#closest one is literally three blocks away

[pastafossa]

My medically heat sensitive ass watching heat related power outages creep closer and closer to my block like

[otto-s-alskling]

TF141 X Hardworker!Reader

"Their Sleepyhead"

You're a hard worker, everyone knows that. God, even Price had to carry you a few times to bring you to bed (and not in *that* way, get your mind out the gutter!) But your insistent attitude of working till you collapse is a trait that the 141 is aware that will never go away, not when they've seen you do it for over three years.

Price

You have your office close to his, connected with an adjoining door which was lucky because you bought your own coffee machine. Majority of the time, you're brewing him a fresh cup of coffee, black with a hint of sugar to cut the full bitterness.

He loves listening to you shuffling and singing next door, sometimes singing back to your songs when duets are playing from your phone but he'd be damn and hide in a hole before he'd let you know that he sings along to you and your velvety voice with his gruff one.

But this also includes him actually hearing you when your head finally thuds down on the desk when you refused to stop working from 5AM till wee hours of the night. He'd peek through the adjoining door first before sighing and picking you up, cradling you close before carrying you out the offices, ignoring looks from the other soldiers still awake late at night. Gaz would immediately walk up to help, opening the doors for Price so he can tuck you into bed, removing your boots before turning off the lamp light. He'd sneak a forehead kiss before closing the door and walking back to the offices, ignoring his racing heartbeat.

Soap

Our Scot is a freaking sweetheart (this is the hill I'll die on.) If he knows Cap isn't in office or in a mission or conference somewhere, you bet your ass he'd delegate himself into keeping company, literally. He'd play on his phone in your office couch, nothing too loud but just enough to be there.

Talks will be nonstop and he'd teach you some Scottish slangs too, much to a certain Skull masked teammate. He'd even teach you traditions and if he had the time and the energy, he'd do your hair into some Scottish Braids. (Look em up, they're GORGEOUS.)

He'd pause from time to time, get a snack or something and he'd come back with something for you too! And if you fell asleep, you bet he'd transfer you over to the couch and find your emergency blanket and tuck you in.

He'd brush your hair out of your face and plant a kiss on your cheek before sitting on the floor next to the couch, just playing on his phone till he fall asleep himself or if he gets hungry and get another snack. He'd wait till you wake up, and not even Ghost can drag him out the room. Someone had to guard the team's Bonnie after all.

Gaz

If you think he wouldn't help out with the paperwork, you'd be fucking wrong. Being the youngest meant you two are the closest, age wise anyways. Would pause halfway on working to show you something in TikTok or play some random playlist on YouTube or Spotify just to break the silence in the room.

He'd being his own snacks, which also includes a big bar of Cadbury. Sometimes Lindt if he got to visit in the nearby city. Work goes faster so he always try to help out on hell week so you wouldn't handle the full brunt of the workload.

If you fall asleep, he'd switch the music to a lullaby or a soft classical music, keeping you asleep as long as he can anyways. Like Soap, he'd transfer you to the couch but he'd push an armchair flush against the couch to block you in from falling like a pseudo bed (or fort or crib. Do people still do this?)

Tucks you in gently and continues his half of the paperwork before joining you on the couch and cuddling you to sleep. He's not one to pass up in getting to sleep in your arms after all.

Ghost

This man trusts with his life. (He'd never say it out loud.) He wasn't really warm with the idea of having a support member in the team, especially one who's specialty ranges from medic to sniper to assistant. Like how is that even possible? So when he realized that you're one of the most hardworking person he'd ever met, respect was earned... And affection.

It was around halfway the second year when he showed his face to you, the heat surge in the office making it annoying to have the mask. He didn't make a fuss so you didn't as well, just working along with him and Price in the Captain's office and hope to survive the heatwave enough. Door was locked so he was confident enough to do it even if Price did raise an eyebrow for a moment before shrugging it off.

By the third year, he already made it a habit to remove his mask once he got you to your room, finally dragging you to bed even before you fall asleep on the desk. You'd grumble and complain but when he glares you down, you relent anyways, not like you can fight him back easily when he's the largest amongst your teammates. So against your unnecessary complaints, he'd spoon you till you fall asleep, much thanks for your exhausted body and mind. Once asleep, he'd sneak a nap for an hour or two himself before letting you be, heading back to his own room, but not after sneaking a kiss to the hair and hand. For him, you're his hardworking lovie, not that he'd let it slip out to everyone else.

[korkorali]

The Misogyny of It All

So a lot of Della Duck Discourse is rehashed all the time, points are made again and again, but one thing that I almost never see people defend -and conversely, see people attack all the time- is The Line.

You know what I'm talking about. The Line from Glomtales.

"Your plans, your schemes, they only lead to bad things for your family. If you want to be a part of this family, you've gotta stop."

That one.

Now, what exactly Della was trying to get across with that line is a whole other can of worms that deserves its own post (basically she -and also the writers- horribly failed her Speech check).

What we're going over here is how that mimics a certain line from the last season, said by a parental figure to a child, that gets so much less flack. That, in fact, often gets paraded around as 'an interesting twist on a character.'

"You are not family!"

I have never seen people attack this line with the same amount of vitriol as they attack Della's, which is funny when they're the exact same line.

Actually, not even that- Scrooge's is worse.

It's more direct, it's literally yelled at Webby, it doesn't even attempt to address the issue Scrooge had (Webby blaming him for what happened to Della) and instead just straight-up attacks her as a person.

Now, to be fully honest- I like this line! I do genuinely think it's an interesting route for Scrooge to take, and is quite realistic to the grumpy old bastard. It's just funny that nobody ever comes to Webby's defense the same way they do for Louie.

Because the thing is- between Webby and Louie, one of these two has genuine, canonical issues with feeling like they're not a part of the family, like they're an outsider amongst those they love the most, like they don't belong.

And it's not Louie.

It is a consistent part of Webby's characterization that she feels like she doesn't belong. This gets touched on in all three seasons (and honestly, it could be argued that it gets worse after this moment).

Conversely, that just is not a part of Louie's canonical characterization. Even in the first episode of season 2, the one where Louie gets the closest to an 'I don't belong in this family' moment, it's less 'I don't belong here' and more 'fuck me I am terrible at adventuring'. And! It gets resolved in that episode!

(Of course, there is absolutely something to be said for how it's resolved- specifically by Scrooge encouraging him to be a scheming little bastard, which then thusly becomes the thing that threatens his family the most. Which would, logically, be a pretty big blow to his self-esteem. This isn't what I'm here to discuss right now but it is genuinely interesting.)

Louie never really shows an issue with feeling like he doesn't belong in his family. He shows a disconnect with his family at times, but in canon that never really evolves into a full-blown feeling of displacement. It does get close in Glomtales, but never quite reaches it.

So it's 'interesting' (read: not interesting) that Scrooge's fuckup here gets brushed away pretty easily. A lot of the time the line just straight-up isn't addressed, and when it is, often times it's about how "Oh he apologized to Webby offscreen, obviously."

Which.

Not he did not.

I mean, let me be clear: I don't mind it when that's the answer. It works for me to just brush it away if it's not meant to be the focus...

But Scrooge almost certainly didn't apologize for it.

As 'New Gods on the Block!' Showed us, Scrooge is downright awful at realizing when his actions have hurt people.

More likely than not, Scrooge would just assume that everything is fine and would avoid bringing it up at all costs because he'd feel awkward about it. Because he is, very importantly, not good at talking about things he doesn't want to talk about.

So why is it that Louie is always the one feeling like he doesn't belong? Why is it Della who is always a terrible parent for what she's said? Why are Webby's feelings of disconnect never really given the same gravity as Louie's? Why is Scrooge's blunder let off the hook super easily?

It just feels silly to me.

And, well.

Kinda like the fact that, since Scrooge is a guy and Webby's a girl, and Della is a woman and Louie's a boy, has something to do with it.

I'll happily give the benefit of the doubt and assume it's not deliberate, but quite frankly it is a double standard.

I think that people would be less upset with the Della Duck Discourse if Scrooge was held in a similarly critical position over what he's said and done. If it was acknowledged that Della isn't uniquely awful in what she says and does, and that a lot of the others have fucked up in extremely similar ways.

(I mean for fuck's sake, everybody goes on and on about how Della left her kids for ten years -which, for the record, wasn't what she wanted to do- but nobody ever criticizes Donald for taking the kids away from their family and never talking to them about Della- which is something he actively and deliberately chose to do)

TL;DR: The fact that Della gets intensely criticized for what she's said and done, but Donald and Scrooge are conversely celebrated as 'interesting' and 'complex' for what they've said and done, even when it brings harm to the kids, is a blatant double-standard. And if you don't think that this double-standard is bad or wrong for existing (or even that it Doesn't Actually Exist), instead of immediately claiming that it's a non-issue, maybe try to look inward and figure out why you really think that is.

[wizard-on-whales]

I've literally had this stuck in my head for as long as I've been obsessed with him but imagine being highschool sweethearts with him...

Like you guys were inseparable when you were kids. Your houses were right across the street from each other and you were the only kids on the block so you always played together. You would ride your bikes through the streets, go to the arcade, play in a nearby creek. When you two got older your spot by the creek became a place to escape from family issues, you'd pass a joint and a beer back and forth, and just talk about your futures. Then when Senior prom came around his brother and your mom forced you two to go together even though neither of you wanted to go to prom in the first place. Half way through the night you'd ditch and go to your spot in the woods. You'd both be a giggling mess, drunk on spiked punch as you fall to the ground together, him holding you in his arms, making fun of your poofy dress once more. But secretly he loved it, his heart had been racing all night, his hands sweaty every time you'd smile at him. Now that you were on top of him, giggling away, he kissed you. He didn't know what overcame him but he did it anyway. You kissed back. Neither of you had felt this way about each other before, but now that it happened a whole new world of feeling opened up. All those years together, all of those memories, became something more in one moment.

You two continued to grow together, supporting each other through everything with a tight hold on each other's hands. James band blew up, just like you always told him, and he drug you along on tours and to crazy parties. You two would sneak off and make out in corners and in bathrooms, not caring what other people think. In '86 on a hiking trip, he got down on his knee and pulled a ring out, asking you to marry him. Of course you said yes, leaping into his arms and kissing him. You'd get married in 1990, 10 years after you started dating, it would be a small wedding, only your closest friends and family. He performs a song at the wedding for you that he had written, Nothing Else Matters...and it really didn't. Not to him anyway, he could have lost it all, the band, the fame, the money, he could have been living on the streets, but as long as he had you, he still had everything.

Mid 1991 you tell him you're pregnant, you both freak out at first but then realize how beautiful the opportunity is. Both of you came from broken families so the idea of starting a family together, one that would be full of love and laughter, neither of you could pass it up. Ironically enough the baby was born at the beginning of '92, February 10th. What would have been Cliffs 30th birthday. It only seemed right to name your baby boy after him.

A few years later another baby boy follows, Layne. It was a difficult pregnancy which ended in a C-section so you two agree to stop at two. But of course, the desire to have a baby girl outweighed your fears so in 1999 little Julia followed.

James had been struggling with his alcohol addiction, you tried so hard throughout the years to keep him from falling deeper but it couldn't be stopped. It pained you to see him this way, to watch him drink himself half to death. Many nights he'd stagger through the door and pass out on the floor.

Your breaking point was when he hadn't made it inside. He was passed out in the lawn in a pile of his own vomit. He needed rehab, no matter how much he denied it.

The months following were rough for everyone, James, you, the kids, but you pushed through and when he came home it was perfect. He was sweeter than ever, his smile from his youth, the one you fell so hard for, was back on his face.

The years that followed his sobriety journey were sometimes hard but you two made it work, just like you always had. In 2007 you found out that you were pregnant again. Both of you panicked for a while, wondering how you would make another baby work after already having three. Especially since they were getting older now...and so were the two of you. But Stevie was another perfect little angel who was adored by everyone. Her big brother Cliff especially. He was a sweet, sensitive boy who often took care of her without even asking. James and you told him he didn't have to help but he didn't listen.

Everything was perfect as the years continued on, Cliff got married and him and his wife welcomed their first baby in 2017. You and James were ecstatic about the news and the fact that you were grandparents now. It was only then did you realize that all of your dreams had come true, you and James were growing old together just like you always talked about in the spot by the creek. Sometime between 2017 and now, Layne and Julia both got married along the way too. Cliff welcomed two more kids, Layne welcomed his first, another on the way. Julia and her wife were opening a bookstore in Vail together. Stevie was about to graduate high school which seemed unreal.

Now you were here in the kitchen, preparing a Sunday dinner for your whole family, your 4 kids, 3 bonus kids (their wives), and your 4 grandchildren. James had arrived home from the store after you sent him for an ingredient you had forgotten. He stepped into the kitchen with a grin plastered on his face and his hand behind his back.

"what?" You'd say, eyeing him suspiciously as he stepped closer to you. Hed brushed your graying hair out of your face and bring a small flower out from behind his back, placing it on your ear.

"I saw it on the drive home, thought you'd like it," Hed say softly, a boyish smile on his face. You'd smile back, feeling a faint blush on your cheeks. Somehow after all these years he still found ways to whoo you. He'd wrap his arms around you and smile once more before leaning down to press a kiss against your lips. The kiss would be interrupted by the squeals of a few of your grandkids running into the kitchen, wanting attention from him, wanting their grandpa. You'd smile at the sight of him scooping one into each arm, moving to the living room to play with them as you finish up dinner, your heart filled with more love than you ever thought possible.

✭-----------------------------✭

Literally gonna sob

[piratefalls]

welcome back to the latest edition of biweekly fic recs! as always, mind the tags, if you can't leave a nice comment don't leave one at all, and happy reading!

masterlist.

