#build a bear doctor strange

[geeky-politics-46]

COVID Cuddles

Pairing: Doctor Stephen Strange x Reader

Summary: It finally got you! You are sick with COVID-19 and missing Stephen's cuddles

Warnings: reader has COVID, pandemic references, slight angst with fluffy happy ending, language

This fic is totally self-indulgent as i am sick with COVID right now & my Doctor Strange teddy bear is one of the things keeping me company. So I made it into a story. Probably lots of errors as I'm sick & drugged

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

You looked up at him in the doorway, masked fave peeking through, from where you sat on the bathroom floor. Tissues shoved up both nostrils as you waited for the bathroom to fill with steam from the shower before you tossed a Vicks vapor shower bomb under the water. Hoping that it would make it easier to breathe. Or at least make it sound like you didn't smoke 4 packs of cigarettes a day.

You had made it 3 years without getting COVID-19, but finally it got you. Despite the 2 original vaccines and 2 boosters. Your number eventually came up. You knew it would eventually. You just hoped the vaccines would make the illness shorter still.

"Well, I feel like I swallowed broken bits of light bulb, and I had a coughing fit so bad earlier I nearly puked. So I'm fucking fabulous."

They never mentioned a side effect of COVID was that it made you mean. Of course, maybe that was just you. You knew with your asthma you had to throw everything at this now just in case. So that was what you were doing. Currently waiting for your 6 hours between NyQuil shots with an ibuprofen chaser to elapse so you could top yourself up and get a good 3 hour nap before starting the waiting process all over again.

It made matters even worse that the moment you tested positive you basically became a leper. Stephen, Wong, and America banished you to the bedroom and adjoining bathroom. Wong even put up a quarantine spell that would alert them if you tried to leave the room.

You understood why. The Sorcerer Supreme and one of the Avengers getting severely ill probably wouldn't be a good thing. Much too tempting for the forces of evil. No one really knew if America could get COVID, having traveled the multiverse she probably had antibodies to things that didn't even exist in your world, but it was better safe than sorry.

Still though, a cuddle sounded really good right about now, and that was one thing Stephen couldn't give you. At least not until you were no longer contagious. You still had a couple days to go before that was even a possibility.

He was doing his absolute best to give you anything he thought you might need. Leaving trays and bags of food and medicine. Occasionally throwing in some candy or a random little treat he thought would cheer you up. He was trying so hard. Especially when you knew he wasn't exactly known for his bedside manner as a Doctor.

You hated snapping at him. You just felt genuinely terrible, and you knew that you just had to ride it out. For the most part, by yourself. It almost felt worse when he would check on you, knowing that you couldn't go hug him or even hold his hand without exposing him even more than you already had.

"I know you are miserable right now, and I know I don't have to keep bringing you all sorts of stuff beyond food and drugs. However, America showed me something that we both decided you needed. It's a friend to keep you company."

He reached inside and set down a large plain white paper gift bag. Stepping back and closing the door so you could move to get the bag, taking it back to your spot by the tub before looking in the bag.

As you peeked in the bag, you were immediately about to burst into tears. Inside was a fairly large brown teddy bear. What made it special though was that it was styled to look like Stephen.

It had blue eyes and a very dark brown goatee on its face. That alone was enough to make you giggle. The fact that it was wearing a version of Stephen's blue sorcerer's robes and it's own little Cloak Of Levitation attached to it's shoulders with velcro was just icing on the cake.

It was perfect. Soft and perfect size to snuggle while still being well formed enough that stayed looking like Stephen. Just Stephen in teddy bear form.

"Stephen, it's perfect! I love him so much! This is exactly what I needed. Thank you"

He peeked back through the door to see you already snuggling the bear tight to your chest. Happy tears on your cheeks and for the first time in days a smile on your face.

You couldn't see it behind his mask, but he was smiling too. So relieved that he could make you feel better even for just a little but. He figured you missed cuddling. He knew that he missed it. He had stolen one of your sweatshirts to snuggle, so he thought it was perfect when America showed him the bear.

Now once you were better, he might have a problem with the bear if he was there for you to cuddle instead. He would deal with that when the time came though. For now, he would share you.

--------------------------------

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Stephen Strange Taglist: @starkiller-queen @glitterylokislut @verycollectivecreator @chatampr @maskmare931 @lovecleastrange @wheredafandomat @mkixx @evelynrosestuff @katefullerrr @littlepinknightmare @foofarny @stygianoir @moonroyalt @saturnsbabe69 @blaxdet @blackrose-92 @ironstrange1991 @rindulacre @nancy-thompsons @wolfatheartandsoul @dangerouslittlefairy @n0obmaster-69 @oliveoilthoughts @onebatch--twobatch @yourmajesty13 @blondekel77 @lil-sweater-slut @gwephen @taramaria @sinceimetyou @slashersrus @coeurgrenaty @cc13723things @just--a-magpie @supervengerslock @strangelockd @dont-feel-so-good-peter @kingsmanperfecthartwin @ghost-lantern @inlovewithloki16 @thefalconandthewinterwidowshield @itssmaugtheterrible @katherinemaximoff @veryfancydoilies @cute-angi @mochacake2016 @prix19 @alexfanficnook @anotheroddfish @mando-is-the-way @xourownsidee @baes-x @dreamingsmile @negar77rd @imaginesfreetotake @ppatricia34me @rougepetale @tis-vereon @divinearchangel @sherlux @hiddlechive @ginnykate @thatesqcrush @friendofplenti @yuugenmomo @holdmyowos @the-royal-petals @lokislov3 @captaincarmel164 @lucimorningst4r @mydearalmira @petalcranberry @singhfae @emotionsareforuglypeople @trappedinlimbo15 @veryladyqueen @icytrickster17 @kentucky-criedfricken @briefhandsstudenttoad @calamityismyspecialty @sinisterstrange616 @patbrdac @trojanaurora @azu21 @massivehahaao3tree @strangesgirl

[askthesorcerersupreme]

Why are the eyes like that… “🌒 🌘” but blue…

@doctorstrangeaskblog @byondtheveil

[cissa-calls]

I have so many thoughts on Wanda’s transition from the Scarlet Witch revealed at the end of Wandavision to the Scarlet Witch at the beginning of MoM

1. WHAT HAPPENED?!?! WHY WASN’T HER DESCENT INTO GIRLBOSS DEPRAVITY EXPLORED?!?? There is SUCH a big gap between the wholesome but chaotic sweetness that was Wanda to the grand slam of demon summoning hot topic Wanda - WHY WASNT THAT SHOWN

2. The fact that her crown slowly transitioned from a crown to moreso mimicking devil horns - no notes this was just really awesome character concepting by the artists and costumers

3. THE SHATTER ON THE HEART OF HER COSTUME?!?! NO NOTES COSTUMING GRAND SLAM LOVE IT SO MUCH (…..but I wanted to see how it happened)

4. Why does no one talk about the fecking amazing horror movie sequence that was the inner part of the Kamar Taj sequence, the dipping of the fingers in the mirror (the most evidenced corrupt part of Wanda), the breaking and twisting of bones as she moves out of the mirror world, the clock and mirror motifs as she’s trapped and forced to look at herself. INCLUDE MORE OF IT!!!

5. Some of the concepts for MoM were given such care, and honestly I applaud the artist whose idea it was to actually scan Lizzie Olsens eye to use as the eye of the demon from the beginning sequence. It’s a bit of foreshadowing to a reveal that deserved more buildup. Or exploring the buildup to Wanda turning to summoning LITERAL demons. If this is supposed to be a darker tone, then go for it!

Anyways Wanda was such a complex character in Wandavision, and had such a thoughtful exploration of grief and ptsd, and it was jarring that the transition to MoM was not better explored- she deserved better

[theofreakingbell]

THEY GAVE THE BEAR A GOATEE LMAO

[purplefeathersandblackleather]

LOOK AT MY BABY

I'm fuckin over the moon right now! My mom always pays such close attention to the things I love!

[adultbabystories]

Doctor’s orders - It Is Done - Part 10

After an hour since Gregory had put Stan to sleep, the man knew he could return to the boy’s nursery. The sound already stopped and it was safe to get in. A small exposure to the sound and lights wasn’t a significant risk, and yet Gregory didn’t want to take any chances with the regression program affecting him. He stood by the door, looking at Stan in his crib, sound asleep. He learned about what these sounds and lights can do to a person. How somehow it tipped men over the edge towards infantilism. Not exactly sure how, but the results were almost a hundred present proof within a few sessions. His boy Stan, he thought, only needed one session. He was in need of an authority figure, he was in need of guidance, he was in need of letting go and just being. So many men need it, but Gregory was happy to give it to Stan.

