#and i in gratitude want to remember how she shared them with me and how they made me feel

[siriusly-t1red]

Shattered Silence

Summary: You confront Azriel about his closed off attitude towards you

CW: Angst, tension, fluff

The air in the House of Wind was thick with tension, the usual serenity of the place shattered by the storm of emotions brewing between you and Azriel. The balcony overlooked the city of Velaris, but neither of you were paying attention to the view.

"You always do this!" you shouted, your voice echoing off the walls. "You push me away, act like I don't matter, like my feelings don't matter!"

Azriel stood across from you, his wings twitching with barely contained frustration. "I never said your feelings didn't matter," he retorted, his voice low and dangerous. "I just can't afford to let myself get close to anyone. Not now, not ever."

You took a step closer, your eyes flashing with anger and hurt. "Why? Why can't you let yourself be happy? Why can't you let me in?"

Azriel's eyes darkened, a shadow passing over them. "The last time I did, she died!"

The room grew silent at his confession, your heart breaking when you remembered the stories the others told you. Of Rhys’ sister and how close Azriel was with her. How guilty he felt when her and her mother died.

“It’s not your fault,” you whisper. “No one but Tamlin is to blame for her death.”

Azriel's wings flared out, casting a shadow over the room as he turned away, his back rigid with tension. "You don't understand," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "You weren’t there."

You took another step closer, your heart aching for him. "And neither were you. Azriel, you can't keep punishing yourself for something that wasn't your fault. You've carried this burden for so long, and it's not fair. You deserve to be happy."

He shook his head, his wings twitching with the effort to keep his emotions in check. "I can't, y/n. I can't risk losing someone else. I can't bear the thought of it."

You reached out, gently placing a hand on his arm. "But you're not alone anymore. We're here for you. Rhys, Feyre, Cassian, Mor, and me. We all care about you. We all want to help you heal."

Azriel's eyes flickered with a mix of emotions—pain, longing, and something else that he quickly masked. "It's not that simple."

You tightened your grip on his arm, refusing to let him retreat into his shell. "I know it's not simple. But you don't have to carry this burden alone. Let us help you. Let me help you."

For a moment, Azriel hesitated, his gaze searching your face as if trying to find a reason to trust you. Then, with a sigh, he nodded slightly, a small crack in his armor. "I don't know how to do this," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

You smiled gently, stepping closer until you were just inches away. "You don't have to know how. We'll figure it out together."

Azriel's wings relaxed slightly, and he met your gaze with a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty. "I don't deserve you," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

You shook your head, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. "You deserve everything good in this world, Azriel. And I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you, no matter what."

A heavy silence settled between you, but it was different now—lighter, more hopeful. Azriel's hand found yours, his grip firm and reassuring. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice filled with a rare vulnerability.

You squeezed his hand, offering a small smile. "Always."

As the tension began to ease, you both stood there, holding onto each other, finding solace in the shared understanding. The weight of Azriel's past was still there, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of hope.

"I don't know where to start," Azriel admitted, his voice soft but steady.

"Start with us," you said, your voice filled with determination. "Start with me. We'll take it one step at a time."

Azriel nodded, his wings slowly folding back as he looked at you with a newfound resolve. "I've been alone for so long," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how to do this."

"You don't have to do it alone," you reassured him. "We'll do it together.”

He smiles, a genuine one as he cups your face in his hands, his scars gently scratched against your skin, a reminder of the strength he carried within him. His eyes flickered to your lips, silently asking for permission, seeking reassurance that this moment was real and that you were with him.

You smiled in response, leaning toward him, closing the distance between you. Your breath mingled, and for a moment, the world around you faded away, leaving only the two of you in that intimate space.

Azriel's lips met yours in a tender, hesitant kiss, as if he was afraid that this moment might slip away if he moved too quickly. The kiss was soft, filled with a mix of emotions—pain, hope, and a newfound sense of trust. It was a kiss that spoke volumes, a kiss that conveyed everything he couldn't put into words.

As you deepened the kiss, Azriel's wings relaxed completely, and he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close. The tension that had been building between you melted away, replaced by a sense of peace and connection.

For the first time in a long while, Azriel felt a glimmer of hope, a sense that he didn't have to carry his burden alone anymore. He had you, and you were there for him, no matter what.

[coquelicoq]

this chapter/episode gives me poetry emotions. like i don't even need to read poems about attention & transience & quiet beauty & connection & loss & growth and about sharing them with other people anymore because i just hear origami say "thank you for the beautiful sunset" and bam. same feelings.

[andy-15-07]

A Father's Pride

masterlist ! pairing Feyd-Rautha x reader

SUMMARY : feyd rautha watches how Y/n plays with their child and hears her telling him about their relationship

DUNE Masterlist

Feyd Rautha watched from the doorway, a proud smile tugging at his lips as he observed his wife, Y/n, playing with their young child in the living room. The room was filled with the sound of their child's delighted laughter as Y/n tickled and chased them around the room, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"You're getting faster, little one!" Y/n exclaimed, her voice filled with affection as she scooped up their giggling child in her arms.

Feyd's heart swelled with love as he watched the tender moment between mother and child. He stepped into the room, his presence unnoticed as Y/n continued to play with their child, completely absorbed in the moment.

"You're such a good mother," Feyd murmured, his voice soft with admiration.

Y/n looked up, surprise flickering in her eyes as she saw her husband standing there. A warm smile spread across her face as she approached him, their child still cradled in her arms.

"Feyd, I didn't hear you come in," she said, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Did you want to join us?"

Feyd nodded, his gaze lingering on their child. "I just wanted to watch for a moment. You two seem to be having so much fun."

Y/n grinned, bouncing their child gently in her arms. "We are. But it's even better when you're here with us."

Feyd's heart swelled with love at her words. He had never imagined he could be so lucky as to have Y/n as his wife and the mother of his child. As they settled down on the couch together, their child nestled between them, Y/n leaned her head against Feyd's shoulder.

"Remember when we first met?" Y/n asked, her voice filled with nostalgia.

Feyd nodded, a fond smile playing on his lips. "How could I forget? You captured my heart from the moment I saw you."

Y/n chuckled, her fingers tracing circles on their child's back. "And you swept me off my feet with your charm and wit."

They reminisced about their early days together, sharing stories of their courtship and the adventures they had shared. Feyd couldn't help but marvel at how far they had come since then—from two strangers brought together by chance to a family bound by love.

"You've given me everything I ever dreamed of and more," Feyd said, his voice filled with emotion.

Y/n smiled, her eyes shining with love. "And you've given me a life I never could have imagined. I'm grateful for every moment we've shared together."

Their child yawned, snuggling closer to them as they settled down for the night. Feyd pressed a kiss to Y/n's forehead, feeling grateful for the love and happiness they had found together.

"I love you, Y/n," Feyd whispered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Y/n leaned into his embrace, her heart overflowing with love. "I love you too, Feyd. More than words can express."

As they sat there together, surrounded by the warmth and love of their family, Feyd felt a sense of peace wash over him. In that moment, he knew that no matter what trials they faced in the future, as long as they were together, they could overcome anything.

And as their child drifted off to sleep in their arms, Feyd couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude for the precious gift of family that he held in his arms—a gift that he would cherish for the rest of his days.

[pixiecaps]

recapping a bit of what haru said on stream

haru on her stream spoke about how shes had a really awful past five years and all her experiences just from this past year has been incredible. she gave a massive thank you to everyone and that she has no regrets.

“i never imagined i’d be where i am right now and i mean it with all my heart thank you so much. i had a very good time and i hope to have made you guys happy.”

she mentioned that since she was young shes always wanted to make content that makes people happy because she felt the world was missing a lot of love so shes happy to have given the world a piece of her heart. she mentioned how shes met so many incredible people who motivated her to see the good parts of life. to have found even this little bit of sunshine has left her so grateful. she says thank you for all the kindness, all the moments, all the memories, all the words, everything. shes very happy and mentioned this has been a very special experience for her. she reminded her chat that theres always another day and to enjoy life to the maximum, to live, to love, to talk, to hug each other, to be happy always, and that all the beautiful happiness we’ve given her will be returned back to us. she continues to express her gratitude. she mentioned this is one of the most beautiful communities shes ever had the pleasure of meeting in the entire world. she goes on to include the spanish, portuguese, french, english, german, and korean community in that statement.

“there is love in all types of languages and that love needs to be shared.“

she said her words will never be enough to express all her gratitude. she gave a reminder to always keep being kind. her voice falters a couple times from all the emotions. she mentioned shes cried enough and didn’t want to keep crying since she had something to do tomorrow and she didnt wanna have swollen eyes lmao.

she then shares a more personal moment. paraphrasing here.

“after i lost my dad i swear i felt like my life was falling apart. i never thought i’d be able to recover. after that many things happened and in those things, i wasnt destined to meet two people, this is a story i’ll always remember because i wasnt destined to meet these people. … they tell me hey the actor for this little thing didn’t show up and i say no way seriously? tell them to let me be it, tell them please because i want to be with you guys (harus two friends who were apart of the project). and i didnt think they’d agree… and they said yes. and i met two very important people and honestly (starts crying) thank you so much. thank you so much nussa. thanks to you i was able to meet them. i never imagined this would happen i promise you. thank you nussa. it means a lot to me that you decided to put me (into the leo spot). the only major thing in my life, i started being so happy, i started enjoying all the moments in my life as if it were the last, thanks to all this i’m here. and could meet you all. such a beautiful community.” she goes on to keep thanking nussa while crying and saying it was written in the stars. she goes on to say that shes gonna tell this as a story some day to her family, who doesnt know what she does or that she streams, and she’ll tell them about all of this with so much care and love. shes very thankful to have learned so much english and more about so many different cultures. she again reiterates shes very happy.

she also teases that she wants to go to brazil!!!! which… might be soon… and that theres little things being planned so hopefully if all goes well…👀 (an egg admin meetup would go so hard)

NOW GO SUPPORT HER ON TWITCH @ HarumiVT

[notjustjavierpena]

Ofrenda

Series Masterpost | Main Masterpost | Support a disabled creator

A/N: Happy Day of the Dead to all of my followers! I hope you’ll take this time to reminisce about the loved ones that you have lost, and smile when you think of them. I thought of my mom the whole time while writing this, and it makes me sad to know that I live in a country where we view death so gloomily when life should be celebrated. I have written this with utmost respect for the Mexican tradition, trying to do endless amounts of research. I have also written this with endless gratitude to be able to express my love for Javier and his family as well as my own mother at the same time. We never get enough time together, so this beautiful holiday is so heartwarming. Hope you like it ❤️!

Summary: You make an altar with your family for Javier’s mother during Día de Los Muertos.

Pairing: Javier Peña x f!reader/you (no y/n)

Tags: +18, depictions of grief, loss of a (grand)parent, family dynamics, so much love in this little family, domestic bliss, non-explicit descriptions of sex, love confessions

Word count: 3k

Link to this work on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60151243

Ofrenda

You are in the kitchen, cutting the stems of marigolds on an angle into the sink. The scent of the flowers is citrusy and slightly spicy, complimenting the lemon cookies that are in the oven and nearly done. Beside the sink lies several bare stems too because Lucas is holding a bowl of their petals in his small hands. 

He shows it to Inés, “You need to take a handful.”

“But I want cookies,” she only looks down into the bowl of orange for a moment before her attention turns to the oven, her little hands reaching out until you manage to stop her. She makes a noise of complaint but the mood of the room makes her dial down on how much she wants to fuss about it.

“The cookies are not for us!” Her brother replies with a serious look in his eye, clearly feeling authoritative in the task at hand, “They’re for Abuela (Grandma).”

“I’m sure you can have a few of them. She won’t mind,” Javier declares with a chuckle as he enters the kitchen too. His presence makes you smile to yourself, another burst of citrus filling the room as you cut yet another collection of flowers. You’ve filled almost two vases with them, have chosen the ones decorated with your favorite patterns, and fluffed them to look like two balls of sunshine. 