There's No Problem That San Diego Can't Solve by @historicallysam

Alex doesn’t even bother knocking; he simply twists the knob on the door and shoves it open. His eyes narrow as the door bangs against the wall and he sees Henry on the phone. Maybe (definitely) it’s rude but his blood is fucking boiling so he doesn’t really care.

All the Ocean was Sleeping by @sparklepocalypse

The worst part about being a siren in the modern era, Henry ponders as yet another ship flies past his cove at a speed that he knows will disturb the anemone gardens below, is the yacht bros. Between the sound of their vessels’ motors and the dissonant noise the humans call music, Henry’s singing has no chance of attracting anyone’s attention.

cause you're a classic, and i'm reckless by @firenati0n

“I've, actually, uh. I've never done this before.” At this, Henry stops short, takes a second as his gaze moves up and to the left, trying to recall something. “I've seen your films. You most certainly have done intimate scenes.” Alex clears his throat. He hopes his nerves aren't completely obvious, the slight waver in his voice about to give him away. “Yeah, well. Never with a man, so. Not at this scale, anyway.” “Would it help to, er, practice?" Henry winces a little as he says it, which does not inspire confidence. But Alex is shocked nonetheless. What the fuck?

Over Land and Sea by SatinBirds

Alex and Henry come from very different worlds, and still, they manage to find each other.

Clean Slate by smc_27

“Henry.” Pez comes over, puts both hands on Henry’s cheeks and looks him dead in the eye. “You are not a sad man who’s gotten dumped. You’re in the prime of your life, and I quite desperately need you to act like it.” “The prime of my life,” Henry scoffs, more incredulous than questioning. “I’ve just gotten out of a 15 year relationship, endured a divorce, am suffering an almost impressive case of writer’s block, and your hands are like bloody icicles.” Pez grins, doesn’t take his hands away. “Explain to me how this is my prime. Please.” Pez tilts his head, and sounds entirely serious when he says, “Literally anything can happen from here.”

in bloom by stutteringpeach

Yoo, can u hook me up with some flowers?? It's the busiest day of the year for florists. Alex texts Henry with a last minute request.

here is a map (with your name for a capital) by @alasse9

That day at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Alex comes across the very same Prince Henry who just dismissed him having a panic attack in a bathroom. The choice Alex makes then has ripple effects neither of them could have ever expected. What's the story like, when they actually are friends all along? “So, you’re going back to England tonight, and you’ll spend the next three days pretending you two are the closest and best of friends until we can put this mess behind us.” And there are reasons he hasn’t told anybody this, good reasons, even though he’s sure June and Nora saw through him ages ago. Faced with his mom’s disappointment, though, and with the realization that the entire world apparently thinks he hates Henry and would willingly shove him into a fucking cake, he can’t stay quiet. “But we are friends,” he says, vehement and serious. “We have been for years. He’s—he’s probably my best friend, actually, along with Nora.”

thoughts of you consume by yrsonpurpose

Henry sees Alex appear on the red carpet in a blue suit that screams sex on legs and is ready to throw away all attempts at concealing their secret relationship in the name of dropping to his knees at the first available opportunity.

eyes on me by matherine

Alex’s hips buck back against Henry’s mouth the moment his tongue does more than tease, and Henry squeezes his hip in gentle consternation. But before he can say anything, Alex is already rambling. “Sorry, I’m — I’m sorry, I know you said not to move, and I’m trying, I — I’m trying to be good, I promise,” he blurts, voice shaking ever so slightly from something that certainly doesn’t sound like pleasure, resolutely refusing to turn his head so that he can meet Henry’s gaze from where he’s positioned behind him. Henry’s heart aches. “Alex — love, it’s alright. Where’s your mind?” Or: Sometimes, Alex needs a distraction. Something to take the edge off, to scrub away at the stress of the day. Some days, it works better than others. 

the evolution of intimacy by Poutini

There’s no spontaneity anymore. One might think this boring. That the novelty had worn off. The spark snuffed. Absolutely not

Want Me by OrchidScript

Henry had always been weak for a nice smile, but his was impossible to ignore. Blame it on summer heat and a fresh flush in his cheeks. Blame it on sunset painting the outdoor bar sweltering, romantic colors. Blame it on two healthy glasses of albariño thrumming in his bloodstream, or the good music floating on the air. Henry could blame it on anything liked if he thought long and hard about it, but that didn’t change much at the end. The core remained the same: he had been gone from the jump. -- Henry and Alex hook up on a vacation in Spain. Henry falls a bit deeper.

fill my lungs with sweetness by @priincebutt

Henry George Edward James Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor wakes up at 3 AM on his birthday to an empty bed. What could Alex possibly be getting up to at 3 AM the night before his birthday? The possibilities are endless.

got myself in quite a tangle by coffeecatsme

"It seems I've gotten myself in quite a tangle." "Tangle?" Henry's voice is hoarse, eyes darkened as they travel over Alex's body. They stop at his crotch, and Alex can see it even under the dim lights—Henry's growing hard too, a visible bulge pushing at his sweatpants. Alex's cock gives a desperate twitch. "Y'know, I was trying to put them around the tree," he starts, gesturing at the plain tree at the corner. It's clear he didn't even attempt to touch it. "And somehow I've managed to completely trap myself. Can't even move my hands." Henry makes a desperate noise at the back of his throat as his eyes snap up to Alex's face. Alex flashes him a suggestive grin, teeth biting down on his lip. "Seems I'm completely at your mercy."

The Forces of Chance and Coincidences by @stellarm

Bad weather leads to a late flight that leads to no one being where they wanted to be, but maybe everyone was where they needed to be.

I've never felt safer (than when I'm with you) by viciouslyqueer

Alex takes the bag and opens it slowly, careful not to rip it, and gasps quietly as he sees what’s inside. “H, you didn’t…” Strong arms wrap around his waist from behind, Henry’s chest warm against his back. “Do you like it?” Henry asks in a whisper, resting his chin on Alex’s shoulder. Alex doesn’t know what to say. Gingerly, like he might ruin it with even the smallest touch, he takes out the silky fabric and holds it up in front of them. It’s a gorgeous dress, fancy too, in a deep red color with thin straps and an open back. It’s long, almost touching the floor even as Alex holds it up and has a slit on the left side that would probably end a little above Alex’s knee.

An Amateur's Guide to Professional Gift-Giving by anincompletelist

Alex, a former-law-student-taking-some-time-off turned professional part-time gift giver, is tasked with finding a gift for the most high profile client he's ever worked with, both in and out of the world of law. It turns out finding the perfect gift for the Prince of Wales might be easier than he'd anticipated.

Love At First Bark by everwitch

“I still don’t know your name, do I?” Henry watches Alex where he’s crouched down in front of David and gently scratching David below his chin. David absolutely loves Alex. Henry can relate. “It’s David,” Henry supplies. “Cool,” Alex says. “And what’s the dog’s name?” Henry blinks at him. “... David?” “What?” Alex exclaims. He looks from David to Henry and then back at David again. “Wow, okay, that is a choice.” Henry wants to sink through the earth and never come back up again.

don't let me get drunk again by headabovethewater

Alex had never wanted to cancel plans as much as he had while watching Henry pull a pair of light wash, tight jeans over his stockinged legs and bare ass. Christ, he’s getting hard thinking about it now.

The Beginner's Guide to Floristry by clottedcreamfudge

As if there's anything romantic about it; as if it's not the most humiliating death Alex can imagine. This is why he doesn't do relationships. This is why he never will. The risk, as far as he fucking sees it, is too great. -- Hanahaki Disease is a fictional disease where the victim of unrequited or one-sided love begins to vomit or cough up the petals and flowers of a flowering plant growing in their lungs, which will eventually grow large enough to render breathing impossible.

Everything you take, you make it better. So go on, take forever by @hgejfmw-hgejhsf

It's 2024, and nobody knows they're engaged. But they will, just as soon as Alex can decide what to wear to his birthday dinner. Henry has an idea and a special gift to match.

false pretenses by rizcriz

Henry spins around, glaring at Alex. “For christs sake,” He hisses, holding a hand out between them. “Can we just not? I do not have the capacity to pretend to hate you today.” Alex splutters as Henry turns on his heel and starts to walk away. He stares after him helplessly. “Pretend?” After a beat, he starts to follow after him, “What the fuck do you mean pretend?” Three years of breathing down each others necks, fighting every time they come in contact with each other. And if Henry is saying every single thing on his end has been pretend, Alex Claremont-Diaz is going to have a fucking breakdown. Because he has been harboring this stupid fucking crush and burying it beneath false antagonism, meeting Henry where he’s at, for three years, and if Henry is implying that they’re both faking it— -- or, Alex learns better.

turn the desert to glass (you would be the one) by @taste-thewaste

Henry and Alex's domestic bliss has lead to some changes in Henry's body. Henry doesn't really mind being a little chubby, but he wonders if Alex does. Alex, it turns out, does not. Not one bit. He does not mind one bit, and he is more than eager to prove it.

coming on fast like good dreams do by cricketnationrise

When Henry recovers from his unexpected factory reset, he still can’t really breathe properly and somehow Alex is still standing in front of him with a hopeful and excited expression on his face. “Run that by me again?” he asks faintly. “I need your help.” “Right…” “I need you to edge me. Like a lot,” Alex says with a shrug. Nope, it’s not any clearer a second time around.

as always, let me know if you want to be tagged in future lists, whether you're a reader or writer!

tagging @starkfridays @stilesgivesmefeels @midnightsfp @sarahjswift @enablelove

[agentmarvel]

Hello hello!! I am so excited about your challenge (literally been thinking about what prompt I could do for dayyyyys now🤭)

Could I please do angst 💔 to fluff 🩷 (if I can’t do two I’m sorry, I’ll stick to fluff 🩷 pls), with my main squeeze Johnny "Soap" MacTavish 🧼, annnnnnd the buzz words being American reader, secret relationship, “stay away from her”

Thank you🤍🤍

thank you so much for requesting! 🥰 i'm so excited to FINALLY get one for soap! this ended up being WAAAAAAY longer than i intended, almost 2k.

johnny "soap" mactavish x fem!reader

cw: graves being gross

mdni - 18+; minors and ageless blogs will be blocked

Heartbreak is a special kind of beast, the Mr. Hyde to falling in love’s Dr. Jekyll. No matter how tough you think you are, how thick or calloused your skin may be, it tears its way out, rearing its ugly head with a thunderous roar that commands you to feed it. The gluttonous craving is grief. It gnaws at your bones with a bloodied maw, snarling as it downs your tears by the gallon, and there’s no proven way to set yourself free. It will sneak back up on you when you least expect it.

That gaping wound in your chest has sat hollow since you ended things with Johnny, or as you know him now, simply Sergeant MacTavish. It wasn’t pleasant, you didn’t want this, but he was too keen on keeping you a secret. He expressly forbade you from telling even your closest friends about your relationship for over three years for a slew of reasons that just became muddier over the months.

Each time you reached your limit, he’d beg you to raise your ceiling built of tolerance and patience. He swore up and down that it wouldn’t be like this forever, that someday, he’d put a ring on your finger, and you’d both be able to display your love to the entire world. But his rationale got weaker and weaker as the hourglass began to run out, and it crushed you into those final grains of sand, trickling through the tiny gap into a vicious pit of loneliness.

“You good?” A voice comes from over your shoulder, and you glance back. Commander Graves, your direct supervisor, is stationed behind you, a look of concern painted across his face.

You nod, albeit meekly, unable to trust your voice after hearing the call from General Shepherd. Shadows have been called in as air support for Task Force 141 in Mexico, and you haven’t seen Johnny - no, MacTavish - since the break-up. Oxygen catches in your chest, awaiting any sort of spark that will light the fuse on your dynamite tongue, and that’s not a conversation you really want to have with Graves.

“You know you don’t have to lie to me, right?” he says softly, putting a hand on your shoulder. You resist the urge to shrug it off, instead nodding again. “Listen, I know you’re still pretty new to my team, but you’re still part of my team. If something is going on, if something about this mission has you freaked out, you need to tell me. Can’t fix it if you won’t let me in.”

You smile, forced and small.

“I know, sir. I’m good, I promise. Just… Tired.”

He eyes you warily. The disbelief is evident, but he doesn’t press you on it. He merely offers a few oddly sincere pats on your shoulder and walks away. You let out a sigh, and focus in on your screen, a distraction to pass time until you touch down in Las Almas. 

It works almost too well. Seemingly, you’ve only blinked before you’re back in the air after gear checks, restocks, and a fuel top-off. Through the comms, you can hear Graves trying to make contact with the 141. You dread the moment you hear MacTavish’s voice again, but it crackles to life in your ear before you can truly brace yourself for it.

He sounds worn and tired, and a pang of guilt spears you in the gut for thinking he deserves it just a little. Some days, you hope he’s still hurting. You hope he’s felt even a fraction of the pain you have.

But those thoughts have no place in your line of work, not while you’re trying to help him stay alive. So your brain shuts off, autopilot kicks on, and you work as a cog in a well-oiled machine until the job is done.

*

Shadows always party after a win, no matter how small it may be. Despite having to release Hassan and it being well after midnight, the drinks came quickly at Fuerza Especiales headquarters.

You, however, couldn’t quite get into the partying mood. The inevitability of seeing him again filled your stomach with rocks, weighing you down. You mask the weight well, though. It’s not unusual for you to stick to the edge of the group; polite smiles, meaningless small talk, and high fives leaving your teammates none the wiser.

The moment you see Graves scanning the crowd of Shadows and Vaqueros, both parties equally rowdy, your heart drops. If he’s here, you know they won’t be far behind. It’s too much; you’re not ready for this. You’re not ready to be in the same city as him, much less the same room. Anxiety grips you at the thought of him even seeing you. You don’t know how he’ll react. What he’ll say, what he’ll do… You used to think his unpredictability was one of the best things about him. Now, you’re not so sure.

