#but no that’s not seeming to be a possibility at present so I’m gonna lie here like a slug

[chiropteracupola]

people are using multiple power sanders two feet from my head but I will NOT get up I am BUSY I am being MELANCHOLIC IN BED

[ramp-it-up]

Worth the Fall

Summary: James Bucky Barnes WAS an avowed bachelor and one night stand artist. You came along and knocked him on his face. Despite the fact you have questions about Bucky and your parents’ conversation at Thanksgiving, you’re hitting your groove as a couple, but there is no time for alone time.

Word count: 3.4 K

Pairing: Art Dealer (mob boss) Bucky Barnes x Reader

A/N: This part of the story is getting everything caught up to a month ago, lmao. Thank you for continuing to rock with this story. And let me know if you like it (I hope you do!)

This fic is in the Knock You Down AU, and comes immediately after both You've Got Me Thinking and the Steve Rogers fic Peach III.

Warnings: 18+ Only, Minors DNI. Read at your own risk. Smut! Initial angst, Steve and Peach, Bucky’s anxiety. No time for nookie! Flirting Intimations of sexting and phone sex. Praise kink, fluffy Bucky, horny Bucky, dom Bucky. F@cking versus making love, wall time, sex with clothes on, raw p in v, creampie, after care, intimations of oral (f receiving!) dirty talk, Bucky applies for a second job. Not Beta'd. All errors my own.

I no longer have a taglist. Please follow @rampitupandread and turn on notifications to learn when I post! 😘

I Do NOT Consent to my work being reposted, translated or presented on any other blog or site other than by myself.

————

You walked along the sand and inhaled the ocean air.

You were shaken to the core. 

Bucky Barnes had surely just taken your parents out to ask for your hand in marriage. But it was so soon, how could he be so sure?

Also, you were an independent woman. How dare he talk to your parents before he asked you to marry him!

He wasn’t your feudal lord.

You were scared witless and turned to the waves to try and calm down. 

“He loves the hell out of you, you know.”

Steve had fallen in beside you as you stared at the ocean. You looked up at him, trying to smile, but failing. To Steve you looked terrified.

“It’s just so….”

Steve smiled to himself, remembering that Bucky had purchased the ring weeks before, after just a few days of knowing you. But that wasn’t his story to tell.

“Just know that I’ve never seen him like this. And I’ve known him since we were kids. He’s never been so open, so determined with a woman before. You make him a better man. It’s truly amazing.”

Steve looked so earnest. Your cousin had done quite a number on him.

“You don’t have to be scared. You are ‘The One’ for him.”

This time you managed a smile and an arched eyebrow. You had a feeling that he wasn’t just talking about his best friend.

Steve chuckled.

“Gah. Don’t look at me like that. You and Peach and that eyebrow.”

You laughed at that and grinned, more relaxed now.

Steve looked off into the waves himself.

“So fucking cute…”

He looked down and kicked a rock, a small smile on his face. You could tell he had it bad.

“Thanks for the pep talk Steve-o. And I get what you’re saying. I love Bucky Barnes with all my might, making every other relationship I’ve ever had seem… trivial.”

You glanced at Steve, who was nodding at your sentiment.

“I’m just spooked at the possibilities. I mean…this seems…like a lot.”

“I know. Bucky gets intense.”

You rolled your eyes at him. 

“Understatement of the year. And you’re a lot like your friend.”

Steve looked at you, one eye closed from the sunlight in his eyes. He didn’t have any sunglasses and the sun highlighted his windswept hair and the planes of his handsome face. You were squinting at him and you could totally see why Peach let him touch her goodies. 

Steve was kinda hot.

You sighed.

“Listen. I’ll be alright. Bucky and I just need to chat.”

Steve smirked.

“Chat. Is that what the kids call it now?”

You laughed and swatted him on the arm as you continued walking again.

“Fuck you, Steve. But for real. Thank you for checking on me. I appreciate it. And I love you for it. I just wish my cousin could see this side of you.”

Steve scoffed.

“Fucked that up good, didn’t I?”

“Not gonna lie, she’s kinda blinded by rage right now. But don’t give up on her. She’ll come around.”

Steve looked at you skeptically and you shrugged.

“80– 75% chance she’ll come around.”

You both laughed.

“Just remember what I said yesterday. She’s a tough nut, but she has a huge heart behind that wall. She is determined about the success of that dance school and she is competitive as fuck. You know what to do.”

Steve grinned. 

“Yes ma’am, I do.”

—-

You and Steve re-entered the kitchen laughing, you holding on to his arm. 

Peach was at the table drinking coffee and dedicated to ignoring Steve.

“Thanks again for the pep talk Steve. I appreciate it.”

You gave him a long hug and when you separated, you saw Peach’s eyebrow cocked in what you could only imagine was the way Steve described. You stifled a giggle and leaned up on your tiptoe to kiss his cheek.

“You better stop before Bucky comes back and chops me in the throat.”

Peach humphed, and you knew exactly what she was thinking.

You laughed at Steve as he headed toward the stairs, ignoring Peach right back.

“I’m gonna go get my running shoes. A turn down the beach will help me get some of this tension out.”

You watched Peach as she watched Steve roll his neck and stretch on his way out of the room, her coffee stalled in mid air. Her head was on a swivel as he walked out of the room, checking out his formidable ass. She sighed and then remembered that you were there.

You looked at her and she looked at you.

“Shut the fuck up.”

“I didn’t say a word, cousin. Yet. But we will talk later. Any coffee left?”

—-

The week ended up smoother than when Bucky and Steve arrived, and before you and he and Steve left on the jet back to New York, Bucky surprised everyone with an invitation to Vermont for Christmas. 

Your heart did a funny little thing because why would he invite your entire family on an all expense holiday vacation from Christmas Eve to New Years unless he was going to…

You couldn’t dwell on what ifs, and you didn’t want to spook yourself. You just decided to appreciate the moment.

It was funny watching your cousin’s face and the corresponding look on Steve’s. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be stressful at all.

Perhaps there would be entertainment.

—---

Later, back in Brooklyn, there was a whirlwind of activity as the Rebirth Foundation geared up for the annual summit and gala. 

During the second week in December, Rebirth Endowment recipients (which included your cousin this year!) flew in, were oriented and toured around New York City. The two culminating events were the summit, held at NYU, where there was an art lecture series, a panel, and the gala. 

Steve usually participated in the summit by himself, with Sam or Natasha sometimes joining him on stage along with the city’s movers and shakers in the art scene.

But this year Bucky was participating.

He said he wanted to be more prominent in the Art community moving forward as a path toward legitimacy, and you knew that tangentially, that had something to do with you.

When you got back from Thanksgiving, there was a week to prepare for the activities. Your Arts and Culture Alliance in Brownsville, as a part of Rebirth through the Howard Benson exhibit, was a stop on the tour, and you had a ton of work to do. 

Bucky and his three partners obviously had their own long list of to dos, but he also needed to be there for Steve, who was a wreck at the thought of Peach coming into town. 

Steve was so far gone.

But James Buchanan Barnes.

You’d never seen Bucky Barnes shook. 

Sure, you’d seen him excited, impatient, horny, angry, and a little irritated, but never truly nervous.

And you shouldn’t have thought it, but it was adorable. 

Friday night, you met your cousin at the airport and witnessed the beginning of her downfall. The cocktail reception later at the hotel had her, and by proxy your own, head spinning. 

You grinned at the way Steve was handling everything. 

Bucky was beautiful and you admired him as he toasted the guests, his beautiful tenor a nice contrast from Steve’s baritone as they both gave their salutations. Only you knew how anxious he was to speak in front of people and for everything to go well. You felt privileged.

You realized that James Buchanan Barnes was a good man who just wanted to be better for you and for his community.

And suddenly you were not afraid of a future with him.

—-

During this time, you two shared brief cuddles and quick kisses, furtive touches and brief bouts of handholding when you saw each other at events. The mornings meant salacious pictures and quick phone sex to take the edge off, but you weren’t able to luxuriate in each other as you usually did.

You missed Bucky’s full attention, but the fact that you were working together on something worthwhile was the shit. You loved this man and you wanted to work beside him as an equal, not just be his sex toy.

This was the week that you fell completely in love with Bucky Barnes.

Thursday was the day of the Rebirth Art Summit and Bucky was pacing up and down his home office, reading glasses switching locations from perched on top of his head, to his delectable mouth, to his handsome face as he reviewed his notes.

You looked up from the ones in your hands with which you were quizzing him and smiled at him.

“Jamie, it’s going to be okay.”

He stopped to look at you, a faint smile on his face. He came over and pecked you on the lips and gave you a hug.

“‘M so glad you are here tonight, even though you tried to stay away.”

You sighed into his chest and took a deep breath, inhaling his Bucky smell.

“I wasn’t trying to avoid you, I was just giving you space. I know tomorrow is important to you and I don’t want to distract—”

“Frumoasă. You don’t distract from anything. If anything, you add to my life. You add so, so much. I love you. And I miss you. I want you here with me tonight.”

You melted into him, chuckled and shook your head as he held you. This feeling was crazy.

“What?”

You heard his voice in his chest, but he didn’t move, except to sway just a little, as if soothing you. It worked.

“I love you too, Bucky. And I miss you too. So much. It’s wild to feel so much in such a short amount of time.”

You and Bucky had only been together about three months, but you knew this was it.

“When you know, you know, my love. And we shouldn’t waste any more time.”

You hugged him tighter. What was understood didn’t need to be said.

He kissed the top of your head and then moved back so he could see into your eyes.

“And having you in my space while I get ready for an important event is everything.”

You looked him in the eye, thinking of sucking his dick for being such a dream.

“Bucky…”

Bucky took your hand and raised it to his lips.

“Don’t look at me like that, Frumoasă. I will be forced to fuck you all night long, something that is long overdue.”

He kissed your forehead.

“But there is much work to do.”

You cast your eyes down and whispered, “You’re right.”

Bucky took you in, looking so demure and being so patient with him. It was such a turn on.

“Such a Good Girl for me.”

You wanted to fall to your knees, but you just bit your lip and went to sit back down, crossing your legs as you began quizzing him again. 

Soon, you told your pulsing pussy. Soon.

You worked late into the night and soon dozed on the leather couch in his study. The next morning, you woke in Bucky’s bed with a sweet note on your pillow. You smiled and knew that he’d carried you to bed and held you all night long.

—--

“You look like that damn heart eyes emoji, ya know.”

You sucked your teeth at your cousin’s comment, but you didn’t pull your gaze away from Bucky up on the dias the next day at NYU. 

You were proud and in awe of your man. Your smirk turned into a grin as he glanced at you and started to speak.

You were down bad. And Bucky was too. After almost two weeks with little to no physicality, your energy was at supernova strength and about to cause a black hole in the universe.

That’s how intense this thing was. 

You were wet and hard and soft in all the right places.

Bucky had to pause frequently for the interpreter, and it gave you a chance to make googly eyes at each other. You ignored Peach’s subtle retching noises as you concentrated on Bucky. But you cut your eyes over to her while Steve spoke and found her visibly eye fucking him. You smirked when she noticed you noticing.

“Bucky is pretty much the man.”

She was trying to distract you. You laughed.

“Fucking-A.” 

You nodded up at the stage.

“Steve is the shit too.”

You were shocked as hell when she responded.

“He’s amazing. I had no idea everything that he does. Have to say, I’m impressed.”

You elected not to tease her about her response. It seemed as if Steve was working the plan.

You resumed watched as Bucky did his thing. He was glowing, handsome and impressive as hell. No one would believe he was as introverted as he was. But he was flourishing in the spotlight, seemingly born for his. He exuded confidence. 

It was such a turn on.

—-

Bucky watched you watching him and talking to your cousin and knew your tells. You were probably wet and ready for him. He briefly thought of what he was going to do to you later before he refocused on the task at hand. Knowing you were there for him was such motivation.

When he made his way back over to you, you were an angel, giving him a huge hug and exclaiming, “You were so fucking good up there, Jamie! I’m so proud of you.”

Bucky felt his heart explode and although someone was pulling him away from you, he mouthed a promise in your direction.

—-

“Later...”

You definitely read those sexy lips and your heart started racing. You looked around for your cousin, expecting to be roasted, but she was nowhere to be found. You shrugged and made your way to the subway, assuming that she was gathering with the other recipients. There was more work to do in Brownsville and you were busy anticipating the night.

You waited all day for Bucky’s text to tell you what time Nico was picking you up, but it never came. The rest of the day flew by and by the time you were walking home, daydreaming of dressing up for the gala tomorrow night and what Bucky might wear, you happened to check your phone and saw messages he’d sent just 10 minutes before:

You looked so good today. Especially this morning. Good enough to eat.

I’ll be at your place in 30. Wear that bra, no top, that skirt, no panties, and those heels.

You blushed and thought of the mirror selfie of the cream lace lingerie set you were wearing underneath your cream colored cowl neck sweater and grey wool pencil skirt that matched your grey wool coat.

Yes, Daddy, you replied and picked up the pace to make it to your brownstone ahead of him, your heart beating a mile a minute.

You thought you were prepared when you opened the door after Bucky knocked, but you weren’t.

In fact, you were shaking with anticipation.