“But she needs them. If she doesn’t get them, she doesn’t know where to go,” Lucas insists with a pout when his father crouches down between the two of them. He gives a look of concern as if he is the only one taking this seriously. You look over your shoulder and feel a flash of pride at how sensitive a boy you have made, but you don’t intervene because you know Javier has the situation under control. 

“Sí, mijo (yes, my son),” he places a hand on the back of his son’s head, pulling him in to kiss his hair, “They’re for her but I am sure she’ll be happy to see you enjoy them too. She liked sharing with whom she loved.”

“Cookies for grandma and Inés,” Inés says proudly as if she finally understands the importance of the baked goods. Lucas’ expression eases a little as he stares at his baby sister’s longing but then he says her name. 

When she whips her head around, he shakes the bowl of flower petals, showing them to her again. You can see how much Javier loves how he is taking this to heart. 

“Just a little handful, okay?” Lucas encourages. 

Inés’ little fingers dig into the petals, bringing up a much larger fistful of the bright orange marigolds than intended. She stares at them with wide eyes, enchanted by the strong color. Her little mouth falls open with a quiet pretty and she nods seriously. Lucas nudges her with his elbow, directing her back to the task, “Come on, we gotta put them on the ofrenda (altar) so Abuela knows we remember her.”

They exit the kitchen and make their way to the small altar you’ve set up in the living room. You check the timer on the oven but there’s still eight minutes to go, so you and Javier take a vase of flowers each and carry them to the table that’s been draped with a bright, woven cloth, and adorned with pictures, candles, and memories of Javier’s mother. 

As you set down the vase of marigolds, you spot the tiny figurine that you have come to know so well too; a figurine of La Virgen de Guadalupe. She stands by the picture of Javier’s mother, face tipping towards her as a silent protector. The photograph of her is from when she was young enough to be just a few years out of high school, smiling widely with her dark hair tied back like you have seen so many times in other photos. She looks so much like Javier and how you remember her from the very first photo you saw of her, the one that you sneakily glanced at back at Don Chucho’s ranch on Javier’s desk in his teenage room. The one that the figurine stood guard over. That was before you knew what kind of life awaited with her son but you’re sure it was when you realized what kind of husband he would be. 

Javier sets down his vase as well, his eyes lingering on the photo of his mother for a moment before he busies himself with adjusting the flower arrangement, testing out a few angles. You touch his shoulder in silent support and smile gently at him. It earns you a little smile in return, one that seems full of gratitude and love. 

“You okay?” You mouth. 

Javier nods. He finally lets go of the vase and at the same time, a deep breath of air, suddenly satisfied with his work because his heart feels lighter. Not long after, he leans in to kiss you briefly on the lips, eager to make you giggle as he steals another peck while you complain about being covered in specks of flour and sap from the flowers. It’s messy, you say. He thinks you’re perfect. 

As you draw away from each other, Inés and Lucas scrunch up their faces and crinkle their noses at the display of affection. However, even so, you can see the tiny smiles hidden behind the mock outrage. They stand by a little impatiently as they watch you smooch, a drizzle of orange petals trailing Inés due to her getting distracted and forgetting they’re still in her hand. 

“Inés!” Lucas has the same exasperated look on his face as earlier when he notices the mess. You said earlier that it would be Inés’ first year of joining in on creating the altar and understanding its purpose, and Lucas has taken his role in it very seriously. He is clearly feeling the responsibility of teaching her the tradition right now. 

“Sorry,” she drags out the word, a guilty expression on her face, and tries to bend down to scoop some of the petals into her palm again, only seeming to increase the mess. 

Lucas puts down the bowl of petals to help her, coming off as slightly distressed. He has furrowed his brow as he concentrates, acting as if the entire success of this moment is relying on him, “Abuela can only visit if you put the flowers on the table!” 

“Luke,” you crouch down after exchanging a look with Javier. You soothe your son by running a hand up and down his back, “Abuela is always with you. This is just to do something extra special for her.” 

“But what if she can’t find her way?” Lucas asks with concern on his face as he puts down the bowl and starts gathering marigold petals, “We have to make it special.”

“Mamá’s right, we are making it special, mijo, because of all the care you’re putting into this. That’s what’ll guide her here tonight, not whether the cempasúchiles (marigolds) are perfectly placed on the table,” Javier reassures gently and crouches down beside the two of you, Inés mirroring him immediately. All four of you start picking up the remaining petals from the floor and Lucas visibly relaxes a little more, reassured that things might not be catastrophic after all. 

Your husband takes Inés’ small hands in his and guides her through the process of gently scattering the flowers across the table, their vibrant color standing out beautifully against the crisp white cloth. The orange and gold complement the papel picado on the wall behind the altar too. 

“Flowers for Abuela,” Inés scans the sight before her and then claps her hands with a big grin. She beams with pride, so much so that even Lucas finds her joy infectious and smiles as well. Inés points her little fingers to her work, “Making it special!”

“She’ll see those flowers and know you put them there for her,” Javier explains, still crouching on the floor next to Inés. She leans into him. He wraps his arm around her and pulls her even closer so he can plant a little kiss on her cheek, tickling her with his mustache until she giggles.

“Did Abuela like flowers, too?” Lucas asks and moves onto his father’s other side, resulting in him also getting dragged closer. From the look on Lucas’ face, you can see that it has been his plan all along

“She loved them,” Javier answers with a reminiscing smile, “You remember how many flowers there are in Abuelo's (Grandpa) garden, don’t you?”

“Yes!” Both Lucas and Inés say right after each other.

“Abuela planted them and she loved them just as much as she loved lemon cookies,” their dad recalls fondly and there’s a twinkle in his eye as he adds, “Well, almost just as much.”

At the same time, the timer in the kitchen dings. Inés whips her head in your direction expectantly and you laugh softly as she itches to tell you to get a move on, 

“I’ll get the cookies,” you say to make Inés sparkle with glee. You give Javier’s shoulder a gentle squeeze before slipping back into the kitchen. You can hear your children chatting softly with their father as they stay by the altar.

In the kitchen, you take the cookies out and place them on a cooling rack, enjoying the familiar scent of sugar and butter that wafts through the kitchen. The cookies are still very hot to the touch but you carefully transfer a bunch of them to a plate. 

“Here we go,” you say as you reenter the living room. 

“And she had this laugh… Oh, when you really got her going, it would echo through the whole house,” Javier shares. 

“Like Mom,” Lucas says and follows you with his eyes.

“Much like Mom, yeah,” Javier agrees and you smile shyly as all eyes land on you. They have shifted to sit down on the floor in front of the altar, moments ago staring up at the colorful display while Javier told stories of his mother. Now, the three of them have stopped talking when they see you place the lemon cookies on the table, anticipation on their faces. 

“Hola, esposa (hello, wife),” Javier says with a soft smile, the kind that makes your cheeks warm because you know he loves you. 

“There are plenty of Abuela’s favorites left in the kitchen,” you say as you take four cookies from the plate and make sure the rest of them look presentable. Then you kneel down next to your family, handing each of them a still-warm cookie, “Careful, they’re still hot.”

With the altar complete, the four of you sit together on the floor, a quietness settling over you. Between the picture of your mother-in-law, the lit candles flicker and cast soft, dancing shadows. The combined scent of the marigolds and the lemon treats makes the room smell lemony and spicy, and small decorative butterflies catch the eye between the paper banners. 

Inés nibbles on her cookie, looking deep in thought, so you reach out to brush her hair out of her face. Her soft voice finally asks, “Do you miss her, Papá?”

Javier stops right as he is about to take another bite of his cookie. He takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly, his expression unreadable for a moment. It seems like a gut punch but one that he has learned to expect from having small children. He thinks for a second then nods. When he speaks, his eyes are shiny as they prick with tears and you can hear a slight trembling in his voice, “I do, baby. I miss her every day.”

Inés looks shocked at having caused her father to cry. She puts her cookie down on the floor and you quickly scoop it up. She crawls to sit in front of him on her knees, wiping away a tear that has made its way down his cheek after reluctantly escaping the corner of his eye, “Are you sad?”

“Yes, sometimes,” he breathes and looks down, sniffs, “Sorry.”

“You don’t have to say sorry,” Lucas argues, looking to you for reassurance. 

You nod and move to sit closer to Javier, pulling him into an embrace which he returns by holding your arm. You look at your son while resting your chin on top of Javier’s head, “Go on, Luke.”

Lucas takes a moment to find the right words, visibly skimming through the lessons you have taught him to find the one that applies here. He joins the hug, “Mom says that it's okay to feel sad when we miss someone because it means you really love them… It makes me feel good to miss Mom when I am at school because then I remember her.”

Inés, who has been quietly observing, joins as well. She rests her head against his shoulder, "We love you, Papá."

“I love you too,” he says and the words seem to give him a little courage, “Of course, it makes me sad, mija (my daughter). But having you, your brother, and Mamá here. It helps.”

“I know I say it all the time but I wish I could have met her,” you chime in and kiss the top of his head repeatedly, trying to keep it together yourself, “She sounds like an amazing woman.”

“Inés and I wish that too!” Lucas adds, “We can do this every year!”

“Make cookies!” Inés exclaims excitedly. They both eventually pull back after remembering the baked goods. Returning to lemon cookies laid out near the ofrenda, they chew happily. You snicker at Inés' excuses to eat anything sugary and squeeze Javier tightly before drawing back too.

“I think she’d like that,” Javier sighs with a little smile, taking in the picturesque view of his family.

A few more minutes pass and you gently remind your children of the time, “Alright, it’s getting late. Let’s say goodnight to Daddy and Abuela.”

They exchange hugs and kisses with their father, and then - while she is perched on your hip - you hold Inés near the altar. Both of your kids lay their palms on the table, talking gently.

“Goodnight, Abuela,” Inés says and pats the cloth.

“We love you,” Lucas adds tenderly.

They follow you upstairs to brush their teeth, wash up, and get into their pajamas. You finish bedtime routines with much more hugs and kisses, tucking the both of them in and thanking them for a nice day. Inés still has questions about her grandmother but you tell her that it’ll need to wait for tomorrow. When she seems restless, you trace your finger over her face until she dozes off. 

When both kids are asleep, you return downstairs dressed in your own sleepwear. You find that Javier has cleaned the kitchen and is sitting on the couch in the living room. He glances at the ofrenda out of the corner of his eye, looking thoughtful and melancholic. You can see how much Inés resembles him in the evening light. 

You silently go to sit down beside him, holding his hand between the two of you. 

"Thank you for today," he says softly, leaned back into the sofa and his head turned towards you, "For helping the kids understand."

“You are so wonderful with them,” you reply with a gentle smile, "They love her because you love her, and because she's a part of who you are."

“Still, I couldn’t do this without you, mi vida (my life),” he stresses and inches closer, slowly removing the gap between the two of you. You lean in and rest your forehead against his, a sigh of relief escaping him at being so close to you, “You make everything better.”

You don’t respond with words. Instead, you close the remaining distance between you and your husband, kissing him lovingly in the glow of the altar and the moonlight shining in through the window. 

Yet Javier seems to have more in mind when he reaches up to cradle your cheek with his large hand. He rubs his thumb along your cheekbone, eager as he deepens the kiss. It earns him a chuckle from you as you draw back slightly.

“Not in front of your mother,” you whisper to tease playfully. 

“She’d probably tell me to make sure I’m treating you right,” he laughs quietly, thumb still caressing your face, “Keeping you happy.”

“Then you are succeeding,” you tell him with sincerity, keeping all the playfulness he has ignited at bay to show love instead. He responds by getting up from his seat and pulling you by your hand, making you giggle girlishly as he brings you to blow out the candles for the night while whispering in your ear. 

Then he leads you upstairs and makes love to you, slowly and passionately. It’s all long, slow kisses and quiet gasps as you arch your back when he touches you to orgasm. He knows you inside and out, what you need, and what you feel. You’d like to say that it’s the same the other way around, that you know him just as deeply. 

