#and that’s...well mean. cruel. but her malice doesnt come from nothing

[hapigairu]

@deathbirby mentioned you on a post “when I read a 3h fic involving the nabats I...”:

@hapigairu lol go right ahead

​Thank you!

So... um... I thought the idea of the fic was to have Edelgard in the Blue Lions or something? Why does it look like a retelling of CF? "rhea forces edelgard to transform into a nabatean and it's very body horror-ish. she's like a mad scientist, completely crazy, insane, delusional and everything you would expect from CF fanfic rhea." That sounds like something Cornelia would do, not Rhea. Dunno how cruel Rhea is supposed to be there, but the whole mad-scientist with horror-ish vibes is very much a Cornelia thing. I am very confused. "rhea talks about the red canyon tragedy and seteth even mentions how he's heard her screaming at night babbling for her mother to come save her and it's just.. kinda shrugged off cuz bad things in past doesnt let you do bad things now (hmmm hypocrisy)" I mean... that's true that you can't justify doing terrible things because you had a traumatic past, obviously... Except Edelgard can for some reason? What? Also if someone's traumatised to the point of "screaming at night" (though I don't think Rhea would do that, I could see her crying when she's alone though), maybe don't shrug it off and help them regardless of what they've done? Which... Rhea did some questionable things (and still it wasn't out of malice at all), but absolutely nothing so evil that she should be denied compassion or help? Am I crazy in thinking that?

"also something where the holy tomb splits or something (rhea had a hand in that im pretty sure because of course) and sothis's dragon corpse is in there and that alone makes draconic features appear on the nabateans (pretty sick idea all things considered)" Splits? But yeah, that's a neat idea (the whole draconic features thing)! "edelgard's sibling (???) is a massive rhea simp and very zealous because of course"

Sibling? Okay, why not. Maybe they didn't all die, which... good for them and Edelgard! I don't think it's a bad idea at all, especially since the drama potential can be very strong. But how did they end up simping for Rhea if they were basically prisoner of the Agarthans? How does that happen? I'm guessing it's explained, but... it better be a very good explanation for it to make sense. And yeah... of course you can't like Rhea without being a zealot. *sighs* "the agarthans are more sympathetic?? like you can have an agarthan standing next to seteth without him losing his shit. also the holy tomb is apparently an alien mothership now because why not (thales said that. why is thales even alive idk)" The Agarthans are just so comically evil that I can understand wanting to flesh them out and add some complexities to them. Personally, I'd like to think that some Agarthans living in Shamballah are really not cool with what Thales and the others are doing, but freedom isn't exactly a thing in Shamballah when it comes to "Surface Dweller Sympathisers" or something like that. Cause no group is a monolith and surely, there must a minority of them -however tiny- not okay with their leaders? Like, younger people who are just done with having to hear about Thales' hate spiel and just want to live their damn lives? Idk, maybe I'm completely off-base with this lol. But yeah, I can't see Seteth be totally calm and collected when someone who likely participated in murdering his race stands near him. Just... nope. "epic final battle against rhea! you got edelgard, hubert, jeralt(??) and byleth all up against rhea! and she holds her own quite well. and then byleth gets knocked out and sothis takes control to scold rhea. and because even her own mom is against her rhea loses her will to live (not literally but she actually does lose her immortality as punishment??)" That's...uh... huh. Sothis is a bad mom and somehow it's her daughter's fault because it's always her fault? Seems a bit fucked up if you ask me. "oh and you get fun moments where edelgard yells at rhea during the fight and throws arguments at her. she thrust nobility onto humanity (false), she made herself a false idol (??), etc." Ah, yes. Rhea is the reason why nobility exist. What's that? What about Brigid and Almyra? The fact that they have nobility shall be either ignored or still be Rhea's fault somehow. And like, we don't know exactly how the Church was created IIRC? Yeah, Rhea had a hand in it, but she wasn't the only one I'm guessing? It reminds of a fanart where -after the battle against Nemesis- some soldiers said they fought for her and she was really moved. Really nice fanart, hats off to whoever did it. "if im not mistaken, the author of the fic is a "agarthans are actually natives and sothis was a colonist" believer. so that should give you a general idea." Yeah, that checks out. It's such a shame that, for all the discussion about how everyone is supposedly morally grey (lol), not many people are actually trying to give Rhea and the Nabateans nuances. She's far from perfect (and she knows it actually) and she has so much potential as a morally-greyish but ultimately good person. But not even KT/IS (IS a bit more with FEH) are interested in being fair to her, so it's no surprise most people aren't either. And, ofc, no hate to the author. It's just disappointing to see that the Rhea hate is so prevalent.