There he was, bundled up from the cold, but those blue eyes sparkling down at you.

Bucky stared at you for a beat, and then walked toward you, taking your face in his hands and backing you up against the entryway wall, kicking the door closed behind him.

“My Frumoasă. So good. So perfect”

And then he leaned down and kissed you.

—-

Bucky had the strangest thought as you opened your door.

I’m home.

Although this was not his place, he realized that you were his home and that he couldn’t wait to make you his wife. His eyes swept down your form, pleased that you had followed instructions. You were such a badass, capable woman and partner and he just had to be inside you soon. 

He complimented you and his cock stiffened as your mouth parted in desire. He knew your praise kink very well. Bucky cradled your beautiful face and moved inside to kiss you.

His demanding mouth parted your trembling lips, sending tremors through your body. You clung to the lapels of his coat to tether you to earth as his tongue invaded your mouth. You suckled it, previewing what you wanted to do with his cock later. 

He pulled away, his bright blue eyes blazing, and his jaw clenched so tight as he shrugged out of his winter coat. If you didn’t know him so well, you’d think he was angry, but the look was desire. 

And only for you. You grew warm from the inside out.

“I can’t wait. Wanna make love to you, but I have to fuck you now.”

Bucky bent his knees and grabbed your thighs, prompting you to wrap your legs around him and hold on to him as he walked you over to your couch.

You attacked his face as you were sat down firmly on the bulge in his pants and Bucky accepted your assault, chuckling as you kissed him from his hairline, to his forehead, down his nose, each cheek, skipping over his lips to his stubbly dimpled chin and finally back to that mouth. When he kissed you again, his hands were everywhere, starting at the nape of your hair, pulling so your neck was exposed as his mouth moved down to mark you up, then trailing down to your fine lace bra cups.

Bucky palmed your full breasts, weighing them in his hands and watching your face as he twisted your nipples. You nipples tightened under his touch and you arched your back, moving and giving him a view of what was underneath your skirt. He admired your ardor, you squirming and moaning on his lap.

It was his dream come true.

“So fucking hot, Frumoasa. I’ve been craving you. All day. All week. Ever since Thanksgiving. Since I first laid eyes on you.”

“Bucky…need you.”

You grasped the lapels of his jacket as his hand traveled down your torso and as he leaned down to travel under the hem of your skirt. Your soft fingers peeled his jacket away and unbuttoned his shirt. You opened it and ran your hands down his chest, rubbing his nipples with your thumb and trailed your hand down to his happy trail and proceeded to try and undo his belt buckle.

Bucky grew hot at the warmth of your thick thighs and the way your cunt was so hot that he could feel it through his pants. 

He had to have it. 

Panting now and desperate, Bucky tugged your skirt up, flashing your bare pussy, but it was difficult to get rid of because it was still buttoned. It slipped out of his hands and he grunted in frustration.

“Ah, poor baby…” 

You leaned forward, brushing the locks of hair that had fallen into his flushed face, grazing your nipples across your chest with a sexy smile.  Bucky whimpered and you smirked at his desperation. You slowly reached behind you to your zipper, pushing your chest toward Bucky’s face. He licked his lips and pulled your bra cups down, causing your warm breasts to spill out and his hands to be drawn to them again like magnets as he watched you loosen your skirt.

When you grabbed the hem to bring it over your head, he released you, watching as the fabric moved above your crotch.

Your pussy. Fuck.

Bucky could never get enough of staring at it, the dark petals, which were spread open for him as you sat on his lap were calling his name. He licked his lips, suddenly parched.

“What are you thinking about, Bucky?”

You had a pretty good idea, but you wanted, no needed, to hear Bucky’s voice right now. You reached behind you again as you unclasped your bra and suddenly you were naked on an essentially fully dressed Bucky Barnes.

It was sexy as hell. 

“I’m thinking that your pussy is a work of art, Frumoasă. It’s perfect. I’m thinking that I want to spend at least eight hours a day between your legs, make you cum over and over again, make you beg me to stop, and to start again. How I want you to taste you and make you squirt so I can swallow you down…”

You moaned and started grinding on his bulge, causing Bucky to curse.

“Damn, Baby. You’re gonna make me jizz in my pants like a teenager.”

Bucky grabbed your ass and reached between you to tease your clit, feeling how wet you were.

“Fuuuuuck, you’re so wet.”

Bucky’s eyes rolled as he grabbed your waist and lifted you to your knees on either side of him as he unzipped his pants and pulled them and his underwear just down past his ass to get his cock out. He grabbed your cheek as he stroked himself and rubbed his thick cock head in your juicy pussy.

“Fuck me Frumoasa. Slide down this dick for me.”

You brushed Bucky’s hair off his forehead again as you nodded and started to slide down his fat, hard cock. Your head lolled back on your neck as you reached the root of him.

“Oh… Bucky… Fuck….”

You could feel Bucky pounding inside you, long thick cock battering your cervix and you whined, leaning back and working your hips as Bucky fucked up into you and thumbed your clit while the other hand guided you up and down his dick. 

His jaw was clenched and his eyes were shining as he looked up at you. You knew he was close and you couldn’t take it.

He started to speak and you knew it was over.

“Frumoasă. I-I’m gonna need you to… oh holy fuckkkkkk!”

His stutter made you start to cum.

As soon as your pussy started spasming around him, Bucky started shooting his spend all over your warm walls causing you to convulse and hug his head to your chest. He clutched you to him, whimpering as he held onto you for dear life as he came.

He collapsed backwards, taking you with him as you became boneless in his arms. You rolled off of him and curled up on the couch as Bucky stood and untangled himself from his clothes.

You closed your eyes for a minute as he got up and went to the bathroom, returning with a warm cloth to clean you up. When he finished, he kissed your forehead and gathered you up in his arms.

“You turn me on like no one else, Frumoasă. You’re it for me. I love you.”

You cuddled into him as he lay you in your bed.

“Me too, Bucky. You’re my one. I love you, too.”

Bucky kissed your forehead again, and then proceeded to move down your body.

“Good, now. I need to clock into my main occupation. Hour one of eight.…”

—-

If you like it, hit Reblog! ☺️

Read the next part, Peach IV (SR)

[fcthots]

“I swear to you, that as long as I’m alive I won’t let a single soul ever harm you.” with protective upset and slightly unhinged jason would be so so good oh my god. like if something bad happens to reader and he has to get violent to defend her… yeah.

-🧸

You were on you way home, out later than you should have been, but your friend needed moral support after a breakup and you lost track of time.

Unfortunately while both you & Jason's apartment and your friend's were just off the edge of crime alley, your friend's apartment was on the opposite end of you and Jason. All of this is to say, unless you wanted to be out after midnight, you had to pass through crime alley after dark. It was just a five minute walk there, when daylight spared you of most of the dangers of Gotham, but it was pitch black now. You should have driven, but at the time it didn’t seem necessary.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

You walked as fast as possible.

You didn’t even have a purse on you. Your phone was in the leather jacket Jason had bought you as a present and you had 20 dollars stuffed somewhere in your pant pockets.

Were you supposed to turn left here? Yeah, you recognize that streetlamp.

You would call Jason, but your phone is fucking dead and it's not like you were gonna ask your crying friend for a charger. And you didn’t realize how late it had gotten until you stepped outside with no way to get back into your friends apartment.

You were in the home stretch, just in the outskirts of crime alley. Almost freedom.

Never let it be said that you were lucky. All of your luck was used getting your hot ass boyfriend. Luck gone.

The man had a knife and was screaming for your wallet. Your wallet that you did not bring with you.

"Give me the wallet or I'm gonna spill your guts on the fucking ground!"

Just because your boyfriend was scary looking, did not mean you were used to scary men, especially ones that yelled at you. Your hands shook and you weren't sure what to do.

"I don’t have it. All I have is 20 dollars, please."

"That's a fucking lie. I see your jacket. I know that shit is expensive. Lie to me again and I'll slit your throat."

Fuck. If you had to guess, it would be Jason that would find your body. You didn’t want it to be Jason. He wouldn't be able to handle seeing your lifeless eyes. You know what it's like to look into your soulmates lifeless eyes and realize they're gone forever; you were hoping Jason would never have to experience that.

"It's-"

"Tough luck... I guess I could accept other forms of payment."

He bares his teeth in a grin as he sees the look on your face.

"Unless you'd prefer that no one ever finds your body?"

You're really glad you told Jason you loved him before he left for patrol.

The man starts getting closer to you. You can't talk, can't scream, can't think. You were gonna die alone.

You think you mumble out a 'please' before your back hits the wall. His knife was to your throat, but all you could think about was Jason.

There was a bang that you didn’t fully register. Before you could think twice about it, your mugger was on the ground. You didn’t move. You stayed, frozen, silent tears running down your cheeks.

"Shh, it's ok. You're ok. It's me."

You finally focused your eyes and saw the white lenses staring at you, his arms in the air.

You babbled nonsense. You couldn't breathe.

You tried to back away from the man on the floor, but you almost fell. You swore your legs were going to give out. Jason was at your side in less than a second. He lifted you over the bleeding body on the ground, supported your weight as your knees buckled.

He tucked your face into the crook of his neck and you choked on air.

"I've got you. Match my breaths, ok? Good. You're doing great. You're ok, I promise."

All you could manage to get out was his name.

"'M right here. Just breathe. Focus on that for me." His hand cradled the base of your neck.

Eventually you stopped crying. Eventually you could breathe again. Eventually Jason led your face away from his neck to look at you. Your whole body shook. You watched as he drew his hand up to his helmet and heard this hiss and click and he took it off. He took your jaw in one of his hands.

He wiped the splattered blood and tears off your cheeks with a gloved hand, traced the trail of fresh blood and broken skin on your neck from where the knife was pressed against you. “I swear to you, that as long as I’m alive I won’t let a single soul ever harm you.”

You looked into his eyes as they flashed an inhuman green, and you believed him.

Bonus:

"Wait, Jay. Did you just happen to stumble across me?"

"There...may or may not be a tracker in the jacket I bought you... You were in one place for too long."

"I hate that that makes me feel safer."

He smiles apologetically. "I love you."

"I love you too."

[tropics43]

Title: Remember When part 2

Azzi x Paige

Flashback

It’s been 6 years since Paige has known Azzi. The first time Paige had seen azzi was at a Christmas basketball tournament in Virginia. Azzi and her AAU team were playing in the 2nd game of the night. Paige was in town playing in her own AAU basketball tournament when Paige’s coach had suggested to the team on going to scout the other competition. Once in the gym the team had gotten separated and it was a free for all on seating. Paige and her teammate Destiny somehow found their way courtside and sat in the only two empty seats in the gym. Throwing back some popcorn and exchanging laughs with destiny it seemed to Paige this was going to be a fun experience.

The starting lineups were being announced and Paige was closely paying attention. The announcer on the PA system announced the 5’10” 8th grader wearing the number 35 jersey. When Azzi stood up to high five her teammates, eyes looking directly in front of her locked on to Paige. It was almost as if Azzi was giving Paige the 1000 yard stare. Paige immediately felt a warm sensation rush her chest and cheeks almost embarrassed. Thinking to herself, who is this girl… within the first 4 minutes of the game Azzi already had 3 steals, 8 points and 2 blocks. Paige can hear someone talking in her ear but she can’t make out the words. All Paige can seem to concentrate on is the girl wearing the number 35 jersey. “Earth to Paige” Destiny says, waving her hand in front of Paige’s face. Paige quickly snaps back to reality saying “huh”. Destiny says “number 35 is pretty good, she has handles like you” “yeah” Paige says but doesn’t really have any other words. All Paige knows is 2 things.

1. Paige needs to be on the same court as her

2. Paige needs to hear her voice

The game had ended with a score of 72-53 in favor of the curly haired brunette’s team. With the conclusion of the handshake line ending, Azzi had went to the bench to grab her gym bag and to scan the crowd for her parents. When Azzi had successfully spotted them she had turned to tell her teammates goodbye but only found a 6’0 blonde standing in front of her with a shy grin on her face.

Azzi: uhh

Paige being nervous couldn’t control the rapid fire of questions about to leave her mouth. All she wanted to know was what her voice sounded like.

Paige: not gonna lie you were pretty good out there..I’m Paige by the way, My team is playing here tomorrow. Are you playing again tomorrow?

Paige was about mid question when Azzi hears her dad yell for her.. Azzi turns back towards Paige and all she says is “I’m azzi, I gotta go..” she then proceeds to turn and walk away.

“Azzi” Paige’s says almost as a whisper to herself so she doesn’t forget her name.

Present

With the dynamics of Paige and Azzi’s friendship/relationship there have been multiple occasions where Azzi has often wondered if there would ever be a turning point for them to actually become serious.

There once was a brief moment back in USA basketball where Paige was the most vulnerable and expressed to Azzi that there was a possibility of liking her more than just a friend.

But that was very short lived because Paige never brought it up again and Azzi was still trying to figure out who she was and what she wanted.

The banter from this morning’s activities between Azzi and Paige were always the same. Pet names, forehead kisses, touches that seem to linger a second to long, random pictures of hearts on mirrors.

Azzi was in love with Paige, her best friend. The girl who she came to UConn for.

