#crash just needs a friend and at this point fire is the only person who has actually been patient with him

[decaffeinated-heads]

Post mm2 chapter 1, scene 6

[linkcharacter]

I feel like many people are too focused on what Curly could've 'done' instead of what he 'thought' about it, how he saw and processed it in his head. As I see it, the point isn't that he did nothing, it's that he keeps shoving away and downplaying Jimmy's bullshit in his perception, which would then lead to inaction from Curly's side. That if he could've, we don't know if he would've. Action is very much needed in cases like Anya's, though it wouldn't make things better in the Tulpar situation, BUT that's just the horror of it and it doesn't remove Curly's faults outside of that. The point is that Curly is human and isn't exempt from trying to avoid the issue at hand in his head because of who he is as a person and the environment they're in, the condition Curly's in. He knows it's BAD with Jimmy, yet due to either or both, prolonged conditioning of their toxic friendship and Curly's stunted mental state, it doesn't click in his head properly.

If Anya didn't end up pregnant, if Jimmy didn't crash the ship, would Curly have seriously contemplated about Jimmy or rethought their friendship after finding out he's a rapist? Would anything have changed between them? I would imagine if Curly want half-delirious half-conscious and not going through an existential crisis, then I would give it a very stretched "maybe", and it still would've taken time to detach yourself from a close friend (with possible emotional abuse benefits). But we don't know what COULD'VE been, we just know he DIDN'T. And that is behavior of an enabler, not ill-willed or inconsiderate, but it's human to be afraid of change and be attached. Still ended in upkeeping his friend's harmful behaviors, not due to lack of wanting him to change but that's just how things are. It's realistic, there's no inherent 'morality' attached to Curly's actions, they were simply actions, what matters is the result. Good intentions don't mean much in face of a horrific outcome.

Would Curly keep attempting to give Jimmy help to be better, in vain like he was suggested to have done before? Very possible. "We said tomorrow will be different. Today would be the last day."

Would Curly report Jimmy to the authorities if he could? We don't know (I'm leaning towards a no though). It's not a bad thing to want your friends to be better and believe in them, nor do I think cutting them off is always the best course of action. Rehabilitation is a good thing (though we don't know exactly how Curly tried to help Jim) and having a support system as friends can make it more effective especially if it's a person struggling financially and mentally in life like Jimmy. Yet Jimmy still has to take accountability and be handled in a proper manner for what he did, not just be let go off the hook, only hoping he will improve like Curly does. At some point Curly had to stop making Jimmy's actions his responsibility but never did, until the end.

The conditions of the Tulpar themselves are very lackluster, the system is unfair and harsh with what we know about Mouthwashing's world. The companies are uncaring and scummy as they are in real life, Pony Express especially being cheap and has no regard for the safety and well being of their employees. It all creates a systematic environment for the worst human traits to fester in unchecked, no one single individual could've "fixed it".

So realistically I don't see much that could've been done in the environment they were in and no matter what Curly did, the outcome would never be good. In any course of action Curly could've gone with, the situation isn't changing, Anya was assaulted, Jimmy is the Co-pilot, the duration of the flight is more than the pregnancy term, conflict within the crew will be punished financially by the HR, they were fired. It's horrible and irreparable no matter what. That is the situation.

But

Curly still downplayed it, that's the point. It's not about the potential actions we imagine he could've taken, it's about all the things he didn't take into account and lacked proper judgement towards his friend, which ended up festering a destructive parasite called Jimmy.

Not to mention that Mouthwashing is such a multifaceted game in terms of its themes, it cannot be defined by ONLY this one Curly idea. There's so much more to the story.

[emmkayyy03]

✨ How Your Dominant Planet Secretly Shapes Your Teenage Brain ✨

Have you ever looked back at your late teens and wondered why you were so obsessed with certain things? Like, one friend was glued to their guitar and poetry journals, another was training for their fifth marathon, and you? You were probably neck-deep in your thing. Here’s the deal: your dominant planet was pulling the strings behind the scenes, shaping how your mind worked and what you gravitated toward without you even realizing it.

Let’s break it down:

🌞 SUN Dominant: "I need to shine—what’s the point otherwise?" Late teens for Sun-kissed folks are like a personal hero’s journey. You’re obsessed with figuring out who you are. Your brain’s constantly asking, Am I good enough? Do people see my worth? You might’ve been the captain of the debate team, the drama club star, or just that person who somehow made walking to the cafeteria look like a runway. How your mind works: Everything feels like a stage, and you want to perform your best—even in front of yourself. You seek validation, yes, but deep down, it’s about finding your inner confidence.

🌙 MOON Dominant: "I feel… everything. Is that normal?" For Moon folks, the late teens are an emotional hurricane. You’re all about understanding feelings, whether it’s yours or everyone else’s. You probably overthink texts (why’d they only reply with “k”?), cry over movies you’ve seen a million times, and have deep, borderline-therapeutic convos with your bestie. How your mind works: You process the world emotionally first, logically second. You’re learning how to handle your empathy without drowning in it.

🔥 MARS Dominant: "Let’s go! But… where are we going?" Mars kids are powered by action and passion, and your late teens are when you’re learning to channel that fire. Your brain thrives on challenges, so you probably signed up for every sport, pushed yourself in the gym, or got way too into proving someone wrong in an argument. Impulse control? We’ll work on that later. How your mind works: You process through doing. Sitting around theorizing makes you twitchy. You need action, even if it’s messy. Picking fights on the basketball court because the ref made a bad call, then realizing you’re actually just mad your crush didn’t text you back.

💬 MERCURY Dominant: "Wait, how does that work? Tell me everything!" Mercury-dominant teens are curiosity machines. Your brain’s like a search engine that never stops running. You want to know why, how, who, and what if. You’re that kid who can’t let a fun fact go without looking it up. Debates? Bring ’em on. Trivia? Your jam. Group chats? You run them. How your mind works: You connect ideas at lightning speed. Learning isn’t just a necessity; it’s your love language. Staying up until 3 a.m. watching YouTube videos about conspiracy theories, then showing up to school explaining why aliens totally built the pyramids.

💎 VENUS Dominant: "Why settle for okay when life can be beautiful?" Your late teens are a crash course in pleasure, relationships, and aesthetics. You’re probably experimenting with your style (cue questionable fashion phases), figuring out love (hello, hopeless romantic), or diving into art and music. Life needs to feel good, or it’s just not worth it. How your mind works: You’re tuned to beauty and connection. Your decisions are emotional but driven by desire—whether it’s for love, art, or the perfect selfie.Spending an hour perfecting your eyeliner just to go to the grocery store because what if you meet someone cute?

🌍 SATURN Dominant: "I’m too busy for nonsense." While your friends are out making impulsive mistakes, you’re busy building your future. Saturn-dominant teens have an old-soul vibe. You’re focused on responsibility, probably working a part-time job while juggling school and worrying about saving for college. Fun? Sure, but only if it’s productive. How your mind works: You crave structure and long-term success. While others wing it, you plan 10 steps ahead. Skipping a party to study for finals because failing isn’t an option—not because of pressure, but because you expect better from yourself.

🚀 RAHU Dominant: "What’s the wildest thing I can do right now?" Rahu teens are like explorers charting unknown territory. You’re obsessed with breaking rules, chasing thrills, and doing the forbidden. If it’s edgy, you’re into it. You’re the one sneaking out, dyeing your hair neon green, or trying things that make adults nervous. How your mind works: You’re wired to seek more. More excitement, more knowledge, more of life’s extremes. Going on a spontaneous road trip with friends, breaking the rules, or getting into something your parents wouldn’t approve of—just because it felt like the next big adventure.

🌌 KETU Dominant: "I’m here, but also not really here." Ketu teens are all about spiritual detachment. You’re introspective, reflective, and a bit aloof. While everyone else is chasing their dreams, you’re figuring out why dreams matter at all. Meditation, tarot, or even just staring at the stars for hours—you’re vibing on a higher plane. How your mind works: You reject surface-level stuff, diving into the depths of existence. But you also need to learn to be present. Skipping out on big social events to sit at a park by yourself, journaling about the mysteries of life, or getting into spiritual practices like meditation because they felt more authentic than anything else.

🚀 JUPITER Dominant: "Knowledge is freedom, and I’m going after it!" Jupiter-dominant teens are all about growth, knowledge, and the bigger picture. Your late teens were likely filled with plans for the future, exploring new ideas, and constantly looking for ways to improve. You may have been the one always talking about your next big trip, your dream career, or the philosophies that shaped your world view. How your mind works: You crave expansion and understanding. Learning is your path to freedom. Deep-diving into a topic you just discovered, researching potential career paths, or discussing ideas about travel, culture, and self-improvement with anyone who would listen. Your teenage years were wild, weren’t they? Which planet had your brain on lock? Reblog with your planetary dominant and let’s compare chaotic late-teen stories. 🌠

[ironladders]

"I circled half the globe searching for him, but he was gone."

Starscream ;_;

RIGHT?? IT'S SO SAD .

and i have sooo many thoughts about this whole situation with skyfire/starscream that's been presented to me, if you dont mind anon im gonna use your ask to ramble a little

(disclaimer im sure nothing i have to say here is particularly new & has been said by those who've been deep into TF longer than myself but i need to get this out my system anyways. and also im still watching through g1 so if im horribly mistaken about anything #oops)

unless i missed something, i don't think it's specified in "fire in the sky" how long starscream looked for skyfire?? but just thinking about that line.... he obviously didn't immediately go back to cybertron, he didn't just give up on skyfire. starscream cared about skyfire enough to look for him, only leaving after (i assume) he realized he didn't have the resources to conduct a proper search for his companion. and i mean can you imagine being starscream in that situation???? your partner just disappears into a storm, and no matter how far and long you look you're unable to find them????????

i get starscream, man. i'd also become awful if that happened to me.

and here's the thing: i stumbled upon this post which posits that the decepticons happening to stumble across skyfire in the ice was no incident, but starscream's own doing, and i LOVE this theory/headcanon so much. when i first watched the episode yesterday i was thinking that it was funny they just happen to be mining right where skyfire was frozen so it's nice to see my suspicions affirmed LMAO

i honestly love that episode so much because as i learn more about starscream and transformers as a whole i think little tidbits like that offer a deeper look into who he is (or was, idk) beyond just megatron's second-in-command. he was a scientist, an explorer, a friend. "was" isn't even the proper word here, because he still is all of those things, he just...... applies them differently, i suppose. which is the real tragedy in who he is as a character.

beyond starscream and his search for skyfire, you wanna know what i've REALLY been thinking about a lot with these two? when skyfire becomes a decepticon (for like a day lol but still), starscream immediately declares that when he overthrows megatron, skyfire will become his second-in-command. not any of the other seekers, not either of the waves, not literally anyone else who's been a decepticon for more than an hour, but skyfire. his long-lost science partner. on starscream's end, virtually nothing about his relationship with skyfire has changed. he still trusts him as much as he did millions of years ago, to the point he'd be willing to have him at his side as leader of the decepticons.

but on skyfire's end... the starscream in front of him is different from the one he knew. war and being a decepticon changed starscream for the worst, something that unveils itself very quickly to skyfire. one of the first things he asks starscream after becoming a decepticon is if starscream is genuinely happy about being a decepticon warrior over the scientist he used to be. skyfire can't believe that the person standing in front of him could be the starscream he once knew before being frozen. still, it's starscream, so skyfire ends up going along with things up until he can't ignore his morals and deny that he's on the wrong side anymore.

that is where the second tragedy happens for starscream: betrayl, by the man he'd waited to get back for so long. he finally got skyfire back, only to lose him all over again.

if skyfire had never crashed that day -- if they'd never gone closer to explore the earth in the first place -- would starscream had gone down such a dark path? would he have taken countless lives, and become the ruthless decepticon he is now? does it eat at skyfire, knowing that in his absence starscream lost who he once was? or perhaps he'd still be the same starscream, but skyfire would be at his side serving the decepticon cause. maybe they both would've been so drastically changed by the years of cybertron's war together.

skyfire is a living, formerly frozen relic of the past before everything went wrong. starscream has aged far beyond that, to the point of no return. as much as they surely both want it, and regardless of what happens to them, their bond can never go back to what it once was.

god i just. i need more!!! i need to watch more transformers and read more of the comics and see more of these two!! i watched tfp + some of the live action movies as a kid but this is my first time learning about skyfire and this thing he's got going on with starscream and it's fascinating to me i can't believe i didn't know about this before!!!!! but it's also so fucked up oh my god!!!!!

ok yeah ive gotten the brainworms out my system. idk how to end this here's screenshots i took that i found funny

[fuji-sen]

the 'evil imposter' just wants to be a baker!

