#and everyone is suffering blue balls

[thomaslittlegirl]

nightmares. thomas shelby

your stepbrother comes back from the war but he is no longer the same.

warnings; tit sucking, age gap, step-cest.

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡

thomas is not the man he used to be since he came back from the war; that funny and happy boy disappeared and was replaced by one who is always angry, tense... simply blue.

you remember the relief you felt when you saw him arrive back at your home. you remember hugging him with all your might and you remember his big hands resting on your back while he returned you the show of affection. “i'm here now, little girl.”

the changes did not take long to be noticed. thomas became more intolerable to almost anything. he hated being kept waiting, he hated having to do things for others, hated to help; he was even capable of beating up someone if the looked at him the wrong way.

no one comes back from the war the same... and although everyone knew about that saying, experiencing it firsthand with tommy was just painful.

people began to fear him and they were completely right in the world; if there was anything worse than a shelby, it was an angry shelby.

and thomas was always angry.

.

it was a thursday night when a loud knock woke you up.

the candle next to your nightstand was almost burned out and the flame was moving because of the wind in the room.

you thought that the sound had been part of your dream, and when you were ready to turn over and continue sleeping another knock was heard.

you decided to get out of bed and look for the source of it. you walked out of your room shuffling your feet on the wooden floor. the house was completely dark, it was also cold.

you hugged yourself for warmth and then you heard another noise again; it came from your stepbrother's room.

you didn't think twice before entering the room without knocking on the door; thomas might need help, you thought.

when you entered the man's room you noticed that several of the things that were usually found on the nightstand next to his bed were now lying on the floor, scattered.

thomas was lying on the bed. his eyes were closed but his body was spasming, he moved in the bed with such force that he was throwing all the objects around him to the floor.

you walked near his bed and saw his face clearly. his eyebrows were furrowed, turning his entire face into a grimace of pain; his hands were balled into fists at the side of his body. complaints and murmurs came out of his mouth that you couldn't understand.

“tommy...” you called him.

there was no response from him. you called him again... nothing happened.

you carefully placed you next to him; your knees on the hard wooden floor. one of your hands went to his shoulder and you called again, a little louder this time. “tommy…”

the man opened his eyes and a gasp escaped his throat. one of his hands grabbed yours tightly and you had to bite your tongue to keep from moaning at the pain.

“tommy... it's okay... it's me...”

shelby nodded his head, taking a seat on the bed. he turned his face and looked at you with eyes full of tears.

seeing him like that destroyed you, broke your soul. you felt like someone had hit your entire body with a bat relentlessly.

“it's okay. you are safe here.” your sweet voice came out as a whisper and you saw him nod again.

thomas couldn't hold him back much longer. finally he burst into tears; his body shaking from spasms. his chest rose and fell forcefully, you noticed that it was difficult for him to breathe.

you didn't know what to do, you didn't know how to react. you were afraid that any movement of yours would scare him away or make him worse. but you had to do something... so, with hesitation, you moved a little closer to the edge of his bed and hugged him.

thomas hugged you back, as best he could. he rested his head against your shoulder and stayed there, suffering in your heat. you held it.

“i'm tired.” he said, whispering. his voice still a little muffled. “i'm tired of having these nightmares every fucking night.”

his words shocked you. thomas had nightmares every night? why did he never say anything? why had you nor your family never heard of it?

“do you have nightmares every night?” you asked in disbelief. thomas nodded his head. “why didn't you tell us anything?”

thomas remained silent for a few seconds. “we shelbys are strong.” was all he said, and you felt your blood boil.

why put yourself through all this pain alone? why keep quiet about your suffering and face it without anyone's support, just because of your shitty last name?

you clicked your tongue and decided not to say anything, you didn't want to make things worse.

you stayed like that for a while, hugging your stepbrother. "better?" you asked after a while. he denied. his sobs had stopped but his eyes continued to shed tears and wet the top of his nightshirt.

you felt useless. it hurt you to see him like that.

“please, brother. don’t cry anymore” you asked. thomas sniffed, releasing you.

“i'm sorry.”

you denied. he had no reason to apologize. he hadn't done anything wrong.

you lifted your knees off the floor and ignored the pain you felt in them, sitting next to him on the bed. “is there anything you need?” you asked. “is there anything i can do to make you feel better?”

thomas caressed your cheek gently. his battered hands full of scars and recent wounds only made a notable contrast to the softness of your skin.

your stepbrother looked into your eyes, lowering his hand to now caress your neck. you looked at him, surprised. thomas wasn't usually very affectionate, in fact, he wasn't with anyone... just with you, but he never touched you like that, he never caressed you the way he was doing tonight.

his hand went lower and lower, passing under your collarbones. “what...what are you doing?” you asked him, surprised when his hand reached one of your tits and didn't move away.

“you said you wanted to make me feel better... let me feel better. ”

“but… but you…”

“be good.”

you swallowed, keeping quiet. thomas took your breast in his hand, outlining it. his touch felt strange, it made you feel dirty, vulnerable. two brothers didn't touch each other the way he was touching you... but you didn't try to push him away. you stayed there, still and at his will. letting him touch you however he wanted, as if you were a doll.

thomas's touch was surprisingly gentle; anyone would have expected a shelby to be rough.

you really didn't know what to think.

thomas used his other hand to cup your other breast; now both of his hands were on your tits, caressing and contouring them. your stepbrother pressed them together, wetting his lips when he saw how your nipples had stood up.

“tommy…” you called, quietly, embarrassed. he looked at you, his eyes still filled with tears. you didn't know what to say, you stayed silent, frozen.

thomas let go of your tits, now playing with the hem of your nightshirt.

“let me try them.” he said out of nowhere.

your eyes widened in surprise. "what...?"

“let me put them in my mouth... you said you wanted to do something to make me feel good…that will make me feel good.”

you looked at him stunned. what were you supposed to do? slap him and leave his room in terror? let him do what he wanted? you didn't know how to react.

thomas's hands acted on their own, lifting your shirt until he slid it around your neck, taking it off completely. his blue eyes penetrated yours.

his hands went to your breasts again, and before you could think about how to resolve the situation, he kissed your nipple.

thomas kissed it gently, almost as if he was afraid to scare you away. his tongue outlined your nipple with a maddening softness. his light blue eyes met yours and when you saw how his tears had subsided, you decided to give up.

you surrendered to how good your stepbrother felt sucking your nipple and how innocent he looked with it in his mouth; almost as if he were not twice your age, almost as if the situation were not morbid.

one of your hands went to his cheek and you caressed it gently while the other rested on his neck. thomas let your nipple fall from his lips and smiled at you. “good girl, letting me calm down with her beautiful tits. you're being good, little one. making me feel very good.”

your heart pounded in your chest. you loved compliments... and if they were from your stepbrother, even better.

thomas carefully laid down on the bed, pulling you too until your side was pressed against the mattress, in front of his body. he took your other tit in his mouth and began to suck on the nipple, hugging your waist as he sucked like he was a baby.

shelby was calm now, making sounds of satisfaction as he choked on your tits. his eyes began to feel heavy and you continued stroking his hair, helping to lull him to sleep.

thomas took your nipple out of his mouth and murmured, “maybe tomorrow i can know the taste of your pussy too.”

that night, thomas fell asleep quickly and easily like an angel, sucking on your tits and using them like they were a good pacifier.

no other nightmares bothered him again for the next few hours and maybe, just maybe, you woke up to your beautiful stepbrother giving kitty licks to your pretty and tight cunt, as he promised.

[dragon-kazansky]

Bridgerton shade of blue

Benedict Bridgerton x Female Reader

Benedict bumps into you, quite literally, at a ball while trying to escape his mother's attempts to find him a partner. You decide to humour him with a dance, not realising just how entwined you would become with him. It seems the universe will find every excuse to push you and Benedict together, no matter how much you fight it.

{Masterlist}

{Previous Chapter} - {Next Chapter}

Season one

Chapter Six - Splendid

♡♡♡

"Eloise Bridgerton."

Benedict calls his sister when he finds her smoking on the swing set in their garden. He sounded stern, as if scolding her.

Eloise groans softly as she turns on the swing. "Go on, then." She lifts the cigarette to her lips. "Chastise me."

"Spare one for me?" He asks.

Eloise is surprised by his question. He comes and sits on the other swing beside her. She holds a cigarette out to him, and he takes it, putting it between his lips and lighting it.

"Suppose I desire something different." Eloise says.

"How do you mean?"

"Just different. I watch Daphne prepare for these balls with all of those dresses and the many suitors, and I am exhausted. Suppose I want a different life, Benedict. That I truly believe I am quite capable of something more, even when I'm not allowed to have anything else."

"Then I would say... that you're not the only one." He looks at her. They smile at each other.

♡♡♡

With the next edition of Whistledown comes fascinating gossip. You find yourself, for once, clutching the paper with the need to read more.

It has become apparent that Lord Berbrooke has a child out of wedlock, and not only that, with a maid he had sent away before the child was even born. He pays nothing for the child, it seems.

Your mother had been gossiping about with the other ladies she had over for afternoon tea. In turn, their maids had gone off to gossip further.

Word spread like wildfire.

The next day, Lord Berbrooke had left town suddenly.

You made it a point to go visit Daphne. You were taken up to the drawing room where she awaited you, a smile on her face as you came in.

"It's nice of you to visit."

You take a seat with her. "I wanted to see how you were."

"I have expected you come see my brother," she admits.

"Benedict? As much as he has become my friend, I felt the need to come see you. Are you alright?"

"I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders." She smiles softly. "I am glad he is gone."

"As am I. Wretched man, he was."

You both giggle softly.

"So, the duke? He is still on your favour?" You ask.

Daphne goes silent for a moment, and then her face twitches. A realisation. The realisation she must still pretend.

"Ah, yes." She smiles.

You smile in return and take her hand. "You make a most handsome couple."

"Thank you." Her voice wavers.

You do not bring up Hastings or Berbrooke again as you have tea with Daphne. The conversation becomes pleasant. Daphne finds herself talking to you about anything that comes to mind. Not once has any of her siblings sat down and listened to her like this.

It felt nice. Really nice.

An hour passes, and you find the teapot has been emptied twice in that time. There are no more biscuits to share either. You rise from the soft sofa and gather you purse.

"Thank you for letting me visit."

"Oh, nonsense. You are always welcome." Daphne smiles.

"I shall visit again then."

Daphne looks pleased by your words.

"Benedict will be so disappointed you came by and didn't stop to see him."

You chuckle. "Let him suffer. It may humble him."

Daphne chuckles and sees you out.

♡♡♡

The next ball is as dazzling as the others. You swear with each one, Daphne gets more and more beautiful. She enters with the Duke. Of course, everyone sees.

You entered with your mother, no one paying you any mind what so ever. Not that you minded any more. You had come to terms that no one would visit you.

As Simon and Daphne dance, you decide to take a walk. You have no idea what it is they discuss when alone together.

You keep your eyes peeled for any familiar faces. Yet, no one else is present in this current room.

Meanwhile, Daphne parts from Simon and is approached by another gentleman. Her wish to find a husband and have a family may very well come true.

As you enter the next room, you find Anthony in there talking with some others. His gaze lands on you, and he excuses himself from the current conversation. He approaches you.

You smile and bow your head. "Lord Bridgerton."

"Anthony, please. You call my brothers by their name."

You smile. "Anthony."

"Benedict isn't here, I'm afraid. He has elected to sit this one out. May I have the honour?" He holds out his hand.

You take a moment to take in his request. Anthony was head of his family. A viscount. Dancing with him would surely bring you attention.

You place your hand in his. "You may."

Anthony takes you back into the other room and leads you to the dance floor. He holds you as a gentleman should while dancing with a lady. You both move with the music.

Anthony look very firm as he dances with you.

"I must say, this is an honour."

"Is it?" He asks.

"I never see you dance."

"No. I suppose not. I am not beyond dancing with friends." He says kindly.

"Then I am even more so honoured to be considered such."

You both continue dancing until the music ends. You curtsy, he bows. Anthony takes your hand and leads you back to the side of the room. With swift ease, he marks his name down on your dance card.

"I shall see to it you are never left without a dance partner, my lady," he says with a bow.

You smile.

As Anthony returns to the party, you find yourself now being looked at by others. There are gentlemen looking your way.

Could it be true that Daphne is not the only one who can shine?

Soon, you are dancing again, and a few more names are scribbled across your dance card.

You think, perhaps, Daphne Bridgerton is your good luck charm.

It makes you giddy.

Safe to say, your night was splendid indeed.

