#despite how my siblings disliked it

[krash-8]

.

[arisu-alisa-alice]

𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓮𝓻𝓸 𝓪𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓷 𝓹𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷

[sskk-manifesto]

Ep 6!!!

[ak319]

Yan Socialite brother x reader

(Warnings: Strictly platonic , not incest)

Ezra Alvarez , your younger brother, has always been your number one supporter. From a young age, he was taught that tradition dictated the older sibling would inherit the business and the farms—essentially, everything. This meant all the power would eventually be in your hands. But Ezra wasn’t a moneygrubber seeking favor, he genuinely admired your intelligence, strength, and the way you cared for the family, especially him. From the moment he gained consciousness, he aimed to be your best friend and sole confidant. He longed to be the person you turned to for counsel, and slowly but surely, things were unfolding just as he wanted.

Let's start from the beginning. Ezra and you were quite different in many ways, largely due to the contrasting upbringings you had. For example, while you cherished solitude and indulged in expensive hobbies like horseback riding, archery, and swordsmanship within the privacy of your estate, not to mention almost always busy learning and handling the business with your father. On the other hand, Ezra thrived in social settings. As a fashion designer, it was his job to attend lavish parties and stay connected with the latest trends. However, his socializing had a deeper purpose, to monitor the people in high circles and gauge their intentions toward his family, especially you.

Ezra was always vigilant, keeping tabs on potential rivals and meticulously recording this information. He made sure you were aware of everything you needed to know, and thanks to his discreet tactics, you were advancing. The way he giggled looking up at you when you patted his head in praise was endearing, if he were a puppy, his tail would surely have been wagging.

Ezra would do anything for his older sister because you're the best sister in the world! Despite being used to receiving expensive trinkets, he always gets teary-eyed when you gift him something special. Given your usually stoic and aloof demeanor, he can't help but cry tears of joy when you show him affection and smile at him. He ceaselessly rambles on about his latest projects and clothing line while you sit there, reading a book and nodding along, often clueless about what he’s saying. Yet, he still cherishes these moments because it’s only HIS sister who takes time out of her busy schedule for HIM. How could he not be grateful? That would be a crime. No other sister would ever do this for their brother! Anyway, back to designing some jockey apparels for you. You really need new ones.

As much as he dislikes your boisterous hobbies, he uses them as an excuse to spend time with you. He eagerly asks you to teach him, no matter how dirty his nails or clothes get, or how much he might risk getting sunburned. Every bit of it is worth it when someone like you is his mentor.

Your parents reprimended you for spoiling your baby brother but you always shrugged it off saying "How can I not spoil my only baby brother?." That's right sister, I am and will be always your only brother. He always makes sure to pass a victorious smirk to his parents who could only sigh in defeat at both of you.

Whenever it rains, he remembers how you love the rain while he hates it because it's all muddy but on the other hand memories of him as a kid getting scared of the thunder and you holding him in your bed in your protective embrace always warms his heart. Maybe this is where the habit of cuddling you has developed. Even now when something in his life goes wrong or he is having a tantrum , only your the one who can calm him or otherwise he is crying screaming and complaining for days and yes this is a true incident , the whole estate was close to becoming deaf if you hadn't come back from your academy bringing some new jewels and his favourite pastries for him.

Speaking of the academy, Ezra had to swallow the urge to throw another tantrum or cling to your feet when the time came for you to leave for further studies. He knew you had to do this for your own sake and the future of your family business. So, instead, he became like a second mother to you, sending letters to make sure you weren’t skipping classes—even though he knew you weren’t that kind of a person. He frequently asked about your meals and sports activities, but the part he hated most was even thinking about you having a potential lover. God, he couldn’t help but crumple up the third letter when he wrote about it, but he had to know. The thought of being secondary in your life, in everything, terrified him. What if you brought home a gold digger?! That’s how he saw anyone who came close to you. They didn’t care about your personality or charm, they were after that KA-CHING! And him being one of your top prized assets, he wasn’t about to let that happen.

His heart however calmed down when you replied with a simple 'No' about the question. Yay! Whenever you came back from academy , he was even more excited than your parents, who always found his enthusiasm adorable. How he ran back and forth scolding the servants for not cleaning your room properly , not having your favourite dish up to notch like DO YOUR FUCKING JOBS PROPERLY! He wouldn't stop yapping when you sat for tea after dinner but no matter how much you were exhausted from your journey , you still listened to him.

As cunning, witty, and sophisticated he was, Ezra made mistakes too, and in his mind, the worst mistake was failing at a task you assigned him. He would cower under your anger, fully aware that he had messed up. He was still learning the ins and outs of the tedious household budget—something he would have to manage for you one day—but it was boring, okay? Numbers just weren’t his thing. Even if you scolded him, he always waited for your apology, which you offered in your own way—like taking him out to his favorite café or silently sharing a cup of tea in his room. Moments later, he’d be hugging you, petulantly whining about you getting angry at him. He hated how you chuckled at his childish attitude, but deep down, he loved it too.

Life was going well until, one day he received a letter that you were unable to attend father's funeral due to work back in the academy. He knew it was a lie , you WOULD NEVER abandon your family like this , even your mother was skeptical. But since there was no sign of you coming back, he handled his grieving mother and the arrangements himself as much as he was dying inside due to your absence. Where were you? They needed you. You were their head now. He was worried sick.

After the guests left , it was only his uncles and aunts who sat in the living room while he came down after putting his mother to sleep.

"Ezra, dear boy. You must be tired, but there is something we need to discuss with you." The words made his blood boil, and he fought the urge to slap the indifferent looks off his father’s brothers and sisters. He knew exactly why they were still here—they were nothing but vile, disgusting pieces of filth, circling like vultures after the family’s money. He had always seen the malicious intent in their eyes when they interacted with you, and it broke his heart how you treated them as family while they plotted to push you out of the way. But he kept up the façade of a nice, obedient nephew, knowing that it would be handy for a moment like this. Where were they when he was struggling to handle everything? They only arrived at the last minute for their sibling's funeral. His poor father had died surrounded by snakes. But he swore he would never let the same happen to you. He would never betray you, his blood, like these filthy excuses for humans.

He wanted to throw up as they offered their insincere condolences, but he remained firm. They inquired about your absence, talking shit about your cold behavior for not being there, and this was his cue to play his cards right. Slipping into his favorite role as the bimbo younger brother, he wept, agreeing with their criticisms, and even cursed you, despite how much it made his heart ache. Eventually, they began to open up, believing in the hate and jealousy he pretended to harbor for you. While they didn’t reveal your whereabouts, they made it clear they deemed you as an unworthy heiress. He fake-laughed through his tears, gaining their trust the best that he could. They even had the audacity to suggest dividing the property among themselves, without even considering his mother as the rightful owner of anything. Oh, they were going to be obliterated.

He then promised to hand them the papers during a party he was going to arrange that too in a ferry. Acting on the information you once gave him, he contacted some gunmen for emergencies, making the necessary arrangements. Oh what a sight it was to see the ferry filled with the corpses of his treacherous relatives. One of the assassin came and informed that they had you abducted and thrown into a mental asylum on your way back to the estate for the funeral. His mouth hung agape at the revelation, his whole body seething with fury, and without wasting a moment, he set out to bring you back. But not before ordering the ferry to be blown up in the middle of the sea. He cackled maniacally from the dock as he watched the explosion, then leaped onto the back of one of the hitmen like a kid, gleeful at the destruction of those who had wronged you.

