#any of them betray a small amount of affection | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

soursherbat · 2 months ago

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LAMB X BISHOP MASTERPOST YEAAAA!!!

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this genuinely took me so long but i needed to explore my ship dynamics with ramzi and his bishops! more details under the cut if you want to know more- warning this post is LONG!!!:

[edit: i was obviously rlly sleep deprived while writing this so im editing it for better readability, including using more consistent pronouns for everyone bc reading it back this post. was very hard to parse 💀]

in order, just adding notes and addendums :3c im super sleep deprived so im trying my best but i need to yap about them

ramzi's pronouns are it/he/they!

narinder;

initially a very slow burn relationship, this sheet shows them at their peak. it takes a very long time for the lamb to forgive narinder, and vice versa, but once they're over their differences they're committed.

notes;

he/they for narinder :3c he's bisexual with a preference for masc presenting people! (using he/him for this post)

prefers to be the big spoon but will allow ramzi to take that spot if it really insists on it

reaallly loves to wear the lamb's fleeces and cloaks (the only clothing of theirs that will fit him) but is too proud to directly ask for them

narinder really does not like most people- the only ones he usually socializes with are ramzi and his siblings, possibly a follower he can tolerate for a few minutes. if ramzi is talking to others while narinder is shadowing him he tends to just flick his tail and sulk quietly until his lamb gives him attention again

narinder isn't great with words, he prefers to show ramzi his love with physical affection (in private) and acts of service, while ramzi is more than willing to shower narinder with loving words and acts of devotion

ramzi refuses to confess its feelings to narinder first, full stop. narinder waits and waits, but eventually gives in and tells ramzi how he feels first- ramzi is still feeling bitter and betrayed by narinder, not appreciating them snatching it from its peaceful death to be a tool in his games. they're both incredibly conflicted, it takes a long while for them to work their differences out. its not something that can be solved with a single conversation, but eventually they come to terms with everything that's happened and make amends

ramzi wouldn't actually squash the bug- it'd prefer to just grab it and take it out of whatever space its invaded, narinder will just smack it and be done with it

im just applying the driving one if i ever make a modern au lmfao

narinder cannot cook to save his damn life after being locked up for so long- ramzi had to learn quickly being raised by ratau, i'll be real i dont think that rat knows how to cook

that prickly cat would prefer not to show his love for the lamb in public, but he might sneak a kiss while no one is looking... ramzi however doesn't care, though it does like to fluster narinder a little by flirting while others are around

these two would kill for each other, narinder is practically begging the lamb to let him do so actually- nari is described as the lamb's shadow (affectionately) by most because of how often he's seen just following it around the cult. god help you if you confess your love to the lamb while he's around- though ramzi does get pretty jealous if it sees anyone making eyes at his special kitty...

nari is 4,000 years old virgin to me lmao. ramzi has had a few relationships before narinder, it actually marries shamura before nari- they're not beating the toxic yaoi allegations any time soon they were still battling their resentment around that time

i'll touch on the spicier dynamics in a dedicated post sometime >:3c that'll apply to the rest too-

i wouldn't describe narinder as being awkward, but moreso stoic and lost really. he's also just incredibly pissed off with ramzi, feeling robbed of his rightful status as a god and feeling jealous of everything its built for itself in such a small amount of time- later on he's more flustered than nervous or awkward because that damned lamb wont stop flirting with him

gods help you if narinder even sees you making eyes at the lamb. he's incredibly possessive over his former vessel, its perceived rejection of him made something in him snap and they want to possess it, even if he knows that's not exactly plausible... he's normal, i swear (<-lying) ramzi returns some of that energy, it really does not like followers flirting with its favorite cat- i'll be the first to admit that they've got some toxic codependency going on

leshy;

leshy uses any pronouns! he really just don't care that much, same with his sexuality (using he/him for simplicity for this post)

these two fight over who gets to be the big spoon, since they're nearly even in height (leshy tries to argue his branches make him taller) it makes it easier for them to trade big/little spoon positions- but theyre so competitive they end up wrestling over it

leshy can't even see the clothes he's wearing, but he likes the idea of ramzi matching with him, even if he won't directly admit that

ramzi is rarely called by name when leshy is around, it's always 'lambzi', 'lamby', 'cottonball', or any other seemingly sarcastic pet name he can come up with for it- meanwhile ramzi often calls him 'wiggler' or 'wormy'

compared to leshy, ramzi is a little less outgoing. leshy loves to be the center of attention, he loves to pull pranks and cause mischief whenever he can.

ramzi's quick to let leshy know he is loved through any means, though surprisingly leshy is a bit more inconspicuous about showing his affections for his lamb through old traditions it clearly has no clue about but leshy gets a bit of joy watching its confusion (shamura tells it later-)

these two have a pretty easygoing relationship, at first leshy is upset about his lost godhood but he quickly begins to like staying with the lamb when he learns how accommodating and, frankly, extremely chaotic it is- they get along very well and have a teasing, poking and earnestly soft relationship rather early on. leshy admits his feelings first, mainly getting fed up that ramzi hasnt confessed that it obviously likes him by that point

neither of them mind bugs, leshy actually likes them quite a bit. they'd prefer to catch and release rather than smash them

the poor worm is blind of course he cant cook!! he might be able to if he really focused on building muscle memory and focusing his senses but he's honestly just too lazy to bother, heket's cooking is better anyway

leshy doesn't care if anyone is looking, he loves his lamb! he gets a little embarrassed when they know its siblings are around, but she does get a kick out of knowing he's making narinder jealous

ramzi would lay down his life for his precious chaotic grub, it knows leshy is more than capable but it can't help but worry sometimes- leshy knows ramzi can handle itself so he's pretty relaxed about everything, unless ramzi comes home particularly hurt

i like to think leshy was a bachelor in his time... why not?? he's the bishop of chaos, im sure he's started a love triangle intentionally to watch them fight over him- ramzi however is a little less experienced in romance

leshy has not an ounce of awkwardness in his body, ramzi's a little awkward when he says something particularly unhinged but otherwise they match each other's freak a little too well

leshy would never admit to ramzi that the smell of anyone else stuck to his wool makes leshy a little jealous... another reason he likes to lend his clothes to ramzi, really-

heket;

she/they/he for heket, she's bisexual with a preference toward women (using she/her for simplicity on this post)

heket is the big spoon, no questions asked. she loves to cradle that lamb in her arms and it is NOT one to complain about that

heket doesnt lend out her clothes very often, but she likes to see how baggy they are on ramzi- she quite likes seeing it wake up wearing her shirts...

ramzi is incredibly formal with heket, usually referring to her by name or some honorific to show its respect (something she appreciates greatly)- meanwhile heket is always referring to the lamb by anything but its name, really

heket's level of social battery depends on the day, some days she would prefer not to speak to anyone, others she's more outgoing

heket shows her affection by making sure ramzi isn't overworking itself, making sure it's eating and sleeping- she knows it can care for itself, but she just wants to protect her lamb.

there's absolutely no way heket would swallow her pride and confess her brewing feelings for ramzi, she waits very patiently for it to finally get its nerve up and admit that it wants to pursue a relationship with her- after (mostly) healing her throat, she doesn't feel so lonely in the cult once her voice returns and she begins to feel conflicted about ramzi... she wants to hate him, but it's doing everything they can to help her siblings and she can't help but respect and admire it for that, she would admit that she would never consider it if she was still a god-

heket thinks bugs are cute, she'll either catch and release them or keep them in a little container for a bit (she's never beating the weird little sister allegations to me)

ramzi's cooking definitely is not as good as heket's, if it cooks a meal the whole cult is asking when it's heket's turn next LMAO-

PDA ruins heket's cool and stoic exterior in her eyes, though she can't just say that to the lamb- she'll gladly give it a hug or a kiss when nobody's looking, though

honestly, ramzi is just protective over all of the bishops. it feels terribly for killing them repeatedly and making them suffer in purgatory, and it never wants to see them suffer again- heket knows the lamb is strong, she's seen it with her own eyes. that doesn't stop her from worrying for it a little when it leaves on a crusade, however...

heket has some relationship experience, though its been a WHILE- forneus and ramzi are her most recent romantic endeavors and she's incredibly awkward about both of them

heket is insanely awkward, she tries to maintain a cool exterior but it's so hard when that damned lamb is so cute and that sweet cat mom is so kind and shaped- whats a woman to do in her situation??

she can get a little bit jealous if her buttons are pushed on the wrong day, but other than that ramzi and heket have a pretty open relationship

kallamar;

any pronouns for kallamar! though he/she are most preferred, she's very lax about his gender and loves to experiment (using he/she interchangeably, lamb is referred to by it/its for simplicity)

despite being nearly a full foot and a half taller than ramzi, kallamar loves to be its little spoon! he feels so safe in his lamb's embrace, she would never leave if it was possible

none of her clothes would fit the lamb, but he does have clothing made for it often! he'll be damned if he lets ramzi walk around looking anything less than presentable, even if its naked it must be TASTEFULLY naked- (though his definition of what that means is a bit nebulous. ramzi's convinced he just wants to ogle)

they love to make up pet names for each other, 'mari' and 'kallie' are ramzi's favorites to use for its precious husband. kallamar is particularly fond of calling ramzi his puppy, often flustering it-

kallamar is a YAPPER and she will not shut up about how much he loves her lamb! ramzi doesn't mind it, but she's often talking so much that it can't properly find the words to express it back- so it gives gifts often, knowing how much its wife loves to adorn himself in jewelry and silks!

ramzi is actually a little bit intimidated by kallamar's experience in love and how pretty he is, kallamar ends up making a very dramatic love confession in front of everyone, totally flustering ramzi (though it has to admit it really loves the dedication!)

he is TERRIFIED of bugs kallamar will shriek so loudly if she finds even a small beetle anywhere near her living space- ramzi often finds itself catching the little bugs while kallie screams bloody murder in the corner

kallamar absolutely can cook but he doesn't want the responsibility of cooking entire meals for the whole cult so she intentionally cooks like shit to avoid it- ramzi catches onto that pretty quickly though

these two need to get a ROOM the confessional is NOT to be used in that way!!!

kallamar's overprotective attitude mainly comes from a place of not wanting the lamb's image to be ruined, he'll tend to its makeup and wardrobe, even helping to enforce loyalty amongst its flock to keep its image pristine- and kallamar is just an easy bullying target, ramzi is Very quick to put an end to that!

kallamar is absolutely more experienced than ramzi, though he's no less dedicated to it. it makes their relationship very calm, there's very little tension between them!

ramzi is very awkward around kallamar at first, he's pretty indignant and a bit cruel to it during the first few weeks- once ramzi begins offering him gifts and praise she warms up rather quickly, however. ramzi's disarmingly cute appearance and dirty mouth tends to make kallamar a nervous mess sometimes, though...

there's not a single ounce of jealousy between these two 🧍‍♂️ they both understand that they're dedicated to one another, and can dedicate themselves to others without compromising their bond

shamura;

they/it for mura! i feel that they enjoy experimenting with their clothing in relation to their gender, but they prefer neutral pronouns (using they/them for mura and he/him for ramzi for readability)

these two take turns on who gets to be the big spoon, though usually shamura claims that spot

shamura loves to weave clothes for ramzi! they enjoy seeing his face light up when they incorporate designs ramzi has shown them that sheep often wore, wanting to keep that memory alive for him

they're pretty formal at first, but the two of them can't help but call each other by loving nicknames once they've become comfortable with each other- ramzi often calls shamura 'softie' or 'dearest'

shamura prefers to keep to themself, though they've grown rather attached to webber. they've basically adopted the little creature, that's their son...

once clarity has returned to shamura through ramzi's healing, they have a better grasp on their words- but they still struggle to word their feelings a lot of the time. they try their best, but they find it easier to give gifts or show their affections with physical intimacy when words fail them

shamura is incredibly paranoid and wary of ramzi's presence when they're first indoctrinated, until they finally break bread and reach an understanding, shamura doesn't even consider the lamb could feel anything but hatred and resentment toward them. they assume that he wants revenge, but learns that he just wants to help them- it takes a bit longer for the fear to truly leave shamura, but when they never feel that dagger in their back, they begin to soften he clearly isnt lying to them, he's helped all of their siblings become as happy as he can- and he asks nothing in return of them? it feels too good to be true, but they can't help but trust him eventually ramzi confesses first, and is initially (softly) rejected... but theyre not entirely opposed! mainly conflicted, for a while-

they both love bugs, obviously- though sometimes ramzi gets bitten while trying to show shamura the little spiders he's captured

shamura likes to cook but they prefer liquid only foods- it's not horrible, but sometimes they want more variety

shamura is a bit shy about their relationship with the lamb, they're the least experienced with this sort of thing out of all of the bishops- war and reason have no room for love and compassion, after all. they're learning, with ramzi's help

if someone even LOOKS at ramzi the wrong way, shamura is the first to come to the lamb's defense. both a form of devotion, claiming ramzi as their charge they'd guard with their life, and a form of facing their grief- they'd ended ramzi's life once, they don't want to see it hurt anymore

these two match each other's freak so well its scary- you dont wanna see what happens in the mating tent when these two are in there!!

after shamura's initial wariness and shortness with ramzi fades, they become incredibly shy and awkward- they don't know how to navigate all these new feelings, and they don't really know who to turn to for advice

shamura is very possessive of their lamb- they were the first to be wed by him, after all- not to mention i personally think them being a spider influences this quite a bit,

WOAW THATS IT!!! holy shit thats a lot of text.... anyway if u have any questions abt any of them or want more clarification feel free to send me asks i love to yap abt them all <3

oh boy im not looking forward to putting all the tags on this

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elladreams · 5 months ago

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Echoes of the Past // MV1

summary: An unexpected reunion with her high school bully reignites old wounds and unresolved feelings.

trigger warnings: she/her Y/N, mentions of bullying, smut (18+), dom!max, dub!con if you squint, size kink.

words: 5.4K

The warm Mediterranean sun cast a golden glow on the elegant terrace of La Villa Belle Époque, overlooking the turquoise waters of the Côte d'Azur. Y/N took a sip of a Mimosa, her eyes casually scanning the crowd of impeccably dressed guests. Her breath hitched when her gaze unexpectedly landed on a face she had desperately hoped to forget—Max fucking Verstappen.

The shock of seeing him for the first time since high school sent a jolt through her. Y/N had spent countless nights imagining this moment, rehearsing every possible scenario, crafting a mental script to prepare herself. Despite her preparations, now, standing on the brink of reality, she realized that no amount of overthinking could have braced her for the adrenaline surging through her veins. Years of therapy and thousands of Euros spent had not insulated her from the impact of his presence; she was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack. That’s how much control he still had over her.

She hadn’t exactly been hiding under a rock these past years. His achievements were plastered all over the news, his smug face beamed from towering billboards and shop windows. No matter how many social media accounts she blocked, the gossip, the paparazzi photos—they always found a way to haunt her feed. Somehow, she had meticulously crafted a filtered reality where he didn’t exist in any way, shape, or form.

She had worked tirelessly to erase that part of her teenage years, especially the memories of a particularly cruel boy who had tormented her during the most awkward phase of her life. Every day, he seemed to find new ways to humiliate her—cutting remarks about her appearance, mocking her every move, and ensuring she felt small whenever he was around. It was as if he took pleasure in targeting her insecurities, knowing exactly where to strike to leave lasting scars.

Yet, despite the cruelty, her heart betrayed her; she couldn't help but admire him from afar, drawn to the charm he effortlessly wielded over everyone but her. The worst part was the way her love for him only deepened the pain, turning every insult into a twisted reminder of the affection she would never receive from him.

With him spending most of his time training and competing in Formula 3 races, school started offering her sweet relief from his torment. So imagine her shock when he showed up at the annual summer camp—a place she had always considered her safe haven, where she hoped to blend in and finally focus on building her social life. But even there, he found her, and the teasing that haunted her school days followed her to what was supposed to be her escape.

They were paired together during a hike that led them deep into the woods. She had been quiet the whole time, trying to keep her distance, while he alternated between mocking her and ignoring her altogether. As the sun began to set and the group started heading back to camp, they somehow got separated from the others. It was just the two of them, walking through the trees, the air thick with the sounds of nature and an awkward silence between them.

She was nervous, her heart pounding for reasons she wanted to ignore. Then, out of nowhere, he stopped and turned to her, a strange look in his eyes. Before she could ask what he was doing, he stepped closer, his usual smirk replaced by something darker, more serious. She froze as he reached out, his hand brushing her arm, and without warning, he leaned in and slammed his lips to hers. It wasn’t the kiss she had dreamed of—it was quick, almost rough, and utterly unexpected. It felt more like a challenge than a romantic moment, like he was proving something to himself or to her. The kiss left her reeling, not because it was sweet or tender, but because it was him. The boy she had secretly loved, the same boy who had made her life a nightmare, had just stolen her first kiss in the middle of the woods, with no one around to witness it.

