#and 2. he rarely lashes out in anger anyway

[oflgtfol]

Diff anon here but yeah it’s weird because even in episode 1 Din was not that antagonistic towards IG-11 despite having no character devlopement yet, he was annoyed and sarcastic but he didn’t threaten to actually harm him before they found Grogu. He showed concern for IG-11 pretty quickly after he got damaged and even when he distrusted Kuill’s programming he didn’t spit in the droids face about it. It just makes no sense why two seasons later he’s suddenly treating them like dirt.

right like din was obviously unfairly prejudiced about droids since he let his childhood trauma color his view of them even into adulthood, but he wasn’t like, “i’m going to beat you the fuck up” level of prejudiced? he just didn’t want to be around them, he didn’t trust them, but he wasn’t ever violent about it

din imo is just not someone who lashes out in anger often anyway. the only time he was ever really impulsively violent was in chapter 2 when he saw the jawas trashed his ship and he just started shooting and he killed like three all at once. but i mean also, like, arvala-7 is a remote ass planet (moon?), and having your spaceship ransacked to nonfunctionality is basically a death sentence (this is something ive talked about a lot in the past how i want to see more of it in sw, how any malfunction in this super futuristic tech can still leave you stranded to die a very very lonely and mundane death. despite all this fancy tech you cant escape the cold unforgiving void of space; if your hyperdrive goes out, you are DEAD.). so even then it’s like, well i can’t entirely blame him for going in guns blazing to try to stop them from destroying his ship. but yes this was the only time it was ever truly impulsive and clearly out of anger, every other time he kills people he’s much more calculated and unemotional about it, like it’s just a necessity and so he has to do it it’s never anything personal. so the only thing that makes this scene an outlier really is just the fact he kills out of emotion

so even though his dislike of droids WAS personal, he still never got violent about it. as you said, he was perfectly fine with ig-11, he was just kinda like 🙄🙄 about it the whole time but that’s barely anything

and now in s3 he’s suddenly just like, assaulting them? threatening to kill them? especially in a fucking Bad Cop Good Cop maneuver? it’s just, i know he wasn’t nice about droids in the past, but it was NEVER to THIS extent, and it’s especially egregious considering he went through that whole fucking arc between s1 and s2 about becoming more okay with being around droids?? HELL, even in S3 ITSELF, din has R5 as a droid companion??????? if he hates droids so much to where he’s going to act like THAT in chapter 21 then why was he totes okay with R5 just a few episodes prior?

Also speaking of R5, where the fuck has he been this whole time these past few episodes. now that i think about it i genuinely cant remember. like did he just become yet another plotpoint left behind and forgotten

[carefulfears]

top 5 (or 10 if you have em) scully taking care of mulder moments <3

she said IF i have 10 😭😭😭

1/ sein und zeit

i fear i have talked about this television scene more times than anyone has ever talked about a television scene....like. one, two, three, four, i was even foolishly invited onto a podcast to talk about it more...

my tags here:

she gets down on the Ground. there's something so primal about it. there's such a lack of pretense and sense of desperation about it. the way he hits the table. we so Rarely see him lash out like that. but it's just too much to Bear. like everything in him is just Breaking the only thing that he's even remotely been able to hold onto amidst all of the unbearable loss and trauma in his life has failed. he's fumbling around for anything that might make it better. that audries fic describing him in this moment as an 'addict out of a fix' with 'newborn anger.' “this is the world? this is it?” it's the way that he spends this whole ep cooking up some elaborate mythology about missing children and how they can be found and then the last shot of the episode is that wide shot of all of the children's graves. sometimes he's just wrong. the world is so much fucking darker and uglier sometimes than the way he sees it. and that's what is crashing down around him in this moment. and she's sitting in the wreckage holding him tight.

this is such brave, brave love. i keep thinking about CSM in the following episode, standing in scully's apartment, warning her. "allow him his ignorance, it's what gives him hope."

she doesn't know what will happen to him, to her, to them, when she breaks down the only method of coping that he has. his mother lost her bedrock too, and she didn't survive. from the moment scully enters, you can watch it break her. she does it anyway. she gets down on the ground, and she cries, and she holds him. god, it all just would've been so different, if there'd been just 1 person, 27 years ago.

(thinking about mulder reaching up to hold scully when missy died, and these tags asking: did anyone hold him, when it was his sister?)

i love the show's message on grief (and trauma), in that this is all that is necessary for "closure." there is no "Truth," (and there really isn't any closure, there's no "beyond" the sea). but it matters that someone knows. it matters that someone bears witness. it matters that someone tells you the truth, even when it fucking breaks their heart. sits in the destruction with you.

the exhaustion in her voice the next morning, when she tells skinner, "it's been a hard night for him." she's still wearing her work clothes from the day before. she was up all night. she's tired, and she's scared, and she's sad. it's been a hard 7 years. it's been a hard 27 years.

it makes me tear up every time i see it, the way she blocks him in the doorway. she's not moving. this is just so scully. it's not even starbuck, it's just so scully. she would keep him in that apartment where she could cover him and control what touches him forever, if she could. (she can't, so you're not taking him anywhere without her. the way she looks her boss in the eye and tells him he better book her a flight too. brave love.)

2/ demons

god, this one just makes me sad. this might be the one that makes me saddest. she's dying. she doesn't have it in her, anymore. i talked about this in my newsletter (and i wrote a fic about it once) but this is like...the only time where she never calls him out on what he's doing. she never yells. she never rolls her eyes. she never gets frustrated with him. she doesn't have it in her. she's dying. he will be alone. she won't be here the next time. what can she even do about it?

i always think about this post:

and you know she is thinking about how if she hadn’t been there he would’ve died. and how the next time he does something like this, she won’t have enough life left in her to keep them both alive. she might not even have enough left for herself. and she’ll give whatever she does have left to him, but it won’t be enough to save either of them. she’ll die cold and pale and he’ll burn himself out. and what can she do but hold him? who will he have when she’s gone? what will he do to himself? who will he call?

and these tags:

this is so cautious and tender and apologetic. sorry for all the pain he feels constantly. and sorry that nothing can ease it. and sorry that she is dying and leaving him like this.

she started writing to him as soon as she was diagnosed, begging. begging forgiveness, begging courage, begging grace. begging for him to not feel there was anything more he could've done, to not become the next cause he is lost in. for him to keep going, as she needs to know he's "out there."

but she's seen him hold a gun to himself too many times, and she knows he's coming down with her. and it's such a loss? this is a person she gave up everything, including her life, to follow, because she believed in him and what he wanted to do in the world that much. but things are different now. he won't survive this. he won't be "out there" saving the world.

what can she do? go to rhode island at 5am, wrap him up. stay quiet, stay still, but scream and thrash at anyone who's careless with him. sink down next to him, cover him, hold him. "maybe we need every answer in the world to survive a single question: how long do we have each other?" (x)

(also, her memento mori journal, in general. she sat in that hospital alone, for days, knowing she was going to die. and she wrote letter, after letter, after letter, to him. so that he would have something. so that he wouldn’t be left alone with nothing, again.)

3/ the end

"as mulder appears. the look on his face is of a man who's seeing, smelling, and tasting the loss of everything he has worked for. it's the look of utter defeat. angle on scully at the door. she sees only mulder right now...she moves to him now. putting her arms around him, holding on to keep him from breaking. off this, we fade out. the end." (script)

i think so often about the script notes of this scene. the description of mulder, as absorbed in destruction. everything that he's worked for, literally reduced to (cigarette) ash. scully only focused on him.

in the final angle of the season, you can really see how she's standing in front of him. her fingers clutching him. but when she first grabs him, it's so tentative. it almost feels like she's trying to see if he's still there, if he exists, if his work doesn't.

this is...the whole thing! there's a reason why this was "the end." the final image of this iteration of the series, before everything changes. this is what it is all about. it's mulder walking headfirst into the devastation of the world. drenched in loss. seeing it. smelling it. tasting it. surrounded by it. and it's scully knowing what he'll find even as he's still moving (this script note, from the hallway: "reverse on scully. returning the look. knowing what mulder is going to find. and what it will mean.")

following behind. eyes on him, while he takes in the ash. just holding on for dear life; trying to keep him close, whole.

(also, i love the moment before the fire, at his apartment, after diana was shot. the way scully tells skinner that he can reach her at mulder's if he needs her, because that's where she'll be. he doesn't even have a bed, or anywhere for her to stay!! she's not leaving him.)

4/ paper hearts

oh, starbuck. we are really in it now.

paper hearts is an ahab and starbuck episode, yes. but mostly it's about grief. mostly it's about harsh awakenings. mostly it's about confrontation with fear, scully's included.

one of the most haunting moments of the series, to me, is when they speak to the father of the 14th victim, twenty-one years after his daughter went missing. and through tears, the father says, "i used to think...that missing was worse than dead, because...you never knew what happened. now that i know, i'm glad my wife's not here. she got luckier."

in that moment, as mulder looks over at the photos on the mantle, missing is not worse than dead. it is not worse than knowing. and later that day, in his first scene, roche calls it exactly as it is: "i understand you take this very personally, mulder."

i've written about this scene in the hallway so many times, because it's truly the crux of this episode (my favorite episode).

from my newsletter:

There’s something so viscerally deep about this episode that’s hard to put into words, but to me, it is most palpable in the moment in the hallway when Mulder asks Scully if she believes that his sister was abducted by aliens. And you can see in his face that he knows the answer, and he’s challenging her to come out and say it. You can see in Scully’s that she would rather admit to anything else.

he's challenging her. he's taking their entire dynamic, and throwing it in her face. not to be cruel. not to disrupt. but just to say...so what now? isn't this what you believe?

i don't think that they've ever been so fragile, as in this hallway, honestly. they rarely threaten to break it all down. their entire lives are built on him walking up to tragedy and saying: it was aliens. it was XYZ. and her following behind saying: no. it was a killer, it was a man.

what does that mean? what is she really saying?

this episode is hard on scully. mulder has never been more haunted. there has never been a bigger reminder of what they are actually doing. they are not just chasing little green men, having adventures, studying sewer worms. they are trying to make sense of something that will never make sense. they are trying to find a "truth" that they do not want to know. they are living their lives in mourning, in bereavement, in remembrance, of a missing little girl, and scully is terrified that they'll find her. that it will be exactly like roche threatens. that missing is not worse than dead.

and there is no one else. there is no one else that even knows how haunted he is. how stuck he is, in that childhood bedroom, like he said all those years ago. how deeply sad it is.

it's all of the little things. it's the "you did good work, mulder" in the beginning. it's the way she asks if he's okay to go tell the 14th victim's family. it's way she exclaims "oh my god" when roche says that he just wants to see mulder's face, when he finds samantha's body. one of the few times that we ever see scully lose control, but she just stands up and screams, opens the door and wordlessly waits for mulder to get up and get out of there.

it's the way that she hears "help me, scully" and digs in the dirt, with her bare hands.

(you can tell in his eyes here that he's been crying, and it really gets to me. there's so much that we don't see.)

in the end, they're back in the basement. nothing left but one scrap of tattered fabric, one more lost failure. it's over. she just comes down to check on him.

the progression of scully's face in this last scene is just unbelievably gut-wrenching to me. her smile, when she tells him to get some sleep, and he laughs. the way it disappears when he holds her, and can't see her anymore. with his mother, flashing that smile and hugging her was all that it took to convince her not to worry. when he repeats the same actions with scully, she looks like she could break.

this post:

Episodes like this make me think how alone - not just lonely, but truly alone - Mulder was before her. Nobody lost sleep over him falling apart under the fist of decades old trauma. Nobody grappled with him, let him wrestle his grief against them, and still stayed. Nobody visited him in the hospital, flew to Alaska, lied for him, stayed by his bed for days straight without an extra change of clothes. Nobody else knew he was suffering or wanted to, knew it more than he knew. That end of Paper hearts where she tells him to get some sleep, he laughs at the ridiculousness of it, but also out of incredulity at having someone to wish for better on his behalf. The heartbroken look on her face as he’s laughing into her waist seems to be her coming to the same realisation; “Who looked after you before? How long did you feel like this on your own?”

she is heartbroken. there is so much grief, in being starbuck. there's grief in being needed. there's grief in following ghosts. there's grief in loving someone who is so encased in pain, in loss. he will not go home and get some sleep. a well-placed joke, that smile, a hug, does not convince her that he's okay. he hurts so much, for so long, and he has one person who knows it. and all they do is keep moving: closer and closer to that breaking point that she is so afraid of, and they can't stop.

5/ redux ii

remember when dana scully lied on her death bed and looked up at mulder as he told her that he was not willing to jeopardize skinner to save himself, and she replied, "well, then, you have to lay it on me."

the way he smiles and shakes his head, chokes out "i can't...i can't do that." through tears...they are so kind to each other. all that she has left in the world is her reputation, and she says: take it. take it all. take everything.

she cries when he won't do it.

6/ herrenvolk

okay, i wanna get into some slightly lighter ones, so y'all remember when she nearly fully knocked skinner into the wall, because mulder came in with a (checks notes) scratch on his face?

this is just so scully.

she is so panicked. she just wants to slow him down, to stand between him and the world for even one moment longer.

these tags:

she's almost begging him not to go in. the extent of her worry is heartbreaking. she loves him. it frightens her to know what awaits him.

one of the biggest conflicts of scully's character is that she just cannot stop him, she cannot shield him, she cannot protect him. the way she leans up here, and pulls him to her shoulder. covers him with a blanket. this is what she can do.

there is so much grief in being starbuck!! in loving someone who walks blindly into a world that you do not trust. in following someone into the worst night of their life: over, over, over. years, years, years. in being first mate, holding the responsibility on your shoulders of having to steer in a safe direction, only having one to choose from.

(i also think it's really special, all of the little moments where she checks in. in the previous episode, in the hospital hallway, the way she says "are you okay?" so softly.

in paper clip, when she makes him stop, and says "no, wait, hold on a second...i don't think you've had time to process everything that you've been through."

remnants of the girl who told him she'll cover for him and he should just go get a beer, take some time for himself, after jersey. who suggested he talk to someone, when jerry lamana died. she's always wanted so much for him, but she understands more now. there's still room to pause, for a moment, before he carries on.)

7/ anasazi

ladies, would you shoot your man with a gun, to keep him from endangering himself, while he was being laced with LSD, and then drag him across the country singlehandedly, while he was unconscious, despite him being twice your size? and this, too, is taking care.

the way she says, "i was certain they would have killed you, mulder." and the fear in her voice, his hand on her knee. (she is so young. she really doesn't know what to do, not as often as she seems like she does). the way he says, "thank you. thank you for taking care of me." they are so kind to each other. it'll break your fucking heart.

(i remember asking y'all a few weeks ago, if mulder and scully ever say "i'm sorry," if they ever apologize to each other. and we came up with a couple of times. i'll tell you what, though: not as often as they say "thank you.")

8/ fire

girlbosses when they singlehandedly solve serial murders, to get their best friend's shitty ex away from them!!! okay, i put this one on here because we were talking about it yesterday, but scully really does handle the entire situation with phoebe so perfectly, and that's hard to do, when you're dealing with friends and abusers.

trish, i loved this part of your post yesterday:

scully gives him the space to talk about it, never says too much but she says enough. her phrasing is SO important. she repeats what he just told her in a way that frames it as wrong.

she's a little rabid, lol. we can see it on her face when she's alone, or when mulder's not looking. but around him (around phoebe too) she's calm. she listens, she addresses what he tells her as bad, without pressing. when he tells her that she's off the case, that he doesn't want to expose her to what phoebe is doing, she asks one time: are you sure you don't want help?

he says yes, and she does it anyway. she catches that fucking murderer so that this woman can go home. just, like, an inspiration to us all.

trish's tweet:

really, truly, genuinely. scully solving the case in fire was the absolute best course of action she could have taken. get that woman out of here, an ocean away from mulder. (give him freedom, let him heal, teach him what real love feels like)

(her eyes locked in on him here, phoebe behind her. the way that when phoebe leaves the room, scully says, "you alright?" instantly.)

meeting phoebe just a few months into their partnership made her so fucking crazy like...i make fun of her for being sick in the head in regards to everyone he meets (men and women alike) and never wanting anyone around him other than her but like, my god, can you blame her!!! he's such a gentle person and people are so cruel and it makes her eyes bug out of her head.

yeah, i really don't have much else to say here, you guys. she solved a murder herself, a case that she wasn't even supposed to be working, so that his old gf would go away and stop being mean to him. she doesn't play!!

(also! while we're on the subject of abusive exes, honorable mention to scully cornering diana into an empty room and telling her to "just think" about who mulder is, who he was when she met him, compared to where he is now. "and then try and stand there in front of me. look me in the eye. and tell me mulder wouldn't bust his ass trying to save you.")

9/ deadalive

oh, you guys remember that time she raised him from the dead, right?

scully at 8 months pregnant, sitting in that hospital chair, holding his hand, for days. knowing he can’t feel it, knowing that there’s nothing that says he’ll ever wake up. that it’s impossible. that there is no science…yeah. she just sits there and holds his hand.

i love the moment when she finds out, and she comes barreling through that hallway. she hits skinner first, and starts yelling, “i want to see him. no, i need to see him,” slams her fists into his chest.

then she moves onto doggett. repeats, “i need to see him” through tears. and the way doggett says… “i know. but i wish you wouldn’t.”

she’s loved. they want to protect her, protect her image of mulder as she knew him. but they also both know she will fucking plow them down.

i always think of this fic and feel so ill:

“I pulled you six feet out of the ground,” she whispers, dangerously low. “Because I couldn’t live without you. I gave birth to your child.”

she fed his fish while he was in a casket. she planned a funeral and decorated a nursery alone, at the same time. she ran herself ragged all over the country, trying to keep his work going. she raised him from the dead.

(i also feel that i can throw in here, as related, the time that she busted him out of prison and then abandoned everything in her entire life including her career, her family, and everything she owns, to go on the run from the law and live secretly in seedy motels for years to be with him.)

10/ fight the future

there are too many contenders for my last spot, so i’m gonna keep it simple, and go with the most special movie moment. (of all movies).

from my newsletter:

“Mulder watches the spaceship as it flies overhead, his face glows with a heart-melting grin of childlike wonder and awe.”(x)

That’s exactly what it feels like to me, it’s an innocence and excitement that was so present in season one, that was all over him when he told Scully to come look in the second episode, but that’s rare to see in the later seasons. It’s rare to see at this point in their story, after all that’s happened. They are stranded in Antarctica, both of them injured, both of them freezing in the cold, and they are holding each other and gazing up at the sky. What a perfect thing in their big momentous feature, to bring it all back to what it started with.

there’s such a reverent sentimentality to it, in the simplicity. she had stopped breathing, a few minutes earlier. but when he passes out, she pulls herself up, and grabs onto him. keeps him alive, keeps them both alive, just by holding him close. that’s really the heart of it.

(also, i find it so moving that this film is the only time in the franchise that scully considers leaving, not working with him anymore, and it’s because she thinks she’s not good for him. that she’s holding him back. she never considers him as anything other than wanted, something worth believing in.)

some honorable mentions to: little green men, which i’ve written about here. (especially her secret-signaling him to their secret meet-up place, just to ask if he’s okay). the erlenmeyer flask, which i’ve talked about here. (she literally stops him in the street to tell him that she should have listened to him, and she’s sorry, because she should have trusted his instincts. that means so much, you guys). her telling colton she hopes he falls on his ass after he was making rude comments about mulder in squeeze, screaming at a serial killer that she’ll gas him into hell herself and no one will stop her, if mulder isn’t okay, in beyond the sea….she has threatened and shouted at and smacked around so many people for fucking with him, and this too is care!! (anger meaning you’re worth being angry over, etc etc)

how desperately she became frantic to find their son, after 17 years resigned to never ever looking for him, never ever endangering him that way…because she became convinced that it’s the only thing that would help mulder.

and how important samantha is to her. it matters. it matters, that sam is remembered. that someone else in the world knows. someone knows that they played baseball in the summers, that they fought over the television, that he’s looked for her in every room he’s ever been in. someone else cares about her; not as a white whale, not as a photo on a desk, as a little girl who broke her collarbone because she played on swings too hard. scully listened to her journal, and cried. listened to how much she suffered. how much she just wanted to see her big brother. (scully kept a journal like that, too, once. underwent those same tests. almost died at the hands of those same men. wrote her testimony to that same person.) it’s taking care of mulder, to love samantha. and she does.

