#but i am very determined about what the daughter i'll never have would be called and it does feel a bit strange

[isabelpsaroslunnen]

I am pretty resolutely opposed to having children, because a) I can barely be trusted with the care of a cat, much less a human, b) my doctors have advised against childbirth (I could adopt, but see A), c) I'm unlikely to get pregnant given that I'm a lesbian lol, d) I'm old enough that I'd be well into my fifties by the time a child born now was an adult and that doesn't appeal, e) I simply don't much like being around children (less bothered when they're related to me, in fairness, but still, meh).

But I also am resolutely determined about what I would name a daughter in the extremely unlikely event that I somehow had one.

[the-colourful-witch]

i'd love to know more about astrid cresswell if you're willing to tell us more. such as her family, is she dirk cresswell's daughter? what's her wand like? what year was she born? etc

Hiya! I can't believe you found her! I forgot I shared an illustration of Astrid on my page a long time ago :) Astrid Cresswell is my OC. And yes, I did take inspiration for her name from Dirk Cresswell, who is an Auror at the Ministry. He was one of the Aurors who was supposed to arrest Dumbledore if I remember correctly. In Order of the Phoenix. The two of them have no relation, actually. I took the last name when I was toying with the idea of her being the daughter of Dirk, but I went in a different direction. The last name kind of stuck, oops :) Anyway! Astrid!

Astrid is a Slytherin, in the same year as Fred and George (born 1978). My story for her is:

She was raised by her dad, who is a Healer at St Mungo's, in the permanent ward. Her mother was a Muggle, who died in childbirth. Robb Cresswell, Astrid's father, never told his girlfriend he was a Wizard. Astrid grew up with her dad, who was always working. They lived in the hillside village of Ottery St Catchpole where a few more magical families were housed in the hills. Robb regularly dropped Astrid off at the Weasleys, where Molly was more than happy to look after Astrid when he went to work. And so Astrid grew up with her two best friends: Fred and George Weasley. But that friendship didn't last very long after Astrid got sorted into Slytherin House. From that moment on, Astrid and the twins became rivals. They will do anything to destroy each other, both on and off the Quidditch pitch.

Astrid is a Chaser, the only girl on the Slytherin team. She's constantly dealing with Marcus Flint's sexist antics but is determined to play. She has something to prove, after all. Her patronus is a fox and her wand is 9 1/2 inches, Aspen wood with a dragon heartstring core. It stylishly resembles ivory; excellent for duelling and charm-casting. It's a wand made for revolutionaries but can be temperamentful, reacting to uncontrolled emotions. Astrid has two best friends: Maeve and Dorian, both Slytherins in her year. Dorian plays on the Quidditch team with her, as a Beater. He wants to be an Auror, like his father John Dawlish and is ahead of everyone in their class in all subjects. Maeve is the oldest of seven girls and the only one sorted into Slytherin. Hogwarts is the only place where she doesn't have to be a parent to her sisters. She enjoys reading and is Captain of the chess club. Oh, and she has a pet: a tubby black and white cat named Tibo. Tibo likes treats and scratches behind his ears. He has one of those loud purrs.

Astrid herself has a toad, which is a surprisingly uncool pet for a girl of her status. He's called Samuel the Second. You don't want to know what happened to the first. Sebastian usually hangs out in Astrid's room, but she takes him with her to the greenhouses sometimes when she's doing extra credit work. And Astrid is popular! After finding out she wasn't ever going to fit in with her Gryffindor friends (not really friends anymore), she decided to really embrace the Slytherin identity. She is clever and cunning. She knows how to get what she wants. To everyone who does not know her, she is perfect. Prefect, Quidditch player, star student. Behind the scenes, it's a little more rough... But she tries. She wants to become a Healer, after a successful Quidditch career, of course.

I am still figuring out Astrid's story, but it's fun for me to work on her every now and then. I admit, it's been a while. I dream of writing a fic for her one day, but I am not much of a writer. I start with something and then I can't finish, because I get distracted and instead draw my characters. What can I say, I like to draw! Maybe one day I'll actually finish a first draft :)

(an older version of Astrid - I don't love how I drew this)

I would like to share some more OC work in the future, but it's been a while since I worked on my characters. All the existing HP characters take up a lot of my time at the moment. One day :) I hope you like this. I'm happy to answer more questions if you have them <3

Magical wishes, Fleur

Some more earlier concepts of Astrid..

[pollymorgan]

Coach Negan Part 4

Warning: Argument on the phone (and with the ex), Negan being Negan, blowjob in a public toilet.

As soon as my pulse has normalized again, Negan wordlessly hands me a napkin to clean up the mess between my legs. Then our food arrives. I don't really have much of an appetite, I just regret that we didn't stay at my place. I only have eyes for Negan. The incredible orgasm I just had has only made me crave more. This man brings out a side of me that I didn't even know existed. And the worst part is, that jerk knows exactly what he's doing to me and clearly enjoys it. He would just have to ask me, or rather command me, and I would probably immediately climb onto his lap and let him screw me right here in front of everyone, that's how much I wanted him.

Just as I pick up my utensils, my phone rings. The ringtone completely kills my appetite. Ringtone? Well, more like a warning signal. I've set the tone specifically for my 'ex-husband', to mentally prepare myself when he calls.

I drop the utensils in annoyance. With the words "Sorry, I have to take this!" I rummage the phone out of my bag and have to be careful not to pull my panties out along with it.

I answer the phone, "Yes?"

"Can you explain to me why you're telling our children that I'm standing them up?" he shouts aggressively into the phone.

Oh no, this is the last thing I needed. I've sworn to myself never to be the mother who drags the divorce through her children. That's why I often bite my tongue, even though he doesn't deserve it. Okay, sometimes I slip up, but even his lawyer would find it hard to justify his behavior, and besides, our kids aren't stupid, if they're stood up multiple times, they'll notice.

"If you stop shouting at me... we can continue talking, otherwise I'll hang up right away..." I say calmly and then look at Negan, "Excuse me for a moment...".

Determined, I stand up and head towards the toilets, while accusations continue to rain down on me.

At the same time as another woman, I enter the ladies' room. Annoyed, I look in the mirror and notice that my makeup has been slightly affected. I lean over the marble counter and wipe away the mascara residue with my right thumb under my eye, while supporting myself with my left elbow and pressing the phone against my ear.

Amidst his never-ending monologue, I can only interject with brief moments of "That's not true...", "Ask her yourself..." and "If you had been there, you would know..." It's all so pointless and only serves his need to vent. As usual.

I am well aware that the woman who has just left the cabin and is washing her hands next to me is eavesdropping on my conversation. But frankly, I don't care. Even when the door opens and the next person enters the room. I just hope I can end the call as quickly as possible without it completely escalating. Because if there's one thing I've learned in recent years, it's that this man is absolutely unpredictable.

I see in the mirror how the woman next to me shakes her head and leaves the room. Suddenly, my heart skips a beat as Negan appears, as if it were the most natural thing.

We maintain eye contact through the mirror and he stands very close behind me, while I am still bent over the sink.

My ex's words are no longer really registering with me. I can hear his aggressive voice, but what he's trying to tell me has been going around in circles the whole time.

However, something catches my attention again. "And what about that stunt in front of the school? Peggy told me that you embarrassed her in front of the entire student body by starting a fight with her gym teacher.. What's wrong with you?"

Now I can hardly contain my laughter, but I try to remain as serious as possible.

Defiantly, I reply, "If you actually listened to your daughter for once, you would know what a self-absorbed jerk her gym teacher is,.. Mister Smith more than deserves to have someone give him a piece of their mind..."

Negan looks at me in mock shock and mouths the words "What?". Then he gives me a pat on my outstretched bottom, which makes me flinch for a moment. Now I can't suppress my grin anymore.

I see in the mirror how Negan's eyes wander over my body and he considers what to do next. His gaze lingers on my butt. Slowly, he tries to push up my dress, under which I'm wearing nothing. I quickly straighten up and pull it back down with my right hand.

Then I turn to him and our eyes meet directly now, making my knees instantly weak. Threatening I signal him threateningly with my index finger to stop these games. But Negan immediately grabs my wrist and presses my hand directly against his crotch. When I feel how hard he already is, everything clenches in my lower abdomen. Inevitably, I bite my lip and swallow hard.

I hold the phone slightly away from my ear and clumsily try to cover the receiver.

"What's this?" I ask tensely.

"What?" Negan innocently asks, "I just want to show you how damn horny you make me, and when I see your cheeks all red like that, I'm damn sure you don't find the whole thing so bad either.."

I briefly glance over my shoulder in the mirror and see that this damn guy isn't lying. My cheeks are bright red! Why am I so damn easy to read?

I hear my ex getting louder on the phone. Annoyed, I bring the phone back to my ear. "Listen, I'm in the middle of an important business dinner, if you have problems with our children, please solve them on your own..." then I simply hang up, without waiting for his response.

After a brief moment of silence, I grab Negan and pull him purposefully into one of the toilet stalls. As soon as we both fit inside, I close the door and push him roughly against it.

I press my body tightly against his, look at him innocently, and ask softly, "What should I do now?"

"Fuck, beauty, you know damn well.." he says with a confident smile.

But it's damn fun for me to turn the tables a bit and take control.

"Oh no, I want you to tell me..." I reply assertively and give him a gentle kiss on his lips, barely touching our mouths.

"Get down on your knees and take my hard cock in your sweet mouth."

"Oh, oh what's the magic word?" I tease, while at the same time undoing his belt and reaching into his pants. When my fingers touch his hard penis, I really have to be careful not to lose my composure. But from his whole body's reaction, as he flinches, even if he tries to hide it, I see that I have just as much power over him.

I pull my hand out of his pants once more, but only to hold it up to his face.

"Spit on it!" I command. Without breaking eye contact, he lets the saliva glide onto my palm.

I immediately grasp his penis again and smoothly glide up and down with the help of the fluid. The quiet moans that Negan lets out send little electric shocks directly to my vagina.

"Please, please take it in your mouth..!" he pleads, while the sound of the next woman entering the room and going into the toilet can be heard.

"Oh, very good!" I say and slowly squat down. I pull down his pants and boxers a bit more, and his hard, perfect cock is right in front of my face. Again, I grip it and with my tongue I slowly lick up the precum that has formed on his tip.

"Come on, no more games, sweetheart.. Show me how deep you can take it in your mouth..".

His words encourage me to put them into action. I take a deep breath and then let him glide into my mouth as far as possible. Even though it's not that easy, I push him in as far as I can. And I am rewarded with a soft "Fuck, yes, just like that.." from Negan. His hand lands on the back of my head and his penis twitches deep in my mouth. I let him slide out again. "You like that, huh?" I tease him, looking up. Without taking my eyes off him, I repeat the process, and Negan's hand presses me a little further against him. When I pull away, I gasp for air. Something that clearly pleases him.

His hand moves to my face, and with his thumb, he strokes my open lips and says in a deep voice, "You're so good to me, beautiful lady.. Let me come in your mouth, and then I want you to swallow it all, understood!". In a state of excitement, I simply nod and then focus again on his penis. I lick along his shaft. I thoroughly explore every vein with my lips and then enclose it completely with my mouth. With each further touch, I feel Negan's tension more and more.

"Fuck, yes.." he says breathlessly, before the salty warm liquid lands on my tongue..

[king-midas-fortnite]

Hello. I assume there is little need for introduction, but I am Midas. I've recently returned from a brief..."sabbatical", shall we call it, in the Underworld.

My daughter, Jules thought it would be a good idea to keep a blog. Not sure why. Something about venting feelings, connecting with other people not in my crew, etc. Not exactly things I find very high priority, but I suppose it can't kill me. I'd know better than anyone what can, after all. And perhaps it'll make keeping tabs on people of interest easier...

Feel free to reach out, if you wish. Message me, tag me, whatever the case may be. I'll do my best to be active here. Whatever it takes to make my daughter happy. However, I am a busy man. Apologies if I miss anything.

((Keep reading for rules and notes!))

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

Rules and guidelines for interacting!

1. This blog is run by an adult. I am 26, my main is @snippydippy. Please keep this in mind when interacting with me. I ask that minors please consider a different Midas.

I will use (()) to indicate when I'm speaking out of character in any posts!

2. I don't mind NSFW content myself, but may not answer questions or reblog content pertaining to sexually explicit topics to keep things relatively appropriate.

3. This blog may contain ship content, it may not. I have ships I like, they may not be the ones you do. While my version of Midas is cis, he's not straight (bi king). If this bothers you, I don't know what to tell you.

4. My DMs and asks will always be open! Please don't be shy, Midas won't bite. I'm down to RP in the reblogs with anyone! However, DM roleplays for other adults only, please.

5. This blog will always be skewed towards a more serious vibe. I take my characterization of Midas very seriously (more so than I probably should for a FN character lol). You won't find much in the way of him being a silly guy. Even if I find it funny, if I don't think a situation would be in character for my version of him, it won't happen.

That's it as far as my rules go aside from the obvious "don't be a dick" sentiments that I feel I shouldn't have to say. Thank you for reading them! Next are just a couple notes on my headcanons for Midas.

-Midas has some control over his Golden Touch. I think of the curse in a way that is similar to chronic pains. Some days, it is manageable, and he can touch whatever he'd like without issue. Some days, it is bad. He has to avoid people, can't eat, and struggles getting through mundane tasks without frustration.

I believe his curse may also be in part tied to his emotions. Any intense anger, sadness, or other strong feelings will make it harder to control the Touch, and it does cause him some amount of pain when it's out of control. (Doing mental gymnastics to explain why Fortnite itself isn't consistent with his power.)

-Jules means everything to Midas. He will do absolutely anything in his power to keep his daughter safe and to keep his relationship with her in good standing. He's wronged her in the past, and is doing all he can to make up for those actions and lost time.

-His time in the underworld changed him a bit. He's less cold to the people close to him. He allows more feeling than pure calculation into his thought processes, but a stranger may not be able to tell. Midas is a relatively closed off man. He does not wear his emotions on his sleeve, and doesn't often make friends without some kind of benefit to be had from the relationship. Be it power or connections. However, the friendships he does have mean a great deal to him. He is quick to provide aid in any way he can to those he cares about.

Another thing about his imprisonment in Hell: Time in the underworld was experienced differently. While we may have waited four years for Midas to return, for him it was much, much longer. Now that he is back, he is determined to never be put in chains ever again.

-My version of him obviously has not left the island after returning from the underworld, instead opting to stay as his curiosity for how things have changed has gotten the better of him. He wants to keep up with the power struggles, and find a way to insert himself back into them.

This blog is semi-independent! Some lore is shared with @perseus-ihatemydad-fortnite in that he helped Midas escape from the Underworld. As well as most often being seen interacting with @kado-fortnite and @valeria-fortnite

Tags I'll use!

#Midas Answers -For asks answered in character

#Midas Posts -For interactions in character

#Gold Reserves -In-character reblogs of art, aesthetic posts, etc.

#Gold Encounter -For interactions between other characters that are meant to be read as happening in-person/privately

#Journal Entries - For uh. For Journal Entries lol. These are, in a meta sense, private to him. They are for interactions that happen on the Discord server rather than Tumblr for reader convenience.