Once you were back and grieved a bit which only lasted for a few moments before you had to take care of covering up the bloodshed your baby brother did. But at the end you did it and currently Ezra was beside you on the arm of the chair while you worked on your late father's study table , now yours. "You are not mad at me, are you?" He asked softly, voice almost breaking at the end.

"You did what had to be done. I would have done the same to anyone who came after my family like this," you said, hearing him sniffle beside you. You gently caressed his arm, your gaze still fixed on the parchment. "Don’t cry, you know how much I hate seeing you cry, Ezzy." You felt him lay his head on your shoulder, his soft brunette locks brushing against your ear.

"Thank you… I couldn’t fucking stand them anymore, doing such… such a horrendous thing to you."

He suddenly burst into giggles, his feet dangling. "But it was fun! You know, before his death, Uncle Auden wore that hideous yellow sack coat. I saw it through the binoculars—God, he looked like a penguin getting on the ferr-!"

"Ezra." Your warning tone almost made him flinch. "What did I tell you about speaking ill of the dead?"

"I think they deserve a pass." His pout was defiant yet playful, and you couldn’t help but smile. His laughter was light, a contrast to the heaviness of this week.

He couldn't be more blissful than this. You looked as if you were made to sit in that chair, and he felt immensely proud to have cleared the path for you. He always would. As his heart pondered the future, a frown creased his brow. The thought of a day when you might stray, bringing a partner into the estate, unsettled him. Though that day seemed far off, he was already prepared to make their life hell. After all, the chances of you siding with a partner over him were slim. He has got his older sister wrapped around his manicured pinky.

➺Ezra x reader x hubby

[terror-tonic]

My takes on the doughboys! (Rambling under cut)

MATTHEW

I know he’s described as charismatic, but I think Matthew is a bit of a loser honestly. What adults consider charismatic and what children consider charismatic are two wildly different worlds, and I think Matthew is firmly in the former.

He’s good with the younger kids- he reads to them, helps them with their schoolwork (to the best of his ability), and comforts/cheers them up when they’re feeling down. But baby talk and hugs don’t work on everyone, and while no one dislikes Matthew, the older kids definitely see him as a bit of a teacher’s pet and don’t try very hard to include him in their activities.

If he’s not spending time with the younger kids, then he’s with the caretakers and counselors helping around Playcare. Every staff member in the place absolutely adores him, and several have asked him to consider joining the team when he ages out. (When, not if. They never say if.)

Despite how “adult” Matthew tries to seem, he suffers from anxiety and trauma from the car accident that killed his parents. In times of high-stress, Matthew has a small tremor, mainly focused in his hands and arms. He also has poor balance and coordination, also stemming from injuries sustained in the accident.

Matthew cared deeply about every child in Playcare, seeing them as the younger siblings he never had. It came as a surprise to everyone when he was suddenly “chosen”- no fanfare, no goodbyes, just there one day and gone the next.

KEVIN

Playcare’s “problem child”, Kevin was taken in by Playtime Co. after his parents were arrested primarily as a publicity stunt, one they would quickly come to regret when they realized Kevin wasn’t a “quiet and shy” type of traumatized child.

Kevin’s odd mannerisms and cagey nature made it hard for him to make friends. Other children and adults alike mistook his flat expressions and lack of eye contact as disinterest or passive-aggressiveness, or worse, disrespect. Due to this, he would often be isolated from the other children, have entertainment privileges revoked, or have his possessions taken away by staff.

All of this only fed into his belief that adults couldn’t be trusted, and soon he began isolating himself of his own volition, becoming aggressive when others tried to approach him. Kevin began skipping school and other mandatory activities frequently, often ending up in the Game Station.

Kevin was repeatedly caught and brought back to Playcare, but even after lengthy punishments and increased security, he did not stop escaping. On one occasion, he was found in the Game Station by Dr. Sawyer, who was impressed at his scores, which were significantly higher than any others.

Much to Playcare’s dismay, Dr. Sawyer organized for Kevin to be able to visit the Game Station whenever he wanted, and wrote him a “hall pass” to show to security when he was questioned. All Dr. Sawyer asked was that Kevin continue to improve his scores, and he obeyed until he was “chosen”.

JACK

Poor, sweet Jackie, gone before his time due to a safety rail failure. The death of Jack Ayers is an unfortunate stain on the company’s history, a horrible tragedy that was entirely the fault of Warrenbach Construction for improperly installing the catwalks and railings of the dough production room.

Mr. Ayers passed in his sleep due to a heart attack shortly after the incident, and Mrs. Ayers was institutionalized shortly after her husband’s death. In wake of the tragedy, Playtime Co. generously offered to cover the cost of Mr. Ayers’ funeral and Mrs. Ayers’ medical care.

—

When Jack awoke within Subject 1322, he was incredibly distressed. 1322 spent five hours screaming for his “Mommy” and “Daddy” before it was sedated via Red Smoke due to employee complaints. Upon reawakening, 1322 spent the next three days curled in on itself, muttering to itself seemingly in an attempt to self-soothe.

[bouquetface]

Synastry observations 4

Accuracy influenced by the ENTIRE chart.

PLEASE READ: You may not relate despite having these aspects. It’s important to look at the ENTIRE chart (never just one placement) when reading for accuracy. There are several ways these aspects can manifest.

Moon Conjunct Venus

Intuitive understanding of the other’s emotions. Being in tune with each other. Finding support from one another. Feeling seen, supported & understood. This conjunction can keep bringing the two back together. I’ve also noticed with this conjunction, you create/have many comforting memories together. One may think of the other randomly as memories&thoughts of the other are triggered throughout a normal week.

This placement can make on sentimental & nostalgic. This connection breaking apart is a hellish experience. It’s difficult to not remember the other.

Moon conjunct Mars

In friendships, I’ve noticed the Mars person be very encouraging and supportive of the Moon. For ex: Tell/encourage them to try out for big roles. Mars can help build up confidence for the Moon.

The negative is Mars can (purposefully or accidentally) hurt Moon just as easy as they can build them up. Full chart needs to be taken into consideration.

In relationships, this can create extreme attraction. The two can be quick to act on it as well. For ex: My friend who had a kid young has this with her baby’s dad. They didn’t know each other for too long before having the kid.

Chiron conjunct Sun

Sun can unintentionally shine a light on the other person’s deepest wound. This can be good or bad depending on whether the chiron person is ready to face their past pain. Often, I read this is a red flag in synastry. In my real life, this hasn’t shown true.

In my real life, I’ve seen this twice manifest as the chiron and sun person having a sorta unspoken understanding of one another.

Ex.1: Person A has a chiron cap in 4th House. This person felt like asking their parents for anything was a burden to them. Whether it be an emotional need or a physical want. They were lonely in childhood.

Person B has a cap sun. As the eldest child, they had a similar experience. They would help care for their younger siblings. Attempt to minimize their own needs & wants because they could see how hard it was for their mom to raise the 3 younger kids. They always put their own self last.

Together, Person A and Person B have realized they have similar traits. They admire and respect these traits in each other.

