someone she genuinely had chemistry with.

Jakub was deceptive and a massive tool, and Siobhan had to learn it the hard way.

Hence, when she got the assignment to be his photographer for some modelling deal, she decided that she would teach him a lesson. She would carry out her duties professionally like she had always done with her previous clients to give him a false sense of security, and then strike him where it hurt, when he thought he was safe.

The same way he had played her.

Humming to herself, Siobhan leisurely took a seat in front of her Macbook to check her new email that obviously came from Jakub, a pleased smirk twitching at the corner of her mouth as she leaned back and twirled a lock of her straightened hair in her hand.

From: Jakub Zabinski

To: Siobhan Uzor

Re: Photos from last week

WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS TELL ME YOU’RE NOT ACTUALLY SENDING THIS TO THE MAGAZINE

SIOBHAN PLEASE REMOVE THE VANDALISM ON MY FACE

PLEASE

Do I have to beg?

FOR REAL DON’T YOU DARE SEND THESE TO THE MAGAZINE.

-Jakub

An audible, airy laugh escaped Siobhan’s plump lips as she hit the “reply” button.

In all honesty, Siobhan wouldn’t actually send these prank photos to the magazine. She, in fact, had already sent the properly edited photos to the editors a few hours ago, before she even made these prank edits. She had a reputation to uphold as a professional photographer, even when freelancing, after all.

But wouldn’t it be fun to fuck with this meathead who had toyed with her on national television using her personal email?

Siobhan thought it would. This blond carbon copy of Emmett Cullen would probably be way over his head to realise which email she used to send him the prank photos anyway.

From: Siobhan Uzor

To: Jakub Zabinski

Re: Re: Photos from last week

Hello Jakub,

That is for you to see for yourself when the next issue of the magazine comes out, seeing how you love to play mind games with people around you.

Best,

Siobhan

PS: How does it feel to have a taste of your own medicine now?

A genuine smile appeared on Siobhan’s face as she gently lowered the screen of her Macbook, then shut it with a soft click. Jakub strung her along back then, and she was happy that she decided to stand up for herself just now.

Siobhan could almost see in front of her own eyes Jakub fuming in frustration and probably ripping a shirt of his or two to let out the steam, once he found out that she never actually sent the magazine editors the prank photos and only sent them to him just to fuck with him, and for the first time since she left the Love Island villa, she felt fulfilled. Satisfied.

Siobhan leisurely took a sip of her steaming jasmine tea and sighed contentedly.

Say cheese, Jakub Zabinski.

[thesauropodpaddock]

 Puck; S.Rogers

— A series: pt three—

♡

— “Hm, do I turn you on, sunshine?” 

Pairing: Brothers best friend hockey player!Steve Rogers x midsized!OC

Word count: 3.4k

masterlist

Warnings: smut, lots of lube, unprotected sex, edging, praise kink, slight authority kink, multiple orgasms, orgasm denial, angst, lots of teasing, forbidden romance, of age drinking, hospitals, allergic reactions, slight hint of stalking — 18+ MINORS DNI

Summary: in which sage barnes finds herself in a forbidden situation with her brother’s hockey-playing best friend, steve rogers, who finds her to be the annoying little sister of his best friend...until he doesn't. The only rule? don't get caught by bucky.

Do NOT copy, repost, translate or rewrite my work.

♡  

Sage

“Where are we staying?” I asked, crossing my legs on the couch and flipping through the channels before switching to Netflix.

 Siobhan settled next to me with a bowl of popcorn.  She popped a few kernels in her mouth with a shrug. I took a handful of popcorn and glanced at my phone. Where are Wanda and Natasha? They should be here. I set my phone down and ate the popcorn.  “Figured we drive up Thursday,  spend Friday at the lake, and head to the lodge.” I nodded, and my phone buzzed at my side. I swiped at the screen and checked the message, seeing a text from Natasha: Running late, picked up sodas, candy, and a few rentals. I smiled and clicked my screen off.

“Nat and Wanda are on their way,” I mumbled with a mouthful of popcorn. 