Stan was dreaming the weirdest dream he had ever dreamed. He walked into a huge office building made of cold gray concrete with cold floor tiles and a high ceiling. 

As he walked to the receptionist, someone yelled “Stan come over here now and send these forms!”. He ran towards the voice while papers emerged in his grip. He got to an old dial landline phone and a voice screamed in his ear “Answer me now! I’m a mad client!” He let go of the forms and picked up the phone, just to hear a busy sound bip.

Hot men and women walked in front of him, smelling good, looking good, and touching each other in a non-appropriate way. He wanted to take part in that, but his feet were stuck on the cold tiles. He couldn’t move, he felt that he wanted to take part, but couldn’t. The lobby became a nightclub, and the men and women started taking off their clothes and having sex in front of him. He tried to move his feet again, but as he looked down, he saw he was naked as they were. Just in front of him people were having sex, but as he looked down again, his dick was soft and small, not paying attention to what was happening.

Waves of emotions had started to hit him. He began tearing up. His eyes were so wet he couldn’t see anything anymore. Once he succeeded in drying them up, he was in a middle of a field, looking up to the night sky. Stars and planets surrounded him from up above, it reminded him of something he saw in the past. Strange sounds echoed into the night, a lullaby maybe, with a voice talking.

“It’s okay to cry.” the voice said.

A figure appeared from the distance, it looked like a giant teddy bear, with a loving and warm facial expression. 

“Are you Stan?” the teddy bear asked.

“I am, yes” Stan sniffled.

“Why are you naked?” the bear looked down at Stan’s soft penis.

“I don’t know” he answered with a worried tone.

“All these horrible people with their horrible demands. I can take that away from you. Would you like that Stan?” the bear asked and spread his arms for a hug.

“Yes Teddy” Stan answered and went in for a hug.

In his dream, Stan opened his eyes to find out he was in a playpen, inside a huge nursery. The smell of baby powder was in the air. He was wearing a thick diaper, a full PJ, and a dangling pacifier clipped on him. Uncle Gregory came by the playpen and kneeled.

“How is my good boy today? Having fun watching his shows?” he raffled Stan’s hair.

A big screen TV was playing some kind of babyish show, which seemed to calm Stan down. Uncle Gregory grabbed the pacifier and stuck it into Stan’s mouth.

“You need it. Now, here’s your best friend Teddy. Put your little head down and take a nap.” he presented a stuffed teddy bear that looked like the same one from before. Stan took the bear into his chest and laid down. He felt so content, so warm, so safe. His uncle was watching over him, his best friend was in his arms, not a single worry. A warm feeling started in his diaper, he peed, but he didn’t care, it felt great. Looking at his fuzzy friend, he rolled over to his stomach, holding his friend with one arm, he felt the need to hump his wet diaper.

Gregory was standing there for twenty minutes. He loved to watch the first hyno night process. Especially the part when the boys start to hump their already-wet diapers. Stan’s diaper came up and down, softly, slowly, in a rhythm. In the dark, Stan made soft cooing and whining sounds while he was humping a bit faster than before. With a final whine, the boy lowered his diaper to the mattress and stopped moving.

He broke Stan, he is now the little boy he needed to be, it is done.

[mydaddywiki]

Webster Hubbell

Physique: Husky Build Height: 6'5"

Webster Lee "Web" Hubbell (born 1949), is a former Arkansas lawyer and politician. He was a lawyer in Pulaski County before serving as Mayor of Little Rock from 1979 until he resigned in 1981. He was appointed by Bill Clinton as chief justice of Arkansas State Supreme Court in 1983. When Clinton became President, Hubbell was appointed as Associate Attorney General from 1993 to 1994.

Tall, thick with a pair of DSLs (dick sucking lips) that'll make anyone proud. I'm surprised I wasn't into him more as 'big, dumb looking Hoss" guys are SO my type.

Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Hubbell attended the University of Arkansas where he played offensive tackle for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Hubbell was selected in the 1969 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, but an injury ended his football career. He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1970, then graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law with honors.

In December 1994, Hubbell pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud and tax evasion charges in connection with his handling of billing at the Rose Law Firm, a firm with partners that once included Hillary Clinton and Vince Foster. Hubbell pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of failing to disclose a conflict of interest, and was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Afterwards, Hubbell worked as an independent legal consultant, general counsel for an Internet start-up, and general counsel and senior vice-president for a large commercial insurance company until July 2010 where he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he now writes novels.

Hubbell and his wife, Suzy, have four children and seven grandchildren. The four children is a plus as it goes to my "loves to fuck" theory. A negative is the rumor he might have fathered Chelsea Clinton. Strangely, it's a plus for Hillary Clinton if she fucked him.

[thatsmzbitchtoyou]

The Witch and The Doctor Chapter 3

Bucky thought he could make a difference, getting a medical license and trying to change people’s minds.  But the 1600s New World is a harsh place with cruel people.  After being accused of witchcraft he makes a run for it, facing the dangers of the woods and the rumored witch that lives within them.

Warnings: violence; animal attack; mentions of death; smut; language

Previous chapter Next chapter

A few more weeks later they started the trek to the nearest village.  It was a two day walk, Y/N and Bucky taking turns on the horse that was pulling a cart filled with the tinctures and some goodies and gifts Y/N had made for the children.  In the afternoon of the second day they reached the outskirts of the village.  Bucky slowed down considerably as the small houses came into view.  He was still wary of people ever since his near death experience.  Y/N reached down from the horse and held his hand.  She gave his hand a squeeze and shot him a reassuring grin before urging the horse on.

Excited shouts sounded as they entered the outer edge of homes.  Children started coming out from the houses, wide smiles on their faces as they ran down to the other homes and some further into the middle of the village to alert the adults.  Some of them ran alongside them, trying to look into the cart for what she brought, many of them giving Bucky strange looks.  When they came into the main center Y/N stopped the horse outside a long wooden building and Bucky helped her hop down from the horse.  The children immediately walked up to her, giving her hugs and pulling on her cloak.

“Y/N!”

“You’re back!”

“The witch is here!”

More adults started to walk forward, watching with polite smiles.  “Hello, my little darlings!” Y/N greeted them.  “It’s been so long.  Is that you, Peter?  You’ve grown so much!” She reached out and touched their hands and faces, Bucky seeing small, glowing blue dots that appeared where she touched them that quickly faded.  “Let me get settled, then I’ll present gifts,” she winked at them and they all giggled or cheered.  She turned to Bucky.  “Man the cart, or else they’ll nick them all,” she said seriously, and he nodded dutifully.  He got the horse settled and fed as she walked into the long building, then sat on the edge of the cart, watching the children as they milled around it, trying to sneak peeks of what she brought.

“Who are you?” a boy asked.

“My name is Bucky,” he introduced himself.

“Why are you here with Y/N?” a girl asked.

“Well, she helped me a while ago, and I’ve been staying with her ever since,” he said, not wanting to give away too much information.  “And now I’m just here to help her.”

“How did she help you?” another one yelled out.

“Um…that’s a long story,” he said with a tight smile.

“We’d like to hear it,” one of the adults chimed in.  

“Alright, well, it’s a dangerous story,” Bucky started, giving the children a smirk and a cocked eyebrow.  They all moved closer to him, hanging on his every word.  “Many weeks ago, I was woken up in the middle of the night by people grabbing me and pulling me from my bed,” he started, leaning forward.  

“Why?” a little boy asked.

“I’m a doctor,” he continued.  “But they didn’t understand that what I was doing was to help them, so they thought I was a witch,” he whispered.

A collective gasp came from the small crowd.  “Like Y/N?” 

“Yes,” Bucky nodded.  “But I’m not a witch.  Just a doctor,” he said.  “They tried to take me to the gallows to be hanged.”  Another gasp.  “But I escaped and ran into the woods.  I kept running until I got lost.  And then,” he paused, leaning forward again.  The children were staring at him wide-eyed.  “I came across…a bear!”  They all gasped again, a few of them crying out.  “It chased me!  I ran further into the woods, trying to get away, but it was gaining on me.  I found a clearing through the trees and saw a house and called for help,” he said, getting more animated as he told the story.  One of the small children near his legs was clutching at his knee.  “I tried to trip up the bear, but I fell, and then it came up behind and swiped at my back!” he said, making a kind of claw with his hand and swiping it through the air.  The adults looked just as intrigued as the children, wide eyes and mouths agape as he told the story.

