#but if YOU approach HIM he's all like “ew what's wrong with you” as though he isn't being a little freak about your existence 24/7

[luckykittysshowerthoughts]

Michael trying to court MC but it just has the energy of a curious child poking a Weird Neat Thing He Found in the Bushes with a stick then jumping back when it moves

[corpsebasil]

Steal My Girl

Ethan’s roommate has the girl of his dreams, and he hates it.

You laughed, then screeched when Chad picked you up and spun you around.

“Chad put me down.” You demanded, rolling your eyes at his antics. He had a crush on you and constantly flirted, but it served more to annoy and amuse you than to win you over. “Oh my god. Stop.”

“There you are!” Chad exclaimed, still keeping you over his shoulder as he spoke to someone out of your line of sight. “Ethan, my man.” Your stomach twisted as you peered around Chad’s waist, seeing an upside down version of your friend.

“Hey E.” You laughed, waving and staring at his outfit. “What the hell are you dressed as? A robot?”

“I’m a knight.” He sighed and Chad finally put you down but swung an arm over your shoulders. “Chad didn’t give me much notice so I could get a costume.”

“Look at this snack.” Chad told you, pointing at Ethan. “I’ve been trying to find him a girl all night. Got any suggestions?”

“Ew, get off me.” You wrinkled your nose, pushing him away. “I’m not helping prostitute Ethan off on some sorority sister.”

“Suit yourself.” Chad said, grinning down at you. “Speaking of hookups, though,” he lowered his voice, playing with the strap of your dress. “Wanna go upstairs?”

“Ugh.” You moved away towards Ethan, grabbing your friend’s hand. “Save me from him. Please.”

“My heart longs for you, Y/N!” Chad yelled, making your face warm when several people gave you a curious glance.

“I need a drink.” You told Ethan, grumbling a curse under your breath.

-

You and Ethan had gotten tipsy fast and now stood in the kitchen, laughing as he told you a story about…what was he saying?

“What?” You asked, leaning closer to him to hear. He seemed nervous, but then he always did around girls. You thought nothing of it. “Speak up, E.”

“I was saying you look really pretty.” He smiled shyly, pointing to your outfit. “Your costume is cool.”

“It’s a dress, E. Nothing special.” You said, grinning, but still felt flattered. “I like your cardboard robo-suit too.”

“A knight. A knight.”

“Y/N.” You turned your head and met Chad’s eyes, his smile warm and friendly. Despite yourself the alcohol made you looser and you allowed him to take your hand. “Come on. I need a partner for beer pong.”

“Ask Tara.” You laughed, tugging your hand out of his grip. “I’m talking to my baby boy Ethan.”

“Your son can fend for himself.” Chad scoffed, raising an eyebrow at his roommate. “Can mommy and daddy leave you on your own, or do you need a babysitter?”

“Oh my god Chad.” Your grin was wide as you looked at his expression, his features filled with fake concern.

“I need my girl to annihilate people in beer pong. Do me a service, bro.”

“Yeah that—” Ethan glanced at you, then quickly away. “That’s fine. I don’t need a…a babysitter.” He winced and you frowned, opening your mouth to say more, but Chad was already pulling you away. You looked over your shoulder though, and saw Ethan looking dejected, before he pushed through the party and towards the door.

“Wait, Chad.” You said, pulling out of his grasp as you shoved your way through the party. “Ethan!” You called. “Ethan wait!”

He turned his head at your approach, brows furrowing as you slipped out the front door, his feet pausing on the driveway.

“What’s wrong?” You asked, panting slightly. “Aren’t you going to watch me win? You know I’m the best.”

“I’m tired.” He said, eyes sweeping across your face. “I think I wanna go home. But thanks. See you tomorrow.”

“Wait, no—” You grabbed his arm, unsure of why you were desperate for him to stay. “I’ll come with you. We can go to my place and have movie night like we used to.” Before you’d started receiving attention from Chad, you didn’t have to say. “Come on E.”

“I’m not sure if that’s—”

“Hey, what the Hell?” Chad asked, leaving the house and approaching the two of you. You let go of Ethan’s arm as he made it to your side. “You okay, man? I was just about to make you a Chad Supreme. He said, referring to his noxious concoction of tequila, vodka, Malibu, Sprite and fruit punch, a drink you secretly called Alcoholics Anonymous behind Chad’s back.

“Im tired.” Ethan said, avoiding your eyes. “Im gonna go—”

”Watch a movie with me.” You interrupted, giving Chad a wide smile. “Make me a Chad Supreme to go, will you? There’s empty water bottles in the kitchen.”

“You’re not staying?” He asked, confused. “But you..” He shook his head, forcing a smile. “Fine. Just because you’re so hot, and you know I love you. One Chad to go.” He turned and dashed back into the house as you valiantly ignored his strongly worded remark.

“Listen,” you said, glancing back at Ethan, who was watching where Chad had ran off to with a pained sort of look. “we’ll get pizza and do pickle shots and watch Stab. What do you think?”

Ethan took a moment to respond, biting his lip, before he nodded.

“I’m gonna need at least half that Chad Supreme, though.” He said, glancing at you with amusement in his brown eyes. “After hearing Chad call himself daddy I think I need a healthy blackout to make me forget.”

“Do you need a babysitter?” You teased, grinning as you reached out to flick his nose, and he caught your wrist in his hand.

“Listen here, young lady—”

“For the angel present." Chad declared, jogging up to you and passing you a bottle filled with suspicious looking pink liquid. "Keep your junk wrapped, E., if you’re planning on making moves on my girl. Y/N, are we still getting Dunkin in the morning?"

"We'll see." You responded, rolling your eyes. You still weren’t sure if you liked him calling you my girl. "Goodnight, Chad." You batted him away when he attempted to kiss your cheek and he grinned, running back into the party. "God, he's a mess." You scoffed, turning to give Ethan comically wide eyes. "Ready to go?"

-

You placed your head in Ethan's lap and stretched out on the couch, your skin practically buzzing. You two had split half the Chad Supreme, leaving the rest in the fridge, but you were almost certain you were going to have a headache in the morning.

"We need to chug water." You said, peering up at Ethan. He smiled and played idly with your hair, his eyes moving back to the movie. You were halfway through Stab, a pizza split between the two of you. "Hey E?" You asked, staring up.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of me and Chad?"

His face dropped a fraction and he shrugged.

"I think he's...Chad." At your no-nonsense expression he laughed. "What? If you're happy with the ridiculous frat boy types, you do you."

"Shut up." You grinned, poking him in the stomach. But then your smile fell, and you bit your lip. "I think he really likes me. But I don't think.." You looked up at the ceiling, unsure of how to say it. "I don't like...just him. You know?"

"You don't?" Ethan asked, shooting you a surprised expression. You shook your head no, and a tentative smile pulled on his mouth. "Who's the lucky guy?"

"Ugh." You groaned, sitting up and moving off the couch into the kitchen. "Forget it. It's unimportant."

“Hey, wait, tell me about him.” Ethan laughed, following you into the kitchen. You both were tipsy as hell and he grabbed your hand, tugging you back towards him. “Come on. Best friends don’t keep secrets, right?”

“He’s—” you glanced down at his hand, your stomach twisting when he ran his thumb across your knuckles, making no move to let go. “it doesn’t matter, E.”

“I wanna know.” He insisted, his brown eyes soft and sleepy from the alcohol. “Come on, Y/N. I can keep a secret.”

Your smile was wide as you pulled away, backing up towards the fridge. He followed you every step, his brown eyes glued to your face as he subtly admired you, your indifference something like a knife to his gut. He liked you. God he liked you. And if you were going to have a crush on someone besides Chad, he wanted to at least put a face to the name he was going to resent.

“Tell me." He said again, watching as you pulled the Chad Supreme out of the fridge and took a sip. "Come on, how bad can they be?"

"Ew." You wrinkled your nose, passing him the bottle. "Drink first. Then guess."

Ethan took a swig, holding eye-contact, before setting the bottle on the counter.

"Do I know the guy?" He asked, searching his brain. There wasn't a single other guy in your friend group, nor anyone that he saw you with on a regular basis. A mischievous little smile curled on your lips as you nodded, then your eyes widened, surprised, as he moved forward and touched your chin, tilting your face up to his. "What does he look like?"

"He's...really cute." You admitted, biting your lip as you stared up at him. "And he's really smart."

"Tell me more." Ethan laughed lowly, moving closer to you and backing you up against the kitchen counter. "Would I like the guy?"

"I..." You swallowed, your hand reaching out involuntarily to clutch the fabric of his shirt. "Well he um...he's really kind. He's always there for me." Then you grinned. "But he has horrible taste in movies. I always have to pick them out."

Ethan rolled his eyes, looping his arm around your waist. Your heart was pounding in your chest, stomach twisting as he spoke, his hand moving from your chin to clasp the back of your neck.

"And do you see yourself...being with this guy?"

"I don't know." You said, searching his brown eyes for any hint of what he was thinking. You'd never seen him act so confident before. It was like every ounce of shyness had gone out the door since the moment he'd stepped into the apartment. "I'm hoping he'll make the first move."

Ethan stared for a moment, his chest rising and falling with his breathing, before he asked, "and are you...really into this guy? Like more than Chad?"

"Yeah." You licked your lips subtly, but his eyes still caught the movement. "He's all I can think about sometimes."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Ethan asked, moving closer, his jeans brushing your legs. "Tell him how you feel." His voice was low and raspy and you almost shivered. His hands slid to cup your face and you couldn't breathe; you stared at him, eyes slightly heavy, as you glanced from his mouth to his eyes.

"Ethan..." You whispered, eyes closing at his words and the feel of his hands.

“Tell him how you feel, Y/N."

"I can't." You whispered, your heart pounding in your chest. He was hardly two inches away, and the smell of his cologne was intoxicating. "I'm scared."

Ethan's breathing seemed unsteady as he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, murmuring a soft, "What's there to be scared of?" As he peered down at you.

"What if he doesn't want me?" You asked, glancing up at him. Still, though, you reached out, fisting his shirt in your hands and pulling him an inch closer.

"I..." Ethan's mouth went slightly dry as he watched you. "I think he does."

You stared up at him, heart pounding, and, before you could change your mind, leaned up to kiss him, pressing your mouth to his with as much force as you dared. Ethan's fingers tightened a fraction on your jaw as he kissed you back, making a low noise of pleasure against your mouth.

"God, Y/N." He whispered, his hands sliding into your hair as he kissed you again, then again. "I've wanted to do that for way too long now."

"It's you." You whispered, chasing after his touch. "It's you I want. Not Chad."

"I was hoping you were talking about me." He laughed, resting his forehead against your own. "This was going to be really awkward if I was touching you like this and then you said you had a crush on Tanner from Econ."

You laughed and tugged his face down to yours, kissing him again.

"We still have pizza. And Chad Supreme. And Stab." You said, looping your arms around his waist. "Wanna go?"

"Yes." He said, then gave you a coy smile. "Text time I see Chad, I'm calling you my girl."

[appocalipse]

RIGHT WHERE I WANT TO BE : ̗̀➛ SIRIUS BLACK

summary: it's only when lily accidentally spills amortentia on you and all you can smell is cigarettes and dog fur that you realize you're in love with sirius — probably the only person in the world you shouldn't be in love with.

"Oh, crap!" Lily seems on the verge of panic as she stares at the fresh stain on your clothes. "I'm so sorry!"

Somewhat shocked, you reach your hand to the front of your uniform and try to rub it away. It's no use. "It's okay," you assure her gently, relieved that the liquid didn't spill on the clean set of clothes you were folding instead, "it was an accident."

You put the clothes safely away in the trunk near your bed. They still have the fresh and clean scent of lavender. Your uniform, however…

Lily points her wand at your chest, and the stain quickly disappears. She had rushed through the entrance of the dormitory fast as lightning, crashing right into you and spilling…

Well, what exactly?

"Lily," you bring a hand to your own face, sniffing, then sniffing again. "What is this? It smells like a wet dog and-"

Your eyes meet and you immediately dislike the look on her face. Too much restrained excitement slowly bubbling up...

"-cigarettes…" you trail off, some sort of realization dawning on you way too late.

It can't be.

Lily bites her lower lip as if trying to hold back a smile. "Is that what it smells like to you?"

You also catch the scent of quill ink and freshly brewed coffee, so it can only be…

You put your hand away from your nose as if it's on fire.

"Tell me this is not what I think this is."

"If you're not thinking of Amortentia, then yes."

"Why would you brew Amortentia?!"

"For Professor Slughorn," she sees the confusion etched on your face and looks positively horrified. "Not for Professor Slughorn to drink! Ew! I said I'd like to try brewing one because it's, you know, a bit complicated and I've never tried before. He said he'd give Gryffindor some points if I succeeded. I didn't know you would… you know, smell Sirius."

"I never said I smelled him!"

"Okay! Okay," Lily raises both hands in surrender. Then, quieter, she adds, "You can pretend all you want."

You sigh. "Did you only have this vial?"

"Well, there should be some potion left in the cauldron, I think."

Great. An opportunity to escape this beyond strange situation. "I'll go get it for you."

"But I-"

You're out the Gryffindor common room before Lily has a chance to question your offer. The need to get away from that impending conversation is stronger than anything else right now.

Your heart is racing as you walk through the corridors of the castle, heading towards the dungeons, where Potions class usually take place. Each step is an effort to calm your turbulent mind and find some peace.

