#but actually shielding him from any consequences' bit!

[troglodytemignon]

man, I know the catholic church is an evil mafia only looking to further its own interests, but there's nothing like inadvertently ending up on the sidelines of some inner church drama to really hammer it into you

[akutasoda]

I'd like to request Mammon, Lucifer, Diavolo, + whoever you want to add, with a reader who instinctively kinda hides behind them if there is any Threat or if they're scared/shy, bc that would actually be so cute. (ᗒᗣᗕ) (oo, not a event request btw :33)

demon shield

synopsis - how they react to you hiding behind them

includes - lucifer, mammon, diavolo

warnings - gn!reader, fluff, wc - 556

lucifer ★↷

the very first time you did so, he turned his head to stare at you in utmost confusion and bewilderment. he questioned you and merely sighed before continuing on with what he was previously doing. he didn't exactly mind but he needed to get used to it.

eventually he got used to you hiding behind him and now if anyone asked about it, he immediately shut them up and took their attention away from you. afterwards he'd check up on you and ask if there would be anything you'd like to go do.

lucifer would get noticeably more protective if you hid behind him because of a threat. yes, his pride absolutely soared knowing you chose him to protect you but he always didn't want you getting hurt at all. that threat wouldn't last too long either.

he'd always protect you, and he doesn't care that you hide behind him.

mammon ★↷

he always looked at you in pure confusion when you hid behind him a few times. mammon didn't exactly clock onto what you were doing or even why you were doing it. he never brought it up after but he always questioned you in the moment.

mammon was extremely flattered by the fact that you would choose him to hide behind when need be - although he played it off as his usual ‘of course you'd choose me! i was your first!’ so you'd never hear it from him. but also when you hid behind him, it seemed to give him a grand amount of courage.

all of a sudden, he has the ability to stand up to anyone and anything. if you're nervous or shy, then he has no problem in getting rid of the cause. and if you're in danger, he suddenly will do anything and everything to keep you safe, despite the consequences and his own worries.

diavolo ★↷

at first, diavolo just thought you were a nervous person. he didn't mind that you hid behind him and in fact he took it in stride, he loved and found it so endearing that you trusted him so much to the point where he became your human shield (or demon in this case…)

diavolo would always protect you no matter what and so if you hid behind him, it would become his mission to protect you - he had a bigger figure than yours and so you could quite easily hide behind him perfectly and safely.

it became a common occurrence at events held and attended by diavolo, to see you by his side or more specifically hid behind him. sometimes, the events could be a bit much for you and you'd become nervous or shy and opted to shield yourself away. diavolo neverminded one bit. who was going to say anything anyway?

and if anything he enjoyed being able to protect you, even if it was simply to provide you a moment of respite by hiding behind him. if you ever hid behind him because of a threat, that threat wouldn't last long.

[aeternallis]

Colin's "entrapment" line was hard to listen to, but it was most definitely a sign of how unhinged he really is for Penelope.

Ok but for reals, I'm not sure how everyone else reacted when Colin said his now infamous "entrapment" line, but I just love how if one looks at this line a little more closely, it was definitely some semblance of an underhanded (and also a bit silly, lol) attempt to actually keep Penelope entrapped. Haha, the irony of it all. Idk, at least that was my read on it!

Like, it was definitely said in anger as well; he's hurting, and he’s hurting badly, so of course he wants to hit back in some way, however he can. Luke Newton absolutely meant it when he said that Colin reacts to the reveal in the worst way possible, alas.

My very first reaction to that scene: //pauses the screen to yell at Colin at 4am in the morning, “Entrapment????! If you feel trapped, then why the hell are you still going along with it, ya dumb ass!!!

Because really, think about it: Colin was definitely within his rights to call off the wedding, especially when he'd mentioned that Violet had noticed that he and Penelope had not seen each other for some time. It would have been the perfect time to reveal Penelope's secret to his mother, if indeed he felt entrapped by the LW of it all. Violet is family; if he wanted to still protect Penelope but no longer wanted to marry her, he would have been able to count on Violet's discretion. I'm sure she and Lady Danbury would have come up with some sort of plan to deal with the aftermath regarding the Bridgertons’ reputation, as we'd seen with Anthony and Edwina's botched wedding.

Furthermore, it would have probably been the better option to reveal it to her, since the existence of LW does put his family in danger; Penelope herself knows this. Every decision she makes post-LW reveal to Colin is due to the Bridgertons being in danger. Lady Danbury makes a point of this when she said in the last episode, “There is only one other person who loves the Bridgertons more than I.”

Eloise was able to keep the secret with no real consequences because although Penelope was her ex-bff, El still loves her, and besides that, nothing legal binds them as Colin's marriage to Penelope would.

Even when he was getting ready to talk to Benedict about getting funds to fulfill Cressida’s demands, he insisted on making up a lie to shield Penelope’s identity as LW. He knows more than anything that fulfilling a demand like this, all for the sake of his wife and at the cost of using a substantial amount of Bridgertons’ financial assets, may not put his marriage in the best light within his family. He doesn’t want to be forced to have to choose between his wife and his family, so he’s keen on keeping the lie going.

So for all intents and purposes, he doesn't tell his mother, or any of his other siblings (besides Eloise, who already knew); this in and of itself is hella fucking risky. The fact that Colin is willing to take this risk of withholding Penelope's secret identity from his family, the fact that he doesn't think to jeopardize this potentially risky betrothal—already goes to show the measure in regards to how much he wants Pen for his wife. We the audience know this because he waits until the very last minute to tell Violet, and even then, it's not Colin who chose to reveal it to her, but Penelope herself.

Another point: arguably, we can also say that Colin has a lot more wiggle room with his engagement to Penelope to call off the wedding, much more than he ever did with his engagement to Marina.

"A man of honor"? Exactly what "honor" are we talking about here? Colin claimed that he would have married Marina had she just told him the truth, yet when push came to shove and the truth of her pregnancy was revealed for all the world to know, he still chose to take the out Penelope gave him through LW. It’s easier to make a declaration like that when it’s all said and done. Lol Sure, he regretted it and apologized for his behavior later on, but he had made his choice regardless. Y’all can just feel Marina and Lady Danbury judging this dumb ass (affectionate) for dwelling in the past. Silly young man! XD What's stopping him this time around?

"We had been...intimate." Are you talking about the mirror scene, sir? Because let me assure you, you and Penelope have long been "intimate" way before you decided to buy a love nest and take her V-card the very next day you proposed to her. In fact, this is where the significance of their first kiss in 3.02 rings so, SO importantly and WHY it was vital that it was Penelope who asked and said that it would not have to mean anything. Colin knows Penelope would never use their first time together and/or the heated moment in the carriage as a way to entrap him. That first kiss alone should have already warranted that they get married, but Penelope makes it clear that it’s simply a favor, nothing more.

Oddly enough, I’m surprised Colin doesn’t bring up the idea of a long engagement (yknow, as he initially wanted with Marina, but who’s keeping track at this point), considering that would have potentially benefitted their situation. 🤔 His dumb ass (affectionate) was more than willing to stick to the wedding schedule…huh.

Besides all that, I don’t think it’s the showrunners’ intent to “taint” those special moments between them by changing the context through Colin’s (very biased) POV; to believe that to be the case would be, imo, just a bad faith argument. The genre is romance, y’all; these intimacy scenes are on an entirely different pedestal.

Because remember, that “entrapment” line of Colin’s only came about due to Penelope starting the conversation with, “Are you going to call off the wedding?”

Didn’t it almost seem like an afterthought, that he just came up with it on the spot? Hahaha.

I can bet y’all Cressida’s fake ass €20,000 blackmail money that before they’d met up to discuss wedding breakfast plans with their mamas, it had probably never even occurred to Colin to cancel their wedding. Angry and furious as he was, it was never a question of whether or not he still wanted Penelope for a wife.

The fact that it’s Penelope who begins that conversation and opens that Pandora’s box possibility is so, so damn important. Because not only does it show how much Penelope truly loves him in that she would never trap him, it also shows her maturity, in that she’s willing to face the consequences of her actions. She’s willing to give Colin the choice to back out, heartbreaking as it would be to face it, even if she herself would not be the one to pursue that choice.

She gives him the choice a good number of times: the wedding breakfast plan scene, the wedding day itself when she hesitates on the aisle, and the annulment offer after the butterfly scene.

Penelope defends herself softly, but truthfully: she never meant to entrap him, because she really didn’t. And Colin knows this; he would not still love her and want her if he honestly believed she wanted to entrap him. Hell, even if she did, the audience knows it’s a desire that comes from a good place: she loves him, so of course she doesn’t want to lose him. She wants to marry him, because she loves him. That’s all there is to it.

But despite knowing this (imo, anyway), we can also say that this conversation may have contributed to Colin’s downward spiral during the majority of episode 7 and 8, and why he becomes hella fucking desperate to be “useful” to her.

Because unlike himself, Penelope has now begun to entertain the idea of living a life that doesn’t include him—at least, not as her husband. Penelope is brave and strong enough to let him go due to the pain she caused him for her lies and her actions as LW, and as for Colin…well…

(I love it, it’s the same conundrum that Anthony faced in S2: Kate is strong enough to leave him behind and return to India, but Anthony…well…)

TL;DR, Colin’s entrapment line was literally an excuse he gave himself to keep his betrothal to Penelope intact. It’s a line that works in two ways simultaneously: it’s a painful, childish, underhanded thing to say in order to hurt Penelope’s feelings, to get back at her for the anguish he’s suffered. Yet at the same time, it’s also another excuse he gives himself in order to push through with the marriage, to tie Penelope to himself forever.

Because unlike Penelope, the very idea of living without her as his wife, of not having her in his life, is and always will be an impossible notion for Colin to ever entertain.

[jellieland]

It's just like them, thinks Martyn, miserably, To want to make these things stick.

He's always been an "act first, weasel your way out of any potential consequences later," kind of guy, so immediate, painful and permanent consequences to his recklessness strike him as unfair, unwarranted, and quite possibly a personal attack.

But, well. Here he still is anyway. What's he going to do about it?

His ankle burns where the baby zombie clawed at it. His legs ache from the dripstone, and the dripstone, and, yes, the dripstone again, and also walking off Mumbo's house and perhaps slightly misjudging his landing.

His ear keeps ringing and most of his right side stings from the creeper that decided, quite rudely, to sneak up on him and then blow up directly in his face about half a second before he could raise his shield. And the gravel later on, that he'd seen falling but still not managed to avoid, hadn't helped with any of that either.

He can feel blood dripping down his back in no less then five separate places, along with his arm, his shoulder, and the side of his head—that last one bled a lot and got onto his bandanna which was pretty annoying, actually—all from his many encounters with what he thinks were probably, at a conservative estimate, about a billion skeletons.

He doesn't quite glare up at the Secret Keeper. The healing they'd given him had been too much of a relief for that; his vision had stopped swimming, that head wound had stopped bleeding so much, and it was significantly less painful to walk. But the look he gives them is certainly glare-adjacent.

"You do know injuries aren't supposed to stick around like this, don't you?" he mutters, bitterly. "I know you like twisting stuff, but this is ridiculous. It's unnatural, is what it is!"

Someone snorts behind him.

He turns, and he sees Cleo. Neat, meticulous stitches are visible across their skin. Martyn hasn't met many people with scars before, but she's one of them.

The only new one is what looks, ironically enough, like a zombie bite on their arm, entirely healed over.

"It's really not that hard to deal with if you're just patient," she says.

"Ah," he says. "Well. That's my problem right there, then, isn't it?"

"It certainly looks like it," they say, amused. They're laughing at him again. He can't even be mad, since all in all, he totally deserves it.

"Yeah, alright," he says, a bit indignant just for the sake of what remains of his pride. "No need to rub it in! I hope you realize that if healing just worked normally, I'd be doing really well, actually."

