#and then I realised how bad the retaliation is going to be

[coolasakuhncumber]

How did you find out Trump was non-fatally shot at a rally earlier today?

[themultifanshipper]

Really, even though you were friends, the last thing Logan should be asking the Williams HR representative about, in her office, is sex.

Warnings: oral, petnames, lots of petnames

Based on true events that happened to me last week. Only difference is it was in my appartment, and I didn't actually come.

Do I use too much italics? Probably. Do I care? Not one iota.

So yeah, this was probably breaching several clauses in both your contracts.

But Logan came into your office, looking a bit sheepish, and sat down on the grey sofa in the corner without a word. You just stared at him, waiting for him to say something, but he just avoided your gaze.

"What can I do for you Logan?"

He didn't answer, just squinting at the floor, contemplative.

He came into your office quite often. Probably more than was strictly appropriate but after all, you used to be on the media team and had become friends with most of the drivers during your years at williams. Usually Logan and Alex (and occasionally others who "happened to be passing by") would come in for a chat, generally cheerful or angry or sad, depending on the kind of day they were having.

Today however, Logan was fully silent.

"Logan?"

He squinted again, this time at you, trying to figure out how to say what was on his mind.

"Lo, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong"

He took a deep breath before responding.

"So you know I'm a virgin, right?"

You, in fact, did not know that. You didn't think you were that close a friend, although you didn't exactly mind. It was just a bit sudden.

"What?!"

"Well technically I had sex once but it went really badly. And I haven't had any practice since, because I'm scared of picking up girls because I don't know what I'm doing and I'm an F1 driver so I'm supposed to be having loads of sex but imagine I'm really bad and it got out, it would be super embarrassing and I'd have to ask you, my friend, for an NDA about bad sex, which is just another level of weird and I'd hate for you to stop tal-"

"Logan!"

He stopped ranting and looked at you, obviously feeling rather vulnerable.

"Logan... have you just come into my office to tell me you're inexperienced at sex?"

He pursed his lips and frowned.

"Yes"

"Okay.... why?"

"Because I want you to teach me how to pleasure a woman"

He looked you straight in the eyes, with way too much confidence for someone who was suddenly eligible for a lawsuit.

You raised your eyebrows at him. "Logan, couldn't have waited until... oh I don't know, until we weren't in our workplace to ask me for sex?"

"Um... I guess?" He had the audacity to look embarrassed. "I'm sorry if I read this wrong. Do you uhh- not want to?"

You studied him for a second. What the fuck. It wasn't that the idea was unappealing, he was an attractive young driver with probably incredible stamina. Which is why you found the idea of him being inexperienced so odd. And why was he asking you for... guidance? A lesson? It was weird to think of him as anything other than your friend slash coworker Logan, who you had now known for nearly two years.

If someone had told you this morning that this is how your day was going to go, you would have told them to fuck off and gone back to sleep. You realised you must be taking too long to respond when Logan sighed and rubbed his face.

"Okay nevermind, I'm sorry I brought it up, we can just- pretend this conversation never happened"

He sounded almost sad as he got up to leave but stopped as you blurted out "No, wait!"

He stared at you questioningly.

"I'll do it" You sounded breathless "I'll teach you- how to do uhh... sex. With me."

His eyes lit up as he laughed "I hope you'll be more articulate than that "

"Oh fuck off" you hit his shoulder in retaliation "You're the one who looked like you were going to shit a brick when you walked in here!"

"Hey! That's a low blow" He pouted.

The atmosphere became more comfortable with the bickering but there was still an undercurrent of nervousness. He took a couple of steps towards you and leaned in but you stopped him with a hand on his unsurprisingly firm chest.

"You want to do this now?" You hissed "Are you fucking mental?"

He pouted again "why not, the bosses aren't here today, it's just us, and the engineers are working on the cars" He wiggled his eyebrows.

Well when you put it that way....

Fuck's sake.

You leaned in slowly, as if aiming for his mouth before swerving at the last second and pecked him on the cheek before whispering in his ear. "Lock the door for me will you, darling?"

His eyes darkened "Yes ma'am" and he turned away to lock the door.

You sat down on the sofa and spread your legs, beckoning him over and silently motioning for him to kneel between them. He did so and put his hands on your thighs, then looked up at you expectantly.

Oh, right. You were supposed to be teaching him.

"Okay so first you're gonna want to get me naked"

He giggled at your obvious statement before hooking his fingers into your waistband. "Sure thing, princess" Pulling them down and off, underwear soon following as he let out a breath, eyes and hands roaming over your newly exposed skin. "Shit, you're already so wet." He looked up at you again.

"Can I?" He asked.

So polite.

"Be my guest" you smiled at him as he lowered his body. He kissed the inside of your thighs, slowly inching towards where you needed him most. When he got there, you let out a strained half-sigh half-moan as he licked a stripe from your taint to your clit. The noise made him look up as he licked his lips, eye contact making you shiver. He then spread your thighs further and immediately buried his face between them like man starved, making a valiant effort to find your clit with his tongue.

"A bit lower- lower- a bit right. Wait no, your right"

He followed your instructions dilligently and when he found it, he sucked on your clit with fervour, which made you gasp and let out a shaky moan. "There, right there." as your right hand weaved itself into his hair.

Eyes on yours, he blinked up at you and you nodded to tell him he was doing a good job. Satisfied, he carried on, closing his eyes in concentration.

You grabbed one of his hands and started licking at his fingers, it startled him a bit and he looked back up at you, still surprisingly efficient with his mouth. The sight was absolutely sinful, blonde hair a mess, eyes blown wide, tongue out, working over your flesh. When you sucked one of his fingers into your mouth, straight down to the knuckle, he groaned, the vibrations making your hips twitch. You slid a second finger into your mouth, then a third, ensuring they were nice and wet, then pulled them out. "You can start putting them inside now".

He put the first one in, reaching so much deeper than you could manage on your own, all the while still lapping at your clit. You were so wet it didn't take long for a second one to join as he pushed them in and out gently.

"Okay now sort of hook them upwards" you showed him the movement with your own hand and he nodded, hooking his fingers and it felt so good you moaned quite loudly, hoping none of the engineers would be passing by your part of the building. He put a third finger in and the stretch was delicious as he pressed upwards again and flattened his tongue over your clit.

You could slowly feel an orgasm building and he felt you clench around his fingers, going slightly faster with both his hand and mouth.

"Oh god whatever you do, do not stop!" You panted above him as he used his other hand to hook a leg over his shoulder and he sat up a bit, changing your position slightly and making his fingers hit even deeper inside you.

"Fuck!" You clenched around his fingers as you came hard and he slowed down, helping you ride it out for a while before you had to physically push him off because he wanted to seemingly carry on forever.

"Geez Lo, give a girl a minute, yeah?" You laughed, a bit out of breath. You felt boneless as Logan started kissing his way up your body and finally sealed his mouth over yours. His face was sticky, and your hands went to his hair and pulled on it, making him groan into the kiss. You pulled his head back and he whined, his hips bucking against the sofa, searching for some relief. You lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Please" he panted. You glanced down.

"Need some help down there, soldier?"

He grinned, lopsided. "Sargeant, actually"

Oh yes, you were going to have some fun with this one.

[lichenes]

Disco Belgica

You and Joost work in an office in his early days as a musician. Enemies to lovers who?? what??

CW: haterperson and loverboy truly, toxic workplace behaviour

wc: 814

•───────•°•❀•°•───────••────────•°•❀•°•────────•

You were Joost’s worst nightmare. He was plagued by you everywhere he went. It wasn’t helping that you were so fucking bright and cheerfull to everyone you met, yet when it came to him - he never got the same treatment. ���Do you mind?” You said as you waved at him, your eyes and voice full of disdain. “What?” He answered. “You’re staring.” 

It happened more often than he’d like to admit, the constant surveillance made your stomach do flips. Joost has been working in the same office as you for a few months and, apparently, made it his purpose to drive you crazy. “I need you to go through these documents.” You dropped them onto his desk, his blue eyes drifted to your own. “What’s this?” His accent evident, the venom rolling deliciously off of his tongue. 

“Boss told me to give them to you I don’t know what they pertain to Klein.” You were about to turn on your heel and walk away but he called your name. “I didn’t tell you to use my name, did I?” You said making sure to convey as much hate in your tone as you could. “Jesus you’re such a pain in the ass.” You opted against retaliating his stupid remark and went back to your work. 

At the end of the day you were getting up to leave as one of your coworkers approached your desk. “Hey, Klein left this for you.” You looked at what appeared to be a folder with over 2 hours of work. “That motherf- this was supposed to be done by the end of the day! Did he tell you why he didn’t finish it?” You were fuming. “I’m not taking this home, it’s his job left unfinished.” 

Joost was just walking past the reception when you caught up to him and almost tripped him over (it was meant to be a tap on the shoulder). “Jesus, what the fuck?” The folder was shoved into his arms. “Don’t take me for a pushover, Klein. I’m not gonna do your fucking work.” Walking away you caught his face going red. 

God damnit. He hoped it wasn’t visible - although his pale complexion must’ve given it away. Truth be told he just liked fucking with you to rile you up to the point of breaking. Your authoritative side came out just when you were about to snap and he loved it. He did the remaining work in his house but couldn’t quite keep his mind off of you. 

The next day he dropped off the documents at the boss’ office and made a beeline towards the kitchen where you usually resided for the first few hours of the day. “I need to talk to you.” You raised your eyebrow. “No you don’t, save the apology for someone who cares Klein” He rolled his eyes. “Just- please?” You eyes widened when you heard him mutter the word, for the first time since you’ve known him. 

You stood up wordlessly and followed Joost to the desolated part of the office - a corridor mostly used for the cubby holes of the janitors and cleaning supplies. “What the fuck do you want.” He looked increasingly nervous with each passing second. You crossed your arms. “Cut the shit Klein. Come on, spit it out.” He straightened his back and pulled out a small packet of your favourite candies. 