[brzatto]

I have some questions I wanted to ask :3c

I really love your Carmy drawing! You drew his sad puppy eyes and messy hair perfectly. Are you going to post any more art? 👀

I just started watching season 2 of The Bear and I was wondering how your rewatch was going. Any new thoughts after rewatching?

You're a Pacific Rim fan? 🥳 If Carmy and Richie were partners in that I feel like the Jaeger would immediately explode as soon as they were both plugged into it 😂 What are your AU thoughts?

helloooo <3

1. thank you!!!! ;_; as for posting any more art idk i doubt it >_< if i’m being honest i rarely ever draw at all and that doodle was just a one off but if i ever just so happen to do any more in the future then maybe! i’d like to get back into drawing more but the bear has pretty evidently manifested itself more in the writing side of my brain so

2. if i’m being honest i’m still on ep2 of my rewatch LMFAO every time i try and sit myself down and tell myself to watch it i end up finding an excuse to pull myself away. idk why i’m so mentally averse to it… what’s that thing called where people keep putting off things they genuinely want to do because that’s basically what’s happening rn. i do have a lot of thoughts and half formed posts in my drafts rn just from my first watch alone though i just feel like i should complete my rewatch before sharing them and then i keep… not doing that

3. i loooove pacrim it’s one of my favorite movies/universes ever. if i like a character or a pairing regardless of what the og media source is trust that i will be imagining them in a pacrim au… i’ve been toying with the idea for carmy and richie on and off in the back of my head since way back last year but i actually think it works pretty 1:1 with canon! mikey and richie being lifelong best friends and going into the pilot program together, finding out they’re drift compatible and becoming jaeger pilots together, mikey being kia, carmy always having this pipe dream of becoming a pilot and spending his childhood looking up to mikey and richie and wanting to be just like them but being deterred by something or another. maybe going through the program but because he’s naturally reserved and introverted he thinks he doesn’t have what it takes to be an actual pilot or that he’ll never be drift compatible with someone because he can’t really imagine connecting with anyone in that way. when mikey dies richie’s left in need of a partner but richie is richie so he’s not really compatible with anyone else until they offer to test carmy and lo and behold.. richie balks from it at first obviously because carmy’s just a rookie without any real experience in the field and he and mikey were pretty well established for years (if not just a little unorthodox) and internally half of him is unable to accept the idea of carmy being mikey’s replacement due to his grief and the other half of him is unable to accept carmy being mikey’s replacement due to his protectiveness of carmy (but he doesn’t mention or bring that up ever. i think their dynamics and history in pacrimverse would mirror their histories together in canon, but any genuine good intentions richie has is also probably overshadowed by his anger/resentment and he ends up lashing out a lot at the higher ups and keeping carmy at arm’s length the whole time this is happening. he’s just like.. not coping well. or at all for that matter) cue some very slow burn and mutually tentative bonding and richie always berating carmy for being “just a kid” throughout it and objecting about having him out in the field (not to his face or anything, probably not even with malicious intent or with the purpose of hurting carmy but carmy probably overhears or finds out anyways and resents him for it + feels all that self loathing and ineptitude because he knows he couldn’t live up to mikey either) and richie being given the ultimatum of either having carmy as his partner or being forced to retire but when they’re put in a tight spot they DO go out in the field together. something very dramatic and tragic happens because something dramatic and tragic is always happening in a pacrim au and it seems unlikely that they’ll both make it out and richie is adamant about carmy being the one who lives, still struggles with all that survivor’s guilt over mikey and wouldn’t be able to take going through it again, especially not with carmy. carmy of course is like… kicking and screaming and very much NOT willing to leave him behind and at the same time he’s ANGRY because all this time richie still doesn’t think of him as being capable nor does he trust carmy enough to be able to let him help and for them to go through this together. i don’t think carmy is as concerned as much about whether he lives or dies, or even really if richie lives or dies, i think whatever happens he just wants to see it through alongside richie. he wants richie to trust him, he wants them to be a team, and regardless of what happens to them he wants them to do it together meanwhile richie’s only priority is to ensure carmy walks away from this alive. at all costs.

since this isn’t necessarily a fic plot or anything just how i imagine a pacrim au for them would be like, the endings vary—richie deceives carmy/saves him against his will and has to deal with knowing he’s automatically lost all and whatever tentative trust carmy had in him leading up to this, either richie lives and he and carmy have to start again from the ground up bond wise (maybe they realize they can’t be partners after all and richie would rather retire than have to be put in a position like that again) (lawful evil end) OR carmy eventually forgives him and they work it out and continue being partners (lawful neutral end) OR richie dies and carmy’s left to deal with the survivor’s guilt instead. (neutral evil end)

alternate endings: carmy stays and saves richie instead—also up to you whether he lives or dies but in the event that carmy dies richie has to go through all that mess with mikey all over again and idk if he could like. mentally/emotionally/physically survive that (chaotic evil end) or carmy finally finally convinces richie to trust in him just this once and they combat the evil together and come out of it stronger and closer than ever (lawful good end). also if i’m being honest when i think of this au playing out in my head i surprisingly don’t think of them ever being explicitly romantic but they still have that air of weird unspoken homoerotic tension that they do in s1: richie still devastated and grieving and fighting a battle of internal conflict, carmy still rash and impulsive and oblivious, richie wanting nothing to do with carmy but still unable to stomach the mere notion of putting him at risk, carmy thinking richie is a washed up asshole but still desperately wanting his trust and approval. sometimes the pining is better ngl

[grismavessel]

So i kinda have alor of question but Lil just Ask you 3, there about gris / ingo!vessel au

1.what would happen if ingo went angry ?

2.did gris ever calmed ingo from being angry ?

3.how did the two meet ?

Sorry if they where already answered but i really liké the vessel au and you're Ship. ^^

Anyway have a nice day :]

Ah! Hi!

I try to organize the posts as much as I can but keeping an orderly blog is tough OvO (you can always send an ask I'm always happy to answer) so I actually can't remember if I've answered these before, though I have some writings here and there that do answer this stuff (stares at ao3) but I'm always happy to talk and ramble more about them!

Vessel Ingo is relatively a new idea for this blog (if you don't count @/nartothelar twin dragons au and also @/narutojacksondemigod came up with it first <3) and I haven't come up with much else but I have been thinking about how it fits into the Vessel AU as a whole. It'd like to think that not every legendary can turn someone into a vessel/puppet.

If Ingo got angry

Ingo only really shows his anger when something absolutely foolish/selfish/rude happens. He rarely ever does get angry with Gris but of course, no one is perfect so the two do get into disagreements and both are stubborn as hell. He does show it, only on the rarest occasions.

If Zekrom Ingo were to get mad, Zekrom would be able to feel the sudden rise of emotion and 'wake up', which causes Ingo's appearance to change. Clouds will gather and if Ingo were upset enough it could storm. Sparks would start flying off of him and could leave small marks.

If he's super pissed, as in someone who had thoroughly wronged him (cough cough probably volo cough) it would be the thunderstorm to end all thunderstorms and Ingo would be littered with Zekrom's scales all over his body. The dude's a generator for emotional and physical electricity.

Sometimes he can calm himself out of it but having a legendary pokemon taking residence in your head means sometimes you aren't entirely in control. Zekrom feels like it is in danger and will continue to lash out. Either Ingo finds some way to let the anger out until Zekrom is pleased or it backlashes and leaves Ingo with a horrible headache that leaves him bedridden.

Ingo getting angry causes many problems for those in the radius and himself.

Gris calming Ingo

In this whole au Gris has double jeopardy. They have both Arceus and Giratina fighting for who gets control. Gris is the most qualified to help Ingo with Zekrom, or at least understand what is happening and what to do. Also, Gris is Ingo's partner, so regardless of circumstance, Gris would try and help Ingo anyways out of care, concern, and love.

When Ingo is showing signs of letting out a storm or becoming a lightning rod, Gris reaches out to him slowly. The reason being Ingo gets jumpy during his storms, Gris has been shocked on more than one occasion, and it just eases Ingo's state of mind better. A slow descent.

Physical touch helps to ground Ingo during his storms, and Gris would hold him. Ingo can recognize Gris's presence and already it soothes him immensely. If touch is not enough Gris would talk to him. Ask him what he wants to do tomorrow, or what to eat, and they'll tell him sweet nothings and reassurances. Even try cracking jokes if Gris could improve them. Talking him down and taking his mind and therefore Zekrom off of the thing that upset him.

Sometimes it's not enough to totally die down the storm, Gris stays close to him anyways because the aftermath always ends with Ingo's headaches and body aches. Cold water and heavy blankets.

If its very dire, Gris could coax either Giratina or Arceus out. Zekrom can sense either two and stop whatever it's doing to Ingo to retreat. It works every time but it's Gris's turn to deal with being a host. Both wind up with headaches and are forced to huddle in bed.

It's not the nicest circumstance, but in the au they have each other for comfort.

How they met

ah, a tale as old as time

Gris is the hero of hisui, so they take up the player character's role in hunting and capturing every pokemon and quelling the nobles in pokemon legends. So they don't meet Ingo until he goes to Jubilife village by the request of Irida.

The two don't get off on the right foot since Gris and Ingo are different. Ingo's the respected warden who keeps to himself (with no indoor voice) and is very careful. Gris is this out-of-place punk that is loud and clumsy. They don't really connect until after they battle where Gris wipes the floor with Ingo and impresses him, then they almost get crushed by some boulders and Gris saves him which starts the eventual avalanche that leads to them dating. It's that strangers to best friends to lovers trope <3

In the vessel au they can also sense something odd about one another from minute one. Ingo feels a sense of dread and smallness due Zekrom being sort of a lesser god in the pantheon, and Gris feels just a strange familiarity since both Giratina and Arceus aren't so acquainted with the Tao Trio. Neither really know that they're both stuck with the same problem until the two grow closer as friends and confide/discover it with one another.

I lot of people really like the au and I wish I had more time and skill to do a lot more with it, but it's cool to see people so interested in it! <3

So glad you like Gris n Ingo together, I know not a ton of people enjoy oc x canon stuff but again, it's so cool to see people interested <3<3

[agentmarcuspike]

hi ziggy!!! marcus pike anon here! okay okay so first i’ll start by saying that although i didn’t cry while watching barbie i really really wanted to (i can’t cry in cinemas because people are around lol) and i definitely would’ve if i had been alone

second point, still barbie related: marcus spends the rest of the week humming barbie songs, very randomly at any given point in the day

and now to the real stuff (it gets long lol sorry): you mentioned marcus being actually really emotional and YES!! yes, he absolutely is.

of course it’s more positive than negative thing because he’s a tiny little golden retriever <3

so yeah we know that when he’s in love, he’s in love love and it’s genuinely the best thing to happen for everyone. why? because he’s the kind of person whose happiness is so contagious that dating him and making him happy truly is a service to the nation. and he’s the happiest when he’s in a relationship—not in a “he can’t be by himself and doesn’t handle loneliness” but just because he has such a big heart, he has so much to give that it’s always better when he can redirect all that love towards somebody.

and his happiness is just such a beautiful thing. even if you’re not in a good mood, just seeing him happy is enough to lift your spirits up.

as i said, the fact that he’s so emotional is usually a good thing because he’s a positive person in general. but of course that has a downside when he’s in a low mood. it can be anger, sadness, fear but whenever he feels, he feels deeply and just as his happiness is contagious, so is the rest.

i’m not saying that if he gets mad, he’ll take it out on you, no. he knows he struggles with his anger and learnt how to control it 1) because his job requires it and 2) because it’s the best decision to form healthy bonds with others (so i definitely agree on the therapist part).

and yeah one of the thing when he’s angry is to just…leave him be. he would never lash out on you (if he ever did, he would be apologizing profusely and working on himself twice as hard to never let it happen ever again) but he needs to work out those feelings by himself—and there are a lot of feelings post-barbie lol

and it’s particularly hard when he’s sad. maybe because it’s so rare you’re never ready for it? like the few times it does happen, you feel kinda useless? he tries to keep things as they are, behave the way he usually does but there is something off about it: his smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes, the house is weirdly silent, etc…

but it’s all worth it. he’s genuinely the kind of person you’d love through all the lows just to get to have him during the highs. and it’s never boring with him, you never doubt his feelings for you because it’s literally written all over his face.

and, last point i swear, the fact that he’s so emotional, so in touch with his feelings makes him insanely empathetic. he’ll never judge you for whatever your feeling and be able to find the right words, the right gestures to validate you.

anyways marcus pike is the best boyfriend and i will take absolutely no criticism 😌

listen honey darling baby sweetheart you are so right and only correct. check check check ding ding ding no lies detected

let's celebrate with a marcus "our boyfriend" pike moodboard <3

[erigold13261]

Been thinking of Failed Revolution AU a few years into the future where 1010 is no longer working for NSR and are living in the UK trying to overcome their trauma and basically start life over.

The idea that each one has their own baggage to deal with but slowly gets better is something I love to think about, but it also made me realize just how much Green had suffered.

Like yes, all of 1010 suffered, but they all had someone else to help them out or at least hang out with. Green had no one. Like technically he had Yinu, but she wasn't always able to visit because of Mama's hatred for 1010. Not to mention Yinu would just use Green as a person to vent to and so wasn't really someone Green could rely on.

Red and Yellow had each other. Blue and White had Neon J. Green could kinda rely on Blue, but both Yellow and White would constantly harass Green. Red was a total flake and even helped Yellow in this harassment (mainly because he was scared to be in Green's situation so he went along with Yellow's asshole-ery).

I just love the idea that 1010 try to move past the pain they had, but Green is the only one not healing. He doesn't have the energy or care to try and move on, even if things are objectively better for him now than they ever were working under NSR.

Yellow and White (not Sun and Silver) do their best to make it up to Green (not Fern), but it's just not working. Fern just stays in the rooftop garden or cleaning the shop/machines in their little family run candy shop.

Unlike the rest of 1010 who are trying to get educations, better jobs, make friends, Fern is just isolating himself and going throught the motions of life. Not caring to even try and heal (honestly if anything, he is still holding a lot of anger and pain towards the rest of 1010 for everything that happened, even if he isn't showing it).

Like Green didn't even have Neon J to fall back on. J was too busy wrangling Yellow in, scolding White, calming down Red, and putting more and more responsibilities and teaching moments onto Blue, that he just never even had time for Green (who for the most part seemed the most self sufficient and well behaved of all of 1010 in Neon J's eyes).

There's also the fact that if Neon J did have time to spend with Green, he was instead spending it either drinking or with Nova. To Neon J, there was no need to spend quality time with any of 1010 as he wasn't supposed to actually care for them (he did, but didn't want to admit that). And since Green was well behaved and not lashing out physically or emotionally, then Neon J didn't need to actually spend time with him (he did, but it was very rare and mostly cut short by the jealousy of the other 1010 members).

Anyway, I'm just rambling at this point. But I love the idea of exploring how each member of FRAU 1010 tries to heal from their time at NSR. I also like the idea of how White/Silver and Blue/Sky end up becoming friends with Ex-Jay and B2J in the future.

It is nothing like how the OG versions are, but it is something that helps them all get to a better place. Like closure (something that Green will definitely need at some point).

So yea. Just wanted to type this out. Been thinking about it for a few days (honestly probably a week now). I have 2 versions of this whole thought process.

One where there was a multiverse merge, where almost all my AUs combine into one like pocket of time universe. There my AUs meet and they see the different versions of themselves and learn how to be better people from seeing their flaws either reflected or called out. (and years down the line from this event it happens again just so the AUs can meet and see the progression everyone made lol)

The other is just where FRAU naturally continues without any silly multiverse shenanigans. Less self reflecting and a bit more serious, but still a bunch of good ideas.

Okay. Rambling basically over. Just really wanted to talk about Green and how his neglect and abuse will be something he doesn't get over for years, much longer than the rest of 1010 took to seemingly "get over" what happened to them.

[theghostofblackbunnymask]

HEAD EMPTY. JUST,,,,Y,,,,YANDERE C!QUACKITY,,,

Author's note- I'm in the mood for some Yandere Quackity Headcanons, are you?

Warnings- Physical abuse, Manupulation, Blackmail, Guilt Tripping, Panic Attacks (Quackity's), Break downs (Quackity's), Threats, Carving someone's name into someone's skin, Using fear as punishment, and Stockholm Syndrome.

Yandere Quackity Headcanons

You met Quackity during the Schlatt Administration, you were Schlatt's assistant and your main job was writing decrees and planning meetings with people him and Schlatt had business with.

After Schlatt left him, he started to fall for you, so when he went to Pogtopia, he invited to come with him.

His love would be actually pretty healthy and he wouldn't be a yandere.

But when he started to go yandere for you was after Karl and Sapnap left him, a whole 13 years of healthy love turned to something evil.

Quackity would ask himself so many questions like, "Will they leave me too?" "Will they find someone else?" And so on and so forth.

Once Las Nevadas was finished, he would send Charlie to befriend you, and then convince you to join Las Nevadas.

Charlie would do it of course and befriend you, Charlie really enjoys your company and makes sure you won't turn to dust, so you and Quackity can be together forever, and he won't lose 2 people he loves the most (May have accidentally created a Platonic Yandere, Quackity-)

Quackity would then blackmail you into signing contract, bounding you to Las Nevadas, making you be unable to leave.

From that point on, you're Quackity's bitch.

Quackity would be hesitant about showing affection, since his past love life weren't the best, but if he wants affection, you better give it to him.

Quackity will take you everywhere, he wants to make sure you never leave him.

Quackity can guilt trip you whenever you try to escape, he would always break down into tears and say that you're just like everyone else, they just leave him.

Quackity would give you various gifts. Like plushies, he buy you the biggest one he can find, jewelry, he'll buy you the whole shop, clothes, he'll buy you the most expensive kind, he'll get you whatever you want, so just don't try to leave him.

Quackity takes you to the Casino quite often, he uses you as eye candy and a luck charm, he has you in his lap as he gambles someone, he believes that you bring good luck.

Even if he has you, he still has his panic attacks and break downs when he thinks of Karl and Sapnap, he would even lash out at you and take his anger, stress and sorrow out on you, beating you until he realizes what he did to you, he would hug you and beg you to forgive him, promising that he would get you whatever you want and say that you won't leave him.

Now, what does the crew think of you? You are their boss's partner and you have to interact with them at some point.

Charlie is very fond of you and loves talking and hanging out with you, Charlie would give you gifts as a way of showing affection, he gave you a skull he found in a cave once, Quackity was so confused.

Fundy was skeptical of you at first, knowing his past and knowing Quackity's past relationships, he would instantly think that you may Break Quackity's heart. But once he gets to know you, he starts to get comfortable with you. He would see how happy you make Quackity, so why would he let his skepticism ruin that for him? You and Fundy don't interact often, and when you do it's very kind, respectful and just a very pleasant interaction. Fundy wouldn't call you his friend, nor his enemy, he would call you a aqutance.

Purpled would be fine with having you around, the two of you don't talk a lot, and when you do it's pretty chill and a decent interaction. If you weren't as bad as Quackity then he would talk to you more a little bit more, but still not often.

Foolish likes talking to you, and if you have a interest in building, he would show you how to build things you have trouble on. Foolish enjoys talking to you and a good person for life advice since he's been around for a hot minute.