[daylighteclipsed]

@j-sea Maybe mean wasn’t the right word lol. I’m thinking she’s going to be brutally honest, which can be mean? Like if Varian tries to convince her to do the right thing/plays the moral card, I think she’s gonna throw his past immoral actions in his face.

Rapunzel’s been building Varian up. She’s been helping him move beyond the past, helping the townsfolk forgive him, helping Varian forgive himself. She’s been reminding him that he’s good. So I think Cass is gonna do the opposite. I think she’s only gonna see the bad in him, the ways he’s been dangerous and untrustworthy, and that will hurt him.

After this episode I’m pretty convinced Cass is not gonna be nice to Varian when she gets him.

If Cass is angry at her father for not telling her about Gothel, there is absolutely no reason she wouldn’t hate Varian who quite literally tried to crush her to death. There’s no reason she’d Ever really listen to him or trust him again.

Cass is also a foil to Rapunzel, and Rapunzel has been really compassionate and forgiving with Varian. So I’m expecting Cass to be the opposite, harsh and unforgiving.

Varian might still be able to get through to Cass a little because they can to some degree understand each other, but Cass is gonna be angry and mean. As soon as he starts talking and pushing her, she’s gonna want him to shut up. Especially with the Enchanted Girl there validating her anger and distrust.

Though I’m thinking? Since Varian’s studied the scroll and most likely from that knows the Moonstone can get into people’s heads, maybe he’ll notice Cass is seeing something/someone no one else can, and then our heroes will finally suspect she’s being manipulated.

[katsukikitten]

Heated 3

A/N just remember yall asked for part three 😂😂

It has been a long time since you've used your quirk to it's full potential, high school even.

This wasnt from a lack of challenge, no if anything holding back day after day was a challenge in of itself.

But, as all things do with time, it became easier and easier.

Soon you had forgotten what the feeling of your quirk really was. Of the rage that flowed through your body so easily has quickly turned into cold apathy.

No longer were you passionate or emotionally invested in any of the missions you took part of.

Or the outings.

Which lead to your recent break up with a ruby red haired hero.

You two had dated for the better half of your highschool year but something always felt off between the two of you.

And the more that Aizawa taught your to reign in your emotions the more prevalent the distance between you and Kirishima became.

You ended things, especially when you figured out why the two started dating.

Convenience, heart break over another. You stare at your ever present heart monitor that every hero agency demands you wear for "just in case you do go berserk".

It doesnt matter that your heart rate barely soars over 90 during missions or training.

And it doesn't matter that you hadn't gone berserk in almost a decade.

You sigh out, bored even as you wait for the bank robber to come your way as you hide in the shadows. He comes in breathless bounds, rounding the corner as he flees from the cops. He rounds to corner bumping into your chest, falling right onto his ass, bag of money starting to blow in the wind.

"Hello there." You smile as he stares up at you with widened eyes. After a quick stretch of silence you grab for him with one hand while the other goes for the cuffs.

You giggle as you clamp the antiquirk cuffs onto his wrists passing him over easily to the cops.

A scream rings out before the radio in your ear hisses.

*' Berserk we need you in the west end. There has been reports of an appearance of the League.'*

"Anyone else on scene?" You ask, several large explosions shake the earth beneath your feet practically answering your question.