"Hmm. Right, you do tend to throw yourself off of cliffs, and then try and work out how you'll save yourself on the way down, don't you?" She gives him a knowing look. "But look on the bright side—when you do die, you'll get to be perfectly healthy again for... I give it ten seconds. After that, you'll start making decisions."

"Hey, I'll have you know I went to the Nether for ages, and got out without a scratch on me that I didn't have when I arrived!" he retorts.

"Oh, so you can be careful, you just choose not to be?" They raise a judgemental eyebrow.

"Well... I mean." He half-shrugs, then winces. "I mean. Yeah. Yes. You know this about me."

There is a brief pause. She gives him an unreadable look, eyes catching on the blood seeping through his shirt. "...Yeah. I guess I do."

He glances over at the Secret Keeper again, bold and unmoving against the unnaturally darkened sky.

When he looks back, Cleo is still watching him. "You didn't even bandage those, did you?" they ask, with a touch of what most people would think was disdain. "Let alone stitch them up."

"I mean, no? It's not like it'll do anything, is it?" he asks, taken aback. "The good old 'Powers That Be' want us to bleed, and they want us to keep bleeding! Who am I to argue?"

She narrows her eyes as though she doesn't quite understand his point. "I'm not saying that would fix it. I don't think any of us are going to live long enough for that method of healing to work." They shrug. "Would make it hurt less, though."

Now it's his turn to narrow his eyes. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," she says. "At least, so I've heard. For me, it's mostly about making sure I don't start physically falling apart, because it's really inconvenient when that does start happening."

He nods in acknowledgement. "Well, maybe I'll give it a go if I have the time." It all sounds a bit far-fetched to him. Much better to spend time working towards completing the next secret task he gets, or persuading people to give him the healing they have to spare, rather than losing hours on something that wouldn't actually help him in the long run.

(Maybe it's an echo, maybe it's just who he is, but Martyn's time is precious, and he is not giving it up for something so monotonous. Who would find that interesting?)

"Alright," they say. "If you're sure. But no one else is going to do it for you, you know."

He snorts. "Cleo," he says. "You're funny." She, of all people, should know he's already well aware of that.

"Right," they say, dryly. "Well, unless you want anything else I think I'm done here."

"Nah, not really." he says, then pauses. Frowns.

As unconvinced as he is, she really didn't have to say that to him. She deserves at least something in return.

"I will say," he says delicately, "if that advice really does help. You should probably keep it to yourself. You know. Death game, and all that."

All at once, their expression turns cold. "I think it's my business what I choose to give up, actually," she snaps.

Martyn's eyes briefly flick over to the Secret Keeper. "I mean..."

"No. I meant what I said." They cross their arms. "It's up to other people what they choose to do with it. But what I give them is up to me." She glances at the Secret Keeper, and then back to him. "No one's ever been able to tell me what I owe, or don't owe, to anyone." They smirk, and give him a piercing look. "You know this about me."

"...Yeah," he says. "I guess I do."

There is a short silence.

"Well!" He claps abruptly. "I won't keep you!"

"No, you won't," she says. "I'd best be off. This might come as a surprise, but I do actually have better things to do than hang out around Grian's creepy rock all day."

"Fair, fair." He chuckles, and raises a hand in farewell as they leave. "See you around."

Once she's out of sight, he goes back to staring at the Secret Keeper.

It's quiet.

"They're doing pretty well this time, huh?" he says. "If she keeps going like this, she probably won't get another happy ending, will she."

The air is very still, here. It's as though the place is trapped in night, even when he can see the sun in the sky.

The Secret Keeper does not answer him.

"I know you, though," he says. "You won't let it be all about being careful. That would be boring."

The thought nags at him that Cleo hasn't sounded as though they'd found any of this boring. Surely there had to be more to it than what she'd said? There had to be.

If there wasn't, then what was the point of all this pain?

He shifts, and his shoulder twinges, and he hisses quietly with frustration.

"Things already stuck," he says, unhappily. "They already stayed. I thought that was obvious."

The rock just stands there.

Judgemental. Impartial. It's impressive how it can manage to be both.

Martyn sighs heavily, and winces, and turns away. He looks towards his extremely small, entirely copied base, and a place where the sky is capable of letting in the light.

He pokes gingerly at his head wound. It's shallow, but painful.

"Maybe just this one," he mutters. "Could repurpose my bandanna. Although I guess I should probably wash it first. That would be smart." He wipes at his face. "If I don't then blood's going to start getting in my eyes. But not in a cool way, just in a way where I'll fall in a ravine by accident or something."

Nobody responds. That's ok. He hasn't exactly endeared himself to anyone, recently.

In a game that's even more about trust than usual, there's a part of him that doesn't mind being a lone wolf, as it were. At least for now. Harder to stab someone in the back if you don't let them get behind you, right?

He can make this work. He'll just have to adapt. He's good at that, usually! He just has to find the angle.

After all, he may not be patient, but he is persistent.

And he suspects being a liar will come in handy, for this one.

[calimelontea]

it's just not the same!

❥❥i tried to be a little more descriptive in this one, so i hope you guys enjoy! (and hopefully my writing style doesn't sound completely ridiculous :'D)

❥When a cold front hits you and your boyfriend's shared home, how will he react when you come to seek warmth with him in his room? And how will he react if you try to return to yours?

Category- Fluff ☀

Content- Tighnari and Wanderer, GN!Reader, ever so slight hurt/comfort? (you're super cold and he warms you up), a few mentions of death, but nobody actually dies.

❥❥ I was gonna make some more bullet points for Baizhu and Albedo as well, but my job has me working all kinds of extra hours and it's giving me writer's block 😵 so for now I'll just post these ones so I don't leave you guys with nothing this month, and if you guys like it I could do a part 2 for those two as well?

Tighnari

══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══

➼When the other forest rangers said there would be a cold front coming in, you weren't expecting it to be THIS cold. Whereas you were expecting a little temperature drop, some sweater weather and maybe a bit of frost, the cold front in reality was enough to freeze the rivers running through the Avidia Forest.

➼Needless to say, you regretted not taking the advice of your boyfriend when he told you to prepare accordingly, and now here you were, curled up in your bed, shivering as the cold air seeped into your skin.

➼You had tried your best to tough it out, but at this rate, you knew you were going to get hypothermia if you didn't do something soon. So you did the first thing that came to mind. You bundled up in some blankets, put on some slippers and shuffled your way to your boyfriend's room.

➼With some hesitance, you knocked on the door lightly and waited patiently as you heard some movement inside the room. In just a few moments, he was there at the door, an eyebrow raised as he looked at your shaky form.

➼"well well, what's this now? Is it the consequences of your actions coming back to bite you?" he chastised, crossing his arms and seeming to understand immediately the reason you came to his bedroom door. "Nariii" you pouted, pulling the blanket tighter around yourself to try and shield you from the cold. He could tell by how the color was drained from your skin and how blue your lips were that you must've been like this for a while now, so despite how much he wanted to scold you for not heeding his advice, he knew there was no time to waste in warming you up.

➼"Alright, get in here you big lummox" he sighed before grabbing your hand, leading you into his room and closing the door behind him. He hardly wasted any time gathering up some extra clothes from his own wardrobe before unearthing you from the large blanket you cocooned yourself in, layering you up in some proper attire before dragging you off to his bed, both of you laying down together while he rubbed your hands and blew hot air onto them.

➼It was only when he felt confident that you were no longer knocking on death's door that he started to scold you, although based on the concerned look in his eyes, it seemed he was more fretting over you if anything. "You really should take my advice seriously, this could've ended a lot worse for you if you didn't get here when you did" "I know.. Sorry Nari" even though you knew he said this out of genuine worry for your well-being, you couldn't help but shrink a bit when he got like this.

➼He noticed this fact and sighed, "just please don't hesitate next time, I don't want you to get hurt, okay?" he carefully wrapped his arms around you and pulled you close, the warmth emanating from his body beginning to sooth your cold skin. All you could let out was a soft "mhmm.." as his comforting embrace had already begun to lull you to sleep.

➼It didn't take you long to pass out in his arms, and while he stayed up just a bit longer to monitor your condition, he couldn't help but feel the corners of his lips turn up in a smile as he looked down at your sleeping form. Despite how forgetful you were, he couldn't deny he loved you deeply. He knew he would have to help you find some proper winter wear soon, but perhaps he could be selfish for just a tad longer. Seeing you in his clothes admittedly made him melt a bit for you.

➼And so, for a while afterwards, he would use the cold front as an excuse to pull you into his room and have you sleep comfortably in his arms. Not only because he had secretly been craving this step forward in intimacy, but also because he genuinely never wanted to see you that cold again, it had scared him a bit.

➼But when the cold front had begun to die down and the temperatures had finally became suitable for regular clothing again, he was a bit surprised when he saw you walking towards your room instead of his. "Where are you heading off to?" he had asked with a flick of his ears, and when you had responded with "oh, I thought I may as well sleep in here since it's warmer, I don't want to overstay my welcome", he frowned.

➼"overstay your welcome? Don't you think we're a little past that point? Come on now, let's get to bed, or would you rather we sleep in your room tonight?"

➼You couldn't help but smile at how insistent he was in both of you sleeping together. He truly couldn't get enough of you, and it was quite telling in the way his tail swished lightly when you agreed.

Wanderer

══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══

➼You were honestly a bit anxious to try and ask at first. Sure, the puppet loved you, he had professed so himself, but he wasn't exactly known for being accommodating. Even to his beloved there would be the occasional sharp slip of the tongue, though a bit less harsh than he would give to most.

➼You worried that maybe bothering him so late at night would make him angry at you, but the way the frigid air bit at your skin and numbed your fingers and nose was far too harsh. You thought it was at least worth a try. So here you were, standing at his doorway with the thickest blanket you own draped around your shoulders, your breath visible in the air as a fog.

➼You lightly creaked the door open just a crack. "Kuni?" you whispered into the dark room, only the moonlight from the window illuminating what was inside.

➼"What is it?" he asked with a sigh, sitting up. He was a relatively light sleeper, considering he technically didn't need to sleep, so he had woken up a good while before you even reached the door.

➼Ofc his ever grouchy tone was present, though slightly muddled by the grogginess of waking up, it had almost deterred you from asking the question, but the cold was seeping into your bones and making your joints ache, you couldn't make this trip be for nothing.

➼"H-hey, is it okay if I sleep here with you tonight..?" you asked with a shiver. "it's.. Really cold"

➼He almost had half a mind to scoff at you and tell you to just deal with it, but as his eyes scanned your shaky frame, he knew he couldn't bring himself to do that. After all, humans could get sick if left in the cold, and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if you had died because of something he did.

➼"fine, get over here" he grumbled. He was glad it was so dark in the room so you wouldn't see the way his cheeks flushed red at the thought of sharing a bed with you. You smiled happily and hurried over, burrowing your way under the sheets, thankful that they were at least a bit warmer from his presence (although that may or may not have been due to his blushing.)

➼He reluctantly placed his arms around you and held you awkwardly at his side in an attempt to share body heat. You really weren't kidding about being cold, he couldn't feel an ounce of warmth in your skin, and he wasn't even human. But compared to the emptiness of your bed, he felt like a welcoming candle flame in your eyes.

➼You had passed out almost immediately once you began to warm up, however he could hardly get an ounce of sleep for a good while. Your sudden intrusion had his mind racing and butterflies in his stomach. He hated it, but he also couldn't help but feel something warm inside, looking down at your sleeping form. How ridiculous.

➼This went on for almost a week, you would come peeking into his door asking if you could spend the night with him, he'd begrudgingly comply, and the two of you would wake up the next morning in eachother's arms. At some point he told you to just "stop asking and get over here already", so some nights you would just slip into the bed with him and he would curl around you almost immediately.

➼Once the weather warmed up enough though, you had decided it was time to return to your own room. After all, you didn't want to overstay your welcome and make him angry with you. So, you began to make your way to your room.