Prologue: The Foodie turned Imposter?!

Part 4.5 special! : adventures of a pyro slime

[ part 4 ] || [ masterlist ] || [ part 5 ]

divider is made by @/saradika-graphics

The pyro slime stared at you worriedly, it wanted to comfort you but alas, even if you weren't in a body of water it must not. For even touching you would leave you with more pain. Perhaps it had been better if he was born from a different element.

Their eyes squint into something akin to a glare, if only those stupid humans didn't hurt you! or got to you first! they were fake non-believers! they didn't know a real prophecy from a fake one even if it burned them to crisp!

Focusing on the task at hand, the slime watched as something purple crackled from your skin, and its eyes widened, electro! that would be easy to cure. It jumped, but you did not notice as you slowly fell into a pit of hurt, wallowing in pity. Okay then, it jumped away and disappeared in search of a few items.

It's eyes lit up finding a purple crystal, or rather an electro crystal, So, since it had no arms or claymore, it did the first thing that popped into his mind. Crash into it, which worked after a couple of headbutts thanks to the elemental reaction 'overload' which was very neat!

Anyways, after acquiring the electro crystals and swallowing it for safe keeping (which left a weird tingling sensation in its mouth) it then went off to find some butterflies.

Finding one was easy as butterflies were not scared of a slime's presence, they were however quite flammable. The slime stared down at the numerous burnt and dead butterflies that littered the destroyed path. .

damn.

Hearing footsteps it went to its ignited state to appear menacing only to relax upon finding some hilichurls exploring the area. So without any fear, or young slime protagonist approached the hilichurls who stared at it curiously.

"olah, kucha celi beru si?" (hello, little fire what are you doing?)

The hilichurls stared at the pyro slime that spat out a few pieces of electro crystals and then stared at the many charred butterfly wings. "sama! sama!" (samachurl) The pyro slime tried to convey in its own slime voice, which sounded like a person trying to speak under water with a dry throat.

"dala?" (what?)

"creator! help! uhhh" the pyro slime tried to remember the hilichurlian language, its eyes brightening up at remembering a few important words.

"Tomo Unu!" (Help God!)

The hilichurls flinched, straightening up in a way the slime was reminded of those rigid knights. "Unu?!" (God)

"Yaya ika!" (Humans bad/Enemy!) the slime told them "Unu Mosi gusha*" (God sad).

The hilichurls then understood and from what they gathered, the slime needed the help of a sama so one of them left to return to their camp and soon enough an anemo samachurl had come. It crouched down, staring at the pieces of electro crystals and the burnt butterflies and deduced what the slime had needed.

An Insulation Potion.

OMAKE

"Upa!" The samachurl yelled and commanded pointing at the distant butterflies. And with a battle cry the hilichurls ran towards the flying insects and begun jumping high with their arms flailing in an attemt to catch them "Upa!"

One hilichurl fell face first on the hard ground and another laughed at it, his hands were closed as he had successfully caught a butterfly "Ye kucha!"

The hilichurl that had fallen had stood up and proceeded to kick the other one, due to the pain the other hilichurl clutched his knees and accidentally released the butterfly it caught.

". . nye. ."

*Mosi Gusha means "eat vegetables" but is also used as an expression of sadness. I wonder if Hilichurls don't like vegetables since they associate it with sadness or something negative.

taglist: @fantasyhopperhea @rhoswen-drake @cchiiwinkle

Also please comment what to name our little pyro slime buddy! They're gonna be one of our many best friends and companions in the story.

[notanactressyay]

— ༉‧₊˚. 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐞

— ₊⊹ 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 . Natasha Romanoff x reader

— ₊⊹ 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 . Natasha always patched herself up. she never even allowed anyone near when she's hurt. you, on the other hand, made her a bandage and even discovered a little more about who she was.

— ₊⊹ 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 . implied violence, bullet wounds, blood, bruises, talks of the red room, cursing, emotional moments, caring for baby Natasha.

— ₊⊹ 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 . finishing that a year later. yup, that's me. but that's just too special for me to drop it.

fic started: july, 08, 2023, 1:06pm. | finished: june, 23, 2024, 9:29pm.

dividers belong to: @saradika-graphics — ₊⊹

you're at home, reading a book as you usually did. the day was calm, tranquil, and it didn't seem like anything bad would happen. the sun rays came in from the gap between the curtains and shone right onto your face.

little did you know what was going on out there. the avengers were looking for the Winter Soldier, and well, the search wasn't going really good. cars crashing, civilians injured. and the target out there, no signs of him.

your best friend, the Black Wid— Natasha, had been as reckless as she always was, and attempting to protect a citizen, she took a bullet on the shoulder. and instead of getting immediate medical attention, she used her bleeding arm to fire a shotgun and throw a few more punches here and there.

Steve wanted to get her to a SHIELD facility, but she knew their usual procedure — they'd have her arm cut open to remove the bullet, stitch her up, and keep her in observation. she didn't want any of that. too much physical contact for her liking.

so she thought of the only smart way she could make this play. she couldn't simply go to her house with a criminal running around, in the middle of a mission. and her team would go looking for her there. not a smart choice. so she went to you.

not that she wanted to be taken care of. not that she needed to be taken care of, due the intense amount of pain going through her system. she'd just go to your house to hide, yeah.

the knocks on your door sounded heavy and urgent. you placed the book down, walking to the entrance and looking through the peephole — finding yourself in front of a bleeding, broken Natasha Romanoff. the door almost flies open, and she doesn't give you time to ask questions, stumbling inside and kicking the door shut.

"shh, keep your voice down." the redhead whispers weakly. regardless of the pain, she tries to be sarcastic. "don't be too loud or they might find me."

"your arm!" you whisper-yell, ignoring everything she had said. you ran to grab a cloth, pressing it against the wound. Natasha hissed loudly. just then you realized it was a bullet. "holy shit, i'm so sorry."

"i'm good." she weakly reassures, grabbing the cloth from your hand, taking a step back. she applied pressure to stop the bleeding — but she was barely standing. "just a tiny scratch,"

"shut it." you shake your head and carefully lead her to the nearest couch, helping her to sit down. by now, you'd have already called an ambo. but like she said, she was being chased. "spit it out, c'mon."

"mission went wrong." she sighs, allowing her eyes to close for a moment, then opening them again. when she feels you sitting down next to her, she instinctively scoots over, as if to create some distance. "the most of it is classified. but it went wrong. that's all i can tell you,"

"alright, Natasha. but you got to go and see a doctor." you chuckle humorlessly, pointing out the obvious.

the redhead was sweating, expression showing clear pain. even if the bleeding on her shoulder had stopped, she was still weak. it didn't matter she was trained for that. she was still a person.

"i can handle it." she tries to smile, but feels the uneasiness again. her eyes feel heavy, and she wants to close them. but she knew that meant passing out, going to the hospital. "just get me a first aid kit and i'll be okay."

"god, you're stubborn." you murmur. you'd probably give her a speech, but not now. "hang in there, i'll be right back."

you quickly went to the bathroom and grabbed the first aid kit from the cabinet, placing it on the living room's coffee table. you also grabbed a water bottle and a bag of cookies you had, in case she wanted to eat later.

you just didn't expect her to push you back when you reached out to touch her arm.

"just give it to me," she extends her hand towards the kit box, coaxing a small, incredulous laugh out of you.

"you expect me to let you do it yourself? in that state?" you ask, genuinely concerned now. you sit down by her side once again, slowly. she gulps.

Natasha was your elusive superhero friend, so you never really had that much of physical contact before. you didn't know about her past, either. you didn't know her fear of people touching her. her fear of being vulnerable. because back then, she wasn't allowed to be vulnerable.

widows never failed. widows never got sick. if a widow had an injury, that meant victory. she'd have to heal herself and focus back on the mission. so simply putting, Natasha didn't know what it was to allow someone to care for her.

but now... she was almost passing out. really. she also knew damn well you had no intentions of hurting her, nor reasons to do so. or else, she'd have distanced herself a long time ago. so she sighs in defeat.

"... just make it quick, okay?" she shifts, allowing you in her personal space.

you sigh as well in relief, opening the first-aid kit box and grabbing a wipe, putting some hydrogen peroxide on it. the blood under the cloth had long dried. you carefully unwrapped it from her arm, setting it aside. you examined the wound closely. the bullet went through, it was good, somehow. you wouldn't have to magically learn how to make a surgery.

Natasha's eyes followed your hand, as it wiped away the blood covering her arm. she was so tense at the beginning. but time went by, and her brain slowly registered the fact she didn't have a reason to be tense. her shoulders visibly eased up.

"the bullet's not here," you whisper, throwing the dirty wipes away and grabbing the ointment, the antiseptic, and the bandages. "i'll patch you up for now, but Nat, you seriously need some stitches."

she's relieved. the pain is still strong, but she's relieved, with you. only if you knew how bad she was trying not to cry right now. her voice quivers, as she points to something inside the box. "i-is that aspirin?"

you frown, stopping the movements. "it is. do you want some?"

"mhm." the russian hums, unable to stop the little tear from rolling down her cheek. with your help, she takes a couple of pills and swallows it with the water you grabbed earlier. "thank you,"

"you're welcome." you murmur back, softly smiling at the sight of Natasha's tender side starting to show up. you continue, applying the ointment on her skin and carefully spreading it.

"i never had this before," Natasha says, almost inaudibly. her head lowers itself to your shoulder, surprising you. "did you know that? because back then, getting hurt was a good thing. they made us believe that, i mean."

you listen to her soft rambling, humming to let her know you heard. you finish wrapping the bandages around her arm and shoulder, and put some band-aids to keep it secure. in response to her leaning against you, you carefully, gently wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

"i'm glad you know that's not true anymore." you comment, and she nods. her lips quiver more. my, she looks so.. broken. and you'd do anything to fix her. at least try. "you can cry, Nat. let your pain out."

she sniffles, her one good arm circling you as she weakly buried her face on your shoulder, allowing the tears to flow freely. her body trembles, so you hold her closer, tighter. your body heat comforts her.

after a while, she certainly doesn't want to talk. her sobs quiet down, and she tries to cuddle up against you. " 'm tired, wanna sleep."

"i know." you say, pressing the back of your hand against her forehead. she surely had a fever. but the aspirin she took before would help, in a few hours. "you can take your rest now."

Natasha whimpers quietly — which was supposed to be a yawn — and allow her eyelids to finally shut. she clings to you tightly, as if genuinely scared you would disappear if she let you go. but you never would.

not after seeing such a thing. she did something major today. and you treasured it with your whole heart. you pressed a kiss on the top of her head and held her — having no idea if the SHIELD spies would come after you. nah, probably not. Natasha knew what she was doing.

[justmymindandstuff]

Jacaerys Velaryon:

Love doomed to fail (Jacaerys Velaryon x TargtowerReader) summary: The divide between the blacks and the greens is deep. A final attempt to overcome the hostilities is the betrothal between Rhaenyra´s eldest son Jacaerys and Alicent's younger daughter. A constellation that is cursed from the start. Especially if your heart belongs to someone else. Or maybe not?

Trust conquers fate [What if to Love doomed to fail] (Jacaerys Velaryon x TargtowerReader)

Cregan Stark:

his choice (Cregan Stark x WifeReader) summary: Cregan and you have lost your child. A miscarriage after only a few moons in your pregnancy. While you sink into your grief, Cregan has to deal with his Lords. Until they make a suggestion that drives Cregan to the brink.

color of the wolf (Cregan Stark x WifeReader) summary: It's the Harvest Festival in Winterfell. And Cregan is looking forward to an evening with his wife by his side. But your attention is constantly needed elsewhere. At some point he's had enough and takes matters into his own hands.

Sunrays and Snowflakes (Cregan Stark x MartellReader) summary: Jacaerys comes to Winterfell to secure the North for Queen Rhaenyra. He is greeted warmly and friendly. But Cregan doesn't like how friendly Jace is with his wife. But what can he say? You are a princess and he is a prince. Maybe this is the match you deserve.