*"Currently Ground Zero."*

Your heart rate increases by ten at even the sound of his name.

*"Anger is fear turned inward."* Aizawa's words echo in your head as your feet pound against pavement.

The scene is a tough sight to take in as Bkaugou fights back against three people.

Toga, who slices the air with a manic grin, twice who surprisingly has yet to split and Dabi who's blue hot flame licks on sunkissed skin.

For the first time in a long time your heart rate spikes enough for your bracelet to beep. You have half a mind to crush it before lunging into battle.

"Hello there." You scream out as part of your on going experiment Dabi gives you a side way smile before answering.

"General Kenobi." He faces you only for a fist to slam harshly into his face. Slamming him hard enough into the wall that a cloud of dust begins to blind everyone in the party.

"Oi oi!" Bakugou's voice grates your nerves but you blow hot air out of your nose, bringing you hand backward with enough force to clear the air.

When Bakugou catches sight of your strong frame he is stunned stupid.

That is until a six inch blade plunges into his side as a moan of glee rings out in his ear.

"Ooooohhh." Toga smiles with flushed cheeks as Bakugou brings a powered fist into her face. He lands on two feet, hand instinctively flying to his wound. He looks at his splayed fingers to spy an already alarming amount of blood. He growls as he goes into the attack. Every now and again his eyes flickering towards you.

Who, no surprise, is holding you own quite well. You move too quickly for Dabi, who is more used to ranged or surprised attacks. Not all out close combat and not to the intensity that his opponent swings so quickly and with such force that his flames are snuffed out. You press further as agitation grows quickly on his chest.

What you don't know is that you may or may not be falling into a trap as twice splits half run towards him while the other half run towards your fight.

Bakugou cannot warn you about the possibility either. Too preoccupied by Toga, three Twice and the screaming of his side.

He lands again but this time on unsteady feet spitting blood onto the street.

Toga licks up the length of her knife with lust filled eyes, quickly turning into the hot heads mirror image.

Twice multiples at an alarming rate, meaning to overwhelm the quickly tiring Bakugou.

"I wouldn't follow after Berserk if I were you." He spits again, flashing malice through bloodied teeth, "She's liable to hit you twice as hard using my stolen face."

He watches himself sneer before he turns on his heel heading into the fight clouded by smoke and dust.

"Fuck." Bakugou hisses as he let's explosions ring out freely from his palms as Twice splits and splits and fucking splits. All the while Bakugou begins to sway, the blood being urged out of him with every sharp movement he takes.

You connect another deadly blow into his burnt jaw sending him flying as two Twice jump you out of nowhere. You slam your back agaisnt the closest wall to shake them, one falls bloodied while the other wrangles to wrap his arms around your throat.

"Y/LN, Stand down before your temper rises too high." You freeze in your steps, his voice doing the opposite as your wrist double beeps.

It's hard to believe that your heart rate has reached 130 for the first time in *years*

With that more power floods your veins as you reach behind you, grabbing onto the nape of Twice's neck sending him flying into Bakugou.

"Fucking take care of that would you?" Your voice comes out tight, more twice split as you stalk towards Dabi.

He would be the best to bring in considering out of the three present he has the most sound mind.

A scary thought to have.

"Your heart rate is too high and the agency is going to come and ruin all of our fucking fun. Stand down!" Its a yell, almost like an order that has you seeing a maddening shade of red. You turn like a bull called rushing towards him fist reared only to stop inches from his stupidly smug face.

Fuck this guy and fuck how he made your heart soar and sink at the same time.

Fuck how you could feel his gaze without looking.

And most importantly fuck how you could never, ever get over him.

You pant in his face, thinking of head butting him when you notice something his off.

His eyes, they were missing something.

Some sort of underlying emotion was absent. As you rage a war within yourself if this could be Toga or the true Bakugou Dabi jumps onto your back.

Twice piles onto your arms and legs, multiplying with each lost body twice over.

All the while a smug ass smirk hangs off of those damn lips.