Ex 2. It’s pretty much the same as example one. However, might be due to the age difference but the chiron person admires the sun person. The sun person naturally displays the traits, the chiron person feels necessary to thrive.

The negatives are the hurting each other without fully realizing it. The sun person could sub consciously remind the chiron of their past.

For ex: A Virgo sun’s analytical nature could be perceived as unnecessary criticism to the virgo chiron. The virgo chiron may then begin to dislike the sun as they are reminded of people they don’t like/who hurt them in the past.

Now keep in mind, chiron stays in a sign for 4ish years. You won’t like or dislike every chiron born in those 4 years. This aspect isn’t a main one to be looking at imo unless it is very closely conjunct.

Moon conjunct Mercury

3 times I’ve noticed this creates an awkward beginning but a good long term friendship. It might because it was in earth signs, they tend to be reserved before opening up. Gradually, a good emotional foundation is created. The two understand each other. It’s always easy to catch up even if you take a pause. This is such a good aspect that I see it helps overcome harsher aspects in synastry.

Composite Chart

Aqua Moon: A distance can be kept in the connection. You two may have many placements in your natal chart that indicate you do not open up easily (Cap chiron, Scorpio Venus, 8th H placements, etc). Regardless of how close you get, both may try to remain a bit reserved to prevent being entirely vulnerable to the other. This isn’t necessarily a negative.

Moon in 4th House: A secure connection. Great foundation if you want to build something together (a business, a family). Long term connection indicator. You may find each other reliable. You know what to expect with the other.

Venus conjunct Mars: This would be a difficult connection to move away from. Their is attraction that keeps you two together / coming back together. This is not necessarily sexual. For example, if you have this in a friendship, you two simply have too much history to ever truly forget this person. The connection only grows over time. One cannot replace the other. You two have affected each other’s personalities in a big way. This can be good or bad.

For example, in the 12th House. I’ve seen this as a relationship that fell out. One can go long periods without ever thinking of the other. Yet, the impact they had remains. This person is suspicious and cautious of letting new people entier their lives. Trust issues were created in that connection.

Mars conjunct MC

I’ve seen this manifest in a friendship that fell out. Outsiders who know of the other, know they do not like that other person. Your conflicts can become public with this conjunction.

Venus opposite Mercury

This can make communication very difficult. It can lead to a difference in communication style. For ex: One person is very blunt, the other is very soft spoken & sensitive. You hurt each other with your words even when you don’t mean it.

I’ve seen a chart where Venus was in 12th opposite Mercury. This resulted in one party getting ghosted & blocked.

Moon in 5th House:

A fun connection. You can joke with each other. You can be spontaneous when together. This is a positive placement.

The potential negative is this may become your “remember friend”. You go to each other for nostalgic purposes. Like remember when we____. Repeating old inside jokes. A playful friendship. Prone to avoid serious conversation. This isn’t really negative if you both do not want more from one another. Other placements in the chart can change this as well. You may have the ability to be serious but prefer the joking nature of the connection.

Moon in 7th House:

You two simply make good partners. Ex: Business partners, cooking partners, group project partners, etc. There can be a shared understanding of what is fair and what is right. Only negative is that you should be aware of co dependency issues.

7th House ruler in 12th House:

Twice, I’ve seen this appear as other people being the cause of the connection ending. In one situation, it was emotional cheating. This person got exposed for having very inappropriate conversations with someone else. The second situation, one friend was talking shit & revealing secrets about the other. They were exposed by a mutual friend. In both these situations, the other person was so furious they did not give a clear reason for why they were leaving. They simply left ghosted and blocked.

[astroismypassion]

Astrology observations 🟠🟠🟠

Credit goes to @astroismypassion

🟠 I previously wrote about how Aries Moon native didn't receive much attention from the opposite sex in younger years, which is why some when they receive much more attention, kinda turn into players. But now I concluded it's not only Aries Moon that didn't receive attention. It's also Pisces Moon. But for different reasons. They didn't receive much attention from the opposite sex, because they were focused on their own interests and were nerdy, bookworms, loved expanding their knowledge instead. Beware though, adult Pisces Moon can easily turn into players too. However, they usually just have some imaginary people that they think are after them haha, they invent fake stories of people thirsting after them to make themselves more appealing and to make others jealous.

🟠 I noticed real life Pisces Moon men try to “buy” their partner’s love and affection. They think if they won’t share resources with them or provide for them, buy them with gifts and favours, that the partner will leave. Some Pisces Moon men even pay women for sex. Now I also found a celebrity astrology example. Rapper Offset who is Pisces Moon native was accused by wife rapper Cardi B of paying women to have sex with him. My conclusion is Pisces Moon natives feel undeserving of love and feel they need to pay for it in order to get it.

🟠 I noticed a lot of women being fed up with Cancer Sun men stereotypes. They feel Cancer Sun men are being misrepresented of being clingy and needy due to many of them turning out cheaters. But honestly, I see Cancer Sun men cheating or not based on his Moon sign. It really depends on the sign, degree and how it is aspected. I most often noticed Cancer Sun men cheating if their Moon sign is Scorpio or Aquarius, Sagittarius and Pisces. While other Cancer Suns with Taurus, Libra, Virgo for example being fixated on their partner. There are a lot more traits in astrology community about Cancer Sun men, that people feel are slept on about them. Such as financial abuse, emotional manipulation, degrading, use of control. Some say never let a Cancer Sun man to move in your home.

🟠 One combination that is so under-rated, but one that I see often is Aquarius Sun and Scorpio Sun friendship. It’s much more rare to see these two date (but some still do!), Scorpio Sun most often goes for Virgo Sun instead Aquarius Sun, since they both are cerebral and logical. But Aquarius and Scorpio Sun friendships can be really common.

🟠 Scorpio Mercury/Mercury in the 8th house is just as bad to have as Gemini Lilith. You guys both see the worst traits of your sibling(s). The difference is that with Mercury you probably have a nasty way of communicating with each other, cursing each other out a lot, making threats or backmail each other. But with Lilith, there is so much jealousy and envy going on. You noticed your sibling being privileged in certain aspects of life starting by parents, later on by co-workers, the boss in the workplace.

🟠 Having Virgo Descendant is always easier than Gemini Descendant despite both being similar due to being Mercurial Descendants. With Virgo Descendant you are still able to be really organized, methodical and have a good sense of time management. While Gemini Descendants either have ADHD, poor time management skills, can be scared of certain social interactions, like calling in for a dentist’s appointment, having social anxiety, poor focus and concentration and can’t sit at once place for too long.

🟠 Also, Gemini and Virgo Descendants are both guilty of preparing words and what they are going to say before an interaction in advance.

🟠 Why are we not discussing enough how Gemini Sun people are misanthrope/dislike people despite being so communicative? I noticed so many not enjoying people and socializing with them as much, kinda fed up with people energy haha.

🟠 Taurus Sun people are the most conflict avoidant (even more than Libra Sun), but not due to being a people pleaser, but because they are not able to see when they are at a fault. They also don’t know how to even behave and reaction to a conflict. They have very poor conflict resolution skills. That’s why most of them avoid it in the first place. That and oh, their stomach gets upset or their whole body starts shaking.

🟠 Virgo Sun is prone to have health issues or catch a cold easily, but I beg to differ, have you seen a Cancer Sun? These guys have what it seems a never-ending cold the whole winter season. They seem to have weak immune system and really sensitive bodies. I have yet to see a healthy Cancer Sun.