Upon reaching the Potions classroom, you welcome the silent space as you enter. The characteristic smell of magical ingredients and herbs fills your nostrils, bringing a familiar and almost comforting sensation… until you catch that smell. Amortentia.

You look around, searching for Lily's cauldron, which she mentioned leaving behind.

It's not hard to find; the smell is quite distinct, enchanting, all the things you love most in the world somehow united in a single aroma.

The cauldron is sitting on one of the workbenches. You approach cautiously, making sure not to knock anything over. Then you rummage through the shelves for an empty vial and pour some of the potion into it, feeling like you're doing something wrong even though Lily had Slughorn's permission.

The door opens, and you almost drop a row of glass bottles as you turn to look.

"What are you doing here?" he asks.

It's Sirius. Of course, it's him.

He closes the door behind him, and your heart skips a beat as it usually does whenever he's around. He's wearing the Gryffindor uniform, the first two buttons undone, revealing a patch of delicate skin just below his neck.

You don't need to wonder how he got there or why. Chances are, he extracted every piece of information he needed from Lily with little to no effort.

"What are you doing?" he asks calmly. You, on the other hand, don't feel calm at all.

"Nothing, just..."

"Just?" He takes a step closer, and you instinctively move away from the workbench, trying not to show the nervousness you truly feel.

"I just came to get something," you say.

Sirius gives a suspicious glance at the cauldron. "Is it a love potion?" He's a skilled wizard. Skilled enough to know the answer to that question, yet he waits for you to respond.

"Lily made it," you say defensively, holding up the vial containing the potion to illustrate your point unnecessarily.

"And what scent do you smell?" he questions, with a genuine curiosity in his tone that catches you off guard. "What does the potion smell like to you?"

"Lily told you," it's far from a question.

But Sirius has a knack for playing games.

"She told me what?"

"You know what."

This time, you step back as he advances, unable to help yourself, swallowing hard and Sirius notices. He takes another step forward, and you take another step back.

"Sirius," you warn.

In return, Sirius says your name, his tone lighter, more playful, soft as a feather. Then, another step.

You nearly bump your hip against one of the workbenches as you take another desperate step back. Sirius, being Sirius, raises an eyebrow, making no effort to hide his amusement.

It's unfair. It's simply unfair that he's so good-looking, starting at you without feeling the need to averting his gaze. "You don't have to do this," you find yourself saying.

Sirius seems genuinely puzzled.

"Do what?"

You steal a glance in your peripheral vision. The room won't go on forever; you need to say something to get out of this situation before he gets too close. You don't trust yourself near Sirius.

"Turn me down. Be all nice-" you stutter. He keeps advancing toward you. Back almost against the wall, you dodge another workbench and turn to the left, trying to prevent him from cornering you.

Sirius chuckles. "Is that what you think?"

"I'm a big girl. I can take rejection."

He glances in the direction of the cauldron. "Do you want to know what scent I smell?"

"No."

"Leather-"

"Sirius-"

"Gasoline," he raises his chin, nose in the air as if enjoying one scent after another. "Apple pie."

For a moment, you close your eyes. "Stop it."

"And lavender."

Your heart is pounding in your chest. He's not being serious, a little voice in your mind insists. It can't be serious. He's just teasing you... or maybe just being a good friend. Too good a friend.

It would be easier if he wasn't. If he were less kind to you, less handsome, less charming.

It's not easy.

You're breathless, trying to keep your distance from Sirius as he sets a slow advance, a constant tease. It's an internal battle between the desire to give in to the attraction you feel for him and the need to protect yourself — but the latter wins, for now.

"Sirius," you plead, your voice quiet, "stop"

He pauses for a moment, his gray eyes fixed on yours. "You think I'm joking, don't you? You think I'm just being nice?"

"I... I don't know, Sirius. It's so...confusing."

He takes yet another step towards you, his lips curling into a challenging smile. Always challenging. "Confusing or scary?"

The tension between you two is palpable, and you wonder if he can hear the rapid beating of your heart, threatening to break out of your rib cage any given moment. You know you're fighting your own feelings, afraid of surrendering to something that may - and probably will - end in heartbreak.

"It's not fair," you whisper, trying to keep your voice steady. "It's not fair that you're so... so-"

"So what?" he teases, closer. "So handsome? So charming? So... irresistible?"

You can tell he's somehow having fun. You don't understand how he can maintain a playful tone in a moment like this.

You catch a whiff of his cologne, feel the warmth of his body, and your heart races once again. If there's a way to prevent Sirius from getting what he wants, you don't know what it is. "So confusing," you finish, almost in a whisper. "You confuse the hell out of me."

Sirius pauses for a moment, his eyes locked with yours, and you momentarily catch a flicker of something deeper in this playful gaze. He slowly raises a hand and gently, gentler than ever, caresses your face, his fingers tracing a delicate path along your skin.

"I don't see how I could be confusing you," he murmurs, his voice soft and husky. "I thought I was being pretty clear..." It's teasing, of course it is; when it comes to Sirius, few things aren't.

But there's something else behind it, too.

The air grows heavier.

"You're not clear about anything, Sirius," you reply, your voice faltering slightly. "I never know what you're thinking. I never know what you really mean."

"Maybe you're just not paying attention."

You furrow your brow, confused by Sirius' response. He's playing with you, as he always does, but this time it feels more intense, more meaningful. You struggle against the temptation to give in completely, to say something you might not be able to take back.

"I do pay attention, Sirius," you respond, your voice showing determination you're not entirely sure you feel. "It's you who likes to make everything more difficult than it needs to be."

He moves closer once again, so close now that you can feel his breath against your skin, the tip of his nose an inch away from touching yours.

"Do you want me to be clearer?" he whispers, voice laced with a hint of his usual mischief. "Make it easier?"

You swallow, feeling your heart race. You know you can't admit your feelings for him, you can't let your defenses down. Not when he makes a point to hide comfortably behind a facade, away from anything that makes him feel vulnerable.

You need honesty.

"Yes," you whisper, your voice almost faltering. "Yes, I do."

Sirius pauses for a moment, eyes searching yours, and you can feel your breath catch in your throat. Then, slowly, he moves closer and closer still, until his lips almost touch yours.

There is a feeling that you can't quite put into words.

"I want you," he murmurs, an admission that hangs in the air like a charged electric current. "I want to be with you. I want you to be happy– I'll even accept your awful taste in music," he adds with a playful smirk, teasingly referencing your occasional guilty pleasure for a particular genre of music that he often mocks.

A laugh escapes your lips, a combination of relief and affection. His sincerity is pretty close to melting away any remaining doubts that linger in your heart. "I have great taste in music," you state playfully.

Sirius brushes the side of his nose against yours affectionately. "Sometimes," he gives in, voice filled with genuine warmth.

You lean into his touch, savoring the tenderness and intimacy of the moment. It's as if the world around you has faded away, leaving only the two of you in this bubble of shared emotions.

"Sometimes?" you raise an eyebrow, pretending to be offended.

He chuckles, a low and melodic sound that resonates deep within your chest, a sound you don't get to hear as often as you'd like. "You're lucky you're pretty," he teases, his voice filled with affectionate playfulness.

"Oh?"

"I have a soft spot for pretty girls."

You roll your eyes but can't help the smile that forms on your lips. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Black."

Sirius leans in and presses a soft kiss to your cheek, pulling away with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Who said I was trying to get anywhere?" he whispers, fingers trailing along the curve of your waist, drawing you closer. "I'm already where I want to be."

Your heart swells with warmth, and you can feel a blush creeping up your cheeks.

"Smooth talker."

It doesn't sound like an accusation when you're about to kiss him.

[nerdy-novelist017]

Soaked (Benny Cross x Shy!Reader Reader pt 8)

Hello, my lovelies! Sorry this took forever to write and post but I’ve been very busy with real life (ew) and I’m actually posting this while I’m on vacation. I wrote it on the plane and am posting in the car so please be kind if you see any mistakes hehe 😉

Benny x Bunny Masterlist

Word Count- 4.7k+

Summary- Benny’s never wanted anything as much as he wants to marry you, but with such different lives, you’re not so sure it will be as easy as he claims.

You felt the wind surge around you as Benny accelerated down the main road, his motorcycle roaring beneath you both. The world blurred past in a whirlwind of colors, but all you could focus on was the way your heart lifted, how a thrill of excitement shot through you as you zoomed past the rest of the gang. He did it just because he knew it’d make you giggle. And you did, the sound escaping you in a way that felt so carefree, so full of joy especially as you shot past Johnny and the others, leaving them in your dirt.

The wind was relentless, blowing your hair out of its carefully manicured braid, but you didn’t find yourself caring much anymore. The days spent with Benny had a way of shifting everything you thought had mattered. The things that once held so much weight – social status, gossip, public appearances – no longer seemed as important anymore. With Benny, it was almost like discovering a whole new world. No, not a new world. The same streets passed beneath the tires, the same faces you once worried about still existed. The world was still the same, but it was how he viewed it that felt so different. He didn’t care what others thought about him, didn’t pay attention to their expectations. He lived in his own world, surrounded by others like him that didn’t conform to the societal molds – people that you wouldn’t have even approached just based on their appearance. You never considered yourself a very judgemental person, but because of Benny, you have met and befriended people you could have never imagined.

That’s one of the things you loved about Benny. He wasn’t like anyone you had ever met before. He was different. And you were beginning to love that too.

He pulled off the main road, stopping in his signature spot in front of the club house. The roar of the rest of the gang pulling up sounded in the distance as Benny helped you off the bike. He held his grip on your hand, lacing his own fingers through yours as he pulled you gently into the bar. You followed him inside where the Vandals’ laughter and chatter soon filled the air. A familiar buzz of camaraderie enveloped the place, and before long, you found yourself seated around the table with a few of the core members. Benny was close – as always – with his arm draped over your shoulder.

“Hey, Bunny,” Cockroach’s voice cut through the sea of noise as he leaned forward and used his beer bottle to point at you. “When are you finally gonna say yes to our boy Benny, here?”

You stiffened slightly, the weight of the question hanging in the air and drawing the attention of the others at the table.

“Oh yeah,” Corky piped up, one eyebrow playfully cocked in a challenge. “He’s been asking, what, 100 times now? What’s the holdup? He’s not getting any younger, ya know?”

Heat filled your face at their teasing. Though Corky’s words were a bit of an exaggeration, they weren’t technically wrong. Since your kiss behind the clubhouse, Benny has asked you to marry him almost every day, sometimes more than once in a day. It had started by him mentioning married life in casual conversation, and you jokingly pointed out that he hadn’t actually proposed to begin with – not traditionally. And you were shocked to see him abandon everything he was doing in the moment to ask you to marry him. You giggled and rolled your eyes at his dramatics, but something deeper inside you caused your heart to flutter nervously. Since then, he’s asked several times, some in passing, a casual remark slipped into the conversation. Other times, he’d pause what he was doing, drop to one knee and grin up at you as if he were waiting for you to give in. But each time you’d laugh it off, brush it aside as him being unserious.

“Maybe I’m just waiting for the right moment?” you replied as you timidly played with the chain of your necklace, trying to deflect the attention.

“The right moment?” Cockroach parroted in disbelief. “He’s been proposin’ left and right for a week. Hell, I’d have said yes after the first time if it were me!”

The group laughed, and you tensed under Benny’s arm, wanting to melt into the floor from embarrassment. Benny squeezed your hand reassuringly, and he leaned, his voice dropping to a low murmur that was only meant for you, “They don’t mean nothin’ by that, you know that.”

You nodded, not trusting your own voice. He was right, you knew that. They didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, but the constant razzing – especially with this particular subject – was start to weigh on you.

“Yeah, c’mon, Bunny,” Cal chimed in from across the way, “What’s it gonna take? Benny’s a catch! He’s got the bike, the looks, the . . . mommy’s issues. If you don’t say yes soon, you might lose your chance.”

That playful jab was too much for Benny who stiffened next to you. You expected him to get angry, to blow up like you had seen your father do when he was upset. But instead, Benny leaned forward, eyes narrowing with a playful glint that you had come to adore. The table was buzzing with laughter, but he wasn’t about to let the spotlight stay on you for too long. Without missing a beat, he flashed a grin at Corky, his hand raised as he said, “Alright, alright. But let’s not pretend you all ain’t desperate for a distraction since none of you can keep a bike upright without fallin’ on your asses.”

The table roared with laughter and Corky’s mouth fell open in mock offense. “That was one time! And I had an oil slick!”

Johnny immediately jumped in, “Yeah Corky, an oil slick you created when your bike was leakin’ everywhere.”

Laughter erupted again and you shot Benny a grateful look as the guys started ribbing Corky about his infamous fall. Benny’s eyes met yours briefly, his thumb brushing your hand under the table in a silent message: I’ve got you. Most of the group knew you were shy and did not appreciate being the center of attention in a crowd, and they respected that. However, there were a few class clowns (as Benny called them) who loved to tease you, knowing it could get a reaction without fail. But Benny never let it go on for long, always shutting them down when he recognized your discomfort.

They’ve never teased you about marriage though. You had to wonder if Benny had voiced his irritation to them at some point or if they had picked up on your hesitation organically. Either way, it left you feeling bad. Excusing yourself, you wiggled out of Benny’s grasp as you stood and made your way for the restroom, needing a moment to breathe, to clear your head. But just as you reached the back of the bar, a voice stopped you.

