#and then people think well surely after he's spent a whole summer taking care of dawn when buffy's dead and there's no incentive to do that

[charmedslayer]

6x09 - Smashed (Transcript)

As Spike turns her around she punches him with her other hand. He pulls back and backhands her. Buffy falls to the ground.

Spike looks surprised, puts his hand tentatively to his head with the beginning of a smile. Looks at Buffy, who is still getting to her feet and has her back to him.

SPIKE: Ahh, ahh, ohh! (grabs his head)

Buffy gets up, backhands Spike and he goes down. He gets up to a kneeling position with his back to Buffy and stays there, looking at the ground. She speaks to his back.

BUFFY: You're a thing. An evil, disgusting, thing.

She walks past him and away.

Spike lifts his head to watch her go. Slowly an evil grin spreads across his face.

[...]

Open on the street, downtown, night. People walking around, talking, etc. Spike walks out from an alley, looks around, grins.

Pan across the street. Lots of people going about their business.

SPIKE: (to himself) Look at all the goodies.

He continues looking around, pauses as he spots something.

Closer shot of a young blonde woman standing on the corner, looking at her watch, looking around, hugging herself as if she's cold. She turns and starts to walk away.

Spike moves to follow her.

Cut to an alley. The young woman walks along, still hugging herself, looking nervous. Suddenly Spike steps out in front of her. She screams.

SPIKE: That's right, you should scream.

She tries to get away but he moves to intercept her. She looks scared.

SPIKE: Creature of the night here, yeah? (indicating himself) Some people forget that.

He advances on the woman. She backs away, shaking her head fearfully, backs up against a wall.

WOMAN: Please.

SPIKE: She thinks I'm housebroken. She forgot who she's dealing with.

WOMAN: Anything you want, please-

SPIKE: Just 'cause she's confused about where she fits in, I'm supposed to be too? 'Cause I'm not. (pacing back and forth) I know what I am. I'm dangerous. I'm evil.

WOMAN: (scared) I-I'm sure you're not evil.

SPIKE: Yes, I am. I am a killer. (moves closer to her) That's what I do. I kill. And, yeah, maybe it's been a long time, but … it's not like you forget how.

He gets up very close to the woman, who is panting fearfully.

SPIKE: You just … do it. (nervously) And now I can, again, all right? So here goes.

He morphs into vamp face. The woman screams.

SPIKE: This might hurt a little.

He bends over to bite her, then flings himself back, yelling in pain, crashes into a Dumpster. The woman runs off.

Spike crouches there clutching the Dumpster, panting.

SPIKE: What the hell is going on?

I don't have the biggest BTVS reach but I have been thinking about this

[deadhands69]

A New End: Warped

Tomura Shigaraki x Reader

Spoilers: UA Summer Camp through Kamino Ward  Contains: gn/eventual afab reader, canon typical violence, cussing, eventual smut in the series

previous - this is part 2 - next [series masterlist]

|\/\/\| warped |/\/\/|

The next few days blurred together without much distinction. The league had all busied themselves with the planning of the next mission: going into the forest where the UA summer camp is held to kidnap a student and send hero society a message. Having attended UA, your intel was potentially useful for a moment before you all discovered they'd moved locations. With the inside source only being able to divulge the new destination the day before. it became necessary to create many variations of the plan to ensure at least one would work.  

Initially, you thought the frenzy the headquarters had turned into would make for a fast-paced week for you. Sadly, you were wrong.

Considering your quirk, your job is to hang out through the meetings and not get in the way. It's becoming boring, really. At first, you played a game on your phone but Shigaraki has since taken that away. Claiming you're “not here to be distracted.” He'd have a point, but you know that's not how your visions work. Everyone in this room knows you don’t have much experience in these things, so your voice goes largely unnoticed. You consider faking a premonition, but with the potential results and doubt that could cast on your quirk, you think better of it.

People come and go, some you’ve never met before. A few of them are so terrifying, you have to remind yourself you’re on the same side now. They aren’t a threat. Well, you don’t think they are at least.

The usual crew are around sporadically, but at this point most have other assignments taking them away. You miss the days Toga and Spinner would talk to you, seeming to take you more seriously than the rest of the group. Kurogiri doesn’t seem to mind lingering on call, warping people here and there as needed. Otherwise, you’re mostly stuck with Shigaraki now.

Being in a room with him fourteen hours a day has been interesting, to say the least. You've learned a lot. 

For starters, he works obsessively. You once thought he was content with working lightly and playing video games all day. Now that he has a purpose, there's been a fire lit underneath him that no one can put out. He starts early and finishes when he's so exhausted he couldn't possibly continue to think straight. No details of the mission go ignored, his ability to care for himself is completely out the window though. He didn’t change clothes for two days straight, until the morning of the third day when Kurogiri warped him into the shower and he had to. 

You've also learned that his eating habits are interesting. He hasn't had a home cooked meal this whole week, relying on takeout and instant ramen packets to sustain himself. Not noticing he's hungry until he begins to get light headed and has to eat. In his defense, he hasn't taken more than a five minute break either so this may be contextual. You're not sure yet. After day two, you started bringing him food whenever you're preparing yourself something. He eats like a picky kid, leaving anything too healthy or weirdly textured on the plate. Even if he's not eating it all, you'll call it a win. His moods have improved slightly with the more consistent blood sugar. 

He's still not the easiest to deal with though. 

After opening up to him, running from security, and hiding together you thought he’d be warmer. If anything, he seems even more determined to keep a distance from you. Never sitting too close. Not making direct eye contact. He even moved his chair to create more of a buffer when you sat next to him. Since he’s giving you no indication the two of you formed a friendship when you spent time together, you’re trying to do the same. Trying not to bring up your shared experience. Ignoring the way the light hits his eyes, making them glow as he peers out through layers of hair and fingers. 

Having now seen his face up close, you can't unsee how beautiful he is. It's the same features hidden beneath his hand mask, but the way your brain puts them together is different. He removes the hands to eat when it’s just the two of you, giving you a better view. Maybe that’s the only indication you’ll get that he’s more comfortable in your presence. It’s so minute though that you worry you’re just reading too far into everything, trying to find what you want. 

You try not to stare.

At his face.

At his hands.

Remembering how he brought an entire building down effortlessly with one touch. The way his pale skin stretches over the bones, you wish you could hold them. It scares you but it also-

“[l/n]?” his more gruff than usual voice shocks you back to the reality, “are you even listening?”

“Sorry,” you mumble, “just tired.”

“Kurogiri, make more coffee before everyone shows up,” Shigaraki looks back at you, eyes burning. It’s the first time he’s looked at you directly in days, “you need to be alert.”

You take in the moment, finally having an excuse to stare at his face. He takes off the hand, briefly, to sip whatever he’s drinking before everyone shows up. Admiring every freckle, line, and scar. It leaves you feeling like you’ve been transported back to the Victorian era, giddy over ankles. Since when have you been so desperate to look at someone’s face? 

“Fuck, you really are tired,” he grumbles while putting Father back over his face (you also learned that the hands have names. You’re not sure if that makes it better or worse.)

The others arrive and the meeting starts more promptly than usual. Everything about the plan feels off in a way you can’t pinpoint. It’s probably just because of your own experiences at UA. Watching everyone plan around a summer training camp you’d attended brought up your own bad memories. You worked to push them away for the sake of the mission, glad you won’t need to actually be there.

It feels like you’ve done nothing but push down your feelings lately.

People arrive and leave through the warp gate, landing themselves somewhere along the cliffs above the forest. Each making their own commentary. Dabi keeping everyone on task, being the leader in Shigaraki’s absence since he’s still not fully recovered. Toga complaining about the equipment she has to wear. Magne makes a comment to you, thanking you for taking a few nights off for the mission.

Oh.

You blush, assuming people would have dropped their assumptions of where you go at night after the bet ended. Looks like it didn’t end though.

You glance at Shigaraki and he shrugs, he never told anyone. Maybe he’s ashamed of spending time with  you. The feeling hits sharp in your chest, but you won’t push it.

After seeing everyone off, the three of you settle down a bit but keep an eye on your phones. Not much excitement tonight, but you’re getting consistent texts from the group chat as the others meet them at the location. 

Everything’s going according to plan.

Kurogiri and Shigaraki are still talking in the bar when you turn in for the night. You try to enjoy the quiet. For the first time in a week, sleeping soundly through the night and late into the morning.

The day trickles by slowly. On paper, it should be relaxing. Even those on the ground of the mission are having a leisurely day. The consistent updates are reassuring, it should be fine.

Even so, you still can’t shake this feeling of dread. The feeling has persisted through the morning even if you aren’t anywhere near the training camp. It feels like something bad is coming, but the decisions that would trigger your quirk are still in progress. So, once more, you’re stuck waiting. The anticipation is nauseating. 