🟠 Leo Lilith, Lilith in the 5th house, Lilith at a Leo degree (5, 17, 29) people attract people that date them for how much attention the native is receiving. They attract people that want to “still their light”, make them feel less confident and self-assured. These natives also often attract Capricorn Sun/Venus or Venus in the 10th house, Venus at a Capricorn degree (10, 22) people.

🟠 I always see couples that don’t make sense to me. Those couples you kind of don’t know what attracted them to each other, because they seem like they are not that similar? It’s because there’s usually a Sun Moon conjunction. This usually makes people enter a partnership, even if they are complete opposites. You know how Kourtney Kardashian looked so different from Travis Barker when they first started dating? Now they dress in a similar manner and look much more alike, but at the beginning, they seemed mismatched. You would probably never suspect that they have Aries Sun Aries Moon conjunction with how they were at the very beginning. That’s why people were surprised to hear that their children were friends and had family play dates for years before they started dating, you would never suspect it, because Sun Moon conjunction is such a “quiet”, not-in-your-face aspect.

🟠 I studied the Natal charts of married couple Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard. And they are such good definition of being complete opposites literally (he is a Capricorn Sun at 11, an Aquarius degree) and she is a Cancer Sun at 26, a Taurus degree), but they match each other’s freak.

🟠 A moment of silence to all Scorpio Moons who have dated an Aquarius Sun or Moon at least at one point in their life. Also to the Scorpio Venus and Aquarius Venus couples.

🟠 Gemini Descendant natives can be prone to vitamin deficiency.

🟠 A lot of opposite Moon signs really do work, because there are so many traits in common. Such as one being Aries Moon and the other Libra Moon, Scorpio Moon- Taurus Moon etc. But one Moon opposition I see doesn’t work is if one is Leo Moon and the other is Aquarius Moon. Leo Moon wants to be treated differently than the rest and being treated differently than other makes them feel special. While Aquarius Moon treats everyone the same, friends, family members, lovers, partners.

Credit goes to @astroismypassion

[illubean]

HIHIHI!!! I've been following you for a while and i recently saw your toph! reader HC and I've been wondering if I could request for a katara! reader who's really good at waterbending and specialises on healing and blood bending? Could the characters be Gon, Killua, Illumi and the phantom troupe? Hope you eat well and stay healthy!!!

HXH W/ a Katara!Reader

Characters: Gon Freecs, Killua Zoldyck, Illumi Zoldyck, The Phantom Troupe Type: Headcanons, Fem!reader, Platonic

tried making this gn but then I ended up using fem labels a lot >.< also when I see "the phantom troupe" in headcannon requests im just going to write them collectively unless otherwise specified

Warnings: None

Gon Freecs

your older sister/eldest daughter syndrome is very evident around him

he probably doesn't pick up on it but everyone else sees how fiercely protective you are over him

you have a soft spot for children and Gon is literally the sweetest ever so you can't help but want to keep him safe

before the hunter exams, the only role models Gon has ever had in his live have been maternal figures (Mito and his grandma)

you end up becoming another one

which may also be part of the reason he is so respectful and kind

he's ok with your motherly nature mainly because he's very used to it and he can understand where you're coming from

he cares for you as if you guys were blood related

when he went cray in chimera ant arc you were the first person Killua and Leorio thought to call

yk because of your healing ability

you healed him the best you could before Alluka showed up

and scolded him immediately after he recovered

Killua Zoldyck

he likes someone with Toph's rebellious personality but you?

you're a total wet blanket...

your such a stickler, always trying to stop him when he's feeling mischievous

you remind him of how things were back at his estate...

you are not his mother stop acting like it

but whenever you protect him from getting seriously hurt or heal him he's reminded you have good intentions

he knows you're not trying to be manipulative and controlling but god pls loosen up

despite how distant he might present himself he can't help but grow a little emotionally attached to you

he's never had a healthy relationship with his mom...

you are the only normal motherly figure in his life

he acts like he can't stand how you fuss over him but in reality he cares for you deeply and kind of likes that you feel the need to be protective over him

Illumi Zoldyck

unlike his brother, he likes you a lot more than if you were to have Toph's personality

because you remind him of his mother

he doesn't mind your protective nature as long as you don't get in the way

your 'blood bending' technique is of great interest to him..

you are able to use it on normal days and don't have to wait for a full moon because this is my fanfic and I said so

it just happens to be at it's strongest on full moons

he probs starts keeping track of the moon cycles just to take you on missions and see you in action

with the blood bending technique you could literally stop any enemy

a very OP ability indeed....

which is why he keeps you around

you're strong and have a pretty normal personality so there's really no reason for him to dislike you

The Phantom Troupe

it's pretty 50/50 with them

and by that I mean some of them don't mind your motherly personality while others think it's annoying...

mainly Phinks and Feitan; they feel you're too bossy

but the entire troupe can agree that your nen is impressive

1) they have a healer now and 2) your blood-bending is some sort of secret weapon

you get along well with Nobunaga, bonding over your shared soft spot for children

Chrollo probs personally recruited you for your abilities seeing as he couldn't really steal them..

Machi likes having you around because now she has to stitch people up less often

when Kalluto joins, he becomes the one you're most protective over

the younger members see you as an older sibling figure

aka Shizuku(18) Kalluto(12) and Kortopi(he has no canon age as far as I know but I like to imagine he is a child rather than a small adult...)

[anqelically]

જ⁀➴ LOVE ME, LOVE ME NOT

SUMMARY. with the knowledge of your relationship on his mind, sanemi takes it upon himself to gauge giyuu’s true feelings

WARNINGS. 1.5k words, platonic sanemi x older sister!reader, giyuu x shinazugawa!reader, brief depictions of abuse and injury (from kyogo, their father), giyuu feels slightly ooc towards the end to me 😣

a diary entry of the “mono no aware” series !

sanemi shinazugawa was not heartless. he might’ve been ruthless when need be, but deep inside there was a certain side of his behind closed doors. his late mother and siblings, masachika, genya, you— he cared for all of you behind his rough exterior.

in your case, there was a specific promise he made to himself because he cared. you were bruised after one of your father’s wraths when your mother, shizu, tended to your wounds. her small hands pressed a cold cloth to your arm as stray tears fell down your cheeks.

in a hurry, you wiped them away in the hopes your younger siblings weren’t looking. you were the eldest among them all, so you felt as if you couldn’t show them the pain you felt. your father’s hits hurt, but seeing them writhing in pain hurt more.

it wasn’t the first time you took a beating for your younger siblings, but it was the first time that instead of sanemi being hurt himself, it was you in his place. as you hugged his and genya’s smaller frames, your father, kyogo, repeatedly kicked your back during his drunken fit.