Sam isn't in Las Nevadas that often, since he has to guard and protect the prison, and Quackity won't even let you step foot outside of Las Nevadas, try and see what happens. But anyways, due to that you don't interact much sadly, Sam is fine with having you around, but he wouldn't start conversation with you unless you start it first. And on rare occasions he would start conversation with you, it's fairly pleasant and you wish he would talk to you more often.

Now, bad to Big Q!

Quackity loves seeing you in his clothes, since in the beginning when he first bounded you to Las Nevadas, you lived with him (Against your will) and since you weren't able to bring your clothes with you, you had to wear his for a short while, while he debated what clothes he should buy you since he didn't trust you leaving his penthouse.

Now if you were to misbehave then Quackity wouldn't be as 'nice.'Quackity would threaten you by pinning you a wall or floor while having axe to your throat while saying.

"You want to get a scar like me too? I'll put it on the same side so we can match, how does that sound, Mi Amour?"

Quackity would also carve his name into any part of you your body, he doesn't care, as long as it's on you he doesn't care where it is.

Quackity would also physically punish you, but that's only if you did something severe.

Quackity would use your fears as punishment. Scared of the dark, he'll lock you into a small pitch black room, scared of dolls, he'll lock you in a room full of them as they stare directly at you, scared of spiders, he'll out you in a small glass prison and have spiders crawl all around it, have a fear, he'll use it.

Once you hit Stockholm Syndrome he would ecstatic, finally after so much work you love him. He would definitely propose to you so you two can get married, he never got to marry his past fiances, but now he has you, and he knows you won't leave him.

So overall, Quackity isn't awe too bad, just love and obey him and you'll be fine.

[oh-for-fic-sake]

Dress Codes,Nooky And  Cock Blocks

Masterlist

Henry tries to be a white knight and realizes Kal is to smart for his own good.

Request/Prompt: Henry and Kal meets you from work after having a bad day. Playing with Kal to make Henry jealous. Shutting kal out for some nooky but Kal sits outside the door barking and howling.

Warnings: Smutty Almost Smut! Fluff, Swearing

A/N: so this has combined two ideas one of which is from the lovely @being-worthy This was going to be a Pooh bear chapter two but hasn't quite fit the bill. Anyway I hope you all enjoy.  P.S I 100% belive Kal would be a little shit!!!

Taglist: @two-unbeatable-beaters​ @thatgirly81​ @angelofthorr @iloveyouyen​ @sofiebstar​ @thefangirlsblog​ @harrysthiccthighss​ @loserrlauraa​ @tumblrnewby​ @isitmine​ @tinabean37​

This was a fucking piss take your manager was an asshole! You huffed about the office still trying to process the stupidity he just fucking spouted at you. You moved to the ladies room phone in hand ready to vent locking yourself in a stall fingers poised to rant in a long ass text message but you froze. Henry was home well at the gym to be more specific. He was over the moon having just snagged the role of Geralt of Rivia and had been working tirelessly on bulking up for the role especially now that he was getting the dates for shooting. You paused taking a deep breath. No. You cant vent to him and ruined his day to. You growled and moved leaving the bathroom slamming the door thankful that you only had another hour, at least the prick had the decency to wait until the end of the day.

You through your phone down into the bag sitting at your desk for a few moments. You cast your eyes over the computer screen seeing the little bimbo...His little bimbo Stacey there was an office romance between your asshat of a manager and this little blonde. She ran about the office in small tight skirts hair immaculate and thick makeup smeared across her face and fuck me glasses that were an accessory not prescription like yours. She had a snug fitted blouse and pencil skirt on flitting about the office in some dangerous looking heels. More feminine? Was you supposed to jump up and say 'yes sir of course Sir, anything to keep this job sir' then flutter your lashes at him?.

Fuck that, and fuck this be more feminine bullshit, there was no written dress code and as far as things had gone you were doing your job pretty damn well and you didn't need heels to do it!

You scowled seeing the blonde slip out followed by your manager it mus be time fore their discrete get away a make out in the copier room...How original. You sighed clicking your mouse scanning through the next lot of appointments...No more today but there was a shit tonne tomorrow. You sighed getting down...Was your job really on the line over skirts,  makeup and heels? Sure you were on probation but they couldn't sack you for breaking a non existent dress code...Could they.honestly you wouldn't put it past Dave he seemed to have some fucked up traditional views.

Your attention was quickly drawn down to your phone buzzing you smiled seeing it was Henry quickly tapping the notification.

'Bbe you still at the office?? Miss you! 😘😘' You smiled softly heaving a deep breath then began typing.

'Yep still here not for long though finish in 1hr thank god 😘😘 u 2 at the gym still??' You sent the text and got a reply pretty quick you smiled he must have left the gym to reply so quick. Your thoughts wandered a daydream of the huge glorious man puffed out and sweaty ugh yes that's what you needed right now your man to just ruin you fuck the stress and doubt right out of you!. Your eyes scanned the new text he had sent pulljng you out of your raunchy thoughts.

'No just left walking Kal around the park he got a bit excited need to wear him out, so have a good day?'

'😂 good luck with that. And its been okay...G2g shopping after apparently I need to dress more feminine���😒 so will be home late' You frowned hearing the two love birds enter the office again wrapped up around one another professionally you rolled your eyes as the blonde pulled away from your manager giggling and made her way to the computer opposite you instantly reaching for her compact mirror trying to correct the smeared lipstick across her face. Your phone pinged and you looked down face lighting up a little seeing the anger emojis. Henry felt the same ass you.

'😡😡🤬WTF? wats tht sppsd 2 mean?' you cringed maybe you should have just kept your mouth shut but it was too late now you sighed trying to placate him.

'I need to wear skirts and shit...be an office bimbo no big deal🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ just get a few skirts thts all' you typed back his reply was immediate almost as if he'd been typing the same time as you. Wincing you prepared yourself for the worse, Henry was a very protective man and you knew he hated the whole gender roles thing.

'😡😡You dnt need makeup and shit!! ur gorgeous dnt u listen to that wanker!! Can't u leave early?? Say ur going shopping?? Just get out of there! please love dnt let this get 2 u!!🥺🥺 I love u, ur perfect!!😍😘😘😍' You grinned got flushing rereading the words a warmth in your chest. You knew that he meant every word. Stacey looked over with a smirk snapping the compact shut and pointed a false nail in your direction.

"Oh? Is that a blush? Who are you texting? Someone cute?" You flicked your eyes up to her you didn't have anything against her per say but you were different people, she was all Instagram, kardashians and trending and you were all gaming, books and cosy pajamas. You never really spoke to her if you could help it.

"Err yeah...My boyfriend" you admitted looking down seeing another text from him. Another round of compliments and reassuring words lit up your screen.

'I mean it bbe I know u! dnt beat urself up over it! Dont u let him get 2 u!😘😘' you smiled softly yes he did know you and he knew this had not only made you angry but also insecure. You thought you looked good at work you always made a point to look 'put together' but it wasn't enough?

"Ooo was that him again? You never told me you had a boyfriend! Is he new? How long have you been together? What does he do? Whats he saying!?" You gulped as she got up quickly scuttling around the desk as fast as she could in her heels and skirt.

"We've been together a few years...He's just asking me to leave early and catch diner with him but I don't think Dave would like that..." Stacey's face lit up and she beamed at you. She was happy to have something else to gossip about.

"Oh! that’s so sweet~ he wants to steal you away for dinner! You know I wish Dave would do that but he only really pays attention to me at work....So does this sweet mystery man have a name?" You looked up at her tilting your phone away a little so she didn't see Henry's on going threats of 'coming down there and teaching Dave some manners by ripping his tongue out his ass' you shook your head as you caught the ass end of a long text full of emojis...You sort of regret teaching him the meanings of them....Was that an eggplant in the middle?.

"Henry...His name is Henry and he's an actor" Stacey squealed cupping her face completely excited for some reason.

"Oh that's so cute! You know its always you shy ones that nab yourselves the boho guys...You know I always wanted to date the 'boho' type myself but never did, they were all to....Just not my type I like clean cut guys, you know ones who fill out a suit" You squinted what the fuck was she getting at? You schooled your features standing taller quickly and made your own little dig.

"Like Dave?" she flushed and nodded excitedly missing the whole sarcastic droll over your words. She clapped her hands completely missing the fact you were poking fun at the scrawny 'stud' sleazeball who Henry could easily snap over his thigh if he wanted to.

"Yes just like my Dave~! Ugh anyway do you have a pic...Come ooon! Let me see your man~" you sighed tilting your head to her...She was pretty harmless...And dippy so it shouldn't do any harm she didn't strike you as the type of person to watch Henry's movies so shouldn't recognize him. You nodded sweetly it was actually a little fun you rarely got to show off your man,  most people who knew him knew you were dating. You twisted the phone eying the screen and froze seeing the last texts he sent you whilst you spoke to Stacey.

'Have you got out early??🧐🧐'

'Babe don't ignore me!😤😤 Is he still there!?😡'

'Woman you better answer me! Stop ignoring me bbe it wont help😤😤'

'Im serious y/n do I need to chat with him? Do you want me to help?🧐🧐'

'Look out the window'

"Oh hell no!" you huffed out under your breath then stood up scrabbling to the large office window Stacey followed you alarmed. You freaked and quickly opened the window poking your head out to scream at your sweet but very dappy boyfriend. As irritated as the texts were he didn't look it, well until you really looked he was tense and it wasn't just because Kal was puling excitedly.

"Oh my god?! HENRY?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!....GET OUT OF THE GOD DAMNED ROAD!!" lone behold when you looked down you saw Henry standing there with a huge bouquet of Roses and a bag you suspected held a box of chocolates, Kal was barking up at you spinning in circles and jumping up super excited almost dragging the huge man over in all the excitement. It would seem the walk was not enough to wear out the bear. Henry grinned up at you you heard Stacey from beside you gasp.

"Holy shit is that your boyfriend??" you turned to her and smiled smugly to her nodding then glanced back down to him seeing him quickly navigate the people bustling around the car park heading for the doors. You froze. You can't let him up here he sounded angry earlier...He'd kill Dave. You ran back to your desk quickly logging off the pc and snatching up your bag.

"Where do you think your going y/n?" Dave called after you you stopped seeing him there arms crossed giving you the filthiest look he could muster seeing your bag slung over your arm then there was the distinct buzzing of someone Henry at the door trying to be buzzed in. You pointed to the door opening our mouth to fake sickness or something but was interrupted.

"Oh Dave leave her alone...All the times she's here early let her go early for once, we don't need her anymore today and it means we get the office to ourselves for an hour~" your eyes bugged out as Stacey came to your aid fluttering her lashes to your manager. He heaved a sigh and nodded to the door in a 'get out of here' motion.

You smiled quickly darting out down the stairs to the ground floor seeing Henry standing there unimpressed finger holding the button down in one long irritating ring. You shook your head at him through the glass as he held the button.

You slapped the exit button opening the door and Henry tried darting past you into the building chest puffed shoulders ready to give your boss a piece of his mind but you caught the frightening man by his ridiculous bulging bicep. You spun with him digging your heels into the worn carpet.

"No no no! Henry no!" he carried on to the stairs dragging you with him passing you the roses and Kal's lead as the dog bounced around you both yipping like the over excited pup he was. Henry had hoped filling your hands would give him time to jump up a few steps out of your reach so he could have a chat with Dave about this whole misogynistic bullshit. Henry swore when you scampered behind him hooking your arms around his forearm and leant back, if he moved you'd drop like a rock and up the few steps as you both were, you'd hurt yourself. He stopped heaving a deep sigh looking to you.

"Just five minuet's babe is all I need! fucking feminine my ass he just wants to oogle your peach of an ass!! And that's not- that ass is mine!! fucking no one NO ONE fucking upsets my baby!" Your body flushed skin prickling at the shear alpha tone the possessive growl that seeped into his words made you tremble swallowing dryly you managed to shake it off and focused on the task at hand fucking could come later for now you needed to stop him from ripping your manager a new one. You moved crouching down bearing your weight down giggling at him as he still tried to thunder up the stairs. Kal helped to pulling at his lead it was a joint effort.

"Henn love?! I'll be sacked if you go up there and make Dave piss himself! Please lets just go home it's Friday I can find a few things over the week end for now can we please leave" he stopped and looked up to the brown ceiling and flickering light sigh he clicked his tongue then looked to you slowly with a heavy breath.

"....Fine, but next time I'm having him!" you smiled finding his protective side arousing your tummy clenching just knowing you big strong man could rinse the little twat upstairs made your pussy clench you always had a thing about strong men and Henry was the most physically fit you'd ever met. You somehow managed to coax him out of the door in the direction of home taking a detour picking up a Chinese on the way.

You giggled rolling around the floor with Kal. after a quiet dinner and snuggle with Henry you had been ushered away so he could do his nightly reading of his new script.You didn't mind at all you loved seeing him so invested in his roles. you caught a glimpse of the red roses sitting proudly in a glass vase on the fireplace almost blocking the view of the tv but not quite. You loved this, just being home with your favorite boys enjoy a nice quiet night in. you scoffed mocking kal who was pulling hard on the black rope trying to out witt you with quick flicks of his head, playing tug with Kal was a workout huge as he was he had the weight and strength to out match even Henry. You did not stand a chance just holding onto the black rope hoping to slow him down but he was full of energy today.

Henry was sitting on the sofa feet up reading his witcher script pen in hand as he read his page, one a night was the deal. But honestly trying to pull him away from this particular script was a hell of a job fair enough he was trying to memorize lines and scribble down alternatives in the margins. It was sweet how excited he got, he already knew the character in and out so could already tweak things around so it felt like Geralt. He was happy had been chasing the role for a while so you didn't mind that preparing for it was taking up most of his time. but you were still horny from earlier and wouldn't complain to a night of nooky. But alas Henry was drawn in by the script and you were trying to find other ways to distract yourself from the bubbling arousal in your loins, like playing with Kal. But that’s not to say you wasn't going to tease your man, there were ways to get his attention~

You smirked putting a plan into action bending lower wriggling your ass, craning back so your shorts rode up just that little bit more. Then once in place you squealed loud gaining the mans attention as Kal tugged dragging you across the floor growling playfully bouncing his weight back jerking you around, it was only then that Henry grunted in annoyance, your voice had been high he loved you keeping Kal entertained he really did, but sometimes he needed a little quiet. Especially when he was trying to concentrate.

"You know if I keep this up I'll have bigger muscles then you~" you giggled out a you tried to hold your own against the mighty bear. Henry smiled and watched shaking his head as Kal dragged you under his legs to the free space on the side of the coffee table. As much as he was trying to concentrate you could never get on his nerves for long, he just loved you to damn much. Henry frowned as you were pulled again wincing anticipating an accident as Kal was definitely getting to invested in the game.

"Or a dislocated shoulder" he commented as Kal did another particularly painful looking shunt and shook his head side to side still growling loud around the toy. It was then that he looked at you properly and what he saw made the man pause and suck in a breath air getting trapped in his throat at the innocently erotic sight. Seeing you bent over any time was a pleasure but here and now? Bouncing deliciously on your knees being half dragged about the living room added another dimension to the whole thing. Your arms and back stretched out low on the floor spine arched slightly, sitting with your knees tucked under you, the bouncing making your ass jump deliciously.

Two full ass cheeks peeking out of you short shorts as Kal carried on his jerky movements. You bit your lip grunting and tugged back pulling with all your might successfully gaining a few inches which Kal stole back and more making you yelp and moan as you were sprawled out on the carpet again. This time dragged up on your knees into a position he he spent many nights enjoying to his fullest. were you doing this on purpose? he wouldn't put it past you...Maybe you needed a fuck, a proper fuck.

Henry couldn't help the twitching in his groin, the first tremors as he got a front row seat to the two perfect globes of your ass seemingly clapping against one another with the shorts acting like a thong shucked up your ass. Fuck you wasn't wearing Knickers again. Little fucking minx. He lowered his feet to the floor now far to invested in watching you roll around in the tiny shorts. swept up in the way your body swayed taunting him. you turned to him with a sly smile and sent him a quick wink that he almost missed.

He gaped at you, you were doing it on purpose!! His script laid completely forgotten on his lap as he watched you turn back to Kal innocently dipping down low again shoulders to the floor stretched out taught in front of you face tucked into your arm as Kal fought you for the coveted rope. God...It had been a while since he fucked you like that. He licked his lips. Too long in the busy days since snagging the witcher role he had only had time for a two quickies. Two fumbled quickies in three weeks and they wasn't even that good. Well not his usual hour long foreplay teasing and touching then good few rounds. They were just a flurry of fast rutting motion's, less fucking more jerking trying to finish as quickly as you could just wanting that high. he bit his lip watching you watch him out of the corner of your eye definitely teasing him.

"Babe come here~" You froze and twisted your head back you knew that tone.Grinning knowing you'd got your way you looked seeing Henry eyeing you hungrily biting his lip tilting his head, legs spread wide making his thighs bulge in what should be a loose set of black shorts but actually became skin tight on this Goliath of a man. You flushed under the gaze but managed to hold into the rope not giving the still pulling pup an inch. His eyes were a dark ocean blue pupils nearly swallowing the color completely, you wondered how far you could push him. you pouted at him before teasing him further opening your legs wider letting the material of your shorts almost completely disappear.

"Henry...I'm playing with Kal-" he squinted at you then quirked a brow before shaking his head snapping shut the folder holding the script and let it drop to the floor by his foot with a decisive thump. You gulped. But didn't move instead you heaved back pulling the Akita across the floor.

"Babe...Come here Kal's had his playtime..." you rolled your eyes hearing the silent 'now I want mine' sometimes he was a man child. You twisted your head to him with a flutter of your lashes and cheeky grin.

"Well I'm playing with Kal you have to wait your turn-HEY? HENRY THAT’S CHEATING!?" You yelped as Henry quickly bolted up right and stomped on the rope whilst using his considerable size and strength to pull you up off the floor making you release the toy.

"Well that’s enough playing with Kal, time to play with me. I wont be cock blocked in my own house by the dog~" you giggled as Henry quickly began climbing the stairs laughing kicking your feet, watching as Kal stayed two steps behind rope in his mouth excitedly following his parents, you were all going to play!. It was only when the dog found himself shut out of the bedroom did he realize you were in fact not going to be playing with him anymore tonight. you could hear the indignant huff through the door.

You wriggled as Henry fell onto the bed with you wrapped around him slowly devouring each other with deep kisses tongues and teeth roaming each other. It had been a good few weeks since you both explored one another properly. Henry pulled away chuckling at the soft scratches at the door. Kal was not impressed.

"Kal go lie down! We will be finished soon" Henry called out and ignored the high whines and more insistent scratching at the door and leaned over you sucking at your neck decorating it as he saw fit leaving marks of red and purple biting his mark into the crook of your neck then lower tracing a warm wet train over your thin shirt. You moaned clutching his waist trapping him between your thighs using the grip you had to rock up onto him trying to ease the burning in your core.

"Oh whats this? Someone is impatient considering she wanted to keep playing with Kal?" His voice came out as a deep rasp making you gasp cupping his face.

"You treating me with your Geralt babe?" He smiled latching onto your ear rocking down onto you drawing out soft mewls. You vaguely heard Kals whines become louder barks out side the door hearing the dog jump up pawing at the handle of the door trying to break in.

"Oh you like?~" You sighed quickly trying to rid your tshirt panting feeling just how wet your slit had got, you were embarrassingly wet considering you hadn't even done anything yet.

"Fuck yes~ oh god its so-ah fuck its so hot Henry~" he pulled back growling in the new low tone you hadn't known he was capable of, his large hands helped remove the tshirt throwing it across the room and latched onto your tits biting and sucking slow flicking his tongue across a pebbled nipple as his hands stripped you of your shorts. he chuckled seeing the damp patch, your arousal sticking to the material in one neat line.

"Oh you really do need me don't you love~" you nodded to him whining when he pulled back grunting a growl biting your boob and sucking harshly. You both moved in tandem rolling around the sheets grinding ,rocking ,biting and grunting both intent on ignoring the pup crying outside the door. He would wear himself out and get bored. Well that was the plan anyway.