You’re sitting at the dining room table, occasionally sipping the coffee Kurogiri placed in front of you. After making a breakfast that neither of you have touched, he’s been busying himself with cleaning. None of it seems necessary, just something to do to pass the time. Shigaraki came out of his room eventually too. Barely looking at you, staring at his phone instead. It reminds you of your first days with the league, before the others showed up and filled the space with life. Interestingly, you haven’t known them for too long nor would you consider yourself close with anyone, but you miss having them around.

The day drones on.

It’s not hard to find tasks to busy yourself with throughout the day, but eventually you end up in the bar again two seats from Shigaraki while Kurogiri continues to wipe an already spotless counter.

The plan was, everyone keeps you updated as they make decisions. In reality, no one checks in with you all night. The lack of responsiveness from the estranged group brings tension to an all time high.

Be it stress or just not paying attention, Shigaraki decays a glass, sending ice and shards across the bar. It sends a thrill through you, although you’re not sure why. You try not to think about it, but can’t help but stare longingly at his hands. 

Fuck, you need to touch grass.

After a long, tense evening the others finally request a warp gate, returning with a student. Immediately, you feel rushed. Like something in your life has been knocked out of place but without the visions to accompany your foreboding, you’re not quite sure what to make of it.

You mention this to Shigaraki but he doesn't know what to do with that information and tells you it’s probably just nerves after everything. Suggests you go for a walk or something to clear your head.

Everyone recaps the evening over a few drinks. A handful of the league members you’d never met were apprehended, but overall the mission is deemed a success. You try to celebrate with everyone else, pretending it all feels fine.

Days go by and the weird feeling only increases. Everyone’s back but the mood has shifted from earlier in the summer; it’s more tense now.

As for the UA student, no progress has been made. You’ve lost count of the number of times you’ve been shoved into the room with him, waiting for your quirk to activate. In your brief interaction with Bakugo (who’s name you just learned,) it seems very unlikely he'll join the league. However, with the mental block you have against UA and not knowing this person at all - your quirk isn't giving you any information you couldn't infer. Shigaraki seems convinced it will work though so you let him keep trying, wondering if he bothered to think up a backup plan in case this doesn't work out. 

From your bedroom. you hear a faint knock on the door of the hideout. Immediately you fall back onto your bed with a vision. The feeling you’ve had all week intensifies and suddenly you’re running, fleeing, stuck. Clips of the commotion flash through your brain then it’s over. 

“I didn’t order a pizza,” Spinner says, “I’ll go ask [y/n].”

“No!” you scream, rushing into the bar. 

But it’s too late.

A flash of blue and red smashes through the front door followed by what you can only describe as tree limbs. Suddenly, you’re all tangled in the mess of branches with nowhere to go. Your heart jumps out of your chest. There’s nothing you can do from here.

You sit hoping for an escape. For Kurogiri to warp in help. For Dabi to burn whatever quirk is holding you down. But no help comes. 

Spinner begs All Might to reconsider but Shigaraki only taunts him. Refusing to answer his questions.

You’ve almost given up hope when black clouds of smoke form around you and strange creatures come out. You recall some talks of nomu in the past but this is your first time seeing them. The view is short-lived, you feel someone grab your arm and shove you through the warp gate.

You feel the cold, hard ground beneath you. The person you assume is Shigaraki's sensei addresses you all but your head is still spinning from the warp. Premonitions come flooding in, so quickly you can barely latch on to any of them. There's barely time to adjust before you're being thrown back into the rubble. Everything goes dark again. For a moment, it's calm. Then the pain hits. Likely concussed, you lay back in a daze. Your head aches. You know you should feel panic now but it's not coming.

Another warp gate opens behind the group and you're all being sucked in by some outside force. Confused, you try to fight it before Shigaraki shoves you through behind him. Some small part of your brain knows it's utilitarian but you can't help but latch onto the feeling of his three fingers pressing into the space just below your collar bone and shoulder. At least he cares enough to keep you alive. You give in to it, letting yourself plunge into the gate.

Everything goes black as you fall into the darkness.

next chapter - a new end masterlist - bnha masterlist

sorry this one is taking so long to update, i have to be in the right headspace to write it and i want to get it right. i really wanted to write something where the reader loves the parts of Tomura that are hard for others to accept. which means it gets weird at times (even weirder in a few chapters when the smut starts up.)

[anxiousnerdwritings]

Muggleborn!Dursley!Reader introduces Blaise Zabini to video games during the summer they spent together at 4 Privet Drive when Mrs. Zabini was on yet another honeymoon

I personally don’t think the Zabini’s are blood purist. I feel like they’re a more sophisticated version of Horace Slughorn who collects talented and well connected people.

Yesss!! First, I wanna say I’m really loving the Blaise x Muggleborn!Dursley!Reader dynamic! I honestly really just love the idea of Dursley!Reader with the whole Slytherin crew in general (Mattheo and Enzo included). And just them all being overprotective and possessive of their Muggleborn!darling, platonic or romantic. Especially someone so closely related to Harry cause you know it gets an irate reaction from him.

I love to imagine that Blaise and Dursley!Reader had so much fun with one another during their summer together. The Reader is just so happy and excited to show their classmate/housemate muggle stuff, meanwhile Blaise is honestly just happy and content seeing them so excited and open to share parts of their life outside of school with him.

Like, I could see the Reader having persuaded Petunia and Vernon into taking them all to the zoo, or the movies, or a museum. Heck, even to just drop them off at a muggle park. If Petunia and or Vernon wouldn’t take them then Blaise would just have his Squib driver take them instead. Harry of course is coming along whether he’s welcome to or not, meanwhile Dudley is too freaked out to/being kept back by Vernon, not to mention both Blaise and Harry make it pretty clear that he isn’t invited either way.

Dursley!Reader would have totally taught Blaise to play video games. They even go as far as gifting him one of Dudley’s old gaming systems or gameboys that fortunately still works. At first they lended it to him during his stay so they could play together but when the day comes for him to leave back home, the Reader tells him to keep it if he wants. And when I say that Blaise would treasure it, I fucking mean it. That boy would play it all the time back home and his mom probably wouldn’t even bat an eye at it or she just tells him to make sure none of the other purebloods see him with it, not like they’ll know what exactly it is. Even at school, Blaise would find a way to sneak playing on it. Hell, he’d honestly end up playing it out in the open not caring too much about what anyone says or thinks.

I can’t help but imagine Blaise’s reaction to either having used the gameboy so much that it stops working or because it’s an older one it just stops working one day. I could see him kind of freaking out and inwardly panicking at first, like oh shit he broke the first and so far only gift that his darling’s ever given him. He would spend so much time trying to figure how to fix it by hand before he realizes he could just use magic to do something about it. I could even see him reaching out to some of the professors to fix it if he was really desperate enough. Like, I imagine him just laying it in front of Snape one day after class and neither of them saying anything, only having a conversation with looks before Snape sighs and takes it, later returning it completely fixed to Blaise in the common room or the next time he’s in potions class.

[denaliwrites]

What My Heart Was Worth

Alec Hardy x GN!Reader

Catch & Release Prompt: "Withdraw"* (*Also fulfilling requests)

Summary: You thought everything was going fine... until Alec started to pull away.

Soundtrack: My Love Mine All Mine by Mitski

Requests: Tentatively open.

Warnings: Canon-Typical Heart Problems.

You knew, from a logical standpoint, that gradual changes were the hardest to recognize. That time passed, things changed, and often people are none the wiser until the change is pointed out to them, or something suddenly brings it into sharp focus.

But you weren't sure how you didn't notice how Alec's nights grew sleepless, how he grew restless, how he spent more and more time away from home -- away from you.

No one told you Alec was withdrawing. You were left to realize that on your own one rainy summer day.

You stood at your kitchen window, watching fat droplets hit hard against the glass. You should've been doing dishes, but all you could do was watch the rain and think how oddly appropriate it was for the weather to mourn the death of a child.

Suddenly the door slammed open, and with a startled squeak you turned to see Alec angrily pacing across the room.

"Babe --" you started after him.

"Not now!" came his ever gruff voice, plagued no doubt by the horrible case he had to work. It stung, that he'd reply to you so angrily, but you said nothing. That was something he had to work through.

You, on the other hand, had rain to observe.

It was some time later -- at least ten minutes, but maybe more, maybe even an hour -- that you felt his arms wrap around you, a gentle yet lightly prickly kiss pressing into your shoulder.

"I'm sorry I snapped," he said. You didn't look at him, but you leaned your head against his in acknowledgment. "The Latimer case is just... but that's no excuse to treat you poorly. And my hours... and the surgery... I just haven't been fair to you lately."

You watched water roll down the window thoughtfully. "Surgery?" you asked quietly. He'd been working this whole time, surely it was something minor. A root canal or something, maybe?

"My heart surgery. To put in the pacemaker...?"

He pulled away to look at you, to take in your horrified expression.

"Ah. I didn't tell you."

"No, you didn't," you growled as you turned out of his grasp, moving to the other side of the room. "How do you forget to tell me something that important, Alec? You... you could've died, and I'd have never known! At least, not until I got a call from the hospital by a nurse who's too overworked to care!"