“Why are you and Steve the way you two are?” Siobhan asked, making me cringe.  I shrugged. He had no reason to dislike me, and we were no kids anymore; I understood if I were still that little girl who followed them everywhere. But I wasn't. He was always so rude when everyone else received some niceness.  Bucky did what he could to keep things friendly, but every time he was around, it always ended up with Steve running his mouth and picking on me.

“I honestly don't know,” I muttered. “He's just always kinda hated me.” I wasn't entirely wrong. He always saw me as the annoying little sister of his best friend—one who followed them everywhere. But I also helped them sneak out and go to bonfires and parties in high school. 

“What are you guys doing?” Bucky’s voice echoed behind the couch, and I felt the back sink down as he leaned on it.  He ruffled my hair, and I swatted his hand away. He laughed and swung his body over the side, practically landing on my lap. I shoved him off with a playful look,

“Get off me, you freak!” he put his hand on his chest in a universal sign of hurt, and I rolled my eyes. “You're fine; aren't you supposed to be the serious one?”  he shrugged and shoved his hand into the popcorn bowl, making Siobhan yelp. He grabbed a large handful, shoveling it in his mouth, half spilling it onto the floor and couch. I groaned, and he looked down.

“I'll clean it later.” Although that's not what it sounded like with his mouth full. A knock on the door sounded a few moments later, and I called out.

“Come in!” Wanda and Natasha came in arms full of grocery bags and DVDs. And trailing behind them was Steve. My face heated up with shame, and I quickly flitted my eyes away, attempting not to meet his gaze or capture his attention. I stood up and started the fort, something we always did on movie nights. They all piled in the living room, and Bucky and Nat moved to the armchair, Natasha on his lap. Steve leaned against the fireplace, an incredulous look on his face. “….What the fuck are you doing?” I raised my brows, not responding to his harsh tone. What does it look like? It was pretty obvious what I was doing—a large pillow fort. 

“I’m building a pillow fort,” I stated, draping the blankets over the top. He observed my work, and Bucky watched with an amused grin. I ignored him and set up the pillows and everything else, making it big enough for everyone. 

“Isn’t that a little childish?” he questioned with a furrowed brow.

“C’mon, Steve, don't be a grump.” Wanda said, “Didn’t you guys do this in your childhood and teenage years for movie nights.” 

 “Does that mean you don’t want to join me?” I asked, not letting him answer. There were several beats of awkward silence, and I turned my gaze to him. He stared, jaw set, and everyone just watched our staring match. I knew he would join, and he always loved movie nights when we were kids; he just never wanted to admit to it.

 “…..Move over.” Soon, everyone was piled under the fort with their snacks and drinks. The sun was finally fully down while High School Musical played on the TV. 

Steve

There was a painful closeness, too close for comfort. She was almost in my lap with everyone in this stupid fort because everyone didn't know personal space. I let out a quivering breath, taking a bite of Natasha's brownie. I scooted out of my spot. Bucky looked away from the TV in my direction. He frowned softly, and a confused look was etched onto his features. “Hey man, you okay?” Buck whispered in my direction. I nodded, moving into the kitchen, beelining to the sink to splash water on my face. I hopped up on the counter, dangling my legs. I sat there silently for a while, just hearing the quiet voices from the TV spilling into the kitchen. I got down and went to the fridge, grabbing a beer. I pop the bottle open, taking a swig.    

“You comin’ back?'' a faint voice reverberated in the silent room, and I set the beer on the counter. Sage ‘sunshine�� Barnes stood a little away with a confused gaze. 

“Yeah, I just wanted a beer.”

Sage

“You're gonna miss the best part,” Siobhan complained as I stood up. I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

“We've seen all three multiple times since we were kids.. I’ll be back,” I made my way into the kitchen; Steve was sitting on my counter, sipping a beer. “You comin’ back?'' my faint voice reverberated in the silent room. My confused gaze was on him.  He set the beer down, the glass making a soft ‘clink,’ and turned toward me.

“Yeah, I just wanted a beer,” he muttered boredly. He raised his eyebrows when I shifted my weight. He jumped down with a thud, drinking the last of the beer. “I don't need you hovering, Sunshine,” He said the nickname like he always did, bored and apathetic.

 “I wasn’t—” he walked up, backing me against the wall. He was so close I could smell the beer on his breath mixing with his cologne. 