➼He noticed this almost immediately and furrowed his brow. "Where do you think you're going?". "Ah, I was going to sleep in my room tonight since it's warmer now. I didn't want to inconvenience you too much" you explained, giving him a light smile. "Tch, whatever" he grumbled before making his way to his own room.

➼ "Whatever" indeed, because that "whatever" caused him to spend almost all night tossing and turning in his bed without a wink of sleep. He didn't understand why, but his bed felt.. Empty, almost too empty. It was agitating him to no end, why was he acting so childish over some human???

➼Eventually he decided enough was enough. He got up out of bed and marched straight to your room, opening up the door much similarly to the way you once did. "Hey, are you up?" he muttered into your dark room. He could just barely make out your form curled up in bed around one of your pillows, and upon hearing his voice, you looked up at him before sitting up with a "hm?"

➼He carefully shut the door before making his way over to your bed, practically inviting himself in under your covers and clinging onto you tightly. Immediately, his mind felt more at ease. This is what he was missing.

➼"Kuni, is something wrong?" "… I'm cold" "… Kuni, it's 58 degrees outside" "shut up"

➼Needless to say, you're probably never sleeping alone again <3

[lovebugism]

hi babe hope this isn’t too personal but not having the greatest time right now. therapist did not answer any of my calls today so im kinda a mess 🥲🥲 if you’re willing to write any kind of comfort fic with any character that would be the best 💗💗💗

hi anon! i hope things are going better now! take this eddie munson comfort fic as my attempts to make you feel a wee bit better ily mwah <3

You were pretty good at taking care of yourself most of the time. Eddie always thought your innate sense of responsibility was extremely hot — mostly because it meant that you were even better at taking care of him.

He said it was a perk of being your boyfriend — “one of many,” he’d say, just before smacking a kiss to your cheek.

You were the yin to his yang in that way. Peace in all his chaos.

Eddie, himself, was a being who thrived on mayhem. There wasn’t a single thing he loved more than unpredictability — well, you, of course. Then maybe DnD. But spontaneity was a close third.

He isn’t quite sure how to live his life without the company of total disarray. He isn’t sure he would want to if he had the chance either. The unexpected makes things fun. At least, that’s what he always tells you. You’re not so sure.

When he makes you late to things because of his horrible time management skills, or he can’t find his keys because they’re hidden somewhere underneath a pile of clothes in the corner of his room, it feels a little like the end of the world.

And not just in the oh no, this thing is really stressing me out; good thing I know it’s illogical sort of way. But in the oh fuck, we’re gonna be ten minutes late to this get-together where there are zero consequences whether we show up or not, but it’s inducing so much panic that I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to function properly.

You’ve gotten pretty good at hiding your fear over the years. It’s just that Eddie’s so damn attuned to everything going on in your head that it makes it insanely difficult to wallow in your dread alone.

He knows when you start pacing and talking a million miles a minute that something’s working you up. He knows when you start getting snappy and don’t think his jokes are funny anymore that you’re close to your breaking point. He knows when you stop talking altogether that your entire world is caving in around you.

So Eddie takes great care in getting to things on time and tidying up his room when you're around. He doesn’t even care that he finds it all a bit irrational, he just wants to make things easier for you. Even if it means getting to Steve’s house an hour before everyone else or actually folding his clothes before putting them in drawers.

Eddie knows you use structure like a weapon rather than a shield. Organization isn't a way to keep your life together, it’s to keep it from falling apart. When something is out of order, when there’s one piece out of place, it’s not an easy fix — not for you. It’s more like a ticking tomb. 

You’re the ticking time bomb. And the faintest scent of disorder is bound to make you explode.

But maybe calling it a bomb isn’t the most accurate way to describe it. The way Eddie sees it, it’s a lot more like an avalanche.

It starts off small, a little rumble of uncertainty that jostles the comfort of your routine. You blink and suddenly the snowball weighs two tons and you’ve spiraled into a full-blown crisis that threatens to swallow you whole.

You don’t let anyone see any of it. Not even Eddie a lot of the time. You just bury yourself in the landslide until the heavy snow melts and you can function normally again — it may last a couple hours, maybe weeks.

So it’s a good thing Eddie can see all the warning signs before they start.

It’s all the little shit he notices first — the not showering as often, the not keeping things as tidy as usual, the closing yourself off. Eddie Munson knows a depression room when he sees one. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know you’re slipping.

But rather than acknowledge that boogeyman, he pretends like it isn’t there at all. He thinks if he acts like it doesn’t scare him, then it doesn’t have the power to hurt him. That’s exactly how he treats the funks you get into. He knows they’re there but doesn’t let them take over completely.

Eddie comes around whenever he gets the chance and helps you do your self-care routine — even though all you do is complain that you don’t need his help the entire time.

He coaxes you into the bath and tidies up your bedroom while you’re gone. He does all the steps of your skincare for you after because he knows you can’t do it yourself. You’re too tired to, but you feel like shit when you don’t. That’s the same bitter cycle that started this whole mess.

He doesn’t do anything crazy. He just takes care of the little things to make you feel less consumed by it all.

You’re a pouting mess in the middle of your bed after, freshly cleaned and drowning in a too big shirt that smells like the musk of Eddie’s cologne with a towel twisted up in your hair. It’s almost cartoonish, the way you cross your arms over your chest and scrunch your face in displeasure.

“I don’t want you to do all this stuff for me, Eds,” you gripe. “I’m a big girl, okay? I can do it myself.”

The boy shrugs from where he stands at the foot of your bed. “I know I don’t have to. I want to, though. I like doing this stuff for you.”

“You hate cleaning, Eddie.”

“Yeah. I do,” he affirms with a nod, all but flopping onto the mattress beside you. He rests his head on his fist and blinks up at you with wide, twinkling button eyes. A grin pulls at his pink lips as he asks you, “But you know what I don’t hate?”

You huff but entertain him anyway. “…What?”

“You,” he beams and taps the tip of your nose with his pointer finger.

You meet his smile with a grimace.

“Actually, I sort of love you, as it turns out,” he corrects himself in a lilt. “And when you love someone, you do the shit you hate to make them happy, right? Isn’t that what it’s all about?”

You don’t answer him, just shrug.

“Well, either way, I’m happy to do all the boring shit if it means there’s a chance I get to make you feel even a little bit better,” Eddie tells you, pinching his thumb and forefinger together and leaving just an inch or more of space to squint his eye through.

That hand flops down and lands on your thigh. His thumb absentmindedly rubs over the skin there. His smile turns sheepish.

“I will happily fold laundry and do taxes and wash dishes and… all that stupid, boring shit for you for the rest of my life, as long as I can look over and see you next to me…”

Your heart swells with a distant happiness you haven’t felt in weeks.

Eddie helps you until you feel better enough to do it yourself.

Needless to say, when he stops by your place and finds it completely spotless, he doesn’t bother to hide his excitement. He rushes to your room and finds you in bed, flipping through a book. The small radio on your bedside table plays something synth-y.

He realizes you’ve traded in The Smiths for The Psychedelic Furs and that your lavender candle is burning on your desk and that you’ve spritzed yourself in your vanilla perfume.

Those are all staples in your little routine that you borderline can’t live without. You always missed out on them when you got into your funks, but here they are again…

Eddie tries not to smile too wide.

“How’s it hangin’?” he sing-songs when he waltzes into your room.

“Fine...” you murmur, half-distracted by your novel. After a few long seconds, your eyes finally flit up to his. He’s doing a terrible job of hiding a grin. “…Why are you looking at me like that?”

Eddie shrugs as he takes off his leather jacket. He neatly lays the thing over the back of your desk chair and smooths out the wrinkles.

“‘Cause I love the shit out of you,” he answers like it’s nothing, like the words don’t mean everything to you. “And I’m really fucking proud of you.”

“Proud of me?” you echo in a scoff.

Because, to you, crawling out of a three week long funk is hardly something to be proud of. You don’t feel like you should be rewarded for being human, but Eddie knows that getting through the hard shit is a part of being human. And he’s so goddamn proud of you for it.

“Yep,” he nods with pink cheeks and a hopeful grin. “I’ve never been prouder of you, babe. And, like, I’m always proud of you, so that’s saying something.”

“Shut up,” you mutter under your breath. Your attention flits back to your book rather than focusing on the intense gaze Eddie looks at you with. You don’t get through a single sentence before he rips the thing from your hands. “Eddie!—”

You look at him again and find that he’s sterner now, but still so tender — chocolate eyes hardened but soft around the edges. There’s a kind grin on his and an air about him that tells you he’s serious. 

Eddie rounds your bed and plants himself at the edge of it. He keeps your book hostage in one hand and holds onto your calf with the other, running his thumb over the soft skin of your knee.

“I’m serious,” he tells you. “Like, I know shit gets hard for you sometimes, but... I don't know, watching you get through it is… really fucking cool, babe.”

He laughs when it makes you laugh.

“Seriously. It’s like you get stronger every day, and… not to be a total sap or whatever, but I feel really lucky that I get to see it.”

You’re not sure whether to duck away from his gaze or revel in its warmth. You manage somehow to do both with a distant pout on your face. 

Eddie’s grin widens until the dimple in his right cheek reveals itself.  “What?” he laughs. “What’s that look for?”

“‘Cause you’re nice to me,” you mumble like the cutest little storm cloud. “And it’s gross… And also I love you.”

“Well, get ready, babe. You got a whole lifetime of me being nice to you coming your way, so… Be prepared to be sick of me by the time we’re all old and wrinkly, alright? ‘Cause I’m still gonna love the shit outta you then.”

You grumble when he smacks a kiss to your knee.

You hope he keeps his promise.

[matan4il]

Daily update post:

A 70 years old Israeli farmer has been killed by Hezbollah rockets fired from Lebaon at Israel. May his memory be a blessing.

The death toll of the IDF ground operation in Gaza is now at 87.

Following the US congress discussion on antisemitism, where the presidents of prestigious universities couldn't clearly define calls to genocide the Jews as bullying and harassment, an Israeli professor at Standford, Jonathan Levav, who has lived there for years, and who said he's raising his two kids as typical American teenagers, was interviewed by his journalist friend in Israel. He talked about the fact that since Oct 7, he has felt antisemitism in the US and on his college campus in a way he never has before. "I would rather be in Israel right now," said the professor. "Really!?" asked his journalist friend, his voice making it clear that he's completely astonished. After all, our lives are currently under threat from several fronts. The professor reaffirmed the sentiment. "It's better to be hit by rockets in the face, than by knives in the back."

Here's another reminder that "Free Gaza from Hamas" isn't just a slogan, we're actually listening to people in Gaza who are pleading for a better life, and to even have a future:

And while some Gazans suffer immeasurably under Hamas, this terrorist organization's leaders and those affiliated with them live like kings. Better than most Israelis, in fact. The IDF revealed receipts for purchases made by Hamas people of luxury items, including jewelry. A single receipt was sometimes for a sum of money equivalent to two years worth of work on Gaza's average salary. Among the receipts found, were ones for purchases made by the son of Hamas's leader, Ismail Hanyieh. While Gazans suffer the consequences of Hamas' massacre of innocent civilians in Israel, Hanyieh is living in a luxury hotel in Qatar. Hanyieh's personal wealth is estimated to be 4 billion dollars, roughly 4 times greater than Taylor Swift's (Google says she has a net worth of 1.1 billion dollars).

Dozens of men in Gaza turned themselves over to the IDF today, they were arrested, not killed, a reminder that all Hamas needs to do for everyone to live is surrender.