He sighed, turning to face you and leaning back against the counter. "I'm sorry, darlin'."

"Sorry? You're sorry?"

"As a matter o' fact, I am," he replied, easily, calmly.

For some reason that broke you. "Fuck you, Hardy," you managed through a collection of half sobs and half giggles.

"Ssh, darlin'," he cooed as he came over to you, pulling you into a soft embrace.

You clung to him tight, unwilling to let him go now that he was back -- not just physically, but actually mentally present with you as well.

"Please don't go back to the office," you begged his shirt quietly after a long stretch of silently holding each other. "Please."

"Darlin', I have to --"

"The case will still be there tomorrow. You're not gonna solve it tonight even if you do go back. Just... please. It's one night."

He sighed into your hair, arms squeezing you gently. "I can't --"

"That's bullshit, Alec."

Another sigh, and his hold on you loosened just a bit. You thought he was going to let you go, but instead you heard yet another sigh, this one defeated. "Fine."

Your heart fluttered ecstatically, but you dared not overwhelm him with your joy. "Perfect," you said as you pulled away, stepping in the direction. "First things first, you need some fucking sleep."

He followed you dutifully as you pulled him to the bedroom, got undressed and slipped under the covers with you. Held you close as the two of you stared up at the ceiling and listened to the rain.

"What would you have done," he started, breaking the silence carefully, "if I had died?"

"Torn my heart out and sewn it into your chest myself, if it meant you'd go on."

"I'm worth that much to you?"

"Oh, no, you're worth much more to me... but my heart is the most I can give you, the only thing I can give you... and you have all of it."

Silence stretched on. Worry started to eat at you, until --

"You have all of mine too... but there's something else you could give me, y'ken."

"What's that?"

"Your hand?"

You suspected you took his meaning, but his hand in yours, fingers brushing where an engagement ring was sure to go, really sealed it.

"You have it."

[jupiter-letters]

Dating Clark Kent would include:

Fem!Reader or GN!Reader TW: None

A/N: Felt like writing for clark lately, I'm down horrifically for this man. This can be for any incarnation of Superman but I based it off the comics and my adventures with superman

It all started with a random encounter at the library while he was researching an old historical site in Metropolis(aka busy work for the new guy). He saw you with a couple of books in your hand, eyes browsing the shelves. 

He worked up the nerve to start a conversation with you and actually managed to get your number. He left the library with butterflies in his stomach and an angry call from Perry asking his whereabouts. 

A good starter date for him was obviously coffee. He spends hours deciding where to meet up with you, trying to find reasonably priced coffee with a good atmosphere. He tries to come up with a bunch of different outfit combinations, making the attempt to look nice but not too dressed up. This proved difficult since his wardrobe is 90% dress shirts and slacks, he’s still gotta look casual. Clark is such an overthinker, he just wants things to go well ; v; 

Of course the date goes well cause he’s so perfectly himself and he charms you so naturally. He’s surprised when you ask to see him again, the whole time he was sweating bullets praying you didn’t notice. After that the second, third, and fourth date all are perfect. Well not perfect but the time spent together makes up for the hiccups. 

Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty: early days of dating Clark still tries to be perfect, he hasn’t become totally comfortable with you, yet ;)  I think for him he wants to wow his partner in the early stages, he feels like trying to get a city slicker like you he has to bring his A-game. 

When he sees you he tries to bring you little trinkets and flowers, he likes to spoil you every now and again. 

Touching! He likes to be touching you when you’re near, a hand on your waist, brushing his pinky against your hand, pressing his knee next to yours when you’re sitting together. His love language is acts of service, words of affirmation and physical touch. He loves doing things for the people close to him. This includes: Taking out your trash, watering your plants, making your bed, putting a pot of coffee on in the morning, and fixing any holes in your clothes. 

Now when you're really in it with him he tells you about the Superman stuff, he feels like he can trust you but there’s still the risk of you knowing that’ll get you hurt. He doesn’t underestimate your autonomy but there are very powerful forces out there that want him gone, and you are very precious to him. 

Once you can convince him that you are willing to accept the risks and tell him how much you care about him, the last of the walls come down. You’re stuck with him forever now and he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

When it’s a quiet summer afternoon he’ll take you flying just before sunset, he’ll go right above the clouds so you can see what he gets to see. However if you’re afraid of heights he won’t force you lol. He’ll make sure you’re properly dressed when he takes you to visit the fortress of solitude(He tries is the key phrase). You always underestimate how cold it’ll be and he has to go all the way back to metropolis to get your favorite jacket while you sit by a heater.

 Looking after him when he gets kryptonite poisoning from fighting bitch ass Lex Luthor, seeing him sweat for the first time with dark circles under his eyes. It’s more painful than what he’s feeling at that moment, and he still tries to tell you it’s not that bad. Once he’s feeling better he has to talk you down from murdering Luthor.

“Honey don’t-” “Nuh-uh call Bruce, I want a bazooka.” “You don’t need a bazooka sweetheart, I'm fine.” “No way I’m coming for his bald ass.” “Baby I’m fine, please calm down.”

Of course you’re not serious but you still want to protect him. Nobody messes with Clark and gets away with it. You and his friends will see to that, yes sir!

Thanks for reading! Lemme know what you think. Please like or reblog if you like my stuff.

[perfectlyoongi]

DAD!JIMIN who takes your child to meet the ducklings in the lake near your house. the path to the lake was decorated with the most beautiful greens in nature and, on them, Jimin played with your kid amidst running and laughter, guiding them to a small oasis only known to you and Jimin. the spring air gently invited your child to approach the calm waters of the lake, their tiny hand always clinging to Jimin's sweater as your kid, very curiously, looked at the small yellow and brown dots in the water. with bright eyes and an open mouth, your child marveled at the ducklings and all the dances they did behind their mother, encouraging your child to dance with Jimin too. “these ducklings are your friends and they really want to play with you. just be careful because they are still very little, just like you.”

DAD!JIMIN who says the stars are waiting for your child every night when they don't want to sleep. when the games were more fun or the conversations were more fantastic, it was normal for your child to refuse to lie down, always wanting to enjoy all the time with you and Jimin. as such, Jimin thought of a small and tender solution to this problem that always created intense sparkles of hope and happiness in your kid's small, sweet eyes. “the stars are waiting for you to go to sleep so they can tell you the oldest stories they have ever seen. and who knows, maybe they’ll take you on their next adventure.”

DAD!JIMIN who ordered mud salads and stone juices on the hottest summer days. it was normal that on days when the sun was more intense and all the heat of the day accumulated in one spot, Jimin just wanted to cool off — going to visit your child's restaurant seemed the only plausible solution. listening carefully to the chief's recommendations and always questioning the various ingredients used, Jimin seriously considered his order, wanting to make sure that all the balls of play dough would be well spent on his late lunch. “i’ll have a grass and water salad and a white stone lemonade. and i also want a mud and petal salad to take to your dami.”

DAD!JIMIN who renovated a room in your house to store all of your child's legos. you had an extra room since you moved into that house and, after debating the various possibilities that could fill that room, when your child was old enough, Jimin used that room to display all the various legos made by him and your kid. various plants and houses, castles and ships, a whole colorful diversity filled endless shelves, making that room your child's favorite, as in each lego placed there lay a happy and comforting memory. “i think we’re going to need more shelves, love. you have a lot of legos on the floor and you could get hurt. do you want to choose the wood for the room?”

DAD!JIMIN who takes your child to sound checks before the show just to play with them on stage. when the microphones were tested and the band finished rehearsing, Jimin would take off his child's soundproof headphones and place them in the middle of the stage while he watched them. there were moments when the technical team played with the lights and invited your child to run like a butterfly across the stage; other times, Jimin would offer his microphone to them, encouraging them to sing Jimin's songs, performing extremely dramatic duets for the whole team to enjoy; and there were other moments when Jimin and your child played tag among the various people who hadn't yet finished their work — all adventures making your kid's laughter echo loudly throughout the venue. “one day you will be a star, pumpkin. one day you will conquer all the stars!”

DAD!JIMIN who encourages your child to live their feelings. whether it was fear or pain, joy or longing, Jimin always made a point of sitting with your child and guide them through the complex paths of emotions; always showing that they should never be afraid or ashamed to feel, Jimin made it his personal mission to make your child stronger, telling them that all the emotions they felt were human and that was what made them beautiful. “never be afraid to show who you are. it’s our emotions that make us real and you have every right to live and feel them.”

DAD!JIMIN who offers as many roses as your child’s age and keeps all the dried petals in a jar to give to them when they turn 18. Jimin didn't put much thought into what color to buy the rose, he just knew he needed one. or two. or three. or even four. the truth is that Jimin offered roses to your child every year, matching the number of flowers to your kid's age, ending up creating a small dry garden in your garage. when eighteen years of life arrived, Jimin appeared with a large vase, the glass showing all the various dried petals that used to make beautiful and vivid roses. and it was in these petals consumed by time that Jimin had placed all his love. “not all the petals that are here constitute the number of days that i loved you. but every petal holds with them a unique memory of my love for you.”