“why’d you jump in front of me?” sanemi asked, staring at the newly formed bruise. despite how recent it was, it was already turning into a deep shade of purple. “how will you heal if you keep getting new injuries?”

you merely smiled at him, “the pain from these go away eventually, but the memory of seeing you guys in pain won’t. as long as you’re my little brother, i’ll protect you from anything thrown our way.”

it was after kyogo’s death that sanemi made his promise to you. he was going back home after delivering materials with genya for money when they stumbled upon you being scolded in front of a vendor’s stall.

someone had run into you, causing you to bump into one of the displays. the man’s fruits had fallen to the ground, and the blame was placed upon you because he never saw the person who was running. this man knew your father, and just like everyone else, hated him. you were only half-listening to his angry rambles when he struck you in the face.

you supposed he hated your father so much that it extended to you, his child.

genya called out for you in worry, and you took that as your cue to leave. you rushed towards your brothers, taking a thrown apple to the back before ushering them away from the scene. sanemi said nothing as you placed your hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly.

you asked them if they were okay, but all he could think about was you. were you okay after everything? how were you okay at all? you always took it upon yourself to keep them safe and comfortable when you could, but besides your mother, who was there to look out for you? 

so sanemi made a promise to himself— he wouldn’t let anyone hurt you anymore. if he ever saw you getting yelled at, he stepped in and argued back. if someone tried laying a hand on you, he took it upon himself to smack their hand away. and when a boy your age was obviously hitting on you, he’d keep his eye out for you. he might’ve been younger than you, but he sure did act like a protective older brother.

even after growing up, his protective disposition remained.

so when he thought giyuu tomioka had taken advantage of you, he was beyond angry. his older sister, one of the kindest people he knew, was being harassed by someone he already disliked— in his eyes, that was reasonable enough to beat up the water hashira beyond saving.

but then you revealed your relationship to him before it could go that far, leaving him at a loss. although he did suspect your feelings, he didn’t expect them to be reciprocated. sanemi knew you got along with the black-haired hashira but not to that extent.

your relationship crossed sanemi’s mind a few times for the next 2 days. sanemi wanted you to be happy, but if it meant being happy because of giyuu’s ill intentions, then forget it. with that in mind, he invited the water hashira to his estate.

giyuu entered the grounds of sanemi’s estate with quiet steps. it wasn’t like the wind hashira to invite him over, and after the events that took place at your estate, it was especially odd. he took a quick look around before the sound of rushed footsteps reached his ears.

‘wind breathing fifth form: cold mountain wind’

‘water breathing seventh form: drop ripple thrust’

giyuu stared at sanemi, whose sword he blocked using his own. a sudden attack was the last thing he was expecting upon arriving at the estate. the white-haired hashira jumped back before scoffing at giyuu’s distant expression. his face alone made him ticked off.

“what was that for?”

sanemi sheathed his nichirin sword and after watching him do so, giyuu did the same. sanemi elaborated, “hurt y/n in any way and i’ll cut your head clean off.”

the noirette blinked, “does she know you’re making threats?”

“it’s a warning, not a threat. listen up, tomioka, if your feelings for y/n are superficial, end it now and don’t show your face to hers. neither of you will end up unscathed-“

“that sure sounded like a threat.”

“i’ll turn it into one.”

they stood in silence for a moment before giyuu took it upon himself to speak, “i don’t know where you got the idea, but i have no intention of hurting y/n. she’s the most important person to me, so i wouldn’t dare to lay a hand on her.”

“and how do i know you’re not just saying that to save your own ass?” the wind hashira raised a brow.

“you don’t, since you only have my word, but don’t you think it’s an insult to y/n? she is no fool. if anyone were to find me in a lie, y/n would be one of the first to. i wouldn’t waste my time in a relationship if it were for a superficial purpose.”

at his words, sanemi couldn’t help but wonder, “do you love her?”

“what?”

“you heard me, tomioka. do you love y/n?”

it was a question he couldn’t immediately answer. as silence draped over the pair, the blue-eyed man found himself deep in thought. giyuu was sure that he liked you romantically, but was his feelings, as deep as they were, considered love? he suddenly thought of the night the two of you confessed.

“this nearly feels like a dream,” you murmured.

“i hope not,” a faint smile adorned his lips. “when i dream of something, it doesn’t last very long. i don’t want this,” he intertwined his fingers with yours, “to end.”

“well then, we best not let it.” you fought back your own smile as you rested your head in the crook of his neck, “i don’t want this to end either. so, if you allow me, i’d love to be yours.”

giyuu’s lips then curled further as he stared at you in adoration, “yeah, i like the sound of that.”

he remembered how fast his heart raced against his chest that night, and the feeling of relief when he got to hold you in his arms. as endearing as it was, it didn’t seem like love.

the past few days, however, there was a shift in the air.

everything was already routine. missions, rest, training— all of it was on an endless loop, and although it was always a repetitive bore, it wasn’t so boring with you. giyuu looked forward to coming back from missions for a different reason other than the fact that he could rest.

everything mundane that he had no reason to look forward to now made him excited to spend time with you because with you, nothing in the world could be a bore.

giyuu tomioka wasn’t familiar with love, but finding joy in such a simple moment with you— that seemed like love to him.

sanemi, watching closely, noticed the slight curve of the water hashira’s lips. a warmth spread throughout giyuu’s chest before he met your brother’s eyes, and that was enough for sanemi to know how he felt.

as much as he disliked giyuu, knowing that you were happy with him and that his feelings were also true, the wind pillar turned his head away. he waved his hand, “nevermind. you can leave.”

giyuu tilted his head in confusion, “do you not want my answer anymore?”

“i don’t need it.”

“you were pressed for it moments ago.”

“leave before i kick your ass.”

giyuu blinked twice before he also turned around. he knew better than to bicker with sanemi when he was in any sort of mood. without a word, the water pillar left the grounds of the wind estate and headed for yours.

when he showed up at your door, you greeted him with a smile and a peck on the lips. and even though the two of you shared a meal in silence, he was sure that in his heart, all he had was love for you.

this entry’s taisho secret— without you knowing, sanemi showed up to the fruit seller’s stall the next day, knocked everything over, and ran away. though, he made sure to take a few fruits for your family to have for lunch, and as much as he hates to admit it, they were tasty

signed on 11/01/2024 | other diary entries

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[rationalnerd62]

Seeing some of the tags I got on the CR timeline post, I think I loved C3 for the exact same reasons some folks disliked it or struggled with it.

I liked the overarching arc. Don't get me wrong, mini-arcs like with VM and M9 are perfectly fine, but there's something narratively satisfying to me about BH following this consistent thread all along the campaign. This group started with a few questions (Who attacked Keyleth? Why? What is the meaning of those dreams? Where are Fearne's parents?) and uncovered a whole conspiracy that then revealed itself to the entire world. It reminds me of reading those Fantasy series where the characters hear about the upcoming battle in book 1 and finally get to it in book 14. I can't wait to rewatch and see the foreshadowing and hints that brought this group to this point.

I liked the constant discussions about the Gods. Listen, as a gay person raised in a Catholic family, boy I've had my dealings and issues with religion. But I find it nice to be able to put our own world aside and watch this fantasy world ask questions that would be very controversial in ours. What we know of the Gods of Exandria has fundamentally changed from the first episode of C3 to the last. We went through both ExU Calamity and Downfall during that time. Those Gods have changed from being so removed and above mortals, mystical entities incomprehensible to anyone who dared trying, to beings with a past before Exandria, a family they're willing to protect at all costs no matter how hurtful their siblings are to the mortals, aliens with flaws and faults and failings, full of nuances and grayness in a world that put half of them in a box of "Good" and the other half in a box of "Evil". And as those Gods have been humanised in front of our eyes, it brought the question of whether their power over mortals is still justified and relevant. And now Exandria is about to change, and I find it exciting. IMO, it gives even more of a reason to keep exploring Exandria in the future of Critical Role than if the status quo was maintained. It's hard to do something new in a world that doesn't evolve with the story.