Graves beelines for you the second he spots you. You can see the bundles parting to accommodate his passing through. As much as your brain wills you to move, finish your drink and take off to grab another, you seem to be rooted in place. Your feet won’t move, and you silently curse them, not exactly up for a chat.

“Hey, you,” your commander hums, sidling up in front of you. “Glad to see you stuck around.”

“Was just about to leave, actually,” you answer plainly, staring down at the honeyed whiskey in your glass. He nudges you with the toe of his boot until you look up.

“It’s a good thing you didn’t.” It’s an attempt to sound earnest, but it comes off as more condescending than anything. “I was hoping we’d have some time to get to know each other a little better. You’re still pretty new, and I like to know my soldiers pretty intimately.”

You open your mouth to respond, off-put but polite, but words seem to elude you as you catch sight of a familiar mohawk. Even from this distance, you can still see just how blue his eyes are. You can still make out the Scottish brogue as he laughs with the man in the skull mask - Ghost, Simon, right?

It hurts. Every bone, muscle, vessel, nerve screams. Seeing him again, knowing he’s just out of reach and you have to stand your ground. No matter how much your being craves him - mind, body, and soul - you can’t. You just can’t. Your throat goes dry, heart racing, eyes welling up. And when he looks your way, looks you right in the eye, you crack. 

“Mind tellin’ me what’s got you so distracted, Shadow?” Graves asks softly, hand finding your shoulder again, like before. You shake your head, teary eyed, unwilling to look away from MacTavish as he makes his way towards you. “C’mon, darlin’, somethin’s gotta give.”

“I’m sorry, sir - “

“Phil. Just call me Phil, okay?”

You sigh, wiping the tears from your cheeks with the back of your hand.

“Okay, I… I’m sorry, Phil. I can’t really talk about it.”

“Business or personal?”

“Personal, sir. It’s complicated.”

He takes hold of your chin between his thumb and forefinger, a gentle warning to look at him. You struggle with it, but you relent, hoping that maybe you’re just hallucinating.

“Relationship troubles?”

You hesitate.

“No… I mean, yes, but no. Like I said, it’s complicated.”

“So, you’re not seein’ anyone?”

He pauses for a moment, the look in his eye shifting from something sincere and worried to something unnervingly predatory. A faint glimmer of that sincerity remains, and that’s all it takes to tell you it’s all been a charade. It’s not about welcoming you to his team or bonding. He’s trying to fuck you.

“No, I’m not, but - ”

“Then how about we take some time when we get home, clear those thoughts outta your pretty little brain, and we’ll make some memories to replace him.”

You recoil, taking a step back in the implication. It’s disgusting, to say the least. But you don’t get the chance to answer for yourself.

“Like fuckin’ hell ye will,” MacTavish barks, fighting tooth and nail to get through a stone wall in the form of Ghost and Alejandro. “Ye better stay the fuck away from her, Graves. Only gonna warn ye once.”

“Soap, I was wonderin’ when you were gonna try to swoop in and snatch her up. You can smell a pretty girl from a mile away, can’t ya? Too bad I beat you to it. Don’t pay him no mind, sweetheart; thinks he’s irresistible.”

“I swear tae God, Graves, ye better get yer bloody fuckin’ hands offa her. I’ll - Ghost, fuckin’ move!” He’s still struggling, Ghost’s brick shithouse body being the only thing in his way.

Graves raises an eyebrow, never looking away from you.

“Wait, you know him, don’t you?” You don’t answer straight away. “Is good ol’ Johnny what makes things complicated?”

Again, MacTavish butts in.

“Nothin’ complicated about it, ye fuckin’ bawbag. S’my fuckin’ wife!”

Everything stops. Graves goes quiet, Ghost’s stock-still, and you can’t hear the chatter around you anymore. You look at Johnny, wide-eyed and wired. He’s staring right at you with those bright blue eyes, a pleading expression on his beautiful face. You swallow hard.

“John,” you breathe, blinking back more tears.

“Don’t,” he warns, side-stepping the shellshocked Simon. “Dinnae say it. I love ye, and I ken ye still love me. No point in wastin’ yer time on a lavvy heid like Graves. I won’t keep secrets anymore, bonnie. Lemme show ye I’ll be better for ye.”

Graves looks between the two of you briefly before leaning over to whisper in your ear.

“When you two are done with whatever this is, come find me. I’ll make ya feel better.”

He chucks you under the chin with a click of his tongue before losing himself in the throngs. You didn’t even get the opportunity to tell him to go fuck himself.

Johnny is on you in a split second, inches away with your face cradled in his palms. He wholly consumes all of your senses, blocking out the rest of the world with the breadth of his shoulders, the smell of his aftershave. You’re frozen in place, trails of tears dripping off your cheeks.

“Can we please talk privately?” he asks softly. “Away from all this. Just us. I need ye tae hear me out, and ‘m not above beggin’, bon. Meant what I said; I love ye. Just wanna talk, okay? Please?”

You sigh. The options hold equal weight. But a soft swipe of his thumb across your cheek decides for you.

“Okay,” you whisper, nearly inaudible above the echoing din. He raises an eyebrow. You nod. “Yeah, okay. Can we just… step outside?”

“Ye got a bunk on base for the night? Let’s go grab yer things and talk there, yeah?”

“John, I can’t just leave. I still have a job to do.”

“Nah, yer done with this shite.” He shakes his head resolutely, moving to wrap both of his hands around one of yours. “I’ll call Shepherd myself if I have tae, tell ‘im yer takin’ immediate leave for an emergency. Not lettin’ ye get away again, bonnie. I ken I fucked it up, and I’ll spend the rest of my life makin’ it up tae ye.”

pick your prompt here! 💌

[boom-bada-boom]

back again with another fic idea but i dont really have a name for this one lmao. anyways thank you totk for normalizing magical stones turning people into dragons 🙏

alright. the links lands in a time between heroes, a little bit past four’s time, so the minish and hyrule have their legends of him. and of course, theyre fighting monsters, as heroes do.

and the four sword is hit by Something, something powerful, something evil. no one is able to catch a glimpse of it but they could feel it. four flings his sword up instinctively to block, and the four sword

b r e a k s.

there is a bright light, and a voice—no, voices screaming. because the four sword had-has-will have only one link that wields it, and magical blades are always possessive, binding themselves to the soul of that who uses them. so the sword breaks, and it breaks its hero with it.

except the four sword is more than just metal and magic and minish power. it contains the power of the elemental stones within it. (because the stones themselves are just vessels, and vessels can change.) so when the sword breaks, and the hero breaks, the elements break away in turn. and they bind to the closest thing they can find that resonates with them.

(what, after all, are the colors shaded by?)

all of this happens in seconds, in moments, covered by the bright light and the screams. when the light dies, four dragons in familiar four colors split off in a panicked haze. they leave behind nothing but a broken blade and a leather bag.

basically the chain goes on a minish cap adventure but they dont have a cap and also the stones are just the colors turned into dragons instead.

also reversing the finding order so its green, blue, red, vio now. green is just looping around in the stratosphere or whatever. blue is hanging out near the zora since, yknow, lots of water. red is in eldin for similar reasons. no one can fucking find vio actually because how the fuck do you locate earth??

along the way they slowly discover that hey? the colors kinda represent the goddesses sorta? except what is vio then?

(wild is the first one to make the goddesses connection. hes like huh theyre kinda like the dragons from my time. yeah theyre like protectors of the goddess springs, its a whole thing—wait a minute.)

DUNGEONNNNNNN CRAWLLLLLLL,,,, the colors hide out in dungeonssssssss,,,,, its literally like a whole ass zelda game,,,,,

btw for the general shape of the map, the volcano is in the NW corner, the water in the NE corner, theres a rain forest in the SE, and i guess a desert in the SW??? N is grassland leading to the lost woods, W is moutain range with ice stuff going on, S is also grassland but it leads to swamp, E is lake hylia with some woods surrounding it (as you can tell i am trying desperately to frankenstein a map together from three different ones. sigh.)

if we’re going the “imitating a zelda game” route idk what kind it should be tho. we could do the oot/albw/eow/etc route, collect three items in three dungeons, have a break from dungeons with some situation that is a big move in the plot and frequently involve collecting the master sword, collect more items in more dungeons and fight boss for real (lots of adventuring and dungeons). or we could do the st/mc route, which is five dungeons, but you have a quest to get to each, so its more like quest-dungeon-quest-dungeon-etc. i think this also depends on the size of the game actually. all the bigger games have the first type of storyline and the smaller ones have the second

okay further research reveals that the oracle games, and links awakening, all have a collect 7 (or 8) items and do the thing to fight the boss. so it has the dungeon number of the larger games, and the quest to the dungeon pipeline of the smaller games

EDIT: okay after much consideration. we’re going with option two. mostly bc i dont want to make that many dungeons up 🙃

anyways they also have dungeon monsters and bosses. just like a real dungeon :)

EDIT 2: concept that each dungeon has parts stolen from mc/fs/fsa dungeons

okay dungeon ideas time. mc has two minish dungeons and two regular sized dungeons. the deepwood shrine (earth) and temple of droplets (water) are minish ones. the cave of flames is an old hylian mine in mount crenel and the fortress of winds is. well. a fort.

but green is in the clouds so that just leaves the fire dungeon to draw from in mc.

speaking of clouds, fsa very conveniently has a level named “realm of the heavens”. it is in fact just a whole level in the clouds. also theres the palace/tower/whatever the fuck of winds. so yk. (angst opportunity?? the chain climbing the tower only to come upon the room with the shattered mirror?? thoughts chat?)

as for blue. uhm. well. all i know is i want an ice based dungeon where its got a big ole water pool that probably is fed by the ocean or smth and thats where blue is hanging out. kind of like eow with the weird twister beastie.

as for vio. he is underground and that is as much as im certain of. did have a big ole brain wave that the way to get to him is through the building that will one day become the palace of the four sword, before it is sent to the sacred realm (to become the dark realm). other than that. you gotta go deep into a forest to get there??

and for bosses for each, red gets the helmasaur king (from leg’s time; helmasaur king ii was the boss at the end of the red sword’s portion of the palace).

im not gonna lie i kinda fuck with helmaroc king for green, not only because big bird for the wind element (and from wind’s game lmao), but also the irony of huge bird flying above clouds. sorry sky youve been culturally appropriated.

as for blue, he gets gyorg from majoras mask. time is sweating. gyorg annoying as fuck and you get to try to scramble to dry land once the dude recovers so you get anxiety as well. blue would fucking hate the bitch. 10/10 perfect option

i struggled to find something for vio, especially after accidentally making a “one boss from each timeline” thing happen. but i think i found one i like. skyward sword’s koloktos, simply because many handed boss always sick. and also because of the climbing out of hell scene in the mfs dungeon. the pits vs beautiful upper level concept is honestly kinda fire for doing his dungeon with. also its closer to the beginning of the timeline instead of down the splits

for the dungeons maybe you need to get some symbol of the respective goddess to enter the dungeons, which is where each color ran off to hide within by pure instinct. like the medalions that have shown up in some games or something. which also helps with them making the goddess connection, since theyre hiding where their respective goddess protects them (four, literally helped give the goddesses a house in mc: 🧍)

had a huge brainwave that the colors all fuck up the elements around them in a big ole radius. green accidentally makes tornadoes and hurricane winds around him and since the tower is pretty close to the castle it affects people there too. red irritates the volcano in mount crenel (because it had lava inside of it but on the outside crenel is mostly dust and dirt and stuff) and it starts spewing lava and stuff. blue whips the ocean in a big circle around him into a giant storm and thats why the chain cant just swim to him and have to go through the dungeon. vio accidentally causes earthquakes and sinkholes and he also makes plantlife grow absolutely crazily. yknow, to really up the ante on this whole quest. and now we even have a very good reason why they go to get green first (he is affecting castle town directly).

something something vio and shadow something something light and darkness something something hylia is light but she is a burning light and that kind of light always casts the darkest shadows something something vio uses shadow magic because he casts light

how do they learn about the colors? well, four left behind his bag and in that bag is a journal that has both random ass thoughts and communications between the colors.

the minish are in fact present in this one and they are trying to help the heroes but literally none of them can translate. except four but. awol. so theres some goofy ass shenanigans happening in that direction

(twi in wolf form, listening to the minish chittering and chattering: 🤔)

(legend crouched down next to him, trying to translate as the resident “language expert”: 🤔)

speaking of the minish, the colors all still have the ability to shrink. in theory. theyve got the feather earrings and everything, which would look cool as fuck on dragons i should say. but anyway.

they cannot shrink on their own because their elemental magic is overpowering their minish magic. they usually have at least some elemental powers as the colors but now that is increased tenfold. the chain gets magic bottles that are sourced from the minish who enchanted them with power that can temporarily overcome the overwhelming elemental aura to get to the color’s minish magic. thus making them small :)

and when the colors are trapped in one while minish-sized they can no longer become big again.

yes you can picture lizard-sized dragons being incredibly grumpy in glass bottles.

when they capture a dragon, they head to the minish? maybe. idk someone to make a four sword using a fragment of the original sword and the elemental stone in the dragon. so basically instead of repairing the four sword and splitting, since theyre already split and the sword’s already in pieces, they repair each split and then combine them together. idk how they get the elemental stone out of the colors, but each time they repair a four sword piece they reverse the transformation and get the color back.

so they adventure around with the colors, is what im saying. which is good news for them communicating with the minish lmaoo. no more charades for them

(red, blue and green in a football huddle trying to figure out where the fuck vio is hiding: (hushed but increasingly incensed arguing)

the chain watching them argue at every turn and wondering how the fuck four seems so stable all the time: )

[cryinginmyroomsposts]

Sweet Nothing with Shua

pairing: Joshua x reader

tags: angst, fluff at the end, boyfriend Joshua, non-idol!au, mentions of childhood issues and disordered eating

summary: Graduation just got over and you’re all but happy. You watch as each of your friends leaves and as you leave. Change has never been easy for you, especially when it triggers all the instability of your childhood. But there is one person you will always find yourself coming back to- Joshua. After three years of navigating life and university together, he's your home. And now you get to literally come home to his sweet nothings in your new house and your heart will heal itself from the pains of life.

wordcount: 1.9k

a/n: Inspired by the lines "Outside, they're push and shoving, You're in the kitchen humming, All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing" from Taylor Swift's Sweet Nothing.

masterlist | Let me know your thoughts and feedback.