[surftrips]

butterflies — part one.

pairing: rafe cameron x female reader

summary: after returning home from college for the summer, y/n runs into rafe cameron and the two form an unlikely relationship.

word count: 1582

a/n: part one of my new series inspired by "butterflies" by kacey musgraves. friends to lovers trope! masterlist.

It had been a few months since your first college relationship ended.

It was summer now. You were back home, content with where you were, just coasting through life.

You spent your time with friends and family, at bonfire parties and backyard barbecues. You may have been single, but you certainly weren't lonely.

Besides, your ex was kinda... shitty, for lack of a better word. Instead of lifting you up, he was always holding you back. You felt as though you were suffocating towards the end, and finally you couldn't take it anymore so you broke up with him.

With all this newfound free time, you had taken to spending more time outdoors. Surfing, biking, or simply going for a walk, it felt nice to feel the fresh air and freedom on your skin.

One day you were going for a run in your neighborhood, when you felt someone else jogging up behind you.

"Hey! Wait up!" they said.

You turned around, ready to defend yourself, but to your surprise, it was none other than Rafe Cameron who had called you.

"Rafe?"

"Hey, uh...Y/N right?" he responded, looking unsure.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Come on, I know everyone on this side of the island."

It was true. His family was by far the most affluent on the island and had the most connections. You wouldn't be surprised if his parents knew yours through their work.

Still, you felt the need to push back. "Is that so? Where do I go to college then?"

"Oh, easy. Everyone knows you go to Duke."

Now, you were surprised. Was Rafe Cameron keeping tabs on you?

He must have noticed your shocked face because he said, "Okay, by 'everyone,' I mean me. I know you go to Duke because I applied and got waitlisted."

"Ah, now there's the Rafe Cameron I know. Only cares about stuff when it involves him."

Were you being a little harsh? Yes. But Rafe Cameron had been the most popular guy in high school, he could handle a little teasing from you.

"Okay, ouch. Do you even know where I go to college?" he responded.

"Easy," you mocked him. "UNC Chapel Hill."

"Y/N Y/L/N, I didn't take you as a Rafe Cameron fan," he feigned surprise.

"Oh please, I only know because it's where all the frat boys go."

"Alright, fair enough. But I'll have you know I am so much more than just a frat boy."

"Yeah? Prove it." You don't know what possessed you to be talking to him like this, but hey, it was summer. What did you have to lose?

"How do you want me to do that?"

Yeah, how did you want him to do that? you thought to yourself.

"You're smart. I'm free the whole summer, figure it out," you settled on saying.

He seemed to think about it for a second. Finally, he responded, "Why do you think I called you earlier?"

It dawned on you that you had no idea. Sure, you two went to high school together but you hung out in entirely different circles and up until a few minutes ago, you weren't even sure that he knew who you were.

"I don't know, why?" you asked, almost nervously.

"I heard about your breakup. I wanted to see if you were okay."

"That's bullshit. I've only told my best friends about that." You knew that word traveled fast on the island, so you made sure to only tell people you trusted. How the hell did Rafe Cameron of all people find out?

"Well, you may not know this but all the college kids in North Carolina are connected in one way or another. One of my frat brothers is actually friends with your ex..." he trailed off, not sure how you would react to this.

For once, you were speechless. It really was a small world.

"Tell your brother his friend is an asshole," you finally managed.

He chuckled, relieved that you weren't angry or anything. He didn't know the full details of the breakup, but it definitely wasn't amicable.

"Sure, I'll pass the word along. But, yeah, I seriously did want to check on you," he said.

After a while, he added, "I'm getting over a breakup myself, actually."

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't know."

"It's alright," he said. And then, "Have some faith in me, I'm not a bad guy."

This was technically true. Even though he was the typical popular, rich guy in high school, he was definitely one of the better ones. He never bullied anyone and mostly kept to his circle of friends. However, you just couldn't wrap your head around the idea of someone who never acknowledged you during high school caring about you now. What had changed?

Guess you had the whole summer to find out.

—

After that day, Rafe somehow convinced you to hang out with him more. You weren't sure what his motives were, whether he had any aside from trying to prove to you he was "more than just a frat boy."

The first time he took you to a coffee shop, a local one in downtown Kildare.

"I didn't know you drank coffee like that," you remarked.

"Well, there's a lot you don't know about me," he had responded.

As he took a sip of his drink, you used this opportunity to get a better look at him. You were too shy to make direct eye contact with him, worried that his bright blue eyes would cause blood to involuntarily rush to your cheeks.

He had changed since high school. His shoulders had somehow gotten even broader, his hair was now buzzed down, had he gotten taller?

Suddenly, you wondered what his ex-girlfriend was like. Was she outgoing or shy? Did she go out every night or stay in her dorm? What did she study? In other words, was she like you or the total opposite?

You shook your head, what did it matter to you anyway? You never really liked him in high school, and he seemed all the same now.

(Just a little better looking, somehow.)

—

Weeks later, nothing and everything had changed. You two had been on...

morning runs (or walks, if you guys were hungover from the night before)

grocery store trips after deciding you would show Rafe how to make your pasta recipe

errands runs where you tagged along in Rafe's passenger seat

spontaneous surf trips at the local beach

and of course, late nights spent around a fire as you two reminisced about how different your high school experiences were

Your initial hesitation about spending time with Rafe had waned. You figured that as long as you were having fun, there was no harm being done.

You learned that a lot of Rafe's college friends lived out-of-state and he hadn't been with anyone since his own breakup so he was pretty lonely at home until you showed up.

"Y/N, if I had a girlfriend don't you think I would be with her right now?"

"I don't know! Maybe she lives halfway across the country or is being locked up in a tower somewhere and that's why you can't see her!"

"Can you even hear yourself right now? Who do you think I'm dating, Rapunzel??"

Okay, so he was single. And he was spending nearly everyday with you. As a friend, of course. He just needed someone to keep him company. These are all things you reminded yourself.

You didn't even let yourself consider the possibility that there could be more to your sudden friendship.

—

Your steadfast attitude about your friendship wavered when you were over at his house one day.

You had been there a few times already, but when you knocked on the door this time, his sister Sarah opened it.

Sarah was a few years younger than you two, and was still in high school. Like with her brother, your paths had never really crossed.

"Oh, hey Sarah. Sorry, I was expecting Rafe," you said.

She smiled at you, "No worries, you must be Y/N?"

"Yeah, is he back there?"

Sarah moved out of the way you let you in. "Rafe! Your girlfriend's here!"

"Oh, no-" you started to correct her as Rafe appeared from the kitchen.

"Sarah, she's not my girlfriend," he said.

"Well, you certainly act like a couple," she responded before leaving you two alone.

"Sorry about that," Rafe said when she was out of the room.

"No, it's okay. I've been called worse," you joked.

"Yeah, whatever," he smiled. "The kitchen's all set for us to make lunch, you ready?"

Though you tried not to think about it, Sarah's words echoed in your mind for the rest of the day.

What were you two doing? Clearly, you were both using each other as a distraction, maybe not physically but definitely emotionally. You had both just gotten out of relationships and were looking to fill that void.

On the other hand, you had grown to genuinely like Rafe. It would not have been the worst thing in the world to be his girlfriend. In fact, later that night as you were lying in bed, you toyed with that idea.

"Hey, everyone. This is Y/N, my girlfriend," he would say, strong arms wrapped around your frame.

"Hi, I'm Y/n! Rafe's girlfriend," you would say while meeting his college friends.

Well, shit. You had fallen for Rafe Cameron and he had no idea.

[capitclkarma]

//   (  fabien frankel .  cismale  .  he/him  )  .    ⸻  nixon  north  ,  a  thirty  year  old  ,  has  survived  another  day  in  red  creek  where  they  have  lived  for  thirty years on and off  .  the  dynamo  is  known  for  being  charismatic  and  bitter  and  is  often  associated  with  an unbuttoned shirt plastered to a sweaty chest , wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night to shade against bright stage lights , an old man in a rocking chair reminiscing on the good ole’ days while the kids roll their eyes behind his back  .  in  a  small  town  where  they  work  as  sound technician for the parrish center for the arts  word  travels  fast  .

