#but he wont hold back of given the opportunity

[ktkat99]

Do you think Tim holds things over his brothers' heads whenever he wants something?

Dick- Aw, there's only one piece of pizza left

Tim- Mine

Dick- Or, we could split it

Tim- Or, it's mine

Dick- You know, sharing is caring, Tim

Tim- You know what else is caring?

Dick- Hm?

Tim- Not gaslighting your sibling into thinking he's insane

Dick- ...

Tim- Not taking Robin from him

Dick- O-okay

Tim- Trusting that he's been right about enough things in the past that maybe, just maybe, he's right about your father being alive-,

Dick- You can have the pizza, dude. Jeez

Yyyyy

Jason, seeing Tim laying across the entire sofa he wanted to read on- You can either move or be sat on, little man

Tim, not even looking up- Today is not the day. I fucking dare you to try me

Jason- Tim, move. I am bigger than you. I am stronger than you. I will crush you

Tim- Bigger, maybe.

Jason- Tim-,

Tim, locking eyes with Jason- How long did you last with Joker? Half hour?

Jason- Excuse me?

Tim, holding up three fingers- I dealt with Joker AND Harley. For three WEEKS. And survived

Jason- o.o???

Tim, getting cozy again- Get on my level, bitch

Yyyyy

Damian- You're delusional if you think you can beat me, Drake. I was trained by the best of the best!

Tim- The best of the best?

Damian- That's right!

Tim- When's the last time you checked on those 'best of the best' teachers of yours?

Damian- What are you talking about?

Tim- I'm talking about the fact that you might have been trained by them

Tim, leaning down to Damian's level- But I took them out

Damian- Wh-what??

Tim- Still want to spar?

[mydearesthrry]

episode 2 - love island!harry styles

a/n: im inspired if you couldnt tell. no spoilers! this wont really follow the li universe exactly but if you want more let me know :P LOVE ISLAND USA 2024 CAST BTW

“hi, could i pull you for a chat?” harry softly taps on y/n’s shoulder, a polite smile on his face.

“oh, yeah, of course!” she picks up her wine glass, pulling the skirt of her dress off of her knees and jumping off the stool, grabbing onto harry’s forearm for support.

“oof, careful there, love.” he warns, eyebrows furrowing concerned as she stumbles.

“im okay, im okay! its just my heels. they’re a bitch on this wood, they get stuck in the cracks.” she giggles, intertwining their arms.

harry supports her, leading her towards soul ties for a chat. they get settled, and he pulls off his backward cap. “so, love, how are you feeling?”

she shrugs. “i mean, a bombshell just took my couple so not that well, but…” she flickers her eyes up at him. “i feel…. i like this. i like you, and.. i wouldn’t mind exploring this if— if that’s what you’d want too?”

“i do! i do, i really do— and… i’m not coupled either, i know you aren’t… maybe if we got lucky?” he responds, turning completely to her, resting a hand on her knee.

she nods, smiling at him and leaning a bit closer. “yeah. maybe if we got lucky.”

“so,” harry takes a sip from his water bottle. “do you have your eyes on anyone else in the villa?”

she shakes her head. “no, i honestly… i couldn’t, at this point. i know you got here to the villa last night, but,” she pauses. “i think you got me.”

harry looks up, cheesing. “yeah?”

“mhmm,” she nods. “you’re.. definitely my first choice. but i know that a few other girls want you too.”

he scoffs, shaking his head. “nah. i got you, babe. swear it. tonight? you got me.”

“yeah? i do?” she murmurs insecurely.

he lifts her chin with his hand. “you got me. i promise.” he places a soft kiss to her cheek before wrapping his arm around his shoulders, bringing her close. “my girl. we’re basically already coupled, don’t lie.”

she giggles. “if that’s what you think, h.”

“wh— y’don’t think that too?!” he squawks, ruffling her hair.

“i do! i do, i promise!” she squeals, pushing his hands away, quickly placing her glass on the floor, coming to attack him back.

“no! no! not the hair!” he giggles, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. “you’re so pretty.”

she snorts, shaking her head and scooting closer to his chest. “you’re biased. and you’re a liar.”

“me? a liar? never, my love. you’re the most beautiful girl here.” he says simply, pressing another small kiss to her temple. “ready to get recoupled?”

she nods. “ready.”

———

a few hours later, the girls stand in a line in front of the firepit, y/n at the start of the line. ariana calls her out, and she steps forward.

“um, i’m choosing this boy because… he’s really kind, and a really good person, and i think our connection has been really special, um…” she pauses, flicking her eyes to harry who’s already grinning.

“and yeah, i just think that we could make something special if given the opportunity, and i choose…. harry.” she giggles, face flushing at harry pumping his fist in victory, jumping and hooting as all the boys cheer and shout for him.

they meet each other half way, arms held out for each other. he grabs her and pulls her close, mouth leveling with her ear as he whispers, “my girl. see? you got me, and i got you.” before he places a kiss to her cheek, leading her back to his seat.

he pulls her down to sit next to him, wrapping an arm around her as his hand rests on her hip. he places another soft kiss to her hair, getting comfortable with her resting against his side.

she looks up at him and puckers her lips, harry grinning and leaning forward to peck her lips. ariana squeals, and they both flush red at the reminder that they weren’t alone.

“we were destined for this!” he defends, holding her closer possessively.

“yeah man, we know.” kendall says back, crossing his arms and slightly grumbling.

“don’t be sad, kendall!” she grins, leaning closer into harry. the conversation moves on, and the next girl steps forward.

harry leans forward, whispering into her ear. “you look absolutely beautiful, by the way.”

she moves her head to look at him, scrunching her nose and smiling appreciatively. she leans forward and presses a soft kiss to his cheek. “thank you.”

———

Y/N walks in after changing into her pjs and removing her makeup, walking toward her and harry’s bed, harry already under the covers with a book in front of his face. “can i join you?”

harry looks up, grinning widely. “of course, m’girl. come cuddle up, get comfy.”

she hops in, throwing the covers over them, engulfing them in darkness, a sliver of light coming from the barely cracked duvet at their heads. “hi.”

“hi baby, you okay?” harry smiles back, moving a bit closer, their nose now touching.

“so very okay,” she nods. “im really excited for this.”

“i am, too. so excited. wanna cuddle?” he offers, going to pull the covers down.

“wait— wait…” she holds a hand out, and he pauses. “can i… can we kiss for a little? just a little, i don’t wanna be one of those couples, but… just a little?”

“you don’t need to ask, sweet girl. c’mere.” he brings her forward, buttoning his lips with hers. he hums softly at the feeling of her soft lips on his, the taste of her coconut lip balm shooting a thrill of desire up his spine. they kiss slowly, evading the loud noises.

“wait, are Y/N and harry making out under the blankets?” kaylor calls, making them freeze, breaking their lips and cuddling close, knowing someone was going to pull over their covers. and to no one’s surprise, rob’s face shines over Y/N and harry, a smug grin on his face.

“oh, you guys totally were.” harry swats him away, hiding y/n’s face from their view.

“leave us alone!” she squeals, hitting at rob’s thigh.

“okay, okay! jeez lovebirds, my bad.” he smirks, walking back to his bed.

the room quickly quiets down, the lights shutting off as everyone shuffles to get comfortable.

“cuddle?” harry whispers into her ear. she nods, burrowing into his chest.

"I could stay like this with you forever, love," he murmurs, his voice low and affectionate. "just holding you in my arms, feeling your body against mine. It's like the rest of the world disappears and it's just us, together, in our own little world."

“so cheesy.”

“you love it.”

she hums. “yeah. i really do.”

[arecaceae175]

Legend and Sky fluff for you! :D

Hope you have a wonderful birthday, enjoy yourself!

"Legend..." The veteran raised his head as the gentle knock on the door of his room sounded. The voice of the Skyloftian sounded through the door. "Have you got a minute?"

The chain had been dropped off in the high clouds of Skyloft. And were currently staying in the Knights Academy. Sunlight shone through the singular window of his borrowed room as the veteran made to stand. Opening the door to find the Skyloftian stood in his Skyloftian dubs. Sailcloth still fastened around his neck.

"Sky I'm a little busy can't this wait?" He raised an eyebrow, as the skyloftian raised a hand to the back of his head. As he smiled back gently.

"I know... But I said I was going to show you something next time we were here." The skyloftian offered a hand. "It wont take long. So, you fancy an adventure?"

Mulling it over for a few moments before he nodded. "Sure thing bird brain."

Sky chuckled as he turned, leading the way outside of the academy and into the cool air.

"So birdbrain, What was so important that you had to drag me into the cold for." His eyes scanned the horizon, as he watched the way the town's colours seem to shift with the sunshine. Loftwings soared through the daytime air.

"It's almost midday."

"It is." Sky smiled as he continued to direct the veteran, walking them past the bazaar and across a small bridge. "But the full sun gives the best lighting for drawing." The skyloftian walked down a flight of stairs, and turned to cross a small bridge. "And anyway I think, you needed this."

"Needed... Sky im sorry wait." He stopped in his tracks, the pair had reached a hill which overlooked the entire island. The sound of flowing water. "Why?"

"Why?" The Skyloftian echoed.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because." Sky paused, a hand to his chin before he turned to look over the horizon. "You've been down recently."

"Sky I'm fine." He tried to argue but the Skyloftian stopped him.

"And you needed an updated map."

The mention of a map made the veteran stand up a little straighter. His ears wiggled in excitement as he pulled a pen out of a pocket. Looking at it before placing it in his ear.

He pointed over to the bench. "If you sit there you can get a great view. You did say you needed to draw up a new map of Skyloft, and there's two places you can do that from. If you want a birds eye view we can get up there." The skyloftian pointed to the floating island above them, the water cascading down. "Pretty easily."

The veteran thought for a moment, pulling the pen back from his ear and twisting the pen around in his hands.

"Well. I know you really like your maps. And the one you have of Skyloft is, well its a scribble I gave you while I was sleep deprived. Thought I'd give you an opportunity to see the full island for yourself so you could draw a proper one for yourself to hold on to."

The veteran smiled as he sat beside the Skyloftian who had pulled out his harp. the skyloftian held out a roll of map paper to the veteran who's eyes widened slightly. "Is this..."

The weight, the texture. the sound it made as he gently unfolded it. It had to be from home, there was no other way around it.

"It is. I spoke to your Zelda the last time we were there. She had a batch made for me."