“You ain’t gotta worry about what they say to you,” Funny Sonny stood leaning casually against the bar top as he sipped a glass of whiskey. “That just means they like you, accept you.”

You paused, glancing over your shoulder at the table of rowdy bikers. “I’m just not . . . used to it. All the teasin’.”

Sonny nodded, his disheveled hair falling into his eyes as he grinned. “You’ll get used to it. Won’t be long till you’re the one throwing out the first jabs.”

He said it so nonchalantly, as if it were the most obvious course of action, as if you weren’t from completely different worlds. You furrowed your brows, eyes casting downwards as you admitted, “I’m not so sure about that. I’m not at all like you guys.”

“You don’t gotta be like us to be with us. We’re family here and family means lookin’ out for each other, even the ones who came from different backgrounds,” he said, his voice lowering a register to a bit more of a serious tone.

His words settled over you like a warm blanket, the concept so foreign yet so familiar. Family. You knew what that was, you had one, you were loved by one. But for some reason, it felt like it meant something different with the Vandals. They chose their family, stood by them despite no blood relation. Your parents loved you, you knew that. They showed it in their own ways every day. But by default, they had to love you. With the Vandals, they chose to care for each other, chose to look out for each other. In a way, it almost seemed more powerful, more profound.

Being Benny’s girl didn’t just mean he alone had your best interest at heart. It also meant having the rest of the Vandals on your side too, all of them looking out for you. You weren’t sure if you’ve ever experienced such an intense loyalty before, even from blood relatives. And it left you with a warm feeling in your chest.

When you returned to the table, Benny was already standing as if he were waiting for you. His eyes met yours with a slight unease, almost like he thought you wouldn’t come back, like he thought you were so upset that you’d sneak out the backdoor.

“Wanna go for a night ride?” he asked, his voice soft as his hand extended out for you.

Your heart squeezed at his thoughtfulness. He knew how much you were growing to enjoy the feeling of blazing down the empty streets under a star-filled sky with him. A smile tugged at your lips, and you took his hand without hesitation, nodding.

You nodded, a small smile tugging at your lips as your hand slid into his own. You were vaguely aware of the groans and exaggerated protests from the table about the night being still young, but you didn’t hesitate to follow Benny as he led you to the door. He pulled you along to his Harley, the cool and fresh air a welcome change.

The tension from earlier still lingered as Benny’s hand touched your leg, helping you onto the back of the bike. You wrapped your arms around his torso, pressing your face into his back, finding solace in the familiar scent from his jacket.

He drove you around the city, stars and stop lights shining above, engine roaring below. He eventually pulled off the main drag, heading down a quieter road that led out of town. The blacktop blurred beneath you as he slowed the speed to more of a lazy joyride. He took a familiar turn, stopping at the small pull off area before a bridge. The sound of the engine faded as he brought the bike to a stop, the air filling with crickets’ song. The night’s air was breezy, but a welcome change from the hot, loud atmosphere of the clubhouse.

Benny dismounted first, reaching out to help you down. His touch – lingering longer than necessary – against your arm felt electric, sending a jolt of butterflies to your stomach, his eyes searching your face as if he was trying to read your thoughts. The two of you walked over the concrete bridge, pausing once in the middle. You leaned over the railing, getting lost in the gentle swirl of the water below. But Benny was lost in the sight of you.

“You alright?” he asked, his voice low, the usual playful teasing replaced by something softer and reserved only for you.

With your heart beating hard at his gentle tone, you nodded. “I’m fine.”

He frowned, reaching out to brush a loose strand of hair from your face. “I know the guys can be a bit much. I don’t like when they tease you like that. I didn’t mean for them to make you uncomfortable.”

You couldn’t help but smile a bit at his words, knowing that wanting to protect you was something he took very seriously, even if it meant from his own friends, his own family.

“I know,” you responded softly, leaning your chin on your hand over the railing.

“I’ll talk to them, make sure they won’t raz you like that anymore,” he promised, his expression serious.

“It’s not that. It’s just . . . I don’t know. It’s a lot to get used to,” you admitted gently. Before Benny, you’d never even been in a bar before, never ridden a motorcycle, never stayed out past curfew. He was a completely different experience than you were accustomed to. And now he wanted you to marry, after only knowing him for a few weeks. He wanted to be your husband, your partner for life. Your life felt like a bit of a whirlwind ever since you met him, but you wanted to be certain it wasn’t just fun because it was new.

He didn’t say anything for a moment, just stood there, his eyes tracing your features, his hand resting over your own. You could practically see the gears turning in his brain, something in him conflicted. Finally, he released a soft sigh, putting an arm around your shoulders and pulling you in close. “You don’t have to answer them, you know. Hell, you don’t have to answer me. Not till you’re ready.”

Your heart skipped a beat as you breathed in his scent – leather, smoke and something uniquely Benny. “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that I . . . ”

Benny pulled back slightly, his fingers tilting your chin up to meet his gaze, his thumb gently brushing your cheek. “Hey, you don’t owe anyone an explanation, not even me. You’ll say yes when you’re ready. And when that time comes, I’ll be here. I ain’t goin’ anywhere.”

A smirk tugged at the corner of your lips as it was your turn to kid. “How do you know I’ll say yes?”

Benny’s smile was gentle but still roguishly confident. His hand lingered on your cheek, his fingers tracing down the curve of your jaw as if he were mapping every detail of you. “I just know. When you feel it – when it’s real – you just know.”

He said it so simply as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, as if love were the most uncomplicated concept. You didn’t understand that, couldn’t see it that way. You’d seen the love your parents shared and that was beautiful and kind but it was also messy and cruel more often than not. And you understood that your parents were not the only representation of what love and marriage was supposed to be, but it was a constant presence in your life. They didn’t have perfect love, not like what you’d see in the movies or read in books. And you wondered if maybe you were giving too high of expectations for what love was supposed to be, but what you felt when you were around Benny . . . well, it felt exactly like the books described.

The way he looked at you, as if you were the most important thing in the world, made you feel so seen. The way he listened to you as if you were the most entertaining show, made you feel so heard. And the truth was undeniable: you were falling for Benny faster than you thought possible. It was terrifying. Benny was all fire and freedom, a rebel who didn’t play by the rules, who followed his own path with reckless abandon. And you admired that about him, but the thought of stepping into his world permanently felt like stepping off a ledge into the unknown.

“What’s goin’ on in that head of yours?” he asked, pulling you back into the present.

You pulled back slightly, biting your lip in contemplation before speaking your mind, “Don’t you wonder if there are other girls out there that you haven’t even met yet? Girls who are more suited for you?”

He shook his head, his voice light as he said, “Nah, I know you’re the only one for me, kid.”

“But marriage is serious. It’s forever.”

His hand slid down to your hip, turning you to face him fully, his expression solemn. “I never . . . I never thought marriage was real. The way I saw my mom and old man together . . . what they had wasn’t love. And I realized that at an early age. I didn’t think it was something that was real, just a bunch of fairytale bullshit you tell little kids. The girls I’ve been with, girls that may have been more suited for me, have never made me feel what I feel with you, Bunny. This is serious to me too because it proves everything I’ve never believed in.”

Emotion caught in the back of your throat as you pictured the man standing before you as just a boy living in a toxic household, an unloving home. It made you want to hold him tight, to shield him from the rest of the world. The man who held you so gently, who took you for night rides just to cheer you up. The man who came to your bake sale when nobody else did. The man who promised to drive slow so as not to scare you. The man who said he’d follow you all the way to California so that you didn’t have to go by yourself. The man who taught you about his hobbies with eagerness, and listened to yours with attentiveness.

He deserved to be loved in the same way he loved. But the tragic thing was that he didn’t see that, couldn’t comprehend someone loving him like that. He was damaged by his childhood, and you realized that he didn’t think he was worthy of repair. But you’d show him that he was, that he was worthy of everything he never had.

Slowly, you lifted your hands to gently cup his face, and his breath hitched in his throat. There was a shift in his expression – his usual teasing and bravado now replaced with some raw and unguarded as though he was offering you a glimpse into a deeper part of him, one rarely ever shown to anyone.

He pressed his forehead to yours, his voice dropping to a soft murmur. “You’re not just some girl to me, Bunny. You know that, right?”

The words sent a shiver down your spine. He wasn’t playing around now, not hiding behind his usual flirty quips. His sincerity was almost overwhelming. You swallowed thickly. “But what if I mess this up? What if I’m the one who can’t do this?”

Benny’s brows furrowed and he lifted a hand to brush across your cheek, his touch gentle but grounding. “You won’t. You couldn’t, even if you tried.”

“You’re making it sound so easy,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper, as if you didn’t quite believe him.

Benny could feel your tremble, the shaky laugh betraying your nerves you were trying so hard to hide. He could sense your heart racing, and he wanted so desperately to be the one to soothe it, to take away the hesitation in your eyes. His thumb brushed over your bottom lip, the soft curve of it making his heart ache in his chest. He loved how your lips quivered just slightly under his touch. He loved making you blush, loved teasing you until you looked at him like you were annoyed or completely at his mercy. But this . . . this was different. His touch lingered on your lip, slow and almost reverent as he savored the way you responded to him. It wasn’t about teasing anymore – it was about showing you what you meant to him.

“It is,” he murmured, his voice a little rougher than he intended “It’s easy because it’s you.”

The air between you felt electric as his hand slid down the curve of your neck, his fingers lingering there, feeling the steady thrum of your heartbeat that seemed to match his own wild one. He ducked his head slightly as he whispered, “You’re scared. But you don’t need to be.”

He meant it, more than he meant anything in his life. He pulled back just enough to look into your eyes again, searching for any sign of doubt, any sign that you didn’t feel the same way he did. Your eyes – wide and uncertain – met his, and Benny felt the weight of his words over them both.

“How can you be so sure?” you asked, your soft voice almost disappearing in the night.

And how could he explain it, especially since he’s never been good at explaining his feelings? How could he put into words what was so abundantly clear to him? That you made everything – even the most outrageous things – seem possible. That with you, he didn’t feel like just some fuck-up waiting for the next diaster. With you he felt grounded, like he belonged somewhere. Like you saw him for more than just the wild, reckless kid everyone else saw.

“Because you make me sure,” he responded with a gentle, encouraging smile as his hands moved to tilt your chin upwards to him. “You make my life feel like it’s supposed to.”

His gaze moved down to your mouth once more as you pulled your bottom lip between your teeth, and he simply couldn’t resist anymore. He closed the gap, brushing his lips so softly against your own. The kiss was gentle, tender, but as you responded to his touch, the need that had been simmering inside him for so long flared to life. His hands dropped down to your waist, pulling you impossibly closer, smiling into the kiss when he heard your slight gasp.

His heart pounded in his chest as the world seemed to fade away briefly until it was just you and him, just this. He never wanted to stop, never wanted to let you go.

But you did eventually pull away, the need to breathe becoming all consuming. Breathlessly, he pressed his forehead against yours, his eyes remaining closed as he focused on slowing his pulse. His hands remained on your waist, holding you like you might slip away if he let go.

“You see?” he whispered as his lips brushing against your forehead softly. “It’s easy being with you.”

You giggled and his heart soared at the melody. It took everything in him not to pull you back into another kiss, not to hold onto you like you were the only thing that kept him grounded.

His lips still tingled from the kiss, and he could taste the faint sweetness of your breath, the softness of your lips. It wasn’t enough. It never felt like enough for Benny. He wanted more of you. He’d never wanted anything like he wanted you, never craved anyone like he craved you. It was almost unbearable, like every second where he wasn’t touching you was a second wasted.

And yet, he knew you were scared. He could see it in the way you looked down at your shoes, could hear it in the timidity of your voice. It only made him want to protect you more, to make you see that being with him would never be something you had to fear. But he didn’t know how to say that without sounding like he was pushing, without making you feel like you were being rushed into a decision that was as much about you as it was him.

But damn if he didn’t want to make you his.

He opened his eyes and pulled back enough to look at you face again, to really take you in. And my god, the way you were looking up at him with those wide, innocent eyes made his chest tighten. And you didn’t even realize how much power you had over him. One look, one smile, and he was a goner.

Before either of you could speak, thunder cracked off in the distance, bringing you both back to the present, back to the rest of the world. You glanced up at the dark clouds that blew in to cover the stars, wondering how long you had stood on this bridge with Benny.

“Guess we should get back,” you said sheepishly.

“Guess so,” Benny replied with a lazy grin as though the storm could come crashing down and he’d still be perfectly content standing here with you.

“Do you think it’s going to rain?” you asked as you walked to his bike, glancing up at the thick, dark clouds blowing in from the west.

“Nah,” he said as he swung a leg over the bike with that signature confidence that made your heart race. “We’ll be fine.”

Famous last words.

******

By the time Benny pulled up to your house, rain was pouring from the sky like a waterfall, fat and heavy droplets splattering onto the sidewalk. Despite wearing Benny’s Vandals jacket, the rain had completely soaked you. Your hair, which had been meticulously pinned up just hours ago, was plastered to your face, and your dress clung to your body like a second skin.

You didn’t wait for him to shut off the bike before you hopped off and tugged on his sleeve.

“C’mon!” You laughed, tugging on Benny’s sleeve as you ran for the safety of your porch overhang. Your heels splashed through the water pooling on the blacktop, and he followed quickly behind, his warm hands finding your waist to steady you from falling as you both stumbled beneath the overhang.