BIO.

brief flashes -- a smile , straightening the cuffs of a suit , whispered arguments when they thought he was asleep . the only memories he has of his father .

his mother filled the house with enough love that he never felt he was missing much . still , in the dark hours of the night , nixon wondered why their family wasn't good enough for him .

he developed a passion for music early , and what spare money they had was spent on lessons for him . piano , guitar , drums , voice , he tried everything and loved it all.

she took a second job to provide for her son and make sure he never felt like he couldn't pursue music in the way he wanted .

he started recording songs , posting them on youtube as a hobby , not expecting much to come from it .

until he was flown out to LA to record his first studio album . an instant hit . album sales and merch and soon a tour was scheduled the summer after he graduated high school . nixon packed up , kissed his mom on the cheek and said goodbye to red creek .

nixon took to fame and fortune well . the bright lights caused him to shine rather than sweat . nixon moses quickly became nixon north to up his star factor .

a new album , a new girlfriend at his side , having fallen out with his high school sweetheart sienna . the more sales , the more his ego grew . the drinking , the drugs , the debauchery , nixon embraced it all with open arms .

while he loved being on the road and traveling , every wednesday at 5 , he would be found on the phone calling home .

after some years , people started to grow tired of his generic pop albums . couldn't tell where one album ended and the other began . he hadn't grown or changed , rather he had been sticking with the formula that worked . only it no longer did . paired with the parting and trashing hotel rooms and egging houses , nixon north was fading into oblivion .

his sales had been low when he returned to red creek . he was depressed and moping around town when he reconnected with his ex girlfriend . but he didn't stay in town long before heading out for a final shot at recording a new album .

it was more experimental , more him , but the negative tabloids surrounding his personal life tanked the album sales . a small , short farewell tour at small venues around the country . the final stop in red creek .

surprise struck him stronger than a bolt of lightening . he was a father now . a convenient excuse to tell the paparazzi . he had to temporarily retire to take care of his daughter .

but he was genuine . he didn't want to follow his father's footsteps . he promised sienna he would be committed to her and committed to little cosmia . he would be a better father than anyone could ever dream of . and he would make both cosmia and sienna proud .

PERSONALITY.

he feels almost stuck now . he's still cocky and confident , oozing energy like he just returned home from a world tour . but resentment has made a home in his heart because he knows his glory days are behind him . grinning , he bears it . now focused on cosmia and making sure she has two adoring parents .

he thinks that he is better than most people , but his whole identity was in his career , so he's nothing more than a shell . but he hides those feelings . he's charming , but he's angry that he failed and thinks he deserves better . he won't take responsibility for his own actions that led to the collapse of his career .

he cares about the people close to him , and will do whatever to help them .

HCS.

now that he has a daughter , he is very concerned about safety . he is really against the local government as the disappearances started again . nixon doesn't think this should be happening again , so he's vocal about his opposition .

he sent money to his mom , so she wouldn't have to work , but she did keep working to occupy her time .

song: big shot by fontaines dc

WCS.

people from high school : knew him before he got famous . could be a bragging point , could be a point of annoyance , etc

fans + people who want him as a mentor

enemies : people who are sick of his attitude <3

opposition : people who don't think the police and mayor are doing a good job . this will be developed more later since we're in the early stages of things , but some people who share the same opinions as him

broken heart : maybe he hooked up with someone while he was back home . he wanted to make sienna jealous but maybe the other person developed feelings

[art-is-art-is-art]

I'm in the taxi

And how do you spend your weekend? I really want to know, I've spent a few hours in a night club for the first time this year. And I really wish that all the girls and the boys were the party people in line for the toilet at the club. I would tell you that your hair looks fantastic, and your face looks fantastic with or without makeup, and your outfit looks fantastic, and you're dancing like a Dionysiac goddess, like a Feminine Devine herself, and you deserve all the best things in the world because you've been trying so hard and you are so much fun.

I'm depressed so I spend most of my days in my room

Far away from everything

But I really think that I need more human connections in my life to feel better. I take a lot of drugs that my psychiatrist sees as necessary. But I also need people. I can be slow or pathetic but at the same time, I value all the things that are human and messy a lot. I gave many compliments tonight, I told girls that I loved their hair, their curls, their tattoos, their dresses and their outfits so much. Every one of them was really gorgeous. And I've met some great men tonight too.

One guy saw that my friend and I were drunk and offered any help. He followed us after the club to make sure everything was okay, and told us that he had been studying medicine for 8 years and he is an anesthesiologist and resuscitator. I told him that I really respect him, he saves lives, he sees death, he does so much good.

I don't drink alone anymore, but sometimes it feels like sobriety just makes my life more boring and predictable.

I think I crave connection and I'm incapable of connection

I need to change my strategy, the One won't be able to see me if I stay hidden and silent

I have to be ready to be seen and known

There are so many things in me, when I spend my days rotting in my bed, it's such a loss

I need more human things to remind me that I'm not alone

It's okay to be raw and pathetic

The summer has been quite hard

I have to think about other people more

I need the hours when I can really remember that other people are as real and complicated as I am, they live in their heads every minute as well

Oh, I haven't been drunk for such a long time. It's wrong but sometimes this state gives me a chance to be more emotional and open.

I haven't posted much lately because it's hard to care about art and beauty and other people. It's a privilege to be able to reach so many people from so many countries. I don't have enough energy to use all the opportunities that I have. But I really want to say that I love you. How would it be possible not to love you? You're so human and so fragile and so complicated. You know pain and you know love. You're doing the best that you can. So I love you because we share our humanity and our pain.

I'm really drunk. I will go to bed now. I'm intoxicated and English isn't my first language, so don't judge me too harshly. Good night, my darlings! Take care! You're the brightest stars in the whole large sky!

[ouatsqincorrect]

Do you think the whole fam would go on vacation together? Or a road trip? If so, what role would everybody play on the journey?

I have a few thoughts: Zelena would be the one stir up drama and start arguments during the flight/drive, just for the hell of it.

Regina and Snow are the ones spending loads of time together making dinner for the family every evening whilst on the vacation (it also gives them that extra bonding alone time). That's all I've got right now. How would you categorise the rest of them?

i like to think that, after emma and regina get together and the family starts becoming closer, they spend summers away from storybrooke. they just deserve a break, you know? whether that's going to new york and living there for a couple of months, or traveling around the world, experiencing parts of this realm they've never seen before. storybrooke is home, but it's also stressful as fuck being the people in charge of saving everyone every other day, and regina and rumple have enough money to make any travel plans possible

when they go anywhere in the u.s., they drive. a lifetime of riding horses to get everywhere will make plane rides seem not so fun, so they'll take everyone in a couple of cars and make whatever trek they've decided to venture out on. there are 11 members of this family, so usually, emma, regina, henry, the charming's and baby neal ride on one car. and belle, rumple, gideon, zelena, and robyn ride in another one. (although, when they live in new york for the summer, they take more than two cars just so they don't have to drive each other every where or use taxis--another thing none of them, besides emma) have really gotten around to

but when they go to places overseas, obviously, they have to ride on a plane. and you're absolutely right, no matter how they travel, zelena is always the one causing trouble. it's why regina forces her to ride with belle and rumple because she drove regina crazy the one time she was allowed to be in the same vehicle as her for a more than five hour long drive (belle says having zelena ride with them is like having a third child in the backseat)

and yeah, regina and snow are usually in charge of dinner. emma and david are usually on breakfast duty. belle and rumple figure out lunch, and regina and snow do dinner (zelena's useless--love her sm but this woman is more focused on causing chaos than figuring out this family's meal plan)

traveling with the rest of the family is super important to belle, because she's always wanted to see the world, you know? and now she gets to see it with the people she loves most. regina and her are usually the ones who plan out the day, like which museums they go to, what sights to see, and the two of them definitely geek out the most when going to art exhibits

rumple isn't the biggest fan of traveling, but he finds he actually does enjoy it when it's with the whole family. belle reminds him too that he spent so long trying to come to this world, he might as well explore it a bit. he also loves the museums, he's just quieter about it. david, zelena, and him end up playing card games to pass the time when they're not doing anything

henry finds movies at nearby theaters that they can all go see and emma and regina make sure to take him to video game museums and arcades so he gets to have some fun doing things he loves as well (they also love video games. this whole family is actually so nerdy but--)

they collect magnets from every city they go to, and they put them on the fridge at mifflin. regina's never been one to allow anything to hang up on her fridge, but when emma gets all excited about the idea of having a little piece from every place they've visited together, regina can't help but allow them to decorate her fridge with magnets

also, regina is still mayor, and she still takes care of business in storybrooke. they all do. they communicate with everyone back in storybrooke regularly because even if the job gets tiring, they still want to ensure their town and the people in it stay safe, but it's really fucking nice to leave their everyday live's behind for a little bit and just breathe, get a break, and spend some time together that's away from the weight of being storybrooke's personal heroes

[tricksterringmaster]

For the character ask game!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Severus, Lily, and Sirius for: 23, 24, 35, and 47!

Thank you for participating!

23. If they were a scented candle, what would they smell like?

Tbh, I don't really use scented candles, so it will be all my imagination and a little googling 😂

Severus: I can imagine him smelling like leather and wood, but not in a fresh way, more like a little bitter one. Like an old study room.

Lily: I think out of three of them she's the only one to have some kind of sweet smell. I found one candle that smells like milk & honey online and I have no idea how it would smell in reality, but sounds warm and fitting.

Sirius: It's not really a scented candle, but I have this reed diffuser that smells like tobacco & bergamot, it's pleasant but a little pungent, in my head it suits him as a character who is good but rough around the edges.