They sat for a while, the gentle strumming of the goddess harp accompanying the scribbling of a pen across the paper as the Vet created the map. He had one of every world they had visited. But this was now the most detailed of the lot of them. Having been given the time to apply details such as bridges and waterways, stairs and hills.

Just to get the time to do the things he loved, without worrying about time constraints.

"Hey, Sky."

The sound of the harp quieted as the last of the notes echoed out. The skyloftian looked at him, quizically.

"Thanks. This means a lot." He smiled as he looked over his work, looking up to the higher platform. He'd have to ask Sky later if they could go up there.

For now, he rolled up the newly drawn map and held it in his hands.

"You're welcome." The skyloftian rested the harp on his leg. "You are my brother Legend. And I care about you." Sky punched him on the shoulder playfully. "All of us do."

"Even Warriors?" The veteran laughed, a genuine smile plastered across his face as the pair looked over Skyloft, the sun beaming down as they spotted two flashes of blue across the island.

"Even warriors." Sky laughed too.

"Come on, We better get back before our dear captain begins to worry we've fallen from the island or something." The vet smiled offering a hand to the Skyloftian. "Here."

"Race ya?" The skyloftian laughed as he sprinted down the hill.

"Get back here birdbrain!" The vet laughed as he sprinted after the skyloftian.

I hope you liked it :D

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAHH MAJOR THIS IS SO CUUUUUUUUTE!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHE THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!

[testingthewatersss]

Questions Trigger warnings for PTSD, mentions of war, torture,  etc. Bucky Barnes x F Reader Oneshot 4800 words fluff, angst, comfort & kissing. 18+ MDNI  Bucky has questions. Questions he's sure she can answer. But she wont, and he thinks he knows why.

“Bucky” Y/N says, “Why are you askin’ me that?”

“Because” he replies, “I can’t ask anyone else.”

The look on his face is sad. She maintains eye contact for a minute before breaking it, averting her gaze to her desk, where she pointedly focuses on a bit of paper that is near enough blank.

“Please, doll?” he presses, “Please, just-”

“What do you want me to say?” she almost snaps, “James, I-”

“Please” he says again, softer this time, “Don’t call me that… Y’know I- I only get James when I’m in trouble.”

When she brings her eyes back to his, she can’t help but sigh, temper retreating like a wave.

“It’s a pretty nice name, y’know” she murmurs, “I don’t know why-”

“-Are you tryin’ to change the subject, darlin’?”

At least his smiling now, even if it’s tight lipped and forced.

She doesn’t deny his statement, just shrugs.

“My point stands” he hears her say, “It’s hardly a mouthful, I don’t know why you hate it so much-”

“I don’t hate it” Bucky counters, “It just reminds me of bein’ yelled at.”

“Have I ever yelled at you?” she quips quickly,

He shakes his head, letting out a slow breath.

“I just want to know” he says quietly, “I can’t just let it go”

“You really want me to tell you wether or not I think you could have gotten away sooner?” she clarifies, “You want me to stand here and tell you if you put up ‘enough of a fight’ in the beginning and then after all that you want me to-”

“make sure the words they put in my head don’t still work” he confirms, “Please, doll, I…I don’t have anyone else I can go to about this kind of stuff, can you imagine Steve’s face if I even tried to bring this up with him?”

For a second, she says nothing. She just stares, trying to read wether or not even considering his line of questioning is a step too far, and then, he reaches out to take hold of her hand and she feels her heart breaking.

“Please…” he whispers thickly, “…I want to know-”

“They’re not easy answers to give” she replies, imploring him to understand, “Bucky, that first question alone isn’t a simple yes or no, there are so many variables, I-”

“You” he mumbles, bringing her knuckles to his lips, “won’t lie to me, darlin’… I trust you, I love you and-”

“I love you to” she counters, “That, is exactly why you comin’ to me like this isn’t fair.”

He’s kissing across her fingers, and all she can do is grumble as she leans back against her desk;

“Do I think you could have gotten away sooner?” she echos, surrounding to his puppy dog eyes, “Physically? probably— They let you carry loaded guns, you were never in particularly bad shape, even if you’d been knocked around a bit— You probably could’ve bolted from a job, or fought your way out if you’d have timed it right, y’know?” he does know, so he nods, gut tightening uneasily, “but-” Y/N says, “just because you might’ve been able to get away, that doesn’t mean you ever stood a chance.”

Bucky feels his face dropping as she lets go of his palm, choosing to tuck her hair behind her ears instead-

“There was a reason they didn’t care about you carrying weapons” she continues, “they knew full well that you weren’t going to try anything, even when given the opportunity.”

He opens his mouth to speak, to ask her to be more decisive in her judgement, but she gets there first, crossing her arms across her chest as she carries on,

“and the reason they trusted that so much” she says, “is because, yes, Bucky, you put up a hell of a fight in the beginning— It wasn’t a one and done where they wiped you and that was that, it took months of them pullin’ you in and out of storage, of them messin’ with the tech, messin’ with you, before they decided that it was just about good enough to move on to any further training, and that, that was just the tip of the iceberg— I mean jesus, weird, torture bullshit, aside, you had at least 3 different trackers active on you— If you’d managed to run they’d have found you eventually. You cut that one out of your neck in Budapest—”

The old scar that’s hidden by his hair aches as she mentions it, and then, as she nods at his arm, he finds himself feeling awfully small,

“—I broke the unit they had in there, that thing was more than just a bug, it was hooked into your nervous system, and-”

“There was always one in the guns”

She nods, in agreement before falling silent again.

It’s a difficult topic to talk about. Y/N hates discussing anything about her own time with HYDRA, but, she still thinks she’d prefer that, to this.

Talking about the horrible things that have happened to the man she loves, seems unfathomably worse, somehow. It’s probably because even though she’d been there in person for the last five years of his time there, she knows that he was there for so long before that.

And then, she’d found herself having to paw through the book he’d brought back with them, having to read, and dissect every insidious detail of his history so that she could make sure that he was okay, now, that he wasn’t in danger—

and that had been bad enough, but, he’d asked her to do it, so she had, but now- now he’s starting to ask questions, and she can’t even be angry at him, because if anyone deserves answers he does.

“I don’t think I remember” he tells her, voice thick, “The beginning it… it’s real hazy—”

“I know” she agrees, smiling a little, “That’s probably a blessin-”

“—But, I think it’s comin’ back” he admits, forcing the words out before he can chicken out, “I- I think it… it might be- some, some of the dreams I’m havin’… It- it’s either not real or it’s just from real early on-”

That silences her. Her lack of interruption only highlights the way that Bucky’s words have drifted off into nothing.

He gulps, and finds himself shifting anxiously on his feet as he awaits her judgment.

She firmly decides to stay quiet. To let him digest what has already been said for a little while longer and to see if he’s going to expand on his own.

“Do you think you could tell me?” he asks eventually, “If… If things really happened or not?”

Again, she lets his question sit for a beat before she offers him a “Maybe” that he doesn’t know how to take.

“Maybe?” he echos, “Wha-”

“I don’t know everything” she tells him carefully, “I probably know enough to make a good guess on the things I’m not certain of, but wether I’d do that would depend on why you’re askin’ in the first place.”

Why I’m asking in the first place? he thinks, confused,

“I mean” she chuckles falsely, “honestly, I still don’t know why you’ve been asking me the questions you’ve already come up with”

“I just” he begins, “I… I want to know-”

“Why?” she presses, “Why, Buck? What does knowing wether or not you could’ve— maybe— in another reality gotten away sooner change? What does me telling you that you definitely fought back when they first started torturing you do? Does it make you feel better? Worse?—”

“No” he admits, “It… it’s not about that… how I feel, I mean”

“No?” Y/N says, “then what is it about, Buck? I get you wantin’ to check about the words— I know I’ve told you a hundred times that I’m sure— but, you wanting to check, to be a million percent certain? That, I can understand, but the rest of it? You’ve gotta help me out-”

“—I’m scared, doll—”

Bucky’s voice, and the blatant sincerity behind it makes her breath catch in her throat.

“—god,” he sighs, “—I’m terrified, I’m terrified that if I don’t ask you, then one day, one day soon you’re gonna start askin’ yourself and you’ll wonder if I, if I don’t care, and then, then I won’t be able to do anythin’ but watch as you realise that I could’ve done better and, you’ll— you’ll hate me, and I- I’ll lose you too, and I won’t be able to say a damn thing because it’ll be exactly what I deserve and, I—”

“-Stop.”

The natural authority in her tone makes his jaw snap shut. Anxiety driven rambling turning into silence;

Silence that Y/N allows to settle for a second as she tries to rationalise everything he’s just said—

“I’m sorry” Bucky offers nervously, running a hand through his hair, “I’m sorry, I- I’ll go— I’ll see you later, or, I, I can just… I can just go-”

“C’mere-” she counters, tone softening when she realises that he really is distraught, “What am I goin’ to do with you, huh?”

Her arms are open in invitation, and despite the way he’d been ready to turn and flee just a moment before, Bucky finds himself hiding against her a front in what feels like no time at all.

“Whatever you want” is the answer he gives to her question, though his words are muffled by the crook of her neck, “you can do whatever you want with me”

She chuckles at that, soft and light as she strokes a large circle across the back of his ribs.

They’re straining, he’s panting, and trying so hard to steady his breathing that she feels guilty about not approaching this in a more tactful way;

“How about we make a deal?” she suggests calmly, “How about, I’ll answer your questions, if you answer a few for me?”

“Okay” he agrees, not pulling away, “I… I can do that”

Y/N smiles, feeling his arms tightening around her waist in a silent display of attachment.

“When did you last sleep for more than fifteen minutes in a row?”

“1935” he grumbles, smiling a little when she laughs, “… probably last week, doll… usually… usually when I pass out I, I see things and I- I come round and I can’t settle again after that”

He’s being so blatantly honest that all Y/N can do is press a kiss against his brow, and wait for him to take his turn;

“.I… I don’t know what to ask”

That makes her chuckle again, eyes rolling even though he can’t see,

“and you had so many questions earlier” she teases gently, “Now I’m offerin’ to answer you can’t think of one?”

“I can think of plenty” he says, “Just don’t know where to start”

“How about” Y/N sighs, “you start with what’s botherin’ you most?”

“That ain’t a question…” he grumbles, “…Do… Do you think I could’ve done more? to, y’know… stop everythin’ that happened?”