In the afterglow, you rest your head on his chest and feel his hand caressing your hair. His heartbeat is slow, his breathing almost steady again. You look up at him and feel so much affection that your head swims. An idea pops into your head in the beautiful clarity that follows being with him like this, “Tomorrow we could go to the cemetery if you like. We could take your dad too and get him to bring some flowers from his garden.” 

“I’d like that,” he replies, his fingers playing with and brushing your hair to the side absentmindedly, “Pop would appreciate that. It’s been a while since we all went together during Día de Muertos. Yeah, let’s do that.”

“That’s settled then,” you kiss his chest.

“Fuck, I love you, esposita (my little wife),” he says happily, absolutely in disbelief at your perfection. 

“I love you too,” you respond with a shy grin.

.

.

If you would like to follow my writing then go follow @notjustjavierpena-fics and turn on notifications 💖❤️

[pucksandpower]

okeyyyy!

but we need a Grid Kids that maybe y/n and seb were in an car accidente (and y/n took the worst of it) and now the roles are reversed, now they are gonna take care of them

Loving this series so much

Grid Kids: UNO Reverse Card

Sebastian Vettel x wife!Reader x platonic!drivers

Summary: the roles are reversed when disaster strikes and your grid kids make it their duty to take care of you

Series Masterlist

The rain is pouring down and the paddock is filled with the usual organized chaos accompanying a wet race. The garages are lively with the sounds of mechanics tuning engines, engineers going over data, and drivers preparing for the race.

Suddenly, a deafening silence descends as a member of the Aston Martin team rushes in, face pale and voice shaking, “There’s been an accident. It’s Sebastian and Y/N.”

The news spreads like wildfire. The paddock, usually filled with the roars of engines and excited chatter, is now eerily quiet. Your grid kids, upon hearing the news, rush to find out more details, their faces masks of concern.

A shaky video from a fan’s phone plays on loop on their screens, showing the aftermath of a devastating collision. Your car is almost unrecognizable, crushed, with the driver’s side visibly less damaged.

George, having seen the video, collapses onto a nearby chair, tears streaming down his face. “This can’t be happening,” he whispers.

Lando, usually the life of the party, stands frozen, disbelief evident in his eyes. Mick, face ashen, tries to make calls to get more information while Lance rushes to find his father to find out if the team has heard anything more.

***

Soon, details emerge that you bore the brunt of the impact and your condition is critical while Sebastian, though injured, is stable. The helicopter is already airlifting you to the nearest hospital.

As the severity of the situation sinks in, your grid kids, in an unprecedented move, gather together for an emergency meeting. The weight of the decision is clear in their eyes.

After what feels like an eternity, Charles stands up, his voice firm yet choked with emotion, “We’re pulling out. We can’t race knowing Y/N is fighting for her life. We need to be there for her, just like she’s always been there for us.”

The decision is unanimous. One by one, they all agree. Telling their teams and the FIA descends the paddock into even more chaos.

***

The hospital waiting room is filled with a mix of team colors. Red from Ferrari, orange from McLaren, deep blue from Red Bull, green from Aston Martin, white from Haas, and black from Mercedes. The fierce rivalry that usually defines race weekends is nowhere to be seen. Instead, they’re united in their concern for you.

Sebastian, despite his injuries, is by your bedside, holding your hand, praying silently for a miracle.

As the hours drag on, the grid kids take turns sitting by your side, sharing stories, hoping their voices provide some comfort, even in your unconscious state.

Mick, teary-eyed, recalls, “Remember when I missed my dad? You were there for me.”

Lando adds, “And when I just wanted milk? You welcomed me like family.”

Charles, voice filled with emotion, says, “We’re here now, for you, just like you’ve always been for us.”

***

As night turns into dawn, there’s a shift. Your vitals start stabilizing and the worst seems to be over. The relief is palpable as the somber mood hanging over your family fades away.

Sebastian, tears of gratitude in his eyes, thanks each one of them. “She’s strong, and with all of you here, I knew she’d find a way to fight through.”

***

A week has passed since the accident and you’re now firmly in the recovery phase. The room is overflowing with flowers, cards, and quirky gifts — each one a symbol of just how much you mean to the racing community.

As you slowly regain consciousness, groggy from the medication, the first thing you spot is a balloon, bobbing near the ceiling, with the words “Speedy Recovery!” It has a little caricature of you in a race car with your cat (in a tiny sweater) on your shoulder. Another one reads, “Get back on track soon!”

Mick enters the room with a tray, “Look who’s awake! I made you my special recovery smoothie. Okay, it’s mostly chocolate ... but it’s the thought that counts.”

Charles follows, holding a peculiar-looking teddy bear dressed in a racing suit. “Meet Racy. He’s going to keep you company. We tried to smuggle Speedy in under our hoodies but got caught so this is the next best thing.”

Lando waltzes in, proudly holding up a t-shirt with “I survived a car crash and all I got was this lousy t-shirt” printed on it.

Max pops his head around the door, holding a full-sized F1 helmet, “You better wear this the next time you get in a car.”

George, with his trademark smile, presents a plush safety car. “To keep you safe and sound, always.”

Lance, trying to contain his grin, brings in a steering wheel cushion. “For those moments when you feel the need to take control of your recovery.”

You can’t help but chuckle at their antics. “You guys ... always know how to lighten the mood.”

Sebastian, holding your hand, grins, “They’ve been brainstorming ways to cheer you up nonstop for days now.”

***

Determined to keep things positive, your grid kids rally together for a surprise. As the evening descends, they transform your room into a mini-movie theater. They even managed to sneak in a projector.

The movie choice? “Cars” of course.

Lance, armed with a bucket of popcorn, declares, “I mean, if we can’t race real cars today, might as well watch animated ones!”

Mick dims the lights and George hits play. As the familiar sounds of the movie fill the room, everyone settles in ready for a night of laughter.

***

It doesn’t take long for the grid kids to turn the movie night into their own commentary session.

As Lightning McQueen races across the screen, Max quips, “I think I could’ve taken that turn better.”

Lando, laughing, chimes in, “And Mater reminds me of Charles after a few too many energy drinks.”

Charles feigns outrage, “That’s unfair! I’m at least 10 percent more sophisticated than Mater.”

You, through bouts of laughter, shake your head, “Honestly, I can’t decide what's better, the movie or your commentary? You guys might have a future on a broadcast somewhere if this whole racing thing doesn’t work out.”

As the credits roll, Sebastian whispers, “This is exactly the medicine you needed.”

Your grid kids truly make the day memorable, proving that through thick and thin, family — in whatever form it may take — is everything.

***

The sun is high and the paddock is buzzing with energy as preparations for the upcoming race are in full swing. As you and Sebastian approach, there’s a sudden almost comedic halt in activity. It’s as if someone hit the pause button on a remote. Everyone turns to face you, jaws dropped.

Lance feigns fainting, “Is it a mirage? Or has our beloved Y/N truly graced us with her presence?”

Max approaches with an exaggerated limp, mimicking you, “Thought I’d get into the spirit of things,” he says with a smirk.

George emerges from the crowd holding a makeshift red carpet (it’s just a red towel he stole from Ferrari), rolling it out in front of you. “For our returning queen,” he declares with a bow.

Charles and Lando appear, each holding one end of a “Welcome Back” banner. You try to turn your head to read it … they accidentally held it upside down.

You’re trying hard to hold back tears of laughter. “You guys are impossible,” you manage to say between your chuckles.

Mick, with a gentle smile, approaches holding a small framed photo. It’s of you surrounded by all your grid kids, taken during a race earlier in the season, with the inscription “Family, Always.”

Touched by the gesture, you softly say, “Thank you so much, Mick. This means a lot.”

“You’ve always been there for us,” he replies. “It’s only right that we’re here for you.”

Sebastian, wrapping an arm around you, adds with a grin, “I think they missed you.”

You really loved your grid kids.

[pitchsidestories]

Just a little crush II Kim Little x Beattie!Reader

masterlist I word count: 3192

a/n: sorry, It's a lengthy one, but we hope you still enjoy it. ❤️

“Lee, who’s that girl talking to Jen?”, Kim Little asked Arsenal’s vice-captain while licking her lips nervously. They and some other family and friends gathered for a party to send Jen Beattie off who was going to California to join Bay FC.

There was something about that young woman standing next to her friend which was making her feel and think things the midfielder never did before, but she didn’t want to dwell on them any further as it would lead to much more questions and less clear answers.

Amused Leah Williamson raised her eyebrows:” Oh Kimmy, you don’t recognize her? It’s Jennis baby sister, she’s fresh out of Edinburgh University!”

“That’s not Jen’s sister! She looked so much younger last time.”, the Scottish woman shook her head in disbelief.

Still smiling the England captain replied: “Yes, it’s, she’s 25 now.”

“Oh wow.”, Kim muttered.

Noisily Beth Mead took part in their conversation:” Who are you two gossiping about? I want to know.”

“Jens little sis.”, Leah answered with a smug smile on her face.

“She turned into a real beauty, right?”, the blonde forward winked watching Kim turning red.

Much to her dismay the defender noticed it:” think our captain would agree with you.”

“Stop it.. I’m not.”, Kim explained slightly embarrassed.

“Having a little crush?”, Beth teased her teammate grinning.

Tuning in Steph Catley chirmed:” Oh Kim, that’s so cute.”

“I don’t have a crush.”, their captain disagreed. She felt relived when Jen came along distracting from the gossiping football players.

“Hi guys, remember my little sister?”, the tall Scottish defender asked.

Cheerful you greeted them:” Hi, everyone.”

“Hello great to see you again. Even though the reason is kind of sad.”, Beth responded with a sad smile.

Empathetically you nodded:” No, I agree but shamefully can’t wait to visit her soon in Cali.”

“You all act like I’m disappearing forever.”, your big sister laughed. Even though you knew the farewell felt equally as bittersweet to her.

Quickly Lia Wälti hugged her: “We can’t help how we’re feeling, Jen. It’s a big loss for us and a big win for Bay FC.”

“You girls are the sweetest.”, Jen whispered, she was so grateful for the friendships she made during her time at Arsenal.

Big eyed Steph Catley responded:” I’ll miss my favourite neighbour.”

“I’ll miss living next to you too, Steph.”, the defender answered truthfully.

This was the moment you found the time to talk to Kim directly to express your gratitude towards her:” Thanks for letting me stay at your place for a few weeks, Kim.”

“You’re welcome. Now that your sister can’t let you stay anymore.”, the older woman waved it off.

“I really appreciate it.”

With a small smile the midfielder told you in a reassuring tone:” You can stay as long as you want. Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m sure you’ll have a great time together.”, Jen intervened confidently.

You gave your sister a nod: “I’m sure we’ll.“

As the evening progressed, the atmosphere became more and more relaxed. You felt right at home with your sisters teammates who happily shared stories about Jen with and made sure your glass was never empty.

It was only after midnight that Kim appeared right in front of you, reaching out a hand towards you: “Come, I’ll get you home.“

“Now?“, you asked, surprised by how drunk you sounded already.

Kim just raised an eyebrow but did not comment on it: “Yes, it’s late.“

“Bye, Jen!“, you shouted across the room to your sister while Kim helped you into your coat.

With one swift motion, Jen came over and pulled you into a tight hug: “Bye, you two.“

Luckily, the way home in Kims car was short. You were by sleep and found it difficult to keep your eyes open. Once Kim led you into the guest room of her apartment, you let yourself fall onto the bed with a relieved sigh. Kims dog curled into a ball at your feet.

“This is really cozy.“, you mumbled, burying your face into the soft pillows.

Kim watched you from the doorway: “Glad you feel at home here.“

“Good night, Kim.“

The corners of her mouth quirked up as she closed the door behind her and you fell into a dreamless sleep.

You woke up early the next morning and decided to make coffee for yourself and Kim. The coffee was just done brewing as Kim came back from walking her dog. Beaming, you handed her a mug: “Morning, this one is for you.“

She gave you a surprised look first but then took the coffee from you: “Oh. Thank you.“

“You’re welcome. Also I hope I didn’t say anything weird when we went home last night.“, you said as you sat down at the kitchen table together. You took a sip of coffee to hide your reddening cheeks behind the cup.

“No. Like what?“, Kim asked inquiringly.