“What is this?” “I just wanted to apologise properly. I don’t hate you and I wish you wouldn’t hate me too.” You were flabbergasted. Your hands fell to your sides. “Cat got you tongue?” He smiled at you for the first time since… ever, you realised. “H-How did you know I liked these?” You were starting to suspect he was stalking you. “It’s not anything bad! I just asked the only guy who you talk to. B-besides me…” His voice faltered a litte when he mentioned Alex.

You took the candies into your hand and quickly thanked him then walked away moved by his sudden change in attitude. 

The next day when you walked up to his desk he actually gave you a smile and you handed him a thank-you card. “I wasn’t sure what to give you so I went with the path of least resistance. It isn’t as thoughtful though…” He read the little annotation you wrote under the pre-written text. He smiled and proceeded to chit-chat the whole time you would spend in the kitchen. 

“So… you and Klein huh?” Said Alex jabbing your side. “It’s nothing like that… we’ve just gotten on better terms.” Your face got hotter. “Yeah, suuuure.” You were packing your things and just about to leave the office when he called your name and when you turned around he gave you a wave and a huge grin. Your heart started to beat faster and that’s when you felt and knew you were in big, big trouble. 

•───────•°•❀•°•───────••────────•°•❀•°•────────•

masterlist

[unknownunidentified101]

FORGIVE ME?

SUMMARY : arguments are inevitable but they help you grow

CHARACTER : Gojo x gender neutral ! Reader

WARNINGS : angst to fluff

“ You’ve Could’ve Died!” Gojo trailed in front of you, throwing his hands up in the air in exaggeration.

“ But I Didn’t! I had a plan you know!?! You ruined it!” you raise your voice, slamming the door behind you. “ as if! Do you think squirming and being on the blink of death is a plan?!?” Gojo scoffed at your comebacks, he was in utter disbelief

“ yes it was!” You start to yell back

“ you aren’t fully healed from your injuries!” Gojo pointed to your limping leg. You stand still, hand bawling in a fist

“ I’m stronger than what you think” You retaliated back, you felt your blood boil. Gojo sighed harshly, pinching the bridge of his nose

“ Why Can’t You Listen To Me For Once!?! Are You Even Listening to me?” Gojo scolded, his tone hurtful as it slightly cracked, “ What If I Wasn’t There?” Gojo sat down on the couch, distress whelming over him

“ You Know I Would’ve Killed that Curse. Injury or not” you tried to lower your tone

“ you are so selfish” Gojo murmured under his breath. It didn’t go unnoticed to you and that was your finale straw

“ Selfish!?! You think I’m selfish?” You were in disbelief, scoffing loudly. “ YES!” Gojo yelled loudly at you, “ you don’t worry about what others want, you only care about yourself!” Gojo pointed out

You swallowed the lump in your throat. Had he not known how many times you’ve sacrificed yourself for others? Or how many times you’ve put yourself before him?

“ fuck you Gojo” you muttered his last name, stomping to the bedroom door before slamming it shut. Gojo’s lips gaped openly slightly. He hadn’t known the severity of the situation just yet. He messed up really bad .

Gojo has done a handful of bad things but this one was by far the worse. All the stress in the past week has built a ticking time bomb in you and Gojo set it off

Slamming the door shut, the sound rippled through the house. You sniffle a cracked cry. It was stupid, everything was

You collide with the bed, twisting and turning in the sheets, you felt like crying your heart out. After all those harsh words stabbed you through the chest, all you could do was spread some tears before eventually falling asleep

—-

It didn’t take long for you to wake up. Your throat was swelling up, it was really dry. You knew Gojo left in a hurry shortly after you so you decided to get a glass of water

By now, your emotions were drained out, your feet dragged itself against the wooden floor. You travelled to the living room which opened to the kitchen

Staring at the couch, you make out a figure slouching over the couch. It was Gojo as his feet barely fit on the chair, you didn’t want to see him now. A part of you had moved on but still, the anger was still prevalent

You quickly traveled to the kitchen and drank a glass of water, eyeing a vase on the counter. You realised there were suddenly flowers in the vase. You were in shock, why hadn’t you seen them before?

Not to mention they were your favourite

Moving closer, you spot a note that was placed on the side of the vase. Picking up the note, you were curious enough to read the contents inside it

‘ I’m sorry, forgive me?’

It red. You realised Gojo was apologising. After some self reflection, Gojo realised he was in the wrong and therefore ran to nearby stores to grab all the flowers he could

You had to admit, all your negative emotions disappeared, your mouth gaped open as your eyes stared in complete awe. He was always the first to apologise.

Staring back at the couch and note, you couldn’t leave the man out in the cold. You breathed in and out before approaching the couch

You kneeled down to stare at Gojo’s features. It was only now that you realised the dark circles that centred around his eyes. How long have they been there for?

Was he just as stressed as you? You felt guilty at this point.

“ Satoru….wake up” you slowly murmur, lightly patting the man’s shoulder. Satoru grumbled and stirred awake, his eyes focusing on your prominent figure

“ [y/n]..?” Gojo replies softly. You share a soft smile, “ let’s get to bed-“

You couldn’t even muster a sentence before you were tightly squeezed by Gojo’s arm. “ I’m sorry” Gojo immediately apologised

You were saddened by the apology, it made you seem more at fault. “ I know you are capable of fighting…and I didn’t mean it when I said you were selfish, in fact all you’ve ever been was self less…I was just worried and tired” Gojo murmurs, his rigid breath coating your neck

Your hands slowly snaked to Gojo’s back. “ you had every right to be worried… I’m sorry I put myself in danger too, you were right, I am still injured and I shouldn’t fight” you added on, addressing the doubts Gojo had

At last, Gojo parted from the hug, hand cupping your cheek. “ I’m sorry I sweared at you..I never meant it” you added, remembering your rude comment, shyly looking away from the man

“ don’t be, I kinda deserved it” Gojo merely chuckles, hugging you again. “ I missed you..don’t leave me please? I can do better” Gojo’s grip tightened again

“ Satoru I would never, we are in this together forever you know” you chuckled softly at Gojo’s overthinking

“ then…can i sleep with you please..?” Gojo’s voice wasn’t cocky anymore, it was a soft request to you

“ of course” you smile back, lightly kissing his cheek. Gojo smiles, wasting no time in peppering you in kisses

“ thank you” Gojo was very relieved. Out of everyone, he didn’t want to lose you to a stupid argument. He wasted no time in carrying you upwards, “ and then let’s cuddle together okay?” Gojo kissed your lips, carrying you to your shared room

“ yes, I would like that” you reply, erupting into soft giggles

[yourbiggestcrybaby]

Letters (Part Three)

(Part one)

(Part two)

ClarisseLaRuexAphrodite!Fem!Reader

No warnings I think

As your “training sessions” progress, you realise that you and Clarisse have gotten close, really close. You know you like her and you want to tell her. With the help of one of your sisters, you plan a surprise for Clarisse to show her how you feel. You discover something rather surprising in the process.

It had been a few weeks since your first training session with Clarisse, and things were looking up. The sessions were not only a way to hang out with your secret crush; they also were proving to be really helpful. Of course you were already strong and pretty good with a sword, but now? You were one of the best. You were kicking ass on the battlefield and loving every minute of it, especially when you saw the surprised faces of those who used to underestimate you.

The two of you had originally been meeting just once a week, but Clarisse had suggested more frequent sessions, insisting you “needed the extra help”. You knew better—it was obvious she enjoyed your company. So, what started as weekly meetings soon turned into daily drills and soon enough, even having your lunches together. Before you knew it, you were practically a regular at the Ares cabin.

Of course amidst the good, there was always going to be bad. A few of the Ares were not particularly fond of you. One boy in particular, Dylan, despised you. He had no reason too apart from his own biases.

You'd been with Clarisse. It was a Sunday, so the two of you had been doing what most teenagers did on a Sunday, absolutely nothing. You had sported a cute pink bow in your hair, as did many of the Aphrodite kids. You hadn't thought much of it as it was your usual attire. Dylan did not like it. He had never been particularly kind to you but for some reason this really aggravated him. He'd been making snide remarks about it all day, but at some point he had decided that wasn't enough. He had clasped his grubby fingers on your ribbon and pulled violently, jerking your head backwards. Of course, you were enraged, but before you could retaliate, Clarisse had jumped to your defense. She had stood up and punched him in the face so hard that he fell back, cursing and clutching his bleeding nose.

Needless to say the rest of her siblings started treating you with more respect after that. Obviously you were annoyed at the whole situation but you thought about it for days after. Clarisse had been at your defense immediately. You couldn’t help but smile at the thought.

As your friendship with Clarisse blossomed, the vibe between you two became more relaxed and easygoing. Training sessions turned into laughing fits, and lunches turned into impromptu gossip sessions. But amidst all the fun, you couldn’t help but feel almost empty. Of course it was great being her friend, but it was gut wrenching at the same time. You were hopelessly in love with her and it wasn’t like you could just ignore your feelings - you spent too much time with her for that.

As the days passed and your feelings for Clarisse deepened, you found yourself increasingly troubled. You went to one of your Aphrodite sisters, hoping for guidance.

She knew you well and so with a sympathetic smile, she welcomed you and sensing your turmoil, asked "What's been bothering you?".

Taking a deep breath, you poured out your heart, confessing your unspoken love for Clarisse and the fear that gripped you at the thought of revealing your feelings. "I don't know what to do," you admitted, your voice wavering with uncertainty.

Your sister listened intently, offering words of comfort and encouragement. "Confessing may seem daunting, but it's also liberating. You deserve to be true to yourself and your feelings."

"But what if she doesn't feel the same way?" you asked, your voice tinged with fear.

"Even if she doesn't return your feelings, at least you'll have clarity," your sister replied gently. "And who knows? She might surprise you."

Of course you were nervous, but you couldn’t keep living like this. I mean come on! You were the daughter of love, you couldn’t hide from it. So it was decided. You were going to confess your feelings to Clarisse. It sounded easier than it really was and you spent the next few days contemplating how you were going to pull it off. Should you opt for a more grandiose gesture? Did Clarisse like that kind of stuff or would she prefer something more understated?

