#and they’re still both in love it’s just a complex relationship
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gimpwithoutorgans · 7 hours ago
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I love Loumand. Their relationship is a game they play with one another, but they’re both separately making up the rules on the spot lolll. Growing up, they had to construct complex masks that allow them to live with themselves and their decisions. Now together, they construct new masks that simultaneously reflect one another and bolsters the imagined versions of themselves they cling to (especially post trial). It’s all a very messy and incoherent game of charades. I love them both so much.
I think the the sewer scene in episode 3 perfectly encapsulates this game on multiple levels:
#1 The Paris memory. Fire serves multiple purposes here. It’s a threat. Armand saying “I am violent and monstrous, I will hurt you”. It’s a warning. Armand saying “I am violent and monstrous, stay away”. When he extinguishes it, he has a moment of vulnerability (“Those with the most power are often the weakest”). He reveals his cowardice and selfishness. He reveals the monster in him as well as the child. All this right before he reveals Louis is home (the tension dissipates). Out of the sewers, Louis responds to this (admittedly dramatic and emotionally manipulative) charade by inviting Armand in. It’s a moment of acceptance BUT the question of Armand’s truth still lingers( “Are you going to kill me?”). Armand doesn’t answer (I think he honestly doesn’t have an answer). and Louis STILL lets him in (insannnneee). Doesn’t even push the question 😭. Their risky game continues. They’re aware of the game. Seduced by both it and each other.
#2 The Dubai recollection. Why does Louis tell Daniel about it and why does he present it the way he does? Why does Armand allow Louis to tell it at all? It’s not very flattering. They could’ve skipped the sewer entirely and fast forwarded to them talking about Lestat and then to them fucking. If it’s just to set up tensions with the Coven, why include the insinuation that Armand was actually considering killing Louis?
I feel like I know answers to these questions but that’s another post for another day😪.
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hayleythesugarbowl · 4 months ago
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hey girlyyyyy could you maybe write for Tim Bradford from the rookie and like the reader is his rookie and while they’re on patrol they run into someone who knows the reader’s abusive ex bf and he makes threats against reader and after their shift reader is super scared so he escorts them home and stays with them idk just an idea 😅
Nightlight || Tim Bradford x reader
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⋆ ˚。⋆୨୧˚ masterlist • john nolan fic  ⋆˚。⋆୨୧⋆
summary: when you encounter a man while on patrol who has a threatening message from your ex, your TO, Tim, offers to spend the night with you
word count: 10.4k
warnings: abusive past relationship, reader kind of has a panic attack, mild language, blood, guns, inaccurate police stuff
a/n: ahhh i had so much fun writing this, love!! i took your idea and also added some stuff so i hope you like what i did. i also apologize for the length, i kinda went wild. i imagine this to take place in s1. fem!reader. enjoy!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     “7-Adam-19, armed shoplifter, Radcliffe Complex, 718 Oscar Road. Respond.”
     The dispatcher’s voice filled the silence of the car.
     “7-Adam-19 responding.” Officer  Bradford set down the radio and replaced his hand on the steering wheel.
     “What’s the most important thing to remember when dealing with an armed shoplifter, Boot?” Tim asked you after a moment. 
     “Why did I think that when I was in short-sleeves I would get a break from your Tim Tests?” you muttered.  
     You’d been Bradford’s rookie for seven months now and some days he still treated you like it was your first day on the force. You appreciated him trying to teach you so thoroughly, but did he have to be so Tim all the time?
     “Is that your answer, Boot?” 
     “No, um, I guess it would be that he’s armed. But no, that’s too obvious for you. Ok, what about what they’re stealing? Their physical state? Keeping their hands in sight at all times?”
     Tim sighed, looking bored. “Wrong. It’s—”
     “Suspect on the move, heading east on Apple Boulevard,” came the dispatcher’s update, interrupting your TO’s answer.
     “Looks like we’re headed east,” Tim said, turning sharply in the direction you’d just come from. 
     “Saved by the suspect,” you joked. 
     “Don’t think this is over,” Tim narrowed his eyes at the road. “Lessons don’t stop for crime.”
     “Ok, batman.”
     Tim glared at you.
     “I mean, Sir.”
     After you’d first been assigned to Officer Bradford, you’d been told stories of his ruthless training style. Your first thought was that you needed to impress him from day one.
     Well, technically your first thought was damn, because you’d have to be insane not to notice how objectively attractive he was. But you’d quickly quelled that thought—crushing on your TO was not how you wanted to start your career as an officer. 
     So, impressing him was your second thought. And you had been more than a little terrified of not impressing him. 
     You would be lying if you said that wasn’t how things still were between you two, to a degree—you trying to prove yourself and him making it as difficult as possible. 
     But, at least after several months, you felt like your TO trusted you more. 
     “There!” You pointed to a man running down the street, duffel bag in hand.
     Tim hit the gas, surpassing the suspect, and skidding to a stop in front of him, effectively cutting him off. 
     You both hurried out of the car, weapons drawn on the man who was currently aiming his gun back and forth, between you and Bradford. 
     “Police! Drop your weapon!” Tim shouted at the man. 
     The man hesitated, seeming to be weighing his options—how easily he could take out two cops. 
     “Set the weapon down, nice and easy,” Tim ordered, his own gun still pointed at the suspect.”
     The man, seeming to sense the inevitability of his capture, sighed and set his gun on the ground. 
     “The answer was dialogue, by the way,” Tim addressed you, his eyes still on the suspect. “Dialogue is the most important  thing when dealing with an armed suspect.”
     “Good to know,” you acknowledged, before ordering the man in front of you. “Hands behind your head, interlace your fingers.”
     The man’s gaze shot to you as he obeyed your commands. 
     “Hey, lady cop, you look familiar,” the criminal squinted at you. 
     “You must have me mistaken for someone else,” you said. You’d never seen this man in your life. 
     “I swear—”
     “Hands on the car!” You ordered 
     The man reluctantly did what he was told, placing his palms on the side of the shop. 
      “Wait a minute,” the man sized you up before smirking slowly. “Your Paul Cranston’s girl, ain’t ya?”
     You felt your blood instantly run cold at the name. 
     “You must have me mistaken for someone else,” you said again, robotically, grabbing one of his arms. 
     “No, no I’d recognize that pretty face anywhere,” the criminal whispered. “He told me all about you. Hey, why don’t you let me go and I’ll give you a friendly tip?”
     You responded by twisting his arm behind his back even harder.
     He winced. “So you didn’t hear then? Paul’s out.”
     No. That couldn’t be true. Paul wasn’t supposed to be out for—
     “Boot, you going to cuff him or not?” Tim called impatiently.
     “Right.” You shook off the stupor and began handcuffing the suspect. Your mind was still on that name, however, and your reflexes were slowed.
     Which is how the suspect was able to rip his arm from your grip and shove you to the ground as he tried to make a break for it. 
     Tim tackled him almost immediately, wrestling him into the cuffs that were dangling on one of his wrists where you had started to restrain him, and pushing him towards the shop.
     “Wait, Paul’s got a message for you!” the man hurried out, looking only at you as Tim waked over and shoved him into the backseat. “He said you best watch yourself, because he has connections, and he still hasn’t gotten his revenge. He’s out—and he’s coming for you.”
     “That’s enough, get in the car.” Tim slammed the door shut, and the echo of it rang in your ears as the man’s words played over and over again.
     He’s out, and he’s coming for you. 
     “What the hell was that?” 
     You looked up to Bradford’s questioning—and furious—face. He offered you a hand and you took it, standing up to face him. 
     “Sorry, I—”
     “‘Sorry’ doesn’t stop criminals from escaping,” Tim shouted. “Get your head in the game. You do want to be a cop, don’t you, Boot?”
     “Yes, sir.”
     So much for Tim trusting you. You couldn’t believe you’d almost just let a suspect get away. That had never happened to you before. But, that name—
     Your TO shook his head, walking to the drivers side and opening the door. “You know, I should write you up for that.”
     You noticed his wording. “But you’re not going to?”
     He waited for you to get into the passenger seat before saying, 
     “I didn’t say that. First you’re going to tell me what just happened between you two.”
     You flinched. “It—nothing. It was nothing.”
     “Uh-huh. It didn’t sound like nothing. Who’s Paul Cranston?” 
     You swallowed hard. “He’s just someone I used to know.”
      A million images flashed through your head. Paul’s face looming over you. The flashing lights and sirens. Waking up in the hospital. 
     You shook yourself out of it. You didn’t want to talk about this now. You swore you’d never talk about it again. “Shouldn’t—shouldn’t we get back to the station. Don’t we have to book this guy?”
     Tim sighed, started the car, and re-entered traffic. You breathed a sigh of relief. 
     “Control, this is 7-Adam-19. I need an ID on a Paul Cranston,” Tim spoke into his radio. 
     And so much for not talking about this now.
     “Can you do that without suspicion of a crime?” You asked him.
     “You can when dispatch loves you.” He winked at you. 
     You rolled your eyes at him as the radio began speaking. 
     “Paul Cranston: caucasian male, date of birth 8/4/92, recently released on parole, history of theft and domestic violence.” 
     Tim turned his gaze to you. “How do you know this man, Boot?”
     “It’s—a long story,” you told him. 
     “Well then you better start talking if you want to finish before we reach the station,” Tim commanded, making a left turn.
     “Can’t you just let it go?” You asked him. “It’s really not that big of a deal.”
      He’s out, and he’s coming for you. 
     You couldn’t fight the shiver that racked your body. 
      Tim’s eyes flicked to you, before returning back to the road. Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes, shifting the car into park before turning to you. 
     “If this is another one of your ‘I’m dying, where are we’ tests—”
     “Boot, focus,” Tim barked. 
     “With all due respect, sir, I don’t think it’s really any of your concern if—”
     “Of course it’s my concern!” Tim shouted. His expression was so intense, you squirmed under his gaze and you felt your face heat. 
     He looked torn for a moment, before sighing and saying, “It’s my job as your TO to train you to the best of my abilities, and I can’t do that if you’re withholding information that may affect your performance as an officer.”
     “Fine,” you breathed. “It was a long time ago. I was 18, Paul and I met freshman year of college. We started dating and things were fine, good even, for a while.”
     “Until?” Tim prompted.
     “Until he got pissed one night because I caught him coming home really late with a ski mask and a bag full of stolen cash. Cliche, right?”
     You looked to Tim, but his expression was as stony as ever and you continued.
     “Apparently, he’d been stealing since high school and turns out he’d lied to me about working in retail and a whole bunch of other stuff. I threatened to call the police if he didn’t stop and—”
     You took a deep breath, steeling yourself.
You watched the houses and trees and cars pass by as you drove towards the station. 
     “—and he hit me. It didn't stop after that—once he knew he could get away with it. He said if I ever told anyone—about the robberies, the beatings—that he’d kill me. And I let him go on like that for months. I was so scared that if I called anyone, he’d make good on his promise.”
     Tim’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his fingers turning white, but he didn’t speak.
     “But then, one night, it got so bad that I thought he might actually kill me anyway. So I waited until he left the room for a minute and I called 911. He was arrested and—and that’s all I remember before I blacked out. I woke up in the hospital the next morning.”
     You kept your voice even, trying not to let the emotion show through your story. You were just recounting facts. This was almost 10 years ago, and you’d moved on with your life. 
     But reliving it all was hard, even after so much time had passed. 
     “It’s actually why I joined the academy,” you finished. “I wanted to save people, the way the officers that night did for me.”
     You were both silent for a moment. 
     A muscle in Tim’s jaw ticked. “Does the department know?”
     “Yeah,” you sighed. “It’s all part of my file.”
     “And the guy back there?” 
     You shrugged, glancing back at the suspect and lowering your voice. “He must be one of Paul’s partners or goons or—I don’t know. I guess he’s been in contact with him since he was released, if he knows what I look like.”
     The thought made your skin crawl. 
     “I don’t know what came over me,” you kept going. “It’s been years, I just—I didn’t expect to hear about him out of the blue from a criminal on the street, you know? But, I promise it won’t happen again.”
     Tim ignored that. “Do you think it was an empty threat?”
     “I don’t know,” you admitted. “But I sure as hell hope so.”
     Bradford was silent for a long moment, his expression tense.
     The radio crackled to life. “7-Adam-19, we have a 215 in progress near your area, 239 West Armston Street. Respond.” 
     “Negative,” Bradford answered the dispatch call. 
     You stared at him, shocked. “Why aren’t we taking that? We can drop this guy off afterwards.”
     “Yeah, I agree,” the suspect chimed in from the backseat. “I think you should take that first.”
      Tim payed him no attention. “They’ll have someone else over there in minutes. We have more important things to do.”
     “You’re not even going to ask me if I know what a 215 is?” You joked. Tim never passed up an opportunity to quiz you. 
     “What’s a 215, Boot?” 
     “Carjacking.”
     “Correct.” Tim nodded. “And we’re going to have a talk with Sergeant Grey.”
₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚
    “Paul Cranston, released on parole from a thirteen year sentence three days ago, currently believed to be residing in the Woodland Hills area.”
     You sat in the briefing room, surrounded by other officers, as Sergeant Grey read out your ex-boyfriend’s file. You stared into Paul’s face on the screen, his mugshot visible from all angles. 
     Bradford stood near the front of the room, leaning against the wall. 
      “The department is aware of Officer (Y/l/n)’s history with Mr. Cranston,” Grey continued. “And will take necessary action should the situation progress.”
      “So, what’s the course of action here?” Tim crossed his arms. 
     “I’m afraid, as of now, there isn’t one,” Grey said. “Since there is no direct proof against Paul Cranston, we’d essentially be taking the word of a petty thief and wasting resources on what most likely was a desperate attempt to escape arrest. The department doesn’t exactly consider it a threat.”
    “Doesn’t consider it a threat?” Tim’s voice was low and dangerous. “How about a charge for threatening an officer?”
    “But Paul didn’t threaten an officer,” you sighed, thinking. “The armed robbery suspect did.”
     “Exactly, Officer (Y/l/n),” Grey agreed. “Basically, our hands are tied.”
     “Then untie them,” Bradford snapped, beginning to pace. “There’s gotta be some technicality we can get him on. Violation of parole, conspiring with a felon, failure to—”
     “That’s enough, Officer Bradford,” The sergeant fixed your TO with a firm look. “I appreciate your concern for (Y/l/n)’s safety, but we’ve done all we can do. And, for now, that’s nothing.”
      Tim’s concern for your safety. That thought had been in the back of your mind since the ride to the station. You couldn’t figure out why Tim was so determined about this. You supposed you were his rookie and was his job to look out for you. It was just, up until now, he hadn’t exactly done anything to make you believe he’d care so much.
     “Failure to take action could be endangering one of our officers,” Tim said, his jaw clenched. “Who’s to say this guy won’t make good on his threat? At least increase security at (Y/l/n)’s residence.”
     “Tim, its fine,” you said, your voice firm. “Let it go.” 
     They were making a big enough deal about this already. It probably was just a case of a criminal trying anything to get free. You doubted Paul even cared about what happened to you anymore. He probably never wanted to see you again—and that was a good thing. 
     But, then, you couldn’t get those words out of your head.
     He’s out and he’s coming for you.
     Bradford turned to you, his chest rising and falling. He looked so…resolved. Like he did when chasing down a suspect or that time when you’d walked in on him in the training rooms.
     Images of Tim shirtless, the muscles in his back tight as he pushed himself harder filled your head and you quickly shook them away. Definitely not the time. 
   “We’ll send a surveillance team to Paul’s location in the morning,” Grey said, turning to address you. “But for now the best thing you can do is to go home, get some sleep, and not let this rattle you. Understood?”
     “Yes, Sergeant.”
     “Good. Because the last thing the L.A.P.D needs is a cop who lets their personal life get in the way of their ability to do their job in any way that’s less than exemplary. I trust that’s not the case?” 
     You glanced to Bradford, certain he was going to mention your mistake with the suspect earlier. 
     “No, Sir,” Tim said instead. “My rookies don’t do ‘less than exemplary’. Don’t worry about (Y/l/n)—she’s proved to me she has what it takes to be an officer.”
     “Glad to hear it. Shift over. Everybody else, back to work,” Sergeant Grey waved everyone away. 
     You walked towards the front of the room, hearing grumbled complaints about midnight shift from the unlucky officers who still had to do patrol as you did so. 
     You stopped in front of your TO. His eyes were on you, his brow drawn in something that looked like concern.
     “Thanks,” you said. You couldn’t believe he’d told Grey all that—it was the most complimentary thing he’d said about you in your whole time riding with him. 
     “I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true,” Tim stated, shrugging. “I expect you to live up to any praise I’ve given you.”
     “Yes, sir,” you nodded, almost smiling.
     “Besides, you’re being trained by me. You’d have to be royally screwed up not to become one of the best on the force.”
     “And he’s humble too,” you teased. “But I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
     “Whatever, Boot.” Tim smiled, shaking his head. 
     “Be nonchalant all you want,” you said, feeling brave. “I know you like me.”
     For a brief moment, Tim looked like you’d slapped him. But then, the flash of—whatever that was—was gone and his expression was replaced by one of cold indifference. 
     “In your TO not your friend, (Y/l/n),” he stated. “It’s not about liking you. It’s about training you.”
      You sighed inwardly. Just when you thought you were making ground with Tim, he treated you like you’d just met. “Of course, how could I forget.”
     Tim stayed silent. 
    “Well, I should head out,” you told him, “I’ve got a busy night ahead me. You know, trying not to get killed by my ex and all.”
     You’d meant it as a joke, to make light of the situation that left you feeling more uneasy than you’d care to admit. Tim, however, just shook his head and brushed past you, out of the briefing room. 
     You stood there for a moment, trying to work through what had just happened, before turning around and taking a step in the other direction. Only to find Officers Lopez and Bishop standing in front of you, staring between you and Tim’s retreating figure. 
     “So how’d you do it?” Bishop looked you up and down.
     “Do what?” You asked, confused. 
     “Get Tim wrapped around your finger,” Lopez answered for her, smirking. 
     You felt your eyes widen. “Tim’s not—” 
     “Please,” Lopez put her hands on her hips. “I’ve watched him train dozens of rookies and he’s never stood up for any of them like that. So naturally I figured you’re either blackmailing him or sleeping with him.”
     You blanched, feeling the heat rush to your cheeks as you let what Angela said sink in. You knew she was just teasing you, but the statement caught you off guard. You imagined you and Tim—together. It wasn’t necessarily an unpleasant thought. And then you realized what you were thinking and you chided yourself, hurriedly un-imagining it. 
     “No, that’s not—neither one of those things,” you answered quickly. “Trust me, Tim doesn’t give me any special treatment, if that’s what you’re implying. I actually can’t tell if he hates me half of the time.”