Your heart rate soars as you struggle to keep your temper in check. Should you lose your cool there would be no one here to stop you from leveling the city.

Dabi presses his lips to your ear as he cranes your head upward by pulling your hair.

"Why not let that temper out?" It is a cruel bark of a laugh. You knock your head into his ripping your own hair as one of his teeth sinks and sticks into your scalp from the blow. He spits blood at Bakugou's feet.

"Its in *your* best interest that I don't." You hiss, struggling with yourself and the weight of the ever growing pile of men. Your breath hitches, your wrist beeps too loudly and sensory over load is coming in hot.

Coaxing your rage out from the corner, your bite your lip until you taste pennies.

"She's too scared too is all." Bakugou sneers down at you, palm held out as you buck only for your head to be slammed down.

"You have a better chance of getting *him* to lose his temper than me." You incline towards the blonde before you. Half wondering if it is really him.

His eyes haunt your memories and they haunt you now.

"Oh but we aren't here for him. No we are here for *you*." Dabi purrs.

"What?" You bite out, starting to lose the fight.

And not with the fight with the amass of men pressing you into shards of broken tile.

"You're lucky enough to have been chosen." An insidious smile on his lips as he speaks, his breath hot on your ear "Maybe even lucky enough to be a Nomu or better yet reborn."

With that the thread snaps and blinding rage floods your vision, clouding it with nothing but the thought to destroy.

To have these men before you bleed until they gasp out their last breaths.

The bracelet beeps at high volume only to be crushed by a Twice.

You thrash as someone screams "NOW!" A sharp point sinks into your neck before a burning liquid rushes your veins.

Your eyes flutter, your heart slows and your body even goes slack, whatever sedative they were using on you was most likely lethal.

Your body relaxes with an exhaled breath as darkness ebbs like the ocean. Slowly washing away reality and replacing it with pitch black.

××××××

You wake with a start hand clutched to your chest as you jump to your feet. Rage still flooding hot in your body as you split your bed in two.

"Easy there." His voice comes out smooth and your door opens. You turn to see Dabi enter the room. Your heart floods with a mixture hurt...of love as you stare after him. Toga, your best friend, follows in behind him, her ash blonde hair gives you a splitting headache as scarlet flashes in your head. You begin to shake, breath coming out too quickly as Dabi soothes his hands over your skin.

"Hey.. " It comes out feather soft, "It's just the medicine. You got into a nasty fight with that asshole Ground Zero."

Blood pounds in your ears from the sound of his name and all that you remember last is him looking down at you, palm held out. Your fist goes clean through the cinder block wall, you shake all over. Body over stimulated and over worked.

Dabi and Toga exchange a worried glance.

"Did...did he hurt you?" You turn towards your lover now with worry welling in your eyes. Blue burns into your skin as you look him over, fingers softly pressing here and there for wounds. You spy the bruises on his jaw easily. Again your body shakes, vibrates even as you lose yourself in your temper, something you had not allowed yourself to do in quite some time.

"I'll fucking kill him." Your voice comes out dark, dark enough that it thrums with enough power for the light bulb over head to shatter.

Blue flame illuminates the small room emphazinfing a dizzying smile before his blue eyes flicker to your friend Toga with approval.

[negasonicimagines]

TEAM (Part Two)

I forgot to mention that this fic is partially inspired by Lorde’s “Team,” hence the title. Kind of about how no matter how much you and the other characters here bicker, you’re all on each others’ team.

This is the second part to TEAM (Part One) [but I hope that’d be obvious] and therefore is inspired by the same request and has essentially the same trigger warnings.

“So, you and Ellie, huh? About time,” Logan remarks, and you feel yourself blush.

“No! It’s not like that! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’d be the luckiest girl in the world, but, uh… No, it’s not like that.”

“Are you sure about that? I’ve seen the way you two are together. When she’s not looking at you or her phone, she’s watching everyone else like a hawk, like they’re threats. Honestly, Piotr’s worried about her.”