“I was sure I was going to die, that it would eat me.  And as I tried to crawl away, I heard a scream pierce the night,” he said dramatically.  “A ring of blue fire separated me from the bear, and a figure stood in front of me, scaring the bear off,” he said quietly.  “Do you know who it was?”

“Y/N?” another child asked just as quietly.

Bucky nodded, a smile spread across his face.  “Y/N saved me from the bear.  She took care of me, and helped me heal.  And now I’m here,” he perked up.  “Helping out wherever I can.”

“Do you have scars?” a boy asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

“Yes,” Bucky nodded.

“Can we see?” a man asked.

Bucky looked around at everyone, all of them nodding their heads, wanting to see the evidence of such a tall tale.  “Uh…yes,” he said.  He slowly stood and removed his overcoat, then turned so his back was facing everyone.  He pulled up his shirt enough so everyone could see, and another collective gasp was heard among the crowd of people as they gazed upon his scarred back, the four long, jagged scratches from the bear’s claws reaching from his left shoulder down to his right hip.  He let them all look for a moment before letting his shirt fall and turning back around, putting his coat back on.  

“Did it hurt?” a girl asked.

“Yes, very much,” Bucky nodded.

The children were all awestruck at the story as Y/N came back down the stairs from the long building.  “Scaring the children already, Bucky?” she teased.

The children all turned to her.  “You saved him from a bear?” “Did you use magic?” “Did you kill the bear?”

Y/N’s eyes widened as she looked at Bucky.  She smiled at him conspiratorially.  “I did save him, no I didn’t kill the bear, and yes, just a little magic helped,” she said, walking up to stand next to him.  “And now he owes me a life of servitude.”

Bucky laughed and bowed to her.  “Yes, my lady.”

Y/N nudged him playfully.  “Now, darlings,” she leaned down, “gifts?”

The children all cheered and she smiled.  Bucky helped her give out small bags of goodies, filled with small carved toys, warm socks for the winter and treats that were hard to come by out in rural areas like theirs.  They were all excited, the adults giving her wide smiles and thanks as she gave them all out.

“Will you be trading again?” a woman asked as she herded her children away from the cart after they got their gifts.  

“Yes, starting tomorrow morning,” Y/N nodded.

The woman nodded, seeming pleased.  As the crowd dispersed Y/N got the cart unloaded and the horse tied up in the stable next to the long building, then she and Bucky brought the rest of the things inside the building.  When they walked in he saw it was a lodging home, a bar running along one side of the building with a kitchen in the back, and the other side a hallway leading to individual rooms.  The people inside were eating already and Y/N led him through the tables of people to a room in the corner of the lodge.  She unlocked the door and he followed her inside.  It was a small room, with just enough space for a bed.  They put the tinctures and other things she’d brought for trade in the corner, and put their personal things in another corner.  Bucky smiled to himself at the idea of still sharing a bed with her here.

“Hungry?” she asked, taking off her cloak and tying up her hair, turning to look at him.

“Starving,” he answered.

Y/N laughed and led him back out to the bar.  They ordered some food and sat at an open table to wait.  Bucky looked around the lodge, watching the people talking to each other, observing the layout and the homey feeling as the large fireplace kept it warm and toasty.  After a while the food was ready and they ate together, talking about their day and the children and how tomorrow would be as they traded in the market.  Once they finished they went back to the room.

Y/N sighed heavily.  “Well, I’m going to try to get some sleep,” she said.  She turned and started to rummage through her bag.  

“I’ll do the same,” Bucky added, shedding his boots and starting to take off his coat.  

They had changed in front of each other before, but had always turned away to give each other privacy, but in this tiny room there was nowhere else to hide.  Bucky kept his eyes down as he traded his pants for the warmer pair that he wore at night.  As he took his shirt off to trade it for a night shirt he looked up and saw Y/N was changed into her nightgown, already looking at him with a strange expression.  

“What?” he asked.

Her eyes traveled down his torso then snapped up to his eyes.  “Nothing,” she squeaked.

Bucky eyed her as he shook out his shirt.  “Uh huh,” he said unconvincingly.

She quickly looked away.  “It’s been a while since we looked at your scars,” she said quietly.  

Bucky stopped.  His back had overall been healing well, but every once in a while when he stretched or was doing harder labor a sharp pain would sting through his back.  Otherwise it was just generally sore or a little tender along the scars some days.  “It has,” he agreed slowly.  “Do you want to check on them for me?”

Y/N looked up at him again.  She nodded and he nodded back.  He stepped to the bed and sat turned away from her so she could look at his back.  He felt her sit behind him, then her fingers touching his skin lightly.  She ran her fingers along the scars slowly, and Bucky could see a small blue glow coming from his peripheral as she moved.  The tender spots that he still had were starting to relax at her touch, the soreness in his back lessening everywhere she moved, making his head hang low in relief.  He sighed as she traced down from the top of his shoulder to his hip, a shiver running down his spine.

“Does that help?” Y/N whispered.

“Yes, very much,” he whispered back to her.

Y/N’s fingers seemed to twitch against his hip, then he felt the bed dip a little as she leaned forward.  He froze at the feeling of her lips kissing the spot in between his shoulder blades.  “Good,” she whispered again, her breath tickling his skin.  She pulled away and Bucky slowly turned to look at her.  She wasn’t looking at him but instead stood quickly and started turning down the bed.

Bucky stared at her for a moment, his mouth agape in shock, until she laid down in the bed and he quickly put his nightshirt on.  He moved to settle down next to her, and she instinctively snuggled closer to him as he made sure the blanket covered them both.  He held her close as she nuzzled his chest.  They said nothing as they drifted off to sleep.

***

The next morning Bucky woke to Y/N cuddled in his arms.  It was like neither of them had moved all night.  She was breathing deeply, her eyes moving behind her eyelids.  He watched her sleep, smiling at the peaceful look on her face and her snoring.  He gently moved some hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear, the movement making her slightly squirm in his arms.  He closed his eyes and cursed himself for waking her up as she hummed and started to stretch.  He felt her shift in his grasp, yawning and moving to sit up on her elbow.  She was quiet for a moment, then he felt her finger softly and slowly run down from his forehead to the tip of his nose.

“Bucky,” she called out quietly.  He pretended to wake up slowly, opening his eyes and looking up at her.  She smiled at him.  “G’morning,” she greeted him.

“‘Morning,” he said, smiling back at her.  

“Come on, let’s get going,” she said, climbing over him to get dressed.

They quickly got ready and then went out to the bar area to get some food.  After they finished they loaded up the tinctures and other things and brought them back outside to the cart.  As Bucky fed the horse Y/N got everything set up.  The people started coming up to her quickly, trading fabrics, food, a new knife, clothes, and some types of money or trinkets that she could use to pay the lodge for her tinctures.  

“You must come to the solstice festival tonight,” one of the women was saying to Y/N as Bucky walked back to the cart to help.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Y/N smiled at her.

The woman turned to Bucky.  “And you, too, storyteller.”

“Of course,” Bucky smirked.  The woman smiled at him then nodded to Y/N and walked away.  He turned to look at her.  “What does this solstice festival entail?”

Y/N sat on the cart.  “Music, dancing, lots of mead, and a little magic show,” she said, a mischievous smile on her face.

“A magic show?” he asked, his eyebrows shooting up.  He took a step toward her, leaning down so no one else would hear.  “Do these people know you have actual magic?”

Y/N gave him a reassuring smile.  “Yes, Bucky.  We’ll be fine.  I told you, they don’t ask too many questions.  I’m just the lady who brings them nice things to trade.”

Bucky eyed her warily before nodding.  “If you feel alright about it, then so do I.”

Y/N hummed.  “You sure you want to trust the witch in the woods?”

Bucky laughed and put an arm around her shoulders.  “I’m still not scared of you, witch,” he murmured, kissing her hair.

“Oh, but you should be,” she chuckled, squeezing the hand that was over her shoulder.

Later that night, after all the tinctures were bartered or sold, the village was bustling with people bringing out handmade decorations and food and setting up tables and seating.  In the middle of the center stood a tall pole with ribbons attached to the top in all different colors and a bonfire close by.  Bucky was helping set up a table as Y/N came out of the lodge in a new outfit he hadn’t seen before.  She was wearing the cloak he saw the night she saved him, her hair braided and tied up with ribbons, a long dress the color of cherries, embroidered with rune designs in a gold thread and hemmed with fox fur.  He gawked at her change in attire as she approached him.

“Close your mouth, Bucky,” Y/N smirked at him.

He shut his open mouth and blushed.  “You look…beautiful, lovey.”

Y/N’s eyes widened and a blush painted her cheeks at the pet name.  “Oh, thank you,” she said quietly.