Breathless and grinning like an idiot, you turned to face him, and you were momentarily stunned by the sight. Rainwater rolled down from his usually swept up hair, sliding down the curve of his cheekbones and falling off his jawline. He only wore a whote t shirt, the wet fabric turning almost transparent as it clung to every ridge, every toned muscle and you blinked before your gaze shot back up to his face. Even as wet as a drowned rat, he still managed to look so effortlessly sexy.

He was grinning at you with that boyish expression, and heat filled your face at the realization that you were just as soaked as he was but definitely not as pretty a sight. You probably looked like a mess — makeup smeared, hair ruined — but he was staring at you like you were the only thing that mattered in the world.

“Not gonna rain, huh?” you teased, quirking an eyebrow at the heavy rainfall just off your porch.

“Just a light sprinkle,” he returned easily, but you noticed he had to bite his bottom lip to keep from laughing.

“Do you wanna come in?” you blurted out before you could stop yourself. “To dry off?”

He sobered instantly, his gaze raking over your form before moving to your front door. He’d never been inside your house, never seen where you call home, where you lay down at night and replay your memories of him. There was never really an option for him to be inside your house. He’d never met your parents — despite asking multiple times to meet them, but you couldn’t bring yourself to put neither your parents nor Benny though that. Deep down, you knew your father would never approve of Benny, never give him his blessing. It was a disaster waiting to happen when he found out that you were dating a biker. You begged your mother to keep it a secret to which she obliged, but you knew it wouldn’t be long till he found out.

Benny took a full step back from you, hesitation obvious in his face, his voice low and almost regretful he said. “I—I better not, Bun.”

Normally, you wouldn’t ask again after being denied, wouldn’t be so bold. But you weren’t the same girl you were a few weeks ago before you met Benny. Emboldened by the perfect opportunity to have him inside your home, to share a piece of yourself with him, you stepped forward.

You took a step forward, your voice soft but sure. “My parents aren’t home. C’mon, just to dry off and wait till the rain lets up a little. You can’t drive in that anyway. It’s not safe and I won’t let you.”

Benny released a breath that sounded a lot like a laugh as he shook his head, clearly conflicted by your invitation. And for a moment, you thought he might shake his head and turn away. You thought he might face the rainstorm and leave you behind.

But instead, he nodded and your heart soared at the small gesture. Filled with hopeful energy, you shot him a smile, moving to open the front door and invite him inside your home, inside your world.

-Tag List-

@beebeechaos @imusicaddict @elizabeth916 @jaiuneamesolitaiire @dudii4love @ironmooncat @astrogrande @pearlparty @themorriganisamonster @sillylittlethrowaway @ughdontbeboring @penwieldingdreamer @charmingballoon @eugene-emt-roe @sunnbib @killerqueenfan @cynic-spirit @pomtherine @tranquilty @m00npjm @justsomewritingblog @thepassionatereader @rebecca-hvnstn @nethanybear @dreamlandcreations @buckysteveloki-me @simsiddy @zablife @sansaorgana @autumnleaves1991-blog @butler-trouble @lindszeppelin @wavyjassy @real-lana-del-rey @ilovehyperfixating @xcallmetaniax @lovenewfandoms @youngestxhearts @abaker74 @ateliefloresdaprimavera @thefallofthedamned @hottpinkpenguinreads @nctma15 @vendylewin @capswife @alexa4040 @pearlstiare @sweetestrose569 @18lkpeters @mrsalwayswrite @thedreamingfish99

[heartkaji]

[ ★ ⸻ @meidiary ]

selfship event

★ OVERVIEW !

MEI BABY HI HRU ?? you and endo are definitely sunshine x sunshine protector. girly gf and obsessed bf. you know that trend on tiktok that’s like “walk him like a dog”? yeah. that’s you and endo 100%

Q3 — WHO FELL FIRST & WHO FELL HARDER ?

ENDO FELL FIRST. you caught his eye the moment you came in : dressed in pink with satin ribbons in your hair. your personality was a bit of a shock for him though—he wasn’t expecting you to be this loud. he thought you’d be that pretty, quiet girl at the back of the classroom. while i don’t think he fell in love at first sight, i do think he was curious about you from the very beginning. i think you guys started out as unlikely friends : he made a couple of jokes & you surprised him with your sense of humor. you both started as friends and quickly became closer, sharing inside jokes & gossiping and the likes. it took him a bit before he realized he was in love but boy once he did he was plotting on you HEAVY.

if i’m being honest, i think both of you are equally in love. surprising because we all know endo’s the type to love wholly & devotedly, but i feel like you match his energy. both of you are idiots in love & TRUST me when i say chika is sick of yall 🤦‍♀️ any time you pull up to the function and chika spots you he’s walking the other way. he’d rather not deal with both of you at the same time.

Q6 — TOXIC THINGS THEY DO ?

sunshine protector endo yamato takes protection a little bit too seriously i fear 💔 he can’t help himself, you’re so pretty n cute n trusting & the streets of furin aren’t exactly the safest. he’s afraid your personality will get you into trouble. because of that he can be a little extra : you have to have your location on at all times & god forbid you take five minutes too long to reply to his texts. he’ll immediately panic that something’s wrong on your end, and depending on how long you take to reply he MIGHT go berserk.

i also think endo is very guilty of doing too much 🤦‍♀️ i think he’s pretty possessive but without being jealous : he’s the type to put his arm over your shoulder whenever a guy approaches you just for the thrill of it. he doesn’t think for a second that anyone could steal you away from him so he isn’t jealous, but that doesn’t stop him from being a complete asshole to anyone who comes close to you. you often reprimand him for it but you’d be lying if you said you didn’t think it was hot

endo also talks about his exes a lot i fear. i mean, at least it’s not in a positive way ? but it’s annoying nevertheless. “you like camellias ? ew, my ex maggie used to like those.” “huh ? don’t say that mei, you sound like my ex bellinda.” it’s a new ugly name everyday and you’re sick of it. worst part about it is he doesn’t even mean to bring them up. it’s something he does unintentionally but because you’d rather be the ‘cool’ girlfriend who’s not easily offended, you suffer in silence rather than talking to him about it. you hide your discomfort pretty well so he’s not able to pick up on it, so atp it’s something he has to realize on his own.

Q10– AT WHAT MOMENT DID THEY FALL IN LOVE ?

the moment you asked him about his tattoos. you asked him so sweetly and innocently :( “endo, what’s the story behind this one ? oh, and this one ? and that one too !” he watched you with glazed eyes as your fingers brushed over each inked diagram. you had absolutely no idea what you were doing to him (or at least he thinks you didn’t). by the time you were done tracing the lines on his skin he was already a mess of labored breaths & blood drenched cheeks. his eyes met yours & you flashed him the sweetest grin 💔. fucking god, he wanted to kiss you right then & there. but back then you two were nothing more than friends so all he could do was clear his throat & explain each drawing with a shaky voice. yeah, he was down bad.

>> 𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓 <<

© ─ heartkaji ; do not steal, copy, edit, translate or reupload

[violet-prism-creatively]

My live reactions to Harrow the Ninth

Continued from my pre-reading assumptions and post-reading thoughts about Gideon the Ninth

Everyone who said "Harrow the Ninth will take a while to make sense, be patient and it will pay off" was absolutely right! I made a lot of notes throughout with predictions, some of which were correct and some of which were... not.

Theories that were wrong:

The Emperor wiped Harrow's memory of Gideon

Gideon has spoken with The Body

The Body's eyes now appear yellow because they're Gideon's eyes

Harrow only sees her own eyes as black because she wiped her memory of Gideon, everyone else perceives them as gold

The Sleeper is The Body

The Sleeper is Gideon

"Ortus the First" is Gideon (the Ninth)

Harrow is haunted by Gideon

The picture in Camilla, Coronabeth, & Judith's shuttle is of Gideon

Cytherea's body moving around is a hallucination

Gideon's sword is haunted by the lyctor who established the Ninth House

I also did make some pretty good guesses, though. Here's some more of my notes that are just fun reactions!

"Her parents had... found out... about what she had done" SHE DOESN'T REMEMBER GIDEON'S VITAL ROLE IN THIS

This Teacher is a lot more helpful

there are advantages to having God himself as a father figure

"the grey-wrappered figures of Camilla Hect and Palamedes Sextus laid on the slabs in the mortuary" NO :(

bookmarking this other incomprehensible clue

it's that graffiti S that everyone drew in elementary school lol

"You had noticed at previous dinners that he did not like some particular vegetables, so you had put them all in." that's so petty, I love it

"said Camilla Hect" YAY

"the skull of someone who, soon after death or symptomatically during, had exploded" Palamedes!

Harrow never got actual sword training as a lyctor, did she? Now Camilla can help her!

"Nobody had seen you walk through that door [to The Tomb]. Nobody had watched you leave." GIDEON SAW AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO CONVINCE HARROW THAT SHE'S NOT INSANE, EVENTUALLY

"What a destructive, romantic, ridiculous act. It was always a certain kind of ass who approached love like that" yeah it's a certain kind of stupid, heroic, selfless, etc. to make yourself forget the person you're in love with to protect them

"Harrow Nova" another alternate universe where Harrow is in Gideon's role?????

"they've got a hotshot new BARI star" oh my god it's a coffee shop au in space

SHE REMEMBERS GIDEON!!!!!!! (how??)

"You sawed open your skull rather than be beholden to someone. [...] Harrowhark, I gave you my whole life and you didn't even want it." AAAAAAAAA!!!!

"I was, and am, a grown man, and you both were neglected children" thank you Ortus for taking responsibility. actually a decent person

"What the fuck is going on?" yeah i feel u babe

"'The only thing that ever stopped me being exactly who I wanted,' she said, 'was the worry that I would soon be dead... and now I am dead, and I am sick of roses, and I am horny for revenge.'" hell yeah!!

oh Ianthe was gaslighting her. yeah Gideon wreck her!

"you'd kept my sunglasses" awww

"I never made her look like that. She can't love me, even if I'd wanted her to." aw :( and she's still so devoted anyway

"Your art, not my strength, was the ultimate source of our victory." so Ortus does get to be a hero after all, in his own way!

"Awake Remembrance of These Valiant Dead Kia Hua Ko Te Pai Snap Back to Reality Oops There Goes Gravity" I remember seeing posts about this name now! lol

yeah it's a weird chain of people in other people's bodies (Gideon would love the innuendo)

"We needed your, ahem, genetic material" Ianthe was right, ew. Also Gideon is the daughter of God I guess?

"You watched us kill our cavaliers in cold blood, and none of them had to die." ok that is a pretty bad thing for him to do

the tragedy that Gideon only had John as a father for a few minutes, while Harrow had him as a father figure for months but didn't want that

"'my necromancer started an affair with your mother... not knowing I'd also been doing the same thing, using his body.' // I said, 'What the fuck.'" extremely valid reaction from Gideon

"Oh, we'll still hate each other, my dear, we have hated each other too long and too passionately to stop... but my bones will rest easy next to your bones." that's kinda romantic in its own way

to be fair, if John dies, the entire solar system of Dominicus dies

"We died" no actually I think you might be alive and being saved

???????? Another alternate reality memory thing??

Multiple notes about how Harrow might just be the way she is because of growing up in a temple with strict routine, no social interaction, and no variety of sensory input... but I'm headcanoning her as autistic. Also headcanoning Gideon as ADHD, and autism/ADHD gay couples are my favorite ships.

Tagging people who have been following along. I'm going to switch to not tagging people anymore after this, but tagging all posts as #violet reads tlt, and you can follow the tag. @procrastinationaccount @vivaciouscynner @pearlofmydreams @cursed-druid-girl @ghostly-atv

[binkszamsstuff]

Couldn’t help but stare at her photograph

Summary: James let his faults and insecurities take over his life. Saying things he doesn’t mean because he doesn’t deserve them. This costed him the love of his life and his children.

Warnings: like none really? Crying, angst, kissing, Bucky and reader have children, No happy ending!!!

🎞️

For a while I sat there staring at her photograph, For a while I cried and tried not to make a scene.

James watched the old tape of their wedding. The way she looked ingrained into his mind evermore. How he sore to any and everything that he would spend the rest of his life loving her. That’s the only promise he kept out of all of them.

There in the small coffee shop he watched crying as his y/n and their children sit at a table smiling and talking. He tried not to make a scene.

There was a time when we were young I used to make her laugh. But life is long, my love has gone away from me, gone away from me, gone away from me

“Ew James stop! No..no don’t you dare put that on meeee!” James chased her around the island in their home with raw cookie dough, trying to smear it on her. He was shirtless just in some sweatpants, she was in his shirt.

“Come on baby come give me a kiss” he said playfully.

“If I walk over there and give you a kiss promise you won’t get that on me?” She asked hesitantly

“Yes, yes I promise!” He laughed. She slowly made her way to him like a bunny trying to approach a wolf. He had his arms out waiting for her smiling like a fool. Drunk on love. Once she was in his arms, he held her tight and kissed her. It was warm and comfortable. No lust just pure admiration and love.

Once they broke out of the kiss he rubbed the spatula on her nose.

He broke the promise

“James!” They laughed together

 life is long, my love has gone away from me gone away from me, gone away from me. Life is long, my love has gone away from me.