At the mention of Wade’s friend, you’re reminded of what Logan said before, about the thing that he knew that he shouldn’t tell her, the thing Wade also knew.

“What was that, anyway? The thing you knew that you didn’t know before that you would’ve told me if you had but couldn’t tell me?”

“I’m afraid that’s Wade’s business.”

“Great,” you remark. “So, I’ll never know.”

“Listen, kid, I know the stuff he said-”

“Screamed.”

“The stuff he screamed at you was pretty fucking awful. But… He had his reasons, okay? Being around him, being as close to him as you were was dangerous. It made you a target,” Logan explains.

“When will you people realize that I can’t die forever?! I’ve died plenty of times, and I always come back! Let me make my own decisions!”

“How many times have you died, Y/N?” Logan asks.

“It’s just… Hard not to starve when my mom kicks me out over school breaks, especially with the metabolism that comes with a healing factor. I can’t stay with Wade all the time, he has himself and Al to worry about. Muggers don’t like when you don’t have money. Mom doesn’t like me when I don’t have money. I don’t know, probably like eight or nine times.”

“You should’ve come here!” Logan scolds, and you want to curl in on yourself, just like before. “I’m sorry. He and I both know just how much dying can fuck you up, so, to hear you say that you’ve died.... And that you don’t care if you do? It’s concerning, to say the least.”

“Boo-hoo, Y/N’s crazy. Who isn’t?” you remark, annoyed at his concern. Men, they always think they know better.

He sighs. “Listen. You should just talk to him, I’m sure-”

“No,” you say, and it comes out as a whimper. The wound was still fresh. “I don’t want to.”

“Hey, he’s not gonna hurt you,” Logan reassures you. “He probably feels bad for what he said, and-”

“I said no,” you cut him off, but the sad tone in your voice doesn’t make you sound very convincing.

“And he’s not gonna apologize unless he thinks you wanna hear it. You know how Wade gets when he feels guilty, he doesn’t know how to deal with it.”

“Well, I don’t wanna hear an apology. I just want him to be my friend again, like before. That’s it. I don’t care to know why, or how, or whatever. I just miss my friend,” you admit, and Logan sighs.

“Okay...”

“Is it alright if I go? I wanna get started on my Chemistry homework.”

“Yeah,” Logan says. “Go ahead. See you next Wednesday. Or, sooner, if you need anything.”

You leave the gym, making your way to your dorm  with your head down, when you bump into a familiar red-suited man.

“Sorry,” you squeak, not even able to meet the eyes of the mask, before attempting to go past him. He stops you, grabbing at your shoulder, but you flinch away. “Please d-don’t…”

“Y/N…” Wade murmurs, filled with remorse at his rampage. He’d made you scared of him, which means it worked, but he regrets how much it hurt you. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”

“You’re not, huh?” Ellie, swiftly approaching, asks. “Pretty sure you already did, Deadpool.”

“I just wanted-” he starts, but Ellie, your avenging angel, cuts him off.

“You just wanted what, huh? To terrorize them more, is that it?

“Terrorize? I-”

“You what? Didn’t? Because as someone who sleeps in the same room as Y/N, I can confirm that you did. They cry in their sleep like they did the day it happened. Did you know that, that you made them cry? I guess you do now. So, leave, before I decide I’m going to follow you out the door and blow you to Hell.”

“E-Ellie, I said not to hurt him,” you quietly tell her, and she clenches her fists, grumbling.

“You did?” Wade asks.

“Of course,” you respond meekly, tapping the tips of your fingers together and avoiding the gaze of everyone around you. and Ellie places an arm around you, glaring at Wade without mercy.

“I’m- I’m so sorry, Y/N. I- I just didn’t know what to do, so much was happening. I was so angry at the situation, so scared for your safety, and I took all that aggression out on you, the one person I should’ve been channeling those feelings into protecting, and I- I know I already said it, but I’m a blabbermouth with nothing else to say, so… I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry, kid. I know you probably don’t care, you just wanna start over and stay the hell away from me, but I’m sorry. And my door’s always open.”