“Where were you hiding this?” Bucky laughed, trying to lighten the heavy moment as he reached out and fingered the hem of her sleeve.

Y/N laughed with him.  “It’s only for the winter solstice.  It’s Yule,” she smiled.  “Time for a celebration.”

As the night wore on and the people wrapped the ribbons around the tall pole, set alight a yule log on an altar, decorated some of the trees around the edges of the village and shared food and mead, the children started to surround Y/N.

“Magic!  Magic!  Magic!” they chanted, looking at her expectantly.

Y/N gave Bucky a cocked eyebrow then nodded to the children who all cheered and ran back to their families around the ribbon pole.  Y/N walked out to the middle by the pole, the people clapping and cheering for her.  She raised her hands and they fell silent.  An eerie quiet crept over the crowd, interrupted only by the crackling of the fire.  A moment later Y/N let out a scream like the one Bucky heard that night she saved him, then dropped her hands and the blue ring of fire encircled her.  A few shouts and screams rang out, Bucky watching on in awe.  She started to move her hands in specific ways, circles and twitches of her fingers, muttering something under her breath, and the blue ball of light appeared between her hands.  She threw it into the crowd, and it bounced along the ground to the tables and on top of people’s heads, making the children laugh.  They chased the ball and it hopped along as Y/N created more shapes and colors.  The orbs turned into outlines of animals, a glowing fox that ran around the bonfire, a deer that pranced into the woods, a wolf that howled and disappeared into the night air.  Y/N was dancing around the ring of fire and started singing a song that the people joined in on.

Bucky felt like she was working them into a frenzy and he couldn’t help but hum along to the song he didn’t know.  The blue orb that danced around the children got bigger and bigger and started bowling along the ground, getting faster and faster.  They dodged out of its way as it hurtled around the ring of fire until it joined in the fire, making it a large blaze.  The flames engulfed Y/N, and Bucky became worried.  The fire licked around her cloak and her hands, but she didn’t stop dancing and singing.  Finally at the end of the song Y/N screamed again and raised her hands, the fire rising above the ground and into the air above them all.  Her hands were shaking as she brought them closer together, then with a grunt she clapped her hands together.  The flame ascended like an arrow shot into the sky, then exploded and became a recreation of the northern lights, flowing through the sky and around the clouds in waves that seemed to sparkle above them.

The people all cheered, a chorus of “oohs” and “ahs,” whistles and clapping erupting in the forest clearing, the children all running up to Y/N and hugging her and laughing in delight.  Bucky’s eyes widened as the lights above lit up the forest around them, and he smiled at the joy she brought them all.  As if his love for her couldn’t get any deeper, he felt himself melting at the scene in front of him.  

Y/N hugged the children and slowly walked back to Bucky.  When she reached him he opened his arms to her, and she gladly accepted his embrace.  “You are amazing,” he whispered into her ear.

Y/N shivered at his breath on her ear.  She looked up at him.  “It’s just a little magic,” she breathed.

Shortly after the festival ended, the people put the tables away and walked back to their homes, dragging their children back from the festivities.  Y/N and Bucky helped clean up before walking back to the lodge.  As they walked through the opening to the hallway the lodge owner called out to her.  “Y/N!  You must honor tradition!” he called out.

She turned to him confusedly.  He motioned above her head and she looked up to see a small garland of mistletoe above her.  Y/N laughed as Bucky looked up at it next to her.  “What is this?” he asked.

“Mistletoe,” Y/N said.  “If you walk underneath it with someone you must kiss them.” Bucky looked at her incredulously.  She smirked up at him and suddenly grabbed his collar, pulled him down to her height and kissed him.  Bucky froze at first, hearing a cheer sound from the people in the lodge, then quickly kissed her back.  After a moment Y/N pulled away as the people near them all laughed and clapped, and she stared up at him in wonder.

“Happy Yule!” they chanted.  She quickly let go of his collar and turned back to them, smiling and bidding them a “Happy Yule” before turning to their room.  Bucky followed her, still in shock, a few of the men near him giving him a pat on the back.  When he closed the door behind them he watched her quickly shed her cloak and start unbuttoning the solstice dress.  She didn’t look at him, keeping herself busy as he stared at her.

“That was…unexpected,” he finally said.

Y/N finally looked at him as she finished unbuttoning her dress, pulling at a few strings and shedding it until she stood in front of him in her underdress that left very little to the imagination.  Bucky quickly looked away, turning to give her privacy.  “Well, tradition is tradition,” she replied quietly.

“What happens if you don’t?” he asked.

“Bad luck in marriage,” she said, and he heard her getting into the bed.  “At least for me, not so much for you.”

“Why?” he asked as he turned back to look at her.

“Because I am a woman, so I must obviously want to marry eventually,” she sighed.  “But I also don’t want to upset the people and their traditions.”

Bucky’s brow furrowed.  He shook his head and quickly got himself into his night clothes and got into the bed next to her.  “Will we be leaving tomorrow?” he asked quietly.

Y/N yawned as she settled in.  “Yes,” she said.  “Don’t want to overstay the welcome.”

Bucky frowned again.  “I think you underestimate how much these people actually like you,” he said.  “Not just the children for your magic.”

Y/N stared at him for a moment, seemingly stunned by his words, her eyes flicking back and forth between his eyes.  She slowly smiled at him and looked away bashfully.  Her expression made Bucky laugh and he tickled her neck, making her squeal.  After a short fit of giggles she snuggled close to him.  “Thank you, Bucky,” she said quietly.

Bucky embraced her, cuddling her close.  “You’re welcome, lovey.”

[picnokinesis]

plottier / character focused thirteenth doctor fic recs

Ipseity by WalkerLister (43k, 10 chapters, gen) summary: Eight months since the Doctor sacrificed herself on Gallifrey, and Yasmin Khan is still struggling to move on. However, when she comes across a familiar face who is not acting like herself, Yaz may finally get the answers she has been looking for surrounding the Doctor. However, those answers will be revealed in a way a bit more dangerous than she had been anticipating. //Okay, so no one is surprised that I like the amnesiac!divisioned!13 fic, but in my defence, it's absolutely fabulous. This one was written waaaaay back in mid-2020, so we all knew that 13 was in prison and everyone was pretty sure that Jack was coming back due to some bts detective work, but that was about it - so, for obvious reasons, it doesn't align with ROTD, but it's such a fun one, guys, I love it a lot. Also, y'know, thirteen in a leather jacket and snarling at people? What more could you want?

don't have to make it to the moon by Ymae (28k, 7 chapters, gen/thoschei) summary: After New Year's, Ryan decides to stay traveling in the TARDIS for another little while. Only, the Doctor's rarely alright, and between experiencing the wonders of the universe, Ryan wants to figure out what's happening to his friend, too. //I love Ryan so much. He's such a wonderful character and I always love it when fics focus on him, or have him as the pov character. Unfortunately, fics like that are a bit few and far between, but this is one of them, and it's absolutely fantastic. It really delves into his character, but also his dynamic with the Doctor (especially after he talks to her in ROTD and she admits that she's scared and angry), and it's just auuuuuuugh so good!! And, it's also go some great whump and psychic content, with the Master showing up to cause trouble, alongside some gorgeous world-building, so I enjoy it very very much.

Ghost War by riptheh (25k, 1 chapter, gen) summary: All the Doctor wants to do is pass the time, and help a friendly face. So when a young man with a strange tattoo and a psychic wound shows up, she dives right into the mystery - and finds herself flung far into the future, mindwiped and alone, fighting a war that by all rights, shouldn't exist at all. A war she could help end, if only she could figure out who she is. //Oof, this one. It's absolutely stunning. This author really has a way of taking some absolutely fascinating and mind-bending concepts and just running with it, and just nails it each time. I feel like the less I say about the plot of this one, the better, because it sort of unfolds as you go, but please just trust me when I say that it's absolutely fantastic.

Lifelines by Sue_Denham (40k, 11 chapters, gen, wip) summary: Lifeline: a thing on which someone or something depends, or which provides a means of escape from a difficult situation. Set just after the events of Spyfall, the Doctor has a few things to work through. //Okay this fic is one of my favourites that's been posting over the last year or so - it's a brilliant exploration of Graham and Thirteen, and how different races deal with loss, guilt and death. I honestly think the best kind of sci fi takes concepts that we sort of take for granted, and then shows them in a completely new light. That's what this fic does. Also, Graham is just wonderful for the entire thing - though, as a note, Yaz and Ryan do end up somewhat side-lined, so bear that in mind if you're particularly looking for fics about those two, but I forgive it because it's such a great look at Graham and the Doctor. It feels like a character focused tie-in novel, y'know? Also it's pretty angsty in places, naturally, but that's what I'm here for haha.