♡♡♡

@callmemana - @lilscast - @imgondeletedis - @benedictbridgertonss - @clownsdiehard - @wxnterwidow333

@sillynilly27 - @autumn-slaves - @ben-has-arrived - @ajdelilah - @aadu2173

@booknerdlife - @tamlinrose - @sarahskywalker-amidala - @cheryyluv - @louschan - @lou-la-lou - @cultish-corner

@hopshusushi - @katherinejess - @nannabug - @afunkyfreshblog - @f0x33 - @dd122004dd -

@jupitervenusearthmars - @orchiidflwer - @bespinnn - @captainlunaxmen - @winchestersimpalababy -

[narcjsistx]

𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐘 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 | OS

isagi yoichi x fem reader ; words: 1.2k (1262)

coming from this event, third day, 20/12

𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ; take a look, trust me!

plot: today is an important day, very important, maybe the most important of your boyfriend's life, the dream of a lifetime finally realized: the soccer world cup. last minutes, the ball ends up in the net thanks to him. the crowd tries to win the heart of the japanese boy, but he already has your heart that has always supported him

You had known Isagi since the Blue Lock years, very important years for him. Seeing the same boy who until a few years ago ran on the small fields of your father's structure running now on the World Cup field made you feel a sort of nostalgia, but a good one: seeing him now living his dream was a great gratification for you, who had followed him from day one

The score, for 89 minutes now, is 0-0. Someone needs to do something, and quickly

The ball passes between the teammates of the Japanese team, guys you all know actually, having also been in the Blue Lock. The ball passes between the legs of Reo, who passes to Kunigami who passes back to Chigiri, who runs with his usual speed along the opposing line, not letting the ball slip away. The Japanese crowd roars like never before, while the England fans try their hardest not to watch their dream crumble more and more as the ball goes towards the net. No one would have expected Japan not to suffer a single defeat this year, not once in all the groups in the last few months; but for you, it was not unexpected. The same boys who were now playing were the same ones who had sacrificed themselves in the Blue Lock, spending hours and hours in increasingly tiring situations

Isagi runs along the enemy side, escaping from the two defenders who have been trying to mark him since the beginning of the match, failing miserably. You clasp your hands in your lap as you tremble, because today is an important day for everyone and your boy has to win, he has to, otherwise you know he will never be completely happy. Since you've been together, you've known that his goal is to get here, and now that he's on this field, he has to give everyone the demonstration of everything he's given during his years of training. He has to prove to everyone, he has to prove to you above all, that he will win. You know very well that he is playing with this awareness, even though you have told him hundreds of times that for you he is number one and that he will always be

"When I arrive on the World Cup field I will have to shine for you. I will have to repay you for all the sacrifice and love you have given me in all this time"

"Yoichi, you know very well that you don't owe me anything. I love you and I always will, whether you set foot on that field or not. You will always be my number one champion"

"I know. But I have to prove it to you while I chase my dream"

Chigiri passes the ball to Bachira, always a few meters away from your boyfriend. The two of them have always collaborated, always proving to be one of the strongest duos. You are as close to Isagi as you are to Bachira, who actually played a fundamental role in your relationship, because it is thanks to him that Isagi had the courage to declare himself after the end of the holidays after the match against the U-20. An English defender tries to steal the ball, but it doesn't end up at his feet, but at Yoichi's. You gasp, clutching your hands as Isagi starts to run, run, and run again

The crowd explodes. Screams from all sides calling his name, while he skillfully reduces the distance between the ball and the net to less and less. You scream like a loser as everything seems to transform into the goal of your boyfriend's life

The ball is thrown with a precise hit

The object flies without obstacles in front

The goalkeeper can't catch it

The ball, with a sharp thump, ends up in the net

It's Goal. The stadium remains silent for a few seconds, while everyone seems to process the meaning of the gesture. Your eyes widen, and a few tears spontaneously start to fall without you noticing. You look at Isagi, who remains still, and for a few seconds he turns towards you. He moves his lips, and in the silence you almost seem to understand his lip movements

"Did you see? I did it. I proved it to you"

The crowd roars. Everyone seems to finally understand that Japan, after years of crisis, is finally world champion, and this is thanks to your boyfriend, Isagi Yoichi, who scored the goal the team needed. Ego claps his hands, as Anri gets up from your side and starts running towards the field, while crying like a child. You remain petrified, trying to process what just happened while everything still seems unrealizable

Japan won. Isagi won

You wake up in reality when you feel Anri shaking your arm, while gesturing for you to come with her. She cries and laughs, and you see Isagi who has approached you, a few meters away from Anri, completely ignoring his teammates

You stand up, running towards Isagi, crashing into his arms as you finally start to cry on your own. You feel his muscles relax the moment you are in his arms, a contented sigh escaping his lips as he holds you close. You feel his comrades crashing into him, but he remains stable, holding you in his arms as they all surround him

"You did it! You won! I knew you could do it, but well, it's better now that it's actually a reality. You did it, Yoichi"

"I know. It's also thanks to you, you know"

"Shut up and give yourself credit for once, you idiot. But I love you, but it is not necessary to specify it"

"I'm giving it to myself. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have gotten to this level"

And so, with these words, you can read between the lines. You were the one who supported him right away, from the first day in there. You were the one who defended him in the worst moments. You were the one who held him in your arms when he was sick, mentally and physically. You were the one who loved him without him asking you

You were there for him, always. And he always did it for you, when you needed him

It's a job of equals, as everything should be: loving the other when the other doesn't love themselves and the opposite when the situation requires it. You didn't ask each other to live with each other's flaws, but you decided to stay because of the love you've felt for practically forever. You would do it again every chance you get, if you ever went back to the past, and you know he would do the same

The crowd is screaming your boyfriend's name, screaming because for the first time in years the Japanese finally have the last thing missing from their list. They are screaming the name of their savior who yes, hears them, but now can only see you in front of his eyes. He feels his teammates touching him, celebrating, but the touch that matters to him is only you in his arms after having reached his maximum level of perfection

Everyone is trying to win his heart, to have a place in the memories of the savior of Japan, but you, only you, occupy everything. And you are more than enough for him, for the striker

"Go celebrate, you deserve it"

"I'm already doing it like this. And I'm fine with it"

TAG: @natmagaesp ; @kittenish0 ; @x3nafix

[cherriesformatt]

obvious || matt sturniolo

mattxfem!reader

summary: basically the requests

warnings: fluff

word count: 1,3k

a/n: I tried my best with that requests! Again I thought combining this two would be great I hope that is okay! I know it took a long time and also I am sorry if I am not writing your requests so often! If I am not that means I am either not comfortable with writing it or i already did it in some way before. Hope everyone is good! Thanks for 552 followers thats craaaaaaazy!!!

🍒

"I think you're drooling a little y/n" I heard and it made my look away from the ice.

"I do not know what you're talking about Nick" I mumbled and started to tie my skates.

Nick only rolled his eyes on me and sat down next to me already changed from his uniform. Nick was my best friend and he and his two triplets brothers were playing in the hockey team. Chris and Matt also were my friends but I met Nick first back in the elementary school. We kinda all sticked together and were in the same friends group ever since.

I was figure skating and my practice was right after theirs on the school ice ring. I always came early to change and look at them practice. Or well...look at Matt.

At the beginning of high school I developed a huge crush on him that apparently everyone and their mothers though is was so obvious. Not to Matt tho. He never did anything towards me to show he likes me more than a friend. I would never have balls to do it first especially if it had possibility of ruining our friendship.

"Please....when are you going to tell him? It's almost prom time... are you going to suffer again because he will be asked to go by someone else? And it is our last prom..."Nick said looking down at me.

I sighed and finished my skated and stood up from the bench. The stupid rule we had in this school was that girls were supposed to ask boys to prom.

"Nick... I had a very shitty day and I do not wish to speak about this now. I am going to warm up. Bye hope you guys had a good practice. I will see you later" I said and took my sweater of and put my AirPods in.

I skated away from him and started to warm up in the corner. I did runaway from this conversation because it was not on my list today. I had a very stressful day and it was about to get better because I could get lost in music and ice.

I was glad Chris did not came to great me because he probably would make his comments and made me nervous for Matt to hear them.

I looked at him wondering why he is still on ice. He looked mad and he was hitting puck after puck to the empty net.

There was no one else here now. Nick left and the other people too. I had my practice by myself today because my coach was sick.

"Hi..." I said skating closer to him and turning down my music.

"Oh...y/n hi. I am sorry I'm still here. I was going to ask you if it's fine for me to take one corner? I had a shitty practice and I wanna work on it" He said looking at me.

He was a good player. Furious but good. So I do not know where is this coming from.

" Sure...I do nit mind. Everything okay?"I asked looking at his blue eyes. Eyes that I could think about for hours.

"I just had a very shitty day and thats all" He said.

"Tell me about it...."I laughed because we usually had a very similar mood.

"Mondays, huh?" He smiled at me and I nodded.

I smiled and took one of AirPods out and offered to him.

"Wanna listen to my happy playlist?" I smiled and he took it and took his helmet off to put it in and put his helmet back on.

"Of course you have a happy playlist..."He shook his head at me and I smiled and pressed play.

We just started to do our things and just took little glances at each-other when the songs we both well knew started to play. And let me tell you. My happy playlist was a very dirty rap and trap playlist so seeing Matt laugh at that made my evening.

"You're impossible kid, you know?" He said skating to me while I just landed from my jump.

"I do not know what you're talking about" I smiled and fixed my dress.

"Here... I need to go but that was nice... thanks for sharing" He said and gave me back my AirPod.

"Hope it made you feel a little better" I said taking it back and he just smiled and fixed his hair. It made butterflies in my stomach go wild.

"Bye y/n.... the new dress looks great on you... I love how you're all white while I'm all black" He said just before getting out of the ring and walked to the lockers.

What the fuck.

He loved that we matched? Or whatever that was. I need to seat down.

I couldn't think straight anymore so I finished my practice and went to seat down. Just as I sat down I got massage from Chris.

And they were not meant for me.

Oh my god.

That means… He liked me back? And he knew all this time?

I felt like having panic attack when I grabbed my bag and rushed out of the ring.

In the moment of when I wanted to push the doors there opened and my eyes met his.

“y/n…. I” he started when our eyes locked.

"I thought you left..." I said. I did not know what to do with myself. I was nervous and relived and exited and felt like passing out in the same time.

My heart felt like it would jump out of my chest any minute.

"I was in the car...but then..this stupid motherfucker...I swear..."Matt said and I laughed nervously.

"You knew? You knew this all time that I liked you more than a friend?" I asked looking at him nervously hugging my bag.

"I honestly I did not....I overheard your conversation with Nick...and than I told him how I feel. Chris might be stupid but he was right....I was a coward for not telling you... but it so.. o.."

"Overwhelming and scary? I know..." I interrupted him.

"But I do....I do like you back... more than a friend. You have been nothing but my escape since the begging of the year and I cannot keep this to myself. Not anymore" He said.

All I wanted do now was just to finally kiss him. I do not know where I found the courage to do so but the moment I let go of my bag I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Perhaps we should thank Chris..."I quietly said before I closed the space between us with a sweet kiss.

He was surprised with my actions but he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me even closer.

"You do not know for how long I wanted to do that..."He whispered when we moved away.

"I actually do...." I said and smiled and brushed some hair away from his forehead.

"Let me walk you to your car?" He looked at me.

I nodded and he took my bag. When we got to my car he stole one more kiss from my lips.

"So...would you like to go out with me?"He asked.

"As..."

"As my girlfriend?" He finished my sentence and I couldn't believe this was real.

"Only if you go to prom with me as my boyfriend?" I asked nervously biting the inside of my cheek.

"Of course I will..." He smiled and I swear he blushed a little.

"Then yes from me as well....and Matt?"I smiled at him.

"Yes?"

"Do not yell at Chris... he did us a favor honestly for real" I laughed.

"I know, I know... I will try my best" He smiled and walked away to his car.

I think I sat in my car for good 15 minutes and just smiled to myself before I left home and had 30 minutes face time call with Nick about this evening.

When shitty day turned to be the best day of my life.

[misc-obeyme]

the brothers have mysteriously turned into cats and the only cure is a true love's kiss from our dear MC! how would that go??

Oh anon, I may have gotten carried away with this one...

I looooooved this request! I'm totally a cat person, so it was fun to imagine how the boys would be as cats. I really enjoyed writing this, so it did end up kind of long! I will absolutely do the side characters if requested, too. :)

Thank you for the request!

Brothers turn into cats and need a true love's kiss from GN!MC.

Warnings: None! This is all pretty fluffy... in multiple ways loooool

Lucifer

You go into his office to talk to him about something and at first you think the room is empty. But then you see the tip of a fluffy black tail over the top of his desk. You walk around it to find him sitting there - the floofiest black cat you've ever seen. You recognize him from his ruby red eyes and the unamused expression. Even in cat form, his displeasure is evident. Someone is going to be answering for this later.

He will allow you to pick him up, but if anyone else tries it, he will bite and hiss at them. He will make an exception for Diavolo and, to everyone's surprise, Simeon. Everybody else only wishes they could get close enough to touch that luxurious shiny black fur. Doesn't want to leave your lap. Doesn't meow, doesn't purr, only sits quietly with an ominous aura.

You have to figure out how this even happened to begin with before you can fix it. Turns out it was the result of a curse as implemented by the Anti-Lucifer League. It takes some cajoling, but eventually Satan and Belphie tell you where they found the curse. They don't actually know how to break it, but you do a little research of your own and end up finding what you need.

Take him into his office so you can be alone with him. His pride will suffer horribly if you break the curse in front of everyone. You tell him what you're doing before you press your lips to the soft spot between his ears. Instantly returns to his usual form, wrapping his arms around you as he does. True love's kiss, was it, MC? You had better kiss him properly now that he's back to normal.

Mammon

You wake up to find a purring cat curled up on your chest in a little ball, fast asleep. He's pure white and absolutely adorable. You prod him awake and he lifts his head, opening his eyes to look at you. And that's when you know it's Mammon. You can't mistake those bright blue and gold eyes. He blinks at you in confusion before letting out a yowl.

Okay, okay, you have to calm him down! He's freaking out as he was obviously not expecting to wake up as a little cat this morning. His loud meowing summons everyone in the house. He scrambles away from them, perching himself on your shoulder. Won't budge from this spot, meowing softly into your ear the whole time. Starts purring if you pet him, but in a grudging sort of way.