Eventually, you decided you had waited long enough. you knew you had to tell her. You had decided on a modest yet heartfelt approach - a handwritten letter which you placed in a pale pink envelope. You had spent hours writing it, agonizing over which adjectives to use and the loops of your cursive handwriting. Eventually you decided it was ready so you snuck over to the Ares cabin. You knew you would be alone as Clarisse was occupied training with her siblings. Entering the dorm, you made your way over to Clarisse’s bed. Where would you put it? The thought of placing it on her crimson bed sheets seemed too cliche and you knew there was a chance of one of her siblings finding it before her. You wanted it to be romantic. You scanned her area to find a spot where you could place your letter.

Your gaze fell upon her desk and you decided one of its drawers would be a fitting place. Before you could place the letter down, something interesting caught your attention. A brown leather bound book lay there and on it was the word “diary”. This was news to you, you didn’t realize she had a diary and to be honest, you couldn’t quite wrap your head around the idea of the tough Clarisse spilling her innermost thoughts onto the pages of this book. Of course you knew you shouldn’t look inside but the temptation was just too overwhelming. With trembling hands, you opened it and scanned through the first few pages. Her initial entries only consisted of scattered doodles and mundane to do lists but soon genuine reflections began to emerge. A random one drew your attention but as you kept reading, you were in disbelief. Clariss’s entry was about a girl. Clarisse had been watching this girl for a while and had always considered her beautiful, but she never thought much more of it.

You kept reading

She wrote about how she had spent time with this girl. How she had recently discovered how her beauty wasn’t skin deep, how this girl was kind and sweet and gentle. She wrote about how she was scared of this girl finding out about her love because she thought that a girl like her could never love Clarisse back.

Was this diary entry about you?

Suddenly, a noise caught your attention from behind, causing you to whirl around. There stood Clarisse, her expression a mix of confusion and then embarrassment as she caught sight of what you were holding.

"What are you doing?" she asked, moving forward to retrieve the diary from your hands.

"Clarisse—" you began, but she interrupted, her panic evident in her voice.

"You weren't supposed to see that," she admitted

You hesitated for a moment, slightly taken aback by Clarisse's Vulnerability. However, as you met her gaze, your resolve strengthened.

"I know I wasn't supposed to see it," you replied gently, "But I did, and... Clarisse, there's something I need to tell you."

Her eyes widened in surprise as you held out a pale pink envelope, its contents—the handwritten letter—nestled within. Clarisse hesitated, her hand hovering over the envelope.

"What's this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It's... it's for you," you admitted, feeling a rush of nerves coursing through you. "I wrote it because... because there are things I need to say, things I've been wanting to tell you for a while now."

Clarisse's gaze softened, and you could see the wariness in her expression begin to fade. Slowly, tentatively, she reached out and accepted the envelope from you, her fingers brushing against yours in a fleeting touch.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she broke the seal and withdrew the letter. As she unfolded the paper, you watched anxiously, your heart pounding in your chest.

Silence filled the air as Clarisse's eyes scanned the handwritten words, her expression shifting from surprise to curiosity, and finally to a soft smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. You held your breath, waiting for her reaction, unsure of what she would say.

She looked up at you, smiling, and without warning, she closed the distance between you with an abruptness that took your breath away.

Her lips crashed against yours in a fervent kiss. It was passionate and soft all at the same time - a collision of desire and longing finally satiated.

You guessed your sister was right, Clarisse La Rue did surprise you.

[raineandsky]

#120

When the villains caught wind of a new hero on the team, they’d all taken interest. When someone came back claiming he’s blind, it’d sparked a whole new debate.

Straightforward, they’d all said. He won’t even see us coming. They’d laughed at how easy it’d seemed.

The villain feels like they’ve stumbled on a pile of gold when they come across the hero. He’s running his hand along something on the fence in front of him, something that the villain will later realise is a braille description of the view ahead of him. A white cape drifts around his ankles, an equally white suit flattering against his typical heroic body, the lightest of smiles on his face as his fingers trace the patterns of dots along the railing.

The villain can’t help but grin as they slowly make their way towards the poor hero, so oblivious, so stupid. They’re barely a hair breadth away, their dagger practically unsheathing itself, when the hero spins towards them with a swish of his cape and a flick of a blade.

The villain barely reels back in time. Staying quiet doesn’t occur to them when they’re startled. The hero looks like he’s staring right through them, an arrogant smirk on his face.

“Ah,” he says brightly, “you’re one of those criminals I’m meant to be looking out for?”

The villain sidesteps, careful to keep their footing quiet, but it doesn’t matter. The hero’s head cocks towards them as they try to step out of his blade’s path.

“You’re almost silent,” the hero continues. A smirk adorns his face, intrigued. “Incredible.”

The villain is close enough to strike, the hero looking slightly too far beyond them to be right in his assumptions. The villain shifts in fast, their dagger poised. The hero dodges back and retaliates with a swing of his own.

The villain stumbles out of reach and the hero follows. The villain’s unprepared; they were expecting a hero who’s unsure who they’re looking for, where the villain is. They were expecting an easy plaything that they could stab when they got bored.

But this—the hero is nothing but brazen confidence.

The villain shoves their dagger up to meet his blade, throwing his arm out. They move in for another strike but the hero’s already recovered. His blade easily tucks under their arm and slices into their side.

Something of a strangled gasp escapes the villain before they can stop it. They stagger back, a hand touched timidly to the wound, their eyes flitting back up to the hero. He simply waits, his blade crimson and his eyes blank. How? How?

“Would you do me the honour of telling me who I’ve met?” he asks, as if this is nothing more than a casual meeting between friends of friends. The villain wants to snap him in half for the audacity.

“That’s none of your fuckin’ business.”

“Aha,” the hero says, almost a laugh, “You’re [Villain].”

The villain can only stare at him in horror. The hero seems to feel the tension in the silence, because he continues. “You’ve a bad mouth, favour in the blade, light on your feet.” A teasing smile. “And you’ve a smooth, caramel voice I haven’t heard in many like you.”

“Wh— Excuse me— You—” 

The hero just smirks, the stupid smirk of someone who knows he’s untouchable in every sense of the word. “Flustered by compliments, too,” the hero finishes with a laugh. “Good to remember for next time.”

“I’m not flustered!” the villain finally manages, “and my voice isn’t caramel. That isn’t a thing. You sound stupid.”

“I’m happy to be stupid if it means I can recognise you as the villain who speaks in caramel.”

The villain’s side is beginning to really ache. They need to be somewhere that’s not here when it inevitably gets worse. “Do what you want. I’m going home.”

“May I escort you to a prison cell?”

The villain barks a laugh, their side practically splitting with the forced fakeness of it. “As if you know where the agency is from here.”

“I always know where I am, [Villain].” A smile again, softer this time. Knowing. “You underestimate me for a characteristic I think makes me as interesting to you as you are to me.”

The burn in the villain’s skin is an ode to that. “Sure.” The villain turns on their heel before a thought occurs to them. “I’m going to walk away, loudly. Do me a favour and don’t fucking shank me when I do.”

The hero’s face twists back into a smirk. “As long as I hear you moving away. Until next time, [Villain].”

A blind hero! everyone had cried. It’s almost too easy!

The villain scurries away with a gash to the side and a slam to their ego, and they know now to know better than that.

[mythsandheather]

I GUESS we can focus Persephone and her complete non-issue of a focus on purity culture and finding herself. I GUESS we can focus on Hera’s racist ass realising she likes girls. I GUESS we can have them go into their ugly ass giant forms and everyone has a #girlboss moment where they kinda kick Apollo a whole bunch. I GUESS we can focus on the bad things that happened to Queen Purse and Queen Haemorrhoid that are not based in actual myth in any way. It’s fine, I suppose. I mean it’s really fucking not but whatever it’s fine.

But if I said a far more interesting story would be watching Leto, turned into a typical, evil, scheming, bland, coddling mother, and how she became that way? What if we did the impossible for LO by tackling actually both feminine struggles and Greek mythology instead of tiptoeing around them?

Leto, the titaness, goddess of motherhood, and described as quiet, polite, modest, shy, gentle and warm yet fiercely protective of her children and those she watches over.

Leto who is seduced and then abandoned by Zeus who offers her no meaningful protection as Hera’s rage turns the entire world against her and attacks anyone who dares help her.

Leto who is cursed by Hera to not be able to give birth on land or sea and has to run all over the country side, rejected by everyone and chased by the angry queen of the gods.

Leto who laboured for TWO WEEKS because Hera kept Elythia, the goddess of childbirth, distracted so she couldn’t go to aid Leto.

Leto who, upon her return to Olympus, is supposedly now under Zeus’s protection but is still harassed and threatened by Hera.

In actual myth, Leto never retaliates against Hera (except for this one line where she absolutely GAGS Hera by essentially telling her to stop fronting like she’s better than everyone because when Zeus cheats on her again, she’ll be back to a crying mess) and continues her role as a protector of mothers and children.

The version we see in LO is, obviously, nothing like her. It’s interesting and very easy to think that her mistreatment by the royalty of Olympus would have destabilised and jaded her. Conveniently though, for the supposed feminist retelling, no voice is given to Leto.

So what if I said that watching Leto as she was before, watching her then be seduced, used and abandoned by Zeus and then not protected by him as Hera rains down nothing but abuse and terror on her, turning her into the person she is now…what if I said that that would be a much better story? What then, hm?

[thenightshadowqueen]

Death for a Dollar watchthrough thoughts

Holy shit, this was unhinged. I loved it so much. (That’s too many italics, but I don’t care.) I’m kind of speechless; the number of times I actually covered my mouth in shock (usually because of Sam, but Tom was insane in this one, too) was staggering. I adore this play.

Anyway, I’m going to get into my actual thoughts instead of just rambling.

Just to start, ‘Death for a Dollar’ is a great title, so kudos to whoever came up with that

Oh my god, Hank and Gareth 2.0!!!!