“No” she says honestly, “No, Bucky, I don’t think there was anything you could’ve done to stop any part of what happened.”

“But, I-”

“You wanted an answer” she cuts in, “Not a debate, now it’s my turn.”

She’s right, so he nods, settling back into an unhappy silence,

“Do you really think that I’m going to suddenly wake up one morning and realise something that makes me ‘hate’ you?”

“Yes” he gulps anxiously, “Yeah”

She doesn’t say anything else. His reply just sits in her chest like a lead weight, as he continues to hide himself against her front,

“Do you?” he asks after a pause, “Do- Do you think that you might… do, do that?”

“No” she says, “Of course not—I could never hate you, Bucky”

“but-”

This time, she barely has to tut before he catches himself and swallows his objection,

“Do you believe me when I tell you that I love you?”

“…Yeah…” he says honestly, “…yeah I do, I- I just don’t understand how you could… or, or why you ever would…”

“Isn’t that up to me?”

“It’s not your turn, doll”

She scoffs at that, but doesn’t argue.

“Why do you?” Bucky asks next, “Why do you love me? after… after everything”

That’s a sad question really, but still Y/N feels a smile blooming across her face as she starts to consider every single reason she has; and then, it falters when she realises that putting them into words might be a problem,

“Christ, Buck, you’re not makin’ this easy on me…” she murmurs, “There are so many reasons… You’re kind, and sweet— you’re so, so sweet, and you make me laugh, you’ve always made me laugh, and, I- I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as brave, or gentle as you are…”

It’s so clear that he needs to hear her kind words that she suddenly can’t bare the thought of stopping,

“You’re thoughtful” she says next, “You’re smart— brilliant, really, without even havin’ to try— you’re… you’re just so good, y’know?… You’re a truly good person, down to your core, and I know that you always try and do the right thing, and see that goodness in other people, even when it’s not there—”

“But the things I-”

“You” she cuts in, not wanting to even hear his argument, “didn’t do a damn thing wrong. This whole thing was always bigger than you, but it's fair that you miss that sometimes.”

He does. He misses it all the time;

“But everything that happened” he mumbles, “all those people are dead because of me”

Y/N shakes her head, chest aching.

“No” she says, “those people are dead because HYDRA decided they needed to die— You just happened to be the weapon they liked using most at the time.”

He doesn’t reply, he just nuzzles in impossibly closer to her front as she lets her chin rest against the top of his bowed head.

“My turn again, huh?” she murmurs, “…How long have you spent worryin’ about all this?”

“all this?” he echos, uncertain of her meaning, “I… I’ve always been worried ‘bout you realisin’ that you deserve better than me, doll, that- that’s not new.”

“It’s ridiculous” she counters, “You deserve the world— but I mean this, specifically— How long have you been worrin’ about talkin’ to me about things you’re remembering just incase it makes me realise that you’re actually some evil monster and-"

“Ever since you wouldn’t answer me the first time” he confesses, “when I asked you about… about if you thought I could’ve done more to get away, and you wouldn’t tell me I… I figured it was because you knew deep down that I… I should’ve done better and I… I tried to stop thinkin’ about it like you said but it… it kept eatin’ at me, and the more I asked—”

“The more I didn’t want to answer, and the more likely the whole thing seemed.”

He nods against her shoulder, and she can’t help but press a kiss into his hair,

“I didn’t mean to annoy ya’, darlin’…” he says, “I, I really didn’t but I couldn’t… I couldn’t stop thinking about it, when you, when you wouldn’t tell me what you thought I was sure there had to be a reason…”

“I’m sorry” she says honestly, “I didn’t think you’d take it that way, I should’ve been clearer about why I didn’t want to talk about it”

“Why didn’t you?” he asks, “Answer, I mean? I… I’ve asked you things before and you… you’ve always answered me”

“Because” Y/N sighs, “I know you, and I know how easy it is for you to blame yourself for situations you had no control over… You do it all the time, and I love you, Buck… I love you and seeing you be so hard on yourself is bad enough without me piling on hypothetical situations that could only ever make it worse”

For a few seconds, there’s silence. Bucky’s arms are still tight around her waist and if she tries, she can feel his pulse rushing anxiously through his body,

“I know you forget that nothing that happened was down to you” she allows, “and I don’t mind reminding you— I really don’t, but, I really don't want to start goin’ into all the different ‘what if scenarios’ that you’re mind can cook up, because that… that’s a hell of a box to open”

“It feels like it was…” he tells her weakly, “It feels like it was all my fault, doll, all of it, it… it’s like I should’ve stopped it somehow, like— like I… like I could’ve just woken up and, and made myself not-”

“But you couldn’t” she inserts, “Sweetheart, you couldn’t just wake up, and even if you had? If by some, bizarre twist of fate you’d have been able to snap out of it and fight back? They’d have just started from scratch, either with you, if they could bring you back in, or with someone else, if they’d have just decided to kill you instead.”

“Do you think I could’ve made them do that?” he wonders, “Kill me, I mean?”

“Is it your turn?” Y/N asks, trying to lighten the atmosphere, “I’ve lost count”

“I don’t know” he mumbles, “I hope so”

She chuckles at that, shaking her head,

“No” she says, “I don’t think there is anything you could’ve done that would’ve made them kill you— not when finding you in the first place was like striking gold in a coal mine.”

“Can I ask what you mean by that, or do I have to wait?”

Y/N laughs again, soft and airy as she pulls back a little so that he can finally pull back and reveal his face.

“You are a good person” she tells him, reaching up to cup his cheek, “Really, Buck— You’re good, all the way through— It’s why they had to keep you, because that kind of genuine goodness isn’t somethin’ that you find often. The serum proved that there wasn’t a bad bone in your body, it magnifies everything it touches, you know about ‘Red Skull’— you know what putting that stuff into someone who’s not decent can do, so… you landing right in their laps, already dosed up and ready to go? that was something that was never going to happen again”

He’s starring at her, hanging on every word she’s saying, so, instead of waiting for him to ask her to expand, she just sighs, brushing her thumb under his eyes.

“You can’t torture evil out of somebody” she says, “no amount of pain or electricity can make a person better, so, even if they had managed to get a never ending supply of the serum, it never would’ve worked out because they’d have still needed subjects who didn’t have an ounce of malice in them, who didn’t want to be powerful, or dangerous, or anything other than decent and I think even they knew that wasn’t going to happen, and that… that’s why they spent so long making sure they kept you how they wanted, and that's why all of those other Winter Solider's never got more than a few hours out of tank at a time. They had no idea what might start to happen.”

“So if I… if I had made them kill me, then they… they wouldn’t have been able to-”

He sounds so genuinely guilty that all Y/N can do is continue stroking his face as she shakes her head, again;

“I don’t think they would’ve ever just killed you, and if they had? or if something had happened out of their control? Then they wouldn’t have given up— They’d have gone through thousands of people trying to find one that worked to replace you.”

Bucky’s brow is furrowed, both his hands still around the back of her waist. He doesn’t want to let go, he wants to stay close, and despite the way he’s trying to not be so obvious about his need for skin on skin, he knows that he’s pressing his cheek into her palm;

“I know it didn’t feel like it” she murmurs, “but they were real careful with you, sweetheart— They spent so much time in the beginning making sure that their tech worked- tailoring it to you, y’know? and makin’ sure that everything from the fall was patched up so that even when they hurt you your heart was never going to give out or anything like that”

“In the beginning…” he parrots, “…later on, when… when I’d been there a while, did… did the tech stop workin’? is, is that why I, why I…”

“No” she whispers softly, “The tech worked how it always did, they just didn’t factor in the fact that you were going to be off ice so much”

He blinks, confused and she can’t help but smile,

“They called them wipes” he hears Y/N explain, “but that’s not what they were, you can’t just erase somebodies personality, not with all the electricity and torture in the world… all you can do, is make someone obedient, you can make good men do bad things, and sometimes if you’re trying really hard you can alter the conscious mind— you can make it so someone can’t fathom fighting back, or questioning what you’ve convinced them is reality, but even that doesn’t last indefinitely— it needs maintenance, y’know? upkeep, because human minds aren’t hard drives that can be reset whenever someone feels like it.”

“They’d… they’d say I was unstable…” he recalls, “..Like when… when I saw Steve on the bridge I- I didn’t understand but I- I knew, that… that I he knew me and they… they wiped me straight away-”

“Well yeah” she chuckles grimly, “They couldn’t let something that major slide”

“and when I’d was bein’ brought out of storage they’d.. they’d usually bring me right to the chair?”

That’s definitely a question, Y/N can tell by the unsure quirk in his voice.

“Yeah, baby” she confirms, “that’s right”

“I… I hated that chair, I- I still… god, I- I still dream about it sometimes… even, even just the door to the room it was in, I, I see myself walking towards it, I- I feel the way my heart is racing…”

“Nobody” she whispers, “Nobody is ever, ever, going to hurt you like that again, you know that, right?”

The nod he gives her is a reflex. He’s so used to agreeing to statements like that, that it’s automatic, and it’s only when he meets Y/N’s gaze that he takes a second to consider wether or not it’s truthful;

“I forget, sometimes” he allows, “but, I trust you, and I know it’s safe here”

She seems to like that, she smiles and brings her fingers back across his cheek, stroking his face like he’s precious,

“It’s very safe…” she agrees, “…You, are very safe.”

“I’m sorry, doll”

That takes her by surprise. She’s not sure where his apology has come from, and she’s already shaking her head to refute it when he starts speaking again,

“I didn’t mean to force you to talk about all of this, I- I know you didn’t want to answer me and I, I should’ve just respected—”

“You can always talk to me” she counters, “about anything— anything at all, Bucky- I just want to make sure that we’re not makin’ you feel worse, not if we can help it.”

He nods, and presses a kiss against the pad of her thumb.

“What would you like to do now, huh?” Y/N asks gently, “we can do whatever you feel like.”

Bucky stays quiet for a beat, working up the courage to make his suggestion,

He already knows what he wants to do, he just don’t know if asking her to do it is pushing his luck, considering how she’s indulged him so much already;

“Could… could you try the… the words?” he asks eventually, “Please? just so, so I know…”

Her instinct is to refuse. To delay for right now, if not forever, but then she sees his face, she sees the need, and longing and, and then she finds herself nodding, even though she’s not sure quite when she decided to say yes.

“C’mere” she murmurs, “Close your eyes for me— FRIDAY, lock us in for right now.”