You find a broken potion bottle on the floor in the foyer. You find out later that he won it off of someone in a card game, but dropped it in the dark when he was sneaking back into the house and got it all over himself. With a little help from Solomon, you figure out how to reverse the potion's effect.

He's been hiding under your bed while you were trying to figure out what happened. You coax him out, pick him up, and give his furry little cheek a smooch. When he's himself again, he's so happy and grateful, he flings his arms around you and presses you to his chest. The Great Mammon is back! How'd ya do that, MC? The minute you tell him it needed true love's kiss, he blushes profusely, but he's too happy to let you go.

Leviathan

You head to Levi’s room, prepared to play some video games, but the demon isn't there. You do find a cat with purplish black fur staring with fascination at Henry’s tank. He isn’t pawing at it, just watching with his orange eyes as the fish swims back and forth. At first you don’t recognize him, but then you see he’s sitting inside the ring of his signature headphones. There’s no question that this is Levi.

Meows loudly at you when he realizes you’re there. If you try to take him out of the room, he will squirm out of your arms and hide in his tub. Won’t leave the tub unless you’re the only one there. If any of his brothers come into the room, he’ll hiss at them from inside the tub. You’ll have to shoo everyone away to finally get him to come out. Will allow you to pet him for a bit. Buts his little head into your hand and purrs.

Jumps up onto his desk and paws at a video game case urgently. When you just look at him in confusion, he knocks the case off the desk. You finally get the hint and pick it up. Turns out this is a cursed video game. Starting it up was what turned Levi into a cat to begin with. You’ll have to play the game to figure out what you need to do to save him.

When you finally win the game and the credits start to roll, you find out that true love’s kiss is the only thing that will turn him back to normal. He meows lowly and plaintively. He clearly thinks he’s doomed to stay a cat forever. Press a sweet little kiss to his pink nose and watch him change back. Takes him a minute to realize what happened. Starts blushing like crazy. You saved him, MC! He never doubted you, of course! Please give him a hug, he is very distressed from this experience.

Satan

You’re in the library looking for Satan when you see a cat sitting on a book, tail swishing in irritation. The cat has short blonde fur and when he turns to look at you, bright green eyes. You sigh. If Lucifer finds out that Satan tried to bring home a stray, there will likely be a fight about it. You pick the cat up and it instantly starts purring, settling contentedly in your arms. You look at the book he was sitting on and that’s when it clicks.

You don’t have to search for what happened - this book is clearly the culprit. However, the book does not inform you about what you have to do to change him back. So you take the book and find Solomon because he’s the only one who will probably be able to help that Satan won’t hiss or scratch at. Even then, he only tolerates the sorcerer. Anyone who gets too close gets bitten except for you. You have to spend all your time holding and petting him to keep him distracted.

Terrorizes everyone. Let him go for two seconds and he’s knocking over everything, meowing loudly, and zooming around the room. If he’s anywhere near Lucifer, he will deliberately roll around on him just to get his black clothes full of light cat hair. Will roll over like he wants belly rubs then bite anyone who actually tries to pet him.

Finally you find out that it’s true love’s kiss that can save him. The second you hear it, you grab him and cover his fuzzy face with little kisses. He returns to normal while you’re doing this. Once you stop, he looks at you with wistful eyes. He’s certainly grateful to you for restoring him to normal, MC. But what an amazing experience to be in the form of a cat! He’s actually a little sad that he’s no longer a cat, so you’ll have to cheer him up.

Asmodeus

You’re relaxing in your own room when you are accosted by a fluffy pink ball of fur. There’s a cat now purring and kneading at your belly. He looks absolutely thrilled to be there. You look a little closer and see that somehow he has painted claws. The pink and green combo tip you off to the fact that this cat is actually Asmo. He’s got amazing long pink fur and the cutest little kitty face you could have ever imagined. You can’t help but start baby talking at him about how cute he is. He clearly loves the attention, purring happily and butting his head into your hand.

He’s precious and he knows it. Will absolutely rub himself all over everyone’s legs. Will jump into any lap that presents itself. Continual purring. Wants love and attention from everyone. Rolls over for belly rubs and actually allows his belly to be rubbed. When he’s not demanding everyone’s attention, he’s cleaning his fur carefully. Meticulous about where he goes - refuses to go outside at all. Will meow sadly if you even suggest it. You know he’s afraid he’s going to get his beautiful fur dirty out there.

You have to do a little detective work to figure out what happened. You’re searching Asmo’s room and bathroom for some sign of how he ended up this way, but you find nothing. At some point, Mammon notices that beneath all that thick fur, Asmo is wearing a really fancy collar. It looks more like a necklace… a cursed necklace. Of course. Now you have to do some research to figure out how to break the curse. You recruit all of the brothers to help you. It takes some time but in the end you figure it out together

The instant he hears that it’s true love’s kiss that will save him, Asmo jumps into your lap and looks up at you expectantly. You take a picture of him first just because he’s so cute as a cat. Then you kiss the top of his head. He turns back into his normal self, still sitting on your lap. He drapes his arms on your shoulders and leans in close, a sweet smile on his face. Oh, MC, he’s so overjoyed that your kiss broke the curse! He’s so happy, he just can’t stop himself from kissing you again. And again. And again.

Beelzebub

You hear a clatter in the kitchen, so you go to investigate. There you find a huge orange cat in the pantry surrounded by half open cans of something called broiled deathfish. It’s clear from the way the cans look that this cat cut them open with his claws. You’re in shock for a moment until you take in the purple-pink eyes and what is clearly Beel’s necklace. He looks up at you with fish bits on his whiskers.

You think about picking him up, but you can’t lift him for long. So instead you shoo him out of the kitchen. He just does whatever you tell him to for the most part. But if he even sees food of any kind, he’ll do whatever it takes to get to it. You’re constantly trying to get him off of tables and counters. He gets away with a lot though because he’s so cute. He’s an absolute unit and it’s adorable. Will let anyone pet him. Purrs happily. Gets the need to zoom around rather frequently before starting to look for food again.

You find the source of this problem fast. It’s written all over one of the empty cans of deathfish. Literally. The can explicitly states that anyone who eats it will be turned into a cat. Apparently it was for some kind of promotion that was meant to be temporary, but it didn’t work as intended. Fortunately, the company issued a statement about it, explaining the solution for this exact scenario.

You have to get down on the floor to kiss him properly. He turns back to normal, sitting cross legged in front of you. Reaches out and pulls you into his lap so he can hug you. Thank you, MC. You took such good care of him while he was a cat. And you saved him with true love’s kiss. It means so much to him, he just wants to hold you for a bit. Until his stomach growls again. Make sure you get rid of any remaining problematic deathfish cans.

Belphegor

Nobody has seen Belphie all day so you go looking for him. You don’t find him, but you do find a little black and white cat fast asleep in the laundry pile. You’re confused at first. You know about the no cats rule that Lucifer has in place. You pick up the cat who wakes up enough to look at you sleepily. The way his fur flops into one of his purple and pink eyes and the half asleep expression causes you to realize that you have found Belphie after all.

The most complacent of cats. Snoozing all the time. Will purr if you pet him, even if he's sleeping. Will make little half mewling noises in his sleep while his little paws twitch. Will let anyone pick him up. Doesn't fight, but doesn't cuddle, either. Just flops around like he's completely boneless. Prefers to be near you, though and will protest if anyone tries to take him into a different room from you. And if anyone tries to actively keep him awake, he will get annoyed enough to scratch at them.

You have no idea how this happened. Can't figure out how he turned into a cat for the life of you. You search all over the house in an attempt to figure it out, but nothing presents itself. You'll find out later that Belphie also has no idea what happened. He probably got into something cursed while he was asleep. It will forever remain a mystery. So you simply set about trying all the well known counter curses.

You're sitting on his bed when you finally kiss his little paws and he turns back into himself, half draped across you and blinking a little. He's still partly asleep. What happened, MC? He was having such a weird dream. You explain everything and tell him about true love's kiss being the thing that brought him back to normal. He snuggles into your shoulder. He didn't really care too much about being a cat, since he was asleep most of the time anyway. But he's happy that you saved him. Kisses your cheek before starting to fall asleep again.

masterlist | part 2 with the side characters | Thank you for reading!

[small-sinclair]

Whumptober Day 8: Sleep Deprivation

Rogue, Gambit, Kurt x mute human!reader (Plotinic)

Isolation Chamber

Part 2

Gambit kept his eye on the door, blinking becoming a chore now. Rogue had her head resting on his lap, sleeping soundly and breathing slow, and his arm protectively wrapped around Kurt. His blue skin and his fluffy fur were covered in grim and matted, but Gambit still made small circles on his back. Sleeping against his chest was you, their little human they all promised to protect, with his long coat draped over your shoulder. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time when officers took them to a holding cell with no windows.

Their little human...that’s what they called you when they were thrown into this chamber with blinking collars around their necks. He couldn’t use his powers to blast the door down. Rogue couldn’t take strength from the guards to fight. Nightcrawler couldn’t teleport away for help. You didn’t need the collar, but you still weren’t trusted.

One by one, each fell asleep against Gambit’s warmth. With each closing eyes, Gambit stayed alert more and more as time passed. He felt sleep calling for him, but he didn’t give in. The moment they are all asleep, something could happen, or someone will come in and harm them. It’s not fair to you; you’re a human being, not a mutant. But what makes a human being a human? There is no such thing as normal or finding a meme about the mutant world. It’s the hand they’re dealt that changes and determines fates, not by some grace of something higher than him.

He could hear Kurt argue with him about it. The minister was good in the faith; even as he slept against Gambit, crawled like a cat, he gripped his wooden prayer beads tight. He fell asleep mid-prayer, his voice fading until the murmurs turned into soft snores. The blue fuzz ball was always right about something, so why can’t he believe him this once? Leave his faith up to any god who’s listening or paying attention to them in this silent cell.

His other hand fell on Rogue, brushing her hair out of her face. Gambit felt his heart clinch and ache. He felt her hand in his earlier, and he nearly dropped to his knees in tears. Her skin is just as he imaged: soft, smooth, and warm. He wanted to feel her hands forever, and he was almost thankful for these collars that turned off their powers. He was able to kiss her goodnight without her feeling fear of hurting him or draining his strength. It would be worth it even if she did. Just to feel her close to him, his hand in hers, holding her cheek, kissing those sweet southern bell lips...all of it would be worth it. It would be worth it for her.

But she’s suffering and scared. That’s what hurts him the most. The moment he gets his hands on a key, he’ll get her out of here.

Then there’s you, the little human sleeping against his chest under his jacket. He didn’t know what to make of you when he first met you, and he still hasn’t made an opinion on you. You’re hard to read, which didn’t worry the gambler all too much, but he needed to know what side you’re on. For the most part of you being in this chamber, you kept to yourself and stayed quiet. He didn’t understand it because he thought you would be asking question after question, but your voice was never heard. To come and think of it, you didn’t make a sound when you were caught with them. You didn’t even tell them your name! Where he’s from, not giving a name or something to call you by meant you’re hiding something and have a lot to lose.

His eye lids grew heavy as they lingered over you, but he shook his head and looked up at the door. He didn’t know what was going to come next. Whatever it was, he’ll make sure to keep everyone safe. Though he’s the black sheep of the X-Men and in this room, he cared about everyone and worried. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was scared. He was terrified! But he kept his cards close to his chest and waited for whatever thought could hurt them. Gambit felt so tired and sleepy, but he forced his blood-shot eyes to stay open. He could feel bags under his eyes grow deeper and deeper as he looked forward.

Don’t sleep now, swamp rat, he heard a voice warn, they need you. They need you. Stay awake a little while longer. They need you to watch over them.

He rested his head against the wall and looked up at the empty ceiling. He'll stay awake until one of them wakes up. He'll do that for them, for you.

He felt you shift and your eyes meeting his. He could see his black and deep red eyes reflecting back at him, reminding him how little he was to you. “Go t’sleep, petit,” his said lowly. “Ya need sleep.” He gave you reassuring smile but he even though he knew he wasn’t fooling you. “I’ll be ‘right. Ain’t nothin’ Gambit can’t handle.”

Your dull eyes didn’t waver from him as if you were trying to say something through your thoughts. You shook your head and pointed at yourself then pointed at him, folding your hands under head and acting like you were sleeping, then pointed at him once more.

He blinked twice and lifted a brow. “What’re ya goin’ on about?” He watched you repeat the motion. “Can’t ya talk?” You shook your head. “Shit, dat makes sense, petit.” Gambit bit his lower lip and shook his head. “I’ll be ‘right. Told you already, mon ami.”

Again, you shook your head. In his eyes, you could see how tired he was. The fight in front of your little store was a rough one, and knowing that he’s forcing himself to stay awake wasn’t healthy for him or for everyone in this chamber. The steel door was haunting, cold, and unforgiving to look at. You looked back at him and nodded, looking at him as if you were saying “everything’s okay now”. He was fighting to stay awake, but your warm hand slipped under his jaw and your thumb made small circles.

Gambit found himself leaning into the touch, closing his eyes as he did. The tension in his body was fading and his head resting in Kurt’s hair. It felt like a pillow—

“No,” he whispers, murmuring his words tired and slurred. Gambit forces his head back up and blinked away the sleepiness. He was fighting it, fighting to stay awake. He’s X-Men; he has to protect you. Your eyes looked at him with a mixture of hurt and disappointment, a look someone gave him when he was a boy. “S’il te plait, petit. I’ll be alright. Dors, s’il te plait.”