Change, it was a rude temptress. It lures you in with the promise of shiny places, bright lights and adventures. It’s a hoax. It takes you to uncomfortable, odd places with random strangers that make you miss home.

Change takes your closest friends away from you.

Change is the reason you're walking back home on a cold unfamiliar path, toward a driveway you don't immediately recognise and to a house currently filled with cardboard boxes.

Life had turned around in less than a month's time. You'd known it would change, you had all been preparing for it. Yet none of you were ready for the real thing. Even when you had sat through every packing session with your friends-some packing things into a suitcase, some in cardboard boxes, talking through a million memories and making promises of holding on.

You watched as your friend group, the one that had fit perfectly like pieces of a puzzle slowly began drifting away. Except now each of you carried a part of the others' pieces too. Some moving seas away, some moving just far enough that it still feels like uncharted territory.

You had told yourself you would be brave about this. You would not let this affect you and trigger all the childhood issues attached to it. For the most part, you held onto your words. You'd cleared your dorm and moved bunches of cardboard boxes to a new and unfamiliar place. You had said your greetings to unfamiliar faces, in a stiff outfit at your new place of work. You said goodbyes to two of your closest friends at the airport in the span of a week, without breaking into a single tear.

But the emotional baggage had come out in other ways. In a cowardly move, you began pushing away your boyfriend. The one you had moved in with just weeks ago. The same boyfriend who had helped you through multiple hard times in the three years of university, all with his polite smile and kind heart. The very thought of his kindness made you hurt with guilt. He did not deserve the pain you were putting him through, especially when you both were supposed to be celebrating this fresh and beautiful chapter of your relationship. That is why you stop five steps in front of the new apartment that now belonged to the two of you, looked at his car in the driveway and decided to turn back and take another walk around the block. You needed to clear your head so that you could stop hurting him.

Shua watches from the kitchen window as you turn around and walk away. He leans back on the cabinet and rubs his eyes with his hands. He has tried everything to comfort you and give you the space you needed. He understands that this has been a hard time for you, it has been for him too. He's had to say his own goodbyes and adjust to new places too.

Joshua understands better than anyone else just how hard this might be for you. He also knows that he can't make this right or tell you to process your emotions in a different way. But it is breaking his heart to see you hurt yourself in the process. He's been waiting for a whole week to hear you say more than three words at once. He has had to sit in front of you and watch you refuse every bite of food for a week and it breaks a piece of him every time.

He has been trying his best to help you, from beside and from afar. It felt unfair to him too but he knows this has been triggering all the issues from your childhood and your pushing him away had nothing to do with your relationship at the moment.

Joshua sighs another time, he should not let himself get sucked in his insecurities too. He knows you will come back to him, he knows you will tuck yourself into his arms in sleep like you do every night. And he knows he will pull himself away before you wake up so that you don't feel more guilty than you already do. Till your guilt and pain are ready to be let out, Joshua will wait on the sidelines and remind you that he is still there and your life will continue.

The smell. That is the first thing you notice when you enter the house an hour after deciding to walk around the block. You got sidetracked at the park and ended up staring at trees as you processed everything. You now felt it all but also felt too numb. The emotions and thoughts had gotten too much and you desperately needed to cry in the comfort of your home. That's why you walked back to find Joshua.

You still remember the first time you let yourself cry in his arms after a very painful call with your dad and how he'd held you delicately through it all. He was the first person you had cried in front of since your parent, and it felt good. To finally be held as you broke down, to be reminded that you aren't entirely broken. It felt like home when he hugged you so tight that your heart healed itself.

With tears brimming in your eyes as you look around the dimly lit house, unable to move from the doorstep, the smell gets to you. It smelt like chocolate and flour. You couldn't quite place the smell but you knew someone had baked something and something had definitely burnt at least once. You looked around the living room but all you could hear was a faint hum.

You walked toward the kitchen and a silhouette came into view. Joshua standing, with his back to you, working on something on the counter as hums a song like an angel. He was wearing your old pastel pink apron around his waist, you could see multiple stains on his plain white t-shirt. You smiled as you saw how ruffled his hair was and there was definitely flour on the strands. The smile on your face forms automatically and so do the tears.

It hits you in a wave, the realisation that no matter how hard everything else in the world gets, and how many things change, Shua is here in your shared kitchen, humming as he tries his best to bake you muffins. That's all you need. That's everything he needs- the sweet nothings. The whole world can push you and hurt you, but you'll find yourself in Shua's arms, doing nothing and feeling the joy of everything.

The tears are now pouring like a monsoon rain down your cheeks and you take three big steps before tapping him on the shoulder.

Shua is startled by the sudden tap on his shoulders and he turns with the whisk still in his hands from the mess of a muffin he was desperately trying to make- for the second time that evening. He's even more surprised when he sees you pull him into an embrace. He stays still hands open wide, a whisk dripping chocolate sauce in one hand, as he watches you hold to him so tight he could barely breathe. He stayed still, feeling your sniffs against his chest, your tears soaking up his shirt.

Shua moves very slowly to place his hand around you such that he is cradling your head. He rubs circles on your scalp as you lean into him further and cry your heart out. His heart clenches as he cannot bear to see you so worn down and hurt, but another part of him is glad you chose to come back to him and let out your emotions. Shua understands that with love comes a lot of pain and he cannot expect it all to be gone just because the two of you are in love. All he wants is for the two of you to always come running back to the other when everything and everyone else makes life hard.

You cry till you can't physically anymore. The two of you stay there the entire time, unsure of the time. After you broke out into full-blown sobs, you feel tear drops dampen your hair, you know Shua was tearing up too. He always did. Neither of you could stand the other crying.

So you both stayed there, crying out the pain- the pain of growing up, of moving on, of letting go, of facing your demons, of looking at the start of your life, of an uncertain future and the fear of losing. Shua and you held each other through the fears, a promise to hold on and help each other heal. To hold each other through the storms, the soul deconstructors and through the trials and tribulations of life.

You finally feel lighter and pull yourself back to see his face. Shua is already looking down at you with his sweet smile and eyes that light up your soul. his hair is messy with flour tangled between strands and you finally notice the whisk that has been dripping chocolate sauce all over the kitchen floor and is thoroughly drenched in your tears and chocolate stains.

"Hi." Your voice comes out in a croak and both of you end up cracking up.

"Hello to you too ma'am." He says, his honey-like voice filling up the cracks of your heart.

"You're making something?" You ask feigning innocence as he gives you an embarrassed smile scratching his hair.

"I was trying to bake muffins."

You let out a small smile, "For me?"

He nods and you feel your eye tear up a little more. Shua's eyes widen with worry.

"Babe no. Don't cry. I can clean this all up and maybe we can order real muffins. Or whatever you need. Please don't cry again, my heart can't take it. And your eyes will certainly not be able to take anymore crying." He says in such a state of pure fright and panic that it endears you wholly.

You shake your head, laughing. "No Shua I am not crying don't worry."

"Thank god."

"But I think we should try to salvage these muffins and clean the kitchen." He nods looking around the mess he has made.

"And maybe you should change your t-shirt first." You say as you try your best not to stare at his drenched shirt, sticking to him in all the right places.

Shua smirks, "Oh why babe, is it tempting you?" He asks knowing full well the answer.

You roll your eyes as a blush creeps up your cheeks, "Oh, please it's nothing new."

He hums and strokes a finger across your cheek, "Uh-huh. Is that why you're red as a tomato."

You mock glare at him and pull away from his touch. "If that's how you want to play it, then I'm gonna leave you to clean this mess on your own." He groans. "And, you will sleep on the couch tonight." You add and he looks terribly scared now that it makes you grin.

"Alright alright, let's order good food, clean this up and head to bed." He says and pulls you into an embrace which you graciously acept.

"Thank you." You hear him murmur and look up at his face questioningly at him.

"For coming back to me." He says with a sweet smile and you lean forward to kiss him in response.

As if you would go anywhere but home.

[solar-tl-27]

OH HEY WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT I’M BACK

Yall never get regular posts from me omg you guys I’M SO SORRYYYY

but but but but but ya’ll wont believe it

I have been… DOING ART?! youuuuu heard that right folks i me MYSELF AM d-doing art.

Ok soooo i got a few updates

Life is still incredibly hectic i swear i feel like one of those fanfic writers tha5 post like

Hey sorry it took 8 years i was in a coma! But thankfully that’s not… entirely the case?

I’m on the list for an appointment to see if i have adhd because hearing my friends who are diagnosed and medicated talk about literally MY EXACT ISSUES AND IT HELPING i was like… damm maybe it is the good ol case of audhd … so hopefully hopefully i can get something to help with that!

Uhhh in other news I’m saving for a laptop so i can get into video editing and idk make some animation memes and animatics!

But ofcourse

Ofcourse

I promised art let’s not dwindle any more!

First of all we have some art i did for my story quest for the moon (i did blur out a bit just cuz well idk my audience that well so i’ll be bluring it even though it takes away a bit of context)

Then another piece for that series and then… omg.. no way is that?! Is it?!

Hehe surprise let’s get into the first art!

3 GOT ANOTHER REDESIGN AND MIGUELS’S FIRST FULL ART

Welcome welcome to my sweet sweet sweet baby angel boy Three that’s right he’s been on my mind again so i drew him… kinda like a splash art? If he was in a gacha game very cute very demure (if that meme’s old already… no it’s not)

And then we have THE VILLAIN of quest for the moon

Miguel also our main character ash in the corner hiiii ash

Miguel is basically like the mentor that’s secretly just try to steal your powers type he’s very much an opportunist and i love to draw him and loooove to hate him! This piece is basically foreshadowing extravaganza that will… eventually be clear i swear I promise I PROMISE but for now enjoy the piece it took sooo long

Next art!

This is still a work in progress it’s not done yet but I’m incredibly proud of it soooooo I’m showing it anyway and then we’ll get into the surprise

MEET MY SON ALEXANDER

ohhh my goodness after being in art block for so long it feels so nice to just get a solid redes out i’m soooo happy with how he’s turning out AA that’s my son MY BOY one of my oldest oc’s from so so so so long ago and fun fact i drew both pieces with the exact same brush heheheh the headshot next to him is his brother phoenix

Ok NOW FOR THE SURPRISE

Guess what! That’s right i have actually ACTUALLY started finding my way into the new project reignited

That’s right we got a MAIN CAST now

Now obviously some are.. easy to find the original inspiration for but they won’t be that similar to the redesigns they used to be no no no

Welcome the new crew of project reignited!

Muse, Plume, Thea, Orianne & caelusss

Muse is the main character a human boy who is just trying his best who gets swooped up into helping a dragon girl save her kingdom and the magical dimension while also fighting to preserve his home town!

Plume a dragon girl (plume, bloom you get the gist) who somehow ended up on earth is now tasked to find help to save her people and mother while also discovering the beauty of earth

Thea the daughter of an urban development company ceo and the love interest of muse (did i get myself this invested into a ship that i made it canon here… yes.) she’s a frail girl but is forced to step in as her fathers ideas turn from helpful to greedy and destructive

Orianne Thea and Muse’s friend and the more motherly of the group but faced with difficult circumstances and changes in her life can cause her to lash out as her life is completely steered of its course by magic and her dad remarrying.

Caelus! Muse’s closest friend a pretty chill guy that works at an icecream parlour during the week and helps his family with their market food stand in the weekend, he really wants to be a culinary chef but doesn’t know if he can truly achieve his goals in his hometown.

That’s the gang this will from now on be an original concept and no longer a winx rewrite yes winx will be an inspiration for this work but i do not intend to go the fairy route nor make the world building as big as i had made it in my rewrite… what you will see is me taking my rewritten work as a basis for this story considering i have basically rewritten my version of domino, zenith and solaria from scratch sooooo SWEET BABY BOY CRYOS MY BABY will be making a return later on in this story he’s mine he’s my son my boy i can do with his character whatever i pleaseeee ok ty

That’s the update that’s the post thank you all for enjoying my content and my terrible upload schedule life had beeeeeen hectic ty ty hope ya’ll stay for more and if this was your first post of mine you saw…. Check out my other work pls and thank u

Oki

BYEEEEE

[jstarr86]

I sat watching my son as he played. He was the spitting image of his father, the man he didn’t know and it wasn’t for lack of interest his dad didn’t know he existed. I’d gotten pregnant and ran off leaving my whole world behind and moving. My son was the product of a half drunk night of passion between me and one of my closest friends. I found out 8 weeks later I was pregnant and left in the middle of the night back to America. His dad I’d fallen for my best friend and it scared me cause I figured he wouldn’t look at me the same I was always one of the boys. The First Lady of Bullet Club they’d always tell me. I’d kept with him we’d been friends for years since I started at New Japan. They’d blown me up when I first left and I changed the number I freaked I didn’t wanna ruin his life he had the world ahead of him but I followed his success I was proud of him. Sometimes I wondered what it had been like if I hadn’t ran away, if I didn’t bail. How he would have reacted would he had been mad, happy I know he’d been shocked what would he had done if I told him how I felt. I had no doubts regardless he’d had stepped up and been a amazing father. Sometimes I’d think about telling him but I couldn’t especially not after leaving he’d think I was full of shit and I was scared of how much he’d hate me. But there was no denying him that was his twin. I looked up as I saw movement ending my daydreaming he’d taken off as I ran after him

“Stop!” I sighed “Alipate Tevita Leone!” I yelled I saw someone grab him and ran pushing them “get the hell-“ I stopped looking into the eyes of one of my friends and gasped

“Nat?!”