“You don’t know what he did for this place.” “That—Tell me!” This is off to a strong start

“Where was your showmanship?” I love it when they work mini games of Change into the plays

Mr. Twilliger is an incredible name

“This is me being the bartender, getting the stories out of the customers, so they reveal things, and then they want to drink more because they’re reliving their trauma.” I mean, it’s a valid tactic to get more money; yay, capitalism! (sarcasm)

AJ forcing Tom to be musical… Caesar and Juliet, anyone?

I love that Luke knows off the top of his head how many keys a piano has (I’m honestly not surprised)

Is Sam’s hair a little longer than normal? Because it looks really good

“I got three keys, three teeth, three toes. I’ve been through a lot.” I love Tony the piano player (who was also referred to as Bill once)

“My mind can take an awful lot; there’s not a lot in there” I love him, actually

“You ain’t trying to seduce him!” “But I get bigger tips when I do!” Sam

Can I just thank whoever edited this for giving us that little shot of Tom laughing? Because I love it when we get to see him actually laugh.

I love Mrs. Prostitute (and I love Tom for including positive representation of sex work)

“This is what feminism looks like” West End Big Boys flashbacks

“My mum is crazy” SAM

Also I think my favourite thing about the microphones is that we can hear them laughing so much more clearly (brought to you by Luke, on this occasion)

I adore Sam’s weird little harmonica thing he does in western-genre pieces

Ooh, younger versions of characters being played by different actors; I don’t think we’ve seen that before

I love Sam being confused and Tom’s response being to start clapping

I love Sam being annoyed and retaliating at AJ with a bald joke

“I told my daddy that I was real fast with a pistol, and that maybe I could go and work in law enforcement, but he wouldn’t have it.” “No! No son is going to go work for the government!” AJ trying to paint his father as the villain and Sam trying his very best to make the audience like him… This is gorgeous

“Telling a man if he’s allowed to own people or not” okay, never mind, I take that back

I don’t know why Sam picked the Watson-clown voice, but I’m glad he did (also I love that the voice made Luke break)

“Many Fingers Pussy” Jesus Christ, Tom

“They thought I had the devil in me” god damn it, now I feel bad for Bill

Sam is so good at playing wide-eyed innocent characters

“God, I wish they had that law in America in the modern day” I wish I had enough faith in people’s judgement to wish that

“I didn’t know you could do magic” I love it when Sam causes trouble

I can never see a reference to a one-man band like that and not think of Mary Poppins

“I can’t wait to hear those four white boys do those accents” oh dear

Luke speaking Spanish!!!

You know what, that vaguely Mexican accent could have been a hell of a lot worse, so well done, Sam

“So you can work on a farm, or you can jerk people off” oh my god, Sam

“He offered me a job” and then AJ realising what it sounded like and walking it way back

Tom entering the scene and waiting for a moment to join in and then Sam just throwing him in without warning is amazing

“I work here jerking people off” Tom

“She said she helps people el secrete-o” SAM

“Hand stuff Jesus is okay with” Sam

I don’t know why the fact that Tom knows little bits of Spanish brings me so much joy, but it does

Holy shit, Luke speaking Spanish with an American accent might be my new favourite thing

I love Maria, the bank robber/prostitute

You know what, I get Bill; the little, slightly mosquitoy “yeah”s are alluring

Half-kiss!!!

“A beautiful flower turns to a crooked leaf” I fucking adore AJ’s weird little sayings

“It’s a well-known expression” and then the advert with the merch saying ‘more well-known expressions’

“Something went worse than wrong. It went really wrong.” Gorgeous.

Sam’s slip oh my god

I know I already said Sam’s hair looks good, but Sam’s hair looks really good

I already said it but I will never be over Luke’s Spanish-in-an-American-accent. Never.

“I’ll keep my hands moist for you” it seems like Tom like using the word moist (the moisturiser fairy comes to mind)

I love audience participation

I’m sorry, as someone who struggles with mental math, that quick multiplication from Luke was impressive

“Got a lot of spunk in you, have you?” I love Tom using his English degree to make dirty jokes (obviously this doesn’t require an English degree; I just mean that it’s a wordplay joke)

I love Sam making sure to bring the story full-circle, with Tony losing his teeth and toes

Jesus, Tom

“Have we invented the electric chair yet?” I looked it up, and it looks like it was invented in the 1880’s, so not quite, but it wasn’t nearly so far off as I thought it might be

“I’ma travelling electric chair salesman” … honestly, I’m not even surprised at this point

Tom is right; this is really dark

I don’t think Sam knows how electric chairs work (affectionate)

Okay who the fuck let Sam wink like that

“Well, I guess that’s the end of the Shoot from the Hip show” I love when they get meta

“What could go wrong with giving a southern American teenager a pair of guns? I’ve got school tomorrow!” Holy fucking shit; may I present Sam Russell, the king of risky jokes

“…when we faked my death…” I love Tom so much

“I think this is the first time we’ve used the principle of the unreliable narrator” I actually love this so much; this is such a cool concept, especially for an improv show

Tom is unhinged in this one and I love it

I love this so much

I already made as post saying this, but it bears repeating: this is BUS levels of insane

[princessbrunette]

thinking abt mouse!reader x jj x kook!pope trying to hide an at first minor foot injury cos she has a big audition or smth coming up and she refuses to miss it :((

but as it gets worse they both notice her hobbling around and wincing whenever she walks and literally force her to stay home the night of the audition, even thought it kills them to make her sad her health comes first always

them having to hold her while she cries and yells at them for the first time cos she wanted to do it so bad :(( i love her sm u guys don't get it

ᡣ𐭩 🤍｡🩰ꪆৎ ˚⋅.

it was a full blown tantrum. crying and thumping on chests, snot gathering beneath your sore nostrils. honestly, it was the most noise you’d ever made in one sitting — and you’d been double penetrated.

jj has managed to subdue you, having you curled on a ball in his lap, one fist clutching his shirt and the other clutching popes sweater threateningly as you let out hoarse sobs against his chest. there was a little inkling in the back of popes throat, an itch he wanted to scratch to tell you that you were being a little dramatic and that it wasn’t like someone had died, but he darent — not right now, not whilst you were like this.

the breakdown hadn’t occurred because they sat you down and told you that you were far too injured to compete, it occurred because you knew they were right. you were sneaky by nature, always good at hiding when you’d stolen something or slightly twisting things occasionally as to not get in trouble with the protective pair — but this was something that you couldn’t hide. the slight winces and secret downing of pain meds had turned to limping to full blown hobbling. you were scared, and the boys telling you out loud that you were too injured to compete made it all the more real.

“look, what can i do t’make it better? cheese? y’want cheese? i’ll run to the store right now and buy you that fancy ass board. y’know the one you asked me for last week but i only had two dollars and an old sucker in my pocket?” jj rocks you, forehead creased in urgency like he just wanted to spring up and fix the problem immediately. pope stares into space, rubbing at his jaw in thought.

“no! i want to compete!” you complain, making the blonde sigh.

“yeah, well… we just can’t have that right now sweetcheeks, y’know we ain’t tryna hold you back…” he genuinely sounds upset, wishing there was a way around this. popes hand moves to your back, rubbing it in circles like you’re a newborn baby who won’t sleep through the night. “what can i do, babe?” jj groans quietly, mostly thinking out loud.

“nothing.” pope speaks suddenly and firmly, a calm yet film tone in his voice. “we can’t do anything. but look at me, sweetheart���” he cups your chin and gently guides you to look up at him. his eyes are all wide and desperate, begging you to understand him and you soften, realising only now how difficult you were being. “this is for the best. what kind of boyfriends would we be if like… we just let you go and dance on your injured foot? you could injure it further and then, what? you never dance again? not on my watch.”

your shoulders sink a little, his words getting through to you finally. you sniffle, a few more fat tears rolling down your cheeks and jj is quick to swipe them. “c’mon, no more o’that.” he mutters.

“so tonight…” pope stands, dusting his sweatpants down and grabbing his phone. “you’re gonna sit, and rest that foot. we’re gonna watch a movie and order pizza.” he decides, leaning down again to be eye level with you. you blink slowly, nodding slightly filling the two with relief.

“but i get to pick the movie. sorry, nothin’ you can do about it.” jj grins, tickling your ribs and you let out a raspy giggle.

“no, jj, you don’t. last time you picked something weird.” pope calls as he wanders off to the bathroom.

“yo mamas weird.” jj mutters in retaliation, shifting you on his lap so that he could dig the tv remote from the centre of the couch.

ᡣ𐭩 🤍｡🩰ꪆৎ ˚⋅.

[laswells-ashtray]

(Mother-hen)Price and (Father-hen)Nikolai antics and shenanigans.

I dunno, let’s just say that one day Soap and Gaz get hurt when roughhousing and the two try to play it off like nothing happened. Well, two minutes later Price has them both sat down and is scolding them while he patches them up, saying something about how they’re always ‘too rough’ and how they need to ‘settle down before they make a mess’.

Nik is always the icebreaker in the situation, cracking jokes here and there to soften the blows Price delivers and making promises that they’d go to the shooting range later and have a competition on who the best shot is.

I also think that when Ghost doesn’t take care of himself like he usually does, they all get worried, but not as worried as Price.

He won’t barge or force Ghost to talk, but he will stick around longer than he usually does and keeps an eye on him for a second more before going about his business. He’ll also give him meals that he randomly made throughout the day and makes sure he eats before moving on to whatever he was doing.

Nik on the other hand just invites Ghost to help him fix his helicopter, and when the two finish they’ll sit on the floor of it and quietly have a cigarette together before going about their day.

…

Also, random side note: how was your Thanksgiving? Hope the food-crash was delectable bc mines was.

I won't lie I am deeply Scottish and have never done a Thanksgiving event/dinner in my life. But my day was generally uneventful in a good way, I had a tattoo consultation that day and my artist likes me so it was chill.

I've always held the belief that they don't intentionally practice awful self-care but as men so busy with their jobs and also the entire traumatic response of constantly being surrounded by the carnage and bloodshed they find themselves some days at 3am wondering when the last time they drank water or ate anything slowly enough to taste it was.