     “We’re not implying anything,” Bishop replied. “Only observing. And he doesn’t hate you.”
     “How can you possibly know that?” You were suddenly insecure. You still held on to a secret dread that you were going to wildly disappoint Tim—that you already had. Sure, there was all the stuff he had just said. But there was also months of him being hard on you and saying that you weren’t friends. 
     “Because I’ve seen him hate plenty of people,” Bishop spoke. “And he definitely didn’t look at them the way he looks at you.”
      The way Tim looked at you? You weren’t aware he looked at you in a way that was different from the way he looked at anyone else at the station.
     “What are you guys trying to say?” You asked them. 
     “I’m saying watch out,” Bishop raised an eyebrow. “Because Tim might like you more than he’s willing to let you—or himself—in on.”
     Could there be any truth to what the two officers were saying? Was it wrong for a small part of you to hope there was?
     “Um, ok,” you said, blinking. “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.”
     “Don’t believe us if you want, it’s your call,” Bishop shrugged, backing up. “But I’m telling you, you mean something to Tim that the rest of us can only guess at.”
     And with that she walked out of the room.
    “Bishop can be intense,” Angela said when the woman was out of earshot. “She’s got that whole ‘anti-cops-dating’ thing going on—but I do think she’s right about this. Tim’s tough, and I’m sure he gives you hell—but it’s not because he doesn’t like you. I actually think it’s quite the opposite. ”
     Was there really something that everyone saw between you and Tim except for you? You still couldn’t even entertain the thought that Tim had feelings for you that were more than TO and rookie. 
     “Well you’ve certainly left me with a lot to think about,” you said finally.
     “Then I’ll let you start thinking—you’re welcome for the peace of mind.” 
     You wouldn’t have used the phrase peace of mind, yourself. Sure, it was nice to know that the officers who had known your TO for years were confident that he didn’t look down on you. But, this conversation also had left your head swimming with conflicting thoughts about Tim that you didn’t feel like dealing with right now.
     “And take care,” Lopez said knowingly. “We have your back if anything happens.”
      With that, your thoughts slammed back to the current situation.
    “Right, that. You—you think something’s going to happen?” You asked, trying to sound casual.
     “I think in this job we have to be prepared for the worst,” she corrected. “But I also think that bastard would have to be pretty stupid to mess with you.”
     She smiled at you and you smiled back. After watching her leave, you followed her path, heading towards the locker rooms.
     You thought about what she had said about you and Tim, about Paul.
     You hoped she was right—you just couldn’t say which you hoped she was more right about.
₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚
     Your thoughts bounced between your conversation with Talia and Angela and the message from your ex as you walked to your car minutes later. 
     When you woke up this morning, you thought the most stressful part of your day would’ve been a police chase or a shootout.  You never would’ve expected it to be my ex-boyfriend is out of jail and could be hunting me down and my training officer might have feelings for me.
     Funny how things could change so fast.
     Suddenly, you heard a bang. You spun around quickly, your heart in your throat. But it was only a car door being slammed shut from across the parking lot. 
     Get a grip, you told yourself. 
     You rounded the corner, running a hand through your hair.
     You stopped. Tim was leaning against the side of your car, arms crossed in front of his chest. He looked you up and down.
     “What are you doing?” You asked. 
     “Driving you home, Boot,” Tim said. “Get in the car.”
     “Tim, you don’t have to—”
     “That wasn’t a question, give me the keys.”
     There was no point in fighting him. Besides, there was a small part of you that didn’t really want to fight him. 
     You tossed him the keys to your car and got in the passenger seat with a sigh.  
     Tim started the engine. 
     “If this is about Paul, this really isn’t necessary,” you said after you’d been driving for several minutes and the silence became too much. “I can handle myself. I am an officer, in case you forgot.”
     “You’re a rookie,” Tim corrected, eyes never leaving the road. “And if the department won’t do anything, then I will.”
     “What—we’re not going to go looking for him, are we?” You asked.
     “Of course not,” Tim scoffed. “I’m not a vigilante, Boot. Where do you live?”
     “Take a left at the light,” you guided. 
     Neither of you talked for the remainder of the drive, save your occasional directions. When you pointed out your apartment building, Tim parked the car and handed you the keys. 
     “Thanks,” you mumbled to him as you got out of the car, grabbing your bag and heading towards the building.
     You heard a door shut behind you and turned to find your TO standing on the sidewalk, an eyebrow raised.
     “You didn’t think I was just going to let you spend the night alone with a target on your head, did you, Boot?” 
     “Tim—”
     “No more protests,” he said firmly. “As your TO, I—”
     “No, I was just going to say that if you were planning on staying here, why couldn’t I have just driven my own car?”
     “I don’t let my rookies drive,” Tim walked past you and to the front door. “Even off-duty.”
     You followed him quickly, getting out your key and letting you both in.
     When you reached your apartment you did a quick scan of the space—it wasn’t exactly like you’d been expecting company, much less your training officer. You cringed at the messiness.
      “How many entrances and exits are there?” Bradford asked. 
     “Um, just the front door. And there’s windows in the kitchen and the bedroom,” you said. 
     You skimmed past everything in the place, looking towards the window in your bedroom. Your eye caught on one of your bras hanging from your bedpost. You quickly ran over and shut the door, blushing and hoping Tim hadn’t noticed.
     “Please, Boot,” Tim made a face. “It’s nothing I haven’t already seen before.”
     “Ok no offense, but I usually don’t let guys see my bra the first time I bring them to my place,” you joked.
     “If that’s an offer, I’m going to have to politely decline.”
     “What—no,” you hurried out, worried your voice sounded wrong. “I just meant—”
    Tim interrupted. “I’m going to do a sweep of the place, make sure everything’s as it should be.”
     “Is that really needed?”
     “I’m not taking any chances.” He left the room and you sunk down onto the couch, letting your bag fall to the floor. 
     Your TO returned a few minutes later. “All clear.”
     “See, everything’s fine,” you said, speaking just as much to yourself as you were to Tim. 
     “Well,” Bradford started, amusement in his eyes. “I wouldn’t say everything is fine. Your storage closet’s a fire hazard.”
     Had Tim Bradford just made a joke?
     “I’ll be sure not to exit through the closet in the events of a fire,” you said sarcastically. “And if you keep insulting my living space, I’m going to be forced to kick you out.”
     “Bold for someone whose career I could end.”
     “You can’t end my career for that,” you shot back. Paused. “Can you?”
     Tim raised his eyebrows.
     “Only one way to find out,” you said enthusiastically, teasing him now. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t let the closet trap you on the way out.
     “Nice try, Boot. But you’re still stuck with me for,” Tim checked his watch. “eight hours.”
     “Nine hours,” you corrected. You had to leave for work in nine hours.
     “You’re right, I should get us drinks,” Tim joked.
     You rolled you eyes and he shot you a look. “Help yourself to anything in the fridge.”
     Tim got up, disappearing into the kitchen.  
     “Is all you own ginger ale, Boot?” He called. 
     “There’s six year old tequila in the cupboard,” you suggested.
     “Ginger ale it is.”
      Tim joined you in the living room again, carrying two bottles. He handed one to you, sitting down on the opposite side of the couch. 
     You noted the careful distance he put between you. 
     “What’s this thing made of, Boot? Plywood?” Tim asked, inspecting the couch.
     You smothered a laugh.
     “Get comfortable. It’s where you’re sleeping,” you answered. 
     “Won’t be necessary. If you’re not awake you’re not aware.”
     “So, what, we’re taking shifts on guard like this is a stakeout?” You asked.
     “Don’t be ridiculous. I didn’t come here to sleep.”
     “Tim I can’t let you stay up all night while I’m unconscious.” you sighed.
     “You can if it’s an order. Besides, no offense, but rookies are historically less vigilant and have a slower response time…” 
     You tried not to take offense at that. “Right, Eagle Eye.”
     Tim glared at you. 
     “Angela told me.”
     “Of course she did. And at least I didn’t leave valuable evidence on the street to chase after a dog wearing a top hat.”
     “Sparky could’ve been involved in the crime,” you said, indignant. “And that was one time!”
     “One time too many,” Tim mumbled, lifting the bottle to his lips, his eyes sparkling. 
     “Ok, so when you were a rookie you were, what, perfect?” You shot back.
     “Damn straight.” Tim nodded. 
     “You made no mistakes, at all?” You prompted.
     “Well,” Tim took a sip of his drink. “There was one thing.”
     “Aside from the graffiti incident?”
     “That wasn’t a mistake because it wasn’t my fault. I was following direct orders and—you know what, never mind. If you don’t want to hear it—”
     “No, no, I do!” you scooted towards the edge of your seat in anticipation. “And none of that ‘I worked too hard and too efficiently’ crap.”
     “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said sarcastically. “My first week on the job I was put on paperwork duty, which was—”
     “Boring and tedious? I can imagine,” you deadpanned, having been put in charge of paperwork by Tim many times.
     “I was going to say necessary and a valuable skill to have,” Bradford corrected. “But anyways, we had just got done booking a couple suspects and I was working on the reports. A triple homicide and a prostitution case. It was a long day and I was tired and I guess I got sloppy—”
     “You? Sloppy?” You interrupted.
     “Do you want me to tell you this story or not?”
     “Right, sorry. Continue.”
     Tim did. “I’d just finished tagging the evidence for both cases and when I was filling everything out I somehow got the numbers mixed up. Long story short, according to my report, the homicide gun ended up being linked to the prostitution case and the weapon allegedly used in the triple homicide was…a pair of pink, fluffy handcuffs.”
      You couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped you now.
     “Forensics caught it before it was sent to the judge, thank god,” Bradford sighed. “But the next day when I was getting ready for my shift, I was greeted by dozens of similar handcuffs in my locker—apparently Smitty has a guy.”
     “Tell me you kept them,” you begged, pulling your knees up to your chest.
     “Of course not!”
     Tim blinked.
     “Well, not all of them—Isabel made me take a pair home. I found out later that she was the one who orchestrated the whole prank. She used to do stuff like that all the time before she, uh,—”
     “Tim—”
     You’d heard about Bradford’s ex-wife. How she’d become an addict, gotten herself mixed up with bad people. You knew how much it had affected Tim, even if he hadn’t said so. 
     She was in rehab now, getting her life back together. You were glad she was finally getting the help she needed. Still, you knew how much she meant to Tim. How much it had hurt him to move on from her and let her start a new life without him. 
     “I’m fine.” Tim said firmly, clearing his throat. “It’s good to talk about her…before. She’s on the right path now.”
     You stared at the ground in front of you, picking at your fingernails. 
     “Are you still in love with her?” The question was out of your mouth before you could stop it. You didn’t know why you asked—didn’t know why you cared what the answer was. Ten minutes ago you wouldn’t have even dared to ask that question.  
     But he was being so uncharacteristically open and you seemed to be getting along well. You reluctantly brought your eyes up to Tim.
     His eyes had gone wide. He looked like he wanted to leave or yell at you or both, and you immediately regretted it.
     But then his eyes softened and he opened his mouth. “No. I’ll always care about her and she’ll always be someone that I did love. But relationships change—people change.”
     You nodded. “I get it—I mean, I’m kind of rusty on relationships—but I get it. I actually haven’t dated anyone since Paul. I guess it was just hard to trust someone after that. I kind of sabotaged any relationship that had any chance of starting.”
     It was the first time you’d admitted that to anyone. You wouldn’t have pegged Tim as being so easy to talk to. You had almost forgotten about the whole Paul situation before you’d just brought him up. You had been enjoying hanging out with Tim, no matter the circumstances. He was actually pleasant to be around when he wasn’t on the clock. 
     You imagined this happening more often—you and Tim, not just coworkers but friends. Maybe even more. Maybe this was one relationship you didn’t have to end before it started.
     You dared to let yourself think about it. You watched Tim process your words. Saw the emotion clearly written in his face as he looked at you intensely. 
     “Hey, thanks again for not letting me be alone tonight,” you told him, you’re voice soft. 
     “Don’t take it personally, Boot,” he said. “My house is being repainted and even your place beats breathing in paint fumes all night.”
     “I’m honored,” you laughed, rolling your eyes. “But you have to admit this has been fun—hanging out.”
     Your little impromptu sleepover. You smiled.
     Tim, however, looked like a switch had been flipped inside of him. You watched as he clenched his jaw, leaning almost imperceptibly away from you 
     “Listen, Boot—”
     He was cut off by the sound of breaking glass and a loud thumping sound. 
     You both shot up off the couch, abandoning your drinks. Tim’s hand went to his gun. You did the same. 
     Tim turned to you. “Stay here.”
     “Like hell,” you shot back, following him as he started to do a sweep of the main room.
     If that sound was someone—Paul—breaking in, you weren’t going to sit here and let Bradford fight your battles for you. 
     He signaled to let you know he was moving to the kitchen. You nodded, following. 
     “Clear,” he muttered, and moved on towards the bathroom. You were right behind him when you heard another noise, like the muffled sound of scraping of furniture, and you spun around.
     The bedroom. It was the only room in that direction that you hadn’t checked yet. 
     You glanced to Tim, but he hadn’t heard it. He was a few feet ahead of you, just now entering the bathroom. 
     You slowly stepped away from him and made your way across the apartment, down the hall and over to the closed bedroom door.
     Holding your weapon in one hand, you opened the door with the other. But, you barely had time to see what was on the other side before you were grabbed and a cloth was shoved into your mouth. 
     Your gun was ripped from your hand, and you were pushed hard onto the ground. Your wrist burned where you landed on shards of glass from the broken window
     Something smacked into the back of your head and you were dragged and thrown onto the bed on the corner. You heard the door shut. 
     Squinting up into the light, rubbing your throbbing head, your heart dropped as you saw who was in front of you. 
     “Did you miss me?” Paul sneered, spinning your gun in his hand. 
     You froze. Everything crashed into you at once. The events of the last time you saw your ex-boyfriend sped through your mind. Suddenly, you were scared and 18 again, at the mercy of this man. 
     “I guess you got my man’s message,” Paul continued. “Because you don’t exactly look shocked to see me. Scared, of course, but not shocked.”
     Coming back to yourself, you scrambled up onto your knees, ready to knock him out.
     Paul shook his head, laughing. “No, no. If you move even an inch I’ll shoot you right in the forehead.”
     You sat back down, your heart thumping in your chest as you scanned the room for a way out. Some way to get the upper hand on him. You had been trained for this.
     “Listen to me,” he continued, his hand coming to the gag in your mouth. You flinched away from him. “I know there’s someone in here with you. If you try to scream to alert them, I will also shoot you.  I’d like to play with you first before I put a bullet in your brain but, hey, I’m not picky. Is that clear?”
     You nodded, trying to measure how fast you could knock the weapon out of his hand before he could take a shot at you. Paul took the cloth out of you mouth.
     You gasped in air. “Backup’s going to be in here any second and then you’re going back to prison.”
     Tim would notice you were gone. He had to. 
     “Oh, I don’t think so,” Paul smiled. “I’ll be long gone and you’ll be long dead before that happens.”
     You glanced towards the door. What was taking him so long?
     Suddenly, Paul reached forwards and gripped your face in his hand. “Just as beautiful as I remember. It was such a shame things had to end with us as they did. How did that happen again? Oh, that’s right. You betrayed me.”
     “And that was the best decision I ever made,” you spat. 
     Paul backed up, shaking his head. “You’ve gotten feistier, baby. It’ll make this so much more fun for me.”
     He stepped back towards you, his face inches from yours, sneering. “This’ll be just like old times.”
     Bam! The door to your bedroom busted open. Bradford rushed in, taking in the situation. You breathed a sigh of relief.
     “Get down on the ground!” Tim growled.
     Paul froze for only a second, fear flashing across his face, but it was enough. You lunged, wrestling the gun out of his hands, your wrist protesting. 
     You trained it on him. Paul was surrounded.
     “You have five seconds to get on the ground before I shoot you,” Tim bit out, his expression murderous.
     “Come on, baby, you’re not going to let Officer Buzzkill treat me like that, are you?” Paul appealed to you. 
     You leveled your gaze on him, ignoring his words. “You heard him. Get on the ground.”
     Paul slowly knelt, never taking his eyes off of you. Tim charged him, pulling out handcuffs and locking them around his wrists. 
    You took a moment to be amused—of course Tim had off-duty cuffs. 
    “So this ends the way it starts, huh?” Paul shook his head. “You getting me locked up?”
     “Just like old times,” you echoed his earlier statement. You stayed stoic, putting your hands on your hips to hide the way they shook.
    Anger sparked in Paul’s eyes before he took on a smug expression. “You’re right. You’re the same girl you were when I met you. You haven’t changed a bit.”
     “Don’t listen to him, Boot,” Tim warned hauling the man up off the ground. 
     “You know I’m right,” Paul’s manic eyes bore into yours. He was enjoying every moment of this, laughter in his tone. It took all that was in you to keep your expression blank, unaffected. “You’ll always be that person I knew—the person who loved me. Because you did—love me. You could’ve walked away. But you didn’t. You just took it all like the victim you are. You pathetic bitch—”
      He was cut off abruptly as Tim slammed him face-first against the wall. Paul cried out.
     “That’s enough!” Tim shouted. “If you ever threaten—no, if you even look at (Y/l/n) again, I will hunt you down and personally remove every external limb from your body, do you understand me? (Y/n) is a million times the person you will ever be and you don’t get to make her feel small. If I didn’t think sitting in a cell for the rest of your life was a worse fate, I’d kill you right now—screw the department.”
     Your ears were ringing, your head dizzy as you tried to ground yourself. Your voice came out tiny. “Tim, stop.”
     Bradford turned to you, almost as if he had forgotten you were in the room. He was breathing hard, his fists clenched around the man in custody. 
     “And she’s not a victim,” Tim whispered, turning back to Paul, his voice right by his ear. “She’s a survivor.”
     With that, he shoved Paul back to the ground and moved over to you, his eyes roaming over your face. Your body. He took the gun out of your hands, setting it on the desk. Then, he gripped your injured wrist and you winced as he inspected it.
     “Probably hurts like hell, but you won’t need stitches. Any other injuries?”
     “Um, he hit me in the back of the head,” you felt your scalp, a lump already forming.
     Tim’s hands moved to your hair, his touch gentle, his breath on your cheek as he leaned to get a better look.
     Your own breath caught, your heart racing at the intimacy of your position. 
     “What’s the damage?” You almost whispered.
     Tim’s eyes met yours, the heat of his stare spreading through your body. “You’ll have a nasty bruise, but there’s no external bleeding.”
     Tim stepped back, and you found yourself wishing he hadn’t.
     “Are you—are you ok, Boot?” He asked carefully. 