- 👑 for anon messages

#Shut your trap snippy -For posts like these that include me talking OOC (I know, long tag. It's just what I've been using on my main blog for years to tag my own garbage lol)

Screenshot in this post and my header are from @corvidazed 💛

Thank you for getting all the way down here! I hope our interactions are fun!

[nj-6-girl]

The sun had barely risen when Micha made her decision. The previous night had been a whirlwind of emotions; her parents had flatly refused to let her pursue her dream of becoming an idol. Frustrated and determined, Micha quietly packed a small bag with her favorite candies and a change of clothes. She slipped out of her room and made her way to the family driver, who was already up and preparing for the day.

"Mr. Kim," she whispered, trying to sound as mature as possible. "Can you please take me to my grandparents' house?"

Mr. Kim looked at her with a mixture of surprise and concern. "Micha, it's very early. Did your parents say it's okay?"

Micha hesitated, then nodded, her face serious. "Yes, they did. It's really important."

With a reluctant nod, Mr. Kim started the car, and soon they were on their way. Micha stared out the window, her mind racing with thoughts of what she would say to her grandparents. They always listened to her, and she knew her favorite person in the world, her cousin Choi Kang, would be there to offer support.

When they arrived, her grandmother welcomed her with open arms, though she raised an eyebrow at the unexpected visit. Micha quickly made her way to Kang's room, eager to unload her frustrations. She found him sprawled on his bed, immersed in a video game, the glow of the screen illuminating his focused expression.

"Kang oppa!" Micha exclaimed, plopping down on his bed and opening a bag of candies. She popped one into her mouth and began her rant. "Mom and Dad said no to me being an idol! Can you believe it? They just don’t understand how much this means to me!"

Kang barely looked up, his fingers flying over the game controller. "Uh-huh," he muttered, clearly not paying attention.

Micha's eyes narrowed in irritation. "Oppa, you're not even listening!"

"Yeah, I am," he replied distractedly, his eyes glued to the screen.

Micha huffed in frustration. "If you don't listen to me, I'll tell Grandma and Grandpa that you skipped the family dinner last week to play games and visit your girlfriend."

At that, Kang finally paused his game and turned to look at her, a mix of annoyance and resignation on his face. "Alright, alright. I'm listening. What's going on?"

Micha lips wobbled as the tears started streaming down her face, so he really didn't listen, she let out a scoff as the teenage in front of her tried hard not to let out a snicker.

After telling him everything again " so you get it" she huffed trying hard to control her tears and voice, Kang face softened at that.

" I totally understand, but I also see aunty and uncle point of you. Micha that company isn't even that stable and there is no artist who debuted under it yet. You don't even know if you will have a secure future." He pulled her closer and patted her back.

Forget about being an idol, Micha was in awe of how her cousin and for the first time was talking to her like she was a human being, I think my grandma is right the more you get older the wiser you get. Should she go home now, even her candies are almost finished.

" but I want to be an idol.." her face is getting reder by the minute, because of the continuous crying and whining as she clutched on the fabric of his shirt.

" I know baby but-" he was a mere seconds away from giving up, after all he promised to do anything he can to make her happy from the moment he held her in his arms when she was just a newborn and he was a small eight year old boy.

" please oppa, just talk to my parents and convince them" her soft voice was getting hoarse from crying.

" I... Ok I'll try" Kang seriously didn't know why was he denying her in the first place, after all he never in his life was capable of saying no to her, he should've just gave up from the beginning.

And here he is the nineteen year old found himself standing in front of his uncle and aunt who appeared worried from their daughter latest escape, if you can call it escape really. And the later was hiding behind his legs clutching his hands tightly like he was her saver.

If you ever told Kang that his university break would be spent on trying to convince his family on letting their only princess be an idol, he would've preferred staying in America than coming here. Who he is kidding? He probably would've taken the first plane here from the first time that Micha calls him.

He took a deep breath" why wouldn't you let her, I mean she would be safe and the CEO of the company is one of the top producer in the country".

His aunt, myeong was massaging the spot in between her eyes " it's not about that, being a CEO and a producer it's a two different things and besides Micha is still young and who will guarantee to me that she will be safe?"

Hearing that Micha let out a small whine, seeing his daughter being desperate like this, one of the most influential man in the world couldn't help but give up" Micha do you really want to be an idol, if yes then you can do it but you have to promise me to focus on your studies"

Hearing this the small girl came out from her hiding spot and run towards her dad to jump in to his arms " thank you appa I promise you to be a good student" myeong was going to protest but held her mouth when she saw how happy her daughter was and instead smiled and kissed her forehead.

Pulling from the hug she turned around to see her hero and then skipped towards him and wrapped her arms around his middle, her voice was muffed by his shirt but he can still clearly hear her thanking him over and over again, Kang smiled hearing her. While the parents looked softly at the pair, they didn't have to worry after all, because after all having the boy that they claimed as a son caring for his little sister like this, eased their minds.

[emiliocarrasco]

➵  BASICS

NAME: Emilio Carrasco GOES BY: Emilio, Deputy, Deputy Carrasco AGE / D.O.B. 3rd June, 1963 [61 yo] FACECLAIM: Benjamin Bratt GENDER & SEXUALITY: Cis-Male, hetero. HOMETOWN: Lima, Peru. CURRENTLY:  Queens, NYC. AFFILIATION: NYPD. / Law Enforcement.  JOB POSITION: Deputy Chief of Police EDUCATION: High School Diploma / GED, Police Academy. RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Involved. ➵ Amelia Carrasco, wife; thirty-three years married. ( m. 1990 ) CHILDREN: ➵ Luis Carrasco, eldest son; thirty-one. ➵ Alex Carrasco, eldest daughter; twenty-seven. ➵ Oscar Carrasco, youngest son; twenty-five.

➵  TRAITS

POSITIVE: Focused, Decisive, Dedicated, Passionate, Determined. NEGATIVE: Controlling, Temperamental, Aggressive, Harsh, Stern.

➵  BIOGRAPHY

"We are not here to create disorder, we are here to preserve disorder. We are not the enemy, we never were; we serve to protect. We are justice for you, not the desperate revolution. I am - pardon the cliche - the arm of the Law tasked with keeping New York safe. And I will do that until it no longer stands; and I'll make it be long after I am gone." Emilio Carrasco, 1996, NYT.

Carrasco cringes at least once a month at his old pre-written statements given as a young officer. Feeding the wolves what they wanted to hear in order to quieten the howls.

Everything had to stop being pre-written after '97, and then '01... and then '07-'10 where Emilio's faith in Law was shaken. '18 seemed to be the reality check within the force, shortly followed by '21. When did it stop? Promising impossibilities?

From one tumulus country, to another. Emilio had grown numb to the viciousness, and vile corners of humanity. He had spent years of his early life clawing out of stigmatic labels, keeping his head down and studying to be the change he wished he could be in the world.

He was naïve then. A young boy convinced with one right voice; with good intentions he could change it overnight.

The clawing never stopped. Thirty-four years later, and he simply moved one position closer to that change. Maybe it was still a little foolish to think that he could keep stability after everything Carrasco had seen. After he had balanced a working life, and an outside life so precariously that he wasn't sure which life would crumble first.

Emilio's problem always was that he put the job first; he put the criminals ahead of his wife, of his children. Fiercely defending them in a way that was suffocating whilst being entirely too absent. But he was making the city safe for them, and every citizen who called New York a home.

The media could write one right thing about him, out of twenty. It would always mean very little to him. But reputation; a standing was part of the fragile clockwork that ran the city. He understands that, and he'll put on the face of severity. He will continue to put individuals behind bars, and bring justice - because, without them, who else would?

The gangs?

An unholy kind of justice. Emilio would see righteousness reign first.

➵  CONNECTIONS

AMELIA CARRASCO | Wife; 55, freelance editor. (m.1990) LUIS CARRASCO | Eldest son; 31, casino pit supervisor. (b.1992) ALEX CARRASCO | Eldest daughter; 27, poli-sci graduate. (b.1996) OSCAR CARRASCO | Youngest son; 25, graphic designer. (b.1998)

➵  HEADCANONS

If you attempt to corrupt him, your efforts will be solely wasted.

Has worked for NYPD since 1989; academy; rookie; detective ['13-'20]; captain['20-'22]; deputy chief.

Married the love of his life; a teenage whirlwind over the course of a crazy summer, in 1990. It was one year after Emilio began his pursuit of law enforcement. Were happily married, turning toxic and unhealthy due to Emilio's determination to clean up the city.

Two years after they married, their first son was born; Luis.

Mentions of divorce in '18, during rife gang war.

Children have some resentment for him due to missing familial commitments due to work - however, Emilio loves them dearly, and would never encourage the animosity. He does his best.

Loathes the media, of course. Has a special place in his heart for dismissing them. Has been photographed previously getting aggressive with those waving microphones, and cameras in his face. It was followed by public apologies.

Motivated by the belief that one day New York will be safe; the streets will be safe to walk on at all hours. Crime will be at an all time low before he retires. As it stands; a pipe dream.

Bilingual, from his parents - and few years as a child in Peru.

A man that does everything - mostly - by the book. Throwing himself headlong into danger is not by the book. But he won't miss an opportunity.

Self corruption is a different kind of trouble.

Listens unironically to Beyonce albums in his office, accompanied by a glass.

Where his limits stretch, is often with his children; he knows they can get into trouble. But it isn't a good look. It makes bad headlines, and looks worse when the prosecutions are light.

There have been rumours in the past about his marriage, and adultery. They are not true from Emilio's side. ( He has not the time. ) And Amelia has denied them too. Emil assumes it is a personal attack on the force to try and unstable him, and he will not allow it to cloud his judgement. But it affects his children.

He is stern. Because he feels like he can never really drop the jacket of the law, even at home where he can be softer - and loving, he finds it difficult to switch off.

[sadi-simps]

Reaction to Harumi's "Death", Dareth's "Brown Powers", Lloyd becoming a leader, etc

Another Ninjago essay lmao

First off, I wanna point out that the season I'm at, called "Hunted", has been very thrilling for me so far. A lot of stuff has happened, I'm still not done. I left off after I finished the episode where Harumi "dies" and "redeems herself" by saving a kid from going through the same thing she did.

In this blog post, I'll talk a bit about that, but I'll save my opinion on Harumi for the end of the post. First, let me just point out something!

Dareth, oh my fucking god, I think he might be my favorite non powered character now! He has been such a genuinely good guy, trying his best! Yes, he fails sometimes, but the fact that he tries so hard, and his loyalty to the ninja hasn't faded, that he keeps trying to help, honestly, this season has done a good job making me like Dareth! He's been a fun character, and I regret hating his guts when I was younger! He's trying his best, and I will never slander him again. :c

Lloyd's speech on air, yeah it was cliche, but it got the point across, and it was a bit moment for him developing into a leader. I'm proud of him, I'm proud of all the ninja. Every time they get pushed down, they get back up with more determination. The kind I wish I had. Maybe I'm projecting on these characters a little bit, and maybe I'm not bringing anything new to the table in this blog post, but I like writing out my thoughts, it's become part of my new therapy. That being said, Ninjago is every bit as inspiring to me in my adulthood as it was when I was a young teenager being emotionally neglected by my family and physically attacked by my younger brother out of nowhere almost daily. I was in a bad situation, and this show helped me endure it all back then. As cliche as it sounds, it's true. This show was my comfort show back then, and it's starting to feel that way again. TuT

Now for the final bit, my feelings about Harumi... Honestly, it was pretty scummy of her to suggest becoming her replacement for Lloyd as Garmadon's child. No matter how hard you try, you can't replace your kids. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn't have even suggested such an idea, but then again, I'm not a terrible, vengeful, scummy, abusive peeson like her, and I would never find myself in her shoes to begin with. In her defense, I suppose it might have been a way for her to keep Garmadon from destroying her like he almost did when she "failed him", but it was still a very weird writing choice, and seems like it was intentionally setting groundwork for her to marry Lloyd in the future to be "the daughter-in-law" instead of "adopted". Honestly, it's a very poor writing choice in my opinion because even though they're trying to redeem her as a character, it's not very well done.

1. It only took a couple of episodes, a threat on her life, and a clearly emotionally vulnerable Garmadon for her to change her attitude.

2. Even with that attitude change, it still comes off as manipulative for her to have done that.

3. I don't care what the writers want her to be, they established her as a horrible person in Sons of Garmadon, a redemption arc just doesn't work for this character. Let her stay evil and die for her sins!

And of course, the elephant in the room... Her seeing the "error of her ways". That was such a copout, it was established in Sons of Garmadon that her pain made her WANT others to feel the same pain she felt, and that she DIDN'T CARE about the children. It was literally a "fuck them kids" attitude for her, and for it to change that quickly, that's not good writing, that's just out of character.

Like, yeah, it was a good way for her to die, realizing she was wrong all along, get what you deserve, blah blah blah. But if you wanted her to see the error of her ways in her dying moment, why are all these Twitter spoilers showing her she comes back anyway? It completely defeats the impact of her death.

Ugh... Here I am overanalyzing this show yet again, yes it's a show meant for kids, but Ninjago has been trying to have somewhat serious writing for a long time, and for the most part, it has been great! The writers are clearly capable of writing characters well, but they failed this villain character by trying to redeem her, and it doesn't work. Not only that, but if she and Lloyd get married, it spreads a terrible message to young kids about relationship dynamics and forgiveness.

Some things shouldn't be forgiven.

And this isn't even me being bitter about my "Senpai Lloydkins" finding a girl he likes, this is about me feeling sorry for this character, and maybe projecting my own emotional trauma onto him, but it comes from a place of experience.

I still love this show, and I'm not gonna let a bad pairing ruin it for me, but if I could do things differently, I would have her stay evil.

I know I'm probably being dramatic, but again, it comes from personal experience with both the show and real life situations that left me with severe anxiety and depression.

Thank you for reading this long winded post. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this show... No spoilers please!

[strawberrycarnations]

The king never expected the dragon to actually accept the offer. It was supposed to be a joke, a bold move on his part as a king, proof that he was a man who could look dragons in the eye and not flinch in fear.

Well, now he was the joke. He wasn't feeling very bold and frankly, he was sick with fear at the thought that he had just given away one of his precious daughters to a vicious beast for 15 minutes of glory. But what was done was done and now, he was left with the unbearable choice of which of his beloved children to give away.

His youngest, Leila? With her happy laugh and flaxen hair, she was sunshine that would simply darken in a dragon's lair.

His middle child, Jenina? She was headstrong and would surely be able to stand her ground, but shackling her to such a beast would break her strong spirit.

His eldest, Vivianne? The calmest of the three, with eyes like lightning and a mind sharper still.

As he pondered over the thoughts in his head, he became sad, then angry at the dragon, then angry with his daughters. Honestly, he became angry at everyone but himself.

Leila was a silly, spoiled girl who could never stay still. Sending her away would lessen the amount of purchases and parties in the castle.