Disordered by Echo (44k, 7 chapters, jack/13) summary: Messing with memories is always a risky business. Messing with your own memories, now that's just asking for trouble. The Doctor is very good at asking for trouble. And Jack is very good at finding it. //Ohhhhh okay so. This has been one of my absolute favourite Doctor Who fics for a long while. Definitely the shippiest of this list, but it's so lovely and such an excellent look at the Doctor facing the consequences of trying to get back her Division memories in the aftermath of s12, as well as the relationship between the Doctor and Jack across multiple regenerations. It's just so so good, flowing smoothly from very angsty to very soft, and the Doctor and Jack's voices are just spot on (especially considering that we see different versions of the Doctor, this is a particularly impressive note). Highly recommend!

The Trial of the Doctor by wreckageofstars (20k, 5 chapters, gen/thasmin, wip) summary: Haven is a planet at the edge of time, on the brink of destruction. Ravaged by the Time Lords and a war that time forgot, its people are desperate for justice before it’s too late, and the Doctor might be the only being left in the universe who can provide it — because she was the one who started it. So why can't she remember doing it? //Okay okay so, this one has only recently started posting but I've known about it since about 2020 and ohhhhhhhhhhh my goodness, GUYS. If you're not following this one, you need to be. It's a mix between Doctor Who at it's finest, Kafka at it's most unsettling, and Douglas Adams at it's most absurd, and it's delightful. There's so much in this one, and as always this author is just spot on with all the characterisation - especially Thirteen, who suddenly finds herself being prosecuted for a crime that she can't remember, and is forced into a situation where she's physically incapable of telling a lie. It. Is. Marvellous. Also there's a cockroach lawyer, whom I adore HAHA

lighthouse keeper by BlueLillyBlue (57k, 12 chapters, gen) summary: The Doctor is missing, and the fam is concerned. Featuring Yaz being a badass, Ryan being a cutie, Graham being a granddad, Jack being Jack, and the Doctor's complicated moral code. Also: space prisons, galactic war, the Doctor's time war trauma, the Doctor caring about people in her own weird and repressive way, and, most importantly, Thirteen wearing Jack's coat. //Oh, this one is such a favourite of mine. It's very angsty, so if that's not your schtick then - well, then you're kinda scuppered for all of my recs, to be honest, but this one is a bit on the dark side. Oh, but it's fantastic. Again, this one feels like a tie-in novel, and this author (as I think I've said before) is just incredible at crafting these very vivid worlds and really hard-hitting stories. The situation is pretty dire and desperate, and the Doctor is often faced with the fact that not every plan works out, and sometimes the only choices are bad ones. It's just really excellent guys (also! Thirteen in Jack's coat!!)

angel ellipsis by SleepyMaddy (36k, 8 chapters, gen/thoschei) summary: When the Doctor and Yaz find a planet in ruins, they’re only half surprised to discover the Master is responsible. But when his plan backfires, suddenly they have no choice but to work with him to stop his former allies from tearing the universe apart. It goes about as well as one might expect. //OKAY SO. This one is SO much fun and SO great - in particular, if you like the Master being a tricky bastard, but also getting screwed over by his own plans? You'll love this one. Everything about it is so vibrant and brilliant, and aaaaaahh man it all comes together in such a satisfying way. As with many of the authors on this list, this author just really gets these characters and how they tick, with some absolutely beautiful prose, and it's just such a joy to read.

nothing in the dark that isn't there in the light by river_of_words (6k, 1 chapter, thasmin) summary: Two weeks since Yaz got the most confusing rejection she ever hopes to get and the Doctor seems to have decided to blame Yaz for every single one of her furiously conflicting emotions. At this point she’s sort of asking to get hit. And at this point Yaz is sort of curious to find out what the Doctor is going to say that’s going to make her meet that request. //These next two fics are a lot shorter compared to the others, but I really wanted to include both of them because they're great and SO interesting to me. With this one, it digs into the Doctor and Yaz's relationship in the aftermath of LOTSD, and the ways that the Doctor does not actually talk about anything but does also tell Yaz more than anyone else. It's about the frustration that builds between them and the way that they're still finding more comfort in each other than anyone else. It's also a little feral, which as a thoschei shipper, definitely had a lot to do with why I liked this one haha. Anyway, it's really fantastic - really quick paced and emotional, and packing a LOT of punches with mostly dialogue in a very effective way. Go read it!

we'll do it right by daring_elm (3k, 1 chapter, gen) summary: She's never really noticed Yaz's perfume before. Shoulders relaxing, nausea subsiding, the Doctor inhales again, filling her lungs with jasmine and sandalwood, steel and glowing crystals and her box out of time. She can be back with Yaz within minutes of her leaving. She can save the child, change the foundation of Gallifrey and still return to have a picnic on Soria T4.  //Okay so I loooove love love this one because I just adore it any time someone explores the Doctor's reaction to the Timeless Child stuff after the fact, and this one is just so wonderful. The characterisation is just fantastic, and then just the progressive spiral of the plot as we follow the Doctor on a mission that is doomed to fail by the nature of her own timeline. It's about how by trying to change the past, all you do is mess up your present and your future, and I love that a lot. Augh, it's a gut punch and a half - highly recommended!

[sircantus]

LIFE IS STRANGE AU??

Can we get to know more about it, sir Cantus🙏

I can offer a snippet!! Its a crimeboys au, mostly from phils Pov according to my plot points, the basic summary is that Tommy has telekinesis powers, he causes Problems when running away from his foster home with Wilbur, him and Wil go on the run, and then they get picked up by Techno, who is not Exactly a man of the law but takes decent care of them. things at some point go sideways and Wilbur gets separated and put into a hospital for Injuries, and Phil is the person who has to try and gain his trust to figure out what the fuck has been going on (until bedrock bros to come and break him out haha)

Its mostly based off the second game of Life is Strange, bc i rly love the brothers story and i also really like that aspect of an outsider pov trying to understand whats going on (and trying to believe it)

—

Summary:

Phil leans forward, pen now discarded beside Wilbur’s lap. He’s been looking at Wil this entire time, really, but now it feels a little heavier. A bit too much to bear.

“I would like you to be honest with me.” The man says, voice soft. “If you want to be.”

Wilbur presses his lips tightly shut, thinking of Tommy’s smiling face, the leaves floating up around his hair, the sun in their eyes.

“I’d be willing to listen.”

(Or, Phil has heard plenty of stories from mistreated kids. It’s his job to open them up and help. This story is… maybe out of his skill set.)

(Or, or, life is strange AU. Wilbur is just trying to protect his little brother from everything he can, in any way he can. Phil just wants to try and protect him.)

—

And here is a snippet of the first few paragraphs!

—

Wilbur Soot. Sixteen. Brother of Tommy Soot, ten years old, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.

Both brothers are suspected to have had involvement in multiple instances of property damage across four different towns. Wilbur Soot is suspected to have had involvement in the mysterious, fiery death of their previous foster parent, Dream Taken, who was found dead at the scene at their previous residence.

For the past four months, legal enforcement has had trouble catching them as they run up and down the state. There have recently been scattered reports of an adult man now traveling with them; caucasian, pink dyed hair, tattoos on his right arm. No one has been able to pinpoint who that particular stranger is, though.

No one has been able to figure out where he took Tommy after the peculiar explosion that occurred in the quiet, forest town of l’manburg.

Wilbur is apparently outright refusing to talk. Phil doesn’t blame him.

The hospital setting isn’t something that provides comfort, to be honest, and with all the doctors and nurses prodding at Wil with a wariness like he’ll bite if they step too close. It's a wonder the kid hasn’t done much other than scowl for the past three days. Phil does his best to never set up expectations in his head before he sees his patients-- kids can always be so much different than you’d assume, after all-- but Wilbur’s file in his hands tells a story.

Suspected murder. Involvement in multiple explosions, multiple fires, multiple buildings crashing down into dust. Wherever this kid went with his little brother, destruction followed on his heels. On the day they were finally able to bring him in, pulling him from the rubble, he came kicking and screaming, even with his broken ribs and internal bleeding. Rumor around the halls says he gave one of the doctors a black eye when he woke up from the first surgery. The handcuff on his wrist to keep him confined to his hospital bed has stayed there ever since.

By all accounts, Wil is a dangerous, violent criminal, one who isn’t partial to conversation. Phil should probably expect an instant failure the second he walks into this room.