     How did you even answer that question? You were still in shock, unable to process what had just happened. 
     “I will be,” you settled on, breathing in slowly. Exhaling.
      Tim looked like he wanted to say more but he clenched his jaw, glancing in the direction of Paul, who had been uncharacteristically silent. Maybe he had finally accepted his defeat. 
     “I’m going to call for back up, you go clean that up,” Tim gestured to the blood covering your wrist where you had landed in the broken glass. “You need help?”
     “No, I got it,” You nodded, walking towards the bathroom as you heard Tim make the call.
     “911, what’s your emergency?”
     “This is off-duty officer Tim Bradford, badge 34831. I need a unit to my location for a 126. Suspect in custody. Code 4.”
      Tim’s voice faded as you made your way down the hall, shutting the bathroom door after you to access the medicine cabinet behind it.
     You took out the necessary supplies and began cleaning the wound. You stopped in front of the sink, letting your burning eyes close for a moment, massaging your temples. 
     Now that you were alone, you let yourself collapse, bracing your hands against the counter 
     Images flooded your senses. 
     The gag. Paul hitting you from behind. You, young and frightened, huddled on the ground. That gleam in his eyes.
     Your eyes snapped open, your breath coming out fast.
     He’s in custody. You told yourself. He can’t hurt you anymore. 
     You looked at your reflection in the mirror staring wearily back at you, your hands still shaking as you brushed your hair back from your face. Was it hot in here or was it just you?
      Turning your attention back to your wrist, you took a deep breath and continued to dab at the wound.
      You reached for the bandages on the counter. A sheen of sweat broke out on your forehead as you wrapped your arm. 
      You pictured Paul’s grip on you. His words rang in your ears. 
     You’re the same girl you were when I met you. You haven’t changed a bit.
     The room tilted. You swayed on your feet so you sunk down to the ground, leaning your head against the cabinet, the cool wood pressing against your head. 
     You tried to slow your erratic breathing but you couldn’t. You couldn’t—
     The sound of footsteps and voices carried through the door. You were vaguely aware that it was probably the backup here to take Paul away.
     You closed your eyes, your throat tight, you pulse thundering in your ears.
     I’m ok, you tried to tell yourself. I’m ok. I’m ok.
     You were unaware how long you sat like this. You had no concept of time. Your thoughts were wild, images flashing in and out, unable to form conscious ideas. Every breath sending a sharp pain through your body. 
     “Boot?”
     The muffled voice was closer than the others had been. 
     “Boot?” The voice was louder now. You registered Tim at the door. He knocked once. Twice. 
     “Boot, I’m coming in,” he shouted, his voice laced with worry. The door was shoved open. 
     “Dammit,” he cursed, seeing your state. You felt him getting closer to you, but you didn’t look up as he knelt by you, his concerned expression taking in yours.
     “Hey, look at me,” Tim coaxed. “(Y/l/n), breathe.”
     He seemed miles and miles away. There was a pause.
     “Hey, Boot, I got another test for you,” he spoke quickly, gently placing a hand on your shoulder. “I want you to tell me the most annoying person we work with.”
     “What?” You rasped, barely hearing him. 
    “Bishop’s an easy target,” he said. “And Lopez is a slob, so you can’t go wrong there. West’s got the whole daddy issues thing. Don’t even get me started on Nolan—”
     You swallowed hard, your mouth feeling dry.
     “And then there’s me. I mean, I’m annoying right?”
     You breathed a shaky laugh, opening your eyes slowly. 
     Tim smiled. “Oh so you agree? It’s ok, Boot, you can say me. Go ahead, I can take it.”
     When you didn’t say anything, Tim kept talking. “Personally I’d go for Detective Coleman. The man makes double what I do and I’m convinced he doesn’t own a decent looking tie.”
     “L-like the—the green one from last week,” you managed, trying to slow your breathing.
     “Leprechauns would call it tacky,” Tim agreed. “Now, since we’ve discussed this from all angles I’m going to need you to choose wisely. Because this is going to go on your evaluation for today.”
     You gulped. “Are—are you going to get me fired if I say you?”
     Tim let out a quiet, relieved laugh. “I knew it. Guess who’s going back to long-sleeves on Monday?”
     “In this heat wave? You—you wouldn’t dare,” you joked, sniffing.
     “I don’t know, I am the most annoying person you work with—sounds like something I might do.”
     You laughed again, this time the sound coming out less strained. You focused on taking deep breaths, feeling your heart rate return to normal. 
     “There you go.” Tim stood up, offering his hand to you for the second time that day. You gripped his arm as he pulled you up onto shaky legs.
     “Thanks,” you mumbled, embarrassed to have had your TO see you like this now that your head was clearer. 
     “For what, doing my job?”
     You smiled weakly at him, running a hand along your forehead. “Sorry for um—”  
     “Having a normal reaction to a highly emotional situation? Don’t apologize for being human,” Tim said firmly, his forehead creased.
     “So, he’s gone?” You’re voice came out small.
     Tim’s expression softened. “He’s gone.”
     You nodded again, looking at the floor.  Tim sighed, reaching an arm out. “Come here.”
You took a step towards him and then you were in his arms, his embrace strengthening you as he rubbed your back. You stood there like that, not wanting this to end. Not wanting to put distance between you again. Finally, he pulled back and looked down at you, his gaze weighted, before taking a few steps towards the door. You looked over Tim’s shoulder.
     “Hey, (Y/n), look at me.” Tim said. You brought your gaze up to meet his. “He is never going to hurt you again, ok? I’ll make sure of that.”
      You let your eyes fall closed, feeling ashamed that you had been so affected. That Tim had to handle all of this for you. “I know. And I’ll understand if after…all this, you don’t see me fit to—to be a police officer anymore.”
     Tim’s eyes hardened, his voice hardening with them. “With all do respect, Boot, that’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever said. I meant every word of what I said back there—you’re a survivor. All I saw tonight is that you are a brave and intelligent woman who just so happens to have a scumbag of an ex-boyfriend. Don’t let it define you because then he wins. You’re a great cop, (Y/l/n). It’s rookies like you who make the force as strong as it is.”
     You listened to Tim speak. He sounded so…passionate. Bishop’s words came back to you.
     Tim might like you more than he’s willing to let you—or himself—in on.
     You desperately wanted that to be true, now more than ever. He’d been so kind to you in this past hour—staying with you, rescuing you, reassuring you, bringing you back from whatever dark place you had just been in. 
     And then this. Talking about you like he…like he really cared about you. And maybe it was just because he felt like as your training officer he had to protect you. But in the moment, it felt like maybe it could be more than that. 
    “So what I’m hearing is, I’m getting a promotion?” You teased finally, brushing your hair back from your damp face, breaking the silence. 
     Bradford put up a hand. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, you still have a lot to learn from me.”
     You sighed. This was normal, this was comfortable. How you and Tim always acted with each other. You were both relieved and disappointed at the change back into familiar territory. 
     You ran a hand through your hair, stifling a yawn. Saying today had been a long day would’ve been the understatement of the century.
     “Now come on,” Tim flicked his head in the direction of the door. “It’s way past my bedtime.”
     “Let me guess, nine p.m. sharp every night?” You teased.
     “That’s not true.”
     You raised an eyebrow at him.
     “Nine-thirty,” he admitted. 
     You giggled, following Tim out of the bathroom and into the hallway which led to the living room.
     You glanced at your bedroom as you passed it, trying not to think about what had happened in there. It was over now, you told yourself. 
     “Since my room is kind of a crime scene, I guess we’re both crashing out here,” you sighed, gesturing to the couch. 
      Silence filled the room and you immediately realized your mistake, cheeks flaming. 
     “Or, right, I guess you can go now. Danger’s over.”
     “Are you kidding?” Tim said. “And get to bed even later? I’m not going anywhere.”
     You stepped into the living room. You were glad Tim was staying. You felt safer with him here, even though you knew it was irrational. 
     “I’ll get the blankets and stuff,” you said, turning back the way you’d came.
     “Let me go with you,” Tim offered.
     “I would but they’re in the closet and I don’t want it to trap you or something,” you said. 
     “You think I can’t take a closet full of your crap? Bring it on,” Tim challenged and you led him down the hall. 
     A few minutes later you returned to the living room, blankets and pillows in tow. Tim helped you pull out the couch bed—you were grateful you’d opted for this couch instead of a regular one—and you stood back, admiring your work. 
     “Take the couch,” you told him. “It was your bed originally.”
     “Not gonna happen.” Tim crossed his arms. “It’s your house. And you’re injured.”
     “I’m fine. And where are you going to sleep? The floor?” You asked him. 
     Tim scanned the room and then sat down on the chair across from the couch-turned-bed. 
     “Are you sure you’re ok on that?” You asked. It didn’t exactly look comfortable for spending hours on.
     “Trust me, Boot, you got the short end of the stick. Have fun sleeping on plywood.” 
      You smiled. “So, what, you’re just going to sit over there and watch me sleep?”
     “I can leave, if you’re—”
     “No,” you’re voice came out faster and more sharp than you’d intended. “I mean, you came all this way, I don’t want you to have to get an Uber home at this hour.”
     You climbed into bed, aware that you were still in your clothes, but not caring enough to change. 
     “We should get some sleep, it’s been a long night,” Tim sighed. He got up and turned the lights off, darkness filling the room. 
     “Damn, boot,” you heard Tim’s voice even though you couldn’t see him anymore. “It’s pitch black in here. You don’t sleep with a light or anything?”
     “Well I don’t usually sleep in my living room,” you pointed out. Then you stifled a laugh. “Wait a minute. Is Officer Tim Bradford afraid of the dark?”
     Tim scoffed. “I’m not afraid of the dark.”
     “Your secret’s safe with me,” you teased.
     “There is no secret,” Tim shot back.
     You winked. “Exactly.”
     “You’re impossible.”
     “Thank you.” You smiled.
     The room fell silent. You heard him sit back down. 
     You laid back, staring up at the ceiling. The seconds ticked by. 
    “Do you—do you think he really would’ve shot me?” You asked, finally.
     “I don’t know,” Tim admitted. “He clearly thought you guys had unfinished business. But guys like that get high on fear—on desperation. He couldn’t have that if you were dead. In his mind, he’d be losing his power over you.”
     He paused. 
     “Besides, I don’t think he would’ve gotten the chance,” Tim said. “He clearly underestimated the badass-ness of his opponent.”
     You snorted. “Did you just say ‘badass-ness’?”
     “It’s a word!” Tim defended. 
     You laughed, turning over on your side. 
     “But seriously, if you ever need anything, you can always talk to me,” Tim said, sounding earnest. “I mean it.”
     “I may just take you up on that,” you responded. “Do you tell that to all your rookies?”
     You could barely make out Tim’s frame in the dark. “No, not all of them.”
     “I’m going to take that as I’m special,” you said. 
     Your next words were out of your mouth before you could stop them.   
    “You know, Lopez and Bishop had this crazy idea that you had feelings for me,” you said, staring up at the ceiling. “But I told them it was just that—crazy.”
     Tim didn’t speak.
     “It is crazy right?” You asked. You had to know. He still was silent. “Right?”
     “Boot, look—” Bradford started. His voice came out rough, as if he hadn’t talked in days. Your heartbeat was a deafening roar in your ears. 
     “Tim?”
     You could hear more than see Tim’s movements. He stood, pacing the length of the room. Sat back down. Stood up again. Sat. 
     “Dammit, Boot, I can’t do this,” he finished. “I can’t do this right now, (Y/n).”
     Your pulse quickened. He hadn’t denied it. 
     You stood up. 
     And maybe it was having to deny your attraction to your TO for seven months. Maybe it was the adrenaline still coursing through your veins from the attack earlier. Maybe it was because the darkness felt safe and secret—made you feel like you could do anything. Maybe you were just too eager after his small encouragement—or, lack of discouragement.
     But, whatever the reason, you walked over to where Tim sat, kneeled down, looked into his confused, strained eyes, and kissed him. 
     Tim froze, his lips still against yours. And then, almost as if he was afraid you would vanish or startle, he placed his hand gingerly on your waist, and leaned into the kiss.
     And he was kissing you back. Tim Bradford was kissing you back. 
     His free hand went to your hair, deepening the kiss as he gripped you closer. He kissed you like he had been waiting a lifetime.
     It was desperate and raw and passionate—it was perfect.
     You broke apart, both gasping for breath.       
     “Listen, Boot,” Tim started. You watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. “You’ve had a long and confusing day—”
     You interrupted him. “Yeah. Yeah, I have. But I’m not confused about this.”
     You brought your lips to his again. This time he didn’t hold back. He pulled you closer to him and you felt the warmth of him through his shirt. 
     When you came apart again, he was smiling. 
     “Well, I guess I can check thinking that you hate me off my daily checklist,” you whispered. 
     “I don’t hate you, Boot,” Tim said. “I actually hate how much I don’t hate you.”
     You studied the planes of his face, the light from the hallway illuminating his eyes. His lips. His jawline.
     “Boot—”
     “If you’re going to say that this is a bad idea, I don’t want to hear it. Not tonight,” you said. 
     “I thought that was obvious.” Tim stated matter-of-factly. “I was going to say actually I’d appreciate it if you did turn on a lamp or something, because—”
     You laughed, kissing him again. 
     “But seriously,” Tim continued. “You know we can’t do this.”
     “Why not?” You pouted. “If it’s what we both want.”
     “It’s not about what we want—we could be putting both of our careers in jeopardy.”
     You knew he was right. Of course he was right. 
     “But is it—what you want?” 
     “God yes,” Tim blurted, standing up, his voice strained. “It’s what I’ve wanted from the moment I started training you. Do you know how hard it’s been trying to put distance between us and deny every damn thing when all I wanted to do was—”
     He broke off, running a hand along his hair. 
     “Then do it.” Your heart pounded in your chest. “You’ll only be my TO for a few more months, we’ll just keep it a secret until then. No one has to know.”
     Tim looked at you. 
     “Ok you’re right, Bishop and Lopez will totally know something’s up,” you admitted.
     “I guess I’ll just have to transfer,” Tim joked.
     “What happened to ‘Tim Bradford finished what he starts’?” You asked.
     “Oh I intend to do just that,” Tim whispered. “Are we really thinking about doing this?”
     You thought about the consequences you could face—Tim could face—if it got out that you and your training officer were romantically involved. You knew it would be a huge risk—one that could get you cut from the program.
     You looked at Tim. He was watching you like he never wanted to let you go again. You thought about how long you’d wanted this, even if you didn’t fully know it until tonight.
     And the decision seemed clear.
     “Yeah,” you beamed. “Yeah I think we are.”
     He cupped your face in his hand, his fingers warm against the back of your neck. Your eyes closed against his touch. You felt comfort for the first time in hours.
     “You need rest,” Tim whispered and your eyes fluttered open. “As much as I’d love to do this all night.”
     You nodded, backing up towards your bed. Tim ran a hand through his hair again and then sat back down in the armchair.
    “What’re you doing?” You asked him.
    “Going to bed,” Tim answered, as if it was obvious. 
    “Get over here,” you gestured, rolling your eyes at him.
    “I was hoping you’d say that,” Tim smiled. 
     You climbed into bed beside him, pulling the covers over both of you.
     You lay your head on Bradfords chest. You could feel his heartbeat in your ear as you closed your eyes.     
    “You know, this will kind of be like doing undercover work—minus the threat of getting killed,” you said. 
     “I don’t know about that—I wouldn’t put anything past an angry Sergeant Grey.”
     “We’ll just have to be so in-character that we never find out,” you said. 
     “I’ll make sure to be extra tough on you next shift,” Tim agreed. 
     “And that’s different from any other day how?” You shot back, sitting up. 
     “Hey, training rookies is a sacred duty and I take that very seriously. If you think I’m going to throw your education out the window simply because—”
     You shut him up by pressing your lips to his. You echoed his earlier words. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
     Tim shook is head slightly, eyes roaming over your face. 
     “What?” You asked.
     “You’re so beautiful, (Y/n),” Tim breathed. “I’m so glad I can finally tell you that.”
     “Me too,” you said. “Even if it took…this for it to happen.”
     “Speaking of which, maybe I’ll take a sick day tomorrow,” Tim said. “Since there’s no way Grey—or myself—is letting you go to work. What’d you say?”
     You wanted to fight him, say you were fine and you could make it to your shift the next day. But the promise of taking a sick day with Tim was to tempting to pass up. 
     “I say I’m glad your house is being repainted,” you teased. “Because then you’ll have to stay with me.”
     Tim smiled knowingly. “My house isn’t being repainted, Boot. And I’m all yours.”
     You grinned, laying back down and resting your head back against Tim. He wrapped his arm around your shoulder.
     You felt safe, protected in his arms. 
     The rest would come. Dealing with what had happened tonight. Starting your secret relationship with Tim. Eventually facing everyone at work who had heard the news and would want to ask if you were ok. And you would be ok.
     But for now, this was enough. He was enough. 
     “Tim?” You whispered.
     “Hmm?”
     You struggled for words to fit the gravity of what you were feeling for him. “Thanks for…everything.”
     “What are TOs for,” Tim shrugged. 
     “Apparently keeping the night light business afloat.” You giggled at the look on Bradford’s face. 
     “Shut it, Boot.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ˋ°•*⁀➷ hope you enjoyed loves!! i’m so down bad for tim it’s not even funny 😵‍💫
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astrowrld300 · 7 months ago
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Astro observations
Pt 3
Leo placements are not afraid to be romantic and I love it
Even though Sagittarius placements are super optimistic, the suns are never afraid to say when they are unhappy with something. It can come off as complaining and miserable after a while
Sagittarius suns are also more prone to depression because of how optimistic they can be sometimes, so when the harsh truth of reality hits and comes crashing down on them, they can’t handle it
The non-chalant taurus sun is just an act. They feel. A lot. They’re literally just too lazy to show they care sometimes. And when they don’t care, it’s never personal, but they’re never too lazy to freak out on you for messing with one of their material things.
Venus-Neptune conjunct/trine natives are mesmerizing. They’re beauty is dreamy, ethereal and absolutely out of this world
Virgo rising women have a very distinctive, sexy walk. It’s that hip swaying, one foot in front of another momentum. Could easily be a model just from their walk alone
Virgo men are usually always short and look like nerds
Virgo women are usually on the smaller/petite side. I see most struggle to gain weight or keep it. They also might be lean their whole life.