The following infographic is a bit outdated (from roughly 3 weeks ago, I think), but it shows how much more attention the dead in Gaza get, than the dead anywhere else in the world, in conflicts far bloodier. Even more than in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. So what stands out about this, what makes everyone pay more attention to dead Gazan civilians than to dead Ukrainian civilians? My personal guess is that it's not the Gazans themselves. When Palestinians are killed by other Arabs in Lebanon, Syria or Jordan, no one pays attention to them. When Palestinians are killed by their own leadership, whether Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, no one talks about it. What changes suddenly, when Israel is a part of the picture? My guess is that it's the fact that then, it can be used to attack the Jewish state, excuse the massacre of Jews, and inspire attacks against Jewish people all over the world. Even on the campuses of the most prestigious US universities.

Why do I bring this up now?

The UN secretary general had been silent on the rape of Israeli women for almost two months following the Hamas massacre, had barely talked about Hamas' war crimes, had failed to talk about Hamas' use of Palestinians as human shields, and his workers had collaborated with Hamas for years, in turning a blind eye to Hamas' use of UN schools and hospitals to attack Israelis from, as well as since the Oct 7 massacre, in holding an Israeli kid hostage without providing him with enough food.

This man is now invoking article 99 of the UN charter.

This article allows him to call a special session of the UN security council, based on his concern for world peace.

He did not use this article during any other conflict, no matter how bloody. Not during his years in office while the civil war in Syria continues to rage for over a decade, with hundreds of thousands killed, and millions displaced. He did not invoke it during the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people on both sides in less than two years.

Or let's put aside at the number of victims, and look at the possible risk to world peace.

The global power that is Russia is in the middle of a war, with all the allies it has, and the places where it exerts its influence, such as Syria, and all the countries that are looking at Russia, waiting to see what they can learn from the war's results, and that doesn't make the UN secretary general concerned enough for world peace to call a special session! I'm not even going to talk about the geopolitical results of the war in Syria, which was a training ground for Islamists from other countries as well (for example, we know Hezbollah's terrorists returned from the war in Syria with more military experience than anything they got before). But that wasn't concerning enough!

There's so much that was said over the years about the UN's anti-Israel bias, but it feels like this one really takes the cake.

Once again, the only conflict involving the one Jewish state is also the only one getting disproportionate attention, which essentially (please excuse my language, but I am angry) fucks over every other victim of every other conflict. Never forget that antisemitism doesn't just hurt Jews, there are non-Jews who pay the price for it as well.

On the first night of Hanukkah, there will be 138 hanukkiot (Hanukkah menorahs) lit at the Western Wall, the same number of the hostages who are still being held in Gaza. (this is a small reminder that Hanukkah is a Zionist holiday)

This is 25 years old Gal Meir Eizenkott.

It was published just minutes ago that he was killed in the fighting in Gaza. Gal is the son of Gadi Eizenkott, who is currently an Israeli minister, and the former IDF Chief of Staff. NOBODY in Israel is sending the soldiers off to fight without a care in the world. Pictured below is Gal with his dad. May his memory be a blessing.

These are 3 years old Emma and Yuli Kunyo, twins.

They were held hostage by Hamas. We know now that at a certain point, Yuli was separated from the rest of her captured family, and kept alone. The two girls were released in the hostage deal, together with their 34 years old mom. Today, these girls were discharged from the hospital. They still don't have a home to return to.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[kisskiss-slashslash]

You dont understand how many times I check ur blog for updates

Your wonderful in every possible way<3 I hope ur taking care of yourself<33

I’d also like to request slashers reacting to a dangerous victim approaching their s/o house and like hurting them badly and threatening the slashers to leave them alone or they’ll kill their s/o but in the end they underestimate their s/o and their s/o just knocks them out and keeps punching em

You don’t have to do this and I hope your doing great<333

I very much want to do this, even if it took a bit longer than I meant it to lmao

A dangerous victim threatening the slashers' S/O

Jason Voorhees

He curses himself when the victim loops their warm around your neck and presses you to their chest.

"Not a single step further or your friend here will suffer the consequences!"

You scoff. Does this spoiled little city brat actually think they got anything on you? An elbow to the gut quickly makes them release their hold on you, and you whirl around and add a punch to the face. And then another one. And another one.

The victim hardly has any time to fight back, and finally topples over, their face so messed up they are barely recognizable.

Jason hurries to your side to check on you. You blankly look at your blood-stained hands.

"I think I cut my knuckle on one of their teeth."

Vincent Sinclair

One of the victims got their hands on a crossbow from that one weapon shop in Ambrose. And you find yourself with the arrow pointed at you.

The victim glares at Vincent. "I'm warning you. One more step and you can use *them* for your wax sculpture instead of me."

Unfortunately for them, that little declaration distracted them, and they find themself disarmed ein being beaten to a bloody pulp with the very crossbow they had just used to threaten you with.

Once you sufficiently vented your anger on them, you finish them off with an arrow right between the eyes.

"Why do they always have to make it so hard on us", you sigh as you casually toss the weapon aside. Then you give Vincent an apologetic look. "Hope you won't have to do too much of remodeling to use them as a base, darling."

Freddy Krueger

It is admittedly especially stupid of this victim to they that they have *anything* on you. Freddy could just zap you to safety with a snap of his fingers, but this situation turns out to be rather entertaining.

"Back off, Krueger, I have your little toy!", the victim says, desperately holding onto you.

Freddy chuckles. "Think again, bitch. *They* have *you*."

And before they can even question what he said, you grab their arm, throw them to the ground and start going absolutely to town on them, while Freddy gives a running commentary.

"Oh, that looks like it hurts." "At least that bitch doesn't have to pay to get their nose fixed now."

"Do they still have teeth? They do? Well better get to fixing that."

He is absolutely enjoying this. Maybe even a bit too much.

Bubba Sawyer

Bubba almost accidentally hits you with his chainsaw when the escaping victim suddenly decides to use you as a human shield.

"Yeah, that's right, you monster. Wouldn't want anything to happen to your little friend here, right?"

Bubba looks at you, nervously licking his lips. You give him a comforting smile and nod before stomping on your assailant's foot with all your might and then whirling around and knocking them out cold.

"How!" Punch. "Dare!" Punch. "You!" Punch. "Scare!" Punch. "My!" Punch. "Bubsy!" Punch. Punch. Punch.

By the time you're done, the victim has been dead for a good minute or so. Bubba finally pulls you away from their remains and hugs you tightly, happy that you are unhurt.

[zeevoidlight]

Vegeta and Nappa, why did Vegeta killed him.

One of my favorite characters of all time since i was a child is without a doubt Vegeta.

I've seen this question being asked constantly so i'll give my take one it now. I know many people don't like the "because Saiyans" type of explanation but one cannot ignore that their nature is much different from humans and is a great part of who they are and why they do the things they do. So my approach is usually try to see what of all that is actually because of their nature and what is just being used as a cultural shield, specially when it comes to both Vegeta and Goku. More Vegeta because he lies a lot as well, and despite being Saiyan his status as royalty changes the usual dynamic a bit compared to others of his own species. (note that i watched the latin version so my interpretation of the character might be different from that of the english one)

So regarding the topic:

Realistically and sadly, as much as I like this alternate reality people usually like to portray of Nappa being Vegeta's assigned babysitter, taking care of Raditz as well, the three of them being like a small family unit given that they only had each other as survivors of their people's extinction... I think the reality is a lot more complicated.

Being a Saiyan, and more than that the strongest Saiyan by far in their recent history, even stronger than the King himself, Vegeta was capable of taking care of himself better than Nappa. He never saw Nappa as a protector because Vegeta was leagues ahead of Nappa in terms of strength and rank. We see that on the first Bardock movie where he treats Nappa as a servant, and even asks Frieza to let him go alone to a more challenging planet to conquer where he ends up killing everyone, sitting on a rock in the middle of a pile of corpses of his own making and eating twinkies or something as he was getting news of his Planet's destruction, thinking already what was going to be his next move and hiding his concern from Frieza's informant. All of that at the age of 5.

He never saw Nappa as akin to family because for as young as he was Vegeta was still his superior. Plus Vegeta considered himself smarter than him too, and he actually was even as a child. Vegeta was, on the contrary, protecting Nappa and Raditz, and consequently himself, against Frieza and his men by playing the long game while those two probably constantly screwed up and tried to engage in an unwinnable battle. This kid didn't had the opportunity to be a kid since he was born. Always on a minefield.

As how I see it, the reason why Vegeta killed Nappa then wasn't only because Goku broke Nappa's spine and paralyzed him leaving him quadriplegic and unable to fight rendering him as dead weight, but because he was years long fed up with Nappa as well. Maybe even with what he represented as the last remains of the Saiyan kingdom and the past since he was perfectly comfortable being the last Saiyan alive as representation of what a true Saiyan was in his own understanding and values of it, considering himself the peak of that and the example for everyone else to see, which being a prince he was kinda always pressured into being that and thinking of himself as such anyways. And Nappa's embarrassing fight was the last drop and the perfect excuse to get rid of him. Dude couldn't fathom something so disgraceful that he preferred to kill him than keep enduring his presence any longer while pretending he cared (and the emotions were kinda running high).

Even after in GT when he sees Nappa again there's nothing but contempt against him. And you could say anything about GT but what I appreciate greatly of it is the character consistency.

Note: I've been watching DB and Z and it's very clear from the moment they arrive to Earth that Vegeta can't with Nappa's recklessness. When Nappa destroys East city Vegeta is like 'dude, has it ever occur to you that the dragon balls could have been here? You idiot! Don't destroy the planet, we could sell it, don't be a stupid, think, fight better, concentrate, his not fighting intelligent... Lol, by the time of Nappa asking Vegeta for help I can totally imagine Vegeta was thinking 'you know what Nappa... FUCK YOU' *yeet!

[the-wales-5]

"Crazy for this girl" (Chapter 2)

On the next day, she was walking through the corridor towards the lecture hall when all of a sudden, the other girls were again talking about William.

“Don’t you think this is childish at this point?” She said a little bit louder than usual to her friend who joined in one of the conversations. William could hear those words and nodded in agreement with her, hiding a sigh.

He wanted to move closer to that girl and ask about something considering the lecture, but right at that moment, he noticed something that she had in her bag. The last copy of the book he wanted to get the day before. “Word and image in ancient Greece” by Keith Rutter.

He knew it was her. A person who took the last copy from the library. “Miss Middleton”. The reason why he recognised her so fast was simple. She was the only person attending the same course who hadn't tried to get into a chat since his first days in Fife.

The young woman at last turned her head towards the spot where he was standing. Despite her indifferent reaction to his arrival and initial thoughts about him or words spoken to her ‘classmates’ just a few seconds before, her face went bright red. William tried to hide his soft chuckle after he made an observation on that.

“Hi, I'm Steve” he introduced himself with a nickname that was already in use by

a few of his friends, so as to avoid unwanted attention and shield his royal identity.

“Catherine Middleton, but everyone call me Kate” she smiled a little

“It is a pretty name” he replied

After a few seconds, the prince wanted to begin a conversation about the book she had ‘stolen from him’ the day before, but it did not occur. Middleton scuttled off and followed her friend into the lecture room right after her eyes met those of William's.

***

“You were talking with the prince today, Kate! How did it go? Tell me everything” her friend asked excitedly as they were sitting in Catherine’s room in the early evening.

“I’ve simply introduced myself. It is nothing extraordinary. You should know that” Catherine replied, rolling her eyes. She was quite annoyed by the behaviour of people around her. It seemed simply wrong and immature in her eyes. There was one thing she could not deny, though. He seemed to be perhaps one of the kindest people attending the same course as her. What she did not know was that while she was talking about him, William was remembering their meeting.

One of the last thoughts on his mind that day was “There is something special about her”.

*

“It is difficult to believe that the prettiest girl in Sally’s is the source of your anger” Fergus Boyd, one of the prince’s closest friends told him one afternoon after noticing Catherine in attendance at a rugby match where William played along other students, After setting his eyes on her, he was irritated, or rather tried to act as if it actually was his real emotion. She was wearing simple jeans and a jacket. Simplicity at its finest.