 My blue eyes went wide at the proximity.

“You're hovering. It's annoying. I'm twenty-six, and I wanted a beer. You don’t have to babysit me.” 

I swallowed, crossing my arms. “I was just going to say it's your turn to pick a movie. Hence why I asked if you were comin’ back.”  He backed away, a scowl etching on his face.

My phone buzzed, and a text came across my screen. One that sent a chill down my spine:  hm, I wonder if he was thinking about you the other day. I know I have.

My hands shook, and Steve looked at me with a quirked brow.  His jaw ticked, and his eyes flicked to my phone. “What’s got you wigged?” My hand shook as I handed him my phone, and he kissed his teeth, pulled out his phone, and texted, “Sam will handle it.”

—

My skin was itching. My throat felt tight as I rolled on my side, colliding with something soft. Alpine. My eyes shot wide open, and panic set in. I looked around the fort and saw Wanda and Steve. Siobhan had moved to the armchair, and Bucky and Natasha were nowhere in the living room. I sat up the best I could and started to shake Wanda so she would wake up. She rubbed her eyes, and they widened at seeing Alpine.

“Get my Epi!” I gasped. She nodded, quickly climbing out of the fort. She sprinted into the kitchen, where I kept my spare. The commotion from her opening and slamming the drawers jolted Steve awake. He stopped the minute he saw my state. Wanda rushed back in, got the pen set, and jammed it into the upper part of my thigh. She turned to Steve and spoke in a panicked tone. 

“We have to get her to the ER. The ambulance won’t get here fast enough.” Without a second thought, he picked me up in his arms and headed to the front door, leaving Wanda to wake Siobhan. We all squeezed into Steve’s truck, my head in Wanda's lap in the back seat. 

I woke not much later (at least not that long) to the beeping of a heart monitor and muffled screaming, and I noticed a weight on the bed. Siobhan was resting her head on the bed at my feet. And Wanda was in the chair. 

“She could have died, Buck; what if we hadn’t been down there!” A voice boomed, making me cringe. “What part about that doesn’t make sense! You were careless, and she barely got Wanda to get her Epi!” 

“He’s been fuming since Bucky arrived with Natasha,”  Wanda said, making me jump.

“If she were in her room and you were too occupied, she wouldn’t have been able to call for help!” 

A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing a teary-eyed Bucky. It made me frown, and he came and crouched next to my bed, opposite where Siobhan was. “I am so so sorry.” There was a knock on the open door, and I saw Steve standing there, jaw set, eyes angrily boring into Bucky’s back.

“The nurses said that you can go home after some fluids.” I nodded and played with the hospital's blanket. Siobhan stirred, sitting up and stretching her arms. She really could sleep through almost anything. “And you must stay cat-free while your brother cleans your house.” 

His eyes did not leave Buck’s back, and Bucky nodded. “He's right.”

—

“Kinda always hated you, huh?”  Siobhan teased as we stepped into her parents' house. I side-eyed her. “Nobody else would have done that. They would have waited until the ambulance.”

“Bucky would have.” I shrugged. I unlaced my Converse with a sigh, placing them next to her shoes. She scoffed, hung up her coat, and picked up my bag. It wasn’t entirely wrong. He would have. I forgot I set the bag down. 

“He doesn’t count, and he's your brother.” I rolled my eyes as we walked into her kitchen. “You thirsty?” I shrugged, and she pulled two water bottles from the fridge and handed me one. I broke the seal and put it to my lips, not realizing how thirsty I truly was.  I screwed the cap back on.  She rummaged through the fridge again and pulled out a plate filled with red bean mooncakes. “Moon cakes?” I nodded, and she set them on the counter, grabbing two plates. She found two medium-sized plates and plated three on each of them. We made our way upstairs to her room and sat on her bed. I broke one in half, taking a bite. 

“I still can’t believe Bucky left his door open.”

“Yeah, he’s usually more careful.”

“He was just more focused on getting his dick wet.” 

I practically gagged on the mooncake with a grimace. “Okay, not the image I wanted.” She shrugged, moving on to her second one. I shivered and shook my head, picking up the other half.