I think while Nikolai can also suffer [as a treat], he's the best at staying on track and keeping the rest of them on track and Price falls into the mentality of those are his boys and he'll be in a body bag long before he lets one of them get there.

That being said:

"Lads, it's a spar not a fuckin' scrap. Act yer age, not yer shoe size."

Both Soap and Gaz pause, heads popping up to look at him in a way that's reminiscent of meerkats. They'd been rougher than usual and for a second John had wondered if they had been trying to work something out off of the field. He knew better though, if they two argued then neither of them would exchange a word until they got their heads out of their arses and then got drunk together after it all washed over.

"Wisnae tnhat bad, wis it, Gaz?"

He can see MacTavish wince as he straightens up, a hand hovering over his ribs and the trail of dried blood coming from his nose is far from subtle.

"Just dickin' about, sir."

Garrick's lip is split and a drop of fresh blood bubbles from it when he smirks, he's also avoiding resting his weight on his right leg.

"Bench." Is all he answers with, heading away to grab a first aid kit they, after many mildly violent incidents, decided to keep in the gym.

By the time he reaches the bench the two sergeants are nudging each other and bickering like boys, Soap nudges Gaz's foot and in retaliation, Gaz elbows him. In a horrific moment of self-awareness John realises he had been much worse as a sergeant. He quickly packs that thought away in a mental box entitled "things I'll never admit to Mac" somewhere between the shirt thing and the river incident.

"Quit it, you're supposed to leave the blood to the field." He scolds half-heartedly before setting to work trying to fix however they'd fucked Soap's nose.

He's passing Gaz an icepack for his foot when Nik walks in, shaking his head in mock disapproval as he approaches. The act is ruined by his immediate questioning.

"Who won?"

John cuts in before it can delve into another round of bitching.

"The people who're trying to put us in caskets if that's how the two of them fight."

He's met with a snort and two affronted squawks before he's assaulted with a barrage of verbal bullshit defences that he doesn't pay attention to.

He looks back at Nik with a curious expression.

"Hangar, babysitting after the bird."

The disbelief on his face is about as subtle as a hand grenade.

"All by his lonesome?"

There's an almost sheepish look on Nikolai's face until he relents.

"He is smoking."

"That's more like it. You two will be joining us in the mess later, I take it." It isn't a question, Nik doesn't mistake it as one.

"Да, captain." Nikolai would drag Simon by the scruff of his neck like a cat if he had to.

"Good."

[somegrumpynerd]

HEY. POINTS FINGER… any thoughts on how everyone reacted when the other joined the team? as in how did killer react when dust came, how did he and dust react when horror came, how did they all react when cross came, etc. i love love LOVE your bad sanses thoughts way too much they make me so happy. if i write hurt you write comfort and it’s awesome. also how do you think they slowly started to get closer? just.. bah give me your thoughts on them!!!! any thoughts!!!!!!!!!

You fool!! You’ve given me a chance to ramble about my special little guys and now this post will stretch on forever!! Mwahahahahah >:3c

No but seriously this is probably gonna be wicked long cause I have 1 million thoughts about these guys joining and meeting each other so uh, readmore for everybody’s safety and sanity

(^ I wrote that in the document before I started typing out my actual thoughts and uh

yeah no kidding, this is like a fucking essay so proceed with caution)

OKAY SO

I’ve said before that Nightmare got Dust for two reasons; one being that Dream had just recently started working with Ink (and soon Blue) so he and Killer were no longer able to gang up on Dream. He wanted somebody else to bulk up their numbers and give Killer a little back up. He also was starting to realise that Killer didn’t handle being alone very well, since this was when he most often got worked up and broke things around the castle (and sometimes tipped over into stage 3). Dust would be a perfect fit since he had the same amount of lvl and fighting experience as Killer, and since they were so close in circumstance they would be practically like brothers right?

The irony that he thought this about a guy he was recruiting to help kill his brother was apparently lost on him.

They absolutely hated each other. Like, it was instant. Killer saw him as a replacement, why would boss go out and get another sans - one with almost the same backstory as me - when I’m right here? Does he think I’m not good enough? Am I disposable and this is the backup for when I die in combat? He didn’t take it well. He took it all out on Dust too, not cooperating in battle, trying to start fights in the castle, etc. He couldn’t outright kill him because Nightmare had given him strict orders not to, but Killer loves a loophole. If he roughed Dust up down to 1hp and something else happened to finish him off, technically he’d followed orders.

Dust just straight up didn’t want to be there. Nightmare just showing up and yoinking him had worked fine with Killer, but Dust had wanted to sit in his empty au and die, he had no intention of joining a team or doing work of any kind - good or bad. The only reason he didn’t just lie down and refuse the entire time was that he had to fight back against Killer, as much as he wanted to die he refused to give this ass the satisfaction or lvl. He didn’t intend to be any help out in the field either, but again, Killer was making sure he got fired at so he had to retaliate to stay alive.

Eventually it got bad enough that Nightmare had to pull Killer aside and demand answers. In the year or so of knowing him Killer had never willfully disobeyed orders before, so Nightmare needed to know what had gotten into him. He dispelled the replacement rumour right away, he still wasn’t quite softened up enough to be sappy about it but he made sure Killer understood what a good worker he was and that Nightmare had no intention of losing him. It didn’t help a lot, they still hated each other for other reasons, but it eased a little.

Killer still had pretty frequent dips into stage 3, except now he would go straight for Dust usually. Nightmare had tried to explain what he’d learned about it to Dust, but he didn’t really believe that it wasn’t just Killer deciding to try and kill him for funsies. He only accepted it after a particular episode where he attacked Nightmare instead, which Dust knew Killer wouldn’t try in his right mind.

After he came back to his senses he sought Dust out. The air around Killer was very different after a stage 3, sort of sombre and almost calm, so Dust let them sit together and Killer apologised for giving him such a hard time. They actually talked for the first time in months while Killer was still calm (or tolerable, as Dust describes it), and it didn’t magically fix everything but, things were a little better. They still fought and argued and bothered each other but it wasn’t as sharp, there was a lack of real murderous intent in it all, and sometimes after an episode they would talk a little bit. It was the best Nightmare was going to get for now, so he took it.

They were still completely incompetent about taking care of themselves though. Neither of them would eat unless prompted and Nightmare didn’t have good enough knowledge of mortals to know when that should be to stop them passing out from hunger on the job. Not to mention the stars were now a full team, and with the way Killer and Dust would sometimes rather target each other on the field he could do with more backup.

Horror was the first of the group to get a choice in joining. Nightmare had taken note of how much Dust didn’t want to be part of things, and while it was in his best interests in the long run given his situation, Horror’s au was still mostly intact - though a little in disrepair. Horror was also the first in the group to have a good (and ongoing) relationship with his brother, so Nightmare knew he couldn’t just pop in and steal him, he had to be a bit more diplomatic with this one and offer a deal.

He gave Horror some time to think on his proposal - he would set up regular deliveries of food to Horror’s au in exchange for him joining their team - and was quite surprised when Horror agreed, with some stipulations. Horror was equally surprised when Nightmare agreed so easily to his terms (that he didn’t want his brother to know what he’d be doing, and that he wouldn’t kill). A little down the line the terms were altered to add that he would also be left to visit his au every week or so.

Horror was not impressed meeting the other two. He didn’t need his power as judge anymore to sense the lvl coming off them both, and given who they were working for he was instantly distrustful of them both (the uh, brother situation did not help). He was also in a place that had an abundance of food for the first time in probably years, so he was doing a lot of going hog wild in the kitchen and then getting very sick as a result.

Dust didn’t particularly feel anything for him. This guy hated him, sure, but it wasn’t forward and slashy like with Killer, it was just quiet loathing which was fine. That’s how Dust felt about himself so, y’know, mood. He did kind of feel sorry for him though, not just because of the whole famine and everything, but also because he was watching this guy eat like his life depended on it and then get sick and undo it day after day. He was the one who suggested Horror getting his food in moderation to Nightmare, which did help but was an absolute ordeal to enforce. Y’know how some people get hangry? Imagine that but you haven’t had a proper meal in years and now these people give you tiny amounts of food and don’t let you eat more for hours. The hunger mood swings were a sight to behold, you would never have guessed in those days that Horror specified not wanting to kill.

When his ability to eat had evened out and he was in better shape, Horror made a point of apologising to Dust for being aggressive with him. Over time he’d kind of softened up on him from his initial impression, since he could see plainly how wracked with guilt Dust was over his situation. It was a little easier to imagine that whatever he’d done was truly out of desperation and not just for fun, as Horror had assumed at first sight. 

They also both retained that classic sans laziness, so it was easy for them to share a space while saying and doing nothing. It made Horror the first person that Dust willingly spent time around in the castle (and vice versa since Horror was still largely suspicious of Nightmare and Killer - the deal seemed too good to be true and the stage 3 episodes didn’t help). As time went on, Horror kind of became Dust’s emotional support skeleton in a way. Dust had become quite averse to touch in his solitude and Horror very slowly brought him back out with casual gentle touches, until not only did he no longer freeze or stiffen at being grabbed but Dust would seek him out to flop next to on the couch. Horror claimed it was just returning the favour for helping with his eating situation, but really it was nice to have something resembling a friend here.

Killer, for his part, was going through This is My Replacement 2: Electric Boogaloo. Not to the same degree as with Dust, since Horror was quite a bit different, but Killer was still wary of this new addition. He didn’t really instigate anything though since, to be honest, Horror had the intimidation factor. He was like a foot taller than both of them, he had a cracked skull and completely different magic and it seemed like every time Killer saw him he was eating bread like a wolf eats a deer. So while he was going through his food moderating, Killer mostly just stayed quiet and kept his distance.

Horror had not softened on him like he had with Dust, since Killer didn’t openly show remorse. He still watched him with distrust, especially after seeing the way he scrapped with Dust for seemingly no reason other than for violence’s sake. Killer was still mostly targeting Dust in his stage 3s, but Horror had to be careful to stay out of his way since he was still working with much lower hp than the other two. What did start to convince him was seeing how similar Killer and Dust were after a stage 3 episode. Once Killer was slightly more composed (ie stopped crying), he became so tired and quiet and blunt about things he normally joked his way around. It was a little startling, but also started to bring Horror around to the idea that Killer might regret his actions too, just buried under several layers of whatever the hell is also wrong with him at any given time.