Shadows of the past (Cregan Stark x TargaryenReader) summary: Cregan Stark, Lord of Winterfell, is forced to remarry after the death of his first wife and childhood sweetheart. His new bride is the eldest daughter of Daemon Targaryen and Rhea Royce. Cregan fears the worst. But his wife is sweet, gentle, beautiful, kind. Everything he could wish for. He starts thinking you are slowly building a life together in the north, however he realizes that it is not as idyllic for you as he thought.

crushing worry (Cregan Stark x TargaryenReader) summary: You are happy and in love with your husband Cregan Stark. The birth of your first child is imminent. But something changes in Cregan and suddenly you feel overwhelmed by his protectiveness. Your husband seems to have forgotten that you are a dragon princess, you are not made out of glass.

Aegon II Targaryen:

Dragons and Roses (Aegon II Targaryen x Y/N Tyrell) series masterlist summary: You are Helaena's childhood friend, your job at court is it to entertain the princess and be a friend to her. But often you crash together with her careless husband-brother Aegon, who gets on your nerves terribly. You try to be his friend but quickly realize that it's not just friendship that connects you two. You struggle with your father's expectations and goals, the rumors at court, and your own confusing feelings for a married man. Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3, Part 4

Dawn and Dusk (Aegon II Targaryen x Sister (Reader)) - smut/ 18+ summary: Aegon was crowned king. He has stolen the throne from your half sister and war is at your doorstep. But you don't care about any of that the second his hands wrap around your hips. For far too long you have to miss your brothers touches because his kingly duties cost all his time. This night you give into your desires.

Helaegon:

Bounded by... (Helaena Targaryen x Aegon II Targaryen) Bounded by fire and pain (Helaegon// Green siblings) summary: In the night Aemond finally gets his dragon, he also loses an eye. Aegon can hardly bear the guilt and hatred. He can't stand the sight of himself. Strangely, the person who helps him the most is the last person he expected it from. His sister and future wife, Helaena. And somehow Aegon manages to find his place again. Bounded by fire and love (Helaegon) - smut/dark/18+ Summary: Aegon has tried to be a good brother. He knows he hasn't always been successful. Now the day he had feared has come, his wedding day. He must marry his sister and do his duty. Now he will drag her into his dark abyss with him. But Helaena surprises him with her desire and he manages to find comfort in her arms.

Helaena Targaryen:

My Mothers Rage (Helaena Targaryen) Summary: Helaena doesn´t talk much, but she sees everything. She sees how her father mistreats her mother. Heleana sees her mother slowly withering away and burning up in her anger. Her mother can't do anything, but Heleana sees and she doesn't forget.

Aemond Targaryen:

melting Ice (Aemond Targaryen x Reader) Summary: You are about to marry Aemond Targaryen. Your arrival at the Reed Keep is greeted with coldness and you have a hard time settling in and coming to terms with marrying into this strange family. But after a restless evening you can't take it anymore and go to talk to Aemond. This evening brings you and your betrothed a little closer as he lets you see behind his facade.

She was sunshine I was midnight rain (Aemond Targaryen x WifeReader) Summary: Aemond is Prince Regent. Finally he got everything he wanted. But was the way there the right one? Aegon was in his way and he had to go. Now Aemond and you can start to build the realm after you imagination. You and him can finally rule together. It doesn't occur to him that you don't want that at all.

Learn to Love you (Aemond Targaryen x WifeReader) summary: Aemond tries to understand his new wife, but you are too much like his sister. He can't get through to you. One evening he tries it with direct confrontation and is rewarded with a glimpse of you and hope for the future. After this evening his wife is not a complete stranger anymore.

sweetest flame (Aemond Targaryen x Reader) summary: Alicent invites to a gathering in the Red Keep. Aemond usually hates these kinds of distractions, but today is different. He knows you will be there. Now he just needs enough courage to talk to you.

Alicent Hightower:

everything he demands (Alicent Hightower) summary: Viserys demanded everything from her. He made her his queen and Alicent paid a high price for the crown. But now he wants to take her youngest son Daeron away. Alicent has to change his mind

Main-Masterlist

[hainethehero]

POC can forgive Tommy. That's a valid opinion, and it's not my place to inform them of their feelings on racism.

However, both Hen & Chim never imply forgiving Tommy after Tommy decides to treat them like they are humans (Chim specifically mentions still being isolated because of his race years after he started). They treat him kindly because they are kind people, even before he acknowledges them. Nor does Tommy ever apologise for some of his behaviour. Hen even goes as far as to state that she is not friends with people who had left the 118.

As a woman in a historically male industry, I've heard women get negative descriptions/comments for things men are praised for and had their opinions/requests ignored only for a man to bring up the same thing and it be heard. Tommy's brand of misogyny is still around. Based on his comments/tone in 7x03, I'm hard pressed to believe he's changed in that aspect.

A lot of people tolerate people who hurt them because it makes situations easier. (Not any less painful)

Y'all really need a crash course in contextualising/comprehension/media/plot literacy.

AGAIN-

Tommy's character was never intended as a mainstay. So all the redemption/reconciliation that happened, was only able to be shown in a small montage. The show isn't going to allocate a lot of time or a full episode for a redemption arc for a character that was not meant to be permanent.

The montage however, did show that Tommy Hen and Chim all reconciled. IT IS IMPLIED. That's why in later episodes, Chimney could still call on him to put out the house fire that nearly killed Eddie. And that's why he could still be trusted to be contacted when they needed to rescue Bobby and Athena.

Because Tommy's character didn't have the luxury of a full episode to redeem himself, the audience is expected to contextualize their reconciliation. We didn't see Tommy actually apologize, but we do see him and Hen and Chimney embracing each other after having a farewell party for him. That shit wouldn't happen if Hen did not like him/reconcile with him. Therefore IT IS IMPLIED.

We're not even sure if he'll be a mainstay in season 8. Or of he'll just be a peripheral character like before. The point is, his character won't be fully fleshed out until they decide if they're giving him a full arc as a main.

So y'all are crucifying his character before it even gets a chance to flourish because he's getting in the way of your preferred ship. It would be so much better if y'all can just admit that instead of virtue signaling & using racism as a means to justify your horrible behaviour towards not only Lou (who's just doing his job & now have to deal with delusional fanatics who send him death threats & make up lies about him as a person when they don't know him at all), but also fans of the show who like the BuckTommy ship.

Additionally, y'all have taken to socmed and have made the entire show about this, being absolutely INSUFFERABLE in all of the cast's comment sections whenever they post anything remotely related to buddie or Tommy. It's why Oliver deleted X, and it's why Ryan has a hard time being on socmed, why Aisha has her comments limited & why Tim Minear had to make a post about y'all sending him death threats after he didn't include the karaoke scene. It's insane behaviour.

It's also not lost on me, that y'all typically do this to female characters who get in the way of your preferred ship.

[simpjackie]

Hiii, do you have any headcanons of dating shauna in the wilderness or dating shauna if the plane crash never happened and reader met shauna at college?? thank youuuu

Thank you for the ask anon! I hope you enjoy it! Sorry for some mistakes English isn't my first language :D

Warning: the usual stuff that happend in the yellowjackets wilderness. Dating Shauna in the wilderness:

♡Before the plane crash, you and Shauna weren't exactly friends, playmates at best, but you were brought together by shared classes and soccer practices. You only know her as Jackie's everlasting shadow or some lost puppy always following her. However, after the crash, Shauna's nature shines. She's resourceful, always coming up with small solutions to make life a little easier.

♡It started with practical things: working together to gather firewood and sharing small tasks around the cabin. Over time, it evolved into something deeper, a mutual understanding that didn't require words.

♡The turning point in your relationship came one night when you were sitting alone by the fire; she came to you, her face pale, her hands trembling. She admitted that she thought she might be pregnant, and you were surprised (surprisingly). The reality of it, paired with the circumstances of the winter coming, was just so overwhelming. But you promised her and yourself that she wouldn't go through it alone. From that moment, you're at her side – giving her some of your portions, helping her skin animals or shielding her from unnecessary stress when the others argue over food.

♡Your relationship unfolded like a secret meant only for the two of you. She became your refuge, and you became hers. You started noticing all the small things she did for you, like saving a piece of meat or patching up a tear in your university jacket when you weren't paying attention.

♡When Jackie died, it was a turning point for both of you. Shaunas withdraws, haunted by guilt and the loss of her best friend. While the others start whispering behind her back about her talking with the corpse, you are trying to help her, like sometimes coming with her to the shed, sitting in the cold beside her, listening as she talks about Jackie, about the good, bad and complicated stuff. She even told you why she slept with Jeff. To feel seen, not to be just Jackie's shadow.

♡After you burned the body (and ehm other stuff :d), Shauna comes to you a few days later, handing you Jackie's gold necklace with trembling hands. "I don't know why I kept this," she admits. You don't push her for answers; instead, you hold her close to your chest.

♡Nights with Shauna become sacred. She leans into you, her voice soft as she talks about memories of home—her mom's house, her favorite books, the sound of thunder outside her bedroom window. It is her way of holding onto pieces of herself, and you listen like each word is a gift.

♡You became her safe space. The person who sees her not as the strong one or the girl who keeps it together but as someone who needs care and love just as much as anyone else. And despite everything going on, you hold onto the hope that one day, you'll make it out of the wilderness together.

♡In the wilderness, love wasn't grand gestures or declarations. It was survival, shared silences, and the unspoken promise that you'd do whatever it took to protect each other. With Shauna, it felt like enough.

♡I really think although she seems like the tough guy, whenever she's around you, she becomes a huge softie (I mean at least when its only the two of you). She cannot resist you in anything. If you ask for it, she will try her hardest to obtain it for you.

♡She is super duper protective of you and will literally fight anyone at the cabin if they even look at you badly :D.

♡Shauna probably always asks for your opinion when it comes to her ration, whether the shirt looks good on her or whether it would be weird if she wore some of Jackie's clothes… She keeps asking you so she can hear you praising her.

♡You even once talked about names for the babies. It was late at night, and everyone around you was sound asleep. But to your delight, the next day, Shauna did as it never happened because she despises the unborn child in some way.

♡You fought about it that day. Shauna told you that she would be sleeping with Tai in the attic, but you gave her your best puppy eyes and said, "But I can only fall asleep next to you." Shauna's eyes immediately softened. You even heard Van in the background yelling, "Whipped!"

♡Even when she's not big on PDA and will smack you lightly if you try to do something before the girls, coach and Travis, but in the middle of the night, she loves giving your forehead kisses even when she denies it.

Dating Shauna at the college:

♡You first met in an early morning history lecture in your second year. Shauna always sat at the same spot near the back corner, tucked away like she didn't want to be noticed, her head buried in her laptop as she took notes from the lecture. You see her occasionally glancing up, her brows furrowing as she dissected the professor's lectures. Shauna never raised her hand or participated if she wasn't called on, but when she spoke, oh god, you develop a crush just from that; her insights were sharp and thoughtful, and she was really smart.

♡The two of you officially crossed paths when the professor paired you for a final project. Shauna was organized and a little bit of a perfectionist, the kind of partner everyone wanted but never appreciated. You and Shauna spent hours and hours together, changing only the surroundings of the library or the study room. You were surprised by her dry sense of humour and her little habit of doodling in the corners of her paper when she thought you weren't looking.

♡It didn't actually take long for these study sessions to turn into something more casual. One rainy evening, as you both worked late on the project, you asked Shauna if she wanted to grab dinner with you, and to your surprise, when she agreed, you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding. Over the greasy burgers and strawberry milkshakes, you found yourselves talking about everything: her childhood, her love for writing and how she still played soccer for the college soccer team (more to it later). She even told you she hated soccer in high school and that she joined just because of her best friend, Jackie.  And you weren't eating up all of this information.

♡Shauna was hesitant to open up at first, but you didn't care or mind, finding her small quirks endearing. For example, she had these small habits of twisting her necklace when she was nervous and always carried a book in her bag, "just in case." You started to notice weeks into your project that she started bringing you coffee when you looked tired, or you found her little sticky notes in your notebook with words of encouragement.

♡Shauna fell first for you, thought she would never admit it. You caught her stealing glances at you during study sessions, her cheeks flushing pink when your eyes met. She was subtle at first, lingering near your dorm after she walked you to it, her excuses of needing to know you're safe, even when you were capable of defending yourself.

♡You were the one who asked Shauna on an official first date. It was probably in February, and the two of you were walking from your study session. She was rambling about a new book she had read when you interrupted, blurting out, "Do you want to grab dinner with me? Like... a date?" Shauna's eyes widened in surprise, but then she smiled, a shy small smile that made your heart skip a beat, and nodded.