You decidedly ignored her question and only reacted to the first part: “Oh good.“

“You almost immediately fell asleep.“, she explained plainly.

Changing the topic, you suggested: “Do you like Pizza? When I’m done with my interview, I could get some on the way back.“

Finally, a small smile appeared on the football players face: “Sure, why not?“

“Okay, great.“

With a glance toward the kitchen clock, Kim announced: “I have to leave for training now. So, see you later?“

“Yes, see you.“, you smiled at her.

Just before Kim walked out, she paused for a moment: “Oh, wait.“

“Uhm, yes?“, you patiently looked at her as she walked back into the kitchen.

“I forgot to give you the keys.“, she said, carefully tossing them in you direction.

You caught them with a grin: “Right. Thank you, Kim.“

“See you later. Good luck with your interview.”, Kim replied.

You were almost at the door when you turned around to face her beaming with hopefulness: “Thanks. Have fun in training!”

During training Kim warmed up with Cloé Lacasse. The Canadian striker asked her curiously:” So you got yourself a roommate, Kim?”

“I was more or less assigned a roommate, Cloé. She was supposed to stay with Jen, but she decided to leave us.”, the Arsenal captain explained with a deep sigh.

With a mischievous smile on her lips Leah came to a stop right next to the older women: “The most important part is though that Kim has a Girl crush on said roommate.”

Annoyed by her comment Kim rolled her eyes at the defender:” I don’t have a girl crush, Leah.”

“Kim is straight too.”, the Canadian forward added.

“Right.”, the Scottish midfielder nodded. Although deep inside of her something didn’t sit right with it although it has been true for so many years at this point. Why did your presence make her question things she thought she knew about herself.

This didn’t impress Leah in the least: “You should have been there Cloé when they met at Jens Farewell Party.”

“Well, I can’t wait to hopefully meet her soon.”, Cloé answered politely.

Frustrated Kim intervened:” You guys are making a way too big deal out of it.”

“If you need to chat though we’re here for you, Kim.”, Beth offered warmly.

Stubbornly the Scottish woman shook her head: “I don’t need to chat. She’s just staring at my place.”

“Alright, just saying.”, the England forward mumbled.

“It’s not a big deal.”, her captain repeated in a serious tone which made obvious that she was done with talking for now.

Reading the signs Leah decided:” Let’s get back to training.”

Finally, Kim thought relieved as they started to move again, distracting from the whirlwind, which was currently inside of her, giving her a peace of mind for the moment.

In the early evening you returned to Kim’s place announcing cheerfully:” Hi, I got the pizza.”

“Thanks. How did your interview go?”, she wanted to know from you.

As you were setting up the table for dinner, you told her about it:” Not too bad, actually. They said my writing is promising but they asked me if I really want to stay focused on women’s football.”

Interested the Scottish woman looked up to you:” What did you say to them?”

“That I don’t want to change my focus, I love writing about women’s football and the culture surrounding it.”, you responded.

Proudly Kim remarked:” Your sister would have done the same in your position.”

“She would’ve, right?”, you asked her cautiously.

Kim nodded once with conviction: “Absolutely.“

“There’s still such a long way to go… although the recent success helped a bit.“, you thought out loud, a sad smile tugging on your lips.

“You don’t have to tell me.“, Kim replied with her gaze trained on the kitchen table.

You could sense that the football player felt a similar way about the topic. Your curiosity was piqued so you continued: “For you and Jen it must have been an amazing progress to live through.“

“Yes. We’re lucky to be part of this generation. Selling out stadiums is something that a few years ago we thought was impossible.“, she explained calmly.

You were reminded of your sisters first football games. She was not getting paid to play yet and the number of fans was ridiculously low compared to this season. You bit your lip: “Yes, I remember that too.“

“I appreciate that you want to keep focusing on womens football.“

Hearing her say that made your heart flutter for a brief moment. But you were also reminded how quickly the atmosphere had changed. You sighed and with all the enthusiasm you could muster, said: “We should eat the pizzas now before they get too cold.“

“You’re right.“

As you both sat down, taking the first slices of the pizza, you admitted: “But I do love talking about football with you.“

“We can continue at another time if you want.“, Kim suggested a little more relaxed.

“Yes, I’d like that very much.“

“Me too.“

“Great.“

Kim put her slice of pizza down and looked at you thoughtfully: “We’re playing at home on the weekend. You should come watch.“

“Yes, I’ll be there.“, you politely smiled back at her.

Kims focus had already shifted back to her pizza: “Great.“

 The stadium was starting to fill on the following Sunday while players walked out to warm up. You were engrossed in a conversation with your friend Emily who after a long time of convincing had finally agreed to come to the game with you. You completely missed that Cloe Lacasse walked out on the pitch with Kim and curiously nodded in your direction: “So that’s her?“

“Yes, that’s her.“, Kim replied, a frown on her face as she spotted you close to the field.

“Is that her girlfriend? The one who’s standing next to her?“, the Canadian wanted to know.

Kim shrugged and shook her head: “She didn’t say anything about a girlfriend.“

Still, her gaze lingered on the two of you for a little longer.

The game ended with an easy win for Arsenal. Apart from the goals of Cloe and Alessia Russo, Kim also converted a penalty. The atmosphere in the stadium after the game was great and you immediately felt at home. However, the mood between the players on the pitch was less elated.

Leah Williamson bumped her captain with her shoulder: “Kim? You’re even quieter than usual.“

“What? I’m just focused.“, the midfielder replied, pulling away from her teammate.

The younger player couldn’t ask any further as you hugged the Scottish woman and sung:” Kim, you had a fantastic game, Kim!” Seeing the England captain you added blushing:”Hi Lee.”

Smiling Leah couldn’t help but to notice the height difference between you two, you were almost as tall as Jen while your roommate was fairly small: “Our skipper was great, right?”

“Yes, she definitely was.”, with that said you let Kim down.

Much to your surprise she didn’t look happy despite the comfortable win:”Thanks.”

The midfielder didn’t say anything further instead she left the room and left you clueless. Puzzled you turned around to look at her teammate: “Well, that was a bit strange do you know what’s going on, Leah?”

“I think she’s a bit jealous.”, the blonde replied seriously.

Baffled by that you let out a shaky laugh:” Jealous? Kim?”

Leah grinned: “Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Because you brought your girlfriend.”, the defender replied, crossing her arms in front of her.

“My girlfriend? Emily is just a friend!”, you corrected her, shaking your head in disbelief.

Sceptical Leah rose an eyebrow at you:” Oh, is she?”

“Yes, wait, did Kim think that Em was my girlfriend?”, you questioned her.

Thoughtfully Leah responded:” Maybe.”

“I need to talk to her.”, you decided.

With an empathetic smile on her lips the blonde held you back: “Maybe not now.”

You listened to her advice, so you went back to Emily and brought her home before making your way slowly to Kim’s home. In your mind it already was yours too.

On her car ride home Jen phone called the Arsenal captain:” Hi mate, great game!”

“Thanks, Jen. How’s California?”, Kim asked her.

“It’s been really great so far., the defender sounded happily before turning more serious, but you texted that you needed to talk?”

Earnestly Kim told her: “Yes. About your sister. Did you know that she’s dating someone?”

“What? No, she’s single.”, she mumbled convinced.

“What do you mean? She brought someone to our game today?”, the midfielder frowned.

Quickly Jen explained: “Yes Emily, she’s just a friend of her, Kimmy.”

“Are you sure? They seemed close?”, Kim almost felt something like relief by her former teammates reply. Although she didn’t dare to trust the news yet.

“Kim, I’m sure of that besides Emily has a boyfriend.”, Jen chuckled.

“If you say so.”

“But you can ask my sister again. Kim are you jealous?”, the defender wanted to know from her friend.

Offended Kim scoffed at her:” Why would I be jealous? I was just wondering why she’d stay with me when she’s got a girlfriend here.”

“Now you know. I need to go to training, hope to hear from you soon, mate?” After a few goodbyes they ended the phone call and the Arsenal captain tried to focus on the drive instead of the turmoil which was inside her.

When the door closed behind Kim, you looked up from the food you were cooking. While the Arsenal players showered and debriefed at the stadium, you had hurried to get home and surprise your housemate with a freshly cooked dinner. “Kim? Hi, I started cooking…“, you greeted her.

The football player raised her eyebrows in surprise: “You’re already here?“

You nodded: “Yes, Emily had to go back to her boyfriend who has a bit of a cold. Otherwise we might have gone to a pub. Do you want a drink to celebrate the win?“

“No, thanks. I usually don’t drink after games.“, Kim answered plainly, putting her bag down next to the kitchen table.

You grimaced: “Oh, right. Sorry. So water?“

“Sure. What are you cooking?“, Kim asked, looking over your shoulder at the food while you poured two glasses of water.

You smiled while handing her one of the glasses: “Some pasta dish. It’s one of the few things I can cook.“

The football player nodded impressed and smirked slightly: “That’s more than your sister can cook.“

“That’s true.“

You both sat down to enjoy your home-cooked meal, talking about the game again even though Kim kept her answers short. You took the empty plates and set them down at the sink: “I guess I’ll let you sleep now.“

“You don’t have to. I can’t sleep yet anyway.“, Kim replied to your surprise.

You slowly turned back to her, biting down a nervous smile: “Okay but you know you can just ask me on a date instead of running away and sulking after the match, right?“

Her eyes widened in shock: “Wait, what are you talking about?“

“Leah said you were jealous because of Emily and you really don’t need to be.“, you shrugged, trying to keep the nonchalance in your voice.

“I wasn’t jealous.“, she protested.

You looked back at the dishes in the sink, waiting: “Good.“

“That’s ridiculous.“

“Kim…“, you started but when you looked back to her, she had already bridged the gap between you two and pressed her lips to yours. You gasped into the kiss: “What?“

“That was a mistake. I’m sorry.“, she sighed, shaking her head in a mix of confusion and guilt.

She wanted to turn away from you but you grabbed her wrist: “No, please, do it again.“

There was an urgency in your voice that made Kim search for your eyes: “Are you sure?“

“Yes.“

“But… okay.“

She kissed you again, more patiently now. This time you could savour the taste of her lips on yours and only then you realized that she had to stand on her tiptoes to reach you. You were so charmed by this that you could not stop yourself from smiling.

As you both pulled away, you could see an uncertainty in Kims eyes. It was definitely not the kiss, you could feel that you both enjoyed it. Another thougth raced through your head: “Am I your first woman? Don’t worry, we have time. When is your next free day? Maybe we could go to a restaurant.“

“I have tomorrow off.”, she told you straight away.

A relieved sigh escaped your mouth:” Perfect, with a smirk you continued, also, you’re not a bad kisser, captain.”

“I never said I was.”, Kim laughed, you could tell some weight fell off her shoulders.

“No just saying.”, you shrugged.

The midfielder put a loose string of hair behind her ear:” Thanks.”

A month later Kim and you had a video call with your sister. The first thing you told her was that you two became a couple. “You two are dating?! You better take good care of her little sis!”, Jen warned you in a jokingly tone.

“What?! Me?!”, you huffed.

Grinning the defender nodded: “Yes, you heard me.”

“Wow.”, you ran a free hand through your hair.

Meanwhile your girlfriend seemed to have ignored that part of the conversation as she reassured Jen:” Don’t worry, I’m taking good care of your sister.”

“I can already see that.”, your big sister observed amused.

“Jen, you’re a terrible big sister.”, you teased her.

“I’m the best big sister.”, she countered quickly.

“Sure.”, you rolled your eyes at her.

“Stop it you two.”, Kim demanded in her captain voice.

Smiling Jen answered:” No, get used to it, Kimmy. You’re part of the Beattie family now.”  

“Oh yes.”, you added, while giving the midfielder a kiss on her blushing cheek.

Coming to London to move in with one of your sister’s oldest friends was one of the best things that could had happen to you.

As for Kim she never knew she could fall for a woman until you came into her life, but the midfielder was very happy to have let her change her mind about that. Turned out you were more than just a little crush.