Taurus moon is a hella underrated placement when it comes to loyalty. These babies are generally too lazy to go out of their way too cheat on you. The sneaking and lying, they don’t have the energy for all that emotionally. Would rather just stay loyal until they leave
Aries suns and cancer risings are naturally built, they don’t need to work much on their bodies to have an attractive build
Leo mars get so mad when their ego is hurt and have a huge praise kink in bed
You could have been outshined by your siblings during childhood if your moon is in Leo, or your mom could have neglected you emotionally and not given you the attention you deserve
Help why are gemini moons so good at love bombing. So are Leo placements and aries venuses but that’s because they lose interest fast. Gemini moons can literally not have any interest in you at all and still love bomb tf outta you
Cancer men are funny asf. Their humour is like a gay best friend. Libra sun men are like this as well
Libras a masculine sign but they’re so feminine and gay. Both men and women
Taurus is a feminine sign but can be so masc sometimes. It’s more in the personality for women and the physicality for men
You need to prioritize self care if you have venus in the second house
Taurus men are the chillest people yk until you start doing them how they’re really doing you
Aquarius and Leo suns have the same amount of ego because they’re sister signs. Leo just isn’t afraid to show it and it’s a little bit more of a god complex for Aquarius
Aries moons start to throw things when they’re upset
Brush your hair out during Leo full moons!
Lilith in the sixth house natives tend to struggle keeping up with daily routines. They may also fall victim to sex scandals in the work place
Libra risings have such a classy, sweet and angelic look but are literally the opposite in reality
It’s exhausting trying to get emotional depth from a gemini moon, don’t even try
2nd house moon synastry makes the house person super possessive and insecure over the moon person, constantly trying to hold them down. There’s a lot of jealousy both emotionally and physically in the relationship
Capricorn risings give of crazy office siren vibes
Libra moon women know that beauty comes from within. They also have such a good eye when it comes to aesthetics and beauty. Their sensitivity to conflict is so cute, it’s they’re need for peace and harmony that makes them so attractive
Mercury at 0 degrees natives have no idea what they actually sound like
Everyone talks about Leo and how big their egos are but no one ever talks about Libra sun men. They always think they’re the prize when dating and their egos are huge
Pisces moons really do have those big dreamy eyes. Both men and women
Mars in 7th house natives tend to direct and put alot of their energy into relationships and partnerships. It may not even be intentional, you might find relationships just tend to drain your energy more than anything else in life
Aries moons are super masculine and have such defined jaws, even more then the sun
Cancer sun women have that timeless kind of look and can pull off so many different timelines of beauty
Taurus moons have thick necks
Gemini moons all have their eyes super close together. They also don’t mean anything they say
Capricorn and taurus women are such bread winners. They truly mastered the law of money
You’ll never see it coming but Taurus men will actually play tf outta you. Any sign has the potential to, but you really don’t see it coming with taurus men
Natives with Pluto in the eighth house are really resistant to change and may struggle to let go of destructive habits
Aries venus has this huge rep for being players but they actually feel super intensely when in love. They don’t like superficial relationships and want a deep, intense connection. Maybe they should stop going for emotionally unavailable people just because they like the chase …
Virgo moons make such good gardeners, it tends to be really therapeutic for them. Doing chores around the house like washing dishes is also super emotionally therapeutic for natives with Virgo moons
Pisces and Aries moons are more likely to get addicted to substances, but for different reasons. Pisces moons use it to escape reality while Aries moons use it to numb the intensity of their emotions
Instead of drugs, 5th house moons/mars/saturn natives use the pleasure in life to cope with emotions or trauma
Earth moons are super sensitive to light and loud noises
Taurus suns take their self care so seriously. It’s like an entire ritual to them. Their whole life even
10th house venus can indicate looking better as you age
Personal Leo placements will be the type to not be interested but decided to keep you around just for the attention anyways. Especially when it’s in the venus. This goes for the men and women
Virgo risings and gemini venuses are so adaptable to the people they hang out with
Gemini moons are babies to me, they just wanna be heard
Cancer rising women always have fat asses I’m not even joking.
Aries risings, venus 10th house and cancer rising natives age so gracefully
It’s such common knowledge for Pisces moons to be lowkey drug addicts but no one ever talks about how easy it is for Virgo and Gemini moons to get addicted to substances. These moon natives are constantly in their heads and always analyzing their emotions, using drugs to shut it off
Leo mercuries talk like children when they’re excited
Having your sun at 8 degress may cause you to have an obsessive personality, especially in circumstances where your ego is involved
Suns at Virgo degrees have such small features, especially if the sun is Cancer or Aries
There’s no point on trying to hate on a Virgo moon, they hate themselves more than you ever could. And the more you try and help them with their insecurity, the more they’ll push you away. They genuinely do not believe your reassurance, they’ll ask you for it anyways though.
Leo women like to take advantage of Pisces men. I’ve seen this scenario so many times both personally and within celebrities, Leo women like the power they feel when they’re using Pisces men.
Having a Virgo moon indicates your mom was extremely nit picky with you and strict asf while you were growing up. She was a perfectionist while raising you and had higher expectations from you vs her other kids. Your mothers lowkey made you hate yourselves I’m so sorry.
Leo mercuries and mars sometimes yell when they talk and don’t even realize. Aries mercury’s know they’re yelling, they just don’t think it’s a big deal
Mars in the first house is extremely intimidating. You could be 5 foot tall and still have this scary energy.
Mars-mercury conjuct in a synastry chart is super underrated. The energy is matched so well during convos and they get each other so passionately. Things get crazy aggressive when arguments pop up though.
Scorpio suns are possessive and jealous over the people they love while taurus suns are possessive of material things and the stuff they own.
Aries mercuries will say the rudest shit to you and then say they were just being honest, but it’s true. These natives hate delusion so much and will keep you in check
Having your mercury at the 17 degrees can make you naturally dramatic when you talk or come off as louder when speaking.
Virgo 4th house natives like their home really clean
People with prominent 9th house placements value education and higher learning so much. If you want to hurt a 9th house stellium, criticize their intelligence and academic accomplishments
You can have a lot more problems with tech during mercury retrogrades when you have heavy/personal Gemini and Virgo placements.
Leo mercuries ( especially those born in the generation with Pluto in Aquarius) are you guys okay? You’ll be having one of the hardest transits for almost 20 years.
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shotoh · 2 years ago
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❝ I THINK I… ♡ ❞
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⋆ ˚。⋆୨୧˚ when they realize they’re in love with you
feat. oliver aiku, itoshi rin, nagi seishiro, isagi yoichi, itoshi sae, kunigami rensuke, mikage reo
cw + tw. fluff, some angst, fem!reader, aged-up!characters, pro-player!characters, friends to lovers + established relationships, pet names, (!!!)attempted assault (in kunigami’s scenario, but he’s obviously not the assailant), alcohol usage (in oliver’s), maximum self-indulgence
notes. jdjsjsn this is kind of all over the place but i just wanted to word dump some cute scenarios and headcanons
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OLIVER AIKU
honestly, he’d get kind of scared. and not in an appalled way like, “psh, i’m oliver aiku! i can get any woman i want so why should i only care about this one person?!”
no, it’s because he’s fully aware of his disloyal and womanizing past that he’s afraid of this. he’s afraid he’ll end up hurting you—the one person he truly cares about—and he believes you don’t deserve that.
you deserve so much better than a douchebag like him.
he keeps that growing pit of adoration to himself and carries on with his life as always, but that can only do so much when he’s so clearly infatuated with you.
the most he lets himself do is tag along on your night out at clubs. however, he doesn’t drink a lick of alcohol. he needs to be sober to take care of you in case you get too wild out there to do so yourself. while he’s there though he talks to a few of the women flocking around, entertains them a bit, maybe as a feeble attempt to get you off his mind and forget about the jealousy rooted deep inside him when too many guys check you out and ask for a dance. but nowadays, he can never find it in himself to take any of these women home. that’s how deep his affections for you have run.
at one point during the night, you approach him with one too many drinks in your system, evident by your wobbly steps and the carefree grin plastered on your face.
“oli~! why don’ yer dance wit me?!” you slur, nearly toppling in front of him if not for oliver dashing forward to stop you from falling on your face.
“i think you’ve had one too many drinks, sweetheart,” he chides. after that he’s draping his large coat over your bare shoulders and leading you back to his car to get you home, while ignoring all the pouty women on his way out.
you object to leaving at first, droning about how the night is still young, but oliver is persistent in getting you home safe and sound. eventually, you doze off in the passenger seat while he’s driving. when he parks in front of your apartment complex, he carries you all the way up to your door, fishes out your keys from your clutch, and finally gets you into bed.
he lingers a little bit longer to make sure you’re all settled and if you need his help with anything, but once the buzz in your system has fizzled and your eyes are fully lidded, oliver assumes you’re out like a light. that is, until he’s sitting at your bedside and he hears the faintest murmur from your lips.
“love you… oliver…” is what comes out in a lovely daze and he almost wants to deny he heard it for both yours and his sake, but all he can do is muster a smile, ghosting a hand along your cheek, and say while you’re blissfully unaware,
“love you too, sweetheart.”
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ITOSHI RIN
lowkey annoyed over this because instead of soccer plaguing his mind 24/7, his thoughts are now overrun by you! so he ignores the feeling, thinking it will magically go away or something. but newsflash to rin: it’s not as simple as it looks, and he ends up learning that lesson the hard way.
he spends the next week evading you—declining invites to hang out, sending half-hearted text messages, and ingraining himself in his soccer practices. unfortunately for him, his performance actually gets worse because now all those feelings he’s been bottling up inside his fragile heart are about to burst.
even shidou has been scoring more than him and rin just can’t live that down, especially when the former asks if the reason he’s been doing so poorly is because he and his “little girlfriend” broke up. which isn’t even the case since you’ve both never crossed that bridge.
poor boy goes home one day conflicted over all of this, slouched on the edge of his bed with his hands ruffled in his hair. soon he gets a text from you, which he shouldn’t be surprised by, given how he’s been treating you lately.
but then you’re asking him if he’s okay and rin is utterly taken aback because he’s been acting like such an asshole, yet you’re the one that’s still worried about his well-being.
right then and there rin has a long moment of contemplation, breathing a sigh into his hand which clasps over his mouth. he replies back with a quick apology text before telling you to meet him after his practice tomorrow. the moment he hits send, he tosses his phone on the bed, not willing to wait for that hovering gray bubble to appear on the message window.
when tomorrow arrives and practice is over, his steps are dragging along the pavement outside the training facility. he’s honestly doubting if you’ll even show up, but those qualms are immediately dashed when he sees your figure a few distances away. you’re standing there with apprehension written on your features, which morph into worry as soon as you cross eyes with him.
rin can’t even get a word in or form a coherent thought because the moment you run up to him, you’re blabbering about how he didn’t have to apologize because he was probably working so hard on soccer, chasing his dreams and the like. then, you bring up how maybe you should continue distancing yourself in order to help him focus, and god, that flicks a switch in rin’s head because that is far from what he wants.
all of a sudden, he’s silencing you as he pulls you into his chest. you find yourself buried in his jersey, confused but not drifting away, and even return the embrace when you sense him shake against you.
“fuck, no. i don’t want that all…” his voice sounds like he’s about to break as he mutters those words into your hair. his arms tighten around your shoulders as if you’ll leave him at any moment. you assure him you won’t as you nuzzle closer into his chest.
“then i’m not going anywhere, rin.”
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NAGI SEISHIRO
the thought comes upon him when he’s alone in his apartment. it’s not immediate though.
the sunlight seeping through the curtains inevitably wakes him up one very late morning. and by very late, i mean this dozy boy definitely slept in that day, if he couldn’t already tell from his digital clock reading 11am.
even though nagi is always keen on getting plenty of shut-eye, he’s constantly kept on his toes when it comes to having a productive sleep schedule. partially due to soccer practices, but also because you sometimes visit him in the mornings. so normally, he’s woken by the ruckus you’re making while cooking him breakfast in the kitchen.
but this morning it’s… silent. which in hindsight, nagi should be happy about, right? he got to sleep in, after all, and he doesn’t have practice today. what more could he want?
once he shakes off the last remnants of sleep from his body, he finally musters the strength to get out of bed and maybe start his day with something to eat. which this morning is… leftovers. specifically the leftovers from the last time you made him food—a couple days ago.
regardless, he warms them up and sits down with a plate on the table. says his appreciations for the meal and digs in. when the first bite enters his mouth, it tastes the same as when he initially had it, but there’s an empty feeling in the bottom of his stomach he can’t quite pinpoint. he scarfs down a few more spoonfuls until he grows tired of eating, resting his head on the table.
his tummy is full, yet that emptiness persists—it’s been on the forefront of his mind for several days now and it’s starting to annoy him. he can’t determine why that is and what makes those days any different from before succumbing to that void in his heart.
after all, nothings changed.
just that… you went on an overseas trip. without him.
well, it’s not like he was ever going to be invited since you’re supposed to be vacationing with your girlfriends.
ah, wait. maybe he’s just lonely.
no, that can’t be it. he hung out with reo and some of the other blue lock boys the day after you left. even a slacker like him still makes time to see his friends. so what is he missing here?
the question lingers in nagi’s noggin as he drags his fork along the remaining food stuck on his plate. at some point, his phone’s ringing breaks him from his stupor, and he’s surprised to glance over and see your caller id on the screen.
he’s not sure what comes over him, but nagi swears he’s never hit the accept button so fast in his life. immediately, he brings the phone next to his ear, and is the first one on the line to utter “hello?”
“sei, you’re awake! i’m glad i got the time zones right!” you exclaim in your cheery tone that nagi has always been accustomed to hearing in the morning. “y’see i’ve stumbled on a gift shop the other day and found a few souvenirs i’d think you’d like!”
you ramble on and on about your adventures around the country you’re visiting and nagi finds himself absorbing your voice, hanging on every word, and even nodding next to the phone like you’re right here in front of him.
suddenly, his heart feels so full and everything clicks into place again. it’s like his day never actually started until you appeared with all your mirth and energy. even on opposite sides of the earth, you’re still the sun to his moon.
“angel,” he murmurs as you’re in the middle of talking, and you’re silent after acknowledging his call, waiting on his words.
“come home soon. i miss you.”
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ISAGI YOICHI
this boy is a mess! he’s the kind of guy who as soon as those feelings start blooming in his chest, he gets super flustered around you all the time. and it’s obvious too.
before, he was super nonchalant with you. treated you like a friend, flirted without even knowing because he’s just that comfortable around you, but when any of his friends or family mention how the two seem closer than you realize, he just freezes and his mind goes blank. erupts in an embarrassing fit of sputtering and denial, face searing red down to the nape of his neck. it’s so cute.
however, he’s not fooling anybody! anyone can tell by the windblown expression on his face—starstruck eyes admiring you as a warm grin overtakes his features—that he’s absolutely smitten by you. he just needs to admit it already.
well, his next outing with you (in which he swears wasn’t actually a date, but c’mon isagi), finally gets him to come to terms with his emotions as he reminisces spending the whole day just laughing his heart out and being so full of that warmth and happiness you give him that makes him feel completely weightless. almost like he can do anything. afterward, when he gets home, he rushes upstairs and literally flails in his bed with the most insane blush on his cheeks. like wow, he’s in love with you.
isagi yoichi is in love with you.
but love to isagi is like a double-edged sword, especially to someone who just escaped that blue lock hellhole and now has to devote even more of his life to his soccer career.
with that carefree sensation comes a new box of trepidations that he’s afraid to open.
what if there comes a time when he would have to choose between you or soccer? he’s hoping that won’t ever be the case. he’d hate to struggle juggling the two and end up breaking your heart.
god, never in a million years does he want that.
the best he can do is take steps to introduce this side of his life to you. he does so in extravagant fashion, by inviting you to come watch him play during his championship game.
to say you were a little startled by his offer was an understatement, but you take him up on it, and promise you’ll be there, especially since isagi went out of his way to get you the best seats in the stadium.
on the day of his match, he’s more nervous about performing well in front of you rather than winning. winning is instinct for him so he has no doubts he’ll claim victory and take home the championship cup. he’s just eager to show you a new isagi you’ve never seen before, rather than the tongue-tied, flustered puppy isagi that’s been vying for your attention lately.
coming onto the field, his eyes are too busy swerving in the direction of where you’re seated than focus on his opponents. the moment he distinguishes your figure at the very front of the stands—draped in a jersey that reads his name—countless butterflies begin fluttering in his stomach. it’s a feeling that he can never truly convey into words.
all he does is let an elated grin spread wide on his lips, cheeks swathed in such a dainty shade of rose that has his teammates swatting the back of his head to remind him he has a very important game to win.
and oh does isagi win. during the match he scores four goals in quick succession, absolutely annihilating the other team to the point where it’s downright embarrassing for the opposing side. the commentators are completely baffled, questioning what has the player so stoked. little do they realize that each of those goals were all made in your name and isagi can’t wait to let you know that later with his championship cup in hand.
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ITOSHI SAE
sae is pretty accepting of this revelation. nothing really fazes him after all, and he recognizes that it was only a matter of time before he came to terms with the idea that he might be head over heels for you.
in fact, he takes those feelings in stride.
as if sae wasn’t already a gentleman before this, his mannerisms around you only intensify. he’s constantly holding the door open for you, pulling out your chair, giving you his jacket whenever you’re cold, and so on. you never have to lift a finger when you’re with him. it’s to the point where he’s even sweeping stray hairs off your face and tucking them behind your ear before you’re given a chance to realize they were bothering you in the first place. not a day goes by where he doesn’t place you on a pedestal and worship you in the best ways he knows how.
he’s also gotten very touchy and a tiny bit possessive (okay maybe more than a tiny bit). sae isn’t the type to initiate pda regularly, but whenever he feels threatened in any way—which is very rare but not impossible—he always has a hand on you. whether it’s on your lower back as he ushers you closer to him, or intertwining your fingers together before sending a cold, piercing glare over his shoulder at the offending party, he always makes his intentions with you known even if you yourself are oblivious of them.
it’s not like he’s controlling or obsessive either. he simply wants to make you feel special. to be frank, he’s setting such a high standard that no other man can compare to him.
on more than one occasion, he’s had to travel overseas for international business, and the first time he left the country for an extended period without you, he grew incredibly homesick. not because he particularly misses the normalcy of his life back in japan, but because it always feels a little empty, and frankly, boring without you by his side. he’s grown to appreciate the moments he shares with you, from the time he wakes up beside you to when he falls asleep while you’re in his arms.
after that, whenever he has to fly out of the country, he insists you tag along with him, and goes out of his way to pay for all your expenses—plane ticket, lodgings, everything. most of the time, you try turning down his offer, stating you don’t want to be a hindrance while he’s working. yet sae counters by saying it’ll be more trouble for him if you weren’t there with him than not, and who are you to object when he’s staring at you with such unwavering ocean eyes, looking as if you’re the whole world to him.