♡I think Shana is not an overall jealous person, overprotective? YES, but she still has her moments of jealousy. If someone flirts with you at a party, she doesn't make a scene (like Jackie would :D), but you notice her moving closely to you with her hand subtly resting on your back. Her tone growing slightly edgier when she addresses the person. Later that night, in the safe of your dorm, she'll admit it with a sheepish grin, saying, "I didn't mean to be territorial, but I couldn't help it."

♡Even in college, Shauna still plays soccer, dragging you to every one of her games. Watching her play, you can't help but admire Shauna's determination and grace on the field. And after every match, she'll come over, sweaty and grinning after another win, and ask, "Did I look cool out there, or was I a mess?"

♡Dating Shauna in college is a blend of unexpected adventures and quiet intimacy between you. She is still not for grand gestures but will show you her love with small gestures like bringing you coffee, snacks or tickets for a film she knows you'll love. Although she's still figuring herself out, after being so long just in Jackie's shadow, Shauna's presence makes you feel safe. In her, you can find a partner who is loyal and always willing to meet you halfway (sometimes not without a fight).

[puppyscatorccio]

Post rescue Shauna, who needs loving and comfort. Poor thing, she's all skittish and jumpy too :(

✨️

mdni. no nsfw, just fluff, but i don't feel comfortable either way.

it had been so long since the yellowjackets crashed that you were certain that they were dead, that they'd never fine the plane wreck and their bodies. but when you get that call and they tell you that shauna wants to see you, you're dropping everything and going to see her.

she's like a completely different person when you see her in that hospital bed. she's pale, her hair falling in clumps, so weak and so tired. you try to be careful when you hug her (doctor's orders), but it's impossible not to. she sobs on your shoulder, holding you tight like she can't believe that you're here, that you're really here to see her.

the doctors insist that she stays for a few days, so you visit her every single day. you stay until the nurses have to tell you that visiting hours are over and even then you try to convince them to let you stay a little longer. it never works, but you try nonetheless.

when she's finally allowed to go home, you go with her mom to pick her up. you're there the whole time, holding her hand and keeping her close. ms. shipman didn't mind that you kept coming over all the time, because shauna seemed to want your company just as much.

that first night you sleep over at hers, she spends most of it just crying in your arms. you don't try to get her to speak of what happened, you just let her sob and cling to you as tightly as she wants to. you're so warm, so sweet, all the things she had missed during those harsh winters and lonely springs.

the most you get out of her is a "jackie's dead, she died, she's gone", "i lost my baby," but not much other than that. it might be better that way; you're scared that your suspicions might be true. you can't imagine how difficult it was, being stranded in the middle of nowhere and losing your best friend and your baby. you wish you could just squeeze all the pain and trauma from shauna and take it to yourself.

by this point, you're pretty much living in her house. whenever you're free from class/work, you're going over there, sleeping over, just spending time with shauna. you always catch her writing something in her diary, but you don't dare ask what it is. you know that she'll probably lash out and tell you that it's none of your business.

it's hard to get her to eat much. you try to take her to her favorite places, to that diner down the street you always went to together, to her favorite restaurant, but nothing seems to work. she'll eat a few bites and claim that she's satisfied. for the first few months, you couldn't even get her to eat any meat.

she's sad, yes, but so angry too. you can see it in her eyes, how that fire threatens to consume her every moment. you've always known that shauna had a bit of a short temper, but now, it was so much worse. you had to walk in eggshells around her on particularly rough days, but it's not like you could blame her.

in a few rare moments, she's soft. it happens once in a blue moon, but you see that anger fade away for a while and she lets herself be vulnerable, even if it only lasts a few minutes. you're there every step of the way, trying your best to help her recover from all this and she couldn't be more thankful, even if she struggles to show it.

[atlasthegreatest]

Strategic Minds and Wild Hearts / Annabeth Chase x Gender Neutral! Reader

Percy embarks on a quest with Annabeth and Y/and he can only watch in amusement as their different personalities crash together.

Word count: 3035

A/n: This was requested by an anon. I hope you enjoy it! The gender wasn't specific so, gender neutral it is. The godly parent is up to you, too.

The early morning sunlight filtered through the trees, casting soft shadows on the ground. Percy had just finished stuffing his backpack with supplies for the journey ahead. He glanced at Annabeth, who was busy going over the map, lips pressed into a focused line. Beside her sat Y/n, casually lounging against a rock, their eyes lazily scanning the horizon as if they were more concerned with the birds in the sky than the impending quest.

Y/n was the exact opposite of Annabeth in almost every way imaginable. Whereas Annabeth was precise and organized, Y/n thrived in spontaneity. Their tousled hair often looked like they’d just rolled out of bed—probably because they had—while Annabeth’s blond curls were meticulously tied back, ready for battle. Annabeth carried a thousand plans in her head, while Y/n often made up their plan as they went along if they even bothered with one at all. And yet, they were best friends, bound by something deeper than shared interests.

“You’re staring again,” Y/n’s voice cut through Percy’s thoughts as they playfully nudged Annabeth. “What are you trying to figure out now? How to make this map into a ship and sail it down the river?”

Annabeth rolled her eyes, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. “I’m trying to figure out the best route to avoid getting killed, Y/n. You should try it sometime.”

Y/n yawned and stretched their arms above their head. “Nah, I leave the avoiding-death part to you. I handle the fun stuff, like making sure we don’t starve or die of boredom.”

Percy couldn’t help but smirk at the exchange. Watching them interact was like watching a fire and ice dance—different but somehow complementary. They worked in a way that shouldn’t have made sense but did, blending Annabeth’s strategic brilliance with Y/n’s laid-back adaptability.

“Alright, you two,” Percy said, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. “We’ve got a long way to go. Annabeth, are we good to go?”

Annabeth nodded, folding the map with care. “Yeah. I’ve got the route planned out. It’s not the safest, but it’s the quickest. We’ll cut through the forest and reach the river by nightfall.”

“Sounds perfect,” Y/n said as they stood up and gave a dramatic salute. “Lead the way, Captain Wise Girl.”

Annabeth shot them a look but didn’t argue. The three of them set off into the woods, the sounds of birds and rustling leaves filling the air. As they walked, Y/n kept up a steady stream of chatter, commenting on everything from the shape of the clouds to the weird way the trees were bent in one area. Annabeth mostly kept silent, occasionally offering a sarcastic retort when Y/n’s commentary got particularly absurd.

At one point, they reached a narrow ravine with a rope bridge spanning across it. The bridge looked old, with rotting planks and frayed ropes swaying gently in the breeze.

Annabeth eyed it warily. “This isn’t on the map. I didn’t plan for this.”

Y/n grinned and clapped Annabeth on the shoulder. “Well, that’s the beauty of life, my friend. You can’t plan for everything. Sometimes, you just have to wing it.”

Annabeth frowned, her brows knitting together in frustration. “This could be dangerous. We need to think this through.”

But before Annabeth could protest further, Y/n was already halfway across the bridge, balancing on one foot for a moment like she was walking a tightrope at the circus.

“Y/n!” Annabeth yelled, her voice tight with irritation and concern. “You’re going to get yourself killed!”

“Nah, this thing’s sturdy enough. Probably.” Y/n wobbled a bit but made it to the other side, turning to face them with a wide grin. “See? Easy peasy.”

Annabeth groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I swear, one day you’re going to get yourself into real trouble, and I won’t be able to save you.”

“That’s why I keep you around, Annie,” Y/n called back with a wink.

Despite her exasperation, Annabeth shook her head with a fond smile. She turned to Percy, muttering, “She’s going to be the death of me.”

Percy chuckled. “Yeah, but you’d miss her too much.”

Annabeth’s smile softened. “Yeah… yeah, I would.”

As the day wore on, the dynamic between Annabeth and Y/n became even more apparent to Percy. Annabeth was all about tactics and careful consideration, while Y/n had an instinct for seizing the moment. When a group of monsters ambushed them in the forest, Annabeth formulated a plan in seconds, coordinating their movements and giving clear orders. But it was Y/n who noticed the weak spot in one of the creatures and went in for the surprise attack, turning the tide in their favor.

Later, as they made camp for the night, Percy found himself watching the two of them again. Annabeth was busy building a perfect fire, arranging the logs just so, while Y/n leaned back against a tree, staring up at the stars.

“You two are something,” Percy said, shaking his head with a grin.

Annabeth looked up from the fire and gave him a curious glance. “What do you mean?”

“Just… how different you are. And yet, it works. You’re like opposites, but somehow you balance each other out.”

Y/n snorted. “Yeah, that’s because Annabeth’s got enough brains for the both of us, and I’ve got enough chaos to keep her on her toes.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes again, but this time, she laughed. “Maybe. But I think I’d go crazy without you around to remind me not to take everything so seriously.”

Y/n winked. “See? That’s what best friends are for.”

And as the fire crackled in the quiet of the night, the two of them sat side by side—opposites in every way, but closer than anyone could imagine.

———————

The firelight flickered between the shadows of the forest, casting a warm glow over the campsite. Percy sat across from Annabeth and Y/n, watching their dynamic play out like a puzzle coming together in real-time. It was fascinating—no matter how different they seemed, they moved in sync in ways that defied logic.

Annabeth leaned over to her pack and started sorting through a neatly organized stack of supplies, double-checking everything for the next leg of the quest. “We should leave at first light. The closer we get to the river, the more we’ll be in monster territory. We can’t afford to lose time.”

Y/n, lying on their back and staring up at the stars, waved a hand dismissively. “Pfft, we’ll be fine. We could take an extra hour of sleep, easy. Plus, I found some wild berries earlier. They’ll give us an energy boost, and we won’t even need breakfast. Multitasking, you know?”

Annabeth shot them a look. “You can’t just wander around eating random berries, Y/n. They could be poisonous.”

Y/n grinned and raised their eyebrows mischievously. “Live a little, Annabeth. The worst thing that happens is we find out whether or not I’m immune to poison. Best case? They taste amazing.”

Annabeth let out a groan but couldn’t hide the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips. “You are impossible.”

Percy chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. “It’s kind of like watching a comedy show,” he said. “You two could do this all day.”

Annabeth leaned back, her brow furrowed in thought. “Honestly, sometimes I wonder how we’ve stayed best friends for this long. You’d think Y/n’s recklessness would drive me crazy.”

Y/n snorted. “Oh, it does. I can see it in your eyes every time I do something fun.”

Annabeth threw them a look that was equal parts fond and exasperated. “Fun isn’t what I’d call it. I call it unnecessary risks. But…”

“But you love it,” Y/n finished, sitting up and brushing leaves off their jacket. “C’mon, admit it, Annie. You need me around. If you didn’t have me to shake things up, you’d spend all your time plotting out every second of your life. Where’s the fun in that?”

Annabeth crossed her arms, but the smile she tried to hide gave her away. “I don’t need chaos in my life. I just—”

“Balance,” Percy interrupted, causing both to look at him. “That’s what it is, right? You two balance each other out. Annabeth, you keep us alive with your planning and strategy, but Y/n makes sure we don’t lose sight of why we’re doing all of this. You can’t have one without the other.”

Y/n grinned and leaned back against their tree, arms behind their head. “See? Even Percy gets it.”

Annabeth sighed, but this time, it was a sound of acceptance rather than frustration. “Fine. I’ll admit that sometimes—emphasis on sometimes—your approach works.”

Y/n pumped a fist in the air. “Victory!”

Percy laughed, shaking his head at the pair of them. “I gotta ask though, how did you two even become friends in the first place? I mean, you’re so… different.”

Annabeth smiled softly at the question, the kind of smile that held memories deeper than words could explain. “It was at camp. I was… well, I was pretty intense back then, even more than I am now. I didn’t have a lot of friends. I spent most of my time studying battle tactics, reading ancient texts—”

“Shocker,” Y/n teased, but they nudged Annabeth’s arm affectionately. “The brainiac loner. Yeah, I remember.”

Annabeth glanced at her and nodded. “Yeah, and Y/n, well, they were different. They’d show up late to activities, always doing their own thing. But one day, we were on this Capture the Flag mission. I’d planned everything down to the last detail, but when we got ambushed, the plan fell apart. I didn’t know what to do.”

Y/n cut in, grinning. “So, obviously, I swooped in and saved the day.”