24. Most annoying habit

Severus: I love the idea that he pulls his sleeves when he's nervous, but it's the habit most annoying to himself because he has to deal with consequences of it, lol. For people around him it's his talent of collecting books around him like they are on magnets and putting them in weird places. In more emotional sense - his habit of finding someone's sore spot and poking it when he's annoyed, thus escalating the situation or, well, creating the situation.

Lily: Her being quite nagging at times and it's being hard for her to admit that she's the one who is wrong. And also she quite often chooses to ignore problems than dealing with them, until they get out of hand and it becomes hard to do anything, and it applies both to relationships and little casual things like, idk, not fixing the faucet until the whole bathroom gets covered in water.

Sirius: Having ideas he doesn't think through enough, which sometimes work incredibly, but sometimes just doesn't. These things like telling Severus how to get to Remus, running into Gryffindor's dorms with a knife and etc. He's impulsive and it gets him in trouble. Also stopping to care about himself when he gets into his depressive moods, but it's less annoying, more like worrying to others.

35. Their idea of a perfect day

Severus: When he was a teen, these were summer days spent with Lily, when he could run away from his depressive household and go around all town with her and this town somehow seemed less poor and dirty. When he became an adult, a quiet day of reading and brewing with no annyoing children or immediate dangers around, a moment to imagine that nothing around exists and there is no need to be constantly alert.

Lily: As a teen, I'm sure, she loved these summer days when she could freely spend them with her best friend without fear of judgement from her classmates and when on those days he felt less dark and moody. And after the perfect day was when her family could spend it, forgetting how dangerous the world became and just being an ordinary family with James catching Harry on the broom, them saving the cat from being chased and having these hectic but fun moments.

Sirius: As a teen he surely liked days spent with Marauders doing their mischief and feeling so innovative and smart and fun about their adventures and pranks. Then he loved spending days at Potters', because they were his closest people and he loved James, Lily and Harry and ached to see them more often. After Azkaban it's a day when he gets to do something useful and there are a lot of people around so he feels alive again and that the place he takes in this world doesn't seem just temporarily rented.

47. Their dream job

Severus: I believe he'd want to be a scholar with enough freedom to indulge himself in different branches of magic without too many restrictions. He'd probably off himself accidentally at some point like Luna's mom but at least he'd have fun.

Lily: I really like the @rubusart's idea of Lily being a Potions Professor at Hogwarts, and I can see her wanting it. It's something she's good at at a place she loves with people she likes and I personally see her as someone who loves children but has enough backbone to not allow them to lose their minds in class.

Sirius: I really love the idea of Sirius somehow working with animals (because he's just canonically so good with them), he'd be a great magizoologist, and it's a pretty active job, he'd have freedom to see the world or work as a Professor at Hogwarts or maybe both depending on what he craves at any specific moment, I think he's a person who has enough money and needs enough freedom to have such options and change his particular occupation from time to time even if in generally the same direction.

[sunspray-peak]

Ch. 61: Dreams Delaying

TUESDAY - WINTER 16

The past few days had felt like a dream.

True to his word, the evening after Elliott’s book reading Achilles had purchased two center orchestra seats for Persephonopolis and had made a reservation at the third nicest restaurant in Zuzu City (third because he didn’t want to go too overboard on Date #2). 

Alex had indeed found a tie, though by covering nearly the whole damn thing with a burgundy quarter zip, he hadn’t been quite as overdressed as Achilles—who had fully committed to their “fancy” theme—had anticipated.

Well. Alex had at least liked his suspenders. He supposed the compliment was a worthy enough consolation prize for sticking out like a sore thumb at the Grannis Theater—half the folks sitting around them were wearing sweatpants. Sweatpants! And in such a lovely auditorium, too—pastel murals of Grecian figures had adorned the ceiling, and ornate floral carvings trimmed in gold and sage green had greeted them as they took their seats of cushioning plush. 

It wasn’t the splashiest spectacle of musicals—a little dark, more than a little sad—but the music was good and the set and lighting design extraordinary. And Alex had been bright-eyed throughout, had jumped to his feet, cheering like a child the moment curtain call began, so it was clear he had enjoyed it enough, which was really all anyone could have wanted. They’d grabbed some late night ice cream before taking the bus back. Achilles had walked him home. It’d been a good night. 

And late Tuesday afternoon, during the tail end of the work day, Achilles had popped over to Zuzu again. His excuse had been to sign up for a membership with Orange Grove, after allegedly having forgotten to the previous day, but Alex had seen clear through him. 

“You’re never going to use this, you hate working out in front of other people.” 

“Maybe I’m signing up to make your numbers look good, ever thought of that, Mr. Manager?” 

Alex only laughed as Megan, who was manning the front desk today, snapped Achilles’ photo. 

“But you picked our most expensive plan,” she couldn’t help but remark as she glanced at his freshly printed, iridescent membership card before handing it to Achilles. He straightened up from where he’d been leaning against the counter and slipped it into his wallet before pointing a thumb at Alex’s turned back.  

“Oh did I? Guess that’s just how much I care about this bitch’s numbers.” 

Though perhaps he was doing too much… Then again, even before they’d been dating, they had seen each other practically every day—there was nowhere else to go in that regard, so surely what he was doing now, the “extra”of it all, was only natural. Only expected. What more else could he do? He wanted to be supportive. Really, it was just a natural part of the transition from friends to… whatever the hell they were right now. Right?

And besides, what else was Achilles doing with his life these days? Why not get out of town for a bit. Spend money. He’d nothing else better to do…  

Don’t think about that. 

It’s not like he was just aimlessly loitering, waiting around for Alex. He’d brought a book. He’d brought a notebook. He had taken care not to distract Alex—who, outside of teaching the occasional class, now spent most of his time in the back office—from his job, though there were only a few minutes left in the work day, anyway; he had timed his visit well, Alex would be heading to the pool soon. He had planned to read and keep Alex company for a couple hours while he trained.

Legs pulled tightly against his chest, Achilles found himself sitting atop one of three lounge recliners once 5:10pm hit. The white fluorescent lights above were nice and bright, and he managed to get through a good portion of his book, but even so, his eyes were repeatedly drawn away from the pages in his lap to the muscled figure in the water.

Just like back in the Summer out in the Gem Sea, it was almost meditative watching him swim—Alex was obviously no amateur; he moved with a seasoned, steady strength and confidence that Achilles could never hope to replicate, arms smoothly slicing freestyle through the water like a hot knife through butter. 

At the opposite end of the pool, he saw Alex pause, chest heaving. He gripped the wall with one hand and lifted his goggles with the other as his coach bent down to speak with him.

Achilles followed their gazes to the massive digital clock on the opposite wall. 49.93 seconds. Not bad. Not bad at all. He knew Alex was hoping to get below 49 by the end of next summer. 

But he found that his vicarious thrill was dulled by something a little more sour, a little more grey; he should’ve been excited, seeing Alex’s obvious joy in finally being able to make strides towards his goals, but instead, Achilles couldn’t help but feel… wistful.  

Selfish. 

He shoved the feeling aside and forced himself to return to his book, though he found himself reading the same sentence twice more than an occasional time. 

But afterwards, in the empty locker room, he’d forgotten his melancholy. He’d tousled Alex’s damp hair, and Alex had kissed him on the cheek, and together they had ridden the bus back to the Valley and he had once more felt like gold. 

Yes, the past few days had felt like a dream. A good dream—a great dream! Yes, he had been feeling great. Feeling absolutely amazing. Feeling better than he had all year. 

Until he didn’t.

[thedragonagelesbian]

1 (because I think I got here late and would love to know more about Cyrus Generally as well), 5, 26, and 31

1. Tell us about your Tav! Name, class and subclass, race, pronouns. Do you have a headcanon for where they're from? Their family? Are they a Dark Urge? Or did you choose an Origin Character? Was it an easy decision?

asdfkpofjsaf i know my cyrus posting is. inscrutable at times, especially since he was originally a Dragon Age 2 character, so here is the definitive primer on bg3!cyrus

Name: Cyrus Hawke

Race: Wood elf

Class (main timeline): Paladin in Act 1; Paladin/Barbarian multiclass for Acts 2 & 3

Subclass (main timeline): Devotion in Act 1; Oathbreaker/Wildheart (bear) for Acts 2 & 3

Class (came back wrong timeline): Paladin/Sorcerer

Subclass (came back wrong timeline): Devotion/Shadow (mod) in Act 1; not sure if he'll end up breaking his oath in the same way in Act 2, but the plan is to take most of his sorcerer levels in Act 2 since the shadow sorcerer mod has some fun mechanical interactions with the Shadowlands

Where are they/their family from: Cyrus was born to Leandra Amell, the runaway heiress of a noble family in Evermeet (Faerun's equivalent of Valinor, isolationist elven paradise), and Malcolm Hawke, an eladrin warlock who had scorned his archfey patron. Because Malcolm was being actively hunted by his patron, Cyrus was born and spent his earliest years on the road.