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KUNIGAMI RENSUKE
deep down, kunigami has always held you closely in his heart, regardless if he’s aware of the love he possesses behind it.
it’s natural for him to want to protect the people he cherishes, but with you, you activate something so visceral inside him. it scares him sometimes, how you can make his whole body rattle, blood pumping erratically to the point where all he can hear is the ringing in his ears and his heart thumping wildly out of his chest.
that’s especially the case when he receives a late night call from you while he’s settling himself at his apartment. he’s slightly surprised by the random call. you don’t normally reach out for him at this time since you’re either going to sleep or hanging out with friends in the dormant hours of the night.
accepting the call, he brings the phone to his ear.
“hello? y/n?”
“r-ren? u-um, can you please stay on the phone with me..?” you whisper in the receiver, tone quivering to a frightening degree. he hears the anxiety laced in your voice and suddenly sirens go off in his head.
“where are you?” he questions sternly as he instantly stands from his seat, reaching for his car keys.
“i just left a club and was going to walk to the station, but… s-someone’s–”
kunigami doesn’t need to hear anymore to understand the full picture that makes his bones quake for your safety as he dashes out the door.
“i’m coming to get you, so send me your location. until then, stay in an open area and don’t stop talking to me, okay?”
you affirm quietly before moving your phone from your ear to pin your location to him with trembling fingers. as you’re doing so, kunigami’s already started the ignition to his car, revving on the roads with little care of the law. he’s never driven this fast in his life, swearing he’s a defensive driver, but that means nothing to him when your safety is on the line right now.
if he grips his steering wheel any harder, it might just break off from his bare strength alone. a single glance at the map on his dash tells him he’s less than a minute away from your position. in the last stretch, he can finally spot your frightened silhouette under the dimly lit lamps.
as soon as you recognize the model of his vehicle, relief washes over your tense shoulders. you take it as your chance to escape your precarious situation, but the shady man a few meters away decides to attempt a last minute assault, dashing in your direction.
when the fiery-haired athlete sees this, his restraint all but snaps. he gets out of his car without even slamming his door shut and spontaneously reaches for you, pulling you behind his intimidating, brawny frame before punching the man square in the jaw. the assailant tumbles onto the hard ground, completely knocked out.
kunigami’s attention immediately turns to you, putting all his efforts into your well-being as he yanks you in his protective embrace. the adrenaline from both your bodies wears off and the striker can sense you bursting into tears against his chest.
“ren, i’m so sorry, i was out with friends and i thought it would okay for me to stay out later even though they wanted to leave, and-and–” your words collide with your jumbled thoughts, but the last thing kunigami wants is for you to apologize for this scumbag’s actions.
“shh, princess. it’s not your fault,” he whispers next to your ear, “fuck! if anything happened to you… i… i…” his voice breaks apart. his hold on you tightens just imagining if he was even a second late coming to your side. for now, he’s thankful to have you back safe and sound, tucking you closer to his heart.
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MIKAGE REO
when reo considers that what he was feeling might no longer be a crush, but rather actual love for you, he’s a bit doubtful. mostly because he’s approached countless girls with romantic intentions in mind, however, to his disappointment, he’ll discover that they’re mainly interested in his status instead of him as a person. his good looks and charisma are just a plus for them. therefore he’s very hesitant to fully act on these emotions, afraid to have his heart broken again.
however, he slowly starts accepting the notion that he might be wrong about you. it shows in the way you’re always asking about his life outside of him being an heir to a billion-dollar corporation. he’s stunned by how your features can glow with such intrigue whenever he speaks about his time in blue lock, leading to his journey to becoming a star player in the land of professional football. most girls he entertained would fake interest in this before quickly changing the subject.
eventually, they’ll throw themselves on him to garner his favor and try gaining access to his parents’ wealth. however, you seek greater value in sharing the same experiences with him. you take him out to watch movies, hangout at the most unique cafes, and have the time of your lives at amusement parks.
reo’s used to his dates borderline demanding him to drive them out for extensive shopping sprees or book them dinners to the most high-end restaurants in the city. it becomes exhausting when all his partner sees in him is a personal wallet for them to call on whenever they’re eyeing the newest luxury trends displayed on shop windows.
so to have a person like you by his side, who doesn’t determine his value on such materialistic facets is… refreshing… but also just as frightening because he’s afraid of losing such a precious person like you.
though it may be counterintuitive, reo means to return your kindness by spoiling you, thinking you’re someone who genuinely deserves to be dolled up and treated like royalty.
the first time reo swipes his card on a hefty purchase for you, you’re a little bit overwhelmed, going on to say he didn’t have to do all this. but the man is difficult to argue around, what with his suave words and charismatic demeanor that makes it hard for you to say no to the jewels and dresses he wants to adorn on your body.
then as if he couldn’t have pampered you anymore, he also brings up the offer for you move into his penthouse so you don’t have to worry about rent while making ends meet. of course, you bring up the case that you don’t want to rely on him for money—that you simply enjoy being with him—but reo counters with similar reasoning.
“c’mon doll, just let me do this for you,” he insists. “you’ve done so much for me already, and i just want to make sure you know how special you are to me.”
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copyright 2023 shotoh, all rights reserved. i do not allow my creations to be published or translated anywhere else so please do not repost this or share my content on tiktok.
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yourstardarling · 1 month ago
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Libra: Through The Houses
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Birth of Venus, by Sandro Botticelli (1480s)
Libra season this year, has made me realize how unbalanced and tethered Libras can be. Particularly focusing on the weather, it feels like Autumn is in this constant battle between whether it wants to be hot or cold. There isn’t a sense of choosing a side and constant inconsistency. This reminded me of the nature of Libra since it begins the fall season. The nature of not wanting to choose and trying to do both things at once. It fits the complex personality this sign embodies. Constantly tethering between decisions and trying to decide upon a single solution, while trying to maintain a sense of equilibrium. In relation to the weather, they are constantly balancing between being hot(confident, warm and loving) and cold(distant, detached and not caring). Essentially, Libras want the best of both worlds that’s all it is. They want to do both have both options, but life unfortunately pushes them to make a single decision.
Libra in our charts symbolize the area in our lives where we are constantly striving for some sort of temporary balance or stability. This often does not last long, remaining a constant balancing act between two extremes. We can either be doing really good and positive in this area of our lives, or feel disconnected and unable to form attachments. With Venusian ruling here, Libra symbolizes the compromises we make in our relationships with other people. This sign let’s go of the focus on the self (Aries) to be willing to focus on others. That is why the Sun is in fall in Libra it cannot focus on the core ego-based needs because it is worried about the needs of others. This could look like Libras worrying about the impact taking action will have on their relationships, instead of just doing it.
So overall, Libra depicts the compromises you have to make in order to maintain equilibrium. The scales symbolize fairness, but it can also lead to a bit of indecision, as they’re always weighing both options. This need for balance isn’t just about fairness. It’s about creating environments that feel beautiful and harmonious. Libra doesn’t thrive in chaotic settings; they crave a sense of peace and unity, even if they have to play the role of mediator to achieve it. If you want to find out how to create harmony within your chart looking at the house Libra sits in is a good place to start. They lowkey represent the caring for others needs (Virgo) and focusing on self preservation( Scorpio).
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Libra 1st house: These individuals are the walking scales embodying harmony and the balance nature of their sign. Their identity is strongly influenced by their relationships, often making them empathetic towards the needs of those around them. So lot of compromises are made between their needs and what other people need. Very willing to make sacrifices for the ones they love, sometimes prioritizing others instead of their own. The selfless and caring sides of these individuals often goes unnoticed. While they work hard to maintain harmony, others might misinterpret their efforts as being superficial or insecure. This is largely due to the Libra persons focus on aesthetic and beauty. They can become a magnet for gossip and conflict with the Aries opposite influence. People may have conflicting point of views about who they are. On one hand, their charm and grace makes them approachable and well liked. On the other, their push for balance is misunderstood as them being indecisive and lacking authority. Nevertheless, they still manage to thrive socially, with their natural ability to navigate social situations with poise. People often gravitate towards them for their likeable presence. There is a sense of class and elegance with Libra risings, they just exude a sense of timelessness and grace. Romantically, they find themselves in complex relationships. They may experience numerous talking stages and fleeting romantic connections. These encounters are rather quick and come with their own set of challenges. Libra Risings often try to get past these challenges by trying to find solutions with their partner. The Saturnian influence on Libra often causes their relationships to be karmic lessons that they must learn to move past. Once lessons learned, they move forward to new connections, searching for someone who matches there ideals of love and partnership. The shadow side of this placement lies in over-compromise. They must learn to assert their own needs and recognize that creating harmony doesn’t always mean sacrificing their identity. By embracing both the caring and assertive aspects of their nature, Libra Rising individuals can achieve the balance they so deeply seek.
Libra 2nd house: These individuals often face a balancing act when it comes to their finances. Compromise seems to follow them as they navigate between generosity and self-preservation. These are highly giving individuals who believe that monetary success is best shared, often using their resources to uplift and support others. They want everyone to be able to partake and share in the success. There is great value in their partnerships with other people. For these individuals, the relationships they cultivate often bring opportunities for wealth or financial growth. This makes them incredibly discerning about who they surround themselves with. Their connections are not just about emotional fulfillment. Instead, they see social wealth as a form of currency, one that enriches their lives and opens doors to abundance. These individuals are drawn to the finer things in life. There is an innate craving for beauty and quality. They often choose simplistic luxury that has a timeless essence. They deeply value elegance and refinement, but this can sometimes lead to overindulgence. A lesson for them lies in understanding that true value doesn’t always lie in material possessions, and that their worth isn’t tied to what they own. Financial ups and downs can characterize their journey. With their tendency to give generously or invest in quality over quantity, their financial situation may tether between the scales. They must learn to cultivate discipline in their spending habits, by creating boundaries with their relationships and ensuring they focus on what truly matters rather than fleeting desires. Overall, their financial life reflects their inner sense of balance. When they are aligned and intentional, their resources flow smoothly. By focusing on building a foundation of sustainable wealth they can achieve a sense of harmony.
Libra 3rd house: Mental stimulation is focused on creating peace and harmony. Their headspace remains a world focused on beauty, refinement and enjoying the pleasures of life.Communication is seen as bridge towards peace for them. They enjoy making conversation and letting their voices be heard. This makes them very charming people to be communicate with. Sometimes it might come across as them being flirtatious when they are just being kind. People they get romantically involved with need to be good conversationalist and know how to stimulate their minds. Words of affirmation is the key to these individuals hearts, they live for people telling them how lovely they are. Libra here can indicate having a harmonious relationship with your siblings if Venus is not afflicted. May have sisters or feminine siblings. When they were younger these individuals may have been seen as little diplomats who tried to find compromise between their peers at school, family members and even their parents. A big part of their mental focus is maintaining some sort of order.
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Libra 4th house: These individuals are deeply focused on the structure and harmony of their home life. While they might receive princess treatment from family members, it doesn’t mean their experience is without challenges. Beneath the surface, they face complex family challenges that require them to find ways to seek fairness and harmony. Growing up, they may have faced situations where their needs or boundaries weren’t fully respected. Often lead to them to make unfair decisions that devalued their self autonomy. This origin shapes their approach to relationships, instilling in them a deep value for commitment and balance. Romantically, they are serious and traditional. They view relationships through the lens of long-term commitment, often prioritizing marriage and deep emotional bonds. They seek a partner who shares their appreciation for loyalty and stability, someone who values love as much as they do. They find comfort in the simple pleasures of life. These are people who know how to romanticize the little things, turning everyday moments into something meaningful. Their home is often a reflection of this, as they seek to make it a true work of art. You might find their living space adorned with paintings, vintage furniture, and carefully chosen designs that exude creativity. They remind me of Charlotte from SATC. Their presence is both nurturing and aesthetically uplifting. They have a natural talent for creating environments that feel comforting and beautiful, making others feel cared for. These individuals ensure that the people they love not only look good but also experience the finer things in life.
Libra 5th house: Libra here creates for an individual who has a natural flair for charm and connection. Easily, they might become the life of the party, drawing others in with their magnetic and sociable nature. Their ability to form connections feels effortless, as people are quickly captivated by their grace, wit, and charisma. However, their charm often operates on a surface level. While they excel at making people feel seen and appreciated, their interactions can sometimes lack depth, especially when it comes to casual or fleeting relationships. This tendency can lead to misunderstandings, with others mistaking their friendly and flirtatious nature for something more intentional. A flirtatious energy seems to follow them, even when unintended. They have an air of playfulness in their romantic and social interactions, often enjoying the thrill of connection more than the commitment it might require. Early in life, they may not take romantic relationships too seriously, preferring to explore and experience the joys of love and flirtation without diving into deeper emotional waters.They can also be prone to gossip. Their love for socializing and interacting with others may occasionally lead to them engaging in or being the center of rumors. This stems from their desire to stay connected and in the loop, but it’s something they must navigate carefully to maintain harmonious relationships.Ultimately, they thrive on the joy and thrill of creativity, romance, and fun. The 5th house represents self-expression, and with Libra here, these individuals bring beauty, balance, and charm to everything they do. Their artistic nature make them stand out, whether at the club, networking events, or in their creative pursuits.
Libra 6th house: You need to fall in love with your routines. Libra in the sixth house is interesting because it brings Venusian qualities to an area of life that’s typically more about the mundane day to day routines, health, and work. Libra here needs some kind of enjoyment or beauty in their daily life in order to feel motivated. Without that, they’re likely to feel sluggish or uninspired. They crave a little pleasure in everything they do, which, if unchecked, could lead to overindulgence or imbalance in their health habits. For their physical health to be maintained, they need to find equilibrium between pleasure and practicality. They’re not likely to go overboard with extreme diets or rigorous exercise. Healthy food is fine, as long as it has flavor and tastes good. In their work environments, they tend to get along with most of their colleagues with their social charm. They seek for their environments to be a place of peace and beauty. Tend to work best in environments that are visually pleasing or involve collaboration. They may go out of their way to keep harmony in their workplace, even if it means compromising their own needs to avoid conflict. Might spend a lot of time weighing options or avoiding confrontation at work, wanting to keep the peace at all costs. This can also make it hard for them to enforce boundaries or say no, especially if they feel obligated to please and help others. This placement can also lead to perfectionism in how things look or are organized in their daily routine. They might feel uncomfortable with disorder and prefer to create an aesthetic, well-balanced space.
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Libra 7th house: Libra in the 7th house shines in the realm of relationships, where partnership and harmony take center stage. These individuals are natural peacemakers who thrive in environments that require balance and diplomacy. Whether in romantic, platonic, or business relationships, they have an innate charm that draws others to them. Romantic connections often come easily to those with this placement, as their warm and approachable demeanor makes them highly attractive. They seek relationships that are not just loving but also balanced, valuing equality and mutual respect above all. They have a deep desire to share their life with someone who complements their strengths and supports their growth. These unions can feel like a mirror, reflecting back their strengths and areas for personal development.However, their focus on partnerships can sometimes lead to challenges in maintaining their individuality. Libra in the 7th house must learn to balance their need for connection with a strong sense of self. They are naturally inclined to prioritize their partner’s needs, but they must also recognize their own worth and avoid becoming overly dependent or self-sacrificing in relationships. When they find this balance, their unions become a space of mutual empowerment. Libra here teaches the importance of collaboration and compromise. These individuals are tasked with mastering the art of giving and receiving in relationships, allowing them to grow through love and connection. Their ability to foster harmony while maintaining their individuality, creates partnerships that are fulfilling. Through these experiences, they discover the beauty of a true union built on balance and reciprocity.
Libra 8th house: In the house of death, the relationships of these individuals are put to the extremes. Often dealing with the shadow sides of love and partnership, they seek to find some senses of balance within that. They’re drawn to deep, transformative connections, and there’s an attraction to the hidden, mysterious, and even taboo aspects of life. It’s like they’re fascinated by what lies beneath the surface of relationships, wanting to uncover truths and explore the deeper bonds that aren’t just surface-level. With Venus here, there’s also a seductive charm in how they approach intimacy and shared resources. They can be very charismatic in drawing people in, but at the same time, they might struggle with boundaries in these intense connections. It can sometimes feel like they’re losing themselves in other people. This placement can also indicate an interest in financial partnerships or inheritances, based on shared resources, Libra here might feel a pull towards situations where resources are merged with others, but they’ll want fairness and balance, potentially feeling uneasy if things seem unequal or too controlling. They might even seek to find beauty in the darker, transformative experiences of life. These people are able to make things that are extreme and destructive into something beautiful. They turn darkness, into art, finding beauty in the chaos. Transformative phases in their lives is marked by seeking ways to bring back harmony in the world around them. Oftentimes, change brings an inevitable end to connections they have formed.
Libra 9th house: Love & Beauty might be something theese individuals look up as a higher power. A deep relationship with the divine may be formed through art, fashion and visual aesthetic. Libra here makes people gravitate toward beauty and balance in their worldview. They seek harmony in beliefs, often embracing diverse perspectives and aiming for a philosophy that unites rather than divides. They might be drawn to learning about cultures and belief systems that celebrate peace, art, and justice. Often taking a more diplomatic stance on global issues. These people could also be super charismatic in educational or travel settings. They have a natural charm that allows them to connect with people from all walks of life, making them great at bridging cultural gaps. They often find beauty in learning and might see philosophy as a lovely thing to learn about. The Venusian influence, can make them seek pleasurable experiences in their travels and studies, gravitating towards places or subjects that feel aesthetically pleasing. However, sometimes they can struggle with indecision when it comes to forming their own beliefs. They may find themselves trying to balance conflicting ideas, which can make them feel a bit lost or unfocused in their philosophical pursuits. Relationships to them are very important, often placed on a higher pedestal for them. It’s like they see love, beauty, and partnership as concepts that transcend the mundane and become something sacred. For them, relationships aren’t just connection, they’re profound experiences that add depth and meaning to their understanding of life. They learn a lot in their partnerships about the bigger world around them.They might find love in foreign lands. .Meeting people from diverse backgrounds and travel can feel especially thrilling and transformative for them. It’s as though they find beauty in the unfamiliar, and their charm really blossoms when they step outside their comfort zone. It’s like they embody the archetype of a cultural ambassador of love and beauty.