“Why!? James have I done something wrong? Just let me in” she begged

“I can’t do this anymore, the routine and boring life. I have a second chance to live my life! To be free from hydra! And…”

“And you don’t want to spend it with me? Or our children?” Hopelessly. Was how she said it. And when she put it that way James felt guilty.

“I-i yes! Alright!” He took his regret out on her, in anger.

“I can’t fucking stand to be in this house! The mess! The noise! The nothingness! There’s nothing here!” He yelled

“Our kids are here! I’m here! Our family and love and home is here! We built this! I thought you loved us” she cried, sobbed, feeling like her whole life had been ripped apart.

Because…it had.

Lately I can’t seem find myself no sleep at all. Lately I just lie awake and hear and dream of a time when she was mine,felt like I had it all. But life is long, my love has gone away from me.

In different beds, in different houses that are not quite home. The broken couple that is no longer one lies awake. Thinking, missing, and dying for the other. The presence of one another still lingers on the other side of the bed. James sits in a half empty house. His kids rooms all cleared out, nothing but some left toys they didn’t want anymore. The other side of the closet, bathroom,and bedroom are still ‘moms side’ James in his heart is still married.

Y/n even though in a new house still has an empty space in the bathroom, closet, and bedroom, and her heart. Her stuff on right his on the left, but now she just has a half empty everything. She still makes room for him even though he is not there.

Gone away from me, gone away from me, gone away from me. Life is long, my love has gone away from me.

He didn’t want the endless hookups or a new woman every night like he once told her. He wanted what he used to have, what has left him. He pushed her away because of his insecurities. His arm, his age, his past, his ability to be a good father which he used to be. The kids were still young. Cecily and grant only 6 and 8, could he make it up them? Make it up to her?

Gone away from me. Life is long, my love has gone away from me. Yesterday is gone. Yesterday is dead. Get it through your head and walk away. Yesterday is gone ain’t no use of hanging on to her memory that only causes you pain.

“I’m sorry and I love you”

“Please don’t give me false hope. I love you James you’re the love of my life! But you made this decision and I- I don’t know if I could survive another thing like this happening. I’ll miss for the rest of my life.”

“I’ll miss you until the end of time.” He kissed her goodbye one last time before the kids could notice them, the two kids sitting in the car waiting for them to stop talking so they could go get ice cream with their dad.

At least he tried to get his life back after he broke it.

For awhile I sat there staring at her photograph. For awhile I cried and tried not to make a scene. There was a time when we were young I used to make her laugh. But life is long, my love has gone away from me.

🎞️

He sat and watched her marry a new man. One who could hold and keep his promises. And not let insecurities get in the way of his love and family. For this was James’ life now. Staring at her photograph.

The end

🥲

[otherone12]

What Would They Do, If They Just Knew (Pt 2)

Gerard Way × Reader

-> Masterlist

A/N:Heyy! Here's a pt2 of "What Would They Do, If They Just Knew". There will probably be continuity errors, so I ask you to ignore them. Hope you like it as mutch as i liked to write. If you have any request, send me and i'll be glad to write ^^

Summary: You are a famous actress who was dating Gerard for about 2 years, but you haven't turned your relationship public yet, because of all the issues that this could bring to your career. However, you both were hired to some Comic-Con, and you don't know whether or not this is the right time to tell'em about it.

- Word Count: 1.290

- Warnings: Big age gap and anxiety content!

- Ps: I'll not use y/n…

- Ps2: I'm brazilian, so english is not my first language ... sorry if i wrote something wrong.

___________________________________________

1st Person POV

When we came back down from the stage, the amount of people asking questions around us left me stunned, and I can definitely say that Gerard wasn't at all comfortable with the situation either. I've never been one to avoid interviews or shy away from cameras, but I think the last time I was approached like that was when I was cast in a superhero movie.

Hand in hand, we walked past the crowd of people and got into the car, leaving them with no answers.

- Holy shit! They just got crazy there. - A relieved laugh came out of my mouth when I looked at the window, seeing a lot of people outside - At Least they weren't throwing things at us.

- Yeah. - He took a deep breath, but you could see in his eyes that he was still quite dizzy. - Are you okay?

I nodded, although I was thinking about how we would deal with this in the next few days. I know that in a week or two people will forget about it and our lives will go back to normal, but still. 

- Are you? - I asked with the kinder tone I could do at that point.

- I'll be, just need to sleep. - He smiled and started to drive. - I’m exhausted.

- Do you want to stay in my place? - considering that my house is closer, I think it would be logical for him to stay there. - My bed is big enough for the two of us. 

- I'd love to. 

*** time skip ***

We fell asleep cuddling, and when I woke up, still in his arms, I grabbed my phone and checked the absurd amount of mentions involving our names on all social media. Things like “such a cute couple” made me smile, but there were more “They’re using Gerard for hype” or “Ew! that middle-aged guy knows how creepy dating a person THAT much younger?” than I thought that would be. 

My heart raced as I scrolled through the posts and saw that it was getting worse and worse. Far from being okay, I turned off my cell phone and began to think about how Gerard would react to this. A hot tear ran down my cheek and I held his arm tightly, trying to calm down.

Was this a good idea? Was telling them really a good idea? There were a lot of people talking shit about us, but it wasn't as if we didn't know that this could happen; on the other hand, there were people defending us and being very kind. 

When Gerard finally woke up, we went to the kitchen and had a coffee. I didn’t know how to tell him, but I couldn't hide it from him either. This anguish was gradually consuming me, but I tried to feign naturalness in all my movements, wanting to avoid any questions at all costs.  If the subject did come up naturally, the best thing to do was not to appear shaken by the comments, even though I was, and tell him to do the same. 

- So… about yesterday… - The question I was most afraid came faster than a bullet - have you already seen people’s reactions? 

Before answering, I took a deep breath and felt my eyes fill with water again. With the cup of coffee in my hands, I took a sip and concentrated so as not to let the fear overflow with more tears. 

- Babe? 

He didn't demand answers, but showed concern when he saw that I was about to break down right there in front of him. Without saying another word, he came close to me and comforted me in his arms. After a few seconds, he broke the silence.

- I knew that this was gonna happen… But I'm here no matter what, okay? - He hugged me tighter and all I could do was breathe heavily, attempting to feel some kind of peace. -  And we’ll be fine, nothing’s gonna change between us, sugar. 

A gigantic weight seemed to have been lifted off my shoulders when he finally said that. the lump that had formed in my throat loosened enough for me to confirm his statement.

- You promise? 

With serious features, he looked deep into my eyes, causing the environment around me to become blurred and without hesitation he said

- I promise. 

I swear I tried to erase everything I read from my mind, but my stomach churned again and with a trembling voice I blurted out an empty argument:

- But the people-

- I don’t care at all, babe, and you shouldn’t either! They’re just frustrated ones that can even write the swearing right! 

Without even realizing it, I let out a giggle. He makes me feel so good, even in my worst moments.

 I turned off my phone and didn’t look at it for the whole day, so we spent the day together. We talked about Gerard comics and he helped me go over my lines. Everything went so well that I even forgot everything that had happened in the morning, except of course for the promise that nothing would change. When I realized it, it was already late at night.

    I was in the kitchen, making dinner, when I heard footsteps getting closer. I keep my eyes in the pan to not burn it all, then I notice when the sound stopped.

    - Babe… - Gerard was standing in the beginning of the hall with a bottle of hair dye in his hand. - Do you think I should dye my hair black again? 

    - If you want to… 

    - I'm asking what YOU think, not what I think, babe! -  He whined like a kid. - So… should I?

    I giggled at his reaction and took a second to think about how to respond to him.

    - Well, personally, I love your gray hair. - I said, looking at him. I tried to cut myself off, but i couldn't held myself and murmured the next sentence. - Actually, I think it's kinda hot

    He passed through the kitchen door and walked slowly over to where I was. Attempting to pretend that I didn't said that, I bright my focus back to what I was cooking, but Gerard was in front of me with a raised eyebrow. 

    - Sorry, sugar, do you mind repeating? - He heard me. I could see in his gaze that he knew exactly what I said. With a damn grin on his face, he continued. - A bit louder now, if you don't mind.

    - I said... - I tried to use a loud tone, but I feelt a little embarrassed to say that again, knowing he was paying attention and looking directly into my eyes. I cleaned my throat and tried again. - I said that I think your gray hair is kinda hot. But you already know that, right?

    I felt my cheeks turning red while I looked away from his beautiful eyes and heard him chuckle at the situation.

    - If you say so… - He walked close to my body and stood behind my back, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. He brought his mouth close to my ear and whispered - then m gonna keep it like this. 

    He pressed a kiss on my neck, making me melt on him. The way he makes me feel is so surreal that sometimes I wonder if I'm just imagining it all. The "too good to be true" feeling haunts me from time to time, but moments like these remind me that I'm extremely lucky to have him with me, even though we heard a lot of shit about us since we turned our relationship public. 

    I guess we’ll have to deal with it, fortunately, we have our friends and the real fans to support us. 

___________________________________________

~ Well, that's it! lemme know if you like it ^^

[slocumjoe]

Hi! I love the quality of You’re work, it’s so good!

Can you do companions react to overhearing sole and someone else talking, and all sole is talking about is how freaking amazing said companion is and how much they love them and about five minutes into the rant sole just pauses and is like “oh God I actually love them”

could you do gage too if you write for him

I studied for this one, y'know, just to do Gage right for once

Anyway, this got so long, i had to use multiple paragraphs per some companions. Whoops.

Companions react to Sole talking themselves into realizing their feelings for them

We're going to assume the feelings are mutual. Featuring non-romancable companions too, because i love yall and want you to eat good 💕

Cait; the C in Cait stands for Crisis. Panics and runs away, doesn't want to hear anymore. Sole being all sweet about her platonically about ripped her in half as is, but...holy shit. She has a chance with them. Cait didn't think this far.

The A in Cait stands for Assessment. She starts doing mental gymnastics. Okay, Sole's previous partner was like this. Cait is/isn't like that. Are they viable? Does she even know how to have a relationship? She and Sole get along very well, already. They're in- ew, no. They want to smang. Yes, that is it. No one wants her for long.

The I in Cait stands for Insecure. Cait has so many goddamn issues, man. After enough thinking, she talks herself out of it. What if she's wrong, what if she hurts them, what if they hurt her? She shouldn't try it. She'll fuck it up, right?

The T in Cait stands for Take the shot, bitch. Mentally, she decides to not pursue anything. This will fly out of the window the moment Sole flirts with her or gives her any opportunity. Cait is impulsive, man. Insecurity doesn't last long around Sole.

Curie; Curie lacks tact. Might be the most likely to just...walk in and confess her feelings too. Regardless. But she might also give them more time to ponder it, seeing as they just figured it out. The weird stuff happening in her chest (joy, confusion, bashfulness, she's learned) might also nerf her for the moment.

In the time it takes for Sole to confess properly to Curie, she'll give them lots of space, so that they can think of it without her influence. Will be painfully obvious to anyone else that she's over the moon, though. Listens to love songs and stares dreamily at the sky. Draws hearts in her notebook. Gets terrifyingly excited whenever Sole talks to her, thinking it'll be the moment. If they take too long though, WILL approach them on her own.

Danse; I'm gonna be honest, second most likely to hit the legs the moment Sole starts talking about him. Danse is not built for praise. Danse isn't even built for people being neutral towards him. And he isn't the type to eavesdrop. So, we have to assume that he gets there, like, right before Sole says it. At which point, most likely to stumble and fall on his ass. Sole hears the commotion and comes to check, only to see Danse hopping a fence, or sprinting down a hallway. So, jig is already up, Sole knows he heard.

But, Danse is 1 letter away from being a different word. What is that word, class? Yes, it's "dense." Will do mental gymnastics to come to conclusion he misheard, or misunderstood, or that Sole was talking about an entirely different person.

However long it takes Sole to approach him about it, will dig himself a hole full of self-loathing, loneliness, and yearning. The longer it goes, the deeper the hole. Sole really needs to just run after him screaming "COME BACK I LOVE YOU" or this is gonna be exhausting for Person C, who had to watch this play out as an outside observer.

Deacon; Flips a coin to decide his next move; run away screaming, or walk in strutting? If he walks in, will loudly start chatting up whoever Sole is talking to about how cool Sole is, and does it in a way that gives off the vibes of "I totally feel the same way but I'm pretending I don't know you feel that way at all". Person C wants to die seeing this.

Will also talk himself out of it like Cait. Deacon doesn't even know who he is, how could Sole? And things with Barbara didn't end too well, because he was an asshole who dragged her into his shit. He's still an asshole, dragging Sole into his shit. But because of who Sole has to be to get this close with Deacon, they're likely to nip this in the bud and approach him ASAP.

Deacon has maybe ten minutes of freaking out before Sole finds him alone and confesses. And he knows this. If Sole wants to confess, they better recognize him through a disguise. He wants to be swept off his feet, and nothing turns him on like Sole seeing through his shitty wigs.

Gage; HITS THE BRICKS. He sticks around for praise because shit, who doesn't like hearing how badass they are? And from the Overboss, no less! The intelligent, tough, sexy Overboss, who makes him melt with just a look. He could listen to them brag about him all day. Hell yeah, tell them how smart he is, how strong he is, how...big his muscles are...? Uh, thanks...but talk about how good his aim is, despite the one—wait, what's this about him being...charming...? ...Handsome? Boss, what are you—WHAT? WHAT? WHAT THE FUCK?! THIS WASNT THE PLAN! RETREAT, RETREAT, RETREAT.