For a brief moment, time seemed to stop. Her lips tingled, her mind racing to make sense of what had just happened. But then he pulled back, his familiar smirk returning as if the kiss had meant nothing to him, just another way to mess with her head. He didn’t say anything, just turned and continued walking back to camp as if nothing had happened, leaving her standing there, stunned and conflicted. She touched her lips, feeling a mix of emotions she couldn’t untangle—anger, confusion, and a tiny, treacherous part of her that had wanted it to mean something more. But it didn’t. To him, it was just another game, another way to keep her under his thumb. And as she followed him back to camp, the weight of that realisation crushed the small spark of hope she hadn’t even known she’d been carrying. She had planned to confront him that very next day, the very day he announced he would be leaving school and joining a Formula 1 team.

Now here she was, dressed in her Sunday best, at this pretentious brunch party with a breathtaking view of the Côte d'Azur, clutching a second Mimosa like a lifeline. She silently hoped that drinking it on an empty stomach might actually give her the liquid courage she desperately needed. But there he was, the life of the fucking party, as always. His dark blonde hair, tousled by the August morning breeze, framed a face that could have belonged to a golden age movie star than an elite Formula 1 champion. His tall, lean frame, clad in a loose linen shirt, towered over an older woman he appeared deeply engaged with in conversation. His crystal blue eyes intermittently scanned the crowd, as he took measured sips from what seemed to be some type of hard liquor on the rocks. The casual yet precise movements gave him an air of effortless control, as if he was both part of the scene and aloof from it, surveying his surroundings with a detached curiosity.

In a surge of raw panic, Y/N quickly turned on her heel, praying he hadn’t caught sight of her. There was still time to slip away, unseen, and pretend everything was fine. But she hadn't shown up just for the free drinks or the minuscule hors d’oeuvres. No, she was here because her darling mother—currently nowhere in sight—had insisted on some quality mother-daughter time, lamenting how rare it was these days.

She downed the rest of her drink and placed the empty glass on a nearby server’s tray with a silent thanks. She needed to leave—now. As she fumbled with her phone, hastily typing an excuse to send her mother, a voice calling her name stopped her cold. A low voice that haunted her nightmares while simultaneously lingering in her darkest fantasies.

“Y/N?”

Her chance to escape had slammed shut, and all the carefully crafted scenarios she had rehearsed now seemed like distant, fleeting thoughts, slipping further and further from her grasp. Panic threatened to take hold, but she knew she couldn’t afford to unravel—not here, not now. She needed to get her shit together, swallow the rising lump in her throat, and face the situation head-on. It was time to end this—no more running, no more letting him hold power over her. She had come too far, fought too hard to let the past cripple her again. This time, she would be the one in control.

A surprising wave of calm washed over her as she turned to face him, her chin lifted just enough to meet his gaze head-on. "Max." She offered a small, composed smile, hoping it would mask the lingering adrenaline still buzzing at the tips of her fingers. "What a surprise." Her words carried a faint hint of irony, as she couldn’t help but acknowledge the bitter truth—this wasn’t exactly the kind of surprise she had been hoping for. Still, she held her ground, determined not to let him see the turmoil beneath her calm exterior.

"I could say the same," he replied, his voice dripping with a casual arrogance that hadn't faded over the years. His gaze lingered on her, drifting from her slightly parted lips down to the silk dress that clung to her curves in a way that made his mouth dry. He took a step closer, his eyes darkening with a mixture of intrigue and something more primal. "It's been a while. What, pray tell, brings you here?"

She couldn’t suppress the small laugh that bubbled up, partly from nerves, partly from the absurdity of the situation. Grateful for the distraction, she reached for another Mimosa from a passing tray and brought it to her lips, the cool liquid a welcome relief to her parched throat. "It certainly has been quite a while," she said, nodding more to herself than to him, her gaze drifting away as she feigned interest in the stunning view. Anything to avoid the intensity of his stare. She could feel the weight of his presence beside her, and it took every ounce of effort not to let her emotions spill over. But as much as she tried to appear unaffected, the memories of their past tangled with the present, leaving her struggling to maintain her composure.

"Well, aside from the fact that I live here," she replied, her tone crisp, "I’m meeting someone." She took another sip of her Mimosa, using the glass as a shield. "What about you? Don’t you have a crash to cause or a penalty to collect? It is Sunday, last I checked." Her words were laced with a biting sarcasm that she hoped would keep him at a distance, but beneath the surface, her annoyance was bubbling dangerously close to boiling over.

She forced herself to maintain a calm exterior, trying to disguise just how much his presence unsettled her. Every carefully chosen word, every measured breath, was an attempt to keep him from seeing the effect he still had on her. She couldn’t afford to let him know that after all these years, he could still rattle her with just a glance. So she stood there, chin up, desperately clinging to her composure, even as her heart hammered in her chest.

He seemed taken aback by her sharp retort, letting out an actual laugh that filled the air with a mix of surprise and nostalgia. "Look at her, she's finally grown a spine," he remarked, his tone laced with both amusement and a hint of respect. "It is a Sunday, but it’s also summer break, schat. Thanks for keeping tabs tho.” he said, his voice smooth and self-assured as he took a step closer to her, closing the distance between them to almost nothing. The intimate proximity left little room for anything else, certainly not for any proverbial Jesus.

"We need to have a few words, Y/N; in private," he continued, nodding subtly toward an upper deck that appeared to be secluded from the rest of the party. His eyes locked on hers, attempting to read her reaction, to gauge her willingness—or lack thereof.

Y/N felt a chill at his suggestion, despite the warm air. She eyed the upper deck warily, her mind racing with possibilities. His broad shoulders and large hands, which seemed capable of overpowering her without much effort, loomed in her mind. Though she was by no means petite, next to him, she felt alarmingly vulnerable—as if he could easily overpower her if he chose to.

Her voice, when she finally spoke, carried a blend of wariness and mock amusement. “Really, Max, if you think for a second I'm going to follow you anywhere secluded, you might be more delusional than I remembered." Her words were sharp, intended to push back against his presumption, to remind him that she wasn't the same person he used to bully.

Max's smile didn't waver, but she noticed a flicker of something else—was it annoyance?—flash through his eyes. "Come, Y/N" he insisted, his tone softening. "A few minutes, that's all I'm asking.”

Y/N hesitated, her resolve flickering as curiosity pricked at her defences. What could he possibly have to say that couldn’t be discussed right here, surrounded by the safety of the crowd? Despite her reservations, a part of her needed to know. She nodded, whispering a quiet approval, her voice barely audible over the buzz of conversation around them.

He responded by reaching out and gently grasping her arm, his grip firm yet surprisingly tender. He guided her through the throng of partygoers, leading her up the stairs to the secluded upper deck. As he manoeuvred them through the crowd, his touch—a mixture of control and care—tugged unexpectedly at her heartstrings. It resurrected a swarm of emotions she had diligently worked to suppress, the memories of their past interactions mingling with a confusing sense of present vulnerability and an inexplicable hint of safety. The duality of her feelings, the blend of old fears and an emerging trust, left her both anxious and strangely anticipatory as they ascended to the quiet of the upper deck.

He set his drink down on a railing overlooking the Mediterranean and ran his fingers through his tousled hair, drawing a deep breath. Surprisingly, he seemed just as nervous as she was—a stark contrast to the unflappable demeanour he usually displayed. Hell, he drove at impossible speeds, there’s no way a conversation with little old her would even raise his heart beat.

“I spent a lot of time thinking about what I would say to you if we ever met again,” she confessed. He sighed, turning to face her with an expression that was difficult to read, his eyes holding a mix of anticipation and caution.

“And what did you prepare for today?” he asked, his voice steady. He downed the remaining liquor in his glass, the ice clinking sharply against the sides as he set it back with a slight thud.

A wry smile flickered across her lips. “I seem to suffer from a sudden case of amnesia,” she quipped, her tone light but her eyes serious. She placed her glass next to his, the gentle clink echoing their earlier years of discord. “It was something along the lines of: You made a good part of high school hell for me, I’ve talked about you in therapy, and you had no right to steal my first kiss...and so on.” Her voice trailed off, but her stance was firm, her words laying bare the wounds that still lingered from their past.

He seemed aware that he owed her several apologies—aware but clearly not pleased about it. Yet, the mention of that stolen kiss visibly shook him. His hands gripped the rail, knuckles whitening as if he needed the support to stand. “You never deserved the way I treated you,” he said, his voice laced with an angry edge, more at himself than at her. “That was a different person back then, someone I can't bring myself to be proud of.”

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. Max paused, taking a deep breath as he continued, struggling to articulate his remorse. “I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on those days, trying to understand why I acted the way I did and how I could have been so cruel.” His gaze met hers, earnest and searching.

Max leaned closer, his voice dropping to a huskier tone, charged with a mix of regret and unresolved tension. "You know, it was always your reactions and banter that captivated me," he murmured, his eyes locked on hers, searching. "That curiosity, that fire—I found it irresistible. My father would've had a fit if he knew. He wanted me completely focused on racing, living and breathing every turn of the circuits.” She could feel his whiskey laced breath on her face as he grabbed a lock of her hair and started playing with it mindlessly.

He paused, his gaze intensifying. "So, I hid behind teasing, masked my true feelings with taunts. It was the only way I could interact with you without crossing the line I was supposed to keep. But every jibe was just a poor substitute for what I really wanted to say." He moved a step closer, his presence overwhelming. "I regret that—more than you know.”

Each word Max spoke seemed to weave around her, slowly turning up her internal heat despite the cool, refreshing breeze off the sea. He was close enough now that she could catch the scent of his skin—a complex fragrance that mingled the fresh, salty air with the rich undertones of spiced woods and amber. The aroma enveloped her, drawing her in, stirring a mix of memories and desires. It was as if the subtle layers of his scent were designed to beckon her closer, awakening a longing she thought she had long buried. As she breathed him in, the proximity made her heart beat faster, her thoughts tangled between the past pain and a present, pulsing attraction.

She was the one who slammed their lips together this time, champagne mixing with whiskey in a tango only they could dance. His hand traveled from the delicate edge of her hair to the back of her head, gripping a fistful and drawing her even closer. The intensity of his hold only deepened their kiss, pulling them into a moment that felt both reckless and inevitable.

She was completely and utterly lost as he devoured her mouth with a passion that she never thought possible. He forcefully nibbled at her lips, the pressure of his tongue dancing against her own ripping gasps from her throat. His hands where everywhere and yet not where she desperately needed them as her own trembling fingers were weaving through his hair. When he came up for air he rested his forehead against her own breathing heavily. His expression was reminiscent of Cabanel’s Fallen Angel, both tormented by the impact of their own choices.

“Tell me to stop.” He ordered as he cupped her face, his forehead never leaving her own. If someone had told her early this morning that she would soon be on the verge of dry humping her high school bully, she would have slapped said someone across the face. Yet here she was, gasping for air and shaking her head because words were just not compatible with the her level of arousal.

“Please don’t.” were the only words that she could muster out and it was all the confirmation he needed to fully ravage her. Their mouths resumed their favorite dance as Max’s hands started travelling south cupping her breasts through her silk dress, her nipples so hard he could see them through her bra. She couldn’t help but moan in his mouth. Everything was so intense with him, he knew just how much pressure to apply to dance on the edge of pain and ecstasy.

His hands continued their journey finally reaching her heat, making her sigh with pleasure. Her dress was bunched up at her hips now, leaving her legs exposed to his hungry gaze. He traced his fingers down her thigh, slowly, deliberately, as if trying to memorize every curve. As he reached the sensitive spot behind her knee, she let out a gasp, the sensation sending shivers through her body. His touch was electrifying, awakening parts of her she didn't even know existed.

He smirked as his fingers trailed higher, inching closer to her core, never taking her eyes off of her face. She trembled in anticipation, eager for his touch. But instead, his fingers suddenly stopped, lingering just a few centimeters from her center.

His voice was husky, his breath warm against her ear. "Are you sure you want this?"

She could feel her face flush, her body aching for him. "Yes."

"Beg me."

Her eyes widened, surprised by his boldness. "What?"

He chuckled softly, his hand still resting on her inner thigh, just inches from her core. "You heard me." His gaze locked onto hers, a mix of mischief and desire. "I want you to beg me."

His words sent a jolt of arousal through her, her pulse quickening. She had never felt so exposed, so vulnerable. But despite her embarrassment, the desire burning within her was undeniable. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, before speaking again.

"Please," she whispered, her voice shaking slightly. "I want you, Max"

His eyes flashed with satisfaction, his lips curling into a smirk. "That's my good girl."

With that, he finally gave her what she craved, his fingers sliding over her underwear. She moaned as he stroked her, her body responding eagerly to his touch. His other hand moved to her breast, squeezing it through her dress, and she arched into his palm, desperate for more contact. Without a warning he grabbed her drenched panties, sliding them down her legs. She could have sworn she saw him shove them in his back pocket but with all the dopamine and anticipation, she was simply an unreliable narrator.

Max gathered her in his arms leading them to an alcove where a table sat, patiently waiting for them. She could feel the cool marble on her thighs as he lifted her to sit, spreading her legs and kneeling before her. There was something so primal about the sight of him, her high school tormentor, on his knees before her.

Her legs parted and he took a moment to appreciate the view, making her squirm under his ravenous gaze. She was already so wet and he slid his finger inside her, groaning in satisfaction at the feel of her incredibly tight walls around him. She bit back a whimper, her body aching for more. He added another finger trying to prepare her for him, curling them just right and eliciting a string of whimpers and moans from her.

"Fuck, you're so tight," he groaned, his voice husky with lust. She needed more, her hips bucking against his hand. She could feel her orgasm building, her breath coming in short gasps. But just as she was about to fall over the edge, he withdrew his fingers, leaving her aching and unsatisfied.

He looked up at her with a devilish grin, his eyes dark with desire. "I'm not done with you yet."

Her breath caught in her throat as he spread her legs wider, his mouth moving to her entrance. She let out a gasp as his tongue flicked across her clit, sending sparks of pleasure through her body. His fingers joined his mouth, teasing her, exploring her. She was completely at his mercy, her body writhing with pleasure.

"You taste so fucking good," he growled, his voice thick with desire as he was mercilessly lapping at her, drinking her nectar like the sweetest ambrosia.

The sensations were overwhelming, her body overwhelmed with pleasure. She could feel herself teetering on the edge, her orgasm imminent. And just when she thought she couldn't take any more, he curled his fingers inside her, hitting the perfect spot, and she came undone.

"Max!" she cried out, her body shuddering with pleasure. He worked her through her orgasm, his tongue and fingers bringing her to new heights of ecstasy. It was like nothing she had ever experienced, the aftershocks rippling through her body, leaving her spent and trembling as tears of pleasure started streaming from her eyes.

He stood, his erection prominent against his pants. He pulled her to him, his mouth crashing down on hers. She could taste herself on his lips, a hint of sweetness mixed with his own unique flavour. It was intoxicating, and she melted into his embrace, her body still tingling from her climax. He took a second to lick her salty tears, as if the very taste of them was an aphrodisiac. She couldn't believe what had just happened, her mind still reeling from the intensity of the experience. But as she gazed up at him, his eyes dark with desire, she knew there was no turning back.

He was everywhere, surrounding her, his presence overwhelming her senses. She could feel the hard planes of his body against hers, the heat of his skin burning through the thin fabric of her dress. She clung to him, her hands exploring his back, his muscles taut beneath her touch.

As the initial rush of pleasure began to subside, Y/N realized the gravity of what they had done. This wasn't some random hook-up—this was Max, the boy who had once made her life hell. The man she was supposed to hate. The man who, despite everything, she had never been able to fully get over.

She could feel the walls she had carefully built up over the years starting to crumble, the floodgates opening and unleashing a torrent of emotions she had worked so hard to keep at bay. She tried to push him away, to regain some semblance of control, but his grip on her was too strong.

"Let me go," she protested, her voice shaky and uneven.

"Not a chance," he growled, his lips trailing along the side of her neck, his stubble rough against her skin.

"You don't get to walk away this time."

He lifted her up, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist. She could feel his erection pressing against her core, his hands gripping her thighs. He carried her to the nearest wall, her back taking the brunt of the impact. His mouth was on hers again, his kiss rough and demanding, stealing the air from her lungs. She was drowning in him, the feel of his body pressed against hers, the taste of him on her lips. It was intoxicating, addicting, and she knew she was lost.