“You got a kid!”

“Where the fuck have you been!”

“I- I gotta go.” I grabbed my son and went to leave from the three brothers my eyes having never left Tamas. Who immediately stood in my way blocking me.

“Nah you ain’t leaving you been running you ran away 5 years ago and no one could find you and now you got a kid.”

“I-“

“He has my fucking name Natasha.”

“Oh shit.”

“Woah little man stop running off.” T picked him up as he reached for him and I saw him and their younger brother look between my son and their brother in shock. They looked just alike and now that they were near each other it was even more obvious.

“Is- he’s mine.”

“Can we not do this in a fucking public park.”

“Fine we can go to your house.”

“Fine.”

“Come here baby.”

“No.” I closed my eyes sighing as he leaned his head on T “me stay.”

“I’ll carry him, if it’s cool.”

“Fine, stubborn.”

“I’m not ubburn.”

“Stubborn.”

“Stubbon.” They chuckled as we walked me I was having a mental fucking breakdown. Tama was pissed I could see it all over his face but i understood he literally just ran into his child he never knew about a 4 year old spitting image of him. T strapped him in the car seat and shut the door.

“Here’s my address.” I handed them.

“Oh hell naw I’m riding with your ass before you pull some more shit.”

“Shit.” I rolled my eyes looking at him “shit, shit.”

“Tevita.” I sternly said looking at him

“Orry.” He mumbled

“You named him after us.”

“I yeah I- can we talk about this in 10 minutes please.”

“Yeah go bro we’ll meet you.” Getting in the car Tama got in slamming my door

“I understand your upset but don’t break my car.” He glared at me as I started the car I glanced at him seeing the anger in his body language.

“How old is he?”

“He turns 5 in a week his um his birthday is the same day as T.” 10 long minutes later I pulled in my drive. Ali was asleep and I lifted him in my arms as I carried him and his backpack and grabbed my keys which Tama jerked from my hand opening the door. I walked to his room and placed him on top of his blankets I turned jumping as Tama stood silently arms crossed in the doorway as he looked around. I knew he liked it he liked xman and comics and I saw him eye the nightcrawler poster a copy of the same I’d bought him once for his birthday. There was also a image of their mask in a picture the face paint they always wore. I walked out going into the living room “Don’t guys want a drink?”

“Fuck the drink when the fuck we’re you gonna tell me I have a fucking kid! Were you even gonna fucking tell me!”

“Lower your fucking voice.”

“I think I’ve earned the right to raise my voice.”

“I’m not saying you haven’t I’m saying lower your voice because he’s asleep dammit.”

“Don’t start.”

“Both of you stop.” T said “you both need to sit down and talk calmly.”

“Talk Natasha.”

“I.” I sighed “you remember that night?”

“The night we fucked yeah I do.”

“Well I found out I was pregnant.”

“So you ran away is that why you up and dipped.”

“Yes.”

“How could you keep that from me what the fuck.”

“I didn’t know how to tell you I was scared ok, I didn’t want to ruin our friendship more and I didn’t want to fuck up your career.”

“What!”

“I didn’t want you to be obligated and stuck because of our friendship and I fell for you and I was scared Pate ok. I know it wasn’t right and I know sorry don’t fix it.”

“So instead of talking to me like any sane person you just decided for yourself this life changing decision. You robbed OUR child of a parent and me of being one.”

“I know and I’m sorry I know sorry doesn’t fix it but I didn’t want to ruin you.”

“It wouldn’t have ruined me dumbass.” He was so mad his tan face red. “You know I loved you.”

“As a friend as a sister-“

“No I fucking feel in love with you. I never got to tell you cause you disappeared”

“Bullshit you had 8 weeks before I left to tell me I was 8 weeks when I found out.”

“I was scared it was already a bit weird between us after we fucked I didn’t wanna ruin it more telling you I fell in love with your ass.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Cause you ran away you should have told me we could have did this together instead you robbed him and me, I’ve missed everything your pregnancy his birth his first words his first steps his first day of school you took that all from me and I don’t think I’ll ever forgive you for that, that was a bitch move Natasha.”

“I know and his first word was dada.”

“I hate you.”

“I deserve that.”

“When was he born you named him after us.” T said much calmer than his brother.

“On your birthday.”

“What?” He said looking at me

“His birthday is May 7th he was born at 4:20 in the morning. He was 8 pounds 7 ounces and 23 inches long with a head full of hair and is his twin. He loves comics and wrestling he loves climbing trees. His favorite food is pizza and mangoes ”

“Well Pate can’t deny him shit he looks just like him.”

“I know. And I named him after you guys because it was a way for him to have a piece of you guys-“

“He should have had his father and his family in his fucking life is what he should have had.”

“I know that ok I fucked up.”

“Yeah you think.”

“You two need to stop fighting.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.” We both said to Taula. We looked at each other as we spoke simultaneously.

“That hasn’t changed.” He said looking between us

“I looked everywhere for you I’ve been looking.”

“I-“

“If you say sorry one more time I’m having my sister beat your ass for me.”

“I deserve it.”

“Yeah you really do. Why would you do this to me, especially if you loved me? Does he even know about me?”

“He knows he has a dad I told him your a superhero your a good bad guy and beat up other bad guys with his uncles.”

“That’s what you told him?”

“It was the easiest explanation I could give him without breaking his heart every time he asked where you were.”

“You should have brought him to me.”

“How and say oh hey you got a kid, after how I left, be real would you have believed me or thought I was full of shit springing a kid on you.”

“I- he looks just like me not much I could deny.” He sighed angrily “you had no right to make that decision without me he’s half of me I had a right to know and instead you bitched out and ran like a kid instead of being a woman he’s almost 5 Natasha 5 and I missed all of that there isn’t a way to get it back for me or him not only did you keep him from me all this time you kept him from his father who he asked about. That’s selfish as fuck that ain’t you.”

“I’m sorry ok I thought at the time I was making the right choice and when I realized it wasn’t it was too late.”

“It was never too late I’d been pissed shit I’m pissed now and to know I’d never had found out hurts because if it wasn’t for him running and going past us you’d never had told me.” I couldn’t argue I don’t know if I ever would have seeked him out. I turned my head as he stormed out back and I started crying. T walked up hugging me.

“He’s just pissed Nat it’s a lot to take in.”

“He hates me T.”

“No he don’t he never has he’s just confused hurt and upset. He still loves you.”

“Bullshit even if he did he fucking hates me now. I fucked up.”

“You did it was really dumb and not fair to anyone he had a right to know and to have a say but everyone fucks up-“

“Not like this.”

“You were scared I get it and you felt in the moment you’d made the right choice, but he’s right he would have been there for you career or not and it wouldn’t have ruined anything.”

“He’s never gonna forgive me.”

“He will it’ll just take awhile. My brother still cares for you.”

“Do you guys want dinner?”

“Sure but let’s order something you two need to talk.”

“I need to let him cool off.” I grabbed a beer handing them each one before I grabbed a third. I walked outside seeing his head in his hands I sat the beer next to him as he looked at me and I saw tears in his eyes. All the years I’d known him he’d never cried. I walked off when he grabbed my hand.

“I’m mad at you.”

“I know you hate me.”

“I don’t hate you I’m just really fucking pissed we gotta kid that you hid. I you went through that shit alone Nat.”

“I should have told you if I could change it I would I’ve lived with that guilt for years and I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“Well we gotta figure this out cause I’m not leaving him Natasha that’s my kid I’ve already missed enough.”

“I wouldn’t make you.”

“But you’d keep him a secret for 5 years.”

“Pate.” I said blinking as tears feel down my face my guilt eating me

“Mommy.” I looked up hearing his soft voice as he looked between us. “You cry.”

“I’m fine baby.”

“Meanie you make mommy cry.”

“Baby it ain’t his fault mommy was mean to him, can come here sweetheart.” He walked up looking between us “hi are you mommy’s friend.”

“I- yeah little man.”

“What’s your name?”

“Pate.” I silently cried watching the two

“That’s my name Alipate. Mommy said I’m named after daddy and uncle they beats up bad guys.”

“Yeah they do. My names Alipate too.” Our son stopped looking at him and looking at me

“Mommy why are you crying.” He wiped my face

“I just am baby. I’ll be ok.”

“Do you- are you my daddy?” Tama slowly nodded at him as I heard our sons soft gasp and he turned to me “mommy it’s daddy! Daddy!” He jumped into his arms and I watched Tama hold him to his chest as he cried I was a horrible human I’d kept these two apart. Tama looked at me

“I’m so sorry I’m sorry.” I mouthed and he nodded closing his eyes. Our son soon pulled back a bit

“Why you cry daddy.”

“I missed you bud.”

“I missed you too. I knew you’d come back mommy always says you love me and missed me and I always said you’d come home are you done fighting bad guys.”

“I always fight bad guys buddy but I’m here ok, and I’m not leaving like that again I’ll still have beat up the bad guys but I’ll be home.”

5 YEARS LATER

It took awhile but we’d gotten on better terms and after a year we admitted we still loved each other. We admitted it after living together a bit we’d moved in together during Covid when the world shut down. He was home stuck and he’d decided with a lock down he wasn’t leaving our son and we ended up getting back together during it.

“Daddy Ali being mean.” Our 2 years old said looking at her dad as he picked her up. He went to say something to him he was 10 and was getting annoyed she always wanted him so he’d occasionally be mean to her. Amelika Samena Leone was born October 31st my water had broken while we were trick or treating I almost had to get a C-section with her Pate said she was his late birthday present. 8 months after her birth we got married, on the beach in Florida his parents watching the kids while he took me to Tonga for our honeymoon. I grabbed the box I’d hidden and took it to Pate we were having a cookout for Father’s Day.

“Hey you got one more gift.”

“Forreal what.” I handed him the box watching as he opened it the heart slightly moved and he removed it seeing what it said and the picture in the box as his eyes shot to mine and then my stomach. “You shittin me?” I shook my head as a huge smile broke on his face as he jumped up lifting me into his arms.

“What she get him.”

“Oh shit!” Taula said as he’d picked it up seeing what it was

“”We having a baby!” He yelled kissing me. “I love you girl.”

“I love you too handsome.”

[dollygirl808]

Ch 1 of A Helping Paw

Obsessive! Werewolf/Weredog 141(+extra) x Chubby! OC Freya

Freya was just trying to have a nice, relaxing getaway vacation with her boyfriend to her old childhood home, to get away from the loud, crowded city, when a big, kind of obsessive dog quite literally forced his way onto her lap and into her life. All of a sudden, there's a second dog. Then another, and another, until suddenly she found herself with a whole pack of dogs! Little does she know, they're all werewolves, not real dogs, and they're all a little (lot) in love with her.

Masterlist

Freya breathed in the crisp, fresh air of the back country as she settled in the handmade wooden bench swing, thick legs tucked under her and curled up in what was probably a real furred blanket, thermos cup sat in her lap and a book held in her hands. She was finally going to get around to reading the book she brought with her, a collection of spicy monster stories to pass the time.

It only took her a week and a half to open the thing, already over halfway done with her getaway vacation, that she was supposed to spend the majority of time being with her boyfriend, Jake.

Of course, he had to complain about it being too cold even though it was technically summer and wasn't even snowing, and then he got sick and acted like the world was ending. Even though it was more likely just sinuses acting up due to the pressure changes, and he was only sick for three days.

They had a couple of cute date nights, one even in town at the most adorable little seafood restaurant by the lake, another out shopping for cute memories and little knickknacks, and another inside watching an old movie she loved as a kid on the nice big wall-mounted TV in the living room, eating popcorn and deer jerky and local-made beer.

It had been really fun, in between all of their bickering little spouts where he nitpicked and insulted her childhood home, where she grew up with her parents and grandfather, pointing out all the small little differences and imperfect coloring in the wooden beams, all fit together by hand by her grandfather and great-grandfather.

But she wasn't here to fight, she was here to relax and get away from the stresses of the big city, clear her mind and get ride of her writers block.

So she sank into her book, gets a good thirty pages in before the sound of rustling leaves had her looking up, and spotting a massive, chocolate brown dog standing just outside of the treeline, striking baby blue eyes standing out against the fur.

She can't tell if it's some sort of wolf dog hybrid or maybe just an all brown German shepherd, albeit a massive one. Perhaps a wolf German shepherd hybrid? She blinked at the dog curiously, setting down her book, and it broke eye contact first, glancing down as it sniffed at the grass.

It just sort of lingered in the area, nosing around the grass and occasionally glancing up at her, fluffy brown ears perked foward. Doesn't approach, doesn't bark, doesn't show any aggressive signs.

From afar she can sort of see a black collar around its neck, so she assumed it was just a neighbor or hikers pet who wondered off. Someone might come by to collect him, or call him back, or he'll just wonder off again on his own. She's pretty sure one of her closest neighbors has a dog for two, used to hear the bark or howl on occasion when she was kid.

Then again that was a long time ago- he might not even live there anymore, not that she's really had any time to say hi to anyone. Not worried about the dog, she goes back to reading.

---

Freya sipped at her hot chocolate, then nibbled on her local treat she bought when she went into town yesterday as she finally gets to the fun part of the story, when suddenly she heard the old steps creek and looked up only to be met with bright blue, curious eyes. She let out a shocked shout as she spotted the dog much closer than before, two paws on the bottom steps of her porch.

He had managed to sneak up on her completely silently, not that she was particularly paying attention to it with her nose in her book, but it still startled her.