Bucky does as he’s told, slipping his hands into her back pockets as the room dissolves into blackness.

“Ready?” she checks- he nods, nervously, so she leans in and presses a kiss against his brow, “Tell me if it hurts, and I’ll stop.”

He knows what kind of pain she means, so he nods, bracing himself to feel his head burning, to feel incredible, pulsing pressure building inside his skull—

“Semnadtsat’… Rzhavyye…. Dozhd’…” her soft voice begins, slow and stable as ever, “…Pustyye…. Nad…. Vnevremennyye….”

He’s tense, and shaking.

He’s honestly, totally ready for something terrible to happen, for his whole brain to collapse inwards as he loses his grip on… on everything other than pain and whatever instructions he’s given— He finds himself thinking about how even if that did happen, at least it’s Y/N he’s with, at least she won’t make him do anything terrible— He’s about to tell her how grateful he is, that she’s always been so good to him, but then, he realises it’s over, she’s not talking anymore, and all he can hear is the violent, panicked thrash of his pulse in his ears.

“See?” Y/N says, almost smugly, “I told you…Nothin’…”

“Ready to comply” Bucky says, aiming for an impression of his former self, "gotov podchinit’sya”

“Oh yeah?” she laughs, pressing her lips against the corner of his mouth, “You gonna do what I tell ya’ for once?”

“Maybe” he mumbles, trying earnestly to coax another kiss from her, “depends on if I'd wind up regretting it later”

“You are full of shit, Barnes—” she chuckles, teasing him with the promise of more affection by letting her nose bump against his, “Have I ever asked you to do anythin’ you’d regret?”

“No” he promises quickly, “No, doll I- I’m just teasin’…”

“Good” she purrs, pecking at his cheek before pulling him closer, so their fronts are touching, “Do you feel better now that’s cleared up?”

He nods, feeling himself blushing.

“Yeah, I- I do, doll”

“Good” she says again, “I’m glad, sweetheart— Did you feel anythin’?”

Her hands are on his cheeks, now— both of them, cupping his jaw as her thumbs brush across his temples.

“No” he whispers, feeling incredible vulnerable under her consideration, “I was… I was nervous, but- but it didn’t feel like I thought it might…”

“It’s been awhile” she says, “If we’d have tried it a couple of weeks ago you might’ve ended up with a migraine, but, I think you’re so far out now that anxiety is the worst you’ll come away with.”

She doesn’t want to downplay that, anxiety is still more than he deserves, but given the situation, it’s definitely better than the alternatives.

“Thank you” he mumbles, head lolling over to the side as she starts to card his hair back, “Doll, for… for humourin’ me with all if this…”

“I think I'm indulging more than humouring” she corrects lightly, “but it's fine, next time you feel like playin' 20 questions just give me a heads up, this version made it impossible to cheat”

Masterlist

[ajaxpetropolisismyhusband]

Ajax - Hurt

Warnings: Protective Ajax, Bruises, Fluff, cuteness overload tbh

"Oh God!" Y/n's voice trembled as she faced her reflection, ghosting her nimble fingers around her bruised eye and the cut on her cheek.

"How did it come to this?" She thought

~ Moments before ~

Y/n was studying in the nightshades library, it was always peaceful in here and less crowded, rather than the normal library, where, people only went there to make out. The lack of people chattering and the sound of lips smacking one another behind the shelves really helped Y/n gather her thoughts.

Suddenly, Y/n heard the Poe statue move back. The girl watched a black figure quickly run down the stairs and emerged from the shadows.

"Rowan? You know you're not supposed to be here. Please leave." She got up and gestured the boy to go back up those damn steps and never come back here. Rowan was startled by Y/n's sweet voice, but his expression softened and he smiled maniacally, which made the girl feel uncomfortable

"Y/n, i promise i wont be any trouble, i just wanted to tell you something." He took a step forward, which made her take a step back, the back of her knees hitting the edge of her chair.

"Make it quick before someone comes in, please."

"Y/n, i've always loved you." with that he took a step forward and Y/n felt trapped. "Your bright ideas when someone proposes a theory, the way you run your fingers through you hair when your stuck. Its like you're doing all that on purpose, but you're not. You are just naturally beautiful"

Now there was only a ruler space between them and with that, Y/n cleared her throat.

"Listen Rowan, you are a good person, or so you were before the whole situation of you being a bit crazy. But that's besides the point, I'm dating Ajax and everyone knows it and to do something like this behind his back is just something i can't do." Her eyes pleaded for him to go away, but with each word that came out of Y/n's mouth, made Rowan angrier and angrier.

"Y/N!" Rowan snapped, which made the H/c haired girl flinch. "You're really choosing some dumb, silly gorgon over me!"

Suddenly, the fear vanished. Now anger started to build up inside the girl.

"Excuse me! How dare you insult my boyfriend!? Whether you like it or not Rowan, im madly in love with Ajax and there is nothing you can do that can come in between us!" She snapped back at him.

With this opportunity, Rowan slapped the girl hard on her face, which made her fall to the cold, stone ground.

Y/n yelped in surprise and tears started to form.

"YOU WERE MEANT TO BE MINE Y/N!" Rowan screamed at the girl, now a flood of tears started to form.

Y/n could feel her cheek drip, she smudged it and winced from the stinging. She was bleeding. She looked over on Rowan's nails and saw they were long and sharp and there was a line of blood on the nail of his ring finger.

The girl looked down in fear.

"YOU ARE JUST A PATHETIC LITTLE GORGONS GIRL!" This made Y/n look up and with that, a fist went charging towards her eye.

"Rowan please.." the E/c eyed girl whimpered but the raven haired boy didn't stop. He kept on punching and kicking the poor girl.

Eventually he stopped. Y/n watched him walk towards the bookshelf and grab a purple book. But, before he walked out, he looked at her and smirked in victory.

"I was only here for this." He holds up the book. "I guess I got one out of the two things I wanted. But oh well!" His smirk turned into a maniacal smile and with that, he ran back up the stairs and left Y/n all alone again.

Y/n waited a few minutes to gather her thoughts and dashed all the way to her dorm.

Y/n's best friend and roommate Bianca was nowhere to be found. Y/n sighed in relief. If Bianca or Ajax even, saw her in a beat up state, they would start an earthquake.

~ present time ~ Y/n walked out of the bathroom and put on the blue hoodie Ajax had given to her, putting the hood on, trying to cover the sides of her face and sat down on her bed.

Her face was in her hands. The girl wanted to cry again, but she couldn't find the strength to re-coat her tear stained face with more tears.

The sound of the doorknob turning made Y/n's head perk up. She was sitting in a way her back was facing the door, she didn't want to turn around because she knew the first thing that person would see is her bruised face.

The door swung open and revealed two voices.

"See, she's in here!" Bianca exclaimed.

Y/n furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she didn't realise someone else was with her.

"Cara Mia, where were you?" A deep voice asked.

"Oh shit." Y/n mentally facepalmed at the sound of her boyfriend's voice. This wasn't going to end well at all.

"N/n? Turn around please." Bianca demanded in worry.

Y/n tensed up and started to cry. She put her hands back over her face as she heard her two comfort people run over to her.

"Baby!? What's wrong? Please talk to me."  Ajax and Bianca were either side of her now, looking at each other in worry then back to Y/n.

"Girl, what's wrong?" Bianca asked.

Ajax started to get even more worried and try to get her hands into his, but she wouldn't budge.

"I should've done something.." she sobbed into her hands.

"N/n, what do you mean by that?" Ajax asked with a bit of anger in his voice.

Y/n sighed in defeat and removed her hands from her face and took the hood off. She looked straight out of the window from her bed, not wanting to look at her boyfriend and best friend.

Ajax cupped his girlfriends face and faced her towards his. Y/n's eyes squinted in sadness as she saw his eyebrows furrowed and jaw clenched.

Bianca crouched down next to her and her siren eyes were filled with rage.

"Who did this to my baby?" Ajax gritted his teeth. Bianca put a hand on Y/n's arm.

"N/n, who did this to you?" She asked with determination. Y/n shook her head and got up from the bed and walked to the window, which seemed more interesting than the worried and angry people in the room.

"Y/n! Names. Now." Ajax started to get angry as he walked towards her and looked at her face again.

Y/n sighed in defeat, knowing there's no point in not revealing Rowans name. Y/n cleared her throat.

"Rowan." She whispered.

"ROWAN!?" Ajax shouted. Bianca clenched her fist and walked over to her best friend.

"Why would he do that to you Y/n?" She asked.

"FORGET WHY. He hurt the one person who was there for him! Not just him even! FOR EVERYONE. I'm gonna-" Ajax started rambling.

Y/n's eyes lit up in fear and tugged her boyfriends arm, which made his gaze softened as he looked at her.

"Baby please, don't do anything. It's fine, Rowans leaving today anyway, just please leave it." She pleaded.

"Y/n L/n, I love you too much to not do anything. I'll make sure he pays." Ajax shook his head.

"Well Ajax Petropolis, you are the love of my life and I won't let anything happen to you." Suddenly all Y/n's shy depressive state had faded away.

"Wait Y/n, did he do it because we kicked him out?" Bianca asked.

"No, he said he loved me and wanted me to be with him, but I made it very clear I wasn't interested and I was dating Ajax and he didn't like that one bit." She sighed .

"I'm gonna kill him." Ajax stated bluntly.

"Please don't." Y/n pleaded.

"Why are you protecting him!?"

"I'm not, I just can't let you beat up someone who's not worth it."

"But he is, he hurt my Y/n, my precious baby. I wont rest until he pays." Y/n let goes of his arm and sighed.

"Sorry babe, but I'm with him on this one." Bianca agreed.

"This isnt gonna end well." Y/n mentally noted.

~ The next day ~ "Hey Xavier, have you seen Ajax?" Y/n asked her friend in the quad.

"Oh yeah, he's in his dorm, he looked a bit beat up." Xavier stated.

The H/c haired girl groaned in annoyance.

"Shit, I told him not to do anything. Anyways thanks Xavi." The both of them waved goodbye and Y/n rushed to her boyfriends dorm.

Y/n opened the dorm straight away, seeing her boyfriend sitting on his bed, shirtless and tending the cuts on his face with a first aid box in front of him.

The gorgon jerked his head towards the door and chuckled as she looked angry and shut the door with her foot.

"Mind explaining!?" She asked, tapping her foot, with her arms crossed.