Jenina was rude and never satisfied. Perhaps marrying her off would teach her a lesson in respect and contentment.

And Vivianne! The worst them all, the idiot. A princess and heir with a brain that her tutors marveled at, but eyes so blind, that she actually fell in love with the ugliest of suitors. To give her to that dragon would teach her the importance of status!

Just as these thoughts rambled in his head, a knock came at the door. It opened to reveal his very daughters, standing in a row.

"Father," Vivianne began

"Can't you see I am busy???" he interrupted her with a scowl.

"We can see that!" Jenina retorted, with a roll of her eyes "Considering you just sold one of us off, for ego's sake!"

"Why you little ingrate!" her father yelled, red-faced with embarrassment "I ought to-"

"Father please," little Leila cried out "I don't want that dragon to marry me or any of my sisters. Please!"

Slapping away the hand that reached out to him, her father roared "It's always what you want, isn't it? You little spoiled brat. Never thinking of others or your poor father who-"

"just promised one of us to a beast!" Jenina snapped.

"It was a strategic play!" the king insisted, with clenched fists.

"It's not fair, Father!" Leila said, with tears in her eyes.

"Well, it's done now and there's nothing we can do about it!" the king roared "And don't even think of suggesting I take back my offer! It's undignified, shameful and, and, and-"

"I'll marry him, Father" Vivianne said to him quietly, with a determined look in her eye.

"I said that one of you is going to marry him and I-.... wait what?" the king said

"Wait what?" her sisters said too.

Vivianne shrugged her shoulders. "I said I'll marry the dragon. Be his wife or mate or whatever it is dragons call their spouses."

"Vivi, no..." Jenina said, clutching at her sister's sleeves. Leila did the same, bawling so hard, she could not speak.

The king was speechless. For a moment.

"Well, I don't know if that's smartest or dumbest decision you could make, daughter."

"Father!" his younger daughters cried out, but he ignored them.

"Is it some sick kink of yours? This fascination with ugly, beastly men? First, it was that subhuman man with scars and skin like snakes and now, it is a vicious beast. Or are you as blind as a bat when it comes to these things?"

Jenina's face reddened with fury, while Leila's eyes turned sharp with rage. Vivianne however, maintained her nonchalant expression and simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Father, you have put yourself in a dangerous and foolhardy position. I am simply getting you out of it, since you are clearly incapable of doing so. I am also keeping my sisters out of it. Leila is too young to be married and Jenina wishes to take on knighthood."

She said it so calmly and matter-of-factly, that it was almost scary, but the king was still angry (and immature because his daughter had just one-upped him and insulted him at the same time), so he sneered in reply "So it shall be as you wish, daughter!" before slamming the door in their faces.

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

On Vivianne's wedding day, her sisters cornered her when no one was looking.

"Are you sure about this, Vivi?" Leila asked, with tears in her eyes.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to, you know" Jenina said firmly "We can run away, the three of us, and leave our idiot father to his doom"

"And what will become of our people?" Vivianne countered gently, placing a hand on her sisters' cheeks. "We are entitled to them just as much as we are entitled to our happiness. I do not wish to bar either of you from them."

"We know he loved you too, you know" Leila said with a sniff "That other suitor that Father didn't like because of his looks. He was the only one who listened when you talked about the stars."

"You shouldn't have been forced to give him up." Jenina added "He made you happy."

Vivianne said nothing, but only wiped her sisters' tears away.

"We can find him, you know" Leila suggested "Let you and him run away together and be happy forever after!"

"It's a harebrained scheme, but we would do it for you." Jenina said, taking her sister's hands in her own.

Vivianne smiled and with teary eyes, enveloped both of her little sisters in a hug.

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

Vivianne stood at the altar, waiting for her husband-to-be to fly through the open window of the cathedral and marry her. She wasn't afraid nor was she having any second thoughts. She had meant what she said to her sisters about their entitlement to happiness and she'd be damned if she couldn't protect them the way she should have been protected years ago, when her father threw out the only man she had ever loved.

A strong gust of hot wind blew throughout the cathedral and everyone shielded their eyes against the big dragon that flew in and took his side by his bride.

"Dearly beloved..."

When it was the part where the priest was stating how husbands and wives ought to love and treat each other well, the king's harsh, drunken laugh could not be silenced, along with a great number of royals who thought it a great joke.

When it was the part when the priest asked if there was anyone who'd object, Jenina nearly stood up, had Leila not pulled her down.

When it was the part where it was time to say vows, this is what the dragon said:

"I promise to be good to you." ("You better be" Jenina growled)

"As my wife, you shall never be lacking in anything, and your heart, dignity and respect will be what I hold most dear"

("dignity, he says" the drunk king scoffed to which a courtier said "Weren't you the one who offered it up to him in the first place?")

"You are kind, brave and loving, with a heart that deserves every happiness in the world"

("How does he know that?" Leila wondered "He's only met her today")

"And all I ask is that you allow me to spend this lifetime with you, and the stars you love so much"

("Wait what" Jenina and Leila said)

"You loved me when I was nothing more than scars and scales, and I hope to be able love you just as much as you loved that broken man."

(Wait what" the king said)

"I want nothing more than to be your happiness"

("Oh my god" Leila said)

And Vivianne said this:

"I thought you were beautiful. I love everything about you. You are my happiness"

("This is insane" Jenina said)

"You listen to me and make me feel safe. I want to be your strength and your partner in everything. Giving up up before has been the hardest thing I had ever done and will never do again."

("Wait, what" the king said, realization dawning on him)

"You are worth more than all the stars in the sky and I am so excited to spend the rest of my life, watching them with you."

("Awwwww... I might kill her, but awwww" Leila said)

When it was time to kiss the bride, Vivianne kissed the dragon's snout and before everyone's eyes, he turned into a man, with scars that riddled over his face, arms and hands. His eyes however, had a fire that made one unable to look away. He smiled down at his Vivianne, who grinned right back at him, before they kissed again.

As the initial shock faded away, the king yelled for the guards, face red in the humiliation of having been outsmarted by his eldest daughter. But by then, the newly weds had taken off, with the groom turning once more into a dragon and taking his wife with him as they flew away.

"No wonder, she was fine with marrying him" Leila laughed "She knew! She probably planned all of this too!"

"She deserves it" Jenina said, surveying the chaos that was ensuing around them.

"Best wedding ever."

Offering the dragon marriage into the royal family had been a power play on the king’s part, a way to intimidate the kingdom’s enemies. He had not anticipated the dragon actually accepting the offer.

[howlingday]

follow up question to the Arc spirits react when Jaune is training to pyrrha's video and then later holding back the nuckelavee.... Do you think Pyrrha was allowed to join the arc's part of the spirit realm for what could of been

Pyrrha: Wh-Where am I?

Joan: Pyrrha Nikos, you stand before this sacred hall to answer to it.

Pyrrha: S-Sacred hall? Have I done something wrong?

Joan: That remains to be seen. Allow us to introduce ourselves.

Julius: Julius Arc, third generation.

Geldan: Geldan Arc, fourth generation.

Cornelius: Cornelius Arc, fifth generation.

Joan: Joan Arc, first generation.

Pyrrha: You're...

Joan: Yes. We are the ancestry of the Arc family line. Address yourself and your relationship to the Arc family.

Pyrrha: Pyrrha Nikos, and I was Jaune's... friend.

Cornelius: Oh, you were more than just a friend, my dear.

Julius: Cornelius...

Cornelius: Surely you remember this memory? Or this one? Or this-?

Julius: Corn! Knock it off before I show you how we educated loud children in my day!

Pyrrha: I, um, can see you've been watching Jaune very closely.

Geldan: It is our sacred duty to watch over every Arc in our family. This includes Jaune, his sisters, his father, Nicholas, who communes with us, and his mother, Isabella, who prays to us every night.

Pyrrha: Oh, I wasn't aware the Arc family were spiritualists.

Julius: It began shortly after I had passed. Before this hall, we had simply wandered about the Ever-After, much like you were.

Pyrrha: I see. So, um, why was I called before you?

Joan: You are here to answer an important question. A question that, if we agree upon your answer, will determine your fate in the Ever-After.

Pyrrha: O-Oh?

Joan: Now, let us try again. Address yourself and your relationship with the Arc family.

Pyrrha: Pyrrha Nikos, and... I never met Jaune's family, but as his partner, I knew of them from the stories he told. He spoke highly of his ancestors, but... never enough of himself.

Joan: Do you believe he is worth more than he values himself?

Pyrrha: A person's worth isn't something that should be determined. No person is more worthy or less important enough to be who they want to be. Jaune Arc thought he was letting you all down and because of that, he was worthless, but the Jaune Arc I knew fought for his life to save another. He challenged greater odds knowing he could never measure up to his peers. And he was a sweet and gentle soul who saw good in others.

Joan: I see. Julius?

Julius: Mm. Do you know what this is?

"Jaune... I... I... I want you to know that I am happy to be a part of your life. I'll always be here for you, Jaune."

Pyrrha: It's... It's my training video. The one I gave to Jaune before the Vytal Festival. He said he wasn't sure of himself, so I made this for him to train by himself, if he wanted. But, I wasn't aware we could access technology here.

Julius: The material is beyond our grasp, but the immaterial is not.

Pyrrha: What do you-

Jaune: (Sniffling)

Pyrrha: No... Is... Is this...?

Julius: We can access the memories of the living, so long as they are of our bloodline, or accepted as one.

Pyrrha: I... I didn't think... Oh, Jaune...

Julius: My apologies for bringing this to you.

Pyrrha: No, no, this... this is good. I needed this. I needed to know how he was doing.

Julius: Because you love him.

Pyrrha: Yes. Yes, I loved Jaune Arc, and I still love him, even now.

Julius: You are a good woman, Pyrrha Nikos. You remind me much of my own wife when I met her.

Pyrrha: Oh? How did you meet?

Julius: I saved her family from a bandit attack, and they offered her to me as a bride.

Pyrrha: O-Oh? I see. I suppose times are different now if families were able to give away their daughters as a reward.

Julius: Indeed, but when I saw her, she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. But I told them that I would return a year later, and we had exchanged letters between one another.

Pyrrha: Oh, that's beautiful.

Cornelius: You left out the part she was 14, you creep!

Julius: She was 15 when we married, and I was still a young buck of 19!

Cornelius: Still creepy, Jewel!

Joan: Silence! Geldan?

Geldan: Miss Nikos, are you aware of what a Nuckelavee is?

Pyrrha: I... can't say I do.

Geldan: It is a Grimm located in Mistral. It has an equine lower half and a humanoid upper with long arms and a disturbing scream.

Pyrrha: That sounds horrible.

Geldan: Indeed. And this is how it looks.

Pyrrha: Did... Did Jaune fight it?

Geldan: Yes, and rather recklessly, too.

Pyrrha: Recklessly?

Geldan: Yes. (Flashes of Jaune's view fighting appear) Quite. My question for you is what could drive him to act so carelessly?

Pyrrha: ...I don't think he was careless, or, at least, he didn't do anything that he didn't have an escape for. See the way his stance is wide, but stable. He never intended to hold it back for long, but he also knew that he could easily escape with his life.

Geldan: Mm. No further questions.

Cornelius: I guess it's my turn, right?

Joan: Proceed.

Cornelius: Alright, Miss Nikos, I have one question for ya! ...Do you think I'm ugly?

Pyrrha: Huh?

Cornelius: Because I like to think of myself a handsome man, but a little confidence goes a long way, don't it?

Pyrrha: Ah, I see! Then, my answer is no. No, you are not ugly.

Cornelius: Ha ha! See?

Pyrrha: However, your scar can be a bit distracting, some of your teeth are rotted out, and your receding hairline is easily noticeable.

Cornelius: ...You could have just left it at no.

Pyrrha: Yes, I suppose I could have, but that wouldn't have been fair. Confidence is important, but it's not the only tool a man, or woman, can solely rely on. It takes years of practice in a skill and the drive to push yourself to your goal. That's why I never liked Jaune's father's advice on romance.

Cornelius: Ugh, my idiot son. Always twisting my words, that one!

Pyrrha: Along with that, was it common for the Arc family to not train their children before sending them off to the academies?

Cornelius: No, but that's not entirely my son's fault. I raised Nicholas to be a warrior, and he just didn't take. He preferred the easier road. His heart was good, but he never pushed himself. He's a hometown hero, but outside of that? He's just another Huntsman. He didn't want his children to live a harsh life, so he lives out his days in the farmlands where his most exciting mission is acting as a night watch. He never saw a need to train Jaune until he was already out the door.

Pyrrha: I... see. Jaune did tell me his decision was rather... last minute. But, that doesn't change my statement. Jaune needed a little more confidence, true, but his willing to learn to be a Huntsman, and his drive to become someone people could be proud of, those are the aspects of him that made fall in love with him.

Joan: I suppose that answers my question.

Pyrrha: Huh?

Joan: Pyrrha Nikos, you stand in this ancestral hall to answer a most vital question that will determine your fate in the Ever-After. All in favor of Pyrrha Nikos becoming an honored guest of the Arc Hall?

Julius: Aye.

Geldan: Aye.

Cornelius: Aye!

Joan: The voting is unanimous. Pyrrha Nikos, until the end of Ever-After, and beyond, you are welcome in the Arc Hall. From now on, you are an Arc.

Pyrrha: Oh... Oh my goodness! I... I don't know what to say! I... I am greatly honored.

Joan: This meeting is adjourned. (Everyone but herself and Pyrrha fade away) I know that look. You have questions still, don't you?

Pyrrha: I... I do. But I don't want to ask anything too intrusive.

Joan: You are an Arc in the Arc Hall. Nothing is too intrusive.

Pyrrha: I see. In that case, I suppose I'll ask my first question of... so many.

Joan: Mm?

Pyrrha: You are the first Arc. The Arc of the first generation.

Joan: Yes.

Pyrrha: That would mean Julius is your grandson, yes?

Joan: Yes.

Pyrrha: But if your grandson is with you here, as well as the following generations, then where is the second generation Arc?

Joan: I'm afraid his soul is lost to us, even now.

Pyrrha: Oh, was he... Was he a bad person?

Joan: My son had his flaws, and I loved him no less for it. However, my greatest failure was not protecting him when I could. He suffers to this day because of me.

Pyrrha: To this day? You mean he's still alive?

Joan: Yes, and when I tell you his fate, you will learn the disturbing truth that fool, Ozma, never shared.

Joan: That death is it's own mercy.

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

Salem: You have done well, my child. (Strokes Hound's muzzle, Looks to Cinder) My first and strongest Hound I have ever created.

Cinder: Incredible, my queen! How did you create such a horrifying beast?

Salem: With a lot of magic, and a touch of silver. Isn't that right, Mordred?

Hound: (Hisses) Y E S

[holycrimin]

It hurts to love.

Karl heisenberg x male!reader

Tags: Hanahaki and angst

SFW

(Note: In this au, none of the main events happen with ethan, as he is not in this story. Also SPOILER WARNING.)