“What? It's true,” 

“I'm aware,” I said with my mouth full. “It’s just not an image I wanted, and Ama would be pissed,” I swallowed the bite. “I mean, we aren't practicing Jews or anything. We don't even keep kosher. At least, Buck and I don't. I don't even remember if it's frowned upon. But our mom is against premarital stuff.” She nodded, and it suddenly hit her: we didn’t have our waters.

“I'll be back.”

She came back and shut the door five minutes later. Crossing her legs as she sat on her bed with me.  I took it and took a sip after I unscrewed the cap. She chewed her lip, and I eyed her. “Is there something you want to ask?” I asked, wiping my mouth after I swallowed.

“Are we just gonna ignore that you have a crush or something on Steve?” 

I gave a wry laugh and shook my head.

“I'm serious, Sage.” She shrugged. “You are dealing with some serious feelings.” I rested my hands on my neck after running my hands through it.  I didn’t have feelings. I was just running things he said. Things he saw. There were feelings, just not feelings. 

“There are no feelings, just embarrassment and odd, unusual comments.” I groaned. It made her raise both brows. Yeah, that was the reaction I was expecting. 

“Mhm.”

 She hesitated, and her brows knitted together. “....Like what…?” So I told her…everything. The lingering looks at me in the kitchen, the suggestive comments. Everything that has happened in the past few weeks.  She stayed silent, but her molten amber eyes widened. I guess she was trying to digest everything I told her. “He really said, Do I turn you on sunshine?”

I nodded. 

“Oh…no.”

“Too late for an oh no. If it gets back to Buck, Steve is dead.”

—

“I cleaned everything,” Bucky said when I entered the house. “And don't be mad.”

I regarded him carefully. “What did you do?”

“Not me, not this time, but Mom and Dad called; they found out.” My face paled—the worst possible outcome. 

“No, no, no!” I shouted, panic rising in my voice. “They don’t know we're not kosher or that Wanda moved out—the one friend I lived with who is also Jewish. Or that you play hockey. God Bucky! They are gonna murder us!” he put his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes.

“Sage, calm down!" I stared at him, and my jaw set. I'm pretty sure you could see steam come out of my ears at him, telling me to calm down.

“No, I will not calm down!” 

“They aren't coming to Washington.” I kissed my teeth and bent down, grabbing a spare shoe. I smacked him on the arm, making his eyes widen in surprise. “Ow!”

“Are you done hitting me now?” 

“Don't do that to me!” I yelled while smacking him a few more times. “You scared me!” I dropped the shoe and stomped into the living room. He followed me, and I fell back onto my couch. He sat on the armchair and leaned forward onto his knees.

“Are you done now?” 

I nodded.

“I didn’t mean to leave the door to my bedroom open,” He admitted. “I just got caught up with Natasha, and everyone was asleep; I didn't think she would come downstairs.” 

“Where will she be while we’re at Siobhan’s lake house and lodge? Is she staying with someone?”

He nodded. “Yelena, Nat’s younger sister.” I nodded and sat up. “And I'll move in with Steve or Nat when we’re back from the vacation if you call it that.” 

I smirked and shook my head.

“You don’t have to go to the lake house or the lodge, you know.” I shrugged. He leaned back and began typing on his phone, “Don’t you have to meet with Steve, Nat, and what’s her face?”

He laughed and licked his lip, “You mean Yelena?” I nodded, tucking my hair behind my ear. He shook his head and raised a brow. 

“Is Steve dating Yelena?” I asked, “She doesn’t seem interested.” He chuckled, standing up. He shrugged and tied his hair up, and I grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around myself.  

“You would be correct. She is asexual,” He said with a hair tie between his teeth. “She’s not interested in any of the idiots I hang out with, not even Sam.”

I rolled my eyes.  “Sam is the smartest of you three.” He put his boots on and laced them tightly. He glared playfully and chuckled dryly. I shrugged. He shook his head, a few strands of hair falling from his bun and into his face. 

“Haha, very funny.” 

“Why are you asking if Steve's dating?”

 I shrugged. “He just seems, I dunno, bored. I dunno, if that's the right word.”