Defeated, you nod and laid your head back down on his chest. He watched as you drift back to sleep, envying of your dreams. Gambit shifts his eyes back at the steel door once more and took a deep breath. He'll stay awake as long as his body is willing. Even after that, he’ll burn the other end of the candle to stay awake. He’ll keep you safe along with his friends. It’s the least he can do. It’s all he can do.

[nevadancitizen]

-> HURTING, LONGING, LOVING – DANCING TO DISCO MUSIC

synopsis: you wake up and have no memory of simon. you can only hope to find him among your fractured memories and the scattered lights of a disco ball.

word count: 2.3k

characters: simon "ghost" riley, amnesiac! gn! reader

trigger warnings: transient global (aka temporary) amnesia, mentions of canon-typical violence/interrogation

notes: heavily inspired by disco elysium and part one of @roosterr 's amnesia series. go give it a read if you haven't already (＊๑˘◡˘)

Nothing surrounds you. Only warm, primordial blackness – the pond you learn about in Biology 101, the one where everything and everyone comes from. You don’t know this, of course, because you’re curled up in it, your mind fermenting in it. You’re no larger than a grain of yeast. You don’t have to do anything anymore. Ever. Never, ever.

But you’re growing. Gram upon gram of yeast, slowly morphing into meat. Muscles and bones and organs and a beating pig heart, decaying as soon as they grow. Soon you’ll need to do things. There’s a faint tickle of an idea. Soldiers. Battlefields. IEDs and tanks. You don’t know what to do with this information.

Somewhere within the idea – a sensation! Pain. Arcing, shooting pain, lightning through every new nerve in your new body. The limbed and headed machine of pain and barely-dignified suffering is firing up again. It wants to walk the streets of Manchester. Hurting. Longing. Loving. Dancing to disco music.

It wants someone. You want someone. A blurred-out face, someone you’re kneeling at the feet at. A ghost of a man. So lost he doesn’t even know what his face looks like. 

“I swore I wouldn’t let you go,” your barely-formed mouth mumbles. Your teeth are hot, melted-together plastic and your tongue is jet-fuel-fired rebar. 

Look up. No. You were just talking to yourself. That’s all you ever do. Even in this primordial pool. And the act is wearing thin, the spots of the disco ball fade around you…

The warm blackness is instantly replaced with a cold, artificial light. You bring your hand up to block it – since when have you had these? Gangly things with a red wire further down in… your elbow. That’s not a wire – that’s a tube. Of blood? Your blood. You have blood.

You remember now. You were born with hands and elbows, knees, feet, organs and fat and a copious amount of blood. A collarbone you’ve broken more than once. A body that was molded in the crucible of battle.

And holy shit does that body hurt. That hindbrain wasn’t exaggerating when it said that you are a being of suffering. 

A dull throbbing is behind your eyes as they rove around the room. They land on a button neatly labeled Call Nurse. You press it and wait.

Everything after that is a blur. Nurses, doctors, “Follow my finger with your eyes, but don’t move your head,” poking and prodding with various instruments, “Tilt your head back so I can feel your neck,” blue latex gloves, “How much do you remember?”, bright lights in your eyes.

One nurse checks the dressings on your forehead. It’s just above your temple. His hands are rubbery and unfeeling as he re-dresses it. A trickle of cold liquid dribbling down from an alcohol swab. Bandages press against your skin. “What’s your name and date of birth?”, “Can you name the members of the task force you’re a part of?”

A man cuts through the blur as he comes thundering through the door. A balaclava with a skull pattern. Three men are behind him, hanging in the doorframe, out of the way. But the man moves quickly towards you, standing on the edge of the crowd of medical professionals, pacing back and forth, eyes on you, like how a sheepdog circles its sheep. Longing, waiting. Held back by an invisible leash of respect.

After a while, most of the personnel disperse, leaving you with a transient global amnesia diagnosis, a nurse, and the men. But even then, they leave after casting a glance at the sheepdog.

He moves closer, then stares at you for a while. He’s expecting something. His brown eyes are like sodium lights. A small trickle of streets and the sky. In your mind, you know he’s the place to be. You’re still alive while he’s around. 

Yeah. He’s groovy. You want to disco with him. He is disco. But somewhere, a deep unaccessed area of your mind is saying, “You don’t want to disco like this. Not really. Not in the deepest part of your soul, where blond eyelashes only make you sad.”

Wait – come on, what are you talking about? Sad blond eyelashes? Blond eyelashes are fun!

“Why do I hurt all of a sudden?”

“Hey, it’s alright, darl.” He kneels by your bed and takes your hand in both of his. They’re warm, rough, calloused in places you thought couldn’t be calloused. “It’s me, it’s Simon.”

“What?” You pull your hand away from his. “I don’t know a Simon.”

Simon scoffs, but it’s more of an exhale of disbelief. “Don’t you remember me?”

“No.” You narrow your eyes. “Should I?”

Simon crumbles before you. His sodium streetlight eyes go out with an explosion of guilt – the bulbs pop with a fizzy sound. He looks like he should be groveling at the feet of a feudal lord, providing excessive evidence of his crimes, or throwing a cat-of-nine-tails over his shoulder and ripping the flesh from his own back. Whatever made him this way – you can be damn sure it was your fault. Those three simple words, instead of “I love you,” are “No. Should I?” 

“It’s me.” Simon’s voice cracks as he speaks. Tears flood his waterline. He takes off his mask, revealing his pale face and dyed-blond hair. “It’s your Simon.”

“Simon,” you say softly. You look at him and hurt. A hole in your still-beating pig heart. Blood spills out from where the bullet went in. 

“No. Nothing.” You look down at his hand. It’s palm-up, splayed out where you let go of it. It curls up into a fist, then Simon pulls it into his lap.

He says nothing. Just stares at you like you’re familiar yet somehow unknown. 

You don’t know what to say. You just can’t conjure up any thoughts as you stare back. The morphine can’t be the cause of your dumbness. And it certainly isn’t the new modafinil that was just introduced to your system. 

You search his eyes and feel, above all things, lost. Lonely in a hospital full of people. 

Simon pulls away. His breathing is heavy and labored. A single tear slips down his scarred cheek. He doesn’t look like he’s one to cry. The tear leaves a trail of wet that looks like a new scar.

He tugs his balaclava back on and shuffles out, casting one last longing glance over his shoulder before closing the door behind him with a soft click.

That’s where it is. He is disco. He’s stumbling through the streets of Manchester. Hurting. Longing. Loving. Dancing to disco music.

You’re stuck in the hospital for a week for physical therapy and observation. Simon visits intermittently. He brings things to jog your memory – men that are part of Task Force 141, small snow globes from where you and he have apparently been deployed. Some of them work. But none of them bring back any memory of your apparent relationship with Simon – your boyfriend.

Today he comes in with a small device. It’s not a phone, but resembles it. A small wire comes from the amp and ends in a small circle of plastic.

You point at it. “What’s that?”

“It’s a contact microphone.” Simon settles in the chair that’s set up by your bed. He points at the blocky part of it. “This part holds the recording. You can play it back if needed.”

“Are you going to play it back?” You ask.

“No,” Simon says. “This one is blank.”

You take it from Simon’s hand and turn it over, looking at it. Examining. “Then why are you showing me this?”

“You are…” Simon sighs, trying to find the words. “You were a profoundly talented interrogator. You used contact microphones to record the interrogation, the confessions, the works. There’s a specified interrogation chamber underground. Contact microphones pick up the noise better down there.”

You continue looking it over. Fiddling with the wire. Running your thumb over the mesh of the microphone.

“Anything?” Simon says.

You close your eyes and think. Contact microphone… violence, blood. There’s a welding torch in there somewhere. The smell of bubbling flesh and burning hair. Cauterization without anesthesia. It was that way on purpose.

You open your eyes and look at Simon. “Interrogation.”

“Obviously.” Simon huffs out a laugh. It sounds forced. “I told you that.”

“Yes.” You sigh, looking down at the contact microphone. You try to think more. Contact… physical contact. Your fist making contact. Something hard. Solid bone breaking under your hands. 

But also… something soft. Something that smells good. Smells homey. A black hoodie with some cheesy skull pattern on it. Actually, a closet full of black and grey clothes. A monotone voice to match a monotone closet.

The clothes smell faintly of cigarettes. A carton that’s mostly empty. They taste better than regular cigarettes – they’re some European brand. 

“Do…” You look up at Simon. “Do you smoke?”

“Why?” Simon asks. “Do I smell like cigs?”

“No. Just…” 

You close your eyes and try to remember more. The carton is a brown-orange color. The back is plastered with warnings about nicotine being an addictive chemical. No filters. A smooth, walnut-esque finish.

“Revaality,” you finally say and look up at Simon. 

“Yes! Yes.” Simon takes your hand instinctively, excitedly. He smiles. Like crying, it doesn’t really fit him, but you’re glad he’s smiling anyway. “That’s the brand I smoke. I smoke Revaality.”

He takes your face in his hand and guides you to look at him. His sodium light eyes are bright once again. “Anything else? Lovie, please…”

You cringe away from his touch. Again, Simon is punched in the fucking face when he remembers that you don’t know him. Not like that. 

Simon pulls his hands away. “Shit. I…”

“It’s okay,” you say quickly. “I know.”

I know you know a different version of me. The thought lingers, loud and unsaid. Simon, you’re a man with a lot of past, but little present, and almost no future. I’m sorry we only live in your memories, because I don’t even have those.

“I’m trying.” You look down at the contact microphone. “Believe me, I’m trying.”

“I believe you,” Simon says. “It’s just… it’s hard.”

Silence for a while. The artificial lights above you buzz and cast harsh shadows on Simon’s face. He looks… tired. 

“I still love you,” he says quietly. Almost a whisper. “I… you’re the best thing to ever happen to me.”

He rests a hand on the railing of your hospital bed. “I’m not the best. I drink. I smoke. I have a laundry list of mental issues and types of trauma. So much it’s not even funny.”

“But you…” he sighs. “You fell in love with me anyway.”

You look up at him. He’s crying again. A pang of empathy in your heart. You don’t know why, but you don’t want to see him cry. The tears that cut through the dirt on his face are unbefitting. 

“I’m sorry.” Your voice is a mirror of Simon’s. Soft and wavering. “I want to remember. I don’t even know what happened to me. The doctors always dance around it when I ask.”

Simon bunches the end of his sleeve up in his hand and wipes away his tears. “You were a fucking idiot. That’s what happened.”

You scoff. “Excuse me?”

“Not in a bad way.” Simon lets go of his sleeve and rests his hand on the railing of your bed again. “You love too much and too hard. You saved me.”

“It… the building…” He squeezes his eyes shut, forcing his waterline to clear of tears. “The building was coming down. We thought we were out of danger close. But there was a piece of rebar that…”

Simon looks down at his lap. He’s ashamed. “It was supposed to hit me. I was supposed to die. I’m used to it. I’m used to close calls and blood transfusions.”

“But I’m not used to…” He glances up at you through his eyelashes. His long, blond eyelashes. “People I care about being hurt. Or people caring about me in general.”

“Simon.” You reach out and lay your hand over his where it rests on the railing. He holds his breath like he’s afraid.

A pause. You want to be sure of your words before you speak. 

“I’m going to try my damndest to remember,” you say. “Even if I don’t remember everything, I – I want to try to learn to care about you again. Because, based on our limited interactions, I know you’re a good man. Even if you drink and even if you smoke and even if you have a laundry list of mental issues and an assortment of trauma.”

Simon slowly brings his other hand and rests it on top of yours. His callouses brush against your knuckles. Abrasive yet comforting in a way you barely remember. 

“Thank you,” he whispers. “Really, truly. Thank you.”

And, in this moment, Simon finally has some sense of control in an ever-turbulent world. The world that tried to take his one and only love. The world that has taken his one and only love and is only now feeding him droplets of what he knows – what he once knew. He must exercise this control carefully, lest he lose you again. 

In the sky, there are no dogfights and no silverplate bombers. Only stars and the rabbit curled up on the moon and a singular winking comet. God is in Heaven. Everything is normal on Earth.

Somewhere, the spots from a disco ball freckle the dance floor once again.

[milaisreading]

🌱🩷: Here is the 1st Charles Chevalier request. Smn wanted me to make a chapter from that one scenario I made a few hours ago.

Warnings: Reader uses she/her, but since she is crossdressing, the guys use he/him. Requests are open

⚽️Blue Lock belongs to Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke ⚽️

A few days have passed since the match Blue Lock and the U-20 team had. It was a huge deal, since it was the deciding match for the project, and it was even broadcasted internationally. Even Sae, one of the New Gen 11 members participated on the side of the Japanese team. Something that surprised his peers, everyone knew that Sae was pretty adamant on not playing for the team, ever. So once that got out, other players that were acquainted somewhat with Sae were glued to the TV to watch it. They were surprised to see the Blue Lock team holding up well, especially with Sae and Shidou on the team, with 3 standing out in particular. There was Rin Itoshi, the younger brother of Sae and vice-captain, who scored the 1st goal. As expected, most of the New Gen11 thought. The 2nd and 3rd ones were guys who the players never met or heard of before, aside from Loki. Isagi Yoichi, the one to score the winning goal, and to pretty much shake Sae Itoshi's balance during the game. And then there was (Y/n) (L/n), the captain of the team, midfielder, and the one who kept the game under control the most. She caught the attention of one player in particular, Charles Chevalier. The midfielder of PXG and France's U-20 team. The boy was curious with the precision the captain had when passing the ball to the other players. Not only that, but also calculating every move the opposite team made was not something Charles expected from someone who wasn't a pro. A no name player, basically.