(Warning: probably shitty plot, but i'm trying my best ok)

[Your pov]

It all started a year or two ago, when mother miranda had found me lurking around the village. As i was not a local, she deemed me suspicous. However, before she had the chance to kill me, She had a spark in her eye. As if she had an idea. And before i knew it she was using me as some sort of vessel for her daughter, Eva. Although i am a male, she had seen something special in me apparently. I had also found out that her daughter had passed away and she was determined to bring her back.

It failed.

The experiment... failed.

I was no longer deemed useful.

She had proposed me two options. become a servant or assistant to one of the lords, or die. A slow, and painful death.

Of course I chose to be an assistant.

She was kind enough to let me choose who to work for, thankfully.

Lady dimitrescu was very much intimidating. And from what I've heard, if you mess up even just a little while working for her, you will be sent to the dungeons. Never to be seen again. And she isnt really fond of men, so I wont be choosing her.

Next up was Donna Beneviento. She was nice, although her doll 'Angie' is a little... how do I say this... creepy. It doesnt help that i have a huge fear of mannequins and dolls, so I dont think i'll be choosing her anytime soon.

And then theres Salvatore Moreau, dont get me wrong he's a great guy but.. he might accidentally drown me. I might be overreacting, but the guy smells. Although, I feel bad that he's treated so poorly by the other Lords, but i think it's for the best if i stay away from him.

And.. i guess my only option left is Lord Heisenberg. I just hope that he wont be that much of a hassle, even if he IS kind of an asshole...

A day before i start working at the factory, Mother Miranda forced us to spend the day together. To 'get to know eachother' I assume.

Lord Heisenberg looked pissed off, he wasn't really fond of me. He was more pissed off at Mother miranda though. Most likely because he was forced to spend time with me. I quickly learned what he called the 'basics of him'. Basically, common facts. Such as, the fact that he can bend metal and his deep hatred for Mother Miranda. that was basically all that he told me.

The following day was my first day at the factory. As we were walking along the factory, he stopped in his tracks. "Listen pup, there's rules." He practically growled. "First of all, Don't touch my shit. Second of all, don't go around the factory without me knowing. And third of all, Don't try to get to know me, we're keeping a proffessional relationship, got it?" He said.

"Uh.. y-yes Lord Heisenberg." I very nervously stammered, lightly blushing at the nickname he gave me.

"Good, now let's get to work."

Present day

That was around a year or two ago, and while i have gotten closer to the other lords, i never managed to get to get close to Lord Heisenberg. And..

I'm an idiot who fell for him... And... I know he'll never feel the same way. I've tried getting his attention, impressing him, but... nothing's working. Every time i try to get close to him, wether it's emotionally or physically. I get pushed away, literally and figuratively.

It's my fault really. I fell inlove with a man who was emotionally closed off. His charisma, his voice, everything about him just makes me fall more and more inlove with him.

I know i wont have a chance, hell, i dont even know if he's into guys... Guess i really am an idiot, huh?

Later that day, Lord Heisenberg asked me to help him with something. I agreed of course, and during that time I tried to know him more. "Jesus christ, are you trying to get me to open up or something? Cause' that's not gonna happen, so give it up." He spat out, "a-ah... sorry Lord Heisenberg.." I stammered out.

A few minutes of silence pass. Suddenly, he grabbed my hands. "I- ugh.. Just- you're doing it wrong. Here, let me help." He said, while holding my hands 'teaching me how to do it right'.

Of course my face started heating up, the feeling of his slightly roughed up hands on mine... it feels nice. Although this is probably the only time i'll ever get close to him.

"Hey pet, you ok? Geez, you're practically as red as a tomato." He said, while still holding my hands. "Uh.. y-yeah..! Uhm... i.. i'm good.." i stuttered, feeling his breath on top of my head. He was bigger and taller than me after all.

"Well, whatever you say, pup." He shrugged as he continued his work. I got a little flustered on the nickname, i never got used to that..

After, he went and ordered me to get supplies fron the duke.

As i was walking along the pathway to the duke, a few lycans were following me. They didnt seem to be attacking, so i just left them alone. However when i reached the duke, the lycans were gone. How strange.

"Well well well, if it isn't Heisenbergs pet! What brings you here, young man?" He says, with a shit eating grin. "Ah.. well, i'm just here for some supplies is al-" i was then cut off with a series of coughs, "Oh my, are you alright?" said the duke, genuinely concerned. "O-oh i'm fine i ju-" i was then cut off by another series of coughs, but just when i stopped, a small white flower petal came out of my mouth.

"Oh dear, i hope this isn't what i think it is... Are you sure you are alright?" Asked the duke. "I.. i dont know," i pause and look at the small flower petal in my hand. "do you know what's happening..?" I questioned him, very much confused. "It may be something called the 'Hanahaki disease'. It was said to just be an urban legend. Where, if you were suffering from unrequited love, you would begin to cough up flower petals." He explained. "I didnt think it was real.." he muttered to himself.

"..." i was silent as i stared in shock and horror, I'm.. coughing up flowers..? Like actual, real flowers...?

From.. unrequited love.... i should've known, i... i should've known that he would never feel the same way.

How could i be so stupid, to think he would fall for a mere mortal like me. Or atleast.. i think i'm mortal. "Well," the duke spoke up, "luckily there are two ways you can get rid of the sickness." My eyes lit up, "the person you like, either loves you back," he continued "or, you can get surgery. Not only will it remove the flowers, it also removes all of your feelings for this particullar person permanently."

"Th-that's great! I can finally get this 'hanahaki' disease while also getting rid of my feelings for him-!"

"Him?" The duke asked as he cut me off, "do you mean Lord Heisenberg?"

"Uh-" as i think about him, i start coughing again. This time, blood was spilling over. And so were many petals. "Oh dear.. so just the mere thought of him triggers it..?" He said, concerned. "Uh... i'll just... take the supplies. Thank you though, duke."

"No problem, stay safe. But remember, the longer you wait around with the flowers still inside you, the worse your state will become." He informs me,

"I'll try to get the surgery as fast as possible duke." I said, waving him goodbye.

As soon as i walked out, those same lycans followed me all the way back to the factory. Strange isn't it? Anyway, when you finally arrived at the factory, supplies in hand, I hear Lord Heisenberg open up the door.

"Here, let me help you with those." He says as he starts taking some of the bags.

"...Why are you being so nice all of a su-sudden?" I stammer as i try to hold in a cough. "Would you rather not have me nice, pup?" he growled. As i opened my mouth to speak, i was interrupted but a fit of coughs. Blood spilt out as did the petals. Heisenberg didn't seem to notice as he was already far ahead.

I try to cover it up as much as i can as i try to catch up with him. "Jeez.. Finally, you caught up-" he cut himself off. "Why is there blood on your face?" He said, slightly concerned. I froze. "Uh.." that was all i could say. "Whatever.." he said as he wiped the blood away from my face. A faint blush spread accross my cheeks.

I excused myself to the bathroom as i felt another fit of coughs. More blood splattered out as well as more petals. God it hurts. I heard a knock on the door. "Hey pet, you've been there a while, you sure you're alright?" He said

"Uh- yeah, i-i'm fine..!" I said, trying to hold in my coughs. "Well just make it quick, we have work to do." "Yes sir..!" I reply back quickly, not wanting to upset him. I quickly cleaned myself up and walked out of the bathroom. "Took you long enough." He sighed, annoyed. He went ahead and grabbed his hammer, dragging it along the metal floors. It was loud enough for him to not hear you cough up more petals.

~later that week~

My condition kept getting worse and worse, to the point i was barely able to breath. I've consulted the duke, however nothing seemed to work. No matter how much medicine, herbs or other medicinal items i jammed into my body, it just won't go away.

I was asked to come over Lady Dimitrescus castle, i'm not exactly sure why. Maybe she heard of this 'hanahaki' disease?

As i make my way to the castle, lycans started to follow me. Even more than before, why was this happening?

I finally arrive at the castle, the lycans seem to be watching me very carefully. I hear the doors open, and out came a tall lady. "Ah, Y/N! I'm glad you came! Come in." She said, holding the door open for me.

I walked in and was immediately tackled with a hug. "Uncle Y/N! You came!" Exclamed Daniela, one of Lady Dimitrescus daughters. "Oh, uh... hello Daniela." I say, hugging back. I never imagined them to warm up to me. "Now now Daniela, me and your Uncle Y/N have something to discuss."

"Aww man... well, i'll see you around Uncle Y/N!" She waved goodbye to me. "I'll see you around, Daniela." I say as i wave back. As soon as her footsteps were no longer in range, i spoke up. "So.. what did you want to talk about..?" I carefully asked the tall woman, not wanting to be sliced to bits. "Well, as i said before, the duke has informed me of something related to your wellbeing."

"So... you've heard about this.. 'hanahaki' disease, i assume...?" I say as i tense up even more. "The duke told me about it, and when i asked why he was informing me about this, he simply stated it had something to do with you. So tell me, do you have it?" She asked me with a concerned expression.

"W-well.. I-.." i say, sighing. "Yes, as far as i know." I reply, not wanting to lie to her. "As much as i dislike that wretched man, Heisenberg, i must ask, is he the object of your affection?" I froze. "Well... uh-" i cut myself off as i break into a fit of coughs growing more and more violent than the last. "Oh dear- MAIDS!" She called out, panicking, as blood and petals fall out of my mouth. She patted my back as i continue to cough. "So... it is Heisenberg.. I am terribly sorry Y/N i did not know this would happen.." she said, apologetically.

"I-it's alright-" i break into another fit of coughs. But instead of petals, this time, there were fully grown flowers. "i.. i can't b-breath.." i say almost blacking out. The last thing i see and hear are the maids, Lady Dimitrescu shouting to get the duke, and the door opening to reveal... Lord Heisenberg..? "Goddammit, out of my way-!" Was the last thing i heard before blacking out.

•

•

°

.

.....

I woke up to the duke. I sat upright, "what... happ-" i was then cut off by the duke. "You're awake! Honestly, i.. didnt know if you would wake up.." he said sadly. "Thankfully, i was able to patch you up just fine. And after days and hours of research, i finally found an alternative to your hanahaki!" The duke said, switching from a sad, to a cheerful mood.

My eyes light up, "W-wait, really!?" I said as a smile creeps up on my face. The duke gives me a small bottle, "Here, take this. Free of charge!" He said as he smiles brightly. "Now, you should drink it as soon as possible. Lord Heisenberg is waiting for you outside."

"I will, thank you duke!" I said as i waved him goodbye. As I walked to the gates, I take the small bottle and drink it. Within seconds, the flowers were gone. I could finally breath again!

Walking out with a small smile, I saw Lord Heisenberg. "Oh, hey-!.. uh.. i mean, hey. You're awake, lets... get back to the factory..." he stammered out.

..

Was it just me, or were there tears on his face..?

The walk to the factory was silent, but as we walk up to the factory gates, he stops dead in his tracks. "Before we go in, I just uh.. wanted to let you know that the duke let me know about how you really felt about me." He said. "And.. after a long time of thinking about it.." he cuts himself off as his cheeks turn red,

"...I like you too." He confesses.

But,

I don't feel any different.

I don't have butterflies in my stomach.

I don't even feel my face heating up.

It was like...

I was never inlove with him in the first place.

"I... I'm sorry, Lord Heisenberg... but.. I dont feel the same way anymore. I think... it was that small bottle the duke gave me, but.. I am sorry, i don't feel the same way." "W-wait.. you're.. you're joking, right...?" I watch as his expression goes from flustered to heartbreak. "..." i grow silent.

"Let's... let's get inside... we'll catch a cold if we don't." I say, opening the doors to the factory, not wanting the situation to get more awkward. "...Y... yeah... just, gimme a minute.." he says as his voice was slightly shaking. "Alright.. just... please be quick, you'll get a cold." I said, walking in and closing the door on him.

[Heisenbergs pov]

"I... I'm sorry, Lord Heisenberg... but.. I dont feel the same way anymore. I think... it was that small bottle the duke gave me, but.. I am sorry, i don't feel the same way."

"W-wait.. you're.. you're joking, right...?" I say with my voice slightly shaking. Dammit.. god... fucking...

DAMMIT...!

Just when i thought i finally found the love of my life, he's stripped away from me.

"..." he was silent.

I could feel the heartbreak slowly filling me up.

"Let's... let's get inside... we'll catch a cold if we don't."

"...Y... yeah... just, gimme a minute.." i stammer while i try not to break down infront of him.

"Alright.. just... please be quick, you'll get a cold." He says, as he walks in and shuts the door. Heh.. it's cute how he still worries about me when..

Nevermind.

I need some time to thi-

My thoughts were interrupted when i started to violently cough. What i didn't expect though...

Was a flower petal.

"..."

"Heh..."

"So this is what he felt." I said, as i look at the bloody flower petal in my hand.

[jinkieswouldyoulookatthis]

I really appreciate how much thought you put into your posts btw. It is very evident that you not only care about the story, but you are very thorough and really think stuff through and that's refreshing. And I really appreciate you taking the time to discuss this with me.

I do want to clarify a couple of things really quickly, because I know with writing it can be very easy to misinterpret tone or even just make pretty logical but false conclusions based on only being given limited input from someone (from me in this case). I wasn't mentioning Emma lying to Dean to try to get you to concede to my view, it is just something that seemed significant to me and it wasn't clear to me from what you'd previously said that you knew it was a ploy. So I was just trying to see if we agreed that it was a ploy. I don't believe that she would have never changed her mind or that she was ultimately irredeemable. And I don't think that Dean was lying when he offered to let her walk, I just don't think that he actually thought that she was going to walk. I also don't think that Dean killing Amy was particularly ooc for him, nor do I really hold any sort of grudge against him for it, I just think it was kinda a dick move.

I really think the only place that we are in any sort of real disagreement is whether Sam was furious with Dean for hesitating to kill Emma and why he then shot her himself.

I think that Sam was understandably upset with Dean for killing Amy the way he did, and Sam was still working through that. I'm pretty sure I've seen you post about the different ways that Sam and Dean's morality plays out, how Dean's is more intrinsic while Sam seems to struggle more to define his, and this is true. Sam struggles with stuff more sometimes because he doesn't see things in the absolutes that Dean tends to. Sam sees everything in shades of grey so it is harder for him to draw lines and make consistent seeming decisions about what is right or wrong. This isn't to say that Sam is wishy washy or lacking in morals, he isn't, but that he is trying to judge every single situation separately, which is insanely hard to do and is exhausting. Sam also uses Dean frequently as a lodestone to determine which way to go on things because deep down Sam has more faith in Dean than he does in himself, but he wants not only to be able to trust his own intuition, but to have Dean trust it too, and this is something he really struggles with well into the later seasons.

Dean killing Amy threw Sam for a loop because it felt wrong to him, but he really does have a lot of faith in Dean's gut, so he was doubting the entire thing, his reaction and Dean's actions. So then when he walked in on Dean and Emma, and heard Dean offering to let her walk, saw Dean's gun lowered, saw Emma's eyes go all red just like the Detective/Amazon that he'd just been attacked by (and then killed) before coming to the motel...