Ajax chuckled again and shook his head in amusement, but suddenly winced at the pain when he applied alcohol on his cut.

Y/n didn't feel angry anymore. She crouched down to her boyfriends waist level and took the cotton wool from his hand and started to tend his wounds.

"Thanks doc." He chuckled through the pain. Y/n shook her head and smiled at her boyfriend in sympathy.

There was a comfortable silence between them until Y/n spoke up.

"You didn't have to do that for me." She sighed. Ajax profoundly shook his head.

"It's a big deal if he hurt my girl, plus, you should've seen him and his friends." He smiled victoriously at the last part.

Y/n stared at Ajax in disbelief.

"You fought him AND his friends?" She asked in worry and earned a shrug from the beanie boy.

"That's why I'm like this, if it wasn't for his friends, I would've been untouched." He smirked.

Y/n tutted and tugged a small smile, throwing away the cotton ball and taking a plaster out of the first aid box and applying it onto one of the big cuts.

"I love you so much Jax." She sighed lovingly.

The gorgon boy smiled and kissed her forehead, then rested his on hers.

"I love you more." He smiled. "And just so you know, I would happily get beat up in a heartbeat all over again if it would mean you would be safe." He kissed her nose.

Y/n blushed and finally landed her lips on his. His tongue swiping her lower lip, asking for entrance and she gladly let his tongue explore her mouth. Ajax backed up on the bed making Y/n get on top of him and they continued to make out. Ajax finally broke the kiss.

"My girl." He exclaimed in a lovey state.

Y/n blushed and the couple cuddled each other, Ajax being the big spoon and Y/n feeling safe under him.

[menonlywrestling]

Tape Traders.

In the 80s and 90s, Pro Wrestling tape trading was very popular amongst fans. The more obscure, hard to find tapes would fetch big money, but mostly the more well known traders liked to hold on to the rarest items, for bragging rights.

One such tape, known only as 'Danny's Destruction' took on practically mythical status. Many people suggested it didn't even exist. Every trader coveted a copy of this tape.

The tape was said to feature a private underground match, filmed in a basement, featuring a hot young Pro called Danny Da Costa (23), who was facing off against an older wrestler known as Hangman Hennessey (60).

Apparently, young Danny took such a severe, prolonged pro beat down that he didn't wrestle again for six months, or ever, depending on who you spoke to. Everyone wanted to see this tape.

FFW to 2001, when a copy of the video was anonymously uploaded to an underground pro wrestling message board. The grainy vhs quality video was titled 'Danny's Destruction - Three hours of pro ring torture'

The video begins with footage of the younger HUNG wrestler already in the ring, hopping from foot to foot, stretching and pulling on the ropes, ready for action. While young Danny started off well, with some good back and forth, he eventually succumbed to the Hangman's continued attacks on Danny's right arm. Hangman then methodically puts Danny in every conceivable pro wrestling hold. No one had ever seen a 20 minute camel clutch applied, or a 30 minute Boston, before. The postings were brutal, as were the relentless standing elbow and knee drops. Focussed attacks on Da Costas arm continued. Hennessey looks to be in his element. He was getting on a bit and his best wrestling days were behind him. He seems to be relishing the opportunity to actually dominate in the ring again. The handful of men watching were enjoying every second, as they sat ringside on battered old sofas and armchairs, drinking and smoking. So turned on by all the moans, groans and the sound of bodies hitting the canvas. Some of them are also in pro gear and masks.

Around the two hour mark, exhausted Danny has clearly given up submitting, he knows the onslaught wont stop either way. Hennessey then tears Danny's singlet off and tosses it to the group, leaving him in just his pro boots. We see him spit into his palm and rub it onto his now raging hard cock, spit on Danny's hole then enter him. Hennessey fucks poor Danny for a solid 45 mins, seemingly enjoying hurting the younger man even more. Such stamina! When he eventually shoots his load deep into the younger man ass, with a massive groan, the men cheer.

It isn't the end for Danny though. Hennessey, still hard, put his trunks back on, scoops Danny over this shoulders and applies an absolutely brutal torture rack and parades Danny around the ring, one hand round his throat and the other squeezing his thick cock. Danny's body is limp now and it looks like he's going to be broken in half hes being bent so much. Like a power lifter, Hennessey hoists his victim above his head, then drops Danny into an over the knee back breaker. Again brutally bending him so much he looks ready to snap in two. He begins to start jerking Danny's cock, as he tightens the grip on his throat.

After a while he pushes Danny off his knee and leaves the ring. Is that it? Where has he gone? Is it over? During this the camera stays focussed on Danny, as he holds his throat, before panning to his ass and hard cock.

We then see Hennessey re enter the ring carrying a gym bag, from this he produces a long, thick chain with a leather collar on the end of it, and holds it above his head. The men cheer. Danny struggles as the older man tries to attach it round his neck. He knows whats coming. Several forearm smashes daze Danny, and its eventually strapped on.

Danny is tossed over the top ring rope and 'hung', with Hennessey still in the ring, pulling hard on the chain that's wrapped round his wrist. I guess this is why he's called The Hangman.

Some of the men take photos of a bloody Danny struggling, with one man even sucking Danny's dick as he squirms on the end of the chain. One man signals to Hennessey that Danny is out, and he lets go of the chain. Danny slumps to the floor.

The camera cuts to sometime after the fight has finished. Everyone is now in the ring and we see one masked man with the chain round his throat, sucking Hennessey off. One man is fucking Danny's ass, while another rubs his cock over Danny's bloody face, before fucking his mouth, and another sucks Danny's cock.

The video ends with a shot of Hennessey with a really stiff, tight sleeper on Danny, who is being forced to jerk off, until he cums on his hairy belly, while the men jeer in the background. Danny is eventually KOed again.

I hope it was worth the $50 Danny.

[fayes-fics]

Congratulations 🎉🎉

Mini-drabble: Benedict, part II, #10

Benedict + If we weren’t in public right now

March 2023 Mini Drabbles Masterpost

Hi lovely!

Thank you so much! 🫶

OK, here is Benedict + If we weren't in public right now. 😁🧡🧡

Behind the cut for filthy language.

It’s become one of your favourite games. At a ball, a soirée, a dinner, whatever the circumstance, you try not to miss an opportunity. It’s certainly one way to liven up boring events.

Often you’ll wait until the other is listening politely to someone droning on - as many members of the ton are wont to do - and then lean over and whisper in the other’s ear. To any observer, it will look so benign, just a married couple exchanging a quiet word. It’s an unspoken rule that you take turns. Even you’d admit it has gotten a bit out of hand lately. Last week you made him drop his champagne glass - that caused a bit of a scene.

Just as you are doing your best to feign interest in Lady Cowper’s latest boasting at the Smythson ball, he appears by your side.

“If we weren’t in public right now, I'd have my tongue inside your cunt,” his whisper is warm against your ear. Every fibre of your body is suddenly on fire.

“Oh no, my dear”, you bluff loudly as if given some awful news. “Sounds like we had better remedy the situation immediately.” You hastily address the group in front of you. “My apologies, ladies, something has come up that I must attend to; please excuse us.” 

Benedict smirks as you turn your backs. “What was that?”

“Change in the rules”, you respond, starting to weave through the throng of attendees, dragging him by the gloved hand.

“I'm listening”, his tone intrigued as you stop short, looking around the room for the nearest exit.

“From now on, you must deliver on what is promised”, you state clearly, spying your target and moving anew.

He chuckles as you continue walking with purpose. “Oh, I intend to. Just wait until we are home”, his voice laced with promise.

You lead him through french doors into the grounds, soon spying the ideal spot—a private section under a pergola drooping heavy with fragrant jasmine. 

“Right, husband, it's time to deliver”, you challenge, raising an eyebrow and squeezing the hand you hold.

“Here?!?” he responds incredulously. “This is not what I meant by if we weren’t in public.”

“Then be discreet”, you shrug with a challenging smirk.

His face morphs from surprise into something far more dangerous, a crooked smile tugging at his lips. He moves closer and speaks against your temple. “Oh, I can do that. The challenge, my darling, is, can you keep quiet?”

“Let's find out”, you squeak, running your hands up his arms to his neck, pulling him down for a heated kiss, chasing his tongue with yours.

Well, 250 words is tough haha. Ah well...

[transgenderer]

The Cult of Twins

Twins (marassa), living and dead, are endowed with supernatural power which makes them exceptional being. In the voodoo pantheon they hold a privileged position besides the grand mysteres. Some people would even claim that they are more powerful than the loa. They are invoked and saluted at the beginning of a ceremony immediately after Lega; in some regions, notably Leoagne, they even come before him.

Any family which includes twins, either among its living members, or in one of its ancestral lines must, under pain of 'chastisement', serve them with offerings and sacrifice. Sometimes a family reeling under a series of misfortunes learns form a hungan (voodoo practitioner) that it has been neglecting twins far back in its ancestry 'at the time of Guinea'. A child counts as a twin when it is born with webbed feet, for this is a sign that it has 'eaten' its brother in the womb...

The child who follows twins immediately in order of birth (the dosu if itis a boy, dosa if it is a girl) unites in its person the power of both twins and there can dispose of greater powers than they. 'The dosu is stronger than the marassa and stronger than the loa.' Hence he is treated with the greatest respect and in the event of offerings being made, he as the precedence over the twins, On the other hand, the child born before twins = the chuket or dosu avant - has no great standing, though it is said of him that he 'dragged the twins after him'

The presence of twins in a family involves its members in constant attentions and thousand precautions. It takes very little to make a twin turn against his parents and, as is his wont, 'grip' them in the stomach - that is to say inflict serious trouble upon their intestines. It is true that twins are to prepared to be punished for some fault which they have really committed, but they take cruel revenge if they think they have been unjustly treated...

A worker employed at Marbial told us that he and his twin sister almost killed their mother for refusing them a dish of crabs and gomboes which their father, out of concern for their health, had advised her not to give them. The boy placed a stick in the moist earth beside a tree and each day he went and pushed it in a little farther. His mother fell dangerously ill and would have died if the twins, as the result of family entreaties, had not acknowledges the wrong they were doing. They were offered a feast and a pig was killed...