A failure isn’t what he sees when he comes through the door, though.

He sees a scared kid.

—

Aaand thats all im gonna give bc im self conscious about the rest of that story haha!! But yeah its meant to be long bonding arc with Phil and Wilbur in the hospital environment, with Phil kinda having this pressure behind him to get an Answer and Wilbur refusing to Speak bc how could he believe him? Would he even? Tommy has superpowers, thats not even something that would be safe for others to know.

Eventually Wilbur does tell him the whole story, hoping Phil will believe it and Phil…doesnt, but he doesn’t show that. He thinks Wil is a bit traumatized actually but then Tommy and Techno come back to yoink Wilbur and Phil sees he was telling the truth and ends up going with them bc he wants to help, he really does

Also the title is pretty plain, life is strange au haha yup

[the-mom-friend-dot-com]

falling leaves- Optimus prime x bot!reader

authors note: ok so it's not really specifically optimus so you can put whoever you want in it i just didn't know what to put and he was my first choice

TW: death, abandonment, denial?

Autumn leaves pooled around a foreign creature in the woods. Sad, cold metal rested, seemingly rusted together. Colorful paint faded and chipping. Centuries have passed and no sign of life had come from the large metal being. Why was it there? Was it hiding? Was it waiting for someone? How did it get there? Perhaps it was exploring and got lost. Maybe it ran out of energy and sat down to rest, not knowing when it would get up. These are the things that the little critters wonder as they pass by the large metal being. Some say that it was once a tall, shining robot searching for a lover. Some say it was a criminal, hiding away. Stories were told by the creatures over many generations but none truly knew why it was there. 

These thoughts continued until one day a strange noise emitted from the metal creature. It sounded like someone was speaking but the creature remained still. The forest became silent, curious as to what was happening. The voice returned and a faint glow came from the metal being. Was it alive? The light shone brighter and brighter until a loud stomping was heard. The critters scattered, scared. What is that? The metal thing hasn’t moved an inch! where was this sound coming from?  

As the steps became louder and louder the trees parted and out emerged another large, metallic being. This one was bigger than the dormant one. It was colored brightly with strange patterns, a stark contrast to the faded paint on the other bot. 

The new bot looked around, searching for something until it found what it was looking for. It walked over to the unmoving robot and wiped away the vines and leaves. It attempted to wake the dormant bot but upon finding it unsuccessful, it put a hand to the side of its head where its ear would be and started to speak. It spoke of finding what they were there for and bringing it back to base. The bot wrapped its arms around the smaller bot and lifted it with ease. The dull robot looked small and frail next to the newcomer.

The standing bot took one last look around the silent forest and walked. He walked away from the clearing where he had found the bot. He walked and walked until he emerged from the forest and neared his ship. The mech arrived at the shuttle the hatch opened. There stood his best friend. He watched as the mech’s face fell at the sight of the seemingly lifeless bot. He had found them. His long-lost other half. His best friend. His soulmate. 

His eyes dulled as he took his lover from the arms of his friend. Soft words were whispered to his lover, unheard but meaningful. How long had they been there, waiting for him to arrive? The guilt was overwhelming for the mech. While he was out fighting they were here, waiting on a long forgotten promise of a new and bright future. 

He would make it up to them. He would fix what had happened and build them the life they had dreamed of. If only they would wake up. He was not a doctor so he knew not what to do. He had to hurry. Who knows how long you have been out and how much time you have left. Would you wake up? He does not think he would be able to bear it if you didn’t. 

So they shoot off into space, racing the ticking clock of life, unknowing of the outcome and praying. He prayed that you would wake up. That you would wake and be happy to see him. That you would not hate him for the mistake he had made that may have cost you your life. He prays for their forgiveness and love. He prays because that small sliver of hope is all that he needs to continue. That he will be able to see you smile at him once more. 

These prayers continue as he waits. Grasping onto that slim chance that all will be fine. That small chance is all he needs. He has gone off of less before. He believes. 

He keeps believing. It’s what keeps him going. Every day he believes. He believes even when they say the chances are slim. He believes that you will wake up. He believes that you will come home to him one day. He believes until there is nothing left to believe in. He believes until there is nothing left. Until you are gone because believing is the least he can do. After all he has done believing is the least he can do for you. And he does so until the end. Until your time has run out and there is no fight left in you. Until you're gone and there’s no bringing you back. Until he is forced to realize the truth.

[infiniteeight8]

Please I NEED more of the sentinel and guide au

I realized I never specified that the boys are still heroes in this AU. They are sentinel and guide and Iron Man and Doctor Strange. However that works. lol. That’s how they knew each other in the first ficlet and how Stephen got to Tony so quickly.

The first part of this AU is here.

-

Courting Stephen Strange is surprisingly low key. At this point in their lives, they both get more than enough excitement without feeling like they have to go out and find more. They eat in a lot. Stephen takes Tony sightseeing to some inaccessible places—both conventionally and interdimensionally inaccessible. Tony takes Stephen to a couple of shows. But mostly, they eat in and talk. 

And practice guiding Tony’s senses, of course.

That’s practical, but it’s also great for building intimacy. Grounding a Sentinel requires activating multiple senses. Tony gets to know trembling touches and the rumble of a deep voice and the hint of dust and tea that clings to Stephen’s robes. Stephen gets to know the rhythm of Tony’s pulse and intricacies of his breath and the focus of his eyes. 

Inevitably, the time comes for them to meet in the spirit world the first time. Despite how well the courtship is going—and it is going well—Tony isn’t looking forward to it. People don’t generally react well to his spirit guide. As a result, when he opens his eyes to the blue-green landscape of the spirit world, he’s not surprised to find himself alone. He’s also not surprised to find himself somewhere other than the jungle. The jungle is a common spirit world setting for sentinels and guides alike, but it’s not the only one, and it’s never been one Tony identified with. The cornfield is a surprise, though.

Eventually, the tall stalks rustle and rustle and Stephen emerges from between them. Their gazes mutually go automatically to their spirit guides, and after a moment they both start laughing.

Spirit guides are, almost universally, large predators. Wolves and panthers are most common, followed by other big canines and cats, but bears and even crocodiles are not unheard of.

Tony’s spirit guide is a crow. The judgment he sees in the eyes of guides with wolves at their sides has been the nail in the coffin of more than one potential bonding. 

Despite their compatibility, it had never occurred to him that Stephen might also have a non-standard spirit guide. His is a cat, but not one of the big cats. It’s a common housecat, riding on Stephen’s shoulder just as Tony’s crow is riding on his.

Their laughter runs down and they link arms, setting off on a rambling walk through the corn, their spirit guides calmly riding along. 

[gojoswhitebabydolllashes]

IF I DIE TONIGHT IMMA MAKE IT EPIC

Logan howlett x reader

-

Warnings: deadass I do not know. Sad. Sad kitty cat. Idk everyone's sad. Some things may not make sense yet. Major Canon divergence

-

I don't remember the first time I wanted to die. Maybe it had been when I thought I lost Logan for good. The nights I slept alone and the days I spent cooking on my own and the nights I spent watching the TV, lying by the radio incase I received a message. I even chopped the wood.

And then one day the radio just, went silent.

I had been getting small messages every now and then, whether from a random or a helicopter pilot or just government things. But one day it all just stopped.

I think that's what true fear feels like.

Silence.

-

Westchester was just as I remember. So lively and comfortable. But not as warming, it didn't feel as much like home as it should have.

"So what are we even doing here?" Wade asked.

Behind us, Charles stepped on a few glass shards with a crunch and then looked up at us. "There's someone here I think can help you," he grunted as he fixed himself.

"God I hope it's doctor strange, God he's delicious in the first movie" Wade spoke under his breath.

I side eyed him, and as I did, I noticed Logan had stopped walking behind us and was standing at the window of a shop. There was something melancholic about it.

"Logan?" I questioned him as I walked toward him "what are you looking at?"

He tilted his head down and left, eyeing my feet approaching, and then looked back to the window. Inside on display was a small baby sock with pink frills. It lay abandoned on a splintered wooden shelf.

For some reason, it affected Logan more than I felt it would.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

Stupid question.

"Let's just get out of here" he grumbled and walked off.

My mouth fell into an o shape as I stood baffled by what just happened. Nevertheless, I picked up my feet and started walking again.

-

🧠

Sometimes, when I get time to myself. I like to think of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr. Both powerful mutants with incredible abilities, arguably they were otherworldly. Best friends and yet enemies.

Charles once told me, "To be so close is to be too far away"

Since then, I still don't have a fucking clue what he meant. I thought about it every night, asked people what they thought of it.