... he made a fast call. I am not saying that it was the best call, or the right call, just that I can see why he made that choice and I don't blame him for making it. He did what he thought Dean would have done if their roles were swapped, and I think that Dean would have most likely made the exact same choice under the same circumstances.

Sam didn't shoot Emma to punish Dean, or to get some sort of revenge over Amy, or because he was feeling weird about Dean potentially having a daughter. He honestly thought it was the right thing to do in the moment. And yeah, he was upset and pissy/angry in the car, they both get like that sometimes.

As for Amy's situation, I'll read those other posts, but I'm not actually defending her, just pointing out that most people will do things to protect there family/loved ones that they otherwise wouldn't do. Morally questionable (at best) things. But killing people is wrong. There is often at least some understanding when that killing is done to save another's life, but that is also generally reserved for when the one being killed was the one actively endangering the life... self protection and whatnot. We all typically agree that forcibly culling body parts from people is not okay, even to save a child's life. So Amy was straight up murdering people, which was not good.

Sam and Dean have also done some pretty fucked up shit to save each other, shit that has killed other people. We're mostly okay with what they've done because the narrative is set up to make it easier to be okay with it. but as the passion in this entire thread shows, despite the narrative, we have some pretty strong feelings about some of the things they've done that we don't agree with.

Again, I'm cool with us disagreeing on stuff, I do not expect that I'm going to change your mind on anything, but I find it easier to sort through ideas by discussing them and hearing/reading what other people think, and you've given me lots of interesting points to mull over, so I really do appreciate all the time and effort you've put into this today.

#okay wait do y'all think that she wasn't going to try and murder Dean?#Do you think he was going to get through to her?#convince her somehow to not try to stab him?#that she was telling the truth at all in that scene?#because she was totally going to try and kill Dean#like 100% that was going to happen#and if Sam hadn't shot her then Dean would have had to kill her and that would have been so much harder on Dean#like it was disturbing that Dean had a 3 day old monster child that wanted to kill him but who was then killed by her uncle Sam instead#and even more disturbing that they then never mention her again#but these are also the guys who left their half brother in Lucifer's cage and didn't lose any sleep over it so...#and I love Dean but killing Amy was an asshole move#and there's kinda a difference between killing an active imminent threat and killing someone in cold blood after the fact @jinkieswouldyoulookatthis

I didn't want to clutter someone else's post but this was partially directed at me? I've talked about the whole "Emma vs Amy" debate quite a few times, but I'll share a few thoughts.

Amy is a present, unrepentant, fully cognizant, adult, serial murderer. She is not actually sorry about what she did in any way. She believes that slaughtering humans like cattle to feed them to her son was the morally correct action even if it wasn't the ethical action because it kept her son alive. She is not correct.

Emma is a brainwashed child who's been psychologically conditioned for a few days. She has never killed anyone and only wants to kill Dean because some women who abused her told her to.

Hunters like Sam and Dean primarily deal in punitive justice, not preventative justice—and what I mean by that is that Sam and Dean try not to kill people (with powers or without powers) who have never killed anyone.

While I think you're right to point out that a preventative justice component is in play, that is not primarily how Dean makes the decision to go after Amy, and the reason we know that is because Amy's son swears to kill Dean and Dean does nothing about it because the boy has done absolutely nothing wrong.

Dean's application of his personal code is consistent here. He kills Amy, who is a murderer who killed four people, but he does not intend to kill Emma or Amy's son—both of whom wanted to kill him—because neither has actually killed anyone and both may choose not to.

You say that Emma was going to kill Dean 100%, but you don't actually know that because we never got to see that future. You assume Amy would never have killed again, but when you add up "murderer who regrets absolutely nothing" and "child vulnerable to catching illnesses" you get "Mom who absolutely would kill again as necessary and who would feel zero remorse doing so just like the last time".

I don't personally think SPN gives us any reason to suspect that three days of psychological conditioning from a cult is too much to overcome. We have seen other characters overcome much more serious levels of psychological conditioning intended to make them killers. For example, Cas and Alex. I'm not saying Emma wasn't trying to pull the wool over Sam and Dean's eyes in the scene where Sam shot her, but I am saying that doesn't actually mean in any way that she couldn't be convinced to actually choose a different path.

Under the same litmus test with which you suggest Emma's condemnation, we'd also condemn season 2 Sam for his potential "future" crimes. We are killing monsters before they actually become those monsters... because of the dark path someone else intends for them to go down. Amy—again—is an active present unrepentant serial killer.

I think sometimes people misremember the scene where Sam kills Emma—recalling the scene as a scene where Emma lunges at Dean with the knife and Sam steps in just in time to save his life, or where Dean is unarmed and Emma has him at knife point. But that is not what happened. Emma quite literally brought a knife to a gun fight. Dean had a gun pointed at her, and if she was thinking straight at all, she would have left to avoid being killed if given the chance—especially when Sam arrived. And had she not, Sam could have shot her at that point—but Sam didn't wait to see what she'd do. He wanted her dead, because even if she ran, he didn't think they were equipped to deal with surprise attacks from Dean's Amazon child. That is the decision Sam made after a brief moment to consider, and it makes sense to me given the headspace he was in at the time and his assessment of Dean's headspace as well, but it does not make his decision consistent with his previous or future behavior regarding people who have been psychologically conditioned to kill.

My own frustrations are more with fandom, for a thought process that really really does not make sense to me, where Emma deserves to die but Amy deserved to live. I do not agree with that premise. I do not understand why so much of fandom has the perspective that a child who hadn't shed a drop of blood and who was acting in response to a cult's torture, who brought a knife to a gun fight and had already been driven into a corner where she had no choice but to surrender or run—doesn't deserve a chance to choose something else before she's barely lived and before she's heard a loving word in her entire life, but an adult with full cognizance of their actions who went through with killing four people and doesn't regret it should go on with their life and is "just a good mom doing what she had to" and killing that person is the bad thing. I don't understand that. I don't think Dean killing Amy was wrong at all in the "hunters kill supernatural murderers" show. The only thing Dean did wrong was lie about it and not take enough care to keep her son from seeing it happen.

[burningblake]

ok i just finished my 8-hour long marathon of the witcher and I have opinions to share, some bitter some good, so let's start with the good:

I absolutely adored the yennefer-jaskier bonding scenes, especially when she hugged him and he was so surprised asdfgh and then how she saved him, my lovely girl has such a big heart and love to give. also bonus jaskier later defending her actions to geralt omg adorable

the moment tissaia sees yennefer after she thought she was dead 😭😭😭

the yennefer - geralt reunion I freaking replayed it so many times!! And then when Geralt introduced her to Ciri and that talk they had, asdfg found family united at last. (Would have loved the "dear friend" letter but I understand it wouldn't fit the pace and the vibe of the show to suddenly see geralt and yen writing letters)

The dessert!!!!

The unicorn reference!! 🤭🤭

I loved that Ciri's training is slow and gradual and she didn't like get all perfect and fearless at once

Ok that about sums up the good things, now the bad things, well!! I have a lot of complaints and quite honestly I am salty, if you don't want the negativity, don't read further but I need to express it so..

Why oh why the fuck did they change the plot so much?! What was this absolute shit with the hut spirit? Why???????? I am so pissed!!!

Listen!! Yennefer met Cirilla because Geralt ASKED her to take care of her and help her control her magic and YENNEFER was so different from Geralt in her teachings that Cirilla instantly made her her role model and thought of her as a mother figure!!!

THEY FLEED WITH THE HORSES FROM MELITELE BECAUSE YEN WAS PROTECTING HER WHAT THE ABSOLUTE HORSESHIT

yennefer would have never sacrificed an innocent life (much less CIRI!) no matter the cost, she valued life more than anything, SHE FREAKING RISKED HER LIFE TO SAVE A RANDOM BABY and you're telling me she would steal Geralt's baby and give her to the wolves?! EXCUSE ME but I call bullshit. Like sorry for the all-caps but I'm feeling strongly about this, they destroyed the perfect mother-daughter relationship from the books and I AM BITTER

why spend an entire episode at the beginning with that meaningless non-canon plot about yen fringilla and francesca finding some ancient spirit that determined their paths for the entire show WHEN WE COULD HAVE HAD AN EPISODE OF YEN TRAINING WITH CIRI WTF!!!!!!!!

Why the fuck is tissaia with vilgefortz? Where did that freaking come from?! LISTEN! TISSAIA IS EITHER A LESBIAN OR ASEXUAL LEAVE HER THE FUCK ALONE

The Geralt-Rience fight scene was supposed to be like this: Rience finds Geralt and he insults Yennefer in his face and so Geralt pretty much tells him that that insult just determined his fate and killed him on the spot because no one insults his wifey. INSTEAD Yennefer somehow freaking led him to Geralt?! As a distraction to take away Ciri?! HONESTLY FUCK THE FUCK OFF

Also why all that queerbaiting? Like excuse me but I am fairly certain that when Cahir asked Fringilla about her relationship with Francesca and he said "is she just a friend?" and that look fringilla made?! Yeah that was gay and then they twisted it to "she is your plan" yeah I'll tell you what plan her freaking wedding plan!

Even though I understand the cost Yennefer paid for her heroism at Sodden, I still think it was too far-stretched for her to only get her magic back at the very end and only to perform a small healing. My girl should have been able to join the final fight and save Ciri single-handedly along with Geralt and not be like "oh I made a potion"

Which leads to another thing I am bitter about, how did her "making a potion" serve the plot? Such a lazy writing ugh!!!

I HATE NETFLIX

All in all the bad things far outweigh the good for me - they changed so many freaking things without freaking reason!!!!! Ugh I am so annoyed and dissapointed! Truly sorry for the negativity, you can block me if you want, I am simply having a moment and I can't help being so salty about this

[fosermi]

SEMI BACK FROM THE DEAD PEOPLE

That's right! I'm back! And I bring to you CHAPTER 3 OF GUARDIAN MACAQUE AU

WHY?! Well because I couldn't sleep well and it's 5 am fuck my headache I give you content!! Fair warning: Macaque is a soft monkey especially to kids AND YOU CAN PRY THIS HC FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS ABDJFKCMCM

Some days, Biming would leave to sell the rice cultivated in their field to the neighbouring village. An oddity, Hóu realised. Why sell to another village? He didn't understand… After all, there were other houses in their village. 

"Hóu?" Ai's soft voice called for the demon. Oddly enough, it wasn't her usual tone that came through her call. 

Immediately detecting the shift from her usual beat, the black monkey jumped down from his position on the plum tree that grew in the back garden of the couple's home. The tree upon which the monkey would spend most of his free time on whenever he could. "You called, Mrs. Ai?" 

"Oh! Yes, dear…" her voice dripped with worry - fear even. In her arms a red cloak, outstretched as if allowing him to take it. "Could you please accompany Biming to the town today…?" Her eyes glimmering under the morning sun with worry, begged the black monkey to take on her request. 

Hóu, with an immediate nod, complied as he gently took the cloak from Ai's grasp. Hesitantly, the black monkey built up enough courage to ask the kind lady, her worry affecting his own. 

"Mrs. Ai… is everything alright…?" His hand reached out to Ai’s in an attempt to comfort her as his eyes locked with hers, taking notes of the high level of worry embedded deep within her honey-brown eyes.

Seeing the concern in Hóu's golden eyes, Ai's tense shoulders fell as she let out a shaky breath. "Ling Fa… he warned us that demons moved in close to the rout Biming takes to the other village…" 

Ling Fa… yes…

He was the family's guardian spirit… it was his duty to protect the family, right? Of course he would warn the kind couple.

By late morning, Biming and Hóu had headed out on the road on the small mule-pulled cart with their cargo safely secured. Ling Fa had stayed behind to ensure Ai's safety as he would not have been much help with manual labor. 

Hóu rode on the back of the cart as his mind drifted off to the thoughts of the strange family guardian. They had previously met a couple of times. Ling Fa wasn't a concerning figure, in fact Hóu believed he was incapable of fighting due to his pacifistic tendencies. 

Throughout the journey, Biming and Hóu held up a small lighthearted conversation, a conversation that seemed to have only lasted a couple of minutes was in fact just two hours. 

Soon the duo were at town close to noon, Hóu couldn't believe how lively everything was! Carts and vendors and buyers were everywhere! If he was being honest, Hóu's entire world seemed to start spinning due to the overload of his senses. 

"Welcome to the market, Hóu!" Biming said with a bright smile as he handed Hóu some earplugs. "They might not completely drown out all the new senses but its something at least… if you ever need a breath at all, then tell me and we can go to a more tame part of the town were we can rest for a bit"

Hóu's reply came in the form of a nod. However, even though his senses are over exerting himself, Hóu knew that he had to allow Biming to sell their crops so they could earn the money needed. So, the black monkey decided to sit right behind the cart after putting on the earplugs, mostly hidden from the front view as she observed how Biming bargained and sold his crops. 

Eventually, daylight started diminishing as the sun was starting to head down the horizon, turning the shy a nice shade that reminded the monkey of orange peaches… something about the sunset seems to have upset the demon and he felt a pang of pain in his chest. 

Upon noticing the sadness embedded on the monkey’s face, Biming decided that it was time to head home. "Hóu, let's go home." Came the familiar voice of the young man that got Hóu moving onto the back of the cart, and once again head off back home. "We should be back home just after sunset" Said Biming in an attempt to comfort his companion, which seemed to have worked somewhat. 

The ride back didn't have many complications, it was a smooth ride back with a few conversations every now and again. Once home, Biming and Hóu carried their goods into the home as they announced their return, only to be greeted by the smell of Ai's amazing cooking as they sat down by the table to eat. 

Biming was telling Ai how well Hóu had taken to the city and how well behaved he was. He kept on flattering the black monkey demon which got Hóu to stutter every now and again when he decided to speak up. Soon enough, it was time to head to bed after it was decided that from then on, Hóu would accompany Biming to the market. 

His days spent here in the small farm house by the valley with Ai and Biming went by faster than he expected. And soon, they would have a new addition to their family in the form of a child between the couple. 

The couple at first didn't know how Hóu would react to children, as throughout Ai's pregnancy, he had done his best to avoid her as much as possible without angering her. He however instead spent his time with Biming learning how to trade and sell as well as bargain and buy goods. 

When their daughter was born, the couple found something they never had expected to see. That night they had awoken to the sound of soft cries coming from the adjacent room that Hóu had offered the baby to stay in with him so he could make sure that their daughter was safe from all harm. Surprisingly, Hóu had also swore it as his duty out of the blue one night before she was even born. 

What surprised them however, was what they saw in the room that night. They had found Hóu gently cradling their small daughter in his arms. Biming most of all was surprised at how Hóu could be so delicate with such a small fragile being and yet possess strength strong enough to carry the entire cart filled with supplies. 

Hóu looked over at the couple with worry laced all very his face. "S-sorry… she won't stop crying… she must be hungry!" It surprised Ai how well he knew how to manage a baby and how he could tell what was wrong. She stood there for a moment as she smiled at the panicked monkey before taking her daughter to feed her in the other room, leaving Biming and Hóu together in the room. 

Biming sat down next to Hóu on the bed who seemed a bit anxious. "Is something the matter Hóu?" Came the concerned question from Biming. 