It is normal for twins to hate each other: 'Marassa yo raisab' (twins dont get on) is a proverbial saying. At marbial I knew a boy Andreno and a little girl Andreni, who were twins in a large and poor family. Each of them grew with difficulty for want of adequate food; but the little girl was bigger and stronger than he Brohter. The parents said she was 'eating' her brother and explained that the two children had dedicated themselves to mutual hatred before they even saw the light of day. The moment she war born Andreni had tries to strangle Andreno by looping the umbilical cord around his neck - to such good effect that as he came into the world Andreno found himself 'hanged like a young goat'. Usually when twins are of different sex it is the boy who prospers, at the expense of the girl.

Twins can hardly be too carefully supervised if they are to be precented from harming each other. As soon as one of them shows signs of failing, the other is implored to give up his criminal intention. At meals, when they are not looking, parents seize the opportunity of switching round their plates so that each ears the food of the other - which has the effect of restoring a good relationship.. They also get given a dose which has the power of changing the hated they feel for each other into affection. Such is the power of twins that no one will make take any steps against one twin who causes the death of the other; indeed, people will even take care not to show him the slightest resentment.

Twins must be treated exactly alike if jealousy is to be avoided. Their clothes must be identical, their share of food equal and any praise exactly divided between them. As to twin sisters, they must be married as far as possible at the same time. if a woman with a twin brother marries, she and her husband will load him with presents to obliterate any possible resentment he may secretly feel. Even death does not break the ties which links twins together. The survivor puts to one side, for the deceased, a symbolic portion of whatever he eats or receives by way of presents. Herakovitz traced these practices to that belief, so widespread in West Africa, which attributes but one shared soul to twins.

The power of marassa is not entirely negative. Certainly their ill-will i all the more to be dreaded for being sometimes involuntary. But provided they are happy and satisfied, they turn the strength which is in them to good account. Their intervention is often sought on behalf of the sick; in serious cases recourse may be had to ancestral marassa who, either by dreams or by medium, will prescribe appropriate remedies

-Voodoo, Metraux

Thoughts:

ive never heard of anything like this! i might read a book i found about twins. very interesting and strnage. this sort of "born shaman" feature is odd. the whole thing is odd, and interesting. also the parent/child power inversion is something i havent seen before

i know the igbo are veyr anti twin, so its interesting that partially-igbo-descended haitian culture is so pro-twin

[blackholesun321]

oh i never said we had to LEAVE the angst we just need a small palette cleanser

that being said… do you think sabo ever enjoyed preening until he met ace? or did he view it as something at first he needs to do in order to keep up the illusion that he is happy and then it just turns into something to keep the itchiness of poor preening at bay

does ace know enough about preening to be gentle? the bandits seem more of a ‘tough love’ type and i think that might transfer to preening, not out of malice but just out of nature

and when you are a rough mountain bandit you aren’t generally all that well versed in such things as being soft, caring, or generally good for the upbringing of infants. yea sure you can keep the thing /alive\ but it wont be pretty and when the kid seems content to run off on his own and only come back when you send out a goon to hunt him down so the terrifying marine who dropped the brat on your doorstep doesn’t arrest you? well whos gonna say no to that?

Nobles, as a given, will, in every chance and at every opportunity, refuse to do something if someone else can do it. To preen one’s feathers or someone else is considered a degrading thing, and children grow up in this environment, starved of emotional contact aside from maids and servants who clean and oil, pull molting, or, perish the thought, broken feathers from their wings. Preening, to Sabo, is a cold, distant thing. He has no context for flock bonding, aside from the medical aspects taught from tutors. He only learned to do it on his own so he didn’t have to rely on anyone, even the servants in his household, before he left.

Ace has never had a gentle hand to hold him his whole life. Dadan tries, but she wasn’t made for the soft down of children’s wings. She helped as much as she could, but then Ace came to her at six years old, already the angriest child she’d ever known, and told her to, in his words, "fuck off" when she tried to preen him for the night. The next day, she handed him supplies for self-preening and told him to come back and ask for more if he ran out or lost shit. Ace learns from a young age that preening is something to be worked through, like brushing your teeth or taking a bath. It is a chore, and the one and only time he decided to approach the bandit preening circle, he had healthy feathers pulled out, whether from inexperience with fledgling down or malice. Ace vows never again and, from then on, became as self-sufficient as he could when it came to his wings. It doesn’t stop his wings from looking like a horror show. Sure, they’re clean and oiled regularly, but still as wild and untamed as you would expect from a forest child.

Ace knows what bonding is from an outsider's point of view, but he's never experienced it, aside from Garp trying to shove his own pristine white feathers into his black and orange down. Sabo, aside from the medical knowledge of bonding, has no reference points for social activities that involve building a flock. They bond anyway; instincts are not so easily overcome. They give presents and shiny things they’ve found, help each other hunt, and give away choice pieces of food. They help build each other's nests, but they don’t touch each other's wings. Sabo still burns or buries or destroys his molted or broken feathers (as a noble, all feathers were destroyed immediately upon molting; you couldn’t have a rival family giving your feathers to wear in someone else's wings or hair. Blackmail for societal pofa or assumed incompetence were and is very powerful thing). Ace still leaves his scattered across the forest floor. They stick to themselves and their routines until that is, Luffy arrives.

This small ball of white and black and green and red down who wears others' feathers in clothes on his hat and braided in his hair and wings without a care. He takes Dadan's molted feathers and makes them into a crown for himself. He has a bright red flight feather, lacquered for longevity, and kept safe in a box, but sometimes he'll attach it to his hat. He gives beetles and seashells out like smiles and is always willing to add more to his own collection. He even once grabs Ace's wing to fix a twisted, newly grown flight feather and gets punched for his efforts.

He's annoying, alien in his mannerisms and completely, utterly impossible to get rid of. They hate him for every uncomfortable thing he represents and every small feather he collects to hold out for them to take. He twists something in them, something raw and wanting, empty they never knew existed. And then Porkami happens, and they see this small, flightless, bloody fledgling willing to die for them, smiling even as they undo the ropes holding him up. Even as they slowly nurse him back to health, one day at a time, and he still offers them the newly broken feathers from his useless wing. That hollowness snaps, and Ace and Sabo, gently, ever so gently, slide those feathers into their own ruffled down and feel themselves becoming a little more, something that feels like whole.

[pastanest]

if you’re wondering why I’m having to repost this, or why you were perhaps previously following me but no longer are, please refer to this post. I was able to retrieve this thanks to the very lovely friends who have relentlessly sifted through tumblr archives to recover them, thank you all so much!! ♡

Courting Aragorn Would Include

- well we’ve all seen, and some of us have read, what it’s like to be in a romantic relationship with Aragorn, so we’re all pretty familiar with the territory

- however I would just like to take this opportunity to personally apologise to Arwen for this blasphemy ok we all stan u bb

- you’ll have to prepare yourself for some brooding angst if Aragorn is the one you plan to give your heart to

- it’ll also take a while to break down those angsty walls of his, he’s a difficult egg to crack

- but once you do get past his harsh and quiet exterior, he will love you more than anything in existence

- you wont have been prepared for a love this strong, and it will be incredibly intense, so strap yourself in

- as a lowkey royal figure, he’s more naturally accustomed to the art of courting, rather than casual dating that is consistent among the species of men

- courting in itself will include bouquets of flowers, which he has picked himself, being delivered to your front door with handwritten love letters from him

- Aragorn will be as patient as you need him to be, and because he’s already smitten, going at your pace wont bother him at all

- given the amount of time he has spent travelling, he’s bound to know some incredible romantic spots for picnics, campfires, stargazing, skinny dipping; anything you can possibly think of

- he wont treat you like a queen, because let’s not forget he isnt a big fan of royal positions to begin with, but he will look at you everyday like you are an angel at his side, and he will thank his lucky stars that you chose him to bare the weight of your heart

- and this doesnt change even when the process of courting is complete

- once you’re officially bound to him, his intense love for you will be visible to anyone that sees him

- Aragorn isnt big on aggressive PDA, he’s a very gentle man, but he does adore playing with your hair and holding your hands

- forehead kisses are a given

- linking back to his brooding, he’s quite stressed a lot of the time, and you will often give him shoulder and back massages to ease his physical tension

- over time, he loses the embarrassment brought on by asking for a massage, and will ask without hesitation, because he falls in love with your touch

- if anyone tries to sway your heart away from his, Aragorn will not hesitate to destroy them first with words, and then - if their poor attempts at persuasion continue - with a blade

- your heart could never be swayed from his, of course, but the mere act of someone trying to achieve such a thing is enough reason for him to be royally upset

- as already mentioned, Aragorn is very intense, and this comes across through his physical affection in moments shared between just the two of you

- when you’re enveloped by his arms, with your head on his chest and his heart beating in harmony with yours, words are no longer necessary

- and when he stares into your eyes, you catch a glimpse of the seas of turmoil, which now have rays of light beaming down on them, the light of your love for him

- he can never find words strong enough to describe his love for you, he chooses instead to express himself through his actions

- lying in bed on your sides, facing each other, your legs intertwined, his fingers caressing the side of your face as his eyes stare into yours, and your souls embracing each other

- when Aragorn loves, he loves more than any other creature possibly could, and if you are lucky enough to find yourself loved by such a man, dont let yourself forget, not even for a moment, that you are the luckiest person in Middle-earth

[echantedtoon]

Demon Bride Ch62 Fate Is Up To You

(WARNINGS: Douma, Karaku, and Enmu ARE their own warnings. Possibly some innuendos. Mentioning of death.

Hey everyone. I just wanted to thank everyone who read this far and liked my story enough to read it to it's end. I had a lot of fun writing it and it makes me happy knowing some people loved it enough to read it fully. If you liked this consider checking out my other works. Thanks to everyone for reading this, faving it, or leaving a nice comment. And thank you to Koyoharu Gotouge for creating such wonderful characters and giving me the opportunity to make this wonderful story.

This ending is left for interpretation for whatever the reader decides happens to Y/n, her suitors, and her family. Whatever you decide or who she ends up with is entirely up to you. This is also a semi epilogue for how all the demons and everyone are doing after everything.

If I update this anymore it will be to showcase fanart.)

Two months had passed since the day they arrived back. Autumn was already here and in full swing as well. Things were also finally back to normal. Douma returned to his full strength and back to running his cult. Akaza and Upper Moon Four were all back taking care of humans on the surface and helping Kaigaku to reinforce the guard on the border. The murders and prisoners were all taken cared of and Enmu eventually tracked down the case of the missing box of chocolates to a servant whom stole it for Y/n. She was given a harsh warning and made to pay for it. 