[the-offside-rule]

Lando Norris (McLaren) - Moving Home

Requested: yes

Prompt: Moving in with Lando x

Warnings: nope

Lando gazed at the picturesque English countryside as they walked hand in hand up the pebbled driveway. The prospect of moving back to England with his girlfriend, Y/n, was an exciting one. He had missed the rolling hills and the vibrant culture and in all honesty, Monaco had gotten been a bit boring after a while. He remember how he tried convincing Y/n to just move to Monaco and not worry about uni since he said he would take care of her forever, but she was not going to just give up on university that easily.

As they approached a house with a "For Sale" sign, Lando couldn't help but feel a spark of anticipation. The real estate agent, a friendly man named James, greeted them with a warm smile. "Hello there! You must be Lando and Y/n. Very lovely to meet you." James said, shaking their hands. Lando smiled. "Nice to meet you, James. We're looking forward to finding the perfect place." He said, holding his hand out for Y/n to take. "Well, hopefully this is it. It's truly a remarkable house." James saud as he led them inside the house, a grand property with a spacious garden and elegant architecture. As they explored the rooms, Y/n's eyes lit up at the features that matched her wishlist.

"I'll let you both have a look around yourselves. I just need to make a call." James said before leaving the room. "This is beautiful, but-" Y/n hesitated, glancing at Lando with concern. "It's quite expensive, isn't it? Almost 4 million pounds." Lando squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, love. I want us to have the best. I'll take care of it." Y/n smiled, feeling a wave of warmth. "You're sure? It won't be too much will it?" Lando laughed. "Darling, I got paid 20 million last year. This place is not not much." They continued the tour, discussing how they would decorate each room and imagining their life in this idyllic setting.

Over tea in the cozy kitchen, they finalized their decision. Lando looked at Y/n with determination. "This is the one. I want you to be happy, and if it means a beautiful home in England, then it's worth every penny." Y/n's eyes shimmered with gratitude as they held each9thwrs hand on the table. "Perfect, I can get a payment plan started out for you if you'd like and then-"

"No, no, I have the money just tell me when you want it and I'll send it on over." The dealer was gobsmacked. He didn't exactly know how to react to this 24 year old saying he can just pay off his house whenever it is needed. "I mean, whenever you'd like to move in." Lando nodded. "Let me call my bank and I'll have the money sent over." Lando stood up, smoothenlling out his shirt and shaking hands with James. "Please doing business." Jame said. "I will call you to finalise everything." Lando placed his hand behind Y/n. "Of course, we'll be in touch."

A matter of weeks later, Lando and Y/n shared laughter as they tackled the mountain of boxes in their new home. "I hope our furniture isn't lost in this bloody cardboard." Lando quipped, holding up a lampshade. Y/n chuckled, setting a box down. "Well, at least we'll have a well-lit maze." Lando plopped down onto the sofa, completely exhausted from hoisting boxes around everywhere. "You okay?" Y/n asked sitting beside him. "Just tired. I honestly thought being a racing driver would prepare me for this, but these boxes are giving me a headache." Y/n leaned on his shoulder. "Well, maybe if you drove as fast as you unpack, we'd be done by now."

"Rude."

[villainsandvictimsalliance]

So many lonely people on Kaiju No. 8 had found companionship with Kafka.

He's the personification of support. A senpai, a role model, a hero, a friend, a cadet, a reliable worker, even a crush. He's someone you can trust and someone that wants to be there for you. Even the comedy relief guy or the saviour of the day!!

In the latest manga chapters he was a plushie for a little girl.

There's Reno who lost his entire family. Kafka took the role of the senpai with him: guide and teach the guy, talk with him, show him how to survive and inspire him. Reno met a genuinely good guy that was openly offering his help and friendship, so he went back to thank him and do the same. Hey, your dream is not over, Reno said. What did he get in return? Kafka sacrificing his life for him, telling him to run, giving up the most important thing in his life for Reno.

There's Mina, who is terrified of being alone. She found a personal clown in Kafka, yes, but he was also the boy who helped her keep her hope and made things easier. He would always go with her to the shelter during a kaiju attack, even if he was in another school. He told her she didn't have to kill kaijus all alone. He promised to be by her side. Mina was thrown into a world of giant burdens and expectations, where her failures could mean death and destruction. Kafka saw her not as the weapon she was, but as Mina.

Hoshina was constantly disrespected, overlooked and ignored. He gave Kafka a chance because he reminded Hoshina of himself. For his troubles, Hoshina got a guy that would work hard to reach his expectations, that would rival him, that would call him first thing and spend all that time worried and would apologize before turning into a kaiju to save their lives. Kafka became a friend of sorts to Hoshina through hard work and respect.

Kikoru was used to all types of reactions from the people around her, but not to the level of worry and pride and trust Kafka gave her. It was not for show, he was completely open and sincere in his feelings. Kikoru you're an asshole, Kikoru you're amazing, Kikoru pleaseeee take care of yourself, Kikoru I won't disappoint you, Kikoru you have my permission and gratitude if you kill me if I ever lose control, Kikoru I trust you to finish this battle.

The first thing Kafka did during the second part of the recruitment was support Aoi and Haruichi during their subjugation of a kaiju.

He saved Minase's life by partially turning and risking his life for it. He saved Iharu and Reno that day against No. 9.

Narumi told Kafka that only they knew the weight of the burden they carried for being there the day Isao Shinomiya was killed. Freaking Narumi, who wouldn't share that burden with anyone else.

Like it was noted by his boss while he was still part of the Cleaning Corps, Kafka would do his job after complaining, but he'd do it perfectly and do it again if asked to.

He's reliable. I know I said it before, but he is.

In a world where anyone can die any minute, in the Kaiju Country, Kafka is a presence you don't want to vanish. It's what Mina says: everything is easier with him around, anything is possible.

When in the first chapters Kafka tells the little girl to not be afraid because he'll go and everything will be okay— the girl thanks him. In the anime, the little girl even asks Mina to please not hurt the good kaiju. Once people have met him, they don't want him to go. They'd do anything for him not to go, not to die. When Kikoru saw him losing control and remembered her promise, she decided that she'd rather believe in him 'til the end. When Isao was about to disappear, he thought about Kafka and said he'd leave things up to him too.

Isn't that what it means to be a hero? To be able to say "leave it up to me" but also trust others to help you when you need it? Inspire people to support you because you supported them first?

The only thing scarier than the kaijus is to be left alone in the world— and Kafka fights that.

[delicatebarness]

cry baby | chapter thirty

Summary: How does it end?

Warning: Duel POV. The tiniest mention of sex.

Word Count: 1471

Spotify Playlist | Support: Ko-FI

Series Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Epilogue

A/N: I can't believe this is almost the end. - Please feel free to leave feedback or let me know where and how you want the story to continue, this is just as much yours as mine. - B

Tags: @buckys0whore | @thezombieprostitute | @lanabuckybarnes | @mishkatelwarriorgoddess | @softieekayy | @noonespecial90 | @hello-therree | @randomawesomeperson102 | @whoreforbarnes | @thejutvtsupport | @somnorvos | @cjand10 | @plasticbottleholder | @birdenthusiastez | @am-3-thyst

Everything: @hallecarey1 | @pattiemac1 | @uhmellamoanna | @scraftsku35 | @ozwriterchick | @sapphirebarnes | @rach2602 | @thetorturedbuckydepartment | @mrsnikstan

Bucky’s POV

The memory of you standing by the sketch of him lingered in Bucky’s mind, a haunting melody that he couldn’t shake. Your words echoed in his eyes: “For my entire life in this city– all I see is you.” It felt like a revelation as if he could see something shift in you at that moment. Yet, he was unsure how to process the emotions that stirred within him. 

Bucky decided to spend the day with Leah, taking her to a place that once brought him solace to help clear his mind. The lake was nestled away from the neon lights and the city’s hustle, a place the two of you had often retreated to. He thought bringing Leah there would help him find some clarity. 

The ride to the lake was quiet, nothing but the hum of the bike, and Bucky’s clouded thoughts. Leah noticed his distraction from the moment he picked her up, but she chose not to press him about it. He did wonder if she sensed the undercurrents of his unease, even though she seemed content. 

Just as he remembered it, the lake water shimmered under the late afternoon sun, and the trees whispered in the gentle breeze. Leading Leah to a secluded spot, the familiar surroundings tugged at his heart. 

Leah wandered around, taking in the scenery. Her eyes fell upon something carved into the bark of an old oak tree as she approached it. A curious smile played on his lips as she turned to Bucky. “Hey, Bucky… come here!” she called out.

His heart skipped a beat when he recognized the tree she stood by. Your initials and his, intertwined and etched into the tree– a memory, a relic of your shared history.

“That’s adorable,” Leah said, her tone light but knowing as she gestured toward the markings. 

Sighing, Bucky ran a hand over his hair. “There’s something I need to tell you, Leah.” 

Her smile faded slightly as she looked at him expectantly, sensing the seriousness in his tone. 

Taking a deep breath, he gathered his courage. “I love her, Leah. I’ve tried to bury it, to move on, but I can’t.” 

Leah remained calm, almost resigned. “No way, I’d never would have guessed.”

Bewildered, Bucky looked at her meeting her gaze. “You knew?”

“Of course, I knew, dumbass,” she replied, amusement sparkling in her eyes. 

“Wait,” Bucky’s confusion deepened. “Why… why did you stay all this time?”

Her expression softened, and affection flickered in her gaze. “Honestly, I was never looking for anything serious, and it was clear you weren’t either, not with anyone else anyway. Oh, and the sex was great.” 

He realized just how perceptive she had been all along and her honesty struck him. He thought he must have been a dumbass, thinking he could keep his feelings for you buried while being around Leah.

“I do care about you, Leah,” he began, his voice filling with regret. 

She smiled, understanding etched on her face. “I know.” 

The weight of unspoken truths settled between them as they stood in silence for a moment. The lake, the tree, your initials– all symbols of a past he couldn’t escape.

Leah’s gentle voice broke the silence. “You need to figure out what you want, Bucky. And I think you already know.” 

He nodded, his heart filled with mingling gratitude and sorrow. “Thank you, Leah. For everything.” 

“Hey, this isn’t a farewell speech, yet,” she chuckled softly. “We’ve still got plans with everyone at the bar later, remember?” 

“Shit,” Bucky laughed, the tension between them easing slightly. “You’re right, do you want to leave now, then?” 

As they rode back to the city, Bucky reflected on his gratitude for Leah’s understanding. A strange mixture of relief and anticipation coursed through him as he thought about a chance to confront his feelings. 

~

Cry Baby’s POV

The evening approached and you began to get ready to meet with everyone at the bar. You tried to push away the complicated feelings that surfaced whenever you thought about Bucky together with Leah as your phone buzzed with a text to confirm they’d be there.

When you arrived at the bar, your friends were gathered in the usual booth. A comforting, familiar atmosphere was created with laughter and music filling the air. Greeting everyone, you exchanged quick hugs and caught up on their latest news. 

While in mid-conversation with Sam, the door swung open, and Bucky walked in with Leah by his side. Your heart flipped at the sight of him, yet you tried to keep your composure steady and stay focused on your conversation.

Bucky’s gaze found yours almost in an instant, and for a moment, it was as if no one else in the world existed. A small, tentative smile tugged at his lips before Leah pulled him toward the group.

~

The night wore on as you tried to focus on your friends, yet your attention kept drifting over to Bucky. The easy way he interacted with Leah, the smiles they were sharing, every second felt like a dagger to your heart. Lost in your thoughts, you almost missed a particular moment that shattered your fragile composure. 

“Sweetheart,” the nickname used amid a casual conversation, snapped your thoughts back to reality. The word hit you like a punch to the guy as the realization that he wasn’t directing it to you, but instead to Leah. It felt like every memory you had of all the times he’s called you that flooded your mind, the term of endearment that had always been yours– The smallest piece of the connection you cherished. 

Your emotions began to boil over, and you couldn’t stay there any longer. You bolted from the booth without a word, rushing out of the bar. As if in sync with your turmoil, the night air was cold and damp, pouring raid as the sky opened up. 