Paige was in love with Azzi , her best friend. The girl whose voice she fell in love with the moment she heard it.

But both were too scared to admit it

Azzi stood in the middle of her dorm room, staring blankly at her phone screen. The words “we need to talk” had been sent, and now she felt a suffocating weight settle over her chest. It wasn’t a message she ever thought she’d send Paige, not like this. But the yellow piece of paper she had just posted on the bulletin board—the one that had been snatched away in a matter of seconds—felt like a ticking time bomb.

She took a shaky breath, her pulse racing. In her heart, she knew the message would throw Paige off, but there was no turning back now. She couldn’t keep suppressing what she felt—not when it was slowly eating away at her every day. The words she’d wanted to say for so long threatened to burst out of her like a dam ready to break.

Meanwhile, Paige walked back to her seat across from Aubrey, trying to shake off the weird feeling Azzi’s text had given her. Aubrey raised an eyebrow, her mouth full of homestyle potatoes.

“What’s up?” she asked once she swallowed.

“Azzi just texted me,” Paige replied, still staring at her phone. “She said, ‘We need to talk.’”

Aubrey’s face lit up in mock surprise. “Ooh, the dreaded ‘we need to talk.’ What’d you do, Paige?”

“I didn’t do anything!” Paige snapped, though the nervousness in her voice betrayed her calm façade.

Aubrey smirked. “Relax. I’m just messing with you. It’s probably nothing.”

But Paige wasn’t so sure. Something about the way Azzi had rushed into the café earlier and posted that note—it had left her with an uneasy feeling. She’d never seen Azzi so… frantic.

“What if I screwed something up?” Paige muttered to herself, pushing her plate of pancakes away.

Aubrey gave her a side glance. “You? Screw something up with Azzi? Come on, Paige, the girl worships the ground you walk on. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Paige forced a smile, but the pit in her stomach remained.

Back at her dorm, Azzi paced the room, replaying the moment from earlier when she’d posted the note. She hadn’t expected it to be snatched up so quickly. That had to be a good sign, right? Someone was interested. Someone who wasn’t Paige.

Her chest tightened at the thought. Was this what moving on was supposed to feel like? A constant push and pull between longing and letting go?

She sank onto the edge of her bed, gripping her phone. The memories of Paige’s forehead kiss from earlier that morning felt like a cruel reminder of everything she couldn’t have. Paige made it seem so effortless—the playful touches, the inside jokes, the way she made Azzi feel seen. But that was just who Paige was: open, carefree, and full of love for everyone around her. It didn’t mean Paige loved her that way.

“I’ll never forget the day I realized I loved you, but most importantly, I’ll never forget the day I realized you didn’t love me back,” Azzi whispered to herself, the words ringing hollow in her ears.

She knew Paige cared for her deeply, but not in the way Azzi wanted. And that was the hardest part. Being close to Paige but never close enough.

The team gathered in the film room a little after 10 a.m. The hum of conversation filled the room as players settled into their usual spots. Paige and Aubrey sat near the back, while Azzi took her seat at the front, headphones around her neck and her focus on the laptop in front of her.

Paige noticed immediately. Azzi always sat near her during film study, but today she was keeping her distance. Paige frowned and leaned over to Aubrey.

“Something’s definitely up with her,” Paige whispered.

Aubrey shrugged. “Maybe she’s just in a mood. You know how she gets sometimes.”

But Paige wasn’t convinced. She glanced toward Azzi again, her stomach twisting.

The film session dragged on, but Paige barely paid attention. She couldn’t stop staring at the back of Azzi’s head, wondering what was going on. By the time Coach Geno wrapped things up and dismissed the team, Paige had made up her mind.

“Azzi!” Paige called out as the players filed out of the room.

Azzi paused but didn’t turn around. Instead, she waited for Paige to catch up, clutching her water bottle like it was a lifeline.

“Hey,” Paige said softly, her voice laced with concern. “What’s going on? You’ve been acting weird all morning.”

Azzi avoided her gaze, her heart pounding. She couldn’t do this here, not with the rest of the team lingering nearby.

“Can we talk later?” Azzi said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Paige frowned but nodded. “Okay. After practice?”

Azzi hesitated. “Yeah. After practice.”

The hours dragged on, and by the time practice ended, Azzi felt like she was going to implode. She hadn’t been able to focus at all. Every missed shot, every fumbled pass—it was as if her emotions were physically weighing her down.

Paige, on the other hand, was sharp as ever, hitting shot after shot and calling out plays with her usual confidence. Azzi watched her from the corner of her eye, wondering how Paige could be so oblivious to the storm brewing inside her.

When practice finally ended, Azzi lingered on the court, wiping sweat from her brow as the rest of the team filed out. Paige stayed behind, walking over to where Azzi stood.

“Alright,” Paige said, crossing her arms. “Talk to me.”

Azzi looked down at her shoes, her chest tightening. She had rehearsed this moment in her head a thousand times, but now that it was here, the words wouldn’t come.

“Azzi?” Paige prompted, her voice softer now.

Azzi took a deep breath and finally met Paige’s gaze. “I… I posted something on the bulletin board this morning. It was an ad.”

Paige tilted her head, confused. “An ad for what?”

Azzi hesitated. “For a date.”

Paige’s eyes widened. “A date?”

Azzi nodded, her throat dry. “Yeah. I figured it was time to… you know, put myself out there. Meet new people.”

Paige stared at her, a mix of emotions flickering across her face—surprise, confusion, and something else Azzi couldn’t quite place.

“That’s what you wanted to talk about?” Paige asked, her voice quieter now.

Azzi nodded, her chest aching. “I just thought you should know.”

Paige opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. For the first time, she didn’t know what to say.

Azzi took her silence as a sign to leave. “I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Before Paige could stop her, Azzi turned and walked away, leaving Paige standing alone in the middle of the empty gym, her heart pounding in a way she couldn’t explain.

[heartysworld]

Never Again || Luke Castellan x Reader

W.C: 2.3k

Warnings: none that I could think of

A/N: Requests are open everyone! I'll start working on them as soon as I finish the 2 fics from my poll (this is one of them) Also, I've scheduled this to be posted at 4AM local time where I live, so surprise me when i wake up (I've had the shittiest day ever).

My Newest Fic <3

You grew up as a happy child, content with life and the many siblings you had. It was never boring in the Apollo Cabin, that’s for sure. As you grew she found yourself surrounded by friends, one curly-haired boy in particular standing out. The moment Luke arrived at camp he couldn’t seem to be able to take his eyes off the pretty girl who was the first thing he saw in the infirmary once he opened his eyes after that tragic night.

He spent month chasing after her, wanting to become her friend first before she could bring herself to even consider him something more than that. Everyone at camp witnessed the innocent friendship the two shared blossom into something bigger, stronger and passionate. Luke and Y/N were the sweethearts of Camp Half-Blood by the time the Apollo girl turned seventeen.

Nobody expected what was about to happen the night everything changed between the two. Luke and Y/N had just gotten off counselor duties and had headed out towards the lake where they could have some much-needed peace and quiet. Cuddled together the two laid over a blanket near the water, admiring the start-lit sky than hung above them.

 That was all Luke ever wanted, peace and happiness with the girl he loved so dearly. The two had even spoken about their plans after it was time to leave the camp. They planned on moving in together, maybe going to college if they managed to stabilize their hectic lives.

The last thing from that night in Y/N’s mind was Luke calling her name, despair and fear laced with his loud voice. Then, everything went black.

‘’Look who’s finally awake. You gave us quite the scare, Y/N, we were starting to worry.’’ One of your brother said as he approached your bed, helping you settle against the wall and handing you a glass of water.

‘’What…what happened?’’ you asked, voice hoarse and quiet.

‘’Michael, what happened?’’ you asked more insistently this time.

‘’I might get into trouble for even opening my mouth but…you had a vision, Y/N. Chiron thinks you are a seer, him and Mr. D have been going over possible triggers that might have caused the outburst that you had. It was scary, Y/N, I’m not gonna lie to you. Luke was scared shitless, the two of you were together when it happened. He might be one of our strongest camp mates but three nights ago he looked so weak and helpless. It was as if I he was a whole different person.’’ Your brother said. His words felt like a bucket of cold water that was poured over you.

The only thought in your mind now was Luke. Where was he? Was he fine? Had he come to check up on you while you were unconscious? Was it was over?

‘’Where’s Luke? Have you seen him?’’ you asked, a concerned expression present on your tires face.

‘’He came a couple of times but he left quickly. I don’t think he was able to bring himself to stay longer, you know…with his mom and everything.’’ Michael said, the last part of his sentence barely audible.

‘’I have to go find him, come on help me get up.’’ You said, using all of your strength to get up from the bed, unsuccessfully. Your libs felt as heavy as concrete.

‘’Hey, hey calm down! Before you do something stupid and fall unconscious, again I have to go and tell Chiron you’re awake. His orders!’’ your brother helped you sit back down on the bed before exiting the infirmary to go look for the old man.

After what felt like an eternity, Chiron entered the infirmary, a solemn expression on his face. He approached your bed, his eyes filled with a mixture of concern and responsibility.

"Y/N, I'm glad to see you awake. How are you feeling?" Chiron inquired, his voice gentle yet firm.

"I need to find Luke," you replied urgently, ignoring the question about your well-being. "I need to talk to him."

Chiron sighed, his eyes narrowing slightly as he considered your request. "Y/N, you need to rest. We're still trying to contact Apollo to understand the nature of your abilities. Running around in your condition is not advisable."

"I don't care," you insisted, frustration and worry etched on your face. "I need to find him. I need to know if... if it's over between us."

Chiron regarded you for a moment before nodding understandingly. "Very well. I will allow you to go to your cabin and rest. But promise me, you'll take it easy. We'll continue our efforts to contact Apollo, and we'll keep you informed."

You nodded, grateful for the permission to leave the infirmary. As you made your way to Cabin 7, thoughts of Luke and the uncertain future raced through your mind. When you entered, the familiar surroundings offered little comfort. It was supposed to be a place of solace, but now it felt like a battleground of emotions.

Resting on your bed, you couldn't shake off the anxiety that gnawed at you. Despite your exhaustion, you couldn't find peace. The weight of the unknown, coupled with the fear of losing Luke, lingered in the air.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, you decided to search for Luke. You needed answers, closure, anything to ease the turmoil within you. You needed to know whether the meddling of the Gods with the human world was about to take away the one person you love the most. With determination, you headed towards the training grounds where you often found him honing his skills.

The training area was dimly lit, shadows dancing with each flicker of torchlight. Luke was there, his back turned to you as he practiced his swordsmanship. His shirt was drenched with sweat, not leaving much to one’s imagination. If the situation wasn’t as serious, you’d be doing something completely different now. As you approached, his muscled visibly tensed. Luke had always been able to sense whenever you were around.

"L-Luke," you stammered, uncertainty lacing your voice.

He turned to face you, his expression unreadable. "Y/N," he acknowledged, but there was a coldness in his eyes and voice, one that hadn't been there before.

"I need to talk to you," you whispered, your heart pounding. You’ve always felt calm in Luke’s presence before. The two of you even joked at some point that he was your personal calming agent, but now, everything felt completely different. You felt so out of place that it was unbelievable.

He hesitated, then sighed, sheathing his sword. "Can it wait? I'm not in the mood for a conversation right now." Avoiding the problem was one of Luke’s fatal flaws, at least when It came to your relationship.

"No, it can't," you insisted, your emotions bubbling to the surface. "Is it over, Luke? Do you no longer want to be with me?" You cut straight to the point. ‘’I’ve been awake for hours and not even once have you tried to approach me to see how I am, if I’m even alive and breathing!’’

His eyes flickered with a mix of pain and frustration. "Y/N, it's not that simple. I... I can't."

Tears welled in your eyes as you felt the ground beneath you crumble. "Can't what? Luke, please, I need to understand."

A heavy silence hung between you before he spoke, his voice strained. "I haven't been able to sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see her—my mother, then I see you. The accident, the fear in hers and your eyes from that night. It haunts me, Y/N."

You didn’t need to hear him say it that he needed to feel your touch at that moment. Carefully, step by step you got closer to him until your arms enveloped his much larger and warmer form. The second your skin came in touch with Luke’s his arm went around you like a protective barrier. He nuzzled his head in the crook of you neck, breathing in the sweet scent that he had so dearly missed the past three days. You felt the warm tears stream down the skin of you neck and right at that moment you could swear that you felt your heart shatter for the vulnerable boy who stood in your arms.

The silence that followed was suffocating, the heavy weight of unspoken emotions pressing down on both of you. Luke's grip on you tightened, as if he was afraid that if he let go, you would disappear like a phantom of his imagination.

"You don't understand, Y/N," he whispered, his voice strained. "I keep seeing her, her face contorted in fear. I hear her screams. It's like a never-ending nightmare, and I'm trapped."

You pulled back slightly, cupping his face in your hands, forcing him to meet your gaze. "Luke, I'm not her. I'm not your mother. The circumstances are different. What happened to her was terrible, but we have to keep moving forward. We can face this together. I won't let you go through it alone."

He closed his eyes, his breath shaky. "I'm scared, Y/N. Scared of losing you, scared of repeating the past."