Which meant that for him there was last end to tie up completely and that meant just waiting for a certain someone to arrive right about-

SLAM!!!

"I can NOT believe you did that behind my back, Kibutsuji." The door was slammed open and he calmly stood there as an angry woman stomped in holding her child on her hip. A deep frown on her face as Susamaru and Yahaba boredly walked right behind them. "That poor girl must've been put through so much because of you!"

"Good Evening, Lady Rei...I do hope your trip...was enjoyable." He stood there calmly as she marched past. 

"Hi, Uncle Koku!," the little girl called out with a wave.

He nodded to her. "Princess...You look as lovely as ever."

Rei rounded around and pointed past him at a tired and disheveled man whom just walked in. "YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE, MUZAN!!  Until you apologize to that poor girl and change what you've done, you can just sleep in your lab again!! I can not believe you would mess with matters so personal after the first time we spoke about her!! Don't even think about trying to flatter me because it wont work!" Her soft brown eyes then glanced at Kokushibo. "Oh. Hello Kokushibo. I'm sorry but I'm not feeling up to talking right now."

"Daddy's in trouble again."

Despite his position Kokushibo chuckled at the child's words. "It would seem so."

"Please just have our luggage brought to our chambers. I have a lot of unpacking to do while a certain someone thinks about what he's done." With another scowl she then turned and stomped off with her child cutely waving goodbye at him over her shoulder and the two demons in tow.

He calmly watched them go before his half lidded eyes turned to the slightly disheveled and tired looking Master of all demons. "Welcome back, Lord Muzan....I take it your trip...was eventful?"

"She hasn't stopped yelling at me for the past three days," the tired red eyed demon drawled out much to his silent right hands amusement. "She found one of the reports Enmu sent me and everything spiraled from there." A hand reached up to rub his temples. "I do hope you have better news that what I've been hearing all day."

"I do." A few papers were held up to his face. "Foremost...Tamayo has been confirmed..deceased. You shall no longer..need to worry about her. All prisoners.... responsible for treason has already been executed....The Tsuzumi Mansion is fully repaired...and many of our human branches has started...circulating more money into the territories. ..The budget for many more resources...and projects will be better funded by it."

"Is that all?" He did look interested especially when he mentioned Tamayo but he seemed more concerned by his obviously angry wife.

"There's a few meetings...in your schedule for expanding the territory..to the north and a few other important matters. However....I thought it would be beneficial for you to note that...there has been a shift in the Kizuki's behavior." 

That made his master pause in his steps and stop. Before he slowly straightened up and slowly looked at him removing his hand from his temples.  "Is that so? A shift in behavior in what way?"

"Nothing I would consider...concerning... But ever since Y/n Tamayo's arrival..there has actually been a positive effect in their...behaviors." The papers were shifted in his hands as his eyes looked over have lidded. "Lower Moon Six's progress has... remained the same but he has published...many books that seem to be popular with her... encouragement... Kaigaku has become stronger protecting her..and has won against Enmu in a blood battle...for title of Lower Moon One. Kaigaku..has also become more focused...still full of himself but focused."

"I see...It seems I'll be rearranging the ranks of the lower moons to reflect his new victory soon then. Anything else to report?"

Kokushibo nodded. "Hairou hasn't changed but...has done his job effectively as...always. But the quadruplet brothers...of Upper Moon Four has learnt to...get along better."

He rose a brow. "Really? Them?"

"I realize your skepticism...but I assure you it's true... Sekido is less verbally threatening to them... Karaku has seemed to finally learn modesty... Aizetsu has become more outspoken...and Urogi has learnt patience to not...jump into things so quickly without thinking...As for their younger brother.." Half lidded eyes looked at the papers again. "He is progressing well in his...Studies...They were terrible before..but with encouragement has been steadily progressing...and seemed to learn his lessons on attitude.. adjustment..After his last two years of schooling...I believe he may be able to rejoin...His brothers in Upper Moon Four."

He hummed. "Is that all you have to report?"

"There's more...Daki and Gyutaro has.. slowly started weaning off their obsessive.. codependency habits and Gyutaro has been...eating more. His body is now at a... almost healthy weight and he has...taken better care now. Douma..has become more...responsive to emotions now."

"That fumbling idiot? Kokushibo, I thought you knew better than most not to take me for a fool."

He calmly held up a hand. "I assure you..I speak nothing but the truth... Douma has broken through whatever barrier...that blocked his mind from human emotions...and keeps asking when he'll be granted a marriage to Ms. Tamayo... Whether that is a concerning issue..I do not know as of yet. Enmu has not changed...as far as I can tell..but his medicine has become better thanks to...the adjustments he made to it after observing...it's positive effects on both Douma..and the child you wished to raise. That's worth... looking more into. Akaza has..also not changed much..but he seems more emotionally and mentally happy..That also seems to be having a positive impact on...his workload." The papers were held out for his Master to take. "The three children...also in her care are starting to...act more positively mentally and emotionally...Rui is advanced in his studying..and will be able to skip three grades next year... Muichiro has become more outspoken..and Yuichiro has been slowly becoming more positive..They will be able to skip two grades..next year and be just one..grade behind Rui...Their fighting skills are still slowly progressing however...the Rui boy's physical health has gotten...much better."

Muzan slowly took the papers from his hand. Slowly looking them over one by one before flipping to the next page and then just slowly looking back to Kokushibo."You are certain about all of this?"

"As certain as you are...strong. Her presence seems to have...had a more positive impact.. despite the rumors and gossip...others give about her attitude and antics..."

"I see." After a moment he looked from the papers at Kokushibo. "Then perhaps making her a permanent residence would be more useful to us. Upper Moon One, send word to both Kaigaku and Enmu to come to the Infinity Castle so I may rearrange their placement in the ranks. But first see to it that you send the girl an apology on my behalf. I need to go prepare for all these meetings and explain things to my wife."

Kokushibo bowed his head respectfully. "Both shall...be done."

*****************************************************************************************

Books were being read. Papers were shuffled. And the scribbling of quills against paper was heard in the air as three boys shifted through them.

"Ugh! Math is so stupid!!," Yuichiro eventually shouted scowling at the paper.

"I know. I have to have the pervert explain it all to me...And I still hardly get it."

You chuckled at the two boys before looking back to your first letter. It was from Eri. She had officially left Kyogai's servitude and was currently living with her new husband near a lakeside town. She was starting out as a doctor's apprentice to learn more about human anatomy and medicine to become a doctor herself. Good for them both. You were happy for them. You then turned to your second envelope. It looked a bit heavier than the others. You grabbed it ifelt something inside. Curious, you cut the top with a sharp nail, turned it upside down, and shook it. Two things fell out. A note and a hair pin. You stared at the hair pin just... sitting there in your lap. The SAME hair pin you lost to that cat two months ago. Slowly you picked it up and stared at it.. before picking up the note and reading it.

'Chichumaru left this for us to find by the stairway. We thought you might've wanted it back. Sorry we couldn't deliver it in person. Hopefully we will meet again one day on better terms to talk if and when you want to.'

It had been nearly two months since that day and...Well you didn't know what to think. So many thoughts ran through your head. You are still angry at them both and rightfully so. They didn't even visit you in all the years you resided in your village and left you to be raised there...But at the same time you weren't sure if you could blame them. If you were living in secrecy from the moment you ran away and had a child, you would most definitely want to keep them safe. But..you weren't sure if you would've done it the same way they would've...You don't think you could ever separate yourself from your children. At least not forever.

"Mother." You turned to Rui who looked at you. "Are you alright? You look saddened."

You blinked. "Oh...Yes. I was just reading a few letters I got from some friends. You remember Eri don't you? She got married recently."

"Speaking of marriage, when are you going to be married?" Yuichiro looked up at you from a science book on moon phases. "You spent an awfully long time with Kokushibo Sensai. Does that mean you're going to marry him?"

"Hey! Don't forget about Father and Scary Dad!," Rui choked in and pointed at him. "I already vouched for them both!"

"Well what about Kaigaku?," Muichiro asked raising a brow, "Or Mr. Kyogai? Or the others? She hasn't made any choices yet...Wait." All the boys looked at you wide eyed. "Have you?"

You stared at them all for a moment before looking off. In truth..you actually had decided your choice about this entire thing. You thought about each individual person carefully. What they were like and how they could impact the boys. How they acted around you. What it was like if you just rejected them all . Or what would happen if you've chosen all of them. One of them. Or any combination of number of them specifically. What would happen if you just left. The pros and cons to EVERY. SINGKE. SCENARIO. You could think of. You had two months to think about everything. And at the end...you believed you did make a choice. You looked back to the boys. They deserved to know first since it would impact them too. You nodded.

"I have."

They look at one another in surprise and excitement. "Well what do you have to say?"

"I've decided-"

[casualcatastrophesincorporated]

Godrick companion au: Round table hold.

thinking more about the companion godrick AU, this time about his first time entering the round table hold and how the npcs there would react.

so far I've thought up 3 distinct circles that the npcs fall into:

cares a lot : nepheli, Roderika, Hewg, Gideon. cares a little: Rogier, corhyn doesnt care at all: Fia, D, Ensha.

putting this under the cut cause i broke it down by character.

Roderika obviously cares a lot cause that's the dude who killed all her men and she is rightly terrified of him, like imagine your families killer suddenly getting invited into your house. i imagine they set a clear rule for godrick that he cannot enter the hall that Roderika has set up in.

That rule is then enforced by the Roderika protection squad (TM), Hewg dislikes godrick both cause its just the general opinon of him but also cause of what he did to Roderika, and wont hesitate to curse him out if he distresses her too much.

Nepheli likewise helped in dethroning him, and as such is keeping a keen eye on him to ensure that he keeps to his promise of fealty. very much acts as the executioners sword constantly dangling above his neck. she relishes seeing such a cruel man sweat and crumble before her and takes any opportunity she can to keep him on a short leash.

Gideon isnt as actively distasteful of godrick, having largely written him off as a small time player in the larger political scheme. Gideon is mostly just curious what sort of resources godrick could represent given his royal heritage. all in all Gideon is doing his usual game of waiting for someone else to make a move first so that he can scrape what he can from the leftovers.

Rogier and Corhyn are both more confused than anything by the lords appearance in the round table hold, neither had much tie to him and dont plan to make any now that he is there. Rogier is a little happy that he can explore stormviel castle unimpeded, although its a little too late now that he cant move so well. Corhyn just hopes that the grace of gold can get godrick back onto the right path to being of service to the golden order.