Steve

“So you picked her up and took her to the hospital yourself?” Asked Sam as we sat at a table. I nodded. “Sage? Bionic staring machine’s little sister that you always complain about?”

“Yeah, thanks for that,” Bucky said sharply. I shrugged with a short chuckle, grabbing my whiskey.  I took a sip, the alcohol smooth with a slight burn on my throat.  “It's not like you haven't known her since she was five.”

I snapped my fingers, pointing at him. “That’s exactly why I find her annoying.” 

“She hasn’t done anything,” he pointed out. “You rarely see or talk to her.”

Oh, she’s done plenty.

 She's undoubtedly not five anymore, thinking boys have cooties, and I'm not six, thinking girls have cooties. 

“Earth to Steve.” Yelena's voice echoed, hand waving in front of my face.  I glared, “Damn, you’re touchy.” 

“Nah, he's always that way.”  Sam laughed while sipping his drink. “Same as Buckaroo, bored pissy face, except Buck has always adored his sister.”

“Used to call him Ucky.” 

“Just don’t touch her; we're golden, Buddy,” Bucky muttered quietly. 

Okay, can we stop talking about her, for Christ's sake? I stared down at my glass, swirling the amber liquid left.  She isn’t here, and there’s no point in bringing her up. I set the glass down, downing the last bit before standing up.  “Be back,” I grumbled. “And like I would.”  After closing the door, I walked to the bathroom and the sink.  After turning on the sink, I splashed water on my face, which was the first thing I did. I rubbed my neck and gripped the counter. 

She's his sister, his sister!  Why is this happening to me?  

I rejoined the group, arguing about something incoherent until I sat down. I could finally understand. They were discussing the trip in a few days. And they had ordered some appetizers: Boneless wings, waffle fries, and buffalo chicken sliders. It was a lot. We dug into the food enthusiastically, barely taking the time to savor the flavors. Soon enough, we had polished off the entire platter and were looking around for more. 

“It's just what I was told! Natasha and I are in a room, and Wanda and Siobhan and uh, Steve and my sister,” Bucky exclaimed with a mouthful of food. “Unless I heard wrong.” 

“Oh, you definitely heard wrong,” I said. “I am not rooming with your sister.”

“But why isn’t Sam going?” Yelena asked with furrowed brows behind her glass, meeting her lips.

“Work, and I don't ski,” Sam said, working on his second whiskey.

 I chuckled. “Yeah, only hockey.” We all burst into laughter, and Sam glared. 

—

“C’mon, let's get inside.” I groaned, hauling Bucky into Sage’s house with Sam. He weighed a ton. He mumbled incoherently as we set him on the couch; he flopped face-first into the cushions, and I flipped him onto his side. Sam sighed, rubbing his face with his hand.

��I’ll get him some water, aspirin, and a trash can..” I nodded and slid onto the floor next to his head. Sam brought the trash can to me and a water bottle with the aspirin, and I set them on the coffee table. “Try not to wake up, mini Barnes.”

“Too late.” A groggy voice grumbled from the stairs. I groaned inwardly. Sage rounded the stairs and glared at us, pissed off that she had been woken up. Her hair was tied into a bun, and she wore a torn, beat-up Hex Girls raglan t-shirt and shorts.  “Why is my brother passed out on my couch?” I looked up, ran my hand through my hair, and leaned back.

“Well, he nearly drank the entire bar.” Sam chuckled. “Your brother is a lightweight.” She rolled her eyes at him and sat on the floor cross-legged near his feet when she reached us. Her head rested on the cushion by his foot, eyes fluttering shut. 

“Why did you have to bring him here? Scared the shit out of me. I thought Sebastian had gotten in.” She mumbled sleepily with a hit of irritation.  

My head fell, and I yawned.  “He can't get to you. Sam made sure.” She stood up and rubbed her eyes. Walking away, she waved us off and mumbled something like, " Don't let him puke everywhere, " and she disappeared upstairs. 

“You pictured  her naked when she came down the stairs.” Sam laughed as Bucky snored next to my head. I threw a pillow at Sam's form in the dark as he sat in Sage’s odd chaise chair from a thrift store. It was a velvet finish and, ironically, a sage green. It hit him with a soft thud, and he groaned. “I was kidding.”