After the final goal was scored, the boy already had made up his mind. While the game was interesting and all, he wanted to watch more of the midfielder. He didn't like it, but he had to admit that he wanted to learn more about the player. Her plays, stats, everything. But sadly, there wasn't much Charles could go off on. And he wanted to drop it, he will eventually meet the palyer, he believed she was capable enough to score a spot in a pro-team. That was all until Loki told him the news of PXG being invited to play in Blue lock, and Charles immediately agreed. How could he say no?

Timeskip...

Now, Loki was used to messes. He was a coach now, so he had to be used to that. But this! This was beyond what his nerves could take. Not only did he have to suffer through Rin and Shidou's arguments, now Rin decided to argue with Isagi over the most useless things imaginable.

"What happened to having a calm dinner..." Loki sighed, walking over to pull them apart, something Kurona decided to help him with. Charles was the whole time standing to the side, smiling as he found the whole situation amusing.

'I hope they are done soon. I need to analyze (Y/n)'s play from today. Didn't expect him to leave Manshine in the dust like that.'

"Are you guys arguing again?"

"Calm down, Hiori. You know how they are."

"Aren't you going to do anything, (Y/n)?"

Charles quickly turned his head towards the entrance, only to see the player he was most excited to meet standing next to the blue-haired boy.

'Finally!' Charles grinned.

"What do you expect me to do? They have been like that ever since they first met." (Y/n) laughed in amusement, sending an apologetic smile towards Loki, who returned it.

"Loor Loki-san, he is too overwokred." (Y/n) said as Hiori nodded his head along.

"Let's just stop their fight and go eat-"

"Ah! Finally I get to meet you, Blue Lock's golden midfielder."(Y/n) stopped talking and turned to look at the boy who was approaching her. The girl raised an eyebrow as Hiori tensed up a little.

'What's with that look?' The cyan-haired boy thought suspiciously. (Y/n) ignored the arguing for a moment as the boy grinned playfully.

"What?" Was the only thing she said.

"Charles Chevalier, PXG's midfielder. Pleased to finally meet you, (L/n) (Y/n)." The girl's eyes widened at the way he used her name. Sure, she was ranked pretty high on the list, but someone to know her full name was unexpected.

"Uh... N-nice to meet you as well, Chevalier-san. Did you need something-"

"I will get straight to the point with you." Charles interrupted her, yet again and swung his arm around her shoulders.

"Hey! Personal space!" Hiori yelled at Charles, but got no acknowledgment back. This caused the group to stop for a moment and look back at the duo.

'Oh God...' Loki groaned, knowing very well how Charles was with this player in particular.

"Uhm... get to the point with what?" (Y/n) wondered.

"I want you to play for me." Charles said simply.

"Uh... I am in a different team, so no can do." (Y/n) said, laughing nervously. The boy's grin was off putting to her.

"I know." Charles rolled his eyes and pouted a little.

"And while I was annoyed at first, I am happy now. I will have a chance to finally play against you. Tho, I rather have you playing for me."

(Y/n) kept quiet, unsure where all of this was going.

"You are very interesting, (Y/n). I like you~ don't disappoint me!" Charles giggled, packing her cheek.

"Haa?!" The girl yelled in surprise, face flushing a deep red.

"Asshole! Don't do that so randomly!!" Hiori yelled at the French boy, making his way to separate them. Kurona was holding back a blood thirsty Isagi, while he was fighting back his own rage.

"Stop it, Rin." Loki warned, his grip on Rin's shirt tightening.

"I will kill that bastard." The younger Itoshi mumbled.

[idontknowreallywhy]

Following in his footsteps

a.k.a. How to Infuriate Your Engineer

Finished this idea off on the commute so apologies for typos, clumsy wording and for inconsistencies in the sounds Brains stutters on…

It’s a bit of a mystery as to why Scott, the first born, was named after the 4th of the Mercury Seven whose flight and piloting decisions were somewhat controversial and left him in conflict with flight control (sound familiar?). Anyway I find myself intrigued by that particular 1960’s flyboy, particularly as to one thing he did 1/3 of the way through his trip with his fuel running low…

✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️

“S-SCOTT C-C-CARPENTER TRACY!!!”

John later confirmed that this was indeed the first time in Tracy history that Brains ever been apoplectic enough to middle name any of them. His ire was usually quiet and dry, with occasional sarcasm. Every so often some non-vital but comfort-providing item might be removed from a Thunderbird for “essential maintenance”… the cushioning of One’s pilot seat, the power supply to Two’s coffee machine…

But generally, after more than a decade living with the Tracys, their long-suffering engineer had cultivated the talent of providing emotionally restrained feedback. Albeit there was good reason MAX was unable to mimic the phrases that were muttered over mangled landing gear, flooded engines, overstrained thrusters and the like.

This Wednesday morning, however, something had clearly pushed him over the edge.

“What did you doooo?” Alan hissed in alarm and was immediately shushed by a heavily frowning Virgil, whose fingers appeared unable to release the unfortunately tense chord he’d just leaned into. John’s hologram popped up looking serious. Even Gordon looked incredibly uncomfortable.

From the guilt-ridden look on Scott’s face, he could think of least three reasons his neck might be on the block this morning.

A tightly wound ball of fury approached the seating area and the speed with which International Rescue’s commander leapt from the couch betrayed his initial instinct to bolt from the room and never stop running. However, decades of experience of facing the music from many and varied sources meant his feet remained firmly rooted to the floor, while the rest of his body sought the security of parade rest.

Brains stood in front of him vibrating with rage. The ends of MAX’s arms were positioned at an approximation of where the robot’s hips might be. The room held its breath. Virgil’s foot remained wedged against the sustain pedal. The melodramatic chord continued reverberating around the lounge.

The engineer suddenly raised a hand and everyone flinched. Had their friend finally resorted to violence?

Scott closed his eyes and awaited whatever engineering justice was deemed merited for… whatever it was he had done.

But the shorter man’s movement as he reached up to Scott’s face was slow, deliberate and with a slight frown of concentration he stuck a 75mm square of blue duct tape precisely in the middle of Scott’s forehead.

Virgil jaw dropped and his foot finally slipped off the pedal. The dampers clunked back into place, allowing an ominous silence to reign for a few moments.

The colour coded rolls of multi-purpose tape included within each baldric was one of Brains’ affectionate little thematic touches but also acted as a crude fingerprint… blue tape could only ever have been used by one person.

The Commander’s eyebrows twitched almost audibly as he tried to puzzle out the strange sensation but his eyes remained screwed shut.

When Brains spoke it was barely more than a whisper and the brothers in the room found themselves leaning in. The brother in space appeared to have located a bucket of popcorn.

“D-do you h-happen, to know how l-long I have spent p-perfecting One’s fuel reserve s-system, S-Scott?”

Scott swallowed, hard, and opened his eyes again.

“Quite a long time?”

“Yes.”

“Ahh, did I ever thank you? I should have, I’m very sorry - thank you for that and for all your work, Brains. It really is appreciated.”

“Is it?”

“Of course!”

“Hmmm.”

Scott opened his mouth again but, accepting that his attempt to divert the conversation had failed, clearly thought better of digging any deeper until the nature of the situation became more clearly defined.

Brains’ hand lifted for a second time, another square of blue tape delicately held between thumb and forefinger. This was placed with some care on the very tip of Scott’s nose.

Alan snorted. Gordon punched him in the arm and was elbowed back. Virgil glared them into silence then nearly lost control himself at the sight of his elder brother going cross eyed in an attempt to establish what on earth he was being decorated with.

Brains spun on his heel to face the rest and they all leaned back hurriedly, feigning casual interest. Nobody wanted to appear to be aware of, to be accidentally associated with whatever crime it was Scott had committed.

“Th-thunderbird One uses t-two fuels but h-has th-th-three fuel tanks. As you all know, th-the balance of fuel t-to achieve m-maximum speed is p-precisely c-calculated and th-the system that g-governs it is h-highly sophisticated.”

Everyone nodded except Scott who was trying and failing to pretend he was unbothered by the additions to his face. His nose twitched compulsively.

“D-due to certain t-tendencies of her p-rimary p-p-pilot, One h-has a reserve t-tank. Th-that blend of fuel w-will not achieve the h-highest speeds b-but will ensure she is able t-to return h-home if a SENSIBLE…” the word was ground out as if it was painful “…speed is m-maintained.”

Brains paused. Every eye in the room shifted to Scott. Max bleeped, judgementally. Brains continued, his voice deadly calm and deeply terrifying for it.

“T-to ensure One’s p-pilot d-does not m-miss the fuel status w-warnings amongst th-the p-p-plethora of information on the h-holographic display I installed th-three LED bulbs t-to m-make it QU-QUITE CLEAR w-when l-levels w-were running low and w-when speed n-needed t-to be m-m-m-moderated in order t-to avoid d-damage t-to her supply p-p-p-p-pipeline a-a-a-and e-en-en-engines!”

Brains’ veneer of calm was cracking and Scott, who had clearly solved the mystery, appeared to be chewing through the inside of his face. Brains spun back to face the object of his wrath. MAX’s mechanical eyes narrowed.

“W-warning l-lights are only effective w-when th-they are v-visible!”

Scott gulped and fell back on the only defence he had left - he gave his old friend a dimpled half-grin and a doomed attempt at mitigation:

“They were a little… distracting?”

“D-distracting.”

The full stop was potent and echoed around them. Brains appeared on the edge of an eruption the like of which Tracy Island had never seen, even when the volcano was active. But he mastered himself and produced a final square of tape which he held in front of Scott’s face for a moment before slapping it down on to the top of his head, rubbing it slightly to ensnare as much perfectly styled hair as possible before storming from the room.

MAX remained just long enough to shake a medium-weight hydro-spanner with extreme prejudice before flouncing impressively and trundling after his master.

Alan and Gordon clung to each other, faces contorted with silent mirth. Virgil caught John’s eye then cleared his throat and appeared about to speak before being forestalled by his Commander’s raised palm.

Lacking a little of his usual gravitas due to the tape fluttering gently in the huffed breath from his nose, Scott still poured every ounce of authority he had left into an order of three short syllables:

“Not. A. Word.”

[theallianceofcelestials]

So @deyisacherry was curious about the Wedding AU I mentioned in my previous post, so here it is. Prepare for crack and a crossover with TSAMS.

So first of all, timelines. Over MASM it's pre-Chica introduction, and over at TSAMS it's pre-Subtle Foreshadowing *suffering screams intensify*

Beware, pure crack:

Sooo MASM Eclipse, the fucking creature, falls through a rift in between dimensions, and crawls out of the ballpit over at TSAMS's Daycare while Sun is the only in there, probably cleaning. So, in typical MASM Eclipse (is there a specific nickname for him? Like with Moonblock and Sunblock?) way the guy is raving about something - probably how much better he is, and what the heck are these shapes (balls) - and Sun, having dealt with crazy before, starts agreeing and praising the guy, so he'll leave and crawl back to where he came from.

But with the flavor of entity MASM Eclipse is, he falls for the guy who so clearly is the only sane person, having noticed immediately how much superior Eclipse is. And literally (I can't emphasize that enough) in a blink of an eye, Sun goes from being in the Daycare to walking down a wedding aisle, with the Creator strapped to a gurney rolling down beside him. He's in a white wedding suit that he doesn't know where it came from, nor how it's fitting him so well.

On one side of him, are all his family members tied to rolling chairs. Earth, Solar, Lunar, Dazzle and Jack sit in the front row with Nexus, Ruin and Dark Sun of all people sitting behind them. Lunar has already tipped his chair over and is gnawing on Nexus's tied leg. He can see Monty, Eclipse V4, Foxy and FC with Puppet behind them, along with their new dimension's Sun/Moon. A row or so behind them, also tied somehow, are Gemini, Nebula and Taurus. And in the very back row, taking up the entire row, is the Wither Dragon. Sun doesn't know how it's there. Tied. With rope.

On his other side are also tied people, a Sun, Moon, Monty, Freddy, Foxy and Roxy. The Sun seems to be switching between trying to squirm out of the ropes, and glowering at the Moon, while the Moon is staring at him, then the Sun, looking dead on the inside a little.

He's so distracted by the mind numbing confusion he doesn't hear what the priest is saying to him, only giving a haphazard "Yeah, sure." when he's asked about something. And then there's a ring on his finger. And he gets a smooch from the Eclipse. That's when he realises he just got married. To an Eclipse. Next to him, in the spot reserved for the best man/maid of honor, Moon looks just as shocked.

After a bit he's mentioning how he thought he'd be the best man on his brother's wedding, but at least he'd know his brother's significant other before the wedding.

During the after ceremony party, Sun begins to slowly untie his family's hands after Ruin mentions he wants cake, and Sun's in too big shock to be like: yeah, I hate this guy kinda. So he unties people's hands at least, ignoring Dark Sun, Nexus, the Creator, the Wither Dragon and the weird other dimensional people. Jack and Dazzle, having never been tied, are picking flowers. (Dazzle was the flower girl)

Sun, kind of afraid, asks Eclipse what they'll do on their wedding night, and Eclipse answers they'll do what everyone does obviously, Sun begins to sweat, plot evil things.