Malcolm was killed by his patron when Cyrus was quite young (<20, baby by elven standards), and Leandra passed away a few decades after that. At the time, Cyrus was still very much a juvenile for an elf despite (in accordance with D&D lore) looking like an adult by other humanoid standards. He ended up in Baldur's Gate immediately following his mother's death and spent ~50 years there as an orphan in the Lower City.

Cyrus self-identifies as a Baldurian, but his actual relationship with his hometown is much more complicated. When he lived there, he loved many of its people and wanted to protect them, whether from the opportunism of the Guild, the overreach of the Flaming Fists, or the cruel indifference of his orphanage's headmaster. But that sense of expectation and obligation, especially to the other orphans, was often strangling. Cyrus grew quite accustomed to sacrificing his own happiness and desires to take care of them.

When he saw his first opportunity to leave the city without feeling like he was abandoning people who needed him, he took it without hesitation.

Durge vs Origin: Cyrus is an origin character. I didn't even consider going Durge for him. From playing him in DA2 and spending basically the whole summer yelling about him, he was already a very well-established character in my mind, so I didn't really want/need the extra story and world tie-ins that durge offers.

I also knew pretty quickly that I wanted to play him, rather than coming up with a new OC. This is because he is my most specialist boy ever, but also because for my first playthrough, I wanted to get into the game itself, rather than spending too much time thinking about who this person is and what their connection to the world is.

5. Do you remember the first humanoid enemy your Character killed? Was it the first person they've ever killed, in your opinion? Would they have been bothered by it?

It was the looters in the cathedral right off the beach-- he persuaded the ones outside to fuck off, but failed the roll for the ones inside the building itself, and they were automatically hostile when I had Astarion pick the lock.

I think he was bothered by that particular set of deaths just because 80% of the time, he prefers to de-escalate and resolve situations peacefully... in those other 20% of cases, though, he is quick to draw blood. Threatening his friends, hurting innocents, and being a careless or cruel authority figure are all great ways to encounter the righteous paladin fury simmering behind that affable, easy smile.

So, no, it wasn't his first kill. I think that honor probably went to a bandit who attacked him and Leandra when they were traveling alone after Malcolm's death. It was very messy, poorly executed, and terrifying, leading to the scars Cyrus has on his cheek and throat. The encounter also drove him to learn swordplay and defense so he could be ready the next time around.

26. What was your favorite enemy? Did your Character have any memorable fights or moments in combat that were ripe for headcanons and interpretation?

Even if Cyrus smited Minthara into oblivion, I am fascinated by her and her women's wrongs and her evil paladin wiles, and I look forward to learning much more about her when I do a more morally dubious playthrough.

As for the second question... god, I wish I had a better answer! Bc I love this question and thinking through the relationship between combat mechanics and narrative, but... the Act 1 combats didn't have as much personal/emotional investment as Acts 2 & 3 for me. Also, because I was playing on explorer mode, those emergent moments of super close calls and near (or actual) deaths didn't happen very often.

When I do my paladin/sorcerer run though (on regular difficulty this time), I will be very curious to see when 'strength of the grave' triggers for the first time (drop to 1hp instead of 0 once per long rest). Violently flirting with the line between life and death is sure to be very stressful for him :)

31. Does your Character have new or old phobias or superstitions that affect their story?

This is super low-hanging fruit, but Cyrus is very sensitive to how his body is modified, so the whole tadpole situation is. Immensely yikes. He tries not to ever use the tadpole powers, even in benign instances such as sharing thoughts and feelings with companions. He'll only resort to it if he absolutely has to. If I remember correctly, the only times he used it in Act 1 were to free Shadowheart and to interfere with the goblins' interrogation of the dead mindflayer.

And, of course, the Dream Visitor's suggestion that he should be encouraging and inculcating these powers is politely but firmly rejected.

[timeoverload]

I slept for 12 hours and I'm still tired. I woke up with a sore throat and I've been coughing a lot so I think I might be getting sick. I hope I'm not though. My body still hurts. I really wanted to be productive today but I'm not sure how much I'm going to get done. I will try to do something today at some point. I'm going to pick up something healthy to eat later and maybe that will make me feel better. I wish I didn't spend every weekend feeling like shit but I know I won't have to live like this forever.

I actually got invited to my co-workers going away party next Saturday night so I hope I'm feeling better by then. I'm happy she invited me even though we haven't always gotten along and maybe she doesn't dislike me as much as I thought she did. I haven't been to a party in so long so I'm looking forward to it. I'm excited to see some people I used to work with that I haven't seen in a long time. I haven't done anything fun this summer so it would be nice to be social for once. It's not too far away so I'm going to try to walk there so I don't have to drink and drive. Hopefully I can find someone to take me home afterward so I don't have to walk in the dark. I need to get out of the house so I will probably go even if I don't feel good.

I'm not going to get another chance to do anything for a while after that since I'm not going to that concert on the 26th. I really hope I can get my money back since I spent quite a bit on those tickets. It probably wasn't a good idea to spend that much anyway. I guess it was an impulsive decision. I feel dumb for buying them and I shouldn't have done that but at least I tried to find someone to go with. Maxwell, I understand why you can't go with me and it's not your fault so I can't be upset about that. Even if I did go, I would have to spend the whole time trying to avoid running into my ex because I'm pretty sure he's going with his girlfriend. I remember him texting me a long time ago and trying to get me to go with him because he was trying to convince me to get back together. Obviously I said no to going with him because I wanted to go with someone else and I told him that. I knew I would rather miss the concert than have to go with him because I wouldn't enjoy it. I'm still so happy and thankful that I'm not with him anymore. My life is so peaceful without him around. I do not want to see him at all, especially if I'm by myself. I would need someone there to defend me if I did run into him. I remember him getting confrontational with me and other people when he was drunk at the concerts we would go to together. It was so embarrassing and we almost got kicked out of a few shows because of the way he was acting. I'm sure he would leave me alone now but it still makes me anxious. It sucks because he and I share the same taste in music so I have to avoid going to shows by myself so I don't have to see him. I have already seen Mastodon and Gojira before so it's not a total loss. I'm sure they will be back again sometime and I'm trying not to get too worked up about it. I know I will get the chance to go to concerts again in the future and I'm excited to do that.

I hope I get a call from the doctor sometime because I still haven't heard anything. I really wanted to get my appointment scheduled today but they told me not to call until they contact me first. It would be nice to know if I need to do something to balance out my hormones so I can stop being so emotional. I'm wondering if my cortisol level is too high because I've been gaining weight but it's mostly going to my belly. I can't wear some of my pants now. I guess I've also been eating a ton of fried food lately. I'm glad that I don't look like a skeleton anymore at least.

I also have to go to the dentist in a few weeks so hopefully I don't have any cavities. I have been much better about taking care of my teeth than I was when I was younger so I think it will go well. I always get a lecture about vaping though. I want to stop but I still don't think it's as bad for me as smoking cigarettes.

I've been trying to figure out when I'm going to have time to take the cats to the vet in between all of my other appointments. That's not going to be cheap but they need to go so badly. I'm considering taking them to a different vet but I'm not sure yet. I'm not super fond of the place that I had to take them to before. They couldn't even call me back when I talked to them earlier this week so I'm having second thoughts. I'm not looking forward to taking them by myself because they are so heavy but I'm going to do it anyway. They hate being in the car and I don't want to drive across town with them so maybe I can find a place that's a little closer. I'm going to do some research first.

I have an appointment to see the eye doctor too next month but I might have to reschedule because it's on a Tuesday. I am going to see if they will let me leave work and come back because my eyes are bothering me and I need new glasses again. I really like my purple glasses though and I don't want to stop wearing them so maybe I can order them again with my new prescription. It's so hard for me to find glasses that fit my face and I think the ones I'm wearing right now are technically made for kids. Last year they told me I will need to get bifocals in the future and I think I need them now. I guess I will just have to wait and see what they say about it.

I'm going to try not to worry about things too much the rest of the day. I don't have any obligations the rest of the weekend so I know I will accomplish some stuff. I'm looking forward to going on a drive in a little bit and getting some food. I think that will make my day better.

I also feel a little better after venting about stuff. It really helps. I appreciate everyone that listens to me and it means the world to me. You know how to put a smile on my face even when I'm feeling bad. I always look forward to hearing from you!! You all make me so happy and I love you all!!!! Thank you to my dad and thank you to everyone at IBT for being so supportive and kind to me during this time. I love you Maxwell and I'm so glad I met you and my life is so much better with you in it. I wouldn't have so much support without your help. Thank you!!!! 💖💖💖💖💖💖

I'm going to stop rambling now because I've been writing for a long time and I'm hungry now. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the day and that everyone has a good weekend!! :)

[rcsplendent]

for muses of your choice ! <3 🤡💋🥵⚖️💔✈️🦁🩰🚨😈🚫

answers under the cut bc i'm insufferable & added gifs to every single one. also i used a randomizer to pick who got each prompt so this was xtra chaotic !