"This is wrong," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"So fucking right," he countered, his mouth claiming hers once more.

She could feel his hard clothed erection rubbing against her bare cunt, she was probably dripping all over his pants. It was the hottest thing she had ever experienced. He ground his hips into her, his covered length sliding between her folds. The friction was incredible, and she let out a soft moan, her body responding to his touch.

"Do you feel what you do to me?" he murmured, his voice husky with desire. "I've wanted this for so long, dreamed of it."

His words sent a thrill through her, a rush of adrenaline mingling with the pleasure coursing through her veins. He freed himself from his pants, eliciting a gasp of surprise from her. In truth, she had limited sexual experience, but nothing could have prepared her for his size. She had to remind herself to breathe as he positioned himself at her entrance, his tip sliding between her folds, teasing her.

"Fuck," he groaned, his hands gripping her thighs so hard they would certainly leave marks. He probably read her fear in the expression, "I'll take you slow in the beginning" he said, his voice low and gravelly.

He pushed inside her, his girth stretching her, filling her. The sensation was almost too much to bear, and she buried her face in his neck, her fingers digging into his back. The stretch was unlike anything she's ever felt before, but the pleasure was equally intense. Her body began to relax, the pain starting to give way to pure intense ecstasy.

With another push he was fully seated inside her. He paused, letting her fully adjust to his size. "Breathe through it." he instructed as he stroked the back of her head.

She followed his command, inhaling deeply, and the sharp burn began to fade, replaced by an overwhelming sense of fullness. It was like nothing she had ever felt before, the pleasure almost too intense to handle.

"So fucking tight," he groaned, his voice strained. "So perfect."

"I can't," she whimpered, her body trembling, on the edge of collapse.

"Yes, you can," he growled, his grip on her thighs tightening. "You were made for me."

He began to move, at first his thrusts slow and deep, each one sending a jolt of pleasure through her. He raised her head from the crook of his neck to gaze into her eyes, finding a slow rhythm, their bodies moving in sync, their breathing ragged and heavy.

Her body responded to his, hips rocking against his, her nails digging into his back. She was lost in the moment, the sensations overwhelming her, her body consumed by the pleasure of his touch.

As their pace increased, her thoughts began to melt away, her body giving in to the pure instinctual urge. His thrusts became harder, more urgent, and her climax was building, the pleasure mounting with each stroke.

She was so close, the pressure coiling deep inside her. But before she could reach her peak, he suddenly stopped, his breath ragged, his expression almost pained.

"Why?" she gasped, her body aching for release.

"Not yet," he replied, his voice strained. "I want to make this last."

He lowered her to the floor, his length sliding out of her, the loss of contact leaving her feeling empty and unsatisfied. Before she could protest, he turned her around, her palms resting on the marble table as he bent her over.

His fingers dug into her hips as he thrust into her from behind, the new angle allowing him to go even deeper.

"Fuck Max, you're going to break me." she whimpered, her voice shaking with pleasure.

"Oh, I intend to," he growled, his pace increasing, each stroke sending waves of ecstasy through her.

She could feel her orgasm building, the pleasure rising with every thrust. She was on the edge, her body teetering on the verge of release. He reached around and his fingers found her clit, stroking her, the added stimulation sending her over the edge. She cried out, her body tensing as her orgasm tore through her, the pleasure crashing over her like a wave.

He wasn't far behind, his hips slamming into hers as he chased his own release. His fingers dug into her skin, his movements frantic, the sounds of their bodies coming together mingling with their ragged breaths. "Where do you want me?" he grunted, his voice strained, the effort to maintain his composure clear.

"Inside me, please" she gasped, her body still trembling from her orgasm.

He thrust deep, burying himself in her, and she could feel him pulse inside her as he came, his release mingling with hers. He collapsed against her, his chest pressed against her back, his weight a welcome comfort. They stayed like that for a moment, their bodies entwined, the euphoria of their climax lingering.

Eventually, he pulled out of her, his grip on her hips easing, his fingertips grazing her skin as if he was reluctant to let her go. Reality once again came crashing down. She was a mess, her dress bunched up at her hips, her legs still quivering, the evidence of their pleasure trickling down her thighs.

She turned to face him, the afterglow of their coupling slowly fading. Her mother was probably downstairs looking for her, there was no way she could meet her in her current state. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze, the intensity of his blue eyes too much to handle.

"I need to leave," she said, her voice quiet as she tried to tame her hair with her fingers.

He reached out and cupped her face, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze.

"Let me take you home," he said, his voice soft. "I know another way out. You don't have to face anyone right now."

Her mind raced with a thousand questions, but before she could speak, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

"Trust me, Y/N."

And against all reason, she did.

#max verstappen #f1 #f1 imagine #f1 x reader #f1 smut #max verstappen x reader #max verstappen x you #max verstappen smut #f1 x you #formula 1 #f1 fic #max verstappen fanfic #f1 x female reader #f1 x y/n #red bull racing #red bull f1 #verstappen reader #verstappen smut

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whateverloomis · 7 months ago

Text

🩸Red🩸 >> Poly!Ghost face x Killer!Reader || Scream 1996

Part 2 >> Part 3

About: While the Casey Becker and Steve Orth killings were taking place, a third kill happened as well... Billy Loomis and Stu Macher can't risk having someone else around that could ruin their goal of killing Sidney Prescott. What happens when all 3 killers get a little bit too close?

Warnings: Eventual SMUT, cheating, making out, smoking (weed,) reader is AFAB, reader is a killer, reader is short, reader is alt and has tattoos + piercings, Randy is a bitch (lol,) revised June'24

Reader: They/them pronouns that are highlighted in bold so it's easy to identify | AFAB

Word count: 2k

Narrator:

While the Casey Becker and Steve Orth killings were taking place, a third kill happened as well...

YN and Katherine had been friends since grade school and later on Casey joined, forming a tight 3 friend group. They'd go out together every weekend, sleep over and talk about their crushes.

When Casey started dating Steve she became distant from YN and Katherine which elicited some tension between the three. Everything felt fake. From conversations to hanging out.

As the months went by, Katherine started to distance herself from YN without any indication of anything happening between the two. It affected YN emotionally. The loneliness grew as the days went by and YN kept repeating conversation after conversation mentally to figure out what went wrong with Katherine. Then, she stopped communicating with YN completely.

One night YN went shopping alone to clear their head and walk around without the risk of encountering anyone from campus, since the students usually went to the town mall during the day.

They walked along one of the strips of the mall that lead to one of the courtyards where people would sit and relax while being under the clear night sky.

YN bought their favorite drink as a treat and walked along the sidewalk, looking for a nice spot to sit and enjoy their own company.

When YN finally found a spot, they heard a familiar laughter. It was Katherine. She walked out of a coffee shop that was near YN's chosen spot with Steve and kissed him, followed by a hug. YN gasped loud enough to catch Katherines attention. They made eye contact and Katherine gave YN the meanest look she could.

Something snapped in them that day. Not only Katherine completely discarded YN from her life, but she was betraying Casey, and on top of that Steve was being unfaithful to Casey, not to mention that he was the reason why the friend group got separated in the first place.

That's why YN went to Katherines house at night the next day. That's why YN hid behind the bushes next to her room with a red ghostface mask decorated with small horns to conceal their face. Why they called Katherine to serve as a distraction before bashing the bedroom window with a large stone and grabbed Katherine from behind, slicing her throat open and letting her bleed to death.

•

"YN? Helloooo" You heard Tatum practically scream at you. Finally snapping out of your thoughts, you shook your head and processed what she said.

"Casey and Steve too?" You asked, shock written all over your face. Tatum was slowly becoming your friend ever since she noticed you and your (ex) friends were parting. You were all in the cheerleading team and word got around pretty quick. By the day of the shocking news, you guys were officially friends. However, you didn't want to get attached, so there was still a good amount of distance when it came to trust from your part.

As the days went by, you became closer to her friend group as well, mainly because Randy kept conspiring about you being the main suspect of the group because you were the new one.

"All I'm saying is it's usually the least expected person! Plus, they dress in all black and, chains... tattoos, and scary stuff." Randy said and you scoffed, giving him an annoyed look. "I'm literally right here asshole. Plus, that has nothing to do with being a killer."

"Don't get me wrong, you're hot but c'mon YN!" - "Man fuck off! You're being a real dick head." Stu interrupted and you smiled at Randy sarcastically.

"Okay fine, i'll drop it... I've got my eye on you though." - "Randy, if you have a little crush on YN I don't think insulting them will get you anywhere." Billy interjected and everyone laughed except for the boy being called out.

"Shut up Billy! I don't have a crush it's ju-" - "Give it a rest already, YN is not the killer." Tatum said and scoffed.

Sidney seemed uncomfortable with the whole situation, always playing the victim card when other people were getting hurt too. More than her. Yeah, you might've been the cause of some of the damage but it was still annoying.

She shifted between Billy's legs uncomfortably and he gave her a subtle glare, exactly like you did before making eye contact with him. He averted your gaze quicker than you did his and you bit your lip in thought. He always seemed mysterious. The quiet type. Hot bad boy that swept anyone off their feet without even trying, but you knew best. You knew he wasn't innocent in this whole situation and you got the feeling that he knew you were part of it too. You and Billy thought alike, you were almost sure of it, but you had to get close to him. The last thing you needed was someone ratting you out to get away with possible murder.

•

Exiting out of the classroom, the day was finally over. You walked along the hallway to leave your books in your locker, but before getting there you spotted Billy opening his. You took a deep breath and put on your best smile before approaching him.

"Hey Billy!, have you seem Tatum?" You asked, sounding sweet as ever and he looked at you from head to toe. "Mm, I think she's still in class. Stu's supposed to meet me here with her s-" - "Nice boots shorty." Stu said, sticking his tongue out at you, interrupting Billy by placing his hands on his shoulders and giving him a squeeze that didn't go unnoticed by you.

You were wearing black platform knee high boots that barely did anything to help your height when it came to being next to Billy and Stu, but they were cute shoes nonetheless so that was a win.

"Yeah, thank's. Where's Tatum?" You asked Stu this time and he shrugged. "Mm I don't know man, she said Sidney needed a ride home so I think she left."

Of course she did. You guys weren't nearly as close as she was with Sidney, but she could've at least met you after class.

You rolled your eyes, trying to seem playful before answering; "Whatever, see you around losers."

Billy smirked at your little pet name and Stu just laughed annoyingly loud.

"You really think it was them man? I mean, look at that shorty with the cute personality-" - "It's an act, Stu. Can't you see?" The boys looked at you from head to toe at a distance, impossible to look away with that incredible body of yours. "We need to get closer, it's the only way." Billy said and Stu chuckled; "Or maybe you just want to tap that. I know I would." - "Can't you be serious for one second?! We can't risk someone exposing us just to get away with murder, ok?!" Billy whisper screamed while looking around to make sure nobody was too close to hear him. Even if Stu was right about Billy being undeniably attracted to you, he couldn't let that get in the way.

•

You were stressed, annoyed and not having it with Tatum leaving with Sidney and not meeting you after class, so you decided to go to your usual smoke spot to exhale the stress away. Arriving at the colleges bleachers, you sat underneath them in a secluded corner and pulled out the pipe from your bag along with already ground weed and a lighter.

After preparing everything, you placed the tip of the pipe against your mouth and lit the substance, taking a deep inhale before exhaling slowly and closing your eyes, feeling the relaxing effects wash over your body.

...

Twenty minutes went by and you were already taking your third hit, needing to numb yourself a bit before walking to your dorm. While you breathed in the smoke, you heard footsteps behind you. Turning around you saw that it was Billy approaching. You got startled and the smoke went deeper into your lungs than it should've, instantly sending you into a coughing fit.

"Woah there! Didn't mean to scare you." He said, chuckling before sitting down in front of you. You coughed a few more times before catching your breath and looked at him, bursting into laughter. He couldn't help but smile at your state and lift an eyebrow.

"Is that shit that good?" Billy asked and you offered him some. "Find out for yourself." You said and he took a big hit, having a mini coughing fit himself before the effects took over.

•

A few more hits later and hours of talking to each other you were starting to take a liking to Billy. He was funny and sweet. His personality really blossomed with the effects of the weed and it was easy to let go with him. Inevitably, you guys started to talk about theories related to the murders and made fun of Randy for being a nerd when it came to horror movies, not to mention taking the rules so seriously.

"I mean, it's kinda stupid that if you're a virgin you can't get killed. That's like, some voodoo shit or something." You said, not making much sense.

"How did you even draw that conclusion?" Billy asked and smirked at your incoherent reasoning.

"I don't know! Like, it would make more sense if you kissed the killer or something and you instantly become a subject." You said, trying to make some sense of your words but you knew it didn't.

"You're not even thinking at this point." - "No, I'm not." You instantly answered and giggled, a rare occurrence for you. Billy couldn't help but find it cute and contradicting given your dark appearance.

"Hm, we're both suspects so... What if we kissed and end up being killers? Does that cancel it out or something?" Billy asked. He knew exactly what he was doing.

You paused for a moment, trying to make sense and figure out what he was implying. "Mm, I don't know, m-" - "You wanna find out?" He said suddenly, smirking.

Did he know you were responsible for one of the killings or was he just trying to make out because he was high and not thinking?

"Mm, tempting... But you have a girl, so." - "But you want to." He countered, sitting next to you, his face inches away from yours.

"I mean... Kinda..." You admitted, no filter whatsoever. Billy bit his bottom lip and scanned your face for any sign of rejection as he leaned in slowly. "Sid doesn't need to know..." He whispered and you felt him pull you in with his stare. Gosh, he was magnetic and you couldn't resist.

You decided to make a bold move and bit his bottom lip softly, eliciting a chuckle from his part.

Your lips touched and it was over. You moved in unison and played with Billy's tongue, brushing yours against his and softly moaned into his mouth. How did you even end up in that situation? It all happened so fast, but you couldn't pull away.

"You're a freaky one, huh?" He whispered and you laughed softly, standing up and straddling him. Billy immediately placed his hands on your hips and squeezed the flesh. You continued kissing and biting each other. Moaning and groaning quietly as you ground your hips against his crotch. Billy could've come right then and there with the sight of your tits bouncing while you moved against him.

You could've fucked him at that moment without a care, but before things could escalate, you heard footsteps.

Climbing off his lap and fixing yourselves, you moved far enough so it didn't seem like anything was happening.

Suddenly, Stu peaked under the bleachers and laughed; "I thought I smelled pot!"

You couldn't help but laugh along with him and offer some to the boy. That day got interesting real quick, and you couldn't deny that you loved every second of it.

#billy loomis smut #billy loomis x you #scream (1996)#billy loomis x reader #ghostface smut #ghostface x reader #ghostfacesmut #stu macher smut #stu macher x billy loomis #stu matcher x reader

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cherryredstars · 6 months ago

Note

HELLO DADDIES!!HELLO DADDIES!!

if u can, can u plspls do like Graves (and Soap maybe) on how would they treat u before they start crushing??

thx very much cherry 😘😘🍒🍒 have a good day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pairings: Phillip Graves x gn!reader, John "Soap" MacTavish x gn!reader

Warnings: None

A/N: I miss my COD babies!!!

Unedited

Phillip Graves

This man is totally indifferent to anyone and everyone outside of his Shadows. Sorry, love, but he probably didn't know you even existed until he started showing an interest in you. Doesn't matter if you've worked in the same base for years or have been on missions together. The second he's finished talking to you and the mission is complete, he's wiping any memory of you to make room for more important things.

He's a busy man, making plans to betray his own people under the command of General Shepard. He doesn't have time to remember any and every unremarkable face that won't be important once he and his men go rogue. Don't take it personally when you have to constantly remind him what your name is and that you have, in fact, worked together before.

Takes a remarkable amount of effort for him to memorize your name once Shepard informs him that you'll be added to their plan of betrayal. He isn't exactly sure what your role will be in the grand scheme of things. As far as he's concerned, you might just be another disposable pawn. Not worth getting to know you if you'll just end up dead anyways. However, he will admit that you would make a pretty scapegoat- for the five seconds he remembers your face, that is.

Once he realizes he likes you, it's like a switch clicks in his brain. One second he is horribly unaware of who you are, the next he is too aware of your existence. Drives him crazy that he could forget a face as sweet as yours. Your name is now permanently etched into his brain. Suddenly, you are far too important to be a throwaway soldier to their cause.

Eyes that once skimmed over you are now locked onto you. Graves finds himself hovering near your seat during secret briefings, his hands subconsciously coming to brush against your shoulders as he gives out orders. Well placed pats and squeezes that leave him craving more. He's the definition of "A fell first, B fell harder".