Annabeth laughed, shaking her head. “Not quite. You didn’t save the day, but you did something I couldn’t: you improvised. You took a completely insane, reckless path that somehow worked. It shouldn’t have worked, but it did. And that’s when I realized—”

“—That you needed me around,” Y/n finished for her, their grin widening. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

Annabeth gave them a sideways glance. “It wasn’t just that. I realized that not everything has to go according to plan. Sometimes, the unexpected can be… helpful.”

“And that’s why I keep her around,” Y/n said, puffing out their chest in mock pride. “To remind her that life is full of surprises, and you have to roll with them.”

The fire crackled as the conversation lulled, the weight of the upcoming quest settling back in. Percy tossed a few more sticks onto the flames, watching them spark and burn.

“You know,” Annabeth said softly after a long pause, “I don’t think I could do this without you, Y/n. You drive me crazy sometimes, but you remind me that there’s more to life than just the mission.”

Y/n gave her a lopsided smile. “And you keep me from running headfirst into danger without thinking. We make a good team.”

Percy couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration for both of them. They were so different, yet their friendship worked in ways that defied logic. They trusted each other completely—Annabeth’s calculating mind was balanced perfectly by Y/n’s instinctual courage. In a way, they made him think of his own friendship with Grover, though their bond had its own unique flavor.

As the night deepened and the stars twinkled above, the three of them settled into a comfortable silence. Tomorrow would bring more dangers and more challenges. But tonight, they had each other. And in the unpredictable chaos of quests and gods and monsters, that was enough.

————————

In the morning, Percy woke to find Y/n already standing at the edge of the campsite, hands on their hips, surveying the world as if they owned it.

“Annabeth’s still sleeping?” Percy asked as he walked over.

Y/n grinned. “Yeah, she actually took my advice and let herself sleep in for once. Miracles happen, Percy.”

He chuckled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “You’re good for her, you know.”

Y/n’s smile softened as they gazed back at the campsite, where Annabeth lay curled up by the fire, a rare moment of peace on her face. “Yeah,” they said quietly. “And she’s good for me too.”

And as the first rays of dawn broke through the trees, they both knew that no matter what lay ahead on this quest, they had the strength of each other to get through it. Balance, chaos, and order—side by side.

Bonus chapter

The stars shone brightly above Camp Half-Blood, the quiet hum of crickets filling the summer air. The quest was over—at least for now—and the trio had returned with their usual mix of triumph and exhaustion. Tonight, however, was different. The tension and stress of the last few days had melted away, leaving behind a feeling of celebration and calm. No impending doom or monsters were lurking in the shadows, just a rare moment of peace.

Percy sat near the campfire, poking at the embers as he watched the flames dance. Annabeth sat beside him, scribbling something in her notebook, her brow furrowed in concentration. Y/n, as usual, was sprawled out on the ground, head propped on a backpack, staring up at the stars with their usual air of careless ease.

“Do they ever run out of energy?” Percy whispered to Annabeth, nodding toward Y/n, who was absentmindedly twirling a dagger in one hand.

“Never,” Annabeth replied with a soft laugh. “You should’ve seen them after we got back. I thought for sure they’d crash, but here they are. They’re like a never-ending battery.”

“Hey!” Y/n called out, not bothering to lift their gaze from the sky. “I can hear you, you know. And I resent the implication that I never relax.”

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. “You’re literally always moving. Even now, you’re doing something.”

Y/n grinned, flipping the dagger in the air and catching it with expert precision. “I relax in my own way. Plus, the night’s too pretty to waste sleeping.”

Percy leaned back and took a deep breath, feeling the tension in his shoulders start to fade. “ They’re not wrong. It’s kind of perfect out here.”

Annabeth finally closed her notebook and set it aside, leaning into Percy’s side as she glanced up at the stars. “Yeah, it is.”

The three of them sat in comfortable silence for a while, the fire crackling softly in the background. It felt almost surreal—having nothing urgent to plan for, nothing to fight, nothing to solve. Just three friends under the stars.

Y/n broke the silence first. “You know what this night needs?”

Percy raised an eyebrow. “I’m afraid to ask.”

“A little adventure,” they declared, springing to their feet with the kind of energy that only Y/n could summon after a grueling quest. “We’ve got the whole camp to ourselves. No monsters, no quests. Just a little fun. We can sneak into the Hermes cabin and prank the pranksters. They’ll never see it coming.”

Annabeth groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Y/n, can we go one night without causing chaos?”

Y/n feigned a look of shock. “Me? Chaos? I’m offended. Besides, this isn’t chaos—it’s payback. Remember that time they put spiders in your bed?”

Annabeth shuddered, and Percy gave a sympathetic chuckle. “That was kind of messed up.”

Y/n nodded, crossing their arms in triumph. “Exactly. This is justice, not chaos.”

Annabeth shot Y/n a long-suffering look but eventually stood up, brushing off her jeans. “Alright, fine. But we do this my way.”

Y/n grinned, bouncing on her heels. “Oh, this is going to be epic.”

They set off into the night, a mixture of excitement and mischief in the air. Annabeth, of course, took charge, laying out a detailed plan of how they would sneak into the Hermes cabin, avoid detection, and plant a harmless but hilarious prank—switching the labels on all the drawers and closets in the cabin, so no one would be able to find anything for days. Percy and Y/n followed her lead, though Y/n added her own creative twists, suggesting they also sneak in a few fake snakes for added confusion.

The operation went off without a hitch. Annabeth’s precise planning and Y/n’s flair for the dramatic worked together flawlessly. Within the hour, they had successfully rearranged the entire cabin without waking a single camper.

As they snuck back to their campfire, stifling laughter and high-fiving, Percy couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride at how seamlessly the three of them worked together.

Back at the fire, Y/n stretched out on the ground again, grinning like a kid who’d just pulled off the best trick of their life. “You have to admit, that was worth it.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes but smiled. “I’ll admit it was pretty funny. But if they find out we did it, I’m blaming you.”

Y/n laughed. “Deal. I’m bulletproof, remember?”

Percy chuckled, sitting back down beside the fire. “That was definitely a night to remember.”

Y/n looked up at the stars, her expression softening in a rare moment of reflection. “You know, nights like this are the best part of being a demigod. It’s not just the quests or the fighting—it’s this. The moments where we get to be… us. No monsters, no gods breathing down our necks. Just… friends.”

Annabeth’s smile softened as she looked at Y/n. “I think that’s the first time you’ve ever said something that didn’t involve a prank or breaking rules.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Y/n quipped, but the sincerity in her voice remained.

Percy nodded, feeling the warmth of the fire and the deeper warmth of friendship settling in his chest. “You’re right, though. It’s nights like this that make it all worth it.”

As the fire crackled and the stars continued to shine, the three of them sat together, not as heroes or demigods on a quest, but as friends who had been through it all and come out stronger. The night was theirs, a moment of peace amid the chaos of their lives. And for now, that was all they needed.

[lnsfawwi]

bucky is anti-peggy: their relationships with steve and why bucky will always overshadow peggy as love interest

hardly anything novel but I have to get it out of my system. interpretations are strictly in-universe just to be fair. also seb headcanons are canon, I won't hear otherwise!

the difference between stucky and steggy can be summed up by their respective reactions to beefed-up Steve. someone on tumblr points out that these two scenes also serve as analogies of their relationships. steggy would always be about peggy reaching out, their relationship would be under the spotlight, be the center of attention while stucky is the reverse. I just want to add to that.

Peggy was literally dazzled, she tried to touch his naked body, she was eager to see what this body could do (sexually, among other things). that's the first time she saw steve as sexually attractive, the first time she saw steve at all if we are honest, and what she saw was this jacked-up version of him, an icon-to-be, someone whom steve never really accepted as himself. In essence, the first time she really paid attention to steve as the love interest, was the moment steve became someone else.

Bucky, who was tortured for days, if not weeks, still delirious, was confused bc that was not his steve, he probably didn't even think Steve was real at first. Bucky was experimented on, he likely knew there were similar human experiments aimed to enhance, he knew science like that was possible, but whose science? so that's the first question, 'what happened?' Steve joined the army, okay, so this was not forced onto him, probably. then the next thing he asked was, 'did it hurt?' he didn't care how strong it made Steve, he only wanted assurance that Steve was fine. like, what if the process hurt? what could bucky possibly do? nothing. it's not about whether it hurt, it was just bucky simply giving a shit about steve's wellbeing. we don't even need to get into the 'little kid from brooklyn' line.

peggy witnessed a magical transformation and was amazed by the eventual product but bucky saw his best friend who must've gotten through something excruciating. peggy could never fall in love with skinny steve when that's all bucky saw, until the very end (sebastian said bucky probably never got used to big steve).

another contrast would be the final plane crash. sebastian was asked whether Bucky would've gotten on that plane with Steve or stayed behind like Peggy. seb's answer is that Bucky would've tried to get on that plane cuz he felt responsible for steve, and he'd fall again.

the thing is that, had Bucky been on that plane, Steve never would've crashed it. he would've done anything to save Bucky. he didn't have to crash that plane which was canon (pointed out by rhodey). steve could've got out but he didn't. Bucky being there would've given him the motivation to do so. any other person would tbh, but only Bucky would be willing to be on that plane bc Peggy canonly wasn't. in addition to bucky's willingness to follow steve literally into the jaws of death, in this hypothetical scenario, Bucky would be the reason for Steve to live in catfa.

that leads to yet another contrast.

'just go! get out of here!' 'no, not without you!'

steve, who had no idea what he was capable of, jumped through fire for bucky.

'don't do this, there's still time, let me find a way...' 'a lot of people are gonna die if I don't do this, peggy. this's my choice.'

despite peggy's pleading, steve crashed the plane.

the word choice appeared several times in catfa. the first time was when peggy told philip that it was steve's choice (to die trying to save bucky). the second time was when peggy told steve that bucky made a choice (to die fighting with him). and the third time was when steve told peggy it was his choice (to sacrifice himself). it's no coincidence that each and every time the choice was each other, steve echoing the word at the end made it clear that he was doing this for bucky.

a relationship goes both ways. steve and bucky are canonly willing to, and did, die and live for each other. peggy simply doesn't have that level of impact on steve. in fact, steve literally repeatedly chose bucky over her in catfa.

put it simply, bucky and steve care more about each other than themselves, peggy didn't even care about skinny steve in that sense. she also literally couldn't because she only met skinny steve twice. briefly.

plus as I said previously bucky is the only one standing in between a traditional cishet hypermasculine image of steve and the real steve, peggy is the one element that fulfils the false image.

everything bucky is, peggy is the opposite. the differences quite literally result in different interpretations of steve. and who can say honestly that endgame steve is better than cap trilogy steve？

[cobaltperun]

Lost (15) - Sanctuary

Tara Carpenter x female Reader

Summary: To anyone on the outside, and to Tara’s friends, you were Tara’s fierce protector, the MMA fighter who’d take anyone on for Tara. The Guard Dog, as Amber called you. You had no idea you’d have to protect her from people who claimed they loved her. It didn’t matter. As long as you and Tara had one another there was nothing you wouldn’t be able to survive.

Story warnings: Scream violence, family issues, trauma, angst, certain sensitive topics

Word count: 4.7k

Story masterlist / First part / Previous part / Next part

-When the rain starts to take its toll you can slow me down. 'Cause we both know that the world's turned cold and I just need you now-

There was a part of Tara that would never forgive Sam for dragging her out of the bodega and leaving you behind with Ghostface, despite Tara screaming her lungs out and trashing in Sam's hold. Despite seeing you were struggling, despite not knowing if you would be able to get out alive. She forgave Sam for growing cold while they were children, she forgave Sam for abandoning her for five years, and, even though Sam apologized, Tara never blamed her for what happened in Woodsboro. And as long as you came out alive, she’d move on, even if she’d cling to Sam just as hard as she did before this moment, but she’d never forgive, no matter what. This, dragging Tara away from you against her will, leaving you behind to fight for your life, could not be forgiven.

"Tara, please!" Sam was begging her to cooperate, to leave you behind, as if Tara could live on like nothing happened if you died.

"No! No, please! Let me go! Y/N!" at this point Sam probably lifted her up several times just to stop her from getting out of Sam's hold. "Sam, I can't leave her!" she cried out, tears uncontrollably falling down her face.