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Libra 10th house: Libra in the house of legacy, brings a diplomatic charm towards their public career and image. They’re very focused on maintaining a harmonious and fair reputation. Often striving to be seen as balanced, graceful, and composed in their professional life. People with this placement are likely to be natural mediators or peacemakers in the workplace. They may have a talent for smoothing over conflicts or creating a cooperative environment. Instinctively they want things to run smoothly and peacefully. In their career, they might gravitate toward roles where they can bring people together, like in law, diplomacy, design, or any field that involves aesthetics and relationships. Their public image is often that of someone who values justice, beauty, and fairness. It makes them likely to be well-liked and respected in their field. However, they might sometimes struggle with making decisive moves, especially if they fear that their choices might disrupt the balance or alienate people. They really do think about who their decisions may affect, but often boils down to what is the most fare path to take. Libra here can also lead to a strong desire to be admired for their sense of style and grace. They might put a lot of effort into presenting themselves beautifully or maintaining a refined image. Simplicity within their image is their best friend, making sure that they look very simple, but also elegant and classy. A focus on the timelessness of their appearance. Their career success often relies on how well they can navigate relationships with grace and tact.
Libra 11th house: Libra in the eleventh house brings that Venusian charm into friendships, social circles, and their ideals. People with this placement often have a real talent for making connections and harmonizing group dynamics. They can bring people together effortlessly, often acting as the glue in their friend groups because they’re naturally attuned to everyone’s needs and know how to create an inclusive, friendly vibe.In terms of friendships, they tend to seek relationships that feel balanced and fair, often avoiding groups where there’s too much conflict or imbalance. They may also be drawn to friendships that are supportive of their values around beauty, justice, and harmony. There’s often a refined quality to the way they choose friends, like they’re curating a circle that reflects their ideal of elegance & grace. They want their friendships to have a sense of mutual admiration and respect. Libra in the eleventh can also mean that they’re visionaries in terms of their hopes and dreams. They are strong advocates for social justice, making them highly aware of the social issues of the world around them. It can even lead to joining causes that fight for social change. The downside to this placement is that sometimes they might get caught up in wanting everyone to like them, which can make it hard for them to stand firm on their opinions if they feel it might disrupt the group harmony.
Libra 12th house: In the house of the subconscious, romance and beauty become something tied to the individuals soul. Libra in the 12th house creates a deeply private and introspective romantic nature. These individuals view love and relationships as sacred, preferring to keep their connections away from public scrutiny. It’s not unusual for them to reveal their romantic life only when they feel confident it aligns with their inner peace and harmony. Despite their desire for privacy, they possess a natural magnetism that draws people to them effortlessly. This charm stems from their intuitive understanding of people, allowing them to see beyond the exterior and connect to others on soulful level. However, this placement can also bring feelings of loneliness, even in committed relationships. These individuals must learn to harmonize their internal world with their external relationships. The key lies in understanding that their need for seclusion isn’t a flaw but a strength that can deepen their connections. By openly communicating their boundaries and emotional needs, they can create relationships that honor both their private nature and their longing for companionship. Learning to integrate their need for solitude with their relationships is key to finding balance and fulfillment.
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- yourStardarling
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skyenish · 2 months ago
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Mr. Loverman | Scarabia animatic 🐍☀️
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Something something happy pride month
(Ramble under the cut)
Since I’m drawing Jamil and Kalim to like every romance song in existence, of course I had to draw them to mr. Lovernan; its only natural! And this song fits them so well too… the ways that Kalim talks to Jamil are so sickenly sweet and loving, they make Jamil wish he was gone. I think it’s so perfect to have that one voiceline where Kalim says Jamil’s name, but not with his usual trust or love or kindness, but rather with disbelief, fear, and confusion. That way the song can have a double meaning for them! Kalim’s sweet words make Jamil sick, but when Jamil’s plans fell apart and Kalim called out for him, confused and refusing to believe that his closest companion would betray him, it still makes Jamil’s stomach churn. I bet that sometimes Jamil wishes Kalim could just shut up.
But Jamil still cares about Kalim, still remembers when they were friends. Their relationship is complex, and though he hates it, I think he still does love and care deeply about Kalim, but all those feelings are just in a very weird and difficult place. I absolutely adore that double meaning! The ways in which Kalim talks to Jamil makes Jamil feel a lot of things, negative, positive, and he hates it. But “wishing i were gone” and “running on and on” can apply to both his negative feelings of desperation, hatred, loathing and disgust, and also those feelings that deep inside make him wish their situations were different, that things didn’t end up like this. Jamil lies a lot, also to himself, and all his feelings are so tangled and stuck (dude is super emotionally constipated and needs therapy fr). I LOVE the character development Jamil and Kalim got in book 6 and 7, because they’re slowly making their way towards building a healthier, mutual relationship, and I’m so happy for them! I will be eagerly awaiting the day their relationship is fixed, and they’re happy with themselves, eachother, and life
As always, please remember that these are just MY interpretations of and takes on these characters! If you disagree or want to share your own interpretations, thats valid, and please do share! I love to read analysises and rambles! :)
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Drawing has been really difficult again; im busy with school and I can’t get myself motivated to draw. Social Media has also been bumming me out. I’m really sensitive, and there’s been a lot of negativity on my fyps and timelines, which has just killed my mood. Good news also though- the twst anime finally got a release date??! I have been waiting for this for YEARS, and I can’t wait to see our boys animated and for the fandom to grow and for new merch! There’ll be so much more cool fanart, new character discussions and analysises, new people who get to experience twst for the first time!
Kalim is such a cutie, he’s so fun to draw! (Until suddenly my hands decide they don’t know how to draw him anymore).
(GUYS HAVE YOU SEEN THE UPCOMING CATER CARD??? IM NOT OKAY HE LOOKS SO GOOD AFHAGSGDHJ)
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offensiunculaee · 4 days ago
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eddie finds you with a migraine and you're stubborn
eddie munson x fem!reader
cw: established relationship, a mix of angst and fluff (you just aren’t feeling well), migraines and talk of past medical experiences, there’s like a hint of a dom/sub relationship but only for a moment I swear
author's note: this is the first fic I've ever posted and it's for the migraine girlies. I have another migraine-related fic idea that I've been thinking about writing so we''ll see what happens. this fic a culmination of my personal experiences with migraines and wishing Eddie could be here and force me to take my medication when I act like I don't need it.
Thank you @munson-blurbs and @corroded-hellfire for reading it and pushing me every time I come up with an idea and yelling at me to write it, love you both <3
The sound of Eddie's boots echo through the hallways of his apartment complex as he finally arrives home from work, pulling his mittens off his hands and stuffing them in his jacket pockets. The weather this week has been horrible, the garage is freezing, and he nearly tripped over a creeper that someone left in the middle of the room. He’s pretty sure the new guy, Gunther, left it there when he went to grab some parts. Everyone in the room, including Wayne, saw the way his arms flailed and he almost fell on his face. The only thing that kept him going was knowing you would be there at home waiting for him at the end of the day. All he wanted to do right now was curl up with you on the couch under some blankets and watch some gory horror movies all night. You had mentioned trying out the new Chinese place down the road, maybe you guys could just have it delivered so neither of you need to leave the comforts of your warm home. He would have been home sooner but you needed a few things for a recipe you wanted to try soon and he offered to pick them up after work.
Eddie finally reaches the door to the apartment and fumbles with the keys, his hands still freezing despite the warm mittens he wore outside. He curses under his breath, eventually grabbing the right key amongst all the identical ones hanging on his keyring. Heaving a huge sigh of relief, Eddie finally unlocks the door and steps inside to find the apartment dark and chilly. The streetlights illuminate part of the living room through the half open blinds. A young chocolate lab runs over to greet Eddie, his nails scraping the floors as he skids across, excitedly jumping up to greet his human after being gone all day. Eddie bends down to give him some scratches and pat his pack. 
“Hey Yogi, did you keep the place safe today? You really are the best dog, aren’t you?” After about 30 seconds of roughhousing with the pup, he stands back up to flick on a light. He goes over to your small kitchen and sets down the small bag of groceries. Eddie takes his time putting everything away, humming to himself as he shelves the chicken stock and adobo. Once all the items are put away, Eddie looks around and takes in the state of the apartment.
The faint scent of a lavender candle wafting through the area and your water bottle is left on the coffee table. His jacket is hung up in the small coat closet and he unties his boots, placing them in front of one of the heat ducts and swearing he’ll put them on the shoe rack once they’re fully dry. There’s no sign of you whatsoever apart from your bottle and the blanket you usually use haphazardly draped across the edge of the couch.
The place is oddly silent for this time of day. Normally if you were home you’d have some sort of music playing, usually a playlist split between the two of you with your preferred music in it. Either that or you would have some tv show on for background noise. The space heater wasn’t on and it didn’t feel like it had been on for some time now. All the heat coming from the heat ducts was leaving through the old windows so those heaters were necessary to prevent the apartment from feeling like a walk-in freezer every winter. Eddie knew you had to be home - your bag was hanging next to your coat and you wouldn’t go anywhere without at least notifying him. He turns around back to Yogi, happily wagging his tail and looking up at him, and whispers, “Hey, where’s mom? Go find mom for me.” He motions for Yogi to go ahead and he happily obliges, trotting towards the closed bedroom door.
It’s not fully shut, open only a crack so Yogi could come inside if he so chooses. The dog sticks his nose inside to open it more and pushes through it. Eddie silently follows behind him. The room is pitch black thanks to the blackout curtains on the window, a gift from your parents when you and Eddie finally found an apartment together. Eddie then realizes what’s going on.
You had struggled with migraines for a majority of your life with them getting progressively worse and more frequent in the last three years. You’re on a few different medications now to make it more manageable but you still have your bad days, and today is looking like one of them. Frankly, he should have known this was going to happen. Bad weather was always a trigger for you and you had commented on the barometer this morning as you both were getting ready for the day. He was stupid to just brush that off as small talk while you both were still half asleep. You knew a migraine was coming. 
Eddie sees you curled up on his side of the bed with a sleep mask over your eyes. You’re grimacing under it in the fetal position and what sounds to be whimpering. Before Eddie goes inside, he tiptoes over to the light switch he just flipped and turns the lights off, the streetlights being the only thing illuminating once more. He sees some movement out of the corner of his eye coming from the bedroom and tiptoes back over to your room. Yogi is taking a step back before jumping up onto the bed, taking his usual spot curled up behind your knees with his head resting on your leg. He even lets out a little sigh when he settles into a comfortable position. Eddie steps inside the room and closes the door behind him. You pick your head up just a little bit and lift the sleep mask, wincing at the shooting pain from behind your eyes to the top of your head and call out a strained, “Ed?” 
Eddie slowly walks over to his side of the bed, trying to keep as quiet as possible so the floor would creak as little as possible. Once he’s close enough, he reaches down and cups your cheek, stroking it with his thumb and replying with a quiet, “Hey bub, how are you feeling?”
You mumble, “Not great, but you’re home now so I’m already feeling a little better.”
His hands are warm in stark contrast with the cold air circulating the apartment. You nuzzle his hand with your cheek which makes Eddie smile. Eddie moves down to kneel in front of you. You look tired, your eyes only half open with no life in them. He had seen you like this countless times before but it still hurt him every single time. Migraines sucked all the life out of you and Eddie wished he could do something to help you. There were countless times you had to cancel plans because you had a migraine attack and felt so much guilt over it, but Eddie didn’t care. He’d rather lay in bed with you until you feel better than go out and do something when you’re obviously in pain.
He remembered an attack you had last year, it left you crying and asking Eddie to take you to the hospital. You were hyperventilating and complaining that your arm had gone numb. No amount of medication was working and you couldn’t take the searing pain any longer. He had to help you out to the car, only wearing one of his worn band shirts that you stole from Eddie a long time ago and a pair of pajama shorts. You two didn’t even make it out of the apartment parking lot when the medication you took finally kicked in all at once. It was one of the scariest times of his life and he swore it would never happen again. 
Eddie nods, already going through his mental list of things that he needs to do to help you feel better, asking, “Have you taken anything today?” You shake your head no before a wave of pain hits you, causing you to shut your eyes again and bury your face in the pillow with a low pained groan. Eddie sits there, worried but also confused. Why didn’t you take anything? He got up and went over to your side of the bed to open your bedside drawer. It was split into two parts, one with the items you used before bed but the other half held all your medications, including every painkiller known to man. There was a giant unopened bottle of Excedrin, a bottle of Advil, and even the migraine medication prescribed by your doctor. You certainly weren’t low on anything. His attention is turned back to you when you roll onto your back, your migraine moving exclusively to the side of your head that was touching the pillow therefore it hurt too much to lay on your side. Unfortunately, you moving meant Yogi wasn’t able to lay on your legs anymore so he huffed and jumped off the bed.
“Sweetheart, why haven’t you taken anything?” Eddie gets onto the bed to sit down next to you, his hand going back to your face. Your eyes open once more, squinting at the minute level of light coming in from behind the curtains. You whine and answer tiredly,
“I don’t need them.”
Your boyfriend sits up, completely perplexed by your answer. Did he hear you correctly? He takes you in again, noting the noise cancelling earplugs in your ears and how much you keep clenching your jaw, something that he knows will only make the pain worse.
“Wait, what? Honey…,” Eddie stammers, wincing at the volume of his exclamation and watching you do the same. “Listen, I love you. I love you more than everything in the world, but frankly I think you look and sound like shit. You look like you’re in a lot of pain right now.” 
He watches you pout and smiles a little bit, happy to see even a small sign of life in his girlfriend again. “Wow Eddie, rude.”
“Why won’t you take the medication?” he repeats.
“I don’t need it. The pain isn’t that bad, I’ve felt worse.”
“Ok but you have the means to stop the pain NOW so why not do that? Don’t wait until you’re in agony to take something.”
Eddie doesn’t wait for a response. He gets up and leaves the room with your dog following behind like the loyal pet he is. You hear two sets of footsteps walk through the apartment and then the faint sound of running water. You assumed he just left to let you rest so you pulled the blankets up over your head to try and get to sleep. He returns again a minute later, Yogi in tow and your refilled water bottle in hand. There’s a shift in weight on the mattress, which you assume to be from Eddie, followed by Yogi  hopping onto the bed and just standing in the middle of it, as if he’s there just to watch you and make sure you do as you’re told.
Eddie slowly takes the blanket off your head and ignores your protests. He opens up the water bottle and places it on your bedside table. With his other hand he holds out a little pink pill, the medication prescribed by your doctor, as well as two Excedrin. “Cmon, take this,” he asks, moving his hand closer to you when you shake your head no, “Babe, you need to take this. Please.”
There’s no response from you this time. Eddie carefully puts the medication down on the table next to your water. He decides to make it so you can’t ignore him, pulling the covers up and climbs under them next to you. His eyes quickly adjust to the darkness and looks you right in the eye. 
“Listen, I don’t understand why you refuse to take your medication. You have a chronic condition that is easily fixed by a few little pills. Also…” Eddie leans in so your noses are practically touching, maintaining eye contact the entire time. “Think about the creator of that little pill. That nice, strong painkiller. Think about the scientists that made that little pill for you,” he says. You’re looking at him confused as he continues speaking, “Think about how sad he must be that you aren’t taking that pill. He worked so hard to make it for you and you’re being a stubborn little brat.”
You mutter, “I’m not a brat,” and try to roll over, but a hand shoots out and grabs your arm before you could fully turn away from him.
Eddie leans into your ear and you feel his curly fringe tickle your neck. His voice deepens in a way that has always made you squirm and goes, “You’re gonna be a good girl and take your medicine, okay?”
You don’t turn your back to him, but you also don’t fully turn to face him again. The only part of you that turns is your head to look back at him. He’s giving you a look that he only ever gave you in the bedroom, the look he gave you when you were pushing his buttons because you thought it was funny and knew he was going to teach you a lesson when he finally got you alone - in a consensual way, of course. He can see it in your eyes that he got you, that once his demeanor changed you would be more likely to listen to him. To ensure you would really listen to him, he moves his hand from your arm to touch your cheek again and asks, more softly this time, “Take it for me, please.”
Eddie watches you think for a second before sitting up - slowly, because you were still in pain, and takes the covers off of your head. You look over at the dog laying at the end of your bed, now asleep. Eddie takes the covers off his head and turns to the bedside table to hand you the pills and water bottle. He watches you swallow the pills and drink around half of the water in your water bottle. Eddie places his hand on your inner thigh to squeeze it and is finally smiling again. Yogi seems to sense that things are better now so he jumps off the bed and trots over to his doggy bed and lays down there. Once you’re finished with the bottle, he takes it from you and places it back on the table. He asks, “Now, was that so difficult?”
“Extremely difficult.”
“Ok, well we’re gonna stay in bed until everything kicks in. Once you’re better we can take the pup out for a quick—” Eddie leans in to mouth the word walk, so Yogi doesn’t hear him, “—and then we’ll order some take out. Sounds good to you?”
You nod silently, finally smiling at him for the first time since he got home today. He presses a light kiss to your forehead and you flinch away from him.
“Ok, yeah. Forgot to not touch your head when it hurts, sorry.”
Eddie watches you settle back down in bed and reluctantly gets out of the warm bed. The cold is seeping in through the windows and all he wants to do at that moment is just stay under the covers with you, even if it means sleeping in his clothes. You roll over to watch Eddie as he softly treads across the room to the dresser. He starts off by removing his rings one at a time to place them in a little jewelry tray, listening to each piece clink as they hit the ceramic. His hair is taken out of the bun he kept it in all day and he scratches at his head to relieve the tension from having it pulled back all day. 
His shirt comes next, pulling it over his head and revealing the skeleton wings tattooed across his back. You’re stuck there admiring the way his muscles move in the dim light. Eddie complains about how tiring it is being a mechanic but you can’t deny it’s doing wonders for his body. He used to be so lanky but now that he’s been doing this job for a while you’ve noticed how strong he has gotten.
He’s about to put his shirt in the laundry when you wolf whistle at him. Eddie whips his head around to look at you, smirking when he sees you giggling and crawling over to the other side of the bed now wrapping a blanket around yourself to keep warm. He balls his shirt up and throws it in your direction and you swat it away, making him cackle.
“Oh nothings wrong with you, you’re fine!”
You gasp at his accusation and reach down to the floor to grab the shirt so you could throw it back at him. As you’re grasping for it, there’s some shuffling and movement going on as Eddie goes back to getting changed. His work pants are thrown into the laundry basket with his underwear coming off moments later. You’re still watching him, now just admiring his body as a whole while he digs for a comfortable pair of pajama pants, eventually landing on a red pair with reindeer on them that your aunt gave him for Christmas this year. The winds outside from the storm are billowing, meaning more of the frigid outside air is leaking in through your windows. 
Instead of coming back to bed like you thought he would, Eddie leaves the bedroom and goes out to the linen closet. You have a small collection of blankets in there and he pulls out the thickest one in there. He returns seconds later and lays it out on the bed before climbing in beside you. Your eyelids are already getting heavy when he returns to you. You instinctively reach out for him and he pulls you close, allowing you to rest your head on his chest with a hand stroking your hair. You roll over a bit to bury your face in the crook of his neck, mumbling, “I’m sorry for being a brat earlier. Thank you for helping me.” He pecks your forehead again and you don’t flinch this time. 