🤡 ... a time where they felt guilt / embarrassment.

𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐊𝐒𝐄𝐈 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐎𝐕 :  " guilt ? ... "  ( he's silent for a while, thinking. )   " i'm not sure. i — well. what i mean by that is there are too many to choose from. but, erm ... i suppose the first one that comes to mind is ... when i was a child, i used to pretend to be sick to get out of lessons. and, um. one day, i pretended to be ill so i would not have to do my mathematics lesson that day. but that meant my father was unoccupied for the morning, & so he made viktor do extra training. i ... think viktor must have trained for eighteen hours that day. and i wanted so badly to tell the truth so viktor could rest. but ... i knew the consequences for lying would be ... disastrous. so i never confessed. i think viktor collapsed from exhaustion. i felt awful. i still do. "

💋 ... their first ( or simply a very special ) kiss.

𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐆𝐎 𝐃𝐄 𝐋𝐀 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐀 :  " it's a funny story, actually ! i was sixteen, maybe. i spent most of my time at sea, but i had stayed home one summer to help my father with a construction project. he was building an orphanage. and there was this girl, angelica — her mother was supposed to run the orphanage, so she was helping out, taking care of the kids while it was being built. but she kept feeding these damn cats all around the build site. it drove me insane — we were already behind schedule, and the cats were really throwing a wrench in things. so i confronted her, you know — told her to cut it out or find somewhere else to take the strays. she called me a selfish pendejo & got up in my face. we were bickering, you know, going back & forth, and suddenly she just ... grabbed my face & planted one on me ! i was so shocked i didn't even react. she ran off & i went on with my day, & she avoided me for the rest of the summer. we didn't talk about it until we were older — she doesn't know why she did it, either. she's got a wife & four beautiful kids, now. good friend of mine. "

🥵 ... a sexual experience.

𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐆𝐍𝐄𝐑 :  " i - i've never done anything like that. or, well ... "   ( he glances off to the side, thinking, before shaking his head quickly, his face bright red. )    " nevermind. that's all. "

⚖️ ... a time where they judged another person ( correctly or incorrectly ).

𝐘𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈 𝐘𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐎 :  " the only time i ever make incorrect judgments is when i overestimate my opponents. i've got to stop doing that, honestly. i'm too kind. "

💔 ... a time where they experienced heartbreak.

𝐌𝐀𝐗𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐍 𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐍 :  " oh, well ... there was this girl, last summer. we were exchanging letters back & forth. i was always so excited to read hers, & she always wrote back so quickly, so i thought we were ... i don't know, honestly, what i was thinking. she stopped replying after a few months, & then i found out she'd gone & gotten married. she'd been betrothed the whole time. "  ( he smiles, albeit a bit sadly. )   " not a big deal. "

✈️ ... a time where they traveled to a foreign place.

𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐎𝐑 :  " well, after i got booted from boarding school — unjustly, might i add — i went to france for a bit to study. some little all-boys school down in nice. lovely city, right on the water. the people there were kinder than the fucking assholes i was at school with in england. i spent most of my nights sneaking out to go to the beach — don't tell rhysand i said that. "

🦁 ... a time where they felt truly proud of themselves.

𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎 𝐏𝐀𝐙𝐙𝐈 :  " i went out with a hunting party a couple of weeks ago & took down this absolute beast of a stag with one arrow. kept the hide, but i had my men deliver the rest to a butcher in a village nearby. had it been smaller i might've had it preserved, but with this one ... it would've been a waste of resources. & god knows i'm not hurting for food. it's only right. "

🩰 ... a hobby / passion.

𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐆𝐎 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐕𝐀 :  " well, i haven't got a lot of time for hobbies ... but when i do have a rare evening to myself, i quite like making things. leatherwork, metalsmithing, woodworking. sometimes, when i'm on patrol, i'll pick up a branch if i see one that looks like it's got something interesting going on under the bark. that's not always the case, but sometimes i get a real gem of a thing, sturdy & strong. i'll whittle them into walking sticks or staffs, or i'll cut it into pieces and use the wood for knife handles. i make the blades, too. the general before me insisted i learn how to make the weapons i use to be able to fully appreciate them. he was right — i've taught theo the same thing. i've got a few blades i'm quite proud of. i don't use them in battle. couldn't bear to lose them. "

🚨 ... a time they got in big trouble.

𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐀 𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐈𝐍 :  " yeah, yeah. everybody always wants to know about the times i've gotten caught. hate to break it to you, but it's all confidential information & i am not legally allowed to share. "  ( he rolls his eyes. )  " it's always because some fucking snitch got caught & squeaked because they thought it'd make them go easy. it never fucking works. "

😈 ... a time where they did something devious.

𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 :  ( he smiles coyly. )  " i am a god-fearing man who's never done anything devious in his life. have some faith in me. "

🚫 ... a time where they experienced rejection.

𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐒 𝐐𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐑 :   " i cannot think of a single time anybody has ever dared to tell me no. except my wife, perhaps. "

[ooglywooglies]

i will now share with you my sad dog tale because i guess im still doing this many years later (tbh im way better about it now)

my mom got this chihuahua tyson when i was 16 the summer we first started talking about leaving her stupid husband at the time (big piece of shit i wont get into it) and "moving" back to minnesota and staying with my aunt (the biggest piece of shit in this entire story but i wont get into it) and it was the first time i started self harming and making plans to kill myself

we eventually moved back to wyoming to tolerate stupid husbands bullshit a little longer, my depression got worse because their relationship got worse along with their treatment of me, my school life went to absolute hell and i basically spent all my time fantasizing about and planning my death

another yearish later after switching schools (from failing everything so hard there was no recovering) and husbands bullshit piling on we decided to actually move back to minnesota and stay with my aunt again, my mom started spiraling out of control and basically abandoned me to figure her own shit out but i was 18 at this point so i was going to get my first apartment

then i got laid off from my factory job and so the apartment thing fell through bc i couldnt afford it anymore, i had to stay with my aunt who was even worse than my moms stupid husband honestly, i slept on my dads couch for a month and the whole time i had this little dog with me, he was my moms but she was off god knows where and couldnt take care of him so i had to, he had to go everywhere with me

eventually my friends drove two states over on spring break (i think, they were still in high school at the time bc id just dropped out at this point) to come pick me up so i could stay with one of them, stayed there for a couple months, dog still with me

he was like, my son at this point like i really felt like a single parent with no home taking care of my toddler or something, he was small he could get swooped up by a fucking bird at any time and everyone i tried to stay with kind of hated him because he was a little chihuahua who didnt have the bladder capacity of a big dog, and im pretty sure he wasnt fixed so yknow he was a little prone to marking (but i mean, he was probably as well trained as i could manage) the point is not many people were very enthusiastic about having him around, and yknow, it was the same story for me anyway. he ran away a lot, living in a small town it usually wasnt hard to find him and chase him down but it was stressful.

eventually my mom found a house in minnesota, she wanted me to go live with her but this house didnt allow dogs and the landlord lived next door so there wasnt a way to hide him i had to give him to someone, it was really hard, after everything wed been through after feeling like he was my BABY it really hurt to have to give him away, i wanted him to go with someone i could trust but i didnt have options

a girl who was friends with my sister took him, she moved to wisconsin, at first i thought id have some relief, he caused me so much grief because hes so small and vulnerable. at least i wouldnt have to worry about him anymore. she never changed his tags that had my phone number on it, he escaped a lot, people called my phone but i couldnt do anything because he wasnt my dog anymore and i lived in a different state. this went on for awhile, people would call and tell me they wouldnt keep him safe because it was too inconvenient, i couldnt contact the girl who owned him, i just had to hope that shed figure it out.

finally one day she sends me a message on facebook, he was hit by a car and killed. apparently it was her dads fault, he was careless and kept leaving the door open, so i dont blame her i guess.

its been about 10 years now since all that happened, for a long time i had nightmares about finding tyson starving and shivering in an old apartment that id abandoned for years. i had so many dreams that he was still somehow alive.

he was such a funny little dog, everyone who didnt have to be inconvenienced by him adored him, people said he was the cutest dog theyd ever seen. he was kind of buff and brave but not too yappy, i taught him to howl and he had a very cute kind of snorty little howl. he was extremely friendly and got along with everyone he met, including other dogs. he liked to cuddle and sleep next to your head. i always carried him around in a little bag and brought him everywhere, i even brought him to school a couple times because my english teacher liked dogs and she really liked him.

i havent cried about him in a long time but now thats its been awhile it wouldnt hurt. i think a lot about how much he wouldve loved louie (my current dog) every big dog hes ever lived with he loved to sleep right on top of.

god its kind of ridiculous, how i was always expecting the worst to happen to him, ive always had ocd and intrusive thoughts about him were always horrific. i was always waiting to just get it over with but the universe really dragged it out for me. i feel bad comparing the grief ive felt for this dog to the grief people i know have felt for fellow human beings since but he really wasnt just a dog.