She took a calming breath to help ease her nerves as he climbed the steps with a bit of hesitancy, head ducked and ears relaxed, like he recognized that he'd scared her- even if only briefly. She tried not to panic as it stood between her and her front door, blocking her only reasonable escape. It wasn't here to hurt her, probably, but that didn't mean she loved feeling trapped.

"Hi pretty boy," Freya cooed softly, staying where she was, "Are you friendly? Can you sit?" She asked, and the massive pup took a few more steps forward before sitting down in front of her, tail thumping softly against the wooden panels.

"Oh, that's a good boy," She praised, and carefully held out her hand knuckles first incase he decided to give her a warning nip. He sniffed curiously at her fingers before giving her whole hand a lick, long tongue lapping between her fingers.

She took that as a sign of friendship and gently pat between his ears, and immediately he stood up and bullied his big head onto her lap, nearly knocking over her thermos and little bowl of snacks.

It made her laugh, and she ruffled the fur on his neck while checking his collar for a name, and maybe the number of his owner if they were responsible. After some amount of struggling, considering he kept nosing at her arms with his long muzzle and practically demanded to be pet more, she found out his name is Soap and managed to dial the number on the back of his tags.

It immediately goes to voice-mail, and she's not too surprised or dissapointed, good consistent service is hard to get out here, so she left a message, "Hi! My name is Freya and I think I've found your dog, Soap?" He perked up at his name.

"He just wondered up to me on my porch, beautiful big brown boy, he hasn't given me any trouble or anything. I'm not sure if you live close, I used to live out here in the country side and I moved away a few years ago, but I'm just here on vacation. Anyways, give me a call back whenever you can and I could drive him back to your house or we could meet up somwhere in town, depending on where you live. Promise he's safe with me for the time being and I'll take care of him as best as a can until then, but I hope to hear back from you soon." She hung up then, putting her phone away as she pet him.

"Guess you're stuck with me for a while, huh boy?" She asked, rubbing her thumb over his ear, "Let's get you some water, yeah?"

Soap backed up to give her room as she stood up, gathering her little blanket and cup and snacks and book in her hands before leading him inside, dumping everything on the couch before digging through the bottom cabinets and looking for her grandfather's dogs old bowl, buried behind pots and pans. It's just a cheap flimsy metal bowl with a little raised bone on the front, and she fills it up in the sink before placing it down on the kitchen tile.

Only after she stood up did he lap at the water, and Freya left him to it as she went to her bedroom to get changed, he was going to need some food after all, and a few leftover peices of turkey wouldn't cut it. He was absolutely massive, after all.

It took her a moment, but eventually she settled on the outfit she wore when she went into town on the first day, a long white skirt with roses and a high slit along with a long sleeve red top that had a sweetheart neckline. There are only a couple of months where it's actually warm enough to show some skin, and that's why she was here at this time of the year instead of any other.

It would be hard to fully enjoy a getaway vacation with her boyfriend if they were both bundled up under layers and layers of proper winter gear, after all.

She dug around in a closet for an old leash, it's leather and peeling but it'll have to do. She hoped Soap wouldn't give her any trouble being leashed up.

"Soap, come on boy. Wanna go for a car ride?" She asked in a high pitched voice, half bent over and half leaning on the back of the couch to do the strap on her red and tan platform wedge sandals, with little bows over the edge of the open-toed shoe. Her toenails were painted white match her perfectly manicured nails, this was supposed to be a lovers getaway vacation after all.

Soap abandoned the bowl as soon as she called his name, nearly running into her legs in his excitement. He lapped at her tan calf peaking out through the slit in her skirt and let out a happy ruff.

He tried to nose and sniff at her crotch through the skirt no less than three times while she attempted to do up her other ankle strap, but eventually stopped and sat patiently when she just pushed his wet nose away with a playful scolding every time.

Freya opened the back door to the red truck, and he hopped in before she could even say anything. She gave him a quick pat between the ears and some praise before climbing into the driver's seat, tossing her brown bag and leash onto the passing seat and connecting her phone to bluetooth to play music.

Just after she's buckled up and about to turn on the car, Soap jumps over the center console and sits himself in the passenger seat instead, kicking her things into the floor space as he settled on his side, body laid over the console and big paws and head in her lap.

She attempted, and failed, twice to lift him up and get him off of her, at least put him on the center console instead of on her lap, but he doesn't budge even one inch, even thinks it's a bit of a game as his tail thumped happily against the car door. It doesn't take her long to give up, he clearly just wants to be close. Maybe this was what he was used to?

When she started driving, she took it very slow at first, wanting to make sure he wouldn't move around too much or misbehave. No one else is really around anyways, so she can afford to go like 20 miles an hour while she tests the waters. To his credit, the pup behaves perfectly and eventually she speeds up to the speed limit, and it only takes them an hour to get into town.

---

After parking she turned the car off, took off her seatbelt and leaned over the fluffy menace to get her bag and the old leash, resulting in a few slopy doggy kisses to her face and neck that she has to wipe off when she sits up.

"Soap, gross!" Freya complained, half-smiling half scrunching up her face as she lifted the bottom of her skirt to get rid of the warm slober he left behind.

She hooked the leash on him no problem, then hesitantly opened her door and got out. "Come on boy, be good and don't pull me please," She called, patting her thigh to encourage him to come out. She tightened the leash in her hand when he stood up, but he only hopped out nice and easy, and stood next to her as she closed the door.

"Good boy, good boy," She cooed, patting between his ears. He soaked up the praise, nearly knocking her over with his weight alone as he leaned into her legs and touch, brown fluffy tail kicking up dust as it wagged.

She stepped back, snorting at the way he stumbled and almost fell without her support. "Let's go Soap, c'mon," She told him, holding the leash loose ad she walked forward confidently.

Immediately, he fell into step next to her, almost a perfect heel. Didn't stray far enough for any tension to be on the leash, only let his nose fall to the ground when a scent was particularly interesting, and barely paid a glance at people walking by, complimenting and cooing at him fron afar.

Freya thought that whoever owned Soap must be pretty good at training and raising dogs, because he's essentially a perfect gentleman. They walk into the local pet shot without any problems, and she said hi to the worker before trying to find him some food that he liked. That was the only problem they had the entire time.

She bought another bowl, because she only had one at the moment and he would need water and food at the same time. She also bought a few toys and chews, because she didn't need anything in her old family home to end up broken or chewed on, the entire house was made of wood after all. She even bought a new leash, a simple black nylon leash that wasn't pealing and practically as old as she was.

And if she felt a little ridiculous for buying all of these different things, despite the possibility that he'd be gone within the next couple of hours? Well, Soap couldn't possibly judge her for those things. Maybe she was being a little much, buying him toys and treats like he'd be sticking around for a while, but she needed something to do while her boyfriend was out and about without her, on a hike at a nearby national park with a tour guide for most of the day.

He'd be back either super duper late, around 3am or 5am, or he'd take a rest at a hotel and drive back in the morning and get home at around 10am. Either way she'd be alone for the day, simply because hiking with Jack wasn't very fun.

Not that she didn't enjoy it, she'd spent plenty of her childhood exploring the surrounding woods both with her father and alone. Hiking with him just felt like a massive production that was about doing it to brag that you did rather than because you enjoyed it, which really sucked all the fun out of it.

She had already promised Soap she'd buy him all those things, let him pick and choose which ones he wanted, so she couldn't possibly go back on her word now, even if she felt a little silly.

When the worker offered her a couple pieces of different kibble for him to sample after she explained her situation, he turned his nose up at all of them, some he didn't even bother to sniff before knocking them out of her hand or just completely ignored them. It was like he didn't even consider it edible!

To be fair it was dry dog kibble, but also on the other side wasn't he a dog?! Just what the heck was his owner even feeding him, anyways? Raw meat?

The idea clicked in her mind, and she sighed. "You're a spoiled boy aren't you?" Then she turned to the worker and asked about raw food, to which she sadly explained that they didn't have anything like that here, which wasn't surprising. Thankfully, she directed her to the buchers just on the outskirts of town who might be able to help. So, naturally, she loaded up her temporary pup and headed out there.

[monstersdownthepath]

Monster Spotlight: Mngwa

CR 7

Chaotic Evil Large Magical Beast

Bestiary 5, pg. 173

These terrifying man-eaters are a far cry from their original form found in folklore and fairytale, existing only to kill, torment, and punish a particular person, group, or community which has despoiled or disrespected the spirits of the primeval jungles of Golarion. They are hatred embodied, but it's not an indiscriminate hate. No, each Mngwa is born with a Focus of Hate, a creature or group of creatures (up to and including whole cities in some cases) marked for death by the spirits which crafted the shadowy cat, and its these creatures that the Mngwa focuses its wrath upon, ignoring all else unless its murderous spree is interrupted. The Mngwa always knows the exact distance and direction of the closest Focus of Hate, unerringly tracking them so long as they're not shielded by any effect which could block scrying... but a Mngwa is not a stupid, mindless beast. If its focus is shielded magically, then it will track them mundanely, following their scent and the trails they leave behind, stalking them from the shadows when they believe themselves protected, with even the prepared and paranoid often ill-equipped to spot the prowling beasts until its fangs are tearing through their throats.

When I say that Mngwa are nearly impossible to detect in the darkness, I say it completely without exaggeration. Their darkened pelts give them a +23 to Stealth checks when in forest or jungle terrain, and their Jungle Stealth allows them to utilize their full 40ft speed without compromising that intimidating number. They have a constant Feather Step effect allowing them to ignore difficult terrain entirely, and can use both Chameleon Stride and Pass Without Trace at will, the former bringing their Stealth to +27 and making them nearly invisible unless you're standing right next to them, the latter allowing them to evade any attempt to track them without magic. Not that tracking them would do much good, because these beasts are Creatures of the Night and literally stop existing when the sun rises (and are rendered temporarily powerless by Daylight and similar), reappearing near the site of their creation the next night with the benefits of a 15th-level Heal spell nursing whatever wounds they sustained and allowing them to continue their reign of terror.

But doling those wounds out in the first place is difficult, as one must survive the surprise round. As one may expect from a big cat, a Mngwa that has spotted its prey prefers to get the jump on them, which it almost always will, sometimes even allowing its prey to fall asleep first just so it drag away and dispatch the weaker and more vulnerable first like the horror movie monster it is. Once the redshirts are gone and people start staying awake every night, Mngwa charge in with Pounce, allowing them to make their Full-Attack which, predictably, is a Claw-Claw-Bite. The bite deals 2d6+7 damage, while each claw deals 1d6+7 and inflicts 1d6 bleed damage... and all three attacks can Grab onto whatever they hit, and any creature that remains grappled during the Mngwa's next turn can be freely Raked by two additional 1d6+7 + 1d6 bleed claw attacks, letting the beasts swiftly shred anything they get their mouths on. Most creatures targeted by the Pounce rarely survive failing their first Escape Artist check to break its grapple, because that's 6d6+42 damage PLUS 1d6+4 bleed, typically enough to dispatch any creature hovering around 5 Hit Dice even without critical hits.

"1d6+4?" Correct! The Murderous Claws of the Mngwa adds a flat +1 bleed damage to a bleeding target every time they hit, to a maximum of 1d6+7, so even escaping their grapple won't stop the pain, AND it allows the shadow cats to track victims much more easily if they can't staunch the flow. The only mercy offered by the Mngwa's melee is the fact it's got only 5ft of reach, rather than the 10 of a typical Large monster (it still has 10ft of space, though!), so it can only Full-Attack creatures it's standing right next to. Disengaging it repeatedly to force it to step back into melee makes its damage more manageable... provided, of course, you avoided its three grapple attempts when it first Pounced.

Unlike most big cats. Mngwa aren't glass cannons. They have 20 AC and are shielded behind DR 10/Magic, which may as well make them invincible if they're stalking a bunch of level 4 or 5 idiots who have no idea what they've done. Even managing to bypass their DR and cut them down to size does nothing but delay the horror, because so long as the Focus of Hate exists the Mngwa cannot permanently die, returning to life 1d4+1 days later once the sun sets. There are only two ways to prevent the creature's nightly hunts: every single Focus of Hate must die, or the spirits which created the creature in the first place must be appeased somehow.

In the case of the former, depending on what the crime was and how many creatures the Mngwa is focused on, the players may just help the jungle cats in their quest. Of course, ANYONE can be stuck with the jungle's curse, from a dickish thieving invader, to a group of otherwise innocent locals who made a terrible mistake, to the player characters themselves, so this is often not an option. Appeasing the spirits is usually the way to go, so a big part of the Mngwa Mystery is figuring out why it's here, which typically involves finding out precisely who among a crowd it's targeting and getting some answers out of them. Even in a higher-level campaign when the Mngwa isn't a direct threat to the PCs, its relentless inevitability make them a danger to NPCs the party may be tasked with trying to protect.

One way or another, the players have to figure out who it's trying to kill, why, and how to undo whatever they did to enrage the jungle. Mngwa cannot communicate their desires, so some intense detective work is needed! ... Just be careful not to make it TOO intense, or else you may end up with a situation like the most chilling one in it's lore: some unfortunate bloodlines have been haunted by these creatures for generations, the cats passed down from parent to child like a living curse as memories of why the thing is hunting them are gradually lost to time, leaving entire families without the knowledge of why the night itself grows claw and fang to hunt them.

You can read more about them here.

[tgmsunmontue]

Bird on a Wire (Part 2)

TGM AU. Hangster Meet-cute. This is an explicit chapter (and the next bit is even more explicit, so just stop with part one if you don't want that). There will be a third and final chapter in 24-48 hours.

PART ONE

PART TWO

            They step outside of the restaurant and Rooster’s eyes spark with amusement and promise and holy fuck this is good. Jake's entire body is thrumming.