“Don’t worry about it sweetheart, I don’t mind taking care of you. Now get some sleep, okay?”
You nod against him and Eddie notices your breathing changing a few minutes later when you finally fall asleep. It’s the first time you’ve been able to fall asleep, not that you would tell him. You didn’t want him to worry about you or become a burden, but Eddie would always be there for you if you needed him.
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scurvyboy · 8 days ago
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Not to beat a dead horse or whatever, but you don’t see fiddlestan being healthy at any point? I feel like your version of them would have most of their issues figured out by the time they’re old and stuff. Can you talk about their dynamic a bit more pretty please? (I know you just had an ask about this so sorry to keep bringing it up aha 🤪. I’m obsessed with them, and I love your art/au and want to understand them.)
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the basis of why i like the fiddlestan ship is strictly because it doesn't work and is doomed to fail. it's a relationship between two extremely damaged people that are only together for transactional reasons.
the way i see it starting: fiddleford comes back to gravity falls after being kicked out by emma may in hopes that he can patch things up with ford. he finds stan there instead and decides to help him fix the portal despite his crushing anxiety about it because he has nowhere else to go. they're both stuck alone in this situation and urges become apparent. things are awkward for a while before they start banging fuck nasty brokeback mountain style.
fiddleford wants stan because he's delusional and still in love with ford. sure he grows to appreciate differences between them and has a separate chemistry with stan, but he is also completely out of touch with reality and rebounding off of his failed marriage with a man who looks just like the one he cheated on his wife with. working on the portal triggers intense panic attacks, which makes him use the memory gun more, which makes him less and less stable.
stan is working himself to death trying to get ford back and just needs affection. the sexual aspect of their relationship helps him blow off steam, but fiddleford also treats him like a person with a brain and allows him to be emotionally vulnerable for the first time in a long while. having someone finally break down his walls is equal parts frightening and addictive for him; he wants to be loved so badly but knows deep down that fiddleford doesn't actually love him, just the person he represents. he's just second best again.
things start to fall apart when it becomes clear that fixing the portal will be impossible without the other journals. fiddleford basically gives up trying to do the work in earnest and just lives in a domestic fantasy world. stan starts to get more and more impatient about the lack of work getting done and the stress makes him a lot more irritated and volatile. the two enter a vicious cycle of violent fights and honeymoon phases until things boil over: stan confronts fiddleford about the memory gun and kicks him out after he tries to use it on him.
post break up fiddleford, now with his cult and savior complex, murder suicides the portal and their affair from both of their memories. however, stan gets his portal memories back being at the shack and goes on to do what he does in canon.
the whole relationship takes place over the course of a few weeks and is as canon compliant as i could manage. i think it's a really fun concept and i think about it all the time.
to be real, i really dislike the idea that all relationships in media have to be healthy and resolved in order to be compelling. the idea that characters NEED to end the story happy and together is just plain unrealistic. i prefer when stories go outside of the limits of "and then they got together and everything was great after that", especially if being in a relationship isn't necessary to a characters arc.
i do think that them getting together when they're older could work and be very nice. however, i also don't think it's entirely necessary, especially since i did make their relationship rotted gutted awful bad. it is cute though, they can kiss and watch tv and marry for taxt purposes i guess.
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miscellaneouzz · 2 months ago
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More Vox Machina meta time bc I feel like people do NOT talk enough about how complex Pike and Scanlan’s relationship is. First off the show is very good at steering away from the typical he’s-annoying-so-she-eventually-gives-in misogynistic approach a lot of those types of dynamics have. Like it initially comes off as just cute and flirtatious until their dynamic ironically becomes the least romantically driven of the main ships in a way that’s far more layered than I expected. It always feels like Pike’s complicated feelings come with observing Scanlan from a distance, she’ll flirt back and play along but ultimately wants to see the person he COULD be, the more sincere and earnest side to him (which can also be tied to Zerxus’ comment about her taking pride in “redeeming” her friends).
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But then from Scanlan’s perspective, becoming the person he “could” be means distancing himself from Pike completely, because he’s in love with her and in his mind he sees that as an example of him clinging to his old habits of “finding all the wrong ways” to fill his emptiness. His scene with her on the balcony felt like such a culmination of both their complicated feelings– him relying on those coping mechanisms and Pike recognizing that– and I think that’s part of why he cried and why Pike pulled away at the last second. After that scene, we pretty much see Scanlan stop pursuing romantic interest in Pike for the rest of the season, but she’s still the only person he’ll be vulnerable with.
So then comes this heartbreaking irony that Pike’s been wanting more sincerity from Scanlan for a while now, only for Scanlan finally opening up more about his feelings to include him saying things that end up hurting and pushing away Pike. Because now Scanlan being more vulnerable and sincere means finally admitting he doesn’t view Vox Machina as his “real” family and that he never thought he mattered when he was with them and I don’t think that’s something Pike was truly ready for. And in the end Scanlan is still defining his worth purely on his relationships with others– if he’s no longer pouring his identity into romance/sex, he’s gotta pour it all into his newfound parenthood. He’s still flawed and not in a way where everything just hinges on Pike to “fix” him.
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I think when it comes to the romantic relationships in the series it’s the one I’m most invested in from a character perspective. They’re the only pairing that’s yet to sincerely confess or discuss feelings for each other despite how much their relationship focuses on the need for sincerity and it’s so interesting. Like through the relationship struggles of Keyleth x Vax and Percy x Vex, we still see them be more open and upfront with both the conflicts and resolutions of their feelings for each other.
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Pike & Scanlan are the only ship we’ve seen neither for, neither a straightforward conversation on the conflict of their relationship itself nor a sincere resolution to their feelings. And I think it has a lot to do with the parallel you can make about their own crisis of identity. Their character motivations and struggles with identity are not entirely dependent on each other as Scanlan has a tumultuous relationship with parenthood and Pike with her faith yet they impact each other so deeply.
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There’s a lot more to say BUT for now… onto whatever season 4 brings for the gnomes!
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deathbyathousandspiders · 2 years ago
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hey! could you write something where tony accidentally finds out the reader, his daughter, and peter are dating? they’re both scared for his reaction but then he’s actually super cool about it :)
I LOVE STARK!READER !!
i got saucy w this one :,) my b
!!! 18+ MDNI !!!
content warnings — steamy peter make outs, light swearing, sexual content, suggestive dialogue.
✨masterlist✨.
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2.1k.
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Nothing could beat lazy Sundays at the compound. The whole team was either MIA, on a mission, or training, so every room fell still with serenity. It was the perfect time for you to stick your nose in a book, and lounge around the empty estate. Your father was off somewhere across the complex working on some gadget, which left you free to roam around wherever you wanted.
Your hair gently tickled your bare shoulders as you tied it up, laying your book face–open on the kitchen island so that you could keep reading and grab a snack. The air conditioning nipped at the skin exposed from your minimal clothing; your black–cropped tank top and favorite pair of shorts didn’t protect you from the artificial frost in the air, but it certainly helped with the heat when you stepped outside.
Just before your hands fell back to your book, arms wrapped around your waist from behind. Their shape and placement was something so familiar, the touch brought you more comfort than startle. Cedarwood and bergamot were quick to fill your nose whilst your boyfriend’s head craned into the base of your neck. His fingers locked to the belt loops of your shorts, tugging you back into him so that he could feel more of you.
“I’ve been looking for you..” His voice was throaty. Needy. The pads of his thumbs traced tiny circles into either of your hips, gently pressing further into your skin when your hand stretched up to comb through his fluffy brown curls. His affection and body heat were a welcomed company in the cold of the kitchen.
A smile found your face, even though Peter couldn’t see it from where he was. “I missed you too, baby.” Humming, your fingers scratched his scalp. “D’you know who’s here right now?” Your voice grew hushed, heart racing with the small adrenaline rush infiltrated your system.
“Your dad’s in his lab, Steve and Natasha are in the gym, and Vision’s with Wanda in the meeting room, but otherwise.. Everyone else’s out..” Peter’s voice dropped an octave as he spoke just above a whisper, his lips finding your collarbone. “Sam, Bucky, Thor..” In between each name, he placed another kiss on your neck, only inching higher. The more skin he nipped at, the more your fingers curled around his hair, curving your neck so that he had more access to you. “Bruce, Clint, Rhodey, Pepper…” His whispers sent shivers down your spine, especially as his left hand slid under the fabric of your shirt.
As Peter trailed kissed up to your jaw, a shuttered moan caught between your lips. You fought the urge to roll your hips back into his, knowing that you couldn’t finish what you were starting. If anybody found you two, your secret relationship would be out, and your dad would give you hell for it. “Peter.. We can’t…” You spoke breathlessly, tugging at his hair; it was an attempt to pull him from your body, but you didn’t try too hard.
His lips hovered over his favorite soft spot in the crevasse of your jawline, brushing his teeth along the surface of it just to rile you. It certainly didn’t help that he aimed his breathy chuckle right at it, but god did it feel good. “Why not?”
You huffed impatiently, eyes half lidded whilst your entire body anticipated the gentle brushing of his lips against your neck. His cooling fingers teased at the bottom of your left breast, testing waters you two hadn’t touched before. Sure, you’d let Peter Parker touch you like this plenty of times before, but never in the open like this. Never in the open where your secret could be outed.
“Cause I–” You felt the tug of Peter’s smirk against your skin at how worked up you were already getting. “I’m reading…” You knew that Peter was well aware of how secretive you needed to be. ‘Reading’ was merely just to give him a hard time.
He let out a quiet sigh, pressing a lingered kiss to your cheek. His thumb lightly rubbed at your rib cage beneath your shirt, but otherwise, he gave up his attempt. “You’re sure I can’t even get one kiss?” He asked, pouty even in his tone of voice.
You turned your head to look at him. Your eyes glanced at his lips just to tease him, “Over my dead body, Parker.” Your voice still sang out low, wanting nothing more than to taste him right then and there.
Peter’s face inched closer to yours, snickering quietly at your stubborn response. “Not if your dad kills me first..” He mused, voice still just as groveled as before. His lips nearly brushed against yours, but the sound of the floorboards outside of the kitchen made you both add three feet between you.
“Why would I kill you?” Your dad’s voice hummed nonchalant, as if he wasn’t interrupting such an intimate moment. He walked right through the thickening tension like it wasn’t the weight that it was. Tony’s focus seemed to be glued to his holographic wrist watch, completely oblivious to Peter’s hand slyly slipping out from under your black camisole.
You and Peter glanced at each other, astonished that he seemed so unfazed and unaware. Perhaps, your father didn’t hear as much of the conversation as you assumed he did. Maybe he truly was clueless to the blush coating your cheeks, and the timid bulge poking at the fly of Peter’s jeans.
“Uhh..” Peter lost every thought that occupied his brian. “Because I ate the last Pop Tart. I–I just figured you’d be upset.” Even he didn’t sound convinced about the excuse.
Finally, Tony looked up from his watch, eyeing you first, then Peter. This was the closest you two were to getting caught, and even though the AC was cranked fairly high, it felt like the air suddenly ran much cooler. Your heart was in your throat, easing a little when your father walked over and placed a gentle kiss on your cheek.
Tony leaned back on the kitchen island beside you, crossing his arms over his Nirvana band–tee. “Lucky for you, kid, I’ve got a whole secret stash in my lab.” He spoke with his typical Tony tone, “I’ll let you off the hook this time.”
Little did you or Peter know that your father actually heard most of your conversation. How much of it? He’d never tell you. Tony Stark knew that you and Peter had the hots for each other for a long time. He was just waiting for both of you to come clean about the relationship, or for the perfect time for him to address it. He’d known for a while, but the longer it took, the more entertaining it was to act like he was oblivious to it. Now, how he found out about the relationship, he’d never tell that to you either.
“Are you calling my daughter a liar, Rogers?” Tony asked the blonde from across the pool table, watching as the captain missed the shot with no reaction.
Steve stood upright, stepping back so that Tony had room to make his turn. “No. No, Tony.” He started, “All I’m saying is that if Peter were chivalrous, he would ask you for your permission first. That’s all.”
The topic of the evening was why you and Peter both flaked out of game night. Ever since Sam joked that you could’ve been bailing to go out together, every conversation Tony had was directed on how likely the possibility truly was.
His eyes squinted at Steve, readjusting his cue and stance in one swift movement. He knew Steve was traditional, but sometimes, Tony forgot just how traditional he really was. “They don’t need my permission. They’re teenagers.” Tony creased his hips, focusing on the pool table for a second. “Besides,” with a faint clank, Tony knocked two balls in with one hit, “Maybe she asked him out. It’s the twenty–first century.”
Steve sighed with a slight twinge of annoyance, both at Tony’s coyness and his success in their game. He leaned on his cue like a cane, watching the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist walk around the table again. “Alright, fine.” Steve huffed. “But if they are out canoodling tonight, what are you going to do about it?”
A focused glare glistened in Tony’s eyes as he bent over to take the shot. He pulled the cue back a few times, pondering on both his turn and the question. If he made this shot correctly, he could win the whole game; if you and Peter were really out on a date, what would he do?
Tony shoved the wooden rod in his hand, acing the shot just like he calculated. He subtly smirked to himself, looking back at Steve to answer his question. “I’ll find a way to give them hell for it.”
And that, he was. Ever since he caught you and Peter getting frisky on the security system later that night. That conversation happened months ago, and Tony still managed to make both of you incredibly jittery. He wasn’t entirely sure why it was such a big deal to tell him, or why you’d kept it a secret for so long, but he knew sooner than later you’d find a way to tell him.
Little did he know, Peter Parker was finding his way onto your bedroom in the thick of night after patrols.
You unlocked the door to your balcony, welcoming him in with the kiss you meant to give him hours earlier. Hungrily, your lips clasped with his, getting drunk on his taste, and lacing your fingers in his hair. “God, I missed you..” You spoke between kisses.
“Missed you too, baby..” Peter let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, finally able to relax in your presence.
Both of you took steps towards your bed, slow and steady to avoid the lack of contact. Peter’s mask was lost somewhere on your bedroom floor, and you wasted no time to press the button on his chest and strip him from the suit he’d been wearing.
Peter got to your bed first, sitting back on it and quickly helping you climb on top of him. His hands grasped every inch of you that they could — grazing your neck, squeezing at your hips, grabbing your ass, and now inching up your inner thigh as you straddled his lap. His hips arched up to meet yours, pressing up against you in a delicious way.
Tongues greeting each other, you both moaned into each other’s mouth. You couldn’t get enough of each other, and the foreplay only reminded you of how little patience you had for it. You didn’t just want Peter right now, you needed him. Inside you. The ache in your lower stomach felt throbbing, and you were confident that your arousal was already coating the fingers Peter had at your upper thigh.
Just as you both parted the kiss to catch your breath, your bedroom door abruptly opened, light invading the room. Your blood ran cold as your head snapped toward the door in time with Peter’s; you both met the casual stare of your father. Tony Stark stood in the doorframe, unfazed, in pajamas, toothbrush in his mouth.
The room fell quiet, apart from the sounds of the bristles cleaning Tony’s pearly whites, and the faint heavy breaths that you and Peter tried to catch.
Taking the toothbrush out of his mouth, Tony was the first to break the awkward, deafening, silence. “Hey, Kid.” Tony’s head nodded upwards, as though he were greeting Peter in public. Not like he was speaking nonchalantly to Peter, flushed, in boxers, sat beneath his daughter’s thighs. “Next time, can you use the front door so that I don’t have to disarm the security system?” Even if little he knew, little was still more than nothing.
Peter stared blankly at him, sure as hell that this had to be some nightmare he just hadn’t woken up from yet. He glanced at you, then swallowed the frog stuck in his throat. “Uh– uh, yep! Yeah, I–uh, I can do that!” He wasn’t sure why his voice always raised two octaves when he was nervous, but it definitely made this moment that much more amusing for Tony.
With a small smile, your dad grabbed the doorknob with his freehand. “Thanks.” He then put the toothbrush back in his mouth, slowly shutting the door. “Have fun! Use protection.” His words were muffled and spat due to having his mouth full, but he shut the door after that.
As awkward as it must’ve been for you and Peter, Tony found that moment to be as satisfying as he pictured it to be. Boy, he would give Peter the talking to of a lifetime in the morning, but it thrilled him to know that you’d found someone who made you so happy.
He didn’t see need to kill Peter either, after all.
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wisegirl25 · 2 months ago
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My favourite thing about Timebomb is that it’s not just childhood best friends to lovers or enemies to lovers but it’s BOTH.
It’s my favourite tropes combined
And not only that, but Jinx and Ekko’s characters are so complex that their relationship can’t even be properly defined through tropes because yeah, those tropes are there, but beyond that Ekko and Jinx, their lives are so intertwined, that in the end, there’s kind of this feeling that they would’ve always made it back to each other in my mind 
It’s the kind of love they have for each other that not only canonically transcends universes and dimensions, but there is also the sense of forgiveness, especially on Ekkos side like “you could do anything and I would still love you” and I think episode seven highlights this where Ekko is kind of reminded why he loved Powder in the first place, but also how similar Powder and Jinx really are
Another thing that always kind of gets me about them is that they just know each other. Even after all those years of being apart. They know the other person. They know their wants, their desires, their character, and essentially the most basic parts of each other’s souls that could not be changed, no matter what, because even after all that time apart, it doesn’t erase the history they have together or the future that they want to have together and that’s really beautiful. They’re just Ekko and Jinx.
Anyways, thank you for coming to my TED talk  
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theunsinkableship1 · 16 days ago
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The Italian Egnima
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👆You see that GIF? I’m looking for the original video with audio, it exists, but for some reason, it seems impossible to find these days 👀. If anyone has it, I’d be incredibly grateful!.
⚠️This is a Lukolaship safe zone. Do not read if you do not ship.
What exactly happened in Italy? It feels like a puzzle wrapped in laughter, innuendo, and shared glances that tell a story no one else can fully decode. From the palpable tension to the playful interviews, some answers that sounded different than usual and way too personal, and moments of pointed humor, there was an unshakable energy in the air, a dynamic that seemed to transcend mere promotion.
It wasn’t just the typical camaraderie of co-stars on a press tour; it was something more nuanced, more layered. The way they interacted left us with more questions than answers.