Killer and Horror only really started interacting after talking about Dust. Killer was asking how he got Dust to like him since he seems to hate everyone and everything else, Horror told him very pointedly it was because he wasn’t trying to kill Dust. Killer admitted he wasn’t trying to kill Dust, at least not anymore, he just wanted to fight for fun. It opened up a better channel of understanding, knowing that Killer did not actually have murderous intent behind his swings (stage 3 notwithstanding). It made it easier for Horror to occasionally get involved in the roughhousing which Killer delighted in, knowing that the other two knew how to hold back enough to keep him from dusting.

Speaking of stage 3, it was around this time that Killer and Dust made a very important deal. After a particularly rough episode with a little too close of a call, Killer showed up in Dust’s room and begged him shakily to make a promise - that if he ever got too out of control during one of his stages, Dust would kill him. He’d been told over and over by Nightmare that it was impossible for Killer to hurt him since he was immortal, but now there were more people around him where that wasn’t the case, and he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he came out of a stage and found himself alone. Dust promised.

It’s also worth mentioning that, once they were all close enough to be on speaking terms, Horror started bullying the shit out of these two about eating. Now that Horror knew neither of them were going to kill him, he felt safe enough to pick them up by the scruff and set them at the table to say they weren’t leaving until they had at least a snack. He let them pick what they would eat - he wasn’t that cruel about it - but he had to see them eat at least 3 times a day or they would hear about it.

It was by no means perfect or regular, but after about half a year Nightmare finally had henchmen who ate food and worked together (mostly).

Now here’s the problem… I still haven’t really figured out how or why Cross joined the team. Like, obviously there’s some kind of point in the events of underverse where it splits off into an alternate timeline, but I haven’t really figured out where yet so. Leave that one with me just a little longer. Cross joins.

Nightmare really truly didn’t intend to take anyone else in. They were (mostly) getting along, they were pretty well matched to fight the stars, he had no need of more mortals.

…but he was also pretty soft at this point. Every one of them had taken a blow to his I’m immortal I’m an island I don’t get attached to others persona and he’d gotten pretty damn fond of them all. This was why when he felt the sheer weight of loneliness radiating off of Cross, he just couldn’t bring himself to leave him.

So Cross entered the castle. 

He did not particularly intend to stay or make friends, he was trying to get his world back and nothing more. He even revealed a little down the line that he outright refused to kill, and was quite surprised to find that Nightmare was fine with that. At the start he was polite but not friendly with the others and mostly kept to himself.

Dust, as is often the case, did not really have an opinion. Another new guy, this one was self sufficient and didn’t bother him so he had no reason to get involved. He was content to be in the same room as Cross but didn’t start up any conversations.

Horror felt the need to speak to Cross, since Dust would happily stay silent for years and Killer was, well, Killer. Horror was somehow the closest thing to normal they had, so he was the one that made small talk. Mostly asking what Cross would like for meals and encouraging him to pick something he liked when he got the answer of “anything is fine”. As Cross settled in a bit more and actually opened up, they bonded over being the only two to enjoy food. Horror made a point of adding chocolate to the stock they kept in the kitchen and making tacos here and there for Cross.

Horror was also the first Cross kind of warmed to, mostly because he was the one devoid of lvl and Nightmare had mentioned he’d also said he wouldn’t kill. Learning a little about his au’s situation only softened Cross to him more, especially seeing that he still cared a lot for his brother and was trying to protect his home (even if Cross found it unthinkable that he lived away from it). It was through Horror that he also got accustomed to Dust, how being quiet and distant was kind of his default and that he also felt deeply haunted by the loss of his world. They weren’t exactly friends, but it was comfortable enough.

So now boss had taken in another new person, someone who takes orders like a soldier and fights with knives and ruthless precision and aims to be his righthand man, and Killer was ecstatic. By now he’d mostly put his fears of being disposable behind him, Nightmare had gotten a bit less subtle in showing how important they all were to him and Killer felt confident he wouldn’t be replaced. Which was a little bit funny, because the only guy he didn’t feel threatened by was the one who absolutely competed for his spot.

Cross needed to prove he was useful, he had to feel like he earned his keep and that all the training and suffering he’d done was for a reason. When Nightmare sent them on missions, Cross aimed to be the fastest and the most efficient and to report to Nightmare without question. Horror and Dust looking on would have expected Killer to see this 100% as a threat to his position as (self proclaimed) Nightmare’s second in command, and to go for this guy’s throat when nobody else was around.

But Killer was fascinated. Cross was completely different from any of them, bar Nightmare whose au is a whole different kettle of fish, so he had a certain element of unpredictability to him. Horror and Dust were both based on classic sans just like him, so to a certain degree he knew how they would feel about most things and what they might say, the only differences being in what they had experienced through their own timelines. Cross was based on a swap sans and his au had taken wild twists and turns away from usual events, so Killer had to learn everything about him by poking and prodding for answers or observing from a distance, much like back when it was just him and Nightmare. Cross was something new to be studied and Killer loved taking notes.

Cross did not see this as friendly. He was competing with Killer for approval, not realising Killer was playing their contest like a game. When he saw Cross training he would jump in to spar for fun, but Cross saw his rival trying to get a jump on him and take him out of the running. When Killer would hang around and pester Cross in their off time with questions, it didn’t seem like someone taking interest, it seemed like someone being nosy and looking for weaknesses to exploit. When Horror mentioned that Killer was being surprisingly contained and friendly, Cross really thought he was fucking with him.

The first time Cross was willing to even consider this was the case was when his locket came loose on the field and Killer ran back to find it, since one of the notes he’d taken was how the locket wasn’t something Cross would play about (the same as Horror with food). It didn’t make sense for someone who was seriously competing to have him kicked out to just hand his necklace back, no ransoms or attempts to crush it to upset him, just some vague remark about “owing him one” and then right back to Nightmare for orders.

Cross had to give him something of a chance after that, Horror helped a lot by telling him “he doesn’t want to hurt you, he just doesn’t know how to be normal”. It was mostly a playful jab at Killer, but reframing their interactions changed it significantly for Cross. Now they were sparring playfully and having friendly competition on jobs. He wasn’t as put off when Killer went into stage 3 because he knew he could match him in combat and the others were always on hand to help restrain or distract him. Cross also took note of how Killer calmed down a lot for physical touch, not unlike how Dust had warmed up to Horror. It went a long way into not only making him a little less combative for attention every day, but it seemed to put longer stretches between his episodes (which Cross had also started tracking so they wouldn’t be caught out by them as much).

For his part, Killer has disobeyed instructions in the past to benefit Cross, usually ignoring the task to help him if he’s hurt. He’s also given Nightmare nudges towards praising him because he’s noted that that’s what Cross needs in the same way he needs touch (not that Nightmare doesn’t praise them normally, but when Cross is going through it and needs something). He also doesn’t particularly like chocolate but has made a point of not admitting this to Horror so he can give his chocolate to Cross.

(It’s also worth noting that Cross is the only one, besides Nightmare, that has been to Horror’s au. He offered to help out during the food delivery and got to meet Horror’s Papyrus (who he is a little intimidated by but ultimately friendly with, even though it’s a little weird since he’s a good bit different from his own Papyrus). Dust and Killer can’t really visit for a few reasons, mostly because everyone will notice their lvl immediately and know what they’ve done. Dust especially doesn’t know how he would react to having a Papyrus in front of him again and doesn’t want to put Horror's family at risk to find out. Whenever he visits, his Papyrus asks about Cross now and sometimes tries to make tacos for him (key word tries, he’s still a Papyrus after all). He may have joked that seeing Cross sometimes is “like having another brother but younger and less lazy” and when Horror told him this Cross may or may not have cried.)

And that’s where we are now!

They’re a very strange group who’ve been through some inexplicable events and have all changed each other in one way or another. And whether or not it can be admitted, they are a family c:

Now onto how Nightmare was made emotionally open by each of them!! In this essay I will no just kidding could you imagine this is already like 7 pages long

If you got to the end of this post please drink some water and get yourself a snack

[boundless11]

Yes! The entire apology scene made Sam’s actions seem more harmful than Tory’s. And that’s the problem!

I completely agree with this and absolutely hated that apology scene. It unfairly painted Sam as the aggressor while making Tory look like the victim, despite Tory being the one who had done all the instigating from the start. Tory had already made up her mind about Sam when Aisha invited her to the country club and when they met, Tory said, ‘Oh, the Sam,’ with obvious disdain. Then, when Tory boasted about stealing the liquor, Sam calmly warned her that she could get into big trouble—just being a decent person. But instead of taking the advice, Tory rudely snapped back with, ‘What are you, a nun?’ Sam didn’t escalate and let it go.

Later, I get why Sam accused Tory of stealing Amanda’s purse—Tory practically bragged about being able to steal anything. If Tory hadn’t run her mouth, Sam wouldn’t have suspected her in the first place. Sure, Sam grabbing for Tory’s bag might have been too much, but Tory shoved Sam into the food table, escalating the situation again.

At the roller rink, Sam was actually polite. When she realised Tory worked there and Tory made a snide comment, Sam even apologised, saying, ‘I’m sorry, I just want to order drinks.’ But Tory instigated once more. when she saw Sam talking to Miguel and later deliberately tripping her. When Sam retaliated, both she and Robby were kicked out and the smug look on Tory’s face said it all. She clearly enjoyed causing trouble.

At Moon’s party, Tory started things again, goading Sam with a snide remark like, ‘Oh, I bet drinking isn’t your thing—more like tea parties, princess.’ Sam finally took the bait, but when Tory lost the drinking game, she couldn’t handle it. She fell off the stool, humiliated, and stormed off. Then she started a massive fight at school over Sam kissing Miguel, even though Miguel kissed Sam back. Tory’s behaviour shows she was looking for any excuse to target Sam. She even told Miguel to date other girls to make Sam jealous, proving her relationship with him was more about antagonising Sam than anything else.