Definitely takes advantage of the fact that he has the most unique accent out of everyone else. Sure 141 has their different posh British accents and Scottish slang, the Los Vaqueros have their rumbling Spanish words that roll off the tongue, but none of them can replicate his sweet country tang. Drives him crazy how his accent affects you, throwing out random southern sweet talking to watch each country-laced endearment heat your cheeks. Likes fluctuating his voice, easily going from a higher pitch to a lower pitch to watch how the shift in tone has you squirming in front of him.

Don't blame him if he starts throwing hints at you about his dream of owning a small little ranch in the American countryside with a few cattle and farm dogs to tend to. It's only a coincidence that the only thing missing is a sweet thing to take care of all the housework while he works the fields and does all the outdoor labor. Did he mention how good he looks sweaty and shirtless with nothing but a cowboy hat to shield him from the sun and a pair of worn out levi's disappearing into a nice pair of cowhide boots? No, well you can always experience it first-hand if you wanted to.

John "Soap" MacTavish

The biggest flirt you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. Johnny is not scared to work his Scottish charm on you any chance he gets, even if he only sees you as a teammate. He finds it hilarious when he says something that leaves you absolutely baffled or causes you to roll your eyes.

Strong believer in the fact that you would have the hardest time figuring out if he likes you or not because he acts completely the same before and after he discovers he has a thing for you. The only difference is that he��s more of a show-off and way more energetic near you, which is hard to believe is possible, but it is.

He’s super friendly, of course. Super energetic and outgoing, always coming to you and Ghost when he’s in need of a good sparring or a buddy to go to the mess with for supper. The three of you are practically glued to the hip- Ghost a mostly unwilling participant- to the point where most people see you as best friends.

Don’t be surprised when he drops off the grid when he’s on leave, though. For all the nagging and clinginess he has on base, you’d be surprised how radio silent he is once he’s away from base. Don’t go obsessing over your phone waiting for a stray call or text from Johnny, you aren’t getting anything unless it’s a clear emergency or he’s heading back to base for deployment. Calling and texting outside the base is reserved for long time boot camp friends, family, and his Birdie, sorry. Looks like you don’t meet the requirements just yet.

This man is a kicked puppy whenever he isn't near you after he realizes he likes you. Suddenly, Ghost is always way too busy with whatever lieutenants do to spar and step away from his mountains paperwork to go to the mess. Looks like you're the only person who can help him pass the time on base. Don't worry about being too tired to leave your barrack, he didn't realize how tired he was until you said you were! Did he mention that he makes a great body pillow? You should test it out to see if the rumors are true.

Suddenly, his smiles and teasing looks are way more charming than normal. Don't ask why he's giving you constant bedroom eyes as he rests his chin in the palm of his hand, just let the intended effect wash over you. Promise that even though he's not listening to a single word you're saying that you still have his full attention. If you saw his face instantly switch to a look of mourning after one of the others joked about the two of you being best of friends, just know it's your fault because you didn't defend his honor by saying the two of you are way more than friends (despite the fact the two of you aren't even in the ball park of a talking stage).

Right before leave, Johnny is practically stepping on your heels. He's blabbering about meeting up during leave and going to a nice little pub, have a drink or two in your casuals. What's that, did he forget that the two of you don't live even remotely close to each other? Silly Birdie, didn't you know he's happening to come down for a visit. He's never been to your area before, maybe you can be his tour guide. You're too busy to hangout during leave? Well, have his personal number then! He's always up for a chat when you have the time. Don't keep him waiting for a text or a call, you might just make him die from the loneliness!

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krashlite · 10 months ago

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C!Pearl’s a character who people usually only analyze from DL onwards, with her Scarlet Pearl arc influencing future seasons. However, I think it’s very important to look at LL when talking about her, since that season formed a lot of her fundamental viewpoints in this game, viewpoints she’s forced to unpack in later seasons.

LONG POST under the cut!

LL was the most chaotic and violent season BY FAR, even including LimL! The deaths in LimL were very much gamified, while in LL every life counted. The main lesson the three newcomers learned is that the world is cruel and they can never truly trust anyone. Well, except Pearl didn’t learn that second lesson

Mumbo and Lizzie both spent LL in a constant state of either panic or confusion, with there being a few very brief breaks between. This is the case for LL in general, but with the newcomers it’s so much more startling. They don’t know how this goes, and they see Experienced players paranoid alongside them.

Not to mention Mumbo and Lizzie were constantly put in situations where they couldn’t trust the people around them, whether it be because of a boogeyman or any other reason. With them being in a group of 4-5 people, there was a much higher chance of them being betrayed and they never let themselves relax

Pearl definitely experienced the same panic and confusion, but she adapted much quicker than they did. This is mostly due to Scott being her ally- him being pretty consistent and calm as a person. Not to mention, Pearl only had a single person to worry about, when other alliances had 4-5 people to consider. Any one of them could turn and still have a place with the other members, but a group of two didn’t

(Also sidebar, 3L turned into a game of factions, so in LL everyone immediately started with factions, the exceptions being Ren, Lizzie, Pearl, and Scott. Ren was recovering from his Red King arc and ashamed of his former self, while Pearl and Lizzie were new and hadn’t been adopted into a group like Mumbo had. Scott’s reasoning for picking a small group is that he only stayed safe in 3L when him and Jimmy were fairly isolated, so that’s why he will usually opt for a group of two. Anyways)

Since Scott Only had her, he wasn’t about to turn on her and Pearl knew this. When Cleo later joins the group, she isn’t a risk either due to the circumstances of her joining. Cleo was betrayed, they were killed by a boogeyman in their group. BigB’s betrayal hit so hard that Cleo named him her sworn enemy. Why would they turn on Pearl if this affected them so much? Pearl is able to lean on them comfortably, even as the rest of the server begins to target the alliance (for a green name I might add! Pearl was safest for the longest amount of time this season)

Pearl could trust her team, and her team was honestly well provided for. They had nether goods, they had a spawner, Pearl had enough lives to keep them stable for a few deaths. They’d managed to defend themselves against Constant invasions and weren’t backing down anytime soon.

As for others, Pearl only ever saw them if they wanted to rob her or kill her, having very few interactions outside of that. This establishes that theft and threats are one and the same, with robberies threatening their resources and their survival and threats being, well, threats

The main lesson Pearl learns here is that her team are the only people she can trust, and she trusts them wholeheartedly. They will always have her back, they will always steer her in the right direction. The world is hostile, but they’ll face it together. What Pearl doesn’t learn is impulse control. Her impulse control came in the form of Scott and Cleo, with them being much more cautious than she is

Because of them, Pearl made it to the final four in her FIRST SEASON. This is incredibly impressive, Especially considering how, again, LL was the most violent and chaotic season. She might’ve fallen in the final melee, but she rested easy knowing her teammate won. She had gotten him there, and counts it as a personal victory

When DL rolls around, Pearl employs the same tactics as the last season. LL had a very quick race for resources at the start, specifically for sugar cane and goods from the nether. So Pearl assumes it’s the same thing. She’s preparing for the same chaotic environment as LL and is reassured by the soulmate feature

In her mind, her soulmate is her one designated ally. She trusts them wholeheartedly and assumes they feel the same. No matter what they face, she knows they’ll face it together

Except that isn’t what happens

As it turns out, Scott was her soulmate. But she overlooked one key detail about him- Scott plays it safe. He doesn’t endanger himself unless absolutely necessary. She’d previously assumed it was a matter of practicality, but really it’s a means of defending his own peace above all else, even at the expense of others

So her little trip to the nether with Martyn didn’t just endanger them, it endangered their soulmates. It endangered Cleo and it endangered Scott

Their response is to abandon their soulmates because they felt abandoned. They don’t feel that they can trust their soulmates because of the fact that said soulmates were prioritizing a dangerous mission over them. Except Pearl doesn’t understand this. All she sees is that they abandoned her after she went on a dangerous mission For Them, a mission she would have been previously praised for

Pearl is dropped by the very people she trusted with her life last season, and she doesn’t know Why. To say this crushes her is an understatement

It wasn’t just a rejection from her former friends, it’s a betrayal of a fundamental worldview she developed last season. How could a group that was basically family abandon her just like that? If her designated ally wanted nothing to do with her, then whats the point in trusting anyone?

That last question is pushed to the side, with her insisting on Tilly being her true soulmate. Tilly would never abandon her, she can trust Tilly wholeheartedly. Except Tilly dies almost immediately afterwards, starting her Scarlet Pearl arc

(And I do want to say, I consider Tilly to be fully Dead. The second wolf was a different wolf entirely, but Pearl was in a state of delirium and wanted so badly to have someone to rely on. If it couldn’t be another player, then it would be her dog. Funnily enough, this actually comes up later but that’s an asterisk*)

This arc was basically a constant downwards spiral for Pearl. Any foundation she had was immediately uprooted, any alliance she formed immediately fell apart. This stressed her out to the point she wasn’t sleeping and frequently acted out against the people in her surroundings. Pearl was not maintaining herself in the slightest, her mental state affecting those around her. The main examples I can think of is her stealing horses and sitting in powdered snow to punish Scott, both of which do have explanations

Again, Pearl is basing her actions off of LL, even if she doesn’t realize it. Her alliance was robbed over and over again, usually for things like sugar cane and nether goods. These are things that are high value because they help a team survive. When it comes to pets and livestock, they really weren’t considered unless they were being held ransom. In LL, being stolen from was a threat to someone’s survival

Except this isn’t LL and Pearl is just starting to realize that, with every alliance being stable from an outside perspective. She’s using these thefts to test the waters. If something happens, she’s right to be paranoid and right to lash out. If nothing happens, she can relax, which she does! After stealing Scar’s horse she does briefly stop tormenting the server, instead going back to watching the others.

(^^ I might have the timeline wrong here btw it’s been a second)

As for Scott, her sitting in powdered snow has different connotations than it does for other alliances. She isn’t the only person to hurt her soulmate in this way, Scar actually being the one to suggest this. For Scar it was a harmless but irritating way to get back at Grian for kicking out the Jellie Pandas. It hurt, but it wasn’t meant to actually endanger the other (still abuse btw, just a different kind). For Pearl, her sitting in powdered snow was a tactic intended to make Scott feel unsafe. If he valued his precious security so much that he kicked her to the wolves, then she won’t let him have a moment’s peace.

But going back to the horses- stealing Ren and BigB’s horse was the moment things changed for her. This theft resulted in both of them dying, confirming the idea that thefts threaten someone’s survival. Except Pearl never meant to endanger them, as shown with her defending their items when none other than Scott and Cleo come to scavenge them.

When Ren and BigB return, it’s Pearl who gets blamed for the death, not the circumstances. The blame shifts from the world being cruel, to Pearl herself being cruel. Pearl is unable to cope with this, isolating in response. She sees every other pair finding peace and joy in one another, but she destroys everything she touches. In her mind, she IS the cruelty that exists in the world and nobody is coming to save her.

I think Pearl actually blames herself for Ren and BigB falling apart, which she finds out about when Ren and Martyn “summon” her. This actually affirms the lesson she Just learned, with her accepting the role of Scarlet Pearl. Previously, it was just an act but now it felt more real

She goes on to purposefully endanger others, seeing this as her true role on the server. Pearl had been wearing her red skin before this, but that was only to show her state of mind. Now, she was fully playing into this role, as seen with the fishing rod incident and, again, stealing armor from Boat Boys as a means of threatening their survival

I don’t think Pearl expected to be threatened in return, and her subsequent death did give her a moment of clarity. She was made to understand that her existence in this state was inherently risky, and she needed to be more careful. I think that was the driving force for her seeking out Scott and Cleo to form a tentative alliance. Pearl hasn’t forgiven them at this point, but knew she needed them if she was to last. This forces her to have some level of impulse control, instead of only relying on those around hee

Them being her failsafe put her in a difficult situation when it comes to her Scarlet Pearl role. She was a “Red,” that’s her job, but her team still needed her. But they’re not her team, but she needs them, but she can’t trust them, not after what they did.

But she has to, and that’s what ultimately brings her to side with them; necessity. She doesn’t like them, she doesn’t trust them, a sentiment they return, but she needs them.

The world is cruel, Pearl is cruel, and she needs to defend herself and her own peace- a lesson that, funnily enough, she picked up from Scott

Ultimately Pearl doesn’t learn to care about either of them until the moment she dies. ESPECIALLY Cleo, who ended up siding with Martyn in the end. But it’s Scott’s sacrifice that cuts through the callous she’d developed over the course of the season. He gave his life for her. Scott sacrificed himself FOR HER. The action doubles as changing her perception of him as a person and changing her perception of the world. Scott wasn’t the selfish man she made him out to be, and the world wasn’t filled with senseless cruelty.

Pearl hasn’t learned to trust again, but she’s able to begin the process in LimL

Enter: BigB

BigB’s someone who has had shaky alliances over the ENTIRE series. This started in 3L when the other two Blue Sword Boys ended up on opposing sides of a war, him trapped between them. He learned that season that ultimately he was the only person he could trust. In LL, his initial decision to stay with Cleo then the fairy fort was one made out of necessity, NOT trust. BigB was a sitting duck on his own, and he wasn’t about to have a repeat of last season he got targeted over and over again for being isolated.

And I do think that he cared about the Fairy Fort, they gave him a sense of genuine security that he hasn’t had before. So him being the cause of the Fairy Fort’s collapse gave him a Crisis

The last person he was able to trust that season was Ren, and Ren ended up being his soulmate in DL. Except due to the cheater’s arc BigB blames himself their demise in DL as well (Again, there was shared blame across all parties I made an entire long post about this already).

So BigB is going into LimL with the same lesson Pearl has just begun unpacking; They are the cruelty/danger that exists in the world and can never truly rely on anyone

(Also second sidebar, this is something I love about LimL. Everyone coincidentally got an alliance with matching wounds, but moving on)

The first thing Pearl actually does this season is try to retrieve Tilly, her dog she thinks is still alive. (And here’s that asterisk*) what actually happens is Martyn jokes that he cremated her dog, and Pearl’s unintentionally forced to understand that her dog is dead, she’s Been dead since the start of DL. Breaking apart that delusion was actually Very important to her breaking apart her worldview. If that information was false, what else was she wrong about?

And this is explored through her alliance with BigB. See, the Nosey Neighbors were a fresh start for both of them. They both were re-learning how to trust themselves and others, relearning how to care for others and be cared for in turn. Them watching the server was a lighthearted way to vent their paranoia- again, both unpacking how they view the world and how they view themselves

LimL as a season did a lot to defang the games, for lack of a better term. The deaths were very much gamified, they weren’t nearly as serious as they previously were. Pearl and BigB used this environment to reflect on themselves. The world was chaotic, yes, but it wasn’t as cruel as they thought it was. THEY aren’t as cruel as they thought they were

Pearl makes the decision to be his protector, treating this as a test to show she doesn’t destroy everything she touches. Except, she hasn’t unpacked how she sees herself as cruel, only points that “cruelty” away from those she cares about, and that’s why acting as Protector comes so naturally to her

This is reinforced over the course of the season, but it’s only ever confronted towards the end after Grian’s plan resulted in the three of them being shot. BigB was left with under a minute left, causing Pearl to panic. Pearl immediately insisted he kill her for more time, with BigB panicking in turn because he “didn’t know how.” He was scared of breaking the bond they’d developed over the season and Pearl cut through that fear without hesitation

And here’s where her role as protector is solidified. The world is cruel and unjust, and everyone deserves to have someone to rely on. Pearl would be the foundation for others since nobody else was going to be.

Pearl had already made a promise to herself and to BigB to get him to the end. He would win that season if she had anything to say about it. Except Pearl isn’t able to keep her promise to BigB. He dies just out of eyeshot, and she is helpless to save him

Pearl doesn’t give up on being a protector, this decision influencing a lot of her actions in SL. She wants to be a solid foundation for the Mounders because she knows the importance of having that foundation- she knows the pain a lack of foundation can cause.