“Thank you. I forgive you,” you nod, smiling a little, You’re already starting to feel better, more like yourself.

“You what?” Ellie questions, shaking with anger. “He hurt you. He shouldn’t ever be forgiven.”

“She’s right,” Wade agrees, head down.

“Well, it’s my forgiveness, and I can do whatever the hell I want with it,” you remind them, shrugging.

“There she is,” Wade says quietly, and you can somehow tell that he’s smiling. You don’t know if it’s body language, tone of voice, or what, but he’s smiling.

“I’m sorry for making you worry. I’m gonna keep living here, and I’m gonna keep taking better care of myself, so no one has to worry about me again,” you inform him.

“Wrong goal, but I appreciate the method. I don’t mind worrying about you, kid, but I’d rather worry about you not doing your homework than about the next time you’re gonna collapse on my porch, dead.”

“What?” Ellie wonders, and you groan. “Wait, have you died?”

“Goddammit, Wade,” you grumble. “She didn’t know that.”

“H-how?”

“Not important,” you tell her.

“No, it is, Y/N. You want all of us to get over the fact that you can die, but the truth is that you need to get over the fact that we care if you die,” Wade corrects you. There’s no malice in his tone, but the words themselves cause anxiety to slither out of the pit of your stomach like a snake and curl around your lungs and heart, maintining a tight grip.

“It’s because of you not eating or sleeping enough, isn’t it?” Ellie asks. “That’s what you guys were in that fight about the other morning, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” you admit, and Ellie closes her eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath and trying to remain calm for your sake, for her own sake.

“Right,” she responds, sighing. “Well, I’m not letting that happen again.”

“Challenge accepted,” you chuckle, and she rolls her eyes.

“I was just on my way back to Photography. Forgot my camera. See you later.”

She makes her way in the direction of the classroom, disappearing around a corner.

“Man, if she didn’t hate me before, she sure does now,” Wade says, and you smile, shaking your head. “Really?” he asks.

“Photography is Mondays and Thursdays… And she didn’t even have her camera.”

Wade scoffs. “Well, she’s definitely taking good care of you. I always knew she would, one day. When did you two finally make it official?  I’m sorry that I missed it.”

“We haven’t made anything official, Wade, she doesn’t like me like that. We’re just close friends.”

He rolls his eyes, going to playfully shove your shoulder, but you flinch away. He sighs.

“I’m sorry,” he says again. “I- I was so cruel, I just wanted to say whatever i could to get you away, to protect you, from m-”

“From what? The thing Logan keeps talking about?”

“What thing?” he asks, sounding a bit panicked.

“He keeps saying that there’s this thing he knows that he would’ve told me if he’d known before but he shouldn’t tell me now. It’s super weird, but he said you were going to tell me before you- You-” You stop yourself from continuing, still, shaking a little bit at the memory. It was only the day before yesterday.

“Yeah,” he responds quietly. “It was part of the reason I did that. I just- Us being friends was already dangerous, and you being- You- You’re- I- I’m so sorry I left you with her, if I’d known, if I’d known she was pregnant...I would’ve done the right thing! I’m not that kind of dirtbag, you’ve gotta believe me, and I’m just so, so sorry. Everything that’s wrong with your life, maybe it wouldn’t have happened if I’d just thought- If I’d just thought, but I was young, and stupid, and there’s nothing I can do now except own up to it, own up to the fact that I- I am- I’m- Oh, please…” He practically falls into you, wrapping his arms around your neck. You feel him shake with sobs, and you cry, too, but with a different emotion. Not regret, but happiness.

“You? You’re him?” you ask, and he readjusts himself, backing away from you.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve asked before hugging, I just didn’t think it was gonna be so hard, and you’re my best friend, and I- I don’t know, I don’t know. I’m so sorry that I’m your father.”