How does that make Tory the victim? I don’t care about her home life or her sick mother—those circumstances don’t excuse her actions. If her home life was so overwhelming, how did she even have time to get involved in all this karate drama? Tory cut Sam’s arm, attacked her multiple time and showed no remorse, yet Sam is the one being forced to apologise? The only physical harm Sam ever caused Tory was kicking her ass when Tory deserved it.

Tory has consistently been the instigator and it’s frustrating to see her actions downplayed. The narrative unfairly favours her while making Sam seem like the bad guy, which makes absolutely no sense. Tory has never been the victim here—she’s always been the one looking for a fight.

Tory fans—and Sam haters in general—always seem to forget these facts. They cherry-pick moments to make Tory look like a victim while ignoring her repeated, harmful actions. It’s frustrating because the narrative and fandom bias against Sam is completely unwarranted. Tory has never been the victim here—she’s always been the one instigating the fights.

[undiscovered-horizon]

Ah, wonderful choice, Little Wanderer! Browse the stories, take your time. If there is something else you would like to read, just come back to me. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, make a request to the librarian.

>>Grishaverse-inspired playlist&lt;<

1. Kaz Brekker

➳ "Old dog, new tricks" -> Looking for someone to give you a quote on a stolen painting, you run into an old friend who's less than happy with your way of life.

➳ "The clockmaker, the crow and the mantis" -> Kaz becomes part of an assassin's conspiracy to uncover who paid to have him killed.

➳ "Return to sender" -> When an old admirer continues to bother you with his letters, Kaz makes it his priority to put the fiasco to a stop.

➳ "Apple tree" -> Kaz sometimes hums a melody no one can recognize. The one who sang it to him has bewitched him as much as the tune.

➳ "Agnus Dei" -> You're a Grisha hiding from the Black General. When you reveal your power to save the Crows, Kaz must make a decision: your life or theirs? ➳ "O Rubor Sanguinis" -> Facing the Black General, you must choose whether to do the smart thing or the one you truly crave. Kaz shows affection, just not with words.

➳ "Amendmends" -> Two of your thugs get into a fight at the Crow's club, so you go apologize in person to ensure there won't be any retaliation. Kaz seems suspiciously happy at having the infamous Golden Panther indebted to him. ➳ "Amendments II: The Panther and the Duckling" -> The day comes when you can repay Kaz Brekker with the help of the mysterious "Duckling". Kaz claims you're infuriating but there might be more to his confusing feelings than he realises.

➳ "Espionage" -> You and Kaz pretend to be engaged so you can get him into a banquet and from there - to a safe.

➳ "Four Crow Investigation" -> After Nina notices Kaz's heartbeat quicken when you're around, she recruits three friends to investigate your relationship. ➳ "Four Crow Investigation II: Lovebirds' Outfox" -> Aware of your friends' nosiness, you and Kaz ensure they have hardly believable gossip to share.

➳ "Could you ever fall in love with me?" / "I can’t even fall asleep." -> angst blurb

➳ "Embroidery" -> When his glove gets torn, you're more than happy to sew it back together and add a little detail of your own.

2. Nikolai Lantsov

➳ "Little Sun" -> Return to the sanctuary means a reunion with his beloved Солныщко. Kisses and slaps are exchanged.

➳ "Sparring" -> You face him in an army sparring match. Despite his noble title, Nikolai can't stop himself from sharing suggestive remarks.

➳ "Man of Faith" -> Nikolai's interest in the Sun Summoner makes you jealous but being the sweetheart he is, he's quick to reassure you about his devotion.

➳ "Femme fatale" -> When you reveal how you won the suspiciously heavy bag of coins, Nikolai is overwhelmed with anger at the thought of you being intimate with another man.

➳ "The King and the Swallow" -> Unexpected reunion with his childhood friend and the sworn protector of the royal family takes a dramatic turn when Nikolai inquires about her uncharacteristic, cold demeanour. Confessions are shared - the good ones and the bad ones alike.

➳ "Cinderella" -> Nikolai is a party person, you're not. But he's also a fool in love, so when you quietly disappear, he wastes no time finding you.

➳ "In Emerald Hearts, Emerald Minds" -> When Vasily asks you to forget his half-brother and marry him instead, you escape the Little Palace along Alina. Nikolai realizes something strange is going on when Kaz mentions seeing a similar emerald ring on the woman that came with the Sun Summoner. With how much you and Nikolai have been running in circles to find each other, the reunion aboard Volkvolny feels almost fated.

➳ "Sea shanties" -> Alina witnesses Sturmhond's love for his boatswain. Hurting yourself while fixing the net leads to singing sea shanties and Sturmhond almost kissing the love of his life.

➳ "Who am I to complain?" -> When your parents come to visit, Nikolai finally understands why you've never been keen to talk about them. Being the King and your husband, he isn't afraid to defy them.

[d4rkdi0rrr]

First off I just want to say I LOVED you’re other Leo x reader writing 😭

Could you write a sort of enemies (they just argue a lot lol) to friends to lovers with Leo on the Argo. Like maybe he’s blasting country music like 24/7 while he works and the reader hates it (sorry to any country music lovers lmao). Or like the reader is one room down from him and she just hears the power tools going all night. And maybe the reader ticks him off too because she like keeps breaking her weapons, or starts playing loud music to retaliate idk. But then one day they are paired together for night patrol or cleaning duty. Leo’s like “dude why do you hate me so much??” and the readers like “who said I hate you??

(Sorry if this is long I’m horrible at explaining things lol 😭)

he hates me, he hates me not

(im glad you liked the leo x reader fic and thank u sm for this request! it was a little rushed so i apologise in advance but it was rlly fun to write <3)

leo valdez x fem!reader

cw: arguing, enemies to lovers, swearing, reader cabin not specified, not proof read

_______

Leo Valdez was infuriating to say the least.

You had agreed to join the quest, thinking that you and Leo could become good friends. What was there to dislike? He could be funny (at times), cared about his friends and had a nice face (something you would never admit out loud). But boy were you wrong. He held some sort of personal vendetta against you, ticking you off on purpose, making your life a literal living hell. You had no idea why he hated you so much.

"Maybe he likes you," Piper giggled, fanning her freshly painted nails. You two, along with Hazel and Annabeth were in Piper's room, having a girl's night.

"Me and Percy were like that before we got together too, y'know," Annabeth agreed, grabbing a cookie from the box that was sat beside your position on the bed.

"Oh please," you scoffed. "You guys know how much he pisses me off. It's too bad he has such a pretty face - oh shit." Realising what you'd said out loud, you immediately covered your face with your hands. "Please forget what I just said."

"Aww, someone's got a crush!" Squealed Hazel, throwing a pillow at you, "we are never letting you live this down."

You rolled your eyes at her. Just as you were about to grab the last cookie, the door flew open, along with the sweaty grime-covered bane of your existence.

"Pipes, have you seen Buford? He ran off with my tool belt. Are those cookies?" He reached an arm out towards the cookie box faster than the speed lightning, and before you could stop him, he'd taken the last cookie. Darn it. He looked around the room before his gaze fell upon you, to which he wrinkled up his face. "I wasn't aware that we let aliens in on this ship."

"Fuck off, Valdez," you grumbled. You weren't in the mood to argue with him right now. He'd taken the last damn cookie and now your evening was ruined. "Says the abominable fuck face. Buford isn't here. Go away before I punch your face in."

"Alright, alright, good night to y'all." Leo winked before saying, "except for you, Y/N, of course." You threw a pillow at the closing door.

_______

It was currently 1 am on the Argo, and Leo had been tinkering away in his room beside you. To be honest, the occasional sounds of the metal clinking and clattering was quite relaxing. It was the loud country music blasting, making you want to crawl under your bed and stuff cotton in your ears that was truly insufferable.

You weren't about to let go of the absolutely appetizing thought of sleep escape you, so naturally, you got up and knocked loudly on Leo's door.

"Come in!" you heard over the loud music. You entered his room and looked around, disgusted. The ground was absolutely trashed and looked like the equivalent of a war zone. "Oh, it's you."

"Can you please turn this horrible music down?" you tried to yell over the obnoxious music. "I'm trying to sleep."

"No can do!" he yelled back. "It helps me concentrate. Get out of my room!"

You huffed (which Leo thought was absolutely adorable) and slammed the door closed.

Back in your own cabin, you accepted the fact that you were going to wake up looking like a sleep deprived rat. However, maybe you were hallucinating or delusional but you swear you heard the volume lower before drifting off to sleep.

_______

"Not you again," you groaned as you saw the first locks of Leo's curly hair from the top of the ladder. "I thought I was on duty with Frank."

"We're stuck with each other I guess," Leo shrugged cheerfully, plopping down next to you. The night breeze was cooling on your face and you felt like the main character in a movie as the wind gently kissed your hair. For once, you actually didn't mind his presence. Then: "Dude, why do you hate me so much?"

"Hmm?" you hummed, unsure of where he was going with this. "What do you mean? I don't hate you."

"We can't stand each other!" Leo protested. "I'm always insulting you, and you're always insulting me back. This is probably the most civil conversation we've ever had!"

You were starting to feel defensive. Wasn't he the one that'd always started tormenting you? You'd only wanted to get back at him for everything he'd done to you. "You start all of it though! I wanted to be friends with you but you just wouldn't let me! I tried, Leo, I did but you were just so infuriating with your jabs and pretty face and pretty everything and- "

"Wait, you think I'm pretty?" Leo looked starstruck by your words. He was gazing at you with the softest look on his face. "Can I tell you something?" You nodded. "I acted like I hated you because you were too beautiful, definitely way out of my league. I'm so sorry."

You grew flustered at the sudden proximity between the two of you.

"Can I kiss you?" He breathed softly.

"Okay."

He leaned forwards and placed a hand around the back of your head, the other finding yours and intertwining your fingers together. His lips were slightly chapped against yours but you felt like you were in heaven.