Also, the Mounders being a larger group acts as proof that she’s able to trust others again, even if that doesn’t register to her. Remember, LL created the precedent that larger groups are more dangerous, with smaller alliances being much safer. Pearl being able to function comfortably in a group of 4 just goes to show how much she’s grown as a character

SL goes on to challenge her new worldview in several ways. First it was Mumbo turning Red, him becoming excessively violent like he’d been in LL. This actually acts as a mirror to Pearl’s former self, since Mumbo’s pulling from the same logic she was pulling from in DL. Remember, Mumbo hasn’t been in other seasons, his only experience with the games was the confusion and paranoia of LL (I think the lighthearted confusion of the tasks actually triggered his and Lizzie’s paranoia, but that’s another essay). He hasn’t had a chance to unpack that like Pearl has, and she sees this as a failure on her part, doubling down on her Protector role for Joel and Bdubs

Second, Joel and Bdubs, losing their lives. Pearl was forced to reckon with the fact that she cannot keep them safe in the same way she couldn’t keep BigB safe last season. It brings back her fears of destroying everything she touches, even though she worked so hard to unpack that last season. She sees them dying as her failing to be their protector, and her clinging to Scar is a response to that. Pearl needed to prove to herself that she can save Someone, that she doesn’t destroy everything she’s a part of.

Pearl also sees Scar as an echo of who she was in DL, same as Mumbo. She refuses to let him spiral in his isolation. Except, circumstances make it clear to her that she cannot save him by being his protector, she cannot save him at all.

And so she attempts to sacrifice herself for him, just like Scott had done for her. Pearl thinks she will ultimately cause his demise and the only thing she can do is give her life for him

But Scar immediately shoots that idea down.

This is because Scar was unpacking the exact same idea- the idea that he is inherently cruel and destroys everything he touches. Scar recognized that Pearl was self destructing and Did Not Let Her. Pearl wasn’t allowed to be his protector, she’s allowed to be his ally, his equal

Pearl in turn is allowed to see herself not as a force to be controlled, but a person. I don’t think she even realized how she’d been dehumanizing herself until this moment

And I think she has conflicting feelings on Scar’s victory. On the one hand, she achieved her goal in having an ally make it to the end. On the other, Scar’s victory challenged what it even meant to win the games. Pearl doesn’t know if the victory was worth the path it took to get there, and she’s left in that headspace until the next season

#trafficblr #pearlescentmoon #c!pearl #rotating her in my brain #she fits that one mitski song with the “I am cruel I am gentle I can make you laugh #also I hope it comes across that her Protector role was equally as dehumanizing as her Scarlet Pearl role #except the first is reinforced as being good and the second is more obvious damaging #long post #also I haven’t watched her DL perspective in so long so sorry the details are off #krash’s insanity rambles

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ciaossu-imagines · 3 months ago

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Hibari Kyoya and grief

You know how everyone says there is all these different stages of grief? Not to Hibari, there’s not. There’s really only one stage of grief to him, one emotion he really feels comfortable feeling and expressing in the wake of losing something in his life. Of course, everyone knows what I’m going to say that one emotion is. It’s very obvious, just in how he deals with life in general, in how he interacts with the world, and who he is as a person. Grief, as expressed by Hibari, is not just anger, but an almost primal, animalistic level of rage.

Now, straight out of the gate, I want to say that I don’t think Hibari really grieves anything small. Small things that might make other people stop and grieve a little, things like losing an important object to them, things like their favourite show being cancelled, a character they adore being killed off, their favourite eatery going out of business, their favourite t-shirt getting too worn out to wear – none of these things really affect Hibari much at all. He’s not a materialistic person in any sense. He tends to lean the other way, in fact, where his life is quite minimalistic in nature. He does not need a lot of objects and things to be satisfied in his life and when something gets lost or breaks, because he doesn’t have an attachment to it, he’s fine with just replacing it. He doesn’t really have an interest in media, so there’s very few shows or movies he watches enough to get attached to them, and he finds it difficult to really gain any attachment to fictional characters. While he definitely has establishments he prefers to frequent, if they are going to close down, Hibari sees no point in grieving that. Instead, Hibari views grief as useless in these situations and would rather take action. And with the level of influence and power that Hibari has in Namimori, the action he takes is normally enough to ensure that what he wants to stay open stays open and successful.

He’s really a man who would rather do something about a situation than to grieve over it. And in his mind, there is always something he can actively do rather than sitting around, moping and wallowing in self-pity like some pathetic sack.

This attitude really will extend to the grief he would feel about slightly more serious things. Though Hibari would not get into relationships or friendships easily, someone walking out of his life isn’t out of the question. He will feel emotions about that, he will feel some sort of grief about that. To most people though, his reaction to this type of grief, and to larger amounts of grief, is going to appear absolutely cold-hearted. He will not cry or seem sad about things like this. It’s just not in his nature or his character. He remains almost emotionless, and any mention of his loss only results in replies that seem completely apathetic in nature, even down-right rude and dismissive towards the person who left him. He seethes in his grief though, in his anger, and to him, the only logical thing is to do something about all that anger he is feeling.

If at all possible, he will directly confront the person who has chosen to leave his life. It’s not that he wants them to remain, because he does not. He has absolutely no use for someone who, to him, has proved themselves capable of betraying him, of dismissing him. His grief is directly related to his own ego in these cases, and it’s part of what will fan the fire of his aggression and rage. He would prefer to settle things with that person completely, to get closure, often through violent means, and if he is denied that, Hibari will take it out on innocent people around him. Once he has been allowed to really work out everything he’s feeling on someone else’s body, once he has smashed in someone’s ribs, felt the satisfying snap of someone’s arm breaking under his hands, he feels more in control of himself again. He feels more finality, feels his ego is back in place, and he’s more able to shove the grief into the furthest back recesses of his brain and move forward as if nothing at all had happened.

Even when it comes to major grief, Hibari would be judged as being very cold-hearted by those around him in his approach to this sort of grief. There are really only three things in the world that Hibari will truly grieve fully, will truly feel that level of emotion towards – someone in his life, who is truly important to him, like Kusakabe for instance, dying is one. Though he pretends like he doesn’t love them, Hibari does love his animal companions, and their deaths will weigh heavily on him, at times even more so than the death of a human person, so that’s number two. Number three is anything destroying Namimori. Something terrible threatening Namimori or outright destroying it, like the fury of nature, would absolutely cause Hibari to grieve.

However, much like with the smaller amounts of grief, Hibari doesn’t cope by allowing himself to feel sad. It’s not that sadness isn’t something that Hibari is capable of feeling. He, for sure, does feel sadness and despair and hurt at these moments of major grief. It’s just that Hibari does not deal with those emotions well. He just doesn’t know how to deal with him. They’re foreign to him, they make him distinctly uncomfortable to feel. In a way, he does feel like those sorts of emotions are the emotions of the weak, and it makes him a little sick to find them rising in himself. Because of this, he does everything he can to change those feelings, to funnel and convert them into anger, just pure and simple rage and hatred towards whatever caused that grief. That kind of emotion is something Hibari can chain down. It’s something he’s far more comfortable with feeling, an emotion he views as more appropriate, an emotion he can take control of.

With all that rage in him, he pushes himself to take action. He not only wants to be doing something but needs to be doing something. Sitting and dealing with his emotions is not something that he will let himself do in the face of grief – instead, his sole purpose is just to do something, anything about that grief. In the case of his animal companions passing on, that action he can take is burying them. Digging the hole gives him something physical to focus on and that helps him. He always buries them alone, with no one else around to see him. I do think this is because, once the animal in question is buried and Hibari has accomplished that action, this is the one moment he allows himself to soften even the least little bit. This is when something has been fixed enough to him for him to allow himself to say goodbye to his precious animal companion, to thank them for their service to him. It’s a moment he would not be able to allow himself around another living person.

In the case of a death of someone in his life, the action Hibari feels he can take is revenge on whoever caused the death or devoting himself, in some physical way, to carrying on that dead person’s legacy. Even if the person themselves died from natural causes, because of old age or due to a sickness, Hibari can find someone to pin the blame on for their death – the doctors didn’t do enough. The hospital was at fault. There’s opposing families encroaching on the Vongola, daring to besmirch the legacy of Tsuna or the other Guardians. There’s always someone that Hibari can pin responsibility of that grief on because he needs to be able to do so. He needs to be able to fight someone or the idea of something. He needs something or someone to take action against for anything to be okay for him. He cannot allow himself to move on until that is done.

And, of course, during all the time he is grieving, Hibari is going to be more short-tempered than normal. He will withdraw even more into solitude, will prove more violent and easily provoked, will start displaying more misanthropy.

#replies #katekyo hitman reborn #khr #headcanons #hibari kyoya #kyoya hibari

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oxygenbefore1775 · 1 year ago

Text

thinking about Zeke's blond lashes

➳wc: 0,6k

➳a/n: im not sure if other culture have this but where i grew up you can make a wish if you blow away one of your lashes that fell on your face (although normally you would have to guess on which side of the face the lash has landed and only if you guess right your wish will have a chance of coming true but i digress); this is my comfort written piece if you wish to have it (cuz everything is not daijobu at the moment and this is my coping mechanism)

“Unbelievable,” you muttered under your breath when you noticed a cup of coffee in Zeke's hands — the very same one he chose to leave your embrace for not so long ago. “Do you not want to sleep tonight?”

The unamused tone contrasted sharply with your eagerness to welcome him back into the cradle of your touch as you wrapped your arms around him as soon as he settled back onto the couch. Fortunately, he spared you from teasing despite your inconsistent display of affection.

“You hush,” he shot back, a facade barely concealing the smile on his lips once again. “I’ve had so much of it on the missions that this small amount wouldn’t do anything to me. It takes much more than a single cup before it has any effect.”

The sound of his voice beckoned your reciprocation. The unspoken tension that once filled the air dissipated with the onset of the night, as if the last remnants of it had died. Why would that be, you mused to yourself, even though the answer didn't require much pondering.

He would leave come morning.

A dreadful thought — almost worry-inducing — you had to admit to yourself as your mind sought refuge in the relish of his fleeting proximity. Even more so as you lifted your head off his shoulder, your gaze finding its place on his features, solemn and bathed in the moonlight. How silly. To mourn the presence of someone not subject to change. He’d never return — return to you — with a wound forever marring his perfect form. Well, perhaps his eyes were the only thing worthy of languishing in your heart. That forever impermanent look to them was something that you wished to remember.

It was then that you noticed.

You hesitated but spoke nonetheless. “Stay still.”

He heeded, though a brief flinch betrayed his obedient front when he felt your finger brush under his eye. A frown etched into his glabella as he discovered the reason for your unbidden touch — an eyelash, as golden as his hair. Almost imperceptible against his fair skin. The only reason you noticed it, your morbid urge to revel in the sight of his face aside, was the way it caught the moonlight.

His eyes, evidently, remained oblivious to the unexplainable burst of joy this revelation caused you as he reached out his hand to brush the lash off your fingertip. Quickly, you withdrew your hand, determined to prevent this atrocity from taking place.

“No,” your voice barely above a whisper. “You have to make a wish then blow it away. Then it’ll come true.”

With that, you brought your hand to his lips. In the dimness of the room, you exchanged glances — yours full of anticipation, his devoid of the same sense of wonder that captivated you. It was a rare occurrence for you to closely observe the glimpses of emotion flashing behind his blue eyes. In less than a second, the ice in his gaze melted away as he relented, deciding to entertain your sentiment.

You felt his cool breath on your finger tip as he blew the lash away all the while not breaking off eye contact. And just like that, the golden glint was no more. It melted into the darkness of the room.

“So, what did you wish for?” you inquired with more curiosity than taunt, resting your chin on his shoulder once more.

His gaze returned to mindless observation of the interior. “Not telling you,” he took a sip, adding weight to his refusal. For the briefest of moments, you saw him purse his lips, as if readjusting, before he spoke again. “Or else it wouldn’t come true.”

#something something reiner also has blond lashes but shh #aot #attack on titan #snk #shingeki no kyojin #zeke #zeke yeager #zeke jeager #zeke x reader #zeke yeager x reader #zeke jeager x reader #aot oneshot #zeke oneshot

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saey707 · 2 years ago

Note

YO I HAVE BEEN COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TO BE ABLE TO SEND A REQUEST

I notice you enjoy writing for the beloved ninjas... Do you have any headcanons of Shen, Zed, or Akali? (´･ω･`)

✿ Prompt: Akali, Shen, and Zed as your lover ✿

♡ champion focuses: akali, shen, zed ♡ tw: none! ♡ Gender-neutral reader

Author's Note: Anon, hello! Your request is in my hands! <3 I didn't include (Y/N) in this one and it will just be generalized ideas of what kind of lovers each nin would be if they had a relationship with reader! ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈ ♡) I hope you enjoy~

⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼ ✿ ✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

Index ₊˚ʚ ᗢ₊˚✧ ﾟ.

Shen (˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

Akali (૭ ｡•̀ ᵕ •́｡ )૭

Zed ৻( •̀ ᗜ •́ ৻)

⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼ ✿ ✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

Shen ♡

Of the three, Shen takes the longest time to warm up to the idea of letting someone into his heart. Because he has been hurt and betrayed by so many people he held dear to him, it is difficult for him to accept the love of another.

But, of the three, Shen would be the most protective. He'll do everything possible to assure your safety, especially with Khada Jhin and Zed on the loose...

When Shen begins to warm up to the sudden affection and warmth you provide him in your relationship, he'll definitely sink into it. How long has it been since someone has taken care of him? Told him that they adore him and love him? The years of deficiency from something so vital are going to have him longing for more of your touch and love!

Despite how busy work keeps him, Shen will try his best to always make time for you. He can't stand the idea of you getting hurt, or worse, killed by an azakana! It is why he would vow to purge all of them and send them back to the spirit realm where they belong.

On his off days, when things are particularly slow for the Kinkou, Shen will spend his time taking you to local taverns to eat! If there is one thing to know about Shen, food is his love language. He knows all the best spots, and will take you to them!

Shen is a big boy. He absolutely loves how small you are in his arms, and how you can't even wrap your own around him.

Shen would give the best massages. Though, he would be hesitant to accept them from you, should you wish to reciprocate.

He'll happily include you in his hobbies... That is if you are interested in meditation, gardening, and learning how to make different kinds of soups.

Shen will teach you how to fight. As much as you probably will come to hate it, given how antiquated his teachings are, he wants you to be able to defend yourself when he is away on advanced missions- In other words, tasks he doesn't want to go on anymore because he fears for your wellbeing every day he is away from home.

His favorite spot to kiss you is on the back of your neck, wrapping his arms around you from behind.

It may be difficult for Shen to say "I love you", but just being aware of his love language is enough to remind you that he really does care and cherish you deeply past the hardened exterior of his heart.

Akali ♡

Akali has always considered herself a lone wolf, especially because her upbringings taught her that if she wants things done properly, she has to do it herself. But when it comes to you... She doesn't mind the company.

Of the three, Akali is the most difficult to coming around to having a tender relationship. It's difficult for her to show strong emotions. But eventually she will come around, it's only a matter of time until she begins to express her feelings, than channeling and repressing them. So long as you are patient and are willing to listen to her, everything she feels so deeply for will begin to pour out.

Your relationship started off more... Physical, than it did emotional. Frankly, Akali feared that she would grow attached to you with the amount of nights she spent with you. But she wouldn't take back any of those nights for a second- Even the late night talks and aftercare you always provided her.

When it comes to your relationship with her, Akali is the most likely of the three to be the most possessive! Even though she doesn't outwardly show it sometimes, she doesn't want to share you with anyone else, and if anyone so much as looks at you the wrong way, consider them dead. But you know she's possessive, especially when she clings to your arm when she feels threatened.

On date nights, the first thing Akali does is take you to get ramen! It doesn't take her long to devour 3 bowls, while you are still stuck on your first one... However, some nights she'll share a bowl with you! And when you both get the same ramen noodle, she'll gladly connect your lips to hers with a gentle kiss~

As much as she hates leaving to fulfill missions and assignments, Akali knows she'll always have a place to go back to and feel her most vulnerable: Your home.

And when she does return home, you're always sure to prepare a warm bath for her and a nice cup of tea, followed by a good cuddle session. Such a routine is enough to give something that Akali can look forward to, and believe her, she looks forward to it.

She isn't the best with giving back, and generally doesn't know what kinds of gifts people like.

But when she does come up with something to give back to you it definitely is a pleasant surprise!

Matching tattoos in Weh'le is something you can look forward to when you're some years into your relationship with Akali!

As much as Akali wants to believe she is a stoic warrior with a blade, she feels so many deep feelings for you. Feelings that she's never felt for anyone else before.

Zed ♡

As much as Zed is made out to be the great antagonist of Ionia, he really would be the hardest to love and the most tender when it comes to showing his affection, out of the three.

He knows love is not a weakness and that it can be a reason for people to keep fighting. Master Kusho taught him otherwise: He taught Zed to repress his emotions and, essentially, to become a robot. "Only then could he be a real leader," his old Master said.

But Kusho was wrong about him. Zed can't stop himself from having strong feelings.