Tears welled up in your eyes as you fought to keep your voice steady. "I'm scared too, Luke. But we can't let fear control us. We can't let it destroy what we have. You are the love of my life, Luke, I won’t allow the Gods’ meddling with our world to ruin us."

He opened his eyes, and for a moment, you saw the vulnerability and pain that he had been hiding. "I love you, Y/N. I can't bear the thought of something happening to you because of me."

Gently, you wiped away his tears with your thumbs. "I love you too, Luke. But we can't let fear dictate our choices. We have to find a way to move forward, together."

His lips quivered as he struggled to find the right words. "I can't promise it'll be easy. I can't promise I won't be haunted by the past.But I promise to try my hardest to protect you from any danger that threatens to take you from me. I’d rather watch the world go up in flames than have you suffer."

You nodded, your heart breaking for the man you loved. "I don't need promises, Luke. I just need you. We'll face whatever comes our way, you and me."

As you spoke, the moonlight filtered through the leaves above, casting a gentle glow on both of you. The training grounds, once filled with the clash of swords and the echoes of laughter, now bore witness to a somber moment between two souls entwined by fate.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N," Luke whispered, his voice barely audible. "I never wanted to hurt you." You shook your head, tears rolling down your cheeks. "We've both been hurt, Luke. However, we can heal together. Just don't shut me out."

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he rested his forehead against yours. "I don't deserve you, Y/N."

"Deserving has nothing to do with it," you replied, your voice soft but determined. "Love isn't about deserving; it's about choosing to be with someone, flaws and all."

He pulled you into a tight embrace, his arms a comforting refuge. "I don't want to lose you," he confessed, his voice raw with emotion.

"I don't want to lose you either," you whispered, your words muffled against his chest.

The nights turned into days, and with each sunrise, a semblance of healing took place. Luke and you faced the challenges of you newfound abilities together, navigating the labyrinth of their emotions. In the quiet moments, you found solace in each other's presence, and in the stormy ones, you stood united against the uncertainties that lingered.

You spent the rest of the night tightly wrapped in the embrace of the man you loved. Luke clung to you for dear life as he slept. You could tell that he needed this even more than you did.

One evening, as the campfire crackled under the starlit sky, Luke took your hand in his, sending a silent invitation to stroll around the lake. The moonlight reflected off the water, casting a soft glow on their faces. The air was thick with the unspoken, the weight of your shared experiences hanging between you.

You stopped suddenly, turning to face Luke, your eyes searching his for reassurance. "We can do this, Luke. We can face whatever comes our way."

He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Together."

As if drawn by an invisible force, your lips met in a gentle and tentative kiss. It was a kiss filled with the promise of a new beginning, a silent affirmation that love could triumph over even the darkest of shadows. The world around you seemed to fade, leaving only the soft sounds of nature, labored breaths and the beating of you hearts.

When you pulled away, you admired the way the moonlight reflected in Luke’s  eyes. Everything was quiet. No words were needed. In that kiss, you two found a renewal of hope, a rekindling of the flame that had flickered in the face of adversity.

"I love you," Luke whispered, his forehead resting against you.

"I love you too," You replied, a warmth spreading through her chest.

My Newest Fic <3

Hand in hand, you continued you walk along the lake, leaving behind the ghosts of the past. As you and him disappeared into the night, the echoes of your footsteps mingled with the whispers of the wind, carrying the promise of a future built on resilience, understanding, and the enduring power of love.

[updownlately]

every time you walk into the room (i’m speechless)