And while I understand people would have loved more time with Bell's Hells (I would have loved that too!), I also kinda loved how rushed and short in time they've been feeling since they've heard of the solstice. They've had a ticking clock ringing in their ears for a while now. People make different decisions when they don't think they have the time to get some sleep on it. Would have Ashton tried to absorb the shard if the group didn't have to leave for Ruidus the exact next day? Would have Orym taken a sword that maybe shouldn't be his if they didn't have to leave for Aeor the next day? Would have Imogen absorbed Predathos if watching Downfall hadn't made them realise that the Gods will break the Divine Gate to keep the secret of Predathos hidden?

IMO, we still got plenty of very interesting character moments despite the limited amount of time those characters spent together. They've been through some shit together, and the friendships they made through the shared trauma will stick with them for years. Because yes, they are friends (except for Braius, that one is on a tightrope lol). But they've proven over and over again what they're willing to do for their tight crew of broken people.

Boy I am so very fond of them. Saying goodbye will be hard 🥹.

[marauder-misprint]

Hi! I have no idea how to request correctly butI really liked how you write fred and I was wondering if I can maybe request you doing qn insecure!fred x reader where they are dating and molly wants reader to come over but fred knowing they are poor doesnt want the reader to see. When he tells her and she agrees to come over and meets his familyi(the ones she hasnt met yet) she slips up on something stupid like saying a twosided comment about their house and molly takes it the bad way, disliking reader and pressuring fred into breaking up with her but reader gets defensive and they fight, the weasley siblings on readers side and in the end molly starts to tolerate you. You absolutely don't have to but thx anyways!!

Thank you for the request! Although, I think you are referring to a Fred fic I reblogged so I can’t take credit for that 😅 ANYWAYS, I hope you like this - my first Hogwarts Era (Trio Era? Golden Era? Lightning Era?) 

Peculiar

insecure!Fred x reader

3.4k words

cw: angst, fluff, y/n

One thing Fred liked about Hogwarts was his family’s financial situation didn’t matter. Everyone wore the same uniform, even if his were hand-me-downs from Percy, and his family always managed to pull through to get the supplies they needed, which meant his broom wasn’t the newest but it did the job. He knew he couldn’t pretend his family had galleons upon galleons in their vault like other families. He knew he couldn’t spoil his new girlfriend in all the ways he wanted to, and by goodness, did he wish he could spoil you.

Still, things were going good. You didn’t discuss your family’s financial situation much, just enough for him to know you were from a more well-off family. You were only teenagers after all. You enjoyed spending time with each other and all of the other things that came with teenage romances, including the moments where you both that maybe it could be more than just a teenage romance. 

Things were good. Until a letter from Molly arrived. 

Errol near crashed into the Gryffindor table at breakfast in his typical fashion.

“INCOMING!” Lee hollered as the aging bird landed among the plate and globals, sending food and drink everywhere. 

“Oh, Errol,” George groaned as he untied the letter at his foot. “Oi, Freddie, it’s for you.”

Fred took the letter and quickly read it, a frown appearing on his face the further down he got in the letter. George picked it up right away, despite barely being able to see it in his peripheral vision as he tended to the owl. 

“What’s it?” he asked. 

“Mum wants me to invite Y/N to the Burrow over the summer.” His frown was paired with bunched brows and a pale face. 

Katie clapped Fred on his back enthusiastically. 

“That’s good, yeah? She’ll get to experience that Weasley hospitality Molly’s known for!”

Fred just shook his head, rereading the letter. It was bad enough that he couldn’t spoil you at school, but what would you think if you saw his home, how they lived. It wasn’t as bad as some people teased, but it certainly was no Malfoy Manor or Diggory Estate. 

“Mate, am I getting the invite this year?” Lee asked George, throwing an arm around his shoulder and shaking him. 

“Can’t. Mum’s already planning for Harry and Hermione. Plus Bill, Charlie and Percy will be home too. I think Perce is having Penelope over too? It’s going to be a full house.”

Lee swore. “Losing to your girlfriend, Fred. It hurts,” he said teasingly. 

Fred crumpled the letter and shoved it into his pocket. He didn’t say anything for the rest of breakfast. 

“Okay, why the long face? Don’t you want Y/N to come?” George asked Fred as they made their way to their first lesson of the day. 

“I… It’s the Burrow. What if she expects more? Better?”

George just shrugged and then gave his twin a knowing look. “So we don’t wipe our arses with galleons. It don’t matter that much. You know Mum just wants to meet her.”

“Mum really wants to meet her.” Fred stopped walking. “Do you know who told ‘er? I hadn’t mentioned Y/N in any of my letters yet.”

“Probably Ginny,” George laughed. 

“What’d my favorite Weasley do?” you asked as you caught up with the boys, a grin on your face. 

“Aw, I thought I was your favorite,” George whined with a faux-pout. 

“Ginerva is telling Mum all my secrets,” Fred said before planting a kiss on the side of your forehead. You didn’t need to know that you were one of those secrets. 

The boys stopped discussing the letter for the time being. George at least had the tact to talk to Fred about his worries about you at a later time. 

You weren’t oblivious to Fred’s palpable worry during the day. He wasn’t normally this quiet or fidgety. Maybe there were days when he was more restless than usual, but today, he kept checking the clock, nervously cracking his knuckles and crumpling something in his pocket. 

One glance at George told him that you were picking up that something was off.

“Don’t worry ‘bout, love. I’ll get ‘im sorted out for you,” George whispered to you after classes before hurrying to catch up with his brother who had already started making his way to Gryffindor Tower.

You watched them both with a concerned frown, but eventually decided not to think about it too much. Did you wish Fred would talk to you about whatever was eating his mind? Yes. But if George was convinced he could get his brother out of the funk, it couldn’t be too bad. 

“Do you think she’ll dump your sorry arse when she sees home?” George asked once they were far enough away. 

Fred didn’t answer. His brain said ‘maybe’ but he couldn’t bring himself to voice it.

George laughed in disbelief. “She wouldn’t! Bloody hell, why’d you think that?”

“You know she comes from… more,” Fred said quietly, the words feeling uncomfortable in his mouth. You weren’t rich rich, but still, it was more than the Weasleys. 

“Hate to break it to you, but I don’t think she’s a gold digger.” George clamped a hand on Fred’s shoulder as they stood outside the Fat Lady’s portrait. “If she was, don’t you think she’d be with Flint or Pinch-Smedley, or Oggspire? Don’t be dense.” His voice had taken a firmer tone.

Don’t be dense, Fred repeated in his mind as he sat in the common room waiting for dinner. Don’t be dense. It’d be fine. It had to be. Was it a tad embarrassing? Sometimes, but at least they didn’t all sleep in one room like Malfoy had once said. 

Fred called you over to sit with him at dinner and by the way he smiled at you as you sat down next to him, you knew George had worked some magic. Fred was back to being Fred. He leaned in as you filled up your plate.

“So, I was wondering if you’d like to visit the Burrow this summer. Mum’s given permission. She’d love to meet you,” he said in a hushed voice. 