Zed is a two-for-one package! He doesn't mind performing duties around the monastery such as cooking and cleaning, but that doesn't mean he will fall short of providing for you and protecting you from potential threats. And believe him: The Yanlei always has threats...

He loves cooking and even excels at it! His favorite foods to make are Nagano soba and soup dumplings. And because he enjoys making these dishes he tends to make them a lot... Hope you aren't too picky about variety!

There is never an off day for Zed, but there is always enough time for you: Although not ideal, he'll let you sit with him (or on him~) while he tends to his armor and weaponry.

Nights are spent cuddling up to one another. This is the only time Zed will really let his guard down and feel his most vulnerable with you. His favorite thing to do is nudge his head against the crevice of your neck, allowing your fingers to tangle through his hair until he falls asleep.

He doesn't like leaving you alone, even though he knows full and well you can protect yourself.

When he is about to depart for a mission, he always feels like he isn't doing enough to assure you he'll be back and that he'll find a way to bring you something back (despite the incessant showering of affection).

While you can't be entirely romantic with a busy leader like Zed, that doesn't stop you from knowing deep down he loves you and cherishes you unlike any other being on earth.

You know Zed feels with his entire heart and he will hide it just enough to not let his guard down.

Zed won't ever stop reminding you how strongly he loves you. He won't ever let you feel otherwise. You give him strength. You give him a reason to fight. You make him feel like he is capable of giving and receiving love, even though he's a ninja.

#saeybaewrites #headcanons #request #lol #league of legends x reader #shen lol #zed lol #akali lol #shen league of legends #zed league of legends #akali league of legends #x reader #shen x reader #zed x reader #akali x reader #lol x reader #shen lol x reader #zed lol x reader #akali lol x reader

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dr-spencer-reids-queen · 11 months ago

Text

Amplification: Part Two

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~1.9k

Summary: A deadly spread of Anthrax is going around infecting and killing people. One of your own is affected that completely tears your world into two. How will you over come this?

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them. If you’ve seen the show, then it’s the same level of angst unless otherwise stated

The bookstore has been closed ever since Albert died, and Gayle's purchase happened right before it closed down. It would explain why only three people were hit, and when General Whitworth sent his men in for testing, they came back positive for Anthrax.

Albert's bookstore was the unsub's test run. He's gotta have a history with the place, so Penelope needs to come up with a list of present and past employees of the place, customers with grievances against the owner, and if any of them had a science background.

An attack of Anthrax isn't meant to kill three people inside a bookstore, it wants to be out in the open where it can feed and multiply in the way that it wants to. Just a small amount can wipe everyone out, and they'd never see it coming.

Another hour goes by and the six survivors of the attack are now down to four. This attack is killing people left and right and there is nothing you can do about it. The more they die off, the more family members demand answers for what's happening.

"It feels like the plague of Egypt," Linda says.

"Ten scourges created by God. Plague six was unhealable boils believed by biblical scholars to be caused by Anthrax."

"You never missed Sunday school, did you?"

"Actually, I've never been before. How is she doing?" Spencer asks about Abby.

"She's a fighter. She's held on this long because she's young and strong, but she's started to bleed into her lungs. We're running into another problem, though. When the next of kin have questions, what do we tell them about the cause of death?"

That is a question only Hotch and General Whitworth can answer. You can't tell anyone anything without punishment if it didn't come from Hotch. Instead of thinking things like that, you can try and think of the unsub and profile you have on him. It might help your team catch whoever is doing this.

Because the locations aren't symbolically significant, the attacks are personal. Understanding the significance of the locations will be the key to identifying the unsub.

This personal element strongly indicates a home-grown terrorist like the Amerithrax case. This is someone from the science or defense community. That's why the CIA is here. Hotch thinks they may know him. These home-grown terrorists are myopic zealots that believe that their work is of the greatest importance.

He may have preached about the threat of an attack on America. His coworkers would describe him as histrionic, paranoid, and secretive. He may have logged excess hours at work in the past weeks preparing for the attack. He even might have taken the full dosage of Anthrax vaccines over the recommended eighteen-month schedule and had yearly boosters.

This guy has his own workspace where he makes his product in privacy. He also has access to large, expensive, industrial-grade equipment at work. He's written about the threats of Anthrax attacks and published papers about it, yet he feels no one is listening, and that angers him. Now, he may have recently experienced some sort of professional humiliation like being demoted or fired. Now, that would have been his trigger, the moment he decided to go rogue.

He may have betrayed his loved ones to his cause and may be recently separated or divorced. This is somebody who knows every detail of the 2001 Anthrax attack and has talked about what that suspect did right or wrong. He's watching the news very closely to see how the country reacts, and it's not a good one.

The CIA dug deep into their records and found a video of a classified hearing with the Subcommittee on Defense and Homeland Security in January of 2002. Dr. Lawrence Nichols used to work at the institution and left in 2002. The video is sent to your team at the hospital, Derek's team in Maryland, and the main office with everyone else. You and Spencer go into an empty hospital room to watch the video. Dr. Nichols went to the Senator to ask for money for a project he wanted to do with dangerous chemicals. He went to talk to the Senator about the attack in 2001 and why he should have funding for his project.

"Five people died. If you ask me, we're lucky it was just five. We're lucky that whoever sent these letters used cheap porous envelopes and not a crop duster. America's enemies are capable of wiping out entire cities, and we are woefully unprepared."

"I'm looking at your proposal--"

"Yes, sir," Dr. Nichols cuts the Senator off. "Every household needs gas masks and a two-month supply of Cipro for each resident. Every major city needs hospitals with bio-safety decontamination capabilities."

"Regarding the budget you propose for this operation--"

"Anything short of fifty billion would be grossly negligent."

"Dr. Nichols, you've got to realize how unrealistic that is. We can't justify spending that kind of money on an attack that may not happen."

"You people are in denial!" Dr. Nichols exclaims.

"Doing this would incite fear and panic among the public."

"This country should be panicked! We should live in utter fear of being attacked! We live in a time of war and WMD proliferation. If you continue to be blind to our lack of preparedness, then Americans will die, and I will have no problem in pointing the blame at you!"

The committee didn't fund his project and rejected him because he was becoming unstable and fanatical, which is why they removed him from Fort Detrick and blacklisted him from other prominent positions. Even though he believes in preparedness, he felt like people weren't listening. He might have done this to prove a point.

He fits the profile of the unsub to a T. He had access to research on Anthrax, had the resources available to do something like this, lost a highly respected job, and got divorced in the process. The job he has now is through a company called Bio-Design Technology that doesn't deal with Anthrax but with the Flu. If he got demoted from working with such deadly diseases to working with the flu, he might be angry enough to use Anthrax as a weapon.

Either way, you need to bring him in.

Derek pulled you and Spencer from the hospital to go to his house while Emily and Rossi went to his work to see if he was there. Along with you, Spencer, and Derek, a hazmat team joined you so they can clear the inside of his house. You have to wait outside until they're done with their investigation.

"It's clear so far," one of the members says when he hears from one of his men inside.

"Alright, keep me posted." Derek turns to you and Spencer. "This guy just had people over for a charity event last month."

"We should probably take a look around anyway."

You three walk to the backside of the property when Spencer hisses in pain. You look over to see rose bushes with thorns sticking out of the stems. He must have cut himself on the thorns but isn't too concerned about it. For someone who messes with Anthrax, his backyard isn't too sketchy. There is a pool with a beautiful gazebo area and lots of blooming flowers. Derek's phone rings and he answers whoever it is.

"Yeah, Princess, what's up? ... Uh-huh. Yeah, we're here now. ... Sorry. what? The lab is clean? ... You're sure? ... All right." You watch Derek as he talks to Emily. You're not paying attention to Spencer who goes off on his own. He turns to you and Spencer to tell you what she said. "They got nothin'--Where's Reid?"

You look behind you to see Spencer run into the large shed in the backyard. You and Derek quickly follow after him, but he slams the glass door to keep you and Derek out of some kind of lab.

"Spencer!" you gasp.

"Morgan! Y/N! Get back!"

"What the hell are you doing? What's wrong?"

"Believe me, get back."

"Reid, open this door!"

"Spencer, open the damn door!" you yell and slam your hands on the glass.

"I'm sorry. You can't come in here."

"No, open the door," you whimper. The only reason he would be trapped inside there and refuses to let anyone inside is that this is the place where Dr. Nichols created his Anthrax poison. "Spencer, no, open the door."

"I'm sorry," he sighs.

"Come on," Derek says and puts his hands on your shoulders.

"No!" you gasp. "I can't leave him. I'm not leaving him. Call Hotch and get people out here now! I'm not going anywhere!"

Derek has no choice but to listen to you. He needs people out here now if Spencer has any hope of making it out of this alive. Derek leaves and gets Hotch on the phone, and you look at your boyfriend with tears in your eyes.

"Open this door, Spencer, or I'm gonna break it."

"Don't, Y/N. There is white powder in here, and the air is blasting."

You let out a heartbreaking sob and put your hands to your mouth to quiet them. Spencer's heart breaks at the sight of you crying for him. Hotch and the biohazard team arrive quicker than you thought they would, and Derek tells Hotch where you are.

"Y/N, get out of there."

"I can't leave him," you cry. "I'm not leaving him alone!"

"Please don't cry."

"Spencer, I've seen what this does to people. There has not been one survivor and you're infected now. If the cure is not in there, then you're gonna..." You can't even say it. "I can't lose you. I love you so much."

You place your hand flat on the glass and Spencer puts his hand over yours.

"You need to get out of here."

"I can't leave you!"

"I will be fine."

He doesn't believe what he's telling you because he doesn't know if he's going to make it out of here alive or not. He's lying to protect your feelings but he forgets that you can tell when someone is lying. Your chest feels heavy and your whole body is shaking from fear. Your legs can't hold you up any longer so you fall to the ground in a heap of tears. Someone from the biohazard team comes in and places their hand on your shoulder.

"Ma'am, you need to leave."

"Y/N, listen to them."

"Spencer," you gasp.

The man practically forces you out of the shed to where Hotch and Derek are. Derek catches you when your legs wobble.

"I need to be in there, please. I can't leave him alone. He's scared, Hotch," you cry.

"Y/N, you need to calm down."

"I can't," you hiccup. "I can't lose him."

Hotch needs you to calm down so he calls Spencer and places him on speakerphone so you can hear his voice.

"Hotch, I really messed up this time," Spencer sighs.

"Reid, we need to get you out and to the hospital."

"No, I'm staying right here."

The tears won't stop rolling down your cheeks.

"No, Spencer, please leave. You need medical attention," you cry. "Please!"

"Y/N, I'm already exposed. It's not gonna do me any good to stop working on the case."

"He's already infected," General Whitworth says. "If Nichols created the strain, he may have also created the cure."

"Look, Dr. Nichols is in here but he's dead. Someone must have bashed something in his head. My best chance is to stay here, see if there's a cure, and try to figure out who killed Dr. Nichols."

"Hotch, say something to him!"

"He's right. His best chance is inside. We're gonna get a suit and mask into you right away."

"Don't bother. it's not gonna do me any good. I'm already infected."

This thing killed the first three victims within hours.

The thought of losing Spencer is something you can't even fathom. The thought hurts too much, and your chest starts closing up.

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

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kmomof4 · 1 year ago

Text

Find the Words Tag Game

Tagged by @exhaustedpirate Thank you, love!!!

Rules: Find the words in all your current WIPs and post a snippet containing the words, then tag others with their own words.

My Words: Touch, Heart, and Hot

I have 3 WIPs with actual words on the doc, so I'll look for all three words in each WIP.

A Lady in Distress- A Queen Charlotte Fic

Touch and Hot are not on the doc, but for Heart, I have notes that will def become sentences in the fic- Killian's heart soared. Emma's heart found a home.

Orphan Girl-

Touch-

She couldn’t help reaching out and trailing her fingers along the edge of the dress in front of her as Killian approached the counter. The material was soft to the touch, and nearly exactly the same color as her eyes. A small sigh escaped her as she pictured herself wearing it. A soft gasp beside her brought her out of her reverie and focused her attention on Alice.

“You’d look so pretty in this, Miss Emma,” she breathed. “Don’t you think so, Papa?”

Emma was astonished to find Killian standing in front of them. She’d been so lost in her daydream, she hadn’t realized he’d returned to where she and Alice were looking around at the clothes on display.

He had a soft smile on his face as he looked at her and his hand joined hers as it continued to stroke the soft fabric.

“It would look lovely on you, Miss Emma.” His eyes never left hers as his hand gently cupped hers, so that the back of his fingers also ran along the material. Emma could hardly breathe.

Heart-

The next few months passed happily. The bond between Emma and Alice only strengthened, and Emma loved her as if she was her own child. They settled quickly into a routine of studies during the morning hours with the afternoons being filled with lessons in manners and comportment, drawing and painting, dancing, and learning to play the pianoforte. Killian was a frequent observer of Alice’s afternoon lessons and Emma couldn’t help the little stutter her heart gave whenever he joined them.

Hot- Nope... sorry...

A Scoundrel... Or a Gentleman- a fic inspired by Francesca Bridgerton's story.

Touch-

He knew he shouldn’t be accompanying her. He knew he shouldn’t ever be alone with her. But when she smiled, he was helpless to resist her. It may leave him wracked with equal parts guilt and desire later, but he couldn’t deny himself any amount of time in her presence. Because that’s all there would ever be. He’d never act upon his desires. Never betray his brother in that way or sully Emma’s reputation. There’d never be a kiss, meaningful glances or touches, whispered words of love and affection, or moans of passion.

All he’d ever have was her friendship, her smile, and her company. And besotted fool that he was, he’d be happy with it.

Heart-

As Emma and Killian walked along the street, Emma couldn’t help but think what a dear man her brother-in-law was. Oh, he’d be certain to scoff and list all the reasons his soul was as black as they came (none of which, she was afraid, were exaggerated) if she expressed those sentiments out loud, but she knew him nearly as well as she knew her husband, and Killian Jones possessed a heart of honor and had a capacity to love that was unequaled among the men of her acquaintance. And if she didn’t find him a wife soon, she’d go mad.

Hot- Nope again... sorry.

Tagging @booksteaandtoomuchtv @snowbellewells @jrob64 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @anmylica @zaharadessert with the words Eyes, Smile, and Soft

#find the words tag game #a lady in distress- a queen charlotte fic #orphan girl #a scoundrel... or a gentleman #krystal writes

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dangraccoon · 10 months ago

Text

Jari'eyc - Chapter 2

Read on AO3

Word Count: 2214

Warnings: stress, migraine, Cid is a shitty boss, suggestive themes at the end

Mando'a Translation: uja - honey/sugar

« Previous Chapter Next Chapter »

Tech had been observing Hunter all morning. He almost seemed at war with himself- going through the motions as though it were a normal day, but every so often a burst of irritability would break through.

“You have a migraine,” Tech noted when the others had finally cleared out of the galley.

“Oh, do I?” Hunter snarked. “Thanks for letting me know.”

Tech scowled. “You should take something. Perhaps you should lie down as well.”

“It’s not going to work, Tech, you know that.”

“Well, I highly doubt that it would hurt. It may at least help a small amount, which would be better than-”

“I get it, Tech,” Hunter growled.

Tech watched his older brother press the heels of his palms to his eyes, feeling somewhat powerless.

“Perhaps we should check is there is any of the mix Jaine made left-”

“No,” he barked, slamming a hand on the table and instantly wincing at the loud noise. He took a deep, shaky breath. “I’m sorry.”

Tech didn’t reply. Hunter knew his younger brother would forgive this; Tech knew how the migraines affected him.

“How can you just… say her name like that? How can you think of her without any-”

“It’s not without emotion,” Tech corrected. “I feel the… hole left in the fabric of our squad. I have found the adjustment rather difficult. I have noted that I- I miss her, quite… dearly.”

“Tech?”

“She was a member of this squad before she betrayed us. At the end, I found that I was quite angry with myself that I spent so long wishing her out of our lives. Now that she’s gone-”

“She’s not gone,” Echo whispered, having appeared with Crosshair at the doorway. “We’re going to get her back.”

Crosshair scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. “Get her back? Echo, do you have a screw loose? She doesn’t want to come back. What she wants is to see us all dead or imprisoned.”

Tech watched his twin carefully; Crosshair didn’t speak much about Jaine anymore. In fact, to Tech’s recollection, Crosshair had only referenced her once in passing when Omega had asked about some of the left over supplies in the medbay.

“Something isn’t right, I know it,” Echo argued. “She wasn’t acting like herself.”

“Maybe that was the first time she was! Maybe, just maybe she’d been lying to us all from the beginning. She wormed her way into this squad, but she never liked us, never cared for us, never loved-” Crosshair’s voice broke and his gaze dropped to the floor. “We’re better off without her.”