| leah williamson x reader | fluff | 1.9k | inspo: speechless by dan + shay | a/n: another req let's go! this one's been in the ask box for minute and it finally made it past the outline stage! twas a fun one to write! s/o to this anon for the req! i hope i did it justice! this is the outfit inspo for leah btw!

~~~

You loved your girlfriend, you really did, but sometimes moments like these really tested your patience. She sometimes really tested your patience.

“Leah, love, for the sake of football, any chance that we could head out before the world cup starts?” You shouted up the stairs, hoping the other girl could hear you clearly. 

The two of you had been invited out with the team, just a nice little get together to celebrate the end of the season before everyone parted ways to prepare with their individual national teams. It wasn’t much really, just a dinner that had the possibility of migrating to a bar or club, but nothing outwardly crazy.

You and Leah had started getting ready a while ago, you getting dressed much earlier due to Leah wanting to kick you out of your shared closet and room, something about a surprise and a kiss promising she wouldn’t be too long distracting you from complaining.

So here you were, sitting at your kitchen island for the past forty-ish minutes or so, resignedly waiting for the blonde to finally come down. Some time between the doom-scroll of Instagram and then TikTok, your mind had been severely sidetracked, the sweet aroma of your girlfriend’s favourite perfume floating down the stairs, overwhelming your sense in the best way possible, and for a while you hadn’t minded how long she was taking. 

Now though? A little under half-an-hour away from the designated time for the dinner, you were beginning to worry whether you’d make it on time, well aware that London traffic and parking would be a pain to navigate.

Getting no response from earlier, you tried once more, leniency wearing thin. 

Hand running across your face in a vain effort to relax, careful not to mess up your hair, you called out a bit gentler this time. “Leah we gotta leave soon otherwise we’re gonna be late!” 

This time you got lucky, the frenzied voice of the defender carrying through the hallway and down the stairs.

“I’ll be down in five! Almost done, I swear…just got my hair left!”

Quietly groaning to yourself, you threw your head back, aware that five minutes weren’t going to be just five minutes.

“I heard that!”

“And yet you didn’t hear my first call! Love you too babe!”

Shaking your head and taking a deep breath, you fiddled with your keys in front of you, getting antsy with every minute that passed. 

All you really wanted to do was see your girlfriend dressed up, admire her, and head out to enjoy your night with your teammates turned friends, something you were immensely excited for and therefore eager to attend to. All this waiting wasn’t doing you any good, the restlessness taking up home in your bones, jitteriness becoming ever present.

It seemed that luck was on your side though, when only about seven minutes later you could hear the defender approaching the top of the stairs. Murmuring a quiet thanks into the air, you rose from your seat, heading to the landing, hoping to usher Leah to the car quickly and head out.

Approaching the bottom steps though, you couldn’t help but stop in your tracks, the sight that awaited you when the blonde walked down the stairs making you glad you waited.

Your mouth falling agape, adoration pouring in your veins, you couldn’t help but stare.

“I-…Leah…baby…” You tried, words not seeming to fall past your lips, at least none that would do justice to just how beautiful she looked standing there ahead of you. 

Blinking, mind short-circuiting, you stood there stunned, speechless.

Leah wasn’t going to lie, she had expected this reaction from you, with the number of times she had already witnessed it in the past. Yet, each time it didn’t fail to cause her to blush gently, your love for her always surprising her, making her appreciate you just a little more.  

Head ducking down, biting back a smile, Leah’s soft voice wrapped around you. “What do you think? Worth the wait?”

“Uh-“ Swallowing hard, you tried to regain your bearings, praying for your internal gay panic to stop for long enough to allow you to form at least one coherent sentence. Letting your eyes trace over her stunning form, you tried once again.

“Shit.”

“That bad?” Leah couldn’t help but tease you, aware that you meant it in awe, yet not willing to pass the opportunity to annoy you.

“Leah…okay fuck. Shit. Fucking hell.” You threw your head back, eyes closing at your nervousness at seeing your girl dressed up. 

You could feel the blonde’s eyebrows raise in amusement at your words, not needing to look at her to feel her smiling, yet you did, bringing your gaze back down, not wanting it to leave her for even a second.

“What happened to being late for dinner?”

“Babe…” you whined. “You absolutely cannot be asking me that after you come down looking like that!” Finally finding your ability to talk, you continued. “Literally not at all fair. Not one bit. Did you even think about me? Or the other girls? How, tell me how are we supposed to stay focused on dinner when you look so gorgeous?”

Biting the inside of your cheek, you eagerly stepped forward to close the gap between you two. Opening and closing your mouth a few times again, you searched for better words to express how you were feeling.

“My god…”

“Yes I’m real, and yeah, I don’t know how you managed to pull me either to be honest.”

Head shaking in amusement, you reached out to the blue-eyed angel. “You’re so cocky y’know, out here thinking you can read my mind.”

“Am I wrong?” The cheeky reply not taking more than a second to slip past Leah’s lips.

“You know you aren’t. It makes it so much worse.” Grinning you let your eyes trace over her outfit for the umpteenth time. 

You weren’t sure how Leah managed to make everything she wore look so amazing, but she did, especially the suits that she wore, like she was now. There was just something about the way that the cropped blouse and tan suit had you in awe, her wavy hair and makeup complimenting it ever so perfectly, the world’s most elegant model, here in your arms. 

Taking a deep breath in, your eyes widened once the realisation that she was yours hit you again. “Seriously though…no words. I’d tell you you look beautiful but I don’t think that even begins to cover it.”

Your words had Leah blushing even harder, ocean eyes shyly meeting yours. 

“I’m so serious babe. I know I say it every time but you genuinely blow me away with how lovely you look. Out here leaving me at a loss for words really.”

Stepping back just a tad bit, you raised your intertwined hands above your head, wrist turning enough to wordlessly tell Leah to spin around slowly. 

“God I’m gonna marry you one day…” The words slipped out of your mouth, heart speaking faster than your mind could comprehend.

Leah stopped in her tracks at your words, slowly finishing her turn before looking at you intently. “You mean that?”

This time it was your turn to blush, cursing yourself for being so lovesick. 

Seeing the truly concerned look in the midfielder’s eyes though, you decided to double down.

Shrugging, pulling Leah closer by her waist, you eased her mind. 

“Yeah. You've had me wrapped around your little finger since the day we met. Still have me in a daze most days. In fact, you said it yourself, I genuinely can’t believe I managed to get you and so I’d be honoured to love you for as long as I can, forever hopefully.”

The look that she gave you at your words had your heart bursting in joy. Eyes shining with love, a gentle smile on her face, Leah looked at you like you were her whole world (because you were- she didn’t know what she’d do if she lost you).

“Promise?”

“Pinky promise. And you know we can’t break those.” 

Interlocking your pinkies, you brought your joined hands up to your lips, placing a tender kiss on the back of her hand before dropping it down.

Becoming aware that you had already spent long enough in your apartment and not enough on the streets though, (not that you would ever mind spending time with Leah) you decided to suggest finally heading out, only having ten minutes to make the twenty minute trip now. 

Tugging Leah closer to you, you placed a kiss on her lips before stepping back and giving her another once over and then a playful wink.

“As much as I'd love to stay here with you, Katie and Beth would absolutely kill us if we skipped out on tonight. So, before we get any more late, shall we head out pretty girl?”

Nodding and letting you lead the way, Leah followed you out the door, smiling to herself at your actions. She knew you were extremely punctual, not one to ever be late if it was in your control. Yet, in moments like these, you’d always make the time to appreciate her, to love her, and she couldn’t adore you more for it if she tried. 

It wasn't a secret how much the pair of you loved each other, endless teasing from all your friends (and sometimes family) adequate proof of that. Yet in stolen seconds like these, where it felt like you two were the only ones in the world, in the cozy bubble of your love, nothing ever felt greater, nothing ever felt more important. Not to you and most definitely not to Leah.

The English captain knew that she'd spend forever with you if she could, the idea of loving you, of marrying you having always been a question of 'when' rather than 'if'.

So if on the drive there, she silently planned your guys’ wedding in her head, you didn’t have to know. And if she spent a good chunk of that planning thinking about what wedding outfit would best leave you speechless, more than she had ever made you thus far, you most definitely didn’t have to know. After all, while her beauty left you tongue-tied, your love for her, all of her, left her at a loss for words, nothing but warmth coursing in her veins, a permanent blush on her cheeks.

And when you both arrived indisputably late, nearly half an hour past the designated time, and the teasing from your teammates was directed at you, you couldn’t help but shrug, declaring your love for her and ignoring the impending comments of 'whipped' headed your way.

“Leah looking at me dressed like that? There’s my weakness. She can take as much time as she needs to get ready. Hell, I made us late in fact. Really though, anything she says tonight, I agree with,” you joked, adoration and mirth filling your eyes.

It really was safe to say that it wasn't a secret how much you two loved each other, especially when all it took was her walking into the room for you to fall in love all over again.

[guess-my-next-obsession]

When We Were Young

pairing: frankie morales x f!reader

rating: M (breakups, seeing your ex, a lil angsty with a happy ending, a douchey/aggressive male interaction, alcohol consumption, language)

wc: 2.5k

frankie masterlist

Time froze. As cliche as it sounded, it was also accurate. You sat there gawking like a deer caught in headlights, your blood rushing from your head to pour into the crater-sized hole in your heart in the shape of him. It was like seeing the ghost of a loved one, desperate for it to make contact and fearful of it all at once. To see him, the man you’d loved and lost five years ago, here in the flesh, laughing with a group of people you didn’t recognize, reminded you that whatever life you had shared with him in the past was just that—the past. But even still, you couldn’t help but hope there was a moment for the two of you here in the present, and perhaps if the fates were kind enough, in the future.

“Everything okay?” Your eyes wandered back to the man in front of you—your date, you had to remind yourself.

“Yeah,” you managed, nodding your head as if it helped make your lie believable. “Just saw someone I used to know.”

“Oh, why don’t you go say hi?” he asked, taking a sip of his beer.

If only it were that simple.

“I’d rather stay here,” you replied, lying again. Is that what you were forced to become? Nothing but a liar? A half-lover? Someone frozen in the past?

Across the bar he spots you, smiling at some dark haired man that looks too old for you, or perhaps that’s just his jealousy talking.

You look good, healthier than he last saw you. You’d gained some weight, filling out your sunken cheeks that remained seared in his memory from the night he left you. The night that haunted him, a dark cloud of regret and shame that rained the taste of your tears over him to remind him of the hurt he caused you.

You only ever asked him to love you, but like the immature child he was—the child he still feared lived deep within—he made you feel like you were asking for too much.

As he sat there watching you giggle, your fingers stirring the black straw in your glass—a gin and tonic like always, no doubt—he wondered if you spotted him as well. He figured it didn’t matter even if you did. He couldn’t imagine a universe in which you could forgive him for what he did—or for what he couldn’t do.

“Frankie!” A whine coming from the girl he’d been seeing casually the last few weeks pulled his eyes from watching you, his head turning in the direction of the woman who didn’t know him well enough to know what darkness lied within him. “I want another drink.”

“Okay,” he replied, awaiting an explanation for how this concerned him.

“Can you go get me one?” she snapped, drunken and slurred. Frankie exhaled softly and nodded, the bottle of beer in his hand empty and needing replacing anyways.

He stood to walk to the bar, his eyes finding you no matter how hard he tried to keep them occupied. As he passed your table, he overheard the man you were with talking about his job—finance, it seemed. Was that really the kind of man you were into these days? Back in the day the two of you would’ve made fun of a guy like him. What could you possibly have in common with such a…stiff? He supposed it didn’t matter—shouldn’t matter.

How could you listen to anything this man was saying when you could feel Frankie’s eyes on you, when you could smell him walking by? He still wore that same cologne, still donned that same red flannel you gifted him for Christmas. So much had stayed the same about him on the outside, it seemed. Could the same be said for the inside? Did you want it to?

“Hey, I’m gonna go use the restroom,” your date announced and you nodded, watching him as he walked off through the crowded pub.

You weren’t sure what compelled you to stand, but before you could talk yourself out of it, you were already standing beside your ex at the bar, his head turned in the opposite direction as he waited for the bartender to make his way to him.

“You look the same,” you spoke over the chatter and music filling the room, causing his head to whip over in your direction. He looked wide eyed, the color draining from his face. For a minute, you worried you’d offended him by simply speaking, but the soft curl of his lips quickly soothed that fear.

“You look…good,” he managed, his eyes frantic as they studied your face, seemingly taking in all the changes you cursed your body for making. “I, uh, I saw you, but…I don’t know. Didn’t want to interrupt your date.”

“Not much of a date,” you shrugged. “Not anymore at least.”

Frankie smiled more genuinely and it was as if you were thrown back in time, seeing that dimple come out for the first time. You longed to reach out for him, to touch him to make sure he was actually there, but refrained.

“You here with anyone?” you asked, unsure of what overcame you. You had no right to pry that way, but couldn’t help yourself. Had he moved on? Was it better that way? The sinking feeling in your gut as his eyes flickered over to the singular woman sitting at his table told you no, it wasn’t.

“It’s…casual,” he shrugged, pursing his lips. “Haven’t really been able to jump into anything after…after us.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat, batting away the childish tears born of jealousy. You felt the immature little girl you used to be clawing at the back of your throat begging to scream “he’s mine, he’s mine, don’t touch what’s mine!”. You lifted your drink to wash down the burn.

“Yeah, it’s been hard for me too,” you admitted, though the word “hard” felt like nothing more than a watered-down truth.

“God, sorry about that. The line was so long.” Your date appeared with a smile, his eyes flickering to the man beside you at the bar. “Hey.”

Frankie nodded at him but remained silent.

“Well,” your date exhaled as he turned back to you. “You wanna get out of here? Maybe go back to my place?”

Your eyes flickered to Frankie, watching his profile as he tried not to appear like he was eavesdropping on the conversation, but the clench of his jaw gave him away.

“I think I’m just gonna go home for the night,” you finally answered, turning to your date to give him an apologetic frown. He chuckled and looked towards Frankie, pointing his finger at him.

“You mean you’re going to go home with this fucker?”

Frankie’s body turned fully to your date, his brows laced as he looked down at the man at least five inches shorter than him.

“What was that?” Frankie asked, the dominance in his voice foreign and familiar at the same time.

“How’s it fair that I have to pair for all her fucking drinks and you’re the one who gets to take her home?” he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. “I got her drunk, so I get the reward.”

Frankie scoffed in disbelief and looked to you, the look of fear in your eyes igniting a protective streak in him that only seemed to light for you.

“Go home, man,” he ordered, turning back to your “date”.

“Fuck that—“ He made to grab at your arm but Frankie shoved him back before he could make contact.

“Go home.” Frankie ordered again, giving the man one last chance before he’d have to walk home with only one working eye. The man sized Frankie up for a beat before turning to you.

“You’re paying for your own fucking drinks then,” he said, as though it was a punishment. Truthfully, you were thankful not to “owe” this man—the word used loosely—anything. You watched him walk off down the bar to pay off his half of the tab, keeping your eyes glued to him to assure he didn’t come back and try something again. It seemed Frankie was doing the same.