Yet I still don't have an answer. And when I ask Xavier about it. He says "each day you get further away, is a day you get just that bit closer"

And if he hadn't been so old I would have punched him for being so cryptic.

-

"Is this the place?" I asked and turned to Charles.

He nodded with raised brows. "This is is the one"

The building was made of red brick and had pristine white bordered windows lined with vines and small flowers.

"Its so beautiful every part of me is crying" Wade stated. And silently me and Logan cringed, and I could have sworn Charles did too.

"The people inside aren't. So watch yourselves" Charles warned us.

"You know I wish I could. I wanna rewatch my best jerk off moments"

Logan ran a hand down his face and rolled his eyes into his head.

-

Inside seemingly already waiting for us, we're 3 people. One was a woman in a long purple robe like a witch. One was a man in a bright blue leather suit, and the last was another man in a dark green suit.

All were undeniably a bit scary to look at.

"Charles dear, you've returned," the woman spoke, then Gasped "oooh and with guests"

"These are my acquaintances. You don't need to know their names" Charles spoke.

I assumed they weren't of major importance if our names weren't even necessary.

"What can we help you with?" The man is blue had a deep voice.

The kind that made you want to turn around and leave. Like being caressed by a bear growl.

"I need a truthspeaker" Xavier said bluntly.

Apparently, that's a normal thing around here. Saying things like everyone is supposed to know what that is. I tell you what bloody annoying is what it is.

"Well, here's one right here." The woman is purple pointed to herself and stood up off her chair and strode elegantly toward Logan.

She snaked her manicured hand around his bicep, then up his shoulder and around his neck. Smirking with her maroon lips, she eyed me.

Snarling with disgust and anger and whatever comes in between, i stared back at her. She flicked at logans beard with her bright red nail, and his eye twitched slightly. Without another thought, I looked at the wall.

"Oh, you're an interesting one, aren't you?" She was talking to me. I turned my head slowly to face her.

"So much emotion. So passionate and pure. Like a wildfire, aren't you?" She grinned with that fake feminine grace that made me sick.

"Do I look like I want to talk to you?" I said blankly.

Before another word came out of my mouth, the woman grabbed a silver stick adorned with red gems from her pocket and swiftly stuck it to my mouth.

I found myself then and there unable to move or say anything.

"So complex. Very intense" the woman smiled with her eyes closed. It was creepy.

"So much sadness and despair. I've never felt such loss in one person. You've experienced great trauma in your life. Grief is never easy. You know one person will experience one traumatic event by the age of 17. By the looks of you, I'd say you have had one each year of your life. Always grieving and putting yourself into dark places. Is there someone who got you out of that place? That helped you?",

This was when I started looking at Logan. With glossy, red eyes, i watched him as his face changed. Into someone I knew. Some thing one that I recognised. He changed and contorted to create a man I loved. A cruel joke was being played, and I was the punchline.

The woman turned her head to Logan and then back at me grinning.

"Oh I see what's happening here. You love him don't you? And you can't handle the handle the feeling"

I started sobbing harder. "Alright that's enough" one of the men spoke but the woman shut his off quickly.

"You can't bear to watch him can you?, it pains you to know he does not love you. So dreadfully, it consumes. Your love for him. It encapsulates you, suffocates you, and drowns you. It is you. It is all you ever have been, and all you ever will be"

And for once. I could not tell someone they were wrong.

[ashen-vulture]

A Vulture In Therapy #2.5

A Nice Little Interlude (The Roost)

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The looming city was intense and claustrophobic to my quiet, rural, country-kid senses. I don't have an appointment yet, but I want to familiarize myself with the route.

My hands were shaking as I found a place to park and stepped out. Everything looks the same. I pull out my phone to see if my map app could illuminate the way, but it seemed about as lost as I was. Luckily I printed out the address and directions.

Surely I wouldn't get lost.

...

I got lost.

Whenever I get lost like this I inevitably devolve into a hyperventilating, crying mess, but this time I was only feeling a tightness in my chest and a fog filling my eyes. I just needed a place to sit down and recover. Somewhere quiet.

I noticed a narrow walkway out of the corner of my misty eyes and seemed to call to me. On the second floor of an older looking building hung a sign that said "The Roost (Witches, Familiars, and Spirit Bonds Welcome)."

As I ascended the long ramp I could smell fresh bread and coffee. The tightness in my chest relaxed as I went inside. There was a lot of vertical space inside, with small walkways along the walls with the occasional fox, cat, and snake. There was a tree growing up in the middle of a luminous green circle, bearing fresh fruit, and with crows and owls existing amicably within range of one another.

"I knew this place was magic, but..." I began to whisper to myself, taking in the beauty of the small cafe.

The air here felt relaxing and familiar and easy even though it was a little cramped. I walked up to the counter to order, stuttering through the menu. The elderly woman behind the counter smiled warmly, her wrinkles stretching her heavily freckled face in a kind and lively way.

"You must be one of the new witch apprentices."

"Huh?"

She pointed to the array of skull, dream, and vulture pins on my purse as I was paying.

"Oh! No, I'm..." I remembered the stories I've heard from other therians. Was it worth the risk? I just want a calm place to sit and get my bearings.

...

... Then again, asking a local for directions might help, too.

"Actually I'm a Therian... I'm here looking for Doctor Erian's clinic, but I got really lost... Do you think maybe you..."

She waved her hand, "oh dear don't be too worried, you're just a block over! One of those new 'therian' things, eh?" Her words were blunt, but she was saying them with kindness, "I've been hearing stories about it, seems like a strange new trend, but I can't fault folks for it! Why if it has been around when I was a young'n' I'd have probably turned myself into a macaw!"

She turned to scratch the head of her equally elderly Scarlett Macaw familiar, who mimicked the sound of a bright, cheerful bell in response.

I smiled at her. She finished giving me directions. I finished ordering and paying, then I found myself a comfy little window seat at The Roost and watched the street below.

Yeah. This is a good place.

[atc-tatiana]

Mental hospital au

(Credits goes to thehorrorsoftheblackbunnymask but their reason they are here are different)

You were sitting alone with your hands warped around a flower stem. It was lunch time already, and people were pouring in the cafeteria. Number one and two were the people who were let out first. Seem as though they were the non killers or less crazy people. You were just transfer here last night, when everyone here was sleeping. They still don’t know what danger you are, so they are keeping their eyes on you. And today was like that, guards looking at you for any kind of threat. You hands were with chain, while you feet were free. As you were sitting outside waiting for lunch to be over you noticed a girl not too young nor too old. Maybe about 15 year old, she had very long brown hair and very green eyes. She had a teddy bear with her. She was wearing a light mint green dress; along with almost half have the people there. The other half was wearing a mossy green color. Maybe it’s to show what selection they are in; maybe even danger level. You though we’re wearing a white gown that was loose made you look like a box. Your hair was up as to show your whole face to everyone.

Ring! You looked as everyone got up and walked away from the cafeteria and the outside;they left shortly afterwards.” Ms.(l/n) you stay here until everyone has had lunch.” A guard told you as he put a hand on your shoulder. You simply nodded and looked out the side of this circle wooden building in the middle of the garden. You watched as orange and yellow gown wearing people got their lunch and sat inside the cafeteria. Instead of going outside. More guards pour into the cafeteria. Your eyes looked around the people as they talked and laughed. Some sat down along side the windows. How strange? What happened to make them all trap inside. Tap!tap! You looked to the other side and saw a man with a huge scar looking at you. He didn’t have a smile his skin looked dull like he never went outside. He was wearing orange though, you waved without a smile.

Your hand went to your mouth as you saw the man being pushed into the window. You got up and saw how a women with brown hair looked at him; disgusted. She had a clock for an eye with what appeared to be stitches on both side of her mouth. Next to her was a very pale looking women with pitch black hair. They both seem to be wearing orange gowns; it doesn’t look good on them.” Guards we have a orange to orange.”You watch as they got separated and taken away from everyone. Your eyes looked at the doctor for some thing. And the doctor saw what you were trying to get him to say.” We normally have outbreaks when the red comes here. But it’s not rare for orange people to cause a problem with out people. Yellow we don’t have to worry about them picking fights.”You sat down next to the doctor.” When the people do fight we separate them and put them on time out. Where they have to stay there until they have calm down. We don’t want anyone to be hurt.”You nodded to tell him that you understand. You peeked up as you saw the door open to let out two people, walking out. They were wearing yellow. Your hand pointed at them as your head looked looked up to the doctor.” They are not going to do anything, they seem more calm outside then inside with loud noise. You don’t have to worry they won’t do anything.”Your eyes looked at those two man sitting on those tables. One had very dark brown hair with side burns, his face looked cute. While the other had sunny brown hair with a little stubble on his jaw. Each of them had a different appearance, one was trying to move away from the other. And the other was just following the other one like a lost puppy. Those two don’t seem to get along. Oh you look over to those two as one was trying to eat his food. And the other was looking at the other.” Are they going to get into a fight?”You asked.