“Prettiest girl in Sally’s? What do you mean?” “She earned this title back in Freshers Week. You can not deny that it is correct, even if the outfit right now doesn't do her beauty much justice” Fergus replied “By the way, any plans for Saturday evening? I’ve heard someone from the third year is hosting a party..”

William did not reply. He was looking at Catherine and once more wondered if she kept a copy of that book in the bag. In the early morning, although he was aware that it was a ridiculous idea, he was even thinking of stealing it.

**

Finally came the day of the classes for which a “damned” book (as he called it) about ancient Greece was needed. Earlier, “Steve” asked some people for his “last resort”: photocopy of chapters. Unfortunately, everyone was too busy with assignments or university organisational matters. As a consequence, they could not find a few minutes to help with the necessary pages. As he sat in his chair, with embarrassment, asked a guy sitting next to him to share some of his notes.

Kate Middleton entered and sat next to another girl in the row right in front of William. His fury directed at her left for some time, but it had returned the moment he saw her. The professor frowned at the noise in the room. “For today's class, you were all supposed to bring “Word and image in ancient Greece” by Rutter. Is there anyone who doesn't have at least a photocopy?” .

William remained silent, hoping that work with the guy next to him would be enough to hide the absence of the book from the professor.

“Alright. Since you're the first year students, we all want you to get to know one another as your communication is the key to your better work. There is no better way to do that than analysing a text and a painting in pairs. Chapter II in the book, page 38. Two days ago, you were working with the person next to you. Today, try to exchange views with the person who sits behind you”.

Everyone quickly scanned the room. William looked behind himself and found a wall, literally. His row was the last one in the room.

He hid a sigh full of frustration as he heard a woman calling him “Steve? I guess we are to work together. You've got no one behind you” she chuckled lightly, but William didn't say a word in a response.

“Well..” Catherine cleared her throat “Have you finally got the book?”

The words from the professor interrupted William's thoughts: “You've got 20 to 25 minutes for a chat, and then you'll share your views with the rest of the group. Good luck!”.

Miss Middleton repeated her question and, after a second, pulled out her copy.

“I don't know what you meant by ‘finally’ because this is only my second unpreparedness. Is your copy the last one from the library?” William laughed dryly, proceeding to stare at the book cover. Kate rolled her eyes a little and blinked “How do you know?”

“It was supposed to be mine. I went to borrow, and I was told you took the last copy. It is like déjà vu from a few days ago. So this time, my ‘forgetfulness is partly your fault”

“Oh, you should've told me earlier. That way, I could share some materials. Now it is too late to make a photocopy”

“It is fine,” he said and shrugged.

“Better luck next time. We shall start analysing this text now” Middleton said.

William looked at her face finally, and a little smile escaped his lips, but soon it was replaced by a look full of concentration on text on page 38, followed by a discussion.

After twenty minutes, they shared their views with the rest of the students. As she packed her things after the class came to an end, William spoke up: “There's no requirement to bring books or anything for the next week, so you wouldn't have a chance to steal things from me again”.

Catherine wanted to apologise, but the moment she looked at him, she noted his slight smile and replied “Yes. Although, next time, go to the library right after classes end. Just a little advice. I suppose it should be easier for you next week. Everyone will get used to seeing you on a daily basis, Steve” Catherine said and sent him a friendly smile before leaving the room. William's eyes followed her for a few seconds, and his thought he tried to ignore, about her being “very special”, reappeared in his thoughts.

***

Chapter 3

[eriexplosion]

I might be able to finish tonight so I'm doing The Summit. We're getting closer to The Episode.

I haven't rewatched this episode since it aired so this should be interesting knowing the ending of it.

I'm curious about Echo's contact specifically that apparently knows what Hemlock is doing but doesn't know where Hemlock's base is.

The thing is that I didn't realize at the time obviously but this whole thing is a complete side mission, it doesn't need to happen in order to move the plot. They don't manage to complete the mission, so it didn't need to happen to find Mt Tantiss, it literally is a two episode side trip dedicated entirely to dropping Tech off a tram car and injuring Omega, so the whole 'there had to be consequences!' simply doesn't hold up to me.

Also I just don't think we're going to validate Hunter's opinion that they simply shouldn't go

Love how aggressively NOTHING gets resolved by this moment with Phee and Tech. If they had spoken to each other about their feelings and decided that they felt something and wanted to explore it when he gets back that is evidence that he would be doomed immediately.

"Don't run off with any pirates or smugglers while you're gone" come on this feels like the most heavy handed foreshadowing ever. But the way that they had a full bit to... NOT resolve the narrative line they started with him is insane to me.

Also still remembering how much people lost it over this extremely tame scene because no one can just be normal about Phee.

"Just like old times" Wrecker it's been probably a couple months not 5 years

Every part of Eriadu that we actually see the ground of is covered in trees, so it's probably similar wherever Tech landed - notable mostly because we saw that Hunter slowed down significantly when he fell due to the tree cover.

This is I think our only glimpse through the clouds and most of what's directly underneath them is obscured by... more clouds. Looks rockier down there but they could have some further trees down there.

"We must be precise" *EVERYONE LOOKS AT WRECKER* I love when some of the most devastating plots have the funniest moments.

Love to see them infiltrate when they know there are no clone troopers because suddenly they begin to MURDER INTENTLY.

GOD I HATE HEMLOCK. HATE. THE WAY HE TALKS ABOUT CLONES.

I admit it is a little harder to watch this episode knowing all they accomplish is tossing Tech off a tram car.

LOVE ECHO'S IDEA OF A DIVERSION and also Wrecker stomping that poor mouse droid

Saw time!

One thing I find interesting is in Aftermath the only two that Saw talks with directly are Hunter and Tech, and here Saw only encounters the two of them. I really am growing more and more attached to the idea that Saw somehow found and got a hold of Tech, leading to Hemlock only finding the glasses. Saw challenges their viewpoints, but Tech could challenge him back I think.

Interesting that Saw's view is 'sacrifices are necessary for the greater good' too given what Tech does shortly after. Literally I want to see Saw and Tech throw things back and forth without the imminent risk of death or capture.

Human shield is fine but again, can't show Tech's body, because kids, sure.

We do see Saw blow the place from the shuttle but I don't think we see where the shuttle goes from there, not in this episode at least.

It's getting late so I guess I'm actually doing Plan 99 right after work tomorrow, which is probably a good thing I do need to sleep tonight.

[doctorhelena]

Summary: A mix-up with one of Howard's spy lipsticks leads to Peggy and Steve spending an unexpectedly candid evening at home.

Rating: R

Words: 15k

Chapters: 1/1

Note: This is my extremely late @steggyfanevents Steggy Secret Santa 2023 gift for the amazing @theawkwardterrier. I'm so sorry it's late, but as usual, it ended up considerably longer than I expected!

Read it on A03

Excerpt:

A ringing phone in 1949 was a far more common thing than it had been in 2023, but that didn’t stop Steve from worrying whenever theirs rang while Peggy was out, even though he knew perfectly well that nobody who worked for the SSR had any idea that Peggy even had someone at home to notify if anything should go wrong.

He hadn’t fully considered this particular consequence of retiring from the top-secret line of work that Peggy was still very much in the thick of. He knew, of course, that she was very, very good at what she did, and could absolutely take care of herself. It was just - well, he guessed he just missed working with her, missed knowing at least the general outlines of what she was doing out there. Their relationship had always been professional as well as personal, and now he wasn't part of that world anymore.

Before Steve had left on his journey to return the stones, Bucky had teased him that he wasn't going to know what to do anymore when he couldn't Google things, but in truth he did miss the casual ease of text messaging a lot more than he'd expected to. Maybe that was part of it. Even though he and Peggy had never actually had the benefit of anything like it, he'd been in the 21st century so long that he wasn't used to everyone being routinely unreachable.

Of course, it wasn’t that they never talked Peggy's work life. In the four months since Steve had arrived on her doorstep, they'd actually spent a lot of time discussing some of the intel he’d brought with him, and making plans for how they could use it to greatest effect to prevent the worst of the disasters of the original timeline. Steve's role was going to be more the guy in the chair than the guy with the shield (although clearly still the man with a plan, Peggy had teased him), but he was still involved. But as to her day to day work at the SSR - and even the finer details of her other side project, the development of SHIELD with Howard and Phillips - Steve was mostly in the dark.

He hadn’t realized how much it would bother him. Or maybe it was just that he still hadn’t quite figured out what he wanted to do all day while Peggy was out saving the world. He hadn’t really planned that part out when he’d decided to come back and see if she’d be interested in making a life with him - which she very much had been - and, now that he'd recovered from the bone-deep exhaustion he'd arrived with, he was feeling a bit at loose ends. 

He reached the hallway and answered the phone, his relief at hearing Peggy's voice lasting only until he processed what she was saying. “Darling, it’s me. I’m in a little trouble. Don’t ask me to explain just now.”

“Wh - ”

She cut him off. “Not now. I'm sorry to ask, but Mr. Jarvis isn't available, and I need a lift as quickly as possible from someone I trust implicitly. But I’m all right for the time being and it’s snowing quite hard, so there's no need to drive like a maniac.” She gave him her location, a phone booth a few blocks north of the White House, and hung up before he could ask any more questions.

Well, Steve thought wryly, this was more how he'd imagined his life with Peggy was going to go.

Read the rest on A03

[cryptictales]

∂єα∂ℓу вєтяαуαℓ’ѕ

| Warnings; dark themes, betrayal, heartbreak, smut, angst, aggression, guilt, violence, all the gooooood shit. | Pairings; Sam Winchester x Reader, Dean Winchester x Sam Winchester, Lucifer x Reader | Summary; The reader never imagined that her target would be one of the Winchester brothers that she found herself falling for. However, she must follow through with her mission, or else face grave consequences with Lucifer. | a/u; This piece has been sitting in my drafts for a while. I made some additions and deletions. Requests are always open, so let me know if you'd like to be tagged. Any errors are my own. Enjoy the read!

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𝑪𝒉𝒑𝒕 𝑶𝒏𝒆: 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒓’𝒔 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒏

Little did she know she be waking up in the taller Winchester's bed. The smell of his musty cologne lingered in her nostrils. Her hair was a matted mess, her arm flew to the other side of the bed to find it empty. She turned to check the time on the clock. Little past 8am, she used the sheets to shield away her naked body. Wrapping it around herself as she moved from the comfort of the bed to the bathroom within the same area. She hummed slightly to herself in the mirror before turning towards the shower, turning it on, and soon stepping inside of it. After a few moments, she would have the towel wrapped around her body, moving back into the room she was in before sliding back on the clothes she wore the night before. She didn't think this was anything serious at first, she had plenty of one-night stands. But something about him did make her feel differently. He made her feel heard, sharing secrets of her past, of her sister. Sam made her feel as if she wasn't alone, he was gentle, and comforting, giving her a feeling she never felt before. The two had spent several different nights together, but they both held back a lot about what they truly did for a living. Shifting out of the place she was in quietly, never knowing if there was anyone else in the same home as she was in. She then went back to what she was doing before she ended up there. ----- She would be back on the road, the wind blowing between the strands of her hair. The music was blasting, and the sun shining brightly above her. She was actually enjoying the travel, that was until he made an appearance. Being so used to Lucifer popping in randomly, she kept her composure and eyes on the road. "Someone's been busy I see, well fun time is up chickadee, I've got a little task for ya. But first..." Snapping his fingers as they were both teleported to a more subtle location. She was no longer in the car, but standing in a room. A slight huff left her lips, he always had to ruin her enjoyment. "Lucifer! Seriously?? You couldn't have just told me while we were in the car!" She snapped furious with him. But that was short-lived when he enclosed her airway quickly, stepping forward slowly. "I'd watch that tone of yours if I were you chick. Now let's try that again mhm?!" Snapping his fingers, her airway was restored. She would gasp slightly as she moved her hands over her throat. Instead of speaking, she insisted on listening. "Alrighty then, now like I was saying I have a little task for ya. I can't do what I need to with these two flubber-brain brothers getting in the way. So I need you to take them out, easy peasy." "Ok...simple, who are they, and what do they look like?" She asked, Lucifer providing a photograph between her fingers. Only when her eyes landed on it. She had recognized the one brother in the photograph. Sam...Sam Winchester, she had just spent the entire night with this same guy, that she knew about only to learn, Lucifer wanted both of them dead... "Is there a problem?" Lucifer asked a bit impatient. "I--urm no, I just didn't see why you couldn't simply take them out yourself.." "Mhm, yeah well it's not that simple. We have uh history. That giant there is technically my true vessel, so try not to damage that one too much. May want to take him for a ride every now and then." A slight disgust formed in her gut, as she rolled her eyes. Trying to not give anything away about her recent encounter with Sam the night prior. But (Y/N) was unaware that Lucifer had already known this, he was the king of hell, the literal devil. He kept tabs on her even when she wasn't aware. Lucifer would slowly approach her, his rough fingertips making their way up to the sides of her face. "(Y/N) you will do this, or you know what I will do." He whispered in a dark sinister tone of voice. It left chills down her spine as she felt her throat become drastically dry. Gulping down any sense of moisture she could.