Hóu's tail flicked anxiously like an irritated cat, he lowered his head and talked in barely a whisper "she's just so small Biming… will she really survive?" 

With a comforting hand on Hóu's shoulder, a smile found its way onto Biming's face "with you worrying about her like this… I know she'll be perfectly fine Hóu…" and with that, Ai came back in, carrying their sleeping daughter in her arms. 

Without a second to lose, Hóu was up on his feet to give the bed to the sleeping baby. But instead, Ai gave him the small bundle of joy with a smile. Something within him clicked that night, and for the first time he remembered something from his past. 

A conversation? 

"Hey, [~~~] why so stiff?" 

"Because! They're so small! So defenseless! How can they survive?!" A chuckle rang out throughout what seemed like a cave as the sound echoed. 

"They're children! Of course, they're small! But hey! They seem to like you!" 

"I… I guess they do…" 

"You know… if you're really worried about them so much why not take care of them?" 

"Don't you already do that?" 

"Well, technically, yes? But what I meant was you could watch over the little ones and make sure they're safe?" 

"... alright, I'll do it!" 

Hóu held the small child close to his chest, a stifled sob escaped him as a few tears flowed down his face and onto the blankets that wrapped around the baby. This concerned the couple as they barely see Hóu cry, in fact. This is only the second time they've seen him cry ever since finding him that fateful day. 

Just before they could react, Hóu faced them. Face stained with tears but his eyes held a strong determination. "No matter what, I'll make sure she becomes big and strong. I swear on my life" 

With his sudden declaration, the couple found a sense of peace and comfort. Ever since then, Hóu had appointed himself their daughter's caretaker and would help Ai and Biming with their daughter in whatever way he could. There had been countless times when Ai or Biming would search for their daughter only to find her asleep on Hóu who had her safely asleep on or under his favorite tree in their garden, sometimes asleep himself. 

Such were the peaceful times, the days he wouldn't have to worry about much except for their family's safety. Nothing could happen to them, he used to think. Not until the incident. 

Golden eyes fluttered open as he heard a faint sound of someone calling out to him. "I'm heading off to work dad!! Text you later!!" Followed by a door slamming shut and a soft ringing of a bell. 

With a sigh, the black monkey sat up and combed through his messy black hair before getting up and heading to the bathroom to freshen up. Mi Hóu looked at the mirror and examined himself only to be taken back to see a human face before remembering that his life with Ai, Biming, and their daughter Chu-Hua had ended a couple of hundred years ago. 

He had remembered everything since that time, and his true name is Liu er Mihóu otherwise known as the Six Eared Macaque. And he remembered that at this current time, he has a son. A son that he had to look out for in a world of hidden demons. But here's the catch, he can't let his son know that he himself is a demon even though he already knows about demons. Which is why he uses a human disguise. 

"Another regular day of work I guess…" he mumbled as he heard the ringing of the bell hung at the door indicating that someone had entered their home, or to be more specific, his clinic. Little did he know that this day would be the end of his daily routine of curing demons and teaching at a dojo. 

[rowyn-writes]

Confidence (Jack x Reader)

Warnings: Fluff, strong language, arguing siblings

Pairings: Jack Kline x Winchester!Reader

Characters: Sam, Dean, Jack, Castiel (mentioned only,) Claire (mentioned only.)

Word Count: 2124

Summary: You start to notice that Jack tends to stay by your side whenever he can.

Requested by: @nancyangel​

Part Two: Dying From a Broken Heart

You sat in your room in the bunker, casually reading on of your many books that lined your walls. You were a bookworm, much like you older brother, Sam. You liked being by yourself with your books and a cup of coffee, as cliche as it sounds.

Right now, you needed an escape from your world and into another one where you know how everything ends. Your half brothers, Sam and Dean we're currently trying to figure out a way to get their mother back from apocalypse world.

You were John's daughter, being the youngest Winchester there was. Along with being the baby of the family, your brothers were over protective of you.

Most of the time you weren't allowed out on a hunt, so you stayed in the bunker and helped with lore and things like that while Sam and Dean would do the hunting.

Lately, however, you were getting more involved, much to your brother's dismay. You loved Sam and Dean with all your heart, but they could be overbearing at times.

You closed your book when you heard a knock on your door. "It's open." You called.

Jack popped his head into the room. "Hey, Y/n. Can I come in?" He asked.

"Sure." You nodded.

Jack took a seat on the chair that sat in front of your small desk. "What's up?"

"Sam and Dean are going on a hunt and I was wondering if you were going?" This was news to you. You're had no idea that your brothers were going on a hunting trip.

You frowned as you go up off your position on the bed. "Now I am." You said, getting your bag ready. "You coming too?"

"Yes." Jack nodded. You told him to finish packing while you did the same.

"Going somewhere, gentlemen?" You asked just as Sam and Dean were about to walk out of the bunker.

Dean let his head fall as he sighed. "You're not coming."

"The hell I'm not." You snapped.

"Dean's right." Sam agreed. "You should sit this one out."

You let out a frustrated grunt. "C'mon. Why are you still treating me like I'm twelve? I'm almost 22."

"You're not ready, Y/n."

"I'm not ready?" You scoffed. "But you let Jack go, and technically, he's barely three months old."

"That's different." Dean said.

"How?! How is that different?! I grew up hunting with you guys and Dad, I know what to do!" You argued.

"It's different because you'll die if something happens! Jack has powers and can defend himself! You don't!" Dean hissed.

"This is ridiculous!" You huffed.

"Maybe next time, Y/n." Sam gave you a smile, which you didn't return. "Alright, Jack!" Sam called out. "Let's go!"

Jack appeared beside them in a second, making you jump slightly. "See you later, Y/n." Dean said. He looked like he wanted to give you a hug but decided against it, because you might knee him in the groin if you had the chance.

"You're not coming, Y/n?" Jack asked, seeming disappointed.

"Apparently not."

Jack seemed to hesitate by the door. "On second thought, I think I'll stay here. You guys don't really need my help, do you?"

Sam and Dean seemed surprised by his change of plans. Jack had been wanting to go on a hunting trip with them for a while. "I guess not." Sam said. And with that, they were gone.

"Why didn't you go with them?" You asked Jack. "You've been wanting to go on a hunting trip with them for a while, so why did you back out?"

"I thought you could use the company." He shrugged.

.

. .

. . .

Sam and Dean returned about two days later, clearly pleased that you and Jack had stayed at the bunker. You had thought of finding you own case, maybe even hunting with Claire, but decided against it.

But that doesn't mean you still weren't pissed at your brothers. They kept treating you like you were five, when you were 21. It was infuriating. That's why you were determined to find a case.

"Hey, so look what I found." You said, holding your computer up to your brothers. "Five people dead. All found without their hearts. However, there was six victims. One survived. If we can find out who's killing these people, we can put down the son of a bitch."

"Where's this happening at?" Dean asked gruffly.

"Little Rock, Arkansas."

Dean nodded his head. "Okay. Sammy, pack your things, Y/n, send us the address. We'll call you when you get there."

"Wait a minute." You protested. "You said that I would get to come with you on the next hunt! This is the next hunt."

"No."

"No?"

"No. You're not coming."

"Oh come on!" You yelled angrily. "You have got to be kidding me! You promised that you would take me out on the hunt!"

"I never promised." Dean reminded her. "I never make promises I can't keep. You know that."

"You're being ridiculous! C'mon Sam, back me up here." You looked over to the man, giving him pleading eyes.

"I think Y/n's right Dean." He agreed. "We've seen what she can do, handling a werewolf or two isn't anything she can't handle."

Dean frowned, looking back and forth between you and Sam. "I'm not gonna win this argument, am I?"

"Nope."

"Fine. Go pack your things. Tell Jack to do the same." You nodded, calmly walking away. But as soon as you were out of sight from Sam and Dean, you gave a tiny squeal and did a little dance.

"Are we celebrating something?" Jack asked from behind you, making you jump slightly.

You gave him a big smile. "That we are, Jack. Sam and Dean are letting us go on a hunt! So pack your bags, we leave in an hour!"

You quickly packed your bag full of clothes and other essentials and put them in the trunk of the Impala.

Jack sat in the back seat with you; it was only logical, since Sam was the Jolly Green Giant and could barely fit back there.

While you loved the Impala, you did not love the kind of music that played constantly. As Sam once put it, "It's the greatest hits of Mullet Rock." So you had brought your phone and a pair of earbuds.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked curiously.

"Listening to music."

"But Dean has music playing?" He furrowed his eyebrows, making your heart soar at his cute little scrunched up face.

"Yeah, well, Dean and I have very different tastes in music. Here, listen to this." You gave him the other earbud you had.

Jack seemed to like your selection of music, as he grinned as the song played on. After a while of driving, your legs began to cramp. Whether you were tall or short, being in the back of the Impala for a long time did nothing to help your legs.

You tried to find a position where you weren't invading Jack's bubble, as not to touch him because you didn't know how he would react.

"You can stretch out your legs." Jack said, as if reading your thoughts. "I don't mind." You gave him a grateful smile as you rested your legs in his lap.

About four hours in, you began to doze off. Car rides were always relaxing to you, seeing your surroundings blur as you sped past, feeling the Impala rock beneath you, and being able to spread out in the back seat.

Although, you couldn't count how many times you had to disinfect the back seat because of your brothers. Mostly Dean.

You were woken up rather unpleasantly by Dean. You had been leaning against the door of the Impala when he yanked the door open, causing you to tumble out of the car. "Thanks for the awesome wake-up call, dick." You growled.

"No problem, fuck-face." He grinned as he helped you up. You grabbed your stuff and checked into your motel room.

It was like every other motel you've ever stayed at, rock hard beds, ugly wall patterns, and a small box T.V.

You went ahead and changed into your FBI clothes, a light blue button down shirt tucked into a pair of black jeans, matching boots and a blazer. "You boys ready?" You asked, exiting the bathroom to see all of them had changed into their uniforms.

You all piled into the Impala once more and headed to the local police station, and then to the hospital.

.

. .

. . .

You had found out nothing. There was no victimology, no connection, nothing. You figured there wouldn't be a pattern, it was a werewolf, after all.

You did know, however, that the werewolf was a Purebred, as the moon cycle didn't line up with the victims deaths.

And the surviving victim was a fifteen year old girl. Thankfully, she hadn't been bitten. But she was in so much shock that she couldn't remember her attackers face.

"Poor girl." You commented, shrugging off your blazer. "She's never going to be the same."

"She'll learn to cope." Dean assured you. "Okay, so Jack and I are gonna go to where the bodies were found and dig around a little, you and Sam stay here and see what you can find out about this town. See if there's any kind of pattern with the killings."

"Actually, could I stay here with Y/n and help her?" Jack asked.

Dean looked taken aback slightly. "Uh, yeah, sure kid. Sammy, let's go." Once the two brothers were in the car, Dean looked over at Sam. "Jack has a crush on Y/n." He frowned.

Sam snorted. "Okay? And you couldn't tell that before? I kinda thought it was obvious."

Dean cuffed Sam. "Alright, Captain Jack-ass. I was just saying maybe we shouldn't leave Y/n and Jack alone."

"Oh, please." Sam scoffed. "Nothing's gonna happen."

You got out your laptop and sat on one of the beds. You noticed that Jack was watching you from the couch. It was obvious be wanted to say something.

"Hey, Jack?"

"Yes, Y/n?" He looked excited to see that you engaged in a conversation with him first.

"How come you wanted to stay behind with me?"

"Oh, did you want me to go with Dean?" Jack seemed disappointed.

"No, no. That's not it!" You assured him quickly. He looked extremely relieved to hear that. "I was just curious. On the last hunt that Sam and Dean went on, you decided to stay behind with me too. And whenever I go out to grab food or something, you always come with me. I love your company, so please don't take that the wrong way. I was just wondering."

Jack thought over your words for a few moments before answering. "I don't really feel confident around anyone. Sometimes I feel like another burden onto Sam, Dean and Cas. But with you, I feel like I'm not judged."

"You're not judged by any of us, Jack. You know that." You frowned.

"I know that, I just can't help but feel that way sometimes. But things are different with you. I feel confident and safe, like I can be myself whenever you're around. I enjoy being around you, Y/n."

You felt your heart melt at Jack's words. You felt exactly the same way about him. While growing up, you never really had boyfriends, just a one night stand here and there (which your brothers definitely didn't know about.)

"Jack." You started. "Do you see me the same way you see Sam and Dean?"

"No. It feels different. I can't really explain it. It's like. . . When I'm with you, I can feel my heart start to beat faster, and my palms get kind of sweaty. I don't do that when I'm around Sam and Dean." He explained.

You smiled as you realized what he was saying. "Jack, I think that means you have a crush on me."

"Crush you?!" Jack looked startled. "I would never hurt you!"

"No, no, no! That's not what I meant." You sighed as you tried to break it down to him. "It means you really like someone, but not as a friend. Kind of like a boyfriend or girlfriend."

Realization dawned on Jack as he soaked in your words. "Then can I be your boyfriend?" He asked eagerly.

You gave a small laugh. "Yeah, you can." You kissed him on the cheek. Jack's face became pink under your gaze.

"Could I kiss your lips?" You didn't answer as your lips brushed over his.

"Does that answer your question?" He nodded happily as a smile formed on his face. He felt happy and safe with you standing in front of him.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I was thinking about making a part two? Tell me what you think!

[gladerwolfstarkimagines]

Imagine being Tenzin's eldest daughter and dating Bolin which Tenzin isn't very pleased with. So Tenzin makes it his mission to keep you and Bolin apart which just means the two of you find sneakier ways to be together.

Part Two here

Tenzin got back to his house and for once it was quiet, confused where the small army he shared his house with was he approached his second eldest daughter Jinora. "Where's korra?" Tenzin asked. "With Asami". "And Ikki and Meelo?". "With uncle Boomi". “And your mother?”. “Out with Aunt Kya”. Tenzin smiled everyone was taken care of and he could finally relax. "And y/n and Bolin?" Tenzin asked relaxing into his chair. "They'e in y/n's room" Jinora shrugged and Tenzin jumped up "with the door closed? Y/n" he bellowed pushing the door open with air bending. "Okay okay im sorry" he heard you yell and Tenzin sighed having your boyfriend stay here was making him age faster.