The doctor seemed surprised as you talked.” No, they haven’t fought since last week. But it’s always the one in the right that starts the fight.”You almost giggled as the one on the right took a bite of his food while side eyeing the other.” I see they entertain you. Ms.(l/n).” You went down on the floor, the thick wooden sticks surrounded this little building. Hide you from those two, as you watched them.” Do they know each other?”You asked as you looked at the doctor.” Yes a real long time ago. But we don’t know why they don’t like each other anymore.”You got up and sat down next to the doctor!RING!” Everyone line up.”You saw everyone getting up and line up to get out of the cafeteria. It took long for everyone to get out of the cafeteria. Though with fights brewing but we’re stop immediately.

I waited as more guards came outside and surrounded the building everywhere.” Stay close Ms.(l/n) danger is coming up.”I sat close to the doctor and saw how one by one people where walking inside the cafeteria. Their hands and legs bound, their mouth were bound as well. They all seem like animals, with how little movement they had. And everyone there had to sit down, and what it seem like; it was in order. Guards were taking food over to them; red people. They all looked like they were about to kill someone. Not to mention they all looked different; very different than the rest.” Why are they here?”You asked, feeling more afraid.” They we’re supposed to be in prison but they found them very mentally unstable to go there.”the doctor said. You took a deep breathe before feeling your stomach hurt.” I see you need food. Come, let’s get inside.”You got up and followed the doctor inside the cafeteria. Guards were closely by you and the doctor. You took your food and followed out the cafeteria.

Eyes we’re following you as you left.

[naivesilver]

Self-fulfilling prophecies, or: I think Rumple and Blue messed up big time, folks

Disclaimer: I am a comparatively recent OUAT fan, so while smarter people probably thought this through before I even watched the show, I have never seen it happen and thus can't know if I'm stating the obvious. Please bear with me, this is going to be a long post.

So prophecies! OUAT has a lot of those. There is an entire wiki section about them, and most of the early ones are offered to us by Rumpelstiltskin, because as we know, he gained the power of foresight from the Seer. But what exactly did said Seer tell Rumple, when she relinquished her power to him?

What we gather from the (cryptic) explanations that we get is that with foresight, you can see all the ways the future might untangle, and practising+physically approaching the time of the events make you able to discern which of those paths will ultimately be the right one. Bae's destiny after the Seer's first on-screen prophecy proves that while the future is highly dependent on people's actions, they cannot forcefully steer it in the direction they want - Rumple thought he could avoid losing his son by crippling himself, but in doing so he followed EXACTLY the road that had been paved for him.

We don't know, however, what would have happened if he hadn't spoken to the Seer. SHE knew, presumably, that by drawing him close she would put the doubt in his mind, but it's unclear whether he would have still left his son fatherless by dying on the battlefield or something entirely different would have happened. We don't know - and Rumple doesn't, either.

Here's the catch, though: everything he does in the first few seasons follows the same pattern of that night in the army, blindly assuming that it makes a difference. He micromanages every main character's life because he sees them as pieces of the bridge he HAS to build to reach Bae. He doesn't account for things going wrong because he thinks they can't, and he's fucking EVERYWHERE anyway, so nothing can slip out of his fingers.

But what if THAT is what actually cements this timeline as the "definitive" one? The Seer told him he would find his son again, he could have simply bid his time and waited knowing this would be the result anyway. When his first apprentice disappoints him as the curse-caster, Regina and her grudges still happen, after all. He probably didn't need to do anything to ensure it - if he'd just leaned back and spun his little wheel, the future would have come around on its own, one way or another. But he doesn't, and instead sets in motion a very specific chain of events, and thus the show happens.

Why would he do that? Maybe he didn't learn how to parse through his visions correctly and he thinks this is a "will be" future and not a "can be" one. Maybe that first prophecy didn't teach him anything, and he still thinks he can cheat destiny (as proven by the fact that when learning that a boy will be his undoing, he refuses to accept it, believing he can just kill said boy before it happens). Maybe he thinks he's like MCU Doctor Strange, who sees thousands of possible outcomes and makes sure the one that leads him to Bae the quickest will happen. I have no clue. But what I think has happened is that for any of these reasons, he made this destiny happen by KNOWING it would happen (or believing it would, as you'd have it), thus fulfilling the prophecy by willingly acting on it.

So Rumple fucked himself over, big deal. We have seen it happen multiple times after s3. But you know who else might have unknowingly led the future where she thought it'd go, in this endless loop we have just described?

At this point in the story we don't really have proof of whether Blue has prophetic powers of her own or she's just going off Rumple's words, but it does seem to me that the way she's telling the story has a bit more nuance than his version did during the Charmings' visit to the cell. So either she went back to pry further, from a man that she generally does NOT trust...or somehow, she's autonomously privy to details most of the others don't have.

But what does she DO with that knowledge? Does she work with what she has to guarantee Emma will fulfil her destiny? Does she trace very clear boundaries for everyone to stay within to adhere to her plan? No. She lets Geppetto convince her to lie. She allows him to risk jeopardizing the safety of an ENTIRE kingdom in the span of five minutes, which makes no fucking sense considering she has never shied away from weaponizing her influence for the sake of what she thinks is the greater good (which in turn is what made people think she was the villain all along, but I digress).

Moreover, some of my friends once had a discussion that, everything else aside, made me realize how fucking dumb it was of Blue to just LEAVE when Geppetto had threatened to do as he pleased with the wardrobe. What kinda preparations did she have to do, literal HOURS before a curse where she would lose all her free will and magic anyway? It was pointless at best, detrimental at worst, and the way I see it, PREMEDITATED to begin with, because while I utterly despise Blue and would have no problem calling her an idiot, this would objectively be a bad move. She could have literally lied to Geppetto about what kind of person could go in the wardrobe, or used magic to prevent the worst from happening. She has done similar things, before AND after that moment.

If she indeed knew, either because of Rumple or her own abilities, how shit was "meant" to go down, it's not too far-fetched to assume she might have acted accordingly in an attempt to guarantee the success of this plan. Even if there had been other possible paths to take, e.g. worlds where Emma might have gone to the LWM with either of her parents, and EVEN IF Rumple hadn't already prevented those variables from happening by that point...if Blue thought the only way for it to work was to stick to the timeline she had envisioned, then there was nothing anyone else could do.

To sum up this theory: Rumple sees the chain of events that develops through show canon, and either decides or mistakenly believes it will be made true, putting all his effort into ensuring it does. Blue makes the same mistake (depending on how you see it, obviously) and instead of forcing people's hands to change the course, allows Geppetto to make what she thinks is an unavoidable decision. By doing so, BOTH of them fulfil what they think is an already written future, but might have still only been one of the various options available among endless variables.

Besides, if they HAD realized that they'd fucked up in hindsight, I doubt they would have admitted to it. It would have been too late by then: knowing them, they would have felt forced to stick to their guns, to avoid considering the possibility to have made a mistake - ESPECIALLY Blue, who was already responsible for the start of this avalanche, what with giving Bae the bean and suggesting the curse to Rumple. It's hard to believe they would have been able to live with themselves, if they'd taken the option into account.

And in the end, what are the results of this proactive decision? Rumple and Bae's reunion is angry, unsatisfying and with catastrophic consequences for the whole family. Emma grows up alone, forced into a destiny she did not sign up for, having been ten minutes old at best. And as for the third victim of prophetic crimes...

Without these beliefs, solid or imaginary that they might be, there is a chance nothing would have gone as we know: the 28 years gap might have meant something else entirely, a lot of people would have been spared the pain, and an external hand would have prevented Pinocchio from being sent on an impossible mission, with a baby and no tools to navigate this world in his hands. Another child lost to the Land Without Magic as a pawn in a game played by two magic users who each thought they were outwitting the other - at least Emma got to grow and heal throughout the show, as an ADULT.

Did Pinocchio?

(OOF. This is almost certainly not what the writers had in mind when they planned the plot of this series. I am, unfortunately, aware of that. But I still think it's worth being put into words as a theory - I probably didn't formulate it as coherently as I hoped, but maybe the message will still filter through, despite the fact that I am 1) overtly verbose 2) tragically Italian. Unforgivable sins, both of them LMAO)