"Y/N is strong, Tara! Please, I need to get you somewhere safe!" Sam argued, but how could Tara just let Sam take her. Where was safe if you weren’t with her anyway? Such a place didn’t exist, and nothing, nothing could ever make Tara feel as vulnerable as being without you in a situation such as this one.

And if you died, if you got killed here, Tara would never be able to feel safe again. Knowing she’d never have you by her side again would ruin her.

"Something's wrong, Sam! Y/N said it! I need to help her!" her voice was getting hoarse from all the crying and screaming, but she didn't care. As long as she could get to you, she didn’t care if she tore her throat apart screaming and crying. But she needed to get to you!

Sam held her closer as Tara exhausted herself. "You can't help her! Tara, I can't lose you!"

Yet despite Sam being stronger and Tara rapidly wasting her energy, she never stopped trying to break free from her sister’s hold. Tara never apologized, she never said she didn't mean it when she accused you of being controlling and possessive. She never got to tell you how she wished she could take back everything she said during your argument. She never got to tell you how sorry she was for what she put you through over the past four months. She only got to reassure you she wasn't about to cheat. It wasn't enough. She never even got to tell you how no one would be able to do to her what you did, make her feel the way you did. She was yours, mind, body, and soul. "I need to tell her, Sam please, she doesn't know," she never told you how desperately she needs you in her life. How you've been the one and only person who never abandoned her, who stayed by her side no matter what she said or did. How she doesn't know how to live without you, and she can't even stand the idea of ever having to do so.

The sound of glass shattering stopped her trashing in Sam's arms and her tear-filled eyes widened when she saw you crashing through and landing on the harsh pavement with a loud thud, then skidding across it until you hit the fire hydrant and gasped. "Y/N!" her cry echoed and seeing you like that must have shocked Sam as well, because Tara finally managed to set herself free and run to you. It felt like she was a mile away, it felt like every step she took forward actually took her two steps back, even if the rational part of her brain told her she was getting closer to you. She saw you coughing, gasping for air as you turned over. She saw the way you struggled to get on your hands and knees as glass shards fell off your clothes.

Finally, she did reach you and she dropped to her knees, ignoring the glass beneath her. Tara touched your face, brought the side of your head to her chest, holding on to you as if her life depended on it. "Y/N," she whispered your name, trying to get you to look at her. You looked afraid and she couldn't do anything about it.

When you finally looked at Tara, she wished she could forget the next words you spoke. "I can't beat him," you whispered, as if you were trying to comprehend the meaning of your own words.

"It doesn't matter, we'll find a way," she reassured you while struggling to control her own fear. Who could beat him if you couldn't? And as if instinctively sensing her anxiety you moved your arms, wrapped them around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Miss, do you need medical help?" Tara only now realized the police had arrived.

You shook your head. "No, I'm just catching my breath," you waved the officer off and got back to your feet, which also meant pulling Tara up to her feet as well, and she was thankful for your arms around her, otherwise she wasn’t sure she could have remained steady on her feet. You were alive! You survived! You were holding her, and somehow Tara was sure that you and her could figure out a solution for the Ghostface that attacked you. "Why did you come back?" you whispered, leaning down and pressing your face into the side of her neck and taking a deep breath.

"Why did you send me away?" she demanded, crying in your arms even as she relaxed as you held her. It was moments like these that gave Tara the right to be needy and clingy with you. There was no one else who could get you to calm down the way she could, no one else could stop you from getting stuck in your head the way she could. The frantic gasps, your shaky grasp on her, uncertainty and fear in your eyes, the shock of being defeated, it was all fading away with Tara in your arms.

"I'll beat him, somehow, I won’t let him hurt you," you promised as firmly as you could given the circumstances and Tara nodded, accepting that there was likely no other way out of this. She turned her head to the side so she could press her ear against your chest and listen to your heartbeat. Steady, strong, beat calmed her down further, bringing her own heartrate back to normal.

"Y/N," Sam approached the two of you and, while you still held Tara, pulled both of you into a brief hug. Now that it was over, for now, Tara could reason that Sam was worried about you as well, but chose to focus on Tara's safety.

"I'll be fine, I just need to rest for a bit," you slowly let go of Tara and moved back so you could pat Sam's shoulder. "Thanks for getting Tara out," Tara, despite occasional complaints, loved how protective you and Sam were, but right now, when being protective meant leaving you behind, she hated it.

Sam gave you a wry smile. "Let's not do that again, I can't take seeing Tara like that, Y/N," you raised an eyebrow and looked at Tara.

"Love?" surely you knew how broken Tara would be without you, right? How she'd feel if she lost you for any reason. Instead of saying anything Tara just pulled you down for a kiss hoping that would get the message across until you went back home. Judging by the way you pulled her closer you got the message.

~X~

Considering what happened, the first thing you did while you were on the way to the police station was to send a message on the group chats for each session at the gym, canceling training until further notice. Not only were you not about to leave Tara alone while a couple of crazy murderers was after you again, you weren’t about to exhaust yourself by training other people. The second thing was to pull Tara into your lap, put your jacket around her since she was shivering in the cold interrogation room, hug her, and fall asleep with your head leaning against her back the moment police officers left you in a room to wait for a detective.

The sleep and the warmth of Tara's body pressed against your own lessened the pain from all the hits you took. When you woke up the three of you were still alone, so you took a moment to think about the fight, well if that could even be considered a fight. Richie and Amber were ridiculously durable, tanking several of your hits. You wondered if there was some variation of placebo going on there, where putting that costume would make them believe they were invincible.

The mask would lower the impact, but there was something else. Whenever you hit the face he would sway to the side, temporarily delaying the impact and thus lowering the effectiveness of your punches. All your fights were available on the internet, but you doubted someone could just watch them and learn what to do without proper years-long training behind them.

An MMA fighter? Thomas? The more you thought about it, the more it made sense. He was supposedly on a vacation. That could have been a lie. But why? Just for fame? Him and you weren't even close. Revenge for his losses against Zack? No, he couldn’t have made the connection, could he? Even if he did, how petty would he have to be to use that as his reason. Granted, Richie and Amber wanted to make a movie… so being a Ghostface probably came with lack of common sense.

A young man in a uniform came in, greeting the three of you and raising an eyebrow as he took in the way you and Tara were. "Dude, it's been a long night, just let us be," you said before he could even say anything. He just shrugged, setting several photos on the table. Soon after he did that another man came in, carrying a packed Ghostface mask.

"Detective Bailey, nice to meet you," he said as he sat down. You glanced at Sam and Tara, alarmed. "I know my daughter answered your ad online, I know it looks like one big coincidence, but I assure you, I'm just doing my job. I don't exactly get to choose which cases I work on," he explained right away as if he knew exactly what was going through your minds.

"Sure, I guess," you shrugged, though there was no way you'd be lowering your guard just yet.

"This was found at the scene of the crime. DNA test shows it belonged to someone named Richie Kirsch. Does that ring a bell?" he asked.

"We are familiar with him," Sam nodded, sighing as she stared at the mask for a couple of moments.

"But the one that attacked us had a different mask on. It was kind of more beat up, like it was older," Tara told him.

"Uh, I have to ask you, do you have alibis earlier tonight?" he continued the interrogation.

"I was at a party with my friends," Tara replied, leaning back into you slightly. With the way she brushed her fingers against the back of your hands, you thought she was probably remembering the argument you had. You pulled her a bit closer, and your eyes briefly met as Tara smiled at you apologetically.

"I was at work, Laurent MMA, then I went to pick up Sam and went home," you said when Bailey pretended to cough.

"I was at my therapist's. I can give you his information so you can check if you want. Then I met up with Y/N, she drove me home, and then I went and met up with Tara at the party. Where I tased someone," that was a brand new information to you. "Unrelated."

The detective unlocked his phone and showed a video of Sam pushing a girl back. "Was that before or after this?"

The fuck did you miss tonight? Was that why Tara was so pissed? Frankly, given the fact that Sam tased someone and got into a conflict, then yeah, you figured Tara was reasonably angry when she came back home.

"Before," Sam replied casually.

"The point is, we were with people the whole night," Tara got the conversation back on track.

"Right, so, your driver's license was at the scene of the crime. If we assume someone planted it there then it would have to be someone close to you. How long have you known your friends?" you definitely didn't like the way he sounded when he said assume.

"Well, we moved here with Mindy and Chad like, six months ago for the summer semester. So, Ethan and Anika, both since then," Tara told him, she was taking the lead, answering the questions and you were more than happy to let her. Sam was being defensive, with her arms crossed and leaning back against the chair. You were trying to figure out if the detective was really on your side. You could play the 'dumb fighter' for a bit.

"Do you have anyone who might want to target you?" Bailey asked, so far nothing about his posture told you he was someone to be wary of.

There was a pause as Tara and Sam looked at one another. "Not anyone who's still alive."

Ooh, that sentence, the tone, the confidence Tara had when she said it. Damn. She was just so effortlessly cool, and you were swooning on the inside.

"Yikes," Bailey winced at that.

One of the cops came in. "FBI's here, claiming jurisdiction," he said and thus, the interrogation was interrupted, and you met Kirby Reed, you weren't at Woodsboro when she was involved with the killing spree of Ghostfaces that came before Amber and Richie, and after you moved to Woodsboro there simply wasn't a reason for you to meet her.

A brief greeting and chat between Kirby and Bailey later one of the cops brought the mask to Bailey.

"He left this mask at the bodega. DNA traces of Charlie Walker are on it," Bailey revealed.

Kirby took the mask. "One of the Ghostface killers of 2011," she pulled up her sweater, revealing scars. "He gave me this. Like I said, I take a special interest. Is this the mask he was wearing when he attacked you?"

You shook your head, having gotten really close and personal with the man. "No," you said.

"So, he's leaving them on purpose," Bailey said and that got you to think about something rather peculiar.

This mask had Charlie's DNA, the one left at the crime scene had Richie's DNA. Where was the mask with Amber's DNA?

"Are we missing an attack?" you blurted out before you could reconsider how smart sharing your thoughts was.

"I'm sorry?" Kirby looked at you.

"The mask inside," you pointed your thumb back toward the interrogation room. "Belonged to Richie. This one is Charlie's. Where is Amber's? If whoever is doing this is going backward then this should have had Amber's DNA," you pointed at the mask in Kirby's hands.

"Unless there was an attack we don't know about," Kirby seemed to seriously consider your thoughts.

You suddenly had a really bad feeling, like you were missing something very important here. Like you were right there, so close to figuring something out, but it kept evading you.

"It doesn't matter. We're leaving," this time you and Sam agreed, and so did Tara. Last night you weren't sure Ghostface was after you again, but now there was no denying it.

"I'm sorry, that's not possible," Bailey's words stopped you and made you turn around. "You're all persons of interest in a double homicide, so you're not allowed to leave town. Sorry."

Well, fuck.

~X~

When you stepped outside you were met by way too many news reporters asking way too many questions as you and Sam shielded Tara from them and tried to move past the crowd.

"Gale Weathers, Channel 4," yeah, you couldn't ignore that. All three of you turned around to look at Gale. Last time you saw her you parted on good terms. Things weren't so nice between you since she wrote her latest book. "Do you ladies think you're the reason the Ghostface killer has come to the Big Apple?"

Sam let out an exasperated sigh before throwing a punch toward Gale's face. Gale easily dodged it, it was too telegraphed, you'd have to give Sam another lesson soon.

"Nice try, sweetie. But, I've done this dance before," and then there was a beautiful punch.

A wonderful right hook with enough force put behind it to make Gale stumble back a bit. You were sure you had the most lovestruck look possible on your face as you carved the image of Tara after she threw that punch into your brain.

"Stay away from us," Tara left no room for debate and you couldn't do anything but follow after your girlfriend with a proud smile on your face.

"Are you seriously still mad at me?" Gale demanded as she went after the three of you.

Really? Still? As if what she did could be forgiven just like that.

Sam swiftly turned around. "You said you wouldn't write a book about what happened and then you wrote a book about what happened," Sam rightfully snapped.

"Oh, come on, someone was going to write about it," Gale defended herself.

"And it just had to be you. You were bound by duty or something," you rolled your eyes. The rumors about Sam didn't start with Gale's book, but it was certainly used as an argument once the rumors did start.

"After everything we went through together. What would Dewey think?" Sam didn't pull punches. She missed an actual one, but this one landed with a much greater impact.

"That's a low blow," you could see the shift in Gale's eyes, remorse, maybe even regret.

"So was your book. You called me 'unstable' and a 'born killer'," Sam reminded her.