            "You want to take me on a date huh?” Jake asks, because he definitely likes the sentiment, but he also wants to make his intentions very clear. "You cooked me dinner... surely that counts as a date? Also you've met my sisters, and we're talking months of dating before I make the person I'm dating meet my family."

            “Yeah I cooked, but I didn’t get to talk to you and I… Look. I really don’t do this. Mav would be proud.”

            The complete non-sequitur has Jake blinking, glancing around and wondering who or what Mav is.

            “Mav?”

            “My godfather. He’s all about don’t think, just do.”

            “Oh, okay.”

            “Sorry. Just, a little nervous. As I said, I don’t do this and I don’t want you to get the wrong impression.”

            “About what? A date? Or… sex?”

            “Both,” Rooster admits, looking away with a shrug and Jake glances a look back inside and they’ve got a fucking audience so he shuffles down the street after giving his sisters the finger.

            “Look…”

            “What?”

            “Cards on the table. I’m attracted to you, pretty sure you’re attracted to me. I’m not turning down sex with you, but it’s also not a deal breaker if it isn’t. You want to date, we can do that, but I’m good with… just seeing where tonight takes us. And following tonight up with other nights,” he states, reiterating his interest in something more than sex.

            “Okay. Yeah. Come on. There’s a little boutique ice cream place a couple of blocks that way. Do you mind walking?”

            “Lead the way…”

            Then Rooster is taking his hand again and they’re walking down the street hand-in-hand and Jake will never hear the end of it if he ends up having an anniversary that’s his sister’s fucking birthday. They arrive at a dinky little shop and when Rooster pushes the door open there’s a literal bell hanging above, which rings. There are plenty of people around, forming a wonky-queue leading to a glass-fronted counter. He looks at the flavors and pulls a face, some of them sound disgusting.

            “You want a cone or cup?”

            “Uh, cup thanks. The peanut butter cookie dough…” He goes to take out his wallet but Rooster is shaking his head.

            “Hey kid, what can I do you for?”

            “Hey Ron, two cups thanks. Roasted white chocolate and miso for me, and peanut butter cookie dough… Thanks.”

            “No worries kid, I’ll put it on your tab…” he says with a wink and Jake looks between them and notes the flush to Rooster’s cheeks as they take the cups and head back to the darkening street.

            “Another family member?”

            “Yeah, he’s my Uncle Ice’s best friend. My family is… kind of big. And weird.”

            “I have three sisters, and my parents are both from families with at least three kids…”

            “Wow. Okay, my family isn’t big like that, but it’s… kind of more a chosen family I guess.”

            “That’s cool. Do you have siblings?”

            “No. Closest I have is Phoenix.”

            “Huh. Explains her attitude towards me.”

            Instead of being apologetic Rooster just laughs, shaking his head.

            “Yeah, she does that. Come on, there’s a little park up here…”

            They settle opposite each other at a little picnic table, their feet brush a couple of times accidentally, but then Rooster’s foot hooks around his ankle and settles there permanently, occasionally rubbing up the back of his calf. It’s distracting, not as distracting as watching Rooster eat ice-cream though, seemingly oblivious to just how pornographic he looks. Jake manages to finish his ice-cream and not stab himself in the face with the little wooden spoon.

            He's not an idiot, this is everything and nothing all at once and while he really wants it to develop into something, right now he doesn't care over much either way. Rooster reaches out across the table and Jake lays his hand and they sit there, hands and fingers touching. They talk, Jake mentions his job in cyber security in the vaguest of terms, because it’s not something he can go into detail given the confidentiality around it. He learns about Rooster’s mom, and his upbringing in the hospitality industry which sounds absolutely wild, especially compared with his own one having parents in academia. The lamps in the park flicker on and they both look at each other a little ruefully.

            "Come home with me? We don’t… “

            “I thought we already agreed to just take everything as it comes?”

            “Yeah, okay. Come home with me?”

            “Can we get into your place without your entire workplace seeing us?”

            “I don’t care if they do.”

            “Oh. Okay then.”

            No secrets in his family then and something inside his gut unclenches at that information and that’s something he can unpack later. They walk back toward the restaurant, and when Rooster waves at his father before giving him the finger Jake just throws his head back and laughs. There are undeniable fluttering butterflies in his stomach as Rooster puts a key in the lock of a hidden door just down from the restaurant entrance and Jake wonders if he’s imagining the tremor in his hands. Up a few flights of stairs and then there’s another door being unlocked and Rooster is stepping back to let him go in first.

            Jake doesn't get why he's nervous now, when he's made it obvious what he wants. That Rooster has made it equally obvious that he wants the same thing. There's no fear of rejection, no expectations, no possible miscommunication just… this. Except he really wants sex right now. He’ll live without, has lived without for months, but this whole evening has been so wonderfully flirty and amusing and arousing… He feels hands settle on his waist and he sways back ever so slightly, feels the warm solid wall of Rooster’s chest behind him and relaxes against it.

            There's a pause, he can feel warm breath against the skin on his neck and he presses back into him, just in case he thinks that he might not want this. The lips he feels pressing into the nape of his neck have him tilting his head, allowing better access and he lets out a low hmm of encouragement. The hands move to his hips, pressing a bit firmer and he turns with them, turns until he's facing Rooster, looking into warm brown eyes and he can't help but return the soft smile.

            "We don't have to do anything…"

            Jake stares, knows the look he's giving him very clearly spells out that something will definitely be happening. He's been half hard since they had the ice-cream, watching Rooster lick his little wooden spoon with intent. He's over thinking it so just leans forward, hand reaching to curl around Rooster’s neck, bringing their mouths together in a kiss. He feels the fingers move a bit lower, firmer and then he's being pulled against Rooster’s body, crotches pressed against each other, and he notes gratifyingly that he's also half-hard.

            “Or we could do everything… Come on Rooster…”

            He doesn’t expect the reaction he gets, which is pulling away, a look of almost disgust, but he realizes it isn’t it, not quite.

            “Shit. My name’s Bradley. Sorry. I just… Fuck. I never told you my name. Well. It’s not Rooster. It’s Bradley. Please. Call me Bradley.”

            “Oh thank god…”

            “Did you seriously think my name was Rooster?” Bradley laughs, and Jake can’t help but laugh as well, some of the nervous tension leaving him and he rests his forehead on Bradley’s shoulder.

            “Yes. And I still went and got ice cream with you, and came up here, and kissed you… So your dad’s name isn’t Goose then? What about Phoenix?”

            “My dad is Nick, but I don’t think I’ve heard anyone call him that in years. My mom when she’s angry with him. And Phoenix is Natasha. And for the record, I know your name is Jake…”

            “Yeah, but that’s because Phoenix asked.”

            “Yeah, she probably did a background check on you.”

            Jake raises an eyebrow, well aware his record is absolutely squeaky clean. He didn’t get where he is today by making mistakes.

            “Okay, well, regardless of your stupid name I’m not going to go anywhere.”

            “That’s reassuring,” Bradley says, his lips twitching and then he’s kissing Jake again, back in his personal space and Jake presses back, removing and white-space between them. They're not gentle with each other, but there is a certainty to each of their movements, firm pressure met with equally firm resistance and Jake’s breath catches in his throat. It had started off slow but soon enough they’re thrusting against each other, Bradley’s thigh between his own as he grinds his erection against the jut of Jake’s hip.

            Mouths open, tongues sliding wetly. His entire body tingles suddenly and he lets out a little sound of contentment, pushing himself closer to the hands, body, lips that are trying to touch every part of him. He's more than okay with that, and he pulls at his shirt, wanting it off off off. Now. He ends up pulling away from him, simply so he can get naked, and the speed at which the hands return to his now bare skin is wonderful. Bradley has taken the opportunity to remove his own shirt, which he's torn about. He'd have liked to remove it himself, or at least watched him remove it… but now there's just an expanse of honey-hued skin and he licks his lips, swallows, mouth suddenly dry.

            "Did you want to do this in my entrance way, or do you want to see my bedroom?"

            For a brief second he feels embarrassed, that he's that desperate they didn't even get more than a few feet, then he remembers it was Bradley who couldn't seem to get his hands on him fast enough and he smiles slowly, hooking a finger into one of Bradley’s belt loops and nods. He tries not to break eye contact but fails miserably, eyes flicking to lips, bare chest, and the slightly paler skin that is revealed where the jeans are pulled away from Bradley’s body.

            "Hey, careful." Then he's being turned, he's almost walked backward into a coffee table.

            "Mmm. Can’t blame me if I'm a little distracted. Come on… show me where I’m going darlin’."

            He almost expects Bradley to pick him up, and huffs a laugh at his own fancifulness, instead muttering about being eager, although he's not sure if it's aimed at Bradley or himself. All of Bradley’s attention is focused on him and he lets out a long breath at that realization; it's been a while since he's had the undivided attention of someone he finds equally compelling. He finds it reassuring that it seems mutual, this lust and attraction between them. Bradley doesn’t stop touching him, hand around his waist as he gently directs them toward the bedroom.

            "Let's see if the rest of you is just as gorgeous out of clothes hmm?"

            Then there are fingers easing down his fly and his fingers scramble to Bradley’s in return. He might have missed the opportunity to remove his shirt, but he can definitely help with this. Of course he’d seen him shirtless in the restaurant, it’s what had caught his eye after all and fuck, nothing could have prepared him for how his evening would pan out and he has no regrets. Murmurs sweet endearments about how hot Bradley is under his breath which make him chuckle lowly in response, the sound of which sends a shiver of anticipation down his spine.

            He means every word he says, even if it sounds cheesy. Bradley is one of the most attractive men he's seen in a long time, and while he has no idea if he's flaky, he suspects not. He knows Bradley has a good sense of humor, and Jake’s had relationships based on less. Not that he's had many relationships, he's slept with plenty of people, and some hung around for a while. Others were trash fires he’d rather forget, and he worries briefly about what details Laura shared with Phoenix.

            He pushes Bradley’s jeans down, palms a hand over his ass cheeks and presses his erection to the firm line of Bradley’s hip. The movement traps Bradley’s hand between their bodies, where it had been skirting the band of his boxer briefs, jeans already around his ankles and while he remembers he toes off his shoes. Lowering his mouth he sucks and licks at the now naked skin between Bradley’s shoulder and neck, and he can taste salty-sweat and warm heat.

            He makes a trail of sucking nipping kisses down his torso, enjoys the gasped 'oh fuck' Bradley lets out, head tilting back and hips snapping forward. He kicks his shoes and pants to the side and then lowers himself to his knees, his hand still massaging an ass cheek through the stretchy fabric of Bradley’s underwear, the tang of musk and heat has him running his nose up the length of his erection, breathing in deeply through his nose. He pauses and looks up, finding Bradley watching him intently, chest rising and falling rapidly.

            He wants to ask if this is okay, but he hopes that he'd say something. Fingers slide the waist band down and he pushes them down, along with Bradley’s jeans. He licks up the length of his cock slowly, savoring the silky smooth softness of skin, the warmth and heat, the salty-bitter drop of pre-come that explodes on his tongue and sets his taste buds racing and his mouth fills with saliva. Fingers curl into his hair as Bradley balances on one leg, allowing Jake to help him pull off his sneakers and jeans and toss them to join his own clothes somewhere on the floor.

            He doesn’t want to rush this, not when it's been so long. He's not being rushed though, Bradley’s fingers in his hair aren't directing him any which way, just there. He licks his lips, using the pooled saliva to moisten his entire mouth. Using a light touch he holds Bradley’s cock and then pushes his pursed lips over the head, creating as much suction as he can.

            Then the fingers in his hair tighten, and he hears Bradley swear creatively. He'd grin, or say something, but instead focusses on the slide, the contrast in texture, the smell. He moves his hand back to cup an ass cheek, his other hand resting on Bradley’s hip, thumb brushing over the taut skin on his lower stomach as he starts the instinctive up-down motion. He's not going for fancy licks or twists, there will be time later to find out exactly how to make Bradley fall apart. Judging from the sounds he can hear above him, muffled by the blood rushing in his own ears, he's doing just fine anyway, Bradley’s body thrusting toward him as much as he allows.

            The twinge in his jaw reminds him he's out of practice but he ignores it, instead pays attention to the drag of soft skin against the roof of his mouth, the taste of leaking pre-cum on his tongue, the sounds Bradley is making, the smell of their combined arousal and the sight of Bradley, watching him do this, cock sliding in-and-out of his mouth.

            He looks up and Bradley’s head is thrown back, Adam’s apple bobbing and Jake wants to bite it. Then Bradley shifts, eyes open and he’s looking down the length of his body, gaze intense and Jake pulls off. Watches him lick his lips, body shuddering slightly and Jake’s hands tighten on his hip as Bradley makes a soft whine and Jake wraps a firm hand around his erection and stands up again.

            “Sorry, out of practice…” His voice is rough, and he scrapes his teeth over Bradley’s earlobe, sucking gently at the pulse point just below. He shifts his hand on his cock a little firmer, little faster. "Can you come like this? Not too rough?"

            "Yeah. Yeah. Definitely," Bradley hisses and Jake can feel his nails digging into his shoulder. “Fuck. You know, you can practice on me you know. Every day. I’m generous like that…”

            “Oh, I just bet you are darlin’, come on now…”

            He wouldn’t be able to stand the treatment he’s giving Bradley’s cock, would be too rough, but Bradley’s fingernails rasp through Jake’s chest hair roughly, his body has started trembling and he manages a breathy-shaky 'fuck close, please' which just spurs Jake on, hand firmer and faster. Then Bradley’s coming, white hot, all the muscles in his body seeming to flex and release at once and he can hear his breath, coming in sharp pants.