“You are? You’re sorry?” you ask, knowing that he’s apologizing because he regrets it, regrets you and your entire existence.

“Not in the way you’re thinking! You- You deserve so much better, I wanted so much better for you,” he reassures you, or, at least, attempts to.

“How do you even know?”

“I just… I talked to Xavier to see if he had any connections that could help me find your father, and he said he did, but he insisted that I give him a sample of my DNA to see if they match before he used his connections. I laughed it off, but then… it was a match.”

“How’d you get my DNA?” You wonder.

“Oh, I stuck a cotton swab in your mouth while you were sleeping. Wasn’t hard, you’re a really heavy sleeper,” he says, and you have a faint memory of the dream you had about a week ago where you were abducted by aliens that wanted to harvest your DNA to create genetically modified pet humans for their home planet. You laugh.

“So, you found out it was a match, and then… You were angry about it? Hated that the Wilson family legacy wasn’t going to end with you?”

“No. I was angry, yeah, but at myself. I was irresponsible, and my best friend in the whole world sufferred because of it. I never recognized your mom the times I’d seen her, and we had sex!”

“You had sex with my mom? Bro code violation alert!” you joke, and he chuckles bitterly.

“Right?” he responds. “But… I don’t even know where to go from here. Things can’t go back to normal, that’s not okay. I need to step up. And, even if it was the right thing to do, going back to normal… I get the feeling that you’re not gonna be that comfortable around me for a while. I was… I was just like my dad. My worst fucking fear.”

“You’re not him, okay? I promise.”

“I should be comforting you,” he says, stepping towards you. Out of renewed instinct, you step back. He’s heartbroken.

“Try- Try not to take it personally, I’m like this with just about everybody,” you attempt to make him feel better, but he shakes his head.

“You haven’t been like this with me, not before- Before I did what I did. Said those things, those awful, untrue things. Why did I say those things? They weren’t the truth, they were the opposite of it. I love hearing from you, it makes every day better. Finding you on my couch is a great feeling, knowing that someone as great as you trusts me, sees me as someone who can keep them safe.”

“And my memes?” You ask in a sarcastically accusatory tone.

“The funniest,” he replies. “Can I- Can I give you a hug?”

You nod, and he surges forward, wrapping you up in his arms and spinning you around.

“I always hoped it’d be like that,” you quietly admit, and he beams.

“Listen, we can talk later at dinner. I think you’ve got a certain girl you need to talk to, and she and her metal accomplice are approaching.”

“I think she’s his accomplice,” you correct with a laugh.

“Gotta bounce before the hardest guy on Earth ropes me into another mission. I’ll be back, though, kid.”

“Yeah. See you soon…”

“Wade’s fine for now, unless you wanna call me something else. We can negotiate later, ‘kay? Love you, bye.” Wade scurries down the hall, not realizing that he’s going towards the dorms, not the exit.

“Wade Wilson!” calls Piotr from behind you, and you turn around to see that Ellie is far closer to you than she is to Piotr, having gone faster on her smaller, lighter legs.

“Uh, hello…” you say dumbly.

“Based on your expression, I’d say that discussion went well.”

“Very well. Thank you for giving him the opportunity to talk to me alone, I’m sure you didn’t wanna do that.”

“I didn’t, but I figured it was the best option. Tell me more on the way to the dorm.”

“Well, uh… He apologized, a lot. Not just for the fights.”

“For letting you die?”

“No. Worse.”

“Holy shit, what’d he do, and why haven’t I heard about it?” She asks, tense.

“Because I didn’t know,” you reply defensively. “He’s- He’s my biological father, Ellie.”

“Whoa… Seriously? How long has he known?”

“I don’t know, but not long, the DNA tests were recently. He just wanted to help me find my dad and when he asked Xavier if he had any way of helping, the Professor said that he had to submit a sample to be tested. Turn’s out the old man’s hunch was right. You… You still wanna be friends, right?”

“Yeah, of course, why wouldn’t I?” Ellie wonders.