"That's taken out of context," no it wasn't. You read it. It wasn't. Tara’s anger when she read it was still fresh in your mind even after almost half a year. Now that you thought about it, Tara did disappear to her first party a few weeks after she read the book. Was there a connection? You’d probably never know, but you weren’t about to ignore the possibility.

"That's literally a quote," Sam argued back.

"You don't think what you wrote has anything to do with what's happening to us?" Tara had enough of this. "Come on."

Gale wouldn't let you leave that easily though. "Hey, I talked to Sidney."

That got Tara and Sam to stop as you opened the doors of a cab. "She's not coming here, is she?" Tara sounded concerned. You understood, if it wasn't for Sidney placing that tracker on your car Sam would very likely be dead.

Gale shook her head. "No. She sends her love, but she's taking Mark and the kids someplace safe. She deserves to have her happy ending."

"On that much, we agree," Sam got in the car and you waited for Tara to get in.

"Hey! I want to catch this fucker as much as you do!" Gale tried one last time.

"Maybe. Or maybe you're just afraid that without Ghostface in your life, you're gonna fade away," Tara just... you had no words.

'Damn, I'm so in love,' and probably a bit turned on right now.

~X~

Later that same day Tara remained by your side, while the others went out. You were probably missing out on Mindy's suspect talk, again. Still, this time Tara ended up switching positions with you. You slept with your head on Tara's chest as she gently ran her fingers through your hair. You looked so peaceful right now and even though she wanted to tell you so many things she just didn't have it in her to wake you up.

Eventually, your eyes fluttered open and you yawned a bit, making Tara swoon on the inside because of how adorable you looked to her right now. "Hey, Love," you mumbled, not really making any moves to get up. You were perfectly content where you were and Tara was more than happy to let you stay there.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked, moving her hand down to gently scratch the back of your neck.

"Like a lamb," you let out a content sigh and stretched a bit. "Did you sleep at all?"

She didn't. She couldn't. She needed to stay alert and ready if anything happened while you were sleeping. "I couldn't," she wouldn't lie to you, though.

You, admittedly reluctantly, rolled off Tara and laid down on your back next to her before propping yourself up on your elbows. "Watching over me?"

"Watching over you," she smiled, already missing your warmth.

You stopped propping yourself up and just pulled a pillow beneath your head. Then, to raise your head just a bit higher, you placed your left forearm beneath your head. "What did I ever do to deserve you?" it was a rhetorical question, but it still made Tara devastated at the mere idea of you asking that.

So, she straddled you and looked right into your eyes. "More than you could imagine," your gaze was intense. "Y/N, I... I need to talk to you, about last night," it's been so long since she felt uncertain about something concerning you, but the dread of something possibly happening to you before she could tell you everything pushed her to talk. To just tell you everything in case anything happened to prevent her from doing so.

You, as attentive to her as always, softened up and reached out to gently rub her thigh with your free hand. "Yeah?" you whispered softly.

"You're not possessive, or controlling, you're definitely not anything like Amber," there, the first thing she needed to tell you, it came out rushed, but she said it. She licked her lips, for a moment wondering when did they get so dry.

You smiled, sitting up and pressing your forehead against Tara's. "I am a bit possessive and maybe even a bit controlling though," you said, and maybe there was some truth in that, but she honestly couldn’t agree with you.

"I like it, you know?" she whispered back as she wrapped her arms around your neck. She wasn’t lying, she truly loved it, the way you loved her and showed her love, from the soft gestures, gentle kisses, to how you made love, she loved it all, she needed it all. "Besides, it's more like desire and overprotectiveness," being slightly possessive was also her thing. Okay, maybe just possessive, without the ‘slightly’ part.

"Tell me more," if you only knew what you were doing to her with that tone. Your voice was low, a bit raspy, partly from recently waking up,

She kissed you, hard and desperate, she pressed her body against yours, doing everything she could to close the distance. She groaned when you deepened the kiss, when she felt your hand on the back of her head, your fingers running through her hair as your tongue entered her mouth. You only separated for a moment, just so she could take a breath and you were right back at it, kissing as she moved her hand up your arm, feeling the tense, powerful muscles underneath the skin. You tilted your head slightly as her other hand caressed your right cheek, as her fingers slipped down to the scar on your jawline, and then up into your hair. And only then did she separate her lips from yours, because she needed to tell you more, because you needed to hear what she really felt. "I'd never cheat, I swear Y/N. I'm yours. All yours," she breathed out, gasping when you began kissing her neck.

"Mine?" you asked with a hint of teasing in your tone.

Tara couldn’t stop the whimper that left her mouth when you nibbled on her ear. "Yes. Only yours Y/N," she assured you leaning her head back, relaxing further as you gently moved your hand up and down her back. She could feel the smirk against her neck when she shuddered under your touch. She thought she'd be used to this by now. Your touch still affected her, it still put her mind at ease, or drove her wild, depending on what you were doing. This time you wanted to do both and, damn, were you doing a great job at that. And it wasn’t helping that Tara was a pent up mess, and if it wasn’t for another Ghostface crisis she would have taken things further right away.

"What else do you want to tell me?" you requested, persistent and gentle in the way you attempted to get her to open up. To get those words she was struggling with out. "Love, please talk to me," the uncertainty she felt gradually vanished, courtesy of your actions and her heartrate went back to normal as you stopped teasing her and just focused on calming her down.

"You asked what you did to deserve me," she said, you remained silent, only nodding to confirm her statement. "That's my line, Y/N," your kisses all over her neck became a bit more than a ghost of your lips on her skin. "I was nine and a stranger offered to help me, when my own mother made me go to the shop on a bicycle I was three years too early to safely ride," she pushed against your shoulders, loving the way you just gave in and let her lie down on top of you. "I was almost ten when that same stranger carried me home in heavy rain when my mother wouldn't pick me up from school."

She kissed you, opening her mouth to let your tongue in. She moaned into the kiss as she felt your hands on her sides. "When Sam abandoned me and I argued with you, fearing you'd leave as well you stayed," she moved down, kissing your neck, biting as gently as she could while still leaving her mark on you, and you moaned, a rare occasion given that you were only making out, and she burned that sound into her memory, realizing you were just as pent up as she was. "Whenever I gave you a reason to leave you chose to stay, you chose to protect me, to keep me safe and I'm so sorry, Y/N," you didn't interrupt her, you just kissed her back when she once again, as frantic as she was, kissed your lips. "I'm sorry for causing trouble, for worrying you, for disappearing, for once again giving you the reasons to leave me just for a brief thrill and reassurance that you won't leave," because you always made sure to let her know, either by saying or doing something that proved it, that you were irrevocably and completely by her side and hers.

There, she said it all. She bared her heart and soul to you and she waited.

And then you spoke.

"You gave me a reason to keep living, then you gave me a reason to make the best life I can. It can’t be the best life if you aren't in it."

And she saw nothing but honesty and unbreakable dedication to her in your eyes. And she believed, in that moment, that nothing would ever come between the two of you and the future you both desired.

Story masterlist / First part / Previous part / Next part

[northsoulss]

I don’t know if you request are still open but imagine Elisa de Almeida with S/O that’s really pretty but has a resting B face, always look tired or about to say something rude BUT she has the kindest soul, she always has a nice attitude, and is basically unable so say rude things to son because she’ll feel bad. ( my friend is like this she literally is the nicest human I’ve ever met)

softie - elisa de almeida

(a/n : hi anon! thanks for the request! this is actually my first request so i hope i did it justice! xoxo)

all your life, you have been told that you looked like a bitch by those who don’t know you very well. it did affect you when you were younger, not understanding why people thought of you that way even though you never acted like one. eventually, as you grew up, you stopped caring and instead, you started to embrace it.

you stopped trying to smile more, to look more “friendly”. you started to relax your face, and occasionally get thrown judgmental stares by the general public when you are out and about. especially since you play football, word spreads fast that psg is housing a cold-hearted striker.

that’s what you were known as. “cold”. your friends know better though. they know you were fearlessly loyal, and literally the nicest, and sweetest person alive.

you were known to be powerful and ruthless on the pitch, not taking shit from anyone. however, what the media and the fans didn’t see were the fond smiles shown to your teammates after each game, the gentle acts of services that you always provided; helping your teammates get coffee, being the first the volunteer when people needed help with something. too bad the fans didn’t see you that way.

the day rumours did start to spread like wild fire that you were dating the well known charismatic defender marked the start of your reputation crashing down. there were comments from fans like, “oh my god, how do they even work?”, and you gotta admit that sometimes it does hurt.

whenever you post your usual content on instagram and elisa comments on it with her usual “❤️”, your comment section gets real messy.

it’s easy to say that people just didn’t get why or how you two worked. you, the ruthless, cold-hearted woman, dating elisa, who was charming and bubbly, and to say the least, very smiley.

however, a few months ago, sakina posted on her instagram story a video of elisa just talking, but there you were in the background, staring with a love sick smile. needless to say, you thought the unsolicited comments would start to dial down now that your fans have seen the other side of you, but that was not the case.

“hi baby!” your voice sounds out from the hallway, sitting down to untie your shoes when you feel elisa looming over you. you look up at her with an awkward smile, seeing her with an amused smile with hands on her hips.

“hi.?” you are now confused, and elisa only laughs, taking out her phone and typing something before showing it to you. it was an edit of you, which you were shocked that she watched.

“you watch edits of me baby?” you question, brow raised trying to see her reaction, but she only shakes her head, pointing at the caption instead.

“has our fierce striker turned soft.? what?” you read out, face scrunched up into a frown as you start looking through the comment section. aside from the usual thirsty comments, one in particular caught your eye.

“oh i knew she was a big softie.. what the hell do you mean you knew?!” you practically yell at her phone, utterly shocked. you watch the edit again to see what they meant and you saw it. the clip of you staring at elisa, with eyes practically forming hearts with a fond grin.

“so.. not so cold anymore eh?” she takes the phone back and leans down so that her nose touches yours. she stares into your eyes with her piercing gaze, and you immediately shove her away, obviously flustered. you mumble a “no..” under your breath, trying to continue with what you were doing before elisa interrupted you.

“well, softie. i think things are about to get alot more interesting at our next match.” she hoists you up from the hallway bench and kisses you, lips searingly hot. you only kiss back with just as much energy, groaning when she presses you against the wall. at least now people know you aren’t just some bitch.

©️northsoulss 2023, all rights reserved.

[oneatlatime]

Lake Laogai

This Lake had better have Appa in it. With little water wings on.

Skipping the commentary as usual.

The Previously On section suggests that a whole lot of plot threads are about to crash into each other. Strap in folks.

Lefty Sokka!

Beat up Sokka quota fulfilled by his sister's critique of his art skills. It's not like he had paper to practice with at the South Pole.

Sometimes I forget that Aang is 12, then he does something like attempt to rescue his pet from a nefarious city-wide conspiracy of silence with lost cat posters.

"Good tea is its own reward." That means no, he isn't paid enough.

Remember what I said in my last post about Iroh bringing too much attention to himself?

"senior executive assistant manager" someone on the writing team has worked retail I see. Nothing like meaningless promotions with no raise attached! It's right up there with employee pizza party.

I have to pause here and point something out. This whole scene with Iroh? This is an adult fantasy. I don't mean dirty, I mean this whole scene was put in specifically to appeal to the adults who got roped in to watching this kids' show by their children. A rich man walks through the door of your shitty retail job, immediately spots your natural greatness, and offers you a much better paying job with unlimited creative freedom and a better house to go with it? Find me a burnt out retail worker who hasn't conjured up this fantasy five times a shift.

And so the plots come crashing back together. This won't end badly.

"patience really pays off" I checked. He waited literally three seconds.

Shout out to Toph in the background playing catch with a ball she can't see. Casual flex of epic proportions.

Remind me never to go to Lake Laogai. Sounds like it's lousy with Ju Dees.

So the Ju Dees don't know about each other? Because she seems honestly confused. Does Ju Dee think she's the only Ju Dee? What happens if two Ju Dees run into each other in the street?

Posters are illegal but I haven't heard a peep about recarving a bunch of fields into a zoo.

This is maybe the second time Aang's blown up over Appa. Frankly he deserves more blow ups about the whole situation.

I don't think knocking down walls will help find Appa, but I applaud Toph's spirit.

They took out a whole wall and then exit by the door anyways. That's funny.

I really hate this guy, but I have to admit that he may be the first truly competent villain of the series.