“What a fucking prick,” he mumbled under his breath as the two of you watched him leave the bar. You turned back to Frankie and felt your lips part to speak, to apologize for your choice in man, but couldn’t manage a sound. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that,” he offered sincerely, his gentle brown eyes landing on yours. “You didn’t deserve any of his bullshit.”

“Yeah, well…when they tell you there’s tons of fish in the sea they don’t mention that those fish fucking suck.” Frankie laughed and nodded, that dimple coming out again. The bartender finally made his way over, looking at Frankie anticipatorily, but Frankie seemed hesitant. “Well, I’m gonna go pay my bill—“

“No, let me,” he intervened with his hand on your arm. “I’m honestly ready to leave, too.”

“You gonna order anything?” the bartender asked, annoyed by the delay. Frankie leaned over the bar and ordered a vodka-cranberry and then pointed over at the table his group was sitting at, the bartender nodding before walking off to prepare the drink.

“Alright, let’s go take care of the tab.” He turned back to you with a friendly but soft smile, his hand resting on your upper back as he guided you through the crowded room to the bartender set up by the till. Frankie paid for both of your bills as if it was nothing, as if anyone would have done the same thing. You couldn’t help but glance over at the girl he was with, comparing yourself to her. She was thinner, not by much but enough for you to realize it. Her hair was freshly styled, her nails polished and manicured. She seemed to be a newer and improved version of yourself, the image of someone untainted by heartbreak. Soon a pit of guilt formed in your stomach as you considered the fact that your interacting with Frankie tonight would be the first blow to her heart. Did she love him? Would that be enough to stop you?

“So…do you live at the same place you used to?” Frankie asked at the counter while he waited for change.

“I do,” you turned back to him and admitted.

“I could walk you home,” he offered with a shrug. “No funny business. I just…I guess I want a chance to talk.”

“What about your date?” you asked, a nervous chuckle slipping from your lips to cover your guilt.

“She’s with her friends, and truthfully…I think our friendship has run its course.” Perhaps in another reality you’d be strong enough to turn him down, but in this reality your heart still belonged to him. It would always belong to him.

With a nod, you accepted his offer and headed outside to wait for him as he grabbed his coat and bid his group goodbye.

You watched from the window as your replacement scolded him, her voice loud enough to cut over the music and through the glass separating the two of you. Frankie never did well with loudness, with screaming and fighting. You wondered what drew him to her in the first place.

When he finally made it outside, he let out a sigh and shook his head.

“Well,” he said, giving you a laugh. “That went well.”

“Yeah, I could see,” you pointed at the window. “I feel bad.”

“Don’t,” he commanded, shaking his head. “I’d leave anyone to have a chance at talking to you again.”

You tried not to melt at his words, tried not to put stock into them, but was it possible that five years could have changed him? Could have made him realize that you truly loved him, and that it was all you ever wanted to do?

“So,” he began as the two of you made your way through the downtown neighborhood towards your apartment complex about a mile away. “I guess I want to say sorry first and foremost.”

You turned your head to watch him, his eyes fixed forward while his hands twitched in his pocket.

“I…I was scared,” he confessed, his voice softer, more vulnerable as he glanced at you. “You loved me in a way that I’ve never been loved before, and that was scary. I never thought—I don’t know. Never thought I deserved it, so I turned myself into someone who didn’t. But, I really need you to know that I loved you, too. I just didn’t know what to do with it. Didn’t trust myself with it, I guess.”

“I did,” you replied, bumping your shoulder against his. “I trusted you with it. But I could see the fight going on inside, and I could see that I was losing. I didn’t know why I was losing. It seemed so simple to me—I love you and you love me so why can’t we just be together? Be more than these two friends who fuck?”

“Yeah—“ He swallowed, shaking his head. “I don’t know. I was…young and stupid. I wish that was a better excuse.”

At your doorstep, you turned to him with a twisted smile, unsure of what to do next. You’d talked through the wounds you left on each other as best as you could with a few drinks in your system, but what came next?

“So…” you started, swaying a bit as you looked up at him. Frankie’s smile turned boyish as he looked down at you, a chuckle escaping his lips as he tucked his hands into his pockets.

“Would, uh…” He bit his lip as he paused to reconsider his proposition. “Would you maybe want to grab breakfast tomorrow? There’s this new diner on 32nd street—“

“Oh my god, Brownies?”

“Yeah!” He laughed, your eyes locking as the two of you wondered how many times you must’ve missed each other in this small town. “I go there every Sunday with Caro.”

Oh, how you missed his baby girl. She was only three when you’d last seen her, making her eight years old now. How time flies.

“I go every Saturday,” you admitted with a chuckle. “Would I be throwing off your schedule by making you go two days in a row?”

“No,” he assured. “Any excuse for chocolate chip waffles, I’ll take.”

You laughed and nodded, looking down at your feet.

“Well, in that case, yes. I’d love to.”

“One more thing, and feel free to say no—“

“Can you kiss me?” you interrupted, watching as his smile grew into a grin.

“You beat me to it,” he laughed.

“Is that a yes?” you asked with a girlish and flirty smile. Frankie’s hand found your jaw, cradling it gently as he leaned in slowly, the anticipation burning in your belly. When his lips met yours, you swore you’d died and gone to heaven. It was as if nothing had ever changed between the two of you, that spark that only he could light inside of you quickly turning into a flame as you melted against him, clutching at his flannel. When he pulled away, you almost whined. Frankie smiled and rested his forehead against yours.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “For all this lost time.”

“We can make it up,” you assured with a smile of your own. “Starting tomorrow.”

“See you then, baby.”

•

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[rist-ix]

How do you think sparked!valtor and tbhtbh!valtor would react to bloom saying he's good enough to f*ck but not good enough to love?

Do fingerguns and say damn right I’m good enough to fuck. Then he waits a respectable 10 minutes just to demonstrate he's not at all affected before going to his room to cry.

Seriously though, I think sparked!Valtor's reaction within the canon of that fic already somewhat explores this. He proclaims his love for Bloom, she laughs at him a little bit, they fuck nasty and then later go their separate ways. Bloom even asks him how he's so ok with her lack of romantic reciprocal, which does seem untypical after his weeks of stalking, attempted kidnapping, and altogether just constant need for her attention, positive or negative. To which Valtor admits readily that he intends to Woo Her For Reals in the future, but given the very eventful past 36 hours, can afford not to throw a tantrum right away. Basically, he copes with a mix of delulu for the present and some resolute aspirations for the future. His absolute confidence in his charm and ability to seduce people certainly helps.

Now, Tbhtbh!Valtor… he's not gonna lie (except he absolutely is), Bloom not being madly in love with him does grate on him, a little bit. I think he has convinced Bloom, and himself for the most part, that he does not care much about whether she loves him or not, so long as she hates him so passionately she's always thinking about him. And it’s true! Her singleminded hatred is balm on his soul after he had absolutely nothing of her for three years. He can suffer many things (and enjoy them, even, like he does her animosity) but he cannot bear indifference. If he ever felt insignificant to her he would lose it, 100%. You can kind of see it whenever the Winx come up in conversation, he HATES not being Bloom's highest priority.

Deep down, though, he does crave her affection. He adores it when she initiates any sort of contact, he softens up immediately when she implies any regard for or feeling of kinship with him. Man is starving for CRUMBS, and still deluding himself into thinking that he does not care that Bloom will likely never love him back. It's such a funny conundrum, because on the one hand, he does every cruel thing within his power to ensure he can keep her captive, on the other hand, all those cruelties effectively deny him any chance of the thing he wants the most. He's sacrificing the possibility of Bloom's love for the certainty of her presence and attention. In a way, he has to delude himself to keep this up, because the alternative would be losing even the little bit of Bloom he has now.

In conclusion, Valtor values attention over romantic feelings. As long as he is her highest priority, (because he's her most dangerous enemy, or because he's really good with his tongue, doesn’t really matter which) he's a-ok with the whole Her Not Being In Love With Him — Yet! situation.

[unactive-shroom]

Hi!! I saw that you were doing a Valentine's special event and I was wondering if you could write something with Levi with prompt #2Jerk

I feel like it has so much potential, like, if Levi and reader were roommates and Levi was just so over that stupid ex that ditched reader. I'm gonna leave it up to you, though. Thanks and Happy Valentine's day! 💗

Prompt #2: Jerk ♡

“’What kinda Jerk breaks up with their partner on Valentine’s?’ It seems your friend has some very vocal opinions on your partner ex. Maybe they could treat you better…”

Character: Levi Ackerman. See Valentine's Event: HERE

warning: Not proof read. Lmk if parts dont make sense, I can rewrite them

You softly closed the door to your shared apartment, trying to make as little noise as possible. Your roommate, Levi, had two of his friends over, Erwin and Hange, and not only did you not want to disturb them, but you didn’t want them to see you like this, mascara tear trails cascading down your face, eyes red and puffy from crying in your car for the last hour. You also didn’t want to answer any questions about why your valentine’s date with your boyfriend had ended so quickly. Sneaking quietly to your room, you had just put your hand on the door knob when- “Ah, hello y/n! My, you’re home early! How was your date?” You kept your back to Hange, nodding slightly and saying in a thick voice that it was good, but you’re not feeling so well so you ended it early. “I think I’ll go lie down for a bit, but it was nice seeing you, Hange” “Well if you need anything just - ”

You felt bad for shutting the door on them mid sentence, but you just can’t deal with keeping up pleasantries and acting nice when what you really want to do is scream and cry and punch everything and everyone. You walked over to your vanity, staring at your blotchy reflection, and began to wipe away the mascara trails, the makeup you had spent hours on, the determination to look pretty for him - that’s what he was always complaining about, how you didn’t present yourself like other girls, how sloppy your appearance was even when you spent hours and hours choosing outfits, doing your hair, all for him. Maybe it was for the better. You knew lots of your friends didn’t like him very much, but he loved you. At least, you thought he did. You sat at your vanity, staring at your reflection as if willing it to change. A knock sounded at the door. “Y/n? Can I come in?” A few seconds silence passed as you opened your mouth to reply, but no sound came out. “Okay, I’m coming in.”

You and Levi stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. He sat down on the armchair across from the vanity, and you followed his reflection in the square glass mirror. “What happened? Did that Jerk of a boyfriend of yours do something?” You sighed and put your head in your hands. “Don’t worry about-” “I can’t hear you, stop mumbling.” You stood up angrily and yelled at him, “I said don’t worry about it, and if you don’t mind, I’d like some peace and quiet!”. Watching his expression in the mirror, you immediately felt regret. You sat back down on the stool, putting your head in your hands. “I’m sorry, Levi, I’m just a bit- I don’t even know. Miserable, I suppose.”

“Tch.” Levi stood up and walked over to you, grabbing your arm. “Let’s go.” He guided you to the kitchen, gesturing at you to sit on one of the stools at the pristine kitchen counter. He turned to you, simply saying “Talk.” as he busied himself brewing two cups of tea. So you did. You told him all about how your boyfriend had sat you in his car, after you gave him the gifts that you had spent hours making, the gift that you had worked tirelessly to save for, and told you that there was another woman. “’A better woman, someone who can actually talk for themself, and takes care of their appearance’, apparently.” Levi placed a cup of steaming tea in front of you. “Bullshit. You can talk for yourself just fine, and your appearance is radiant, even when you’re bawling your eyes out over some jerk. I mean seriously, who breaks up with someone like you on Valentine’s day?” You gave him a small smile. “Thanks, Levi. I just can’t believe that he really broke up with me. And he admitted that he was seeing other women while we were dating, too. I really should’ve listened to you guys. I mean, even Armin didn’t like him!”

Levi sipped his tea. “He never treated you right, y/n. Everyone could see that. I hope you took back that gift you gave him. You spent hours working for it.” You grinned. “Yeah, it’s in my car. Hey, later can you help me with some of his stuff that he left here? Connie and Jean’s place has a firepit, right?” “Yeah. We can bring it over later on, but first-” He stood up. “You still have a Valentine’s day to celebrate.” “What? Levi, I just broke up with my boyfriend. How can I celebrate Valentine’s alone?” He typed something on his phone, before looking up at you. “What am I, a kitchen stool? We’ll celebrate it together, my treat. God knows you deserve it after being with that jerk for so long.” He held up his phone. “Niccolo managed to get us a spot for this evening at this restuarant, but we still have a few hours to kill. How about a movie?” You looked at him, utterly in shock. “…really?” He hummed, scrolling through his phone. ”They’ve got The Notebook, Marley and Me… anything bearable…? …ah, here we go. They have a special screening of one of those Studio Ghibli movies you like. What about that…? Y/n, are you okay?” You had started to tear up, watching Levi put more effort into a day out than your ex-boyfriend ever had, in just a few minutes. “Yeah. yeah, that sounds perfect, Levi. Thank you so much, seriously.” “Don’t mention it. You deserve way more than just a movie and dinner, anyways. Let me just tell Erwin and Hange to lock up after they leave and we can head out. The next screening is in half an hour, so we can get boba beforehand, if you’d like.”

As he walked away, you quickly washed your face and grabbed your bag, feeling more excitement than you had felt in a long, long time. “You ready?” “Oh, don’t you want me to put on some make up or something?” He looked at you strange. “Of course not. You look great.” you said nothing for a moment, temporarily in shock. Your ex had always expected you to look pristine whenever you went out, he refused to bring you out if you didn’t. “Oh. Okay! I’m ready, then.” Levi looked at you, and smiled. “Great. Let’s go, then.” Holding the door open for you, the two of you left the apartment block, and headed out for the best Valentine’s day you had ever had in a long time.

A.n. STOP I LOVED WRITING THIS SM, TYSM FOR REQUESTING IT! If you want me to do a part two, where maybe they run into y/n's ex, then lmk bc i would love an excuse to write it.

[robo-writing]

Part three of the baker AU, introducing Baker! Bi-Han!

As the first son, Bi-Han inherited the bakery from his father. He works as the store manager, but he started out like a baker, just like the rest of his brothers. He grew up knowing that when he was of age he was going to take over the shop, a task which he graciously accepted. He wasn’t the most excited about it, but if not him, who else? Like hell he was going to trust Tomas and Kuai Liang to do it.

Over the years the bakery’s reputation has also instilled a deep sense of pride, and despite his grievances he actually does run the shop well, the back wall decorated with an array of various awards. It’s the one part of the shop he can safely say he enjoys looking at, if only to stroke his ego before he goes back to managing the back of the house.

Kuai Liang has noticed that recently he’s been in a more foul mood, and he thinks it’s because he’s no longer a baker, instead of being behind an oven he now spends his time behind a desk. In Tomas’s own words, stagnancy has done Bi-Han no favors.

“Come now, you have to lighten up a little!” The younger brother says, wiping his hands on his apron.”

Bi-Han only scoffs in response, fixing Tomas with an ever-present scowl. “Unlike you, I do not make it a habit to get distracted at work. Idle hands do no one any favors.”

He can hear Kuai Liang sigh behind him. “If you’re talking about our newest regular—“

He stops his brother before he can say another word. “Do try to remember that our duty comes first.”

Yes, in Bi-Han’s eyes idle hands do no favors, especially when you are the source.

He catches you talking to Tomas and Kuai Liang a couple times, just standing back and watching them fawn over you, arms crossed as he silently judges you from across the store. You’re just a girl to him, one who’s managed to distract his brothers somehow.

Needless to say, he’s not impressed. He doesn’t understand how you’ve caught the eye of his siblings until he actually talks to you for the first time.

For one reason or another, the two are out for the day so Bi-Han’s running the front of the house. You’re not gonna lie, he intimidates you. An ever-present scowl on his face, just his size and sheer stature make you feel like an ant standing next to him. You’ve circled the store at least four times before he finally cuts through the red tape.