The rain soaked through your clothes as reached the bikes lined up outside the bar. Each breath you took hitched with sobs, the chill of the rain mixed with the heat of your tears. The plan was crystal clear as the rest of the world blurred. You turned to see Bucky as his heavy footsteps approached you from behind. His face filled with concern, his eyes held an urgency that mirrored the storm within you.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, his voice gentle as he reached out, cupping your cheek in his hand. His touch was a warm contrast to the wet, cold rain. 

You struggled to find the right words, the rain began to mingle with your tears as they spilled down your cheeks. “I can’t sit in there and listen to you call her that,” you blurted out, your voice trembling as you finally looked up at him. “I know it sounds pathetic, but that’s been ours since we were kids, Bucky.” 

For a moment, Bucky’s eyes widened in shock but his hand stayed gently holding your cheek, smoothly rubbing his thumb against it. The only sound between you was the relentless patter of rain hitting the pavement, as he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came. 

“I’m in love with you,” your words spilled out in a rush, the adrenaline that coursed through you drove it to admit the truth to him. “I’ve been in love with you for so long, and I can’t watch you be with someone else anymore–”

Before you could continue, Bucky’s lips met yours. The intensity takes your breath away. Everything around you seemed to disappear, there was only the two of you standing in the rain, together. The kiss was filled with years of unspoken emotions, everything you had been hiding.

His forehead rested against yours when he pulled back. His breath was warm as it mingled with your ragged breaths as he spoke. “I’m in love with you too,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “It’s always been you, I just… I didn’t know you felt the same way.” 

Wrapping your arm around his neck, your tears mixed with the rain as you held him tightly. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize sooner,” you said, your voice choking on your emotions. “I, I, I,” you stuttered unable to find your voice again. 

He shook his head, placing another kiss against your lips. “It doesn’t matter now,” he murmured. “We know now, and that’s all that matters.” 

The rain continued to pour down, chilling you to the bone, but you couldn’t care. All that mattered in that moment was you were finally together, your hearts laid bare. 

The pain, the confusion, the fear– in that moment, you knew that everything you had been through had led to this. Standing together, Bucky by your side, you were ready to embrace whatever came next in the open road of the future.

---

Series Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Epilogue

[tiredeyesight]

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ coffee order (jake peralta x fem! reader)

summary : you have a complicated coffee order that no one can remember, and out of all people jake begins to perfect it, creating suspicion in the office.

“i’ll have a venti iced vanilla latte with oat milk, please. can you use ristretto shots and a little extra vanilla syrup? if you can add just a bit of cold foam on top, that’d be great. thank you so much!", you spoke to the barista. the squad was shocked at your request. “how the hell do you remember that!?”, terry exclaimed in a high pitched tone.

———

“i’m doing a coffee run, tell me your orders people!”, charles announced. people began calling out their orders whilst charles wrote them down. everyone’s eyes turned to you. “uhh ill have my usual?”, you said. “no one can remember that but i’ll try.”, charles responded. “venti iced vanilla latte with oat milk. can you use ristretto shots with a little extra vanilla syrup and a bit of cold foam on the top.” you casually spoke. “venti iced vanilla latte with.. yeah im lost”, charles spoke, “message me it?”, he questioned and with a simple nod from you he was off.

———

you and jake were out on your third date. keeping it a secret from the squad, especially from a probing gina who constantly wanted the love life gossip, was hard to say the least. however, the small details made it so obvious that you and jake were seeing each other. the long stares accompanied by little smiles, the way your hands would linger for a second too long for ‘just close co-workers’ when they’d come in contact, the way you would softly smile when the other was brought up. the small things.

you were sitting in a cafe with your hands intertwined with each other under the table. a waitress came over to your table, “are you guys ready to order?”, she questioned. “yes! i will have a chocolate shake while the lady will get a venti iced vanilla latte with oat milk using ristretto shots with a little extra vanilla syrup and a bit of cold foam on the top. thank you!”, jake spoke. he remembered your order?

as the waitress left, jakes eyes met yours. you looked head over heels in love with him bringing a shy smile and chuckle out of him. “you remembered my order?”, you asked. “of course!”, he answered as if it was the silliest question in the world. “you’re so sweet jake.”, drawing another shy smile from him. you leant over the table and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. a blush creeping up on both of your cheeks at the action.

———

it was the crack of dawn on monday morning, everyone called in early due to an important case. everyone was exhausted and gloomy. so jake, wanting to brighten the mood a bit, was going on a surprise coffee run. he got everyone’s usual and brought them back to the office excited for everyone’s reaction. a murmur of gratitude and elation was bounced off the walls of the office at the sight of coffee.

as everyone was drinking their coffee down, gina noticed that you were drinking a coffee too. surely not right? “hey y/n, did jake get your order right??”, gina called out. “uhh yea why?”, you responded back in puzzlement. dots connected instantly in gina’s head. of course! rosa and charles heads rose with a piqued interest, sharing looks about this theory.

gina ushered you to come with her to god knows where. after ensuring no one was around she whispered, “you and jake are seeing each other!!”. oh shit. your face told her everything. “oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!!”, she exclaimed.

authors note : i feel like this is total shit but whateversss! also i could never imagine ordering something like this, please take no offence if you do but oh my gah. hope you enjoyed and as always, requests are oppeeennnn!

word count : 595

[atzaurora]

폭풍-𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

s𝗍᥆rmᥡ ᥴ᥆m𝖿᥆r𝗍

𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓: Hongjoong

𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈: fem!idol!reader x idol!hongjoong

𝒕𝒚𝒑𝒆: imagine (fluff, angst)

𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑: group members, good friends (crushing?)

.ᐟ.ᐟ𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔.ᐟ.ᐟ: none

𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚: y/n can't fall asleep because of a heavy storm, that she's afraid of. Hongjoong comforts and let's her stay with him.

𝒘/𝒄: 598

𝒂/𝒏: this is just a cute little imagine I wrote quite quickly but I hope you'll like it! feel free to leave requests ^.^

here's my 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕!

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

The storm outside was relentless, lightning flashing across the sky, thunder booming in the distance. You tossed and turned in bed, unable to find peace amidst the chaos. Every crack of thunder seemed to echo through the empty halls of the dorm, making your heart race.

You glanced at the clock. It was 2 AM. The other members were sound asleep, oblivious to the storm outside. You sat up, clutching your blanket, trying to steady your breathing. But as another loud boom rattled the windows, you couldn't take it anymore. You needed comfort, and you knew exactly who to go to.

Quietly slipping out of bed, you tiptoed through the dark hallway until you reached Hongjoong's door. You hesitated for a moment, not wanting to disturb him, but another flash of lightning made the decision for you. You gently knocked on his door.

"Come in," came his groggy yet warm voice from the other side.

You opened the door slowly, peeking your head in. Hongjoong was sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes. He looked at you with concern.

"Y/N? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with sleep but full of care.

You stepped inside, closing the door behind you. "I'm sorry to wake you, Hongjoong. It's just... the storm. I can't sleep. Can I stay here with you?"

He immediately shifted to one side of the bed, patting the space next to him. "Of course. Come here."

You didn't need any more encouragement. You climbed into bed beside him, feeling a sense of relief as you settled under the covers. Hongjoong's presence was comforting, and his warmth quickly began to chase away the fear that had gripped you.

"Thank you," you whispered, curling up next to him.

He wrapped an arm around you, pulling you closer. "It's okay, Y/N. I'm here."

The sound of his steady breathing and the feel of his arm around you started to calm your racing heart. The thunder seemed less intimidating with him by your side. Hongjoong gently stroked your hair, his touch soothing.

"Whenever there's a storm like this, I remember the times we had them back home," he murmured softly. "I used to be scared too. But then I found that listening to music or talking to someone helped."

You nodded, feeling the tension slowly leave your body. "Can you talk to me? Tell me about something nice."

Hongjoong smiled in the dim light. "Sure. Let's see... Remember the last time we went to the beach? How we all played in the water and laughed until our stomachs hurt? That was a good day."

You smiled at the memory, feeling a bit more relaxed. "Yeah, it was."

He continued to talk, sharing stories and memories, his voice a gentle lullaby. Gradually, the storm outside seemed to fade into the background, the flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder becoming distant.

"You know," he said softly, "whenever you need comfort, you can always come to me. I'll always be here for you."

You looked up at him, gratitude shining in your eyes. "Thank you, Hongjoong. That means a lot."

He gave you a reassuring squeeze. "Now, try to get some sleep. I'll be right here."

You nodded, closing your eyes and resting your head on his chest. With his steady heartbeat and comforting presence, you finally began to drift off. The storm outside continued, but inside, you felt safe and secure in Hongjoong's arms.

And as you fell asleep, you knew that no matter what, you'd always have a place to find comfort – right there with him.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

[ravenwind-75]

A Christmas Kiss || AU

Word count: 3000

No beta: fight me

Pairing: Ominis x Johanna

tagging: @heylorrain and @butternutt613 because they shared.

and @accio-bagel and @ps-cactus who helped me with ideas.

@leaping-toadstool-caps

and @anomalyaly and @zetadraconis11 for fluff therapy after reading ITSOI recently

...................................................

“Christmas is a time of coming together, of cheer, of laughter, of remembering what is most important to us. Think back on the year, the lessons we learned, and how we can grow and change. But most of all it is remembering the greatest gift of all, love…”

*******

Ominis Gaunt had had Christmas before. At Hogwarts and some with the Sallow’s, snug by their fire on a cold winter's night. They would sip warm glogg and warm their small cold hands from the snowball fights under blankets and on each other’s skin, just to hear each other shriek. Anne had been the cruelest of them all, chasing her brother with her icy fingers. He had fond memories of those childhood days. They had washed away the memories of lonely nights he’d spent in his manor the years before. His family had often gone off to parties without him, ashamed to be seen with their crippled and weak son. The only joy was when Aunt Noctua would return with a small bag of sweets that she slipped him when no one was looking. 

Yes, Ominis had many different types of Christmases but never had he had one like this- a Christmas alone.

Sebastian had gone off on a holiday trip with Poppy and Anne. Originally he was planning to just go with his fiancee but he couldn’t say no to his sister, especially when they hadn’t had a trip together since she got cured. Ominis was glad for them and couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of Poppy trying to deal with those two. Anne’s mischievousness picked up a lot since Johanna was able to cure her last year after long months of study and travel. 

 And Johanna, she was back with her family..where she should be. Why would she spend Christmas with him?  He was just a reminder of Sebastian, who had broken her heart. It didn’t matter that his heart belonged to her when all she’d ever seen him was as a friend. His friend. 

Sebastian that bastard. 

With a deep sigh Ominis flicked out the lights and pulled on his jacket, closing his-her shop, and wished Penny well. As he pulled the door shut, the bell jingled brightly reminding him  once again of the cheer there was supposed to be tonight. 

“Mr Gaunt sir, Penny doesn’t want you to spend Christmas alone sir. Penny and Deek could keep you company. Penny is very at cooking and Deek could decorate and-”

“Don’t worry about it Penny, I’ll be fine. I enjoy solitude.”

“But sir no one should be alone at Christm-” 

Ominis held back a groan,“Penny…go enjoy Christmas with your husband. I’ll be fine.” Afterall, it’s not the first Christmas I’ve been lonely. He wanted to add. But never completely…

 It didn’t matter though. What was Christmas anyway? Just another day where people put on their best acts, their best clothes, and found another excuse to spend money. It didn’t stop people from showing their true colors as soon as it was over. The love, the gratitude, the fakeness was sickening. 

Maybe spending the holidays alone would be better after all.

*******

Johanna tucked her hands deeper into her pockets as she trudged through the snowy streets of Hogsmeade. The tiny shops were all decorated from top to bottom with gold and silver, with red bows decorating most doors and lights strung across the rooftops in a long line, as if making a trail for Santa Claus to follow. Did wizards believe in Santa? The thought made her pause a moment before she just shook her head and continued on her way. A ridiculous notion really. 