Within seconds she was left alone, with that eery whisper lingering in her mind. She knew she could never double-cross Lucifer, it didn't just mean her own life but her only sibling's life as well...her twin sister...

To Be Continued...

[ tags: @lowkeythor ]

[resolutepath]

KIRISHIMA & HIS PRO-HERO CAREER.

Oh boy, this one has been a long time coming. I've had this headcanon for years at this point and begun exploring it in threads with @dynmghts but here is the actual reason why my Kirishima's pro-hero career, in the end, is a short-lived experience.

Following the war, Kirishima suffers from a bout of sensitivity due to the overuse of his quirk in shielding during the war. He suffered a similar bout after the Shie Hassaikai arc, though this one is much more severe and leaves Kirishima unable to accept touch for a good week after the battle, sensitive for the coming months. He assumes that will be the end of it and manages to get through the rest of school to graduate as a pro-hero with no issue.

And he becomes the hero he wanted. Red Riot, raved about as the next Crimson Riot, the successor of that legacy. He defends the weak, he fights villains and works many rescue missions. Collabs with friends and eventually gets his own agency. Red Riot's hero agency is focused around the pro but also runs after school programmes for kids to help encourage fitness and give a space for talking. Kirishima still remembers his middle school years when he nearly gave up and to this day battles mental health problems. He splits his efforts into being a hero on the streets and a champion of mental health. It's going well, working out, shows every sign of being a successful star.

In his early to mid-twenties, Eijirou takes part in a battle that requires him to push his quirk further than he has in a long time. He uses Unbreakable multiple times, shredding his skin and the aftermath is vile. He goes through another bout of sensitivity that leaves him unable to even have the rain drip on him without it feeling like a dozen needles being pushed against his skin, the touch of his loved ones is unbearable. He cannot lay down to sleep and in the end has to be sedated until the worst of it passes. At this point he tells no one, sending texts to his family and friends to say he's away for a bit and can't talk about it, knowing it will buy him time under the guise of a mission. The reality is very different. After two weeks, he receives the prognosis. If he continues on his hero career, this sensitivity that comes from the constant shredding and renewal of his skin from the demands of hero work will get to a point where it will not subdue.

Kirishima does not manage this well. He wants to deny it, goes back to work and tries to forget it, but has a second flare up shortly after, smaller due to a less taxing battle, but one where he cannot avoid the consequences of it. In the end, he goes to Bakugou - no matter the verse - to explain what's happening and an extremely hard and gruelling conversation follows. By the end of it Kirishima knows he cannot be a hero any longer.

He does not wind down immediately, wanting to know what comes next, so in the end he puts himself on leave, allowing the agency to keep running the after school programmes while he takes a break. During this period he seeks advice, from those who are still heroes, those who left it behind, and those who split their time between hero work and other duties. He did not expect to be retired before he hits 30. It's a lot to take in.

Because of all this, his mental health does take a dive and the black creeps back into his hair. It is only the network around him that stops him spiralling entirely and eventually he does find purpose in turning the agency into a fully kitted programme for kids and adults, centred around mental health, taking donations from other heroes to run. He starts guest lecturing at UA and learns about a slower life, one focused around wellbeing and drive. Eventually he begins helping in demonstrations at UA, always baring in mind the consequences of pushing too far.

It is a long and gruelling road to get there, but in the end, he is happy. His hero career might be short-lived, but the Red Riot legacy continues on beyond those few years of hero work.

[snippychicke]

For the Sake of a Smile (V.2) Chapter Seven

Title: For the Sake of a Smile (Revised)

Overall Rating: Mature (18+)

Chapter Rating: T for teen. Some violence, and some innuendo

Trigger warnings: Nothing beyond the child abuse hinted in the series, though we do explore the consequences a bit more.

Main Pairing: Balam Shichiro/Reader

Summary: Hell on earth was your motto for your job. Granted, you were pretty sure earth really was hell, considering the shit you had seen in your life. And the fact your coworker was a child. 

A child named Suzuki Iruma, in fact. A kid who’s life was decidedly worse than yours, but yet he smiled despite everything. It wasn’t long after meeting him that you decided you’d do a lot for his smile. Including summoning a literal demon and signing your soul away.

But as it turns out, hell (The Netherworld, actually) was a lot better than living on earth. Demons were more humane than a lot of humans you knew.

And Iruma’s smile wasn’t the only one that would change your life.

Masterlist | Ao3| Mairimashitai! Simps Discord

The mansion was oddly quiet, reminding you of the days shortly after you arrived in the Netherworld, when everyone else was at Babyls and you were left to your own devices. 

Granted, a few days ago you had awoken to chaos as reporters descended upon your new home, eager to get an interview with Walter Park's hero. To garner some peace, you had agreed when Iruma and Clara asked (begged) to let him spend some time at the Valc's home, which was apparently deep within a forest only their family could navigate. 

As much as you hated the idea of allowing Iruma out of your sight after the events of Walter park, you hoped time with his closest friends would be good for the boy. And as chaotic as Clara was, the way she talked about her own mom gave you the feeling she'd keep an eye on the trio. 

But you also made Iruma swear he'd keep his phone charged and on him at all times. You also may have texted him frequently to assure he was keeping that promise. 

But that was keeping Sullivan from calling him just as frequently. 

To keep yourself distracted, you had poured yourself into the study of Runes. You hadn't seen any books about them in the school's library, which alone had piqued your interest. A whole division of magic not in the library of a school created to teach magic?

Why? 

//Demons don't have much use for Runes when other magic is just as powerful and far easier to use// Balam had explained when you had asked him via text. 

With the semester over, you hadn't seen him since Walter Park.

And, well…

-+- 

For the first time in a long time, you didn't wake tangled in covers and thick feathery pillows. Instead, strong arms were wrapped around you, your pillow a chest that was somehow firm yet soft. 

And large, forest-green wings shielded both you and Balam from the outside world. 

He couldn't have been very comfortable, sitting cross-legged on the bed, shoulders hunched forward as he cradled you, his head hung low and unsupported as he slept. Yet at the same time, he looked peaceful, his breathing slow and rhythmic. 

It gave you a real chance to study his face without the mask. There was no missing the fact half of his lips had been torn away, leaving behind exposed fangs and a large, discolored scar. Logically, you knew he likely hid it behind a mask because it likely bothered others, maybe even frightened them.  

Yet… you were neither bothered nor scared. You… still found him handsome. What that said about you, you weren't exactly sure, but in the odd mindspace of waking up in someone's arms you were able to admit it to yourself without much hesitancy. 

You found Balam Shichiro attractive. His face, the physique of his body, his temperament. His eager thirst for knowledge combined with his desire to share what he knew.

Without thinking, you reached up to cup his face, still awed by how much larger he was than you. His breath was hot and moist against your skin, his non-ruined lip soft and supple before transitioning into twisted scar tissue. 

His dark eyelashes shifted against his pale cheeks as he woke. For a moment, he sleepily looked at you, a soft smile forming beneath your fingers. 

Then he truly woke up. And panicked. 

-+- 

Needless to say, things were still a little awkward. 

So maybe it was because of that, or because they were such a mystery, but you threw yourself into finding out more about runes. 

You could at least acknowledge a part of it was because of what Sullivan had said: "Runes are one the few types of magic that humans can use. After all, it’s how you first summoned me." 

Magic. It was your chance at magic. A way to defend yourself, to defend others in this realm fraught with danger. 

You had done it before, so you could do it again. 

Yet, again, there was the hurdle of the fact demons acknowledged Runes existing, but didn't seem to have any interest in exploring them. Every other branch of magic had enough books and essays on them that it could fill a library itself. 

You had found less than a dozen that merely referenced Runes, talked of them as if whomever was reading was already familiar. One lone tome that had complicated patterns like the summoning seal that spoke of using smaller, simpler Runes to create larger spells. 

It was like trying to learn to read a language when you were unfamiliar with the alphabet. 

"Why do you look so dour, my sugardrop princess?" Sullivan asked one evening. Iruma was absent once again, though this time at a 'Sabbath', or what you knew as a mixer back home. An outing of him and some of his male classmates to meet some ladies of other classes. 

"Difficulty with research," You admitted as you sipped at the soup, the name of which escaped you but tasted delicious nonetheless. "I found some books regarding putting Runes in different arrangements, but none explaining the Runes themselves."

Oddly, Sullivan's eyes brightened. "Is that why you've been tearing the Library up once again? Why didn't you say so earlier!"

You flushed slightly. The idea had crossed your mind. However, you weren't exactly the best at asking for help when you felt you should be able to do something yourself. "I… didn't want to impose." 

In true Sullivan fashion, he all but launched himself across the table to embrace you in a strong hug. "You'd never be a bother, my sweet little princess! Please, let me teach you! Please!" 

--+--

Sullivan was - surprisingly - a decent teacher. He was calm, patient, and able to explain things in a way you could understand when you asked questions.

"Algiz is a simple protection rune," He said as he drew the rune on the blackboard, which looked rather like a 'Y'. "If you don't have time for a more elaborate sigil, it will suffice as a basic shield. But usually it will not withstand more than one attack at a time."

He then drew a rough-looking 'n'. "Uruz will boost your endurance and strength for a short time, depending on how much mana you put into it."

"I don't have any," You reminded him with a frown, pausing in your notes. Since there were apparently no entry-level texts, you were determined to make your own. "That's why we're doing this."

There was a gleam in his eye as he leaned forward. "That's not quite true. Humans do have mana, but it's different from our own. While Demons can direct and shape our mana with a simple thought, humans mana simply is. It cannot be easily molded or transformed like ours."

You waved your arms, more than a little frustrated. If you had mana, but it simply existed, unusable, then why even mention it? "Then how am I supposed to use it?!"

"That, you will need to learn that yourself," Sullivan replied with a smile. "Now! The next rune you should know is Kaunan in case you need to attack!"

--+--

There were books stacked on the large wooden desk in your room, along with an assortment of paper and pens. You carefully traced the simple glyphs and sigils while focusing on the meaning behind them.

Magic was mostly about intent and imagination. And like Sullivan said, he could only teach you the symbols, but was unable to really explain how to use them. 

When he had branded you back at Walter Park, it had been his magic that had created the Runes. Though he had also managed to anchor them to your own Mana to keep them working as you had parted ways. Proving you had a fairly decent reservoir of Mana yourself. 

So you drew the Runes, over and over while focusing your mind on what you wanted. While there were literal hundreds of different Runes, Sullivan had encouraged you to focus on the three he had shown you. Algriz. Uruz. Kaunan. 