'The Jasmine Dragon' also lets anyone with half a brain know that you're Fire Nation. Try the Jasmine Badgermole instead.

Zuko really can't catch a break, huh? He wasn't happy being a tea server, but at least he was resting. But every time he gets five minutes to himself, the main plot reappears to drag him back into the action, whether he wants to or not. Although he hasn't figured out that he doesn't want to be dragged back yet.

Every line of dialogue in this scene is a good point. Zuko's right, Iroh's right. The Zuko's right again, then Iroh's right again.

YES YES YES GET HIS ASS

That was satisfying!

I'm not understanding why Sokka is the voice of reason here. Is he incapable of holding a grudge? He's the one that had all the animosity with Jet to begin with. Shouldn't it be Aang who wants to hear him out?

Toph is a living lie detector now? I can't think of an example off the top of my head, but I'm sure that could have come in handy previously. Any other incredibly useful skills we should know about?

Jet is oddly defensive for someone who claims to know he did wrong.

Ever get so excited that your spine malfunctions?

Sokka just has a metre long map in his pocket. Good friend to have in a pinch.

Avatar first! Katara is rude to an old person!

I'm going to have fun with Toph's new ability.

Toph, you have never been more right. It is the worst city ever. You are really shining this episode.

I know this is a serious scene, but I need to point out that Jet's guyliner is on point.

This shot is jarringly out of place. I think it's because it both black and white, and live action. Those have to be real clouds.

So the Blue Spirit can talk after all. Careful, your Zuko is showing.

Wow Zuko is good at sewing. And fast too.

Sokka is having far too much fun with this whole 'prompt Jet's memory' thing. Maybe he does have a bit of a grudge after all.

Katara can reverse brainwashing now too? Everyone's levelling up this episode.

This scene with the planks is a very cool and disorienting visual.

Didn't have 'the gaang breaks into a brainwashing facility' on my ATLA bingo card.

Pretty.

OMIGOD IT'S AP- did Zuko just break the fourth wall?

Everyone always forgets to look up.

So this fight is going to be Toph v. all of the Dai Li while everyone else tries not to get in Toph's way.

That's a boat.

Toph could probably take all these guys out faster if she wasn't having to constantly break off to save everyone else from them.

The Dai Li prancing up walls is a really cool visual. It's very Ty Lee of them.

I love watching her work.

Why don't you let Long Feng escape? He's no longer threatening you, and you're down there to rescue Appa. Just let him go.

The security on Lake Laogai is a joke.

Big words from someone who also had no plan whatsoever at the North Pole.

Zuko knows that Iroh's right. He knows, and that's important. I don't think Iroh is saying anything that Zuko hasn't thought and then hurriedly pretended to have never thought about before. It's why he says 'stop it' rather than being completely confused as to what Iroh is referring to.

Poor Appa's like 'can you have a crisis of self after you free me please?'

'You've chosen your own demise." No. You chose it for him. That's some top tier deflection/victim blaming right there.

Longshot can talk!

That's one hell of a set up and pay off re: Toph's lie detecting abilities.

Poor Jet. A double tragedy: to be likeable only when you're brainwashed, and to dedicate your life to wiping out the Fire Nation yet being killed by the Earth Kingdom.

Hi Appa. It's about time buddy.

Shockingly in character for Appa's first actions to be to single handedly save the Gaang from a threat.

You skip that bastard like a stone.

Everyone go and listen to the sound Appa makes when he spits out Long Feng's shoe. It's delightful.

I am framing this.

And this too.

I can tell there's some shmymbolism here, but it's gone right over my head.

Final Thoughts

Appa is back. The Gaang has Appa back. I have Appa back. Ok. I can relax now. With any luck, this means we can leave Ba Sing Se.

This episode felt like City of Walls and Secrets, Part 2. I think it was a good decision to have a couple of episodes between the two, but I think there would be some tonal whiplash if you binged this section of season 2. Which wouldn't have been a problem for a show designed to air once a week, so it's a moot point.

So Zuko freed Appa from his chains, and presumably pointed him in the direction of a door or something. Or maybe not; Appa has a ridiculously hard head, he could have busted his way out. Either way, Zuko broke the chains. Thanks Zuko!

In season 1, Zuko finds the Avatar the world had lost. In season 2, Zuko finds the Sky Bison the Avatar had lost. So in season 3, Zuko will find something Appa has lost. I wonder what that will be?

Jet being killed by the Earth Kingdom is so deliciously ironic, and tragic, yet very in character for the Earth Kingdom's approach to this war. It's also literally this:

Smellerbee and Longshot have really gotten the short end of the stick over and over this season. They were the only ones to decide to stick with Jet. Presumably they were the only ones who believed that he had had a legitimate change of heart. And they were kind of wrong. They get to Ba Sing Se only for Jet to immediately backslide way past even where he was at his worst in Season 1. He completely discounts and dismisses their legitimate concerns for his methods and his overall health. Then Jet gets arrested and disappears for two (?) weeks. So what do they do now? Get jobs? Steal so they don't starve? Then suddenly Jet's back but he doesn't even remember them. Then suddenly Jet's dead. The whole point of coming to Ba Sing Se just died, in a way that shows very clearly that their desire to help with the war is not welcome at all in the city. So what now? Do they leave and try to fight in the war from outside the walls? Do they settle down and try to forget about the war? Things did spiral completely out of Jet's control once the Dai Li got involved, but you have to admit that he's left his only remaining friends up a creek.

Sokka had some good jokes but was oddly ok with this episode's events. Toph had some great lines and got to shine with a new skill that any writer with half a brain will bring back in future episodes. She felt like the audience substitute this episode, which is usually Sokka's role. Toph was episode MVP for sure. Poor Aang took a bit of a back seat this episode. Zuko finally hit the crisis point, and may well have made his first indisputably correct decision of the series. But, as previous episodes have gone out of their way to show me that Zuko being good always goes badly for Zuko, I'm sure freeing Appa will somehow come back to bite him.

Iroh's question of "who are you? And what do you want?" was Zuko's entire character arc this season. He took a shot at answering the "who are you?" portion in Zuko Alone, and sort of halfway got there before messing up at the end of the episode. As for the "what do you want?" Zuko will tell you (often and repeatedly) that he wants his honour back. But I think he just wants to go home. The thing is, I strongly suspect that the home Zuko wants to return to hasn't existed since his mother left, if it ever existed at all. Which means that while "who are you?" has an answer Zuko can work towards, "what do you want?" has an answer that is kind of impossible. So Zuko is going to have to learn to want something new.

RIP Jet. Your life was fucked to Hell long before you were old enough to try and salvage it. You'll probably be missed by more people than you strictly deserve. War sucks, amirite?

[imabeautifulbutterfly]

congrats on 450!! I've just gotten back into my star wars hyperfixation, tis the season I suppose, and your fics have been LIFE SAVERS and so I am here to congratulate you on an incredibly well earned celebration! and to request:

7. "you're not as bad as everyone says."

28. "maybe there's a universe your there where we're friends."

with either Wolfe or Cody x fem/gender neutral (whichever you prefer)?

Thank you so much and congrats again!!! <3

Awww @hxad-ovxr-hxart that's so sweet. I'm so glad my fics have helped. That makes me so happy, and I hope you'll like the fic. I wrote with Wolffe in mind. Enjoy.

Love oo,

Friends

Warnings: Crashing, angst, death, fluff, comfort, I think that's it. If I miss anything please let me know.

Main Master List   |  Star Wars Fic Roulette

Commander Wolffe was never a man who suffered fools, he didn’t appreciate tardiness, he hated chit chat, and worst of all he hated personal questions. And somehow you managed to do all four on your first day on the Triumphant, which made you public enemy number one in Wolffe’s book. 

Every day you saw him, he simply rolled his eyes and growled each time you passed. 

You tried your best to fix it, but no matter what you did or said, it didn’t make a difference. You gave up after months of constant growls and eye rolls. Now you simply made a point to arrive on time for your shift as a communication specialist. You performed your role to the best of your ability, and did your best to stay out of his way. 

Things were going well, that was until your shuttle crashed, and the two of you were the only survivors. 

“Anything broken?” Wolffe asked after he checked on the two pilots and made his way over to you.

You shook your head, “No. I think …” you tested out each of your limbs, “I think I’m alright” you groaned as you tried to stand.

“Easy. Here,” he held out his hand to help you up, “alright?”

You nodded and followed him out of the crashed gunship, “Hmm… where are we?” You looked around trying to become aware of your surroundings.

“We dropped out of hyperspace somewhere in between, the Triumphant and our destination. Don’t worry they’ll come for us, I sent out a distress beacon.”

“How long do you think we’ll be here?”

“A day or two… maybe a week.” He went into the ship, and grabbed the emergency gear, passing one backpack to you and keeping one himself. 

“Are we going somewhere?”

“To a more defensible position, we don’t wanna be out here in case there’s Separatist droids nearby or in case there are any dangerous animals.”

You nodded and followed him, keeping pace as best you could. It was about three hours later, when you were panting and gasping for breath, “Wait … Commander, please I … I need a break.” You leaned against a boulder. 

“Alright …” Wolffe nodded, “take a break, we can rest for a minute.”

You nodded, thanking him, as you took a break, “Sorry.”

“It’s fine, you’re a civilian. You’re not used to this.”

You looked up at him as you regained your breath and took a sip of water, “You know, you’re not as bad as everyone says you are.”

Wolffe, let out a laugh, “And how bad does everyone say I am?”

“That you have a short temper, you don’t suffer fools, you don’t like civilians really…”

He turned to look at you, “Really?” You simply nodded your answer, “I wouldn’t say I don’t like civilians, I’d say … civilians don’t appreciate the sacrifices me and my brothers make.”

“I know” you answered solemnly, “I’ve heard them, when I walk around Coruscant. I’m sorry. It’s not right or fair.”

“My life has never been really fair. But, thank you.”

You stood brushing off your pants, “I’m good, we can continue.”

Wolffe simply nodded as he led the way to a cave that would provide the right shelter, he set up a defensive perimeter, while you started a fire, when you were finished he came and sat beside you nodding at your achievement. 

“Good job, didn’t think civilians knew how to start a fire”

“Well I did take basic survival training, when I first joined the GAR.”

“Impressive.” He took off his helmet and his gloves, keeping the comm alert on high in case the rescue team was trying to get a hold of them.

“Commander” you looked into the fire, lost in thought, “Do you think maybe there's a universe out there where we're friends?”

“I don’t know” Wolffe answered as he kept his own gaze on the fire, “but I can tell you, you gained a friend today.” He smirked as he looked at you, “Listen, I don’t know what I ever did to make you think I hate you, civvie. But I don’t. I am actually impressed by you. It’s not easy joining the GAR to begin with, not as a civilian, certainly not as a woman, but you continue to work harder than everyone else. You’re prompt with your reports and always pleasant with your co-workers. I’ve heard nothing but praise from everyone you work with, and even today, you put up with a lot, with barely a complaint. That’s impressive.”

You tried to hide the smile that wanted to creep on to your face, “Thank you, Commander.”

“Wolffe.”

“I’m sorry?”

“When it’s just us, you can call me Wolffe. After all, we’re friends, right?”

“That’s right … Wolffe.”

He didn’t know why but hearing you say his name, brought a smile to his lips. “Close your eyes and try to sleep” he motioned to the ground, “I’ll keep watch. You’ll be safe.”

You nodded and leaned down against the ground resting your head on the backpack, wrapping the emergency blanket around you to stay warm. “Wolffe, do you think someone got our distress signal?”

“Don’t worry civvie, Plo’buir isn’t about to leave us behind.” He looked after you and smiled, “Just relax, and close your eyes. It’ll be okay.”

You nodded, closing your eyes, “Thank you, Wolffe”

“For?”

“For being my friend,” your voice trailed off as the exhaustion from the crash, the hike, and just the anxiety of the day pulled you under. Soon enough you were snoring. 

Wolffe smiled as he watched you sleep, his heart fluttering as he took in your features. He always wondered why you had kept your distance from him, but to think you thought he hated you, made his heart hurt. It was so far from the truth. However, it was too soon to point that out. Instead, for now, he’d be your friend, and hope that in the future, your friendship could progress to something more. Maybe one day. 

“Goodnight, cyar’ika. Sweet dreams.” He whispered as he put his helmet back on and kept his blaster on his lap, keeping guard, making it his job to protect you. 

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