The cake is actually pretty good, which he mentions to his new husband, who boasts that of course, his chef is the best. He then points to said chef, and Sun asks if he's that blue rabbit. To which Eclipse says his chef i no rabbit, only knowing one blue bunny who's his arch nemesis, Bonnie the bunny. Who's a sheriff.

Now I kinda thought it'd be cool if the quick select inventory of MASM people was actually their belt, and visible to people from other dimensions who aren't from Minecraft dimensions, so Sun can see the glaring sheriff hat, which he asks his husband about. He's kinda shocked to find Eclipse(block????????) can't see the glaringly obvious thing there.

So he goes up to the "chef" to ask whether he's a sheriff or nah, and when a gun gets pointed at him, with a whisper of don't blow my cover, he gets kinda angry and just hits off the chef hat to replace with the sheriff one. Eclipse obviously pulls a Doofenshmirtz, and yells at everyone to get down, also pulling out a gun. So a shoot out starts happening, and Sun just backs away.

Moon suggests he grabs the tazergun that's on him, and he does so, warning his apparent husband and shooting the rabbit multiple times, because despite how sudden this is, and with whom it is, this is STILL HIS WEDDING AND HE'S NOT ABOUT TO HAVE IT BE EVEN MORE RUINED

They kinda just leave Bonnie there, and Sun tells his husband they're gonna have rabbit stew. Eclipse happily exclaims: Great! Sun get the stew, he'll get the rabbit. Then he leaves Sun there.

He turns towards the people he assumes are from his new husband's dimension, and asks if this is normal. It's important to note Monty's and Foxy's snouts are taped, and Moonblock is crying on the ground face down. Sunblock tells him yes.

Seeing as he's the only semi sane one, because the Freddy's just kind of smiling into the void, he unties Sunblock too, who follows him into the kitchen.

Upon learning the horrifying situation that's happening in MASM, he takes this kid under his wing, because what the hell, and begins teaching him how to cook. He's kind of having a freak out about how everything Sunblock cuts or peels ends up cube shaped.

Eclipse(block) returns with a "rabbit" that's actually just a person in a bunny suit, so Sun tells him it's not good enough for their 'evil stew', and Eclipse(block) agrees, throwing the person out. Before he can leave, Sun texts him an actual rabbit farm's address, so they don't end up with another human in a rabbit costume situation.

He actually tells Sunblock he's proud of him when he finishes cutting up the potatoes, and the kid begins crying so hard it's concerning. He pats him on the back a little, telling him to watch the stew, while he goes out to talk with Moonblock, to ask why he's crying still.

Freddy tells him Moonblock has been in love with Sunblock this entire time, and is just bad at expressing his affection and thought his bullying was teasing, so Sun makes an offer to coach him about it, because he knows what a Sun likes, (maybe??), so he can help Moonblock better himself so Sunblock will maybe like him. He asks his Moon and EAPS Moon to be positive role models for him.

Then he sets Jack on Bonnie, telling him he said a mean thing about Dazzle. When Solar tries stepping in, he tells him the MASM lore, so Solar decides to look away just this once. They also set Jack on MASM Foxy and Monty.

It is now a good time to mention that during the wedding, because of his loud hackling and insults, Eclipse(block??) created a remote out of a stick, a leaf and the priest's spit of all things, and muted the Creator. Other people - see Nexus - were muted in a different way.

Upon return to the kitchen is is flooded with tears, and the stew is now overly salty. Sun doesn't mention this however, deciding to add pasta instead too. Eclipse(block) return with an actual - live - rabbit, and when Sun mentions skinning it, he just stabs it, earning the loot from it. Sun is horrified to find the organs and bones gone.

He asks his new husband how to unmute people, getting told to just say unmute, and he leaves his husband with their new 'evil apprentice'. He thinks he sees Eclipse read a parenting book.

He approaches Dark Sun, hoping he has answers about what's going on, but he only gets a negative, but they both confirm it's probably a Minecraft dimension, and not a fever dream. Then Sun unmutes Nexus too, not before warning him to behave because the only thing keeping him alive right now is Sun tellin g Taurus to wait until after the wedding to kill him, because it's a happy occasion, and leaves him and Dark Sun against a table with a slice of cake each. They're still tied. (And the Wither Dragon's dead)

Sun also tells Moon about the rabbit thing, because he's horrified, and Moon asks if he could do experiments on Sun's new hubby. Sun declines for now.

They think Bonnie is dead, not being able to survive another dimension's laws and weapons, or is at least on the brink of death. Since he's still twitching.

So far it's only this, but like the future of this holds potential for a lot of crack treated semi-seriously. And also to better Sunblock and Moonblock's relationship, so they don't get to where canon is.

[skribbyposts]

Zosan haircut time!!!!

had to write this after getting the idea from my last post lmao. I love the idea of Sanji being like "ugh you look fucking terrible" and then forcing Zoro to take care of himself. they're so stupid and gay and in love omg. beginning part is mostly Zoro and Nami but that's ok because they're wlw/mlm solidarity always!!!!

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

More than anything, Zoro loves sunbathing on the Sunny's deck. Something about the warm light makes him want to melt into the wood. However, Zoro finds it very hard to enjoy the sun when it is boiling outside, and he swears he can hear his sweat sizzle when it meets the wooden flooring.

"We're going through a summer climate, just wait it out." Nami sips on her martini, laid out on a lounge chair and taking cover under an umbrella.

"Easy for you to say, you witch. You stole all the shade." While Nami's basking in the shadow of her parasol, Zoro's sprawled out on deck, sweating his fucking balls off. His whole body is damp, and he's stripped down into just a pair of loose shorts to cool off.

"Go hang out with your boyfriend in the kitchen," She says.

"He's not my boyfriend. I fucking hate you."

"The feeling's mutual, you sweaty loser."

Zoro groans, peeling himself off of the floor to sit up and comb his fingers through his shaggy hair. It's too long to stay out of the way, and it's uncomfortably wet where it sticks to his forehead. Zoro would tie it back, but it's too short for that. In short, he is suffering.

"I'm gonna die from heatstroke because of you," Zoro shakes the excess moisture from his hands.

Nami scoffs. "Stop whining, hop in the sea or something."

Zoro briefly considers this, but decides that's more effort than it's worth and tries to take a nap instead.

Zoro hears someone stroll out of the galley, and cracks his eye open to see Sanji balancing a tray of smoothies in one hand with a beach towel in the other. He's dressed down, an open Hawaiian shirt and blue shorts replacing his usual suit.

"Hello, my darling, Nami-san! I've just prepared smoothies. Would you like one?"

"Yes, Sanji-- thank you so much," She says smugly, while looking directly at Zoro. "You're a saint, You know that?"

He watches the cook hand Nami a drink from the tray, and Sanji's eyes follow her gaze to the floor where he's lying. "Oh my god, marimo. you look like -excuse my language, Nami-san- a fucking caveman."

"What are you talking about?" Zoro would pick a fight, but it's way too hot to bother.

The blonde cringes. "Your hair looks like someone ate it and then spat it back out onto your head."

"Okay, well, fuck you too then!" God, everyone's out for him today. What has Zoro ever done to deserve this?

"Ugh. Stand up, you dunce." Sanji nudges Zoro's head with a sandaled foot. "You need a haircut."

"I can give myself a haircut." Zoro nods in the direction of his swords, trying to move as little as possible.

"Are you insa- no! I'm cutting your hair, properly. Now get up."

"I don't wanna."

"I swear to god," Sanji sighs. "My dearest Nami, do you mind holding this for a bit?"

Nami peers at the two of them through her oversized sunglasses, a knowing smirk on her face as she takes the tray from Sanji's hands. "No problem."

Zoro doesn't have time to get a word in before Sanji reaches for his ear and bodily drags him all the way to the bathroom.

----- "I don't understand how you let it get this bad," The blonde lectures.

Zoro grumbles as he slouches on a stool in front of the bathroom sink, glaring at his own reflection. Sanji was partially right with his comment earlier - Zoro's hair is a damp, scraggly mess on top of his head right now. From where he is, Zoro can see the cook as he lines up all his fancy hair-cutting stuff, whispering insults under his breath. He looks kind of...domestic, out of his suit. It's the one thing Zoro appreciates whenever the Sunny passes through climates like this. "Okay, I'm going to attempt to fix this mess, and you are going to stay still," Sanji asserts as he slides into place behind Zoro. "as in, do not move."

"I know what 'stay still' means."

"Surprising. I thought you only spoke in grunts."

They both fall silent, Sanji draping a towel over Zoro's shoulders and clicking a button on the clippers in his hand. Gentle fingers push Zoro's head forward to access the strands at the nape of his neck. The whirring of the machinery and Sanji's hums every now and then are the only sounds in the cramped bathroom, and Zoro almost falls asleep to the feeling of the blond's hands in his hair.

"Hey." Sanji delivers two sharp taps to the back of Zoro's head. "Stop slouching, you're making it uneven."

"I'm so hot."

"I'm sure you are, you meathead. sit up."

Zoro begrudgingly straightens his back, getting a better view of the cook's freckled face reflected in the mirror. He always gets freckles when it's sunny out. They look like little constellations, scattered across his cheeks like that. Zoro wants to touch them so badly.

A few minutes pass, and Sanji moves to the front of his hair, taking a black comb from the counter to parse through the mess draping over Zoro's forehead. His face is scrunched in concentration, a crease between his eyebrows visible as he snips away with a pair of silver scissors. Zoro just...watches, staring intently into the other man's eyes. He's not sure if he's delirious from the heat, but is the cook's face turning red?

Sanji pauses his ministrations to frown at him. "Stop fucking looking at me. It's creepy."

"Sorry, sir." That earns him a snort and another smack to the side of his head. Zoro closes his eye (reluctantly. very reluctantly).

It feels like forever before Sanji finishes up his hair, ruffling it slightly before commanding Zoro to open his eyes.

The haircut is cropped close to his neck in the back, his overgrown sideburns shaped to follow his hairline. His hair is still a bit long on top, but it doesn't fall over his face.

Zoro's reflection looks better; neat, almost. He actually really likes it.

"It's okay, I guess." Zoro's lying through his teeth. It's fantastic, anything Sanji ever does is fantastic.

Sanji looks at him through the mirror. "Hm. Handsome little marimo." He nods in self-approval before packing up all his stuff, whisking the towel from around Zoro's shoulders to take to the laundry room.

Zoro sits there, bewildered, watching the other man maneuver around the tiny space unbothered- what?

He turns to look at Sanji as the blonde saunters out of the bathroom, definitely already busying himself with something else.

When Zoro turns back to his reflection, he doesn't fight the tiny smile that crosses his face. Sanji thinks he's Handsome.

The smile's gone just as quick as it came, replaced with a scowl as he hears a female voice giggling through the wall to his right.

"Nami, I'm going to murder you."

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

Nami was eavesdropping the entire time lmfao.

Nami, to Zoro: wow so handsome!! such a handsome wittle marimo arent you so wittle?? ooga booga doo!!!

Zoro: i am not above killing lesbians. Anyway BRAND NEW HC that Sanji gets freckles when he's in the sun he's such a cutie patootie i love him.

Pre-slash Zosan domesticity fuels my soul <33333

ALSOO!!! opening up asks cuz im running out of ideas :P if you ask me for something I'll probably write it thanks

[mangohgeckoh]

Chemical Reaction (Chap 4)

"Day of Ash, Day of Water"

--

The bar fell silent when Ophelia trudged into the crowded establishment. Arms behind her back, she had used her shoulder to push the door open. Her clothes were stained with a mix of sand and blood, her eyes were irritated from her tears. Vander rushed to her, taking her shaking form in. “Oh, Oph,” he rushed behind her to see her hands restrained from enforcer handcuffs. Silco, who had been sitting at the bar, also sprinted towards her. His eyes were wide by the sight of distress she was in. A crowd slowly began to form consisting of the Last Drop’s regulars who had been worried about a fellow trencher.

Ophelia tried to form words but she could only let out dry sobs as she stared at the floor, guilty. “A-Allie,” She tried to speak. Vander froze. “The child?” He said from behind her, working the handcuffs off her sore wrists. Ophelia nodded frantically. “What has happened?” Silco spoke, concern stricken across his face. Now that her hands were free, she brought them to her face. “Dead.” … Silco took the cuffs from Vander who had been too surprised to say anything. The customers of the crowd exchanged worried looks. The children of Ophelia’s camp were well known around the Drop. It was one of the only safe places they could play. Silco’s blue-green eyes gave Vander a weak look. “Enforcers. This is Piltover handcuffs.” He said after examining the cuffs. Vander’s brows furrowed, anger taking over them. “She was a child.” Ophelia cried, throat burning with each word. “She only wanted to protect me.”

Silco watched Vander’s hands ball up into shaking fists.

“This ends today.”

-

A meeting was called to order. All of Vander’s patrons, who knew each other very well like a secondhand family, gathered in The Last Drop. Except no drinks were exchanged. Ophelia sat at one of the tables that lined the sides of the bar, Silco wrapping bandages around her wounds. “My fellow Zaunites,” Vander’s voice bellowed from the middle of the dimly lit room. Everyone Ophelia knew everyone that was present. Felicia, Anton, Benzo, Connol, everyone this side of the Undercity turned up and more. The bar had hit max capacity shortly after Vander’s speech started. “Today another one of our own has fallen,” Pain was present on his face but he pressed on. “Except this time it was a child that suffered from Topside’s cruelty.” He glanced over at Ophelia. Her yellow eyes were trained on the floor while Silco patched her up, he was listening intently. She was now a broken young woman, grief stricken. “How many more of our own will suffer? How many more of our children will face the same fate before we show Topside we are people too?” Aggravated whispers fell over the crowd. Vander was getting to them. “How many more murders from these enforcers will need to happen before we show Topside just how powerful we can be?” His voice had risen, rage overcoming him. Suddenly, he turned and stomped towards the bar. His large arm reached over the counter before he pulled two large crude-looking gauntlets out.