The moon hung high in the sky, sending a silvery glow over everything. It looked enchanting and so peaceful. A shadow flickered across the ground making her look up. She smiled at the sight of a thestral flying in front of it, carrying a bough of greens in her bill. Even they were celebrating in their own sort of way, carrying back their own gifts of love for each other. 

She nodded at the few couples that she passed but her smiles were half-hearted. She couldn’t help the sharp pang that went through her chest that threatened to bring tears to her eyes. It was so fresh. It was just a year ago that it had been her and Sebastian walking down these same streets hand in hand, before he had thrown her over his shoulder and tossed her right into a giant snowman. He’d made some joke afterward that earned him a snowball to the face. 

Ahhh Sebastian…

The boy he was. 

Hopefully one day he’d grow up. Maybe someday he’d think before he acted and grow the guts to apologize and not make ridiculous excuses for his behavior for once. She still loved him but gosh, when would the pain end? He was happy so she shouldn’t be jealous anymore. It wasn’t Poppy’s fault. He was with someone he loved. He had a healthy happy family once again, and heaven knows Sebastian needed it. 

But some didn’t have a family this Christmas. Or friends. Someone who needed family most. 

Don’t worry Ominis, I’ll be there soon. 

She was determined to make this the best Christmas he’d ever had. Ominis deserved happiness, he deserved to have everything he ever wanted. After all, he’d done so much for them over the years. Sebastian was a free man, she was safe from his family after he turned them in. It was wrong that he should find himself alone this holiday. Or anyone for that matter. She had a few stops to make first but she would be there when he woke. She would make sure of it.  

And with that thought in mind, she continued on her journey. 

…..

Waking up to the sound of soft humming and the smell of gingerbread was definitely not Ominis’s plan for Christmas morning. At first, he thought it must be an intruder, but then he realized anyone with evil intentions wouldn’t have let him live or would have left, not stayed to bake cookies. Secondly, he thought Penny had ignored his request and decided to come anyway, but since when had house elves sounded so angelic? 

With an annoyed sigh, he rolled out of bed, ran a hand through his hair briefly to straighten it, and felt for his wand before making his way into the living room, the pulses of light guiding his way. The sound of singing grew louder as he approached the kitchen. He turned in its direction and cleared his throat, preparing himself to scold whoever had invaded his space. 

“Oh, Ominis! Good morning!”

Oh…This had to be a dream. There was no way it could be her standing in his kitchen smiling, based on the sound of her voice. He pinched himself and when nothing changed he realized that she was really there. His brief elation was interrupted by the thought that she was here with him. 

“Shouldn’t you be at home? With your family?” He asked rather sharply. 

“Should I?” She asked lightly, continuing to stir whatever was in the bowl she was holding. “I didn’t know that.” 

“Yes! You should be spending Christmas with them, not me!” 

“And why can’t I spend Christmas with you?” 

“Because-because I-….” Ominis struggled for words. “Because I’m…. not your family. You should be with those that are special to you, not me. Don’t take pity because I’m alone.” 

He hated how his voice was empty and cold. But he couldn’t help but feel offended by the fact she might have come here just out of obligation, to make him happy. It didn’t matter if he was happy or not because- 

“Well, good morning to you too!” She laughed. “I think someone hasn’t been eating enough sweets lately. A bit sour are we?” 

“Hey! I am not!” 

“Are too!” She shushed him and put a dollop of whipped icing on his nose, laughing at the frown he gave her and how he fought back the smile that twitched on his lips.

He tried to be upset with her and continued to protest as she made him breakfast but he couldn’t stay angry at her for long though; her adorable laugh filled him with a warmth that nothing else could compare to. 

Not even the smell of gingerbread, the rays of the sun, or the sound of a carol could match it. No, she was a different tune entirely, a different everything. She was his everything.

….

Johanna watched him eat and listened to him share about how the shop was faring. She was glad to hear the shop was doing well and was thrilled Penny and Deek were finally married. She wished she could have been there. She was glad he was well but her heart was heavy from what he had said. He didn’t actually think he wasn’t important to her, did he? 

Ominis gladly seemed to relax as he shared with her and that nervous slightly angry expression had melted into one of comfortable ease. Smirks and flickers of contained laughter moved over his face when it was her turn and she recounted her recent struggles with nifflers stealing all the golden baubles from a Christmas tree shop. His brown creased with concern however when a shiver ran through her. 

“Johanna, are you alright?” 

“I’m fine,” she said immediately, not wanting to worry him. However, the lie didn’t go undetected. 

He sighed. “I told you before not to lie to me. You’re cold aren’t you.” It was more of a statement than a question and since she was caught she decided to tell the truth. “Yes, I am cold. Why on earth don’t you have some kind of heat on? It’s wintertime. Plus I had to trek here in the snow.”

Without a word he stood up and walked to the bedroom, returning with a blanket. “Sit,” he said, gesturing to the sofa by the empty fireplace. 

“But the cookies-” she began to protest. 

“Don’t worry about the cookies. I’m perfectly capable of taking cookies out of an oven. Sit.” He insisted. 

With a reluctant grumble, she sat down, but couldn’t help but sigh in relief when he tucked the blanket snuggly around her. It was the one she had made him sixth year. She was touched that he had kept it for so long. 

“Now stay here,” he ordered before pulling on a coat and stepping outside. 

She relaxed into the blanket's warmth, but the sound of voices outside made her perk up. It sounded like someone was arguing. She was about to get up when he returned inside, awkwardly carrying some wood. 

“Don’t,” he said, as if he could sense she was about to get up to help him. “It’s my fault you’re cold. I tend to keep the house cold in the winter.”  

“I thought you didn’t like the cold.” She asked as he began to place the wood into the fireplace.  He laughed, a bit embarrassed. “I guess I’m just used to it.” He stepped back, pointing his wand at the fire. “Confringo!” Soon the fire was roaring and the heat spread through the room, chasing the cold into the corners of the small flat. 

Before she could ask what had happened outside the smell of the cookies wafted over. “They’re probably done, are you sure you don’t want me to get them?” 

“I’m sure. You stay warm.” Ominis headed into the kitchen and she watched as he carefully removed them, placing them on a plate before feeling his way around the kitchen for cocoa. Eventually, he came and sat beside her, wordlessly handing her a glass, and placed the plate of cookies between them on the blanket. They sat in silence for a while before Johanna finally spoke. 

“Who was outside?”

Ominis stiffened. “It was Sebastian. He heard you were here from your mother. He came to apologize. I figured you didn’t want to see him so I sent him away. He got angry.” 

…

Ominis heard a light sigh escape her lips. “Oh… well, I’m glad he finally came to his senses, even if it took a year.” She laughed, though the sound was bitter. Ominis felt his heart sink. He knew that Johanna was still hurt by Sebastian's affair, and he wished he knew how to make it better. He longed to tell her how much he loved her, but the words caught in his throat. He realized that to express his feelings now would be selfish. 

Boldly, he reached out and gently took her hand, causing her to suck in a breath of surprise. He usually didn’t like physical contact, but with her, it felt different. He appreciated the gentle touches of encouragement she offered, the surprise hugs, and the accidental brushing of hands. It had been too long since he felt her presence, and he craved it. At the same time, he wanted to comfort her, just as she had done for him countless times.

“I’m sorry he broke your heart, Jo. He didn’t deserve your love, especially after taking it for granted like that. A love like yours is rare. You care deeply and passionately for people, giving everything you have for them and remaining loyal to a fault. You deserve someone who can cherish your love and return it just as deeply. You deserve to be happy with someone special. 

He sighed. “If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. I’m sorry I didn’t do more before; I was afraid of getting in the middle. But I’m not afraid anymore.” 

Her silence was deafening but her pulse pounded faster against his fingertips. He worried he went too far. Had she caught on to his feelings? Did he scare her off? 

Finally, she spoke, her voice a little shaky but also steady. “Ominis, I didn’t come here out of pity. You told me that I should be with my family—people who are special to me this Christmas. I hope you don’t think you’re not special because you are. You are very special.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was he really special to her?

She continued, “I know you feel like you’re not worth anything because of how you were treated as a child. But you are worth a lot. You’re not the only one who always gives of yourself. You gave Sebastian a second chance even when he didn’t deserve it. You comforted me and stood by my side through all the drama that happened after fifth year. You just told Sebastian to leave for my sake, even though I’m sure you wanted to see him for Christmas as well. You deserve to have a good Christmas. You deserve to be with someone who cares about you, not to be alone. That’s why I came, Ominis. Not because I pity you, but because you are special to me. Even more so than my family because—because…”

He struggled to breathe, concentrating solely on her beautiful voice and the words she spoke. He fought back the tears threatening to spill and willed his heart to return to a normal pace as he waited with bated breath for her to say the words he longed to hear more than anything.

“Because I love you.” She whispered. 

…

“Because I love you.” She had finally said it. The words she longed to say for months. Yet now she wondered if she should have because of the way Ominis was gaping at her like a fish. She nearly snorted at the expression but the anxiety of what he might be thinking made the laugh die in her throat.  

“Omi-?” 

“You love me? Me?” he whispered, tears spilling down his cheek, making her heart ache. She scooted closer and took both of his hands in hers. He tensed at first but relaxed slightly when she began to rub soothing circles into the backs of his hands with her thumbs.

“I do. I don’t know why I didn’t realize it sooner, but you were always there, loving me quietly. You noticed things no one else did, and slowly, you won my heart. I was a fool to give it to Sebastian when I should have given it to you.” Her voice was genuine and soft.

“I don’t know what to say. You come here, leaving your family on Christmas, wake me up by baking the most delicious cookies I’ve ever eaten while singing in the loveliest voice known to man, and then you tell me you love me. I don’t have anything for you. No Christmas gifts, nothing,” Ominis rambled, flustered and pink with shame and confusion.

“Ominis the best gift is just being here with you. And having your heart, but if you don’t feel the same way that’s fine. I’m sorry if I ruined everything by saying so and-” 

“No!” he shouted, causing her to jump and pull away. A grimace crossed his face as he felt a pang of guilt. Gently, he took her hand again and took a breath before continuing, his voice much softer. “You didn’t ruin anything. Not one bit. You’ve made me the happiest man alive because... I love you too, Johanna.” He lifted his gaze and somehow found her eyes.

“You’ve held my heart since that day in the catacombs all those years ago. I just didn’t think you’d want to be with someone like me. Even when I realized my past didn’t affect how you saw me, it seemed like you were happier with Sebastian. He was stronger and made you laugh. It’s so overwhelming to hear that you feel the same way.”

“I do.” 

He leaned in and they shared a gentle kiss, under the mistletoe Johanna involuntarily conjured with her magic, the small green and white plant clinging to the wooden beams above them. It was the most magical thing Johanna had ever experienced in her life. 

The best gift. 

The end

[derpydoteddrake]

Viktor is under some kind of influence, but at first glance it's hard to tell the exact nature of it.

But I believe its more simple than one would think.

The core is basically jingling keys in front of him and telling him to look at them.

But I believe its more simple than one would think.

The core is basically jingling keys in front of him and telling him to look at them.

Firstly, why is the sky hallucination sus? could it just be his own mind?

Her guiding him to her book and later showing up next to the shimmer addict could be explained as just his conscious.

However, he also woke up to her screams and it was her voice that guided him to the addicts, both things go beyond what could manifest only from his own perception of things.

Not only that, this is the exact place where he later cocoons himself again. So it's no accident he ended up here.

It's also good to note how Viktors saw her differently then how she was, he sees him as a more idolised version of herself, which is als a good indication that she is not real.

But then in act 2 she appeals completely harmless, she doesn't push him into anything, and it looks like she offers some sense of emotional support.

And that's the point, it's feeding into viktors weaknesses as a person, all it needs to do, is give him the illusion of company, and keep him in his head.

Viktor was always a loner, but he also seeked out second opinions and he was in fact very lonely and wished for company.

This is exactly what the core is giving him the illusion of. A second opinion and company.

By herself “sky” does not offer any new information to viktor, she is either stathing things he is already aware of, things viktor thinks she would say, or reassures him.

“She liked me, she would be concerned about me!”