Henry finally pinned you and descended on your core like a starving man given the sweetest fruit. You cried out fingers in his hair unsure what spurred on this heated frenzie but would happily indulge him. One thing you loved about him is he was always up for eating you out, the man thrived on it! He seemed to get a massive kick out of feasting on you until you came all over him. You grunted as he suckled on your bud teasing and twisting his supple lips across it Nipping you began to loose yourself panting and jerking up into his mouth chasing a sweet release you hadn't known you needed and then you heard it.

A deep loud echoing mournful howl. Even Henry stopped frowning up at you from between your legs. That was new, Kal wasn't a howly dog, he barked and yipped giving off the weirdest groans and moans. But never howled. You both burst out laughing unable to stop it as the howls were all over the place, loud and quiet raspy and uneven like Kal was an apprentice learning on the job.they were less 'howls' and more 'how-wo-wow-wo-wow' It was clear this was his first time but bless him he was trying to be the wolf of the house. You panicked as he began to get the hang of it and patted Henry's shoulder. he was still chuckling finding Kals new found voice hilarious.

"Quick stop him! If he learns that we'll never hear the end of it!" You chuckled pulling the thin sheet over you as Henry swore and quickly slinked off the bed racing to the door opening it stopping Kal in his tracks. The Akita smiled panted a few breaths thumped his tail on the floor then collected his rope entering, jumping on the bed without a care in the world.

"Babe?" You asked biting the inside of your cheek trying to stop the giggles as Henry began to scowl at the fluffy bear sprawling out on his side of the bed a flush building up his chest settling over his face. He cleared his throat.

You and Henry watched as Kal moved dropping the rope by your hand waiting for you to continue your game of tug. You flopped back in peels of laughter at Henry's face. The man looked amused and livid at the same time as realization struck. Kal, lovable cute baby boi Kal had just played Henry like a fiddle. You didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the fact your boyfriend, your chosen mate had just been outsmarted by a dog.

"Yes love?" He said none to happy with how things had turned out, here he was standing at the foot of his bed painful hard on and there you were naked and willing...In his bed...With Kal. This was not the plan.

"I hate to break it to you...But you've just been cock blocked in your own house by your dog....For a game of tug!" You giggled as you threw Henry's previous words back at him petting Kal who was still fiddling with the rope trying to make you grab it.

"No shit...Can we still fuck? I mean he can have my side! I'm gonna be on top of you anyway?" You gaped at him as he rounded the bed fulling intent on rolling on top of you sliding home. You held up your hand to him.

"Nope! No way am I fucking you next to Kal!" Henry ignored you crouching over you trying to lay you back down to finish what he started before being rudely interrupted by the Akita now in bed with his girlfriend.

"Oh babe why not? this is painful, look I'm going purple...Besides you started it its your responsibility~" he whined trying to bat away your pushing hands leaning in to capture you with a burning kiss. You dodged anticipating his next move, his kisses were always a sure fire way to make you completely melt and give in to him. you quickly twisted away throwing your legs over the side of the bed placing your hands either side of his naked hips, pressing him back as he still tried to gain on you. you swallowed looking up at him meeting his lopsided grin, trying to ignore the proud cock swaying in front of you almost tapping your heaving breasts.

"How about the shower? He's scared of the bathroom since his last bath?" Henry snapped his fingers and clapped face lighting up as he patted your hands slowly easing them off of him.

"Fuck yes! Babe you are a genius!" He moved over and kissed your face making you bat him away and then he turned to Kal wagging a finger at him.

"And you my four legged son are a pain in the ass!" You shook your head patting Kal as he tilted his head  he looked offended with his dads statement. You looked to the bathroom door as Henry's pert ass vanished around the door frame.

"Daddy didn't mean it baby boy~ you know how he is when he doesn't get his way...Just a spoiled man child~ he loves you really" Kal whined ears flattening  as he heard the shower switch on. You patted the dog with a sigh and got up padding across the bedroom to the en suit.

"Don't worry baby you stay there and daddy wont get you in the mean old shower~" you giggled scratching his ears as he huffed  in defeat. His daddy had got the better of him and the Akita wasn't pleased. He grumbled as Henry poked his head around the door frame wriggling his brows at you as you passed him getting a playful smack on the rear. then he faced the dog and stuck his tongue out childishly to the dog who huffed and turned around choosing to give you both a clear view of his ass.

[moonbeambucky]

Hey Neighbor (Part 2)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader Word Count: 3997 Warnings: mentions of cheating, mentions of death/loss

Summary: You had a plan and then life came along with one of its own. With your future almost derailed you worked hard to get yourself back on track and finally everything seemed to be going right… that is, until your new neighbor moved in.

A/N: A huge thank you to my wonderful beta Sam @buckyofthemyscira​​​ Feedback is always appreciated!

PART 1 | HEY NEIGHBOR MASTERLIST

A soft knock at pulls you away from the computer. Twisting your stiff head towards the door you smile, seeing Steve Rogers standing with a tray of coffee and a paper bag in hand marked with the logo of your favorite nearby restaurant.

“You’re a lifesaver!” you chuckled, though you meant every word as you invited Steve to sit at your desk for lunch.

Steve worked security for Stark Industries and you developed a close friendship in the years since you’ve been there. Though he was undeniably good looking, with the build of a Greek God and long lashes you were incredibly jealous of, you never saw Steve as anything other than the brother you never had.

At the time you met he was dating a girl from the building, Lillian Nguyen from accounting. You hadn’t seen much of her in person, just through the photos Steve showed you with adoration on his phone. When he began talking about looking for engagement rings you were thrilled but that excitement was replaced with anger and confusion when Steve found out Lillian was cheating on him.

He was extremely hurt and became guarded afterwards, not wanting to put himself out there again. His lack of socializing worked with your lack of a social life and on the rare occasion you had a moment free from school work Steve would often come over and hang out to binge watch shows you needed to catch up to on Netflix while you ate pizza.

The paper bag rustled as he pulled out a large sandwich, cup of soup and a salad, distributing napkins across the desk as he knows how much of a messy eater you can be. You grabbed the sandwich, tearing open the paper wrapping and sinking your teeth into it with a bite full of food too large for your mouth.

Steve laughed, as he stirred the broth of his soup. He’s witnessed you eating before, unapologetically shoveling food into your face especially when you were starving.

“You know the sandwich isn’t goin’ anywhere, right?” he joked.

Chewing a large mouthful, you grabbed a napkin to wipe the corner of your lips that you felt had a piece of food sticking to it.

“Steve,” you paused to take a sip of coffee, “I’m fucking starving. I ran out this morning and all I had here was a package of almonds that are not filling despite what you say.”

He asked the reason for your tardiness and you explained how you stayed at the cafe until closing to finish up your work, all because of your stupid neighbor.

“Have you tried talkin’ to him?”

You stared at Steve incredulously. “Haven’t gotten a chance. I gotta wait for the right moment. There’s no way I’m knocking on his door, not when he’s banging all of New York, who knows what I’d end up seeing.”

“D’ya want me to do it?”

It was in Steve’s nature to help and though you appreciated his offer you wanted to handle this yourself. You were the one that had to live next to the Music Man, it would be better to confront him alone.

“I understand,” he said, taking a swig from his water bottle. “You down to hang tonight?”

“Wish I could but before my time is sucked away by the next paper I really need to research where I could do my internship. I’m all registered for school but I need to submit the paperwork for where I’ll be doing my hours and I’m running out of time.”

“You should talk to my buddy Sam. Maybe he could get you in at the hospital.”

Sam was Steve’s friend from the gym. They’d work out together, turning everything into a friendly competition to see who could run faster or lift more. Sam was also a doctor in the emergency department of Metro-General so he might have connections. It was worth a shot so you asked Steve to text him. Still you planned on searching for more backups to be safe.

Before the hour was over Steve left to head back downstairs to the security desk and you continued your work for Ms. Hill. You had evolved to working closer with Ms. Hill, becoming more like an executive assistant to her and when necessary Ms. Potts.

In between coordinating a meeting your phone goes off with a text from Wanda, asking if she could see you over the weekend for brunch. Ironically, she ended up moving to the city after all. There was only so far she could go with her degree at home and with her mother’s blessing she came to New York to work for The Jewish Museum.

She lived in a trendy loft on Bleecker Street, decorated with her signature eclectic style. Woven rugs hung like tapestries on the wall, plants hanging down from macramé holders in front of the large windows. Her furniture was an odd mix of plush velvet tufted cushions and smooth leather arm chairs that somehow worked with the mid-century touches and industrial shelving.

Her apartment had more space which you envied, although you loved everything else about where you lived. The neighborhood was amazing, with great shops and a lot of different food options right at your doorstep. Everything was perfect, except your neighbor.

Responding to Wanda you let her know you could most likely make it depending on the workload you’d be getting from your Saturday class. You could not wait until that was over. Spending all day in a small, windowless room instead of enjoying the summer weekend made you miserable but you were close to the end, so, so close.

When the work day was over you went to meet Steve downstairs, walking over to the desk to say goodnight to the elderly security guard who’s been with the company since its inception.

“Any plans for the weekend Mr. Lee?”

The wiry white hairs that made up his mustache moved as he grinned. “Well, Joanie thinks my hair’s getting a bit long,” he smiled, running his fingers through his greyish-white strands. “She’ll have it trimmed before supper, I'm sure,” he laughed.

A smile graced your face whenever you listened to Mr. Lee, admiring the adoration he had for his wife. Steve has heard all of his stories more than once but he never tires of them either. Everyone loved Mr. Lee, especially Tony Stark, who continued to pay him a full time salary for the part time hours he worked.

The job was easy enough as he greeted visitors to Stark Industries, and signing them in to the building while Steve and some other employees did most of the security checks.

You and Steve bid Mr. Lee goodbye as you made your way to the subway. Steve didn’t live far from you and though he could have gotten off at a further stop he always walked with you to your building, partially to make sure you got home safely but also because he needed a distraction to get out of his head.

There were many times when you suggested he go out, not with the purpose of meeting someone but just to break up the monotony of his routine, but Steve lost his confidence after the breakup. For now, he didn’t want to be told what to do, he simply needed a friend and so you were there for him.

Wanda sat back against the chair beside the bistro table covered in shade. Her always changing hair color was light brown today, parting the silky strands perfectly down the middle. She was the definition of cool, despite the heat, wearing a loose scoop-necked tank top, slim ripped jeans and topped things off with a pair of motorcycle boots. Her neck was adorned with a few necklaces of varying lengths, one of which she never took off, a silver lightning bolt in honor of her late brother.

She and Pietro were twins with distinctly different personalities. Wanda was laid back, even as a child. She would actually stop to smell the roses that lined the garden of their backyard, whereas Pietro was always moving. He was an extraordinary multitasker that could not sit still.

Pietro had so many dreams, a full list of things he wanted to do in life but he was taken from the world too soon. Wanda wears the necklace as a reminder to live life to the fullest, knowing how quickly things can change.

Squeezing through the other tables to get to Wanda, you huff as you sit down and catch your breath, apologizing for being late.

“Wanda, I swear I’m going to kill him.”

“Who?”

“The fucking Music Man! I had to leave my own damn apartment again because of his stupid playing. Like, dude, could you not? You live in an apartment. Everyone hears you, everyone!”

Grabbing the glass of ice water you quickly drink most of it to soothe the dehydration of your mouth.

“And another thing, like does he not realize that we can all hear the girls he’s banging? Wanda, they’re so fucking loud. If they were still there right now I bet you could hear them from here.”

Wanda laughed at your accusation. “Oh, so they don’t stay the night? He’s a ‘wham, bam, thank you ma’am’ kinda guy?”

“I guess! I hear them leave, whining at his door as they’re begging to stay over. It’s so pathetic. What’s so great about this guy anyway?” you scoffed. “I wish he never moved here!”  

With a final humph you opened the menu, your anger dissipating as you read the descriptions for everything you wanted, mouth salivating as you tried to decide what to choose. Wanda opted for the frittata while you decided to take out your frustrations on yourself with delicious Challah French Toast.

Wanda’s eyes widened as she watched you drown your meal in syrup. You hummed in satisfaction as you took a bite.

“Hmm, it’s not as good as the kind your mom makes,” you said.

Wanda laughed, “Uh, yeah, because she never used a whole bottle of syrup. Geez Y/N can you taste anything other than sugar?”

“Shush Wan, let me enjoy myself here.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head at you. “Well, anyway, I wanted to tell you something exciting...” she sang, grinning widely. “Director Coulson asked me to curate an exhibit on prejudice told through Romani-Jewish art!”

“Wanda this is perfect! I’m so happy for you!” you beamed, getting up from your chair to wrap your arms around her in a proud hug.

“I know! I’m so excited. Mom’s gonna come up for the opening. I mean that’s a long time from now but fuck, I can’t wait!”

After finishing brunch you went back home to begin working on your final. It was a research paper that was worth half of your grade so you really needed to concentrate. And yet the moment the elevator doors opened to your floor you heard it, the sound of music flooding the halls coming from none other than the apartment next to yours.

Jamming your keys into the door with frustration you grunted, grabbing all the things you needed to do your work at the cafe. Your foot tapped impatiently as you waited for the elevator again. With your arms crossed over your chest you could feel your blood boiling beneath your skin, beating to the stupid rhythm of the stupid song that your stupid, inconsiderate neighbor wouldn’t stop playing.

The elevator dinged before the doors opened and you were like a bull, grunting and blowing puffs of air from your flaring nostrils as you were ready to charge into it. As the doors opened you stopped yourself from barreling into your neighbors that were inside.

“Whoa, Y/N!” Clint said, raising his hands up defensively, “Easy there.”

Clint lived on the floor above you along with his fiancée Natasha, whose arms were looped through his.

“Sorry guys,” you apologized. “Oh, wait.” Making your right hand into a fist you ran it across your chest in a few circular motions.

“Someone’s been practicing,” Natasha chimed in, signing her words along as she spoke to you.

Clint was partially deaf and though he used hearing aids he often signed, especially when he didn’t feel like talking to people, although you were one of the lucky ones he considered a friend. Still, you wanted to be able to communicate with him, even if he didn’t want to actually speak.

Clint was a history teacher who already tried to get you into his school for your internship but doubted you would be brought on board. There were apparently a lot of issues going on with the principal and Natasha surmised there was a big lawsuit in the works.

Natasha was an attorney, hoping to make partner at her current firm Nelson & Murdock. Clint never failed to praise her, nicknaming Natasha the Black Widow as he claimed watching her dismantle a witness was like watching a spider sink its venomous fangs into its prey.

“Where’re you guys off to?” you asked.

“Just going out for some ice cream,” she replied.

Clint laughed. “Some ice cream? No, I’m going out to eat a lot of ice cream,” he chuckled, rubbing his eager stomach.

Natasha poked the small protrusion of his belly through his shirt. “Listen buddy, we’ve got a wedding to plan. Easy on the ice cream.” Natasha brought her full lips to his for a kiss they both smiled through, knowing she was teasing him.

“What about you Y/N?” Clint asked.

The elevator doors opened and you walked out with them, explaining how frustrating it’s been that you’ve had to leave for the cafe to do your work all because of the new neighbor.

“Oh the Guitar Hero?” Clint joked. “Yeah, we can hear him too. Well, actually…” he drifted off smirking.

“Clint takes his hearing aids out so no, he doesn’t hear him,” Natasha filled in the information that had you bursting out with laughter.

“Can you hear the women too?” you wondered, considering their apartment was right above his.

“Yeah, kind of, that’s more muffled though. It’s probably a lot worse for you.” Natasha grimaced, catching the way she didn’t mean the words to come out.

It was true though, sharing a wall with the man that made your string lights bounce with every thrust. The sound was bad enough and thankfully your headphones helped with that but every night you had to shut your eyes, hoping you would fall asleep before he was through with them.

You had to give it to the guy though, the man had stamina. Still, you wanted to kill him. At least you were friends with a lawyer...

The next few days have the same result, with you coming home dead tired from work, hoping you’d be able to stay home to work on your final to no avail. You tried using the headphones in your apartment but it didn’t help. The sound was mostly blocked out but your mind couldn’t focus on anything but the anger you held towards the neighbor, knowing he was playing that same song over and over again.

You might as well live in the cafe since you’ve practically paid them your rent in coffee and pastries over the last month. You were burning out quickly and Steve decided you needed a break, bringing over pizza and beer.

Opening up the box, you smiled, staring at the bubbling cheese.

“Ahh, pizza, my one true love,” you said, plating slices for you and Steve.

Your small table was always covered in textbooks, mail and other paperwork you needed to tend to, so you and Steve took your usual spots on the couch.

After working at Stark Industries for a few months you made enough money that allowed you to finally buy much needed furniture. You adored your light grey couch, adorned with blush colored throw pillows. You threw the fuzzy white blanket over the side of the couch, not serving much purpose during the summer months other than to look like it was naturally left on the cushion in a perfectly styled manner for display.

Pushing aside the candlesticks that sat on your coffee table, you set down actual coasters for the bottles Steve opened, not wanting to ruin the veneer of the grey wood top of your rustic coffee table. A small accent rug helped define the space you declared as the living room, despite having your bed within arm’s reach beside you.

Against the brick wall is your TV, sitting atop a modern white stand with shelves for storage you’ve packed to the brim. Beside it, a large antique floor mirror leans against the brick. It was as tall as Steve who helped bring it to your apartment after you found it at a flea market. However, the thing you cherished most was the artwork of the Brooklyn Bridge that hung above your couch, painted by Steve as a gift to you.

“So,” he said, chewing quickly to swallow the food in his mouth. “I talked to Sam. He said it would be cool for you to call him about the internship.”

“Oh yeah. You really think he could help or is this just a rouse to give him my number?” you half-joked.

Steve laughed deeply, wiping away a bit of oil the pizza leaked onto his chin. “Nah, it’s definitely about the internship but I wouldn’t put it past Sam if he tried to take you out. Lord knows he’s been on my case about it with you since I met ‘im.”

“Does he not think guys and girls can have a friendship without romance involved?”

“I can’t speak for him… probably not though.”

You laughed before getting up for another slice. You hoped Sam would be able to help with the internship, no strings attached. He didn’t seem like that type of guy anyway, and all of Steve’s friends were good people so you weren’t worried.

As the Music Man began his one man band you had to gradually increase the volume of your television; your anger rising with every click of the remote. It was no longer enjoyable to watch the action movie you and Steve put on, having to raise the volume for higher to hear the dialogue and scramble to lower the blasting noise of car screeching and explosions. When you couldn’t take it anymore you called it a night.

“Guess you haven’t spoken to him?” Steve asked the question he clearly knew the answer to.

“Soon,” you said hopefully, not knowing when the day might come.

As the sun began to rise on the early Saturday morning you were getting ready for class. With your closet open you debated on what to wear when you heard a voice from the other side of the wall.

“Hi ma… Things are good… and Dad…”

He must have been walking around the apartment as you heard most of the words.

“I know…Leaving now…”

You heard the undoing of his locks and the front door creaking open. Shit! Your first moment to speak to the Music Man alone and you’re standing in your underwear. There’s definitely no way you would approach him now. Instead you raced to the door to try and catch a glimpse of what he looked like but it was too late.

Huffing in frustration you continued to get dressed and within fifteen minutes you were ready to leave. The elevator dinged as you shut your door, inserting your key to turn the deadbolt, unaware of the form that was moving closer towards you, not until you heard the whistling of a familiar tune.

Your heart pounded furiously in your chest, as if that tune was part of a psychological experiment, like Pavlov’s dog but instead of salivating you wanted to punch something.

“Hey neighbor.”

The soft voice of the Music Man broke you from your vision of punching through your shared wall and destroying his instruments. With a calming inhale you turned around to face him.

“I’m Bucky.”

You didn’t respond, you couldn’t. The breath was stolen from your lungs as you stared directly into the kindest, bluest eyes you had ever seen. All the anger left your body, replaced by the softness of his pink lips that reminded you of flowers in full bloom.