“It’s time we show these Pilties how loud we can be!” He roared after putting them on. The room fell quiet. For a moment the bar was filled with heated exchanges before a voice rose over everyone else's. “It is time,” Silco stood, unsheathing a blade from his miner’s coat. “It is time we show these bloated Topsiders who we are. What the children of Zaun can do.” With that, the crowd erupted into rage-driven cheers.

Zaun was ready.

Zaun was ready for war.

-

It started at the bridge connecting the Twin Cities, Piltover and Zaun. Two large groups gathered on each end. Armed enforcers formed a line, blocking the entrance to Piltover’s gate, the entrance to equality. Vander stood at the head of the mob, his people behind him, his arms disappearing under the sleeves of his gauntlets. He eyed the enforcers blocking their path. The foremost officer opposing Vander had a cocky attitude. “Tell your people to disarm and shove off. This doesn’t need to get ugly.” He threatened. Vander stared daggers into the man’s eyes. “The way I see it,” Vander looked over his shoulder, his greasy hair flowing in the dry wind, “Things are already ugly. You’re outnumbered, so you’ll be the ones shoving off.” He inhaled before spitting on the officer’s shoes.

The leading officer blew a whistle. Everything happened fast. Enforcers pushed their way into the crowd, mowing down anyone in their way with imposing metal shields. Ophelia watched as her own people were trampled into the concrete of the bridge. “Load up!” Anton crashed a box onto the ground behind her, she turned and saw a glimpse of molotov cocktails before they disappeared into the hands of enraged rioters. Surrounded by the crowd, her senses were buzzing, her adrenaline pumping.

Ophelia quickly scaled one of the bridge’s support cables. From her new perch she could see the riot unfold, molotov explosions boomed like fireworks across the bridge. Without thinking, she unsheathed three feathers from the plumage on her back. Her grip was so tight and the blades so sharp that they cut into her palm, but she was too focused on the battle below to care.

Nervous she'd hit one of the rioters, she flung the feathers towards the enforcers’ rear guard. Each one pierced the target’s armor, one slicing clean through the officer’s mask. She continued ripping and throwing her feathered blades until she began to bleed from her plucked plumage. Time slowed for her as she watched fire erupt across the bridge, the sound of shouting, fighting the sound of battle. Vander brutalizing an enforcer with his gauntlets, Silco throwing a molotov, Anton giving out Molotovs, Benzo and Dart helping an injured rioter away from the violence, Connol in a fist fight with an officer but his wife was nowhere to be seen.

She was brought back to the moment when she heard a familiar scream. Her head whipped around to see Felicia on the opposite side of the bridge, an enforcer slowly approaching her with a baton. She didn’t think when her legs started to move, focusing only on reaching her friend. Connol was quick to tackle Felicia’s attacker to the ground. Ophelia had almost reached Felicia when a bottle of liquid was tossed from her peripheral view. She froze as her friends were enveloped by flames. Ophelia’s ears were ringing as was thrown back by the blast.

The revolution had failed, it’s members consumed by rage as the riot grew increasingly violent and costly. Zaun would not gain it’s freedom today, Piltover again had shown their dominance over the Undercity. Smoke filled air and burned the lungs of those in the crowd not wearing a mask. Black clouds grew from the parts of the bridge in flames. The riot was starting to simmer down, enforcers now having the control on the crowd, but smoke still clogged the air around the bridge. Coughing, Ophelia moved as quickly as she could towards the exit she came from, trying to dodge corpses that scattered the ground.

Her eyes stung as tears fought their way out. ‘Dart’. Her best friend, the young woman helping run her orphanage, laid lifeless against the bloodstained concrete. Ophelia’s body trembled, her knees crashing on the ground next to Dart’s corpse. “No…” She sobbed, trying to shake her friend awake but to no avail. After a minute of crying over her friend’s body, the enforcer’s screams got louder and closer. Ophelia had to leave if she didn’t want to get arrested. With a heavy heart, she gently closed Dart’s eyes before standing.

Before fleeing, Ophelia stole a glimpse of the City of Progress. It had been unscathed from the riot thanks to the enforcers, the city’s towers glowed golden in the sunlight. Ophelia’s ears ticked at the sound of heavy boots beginning to push further onto the bridge forcing her to flee.

She pushed through the door of The Last Drop. It seemed to had been turned into a makeshift infirmary. The survivors that made their way back were being tended by those who stayed behind. Ophelia felt blood trickling down her face but she had other priorities, walking past volunteer medics. She saw two young girls sobbing in the corner of the room, Benzo was trying to calm them down. "Benzo…" Ophelia started, realizing who the two children were. Powder and Violet's bodies shook violently against Benzo's embrace. "Shhh," He hushed them. He looked up knowingly at Ophelia. "I know." He whispered. He had also seen their parents burn to death. Anger pricked the back of her neck. "Where is Vander?" Before Benzo could ask, the pink haired girl spoke up. "I saw him," Her voice shakey as she wiped her eyes.

"He went to River Pilt."

Embers lazily fell from the bridge, ash blanketed the ground like snow. Ophelia was following the set of footprints, it seemed Vander had been pursuing someone. Her heartrate quickened as she heard a voice. “You!” It was Vander’s. “I saw you throw it!” Her ears trained on the voices. “Don’t do that, I know you did it.” His gruff voice was shouting at someone until a shaking one spoke up. “I-I..I didn’t mean to-” Her ears perked when the other voice was interrupted by the sound of force. She listened in as her pace quickened, hoping to dissolve the situation. ‘Snarling’. ‘Grabbing.’ ‘Choking.’ “They are dead because of you!” Vander’s voice roared.

Ophelia found a clearing and saw her friend in the shallow of the lake under the bridge. “Vander! Stop!” Ophelia ran down the bluff overlooking the lake. He didn’t turn, body slumped to focus on the water beneath him. She halted to a stop when Silco was nowhere to be seen. Her ears honed in on the sound of bubbles erupting from the water where Vander’s arms were submerged.

Her heart sank. ‘Silco.’

In less than a second, Ophelia had run and pounced onto Vander’s back. Her talons sank into his shoulders as she threw weak punches against his head. “Stop! Please!” She begged, her cries echoing off the water. He didn’t relent and, from her position above him, she could see Silco’s silhouette under the water.

‘Drowning.’

Her pleas grew louder, fists beating against him. Suddenly, he screamed in pain when a knife struck him from the water. Ophelia lost her balance and fell off Vander into the water. Her face broke the surface, gasping for air. Despite the toxic filth of the water blurring her vision, she could see red spreading out across the surface. She looked for where the color was the deepest and dived in. Her eyes burned, like she had rubbed them with spice, but she had to persist, she had to find Silco.

There he was. His body was moving lethargically. He was fighting against the water. She’d never seen Silco as frightened as he was in that moment, drowning. She quickly grabbed his shirt and began to pull him to the surface. She struggled, the physical and mental fatigue from the riot, made her feel as if she was lifting a bag of bricks. Knowing he was losing consciousness, she mustered up every bit of her energy to yank him to the surface of the water, it was by sheer will that she managed to do it.

Clouds twisted above them, the sky just as garnet red as the blood flowing from Silco’s face. The feathers on her ear’s ruffled. “How could you!?” She screamed, as Vander faded into the smoke, fleeing. Her voice was coarse, her throat burned from the screaming. Silco’s body laid limp in the murky water, blood pooling around him. Her muscles burned as she dragged Silco ashore. With one final tug she pulled him out of the toxic water, laid on the bank of the river.

Ophelia toppled over in exhaustion, her palms disturbing the ash covered sand beneath them. Trying to remain calm, she scrambled back to her injured friend. Deep gashes had torn through the right side of his face, piercing his eye and continuing down his cheek. She choked on a sob, ripping a piece of fabric from her clothing, pressing it against his wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Everything happened too fast for her, but at least her friend was breathing. She cradled his head with her other hand, praying to Janna that he was going to make it. His shallow breaths were weak…

…but he was still alive.

[candysugarush]

Enhypen Profile and Tales :

✧══════•❁❀❁•══════✧

Lee Heeseung

Tale : The Little Mermaid

Character : The Sea Witch

Story : The benevolent gentleman of the sea, as he liked to present himself, was in a dire situation as the fool who contracted a deal with him was close to succeeding. During that time frame, he got enough glimpses from intense watching to know you weren't made for that fish but himself. And so, using the voice of his co-contractor, he raised above the water, turning human as he went to present himself to you as a man named 'Ethan' and the one who saved you.

Don't you recognize his voice? Of course, he is the one who saved you, so now you should hold up your words and marry him.

Park Jongseong

Tale : The Sleeping Beauty

Character : The Thorns Fairy

Story : He graciously helped the royal couple with getting an heir, and how do they thank him? By forgetting to invite him! That's unacceptable, and he got his revenge by cursing their newborn daughter at the banquet and leaving to never reappear. But as the curse took effect on the eighteenth birthday and everyone falls asleep in the castle surrounded by his bramble, he can't repress the smirk as he sees countless princes and knights try to defy him and get inside only to get stuck and die terrible death in the thorns.

And now, one hundred years later, still watching over you, he can't help but wonder how everyone failed to get to you... Perhaps you were made to be his after all. His sweet revenge against those who wronged him.

Sim Jake

Tale : Jack and the Beanstalk

Character : The Farm Boy

Story : The last thing he expected when selling his old cow for supposedly 'magic' beans, was for them to turn into a giant Beanstalk leading to a castle in the sky where resided the one who caused the destruction of the valley and kidnapped the songbird princess. Using of tricks and wits, he managed to defeat this strong foe as well as you as peace and life came back to the homeland.

Now safe, thanks to him. You're going to reward him, right? He won't he satisfied with just mere riches.

Park Sunghoon

Tale : The Ice Queen

Character : The Ice Queen

Story : A cursed prince who was rejected by all for his ice powers, he went into isolation in a lone and deserted tundra which he now calls home and his domain. Years later, used to the solitude, he is surprised by a trespasser. At first ready to turn them to ice, he is pleasantly surprised by the woman before him who managed to bring warmth to his heart and with later meetings, able to bring back emotions he thoughts lost forever. Still dark thoughts and doubt plague his mind.

You won't leave him, right? Prove him you're not like everyone else if you value your life.

Kim Sunoo

Tale : The Swan Lake

Character : The Swan Prince

Story : Cursed by a wizard to be a swan during the day, only able to turn back at night. His life is full of anguish if it wasn't for you who considered him as your best friend despite only believing him to be a regular swan. That's why after a night where you stumble into his true form and finally got the truth he was relieved to have you by his side and promising him to lift his curse. You were supposed to choose a fiance soon and invited him, promising to choose him. And yet the day, even though he came late, he couldn't believe the sight before him.

You promised to help him by marrying him at the ball. So why are you dancing with someone else?

Yang Jungwon

Tale : Blue Beard

Character : The Blue Haired Noble

Story : Suffering from loneliness and trust issues, he only crave loves from someone who would truly care and listen to him. That's why after the 'unfortunate' death of his last wife, he went out for some fresh air only to see you, a pure and simple girl, a rare treasure in this materialistic world. Immediately smitten, he sends a messager to ask your hand to your brothers. They accept knowing how much you will have a better life with a noble. And now standing before him, he has a smile that doesn't quite reach his ears as he hands you a key, a little 'test' before marriage. He will be away for a few days and trust you to roam around everywhere except in the room that the key opens. You promise to your fiance to not use the key despite the curiosity eating at you.

Will you listen and keep your word? Please don't betray him. His mind won't support it.

Nishimura Riki

Tale : Peter Pan

Character : The Captain

Story : Once again his arch nemesis got away in a chuckle and flying away after making a fool out of the pirate. He is absolutely furious as he wonder about the day he can get his revenge. And that day came sooner than he expected when his enemy flew back to his ship to cause more trouble. Except this time he was accompanied by a charming lady, you. Immediately he was drawn to you and he noticed that this brat was too. That's when he knew what he had to do to finally get the upper hand on that pest.

A radiant jewel like you deserves a more mature company, and not just to spite his rival. Perhaps he will even keep you as his greatest treasure, as this is what his heart desires.

✧══════•❁❀❁•══════✧

Which story are you jumping into?

[sunder-the-gold]

I don't think anyone who wants to play only Black cards in [Magic: The Gathering] is a bad person, or that anyone who wants to play only White cards is a good person.

I'm going to repeat something that a lot of people probably didn't read about my last, long post about the White and Black Colors of Magic: The Gathering.

====

Back when video game studios weren't terrified of offending anyone, they used to provide "Morality Paths" in their games.

No one lied to you about which path was Evil, or at least Anti-Heroic.

To deny that the Pacifist Route of Undertale was Good and that the Genocide Route was Evil would be to insult your intelligence and rob both paths of any meaning.

HOWEVER, if anyone tried to argue that only "Evil People" wanted to play as evil characters, everyone knew not to take that person seriously.