A gruff voice calls out as you look at the brownies for the fifth time today. “Are you going to order or do you enjoy running laps around my store?”

You turn around quickly, looking at the tall man timidly. You get the sense that his temper is on a short fuse, a far contrast from the other two employees.

“I will, I’m just thinking—“

“You’ve been at that same display five times now.”

No nonsense, he calls you out with no hesitation and you’re finally forced to greet the mysterious stranger at the counter.

“It is about time,” he utters, hands on the counter. “I was beginning to think you would never leave.”

You’re not sure what you’ve done wrong, but he doesn’t seem to like you. You decide to get your order as fast as possible to save the both of you any trouble.

“I think I’ll have the m&m brownies,” you say, reaching into your bag for your wallet. “Tomas recommended them to me last time I came here—“

“He did, did he?” He interrupts. You freeze as if you’ve said something wrong.

A huff of laughter escapes the stoic man. “A juvenile choice. I’m not surprised coming from Tomas.”

Only slightly peeved at his jab towards your new friend, you ask: “What would you recommend then?”

A raise of his eyebrow, as if to silently judge you, and then he answers. “What I would recommend is not on our menu.”

He goes on to list off the ingredient and baking process and with how fancy it sounds it makes you question on whether or not you can afford it. You guess your confusion is written plain on your face because after a while he stops, tells you to “stay here” and leaves. He soon returns with a tiny dish in his hand and places it on the counter.

It turns out for all his posturing that it’s an apple tart. A rather fancy apple tart, but still an apple tart nonetheless. Shaped like a rose, lightly dusted with powdered sugar, you’d be a liar if you didn’t say it didn’t look good.

“Oh wow, that’s...”

“Much better than a brownie, isn’t it?”

A look is exchanged between the two of you, and beneath his callous exterior you think you see...pride?

You buy it, a decision the man in front of you seems to approve of.

“A wise choice.”

From the first bite you actually like it, a lot. It tastes as good as it looks, flaky and crunchy and oh so sweet, you say as much and it’s like you can physically witness his chest puffing out, voice like gravel as he speaks.

“I should hope so, I made them after all.”

“You did?” You ask. “I didn’t know you were a baker too.”

“Formerly,” he says with a hint of frustration. “I own the store now. I let my brothers handle that responsibility.”

Your ears perk up at that. “Brothers? So you’re related to Kuai Liang and Tomas?”

“I am.”

It’s silent for a moment, but with a sigh he puts his hand forward. “My name is Bi-Han, the eldest.”

You shake his much larger hand in your own, not shocked that his grip is firm. You try to respond in kind but the attempt only amuses him, barely a smirk gracing his features.

“I’ve seen you before, talking to my brothers,” he begins, opening the register. “You have a great talent for distracting them.”

You grow more embarassed by the second. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—“

“Do not blame yourself. Their faults are theirs alone.”

He rings you up and hands you back your change. Before you leave you leave Bi-Han with a final message.

“Thanks for the apple tart! If it means anything, you should try baking again.”

The door closes just as he turns to look at your form leaving the store. He never thought about it, but the look of enjoyment you had while eating his food...when was the last time he felt that proud?

He looked to his awards, then looked to the plate where the tart once stood, barely any crumbs left after you had devoured it.

Maybe this new girl has some taste after all.

[punks-never-die205]

Passing Fascination

Fem Reader x Yandere!Eustass Kid

CW: kidnapping, yandere Eustass Kid, violence, dubious consent, imprisonment, abuse, swearing, sex, group sex, dark content kids I am not messing around with this ♥

Tag list: @keiva1000

Chapter 5: Consent

Kid backs off, going over and grabbing a chair before seating himself nearly in the middle of the room. You stay almost pressed against the bookshelf as he moves, watching him with a mix of curiosity and fear.

“It’s your idea, so do the work.” He says. A grin splits across his lips, but you can see his earlier irritation in his eyes. “Strip yourself.”

Your mind shorts for a second before a confused, half-mumbled what falls from your lips.

“Strip yourself, little mouse. You think this will fix it all, so fine. Let’s do it. But I’m not gonna hear any fucking shit about forcing you, so you’re gonna do it.” He clarifies, and you can feel a cold knot in the pit of your stomach.

“If… if I don’t?” You question nervously, stepping away from the books a bit.

“… Then nothing changes.” He answers, crossing an ankle over his knee and leaning back. “You’re gonna keep expecting it. And maybe I give you less space, or more. Maybe we see what the rest of the crew will do to you if they think I won’t find out.”

You feel your body heat at the implication. “They’re… they’re too loyal to-.”

“Oh they’re loyal alright,” Kid interrupts. “Won’t lie if I ask ‘em, but if you ain’t mine, little mouse, then who the fuck are you on this ship?”

Your legs nearly buckle at the statement. It was a truth you were certainly aware of before now, but hearing it so clearly made your blood run cold. You needed to keep yourself together - as healthy and as capable as possible.

The chance to escape would present itself. What was important was to not break or be broken before then. He wouldn’t break you if you loved him, wouldn’t break you if he loved you. Deception left a sour taste on the tip of your tongue, but it would be a savory flavor indeed, if you could win your freedom with it.

Right now there’s no need to hide your hesitation, the deceit will have to come in slowly. You take a moment, breathing in slowly and letting it out slower, trying to get your roiling stomach to calm down.

Taking a few more  steps away from the bookcase you stand before him, and start to take your clothes off. There’s no little show, no shy smile you can muster, your fingers shake as you pull your shirt off, and the air seems uncomfortably cold.

You can feel his eyes on you, but you can’t bring yourself to look at him as you pull your pants off. You weren’t fully dressed today, since you’d intended to stay in and read, so you were only taking off the pajamas you’d had on. Enough clothing to eat breakfast and vanish.

Kid shifts, putting his hands behind his head. “Now me.”

You flinch, looking up at him in surprise and a little confusion.

“You want it?” He repeats, spreading his legs open. “Come get it.” He slouches a little in the chair. “Don’t have to strip me bare, little mouse, just gotta free up whatcha need.”

Part of you wants to protest. Most of you wants to protest. You don’t want this, not in the truest sense, but things need to change. Something has to give, and you’re not going to gain any trust or leeway if you’re skittering away from him and everyone else.

If you want to escape, you have to give in. Play along. Obey.

You walk over to him, eyes on the floor for the most part, until you’re standing between his legs. You shift your gaze to his crotch and start to undo his belts. There’s no sound but the soft clink of the belts coming undone.

You can feel his eyes on you, but it’s hard to say if he’s disappointed or amused without looking up at him.

You’re surprised to see he’s not fully erect when you get the pants out of the way. You really expected this loud brash bastard was an always on kind of guy.

Maybe he really - you shake the thought away. The guilt was going to break you. No sense in worrying about the feelings of the guy who kidnapped you. Best to just focus on the task at hand.

You reach down and grab his cock, pulling it free and stroking it with your hands. Both hands. Gods and demons this thing is massive and he’s not even fully hard.

Bending at the waist you leaned down and tentatively licked the tip. Clean, a little salty, he smelled a little of oil and metal, but that could be from his arm. All that mattered to you right now was that he didn’t stink, and he didn’t expect you to ride a filthy dick.

You did what you could, licking the tip, sucking on it as your hands worked his shaft, running your tongue down his length to lubricate your hands. You weren’t being strictly clinical, but you weren’t trying to feign enjoyment.

Just something a little more like neutrality. Acceptance, even if there wasn’t much emotion in it.

“You’re so small I wonder if you can even fit me in your mouth.” Kid muses, moving your hair aside enough to watch you for a moment.

“I’m not sure I can fit you anywhere.” You admit, words mumbled against his cock. You can feel it twitch against your lips before he has you step back.

“Only one way to find out.” He pats his leg. “Put your leg up here and get yourself wet before you climb up.”

You do as he says, putting a hand in his offered hand to help keep yourself balanced as you put your other hand to work. The way he watches, without saying anything, has an effect on you whether you want to admit it or not.

You could almost imagine his lips against your neck, hands on your breasts, helping you as you prepared to take that monster twitching in anticipation between his thighs. His desire for you rolled off him without apology, but despite the situation it wasn’t oily or slimy. It didn’t disgust you and that truth was worrisome.

Once you were wet, he helped you come up onto his lap. One hand on his chest to steady yourself, the other wrapped around his shaft, lining him up with your entrance. Shifting your hips the tip of his slips away, instead of slipping in. You flinch from the sensation and try again, holding him in place longer until you can feel an uncomfortable sting.

You’re not sure how you’re going to ride this beast, when you can barely handle the tip. Once it’s in a little you keep a hold of him, trying to slowly shift yourself down further. If you can get half of him in you can hopefully get him off and get this torment over with.

The stretching sensation stings so much that you don’t know if you’ll be able to even do that much.

“That’s not gonna cut it, little mouse.” Kid grumbles, lifting your hips up and ending your struggle to get him in. “Guess your fingers just aren’t enough.”

His rough finger slips over your clit, before pushing into you easily. You can’t stifle the gasp as you grab onto his shoulders and lean against him as his finger goes deeper than yours could.

“Cute,” he huffs, pumping the single finger for a moment before pushing in a second one. The stretch makes your fingers clench and you suck in a breath, letting out a hot shuddering gasp against his chest.

You’d had sex before but his two fingers were making you feel like this was your first time. It didn’t hurt, the stretch was sweet and the dull ache made you needy. Your hips moved to help him without your meaning to, and the sharp sting from earlier was already fading.

You could feel the chuckle in Kid’s chest just before he started scissoring his fingers inside you. The sloppy wet sound was embarrassing enough, but you had to bite your lip to keep the moan from escaping you.

“Aww, don’t hold back like that.” He pouts. His metal hand grabs your hair, pulling you back and holding you in place. His thumb slips between your labia, and begins teasing your clit as his fingers curl inside you.

Your hands clamp over your mouth as your eyes go wide and you nearly cry out into your fingers. The rush of pleasure is almost painful. It's so sudden, but just before you think you’re going to lose yourself in the euphoria he lets you go, pulling his hand out and away from you.

“Now you can try again.” He says, eager grin on his lips.

You can feel his hot breath against your neck as you line him up again and begin to sink down once more. The discomfort from before wasn’t nearly as sharp, and you could feel a dull ache as his tip sinks into you, stretching you a little more than his fingers had. You’re a lot wetter now too, and manage to work more of him in much faster.

“Fuck mouse,” he husks, hands gripping the sides of the chair. “You’re - shit - tight.”

“You’re the brute with the dragon dick,” you grouch, finally glancing at him as his thick cock slides in a little deeper. You grab onto his shirt as you spread your legs open wider, taking in more of him.

You’re trying to sink down slow enough to stop when he inevitably bottoms you out. You’ve heard the brothel ladies complain about how it hurts. Despite your fears, you only feel a strange sensation as he fills more of you. It doesn’t seem possible for you to be able to fit something that’s almost the size of your own arm inside your pussy, but as you can’t go any lower, you realize the truth of it.

“I knew it.” Kid murmurs, tipping your face up with a finger under your chin, forcing you to look at him. Your eyes are watering a little, you’ve never felt so full, and it feels so good you don’t even want to move. “Don’t just sit there, little mouse.” He admonishes, a truly delighted grin on his face.

“I… I can’t.” You’re nearly panting, caught between the sweet pleasure and frustrated that it is both sweet and pleasurable. “I feel like… like I’m gonna cum if I -.”

“Then cum.” He interjects, grabbing your wrists and holding your hands away from your face. “Cum against my cock. I’m not gonna punish you for it.” He leans forward, lips by your ear. “But I want to hear you.”

The shiver that ran through you caused you to clench against him, making embarrassment run through you hotly. You couldn’t keep looking at him, and shifted your gaze away as you began to move.

Using the leverage provided by Kid, with your hands in his, you leaned toward him just a little, grinding your clit against his pubes as you rode him. It didn’t take long for the combined stimulation to cause your breath to come out heavy. You knew his eyes were all over you, but you kept looking at his stomach, focusing on chasing your own high.

You sped up a little as you got closer, breath falling from your lips. Soft moans escaped you as his dick sent jolts through you, hitting places deep inside no one had ever reached. You couldn’t predict it, and decided not to fight it. Right now it was best to lose yourself a little to the pleasure.

“Close?” He hums and you nod. “Gonna need help?”

You shake your head at first, body and breath shivering with the flooding pleasure. Your head shake turns into a nod as the orgasm starts to crest and you can already feel your limbs beginning to betray you.

Kid grips your ass, helping you keep your pace. His metal hand isn’t cold like you expect, but there’s a rush of pleasure from his hands on your body that rushes the orgasm. Broken and hissed swears tumble down your chest as he helps you through the orgasm.

The pleasure rattles your senses, spots dance in your vision, and you can feel sweat slick your skin as your muscles tense from your toes to your shoulders. Kid doesn’t relent until you’re collapsed against his chest, legs dangling on either side of his thighs. Your breathing is hot, panting against him. Every twitch you can’t control shivers against the rock-hard cock buried in you, and each sensation from that seems determined to push you over the edge again.

Everything’s still for a moment, and then Kid starts to move your hips again. You suck in a breath, grabbing onto his collar. You can’t hook your feet against his legs for any sort of leverage, every time he shifts you deep the sensation jolts down your legs.

“Wa-Wait!” You cry, words clipped off in a hiss as your sensitive clit grinds against him. “Please! Please, it’s too- too much!”

“I haven’t cum yet, little mouse.” He hums, and you look up at him as pleasure jolts up your back. “That’s the whole reason you wanted to do this, right?”

You open and close your mouth a few times, too addled and hazy to think clearly. Kid grins and everything in your world stops.

“Don’t tell me you thought teasing me would make things better?” He questions and you nearly sob.

Caught between riding the edge of a second orgasm or leaving Eustass Kid of all people frustrated. After you walked yourself into this mess there wasn’t much else you could do. If you were worried he’d just randomly grab you and bend you over where ever he wanted to before now, it would certainly be worse if you left him hanging like this.

“… Please… continue.” You insist, shifting your hips as much as you can, body shivering with every ungodly jolt his cock sent through you, damnable thing seeming to hit every spot at once.

Kid’s hands moved your hips easily, and his pace was almost gentle as he moved you in long steady strokes. All you could do was hold onto his shirt, panting into his chest, nearly growling the second time he brought you to orgasm.

After that he laid you out on the bed, holding onto your ankles as he continued to take you. You kept expecting him to just pound you practically through the bed, but he didn’t seem inclined to do so. He was huge, so a certain level of rough was unavoidable, but it was… tender.

You put an arm over your eyes, the intensity of his gaze was too much and, in this position, you couldn’t hide your face in his chest. Your other hand clutched the covers as your body shivered and twitched with every thrust. There was no escaping the pleasure, and he seemed intent on making sure it was all that you felt.

The third orgasm brought tears to your eyes, and you sobbed swears as your body tensed and jerked, almost immovable in his hands. Your hair was plastered to your neck and face, sweat practically pooling at your throat and stomach. Your ankles were rubbing raw, as the sweat on you both was causing you to chafe in Kid’s hand.

Exhaustion soaked your limbs, and you couldn’t hope to move any of them when Kid pulled out, and let go of your legs. The feeling of being empty was almost overwhelming for a moment, but you rolled onto your side, expecting him to move you into another position.

Instead, he lifts you into his arms, cradling you as he walks toward the bathroom. As worn out and hazy as you are, you’re almost certain he hasn’t cum so far. Just you.

“Kid, I can-.” You start, as he shifts you enough to open the door to the bathroom.