He was tall and lean, but your eyes did not miss the bulge of his biceps that showed through his cotton t-shirt. In his hand was a coffee cup, gripped under his long fingers. His hair was dark and pulled back into a low sloppy bun, with a loose piece falling beside his smile.

His hand was extended towards you and you weren’t sure how long it had been. It felt like you were staring at him for hours, or was it only seconds. Did time really stop moving the moment you finally saw him? You broke yourself out of your trance to shake his hand and introduce yourself.

“It’s nice to meet you Y/N. I just moved in. Well not just, but not long ago,” Bucky said.

Yeah I know. I hear you every night. You remembered your frustration and tried to assemble the sentence in your head of how to confront him.

“You ever get coffee from the place on the corner?” he asked, gesturing to the cup in his hand. “The line was crazy long but worth it, it’s delicious.”

“Yeah, once or twice but I’m usually at the Grind House. They’re open late and that’s where I have to go to study because… uh…” you stammered for a moment, “...your guitar playing is too distracting.”

You chewed on your bottom lip, wondering why you felt uncomfortable when he was the one who was being a bad neighbor.

Bucky’s face dropped with guilt. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea.”

“It’s alright,” you lied, not knowing why you said that. Pulling more confidence out of midair you continued, “It’s just that the walls are so thin and I’m in school, well I work full time too, but I’ve just got a lot on my plate and honestly I’m not sure how much longer I can afford the coffee shop every night.”

You chuckled to lighten up the conversation, continuing to ramble before giving him a chance to speak. “So, um, if you wouldn’t mind, maybe you could practice during the day instead or weekends are mostly fine. I’m actually heading to class now so I’ll be gone all day.” Great, give him your whole schedule why don’t you.

With nerves getting the better of you, you turned on your heel quickly saying it was nice to meet him. Briskly making your way towards the elevator you pressed the button furiously in hopes it would get to your floor faster.

Once inside you let out a big sigh and waved your hand in front of your slightly sweaty, heated face. Bucky seemed like he genuinely wasn’t aware of the noise he was making, and the way you passive aggressively called him out on it made you feel like shit.

But what was worse was knowing there was a face, a drop dead gorgeous face that is responsible for making the women of New York scream in ecstasy every night. It was going to be very difficult to concentrate in class today.

Getting home later that afternoon you were anxious to make something to eat, but more anxious about Bucky, hoping you wouldn’t run into him again. As you opened your door your foot slid on something and as you looked down you saw a small envelope with your name written on it.

Inside was a $50 gift card to The Grind House with a little note. I’m truly sorry about the noise. –Bucky

Your mouth opened in shock at the realization that Bucky did this nice gesture for you, and worse, you were going to have to thank him.

PART 3

[marvelship-oneshots]

SOULMATES (STUCKONY) [part 1 of 2]

Soulmate AU where people are not necessarily their soulmate's soulmate [1.7k words]

Soulmates existed, whether people believed it or not. Having a soulmate was something crazy. It could be the person you loved or the person you heated. One never knew who their soulmate was, they revealed themselves in the most unique way, most of the time in the least appropriate of times. One could be married, thinking that their spouse was in truth their soulmate, and then, out of the blue, their real soulmate just appeared. The other problem with soulmates was that it was possible, rare but possible, that one soulmate had another soulmate. That was the case for Tony, Steve and Bucky.

Bucky knew who his soulmate was since he was a kid. Steve was his soulmate. Steve was his best friend, they grew up in the same building. He was 14 when he understood that his fragile best friend was his soulmate. One day, Steve touched his forearm and left a light red handprint. That was how he knew it. Bucky had loved Steve since then. One they turned 16, he told Steve, who was surprisingly on board with them being together, despite the time they lived in. On the other hand, Steve didn't know who his soulmate was. He had told Bucky that he was his soulmate, that they were destined to be together and when Bucky asked him where his handprint was, he had told him that, for him, it manifested in another way. He didn't have the courage to tell him the truth, that he didn't have a handprint, nor any other signs that Bucky was his soulmate. Steve knew it would break his heart and Bucky didn't deserve it. Bucky might not have been his soulmate, but Steve loved him anyway. Then the war happened, they both enlisted, Bucky left for war and Steve became Captain America. They were separated and then they met again. Steve tried his best to find a sign, a tiny mark, a sound, whatever would tell him that Bucky was his soulmate, that they were destined to be together. Then Bucky died and Steve thought that that was the reason why Bucky couldn't be his soulmate. If Bucky was dead that young, he couldn't be anyone's soulmate, right? Steve convinced himself that Peggy was his soulmate.he liked her, but she was no Bucky. She was pretty great, a beautiful, badass woman, but what he felt for her was nothing like what he felt for Bucky. He had a chance, on that plane. Stay and keep pretending that Peggy could be his mate for life, or die. He didn't want to live in a world without his Bucky, not if he didn't even have a soulmate. And so, he decided to go down with the plane and the bomb. He couldn't feel the pain for Bucky's death if he himself was dead as well.

Except, he was not dead. Somehow, the super serum and the ice preserved his body. He woke up in an era that wasn't his, everything he knew was gone. His family, his companions, his friends, his Bucky were gone. Peggy as well wasn't there anymore. Even his Brooklyn, the Brooklyn where he grew up, was now foreign soil. He was forced to build a life in a new century. And then is when Steve met Tony. He thought Tony would be much more like Howard but in truth they couldn't be any more different. Thank goodness, if you ask Tony. Truth to be told, Steve didn't really like Tony when they first met and neither did Tony. Steve and his extreme righteousness drove Tony crazy. On the other hand, Tony's sarcastic, witty comments, made Steve insufferable. So there they were, in the middle of a crisis, fighting over dumb stuff. But that was just Steve trying to flirt. Bucky was the flirty one, not him. He never even had the reason to be flirty with anyone, so he didn't know how. He didn't know why he wanted to flirt with Tony, he absolutely couldn't stand him, but something attracted him to the billionaire like a magnet. After the alien situation -he fought aliens, how crazy is that?- he tried to ignore the obvious connection between him and Tony, but it was like the whole world was trying to push them together.

In a week they would meet at least  twice at the SHIELD facilities. The third week, Steve finally found the courage to ask him out. He didn't see it as a date date, he just meant for it to be a nice dinner with a friend. For Tony, it was a romantic date. Although Steve didn't expect it, it was nice spending time with Tony in a romantic way. When he was alone, Tony was actually nice and Steve was sure that he could have liked him in a romantic way. Their date ended with them, sweaty, in Tony's bed, barely covered by Tony's silky sheet. A few days passed before Steve noticed Tony's red handprint on his hip, right above his pelvis. That was the same handprint that Bucky had on his forearm many, many years before. That could only mean that Tony was his soulmate and that there was no doubt that he made Bucky live a lie. His love for Bucky was not a lie though.

Tony didn't have a soulmate. Until then, he had never experienced an unnatural attraction for someone. He liked Steve more than he had ever liked anyone else, but there was something about him that didn't sit right with Tony. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that Steve was in fact not his soulmate, unfortunately. But he ignored that. He was happy, they were happy and it didn't matter. It didn't matter until he actually met his soulmate.

Under Hydra, Bucky was rarely himself, but those few times he was himself, the only thing that got him going was Steve's handprint on his forearm. As far as he knew, Steve was dead. Or that was what he hoped. Immortality was good only on paper and didn't really want Steve to live such a life, seeing everyone of his friends dying. But Steve was not dead, and they eventually met again and Bucky realised that he knew the man. They were on the helicarrier, Steve's face was bruised and Bucky was so close to kill him and complete the mission. "You know me" "No, I don't" Bucky said, lashing out at Steve in anger. "Bucky, you've know me your whole life" Bucky hit Steve but Steve didn't fight back. "Your name is James Buchanan Barnes" He hit the Captain again. "Shut up" There were things in his head that didn't make sense. Noises, thoughts. Steve took off his mask, showing his face and let his shield fall from the plane. "I'm not gonna fight you. You're my friend" Steve fell on the ground with Bucky over him. "You're my mission" he punched Steve in the face "You're my mission!" Bucky was trying to convince himself of that. He was confused. Something about Steve was familiar but he had a job to finish. Killing Steve was his mission, just like many others before. "Then finish it-  Bucky stopped his fist midair- cause I'm with you to the end of the line" Bucky's confusion was now showing on his face. He moved himself from Steve, sitting next to him, looking at nothing. Voices and images were floating in his head. There was a fragile kid picking fights in Brooklyn and then there was Captain America on the train the day Bucky supposedly died. Steve sat up, looking at Bucky. He carefully moved closer to him. "Bucky, I know you're there, somewhere inside. It's me, Steve" Steve took his arm,slowly rolling up the sleeve, showing his red handprint. He put his hand on the mark. "See? It's me. Remember?" Bucky opened his mouth to talk, but they both got distracted by the sound of the glass floor cracking. Before they could realise, the glass  broke under their feet and they fell in the water. Steve didn't have the strength to swim and he really thought that that was it, he was going to die. He woke up on the shore, feeling a fresh breeze on his face. Bucky was gently stroking his hair,  as he used to do whenever Steve got sick in the 40s. "Buck" Steve whispered. "Steve? Stevie you alright?" Bucky caressed his cheek. Steve put a hand over his. He slowly sat up, looking at Bucky. He had dreamt about that moment when they would meet again, but it was definitely not like that. "You're here, you're alive" Bucky nodded, bringing their foreheads together. He hesitated before kissing Steve, pushing him back on the ground. He kneeled over him,putting Steve in between his legs as he started helping Steve out of his uniform. Steve let him do, knowing how long he had probably wanted to do it. Steve wanted it too, he missed Bucky and still loved him the same way as when they were 16, but something didn't feel right. The chemistry was there, but something was off. Steve felt guilty, he was not technically cheating on Tony, they didn't clear their relationship yet, but he felt like something was missing. Bucky's kisses were good, he loved feeling his hands all over his body. There wasn't anything wrong with what they were doing, they were never technically broken up and Steve still went on with his life as if they were. But to Steve's defense, Bucky was dead, he saw him fall from that train, there was no way he could have known that Bucky survived. Bucky got rid of the upper part of the uniform and started moving towards the pants, leaving small wet kisses on Steve's abs. He stopped when he saw the handprint. Bucky put his hand on it, noticing that it was much smaller than his. He looked at Steve and then at the mark again. "It's not mine" Bucky said, disappointed." That's not my handprint" Bucky got up and sat a few steps away. Steve followed him, throwing on the t-shirt that was laying on the ground. "Tell me it's not how I think it is" he said, with a

tear rolling down his cheek. " Steve sighed, looking down. "Why did you lie to me? Why did you tell me that I was your soulmate?" Steve took Bucky's hand. "This- he pointed at the handprint- is the only thing that kept me from killing myself when Hydra was not only mind, and now you tell me I'm not and never was your soulmate?" Bucky turned away.  "Buck-" "Whose is it?" he asked, not being able to look at Steve in the eyes. "Tony Stark" Steve replied, sighing. "Howard's son?" Bucky asked, looking up with a look of terror mixed with tears in his eyes. Steve nodded. "What's wrong Buck?" Despite being mad at him, Bucky threw himself at Steve,who, surprised, fell back on the ground, with his best friend in his arms. "I killed them." He said in between tears "The winter soldier killed them" Steve felt a sensation in his stomach.  Bucky didn't say who,but he had the sensation that he was talking about Howard and Maria Stark.

[frangipansi]

Can I have a hc, where is f!MC overprotective of Mammon from brothers and give him proper attention and respect:"You are not stupid. You're deserve love. I love you". Also she would pamper her little bean with head pats and scalp massage. I'm so weak for him. Sry for bad English!

Thank you for the request!! And no need to apologise! As someone whose first language is English, none of us have a grip on it either... it’s that messed up haha. Your English is just fine ^-^ Anyway, thanks for stopping in, and hoping this gives you your Mammon fix!

~

MC stood beside Mammon, once again listening to the berating the brothers were giving him; she never liked hearing the way everyone spoke to him but understood their frustration based on the fact that he usually did swipe something of theirs.

But this time really bothered her;2 she had been with him the entire day, so whatever had gone missing really wasn’t Mammon’s fault this time. “Guys, I know you’re upset but he didn’t-”

“MC please,” Lucifer sighed, raising his hand to silence her, “Stay out of our affairs.”

Her expression soured and she grabbed Mammon’s arm, yanking him behind her. “Alright enough!” she snapped, cutting their arguing; all of them – included Mammon – shocked into silence.

“Get off your high horse, all of you! I was with him the entire day, so whatever happened wasn’t his fault.”

“Yeah! You tell ‘em human!” Mammon crowed excitedly from behind her.

“Oh Mammon be quiet, you’re not helping. Go to your room.” She watched his expression fall lightly before he did as she told; MC remained in the way to prevent anyone following him before letting the brothers have a piece of her mind.

Lucifer:

Too damn proud to ask for help; he’d no sooner drown before asking for a hand to pull him out.

His way or no way; half the reason the relationship with his brother’s is so strained in the first place.

Levi:

So busy feeling sorry for himself that he doesn’t realise other otaku would kill to have collections as rare as his

Satan:

Controlling and repressing are two different things. He should try genuine control of his anger for a change instead of hiding it away.

Asmo:

So desperate in his lust that’d he happily try and feel up his brother’s given the chance. His words, not mine!

Beel:

Trashing the kitchen and taking out a wall… for custard. Bit much, yeah?

Continuously eating them out of house and home.

Belphie:

He’ll sleep where he stands, regardless of how serious a situation may be.

Let’s not forget the little incident of the death of an alternate MC.

After pointing out each of their flaws and impulses due to the sin they harbored, she turned sharply on her heel and left them to mull her words over; all too stunned to grab her and berate her for having the cheek to lash out the way she did.

MC didn’t necessarily care that they acted the way they did; she understood they were demons and each more or less ruled by their sin to some extent; but it bothered her how they so easily attacked Mammon for the same reason; as if suddenly they were without flaw.

By the time she reached Mammon’s room she had calm herself enough and knocked, slipping inside before Mammon even called out for her to do so.

They met each other’s gaze and he flashed her a sad smile. “Listen, thanks for stickin’ up for me I guess.”

“Sorry I yelled at you before,” MC offered as she closed the distance between them. “They just got me so mad, that when you pipped up I snipped a bit.”

He shrugged. “They’re right… I am just the scummy second-born.”

“Hey…” she took his hands into hers. “You’re not scummy. They can’t go at you like that when they’re no different. You don’t deserved to be called stupid.”

He clicked his tongue and looked away; feeling the heat in his cheeks at her words and touch. “You’re not scum. Are you listening to me?”

“Y-yeah, yeah, I’m listenin’ to ya human.” He simpered; pulling his hands from hers and sat on the edge of his bed. “Ya hear what I hear for long enough and ya just accept it. It’s easier hearing ‘em say that stuff than… well, ya know… I don’t care though.”

MC sighed and sat down beside him; reaching up behind him and ran her fingers through his hair.

“Oi!” he flinched under touch; his cheeks burning more as he glanced to her. “What are ya doin’?”

“You know I don’t think you’re scum, or stupid right?” She asked with a grin.

“Yeah, yeah…” He huffed; secretly enjoying the touch of her hand through his hair.

“And you know you’re my special demon? My favourite? My first?” she chuckled while gently raking her nails over his scalp; eliciting a purr from him.

He leaned against her, tilting his head into her touch but stayed quiet; though the red across his cheeks spoke volumes.

“I know you don’t think so, but you are deserving of love. And I love you,” she murmured and placed a light kiss against him temple.

“Hey, listen… y-ya can’t just come out with that stuff… without warning,” he stammered as he pat her knee. “But… thanks MC…”

MC smiled; holding him close as she continued playing with this hair and massaging his head, every now and then peppering his cheeks with kisses when he muttered for her do it again. If his brother’s had no intention of showing him they cared, then MC had no problem going the extra mile for Mammon.

[mesmusae]

Severus: Lily

I know what Fandom says and thinks for the most part. And I know what Rowling has said. Both of which I reject. I don’t like this narrative that Severus was stalkery obsessed with Lily. I am disgusted at the “it’s a good thing harry wasn’t a girl who looked just like his mother” discussions. So let’s break down how I view their friendship.

Let’s start with them meeting. A lot of people take him watching Lily and Petunia at the park as creepy but here’s a few reasons why it’s not. 1) People watching. Literally everyone does this some. If you’re in a public place, you’re going to watch the other people there, see what they’re doing. 2) Shyness. Severus is clearly not a social person. He’s very introverted. Plus, we know he and his family are quite the social pariahs in the neighborhood. They’re looked down upon for being poor, and it seems that perhaps their family life isn’t so private either. He’s not just going to feel comfortable or safe approaching two girls who are from a much better off family. 3) Lily was doing magic in a public setting, in broad daylight. On purpose. For Severus, that’s quite impressive. And likely what caught his attention as well as being how he built up the courage to talk to her. He was like her, and it was clear he had answers that her family didn’t.

And that is how their friendship is born. It is born of this mutual thing they have in common. And Severus is getting to tell Lily everything he knows. She listens, she talks with him, asks him questions, everything. This is likely everything he doesn’t get at home. Lily has become a refuge. Which is perhaps unhealthy, but at this stage, she’s his friend. 

Their first obstacle comes at the sorting. It’s clear that Severus wants Slytherin. He is starting to believe the toxic pureblood rhetoric at a young age. But then again, two thirds of his interactions with muggles are extremely negative. You have his father, who resents Severus and Eileen for what they are. He punishes them for it. And then there’s Petunia. Who is envious of Lily (and likely Snape on the magic front if nothing else) and lashes out because of it. There’s also the muggles around him, in which he gets only pity and a blind eye from as well as sneers and jdugement. And he knows he’s more powerful than them. But he can’t do a damn thing with that. So unlike most prejudice against muggles wizards, his prejudice lies in his real life experiences as opposed to people like Draco who are just raised to believe that muggles are scum and wizards are the elite but have likely never even interacted with a muggle. 

He also wants Lily to come with him. Because he thinks she’s different. (Not a healthy mindset at all. But to him, she is the exception to the rule). Slytherin would not be a safe place for Lily (nor the safe place that he is expecting it to be for him). Though, I think if she’d been in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff it would have gone over better to him than Gryffindor. 

The rift here begins, I think for a couple of reasons. 1) James and his group are now trying to interact with lily. With James of course later in the years growing romantically interested as well. And while we know that Lily is rejecting James’ friendship and romantic advances throughout school, Severus has a lot of mental health issues. Thus, I think his issues stem more from jealousy and fear. Fear that Lily will one day decide that he isn’t worth her time. Maybe she’ll think that James and his gang are in fact better. And that would leave him alone again because 2) Slytherin is not the Sanctuary he thought it would be. Slytherin was supposed to be his home away from “home”. He’d be amongst his kind. Except that Slytherin is a pureblood and very rich house. Most of the purebloods come from Old Money. Classism is a massive part of that. So not only is Severus not a pureblood, but his family is poor. He wears hand-me-downs that are often described as feminine blouses, meaning they’re probably coming from his mother. Add to that, his only friend is a muggle-born. Which he is obviously judged and mocked for. But he’s loyal to Lily. To a fault, honestly. 

So he’s not only severely separated from his only friend from the start, but bullied by both the marauders AND his own housemates in Slytherin. And unfortunately, Lily is the cause to some degree on both sides. (that is not to say it is her fault. IT IS NOT HER FAULT. James’s decisions were his own, as well as the actions of those in Slytherin around Severus. And Severus’s actions in response are his own). 

Now at some point, his feelings turned romantic. And unfortunately, Severus did not have many sources to look at for what it really means to love someone. Because his parents certainly aren’t the answer. And everything else would be at a distant. Also, again because he has so little and because of those fears of losing her, he is slightly possessive about that. He sees James as a threat.