They watched as Crosshair quickly left, his words weighing heavily over them. Echo sighed deeply, turning to leave the ship for a while.

The sunlight warmed his skin as he stopped to take in a deep breath. He’d been debating with himself if he should reach out to Crosshair. He’d lost a loved one once too. It wasn’t the same, and he knew that, but his heart still ached for his brother.

And, if he were being truthful, himself. It hadn’t taken him long to realize the pull Jaine inflicted on him. Her smile, her laugh, her touch; she was magnetic and after all, he was rebuilt with metal.

He knew very well the boundaries: you don’t touch a brother’s cyare, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have eyes. Above all else, she had been kind to him. She remembered him and his twin from years prior, she told him that she’d mourned his loss and then Fives’ as well. She was sympathetic to his story, but she didn’t pity him, she didn’t treat him like he was breakable.

She reminds you of me, a familiar voice always whispered in his head. He tried to shake that voice, but it always came back.

“Echo!” Omega called, just coming into view with Wrecker.

“Hey, kid. What mischief have the two of you gotten into today?” he smirked, willing the memories back into their box.

“Mischief? Us?” Wrecker laughed, earning a suspicious glance from Echo as he knelt to let Omega jump down from his shoulder.

“We just went into the city and there’s a festival tonight,” she grinned.

“Oh, really? What for?”

“I’m not actually sure, but Movri said there’s going to be music and lights and food!”

“Wait, who’s Movri?”

Omega’s eyes went wide for a very brief moment. “Movri is Wrecker’s… friend!”

Echo eyed the large man, who was quickly turning a deep red. “Wrecker’s ‘friend’?”

Wrecker laughed awkwardly, before glancing towards the Marauder. “I think Hunter’s calling me, I better go see what he wants.”

Echo chuckled as he watched Wrecker dart into the ship. “Tell me more about this ‘friend’ then,” he grinned.

Omega smiled, leaning closer and whispering conspiratorially. “He’s so nice! He runs the Sugar Planet stand in the market. He’s really good at making Wrecker laugh and I think Wrecker really, really likes him!”

“Really?” Echo smiled, ideas for reading his brother already starting to flow through his mind.

Omega nodded. “I think he likes him more than a friend.”

The two shared a very serious look before bursting into a fit of giggles.

—

“You’re late,” Cid noted, placing her data pad down on the desk. “Again.”

The hooded person scoffed. “Your intel was incomplete again.”

“Did you get the data or not?”

Irritation roiled off the figure. “Yes,” she said, gruffly. “It’s encrypted.”

“Doesn’t matter, I’ve got a guy for that.”

“And my cut?”

Cid glared up at her. “It’ll have to be split.”

The cloaked figure all but growled.

“Oh, stow it. You know if you can’t finish a job alone you don’t get the full pay.”

Cid leaned forward, picking up a small comm device. “Goggles, get in here.”

Moments later, the door slid open, revealing Tech, still engaged with whatever was on his data pad.

“You commed,” he said, not bothering to look up.

“Blue, this is Goggles. Goggles, Blue.”

Tech finally looked up at the hooded figure, meeting her eyes. Despite the shadow her hood cast and the armored mask that covered the lower half of her face, Tech could make out some details. Dark blue skin - no, it was some kind of paint, and her eyes; one light brown, one cybernetic, both scanning Tech with a scowl.

There was something about the man that struck a part of Raze’s memory. She was sure she didn’t know him, but there was something in the structure of his face and the way he carried himself that was eerily familiar.

“Raze,” she grumbled through the voice modulator in her mask.

“Tech,” he said cordially.

“Goggles will take the data stick and decrypt it. He’ll get half your cut, too.”

Raze’s head snapped towards the trandoshan as if to protest, but Cid interrupted.

“I can make it more,” she sneered.

Tech heard Raze’s jaw click shut.

“That’s what I thought. Now both of you, get out.”

As they left, Raze glanced around the room. More people had arrived, all wearing similar armor to Tech, except for a young girl, who was playing - and winning - a game of dejarek against a large man.

“Is there a problem?” Tech asked, paused a few steps ahead, turned back to face her.

“No,” she answered gruffly.

Tech led them to a booth near the back of the parlor, occupied by another man in armor who bore a striking resemblance to Tech.

“Who’s your new friend?” the other man drawled, toothpick stuck between his lips. He was watching them, his eyes scrutinizing every detail.

“This is Raze,” Tech reported, sliding into the booth. “Another associate of Cid.”

“How nice.”

“This is Crosshair,” Tech informed her.

“Charmed, I’m sure,” Raze answered flatly.

Tech held out a hand. “The data stick.”

Raze reluctantly reached into a pocket on her thigh, pulling the data stick out and placing it in his hand. She crossed her arms over her chest. “How long is this going to take?”

“The encryption is not very heavy, it should only take a few moments,” Tech replied.

Raze heard a bit of a commotion behind her. Turning, she saw that the child had won the match of dejarek, much to the dismay of her large opponent. One of the men watching laughed, the other was watching her curiously. He was paler than the others with small pieces of metal poking out of his head. That odd sense of familiarity struck her again, stronger than it had with Tech.

They locked eyes for a moment, almost daring one another to look away. The stalemate was quickly broken when the girl ran up to him, chattering happily about something she couldn’t hear.

“I have finished decrypting the data,” Tech informed her, holding the data stick out toward her.

“Are you clones?” She asked bluntly before she could think better of it.

“Problem?” Crosshair scowled.

Raze eyed him suspiciously. “Not at the moment.”

“Will you be turning in the data stick or shall I?” Tech cut into their silent glaring.

“I’ve got it,” she huffed, snatching the data stick from him.

She stalked across the room, catching the eyes of the other clones as she did, only losing their attention when the door to Cid’s office closed behind her.

“Clones, Cid?”

“What about ‘em?”

“Didn’t expect you to be working with the Empire.”

Cid scoffed. “They look like they’re with the Empire to you, Blue?”

Raze eyed her, trying to get a better read on their relationship to her. “Can’t be too careful with that kind.”

“Like my safety matters to you,” Cid rolled her eyes. “Did Goggles finish with the data or are you just here to piss me off?”

Raze scowled, passing the data stick to her.

Cid nodded, throwing a few credits towards them on the desk.

“That’s not even a third of what you told me.”

Cid grinned sickeningly sweetly. “Maybe if you were on time and didn’t need help you would’ve gotten the full amount, but the price went down while you fucked around.”

Raze snatched the few credits off the desk, turning to leave, but the door wouldn’t open.

“What do you say?” Cid prompted behind her.

Raze huffed. “Thanks.”

As the door opened, she saw that the girl and the other clones had joined Tech and Crosshair, all squeezing into one booth to talk quietly. The kid saw her first, smiling and giving a little wave, the rest noticing and looking up to watch her.

Raze glared at her, before walking quickly out the door.

At the table, something like recognition thrummed in the back of Echo's brain, calling to him as his brothers talked around him. He pushed it away, a small chill traveling down his back.

“Echo?” Wrecker prodded at his shoulder.

Echo shook his head. “Sorry, what?”

“I just asked if you knew anything about Raze,” Hunter said, watching his brother closely.

“No,” Echo answered, a little too quickly. “I don’t think so.”

Hunter’s eyes narrowed, but he seemed to accept the response. He could feel the others' eyes on him, sure they accompanied variously confused expressions, so he just cleared his throat, looking down at the table.

“As for our next order of business,” Tech interjected. “Omega mentioned that there was a festival this evening.”

Omega perked up. “Yeah, Movri told us all about it!”

“Movri?” Hunter mumbled.

“Wrecker’s friend,” she whispered to him, a wicked grin on her face.

“Yeah, there’s supposed to be lots of lights, and good food,” Wrecker chimed in, his face becoming hotter by the second.

Hunter’s eyes narrowed at his brother, who was painstakingly avoiding his gaze.

“Can we go, Hunter? Please,” Omega pleaded, pulling on his arm just a little.

“Don’t see why not,” he shrugged.

—

“Festival in the city tonight,” Raze’s roommate called as she entered their tiny apartment.

“Heard about that.”

“You wanna go?” he asked, appearing around the corner from the refresher. He had a towel around his waist and he was still damp from a recent shower. “Could be fun.”

“What I want is to get out of this get up,” she groaned, rolling her eyes as she finally removed her hood and mask.

She set the mask down on the tiny kitchen table, depositing her gloves with it.

“I can help with that,” he smirked, sidling up behind her.

She sighed a little as his arms wrapped around her waist, his touch sparking electricity under her skin.

“Stars, you’re needy,” she scoffed.

“You were gone,” he mumbled into her neck.

“It wasn’t that long.”

“Three weeks.”

She rolled her eyes again, pulling away from him. “Yeah, three weeks only using a sonic; I must be disgusting.”

“We can take a shower,” he suggested, grabbing her hips in that way that always made her head spin.

“Didn’t you just have one?”

He shrugged, his signature crooked smirk falling into place. “I could take another.”

He dipped his head down, pressing a soft kiss against her lips.

“Forn,” she whispered as he pulled away, her eyes still closed.

“There’s no one else here, uja, you can use my real name.”

He pressed his lips to the space just below her ear, the one he knew would always drive her crazy. She moaned, her head falling back. “Stars, Fives.”

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Thanks for reading! - River

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djsherriff-responses · 2 months ago

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https://www.tumblr.com/djsherriff-responses/767076096159137792/httpswwwtumblrcomdjsherriff-responses7668862

—

I think it would be nice if Ray was taken under Eden’s wing when he was around 18, it would be a very small but good parallel of how Dolph escaped Eden when he was barely 18 and then being immediately lured by Alex (aka escaping from an abusive environment but immediately getting screwed over) 😯～

I think that the Board only pays attention to Rayman’s mental issue if it’s something they can take advantage of. For C-PTSD, they manipulated it so he would view them à la saviour (and thus less likely to betray them because “they saved his life”). And if it’s thought that he has BPD, they don’t treat it so he gains an unhealthy addictive relationship. Therapy is an absolute no-go, since either the mental state will get better (and so he’ll become less vulnerable), or Rayman might start realising the abusive signs and the mental state quietly worsens, and not in a way the Board likes.

If it were to be believed that one of the prescriptions that Rayman is taking is benzodiazepines (just a theory I really like, as seen from here), it turns out that benzos are highly addictive. The chances of addiction becomes higher if the user has a history of drug/alcohol addiction or live with a personality disorder. Also! Benzodiazepines only slow down the messages between the brain and body, meaning they don’t actually treat any underlying issues (it’s like as you said, they only give things that numb the pain!). If you want to be theoretical, you can say this is symbolic of the Board pretending to give help to Ray, which was really only surface-level.

Don’t get me wrong, benzodiazepines do help a lot of people in some way. But the thing is, they’re only supposed to be taken for the shortest amount of time possible (alongside CBT, which the Board definitely isn’t putting Ray on).

Ah, I saw that post too!! They both work in the entertainment industry, and have to fulfill other people’s desires, so it’s nice to have someone you can be real with, so I quite like this idea too (as seen from my profile hiahiahia)(ヾ ;￣▽￣)ヾ There’s this manga called Tomorrow, I’ll Be Someone’s Girlfriend, which follows the viewpoint of mostly rental girlfriends, and highlights the suffering of changing from the real you into the you that fulfills other people’s desires～ I really like this a lot too～～

Bullfrog isn’t someone I constantly rattle in my head, so I can’t immediately say things, but I’m very curious about this too 😯. If his theme doesn’t fit with that trinity, I want to be mindful of other characters that he might fit with… Also, I’ve been headcanoning that Jade is Asian for a very long time, so I’m really happy to hear this🥺 Even if the mission was different and didn’t have Asian themes, I would’ve still thought of her in that way～It might be that Sarah forced Jade to play a Dragon Lady role, but it failed horribly because that just isn’t who she is. I wonder if it was intentional for the mission to be Asian themes-focused so it could strengthen that connection... In my heart, I feel like it could be a commentary about how people usually saw Asian women as only one of two things back then (submissive or aggressive, Lotus Blossom or Dragon Lady). Pey’J saw her as a Lotus Blossom, and since he knew her since she was a kid, it affected her developmental process. And then afterwards, Sarah tried to make her be a Dragon Lady. It was only Dolph and Bullfrog who saw who she truly was, and it wasn’t either of those stereotypes. It’s also good to note that Pey’J and Sarah were the ones holding power over her.

Something very interesting to me is that Jade’s outfit while playing Femme Fatale is very leggy, which is an attribute that a lot of Dragon Lady outfits had! I’m pretty sure the dress that Jade wore exists in real life, but her outfit also reminds me of the ultra sexualised qipao Dragon Ladies were dressed in. Also, it’s worthy to note that usually at the end of Dragon Lady movies, the Dragon Lady is killed off, so... 😬. I’ll be really happy if this is intentional～ I’m really fixated on (S)EAsian themes, so I hope my perspective is helpful hihihaha |ω・）Jade’s themes are really full of Lotus Blossom, I know I made a post about the Lotus Blossom Stereotype already but since it had a Ray focus there are some things I didn’t mention, so hopefully I can fully describe how Jade’s character fully fits into these ☺️

I also felt this way 🥺…! My heart was broken when I saw how little interest she has. I know the time spent with her was short, but I’m the type of person to also get fixated on background characters, so that really doesn’t matter to me～ Abusive situations are really hard to come out of, and especially if you have little to no connections. I felt as if Pey’J is the type of person to contact her connections, and also snoop around their areas to see if they are lying and hiding her😥 It’s even harder since Jade assumingly only has 2 connections, so things might turn out violent 😬… Police reporting is shit since Dolph is Dolph and Bullfrog is Bullfrog (I’m not familiar with Jade’s relationship with the police, except that Jade definitely won’t rely on them in the slightest), so, if there really is a saviour in Eden, I hope they can strike Pey’J down so suddenly and he dies a horrible long death (≖͞_≖̥)

I think Rayman would’ve been a bit older when the Board made him a celebrity, since he mentions being Bullfrog’s age when he went to college and Bullfrog seems older/more mature than an 18/19 year old in the show (mid 20s is my guess tbh) but Rayman could’ve still be very young when he left his home dimension and having no one to support him, would’ve still been very vulnerable when he was approached by Eden

yeah it’s important to make it known medications aren’t evil, but they have to be taken in the proper doses or else they could do more harm than good, which the Board wouldn’t care to do for Rayman

If Rayman did request some kind of therapy, the Board would probably postpone it indefinitely (probably filling his schedule so he simply didn’t have time for it) or getting someone to only do the very bare minimal of help to ensure Rayman didn’t seek out a way to end his own life. Though it was probably easier to just shove booze and drugs up his system

Ahhh I should check out that manga it sounds cute, and yeah I think Rayman and Cow girl would have a lot in common

I actually theorise that Bullfrog’s backstory is gonna be a parallel to Sarah’s, since his the last Assassin and Sarah is (presumably) the Last of the Board/Templars. I think it’d be particularly interesting if he became an Assassin due to his mother (and Sarah a Templar from her mother) but that’s admittedly wishful thinking for more badass ladies in this show. The first season had a strong theme of father figures (Sam,Pey’J and sorta Alex if you want to count him) so I thought maybe the second will have more mother figures

See I enjoy various media from Asian countries (mainly anime) but I’m a white woman from the UK so I have limited experience with those stereotypes compared to someone who’s Asian and had to actually live with them. Still these are all interesting stuff you’ve brought up and I appreciate you sharing!

Hopefully I can do more stuff with Jade, wanna do some shippy stuff with her and maybe an AU where she not not survives, but makes Eden into her own Alien garden 🪴

#asks #ask me #captain laserhawk #Tw abuse

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freesidexjunkie · 8 months ago

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WIP Wednesday but it's Friday

A small snippet of chapter 7 for Din'an All Elgara 💕 rough draft, WIP, etc etc (the chapter is almost entirely typed up now, just need to edit it into a version i can live with). For context, this takes place in Haven in the very early game.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

“No,” he said with a little smirk. “No, I fear I am boring you with my prattle.”

Shit. “No! No, I was…” I was what? Lost in your eyes? Distracted by the warm timbre of your voice, by the shifting glow of the magic as you worked it with ease? “I was just… distracted by the Mark. The way it moves, and all.”

“Ah, of course,” he said, though his tone suggested that my wandering gaze had betrayed me.

I felt my cheeks grow warm as a nervous laugh escaped me. “Oh, shut up,” I said, pulling my hand away as I scooted back. “I was listening, for your information. I don’t get many chances to talk about magic like this back home. It’s just me and the Keeper, and sometimes giving lessons to the Second. Dalish magic is just…”

“Lacking in imagination?” He said.