Here's a quick recap if you haven't seen it👇
Let's just stop at this particular interview where they seemed to have resolved "the issue of the day"👇
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Some points I wanted to highlight:
1-Mixed Messages
Nicola’s reaction excitedly flipping between “love” and “friendzone” before delivering a pointed comment and tapping Luke with the paddle could suggest this was an inside joke between the two of them. The pointed look at Luke and her playful scolding may imply she’s referencing something specific in their dynamic or past interactions, perhaps teasing him about mixed signals he’s given in the past. Luke’s awkward laugh and downward glance could indicate he knows exactly what she’s referring to but chooses not to elaborate.The way Nicola emphasizes "mixed messages" while directly looking at Luke could hint at real-life ambiguity in their relationship. The concept of mixed signals especially in the context of love versus friendship could resonate with them on a personal level. Her exasperated look at the camera might even be a subtle acknowledgment of the ongoing fan speculation, as if to say, "See what I have to deal with?" On a deeper level, Nicola’s pointed reaction might hint at some real frustration about their dynamic being misinterpreted or perhaps not being clear even between them. Her air of exasperation could signify a sense of “we should be past this” or “why is this still unclear?” It’s possible she’s venting, albeit playfully, about something only they understand.
2-Best Friend
Luke’s pointed and sarcastic emphasis on "best friend," combined with his earlier gesture, suggests he might be addressing an unspoken tension between himself and Nicola. By explicitly stating that a best friend talking about someone they’re interested in doesn’t mean anything deeper, he might be playfully pushing back against the narrative that their interactions are anything more than platonic. His sarcasm, the direct look at Nicola, and her seemingly caught-off-guard reaction could also indicate that there’s an underlying complexity to their relationship. Nicola’s playful recovery by mouthing “I’m in love with you” adds a layer of ambiguity was she deflecting, teasing, or leaning into the tension for comedic effect?Luke’s interruption and sarcastic tone could be seen as him taking control of the narrative in that moment, possibly out of a desire to clarify or intentionally muddy their dynamic. Nicola’s momentary surprise and subsequent joking response might reflect an attempt to recalibrate and keep the tone light.The mutual awkwardness afterward, with neither of them meeting the camera, suggests they’re both aware of how their exchange could be interpreted.
3-Don't call me BRO, MATE OR PAL.
Nicola’s strong and emphatic reaction, paired with the direct look at Luke, feels personal rather than hypothetical. Her statement, "If you're trying to kiss me on the mouth, don't call me bro," delivered so firmly, comes across as more than just a general rule it feels pointed. The way she shakes the paddle, as though driving home the message specifically to Luke, adds to this impression. If we consider their dynamic, this might not be just a random joke. It could hint at an inside joke or even a moment of past awkwardness between them, where casual language clashed with deeper undertones in their relationship. Luke’s nervous laughter and "guilty" expression speak volumes. It’s almost as if he’s recalling a specific instance perhaps a time when he did call her something like "mate" or "bro" in a moment that didn’t align with the undertones of their connection. His reaction feels less like he’s laughing at the general idea and more like he’s laughing at himself, as though Nicola’s comment struck a nerve.His concluding “You’ve been warned” adds a playful acknowledgment that he understands the gravity of her rule but also feels like a lighthearted way to deflect any lingering tension. Nicola’s firm delivery and Luke’s laughter suggest a familiarity with the scenario she’s describing, possibly drawn from their real-life rapport. If their dynamic has ever ventured into the ambiguous territory of platonic vs. something more, this could be a subtle nod to the complexities of that relationship.
There is so much in those interviews...
What are your interpretations? I'm curious.
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luna-azzurra · 4 months ago
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do you have any advice for writing a love confession without making it grossly cheesy or awkward?
im writing one between long time childhood best friends that are EXTREMELY close and im so stuck
Since these two characters have been best friends for a long time, the confession should feel like it’s built off their history together. Maybe start with a memory that’s meaningful to both of them. It doesn’t have to be a huge, dramatic moment, something small but personal, like a time they supported each other or a running joke they’ve had forever.
For example, one of them could say something like
“Remember that time we got caught in the rain walking home from school, and you made up that ridiculous song to keep me from freaking out? I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately… and I realized that’s when I first started seeing you differently.”
When people confess their feelings, especially in a real and vulnerable way, it’s usually not in flowery language. If you try to make it too poetic or dramatic, it might feel forced. Instead, keep it honest and straightforward. They don’t need to say “I’ve loved you all along” in some grand, movie-like way. Let the confession come out more naturally, almost like they’ve been fighting it for a while and finally just have to get it off their chest.
You could have them say
“I don’t really know how to say this, and it might sound weird… but somewhere along the way, I started seeing you as more than just my best friend.”
There’s no way for this kind of confession to be totally smooth, and honestly, that’s what makes it feel more authentic. They’ve been best friends forever, so there’s going to be nerves, maybe some hesitation or stumbling over words. Lean into that awkwardness, it actually makes the moment more relatable and shows how important it is to them.
Maybe one of them starts talking, realizes they’re rambling, and tries to correct themselves. Like
“Okay, wait, that sounded dumb, let me start over. What I’m trying to say is… you mean a lot to me, more than I’ve probably ever said out loud, and it’s kind of terrifying because I don’t want to mess things up between us. But I’ve gotta be honest, this is how I feel.” The vulnerability in admitting they’re scared to ruin the friendship makes it more heartfelt and real.
This is probably the most important part! These two aren’t just falling for each other out of nowhere, they’ve built this strong, deep friendship over the years. So the confession should acknowledge how much that means to them. Make it clear that the romantic feelings don’t take away from their friendship but add to it.
You could have one of them say something like
“You’ve always been the person I turn to for everything, and that’s not gonna change, no matter what. But lately, I’ve been feeling something more, and I can’t keep pretending it’s not there. I just hope it doesn’t mess things up between us.” This way, they’re emphasizing that the friendship is still the foundation of everything, but they can’t ignore the fact that it’s evolving into something deeper.
Overall, just make sure it feels true to the characters and their relationship. Don’t feel like you have to tie it up neatly with a perfect line or a romantic kiss right away. The beauty of this kind of love confession is that it’s messy and emotional, and it should reflect the complexity of their relationship. They don’t need to have all the answers right away. Let the moment be about the honesty and the fact that they’re finally admitting something that’s been building for a while.
Maybe end with something like
“I don’t know where this goes from here, but I had to tell you. You’re too important to me to keep pretending like I don’t feel this way.” This leaves room for both characters to process what’s happening without forcing a big romantic resolution right away. It’s more about them taking that first step into new territory, which feels more genuine and in line with the close friendship they’ve had for so long.
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hp-hcs · 11 months ago
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teenage dirtbag — yandere! asshole! theodore nott x obsessed! gn! reader x barely mentioned! enzo berkshire
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requested
y’all be writing some long ass requests, so i’m posting this without the ask ✌️🥲
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
“He’s not a slut!”
“Yeah, well, you only think that ‘cause you want him to sleep with you.”
You scoffed and rolled your eyes. “I’m not just in it for the sex, dipshit.”
Harry snorted. “You’re also not not in it for the sex.”
“Are you calling me a slut now?” You asked, pressing a hand against your chest in mock-offense. “I thought we were friends, you two-faced bitch.”
“Anyways, my point being,” Ron interrupted. “He’s a violent manwhore druggie with a superiority complex and daddy issues. He’s a serial cheater, a Slytherin, and a literal Death Eater, Y/n.”
You nodded in acknowledgment as you thought about the very valid points he brought up. “Yeah, but he’s hot.”
“I swear to Merlin, Y/n-”
~~~
“‘…I think you’re really cute and funny, and-’”
“What are you idiots doing?”
“You’ve got a secret admirer, Notty-boy,” Mattheo snorted, waving the letter he was holding.
“‘Secret’.” Draco mumbled, putting the word in air quotes.
The rest of the boys crowded around Mattheo, snickering as they read the love letter over his shoulder.
“You’ve even got flowers, Theo,” Blaise pretended to swoon. “How romantic!”
“L/n’s fuckin’…obsessed, man,” Mattheo shook his head in disbelief as he looked up from skimming the letter in order to point to the small pile of Valentine’s Day gifts that had been left on Theo’s bed.
Theodore groaned. “Salazar- I just don’t understand how they don’t get that I’m not into them.”
“Problems in your love life there, Nott?” Draco teased.
“They’re just so…clingy. And obnoxious. Constantly following me around ‘n shit.”
“Yes, having someone who’s head over heels in love with you must be so difficult,” Enzo deadpans. “However do you manage to survive?”
“Oh, shut up,” Theo scoffed.
~~~
“Here comes your worshipper, Nott,” Malfoy snickers, surreptitiously pointing towards you, who was making a beeline over to the Slytherin table.
“My- ah, shit.”
Theo frowned in annoyance as his friends burst into raucous laughter.
“Hi, Nott!” You greeted cheerily, a light blush on your face. “I was wondering if you’d like to go down to Hogsmeade to get a butterbeer with me?”
He scoffed, rolling his eyes at your feeble attempts at flirting. It was common knowledge that Theodore Nott didn’t do committed relationships, so why were you still trying?
“No.”
Your face fell. “Oh. Alright, then.”
Enzo glanced over.
“Next weekend maybe?” You tried again hesitantly.
“Merlin- You’re pathetic, L/n,” Theodore finally snapped. “How about you go get a life of your own instead of trying so hard to be in mine?”
You flinched back, your eyes widening, before you turned on your heel and left the Great Hall without another word.
~~~
“Oh- L/n’s here, Theo,” Mattheo snickered, watching you walk over to the Slytherins’ studying area in the library.
Theodore rolled his eyes, preparing for another barrage of mushy gushy romance bullshit. But you merely stepped around his chair with a murmured excuse me and continued down the row.
He watched, startled, as you stopped behind the study area’s couch and draped your arms over Berkshire’s shoulders.
Theo blinked.
Enzo, not even flinching or getting distracted by your sudden presence, just grinned to himself and clasped a hand around both of yours, his thumb rubbing small circles into the join between your wrist and palm as he continued his discussion with Blaise.
Theodore felt sick.
Then he heard you laugh at something Enzo said, and that’s what made him completely lose it.
He fumed. How dare Berkshire even look at you, let alone touch you? Berkshire didn’t deserve you. Who the fuck did he think he was?
You were his.
And Theodore would be damned if he was going to let Berkshire steal you away from him.
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mysterycitrus · 8 months ago
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This is so stupid but I was wondering if you might have any Dick and Roy meta? I've always loved your meta posts about the relationships between the Fab Five and different characters and lately, I've been seeing a lot of those posts where people splice certain comic pannels with poems/sayings/inspirational quotes and things that match and I've been wanting to have more in-depth ideas of the relationship between Dick and Roy because they're just so interesting but I don't have the brains to come up with anything myself
when i think about dick grayson and roy harper i think about the trope king + lionheart — a burdened hero, and their loyal protector — and how they switch roles with each other. like two standout dickroy books are probably old friends, new enemies and outsiders (2003), and while they’re both initiated with roy reaching out to dick for help, his motivations are very different. i think that dynamic, and how they don’t fit solely into one role, is part of why i enjoy reading about them so much.
in old friends, roy is the king — he’s trying to track down chesire and find lian, and isn’t initially honest about his intentions. he’s struggling with his decisions, and his faith in himself. dick acts as the moral support, his backup, and also calls him out on his actions.
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but their relationship is still loving. there’s a solid foundation of trust that makes dick want to support roy and protect his daughter, to the point that he and jade nguyen show a (very) begrudging respect to each other.
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in outsiders, dick is the king — donna has just died, bludhaven is going to shit, and roy knows that he’s spiralling. roy is the solid support who convinces dick to lead a new team because he knows dick hurts himself through isolation. they’re both grieving donna and the loss of their team, but roy forces dick to reconnect again. he forces dick to care.
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despite being the leader of the outsiders, dick is uncompromising in his loyalty in roy. he tells people to leave if they don’t accept roy’s authority in the team. after roy is shot, dick takes the same action as roy in the first issue — he brute forces his way into getting roy out of the spiral. he holds a gun to roy’s head and tells him to take it.
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im a huge sucker for friends to lovers, but what i really love is two competent people with absolute faith in each other. i dislike the idea that bat-characters are like….. absurdly op and everyone is just in awe of them all the time, but dick’s reputation means that trusting someone the way he trusts roy is important. he watched his teammates die, he watched his sister die to save his life, and he still trusts roy to be there. roy historically has a bit of an inferiority complex about working with dick, but dick does not reciprocate. dick knows roy will be there when it counts.
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there’s a particular kind of love that comes from mourning the same person during one of the worst times of your life.
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the fact that the early tragedies in their lives are so similar, that they lost family and an idea of place at similar ages, were mentored by mortal men who wanted to do good, but still ended up so close but so different is really really interesting to me. u get to outsiders, and they really know each other in a really intense way.
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truly like…. i would fall on ur sword because i trust u not to land the killing blow. to finish — something something gay people
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rileyslibrary · 1 year ago
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Hello! I just wanted to say that your fics have such a distinct feel that it makes it feel like a cinematic masterpiece so moving as each sentence is full of detail and care it’s INSANE
Could you do one where the 141 as a whole are able to go on leave for a few months but reader doesn’t really have a place to go? Like due to thier participation in the military their family has essentially cut contact with them and the military has been a placeholder for their home-life—how would Ghost react?
Once again I love your works and hope you have an amazing day ‼️
The Log Cabin: Pack Light
A/N: Hi, anon! Thank you for your kind words. Here’s the story; enjoy! :)
———————————————————————
You’re at the base’s garage, squatting on the roof of a battle-worn 1994 Land Rover Wolf, welding a rack that had been blown apart during your last mission. It’s quite admirable how these vehicles can withstand anything coming their way and still stand strong after so many years.
How long are you going to stay strong? The sparks dance around you as you manipulate the welding torch, wishing there was a similar way to mend your scars and those you’ve hurt in the past with your decisions.
But these things are far more complex than welding metal; you can’t mend fractured relationships with mere tools. It takes understanding and empathy—qualities that seem foreign to those once close to you.
Or maybe they’re right, and you’re unworthy of their forgiveness…
You close the oxygen and fuel torch valves, lift your welding mask, and wait for the molten metal to cool. You assess the seams and sigh; it needs more work. You put the welding mask back on, reignite the torch, and continue.
As the heat emanates from the torch, glowing around your gloved hands, it suddenly flickers and sputters before its flame eventually dies out. Baffled, you lift the torch in your hands and shake it. You turn towards the valve, only to see Ghost standing beside it, holding the handle. He’s dressed in civilian clothes, though he still wears his mask and carries a rucksack over his shoulder.
“I was calling out for you, but you couldn’t hear me over the...” he trails off, pointing at the torch.
“I’m sorry, Lieutenant,” you say through the mask, “this thing is a pain to fix.”
Ghost looks at the rack, then back at you. “Does it need to be fixed now?” He asks.
“It does.” You insist, not wanting to disclose the actual reason.
“Liar.”
Your eyebrows shoot up from behind the welding mask. “Excuse me?”
“You expect me to believe that while the rest of the team is on leave and doesn’t require that vehicle, you absolutely need to fix it.” He says.
You look at the torch and then back at him. “I must do it so it’s ready when you guys return.”
“When you guys return.” He repeats. “So, you’re not leaving.”
You forcefully turn to face him. “I am leaving.” You assert.
“Oh yeah?” He provokes you. “Where are you going?”
“None of your business, Lt.”
“See?” He says and lifts both hands, “You’re lying.”
You lower your head and throw the torch onto the roof. “What do you want me to say, huh?” You murmur, “What?”
“The truth,” he replies, “and take that bloody mask off while you’re at it.”
“Why should I take it off?” You sneer and point at his mask. “You wear yours all the time.”
“You can see my eyes, though, can’t you?” He explains and points to his face. He gestures with his head towards you. “Let me see yours,” he commands.
You roll your eyes and lift the mask. He removes his balaclava in return.
“What’s wrong, Y/N?” He asks. “What exactly are you trying to fix?”
‘My relationship with my family,’ you think to yourself and feel your face getting warmer than before when the wielding flames were burning around you.
He stands there with one thumb tucked under the rucksack’s strip. He’s waiting for an answer—a proper, truthful answer.
“This is my home.” You whisper, shrugging and lowering your head.
“What about your family?” He asks, and you shake your head, tears start filling your eyes.
“Any friends?” He asks again, this time softer.
You give him another negative shake of the head, which causes the tears to run down your face. You quickly wipe your cheeks with your gloves.
He removes his rucksack from his shoulder, drops it to the ground and puts his hands on his waist.
“Have you tried talking to them?” He asks.
“I did,” you reply, “but they don’t want anything to do with me. I disgust them, and I’m not proud either...”
“Nobody’s proud.” He admits and puts one hand on the roof’s rack, “But somebody has to do what we do.”
You sniff and rub your nose. “See? That’s why I’m here, fixing that damn rack; somebody has to do it.” You explain. “I don’t have a choice.”
“Not necessarily.” He shrugs. “Not all of us will go see family or friends; Price is travelling to the Caribbean alone as we speak, and I’m off to Scotland.”
“With Soap?”
“Fuck no!” He yells, and a chuckle escapes his lips. “He has no idea I’m going there.”
Your lips curl up, and he returns your smile. He knocks on the vehicle’s roof twice and opens his mouth to say something, but he hesitates and stops. You decide to break the silence.
“Thank you for listening to me.” You whisper.
He bites his bottom lip and pats the roof once more.
“Wanna come with me?” He asks.
Your face warms up again but for a whole different reason.
“T-to Scotland?!” You ask, surprised.
Ghost scratches his cheek and nods. “Yeah,” he replies, “it’s a small cabin in the woods—it has a single bed, an outdoor toilet, and we’ll have to hunt for food. But it has a beautiful pond for swimming and plenty of hiking trails.”
“Wow, wow, wow, one bed?!” You shout, throwing your hands up, “That’s a bit too forward, don’t you think, Lt.?”
“Come on!” He smirks, “As if we haven’t experienced that before. We’ll make it work.”
You look at him, and he returns your gaze. You’re grateful for his offer, but doubt still lingers.
“Thank you, Lt.,” you reply, “but I need to finish that rack.”
“Bollocks!” He shouts and smiles. “How long will it take you?”
“That’s not what I mean-”
“How long?” He repeats.
“Simon..”
He drops the smile and looks you straight in the eyes.
“I’m serious,” he whispers.
“You’re just offering out of pity.” You speculate, and he throws his head up, letting out a sharp chuckle.
“Very bold of you to think I’d invite you out of mere pity.” He says. “I thought you also had plans; that’s why I didn’t offer before. I’m doing it because I found the opportunity.”
You look at him, contemplating his words, then shake your head.
“Thanks,” you say, “maybe next time.”
He picks up his rucksack and begins walking towards the garage’s exit.
“We’re leaving in an hour!” he shouts as he walks towards the door.
“Ghost! “
“Pack light!”
———————————————————————
Part 2 this way ->
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