Gage put all of those nasty little feelings into a jar and threw them into the ocean like a civilized person the moment they reared their ugly little heads. And now, Sole just...fucking said that. Not a care in the world, no hesitatation. They—they can't. They just can't do anything there. Inappropriate workplace relationship, it wouldn't be right. And with him? Dirty, old, banged up Gage, fucked up in more ways then he has teeth? When Sole is...Sole? Nah, nah, that...nah. Best not go there. Gets a bad case of the Yearning that makes him cringe.

Talks a big game to himself about how he's not going to do anything about it, fuck that, fuck love, who needs it, but to be honest? All Sole would have to do is invite him in a shower or something and he's dropping the literal and metaphorical pants. A smart raider doesn't turn his nose up at a good thing dropping right in his lap. That...might also be literal, in this case.

Hancock; Unlike Deacon or Curie, who consider barging in, Hancock does it. He's so shocked, touched, scared, etc, that he puts on the persona and follows its lead. He walks in, chats like normal, teases, makes no indication that he knows. Everything is normal. It didn't happen. If it did, they didn't mean it.

Whenever he remembers it later, immediately distracts himself. Cuts back on chems because he keeps thinking about it on them. Lets his mind wander. Sole is too good for him, Sole deserves better, and Sole can do better. In this state, Hancock's walls are so high up and reinforced, Sole is gonna need a real bulldozer of a confession to knock them down. I recommend a moonlit dinner with music. Something to let him know that they mean business.

MacCready; It takes a good, long time for him to realize what he heard. In the moment, his brain (likely in a bid for self-preservation) locks up. He shrugs and wanders off, forgets about it. It'll be, like, a week later, and he and Sole will be talking, and it'll come rushing back to him. The shutdown happens again, and this repeats until MacCready thinks about it for a moment.

When he realizes what they said, screams into the nearest pillow, mostly because he's been an idiot for...way too long. Has a crisis. What about Lucy? What about Duncan? What about Shaun? What about Sole? Much like Danse, Sole needs to come get their man quickly, before he spooks himself out of getting some. He wants to, but is it time for that? He'll come around once Sole figures themselves out and goes to him.

Nick; The only one who will go out of his way to approach Sole later and confess himself. He's an adult with functional interpersonal skills. He's not going to kick the door down and drop his pants, and he's not going to run away and fake his death just to avoid talking about it.

Nick gets his thoughts in order, waits for Sole to not be busy, and goes for it. If Sole would be embarrassed, doesn't mention that he heard. Nick probably starts real traditional, gets flowers and candy or something. A little courting gift, as is gentlemanly. Nick knows the importance of skipping the tomfoolery and getting down to business, but he's a sentimental man. And besides, Sole deserves to be pampered, and treated right, if they're going to do this.

Also, Nick is Person C with the other companions. And he fucking knows they sit there and eavesdrop, wants to die when Sole confesses their feelings when the object of them is right there. But also, kinda lives for it. His name is Valentine, of course he's a romantic.

Piper; Piper has a taste for the theatrical, and right now, she's thinking of what she would want as Person C. And She, in C's position, would lose her mind if the Person B walked in and loudly proclaimed their feelings for Sole. Also, it's the first thing she thinks to do, too shocked to stop and think. So Piper does it, God bless.

Well, kind of. She charges in, only to cough and awkwardly tell Sole they should talk, red as her coat. Person C (Nick) appreciates this greatly, even if she stumbled on the landing.

Anyway, there's no wistful wondering. They get this shit figured out ASAP. Piper is also impulsive, and thank God for that. Sole is also red as her coat and they go back and forth teasing each other relentlessly. Lots of squealing and incoherent noises.

Preston; Much like Nick, goes for it...but not for a while. He takes time to think it over. After all, Sole is his general, they have a lot going on, he himself has a lot going on...he has logistics to work through. Likely to make a corkboard planning it out. Will he be able to provide the needed emotional labor? Goes to Nick/Person C and ask their opinion. Nick takes one look at the corkboard and tells him Sole is his friend, not a damn supply route.

Heeding Nick's advice, also approaches it traditionally. He invites Sole to a personal, off-the-record meeting late at night. Sole finds their favorite dish, music, and Preston in a tux that Nick would have advised against if he knew about it. But Preston talks about his feelings, confesses, wants to try if Sole is willing. Obviously they are.

X6-88; Decides No. Simply No. He vanishes and refuses to think about it. Sole is his Director. He is a synth, a courser, a machine. He shouldn't have these feelings anyway, but to act on them? To have them reciprocated? Oh no. No, no, no, that won't do. It goes against everything he believes.

He doesn't think about it at all. If Sole brings it up, he will initially reject them out of shock, because he genuinely is not ready to even consider it, let alone agree. Forget matters of compatibility, there is so much red tape around this, and if he trips over it, he risks his life, his position, even Sole, if the other Board Members take enough umbrage.

Sole has to do so much heavy lifting to get him to feel safe enough to think about the possibility. Not even if he wants to, if its possible. After that...X6-88 is not meant for such things. He's never done it before. Sole will expect and need things he can't provide. What if they want sex? He most certainly doesn't. What if they want comfort? His brain isn't built for that. What if they want him to change, better himself? He's not supposed to change, he wouldn't be a courser if he could.

This relationship would take so many baby steps. But he won't forget that Sole, for some reason he can't parse, feels the same way. For something they shouldn't see as a person, but do. And...they like the person they see. It...Sole is going to be dealing with a crisis, down the line.

[malarkgirlypop]

MEDIC! Part 14 (Donald Malarkey x Fem!OC)

I am so sorry.

This is based on the HBO show and the actors who portray the characters, no hate to anyone involved.

“Jesus Christ.” I muttered as we finally arrived back at our old site. The jovial banter had quickly died after we returned. I looked around, the tall trees that once loomed over the foxholes, now stood splintered in half, branches and limbs of the pine trees laid scattered all over the ground. Now I understand the saying, ‘looks like a bombs gone off’, the place was a whole mess. 

“Well at least it will make it easier to build up the covers on the foxholes.” Skip mused, kicking the debris as we walked. I hummed in agreement. 

We were back looking out across the field at Foy. The thought of the enemy only being so far away sent shivers up my spine. You could see them moving around like little ants, scurrying from one house to the other. They were getting ready. Did they know we had moved back in? I had hoped not. Maybe they could leave us in peace for a while, and make it easy. But who was I kidding, this was not going to be easy in the slightest, taking hold of Foy was going to be a mission. An even harder mission at that with stupid Dike leading us. God if anything happens please let Dike be injured. It was cruel of me to think that, but I needed my boys alive. 

I drag tree limbs back to the foxhole we had claimed, throwing them down onto the front of the hole. I roll my aching shoulders, wiping the sweat from my brow. Don comes up from behind me throwing more branches down onto the pile. 

“What, are you tired?” He teases, as I stretch my arms. I crack my knuckles on each hand in response. “Oh, ew!” He cringes at the noise. 

“Oh you’re gonna love this then. Listen.” Even though he hates the sound he pauses and listens. I twist my back, keeping my feet in place, the joints popping up my spine. 

“Oh, Em what is wrong with you?” Don crinkles up his nose in disgust at the noise. I laugh. 

“I’m creaky!” I shrug, still smiling at him. 

“Creepy more like.” Don pokes me in the stomach, I fend him off, pretending to be offended. 

“Alright lover birds get a room.” Skip says as he approaches, dragging more sticks for us to put on the cover.  

“We do! We just have to share it with two wombles!” Don and I turn our assault onto Skip, poking him in the sides. He yelps trying to get away, Don and I cackle mischievously. Alex comes up seeing the chaos and decides to join in, attacking Skip as well. Skip falls to the floor, red in the face and out of breath. We finally let him go, stepping back to enjoy our handiwork. 

“Ok, note to self, don’t pick on Em and Don when they are together.” We chuckle as Don pulls him back to his feet. We get back to our task of getting more branches to build up the foxholes.       

I walk slowly back to the hole, trying my best not to fall over, I can’t see due to the high stack of sticks that Alex had placed in my arms. When a faint boom sounds from behind me, then another and another. My mind is slow to process the noise as I walk. It’s not until Lip screams that my brain finally clicks. I drop my sticks, frantically looking for the closest foxhole to shelter in, before the inevitable happens. Before I can find a foxhole the first shell hits. My adrenaline is already coursing through my veins, I can hear my heartbeat in my ears, along with the yells of the men calling to take cover. The shell rocks the earth beneath my feet, I stumble moving forward. My eyes dart around looking for somewhere to hide. 

“EM!” I hear over the explosions, I look around. Don’s head pokes out of a hole, his face urging me to get a move on. I sprint towards it, diving in. We curl into tight balls, protecting our heads and necks as shells rain down around us. Dirt and debris spray over us with each hit. Even with all the noise my ears still listen for anyone calling for a medic. The heat from the shells were intense, the blow of hot air on our skin wasn’t a welcome feeling even in the cold. The shelling stopped just as abruptly as it had started. We unfurled ourselves from tight holds, peeking our heads over the sides of the hole to assess the scene in front of us. I didn’t even notice until it had stopped that Bill was in the same hole as Malarkey and I. From the deafening booms to the eerie silence afterwards it put me on edge. I was waiting for a call to go and help. I strained my ears listening, but they still rang from the events prior. 

“Maybe we should see if anybody’s hit.” Don said. 

“Yeah, Malark, that’s what they want.” Bill replied back, affirming it wasn’t a good idea to leave the holes we sheltered in just yet. “The Krauts are trying to draw us out in the open.” 

We waited and listened. But it was still. We couldn’t see much in front of us either, the smoke from the shells still hadn’t cleared, giving us poor visibility.

“I need help!” The shout was distant, but the three of us in the hole turned our heads in the direction the voice came from. 

“You hear that?” Don asked. I nodded, not taking my eyes off the place where I heard the voice. The cries growing louder. 

“Is that Joe?” Bill asked, we listened again to the voice. 

“Yeah, I think that’s Joe.” Don confirmed. I moved to get out, but Bill and Malarkey quickly stopped me.     

“Bill, he needs help!” I looked at the man, he had a firmer grip on me than Don. 

“Stay!” He ordered, getting out of the hole himself. 

“But Bill!” I protested, he turned around shaking his head. I huffed. My stomach churned, I chewed on the inside of my lip, trying to see where Bill went.        

My heart lurched into my throat when I heard the sound of more shells being fired. 

“Bill’s still out there.” I yelled at Malarkey, who pulled me down further into the foxhole. I hadn’t realised it but I had stood up when I heard the noise, straining my eyes to see if I could spot the pair. 

“Get down!” Don and I lay on the floor of the hole. I flinched with each boom. Tears welled in my eyes. Please be safe. I chanted in my head.

“MEDIC!” I was quick to my feet, scrambling out of the hole. But Don was faster, grabbing me by my waist and throwing me back into the hole. 

“They need help!” We yelled at the same time. “Are you crazy Em!”  

Shells still blasted around us. I was begging them to stop, so I could go to the men who needed help. I needed to find Bill and Joe and make sure they were ok. It ceased finally. 

“MEDIC!” I looked at Don, ensuring he wasn’t going to drag me back in the hole again this time. He nodded, letting me know he was ok with me leaving. I was up on my feet in seconds, sprinting through the forest, leaping over fallen trees. 

I got to the scene first. I was horrified. Both Bill and Joe lay on the ground surrounded in blood. But they were still breathing. I took in each man, assessing their injuries. Joe’s leg was gone from the knee down, while Bill’s leg barely clung on by muscles and tendons. 

“GENE!” I screamed for the other medic, I needed all the help I could get. Gene was quick to arrive, crouching down by my side as I tourniqueted Joe’s leg. I have given him a syrette of morphine but he still grimaced in pain while I was helping him. I let Gene take over from me, moving to help Bill. I also gave him morphine for the pain. He put on a brave face. I cut the blood flow off from his wounded leg, I don’t think we will be able to save it in its condition. I would rather him lose the leg than bleed out on me. 

“Doc what can I do?” I heard Don say from behind me, as he helped Gene. Joe was groaning in pain. I turned my attention back onto Bill. 

“How’s the pain?” I asked, looking over his body for any other injuries. 

“Fine Em.” He gritted through his teeth, always so stubborn Bill, he didn’t want to admit he was in pain.  

“Bill, you’re going first ok.” I said as the men arrived with the stretcher to take him back to the aid station. 

“Whatever you say, Darling.” Bill gave me a tight lipped smile. 

The men moved him onto the stretcher, Bill crying out in agony as they did so. I winced at the noise. 

“Don’t look so worried Emmy.” Bill reached out brushing his hand over my face, smoothing out the creases of concern between my brows. I took his hand in mine, giving it a squeeze, letting him go as the men carried him away. 

“Hey, Joe, I told you I’d beat you back to the states.” Bill says as he is carted away. I help Gene with Joe’s leg as we wait for the other medics to come and retrieve him. I pack the stump of his leg with dressings before covering it. Don sits with him holding his hand, as we work.  