I swatted him on the arm as I tried to suppress my own grin. He wasn’t far off, but I couldn’t just up and agree with him. “Watch it, you. Dalish magic can get plenty imaginative if you get on our bad side.”

Solas put his hands up in mock surrender. “Of course,” he said, “my apologies. I certainly would not want to be on the wrong end of one of your spells, at least.”

I rolled my eyes again, trying to give the impression that his approval of my spellwork only gave me the normal amount of butterflies. “I was going to say it’s very practical. Healing and day-to-day stuff. A few rituals. There’s less time to explore magical theory when you’re always on the move, trying to keep a clan healthy and safe.”

“Naturally,” he replied, folding his hands behind his back. Even in a war camp, he always managed to look so… regal. Like there was an elegant ease about him. “Well, it is gratifying to know that you aren’t just humoring me, then, by letting me drone on.”

I flashed a coy smirk, the feeling bubbling up in my chest lending me a bit of boldness. “Or maybe I just enjoy listening to you talk,” I said.

“I… ahem.” He looked away to clear his throat, and I almost swore I saw a bit of color rise in his cheeks. “Thank you, lethallan. Though I suspect you may be the first.”

“Besides yourself, you mean?”

That earned a real, honest-to-gods laugh from him as he threw his head back. “I see. You flatter me in one breath and humble me with the next. Like a rose, luring people in with beauty before pricking them with your thorns.”

Beautiful? I tried to calm the flipping in my stomach. He might have just meant beautiful words, after all; but…

“Please,” I responded, “I’m not that prickly.”

His teasing smile softened into something a bit more like fondness. “No, you are not,” he said. “You have a way about you of putting people at ease, I think.”

“Of course,” I replied, affecting a haughty air. “I’m a born diplomat, Solas.”

“Hm. I wonder if Lady Josephine would agree with that?”

Now it was my turn to be affronted as I clutched a hand to my chest. “Ha! Now who’s thorny?”

Before Solas could made any kind of reply, a young human boy ran up to us; one of the Inquisition’s scouts, if I remembered correctly. He bowed a bit awkwardly before addressing us. “Your Worship. Sister Leliana sent me to bring you to the Chantry. There’s been a… situation of sorts with the Chancellor."

Roderick. Of course. According to Cassandra, he was little more than a glorified clerk, but that hadn’t stopped him from calling for my righteous execution near hourly since I woke up. I groaned loudly as I got down from my spot. “Dread Wolf take me… Doesn’t he have anything better to do?”

I heard Solas snicker at my misfortunes from behind. “Would that I could assist, but I am not the ‘natural born diplomat,’ unfortunately.”

“Don’t be so quick to joke,” I warned. “He’s got a stick up his ass about heathen elven mages. I might tell him you’re here just to keep him out of my hair.”

The young scout spoke up again. “Apologies, my Lady, but I do believe it was somewhat urgent.”

“Right, yes. I’m coming,” I said with a sigh. I turned to speak to Solas as I walked back towards the Chantry. “Wish me luck. I’m sure he’s going to argue for wasting all your hard work again.”

“Dareth shiral, lethallan,” he replied with one last smile, picking up his book. “If you need anything further, I’ll be here.”

Feeling a bit emboldened, I threw a little smirk at him over my shoulder as I left. “Oh, I’m sure I’ll think of something.”

Anyways, thank you if you read this far!! Let me know what you think of it, if you have any thoughts? I hope to have the full chapter up by this weekend; if not, fingers crossed for early next week!!

#writing wip #wip wednesday #wip whenever #wip #dragon age fanfiction #solas dragon age #solasmance #solas x female lavellan #solas x inquisitor #solas x oc #solas #dai solas #sarissa #din'an all elgara #solavellan #solas fanfic

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nonuggetshere · 2 years ago

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GIVE KNIGHTS AND FLOWER STUFF PLS

SORRY IT'S DAY LATER, I WAS TIRED AND COULDNT GET MY BRAIN TO THINK BUT HERE'S THE STUFF

This is gonna be LONG so buckle up

I am putting this under read more, this got unreasonably long LMAO

The entire incident was of course shocking and a heavy blow to them. They always tried to treat Flower right and developed actual affection for them, but the realisation that they contributed to something so awful shakes them up. Isma damn near tears up but tries to stay strong. All of them aren't the same afterwards. They're still loyal to Hallownest and somewhat to the crown, but they all feel betrayed and disgusted with themselves.

At first, they avoid them just like their parents. They can't even look at them without feeling a crushing amount of guilt. But after a few months, sometime after the Radiance fiasco and they don't have to run around like headless chickens to try and deal with the infection, they finally decide that they should put an effort into making them feel welcome.

For small context, there's a three day winter holiday that marks the end of winter/year and the beginning of spring/new year, and one of the days involves a winter ball. Flower was put on guard duty during it (which I actually wrote an entire minific about if you're interested (and I can find it)), and the knights in short thought "wow that's deppressing", realised they weren't any better in their treatment of them and decided to make an effort to not be.

And now I am going to drop an old minific on you that I spontaneously wrote in my friend's dms

This is not beta read or anything proper on the account of being written in discord dms, just fyi

Sometime after the winter celebrations, the knights finally decide to bite the bullet and start inviting Flower over to spend time with them

Flower was lingering in the palace when they stumbled onto Dryya and Isma heading somewhere, and to their surprise, Dryya called out to them.

"Knight!"

They paused, looking back at her.

She smiled. "Care to join us?" She held up her blade. "Some friendly sparing with the rest of the knights."

Flower looked around to see if she wasn't talking to somebody else then looked back at her and pointed at themself. She chuckled.

"Who else would I be talking to?"

Isma also smiled. "Well, if you want to join us, we'll be at the training grounds. You don't have to, of course, but it'd be a pleasure to have you there."

They turned and walked off, chatting about whatever it was they were chatting previously.

It would be...what?

...Well, they had nothing better to do, they could as well.

They headed back to their room and put on their armour, took their sword and headed for the training grounds.

The knights looked...glad to see them? That was a first...

"Hey, glad you could make it!" Hegemol got up with that usual bright smile of his and came up to them, patting them on the shoulder. "You're just in time, we were just getting started."

Dryya stopped stretching and picked up her sword and mask, smiling at them. "Would you like to go first? I'm dying to see the skills that allowed you to kick the Radiance's ass."

Flower almost wanted to correct her, but found their hands unable to move. They were acting friendly, sure, but...they still felt awkward and tense, and acting methodical and hollow felt familiar and safe. So they instead silently stepped into the ring with Dryya and readied their sword.

This...felt familiar. It felt good. Being in this arena, fighting like they used to, hearing the other knights' distant chatter and comments, even laughter - it almost felt like nothing ever happened, like they were back to how it used to be, in the comfortable yet painful façade they've crafted for years, before any of these people knew the truth. It was a bittersweet feeling. They tried to focus on the training itself.

They found it enjoyable, after all. Even if they hadn't chose to take up their blade on their own accord, they still found enjoyment in the art.

Yet the moment they left that ring, they felt like an intruder all over again. They sat to the side, some ways away from the other knights, just watching them train and make small talk. Watching from afar as they chatted and laughed. It...didn't felt right to sit by them. They shouldn't have the privilege to be included in the kights' daily routine or their friendly banter.

They instead silently watched Dryya and Isma spare against one another.

"So," Isma panted. "What do you think?"

"Excellent as always, Isma!"

"Oh, don't flatter me Ogrim and give me some actual criticism!" She laughed.

"-What do you think, knight?"

Flower snapped back to reality from their thoughts and looked up at them, to see all five of the knights were looking back at them. Were...they talking to them? Why weren't they calling them vessel?

Hegemol gave them a reassuring smile. "Do you have anything to add?"

They paused for a moment, looking away then slowly shaking their head.

"Ah, well, that's fine. I'm not a talkative person either."

But it wasn't just that, it wasn't just their shyness or reserved nature. They were much more comfortable in combat, but became that much more tense when sitting among them.

The training session finally came to an end, and Flower bowed to the five and, without making another gesture or waiting for their goodbyes, they walked off. After all, they weren't used to getting goodbyes, so when they heard the five say 'bye' to them they got almost startled. They glanced back, gave them a polite nod, and left.

What followed was an awkward silence, finally broken by Dryya's sight.

"Alright, did anybody else see it too or was it just me?"

They all nodded slowly.

"I hope they weren't uncomfortable..." Isma muttered.

"If they were, I don't think they would have came in the first place." Ogrim patted her shoulder in an attempt to console her.

"Unless they took our invitation as an order." Dryya crossed her arms.

"...I...hope not..."

The usually chatty and light-hearted atmosphere past their regular sparring sessions was now instead replaced by a heavy silence hanging over all of them.

Hegemol finally sighed and sat back with his arms crossed.

"Well...the king got his weapon..."

Meanwhile when Flower bumps into Hornet they're just going to have this thousand yard stare

"Hornet the weirdest thing just happened to me"

Isma hunts them down later that same day and invites them to another sparing session, but reassures them they don't have to come if they don't want to, says they wouldn't want them to showup if it made them uncomfortable

But Flower does anyway, because it feels familiar - at least in a small part, and familiarity and comfort is all they want right now. Even if it comes with awkwardness and some discomfort.

So every so often, they start to show up to spare with the knights, and all the while they don't talk to them, they remain stoic and still. Still that proper "hollow" knight they used to be, even if it's a lie, even if everybody present knows it's a lie. It's still a comfortable lie, it feels familiar and safe, however othering and hurtful.

Knights try their best to make Flower feel welcomed and wanted, but it feels like every time they try to include them in conversations they only retreat even further into themself

They don't leave their "proper" pose, it almost feels like they're trying to be hollow even now

They finally see some of their personality shine through, just once. When Hornet shows up.

They stood perfectly straight with their hands neatly crossed behind their back. As always they didn't participate in any of the conversations, didn't even sit or stand close to the other knights, just watched as the five chatted and waited for them to choose whose turn it was.

Then, just as they turned to the knight, they heard a pair of footsteps approaching - fast.

Flower jumped back, just in time as a familiar red blur zoomed past.

Hornet slid into a halt and the two siblings looked at each other, before she lunged at them and swung at their feet, trying her hardest to trip them up.

They jumped and dodged every swing, moving back as they did so, in an almost scarily ease. They eventually placed their own well aimed kick and took the princess off her feet. She landed on the sandy ground with an audible 'oof' and stared up at them.

"Bitch."

They squatted in front of her and flicked her in the nose.

"Stop embarrassing me and let me hit you."

They finally moved their hands up and signed. "Stop embarrassing yourself and get better aim."

"I will strangle you in your sleep."

They got up. "Good luck with that, twerp."

She jumped to her feet and got in their face, or the best that she could. "Who're calling twerp, tall freak?!"

"You."

"Uhm..." The two finally turned to look at Dryya and her fellow knights, who were looking at them. "Sorry to disturb you, your highness, but what's the meaning of...this?"

Hornet huffed. "I've been trying to sneak up on them and take them down for forever but it isn't working. It's like the asshole has a sixth sense for my attacks or something."

"No offence, princess," Hegemol rubbed the back of his neck, smiling awkwardly. "But have you considered that you're a bit...loud?

Flower tensed up and their shoulders shook, though they tried to supress it. Hornet spun around and hit her needle against their chest plate.

"Do not laugh at me!"

It only seemed to make it worse though, as they tensed up even more and made an audible 'hhhh' sound.

This is the most animated they've ever seen them, and the first time they've seen them sign

The knights of course start inviting them to hang out outside of spars too, figuring they might feel better when they're not in a setting that reminded them of their training. It doesn't work.

One of the things they invite them to are their hot spring baths in the pleasure house, which is actually inspired by voidsiblings' fanfic Thorns of Steel (this is a promo, go read it it's good)

They were going back to their room after a long day when they get stopped by Isma

"Hello, knight." Isma smiled. "Are you busy by any chance?"

They pause and eventually shake their head slowly.

"Would you like to come to the pleasure house with us? We've booked a hot spring for private use, and you look like you could use some relaxation."

They freeze.

...Hot spring? With the knights? They wanted them there?

"You don't have to come, of course, but we'd love to have you there! Just- come meet me at the palace entrance in an hour if you decide to come."

And with that, she left.

Flower didn't want to disappoint their teachers, and...it did sound nice. So in an hour they made their way down the steps of the palace and saw Isma and Hegemol waiting there for them. They were chatting when they spotted them and both smiled.

"Glad you could make it after all." Hegemol chuckled.

"You're just in time too, come on."

They make their way to the pleasure house, and Flower almost wants to split and go listen to the beautiful music instead, but follows their teachers up to the springs. They all get warm welcomes, and thanks to the round style of the room they're kind of forced to sit among them.

So they just silently sit on the edge of the spring, with only their legs submerged and listen to the knights chatting and laughing amongst themselves.

Ogrim at some point slaps their knee, which almost startles them and they look down at him.

"Knight, you can take off your mask! We're all friends here, are we not?"

Flower tenses up and awkwardly looks away, hugging themself.

Isma tries to give them a reassuring smile. "Of course, you don't have to if you don't want to."

"Yes, of course! It was just a suggestion."

This...this felt bizarre. It felt alien. None of this was right.

They felt like an intruder, like they didn't belong there. They were just an outsider looking in on five life long friends having a great time together, and they... They were just a stranger. They...they were invited there just out of pity, weren't they?

They didn't belong there, they shouldn't be here. They didn't deserve this. They were a traitor, a broken vase, a deceiver and they didn't deserve this pity. They didn't deserve to be treated like one of them. They shouldn't be here.

"Le'mer?"

Ze'mer's soft tone finally snapped them out of their thoughts, and they found all five of the great knights looking at them.

"Are you alright?" Hegemol tried to reach for their shoulder in an attempt to comfort them, but overwhelmed with emotions and thoughts and the deep, alienating sense of not belonging in that space, Flower jolted away.

Quickly they jumped back and ran out of the room, grabbing their shoes on the way out. They just had to get out of there.

That, and the sudden anxiety spike of realising people are looking at them.

This guy's a mess <3

They go outside to take a quick breather, put on their shoes and go back to the palace

Isma goes to look for them but they're already gone

Or maybe she even catches them outside, tries to reach for their shoulder but they flinch away

And then they leave

Despite this, they still show up to their next sparring session, and pretend that nothing happened

They start pulling away at this point because they think they pushed too much and don't want to force Flower into doing anything they don't want to. But Flower does enjoy spending time with them, even though their anxiety kicks them in the butt every time, so they keep going to their sparring sessions.

It takes a long time, but they eventually very slowly relax around them. Hornet was a huge help with this, as she started to come with occasionally as moral support (emotional support sister), and she does not let Flower act hollow under any circumstances. Macebug also turns out to be big help in that, because they're basically a very smart pet and they love Flower and they frequently go to them for pets and lay on their lap, and being able to pet them and play with them helps them relax quite a bit.

Eventually they start sitting closer to them, start being more animated, start giving criticism when asked for it, even start joining in on conversations.

They eventually start coming to springs with them again, ant actually join them in the water, and even start taking off their mask. The first time they heard them laugh and the first time they saw them smile the knights were just ECSTATIC.

One time Flower fell asleep in the water and immediately smacked their face against it which woke them up. The knight tried so hard not to laugh, and promptly got splashed with water by them.

At this point their relationship with Lummis and Petunia is still a secret and even though the knights don't know what's going on, they cover for Flower whenever they can. Hegemol eventually does figure out who Flower is dating, either by himself or because Flower finally told them their name and it finally clicked for him (Hegemol is Lummis' godfather FYI, mainly bc I thought them having to avoid Hegemol specifically like wildfire would be entertaining)

My friend bluethepearldiver had a banger idea that "Le'mer" means an extremely affectionate term for a child in Ze'mer's language and even wrote a little drabble for it.:

Le’mer. (Pronounced la-MARE)

Flower froze. Was that…? No, this was most certainly and undoubtedly what Ze’mer kept calling them. Now to see what it meant…

Literal translation: ‘Beloved little one’. An extremely affectionate term for a child.

They read the definition again, and again, and again, hoping they were hallucinating or read it wrong. They weren’t.

Beloved. Extremely affectionate term. Beloved. But why? They didn’t deserve to be loved!

There's also an entire subplot about the coats of arms or whatever it's called but I am not an expect and this is long enough as is soooo

@bluethepearldiver PSPSPSPSPS

#asks #faaf au #spooky writes #TECHNICALLY #long post #this is so ungodly long but mostly thanks to these minifics

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