And he’s having to find some way to fit in when it comes to Slytherin. And he finds that with potions. A particularly difficult class, but he didn’t struggle. And he was quite adept at defensive magic as well as dark magic, thus starting to give him value to his peers. And he of course starts to fall into the classic “bullies are often people bullied themselves.” He starts to partake in bullying the muggleborns, using the word, mudblood, etc. just to fit in amongst his own peers. And Severus is not stupid. He’s also not blind (well, in some ways he is). He is bound to see that pureblood rhetoric against muggleborns is bullshit. His issues lies with muggles themselves more so. And still a lot of wizards. At this point in his life, he’s become bitter, quick to anger and defense. Anyone who does him the slightest wrong is against him. He’s learned not to really forgive. 

So let’s talk about the event. Snape’s worst memory. Where James is tormenting Severus, yet again. When Lily comes to his defense, and James tried to blackmail Lily into a date by using tormenting Severus, in a moment of weakness he lashed out at her. He used the term mudblood in regards to her. (And was then publically humiliated and shamed for it by James and the group). 

Yes. He waited in the hallway all night for her outside the Dormitory. To apologize. Regardless of anything, he did not want to hurt her. So he apologized. And when she rejected him (Which i think had less to do with him using the word against her and rather the fact that there had been a rift growing for years and this was just he last straw). But he accepted that. I think he knew their friendship was over and had been for quite some time. He left her alone, and thus was completely intergrated into Slytherin and those who were molding him and shaping him.

Now. Just because they stopped being friends, doesn’t mean the caring stopped. They had their childhood memories they formed together. Severus was always going to have those feelings for Lily. It does not make it obsession. And I think of it like this.

I have a friend, who was more the Snape to my Lily. She was kind of an awful person, awful friend, and there came a point we cut each other out. (I’m not saying i’m entirely innocent in the destruction of that friendship. But I do view her actions as far more Severus’s toxic side than my own. But that’s besides the point). I did not stop caring about her altogether. Especially not immediately. Especially not right out of school. I still think of our friendship often. I think that if she came to me needing something, I would likely help her, even if I have a feeling she wouldn’t do the same for me. 

So that is what I view Severus’s feelings towards Lily. Except stronger. Because Lily was the only light in his life. She was the only good thing. The only positive influence he really had. Adults were never on his side. His peers were rarely on his side. So losing Lily, he clung to what little he had. The death eaters who took him in under their wings over the years. Those who were promising him power and control, something he rarely had in his life. 

But that care is what got him. He heard that part of the prophecy, and of course he kept track of his friend. Wizarding circles are small anyway. It probably spread without intent. He was scared for her. So he did his job, reporting the prophecy. But begged for her life. In his fear he didn’t think about James. The man that ruined his life and tormented him every chance he got. And he didn’t think about her child, not born yet. Because his reactions were emotional in knowing that Lily’s life was in danger. 

So he went to Dumbledore to have her protected. And yes. Then her family was brought to his attention. And he did not hesitate to agree to keep them safe too. Listen. If Snape really wanted Lily for himself. If he really didn’t care about her at all, it would have been a fight to protect, at the very least, James. He would have argued against it. He instantly agreed because someone reached to the logic in him. And he agreed to risk his life to be Dumbledore’s spy. He signed on to do that for the rest of his life. He signed on to do whatever it took to protect Lily and her Family. So when it was just Harry left, he did everything he could. (that doesn’t mean he went about it right. But he did do his best to protect Harry). Until his very last breath. If it was just about Lily, he would have stopped the moment she died. 

None of this was about sleeping with her. None of this was about winning her over or having her. He accepted that he fucked those things up. He accepted he had no place in her life. This was about making up for his mistakes. Or at least, trying to feel like he could. I don’t think even if he lived to see Harry win and everything, that he would think he had. But he certainly seemed to be trying to show he knew he was wrong, and trying to do the right thing. Total change was never possible for Severus. But the fact that he was even able to admit he was wrong in joining Voldemort and turn to the right side, is a massive step for him.

[capri-ramblings]

Yikes,I know there's bound to be questions but trust me, chapter 3 will answer most of them. Aha,I'm sorry if this chapter is kinda confusing at first,I'm not good at planning out thoughts or stories systemically,it kinda makes it harder for me to write whenever I try to. But here,the second chapter of Raptured! Thank you for reading! ( ꈍᴗꈍ) ♥️

[ R a p t u r e d ]

Chapter 2: Banter

In the moment Riddle had finished telling his brothers what conspired with their human captive, the first to speak up was Azul.

"They offered what?" His words were a mix of shock and amusement, gaze fixated on Riddle who seemed almost flustered from how red his cheeks were.

The red haired sighed, sending him a narrow eyed glare before crossing his arms.

"The head of their own brother"

"By their own hands?" Kalim asked aloud, his features scrunched up worryingly. "Isn't that bad? Why would anyone want to kill their own brother so suddenly?"

From the chaise across the room,Leona let out a scoff, lips upturned into a smirk.

"What are you? A five year old? If you give a herbivore the chance of freedom,they'd leave their entire fleet open to make sure they survive. Humans aren't so different."

"Indeed" Vil joined in with a smile of his own. "Humans are very fickle things, they live out their life struggling and as a result they stink of repulsion."

"They can barely even stand on their own.." Idia added thoughtfully and as the gazes of his brothers turned to him, the flames on his hair flickered and he looked away.

"Maybe the isolation's got to their head?"

Riddle let out a scoff, his lips upturned in a sneer almost too vicious to be formed on such a delicate looking face.

"The cottage they were in was secluded from the rest of the village,they were already a reclusive. Why should it bother them now?"

"Maybe Idia has a point" Kalim interjected then "Before they were on their own by choice...and they weren't exactly trapped in a tower either"

"It's all the same" Leona snapped " Damn herbivores will always be too fragile."

"Though, our soft-shelled brothers have a sound reason" Vil's lips curled in an effortless smile,his ever sharp gaze glinting like jewels.

"At this rate our small hare is going to die before the homage from her brother, and that makes all of this pointless."

The room went silent then. Each males having their own thoughts wrapped around the situation.

When they came to a decision to face the hunter who killed their family beast, he was nowhere to be seen and left tending to his cottage was none other than their captive human, a young sibling unaware of what their fool brother had committed. They opted it was easier to simply kidnap them and have their brother come looking since neither one of them wanted to wait around. There was also the fact that the death of the beast had affected their Mother's health greatly, and all seven brothers fumed with rage.

"Our methods doesn't matter anymore" Riddle spoke up, "What's done is done. We can't exactly just put them back where we found them."

"I agree" Azul said "Though if the human dies in our care now, when we're fully able to change their situation, I fear the price of that loss would be great."

"What? Are the humans going to chase us around with pitchforks?" Leona sneered,his sharp fangs visible as he leaned back into the chaste. "You saw how further in their cottage was, chances are the herbivore doesn't even go down to the village often enough for people to notice them missing."

"They can't die." Idia drawled the words out this time,his gaze sharp and harsh as he stared down Leona who all but grinned at his brother.

"Why? Because you like them?" The laugh that barked out from Leona was cruel and Idia flinched.

"Go ahead and save the poor herbivore then,Prince Idia of the lands of burrowed moles. You think they'd ever look at you fondly?"

"Enough." Riddle came between the fight with his own ire and before he sent a glare towards Leona, he let Idia catch the solace in his.

The situation was getting worst. They needed a decision quick.

"You're not a five year old as well,Leona, so keep that tongue of yours tamed"

"What are you? Suddenly playing the role of the Eldest when you can't even reach his height?" Leona scrutinized Riddle with an aggression that seemed ready to claw him in the face, but Riddle kept his own spite and promptly choose to ignore his brother.

Instead,he turned to Azul.

"The hunter should've came back and see his sibling gone, you even sent those eels of yours to make sure he got the hints. Why hasn't he made a single move? It's been two months."

"Maybe he's forgetful?" Kalim chipped in, eyes glowing. Riddle wanted to tap the side of his face and gently tell him to shut up but Vil patted his head instead.

"A forgetful hunter managing to kill a wild beast is unlikely, mein bruder"

Azul crossed his arms,gaze narrowing.

"They've sent word that they have information regarding our human and the whereabouts of their brother"

"And?" Vil prompted.

"I told them to come meet us as soon as they can, which shouldn't be long."

The moment those words were uttered, a dull thud came from the would-be-entrance of the tower, and a familiar voice calling out.

"My Princes! Open the door please!" The urgency of the voice had all the present Princes turning their head, though the one who seemed genuinely surprised and concerned was Kalim.

"That voice..." He said, turning to Azul "Is that who I think it is?"

Azul's lips curled into a knowing smile and with a flick of his fingers, the sound of a door being swung opened then slammed shut could be heard within the tower itself,followed by light rapid footsteps approaching them.

Out of breath and desperately panting, a young girl made a hasty bow as she came before the Princes, though the way her legs slightly trembled suggested that she was near collapsing.

"It is her!" Kalim's eyes grew wide with familiarity, the worry in his voice replaced with joy as he came up to place his hand on the girl's shoulder.

"The last time I saw you, you were still learning how to walk!" Kalim's loud voice seemed to make her flinch but the girl met his gaze with warmth before she bowed her head again.

"Pleasure to meet you again,Prince Kalim." She's heard stories of him, the Prince Fae known to give out bits of his treasures to those who come wishing at his well. It seemed odd to act as if she's known him, but she knew better than to put logic before courtesy. He was one of the seven Princes after all. Acting too smart with them was a fool's mistake.

Before Kalim could say anything else, Azul stepped forward and the girl promptly met his side with a suddenly serious demeanor.

"I'd ask you for the information I had you fetch but I wonder why you were running in the first place?"

The girl laughed dryly if not nervously.

"Floyd wanted to see who could win in a race in getting here,your Highness."

Azul frowned, internally sighing.

"Why on Earth did you agree to that?"

Again, the girl laughed. "He terrifies me,my Prince."

Riddle couldn't place where he's met her, but hearing her words had him internally sympathising her. Azul's leeches were a pair he'd gladly avoid for eternity as well.

"So,you got a changeling to be at your beck and call as well,Azul?" Vil sounded amused as he turned to Azul, but the degrading glance he gave the girl bellied the smile coyly sitting on his lips then.

"She's indebted to us anyway" Azul stated simply "Why not put her to work?"

His gaze returned to the girl.

"What do you have about our human then?"

It took a full ten minutes for the young changeling to inform them of what she's managed to compile on their human and hunter. Turns out they aren't related by blood but by marriage. Apparently most of the villagers knew of the hunter but rarely saw the younger sibling as they took more liking in staying indoors. There was also talk that their relationship with one another was never close and answered Riddle's question as to why he hadn't showed up yet.

"So, he's just going to leave his sibling at our mercy?" Kalim asked,he had his expression scrunched up with worry and pity again but Leona shared none of it and only growled with distaste.

"There won't be mercy if they're left with us a second longer"

Riddle caught the flicker of Idia's flames and instantly reacted.

"Threaten to murder our captive one more time and I'll have your head,Leona."

"Hah, you're trying to scare me,Riddle?" Leona sneered,fangs glistening with malice. He's been irritated by the whole situation since the beginning. Taking in a human in hopes that another would appear to save them, it was all a damn fairytale. Leona knew humans were selfish, his brothers should've had that piece of common sense drilled into their heads as well. No one was going to play hero for their captive.

Riddle gritted his teeth and again instead of lashing out senselessly, he swirled around to face the changeling. Every bit of his anger flaring in his grey gaze.

"Where's the hunter now?" He asked,though it sounded painfully like a death threat.

The changeling bowed her head.

"He's at the human King's palace,Prince Riddle. King Aothor ...of Nostorne"

The words sent the entire room tilting, and Riddle would've gripped her by her neck if Azul hadn't stepped forward.

"King? Since when did the humans have a King?" The last time they came to the world,their mother's shrine was built almost everywhere to acknowledge her ruling. Had times changed so drastically since their absence?

"Yes. It's been this way for years now. A dukedom raised after Her Most Divine's departure from the human realm and ever since then a lineage of human nobles have taken the throne as the Human ruler."

"My, how futuristic, and here we were in the guise that we still sat on the top of their world" Vil was laughing but his words cut into the tension of the room like a blade coated in venom and the changeling girl shifted uncomfortably.

"It seems like the order of the slaughtering was made by him and ultimately fulfilled by the hunter. His name is Cyril and he's being celebrated by the King for his bravery."

Leona heaved a heavy sigh,leaning once more into his chaise. He looked ready to fall into a deep slumber already but his irritation kept him awake.

"So,we have information. Now what's the plan?"

***

Jade and Floyd,two of Azul's trusted companions came into the situation while the Princes were sorting out their thoughts and opinions (Which all greatly contradict one another) and brought word that their hunter had refused to save their sibling in a conversation Jade overheard him had with another hunter right before he was called on by the King.

"He said he knew of the Fae's trick and that by taking something of theirs as his own, he'd gladly give anything they took from him as compensation." Jade explained in his usual matter-of-fact tone,his mismatched gaze still and knowing.

Riddle clicked his tongue, brows furrowing. Idia's was the most sympathetic along with Kalim while Leona and Vil seemed ready to send a fleet of their army to storm into the human villages.

"I'm not really surprised though" Floyd spoke up lazily "He seems like a guy who'd do that kind of thing anyways"

"But now the Princes are stuck with keeping a human captive in their care", Boe,the young changeling from earlier, pointed out grimly.

"What if we sent you to negotiate with him in our stead?" Idia suggested which earned a rather hasty look from the girl.

"Human royals don't take too kindly to my kind,Prince Idia. I doubt he'd even let me enter"

Leona let out a menacing growl. One that reverberated through the tower walls.

"This is going nowhere. Riddle, go up to that damn herbivore and have them beg their brother come and pay his homage so we can give them back."

Riddle frowned.

"You heard the changeling,Leona. If their relationship with their brother is as bad as we've heard, do you really think they'd beg for him to come save them?"

"Couldn't you talk some sense in them?" Azul had eyes turning once more to the young changeling who all but reluctantly slumped her shoulders.

"I don't see how me being the one talking will get them to cooperate..."

"Clamshell,you should at least try,right?" Floyd's smile was sickly sweet and when he attempted to sling his arm over her shoulders, she avoided the outcome by shifting close to Jade.

"What would you want me to say to them?"

"The offer they gave" Riddle said "Have them elaborate more on that. I'm not going into a deal without knowing why it was proposed in the first place."

There was hesitation in her eyes but it was swiftly changed to a silent resolve as she nodded her head.

"I'll see what I can do."

[palukoo]

amy, cj, donna, and andy!!!

them!!! they!!! the girls!!!

okay. so. this is gonna be another one where i do some sets of 2 first, and because of that it's going under a cut haha

amy & cj!! okay, i know we've talked about them, but... god they're everything. i touched on them in this post basically to say that like. in canon they are set up as friends (and, in fact, close friends) without really giving us much of that. i see them basically as having met at some women in politics function with cj at emily's list and amy at now, and making jokes and hitting it off easily and eventually through running into each other again and again actually talking. the other thing is that... amy and cj are really similar, actually. funny and smart as hell and confident on the surface, kind of a mess beneath that. it's the humor as a defense that josh calls cj out on, the confidence masking insecurities (specifically the fear of letting people down), down to one of my favorite parallels between them of "he thinks of you like a daughter, cj" "that's not a good enough reason to keep me around" vs anything when amy thinks abbeys gonna fire her or when jed kind of does. the difference with them is... cj's focused on public image and conforming to that, on loyalty, etc, and amy's really, really not, and is terrible at working for people.

donna & andy, oh how i wish we'd seen them more! in canon they've got a few lines in gaza, and they seem familiar, plus earlier on during sam's campaign in california there's scenes with the two of them even if they don't actually talk to each other. i... don't think they really know each other well, but i think they could find some common ground, especially after gaza and i really want to write about them dealing with their trauma from it together some, because i think they'd both have a certain level of survivor's guilt, and to an extent i also think that andy would feel really bad talking about it with donna because she wasn't in the car and didn't get hurt and donna did. i also think... i'm not at all an expert, but i assume donna would be knocked unconscious pretty immediately, and so i kind of headcanon that they have a really... careful? conversation where donna's sort of just asking andy what happened, if she's comfortable talking about it?

cj & donna are everything! they (and occasionally others? but mostly them) are like. the emotional, compassionate, optimistic centers of the show, really, which is... something i could talk about more considering they're the only two consistently present female characters really but yk... but it means that you get this thing of kind of reminding everyone else to be like. human, and i like this for them a lot as characters (even if from a gender perspective i don't necessarily). they also both do the quiet loyalty thing without such a complex about it oh my god. and one of the things i really do like about later seasons donna doing press is that she does it in a very cj way at times and that's kind of beautiful. and then... at some point i will put down coherent thoughts about no exit but i love how much they care about each other and calmly call each other out but get really defensive because the other thing about them is that they're both insanely perceptive and sort of evasive, and they're fighting but it's kind of each of them being like "let yourself be happy!!!" anyways. this post. yeah.

amy & andy!! so. amy & andy are really really similar. are y'all noticing a pattern yet? anyways, i mean, it's by nature of being love interest to a main man, and she's angry and funny and yells at him and makes fun of him and he's a little hapless and... yeah. but... any of these characters i can say "oh theyre smart and funny" thats any west wing character. amy and andy also just really want to fight, and don't want to give up or in ever. i don't think of them as super close, but i can't imagine a world in which amy hasn't fundraised for andy's campaigns, or where they haven't worked together trying to get some legislation to pass. in the same way that cj and donna (and abbey and helen) have the quiet loyalty to contrast, say, toby and josh's (and leo's) very blatant, always talked about loyalty, they... just don't have that. i'm not saying they aren't loyal, they just aren't insanely committed to it. they prioritize themselves and their agendas rather than others, which i don't think we're really supposed to like them for? but i find it refreshing. also. the energies they have in process stories? unparalleled. i love thinking about them working together.

oh does this mean it's time for amy & donna? okay. well. i think the thing about them is that people assume they don't like each other when they really actually do. i mean, like, yeah, we rarely see them together, but i also talk about them in the post i linked for cj & amy, and here. I think they make fun of josh together a lot. i think that donna is bothered by amy being antagonistic and frankly hypocritical towards josh but also recognized that it's a two way street, and it makes her frustrated with both of them. i think amy is (knowingly a little irrationally) hurt by josh's loyalty and care for donna over her (i... actually mean this platonically), and donna's seemingly blind loyalty to josh. but i think... amy validates donna's political abilities multiple times, and donna seems to admire amy. i think they become friends and trust each other a lot and make each other better. i can't write this answer and pretend i haven't written a 176k wip about them falling and being in love with each other.

and cj and andy!! i also can't pretend i don't have an outline + some snippets of a fic for them! we don't see much of them in canon, either, but like. there's that scene where they're both kind of yelling at toby that's pretty iconic. when that couple is harassing andy in that hotel bar in the california 47th, cj technically steps in before toby (very differently and i could write a whole thing on that too). andy at one point points out how cj is feeling to toby which is a lot. (that whole scene is a lot), and then in s7 the scene where andy is trying to get cj to get the president to pardon toby makes me crazy. i don't know that i can explain why i ship them, but i really really do, and i think that there's a lot of history in their relationship because of their jobs and because of toby. this is also a thing with amy and andy, but there's this interesting contrast because while i'm sure andy has insecurities, she also seems genuinely self assured. oh also there's... andy is kind of abrasive and accidentally hurtful on top of charismatic, and cj is very quiet with her (negative) emotions, and doesn't often lash out and instead internalizes a lot of stuff? it's an interesting thing about guilt and anger with them.

so... the four of them is fun! like, amy and andy just getting set off about something political, and cj and donna just like quietly agreeing/being amused and bringing up their own points maybe but the two of them are just going on. amy and/or andy being frustrated over something that josh and/or toby did, and bonding over it, and donna and cj being incredibly uncomfortable. i mean, i also just see this really clearly because i parallel their relationships a lot so like, cj and donna talking about... being sort of awkward/guilty/reluctant about being in a relationship with andy and amy respectively bc they don't want to hurt toby and josh, and andy and amy bonding over being really frustrated by this outwardly bc they're there own damn people, but deep down kind of understanding and relating to that guilt... i mean like, i think actually putting the four of them in a room together would be just deeply funny if a little stilted depending on the context, but none of them are the most "let's talk about my feelings" so i don't think a lot would come out between them in casual conversation. you get them in a situation where either donna or cj is doing the thing their very good at about calmly calling people out, or where either andy or amy is angry enough to not be thinking about if they're being hurtful? that's interesting, and because you can see the different ways that all of the sets of two have different ways they can relate or are the same, or even groups of three, and so depending on the specifics you'd get really different dynamics of who is agreeing with/supporting who and how.