You had heard stories about summers at the Burrow. You knew it was home to more than the Weasleys when school was out; Harry, Hermione, Lee, Angelina, Katie, among others, had all been. There were legends of 3-on-3 quidditch matches and Molly’s delectable meals. And you had just been invited. Your face lit up with the brightest smile Fred had seen since the day he asked you out. 

“Yeah, Fred, I’d love to!” You leaned forward so you could see George on Fred’s other side. “Hear that, George? I’m going to see the Burrow!” 

---

Your mother dropped you off at the nearest muggle village to the Burrow. She waited with you until Fred came to meet you. 

“Your parents will be there the whole time?” she asked him when he arrived.

“Yes, ma’am. Mum is dying to meet her,” he said politely.

You, however, rolled your eyes. You bid your mother goodbye and went with Fred.

“I assured her that your parents would be around. Told her you guys have friends over every summer,” you ranted to him as you walked. “That your mum loves to host and meet all your friends. I mean, how else would she get to meet everyone that Ginny talks about in her letters home?”

Fred laughed. Of course you knew it was Ginny who wrote home the most.

He cautiously watched your expression as the Burrow came into view. They had passed the barn and chicken coop, along with several animals. You were speechless as you looked the house up and down. His worry about what you would think melted away when he saw the pure awe on your face. 

“What a peculiar home!” you exclaimed as you reached the sign that said ‘The Burrow’. “The magic-”

“Peculiar?” Molly gasped from the kitchen. 

You hadn’t noticed her yet, still taking in everything that was the Burrow. It’s many stories with rooms jutting out every which way that gave it a very crooked and semi-lopsided appearance. Just from the outside, it was very different from any house you had ever seen, wizarding or muggle. 

You gave Fred a concerned sideways glance. His mother did not sound happy with your comment. He gave you a soft yet reassuring smile. This was his home after all and you had agreed to come stay and meet his family, and so far, you were taking it well.

“You’re here!” Ginny squealed as she burst out the front door and pulled you into a hug. “I can’t wait to show you around!” 

“I can show Y/N around just fine, Ginny,” Fred said, an easier smile coming to his face. 

You just laughed, taking Ginny’s hand once she released you. The three of you entered into the house and walked right into the surprisingly harsh gaze of Molly. 

“Mum,” Fred said warily. “This is Y/N.” 

“Pleasure to meet you,” you said kindly. “You have a-”

“Peculiar home, as you said outside,” Molly cut you off. 

You took a step backwards, stepping on Fred’s foot. He sucked a breath in, loud enough for you to hear. 

“Dinner’s at seven. Keep doors open,” she added shortly before turning back into the kitchen. 

You tried to give Fred a questioning look but he was staring after his mother.

“Come with me. I’ll show you my room! It’s where you, me and ‘Mione will be sleeping. Like one big slumber party!” Ginny said, grabbing your arm again and pulling you toward the twisting stairs. 

Once you and Ginny were gone, Fred followed his mother into the kitchen.

“Mum?” he asked cautiously. 

In his mind, he wanted to ask ‘what the bloody hell was that? You gave me, George and Ron an easier time when we stole Dad’s car to rescue Harry.’ He didn’t, but he wanted to. And he was glad he didn’t when Molly spun around, glaring and pointing a wooden spoon at him.

“Do. Not.” Her voice was sharp. “That girl… The gall… Insulting us before she even…” She turned back to the pot she was stirring and was more muttering to herself than talking to Fred. “Expects us to feed and care for her… Peculiar… I’ll show her peculiar…” 

The rest of the day and the next two were filled with never-ending fun, except for meals when Molly sat down and glared at you from across the table. You spent most of your time with Fred and George, as you had expected to, but you helped with chores around the house and chatted with just about everyone. Percy and Penelope were more quiet than the rest, often opting to read or discuss their jobs quietly when they returned from them. You tried not to take it personally that Molly seemed to like her much more than you. 

Then you got the delight to meet Bill and be properly introduced to Charlie. The latter had been at Hogwarts when you started but it wasn’t like you ever really interacted. The eldest of the Weasley children were incredible story-tellers and just as hilarious as the rest of them. The way Charlie talked about his work with dragons almost made you wish you had taken Care of Magical Creatures and Bill’s stories about Egypt and Gringotts were overall impressive. 

The fourth day of your stay is when you heard how unwelcome you apparently were at the Burrow. Or, at least, according to Molly. 

The living room was alive with various games being played by the siblings and guests. Exploding snap, wizards’ chess, gobstones, you name it. It was loud and warm and fun. Fred noticed your glass was empty and went to the kitchen to refill it for you. 

“Ever the gentleman,” you laughed as he disappeared through the door.

“Fred, how dare you bring a girl like that into this house!” Molly’s voice could be heard through the walls, sending a sudden hush through the room. 

You blinked, looking from George to Ron to Hermione. 

“I thought your family didn’t care about status?” you asked, confusion obvious on your face. 

The Weasley were purebloods. You were a halfblood but Hermione was fully muggleborn and Molly didn’t seem to have a problem with her. Maybe her issue was with wizards and muggles mating? Certainly a new take on blood status… 

You could hear Fred and Molly arguing although significantly quieter than her first outburst. When he returned, his face was beet red and he had forgotten the glasses of water. 

“So, what was that?” Ron asked, breaking the tension.

Fred shook his head before forcing a smile. “Nothing. Just a miscommunication.” 

You knew it wasn’t nothing. For a prankster, Fred could be terrible at lying if something wasn’t sitting right with him. You and George tried to get more out of him to no avail. He wouldn’t discuss what he and their mum had argued about. You two knew it was about you, but Fred gave no details.

When Fred worried about bringing you to his home, he didn’t know that he was worrying about the wrong person. You loved the Burrow and he felt that that much was plain as day to see. But it wasn’t to Molly and Fred ended up telling George as much when he asked him again when they were alone in their room. 

“She wants me to break up with Y/N,” Fred whispered, his voice shaking from anger. “Said she’s too proud for the family. Too stuck up. That she’s rude.”

“But she’s not!”

“I know she’s not. I tried to tell her that. Explain what Y/N meant by ‘peculiar’ and that it’s a good thing. Mum wasn’t having it.”

And the next day, things got worse. Molly stopped trying to hide her distaste for you. She didn’t mutter her comments anymore, rather saying them with full conviction. You tried to stay out of her way and genuinely tried to keep your expression pleasant, but the constant bombardment of hurtful words was getting too much. You hit your breaking point at dinner.

“Can you pass the salt?” you asked no one in particular. It didn’t matter who passed it to you as long as someone did. 

“In this peculiar home, we use manners,” Molly snapped. “Fred, I told you, you need a girl with manners. She certainly doesn’t have any.”

Your expression twisted. 

“Would you rather I just reach over the entire table? Sorry I forgot ‘please,’” you replied, sounding harsher than you would normally speak to any adult, let alone your boyfriend’s mother. 

Molly scoffed. “You are no good for my Fred. You are lucky I don’t toss you out now. He can do so much better.” 

You stood up with so much force your chair scraped the floor, hitting the wall. 

“If that’s how you feel about me…” Your voice cracked. You could feel the heat rising to your face and your hands beginning to shake. Tears began to well behind your eyes, but you weren’t going to let Molly see you cry. “No need to toss me out. I’ll just leave now.” 