“Can it, little mouse,” he interrupts, setting you down before he starts to fill the bath. “Let me clean you up and you can grab some rest before dinner.”

“But I-.” You can feel panic rising up inside you, this wasn’t the outcome you were hoping for.

“Mouse.” He nearly snaps the word, looking over his shoulder and glaring at you for a second before turning back to his work. “You’re not some toy for me to break.”

The two of you were silent after that. Kid cleaned you up, washed your hair even, and dried you off. By then you’d effectively rested enough to put on your clothes on your own, and you laid down for a nap you admittedly needed.

His frustration was evident. Caged, controlled, and not being laid at your feet, but evident. You weren’t sure what the issue was, what you needed to do different next time, but the concern was keeping you from dozing off completely.

“-- I won’t force my way into your pants.” He gives you a toothy grin. “It’s no good if you’re not begging me for it.”

“Tch,” he grumbles, going back to his work. “I don’t want you broken. If all I wanted was a fuck toy I’da cut your legs off before you woke up and you’d be covered in cum and spit right now.”

Understanding hits you like a cold lead weight in the pit of your stomach. You didn’t look at him, unless you had to. You didn’t say his name. Didn’t beg, or plead, or say anything to him directly. You didn’t even tell him how good he was making you feel.

Even if he had finished, the tense ending would’ve been unchanged.

[mclennonlgbt]

Riding to Vanity Fair

I know this song has been on the McLennon songs list for a long time, but I recently listened to it again and was struck by how much it is about John. And what a different perspective Paul takes here. He usually sang how much he loved John, and here he reveals his frustration, possibly in reference to the conflict from the 1970s.

The first verse goes:

I bit my tongue I never talked too much I tried to be so strong I did my best I used the gentle touch I've done it for so long

which reminds me of this quote:

“I always find myself wanting to excuse John’s behaviour, just because I loved him. It’s like a child, sure he’s a naughty child, but don’t you call my child naughty".

Paul continues singing and decides to stop suppressing his anger and resentment towards the other person:

I'll tell you what I'm gonna do I'll try to take my mind off you And now that you don't need my help I'll use the time to think about myself

which reminds me of:

There’s no hard feelings or anything, but you just don’t hang around with your ex-wife. We’ve completely finished. ’Cos, you know, I’m just not that keen on John after all he’s done. I mean, you can be friendly with someone, and they can shit on you, and you’re just a fool if you keep friends with them. I’m not just going to lie down and let him shit on me again. I think he’s a bit daft, to tell you the truth. I talked to him about the Klein thing, and he’s so misinformed it’s ridiculous.

This excerpt touches me the most:

The definition of friendship Apparently you're to be Showing support for the one that you love And I was open to friendship But you didn't seem to have any to spare While you were riding to Vanity Fair

What the "riding to Vanity Fair" would be? My interpretation is that this is what John was doing during his interview with Jann Wenner in 1970 (later released as Lennon Remembers): belittling Paul's talent, criticizing him for taking the initiative in The Beatles, and presenting himself and Yoko as True, Non-Commercial Artists.

Some people believe that the song is addressed to a woman. I think this is nonsense. Even if we ignore everything I wrote earlier, look at this:

There was a time When every day was young The sun would always shine We sang along When all the songs were sung Believing every line

This "believing every line" could be a reference to John and Paul's communications through music.

I don't think Paul hated or hates John (or vice versa). However, I think he had the right to be angry with him and feel sorry.

[lavoixhumaine]

Tim Minear, I got a fucking bone to pick with you.

How the fuck did Nick and Nora, made during the infamous Hays Code era by the way, make out more times than Bobby and Athena? Like I’m not counting (I am and it is zero) but how is that exactly possible?

The film’s characters, supposedly married, weren’t even allowed for sleep in one bed because of those ridiculous rules and yet they seemed to convey more affection and sexual tension.

Meanwhile, you have no such restrictions with these actors today. We’re not even asking them to have movie magic sex, sir. We were just hoping for some actual fun sleuthing adventures with our favorite chaotic couple.

—because that was the expectation you set when you said they were going to be like The Thin Man.

(This should have been a red flag honestly because—in my opinion—apart from “The Thrilling Adventure Hour’s Beyond Belief” with Frank and Sadie Doyle, there has never been a truly good adaptation or inspired piece of The Thin Man which actually has led me to think it’s some kind of curse on its own, like a mini-Macbeth)

How do you reference The Thin Man regarding the episode you wrote? Like sir, Nick and Nora were a rich, chaotic, drunk honeymooning, sleuthing couple with a funny little dog who just happened to solve crimes for funsies because the wise-cracking wife and her cute little nose would not let her husband stay out of trouble.

They made sleuthing look fun and marriage seem sexy which was already a revolutionary idea in the silver screens of the 1930s…like that is the complete opposite of what you wrote in “Abandon ‘Ships”, Mr. Minear. Did you even watch the movies or did someone just say, ‘hey, you know those black and white movies…?’

I don’t mind what you did in the episode. I mind that you uttered complete bullshit about it saying it’s like The Thin Man movies because, no, hell no. Not even close. I really don’t get how you pulled that comment from your ass, sir. Respectfully.

So did you lie or did you just choose to reference the film series because this is another jab at the Oscars? Because as it happens, they also presented the actress who played Nora, Myrna Loy (sidenote: everyone knew she should have won for the 1946 film “The Best Years of Our Lives”) an Honorary Oscar.

So what I’m actually saying is, you kinda suck for lying through your stupid teeth, Tim Minear. So like go kick rocks or something. And maybe don’t ever speak of The Thin Man again if you’re just gonna lie about it.

[electronicclowncollector]

Chapter 4.5: Stingue: The musical

(Authors note: Little mini chapter i made while I was bored. it's not chapter 5 because it's so short and happens right after chapter 4. shoutout to @lilacharbour for the idea, couldn't have done this without her help)

On Rogue’s way home from school, he suddenly stopped as Sting put a hand on his shoulder (Rogue blushed).

“Heya Rogue, wanna walk home with me? We are next door neighbours after all.” Sting said with a smile of his reflective shiny teeth. Why had rogue never considered this option? It was a completely new idea, since every day Rogue made sure to walk on the opposite side of the road to Sting so it was something entirely different to walk with him.

“Yeah, sure…” Rogue replied, cheeks as red as the red dragon that I mentioned in the last chapter.

And so they began to walk home, Sting was talking about his friends and the Sabertooth club, while Rogue was busy thinking about dragons, or books about dragons, or about Sting. Then Sting brought up Bickslow, “Bickslow is such a chill dude, he gave me a bunch of money for free without me even asking for it. He may seem really mean to people sometimes, but all you gotta do to gain his respect is to Strike Back.”

“Strike Back?” Rogue asked, perplexed.

“Strike Back. I’ll sing you a little song to explain it.”

Sting cleared his throat and began to sing beautifully

“Your odds are slim,

The walls are thin, cavin’ in

But there is still a way, you see -

In just 1 mere percent of chance there’s possibility

I won’t sit back, and accept the hand we are dealt,

A fate that’s thrown out by someone else

There is a future I can see

One I hope you’ll share with me

Strike back (go excited)

Get them out of your way,

(You don’t care) if along the- Oh wait, wrong song, my bad.

Bring it on ‘cause I’m just gonna grow up in the battle EY

Pushin’ (past) the limit – I’m still burnin’ with fire

An’ for our future, I am fightin’

I gotta drown this nightmare

And ain’t nobody gonna stop me

Forget the past – ‘cause we’re livin’ in the present 

I ain’t scared of my past – and now in fact,

Forever I’m screaming out for my pride!

Now I never wanna see you cry

I will be screaming till you find the way 

I’m never falling down,

I will be soaring straight on through my destiny!

Now I gotta keep your smile bright

I’ll give my everything to find a way

I gotta burn off the pain, for you and me

So now the rest of me can rest in peace

Now I’ll Strike Back

Inside my mind,

I pound the wall one more time

With all of the bitter pain I feel 

I don’t care what my chances are,

I will never run in fear

Today the rain will continue on

And it’s all I know but never will wear me down

When there’s still a future I can see

There’s still future I can see

One I hope you’ll share with me

Yeah we’re head-to-toe in daybreak

Soldiers, follow me now!

Don’t you ever stop, we pay it back in spades right

In a flash, (in a flash) we wanna hit that playback

This is the time, to keep on living through the misery

Struggle – Sorrow

They’ll disappear like bubbles

But no one can extinguish my own eternal candle 

I’m screaming out for your pride!

This fire burnin’ in my heart

It will keep lightin’ up to part the way

Nobody can blow out my fire – It’s destiny

I’ll rise above it, all eyes on me

There is no time to hesitate

I won’t lose sight of it – I’ll make a way

Don’t blind your eyes, if you’re lost on the way!

Not gonna lie, I’m gonna be your light

So take my hand!

 Ey, what are we living for? 

I live – for – this –####

We gotta stand up and go with the pride

It’s like the run rising way over the clouds

We gotta stand up and go with the pride

It’s like the run rising way over the clouds

Now I never wanna see you cry

I will be screaming till you find the way 

I’m never falling down,

I keep on soaring straight on through my destiny!

I gotta keep your smile bright

I’ll give my everything to find the way

I gotta burn off the pain, for you and me

So now the rest of me can rest in peace

Now I’ll Strike Back

This fire burnin’ in my heart

It will keep lightin’ up to part the way

Nobody can blow out my fire – It’s destiny

I’ll rise above it, all eyes on me

There is no time to hesitate

I won’t lose sight of it – I’ll make a way

Don’t blind your eyes, if you’re lost on the way!

Not gonna lie, I’m gonna be your light

So take my hand!

Oh yeah by the way that last part was metaphorical don’t actually take my hand”

Rogue blushed bright red and frowned with disappointment. Was Rogue unworthy of Sting’s attention? Did he not deserve to hold his hand? What a dumb question, of course he didn’t, Sting was amazing, he was a sports ball enthusiast, a singer, what next?

“Well, it seems like we’re finally home, see you tomorrow for Saber Tooth club Rogue!” Sting said with a wave as he turned away. Rogue blushed and waved too as he left.

[cienie-isengardu]

Do you see Hydro and Bi-Han as friends because despite Bi-Han being all like wolf and shit he and Hydro seemed pretty ok with each other in the comics which is a lot considering Bi-Han's personality.

(Please, note, the Blood & Thunder comics series [1994] has never stated Sub-Zero’s real name however as the part of events take place during the final, 10th Tournament in which elder Sub-Zero originally participated, for simplicity I’m gonna call him Bi-Han as I treat this comics as one of his intercarnations/timelines)

Sub-Zero’s relationship with Hydro is one of my favorite things about the Blood & Thunder comics series but also a good source material about Bi-Han as a person, especially how he interacts with people. I won’t lie, the relationship between Sub-Zero and Hydro shaped greatly how I perceive Bi-Han. And though that relationship was not a main focus of the story, it provided a lot interesting details that lead me to think Hydro was more than just a friend - he[*] was the partner-in-crime, the equal of Sub-Zero is a way Kuai Liang, as the younger brother, could never be.

As the story showed, Bi-Han could - and did in fact - admit to being afraid of specter (Scorpion) haunting him

while Hydro did not scold him for the weakness. Actually, between those two, it is Bi-Han who was the harsh one for himself ("I should not have shown my fear to him. It was mistake.")

This little interaction is one of examples that set up in my mind the idea that Bi-Han is not emotional person by default, even around people he feels comfortable to talk about his fear (example above) or past injuries

- which is why I won’t buy fanwork painting him to be on purpose cold bastard or presenting him as the cuddling, sweet, nice big brother either (the last one I especially contribute to how fandom present Good Titan Sub-Zero from MK1 as contrast to Bi-Han from story mode). Hydro openly called Sub-Zero a friend and companion

and though Bi-Han doesn’t talk much about his relationship with the Lin Kuei warrior, there is a very telling development in that regard. 

Sub-Zero at the beginning openly said to Scorpion to slay him, as he can’t fight against spectre

but as the story goes, he overcome his fear, what is especialy vital element after Scorpion murdered Hydro. There is a very telling switch from being afraid to being determined to not only kill the dead ninja but if needed, end his afterlife for good. Even though Raiden took him under his protection, Sub-Zero was ready to face the undead warrior again.

Also, the most hilarious part of Hydro & Sub-Zero relationship? Hydro may be a nice and caring to Bi-Han but would be okay with killing others once given a chance and it is Bi-Han who actually must temper down his friend’s murderous (practical) behavior.

Which adds a lot of complexity to both and makes me miss Sub-Zero & Hydro's teamwork all the way more!

[*] I’m using the “he/him” pronoun, as I think only one(!) narrator box called Hydro “he” however I did not catch Bi-Han alone to refer to his companion in a way that betrays Hydro’s gender. What catched my attention, as Sub-Zero called Sonya “woman” at least twice and often referred to Scorpion as “he”, so I like to think the lack of pronoun toward Hydro was done on purpose on his part, as in to not confirm or deny who was under the mask. I personally imagine Hydro was a female Lin Kuei but really, man, woman, gender fluid, whatever else possibility, I will love any version of Hydro.

[midnightsun-if]

Hi! I just want to say right off the bat that this isn’t a criticism or an attack on you in any way. I absolutely adore the world and characters you’ve created, and you seem like a delightful person based on how you respond to asks.

Anyways, I love Scarlett. My favorite archetype of all time is the Ice Queen with a hidden heart of gold. When I first found this if, she was the one I wanted to romance the most. Then I found out she’s gender locked and I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty disappointed. It just kinda sucks when one of the most popular romance options isn’t available to you, you know? It’s not like you can just ignore them either, they’re still gonna be present in the story and since they’re super popular a lot of the asks are gonna be about them too. I know I can always just create a female MC just to romance her, but it just doesn’t feel genuine to me.

If I had to guess, I’d say that that’s probably why a lot of people are simping for Cienna (even though I personally am not really interested). They share a lot of the same characteristics, and as far as I know, Cienna doesn’t have a set sexuality which means anyone can romance her (in this hypothetical game where she’s a romance option).

I guess at the end of the day I’m just curious why you decided to make only two of the romance options exclusive when the rest of the cast is more fluid. Again, I’m really not trying to sound insulting or like I’m attacking you, I’ve been following this blog since the very first post and I’ll still be a fan no matter what you do. I’m just a little disappointed and was curious to hear your thought process. Thanks!

A lot of my reasonings actually tie into her backstory (or a couple big ones, I should say)— so I can’t really go into that, but I will say that Scarlett, like Koda, just didn’t fit with the more fluid archetype like the other ROs. I knew that there’d be a possibility that same readers would either get turned off Midnight Sun because of that or grow annoyed due to it (not saying that you are, of course).

My choice mainly just boiled down to me understanding Scarlett, who she is, and what her sexuality means to her in a sense (I suppose). I settled on it because I felt, in my heart, that it was what was best for Scarlett, and what would make her character ring the most true (if that makes sense). Originally, she was going to be gender selectable, but I just didn’t connect well with the character and couldn’t figure out why— until I started writing for just Scarlett and fleshing out her backstory and the various nuances that make her who she is. In fact, the original character that Scarlett was is so far removed from who she is now that it’s almost a different person altogether. I’m happy with how much Scarlett has evolved and it may seem dumb to some people, but a lot of that had to do with figuring out her sexuality and what would overall work for her and for her involvement in Midnight Sun altogether.

I just decided to do what was best for the story, for Scarlett, and honestly for a lot of peoples reading experience in general, because if I felt disconnected from my character, I couldn’t imagine how you all would have felt interacting with said character.

And I know you’re not trying to be insulting at all! You’re curious, which is completely understandable. I hope that some of my reasons make sense in the grand scheme of things— I wish I could go into more of deeper ones, but I don’t want to spoil anything. Hopefully this’ll be enough to satiate some of said curiosity though! ❤️