[theladyofdeath]

Alone in the Ashes {6}

A Court of Thorns and Roses fanfction, characters belong to Sarah J Maas. Modern au. Revolves around Nesta x Cassian, Feyre x Rhysand, and Elain x Azriel. Other characters appear throughout. Based on multiple prompts sent in by anons tbr below.

Warning: Mature content. Alcohol abuse, verbal abuse, sex, language, eating disorders.

For summary & chapter index, click >  Alone in the Ashes {Acotar}

Word Count: 3.7k

A/N: Dinner at the Archeron’s, part 2: the aftermath. 

Comment to tell me what you think, or to be tagged! x

“You're the person I don't need to explain myself to - not when it matters. You see everything I am, and you don't run away from it.” ― Sarah J. Maas, House of Earth and Blood

Cassian and Nesta rode in silence. 

There was not much to say, surely not anything that would make things better. 

Cassian came to the conclusion that Nesta’s dad was an ass, but he decided to keep that thought to himself as they drove. The sun had sunk while they were at dinner - if that’s what that was. The Velaris night sky was lit with stars, but Nesta was staring blankly out of the front window. 

“Hungry?” he asked, considering the meal that was prepared had never been eaten.

Nesta shook her head.

“I can stop somewhere, if you are.”

No answer.

He didn’t know why he was trying, it was clear she wasn’t going to respond. Cassian had agreed to go because he thought it would be fun, thought he would see Nesta Archeron in a familiar environment, thought he might even see her crack a smile. 

But what he had witnessed was not as pleasant. 

What he had witnessed was Nesta Archeron living her worst nightmare.

Cassian had known Feyre for a long time, but she rarely spoke of her father, and now he understood why.

“You know, you and I are a lot a like,” Cassian began.

Nesta didn’t acknowledge him.

“My dad was a drunk, left when I was young. My mom died my senior year of high school. I was an only child, though.” 

Nothing.

Cassian nodded, anyway. “What he said to you tonight, Nesta-”

“Don’t,” she hissed, arms crossed. “Don’t fucking talk to me like you know a damn thing about me.”

Cassian pulled into the parking lot of their apartment complex. “Why do you do that?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do,” Cassian snorted, pulling into a parking space and turning off the engine. “Every time I try to start a conversation you speak to me like I’m a pile of shit.”

“Well, you saw my dad,” Nesta snapped. “I learned from the best.”

She opened the door, hopped out, and slammed it behind her.

Cassian took the keys out of the ignition and followed her lead. “I’m trying to help.”

“I don’t need it,” Nesta said, hurrying up the stairs.

Cassian was right behind her. “Bullshit.”

Nesta stopped on the second floor landing and spun around to face him. Her eyes, a mixture of gray and blue, were furious. “You will find that you’ll be a lot happier if you back the fuck off. Okay? I don’t need your pity or your fucking therapy.” 

Cassian’s lips formed a straight line. “I don’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth, Nesta. Not a fucking word. I was there tonight. Alright? I saw how his words affected you, how his drunkenness made you sick. I saw how uncomfortable you were being back in that house. And I get it. Don’t act like you’re invincible. The longer you act like you’re invincible, the angrier you’ll get.” 

Nesta lifted her chin and met his gaze. “To feel anger, I’d have to be able to feel.” 

She turned her back to him and walked away, to the end of the hall, and let herself inside of her apartment. Cassian was close behind, and as he opened his own door, he thought there was a hell of a lot more to Nesta Archeron than most people thought.

~~~~~

Rhysand had driven Feyre home in silence. By the time they made it back to their apartment, she looked exhausted.

Rhysand felt awful. Feyre was the last one to leave the house, which meant she spent years taking care of Isaac, never knowing what mood he was going to be in. He had never healed after their mother’s death, had never learned to cope, had never found peace. And it directly impacted his daughters. 

It had not been the first time that Rhysand had helped Feyre drag her dad up those stairs and into his bed. 

“I’m sorry about tonight,” Rhysand said, as he joined her on the couch. 

Feyre was looking at her hands. “There’s a reason I stay away from him.”

“I know,” Rhysand said, and he put his arm around her and drew her close to him. Feyre clung to his shirt and closed her eyes. “What can I do to make you feel better? I could get you super drunk again. You know, as long as you promise not to puke all over me this time.”

Feyre chuckled against his chest. “One drink, maybe.”

Rhysand nodded and trudged to the kitchen. He came back with a bottle of wine and a bottle of whiskey. He handed her the bottle of wine and she took it, laughing.

“I don’t get a glass?”

“You said one drink,” Rhysand said, plopping back down on the couch beside her. He nodded toward the bottle. “That’s one drink when a glass is omitted.” He held up a half empty bottle of whiskey. “As is this.”

Feyre chuckled and held up the wine bottle. “Cheers.”

Rhysand clinked his bottle against hers and pressed it against his lips. It burned down his throat, a feeling Rhysand welcomed. 

“Tell me something,” Feyre said, a minute later, eyes sparkling. 

“Tell you what?” Rhysand asked, taking another shot from his bottle.

“Anything,” Feyre smiled. “Something I don’t know.”

“You know everything I know,” Rhysand promised, sinking into the couch cushions as he watched her drink wine straight from the bottle. 

“That can’t be true,” she laughed. “You tell me something, and I’ll tell you something.”

Rhysand sighed, searching deep within his mind. I’m in love with you. Wanna fuck? Those were his only thoughts.

He decided against them both. 

“Oh,” Rhysand said, at last. “Our junior year of high school. Remember the winter formal?”

The light in Feyre’s eyes danced. “I remember dragging Cassian home drunk, yeah.”

Rhysand laughed. “Yeah, he used to be a sloppy drunk. Remember my date?”

“Macy Woodsworth?” Feyre asked.

Rhysand nodded. “Yeah, well, we fucked in the bathroom.”

“I already knew that,” Feyre laughed, hiding her face with one hand while she drank from the bottle with the other. 

“I know, but I told you that I was, like, really good at it,” Rhysand said, unable to remember that horrid night without laughter. “But, it was a nightmare.”

Feyre shook her head, grinning. “How so?”

Rhysand took a long, slow drink before he said, “I kept banging her head against the door, and I slipped a couple times. Oh, and I only lasted, like, twenty seconds. My stamina was not the best. Sex was a fairly new thing for me at that point.” 

Feyre howled before taking the bottle out of his hands and drowning herself in whiskey. Rhysand watched, adoringly, as she placed it back into his hands. Rhysand’s head was already starting to feel light as Feyre asked, “And how about now?”

Rhysand halted. “Now?”

“Your stamina?” Feyre asked, pulling her knees up beneath her on the couch and facing him.

He remembered the week before, when Feyre drunkenly kissed him in the bathroom and asked him to join her in the shower.

Rhysand sipped from his bottle. “I can’t share all my secrets.” 

Feyre tilted her head to the side. “I suppose not. But, I do suppose I have to tell you a secret now, don’t I?”

Rhysand looked up at her, beneath dark lashes. “That was the deal.” 

Feyre took a minute to think, tapping her index finger against her lips. The whiskey was half way down Rhysand’s throat when Feyre said, “Speaking of sex, I had a dream about you last night.”

Rhysand choked, whiskey sputtering out of his mouth. He coughed, for a good minute, before he collected himself. “Sorry, what?”

Her eyes were growing hazy. The alcohol had done its job. She was calm, serene. 

“I had a dream about you,” she said, blue eyes wild. “And me. And you were wearing a lot less than that.” 

She fiddled with the collar of his shirt. 

Rhysand was frozen in place. Her fingertips brushed along the skin of his neck. He was watching her, lips parted, unable to form a thought. He could hear each breath he took. 

“You’re drunk,” he whispered, laughing under his breath.

Feyre nodded. “Tipsy, maybe.” 

“How was I?” Rhysand asked, one brow raised. “In your dream.”

Feyre grinned. “Much better than you were with Macy Woodsworth, apparently.” 

Feyre pulled her hand back, but Rhysand’s reached up, his fingers wrapping around her wrist. She looked at him, met his stare. That grin faded. 

“When you look at me,” Feyre breathed, shaking her head, “it’s different than you used to look at me.” 

Rhysand brushed her hair behind her ear. “I’ve always looked at you the same way.” 

Feyre closed her eyes, dwelling in his touch. Rhysand brought Feyre’s hand back to him, and laid it against his chest, his hand covering hers over his heart. Her eyes opened, slowly.

They sat like that, staring at one another, Feyre feeling Rhysand’s heart beat, nearly pounding through his chest. 

Rhysand’s fingers brushed down her cheek, her neck, down to the neckline of her dress. 

Feyre’s breath caught.

“I’m drunk,” she whispered, her voice quiet, her fingers grasping the fabric of his shirt.

“I am, too,” he said, voice low, hitched. 

Feyre laughed, breathily, as she climbed on top of him, straddling his lap. Rhysand’s knuckles grazed her thigh. She ran her hands through his hair before leaning down, and pressing her forehead against his. 

“Feyre,” he said, voice soft, strangled. 

But he didn’t have to ask.

He didn’t have to say another word.

Feyre’s mouth pressed lightly against his. 

The first kiss was soft, gentle. 

Slow.

Innocent.

Rhysand’s hand found the back of her head, and he pulled her face closer to him, to his lips. She tasted sweet. Cherry chapstick, peach moscato, a hint of whiskey. 

He had dreamt of this moment, fantasized about it. But none of that compared to the real thing, the taste of her lips, his heart beating wildly, his entire being full of euphoric bliss. 

Her tongue brushed along his bottom lip.

The second kiss was lustful. 

Needy.

Full of longing. 

His tongue danced alongside her own, he could feel himself go hard beneath her. She whimpered, softly, as his fingers tangled into her hair. She clung to him, unable to let go, not wanting to let go.

Rhysand didn’t want her to let go. 

The third kiss was hungry.

Desperate.

Primal. 

Rhysand longed to be inside of her, and she knew it, too.

His mouth found her neck and he sucked the tender skin just above her collarbone as she slowly, calmly, unbuttoned Rhysand’s shirt with her eyes closed. 

She pulled it down his arms and tossed it onto the floor before pushing Rhysand back against the couch and running her hands down his body.

Rhysand felt like he was dreaming.

It couldn’t be real.

But there was no mistaking the excitement, the anticipation, that thrummed through his body at her touch. Her fingers trailed from his shoulders, down across his hard chest, his abdomen, to the waist of his jeans. 

She pulled back, and Rhysand tensed with worry. But then, she pulled the straps of her dress down, until it was lying in a circle around her waist. She sat atop him, in a black laced bra, her eyes watching him, waiting for his reaction. 

Rhysand didn’t know how to react, though.

He was paralyzed by the beauty before him. 

“Touch me, Rhys,” she begged.

His lips found her body, the spot between her breasts. Her head fell back, her eyes fell shut. Her skin was warm, soft, scented of lavender and vanilla. Rhysand forgot everything else in that moment, everything but his lips against her skin. 

He unclasped her bra and it slid down her arms.

He was left staring at her breasts. 

The silence in the apartment was excruciating. Rhysand didn’t know how far he should go, when he should stop, when too far was too far. 

But Feyre was still watching him, smiling faintly. 

Rhysand palmed her breasts in his hands, his thumbs brushing over her nipples before his mouth, his tongue, found them. He sucked, gently, nipped at them with his teeth.

“Rhys.” She whispered his name, one hand knotted in his hair, the other digging into his shoulder.

Rhysand looked up at her, and he knew he must look mad, crazed, knew his eyes were bright, knew his cheeks were flushed, his breathing uneven.  

But Feyre did not hesitate.

She fiddled with the button of his jeans until they came undone. Then she stood, her dress falling to the floor, her panties soon following, and she was standing before him, bare.

Rhysand’s eyes swept over her, slowly, drinking her in, memorizing every inch of her ivory skin. 

He had never seen anything, anyone, so beautiful. 

She knelt before him and slid off his jeans, his boxer-briefs, and he watched her eyes widen as she smiled, mischievously, at the sight of him.  

Feyre’s eyes met his as her tongue brushed over the tip of his cock, just once.

Rhysand cursed, quietly, which made her sly smile widen. 

Completely aware of every sound, every movement, every breath going on between them, Rhysand held out his hand to her, a silent question, a silent plea. If she said no right then, he would have accepted it, would have said okay and walked away, but, by the Cauldron, it would have destroyed him.

But she took his hand, and he pulled her up, back on top of him, onto his lap. She hovered there, just above him, as his hands roamed her body, her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, her abdomen, her thighs. His fingers brushed over her pussy, a tease. Her breathing hitched. 

“What are you waiting for?” she breathed, breath scented of sweet wine.

What was he waiting for? He had imagined this moment so many times, too many times, so many times that he didn’t want to rush it, didn’t want to mess it up. 

But she didn’t give him time to ponder it for long. 

A noise so pure, so sensuous, tumbled from her lips as she pushed herself down on top of him. Rhysand’s head fell back against the couch, his hands clinging to her hips as they moved, as she rode his cock. He pulled her face toward him and kissed her passionately, lustfully, urgently. As her body leaned into him, the rest of Rhysand’s nerves faded. He swallowed her whole, his tongue between her lips as she moaned, quietly, into his mouth. 

And then he lost all control as he faded away, lost in the beauty and pleasure of Feyre Archeron. 

He leaned her back against the couch and nipped at her ear, her neck, her nipple, biting softly at the sensitive nub as her nails dug into the middle of his back.

“Rhys,” she begged, and the next words she whispered set him on fire. “Fuck me.”

He grabbed her by the ass and thrust himself inside of her. 

Feyre’s eyes fluttered shut as she lay before him, back arched, biting her lower lip, her brows furrowed.

Making love to Feyre was different than he’d imagined, better than he’d imagined. It was real, every minute, every second of it was real. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe she’d wake up in the morning and regret it, although he prayed to whoever the hell was listening that she didn’t, that she wouldn’t. Rhysand had fucked plenty of women through the years, but none of them felt like this. He hadn’t been in love with any of those women.

But he was in love with this woman.

This beautiful, snarky, sarcastic, kind, thoughtful, exquisite woman. 

Rhysand fell on top of her, his body beginning to tremble, damp with sweat, their bodies aligned. 

Feyre clung to him, the little sounds falling out of her mouth growing louder. She called his name, first a whisper, then she screamed it, gasping, nails embedded in the tanned skin of his back.

“Feyre,” he breathed, he moaned, as her knees began to shake, her legs wrapped around his waist. “Fuck, Feyre.”

His mouth crashed against hers as he met his climax. 

He swore his heart stopped, if just for a second.

And when he pulled back and leaned up on his elbows, his cock still inside of her, he admired her flushed cheeks, the adoration in her gray-blue eyes, her smile, soft and devious. 

She ran her fingers through his dark, damp hair, before taking his face into her hands. “Much longer than twenty seconds.”

Rhysand hung his head and laughed before meeting her eyes, once more. 

He kissed her, gently, and held her to him, afraid to let go.

~~~~~

Elain stood in the entryway of her father’s bedroom, watching him sleep.

Feyre and Rhsyand had brought him upstairs earlier that evening and dropped him in his bed. They didn’t bother removing his shoes or putting a blanket over top of him.

Elain didn’t blame them.

She was infuriated.

One night. She wanted one night where they were all together, but she couldn’t even get that. 

He had promised he would be there, had let Elain believe that he was excited, then he showed up drunk.

She should have known better. 

Should have known he would ruin it.

Elain thought about Nesta, thought about the horror on her face as their father spoke. Elain tried calling her, but she didn’t answer, her phone had been off.

All she wanted was one night.

One dinner with her family.

She watched her father sleep, and she was seething.

Drunk.

He’d shown up drunk, completely unaware of who he was impacting. No, Elain was no longer a child, but she didn’t deserve that, didn't deserve to have her father come home drunk and pass out on the dining room floor.

She suddenly realized what Feyre had dealt with for all those years before she moved out and moved in with Tamlin. 

Elain slunk back down to the kitchen and started cleaning up. The dining room was a mess, the meal she made, the meal she slaved over, hardly eaten.

She put the leftovers in the fridge, put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. 

She dragged herself upstairs and into her bedroom.

For the first time in a long time, she was ready to sleep, exhaustion drowning her out. It had been too much, it had all been too much. The emotional toll of utter disappointment consumed her.

She pulled her phone off her nightstand, ready to scroll through Pinterest until she fell asleep, when she saw she had a text message from an unknown, local number.

And when she opened it, she found the slightest hint of peace as she smiled.

Mila held a glass Coke bottle filled with water, her pink tulip peeking out of the top. She was smiling, brightly. The face of pure, innocent joy.

Got your number from Feyre, hope you don’t mind. Mila wanted you to see her flower’s new home. It was all she could talk about all night. Thank you. - Azriel

Elain read the message again before putting her phone on night mode and closing her eyes. Before she did that, though, she sent Azriel a short reply.