            He doesn't have a chance to catch his breath before he's being kissed, his open mouth a clear invitation and he kisses back, tongue sliding against hard teeth and warm hot flesh. Then he's being jostled, guided backwards, and god, they didn't even make it to Bradley’s bed, although at least he can say they made it to his bedroom. Just. Bradley pulls the sheets and duvet back and Jake watches, heart rate slowing down slightly but his skin prickles with the knowledge that the night has only just started.

PART THREE

[anonymoushouseplantfan]

Submitted:

Camilla Long in today’s Times, “The biggest threat to Harry and Meghan isn’t paparazzi on bicycles. It’s their own paranoia”

https://archive.is/N1OMS

Awhile from now, when it is all over, I think we may view the Royal Car Chase not as a silly bit of tabloid fluffery but as a turning point. You may feel differently; you may think there were other, bigger moments when you knew it had gone terribly wrong for Harry and Meghan. Oprah, or “recollections may vary”, or Netflix, or the tights catfight. The Fijian market freakout, the MBS diamond earrings, the suicidal thoughts at Cirque du Soleil, or the penis-heavy contents of Spare.

But never before have I actually thought: well, that’s it — it’s over; they’ve gone the full Imelda Marcos now. They’re literally crazed, on a one-way flight out of God knows where, stuffing diamonds into nappies as they flee the presidential palace, children howling, soldiers falling off collapsing walls, choppers, gunfire, pearls scattering, everyone watching agog as these glittering creatures, once on top of the world, now look washed up and hopeless, like bedraggled fallen despots.

also

the couple hysterically used three separate cars. They left the ceremony in a 4x4 with a police escort, circling for 75 minutes to give the paps the slip, before fleeing to a nearby police station when they didn’t. At the station they hid for 15 minutes in a garage until someone called a taxi. When the taxi got stuck behind a rubbish lorry, they went back to the same police station, where they got into a final vehicle, which took them on to where they were staying … just two blocks away.

As I said: mad.

All these places were within walking distance; nothing could have been easier. But still, we’re meant to believe it’s the paps who were behaving like demented animals, driving on pavements, endangering pedestrians, causing “multiple near collisions” as they pursued them with “cars, scooters and bicycles”, bringing the duke “the closest I have ever felt” to understanding how his mother died.

and

The truth is, that taxi chase is Harry and Meghan. It is their mindset, their paranoia, their chaos, their attempt to label themselves as victims again. If you watch their Netflix series you can see how they egg each other on to the point they forget how to behave normally. During one short car journey Meghan tells Harry where each paparazzo is, effectively notifying him when to be scared, while he nervously whispers, “We’ll be with friends in less than ten minutes.” I blame him as much as her.

They’re now in a lunatic downward spiral of fiction and fantasy. Ironically, you just think: “Are you OK?” Why, for example, did they feel threatened when they had a police escort the entire time? Should Harry’s obsession with photographers be the police’s problem? If Meghan is truly a “woman of vision”, why couldn’t she envision a simple, problem-free trip to the Upper East Side, where they were staying with a secret “friend”?

Finally,

When Meghan arrived on the scene, we all thought the same thing. Finally, an intelligent, worldly, sophisticated woman who was in love with Harry. And if she was the activist she said she was, so much the better. She could quietly show up the royal family for what it was: snobby, backwards, uncool, mediocre, unfair. And then, who knows what? She could have been a truly subversive figure and cratered it from the inside (my dream). But none of that has happened.

What’s happened is the royal family has, conversely, shown Meghan and Harry up for what they are: a pair of wayward hangers-on with unhealthy egos. The more the family trundles on, the more enraged the couple seem. For three weeks we had been waiting: how would Meghan punish Charles for daring to have the coronation? And here’s the answer. What must the royals think when they see the grotty pictures of the Sussexes in a grim taxi on their mercy flight out of Manila — sorry, midtown?

[rainbowfroots]

KNB Characters in ATLA

Okay pretend this is like, when the 100-year war is about to start, so the Air Nomads are still around.

Kuroko: Non-bender from the Southern Water Tribe. He's really determined about stopping the Fire Nation and learns how to use long range weapons that are easy to carry. I really want to say Boomerang.

Kagami: FIRE-BENDER there is literally no other option. He's actually the son of an Fire Nation soldier and Earth Kingdom woman and was supposed to be from the colonies but his parents died, and he got adopted by Alex, who's an Air Nomad.

Kise: Waterbender from the Northern Water Tribe. He's not a prince but he's definitely nobility. He's mastered pretty much every form of sub-bending for waterbending; except the plant manipulation and blood-bending.

Midorima: Earthbender, like, what else? He's the son of an Earth Kingdom nobleman who's ruling a Fire Nation colony, therefore he's sort of friends with Fire Nation royalty.

Aomine: Waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe. His mom is chief and he's a bit of spoilt brat. He's the best bender they have and he's itching for adventure outside of their home to really test out his waterbending skills. He joins Kuroko when Kuroko heads out to check wtf is going on with the Fire Nation recently.

Momoi: Non-bender scholar, trained in hand-to-hand. Though she isn't a bender, she observed the waterbender healers and figured out how to do chi-blocking. She joins Aomine and Kuroko when they head out to ensure they don't do anything extremely stupid and die at sea.

Murasakibara: Airbender who sticks to the the Air Temple he was born in. Hella chill, very mellow, he's an expert in pulling pranks whenever he's bored and very good at baking pies.

Akashi: Prince of the Fire Nation, Firebender. He's mastered lightning-bending and is extremely obedient to his dad. He used to be friends with kids from the other nation(*ahem* GoM) when he was around 10 but his dad cut off all connection because he was, ya know, planning on starting the 100-year war.

Haizaki: Waterbender from the Northern Water Tribe. He's not a noble and is highly competitive with Kise, whom he can never defeat. Their training was very similar and they're both some of the best benders but Haizaki is heavily focused on combat and never even attempts healing(which is why he can't reach Kise's level, Kise figured out newer techniques because of the healing thing).

Kiyoshi: THE AVATAR!!! No it's not just because his name sounds like 'Kyoshi'. He's from an Earth Kingdom town and knows he's the Avatar pretty early but he doesn't make a big deal about it. Then the Fire Nation starts decimating the Air Nomads and RIko urges him to start learning. Kiyoshi is honestly the only person who can be trusted with this amount of power and is closest in temperament to Aang. He's froma humble background and just wants to ensure everyone gets to live peacefully.

Riko: Non-bender who's a student, she learned about all sorts of bending styles out of curiosity and even trained with a sword on her own time with her dad. She's the one who plotted the training regimen for Kiyoshi's Avatar training.

Hyuuga: A Fire Nation, non-bender soldier who Kiyoshi and Riko run into on their travels to find a firebending teacher. Hyuuga is getting very suspicious about his new orders about conquering Earth Kingdom territories, but is initially reluctant to defy. But then he sees Kiyoshi and Riko, and the three get into some trouble and Hyuuga decides to join the two, having realized that the Fire Nation is getting ready for an all-out-war against the Air Nomads.

Himuro: He's the illegitimate child of a Northern Water Tribe noblewoman. She had met a Fire Nation soldier and the two had an affair. She had Himuro but abandoned him, and he was taken away by sailors to be raised in the Earth Kingdom. Himuro grew up on the streets and on pirate ships, with only a betrothal necklace from his mom to know of his heritage which was given by the soldier. He hates the water tribe for abandoning him, and is later taken in by Alex. So he sorta grows up with Alex and he later realizes Kagami's dad is actually also his dad, and that his dad was chased away from the NWT and began another life with Kagami's mom.

Nijimura: Earthbender who's from a downtrodden background. His dad works in crystal mines but is growing weaker. Nijimura had to take over his dad's work and while mining, he became an expert in bending crystals and other non-generic forms of earth.

[backtothestart02]

Apt 203 - 1/? | snowbaird fanfiction

A/N: Based off a meme found on Pinterest and dropped into the snowbaird discord server. Enjoy. lol.

...

Synopsis: University!AU - Whoever said passive aggressively flirting through wi-fi codes wasn't the best way to find the love of your life?

...

Chapter 1 -

Coriolanus Snow was a prodigy.

18.

Intelligent. Traditionally attractive. The closest to a royal bloodline as one could get in this part of the world.

But practically penniless when it came to his current financial condition.

The Plinth scholarship had been his easily with all his high grades, extra-curriculars and never missing a class. But unfortunately, that granted him the tuition and what was needed for books and other supplies, not placement in housing.

Plus, he was a freshmen. No matter how prestigious his high school had been, freshmen were automatically lower class and seemingly invisible compared to the seniors and juniors above them. Maybe next year he’d have a shot at one of those fancy schmancy high-rises usually only gifted to the upperclassmen, but this year he had to settle for what was left. And that meant sharing a building with those he considered lesser than himself.

Some were literal filth and probably wouldn’t even last a semester, let alone the whole 4-year term. He was embarrassed and humiliated to have to live near them, but luckily his sister-cousin, Tigris, had found a two-bedroom apartment for them to share on the first floor of the building, and he knew she would do her damndest to make it feel like home.

The day he trudged back to the apartment and flung open the door, he immediately felt so much better. Tigris was pure magic. Standing in the middle of the apartment and doing a spin, she right away pointed all the things that would remind him of home, from little appliances to the wallpaper, to even new coverings on the furniture. And it was the good stuff from home that he liked, not the stuff that reminded him how impoverished they really were.

“Thank you, Tigris. This…it’s perfect.”

And he swooped her into a hug, and they spent the night watching movies, and he thought if every night could be like this one, then perhaps he’d survive this term yet.

Night two was different.

Tigris was out late working her fashion job, and he’d come back from classes with a ton of homework to get started on. This normally wasn’t an issue. Homework had been his full-time career in the academy he’d come from. He thrived on it, took pleasure in it, and beamed proudly when he got all A pluses on the top of his papers.

But that was when he was able to work in complete silence at the top of the Snow penthouse several miles from here.

He shifted uncomfortably as the first drum beat dropped, telling him it was nothing. Then there was a strum of something that could’ve been a guitar. Then a bass. And was that an accordian?

But that was nothing compared to the belt of a loud and obnoxious singer booming at the top of her lungs.

“Oh, hell no.”

He shut his books and went to stand in the center of the living room, and simply glared up at the ceiling, daring them to get louder and continue.

Which, of course, they did.

He told himself he wouldn’t intervene. This building wasn’t just for students of the university, after all. It was for anybody local and was actually positioned three blocks from even the furthest university dorms. He supposed it was only natural for musicians, of all people, to reside here too.

He pulled out his phone and decided petty and somewhat subtle was the best route to go.

He changed his wi-fi name to: APT203ULoudAsFuck, then slid the device back into his pocket.

Nothing changed. The music and loud banging continued. He supposed whoever owned the apartment wouldn’t see it till long after they’d finished for the evening. And given that he didn’t want to sacrifice his own academic wellbeing for the sake of a territorial argument, he gathered his books and headed out to the library to do his studies for the evening.

Three hours later when he returned, Tigris still wasn’t home, but he checked the wi-fi names for the building again, and another had changed. The one beneath his said:

Apt???SayitToMyFace#203

Coriolanus was shell-shocked.

The audacity???

Part of him wanted to laugh. The other part wanted to punch the fuck out of whoever had changed the wi-fi name. Because it definitely couldn’t have been the female singer. Probably was the drummer with a little too many beers under his belt. Or maybe the guy on electric guitar. He thought he heard a tambourine in their somewhere too, and occasionally…maracas? Just how many instruments were in this dumb band?

He huffed, wanting to put an end to it, but also tired from all his studies. So, he pulled out a TV dinner from the freezer and stuck it in the microwave.

Unfortunately, the combined power needed from the microwave, the lights, and all the power needed for various instruments in the apartment above him, caused an instant power-outage in the building.

Coriolanus was about to moan and groan about how woe is me in this exact situation.

But then he heard an Aww, man! coming from above him, and a Lucy Gray! to follow. And smiled to himself.

“It’s not my fault!” Lucy Gray hollered. “None of the rest of you have a space big enough to practice in, and you know it.”

There were mumblings that followed, and several of the band members could be heard walking down the hallway upstairs. For a little bit or for the whole night, it wasn’t certain, but Coriolanus knew one thing.

The universe had listened to him.

He only wished he had done it when he’d needed to study.

Though he supposed he was now without food and lights for goodness knows how long. He waited 10 minutes, then very reluctantly called the son of the precious Plinth fortune, or his quasi-friend from Academy days, Sejanus Plinth, who knew he’d get the job done faster than some maintenance man who maybe wouldn’t come till morning.

“Hey, Coryo!” Sejanus greeted warmly on the other end.

Coriolanus winced. Obviously, one of them felt fonder of their days than the other.

“Sejanus, hey, um, the power went out when I tried to warm up my food in the microwave just now, and I was wondering if maybe you could tell your dad that-”

“Don’t say another word. I’m on my way.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re in the building on Witmore and Attelman, right?”

“…yes,” he said, not trying to sound too suspicious about how he knew his exact location.

Sejanus only sighed deeply.

“Unfortunately, the wiring in that building just continues to get worse. It’s so fragile, because it’s been around for like a hundred years or something. And people keep pushing their luck, even though we ask them not to-”

“There is this band in the apartment above me,” Coriolanus couldn’t help but quip.

“Oh, the Coveys. Yeah, they’ve been there for a few years. Do not get me started on them. If they weren’t so popular back east, we’d have kicked them out long ago.”

“The Coveys?” he asked, mildly intrigued. He’d never heard of them.

“Yeah, Lucy Gray and the Covey Band. Listen, Coryo, I’m hopping in my car. Be there in a few.”

Click.

“Okay. Thanks,” Coriolanus said to nothing.

He checked the wi-fi names just for kicks, to see if anything had changed in the last few minutes, and it had.

Apartment 203’s now said: Apt???HopeYoureHappyNow???

Actually. He was.