Breaking apart with a small giggle, you mustered up your courage and asked, "Can we do that again?"

[edennill-archived]

interconnected young númenórean OCs:

oruzîr: native of romenna from a faithful family, loosely associated with the brotherhood. he's taken when random people are being picked off the streets in Romenna in retaliation for a joint assassination attempt on Sauron and Ar-Pharazon (the loyalists are filtered out, of course, but he's very much not) and killed-slash-sacrificed. I am not giving any details but, uh, it's not pleasant by any means because of the whole "collective punishment and deterrent against treason" facet.

he also becomes the basis of a lot of númenórean/gondor-arnorian folklore about dead people appearing to their kin in dreams (together with gorlim from the first age probably) because he does. more than once, and all with namo's permission, he's just waiting for his best friend to arrive in the halls and there are those whose spirits can be raised by the appearance of someone who died well and is now a given value of okay.

angrod: yes, his parents chose a random name from the histories, next question; on a day to day basis he goes by something adunaic. taken on the same day as his best friend and for the same reasons, killed a few days after him. one of the people oru did talk to in dreams, they leave the halls together.

ireth: oru's cousin and other best friend, born and raised somewhere beyond romenna. her family moved to pelargir a few years before the other was killed, because the situation in númenor was getting too bad for their liking and that's probably how she survived everything that happened. also talks with oru in a dream, raises a symbolical grave for him in her garden which becomes something of a local curiosity/chapelet in later days. her letters regarding the post-mortem conversation are probably the best preserved account of the whole idea. childhood friend to several members of the brotherhood.

dirên: youth engaged to avalêzrê, very deep in illegal activities. he is killed while leading a fugitive "traitor" to the coast.

khamil: dirên's younger brother, raised by him after their parents passed on from illness, 14 at time of death. in the absence of a dirên to question he is unfortunately arrested by the king's men and brought to the temple where in dire circumstances he manages not to reveal the names of any of his brother's co-conspirators. I feel guilty for killing him off because lil bro is the same age and I realised that's actually a kid when I put the two together.

avalêzrê: she's the unofficial leader of a group in romenna that calls itself the brotherhood for lack of a better name and consists of several "full-time" and several looser affiliated members. their goals are non-military, they mostly occupy themselves with the collection of medical and financial support, preservation of art and culture, as well as passing on messages for whoever among the faithful might have need such service.

tirithon: core member of the brotherhood. taken by sauron, he is unable to keep many of the others secret under interrogation. sacrificed soon after.

azgabar: friend of tirithon betrayed by him. he holds no grudge and forgives him in the halls before they go on.

azrathel: sole survivor of the brotherhood, former neighbour of oruzîr and angrod. she meets and becomes a friend of ireth after the downfall.

súrion: an acquaintance/loose friend of azrathel and one of the people who came up with the assassination plot. if he ever learns about the azrathel-ireth-oruzir connection it's going to be awkward, especially as he's probably going to meet ireth someday. ("your cousin kinda died instead of me, and tbh neither of us should have died but uh if anyone here committed treason it was not him and maybe I should have predicted the outcome")

[bubuslutty]

feeding the needy

pairing: moon knight & fem!reader (platonic)

word count: 1.4k

summary: marc is leaving and wants to feed/take care of reader (he doesn't know how to do it like a normal person)

a/n: could be read as a standalone + dear anon, this is for you <3

Today was just like any other day. It was around 4 in the evening and Darling had to walk and take the train and underground to get home. It was also cloudy and wet, the wind blowing tiny droplets of water all over her face when she walked, she didn't know whether that could really be considered rain or not. She didn't even take an umbrella out, probably for the best because she has broken 3 umbrellas so far due to the shitty windy weather. 

She wasn't even wearing a jacket either, because it wasn't particularly cold, in fact, she was sweating under her hoodie. Both the train and underground were very loud, making her ears ring, and because she hated going on public transport with her ears naked, she wore her headphones and blared her music of choice in retaliation. She'd rather suffer from loud music rather than the screeching of the underground and the train. 

By the time she got to her apartment building, her clothes were wet and extremely warm at the same time due to her body heat, her backpack was wet and she prayed the water hadn't seeped inside where her laptop and textbook were. The lift to the flat smelled like bleach, like someone attempted to mop in it, but couldn't get that underlying smell of cigarettes, rust and piss. At least, they tried. The lights were flickering when she got to her floor and walked straight to her door with her keys in her hand. Darling froze when she noticed the plastic bag by her door, one she didn't remember putting out. 

It was a Tesco shopping bag, and when she leaned down and flipped one of the sides open, she was met with a random selection of groceries, like milk, tea, cucumbers, dish soap, sugar, syrup, and other random items. She looked around the empty dim corridor, nobody was there but her. She didn't even order anything online, she's never got her groceries delivered to her place, either. 

She should ask Marc and the boys if they knew something about it. 

Darling grabbed the bag in her other hand and knocked on Steven's door, she heard a few shuffles inside and a voice, “Come in!” She rolled her eyes and pushed the door open, she told them multiple times to lock the door like normal people do, but instead, Marc said something about easy escape, which didn't make sense because a bad guy could come in through his “easy escape” plus there was a window and they can fly??? Whatever.

Closing the door behind her, and locking it, she placed the Tesco bag and her wet backpack on the floor while trying to untie her shoes and talk at the same time, “I found a bag full of groceries in front of my door, did you see anyone– What are you doing?” She said when she realised what they were doing; packing.

Her keys were chucked on the kitchen counter without looking and she walked inside the flat, leaving her wet shoes and bags on the floor by the front door. Darling looked at the opened gym bag on the bed and the clothes all spread out on it. She also quickly noticed the tilt of the man's mouth, the hair pushed back from his forehead and the shirt he was wearing, “Marc, what the hell are you doing?” 

“Packing,” He said without looking up. “I'm leaving for Paris for a couple of days.”

Darling stared at him with her mouth open, “Why?”

“For a job, it shouldn't take long.” 

“Oh,” Darling said and he finally looked up at her, “You look like a rat who crawled up from the sewers.” 

Darling glared at him, “The weather was shit, asshole. And why didn't you tell me you were leaving sooner? Wait– When are you leaving? When are you coming back? “ She quickly asked, trying not to worry or freak out because what if he gets attacked or dies or what if someone shows up looking for him when he isn't there and they hurt her or what if-

“Hey,” Marc placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, frowning with worry. “I'm leaving tomorrow morning and coming back in 2 days.”

“Oh, okay.” Darling nodded, “You said it was for a job…Is it Moon Knight stuff or… “

“No, but maybe Moon Knight will be needed, I hope not, but can't be too sure.” He hummed, rolling t-shirts and shoving them neatly in the bag, military style.

“I've never been to Paris…” Darling mumbled, watching him work in a well-practised manner, hypnotising her in the satisfying way everything looked neat and fit exactly where he wanted it to.

“I'll get you a postcard and a stamp.” He said. 

“Really?” She smiled looking up.

“Just feed Gus. Steven left instructions in a sticky note on the tank.” He said, nodding his head towards the bubbling tank. Her eyes found the tank and swept the flat, landing at the front door and the mysterious grocery bag.

“Oh yeah, do you have any idea about the bag I found in front of my door?” She asked, pointing at it. 

“Emptied out the fridge so things don't go bad.” He explained and Darling was confused. “You're coming back in 2 days, though?”

Marc's hands froze over a pair of socks, his ears turning a little red, “Payment for feeding Gus, then.”

Darling squinted her eyes at the man, not entirely believing him. “Okay… But you are coming back in 2 days, right?”

“That's what I said.” He finally zipped his bag shut and placed it on one of the many tables around Steven's flat. “Because yesterday I had a dream a black dog bit me in the ass. Or a fox, a black one. I don't remember. It had big ears tho-” 

Marc let out a laugh in disbelief, “What does that have to do anything with me?”

“Don't you believe in omens, signs and shit?” 

Marc thought about it for a second and shrugged, “No, not really.”

Darling’s shoulders slumped, “Dude, you're literally Khonshu’s Avatar! And you literally came back from the dead… “

“So?” 

Darling scowled and crossed her arms over her chest, “If anything happens to me or to you, I'm calling Layla AND DuChamp.”

Marc glared at her, “You don't need to bother them, nothing will happen.” 

“Uhm, yeah, okay, sure,” Darling said sarcastically, every time Marc said nothing would happen, something did happen, like that one time he tried to fix her sink instead of calling a professional to do it, and they both ended up drenched from head to toe, trying to explain to the neighbours that nobody was getting murdered but a pipe just burst.

It's not the same as a life-threatening scenario, because the closest Darling has come close to death or danger is when she catches Marc bleeding out in his flat alone in the middle of the night, trying to stitch himself up when Khonshu decides to be a bitch and not heal him immediately, as some sort of cruel punishment. So she ends up cradling his body as much as she can in her clumsy arms, trying her best to wipe away the evidence of his violence and vengeance from his skin.

After Marc finishes packing and tells Darling about all the ways she can protect and save herself if anything is to happen. At the end of the day, she ended up tucked in her bed, a towel wrapped around her wet hair, watching YouTube videos on her laptop. At some point, Darling felt a little peckish and remembered that Marc had given her a full bag of groceries she hadn't even put away yet. So she hurried out of bed to put the milk in the fridge and all the rest where they belonged so they wouldn't get bad. The last item that had to be put away was a small yellow box, with 4 egg custard tarts in it. Darling slowly smiled, warmth and happiness washing over her.

They were the same tarts that were hated by Marc and Jake, because they were too sweet, and “Why the hell would egg be a flavour?”. And Steven just didn't eat them, obviously, because he's vegan. 

Instead of Marc being normal and telling her he bought them for her. He tried to lie and say they were his. Darling laughed in her empty flat and took out a spoon, putting the rest in the fridge and sitting down at the table with one tart. She dug her spoon in the soft yellow middle and scooped it up, wrapping her lips around the sweetness of it. It was delicious and outside the window, the moon was high and bright in the sky.