You and Bolin were in your room relaxing on the bed preparing to watch a movie. For once you didn’t have to babysit your younger siblings or train so had rushed off for some privacy with Bolin and your dad almost kicked the door down. Your dad was insanely worried about leaving you and Bolin alone despite the fact you were dating and Bolin was the sweetest guy in the world. Bolin had been trying to show you the mover he was in for week but you never had a spare moment where you could be alone with him. So when your dad had gone out and left you and Bolin with no task it seemed like the perfect time. You were determined your dad wouldn’t stop another one of your dates but of course he managed to. When your door flew open you sighed and called back you’d leave it open as per your dad’s many rules about you and Bolin. You looked to Bolin worried this would ruin the date but Bolin didn’t seem to mind. The movie started and you moved closer to Bolin to lean against him and he accomodated you hugging you against him. You and Bolin were just getting into the movie, despite the noise your family was making throughout the house when your father knocked on the open door and walked in. "Y/n its getting late, i think you and Bolin should get ready to go to sleep soon so he should go do that in his room soon". You nodded at your dad in reply so engrossed in the film you didn’t realise he hadn’t left. Tenzin coughed and you both looked up to see he didn't look impressed. "Ow you mean now?" Bolin asked and Tenzin nodded "well yes i think that'd be best". You blushed as Tenzin stood waiting glaring at Bolin. Bolin jumped up obediently while you pouted annoyed. Bolin paused the film and gathered his things and smiled "we can finish the movie tomorrow". You nodded "i suppose" and Bolin went to step towards you when Tenzin actually growled. A literal noise escaped his throat at Bolin daring to step closer to you. You sighed but Bolin just smirked and left shooting you a smile. Tenzin watched him go staring into his back and then turned to your door and fixed two bells around the door handle. "Dad!" You cried "what is that?". "Nothing just a decoration...". "You're doing it so you’ll know if i leave my room! Do you not trust me?". "I trust you y/n but i do not trust teenage boys! And i have to do my duty as your father! Having your boyfriend under the same roof..i have to take precautions". "But you didn't do this for Mako and Korra!". "Yes well Korra is older than you and Mako is more responsible than Bolin". You groaned and Tenzin coughed "you weren’t going to break the rules so this shouldn’t be an issue for you". You rolled your eyes "fine whatever...can i go to sleep now?". Tenzin nodded "i am only doing it because i love you y/n, if you have children you’ll understand". You huffed and Tenzin frowned "well goodnight y/n". "Goodnight dad" you said exasperatedly as the door closed but you didn’t plan on sleeping. Your dad hadn’t put bells on your window so as soon as you heard him go to bed you got ready. You gathered what you needed and climbed out of your window before airbending onto the roof. You carefully climbed across the roof to Bolin’s room and landed outside his window. You knocked on Bolin’s window film projector in hand and saw the curtains swing aside as Bolin realised it was you. "Y/n" Bolin grinned hanging out of his window "what are you doing here?". "Well we didn't get to finish the movie because of my dad so i figured we could now without him knowing?". Bolin hesitated for two seconds before grinning "yes come on it!". It had only been lightly raining but Bolin still wrapped a blanket around you before bringing you back to your prefered spot on the bed. He bustled around getting the movie ready and the secret snacks Tenzin didnt know about before jumping down next to you.

The film finished and Bolin looked at you anxiously "so what did you think...i wasn't sure if it was too far fetched and could you tell i couldn’t do my stunts properly and i didn’t look that great in that scene with the royal guards...". "Bolin" you said grabbing his shoulders "it was great! You were great in it, your stunts were amazing, your acting was really good and you looked well..." you trailed off blushing "basically it was amazing and i really enjoyed it!". "Really?" Bolin asked and you nodded. Bolin seized you in a hug and it made you blush he valued your opinion so much. "Im so glad you like it" he smiled putting you back down "your opinion means a lot to me" he blushed and you smiled. "Yours too Bolin" you told him "you're one of the most important people to me". Bolin's blush grew and he looked down his eyes slightly glazed. Bolin smiled and took your hand "you're pretty important to me too y/n" and kissed you softly. Bolin was always so caring and affectionate he just always made you feel loved and safe. He never pressured or rushed you, he was the best man you'd ever met. You broke away blushing and smiled at him before sighing "i should probably go". Bolin frowned "are you sure i mean it's not even that late...plus it's raining really heavily outside you could get a cold or get blown off the roof! Or lost". "Lost? My rooms practically across from yours!" you smirked but Bolin shrugged "i still don’t think you should risk it". You smirked "so what i stay here until the rain stops...that could be all night". Bolin shrugged "i just think it’d be safer it probably won’t be all night" he argued but his tone told you he hoped it would be. You smirked and nodded "fine..i guess i can stay for a bit longer and see if it stops". Bolin grinned "that's a very good decision y/n i must say". "Stop it" you pushed him before blushing as he grabbed your hand. You smiled and leant into him "i might nap while im here for a bit, if that's okay?". Bolin nodded "of course" and gathered even more blankets to keep you warm. You smiled getting into the blankets and Bolin got in beside you. With a bolt of lightning the rain came down ever harder. You noticed and Bolin pretended to look away. "i didn’t do anything!" he said when he felt you looking at him. "Mh hmmm?" You asked laying beside him but you were smiling. "Promise" Bolin smiled putting an arm around you. Bolin was so broad you fitted against him easily and curled up against his side. Bolin wrapped his large arm around you and you felt do safe and warm with the rain pounding against the window. "Goodnight y/n" Bolin smiled kissing your forehead and you smiled closing your eyes. "Goodnight Bolin".

You vaguely heard voices and groaned trying to sunk further into the warmth and Bolin. You buried your head against his chest and fell back to sleep when suddenly Bolin’s door was thrown open. "Y/n" Tenzin screetched and you and Bolin jolted awake. Bolin let out a yelp as Tenzin stared his eyes bulging. "You didn’t put bells on my windows?" you offered and your father turned even more red. "I’ll be putting bars on your window young lady if you dont stay in your assigned room!" He yelled and to your dismay others flocked to the room. "Did you find her?" Asami asked before smirking "ow...i see". "She's in here?" Mako asked "but thats Bolins room" before trailing off as Korra stumbled in too. "Well you did want Y/N to help rebuild the air nation" Korra smirked before she halted as Tenzin spun on her making the avatar gulp. "Is there something funny about my little girl growing up?" Tenzin yelled at them "no? Didn’t think so! Y/n get out of there right now and march yourself to your room this instance". You distangled yourself from Bolin and all the blankets and stood up red faced. "Sir it wasnt y/ns fault..." Bolin tried but Tenzin silenced him with a look. "You are grounded young lady and if i ever find you in his room again i'll...i'll take away your bison!". "Dad...." you groaned but he shook his head "no buts now to your room". You rolled your eyes but did as he said.

Later you sat in your room avoiding your dad's wrath when you heard someone near your window and opened your suprisingly still unlocked window to see Pabu. "Pabu?" You asked as he scampered in and dropped something on your bed. You grinned to see it was a note from Bolin with a wild flower attached "so guess you're our go between huh Pabu" You asked the fire ferret as you fed him a treat as payment. Pabu made a happy noise and you smiled before turning to Bolin’s note. "Sorry i got you in trouble but it was worth it" he wrote "think your dads gonna have us under surveillance for a while but i'm sure we can work around it. I'm game if you are and next time we wont get caught. Love Bolin". You smiled hiding your note and wrote a quick reply before handing it to Pabu who ran off to give it Bolin. You picked up the flower Pabu had also brought and smirked, you had the best boyfriend ever. Father be damned you’d find a way to see him.

[imaginationintowords]

Folklore [song series]

my tears ricochet

Modern Day AU! Bucky Barnes x Natasha Romanoff; Steve Rogers x OC!Reader

Plot: Inspired by Taylor Swift’s new album Folklore. The story follows the timeline of Bucky and Elizabeth’s life throughout the years

[warnings: death, and funeral]

word count: 4829

[a/n: sorry for such a long wait. I've been busy. I thought once I was done for the semester I would have a lot more time to work on my stories, but if anything my summer break has been more hectic. Just because I haven't been posting, doesn't mean I haven't been working on them. Just know that I am working on the new chapters for this and for TKWBA, just need a bit of patience from you all. Also thank-you for the continue love and support on all my work]

Series Masterlist

Tag list info here [if you want to be tagged please read this]

Age: 21

Year: Sep. 2015

Location: Brooklyn, NY & Stanford, CA

Elizabeth was sat at her desk doing her homework. She was anxiously waiting for Steve's call about the baby arriving. He had called her two hours prior to let her know that Natasha had gone into labor, and they were at the hospital. Steve told her that he'd call her as soon as he heard the news. She tried her hardest to focus on her homework, but she found herself constantly checking her phone for any updates.

Suddenly her phone started going off. She instantly picked it up and answered the call.

"Is the baby here?" She immediately asked.

"Liz," Steve choked out.

"Steve, what's wrong?" She could hear the distress in his voice.

"Natasha, she," he tried to say but the words got caught in his throat, and she could hear the soft cries.

"Steve, breathe," she tries to calm him down the best she could without actually physically being with him.

Elizabeth was simultaneously trying to keep herself calm, and not rush into any assumptions.

"She died," he said after calming himself down enough to tell her what happened.

"She died?"

"I guess there were complications, he tells her, still unsure of what exactly happened.

Steve hadn't thought to ask further into what exactly happened when Bucky's mom called to tell him the devastating news. He couldn't wrap his head around what she was telling him. He just never imagined that this would be the outcome of his best friend welcoming his first child into the world.

Steve clears his throat trying to force the lump back down.

"I'm catching the next flight out to New York," he tells Elizabeth, "I just gotta be there for Bucky."

"Yeah, of course," she says, completely understanding.

"I know you can't exactly fly out now, without letting your professors know, so as soon as I find out all the funeral," his throat catches at the word, he takes a small breath, "all the funeral information I'll let you know."

"Okay that works," she agrees.

"Okay. I haven't to pack real quick and get to the airport within the next hour," he tells her.

"Okay, I'll let you go."

"Wait, Steve," she calls out before he could hang up.

"Yeah?"

"I love you," she says with a shaky voice.

"I love you too, so much," he says, "I'll text you when I board the plane."

After one final goodbye, Steve hangs up the phone.

The flight seemed like Steve's longest one he's ever been on. As soon as he landed he quickly grabbed his carry on, the only thing aside from his backpack that he brought with him. Elizabeth had messaged him letting him know that she could bring more of his stuff once she flies out.

Steve made his way out of the airport to find his mom waiting for him by her car. He quickly made his way towards her and wrapping his arms around her.

On the drive to Bucky's apartment Steve sent Liz a text letting her know he landed. He then called Bucky's mom to let her know he was on the way.

"Thank-you for coming out Steve," Winnie thanks him, "The baby is just about to get discharged, we should be at the apartment before you get there."

"Of course, I'll see you guys soon," he says hanging up the phone.

Steve then sends a quick email to his boss and professors explains his absence and why he'll most likely be gone for a couple of weeks.

An hour later Steve's mom was stopping outside of Bucky's building.

"Let them know I'm here if they need anything," his mom tells him before he exists the car, "I'll come back at noon with lunch for everyone."

"Thanks Mom," he says leaning over to kiss her cheek.

Steve exists the car leaving his bags with his mom. He takes one final breath before walking to the front doors. Steve presses the call button for Bucky's apartment and was immediately buzzed in.

As soon as he reaches Bucky's door, he knocks quietly. The door opens and he's welcomed by Rebecca. He takes in the sullen face on the teenage girl.

"Hey Bec," he says.

"Hi," she quietly says, as they hug each other in the door way.

When they pull apart she steps aside letting him inside.

"It's just my parents and I here. Bucky didn't want to deal with a lot of people right now," she explains to Steve.

"Steve," he hears from his left, Keith, Bucky's stepdad makes his way out of the small kitchenette over to him, and embracing him, "Thank-you so much for coming. We know you're a very busy person."

Before Steve could respond Bucky's mom Winnie walks into the living room.

"Oh Steve," she immediately wraps her arms around him.

"Thank-you so much for coming on such a short notice," she says. Steve could hear the shakiness in her voice. He could tell she was trying to keep it together. No doubt the last 12 hours being the most stressful and emotional she's ever been.

"There's no need to thank me. This is where I need to be," he tells them.

"Let us at least pay you back for the flight," Keith says.

"No, don't worry about that," Steve waves him off, "I had a lot of miles that needed to be used."

"Well, thank-you again," Keith nods his head, understanding where Steve was coming from.

"You can go on ahead Steve. Bucky is waiting for you in the nursery," Winnie tells him, giving him an assuring nod, he nods back making his way towards the nursery.

The short walk seemed like it was much longer. Steve has never felt so nervous in his life. When he approaches the closed door, he softly knocks on it.

"Come in," Bucky calls from inside.

Steve walks in, closing the door behind him. He's immediately greeted by Bucky sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of the room, feeding his newborn daughter.

"Hey," Steve softly says, not sure what to say.

"Hey," Bucky greeted Steve with a sad smile.

It had been 12 hours later and it still didn't feel real to Bucky. The hospital had even offered the chance for him and Poppy to stay a couple of days, but all Bucky wanted to do was to go home and get away from the hospital. But now being back in the apartment without Natasha was surreal. He was trying his best to keep it all in, at least while the baby is awake and needs him.

He was determined in being the one that cared for her, even when his mom offered to take care of her for a few hours while he gets some rest. He assured her that he needed to do this. He had to do it alone, because he knew that soon enough it would just be him and Poppy.

Bucky was very grateful when he heard Steve was flying out. He felt like Steve was the only one he could really talk to about everything going on.

Steve was still standing by the door, just watching his best friend be a dad for the first time. He had no idea what to say in this kind of situation. The words were caught in his throat the moment he actually saw Bucky.

"Thanks for coming," Bucky says breaking the silence. Steve immediately looks away from the baby to meet Bucky's eyes.

"You would've done the same thing," Steve says, "And like I've said before, I'll always be here for you."

"I don't care how far, I'll always be on that first flight to you," Steve continues, he glances down at the now sleepy baby, "You're my brother Buck."

There was a moment of silence between the young men. Both understanding what the other one means with such few words.

Steve watched as Bucky gently placed the sleepy baby on his shoulder to burp her.

"It suits you," Steve quietly remarks.

"What?" Bucky looked up at him confused.

"Fatherhood, it suits you," Steve says again, stepping closer to his friend.

"You think?" Bucky looks back down at the now sleeping baby.

"Yeah. I know it's only been less than a day, but you look natural. Make it look easy."

"Thanks," Bucky smiled, getting up for the he chair and walking over to the crib to gently place Poppy in.

Steve walked over, standing next to Bucky, watching the little one sleep peacefully.

"What's her name?" Steve whispered, realizing that he hadn't found out what the name of the baby was.

"Poppy James Barnes," Bucky proudly says.

"That's cute," Steve commented, he placed his right hand on Bucky's left shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

Bucky looked over at Steve and they both nodded their heads in agreement, before falling into an embrace.

"I am so sorry," Steve quietly says.

"It happened so quick, she barely even got to see the baby," Bucky quietly cried into Steve's shoulder, "I never even thought of this would be the outcome. I never imagined I'd be coming home solo with the baby."

Steve tightened his embrace on Bucky, just listening to his friend.

"I don't know how I'm going to do this Steve. I don't know how I'm going to raise her without her mom. I'm trying to keep it together to not worry my mom, but fuck Steve, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm scared I'll screw this all up. I'm scared I'll screw her up.

"I'm so scared Steve," Bucky cries.

"It's okay to be scared," Steve tries his best to comfort Bucky, "I'd be more concerned if you weren't scared. This is entirely new territory for you. You're raising a child, a child who unfortunately no longer has her mother. That alone is a fucking terrifying thing to go through.