“I just- I know you don’t like Wade very much, and I’m technically his daughter, so…”

“So? That doesn’t mean I don’t love you anymore,” Ellie argues, and then covers her mouth.

“You love me?”

“Yeah, but just, like, in a friend way,” she plays it off rather smoothly, in her opinion, but you sigh in disappointment before you can stop yourself. “Wait, do you love me in a not-friend way?”

“Not really sure what you wanna hear,” you respond, feeling the recently-sealed cracks in your heart refracturing.

“Do you?” she asks.

You’re silent as the two of you walk to your shared dorm.

“Y/N, I asked you a question. Do you love me as a friend, or as more?”

You feel overheated and nauseous, that’s how nervous you are. You attempt to take some steadying breaths before answering: “More.”

“Oh, thank god…” she sighs. “I- I told you on Monday, when you fell asleep with me. But you were asleep, so, you didn’t hear me… Duh… I sound so stupid right now, don’t I?”

“No, not at all! Jeez, today just keeps getting better and better, I mean it!” You exclaim.

“Can- Can I kiss you?” Ellie asks nervously, and your eyes widen, but you nod. She takes your face in her hands and just goes for it, pressing her lips to yours. You respond immediately, wrapping your arms around her neck while her hands slip past your face and into your hair, tugging gently. You let out a small, quiet moan at that, and you can feel her smirk a little. She kisses you faster, pushing her body closer to yours, and your knees give out. She catches you in the nick of time, laughing a bit at how easily flustered you are as she nudges you toward the bed, sitting there with you. “Your knees are right, we probably shouldn’t rush into things.”

“Yeah…” you admit, resting your head on her shoulder.

“I love you…” She mumbles. “I’ve loved you for a long time, actually.”

“Same here. When did you know?”

Ellie replies: “It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“I can tell you first, if you want,” you offer.

“Yeah, do that…” She says.

“I just realized that every time I was upset, you were there, making me feel better. Even if you didn’t know it. Every time my mom hit me, or I got stabbed by an asshole mugger, or I was about to faint from hunger… You were right there. Making my life better just by existing.”

“I wish I could’ve been right there in person, to help you,” Ellie says, and you shake your head.

“That’s not the point. The point is that you did, without even trying. You always make me happy, without even trying.You just have to be there and everything is better.”

“That’s really nice… I feel dumb now,” Ellie confesses.

“It’s not dumb! Probably not, I mean…” you reply, nuzzling her chest a bit as you try to get a bit cozier.

“Um...You probably don’t know this, but I used to get in fights a lot before we met. And Piotr would always lecture me, telling me it wasn’t heroic to fight out of anger. That I should fight for something, not because of something. That I should be aware of the consequences that come with fighting, and truly think about them before I did. I never understood what he meant, and then we met and became friends… Then best friends…

“I didn’t even realize that before every fight, even the ones I was assigned, I’d think about how I was going to make the world a better place for you. I’d think about what you would think if you heard what I was doing. I- I made a mistake at one point, got angry over nothing and got into another stupid, pointless fight. It was the first time in awhile I’d heard Colossus’s spiel, and I realized my thinking process with every world he spoke. It all just made me think of how I feel about you. You’d made me a better person, more mindful of the consequences of my actions, my thoughtless, immature violence. That’s when I knew.”

“Oh, shut up! That’s way better than mine and not embarrassing at all! Show-off,” you remark, and she chuckles.

“That was fucking beautiful!” Wade wails from behind the door.

“I think I liked it better when you two weren’t friends,” Ellie comments, and you smile at her, shaking your head. She takes your hand in hers and squeezes gently.

“Oh, come on. You can’t hate him. I mean, I wouldn’t exist without him, for a few reasons. I mean, he’s the one who passed me the gene for a healing factor, even if his was recessive before. And, I mean, he’s the sperm donor either way.”

“I heard that!” he shouts, and Ellie smiles at you, planting another kiss on your lips.

You could get used to this.