I don't think that there's anything wrong with someone who only ever wants to play with Black cards.

I only think there's something wrong with a person when they try to tell me: "The Color Black has nothing to do with Evil, and the Color White isn't actually Good".

If someone tells me pepper isn't spicy and salt isn't salty, it only reveals how tasteless they are.

====

Bad people can like playing nothing but White cards because of White's wholesome aesthetics. For the same reason that bad people can like beautiful sunsets, lovely music, sugary sweets, and being trusted and praised by the people around them.

Real people who want to deny that they have any character flaws, or bigoted opinions, or any capacity to do harm or evil will surround themselves with wholesome, clean, cutesy iconography and symbols and associations. This is called "Virtue Signaling".

The most toxic people in the world have the most vested interest in appearing harmless.

Before Harry Potter became a dirty word on the internet, people could rightfully reference Dolores Umbridge, the cruel, petty, paranoid, hateful monster who tried to convince herself and everyone that she was nothing but sweetness and light and righteous.

As a person, Dolores Umbridge would play nothing but White cards and would clutch her pearls to see anyone playing Black cards. She would pretend to faint if she so much as touched a Black card.

Which is funny, because if a fictional character like her were accurately represented as a Magic card, she would be pure Black. She may not have been Dark Lord levels of ambitious, but no one who was pure White could have "inventing instruments of torture" as a HOBBY, let alone take delight in making other people suffer, or pledging allegiance to an actual Dark Lord as soon as he replaces the legitimate government as the ruling power of the land.

Because while Magic HAS to choose Colors that accurately reflect fictional characters, real people can choose Colors that have nothing to do with their personalities at all.

Be honest: In terms of real personalities, Blue must be over-represented in the Magic: The Gathering player-base compared to Red. How many impulsive, athletic 'dude-bros' would rather learn the rules, collect the cards, construct the decks, and sit down to play this game... instead of going outside to touch grass and kick balls around? Or at least playing a video game like Call of Duty.

By the same token, if only bad people played Black cards, almost no one would play Black at all.

Good people can like Black's horror aesthetics for the same reason good people can like Halloween, horror stories, and slasher movies. It can be fun to play the villain!

Games are safe ways to explore our darker fantasies because we're not causing real harm to real people. It's all make-believe.

But it's a Red Flag when someone says, "Actually, the villain is the hero."

Not in the sense that the villain is the protagonist, or the protagonist is an anti-hero fighting a worse person, or the protagonist only looks like a monster, or the protagonist is actually a hero being framed as a villain by an actual villain.

I mean in the sense of, "I think Pennywise the Clown, the child-eating boogieman, is an ally to everything I want to see happen in the world."

Or, "I think the mass-murdering psychopath is a decent fellow as long as he only murders people with a skin complexion I don't like, or if she only kills men."

Or, "Morality is subjective or a lie, there is no truth but power, and there is no inherent, sacred value to all human lives."

[thefluffyrailway-official]

𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐲 (𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲)

That was a beautiful morning on the island of Sodor. Even among that sad cloudy sky, some small rays of light slipped through the clouds. And, since there was no rain forecast for that day, the steamies need not fear for their fur.

At that moment, a pale yellow furred engine with gold and gray eyes, was at the Knapford Shunting Yard, chatting with one of her workmates.

-It's funny to see that Aaron is coming with you Edward- She said. -Wasn't James his mentor?-

The old blue-eyed male nodded.

-Let's say the red boy took the day off. You know, his pups were born recently, and he couldn't visit Rosie before- He explained.

-And that allows me to be with dad during the entire work day!- The young engine laughed.

-You seem excited about that little one- the blonde-furred one smiled.

-I hope you're aware that not because I am your father I'm going to be soft on you boy- Edward stroked his son's head while an amused purr came out of his smoke box.

-I know dad, Thomas warned me about that already- Aaron answered rolling his eyes with a smile.

She smiled. Aaron had recently started his training and could barely see his father. So seeing them together was really adorable.

-And what about your little ones Molly? Neville told me that they'll join Aaron in a couple of months- Edward said.

Molly had four pups, old enough to begin their training to work on the railway. So it was obvious that, sooner or later, someone would ask her about them. They keep telling everyone about it.

-Oh! Well, in fact, STH is already thinking about which engine will be their mentor. The only bad thing is... Well...- The golden-eyed looked down, she seemed worried. -I just hope that Ashley can be named an apprentice alongside her siblings...- She sighed.

Edward placed his front paw on the female's shoulder. -Hey, don't worry, I'm sure she'll recover in time.- He meowed, comforting her.

She smiled slightly. -Thank you Edward. Is there anything else to do here? I have to go see this little smoke ball at the Steamworks.-

-Don't worry about that. Aaron and I will take care of it.- The blue-eyed engine said with a shake of his head, indicating that she should go see her daughter.

Molly said goodbye to both of them and headed towards the Steamworks.

They had been rebuilt a few years ago due to the biological changes of the locomotives after the "Bloody Disaster", a pandemic that wiped out 60% of the world's vehicles.

It had been such a radical change that, even if humans were immune, the vehicle companies that made parts for them were doomed to adapt or disappear.

From that moment on, the so-called "Machine Age" began.

--------------------------------------

In one of the nests placed in a corner, at the back of the Steamworks, was a small locomotive with gray fur and blue eyes.

Next to her, a young tabby crane, with black and yellow scales, was trying to console her about something that seemed to torment her innocent mind.

-Don't worry Ash. I'm sure we'll find a way for you to recover before the ceremony- He said as he brushed the bangs away from the grey engine's teary eyes.

Molly entered the place and her gaze automatically fell on her pup. Seeing her in that state, she ran towards her with an expression of clear concern on her face.

-Oh dear Lady! What happened Kevin?! Has she had another attack?! - The blonde female asked hysterically as she approached her daughter.

Ash suffered from ash syndrome, his boiler was too small and did not work properly.

So if she made any effort it was very likely that she would end up almost unable to breathe. This was quite common. So the pup stayed in the Steamworkd for almost her entire life. Her mother visited her every day, her father whenever he could, but her siblings... They didn't seem to understand Ash's problem, so they almost never visited her or simply made fun of her because of their jealousy.

Even if she tried not to show it, it was evident that Molly showed much more concern for Ashley than for her other pups.

-Not at the moment. Calm down Molly- Kevin said with a calm tone. -But her siblings told her about their training. And not in the best way in fact...-

Molly sighed.

-What am I going to do with them... I'm so sorry, sweetheart, I don't know how to make them understand you... - the blonde female snuggled up next to her daughter and dried her tears.

-I'll leave you alone, okay?- The young crane said as he stepped back.

-Don't worry mom. I know they love me. But they think you don't.- The blue-eyed girl sobbed. -I wouldn't mind if you didn't come here for a few days. Kevin takes great care of me. And my brothers want to be with you too. Not only with dad.-

Molly remained silent for a few moments.

-Well... But we will continue coming to see you.- She said while giving her a loving lick on the cheek.

The young grayish engine rested her head against her mother's chest.

-Mom... Will I ever be normal?-

-What do you mean honey? You're as normal as your brothers- Molly purred.

-I'm not mom. We are the same age and they already run almost all over the island, they accompany you and dad at work and they are with other engines! While I... The only thing I've done since I was born was lay here... -Ash responded with pain in her voice.

An awkward silence formed between the two female engines for a few minutes.

-Don't worry Ash. Victor said you're improving a lot lately.- Molly tried to calm her daughter down a bit. Although it wasn't very effective.

--------------------------------------

And so the days passed...

The weeks...

The months...

Ashley was finally much better. But that didn't seem to matter... The day of the ceremony was close and Molly had no news from STH about her.

Until one day...

Molly was with Ash again at the Steamworks. Although she wasn't alone this time. Melody, their oldest daughter, was with them too.

-Don't worry sis. I can wait for you if you want.- She smiled.

Ash shook her head.

-Don't worry about me Mel. I appreciate you to worry. But i will be fine-

Suddenly, Victor's deep voice interrupted the conversation.

-Sorry to interrupt girls. But I think you have a visitor. A very important one in fact- He said with a smile.

The engines looked toward the entrance to the Steamworks.

STH was there! Accompanied by a robust and experienced machine with long greenish fur and eyes of the same color.

-Henry? Sir? What brings you here?- Molly asked curiously.

-Victor has informed me of little Ashley's progress these last few months- he said. -I came to ask your permission to assign Henry as her mentor tomorrow.-

The three females gaped. They looked at each other for a few seconds in total surprise. But Melody was the first to speak.

-SAY YES MOM! I WANT ASH TO HAVE HER FIRST LESSON WITH US!! - she said excitedly.

-I don't know, honey. Do you really think she's ready, Victor?- Molly asked.

The garnet male nodded.

-Her health has improved a lot. She's been accompanying Kevin to pick up medicine lately, remember? And at no time in these 4 months she had another attack.-

The blonde female looked at her daughter.

-Do you feel ready Ashley?-

The little girl was still stunned by the news. She barely listened to her mother. She was too busy admiring her possible future mentor. Who gave her a kind smile upon noticing her cute excited gaze.

-Ashley- Her mother gave her a little touch to make her react.

-YES! YES I WANT!!- The blue-eyed engine screeched.

-It's not about whether you want. You must feel prepared. Are you?- Molly repeated in a serious tone.

The pup's answer was the same. Her tail shook frantically with excitement as she hopped around the large green-eyed male. -Hey calm down little one. You don't wanna get worse right before you start- Henry said as he stopped her jumping by gently placing his paw on the young engine's head.

-Then. You have my permission sir.- Molly smiled proudly.

-I'm glad to hear that. Don't worry Molly. I have discussed it with Henry and Victor and she will take a gentler pace than her brothers until she fully recovers. It would be better if you continue spending the night here at the Steamworks at first Ashley- He explained.

Ash looked down with some disappointment.

-Don't worry, you will do the same as them, but not at the same pace. That doesn't make you less useful than your brothers- STH said comforting the young gray-furred engine.

-Alright sir, i will do my best. I promise i won't let you down!- She giggled.

...

(AU inspo creds @steam-beasts <3)

[tubborucho]

I think there’s a big misconception between red and blue viewers about the nature of feeling defeated.

I can’t speak for red, because I don’t watch them, but I see people using red’s first day as a counterargument to what’s happening with blue practically every day. As I understand, their first day was hell, because they were in a severe disadvantage as a team. They’re lore-heads and ‘dumb lucky’ (i am NOT calling them dumb, they are actually all really smart, i am just saying that they are stupidly lucky sometimes), this is not what can give you a win when you are thrown in that game. On the first day. They did get killed a lot and they were going insane. And they were having fun! Listen, I’ve read SO many posts about how funny and cool red’s first day was and hoe people absolutely enjoyed it. And it’s cool.

But it’s COMPLETELY different to blue. Blue are not in the ‘fuck it we ball’ defeat mood. Because they are never given a chance to just enjoy their wins.

1st day – they got SO much backlash for everything that it was genuinely horrible

2nd day – red found the global task strat. Which is fine. But blue had the whole day of just struggling to understand how FOUR PEOPLE TRYING AND TRYING cant overtake one Etoiles on a leaderboard.

3rd day – they’ve been leading the score all day. Did everything they could pretty much. And again, last minute strat. Which was fair, but it’s a big hit on their morale.

4th day – they win, using the same strat. they specifically did it the way they did just to show how broken it is. they get layers and layers of hate from twitter.

5th day – both red and blue give win to green. this day was neutral.

6th day – the egg preparations. blue decided to just give this day away as well. but bad and pac were hunted for hours just two of them.

7th day – the Egg Wars. we all know what happened :D

8th day – elimination. blue won. blue could’ve easily win without even trying to tie with green, but they did. they almost succeeded. it didn’t feel as a victory when they won, because everyone just blamed them. that wouldn’t happen if green won, everyone would cheer, and it’s a fact.

9th day – that’s today. bad and bagi were constantly hunted for about 3 hours. they couldn’t get into the base for like 4,5 hours (they can now because tubbo is guarding the bounty npc).

Each day when they lose – they lose without sympathy and any kindness from others. Each day they win – this victory is bitter, clawed out and they are hated.

Yes, red and blue both know this feeling of not being able to do anything. But Red have so much support on their side. Both in-game and in-fandom. They are praised for everything they do. They got so much less troubles from blue and green because they kept walking away to not ‘punch down’ from this whole underdog narrative. Meanwhile blue just keep being screwed by everything around them. I think arguably the only thing they have over red is the favor of Lil Buddies, because they are constantly hanging out with them. That’s all. All material stuff they have will be easily matched like tomorrow. They’ve never really had a PVP advantage in the first place because Green’s skills and Red’s players count.

It’s genuinely demotivating to even watch their stream. Like I think I would genuinely cry in their place. All their efforts are either useless, because they immediately get nerfed, or get hated on by literally everyone and everything. It’s such a deep-rooted feeling of loosing before you could even play, that it transfers over the screen.

Red burned in that fire on the first day. And it powered them (in a cursed but fun way). Blue keeps being drowned by everything around them like unwanted kittens, and they are fighting for their life.

So no, I do not think it’s fair to compare Red’s first day to anything that happens to Blue. It’s not the same. I do understand however that it defied them as characters, so it’s a fair point to analyze. But in meta-arguments? Yeah, no. [insert a poll ‘Who suffered more? Blue Team Jesus]

And yet they try. And yet they have nice moments. And yet they are friends. Love prevails.