You weren't sure how long you had been tracing Algriz over and over. Long enough your mind had begun to wander, recalling the feeling of the Carmine Dragon's giant claws pressing down on you. It had been so heavy, yet at the same time it felt like you were wrapped in something that reinforced every bit of you so it couldn't push you into the dirt. 

But despite that strength, you hadn't really felt protected. Protection was…

Was being wrapped in Balam's arms as the dragon unleashed its fiery breath. One arm clutching at your waist, the other cupping the back of your head and pressing you against him. The odd feeling of his magic wrapping around you just as securely. 

Or when you had woken the following morning, nestled in his arms. 

It was like something snagged beneath your breastbone, a hook catching something within. You were ripped from your thoughts as the Algriz Rune flared, emitting a golden light that wrapped around you. That feeling of being safe and protected somehow radiated with the glow. 

With shaky hands, you grabbed the pen and tried to press it against the skin of your other arm. But couldn't even cause a dent to form no matter how hard you pressed.

"I did it… I did it!" You jumped up, excitement rushing through you. 

Magic! You had done magic! 

Your phone dinged with a message from Balam: //How's studying going?//

So elated from your accomplishment, you didn't even pause before calling him. He sounded rather surprised when he answered, greeting you by name. "Is everything okay?" 

"I did magic!" You exclaimed giddily. "I really did it!" 

"What? Really?! That's amazing!" He sounded as excited as you felt, making you even more happy. "I'm so glad to hear that!" 

"I was practicing the Algriz rune, the one for protection, thinking about how it felt to be protected and poof!" You explained, able to reign in your tongue enough to avoid admitting the entire truth.

"I'm proud! And a bit relieved, to be honest. Especially with the next semester approaching." 

His words confused you, "What do you mean?" 

"Well, I'm sure you'll hear more from Lord Sullivan, or at least Iruma after the start. But after a long discussion, Kalego and Lord Sullivan came to an agreement to give the Misfit class some… extra training." 

"Oh?" You settled into the chair you enjoyed reading in, a faint frown on your face.

"They're very talented. We had an inkling after Royal one, but that became even more apparent after Walter Park. It would be a disservice to them not to challenge them more to see how skilled they are, and what they're true potential is."

This… was true. For the stories you heard of Walter Park, what you saw yourself, you knew it to be true. Yet Balam's tone left you feeling like there was something else. "You sure Kalego's not just a bit bitter over Royal One still?" 

Balam chuckled, though it wasn't as full-bodied as usual. "Maybe a little, but he's also very proud of their accomplishments, even if he won't admit it outloud." 

There was a pause of silence. Heavy and almost awkward. "What are you not saying, Balam?" You finally asked. 

"I'll be training Sabnock and Asmodeus," He admitted with a sigh. "And, well, what I have in mind will be intense, so I won't have the freetime I did before."

"O-oh." Your good mood completely deflated. Despite the awkwardness that had lingered after Walter Park, you were looking forward to seeing him again on a regular basis. 

Even if you hadn't been able to completely squish the ember of a crush that was still smoldering in your heart. 

"I still want to see you!" He interjected quickly, "I meant I might not have time for my side projects! And I was also worried about everyone being busy leaving you unprotected! But now you can protect yourself, should something happen, which is such a relief, and I…" 

You couldn't help the giggles that bubbled upwards from your chest, along with a warm, fuzzy feeling. "You're such a worry wart." 

"You're unbelievably precious to me," He answered, causing your heart to squeeze painfully and your cheeks to flush. "You and Iruma both, but he could at least protect himself, or summon Kalego. I couldn't bear to lose either of you." 

You covered your face, even though there was no way for him to see you. No one was there to witness how flushed you were from his words alone. 

Surely… surely he didn't mean it in a romantic sense. That was just the silly little crush whispering in your ear. It was just because you and Iruma were human, and he was semon with a thirst for knowledge about your world. Yes, you were friends too, but he had admitted demons didn't exactly have friends like humans. 

Thank Devi he couldn't see you right now. 

But what could you say to that without being weird? Thank you? You're precious to us too? 

Which he was. You knew Iruma was fond of Balam, especially after his tutoring that helped him pass. And you were certainly fond of him, much more than you probably should be. 

"Um, anyways," He continued, making you realize how long the silence had lingered. "I'm proud that you're getting the hang of them so quickly. It's not an easy branch of magic, after all. And humans aren't used to using magic. I do wonder what amount of mana you possess. I mean, I was under the assumption humans have none, so this is really fascinating!"

Your anxiety eased as he continued to talk about the arguments he had read for and against humans having magical abilities in any shape or form. You didn't even need to participate as he talked, other than the occasional noise confirming you were still listening, or reassuring that you were. 

This crush was going to make things difficult; yet at the same time, you couldn't help but bask in the warm happiness it caused. 

--+--

The new semester started and things were extremely slow with the misfits in their assigned extra teaching. The Library was restored to its new glory, easy enough to navigate that many students didn't need much help after the first few weeks. You couldn't practice Runes during work hours, worried others would question why you were practicing magic like a student. 

You were bored. You missed seeing Iruma and his class throughout the day. Last semester, the Misfit Class had seemed to live in the library near the end of the semester; which had kept it lively to say the least. You missed making plans for the Library and working with the faculty staff to make your plans a reality too. 

You missed seeing Balam at lunch times as well as any free time he had. True to his word, he didn't have as much freedom between his usual classes and his special tutoring. It was only after school when you slipped to the underground classroom he had claimed for his training that you could spend any real time with him, though your conversations were restricted topic-wise. 

After all, the last thing you needed was Az and Sabnock to realize your secret too. 

“Is this really a normal demon thing?” You whispered as you watched the two teens spare against each other, looking both half dead, and exceedingly stubborn. “Have they really not gone home since you started training?”

“I admit, it’s not quite typical,” Balam answered, his voice rumbling from his chest to your back as you sat between his crossed legs. You were secretly grateful that the Walter Park incident hadn't caused him to change his skinship ways, even if being nestled in his lap made your heart beat quicker. “But, from what I’ve heard from the other tutors, nothing is typical with the Misfits Class anyways. Like iron, they need to be strengthened and refined by intense fire.”

You glanced up at him briefly. “... you know, you’re one of my closest friends, but I have to admit, I’m glad my dad doesn’t share the same teaching methods as you.”

Balam chuckled as his hand rubbed your shoulders, right where the ache was located from constantly hunching over books. You fought back a hiss of pleasure as his thumb carefully dug into a knot. How did he always know where you needed to be massaged? 

“Runes and fighting are two very different subjects. You’re essentially learning a new language as well as how to harness your mana. Whereas with these two, I’m trying to refine their inherent skills." He paused, tilting his head slightly. "Speaking of which, how is Iruma doing?”

Everytime Balam had asked the question previously, Asmodus faltered in his sparring against Sabnock. The pink-haired demon's attention instantly would snap to the small table where you and Balam sat, and allow Sabnock an unfair advantage. 

You were pretty sure Balam made sure to mention Iruma at least once a day just to see if he could break him of the habit. Though, Balam did genuinely care about Iruma's progress as well, so perhaps you were being unfair. 

Today, however, Az didn’t even seem to hear the mention of Iruma, which you mentally praised the young demon for. Even Balam glanced at Asmodus, and beamed when he realized the demon hadn't been distracted.

“Well, he said the other day he needs to figure out what kind of bow he wanted,” You answered. “Not a strong one, or one to protect, but a unique one to fulfill his goal -- whatever that means.” 

“Well, the Barbatos family is known for their unique sharp-shooting abilities," Balam hummed, making a shiver down your spine, warmth pooling in your face as well as somewhere else that you tried to ignore. "Not many demons have the patience to become archers - but I’m sure Iruma is well suited to the task.”

“Patient, determined, persevering no matter what’s thrown at him? That sounds like my boy." You smiled fondly, recalling all the times you were near your wits end back on Earth, and he would determinedly help you out. "I never thought I’d see the day when he’d become ambitious as well, but here we are.”

“I am eager to see how the class as a whole does with the upcoming Harvest Festival.”

You smiled fondly, leaning into him a little more. “Me too, I overheard some students talking about it. It'll be fun to actually be a part of something for once.”

Balam froze, internally panicking at your words. So caught up in everything, he hadn’t even thought about the fact were part of Babyls staff and therefore expected to help out during the festival. After all; between managing the collection stations, rescuing students, and dealing with the consequences of the students getting in over their head, they often needed every bit of help they could find.

But you? In the forest? Magicless, powerless, in a forest filled with things that could easily kill a demon - let alone a human?

While Iruma had proven himself that he was anything but weak and powerless, Balam wasn’t confident about your own ability. If anything, he was convinced of the opposite after seeing you so tired after conjuring just a few Runes in a row.

He leaned in close to your ear so the students wouldn't overhear as he quietly asked: “Are you sure that’s a wise idea?”

"I've been assigned to help tally points between the different teams," You replied back just as quietly. "I'll be stuck at the main tent and likely never stepping out." You tilted your head back and reached up to pat his mask reassuringly, though your positions made it slightly awkward. "I'll be safe, I promise."

Balam slumped with a sigh, wrapping his arms around your shoulders, pulling you close so he could rest his head on yours. "I don't mean to come off as overprotective. I just…"

"You know how… different I am," You finished for him, at ease in his embrace. "And you worry, like a good friend does."

Well, that was sort of true. But he mused if now was a good time to explain that demons didn't quite have 'friends' to worry over, and decided it probably wasn't. After all, he wasn't even certain how to label his feelings, so how could he explain that in concepts you would understand?

--+--

A few weeks later, and the harvest festival was a chaotic mess; one you were happy to stay out of… mostly.

The forest itself was overgrown, with the crowns of the trees so tightly knit together barely any light filtered through, giving it a gloomy foreboding aura. Despite the lack of light, the place was filled with various flora and fauna you had no names for - but knew they would love to kill you given the chance.

Needless to say you were happy to stay in the main tent, working on cataloging everyone's points. It was mundane work, taking the tally sheets that the different stations turned in and updating the student’s records. But it was also vital, making you feel rather included for once.

It was also nice to be around the other staff more, many whom you had only seen in the halls very rarely. Where your desk was situated you were easily able to listen to Suzy and Dali’s commentary, and keep an ear out for updates regarding the Misfit class.

Their remarks on Iruma and Lied familiarizing themselves with the forest didn't surprise you too much. Iruma was rather skilled at surviving in the wild; there had been times he had left the factory for a week or two because his parents had decided gathering wild herbs and mushrooms were more ‘profitable’ than the fishery. So, oddly, you were less anxious about him camping in the foreboding forest than you were about him going to an amusement park for the day.

However, your worries settled on the fact that he and Lied were treating it like a relaxing camping trip, and had ended the first day with absolutely zero points.

You were near-fuming as you looked at the monitor set up near the buffet table, taking a break from the bookwork. You had kept an eye out for his name, and had started to wonder if maybe someone else was keeping his score in fear you would tamper with it, but the monitor confirmed your fears. Day two and they were still at zero points. “I know patience and endurance is a major component,” You growled to yourself more than anything. “But for hell’s sake, Iruma! You can do better than this!”

“He may still catch up,” Balam offered as he appeared beside you, startling you. How could he be so large and move so silently? “There are still a few days left.”

You huffed and crossed your arms. “I know, but still…. Zero? Literally everyone else has at least a few hundred, if not a thousand!”

“True, but only a few have adapted like him and Lied," He pointed out as he picked at the table, looking for things he would be able to eat quickly and discreetly.  "Already a fifth of students have withdrawn, and that number will only rise through the night. I think that we could probably see nearly a quarter withdrawing by morning.”

You hadn’t realized it was that many, though you had known the majority of the teachers were out saving students who hadn't been prepared before nightfall made the forest even more deadly. At least most of the Misfits had found a place to camp for the night, safe and secured with each team holding a couple thousand points each.

Well, nearly everyone was settled for the night - except two certain students.