I hear the conversation between Luz and Lip. Lipton asks about Buck. He didn’t look in good shape when I had arrived, he had seen the whole thing. He looked distraught. As soon as he saw me and knew that the men were being treated he left. He didn’t utter a word to me, or offer to help. It was like he was sleepwalking as he trudged away. I hadn’t seen him since. So to hear Luz tell Lip that he was fine, I didn’t believe him. My mind went back to the conversation that Babe and Bill had prior about the Lieutenant, Babe was right he was wound up like a spring waiting to explode. I’m sure what he had witnessed sent him over the edge. Buck was indeed not fine. I glanced over my shoulder. I could make him out, sitting on a fallen tree, head in his hands. He looked broken.  

The other men arrive soon after with another stretcher to take Joe away. They took Buck with them as well. We had said he needed to go back to the aid station due to a bad case of trench foot. But we all knew the man had reached his breaking point, war was no good for him anymore. It would kill him to stay, we knew that. No one said anything, but we knew. Don often went to the aid station to visit him, when he would come back he looked defeated. He told me that Buck wasn’t the same, he didn’t want his letters read to him, he didn’t say anything, just lay in his bed looking up at the roof. Don tried his best to help and care for his friend, but he was too far gone. The best thing for Buck Comptant was to go home and be with his family. Away from the horrors of war. But it was a hard thing to escape once it was etched into your mind. I just wished for the best for the kind man. I hoped that going home he would be able to recover again to the best of his ability.       

We huddle round in a circle as George tells his stories. One of the best parts of the night, listening to the outlandish stories from Luz. 

“You fellas know I got no reason to  bullshit you, right?” Luz says, as we chuckle. 

“Yeah, right.” Skip says sarcastically, as we all chuckle. 

“Look, I’m not gonna bullshit you. This is what I saw. It was so unbelievable, you might not believe me. So you-know-who comes running up to Lipton. He’s got no helmet, no gear, no nothing.” Luz tells us. “Ah, 1st Sergeant Lipton, you organise things here, and I’m gonna go for…help.” Luz mimics Dike’s voice. We all laugh. I’m shocked but not surprised. Of course he would fucking dip when we were getting hit. God help us for when we have to go into Foy. “I need to go polish my oak leaf clusters.” I was never not impressed with George’s talent to mimic people, he’s so good at it. I hear someone clearing their throat, we all straighten as we look behind George to find Lip. Like being caught by a teacher doing something naughty. We all know that Lip doesn’t like us to bad mouth Dike, he says it brings down morale and it’s not helpful. It’s true but you gotta rant sometimes especially about Dike. I grin at the man as he gets called away by Lip. 

“Alright fellas, Em.” Luz looks sheepish as he turns to go talk to Lip. 

“Goodnight, goodnight all.” Don says as he makes his way back to the foxhole to get some shut eye.

"Night fellas. Night Em." Skip says to me as Alex and Skip leave to their own hole.

"Night you two, see you in the morning." I grin at the pair as they wave goodbye.

I stayed back, wanting to talk to Lip after he had spoken to Luz.

“I’ll meet you back at the hole.” I tell Don, he nods leaving me by myself. I watch Luz and Lip walk away from each other. I say goodnight to George as he passes me. I follow after Lip, I walk about two steps before I am knocked off my feet. I fall back onto the snow, dazed by the blast. The trees around me explode with a blinding light. I get to my feet. Only to fall again. I crawl forward as the shells explode around me, Skip and Penkala are just ahead yelling at me to move faster to get to them. I shuffle forward, every time I stand another shell hits the ground near me knocking me off balance. Everything moves in slow motion, I look to the boys who scream for me, ushering me forward with their arms. I am almost there, almost safe in their foxhole. A blinding light hits their hole, the boys basically disintegrate in front of my eyes. A gasp leaves my lips, before my brain can process what I just witnessed. The hole, now a crater, is empty and the men residing in it have disappeared. A strangled scream leaves my lips. I sob. I cry out in agony. Tears blurring my vision. I can’t stop screaming. My blood curdling screams fill the air along with the deafening blows. I lie in the snow, shells still hitting the floor I lay on, as I howl, I can barely breath. I have to get up. I force myself to stand, tears streaming down my face. I run, I don’t even know where I am going. I get up, I fall again. I crash to the ground in front of a foxhole watching the soldier stand. It's Lipton, he grabs me by my clothes hauling me into the hole with him. I can’t stop sobbing. I bawl as Lipton holds me to him. 

“Muck and Penkala!” I cry, “They’re gone!” My brain can’t even function or process what I have seen.  

A shell hits close by the blast hitting us and sending shrapnel flying in our direction as we grunt bracing the impact. Lipton groans out in pain. We cover our heads as we sit in the hole, when the shells sound less we lift our heads. A bomb lands beside us, I gasp, waiting to be blown to pieces, but it never comes. The shell lying beside us doesn’t go off. I feel like I am going to throw up. I pull out the cigarette that Malarkey gave me earlier when I had beaten him in cards, lighting it. I inhale the foul tasting smoke letting it burn my throat and lungs, Lipton takes the smoke off me inhaling deeply as well, “I thought you didn’t smoke?” I say to Lip. 

“I don’t, but I could say the same for you.” He looks over at my tear streaked face, I take a shaky breath as Lip slowly puffs on the cigarette.

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

Chapter 15

[germhammy]

(Mis)Adventures of Little Wednesday- aka Wednesday’s mirror image niece

“Lunch Time- a new friend?”

The gang sat together. Jack sat at the end of the table. Ruthie placed his bowl on the floor with his food

GomezJr: the field trip yesterday was fun

Koda: even though we go to the farm all the time

Ruthie: did Raya like the honey candy, Koda? You know my mom hand makes every batch, right?

Koda: very much. Yes! That why Raya like so much. Much more tasty honey flavor than store bought honey candy

Little Wednesday: we have so much honey at the house. Auntie Weenie brought home a lot.

Dayton and Aiyon approached the table.

Tyler: oh oh.

Dayton: Wednesday. I want to apologize for how I’ve been treating you. Thank you for the stuffed chicken.

Little Wednesday was suspicious

Dayton: no really. I heard my mom talking to your, Auntie Weenie. I don’t know what your Auntie said. But I’m not letting my mom take the chicken. I like it.

Little Wednesday: really?

Dayton: yeah. My mom and dad don’t let me play with stuffed animals. They say it’s for girls or sissies.

GomezJr: really? Gee. My dad gave me his plushie lion he had as a kid. And Wednesday has Auntie Weenie’s stuffed cockroach.

Dayton: that’s neat! - looking at Little Wednesday’s lunch- are those fried bugs?

Little Wednesday: crickets. Not the ghost pepper ones Tyler likes. Auntie Weenie makes them seasoned with chile, lime, garlic, onion, and salt. Want to try one?

Dayton: sure. I’ll try one. And if I don’t like it I promise not to spit it out on your food.

Aiyon: what are you doing? Why are you being nice to her? You know she bought those stuffed things to make fun of us, right?

Dayton: yes. And I thought it was funny. I was running around like a chicken as I was being chased by chickens. And besides the stuffed chicken is kinda cute.

Little Wednesday: name it Wednesday and you die. I’ll learn my Auntie’s teleport spell and drop a bag of piranha in your bath

Dayton chuckled as he popped the cricket in his mouth and ate it.

Dayton: those are rather tasty. I’m sorry for making fun of your food.

Aiyon: what is wrong with you? Are you going soft? I’m going to go kick around some kids on the playground. Have fun with your new girlfriend, Dayton.

Ruthie: ew.

Tyler: have you had lunch? Would you like to sit with us and try some more new foods?

Dayton: sure! My mom only packs me a half sandwich, a small bag of chips and a small bottle of water. Today my sandwich was peanut butter and honey.

Ruthie: my dad’s honey?

Dayton: yes. Koda, sit next to Wednesday. That way it doesn’t look like I’m her girlfriend after Aiyon’s remark

Koda: O.K

The gang made room for Dayton and enjoyed their lunch sharing food with him.

[longeyelashedtragedy]

Frank James Lampard OBE 👀

ougughgh, you whipped out the order of the british empire? 🫡 😳 maybe i was wrong to judge them teaboos back in the superwholock days (that's a JOKE)

@protect-daniel-james i'll respond here but i might use your ask to post some more Photos cause i'm not sure how to pick just one photo of the Long Eyelashed Tragedy

favorite thing about them: uhhh...so much? he gets me right in the FEELS, man. he tells on himself constantly and seems to be completely unaware. sadboi footballer with pretty dead eyes who loves to Read and took a little notebook with him on the team bus. the intersection of having it easy/privileged childhood & traumatic things that shouldn't have happened--i relate. exhilarating to watch his old performances and he seems like he'd be fun to have a conversation with. fascinating to analyze, this all feels sort of reductive...i'm very Fond of him and some of it is hard to put into words, but i feel very "what's not to love?" about him lol. and he has such a Narrative. he's very easy to write about though it probably doesn't turn out well at all (sounds great and deep in my head though)

also i find a lot of footballers hot but don't really experience significant attraction to them but he is an exception you know what i'm just going to end this here

least favorite thing about them: he lost weight after everton BOO HISS

favorite line: omg, frank james lampard OBE is funny because he's often so intelligent and articulate and then just whips out the WEIRDEST/most cringe thing out of nowhere. some examples:

-his "fight" with klopp on the touchline

THIS wtfery:

these BANGERS:

this classic example of childhood trauma "too old when you're young and too young when you're old" (what some ppl would call "entitled male athlete" but like..i know better than that lol). it's also just patently RIDICULOUS he was like 36...bolding is mine for the classic lines

But it was while on a night out in Manchester during pre-season that the ex-West Hamer star showed his new American team-mates exactly how ex-Premier League stars like to party.

Columbus Crew centre-back Josh Williams was with NYCFC at the time and he told the story to the Athletic.

...“This place is packed, multiple levels. And as soon as we walk in, you could see everybody recognise Frank. And it’s just me, my teammate and Frank and all the energy is just on him.

"He picks up a bottle, this huge bottle of Grey Goose, picks it up, opens it, just starts downing it. Passes it to me and goes, ‘Boys, we’re not putting this down until it’s fucking gone.’”

The trio passed the bottle around three times when the rest of NYCFC showed up.

After about an hour in the club, Lampard approached Williams and asked him about 'that game you Americans play where you throw the little balls — he’s talking about beer pong.'

ok let's see...

brotp: random one but i recently learned that he and ian wright are friends? and i just love that so much both as a gooner and a person. wrighty complements him well and is very...respectful lol. if we consider lamperry to be only one-sided romantic, then definitely lamperry

notp: franko x steven gerrard...there's only One situation in which i've enjoyed that ship (and it was an au). it does nothing for me normally, and i personally don't find stevie g attractive, so! again, it's like an "ew get it away from me" notp, it's just not my vibe.

otp: i mean...lamperry requited. franko x cousin jamie jamie jamie ....maybe someday they can give romeo and juliet their happy ending. and of course, frank and mason...i just really like this ship so much and it keeps my brain so entertained...even though it's not "healthy" and doesn't end well. these ships are all SO good!!!

random headcanon: oh gosh idk...i don't think i have any "headcanons" because everything he says and does in public just kind of tracks. bet he's done coke lol. idk

unpopular opinion: HOO BOY!!! here we go!!! i am aware that i have a wooby nature, but i actually like that about myself. i'd rather approach someone--anyone with softness and then tone it down when i decide they're a dick, than be uncharitable for no reason. that's my way and that's how it's gonna be! so that said...franko gets accusations of "arrogance" and i...i don't see it at all. it might come from his disingenous press conferences at chelsea and everton, but i see that as a man who has horrid self-esteem, was used to being treated by media and fans like a Starboy, and once he started doing badly, had no idea how to handle professional failure--not one single idea. remember on "diary of a ceo" over the summer when he said his first chelsea sacking was the first time he's ever failed professionally? that's insane. Like, imagine making it to age FORTY-TWO and not having a legitimate school or career disaster. that's insane to me. so he just put up a front and got cranky and defensive and funky about where he placed the blame (and to be honest--he has not done a good job as a manager, but he also wound up in some pretty dismal positions. taking chelsea caretaker manager was really shooting himself in the foot because that season just needed to be put out of its misery lol). i'm not saying he's a bastion of humility, or some misunderstood coaching genius, but i don't see him as any more or less arrogant than someone else. idk--i see a weird level of contempt for him that doesn't really feel deserved? he's just a sad sack. sort of a hubris tale in a sense, but also a tale of a man who is still stuck as a kid in some ways...i need to stop before i write a really bad dissertation lol

uh that said...

song i associate with them:

finally a footballer i can give a good answer to this for!!!

name me a better combination than me x lamps x pink floyd x this summer! comfortably numb, shine on you crazy diamond (all of it, but particularly sections vi-ix), wish you were here...

(i know this sounds basic...i know there are more i'm not remembering)

"money" in some ways because i listened to it while writing "visited upon the sons" (it hit me afterward that the fic and the song are structured in the same way...the chicken or the egg?)

from the oooold first days of the lampardverse:

behind blue eyes/a well respected man

also! wouldn't it be nice kind of reminds me of him and cousin jamie loool

favorite picture of them:

dude idk! i really love looking at photos of him! this is granit levels of difficulty...i Cannot choose so let's go with this sad sack from the blessed everton days:

[demonsfate]

same anon here… if i may shift the rant to kazuya a bit… i think it's a very, very fine line here between what many Kazuya defenders say and what i'm about to say, but what makes Kaz so interesting to me is that, while he was definitely shaped by the trauma wrought on him by Heihachi and likely would've turned out fine under different circumstances, he still chose evil. He embraced it. Heihachi was thought dead and gone between TK1 and 2 and that didn't stop Kazuya from doing any of the long laundry list of crimes he did. That doesn't make him without humanity and he's plenty sympathetic, but it's a very important distinction to give him that agency because the implication otherwise is that being abused makes you evil when that obviously isn't true in so many real life cases, and is actually quite insulting to the many normal people out there with completely batshit parents!