"It's not going to be easy. There's no point in lying to you, and saying it will. You and I both that won't be the truth. But if there's anyone I know who could do this, it's you Buck. You're the strongest person I know. Whatever has happened before this doesn't matter. The only thing that matters now is that little girl. And I know damn well you're going to give her the best life she will ever have," Steve pulls away from Bucky and holds onto his shoulders.

"And you're not alone in this. You have a lot of people who care about you, and now Poppy. You will never be alone. You'll always have someone to call, someone to help you. You're crazy to think we would ever leave you to do this alone. We're here, and we're not going anywhere. You and Poppy will never have to be alone. She might not have her mom, but she's got you, and I know damn well you won't ever let her wonder what being without one parent truly feels like.

"You've got this Buck," Steve assures him, "And we're here every step of the way."

"Thanks Steve," Bucky sniffles, wiping the tears away.

"No need to thank me," Steve smiles, "Now why don't you go take a nap. Get some rest. We're here if Poppy wakes up."

"Yeah I could use some sleep," Bucky yawns, his adrenaline from the last 12 hours fading away.

Steve walks Bucky to his bedroom and watches as he gets into his bed, and quickly falls asleep. He quietly closes the door behind him, with the baby monitor in one hand checking to make sure Poppy is still asleep.

He walks back into the living room, placing the monitor by the tv for everyone to see and hear.

"They're both asleep," Steve announces to the room.

"Oh thank goodness," Winnie sighs, "James hasn't taken a moment to rest since everything happened."

"Knowing Bucky, we'll probably have to be forcing him to rest for the next couple of weeks," Steve says.

"I just got off of the phone with Natasha's father," Keith said walking back inside the apartment.

"What did he say?" Winnie asked.

"He said that the funeral is all up to us," Keith sighs, "Something about how Natasha made her own path with getting pregnant, and that once she left she was no longer his responsibility."

"He really said that?" Winnie asked mortified.

"I'm afraid so," Keith sighed, "I tried reasoning with him saying we would handle everything financially and he can come to the funeral but he said no."

"What kind of father doesn't show up to his own daughter's funeral," Winnie shakes her head in complete disbelief.

"Explains why Natasha was the way she was," Rebecca whispered, so that only Steve could hear her.

He reluctantly agrees.

Two weeks later

Elizabeth was helping Steve with his tie in his childhood bedroom. She had flown in yesterday for today's funeral services. Elizabeth had gotten in late last night, so she still hasn't seen Bucky or Poppy yet. She was a let to get a week off of work and her professors gave her an extension on her assignments when she explained to them what happened.

"I still can't believe Natasha's dad isn't going," she says as she straightens out Steve's tie.

"Bucky's mom is still holding out hope that he shows up," Steve says.

"What does Bucky think of it all?" Elizabeth asks.

"He's not worrying about it," Steve explains, looking over himself in the mirror, "His only concern right now is Poppy and only Poppy. If Nat's dad shows up then he does. But as of now Bucky has made the decision that he will not be in Poppy's life. Not until he proves himself."

"That's very mature," she says grabbing her purse.

"This Buck is like a whole new one you've never seen before. Fatherhood has made him a thousand times more grown up these last couple of weeks."

"That's good."

"Ready to go?" Steve asked her, grabbing the keys to his mom's car.

"Yup," Elizabeth says following Steve out.

Bucky had asked Steve to pick him and Poppy up, and Steve had of course agreed.

They arrived to Bucky's apartment in fifteen minutes. Walking up to Bucky's door they could hear a lot of commotion coming from inside. Steve used the key Bucky gave him to let himself and Elizabeth in.

As soon as they walked in they were greeted by the sounds of a baby crying.

"Buck?" Steve called out.

"We're in here," he calls from the nursery.

They go to the nursery to find Bucky looking frazzled while trying to change Poppy's diaper.

"I'm so sorry. I'm running so behind," Bucky tells them, glancing over his shoulder quickly,

"Poppy didn't sleep well last night. And nothing I've tried has been working."

"It's okay Buck, just take your time," Steve calmly says.

"I still need to shower, shave, and get dressed," Bucky rambles, "She's going to need another change of clothes because she spat all over herself, and my mom only bought this one outfit for today."

"Hey Bucky, calm down," Elizabeth calmly spoke up, placing her hand on his back, "Take a breath."

Bucky felt the warmth and comfort from Liz's touch. He listens to what she says and takes a deep breath.

"Okay good," she says, "now you go get ready. Steve and I got this."

"Okay," he nods his head, handing the baby over to Elizabeth, "thank-you."

"Of course," she softly smiles at him, "now go get ready."

Bucky quickly makes his way out of the room and into his own to get ready.

Elizabeth looks down at the small baby in her arms. She could see so much of Bucky in the baby with hints of Natasha. It was a little strange for her to be holding Bucky's baby and it not being her baby as well. Not that she ever wanted to get back together with Bucky, because she didn't. There was just a little voice in her head, that of her teenage self, saying how it was supposed to be them, doing this together.

She quickly shut the voice down.

Elizabeth was incredibly sympathetic of Bucky's situation. All she wanted to do was be there for him, as a friend. She wanted Bucky to succeed as a father, and she would do what she could to make that happen.

Steve silently watched Elizabeth watching Poppy. He couldn't really read her expression. He hates to admit it to himself, especially with everything going on, but he was slightly worried about how Liz would react to all of this. He had faith in their relationship, of course he trusted her immensely. But he still couldn't help but feel like she might decide to leave him for Bucky. Elizabeth turned around to see Steve looking at her with a distant look in his eyes.

"You good?" She gently asked, breaking him from his self-destructive thoughts.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah," she nods her head, handing the baby over to him, "I'm going to try and find her a new outfit.

"Okay," Steve says sitting down with the baby.

"I love you," Liz quietly says to Steve, knowing what could possibly going through his mind, if hers was also wandering.

"I love you," Steve replies back, finding himself relaxing at just hearing those three words, any doubt slipping away.

30 minutes later Bucky was ready to go. He walked out to the living room where he found Steve and Elizabeth sitting with each other holding the baby. He paused for a moment taking in the scene in front of him. He felt a sense of warmth and low flow through him as his closest friends admire his daughter. In that moment he knew he had made the right decision in what he would tell them next.

Steve glanced up to see Bucky leaning against the frame of the hallway.

"Ready?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, but I actually wanted to ask you two something before we go," Bucky says walking over and sitting on a chair next to the couch.

"Sure, what's up?" Steve leans forward, leaning on his knees, giving Bucky his full attention.

Elizabeth tears her eyes away from Poppy to also give Bucky her full attention. She smiles at him, letting him know he could continue on.

"I first and foremost just want to thank you Steve, for what probably is the hundredth time," Bucky says, "I know you have a lot going on with work and school. So I really appreciate everything you've done for me and for Poppy. And you too Elizabeth, I know you're incredibly busy especially with law school prep. And with everything that's happened between-"

"Don't," she stopped him, "What's past is past."

"Well anyways, thank-you," Bucky says, "Now here comes what I wanted to ask you two. There's no other two people I wouldn't trust more with Poppy. So I wanted to ask if you would be her godparents?"

"Really?" Elizabeth asked taken back by Bucky's request.

"Yes," he nods his head, "There's no one else I wouldn't trust with her if anything happens. It'll help me sleep better knowing she'll have two people who'll love her like I would. Two people who have so much love between them, that I know will always be together."

Both Steve and Elizabeth were taken back by Bucky's last statement. They knew Bucky had accepted their relationship, but to actually have him not only say it out loud but to practically give them his blessing, it meant the world to the couple.

Steve and Elizabeth both share a look with tears glistening in their eyes. Elizabeth nods her head.

Steve turns back to Bucky, "We'd be honored to be Poppy's godparents."

Elizabeth and Steve stood up to hug Bucky. All filled with a wide range of emotions. Bucky felt a huge sense of comfort after asking Liz and Steve to be Poppy's godparents. He knew he made the right decision, and he knew he could now sleep better at night knowing his daughter would be taken care of. And by two people he knows can love her the way he does.

After what happened with Natasha, Bucky just wanted to make sure Poppy would be taken care of. If she couldn't have her parents, then she would have the closest thing to having parents. And Bucky knows Steve and Elizabeth would be amazing parents.

That alone allowed him to be at peace for whatever may happen.

Arriving to the funeral location Bucky felt his nerves start to spike. He sat in the backseat looking out the window at the familiar faces walking into the chapel.

"You okay?" Elizabeth asked turning in her seat, after Steve parked the car.

"I don't know if I can do this," he mutters, glancing towards the sleeping baby in the car seat next to him.

"We'll be right next to you along the entire way," Liz calmly says.

"If you feel too overwhelmed we'll leave whenever you want," Steve tells him, "We won't stay if you absolutely can't handle it. No one will hold it against you."

"Okay," Bucky takes a deep breath.

"Stay here, I'll get the stroller out," Steve says, getting out of the car.

"No one is expecting you to be brave, Buck," Elizabeth says, "You're allowed to be vulnerable. You're allowed to show emotions."

He nods his head, taking in what she's telling him.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small necklace. Clutching onto it as if his life depended on it.

Elizabeth catches the small 'N' on it, realizing that that was the necklace Natasha wore everyday since she was 13.

Bucky takes one final deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

"Okay, I'm ready," he tells her.

"Okay, let's do this."

Bucky was grateful that they arrived only minutes before the service started. Everyone was already seated in the pews.

He slowly walked down the aisle pushing the stroller, Steve and Elizabeth walking right behind him.

Bucky tried his best to avoid any eye contact with everyone. He couldn't bare to look at the pity in their eyes.

He caught sight of his family siting in the second row. He also noticed a man sitting alone in the first row.

He instantly knew who it was.

Once Bucky reached the first row, the man made to movement to greet Bucky.

Bucky cleared his throat, "Mr. Romanoff."

The older man looked over at Bucky, then at the stroller.

"James," he stiffly said, turning his attention back to the front.

Bucky awkwardly sat down placing the stroller next to his legs, away from Natasha's father, while Steve and Elizabeth sat next to Bucky.

The service was going smoothly up until the priest announced that Natasha's father would be making a speech, catching everyone off guard.

Bucky looked at the older man as he walked up to the stand. He turned around to face his mom, "Did you know this?" he whispered.

"No I didn't," she shook her head.

Right as Mr. Romanoff was about to start speaking, Poppy began to cry. Bucky quickly went to get her out of the stroller, while Steve quickly went to grab a bottle to help him out.

As soon as the baby calmed down Mr. Romanoff began to speak.

"First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for coming," he begins, "I really appreciate it. Natasha would be eternally grateful for all of you."

Bucky started to get annoyed by the beginning of Mr. Romanoff's speech. As if the man didn't turn down the invitation for the last two weeks. Now he's trying to act like the perfect father, as if he didn't kick her out and cut off his pregnant daughter.

"Natasha was a kind hearted person. Only wanting the best for those closest to her. She was the most selfless person you would have ever met," he continued on with his speech.

Elizabeth couldn't help but be confused by Mr. Romanoff's speech. She hated thinking ill of the dead, but that man had no idea who his daughter truly was.

"Natasha was so smart, earning her way into Yale. She was only months away from graduating. I was so incredibly proud of her. If only we would've gotten the opportunity to watch her walk across the stage.

"Other than leaving an everlasting impression on all of us, she also left behind a part of her. Her last moments on Earth was spent bringing in another Romanoff," he says.

Bucky's head snapped up to Mr. Romanoff, then towards Steve.

"Romanoff?" Bucky whispered, "This man has the fucking nerve."

"Ignore him," Steve whispered back, trying to calm Bucky down, "He's just saying all of this to make himself look good."

"Natasha brought her daughter into the world," Mr. Romanoff continued, forcing fake tears to fall, "I remember being by her side as she was in labor."

Bucky clenched his jaw, forcing himself not to call Mr. Romanoff out on his lies.

"As she was dying," Mr. Romanoff paused for dramatic effect, "Her only request was to name her daughter after her."

Steve paled his hand on Bucky's shoulder, trying his best to calm him down. It was too late, Bucky was already placing Poppy in Steve's arms.

"What a fucking lie," Bucky stood up shouting at Mr. Romanoff, causing everyone to gasp.

"James," Mr. Romanoff said through gritted teeth, as a warning.

"How could you just lie to all these people?" Bucky shouted, "How could you lie as if you didn't disown Natasha months prior when she told you she was pregnant. Or when my parents kept inviting you to the funeral, you kept saying no and how Natasha's decisions led to their death. How dare you say you were in the delivery room. As if you didn't have her number blocked.  My mom and I were there when things took a horrible turn. We were there when the doctor walked out and told us Natasha didn't make it. Not you! Us!

"Then you go on to make some shitty story about Nat's last words. Which is completely false. Natasha never wanted to name the baby after herself, you'd actually know that if you were actually present in her life. But you weren't. And you sure as hell will never be a part of your granddaughter's life."

Bucky turned to Steve and Liz, "Let's go."

They nodded their heads and helped put Poppy in the stroller. They followed Bucky as he walked out of the chapel.

After leaving the funeral services, Steve was able to calm Bucky down. Winnie had called Elizabeth to let her know that the burial services the next day were officially going to be private. Liz agreed that that'd be best for everyone involved. Especially with what happened during the funeral services.

The burial service was only attended by Bucky, and his family, along with Elizabeth and Steve.

Everything went along smoothly. Everyone giving Bucky the safe space to grieve.

After the burial, everyone gave Bucky a few moments alone at the grave site so he can say his final goodbyes.

"Hey Nat," he pauses taking a deep breath, "these last two weeks haven't been the easiest. But boy have they been amazing. I may be more exhausted than I've ever been, but boy is she worth it.

"She may only be two weeks but I can already tell she's going to be the most amazing person ever," he softly cries, "You would've loved her so much. But like I promised back at the hospital, she'll never not know who her mother was. I will always make sure she knows who you were. Always."

"Goodbye Natasha," he whispered, before walking away to join his family waiting.

Age: 26

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Year: 2020

"Daddy, what's this?" Poppy calls out to her father from his bedroom.

"What's what petal?" He asked walking into the room, finding her surrounded by boxes, as they prep for their move uptown.

"This," she holds up the small necklace with the 'N'.

Bucky kept that necklace in a small box in his nightstand. He kept it at the bottom of his nightstand for safe keepings. Planning on one day to give it to his daughter. He always planned to wait until she was 16, but he figures now is as good as ever.

"That was your mommy Natasha's," he said walking over to her, and sitting next to her on his bed, "She got it when she was 13, and wore it every day up until when she died."

"It's pretty," she says admiring it in her hands.

"It is isn't it," he smiles at his little girl, "It's now yours."

He grabs the necklace from her little hands. He unclasps it, then gently moves her dirty blonde hair to the side. He places the necklace around her neck, and clasps it shut.

"Thank-you daddy," she smiles brightly at her father, admiring the necklace that now lay on her chest.

Bucky smiled at his daughter, watching as she kept admiring the necklace. It was a little big on her, but he knew she would grow into it.

"Anything for you baby," he kisses the top of her head, "Anything."