Fia and D are only really thinking about the deathblight left in the castle, and are only really concerned with what will happen there now that the tarnished holds control of it.

Ensha is just trying there best to make sure that godrick thinks there cool and mysterious.

[ask-zagreus]

Paradise, Interrupted

They'd been running for a while - through Tartarus, through Asphodel, and now, in Elysium, they could take a second to rest. Thank the Gods for that shade who'd thrown that harpoon - it'd given the two of them an opportunity to get away to some place safer. And in this chamber, with the rushing waters of the Lethe and a fountain, Calliope could finally, finally relax.

Except.

""Lylee! Lylee, look, someone's hurt," and Penelope's insistent patting of her lap brings her eyes up to the girl, and then to the figure standing near the entrance of the chamber. "Do we... do we run? 'm tired of running, Lylee..."

Gods, she was tired too. She'd been a housewife, a caretaker, not a warrior - dealing death was not her trade, nor did it come naturally. But death had granted her a daughter, ever temporary, and damnably, it had been her undoing time and time again.

It takes her a second to recognize him, the Prince. The fucking Prince of the Underworld himself, Zagreus. Here to hunt them down? To save them? Either way, they'd be helpless. Better to try to hide, or if they couldn't, to plead their case.

But before Calliope can even think of places to move her small charge, the Prince looks up. Right at them. Busted.

"Are you, hrk, are you two... the shades that managed to give Father the slip? Because, if you are," he coughs out, stumbling forward and using his spear to support himself, "well, I'd love to know how you got all the way up to Elysium. But you should also know that you're not in trouble with me - I'm just here to do Than's job."

Calliope lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding, even if she didn't have to breathe. So he wasn't here to hunt them down. Good, that's good - but the implied threat of 'You might be in trouble with Lord Hades' still lingers in the back of her head.

It is to her utter shock, then, that he bends a knee and offers her his hand. Her, a shade. Like they were equals. Her, a shade. (Calliope's heart, if she had one, skips a beat.)

"Let me take you back to the House," he says, all easy grins despite the bleeding, and, shit, he's bleeding red (like a mortal, her mind traitorously adds, like she'd not been delusional enough already).

"Sir Prince," she starts, hesitant to touch divinity, "I appreciate the offer, and the rescue. But, erm..."

"You're bleeding a whole lot, mister," Penelope chimes in, helpful as always, "Lylee will worry if you don't stop bleeding. Do you want her to kiss it better?"

And to her embarrassment, the Prince throws his head back and laughs; the idea of a shade to kiss his wounds better as ridiculous as to say Lord Hades might forgive their transgressions. Through his giggling, he manages to get out a wheezy, "Oh, good shade, I wouldn't want to worry your 'Lylee', so please, just a moment... Here."

Without explaining further, as gods are wont to do, he leaves a singed path from in front of Calliope to the fountain, and dips in a hand to take a sip of the water. Like it was nothing special. By all rights, it should not have had any effect besides being refreshing, but the two shades watch in amazement as the wounds seal themselves shut.

"Now, may I?"

Calliope's eyes meet Penelope's, asking a silent, 'Are you ready?' The response is a shaky 'Yes,' and she has to take a second not to sob in relief. Finally, they were done.

"Yes. Yes, you may."

FIN.

[triptychofvoids]

I love your medic headcanons so much I need to hold you (and him) so gently!! If you don't mind, could you share more headcanons for him if you have any?

thank you!! i have so many things i could say about him that its sort of ridiculous and if i were to talk about every one of my headcanons then we would be here all month but yes, i will be happy to share a couple more. if anyone wants something more specific theyll have to ask for it though x]€

going under the cut again just in case it gets long <<

ill get the obvious one out of the way first because i keep saying it but this guy is definitely trans. you have to trust me because im always right and i just know. hes gender

medic is definitely a caffeine addict, this guy loves coffee and will drink it at any given opportunity. he likes tea as well but nothing is as satisfying as coffee. the way it smells is great, tastes great and highly customizable, excellent to have with chocolate or pastries, and he likes the way it makes him feel. hes trying to figure out why he can down a whole pot of coffee and still fall asleep, yet his body does seem to have some sort of a reaction to it? results pending

speaking of food and drinks, hes got a bit of a sweet tooth. he loves sugar (in moderation of course, but you wont catch him turning down a slice of cake every now and then). however he doesnt like anything TOO sweet. certain kinds of frosting or desserts are just ridiculously sugary and paired with his sensory issues some sweets would be a little unbearable. i think one time sniper offered him some fairy bread and he felt nauseous. other than that though, generally speaking he loves various pastries and candies and especially chocolate. hed be a big fan of the cherry + chocolate combination and, again, anything involving coffee.

he gets bored super easily. medic likes to have his whole day planned out and always needs to be doing something, even if its something small, otherwise hes pretty convinced he might actually genuinely die of boredom. you cant leave him alone without an Activity for too long or hes going to start thinking about killing people (he thinks about killing people a lot actually.... but thats besdies the point).

last one, just because i could genuinely keep going for hours but i have to stop somewhere, he loves going on long walks out in the middle of nowhere. he invites the other mercs to come with him from time to time but theyve all learned by now that when he says hes taking 'a short walk' he really means that they wont be back at base for at least another hour or two minimum. he likes keeping track of the best paths, bird watching, and collecting cool things he finds along the way

[ultra-raging-ghost]

Holding my hand out for adventure time au rambles!! Please do go off hehe!

SLAY okay so this idea started on one idea (bad being ice king/marcy being dapper bc i really fucking like remember me) so keep in mind i did not think abt like shipping or anything kbhvjgvhbj

so technically i have like 3 different ideas actually??

Idea 1 roles, this ones more "egg centric":

Marcy + bonnie as dapper and pomme (obv theyre siblings, not shipping the babies thats weird)

Simon as BBH, and skeppy as fucking... whats her name, betty

Sunny as flame princess and oddly enough SLIME as flame king!! I think about the "evil evil evil" candles and shit and i just giggle about it, thats so charlie

In all of these AUs i imagine tallulah as finn and chay as jake. Kinda controversial(/silly) but tallulah fits finn so much more than jake to me tbh.....

Leo as LPS. I dont take criticism shes a queen and i could see her and dapper fucking shit UP (i.e. that princess meeting episode where her and marcy fuck up a bunch of the breakfast kingdoms guards and castle)(my other candidate for this was richas) and obviously that would make foolish + vegetta her parents

As for breakfast princess, thats obviously empanada to me who else would she be

Pepito to ME is lemon hope... to ME!!!!!!!

The two lemon grabs are either Q and El q or osito and cujo.... id say q and el q tho because el q is a freak who would absolutely consume q to gain his power if given the opportunity (it wont happen bc hes too cringefail)

I like to imagine marcys dad, hunten abedeer or however you spell his name, thats kameto

and marcys mom...... pierre

I think finn's mom is phil and his dad is missa, missas too wet to EVER fit in that mans shoes (or lack of) but he is that cringefail to fuck up so hard and he'd be too bashful to go back.... horrific cubito abuse happening on my blog <3

to me germaine is ramon.... idk its just the vibe, its the hardcore vibes you gotta fuck w em, like have you seen that man? Ramon vibes

Bagi is uh!!!! whats his name!!!!! rootbeer head guy!!!! and his/her wife is tina!!!!!!! u see the vision!!!!

Idea 2:

MAJORLY THE SAME except instead of bbh as ice king, hes the tart toter

i dont know if you remember this fucking guy but god. god. god. bbh memory arc was JUST so similar to him

Idea 3, based off that cute little art i did:

BBH as marcy and pierre as PB

I imagine in this one the eggs would be mostly candy citizens, so for example dapper as peppermint butler, crunchy is pomme (if you know the lore u know how much this hurts, think abt FMA with that girl who was turned into a dog), etc.

think in this one foolish would be LSP for no reason other than i think its funny

And of course osito as simon.... and eye guy as betty/j

i had more ideas but im very tired so this is everything off the top of my head you enjoy this!!!!!

[bull-shit-suji]

Favourite of the Kuro Reapers? And fav rare pairs?

I switched from mobile to my laptop so I could give you an itemized list. I am so incredibly excited at the opportunity to talk about this stupid show.

Favorite Reapers:

Grell

Perfect, wonderful, stunning, I fell in love with her at the age of 12 and I would still do anything she asked to this day

She is just. Wow

I wont her

I feel like I should point out (because to my knowledge no one has?) that her initial arc in the story (as well as her characterization as a whole) is based heavily on harmful stereotypes directed toward trans women. I still love her, but much more so now that Yana seems to have backtracked on the previous predatory nature of her character.

In conclusion: Unga bunga, woof bark.

2. Ron!!!!!!!!!!

I don't have any good reasons. He's just kinda babygirl. Kinda male wife. I don't make the rules. Sorry.

Blond

Would be a Nightmare to hang out with in real life. He'd probably own a Tech Deck and wear Supreme hoodies. "Where my hug at?" kinda vibe.

His scythe is a lawnmower. He rides it like a segway. The juxtaposition between that and the very well-known reaper origin lore is just. What.

In conclusion: Love him! At a distance.

Honorable mentions include Will. That's it. He's fine, and I think it's funny that he just absolutely despises Sebastian. Which brings me to the second part of your ask - given that there are like, six people total still in this fandom, I'm pretty sure all of the ships in the show could count as rare pairs (except for The One We Pretend Doesn't Exist), so I'm just gonna start naming them.

Rare Pairs!

Sebagni: Cute and surprisingly feasible in terms of the canon. Loving the angel and devil energy, has the potential to be very funny.

Grell and Madam Red: Does this count as a rare pair? I think I'm reaching. Color coordinating lesbians. Girls night. I don't care if it's platonic or romantic, I just think they should hang out :)

Mey Rin and Jane: I just think they should kiss. Maybe a little. Kispfsfs.

Blavat Sky and my fucking fist: I hate him. He could be so good. His aesthetic. His affinity for astrology. His vibes. All that wasted on a nasty man.

(Tentatively) Grell and William: I went through a massive phase of adoring this pairing back in middle school and I still think it has potential. Grumpy man who hates everyone begrudgingly discovers he wants to hold the pretty office lady's hand. It makes him so mad he throws up.

This is all my feeble brain could scrounge together for you. Sorry if I went a little overboard, and thank you for the ask!