And as you said, this also contrasts him with Jin. Kaz was saved by the devil and embraced it (and his actions reflect that), Jin considers himself cursed by it (with his actions showing the insane lengths he'll go to get rid of it lol [why did they take the worst possible approach to this though lol i'm in pain]). The contrast is so much more interesting than yet another villain protagonist in a series made of them.

ps I do wonder how much modern moral purity has to do with all this, like. just from casual observation it seems so many Mishima fans keep trying to argue why their man of choice is "the good one". Missing the point much? In this series as well, Tekken is not at all subtle about everyone being a rat bastard (which is why i love them haha)

pps btw you've near single-handedly opened my eyes to how funny DJ is and i've gone from ew cringy ott edgelord to him becoming my beloved fucked up catbird creature who fills my heart with joy

And that's also why Jin can't work as a villain. I cooooould be wrong, but I'm pretty sure some of the devs had once said that Jin was like if Kazuya made better choices and attempted to better himself instead of giving into hatred. Which would make sense, as they both grew up similar. Only that, Jin's "hardships" came a little later in his life. But both still essentially lost their mother, was abused by Heihachi, betrayed by Heihachi, and then found out they both a fucking devil. Kazuya and Jin show how two people can react very differently to similar scenarios. Which, beyond Jin being the "good Mishima" and the "protagonist" - Tekken 6 also ruins the entire point of that.

Like I don't care if Jin was doing it for a ""good cause,"" once he's crossing his arms and smirking, and literally calling people "pitiful" after beating them in battle... that's just - that's just Kazuya!!!!! Which Jin isn't supposed to be. Like it's also what made Jin so interesting as a main character - because he really was meant to be Kazuya's contrast / foil. They go well together. Which, is a shame most of that potential got tarnished after they refuse to acknowledge them in Tek5, then they do have a rivalry again in Tek6 but Jin might as well not even be Jin, and then Tek7 Jin was mostly absent... so. Let's see if 8 can do better.

Also I don't wanna hear the rubbish that "Mishima Bad" that every Mishima is cursed to be an Irredeemable Jerk. Because Lars and Jinpachi are both fine people who were a lil misled at first but were good people in heart. Jinpachi was only "evil" when he got literally possessed by an evil spirit - and much like Jin, Jinpachi was wanting to die in order to be free of the evil spirit and save the world.

I don't mind Jin making mistakes sometimes, or lashing out in anger, or not being able to control DJ. But I don't think they should ever go to the extent of what Tek6 did. I think Jin should always just struggle with moral in the sense he just doesn't know what would be best to do. (Tek4, for example, where he had to decide from committing murder-suicide or not) Jin isn't the ideal hero, he's not a knight in shining armor. But in the end, he should still be somebody who's compassionate toward his friends and the other fighters who deserve that compassion, and someone who doesn't get innocents killed because he's trying to awaken some stupid doomsday chicken.

AND THANKS OMG - funny enough when I first started this blog, I wasn't as invested in DJ. I just had him around because it felt kinda hard to write Jin without him. But then as I started becoming even more familiar with the series, and I started developing my own ideas - I started really liking his character. A good thing I will say about Tek6, regardless if it was intentional or not - he was pretty funny in scenario campaign should you choose to play as him. Maybe the "eating people" think was solely included to be Edgy; but I just found it funny how much he kept CONSTANTLY bringing it up, and then making other characters confused LOL. But I also like the inclusion just BECAUSE - when I see a nonhuman character, even if they do appear somewhat human, I do like to give them traits that separate them from humans. But also with the idea of Azazel seeing DJ as nothing but a tool and thus creating him to be nothing more - I also like to have the depiction that DJ isn't necessarily "evil," he's more so just the response of a scorned God who felt betrayed.

[quinloki]

omg I'm like actually a little crazy over this like I'm still thinking about it it's still in my brain help

omg just imagine none of the brothers will get in between it, but they start slowly doing things to encourage whichever brother they support more. or they go the way of ace/luffy and accidently cockblock (or purposefully in Izou's case bc he's a little shit)

OMG AND AFTER THE DREAM YOURE AVOIDING ALL THREE and they pick up on it bc they're not dumb and ace is the first one to come to you all sad like did I do something wrong and hes so sad and you break down and tell him and he's like ew but fair and somehow the other two overhear or something (convienient vent trope prolly) and so they're like trying to figure out how to approach it bc they're both too gentlemanly to just come straight up and say wanna fuck? and also there is always brothers around thatch clings to marco and luffy clings to sabo so it's just like… lingering touches or glances and you're all flustered from it and finally it's like damn gotta get laid so you go on tinder or hit the bar up with friends

and you got all dressed up and luffy/deuce saw you and were like uh??? and report in to marco/sabo and then just a group of the bros show up at the bar and cockblock and that's the snapping point or something

idk I gotta do some chores so I may have more thoughts about this but my brain is going wild with this jfc I'm so bad at putting it into words tho but I had to share

PURPOSEFULLY IN IZOU'S CASE CAUSE HE'S A LITTLE SHIT

I am dying XD It's so true though.

He thinks you're cute too, and he's getting to a point that if Marco or Sabo don't pipe up, he will, and despite the beauty and grace he has no desire to beat around the proverbial bush. (heck this got long)

And no convenient vent trope, I imagine all three were grumbling about it and Ace was like "Screw this I'm going to ask." And Marco and Sabo kind of want to stop him, but they don't, and they're SHAMELESSLY eavesdropping in the hallway.

And Thatch is definitely accidentally getting in the way like Ace and Luffy (and sometimes cause Izou sends him off toward Marco >.> )

And I think maybe you don't decide to go blow off steam, so much as you get invited. Girls' night out or something, queue Nami and Vivi and maybe a couple more, and you head out.

Thatch works at the bar, and you didn't realize that. He just sends a text to Marco, cause he knows that he'd said something about wanting to take you out to help you get out of the house, and there's nothing behind Thatch's text, just a sort of "good job getting her out of the house" kind of deal.

Marco's confusion causes a quick back and forth series of texts and he's changing and running out the door before his usual demeanor kicks in enough to even slow him down and Sabo's on his heels like "You are acting suspicious, brother dear." and comes along and halfway there Marco's like

"Shit... what was I thinking? We're going to look like total creeps."

"Nah, we can just wait until she's leaving on her own an give her a ride home, her and her friends if they need it. Apologize for being over-protective, calm down old bird."

They get there in time to see trouble going into the bar (some variety of either Kizaru/Teach/Worst-Gen/etc.) and they're both just like, "Well, fuck" cause now they're honestly worried.

Nami's the target (maybe it's Arlong?) and you, cute little not-a-part-of-this-side-of-the-world person that you are, doesn't see danger - you just see some asshole who can't get a clue. So you step in on Nami's behalf, and her and Vivi are trying to keep you out of it, but one of the reasons you and Ace get on is because you're both a little more likely to punch first, diplomacy second.

You don't want to assault someone on your night out, but this douchebag isn't getting the hint. His fist goes back and you're ready to deal with him, but suddenly there's Thatch's chef's knife at his throat, Sabo's in front of you with a steel pipe, and Marco's already twisted his fist behind his back.

You've been living with these guys for a while, and you've NEVER seen them all look so angry. Even Thatch looks ready to murder someone and he struck you as a goofball.

The Entire Bar is dead silent.

Anyway, that's how you end up going to a hotel with Marco and Sabo, and becoming an enemy of some mafia or something in the story and we move from a few chapters of fluffy prep and world-building to a far more charged story >.>

[metaladam]

Lute doesn’t know how to say this . . . So she just attempts to approach her boss in her native tongue , hoping deep down he had no idea what she was saying . . .

〞ani lo yode'a eich lehagid et ze . . . ani me'od me'od mihapekha . . . ani mabit alekha ve'mehallel ot'kha ke'e-li . . . ani . . . ani e'eseh kol davar lehashmir ot'kha velehasim'kha b'shlema . . .〝

( i don’t know how to say this . . . i care for you more than anything . . . i look up to you and praise you like my hero. i . . . i would do anything and everything to keep you safe . . . )

He didn't know why she'd think he wouldn't understand. He was the first person to ever speak that language in the first place. Adam heard her loud and clear.

How many times had he heard similar things? People telling him how great he was, saying they had his back, saying that they cared about him only to leave the moment things got difficult? He'd made his mistakes of course, he knew deep down he was not this invincible and perfect being but that part of him was buried so deep that even he forgot it existed at times. He knew he'd been clingy, domineering, and cocky to both his wives.

All the same, why had it been so easy for them to leave? In all his time with them he would have never abandoned them, the thought never even occurred to him, he had thought he accepted their faults at least. Lilith didn't want to be his equal, she wanted to be his master, either that or she simply wanted to be him. They were made for each other by the almighty and she abandoned him when he needed her most, after all the many long nights, timeless conversations, all of it. When his heart had properly recovered he thought to give love another chance.

He tried to find a life with Eve, but she wronged him in her own ways. Saying everything was fine, scheming in the shadows with nefarious creatures like Lucifer. Even from spawning all of humanity with her it was not enough for her to feel any inkling of loyalty toward him. Eventually she too would abandon him.

Again he would be alone, relying on himself to defend what remained of his self respect, of his pride. Over time he became convinced it was the only way to survive.

Then he met Lute and he enjoyed and once more he found himself feeling as if he'd found a true companion. A friend. The years would go by and she remained at his side, even when she saw the worst of him. There were times when he wanted to say things to her, to write loving music for her, nothing like the shallow loud and aggressive things he played more often then not.

Now was one such time, one such time he wished he had the ability to reach out and return her words with his own. They shattered almost immediately though as he remembered the pain of the past. The moments where he'd felt someone had come to rescue him, to be with him, to love him, only to find that they would become dead to him in the end. The world would get no more tears from him. He was Adam, the fucking man. The dick master, the first being to walk the Earth. Such happiness was not for him, perhaps his work could contribute to help other find that happiness, but it was not his place to have it.

He'd play dumb if only to look strong. It was all he had.

" EW! Lute, you know how long its been since anyone spoke in that tongue? Shit has been dead for a while! I don't even recognize that shit! Its been fucking like? Thousands of years since I knew the dialect! We are modern babe, speak to me in English or Latin I guess if you feel old school! Hebraice sic mutus usquam sonat! Audi cacas ipsum! Odi!

[efrmellifer]

XXIII. Dirty Work (Suit)

mildly suggestive, post-EW

“Where are you taking me?” Estinien asked, not quite impatient but now desperate for answers, when Etien had already dragged him out of the house, to the airship landing, to Limsa Lominsa, and from there to Moraby Drydocks.

Now, she was approaching a ferryman, and he simply needed to know where in the hells they were going.

“Do you want to go to your island, miss,” the ferryman asked her, “or to one of the others in the Cieldalaes Archipelago?”

“My island, please,” she responded. She turned to Estinien. “We’re going to my island.”

“There. How hard was that?” he asked.

She shook her head with a laugh as they followed the ferryman and boarded the boat to cross the water.

When they arrived on the beach, Etien let out a heavy sighing breath. At first, Estinien had just interpreted it as an especially heavy sigh, some expression of comfort and relief to be back on her island. Well, he supposed it was warmer than Ishgard, and she was from a more deciduous area, so maybe it was that.

But when she started pulling at the collar of her dress, woolen and both high-collared and long-skirted, it all clicked for him.

“Too hot?”

“I’m getting a little sweaty,” she replied, hissing as she accidentally pulled her hair in an attempt to free her collarbone momentarily.

He just looked at her for a moment, knowing a smug ‘well why did you wear wool made for Ishgardian conditions on a trip to a semi-tropical island?’ was absolutely the wrong move, but not sure what to say instead.

There was the option to flirt, which she rarely disliked, though if she was already too hot, raising her temperature by flustering her was only flirting with her fainting.

He sighed. “Surely you must have some sort of bathing suit or something stashed here for when you feel like a dip in the ocean, but you didn’t feel like parading around Ishgard in your smallclothes.”

“Did Aymeric tell you about that day at the springs?” Etien asked, but it was hard to tell if she was embarrassed about it or just so overheated her cheeks burned.

Estinien picked her up. “My legs are longer than yours, and this way you won’t generate more heat walking.”

He set her down outside the little cabana, and then didn’t really know what to do.

With a huff, she peeled away the wool dress, revealing underneath it a blouse with a leather overlay—not quite a brassiere, not really a stomacher… ‘harness’ was the best word he could think of for it—and a skirt made of the material a shepherd’s slops were.

“I repurposed the slops I wore to investigate The Griffin,” she explained, seeing his curious gaze.

“I wasn’t worried about where it came from,” he said, eyes trailing up and down her body. “This little shepherdess’s getup… it suits you.”

Now her blush was evidently a response to his compliment. “Thank you. I figured the mammets do a lot of the dirtier work with the animals, but if I’m going to be walking around the pen, and in the planting patches, I should probably dress for working and getting muddy.”

“Did you want any help getting muddy?”

She laughed. “Will you help me get clean afterward?”