Of course. It was my pleasure.

~~~~~

“Goodnight.”

“G’night, uncle Azzie.”

“I love you.”

“I love you moooore,” Mila sang, and Azriel laughed. “Uncle Az?”

“Hmm?”

“Will my flower be okay tonight?”

Azriel smiled. He was laying next to her, the best he could on a twin mattress, anyway, propped up on his elbow. “Yes, I’ll make sure of it. You need to go to sleep, though. It’s late.”

She yawned, and nodded. “Okay. I miss mama.”

Azriel tried to control his facial expression, his tone, tried to keep it neutral as he said, “I know, babe, I know.”

“Will I see her again?” she asked. “Does she not love me anymore?” 

He saw the true fear in her eyes, the honest pain. Azriel leaned down to kiss her forehead, brushing back her dark, auburn hair. “Your mama loves you. She just has to go away for a little while.”

Her lip quivered, but she nodded. “Do you love me, Uncle Az?”

Azriel smiled, hating Amarantha for putting such a sweet, innocent child through such pain. “I love you very, very much.”

She nodded, sniffling. “I love you, too.”

“I know,” he whispered, and kissed her forehead. “Time for bed, okay?”

Azriel tucked Mila in, turned on her Batman nightlight, and cracked the door. He pulled a beer from the fridge and opened the sliding door, walking out onto the balcony.

He was fucking exhausted.

He sipped his beer, slowly, and sat in the late night silence. The stars were out, lighting up the night sky. Azriel always loved the Velaris night.

He didn’t have peace for long, though, because a knock came to his door. 

He glanced at his phone. It was nearly 11.

Nonetheless, he and his beer went to the front door and threw it open.

Mor was on his doormat, blonde hair pulled into a ponytail. She smiled at him, wistfully. “Hey, Az.”

Azriel laughed, softly. “I thought you weren’t coming in until tomorrow.”

“I wasn’t,” Mor admitted, “but you needed me, so I left the moment my last final ended.”

Azriel’s eyes softened as he stepped aside. Mor walked in and dropped her bag by the doormat. 

“Mila sound asleep?” She asked.

Azriel nodded, closing the door behind her. 

“And how are you?” She asked, brown eyes soft, full of worry.

Azriel leaned back against the closed apartment door. He didn’t know how he was, didn’t know how he should feel.

“Nothing surprises me anymore,” he said, honestly. “I wake up every day and expect the worst.”

Mor’s smile faded. “You’re a good man, Az.”

Azriel shook his head. “Even if that were true, it doesn’t make it any easier.”

Mor walked to where Azriel stood by the door. She took the beer from his hand, and set it aside, before taking Azriel by the hand and pulling him into her arms.

“It’s all going to be okay, Az,” Mor whispered, rubbing the back of his head as his face nestled into her shoulder. He had to lean down to wrap his arms around her waist. “It’s all going to be okay.”

Azriel clung to Mor, to her embrace, hoping that was true.

But all he could think about was Mila’s little voice, asking her uncle, Does she not love me anymore?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tag List (to be tagged, comment or send me an ask!)

@throne-of-ashes-and-beauty  @starkovsnesta​   @redisriding​  @photofeesh

@mariamuses​   @tswaney17    @amaranthas-whore​   @awesomelena555

@danika-defendyr​  @rachaels14

@hashtolanashoba  @poisonous00​  @chemicha

@mynewdreamwasyou

@candid-confetti

@my-fan-side

@ifangirlninja  @sleeping-and-books  @burritowithfeels

@morebooks-pls

@sannelovesreading

@halstudies

@amren-courtofdreams

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@flora-and-fae​

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@6255igntm​

@littlehoneyybee

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@superspiritfestival  @the-dark-swan​  @girlgotattitude448​  @eversincebeirut​

@midnightrose-reader​  @lord-douglas-the-third​  @thestarguidingyouhome​

 @empress-ofbloodshed​ 

Prompts:

{ “I’m gonna fuck you so hard that you forget you ever met that asshole” - Feysand } -anonymous

{ “How about Nessian needing to fake date when they go home for the holidays?!” } - anonymous

{ “could u pls do like an elriel fic where azriel is like this mysterious bad boy and elain is a goody two shoes lik aaaaa i cant get that image out of my head” } - anonymous

[keelywolfe]

FIC: The Royal We ch.2 (baon)

Summary: Family helps family. Sometimes right into the path of an oncoming car.

Tags:  Spicyhoney, Kustard, Established Relationships, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Part of the ‘by any other name’ series.

~~*~~

Read it on AO3

or

Read it here!

Note:  Just remember as you're reading this that all endings are eventually happy ones in 'By Any Other Name'!

~~*~~

One of the first things Red set up for the newly created security department in New New Home was a phone tree for calling out in case of an emergency. The first contact called their contacts, those contacts called theirs, and so on. Slightly archaic, perhaps, but Red had his reasons, bluntly explained, “if you actually talk to ‘em, you know they got the message and it don’t get jumbled up in a buncha chat replies. no one ever has ta call more’n three people, so it don’t take long and we got a better idea of whose gonna show up.”

In this case, it worked perfectly. It hardly took more than a couple of minutes for Edge to call his contacts and within ten, Monsters were already showing up at the house.

Edge spread out a map of New New Home on the hood of his car, using a felt-tipped pen to mark off grids. Next to it was a picture of Jude taken from their own refrigerator, proudly holding up the lumpy volcano he made one weekend in one of Stretch’s impromptu science classes. So young, only six years old, still an infant when they came to the surface; he would have no memories of living underground, nothing but his entire life on the surface to look forward to.

He glanced back at the porch where Stretch was sitting with Janice, talking to her in a low, soothing murmur, her other son sitting at their feet. She’d tried to rush off again to search, but in her panicked state, Edge was more concerned that she’d end up hurting herself than finding her son. He didn’t know what Stretch told her that convinced her to stay, but then, Stretch was always good at finding the right thing to say. If she couldn’t be coaxed to sit inside, then the porch was a reasonable alternative.

The Dog family was unsurprisingly the first to arrive, their oversized SUV pulling up next to the curb. Their protective nature towards children extended far beyond their own and every member of their family was present, even the youngest pup tucked sleeping into a carrier strapped to Dogamy’s back.

Without a word, Edge held up a small jacket, one of Jude’s, brought to them by his older brother, Oscar. If he weren’t already heavily invested in finding this child, Oscar’s expression would have cemented it, his fears hidden beneath brave determination to help protect his little brother in any way he could. It stirred old memories, ones that Edge rudely shoved away as the Dogs passed the jacket around, each of them sniffing intently.

“Dogamy, you and Dogaressa start in grid one,” Edge ordered, tapping the square on the map with a gloved fingertip. “That’s the last place he was seen, see if you can pick up a scent. Greater Dog and Doggo, grid two. If you find anything, call my cell phone before you come back, all right?”

“Got it,” Dogamy growled out. His wife nodded and the two of them loped off, their kin at their heels even as more cars began arriving, other Monsters walking up to get their own search grid.

Not long after, Undyne pulled up and came to a screeching stop at the curb, struggling to get from behind the wheel of her jeep. For most of her pregnancy, she’d hardly showed, but in the past couple weeks, she’d…blossomed, was the word Alphys used, her eyes glowing with adoration behind the lenses of her glasses. Privately, Edge thought ballooned might be more fitting considering the waddle she’d recently gained as she made her way towards him.

“Whatcha got left,” Undyne pushed in next to him to examine the map. With her belly leading the way, she very nearly bounced him into the yard.

Edge recovered and returned, leaning back in. “There’s a few grids left,” Edge said. He pointed out a sector. “We started closest to where he was last seen and spiraled out.”

“Good plan,” Undyne murmured.

“If you’re thinking of taking a grid for yourself, I’d like to invite you to think again.” Edge let his gaze drop meaningfully to her swollen belly. Her t-shirt could no longer contain it and from beneath the hem an expanse of taut, deep blue skin was peeking out, paler stretch marks striping along the sides, battle scars, according to her and Edge did not doubt it.

She graced him with a shameless, needle-sharp grin and gave her exposed belly a scratch, “Like you could stop me? Nah, Al already gave me a fin-full, I’m here for support purposes only.” She leaned in again, bracing a clawed hand on the hood as she studied the marked off grids with a nod, “Looks like you’ve got it mostly covered, anyway. Kid couldn’t have gotten too far, Dogs’ll sniff him out.”

Edge glanced up at the porch again where Janice was sitting, holding a coffee mug in clenched hands. Next to her on the table was a pile of crumpled tissues, the box close by. His competent assistant was nowhere in sight, lost in her worries for her son. Edge pitched his voice low as he said, “Let’s hope so.”

At that moment, there came a burst of sound from behind them reminiscent of the false flatulence from San’s whoopy cushion. To Edge, it was annoyingly familiar, the sound of his brother’s teleportation caused by the displaced air. Stretch’s sounded more like the sharp pop from a bubble of chewing gum, and Edge did not assume that the shortcutters in their family had control of the sound it made past the fact that it made sound at all, but he couldn’t help noting sourly that it suited their personalities nonetheless.

Undyne was less accustomed to having short skeletons popping in and out around her, and she jumped, her unsteady balance almost sending her sprawling on the car hood as she swore, “Fuck me, Red, give a little warning!”

Red snorted loudly, “ya look like someone beat me to it.”

He ignored her renewed curses, crawling up on the bumper to get a view of the map, sneakers squeaking against the fiberglass while Edge grit his teeth. He still hadn’t forgiven Red for his earlier cruelty, but this wasn’t the time. “Where is Sans?”

Red shrugged, his eye lights intent on the map, “checking a few things.”

Casually said and Edge left it at that. As this world’s Judge, Sans might have some insight into possible scenarios, he always knew more than he should. Like his brother. Like Stretch.

Edge knew little about Judging, by design. He hadn’t even known his brother was one until he became Captain of the Guard and it was Asgore who advised him of what it might entail, a discussion best forgotten. Stretch never brought it up, even on the very rare occasions when he spoke of Chara. It was easy to forget the unpleasant role he was forced to play in his own world.

“this area here is clear,” Red tapped a finger on grid seven, the one near the school. Edge didn’t question him, only crossed out the square and a low, distant howl made them all look up to see Dogaressa loping towards them, her long pink tongue lolling out as she ran.

“Report,” Edge said crisply even as she panted, catching her breath.

*Scent was strong, leaving his yard, went two streets, south,* she pointed at the map and Edge circled where she indicated. *then gone.*

“Gone? How could it be gone?” Edge demanded.

Dogaressa shook her head sadly, *Bike, car, vehicle of some sort, maybe. Not enough trace to follow. We’ll keep scouting, see if we can’t pick up the trail again.*

“Thank you,” Edge said, heavily. He chose not to look at Janice; seeing the crumbling hope on her face wouldn’t help find her son any faster.

Dogaressa nodded and loped off again.

Red hopped down from the bumper. “gonna head off, too, bro, got some cameras i can check, see if we can get a bead on him.” He reached up and pointed with a sharp-tipped finger. “get someone out to grid eight.”

“That’s very far for him to have traveled.”

“not with a bike or somethin’ and there’s a kinda treehouse out there that the kiddos use.” Red lowered his voice, “if it was a car, we got other problems than a simple lost kid.”

“I know,” Edge murmured. He spared a glance at Undyne who was listening silently with her hands folded over her belly. Her expression was a thundercloud; none of them wanted to voice their suspicions aloud. Much as he wished otherwise, Monsters were not exempt from criminals in their ranks, even where children were concerned. That was one of the few areas that Edge left in the control of others. He couldn’t trust himself to face anyone who would deliberately hurt a child, his soul burned even to consider it, a coal set inside his ribcage as he struggled to rid himself of the very thought. Janice needed his cool competence, not undefined rage at someone who might very well not exist.

Next to him, Undyne visibly struggled with her own anger, cradling her belly in both hands. “Go see if you can figure out what happened to the kid, Red,” she said low, “we’re depending on you, boss.”

Red grimaced, teeth gnashing, “don’t go giving me titles now, i’m more the take-ya-to-my-leader type.” He stepped back, vanishing into the void.

There was nothing to do but continue the search until Red reported back. Edge returned to the map, considering who to send to the next grid when a tug at his elbow made him jerk, very nearly lashing out. He stifled the reaction back, forcibly tamping down the agitated LV in his soul; his frustrations and anger were not serving him well here, blast it all.

At his side, Oscar looked up at Edge without the slightest clue to his inner turmoil. He was entirely too invested in his own, twisting his hands together with bright tears glimmering his eyes. Edge crouched down, close to his height, and asked with as much gentleness as he could muster, “Oscar? What is it?”

The child mumbled something too low to be heard.

Edge glanced at Undyne and handed over the pen in a silent ask for her to take over. She nodded, already grabbing her phone, as Edge said, coaxingly, “It’s all right, Oscar, whatever it is, you can tell me.”

“It’s my fault,” Oscar said, low. The tears standing out in his eyes finally shed, dripping down to wet the short fur on his face. “It’s all my fault.”

Edge exhaled slowly. “How is it your fault?”

“I yelled at him,” Oscar burst out, his voice breaking on a sob, “We were tryin’ to set up a fort and he kept knocking things over, ‘n getting in the way. I yelled at him to go away and now—”

Of course. Children were alike no matter where they were from, it seemed, so often taking on a disproportional amount of blame that no one expected them to carry. Edge slid a careful arm around his quivering shoulders and gave him a gentle little shake, “Oscar, I need you to listen to me. Are you listening?”

He nodded, sopping at his wet face with his sleeve.

“It’s not your fault.”

“It is--!”

“No,” Edge said firmly. “Sometimes brothers fight, sometimes they say things they don’t mean.”

That caught Oscar’s attention. He frowned, reluctantly intrigued, or perhaps hopeful to think an adult like Edge still squabbled with his brother. “You and your brother fight?”

“Constantly,” Edge said dryly, “and as recently as today. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love him or that I wish any hurt on him. It doesn’t mean I don’t care. You didn’t mean for Jude to wander off, it is not your fault. All right? Now, go sit with your mother. She loves you both very much and she needs you right now.”

He nodded, a little less miserably and headed back to the porch where Stretch and Janice were still sitting. Janice enfolded her son into her arms the moment he was in reach and the two of them clung to each other. Stretch leaned in to say something and Janice nodded. He stood and headed towards Edge, quick strides that were nothing like his usual lazy saunter.

“babe,” Stretch said, low, “i'm gonna head off and help look.”

Edge resisted the initial, ridiculous urge to deny him. Stretch was an adult, older than him as Stretch so often liked to point out, and Edge could hardly forbid him the right to join the search groups. They were in New New Home, not out in Ebott amongst the Humans, he couldn’t play at the protector by keeping his husband under lock and key. “All right,” Edge agreed, softly. “What grid do you want?”

“none,” Stretch said. He reached over and waved a hand loosely over the map. “babe, this is the right direction for everyone else, but i'm not about to stick myself to one spot when i can be halfway across town in two steps. you,” he pointed at Edge, “stay put, rally the troops or whatever, you do not need to be tromping around on that leg.”

“I hadn't planned on it.” He did not say he’d already mentally calculated the damages vs what assistance he could provide. The possible benefits did not outweigh the costs, it was not worth losing searchers if they were forced to assist him. Before Stretch could vanish, Edge blurted out, “I love you.”

It earned him a lopsided smile in return, “love you, too.” And with a single step Stretch was gone, shortcutting away nearly silently while Edge turned back to the map and Undyne, readying the next wave of searchers.

Hours went by, various groups checking in as they finished searching their grid. As soon as their section was cleared, a person was assigned in it to stay while the others moved on.

A text came from his brother, terse information that Jude climbed on a scooter where the Dogs lost his scent, and he’d been traveling north when he disappeared from camera view. The relief that he hadn’t gotten into a car was brief and the search was redirected, grids marked off. Jeff and Antwan reported nothing, as did the Bun family, who paused only briefly to comfort their kin before heading back out in search of hers. Doggo returned, tail between his legs, to report that the scent hadn’t been found again.

The day was dragging on, the weather cooling as the sun dipped lower, but they weren’t giving up, not with a child out there lost in it.

Undyne went inside to use the bathroom twice, muttering about her abused bladder and pausing to talk with Janice and Oscar each time. On her last trip, she brought out the blanket that was usually draped over the back of the sofa, bundling the two of them in its warm folds. Her earnestly encouraging expression fell when she began walking back to Edge, replaced with more grimness with every minute that ticked past.

“There was nothing in grid twenty-five,” Papyrus said. His normal exuberance was dulled, his earlier confidence that Jude would quickly be found wavering into disbelief.

Undyne gave him a punch on the arm that nearly sent him to the ground, “Don’t you even give a hint that you’re giving up, nerd,” Undyne hissed. She jerked her head towards the house. “And sure as fuck not in front of moms back there.”

“Of course not!” Papyrus lifted his chin and straightened his shoulders, “Now I need a new grid to search!”

It was starting to get dark, the sun cresting the horizon and sending the neighborhood into dim twilight. Edge went into the garage and flipped on the outside lights, illuminating his car and the map on it.

“Edge,” Undyne leaned in, her voice pitched low, “Look, I know none of us want to think it, but we might need to look into contacting the Human Authorities.”

“Noted,” Edge said tersely.

“Humans have gotten in here before, and if one did and snatched the kid, the longer we wait, the—”

She broke off, grimacing, her shoulders hunching as her hand hovered over her belly.

Edge could only stand with his own hands hovering uncertainly even as he said, sharply, "Are you all right?"

A long moment passed, then she managed, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Don't you bullshit me, if you make me deliver your child, I will never forgive you."

Undyne gave a rough laugh, "Pal, giving you a front row seat to my shrimp salad is nowhere on my menu. Braxton Hicks contractions, been having ‘em for weeks." She took a couple of long, slow breaths, then straightened, “Now, about the Humans.”

“I have no issue with Humans, I have plenty of issues with the Human authorities,” Edge snapped. Behind him, he heard a small, alarmed sound from Janice and lowered his voice, “even if a Human somehow managed to get into New Home without being seen, snatch Jude, again without witnesses, and miraculously leave with him the same way they came in, I’m not convinced the Ebott Police would actually assist us.” Edge paused, his mouth twisting, “That said, Asgore contacted the mayor’s office already, they are aware of the situation.”

Undyne made a rude sound, “Should’ve known you were a step ahead of me.” She glanced at the porch. “I’m gonna sit with mama up there for a few, it’s getting dark, she’s worried out of her mind, and my dogs are barking the moonlight sonata.”

“Go sit,” Edge told her, softly. He watched her waddle up the sidewalk, that encouraging expression already pasted into place, then he looked out into the neighborhood. The streetlights were coming on, bright puddles of light spaced out along the road that left dark patches between them.

Flashlights were on their way, but what were the odds of their search parties finding the child in the dark when they couldn’t find him in the daylight? Edge shook the thought away, despair had no place here, they would keep searching until the child was found. No matter what.

Even as he thought it, he heard the sudden pop of teleportation, bubblegum sweet, and he turned to see Stretch tumbling out into the middle of their front yard with Jude in his arms. Both of them were filthy, their clothing stained and soiled with dried leaves clinging. One was tangled stubbornly into one of Jude’s floppy ears. Jude’s small face was awash with tears and Stretch’s pale and sweaty, as if perhaps he’d teleported them some distance and was at the end of his endurance.

Before Edge could demand answers or even move, Janice was stumbling from the porch, tripping into the grass and crawling towards her son, laughing and crying in the same breath.

Stretch handed him awkwardly over, "he's okay, mama, little cold and tired, maybe."

"Thank you," she sobbed out, clinging to her child. Jude was holding on just as tight and both of them slung an arm around Oscar when he joined them. Janice managed to pull away long enough to ask, laughing around her tears, “Where? Where was he?”

“out in old new home,” Stretch slumped back into the grass, sockets tiredly closed. “there’s some paths out there that the kids like, leftover from when they were putting up those first houses. looks like when they stopped construction, they tossed some boards over a pit and didn’t fill it in. kiddo was lucky enough to find it, huh, champ?”

Jude only clung to his mother, his sobs muffled into her shoulder. Headlights were already coming down the street, groups returning from the search. Chances were Red alerted them the child was found, and as they poured from their cars, all their expressions were ones of purest relief.

“I’ll get a team out first thing in the morning to fill it in,” Edge began, “Stretch, can you show me on the map where—”

Undyne’s voice interrupted him, soaring over the growing crowd. “Now that we found the kid, can, uh, someone take me to the hospital? Think it’s time for me to meet my rugrat in person.”

The brief silence was almost as deafening as the sudden chorus that rose up of Monsters volunteering. In the end Papyrus took her, loudly claiming his right as Best Bud. Edge only stood back, grateful that it wasn’t him, and watched as Undyne nearly punched him for trying to help her into the car. The crowd began to thin, Jeff and Antwan heading off to retrieve Alphys and the Bun family claiming Janice and her children in between profuse thank yous.

Janice paused as she walked past him, Jude in her arms and Oscar at her side. “Thank you,” she said. Her voice was hoarse from crying, brimming with gratitude.

“You’re welcome,” Edge told her with quiet sincerity, and when he awkwardly held his arms out, she immediately leaned into the brief embrace. As she headed towards her brother’s car, Edge called out impulsively, “You can pay me back by handling all the press briefings tomorrow!”

Her sudden laughter was a relief from the previous onslaught of tears, “That’s a deal, boss!”

The other searchers had already headed for home, happy ending achieved, and Edge turned back to their house…and saw that Stretch hadn’t stood up yet. He was still sitting in the damp grass with his skull cradled in his hands.

“Love?” Edge knelt and saw with some alarm that his sockets were tightly closed. He was trembling, his hands rattling against his skull as they shook, and the bones were bleached nearly white, the soft orange glow of magic that usually lit his joints was dim. “Rus? Are you all right?”

“help me inside?” Stretch asked, tightly.

He very nearly scooped Stretch into his arms, injured leg be damned, and right into the car to head in for a room next to Undyne’s in the hospital. Instead, Edge tamped that impulse down and did as Stretch asked. Carefully helped him to his feet and guided him to the door, pausing only to snatch up the blanket from the chair Janice had been sitting in before leading him inside.

tbc