“I remember telling her that once!”

“She was caring, she would be upset at someone's death!”

In fact, it might even try to distract him from the important things, we don't see a lot of it, but the moment Viktor starts to wonder what's up with Jayce, she attempts to move his thoughts elsewhere from thinking about what is wrong with him.

Viktors perception of the world is fundamentally changed, this is already pretty isolating but now he has a mind buddy! He's Not alone anymore, there's someone who talks to him, who cares about him, who he can share ideas with,

someone who loves him.

I'm going to concede, I do think their relationship has a romantic undertone, if for nothing else it's because viktors perception of sky is pretty heavily defined by her love letters to him.

Regardless of your reading (how much do you think he reciprocates that), it is giving him the company he wished for.

Why is that bad?

It's because it keeps him docile, and so far up his own 4ss that he doesn't realise how messed up what he is actually doing is. He is stuck with his own regurgitated thoughts.

The only thing he ever gets is reassurance that what he is doing is in fact good, he doesn't have an outside perspective on what's happening with him or around him.

He doesn't have the head space to self reflect cuz something always chimes in, always keeps him thinking, solving problems, solving puzzles.

We never once saw him actively trying to talk to any of his followers, the only people who he does are not affected by him, and come to him directly, he didn't even bother seeking out Jayce himself.

The only way he communicates with them is when he wants to do his creepy puppet thing and if the only thing left in his followers head is gratitude towards him and he never examines what it did to them as people, no wonder he doesn't notice a thing.

He just unquestionably spreads the core's influence.

No wonder the first awful idea anyone gave him in who knows how long that isn't his own stuck with him.

He always had a tendency to get sucked into his work and dont bother with people (ironically that is one of the reasons sky got dusted) and don't bother with anything else, and now the conditions are orchestrated for this to basically keep him in his own head.

He doesn't really care about his followers either, he watched one of them get smashed and didn't give a damn.

He doesn't care for them as people, they are more akin to problems he can solve and move on. He was barely even bothered about Jayce's condition, probably assuming he will come to him and he can fix him right away.

We can see this in his visions of how he conceptualizes himself, he looks very human, and yet he got these unsettling yellow eyes. He is blind to the ways he changed, just look at how he acts in them.

At first glance he appears a lot more emotive and it also tells us that he is fairly enjoying himself and his new perception of the world but also the main thing we see of him is his endless curiosity about things, not his empathy towards them.

He is well meaning of course, but he doesn't/cant reflect enough to see what he is really doing. Namely taking away the things he saw in these people, their dreams.

And he constantly has problems to solve, we saw how many people went to him, he always has something to think about, and he always has someone to talk to about it without needing to waste precious time on seeking out a second opinion.

In s1 he barely reacted to the beginning of a civil war going around him, now people depend on him and in the middle of a civil war he doesn't have any way of protecting these people.

He barely gives a damn about him slowly deteriorating. He doesn't live in reality anymore. He cannot see the forest for the trees. (though he might have had some plans we don't know of, since Salo was gathering materials for him.)

And his guilt just amplifies this.

From s1 one of his strongest traits was how much he believed if he gets the right tools, and the opportunity, he can help people.

“Do you think my life ambition is to be an assistant?”

“If you are going to change the world don't ask for permission.”

“All I did was believe in myself.”

This is what skys death puts into question.

This is why he almost jumped afterwards, this fundamental belief in himself was put into question. He got the chance to do what he wanted and someone died.

This is where his guilt comes into play, he isn't making his own dream a reality, we saw that what he really wanted is to give people tools that they can use to create, but that's not what he is doing.

He is doing what he believes Skye's dream was.

It doesn't even look like he invents things anymore, he just mostly uses his powers and studies botanics. (tho we saw Salo steal some stuff for him so he might have some plans that we don't know yet?)

This is even the context he brought her up to jayce: she had such dreams.

From her notes we can assume she hoped to help make a zaun that is cleaner and more connected to nature.

This is the reason why he is so receptive to skyes positive affirmation, its because in his head he is correcting his wrong, her affirmation and forgiveness gave him back the belief that he can still do good.

Now he has the right tools and the opportunity to do it, so he won't fail again.

He is literally wearing her symbol on his clothes.

He is doing this out of some kind of repentance for his sins.

So the way he sees it: he is helping these people, who on they own free will just happen to stay here cuz its nice and he conveniently can puppet them if needed, he doesn't question that cuz he never bothers to talk to them and skys happy and she talks to him so why bother when no one sees the world like he does.

What he doesn't realise is that he is pretty much meant to die there.

There's a reason why his palace was builded here, he literally got told to build it there. It was there so he could die and cocoon himself again.

When he first saw jayce and encountered the singularity, he was literally describing himself.

“self annihilating and replicating” That's him, this entity is connected to him, he is meant to die and be reborn over and over again. He might not completely embody it yet, but he is a product of it. (and he will probably gonna try to harness it, that's what the beginning of ep 6 set up.)

I don't think he expected jayce to shoot him, when he saw what he was going to do he looked pretty shocked, but he was intentionally kept docile by the core basically guaranteeing that even actually he will die out.

And then he had the audacity to conclude it must have happened cuz people just suck.

He tried nothing to prevent this and he is already out of options.

To his defense he was probably really lost in the sauce at this point.

This is also why he was making his following, he was supposed to draw power from them after he dies so he can be reborn again.

This also means that singed and ambessa are probably interfering with this process.

It would explain why he looks so wrong in the poster.

In conclusion, the core keeps Viktor in a mind state where he is docile enough not to question what's happening around him using his already existing flaws against him in order to spread itself.

One last thing I would like to add is that I don't think this will be his final transformation, I believe the final one will either happen at the top of the hex gate or at the bottom of it.

[delilaahh9]

Never grow up

Summary: When the youngest Hughes misses the relationship she had with her brothers before hockey was the priority.

Canton, MI📍

May 18th, 2023

4:38pm

Madeline stood before her graduating class at Canton Highschool, she never realized how hard highschool was without her brothers by her side. Now she stands at the podium preparing to say a speech, or a relay of the essay she wrote that got her into NYU.

“Good morning students, staff, faculty and my fellow graduates, today is a special day, for many. These past 4 years have changed my life completely and today, I’d like to share the reason I’m here.“

she took a breath while flattening her paper against the stand.

“I remember vividly the days we spent in Toronto, a tight-knit group of siblings with big dreams and even bigger imaginations. Quinn, the eldest, always leading the way with his determination and drive. Jack, the middle child, bringing laughter and mischief to our days. And Luke, the youngest before me, with his infectious energy and spirit. We were a team, unstoppable in our bond and unity. If you haven’t guessed yet, this is about my brothers”

A few chuckles were heard while the three brothers sit front row, looking back and forth to each other.

“But now, things have changed. They've all ventured into the world of professional hockey, achieving remarkable success and fame. Meanwhile, I'm still here, navigating the complexities of high school, feeling the weight of their achievements press down on me. It's like I'm running a different race, one where I struggle to keep up with their pace as they sprint ahead to glory.”

“There are moments when I long for the past, for those carefree days when we were all together, sharing secrets, dreams, and laughter. I miss the times when they would confide in me, when we were each other's biggest supporters. The distance that fame and adulthood have brought between us leaves me yearning for the simplicity of our childhood, where the only competition was who could score the winning goal in our backyard games.”

The whole Hughes family had small tears in their eyes, including Madelines.

“Yet, amidst the longing and the sense of being left behind, I find a quiet gratitude within me. Their absence has taught me to stand on my own, to navigate the challenges of growing up without relying on their shadows. I've learned to face harsh realities and tough situations with a strength I never knew I had, all because they showed me the way by moving forward. So, in a way, I thank them for unknowingly pushing me to grow and discover my own path in this journey called life.

Thank you Canton Highschool, you really taught me the ups and downs of life, but even more thank you to my family” she smiled and stepped back, hearing applause.

Stepping down to her chair, she could only think about what they would if they were there, she had no idea.

She saw her parents standing by the exit, then 3 very familiar guys in suit right next to them.

The sound of her heels clicking against the floor drowned out as she sped up along with her heart. Quinn noticed her first and stepped infront of the family, she just about leapt into his arms, clinging to him like he’s going to slip away if she lets go.

“Maddy” he whispers. “Why didn’t you tell me?” He asks quietly.

“I didn’t tell anyone” she mumbles back before stepping back, only for Jack to swoop in and grapple her in a hug, she let out a “oomph” at the impact.

“I’m sorry” he mumbles.

“Don’t please, it’s over now”

Luke stood patiently waiting for his turn. They had become the closets of the siblings before he started university, he felt horrible that she went through such a thing and didn’t tell him.

As soon as she looked at him, guilt washed over her.

“Lu” she hummed as she reached over to hug him.

“You didn’t tell me”

“I know, but I didnt want you to feel bad that I was feeling bad. But hey-” she leaned back.

“NYU is just 15 minutes away, okay?”

“okay, or you know you could just switch to online and leave with me and-”

“no chance- sorry, I love you two, I really do I just still need my space. But maybe I’ll live down the street”

“Deal”

“What about me?” Quinn asked while ruffling her hair. “If I’m in online I can travel whenever I need to, oh- and Vancouver has that really cute book store I like” she smiles while he chuckles at her.

[luvzshy]

Okay idk if this is gonna make sense but maybe fem reader sending Billie flowers to like her studio and Billie feeling like emotional but like in a good way cus she’s usually the one doing traditionally masc things in the relationship?

a/n: okay i hate this sm idk its like not soooo yk not so so. UGH I TRIED MY BEST IM SORRY THIS IS BADDD :((((

Blooming feeling

You woke up one morning with a spark of inspiration, eager to show Billie just how much she meant to you. She had always been the one surprising you with gifts, sweet notes, and spontaneous outings after her shows. Today, you wanted to flip the script and give her a little surprise of your own.

You remembered how she always lit up when she received flowers, often telling you how much she appreciated the small things. So, you decided to send her a bouquet to the studio—something vibrant and beautiful, just like her. After browsing through a local florist’s website, you chose a stunning mix of white roses and bright sunflowers, imagining how her face would light up upon seeing them.

As you arranged the delivery, a mix of excitement and anticipation bubbled inside you. You knew Billie had a long day ahead in the studio, and you hoped this gesture would brighten her mood.

Hours later, you received a message from Billie: “In the studio! Hope you’re having a good day! I love youu” You smiled, knowing that your surprise would arrive soon.

A few minutes later, your phone buzzed again. It was a video call from Billie. As you answered, her face filled the screen, and your heart skipped a beat when you saw her holding the bouquet.

“Look what just showed up!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide with joy. The colors of the flowers popped against her dark attire, making her look even more radiant. “You sent me flowers? You’re the sweetest!”

You chuckled, your heart swelling at her reaction. “I figured it was time to surprise you for once. You always do such sweet things for me.”

Billie’s smile softened as she brought the bouquet closer to the camera, inhaling the floral scent. “This is honestly so beautiful. You know how much I love flowers.”

“I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate you,” you said, your voice warm. “You always take care of me, and I thought it would be nice to do something special for you.”

Her expression shifted, a mix of gratitude and warmth crossing her features. “I love that you did this for me. It’s really nice to be on the receiving end of something so thoughtful.”

You smiled, feeling a sense of fulfillment. “You deserve it, baby. We’re a team, and I love giving back to you just as much as you give to me.”

Billie’s eyes sparkled as she looked back up at you. “I’ll keep these in the studio while I work. They’ll remind me of you and how lucky I am,” she said, a soft blush creeping across her cheeks.

“Good! And if you ever want flowers more often, you just have to say the word,” you replied playfully.

She laughed, a sound that warmed your heart. “Deal! But for now, I think I’ll have to make you a little surprise of my own for later.”

You both shared a soft smile, knowing that your relationship thrived on these sweet gestures and moments of connection. In that instant, you realized that love wasn’t just about the grand gestures or who did more; it was about the little things that made you both feel cherished and appreciated.

As you ended the call, you felt content, knowing you had added a little extra brightness to her day, just as she always did for you.