“Az and Sabnock are still going pretty strong, and they already have over fifteen thousand points," You looked up at him and gave him a little conspiratorial smile as you nudged him lightly. "I bet you’re pretty proud.”

The change of topic made Balam smile rather bashfully under his mask, which you could tell just by the expression in his eyes as he looked away, scratching his neck as it turned pink. “A little,” He admitted before his expression changed. “Though, I’m disappointed Asmodeus reverted to using his evil cycle so early. But Sabnock pulled him out just as I instructed. Even if they don’t win, this event will strengthen their skills significantly. Honestly, this is an excellent opportunity to test their skills on the battlefield while still providing a controlled environment.”

He was very proud of his students, and it made you smile as he continued to discuss the pros and cons of the events and his thoughts on his proteges’ progress. And honestly, you could've easily stayed there just sipping at tea while listening to him talk, except you noticed the pile on your make-shift desk was quickly continuing to grow while people came and went.

After a moment, Balam noticed your expression wilting as you stared past him, and looked to see the towering stack. His hand found yours, squeezing lightly to catch your attention. “I’ve kept you long enough, do you need help?”

Your smile returned, though looking more tired than anything. “Nah, it’s the only way I can contribute. Besides, I’m sure they could use your help out there with the students.”

He looked towards the chaos and sighed himself. “You’re right," He paused for a moment before almost shyly offering: "Perhaps we could enjoy some tea together afterwards? Once you're caught up and the chaos has settled?”

You felt your face warm as you nodded, “I’d love that. Maybe somewhere private enough you can eat properly too, okay?”

His smile returned, along with a deep blush. His free hand reached up and cupped your cheek, thumb brushing your skin softly. "That would be wonderful." 

--+--

When someone dropped papers on your desk, you didn’t look up anymore. There was no time as you crunched away at the numbers, desperate to get a handle on the pile before morning broke and the students started their hunts once more.

Two more days. Just two more days of this. 

However, when the demon delivering the latest batch didn’t move but cleared their throat, you finally looked up. Momonoki smiled, though there seemed something rather… mischievous about it. “How are you doing?”

“Uh, good?" Honestly, you were exhausted - and knew if you were extremely lucky, you might get a few hours of sleep before the morning came. But, you were more curious about why Momonoki was making conversation when you barely had said more than a word to the other teacher since you started. “Uh, how about yourself?”

“Oh, you know, same old, same old,” She waved before leaning closer, her smile growing even larger. “So, I heard a rumor from Raim that Lord Sullivan confirmed you and Balam are courting.”

Courting? Your mind blanked for a moment before frantically making the realization of what she was implying. Courting. Dating.

You and Balam. Dating.

"W-what?" You spluttered, your face becoming red-hot. "C-courting?"

"It's so cute!" She squeed, pressing her hands to her heart before her smile fell slightly. "Granted, Balam is quite… odd. Okay, he's very odd, but still! A forbidden romance in the halls of Babyls!" She sighed almost dreamily, lost in her own inner world and oblivious to your growing plight. "The mysterious unranked daughter of the Great Lord Sullivan, returning with an unclaimed child to her father's home! And then the fearsome White Gargoyle of Babyls, who finally found someone to look past his flaws for the demon beneath. And then trying to keep their love hidden from society because they know how much everyone would disapprove of such a match! It's a love story fit for a novel!"

You couldn't even think of a response, just stare blankly as her words sunk in, your mind trying to reconcile her words with reality.

A forbidden romance. Unclaimed child. Disapproving society. Secret love.

You.

Balam.

Momonoki took your stunned silence for something radically different as she winked, a finger pressed to her lips. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me! As long as you share the juicy details later, you lucky devil!"

You gaped as she left, still giggling to herself as she returned to the forest.

Courting. Balam.

Yes, you could admit you had a crush on him. And that he was very attractive (and you were kinda miffed Momonoki implied otherwise). 

But you had tempered the emotion - suppressing it. You were intent to be happy as just friends. After all, there was no way he would be romantically interested in you! Not when he sometimes acted like you were some rare exotic creature he was studying.

And now there are rumors going around? Perpetuated by your own adopted family?!

You just wanted to find a hole and hide. The rumors were going to go around the school like wildfire; and how were you going to face him - or anyone - after that?

You grabbed your phone, work be damned as you started typing angrily. 

--+--

//Why do people think I'M COURTING BALAM?! What does that even mean?!//

Lord Sullivan chuckled to himself. He had been wondering how long it would take the rumor to reach you. It probably wasn't right for him to spread the gossip he had heard amongst the students. But when he had met with the tutors of the Misfits --barring Balam who had his own duties-- well, he couldn't resist when they posed questions about his 'unknown' daughter.

They all had wanted to know what kind of demon could raise a child like Iruma. And well, he had to cover both of your identities without raising too much suspicion. And what was a better way then to distract them with a little juicy gossip? 

//To be fair, my dear, the rumor has been circulating since the beginning of the semester// He started, remembering hearing the details from Ronovoe Rosevelt himself. While he could hardly see any of it being true, it had given him a similar idea to the revised version that spread through the school. 

You and Balam would make a very cute couple. And Balam could certainly keep you safe. //But I might have accidentally talked about how happy I would be if you and Balam were courting. You two are just so adorable together. Opera and Raim even agreed with me!//

That was a brief summary. He didn't need to include the pictures he had taken of when you were engrossed in a conversation, or when he sighted you and Balam together. How Raim excitedly started jumping to conclusions that he didn't bother correcting.

//what? WHAT?? THAT ANSWERS NOTHING! Dad!//

//oh ho ho, my beautiful princess! Don't worry so much!//

Soon, Opera's phone chimed, making both demons pause in their stroll back to the school. Sullivan easily peered over the security demon's shoulder, confirming his suspicions.

//OPERA! How serious is courting?//

Opera barely paused before quickly typing back: //I have an important matter to attend. If you have questions about courting, I suggest you ask Balam >;3//

Lord Sullivan chuckled as Opera sent the message with a straight face before pocketing the phone. "It seems Raim' and Momonoki's love for gossip is stronger than we realized."

"How do you think he'll react once he hears?" Sullivan asked, and Opera tilted their head as they thought.

"Hmmm, it depends on whether he's realized things yet, or if he’s been as oblivious as she has. Either way, it'll be quite amusing."

--+--

Just outside the main tent, you held back a scream as you read Opera's response.

Those two were in on this. They really did start the rumors!

--+-- Su-Ki-Ma --+--

"These two had better be lying about Professor Balam," Asmodeus growled to Sabnock, his eyes narrowed at the Doro-Doro Brothers ahead of them. 

"Oh?" Sabnock wasn't paying complete attention to his partner, and instead keeping a keen eye out for more high-ranking ingredients. He was still determined not only to show-up the two demons ahead of them, but when the festival itself. 

"If he really is a womanizer and breaks Iru-mama -- I mean Ms Suzuki's-- heart, I will find a way to break him." Even if it meant enlisting the help of his own mother - Az swore he would do it. Not only were you Iruma's mother, but you were a respectable demon in your own right, showing the same traits he adored in your son. 

To think that their instructor that he had respected had such a side hidden from them. Yes, demons had many sides to them, but this was nearly unbelievable. 

Sabnock paused once he finally processed Az's words. "Wait, do you think those two are actually together?" 

Az scoffed, "Have you not been paying attention when she visits?" He certainly had, and to him it was impossible to miss how their teacher's attention shifted from being focused on working them to the bone to being completely enraptured  by you as soon as you entered the room. 

Or how you brightened as soon as you saw the giant demon. Yes, you waved to him and Sabnock in their training, showing that compassion so rare in a demon, but a blind person could see who had your true attention.

"They're both odd," Sabnock excused with a shrug, apparently not as convinced. "Between the professor's skinship and Ms. Suzuki's 'mother hen' nature or whatever - plus they're both nerds about imaginary creatures. Who can really tell with those two?" 

There was no denying both adults had their oddities that set them apart from the rest of Babyls' faculty. But… "I am unfortunately very familiar with the signs of infatuation." And you both had them in droves.

"So you believe the rumors from Walter Park?" 

It was Az's turn to be confused. "Rumors?" 

Sabnock grinned as he imparted his knowledge to the other student, if only to see Az pale before turning a deeper pink than his hair. Though from anger or embarrassment, Sabnock wasn't sure. 

Either way, their teacher was likely going to have an awkward conversation after the festival. Especially when the rest of the Misfits discovered the rumor. 

[thlayli-ra]

OKAYYY i see your punknightintyre (i cannot spell.) post and i ask you. your opinions on la knight/roman reigns. i saw your art and lost my marbles but i wanna know your thoughts on it!! love your blog you are a Big Freak (meant positively) 🫶

Hooooooo boy! These two...

This isn't so much a conspiracy theory as it is a head cannon, one that's very much based in how I write them both in my fics.

So Knight is a loner. He's been on the roster for nearly two years and hasn't made a single friend or long-term ally. Because... he's a bit of a dick. He's brash, he's loud and he's self-centred. When he was being constantly attacked - and even abducted! - by Bray Wyatt/Uncle Howdy, not a single soul came to his aid. Past alliances have been short-lived (Rick Boogs), shaky truces (Randy Orton) or ended in disaster (AJ Styles). Even the other babyfaces just kinda... put up with him. I mean, look at his awkward arse at Wrestlemania 40 after Cody's win;

He deserves to be there because he was a player in the fight against The Bloodline, but he has no real ties to Cody. Maybe they each ran in for a save once, but that's really it. He sticks out like a sore thumb. (Hmmm, maybe that's why Punk is trying to get into his good graces. Punk likes loners, he likes to recruit them... but that's for another day.)

As for what Roman thinks about Knight?

As he says in my Winner's Room fic (which I really need to finish!);

"You've come a long way up the ladder in a very short period of time, I'll give you that. But don't let the dizzying heights get to your head. You don't belong here... you're not a main event player, hell, you aint even a midcarder. You're a bottom feeder! And now I've let you touch your toe onto the Island of Relevancy, I'mma throw you back into the depths of obscurity you came from."

To Roman, Knight is a pet, a plaything, a stray dog he can kick. He's something he can use and abuse without consequences. Nobody is going to run out and avenge Knight, because Knight has nobody! He's a free pass.

But he also gets right under Roman's skin!

To have this guy who came out of nowhere, who Roman considers so far beneath him he's barely worth his time, treat him with such blatant disrespect and embarrass him publicly is unforgivable. To make things worse, Knight is a human cockroach and no matter how badly he gets beaten down, he can not be defeated. There's a reason he has 'Defiant One' sewn onto his gear and he proves it, getting back up and getting back in Roman's face time and time again.

But it's more than that. Knight has something that Roman has always desperately wanted and yet never possessed?

The crowd!

Back in the Shield, Roman was arguably the least beloved of the three. As top babyface of the company, he was polarising, if not despised by the majority of the WWE Universe. The only way he could get them to love him was by becoming the villain they all imagined him to be.

So to see Knight inspire such devotion from the fans with a few cheesy catchphrases grates on him.

But deep down, if Roman was brave enough to admit it; he actually likes Knight. At least, as an opponent. He likes that they have no history, no prior relationship. There's nothing messy and Knight treats him no differently from any other man he's faced in the ring. Their feud is just about two wrestlers fighting for a shiny prize.

My latest artwork of them both features them in a 'winner's room' scenario after their Crown Jewel bout. Despite Knight being on the receiving end of a gruelling punishment, the scene has worn them both down. Roman is on his knees, as flushed and sweaty as his sub and smiling. Knight took his punishment well and allowed Roman to unleash his violent side and now he can be his true self. His gentler self that he can never be in front of the cameras, not when he's the Tribal Chief. Knight is in for the after-care of his life!

Because, at the end of the day, what does it matter if he shows his vulnerabilities to Knight? Not like he can go tell anybody?

Hmm..... Or maybe you're right Anon, and I am just a Big Freak! 🤣🤣🤣