You turned and left the room before chaos broke out. You could hear Fred and George yelling. You could hear Arthur and Molly yelling. Ron, Hermione and Ginny joined in before you made it to the front door. 

When Fred had invited you to spend time with his family over the summer, you didn’t expect to be in their garden sobbing as you launched garden gnomes over the hedge. You could still hear the yelling inside the Burrow. You weren’t exactly sure what you did wrong, what you did to make Molly dislike you so much so quickly. Your wand laid on the ground off the side with a soft glow from the Lumos you had cast so you could sort of see what you were doing.

“Are you… de-gnoming our garden?” George asked, trying to hide the amusement in his voice as you launched another gnome. The yelling had quieted now, but you could still hear that heated words were being exchanged.

“One bit me…” you mumbled before sniffling again. 

One had bit you, but that wasn’t why you were crying and you knew that George knew that. Being bit, however, made you feel slightly better about the tears streaming down your face. 

“You know he’s not going to break up with you.”

You nodded. “What did I do?” You launched another gnome.

“You, erm, called the Burrow peculiar? I guess Mum didn’t like that…” He chuckled awkwardly.

When you gave a loud sniffle instead of laughing with him, he pulled you into a hug. You dropped the gnome you had in your hand.

“She’ll come ‘round. Fred’s in there. Ron’s there. Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Percy even. They are all trying to explain to Mum that you didn’t mean it like that. I mean, come on, you got golden boy Percy defending you.”

You gave him a weak smile as you pulled out of his hug. You picked up your wand and pointed it at the Burrow, although it didn’t do much to illuminate the building. 

“It is peculiar though! It’s amazing! Ne’er seen anything like it before. It’s so… distinctly Weasley in the best way possible!” 

George let out a loud laugh and soon enough you were giggling with him. He kept you company outside and kept you laughing until there were no more sniffles coming from you. Eventually, Fred came to collect you both. He led you upstairs to his and George’s room, but George stayed in the living room with the rest of the family. You could hear Molly grumbling to herself in the kitchen as you passed the door, but everyone else seemed to be far more cheerful gathered by the fire. 

You felt your heart jump to your throat when Fred closed the door behind him. You stood in the middle of room, trying to not feel awkward.

“Is this where you break up with me for accidentally insulting your mum?” you asked softly, looking at the ground. You knew George said he wouldn’t but the idea lingered in your mind.

“What are you talking about?” Fred breathed as he quickly moved to you and wrapped his arms around you tighter than George had. 

You couldn’t help it. You started crying again.

“Y/N, no. Not unless…” He pulled back to look you in the eyes. “Unless you want to?” There was so much hesitation and uncertainty in his voice. It broke your heart to hear him like that.

“No, I don’t want to. But your mum-”

“My mum still doesn’t know you meant it as a compliment.”

You rested your forehead on his shoulder. You took a deep breath to breathe in his scent. 

“She just needs to be ‘round you more, get to know you. Then she’ll love you like I do.”

Your eyes went wide against his shoulder. ‘Love you like I do.’ Had Fred just indirectly said he loved you? 

The way Fred stopped talking and stood more frigidly told you that he realized what he said after the words left his mouth. He was waiting for you to give him some kind of reaction. Was it too soon? 

After a moment, you lifted your head and you kissed him. You felt him relax underneath you. Of all your kisses, this was one of the most mild ones yet it was charged with so much emotion.

“I love you too,” you whispered as you broke the kiss.

He smiled at you before kissing you again. 

“You know, I was actually so nervous to bring you here.”

“Yeah? Why?”

“Well, because it is a bit peculiar,” he teased. “No, really, I don’t talk about it much but we’re not… rolling in galleons per se. We make do. We get by. It’s just-”

“I don’t care about that, Fred,” you said, cutting him off before gently kissing his cheek. “It’s your home and your family and it’s all amazing. I’d rather be in a home filled with love and laughter than anything else.” 

“Once Mum comes to her senses, you won’t know what to do with all the love she can give,” Fred warned. 

“I can’t wait for that.”

Because I'm a petty bitch who hold grudges, I really see Molly not coming around until like Bill & Fleur's wedding or beyond, and Reader knows this so she just doesn't really visit the Burrow as much and Ginny is v upset that Reader isn't staying at the Burrow for the wedding and Reader is just like 'I'm not going to impose where I know I'm not wanted.'

[apheliia]

AURORA. — Arlecchino's child has never seen the aurora in Snezhnaya before.

— trigger & content warnings. none applicable!

— pairings & notes. fluff. arlecchino & reader. reader is a member of the house of the hearth, is at least around 15 but is otherwise ambiguous in age, and is implied to be arlecchino's chosen successor. reader is gender neutral (they/them pronouns used). arlecchino is suggested to be taller than the reader by quite a bit. 0.8k words.

— author's thoughts. arlecchino my beloved RAHHH she is literally the best fatui harbinger imo. i love you arle no. 4 of the fatui harbingers 🗣🗣❗️❗️❗️ i am surprised by the lack of platonic arlecchino fics!??!?! she is literally called father guys please /lh

       "Father..."

       Shadowing under the Fourth of the Fatui Harbingers during one of her trips to Snezhnaya was, no doubt, nervewracking and tiring despite them never needing to do anything other than follow her around; Arlecchino simply wouldn't allow some of her coworkers to even look in their direction, let alone try to speak to them. Some, like Tartaglia, however, were momentarily permitted to; Childe had talked their ear off while Arlecchino was occupied with the Regrator and the Rooster, though they could only wordlessly nod in response to the never-ending chatter about his siblings. 'You should come by sometime,' he had said. 'You kids from the Hearth are a good lot, and my family would be more than happy to have visitors.'

       Nevertheless, really, they hadn't done much at all... but perhaps the anxiety of dipping their toes into their Harbinger's responsibilities—the ones that they may very well inherit one day—was a valid enough reason to be so mentally tired.

       Standing close behind her, listening to her speak with her coworkers (it was quite amusing to see the glare and scowl fixed on her face when she needed to speak to the Doctor—she never looked at them or any of their siblings like that—though the sheer terror his presence induced was enough to drown that amusement out), seeing the details of her responsibilities that others could not...

       They were certain that they must've said a mere one or two words during the whole visit—a "Yes, Father" or a "No, Father," directed at none other than their Harbinger and her alone.

       Exhaustion and cold seeped into their bones, but nonetheless, they had stopped trailing after her and stared up in wonderment.

       Arlecchino stopped shortly after they did, turning back to them. "What is it?"

       Colors danced freely in the nighttime Snezhnayan sky. Despite the chill permeating their flesh (they were reminded that they probably should have dressed a bit more warmly, but they weren't familiar with the Motherland, and therefore didn't anticipate how cold the night would get), they felt no compulsion to rush.

       "Look. The aurora," they murmured, eyes wide with awe and wonder.

       The Knave's heels clicked on the tiled terrace at the front of the Winter Palace as she paced back over to them, following their gaze upwards. "Have you never seen it before?"

       "No. I... I've never been to Snezhnaya before now," they admitted, "so I have never seen the aurora. I've heard about it, but—"

       "I understand. It is more magnificent than even the most vivid descriptions."

       Suddenly, the heavy weight of the Knave's coat fell onto their shoulders. They gingerly clasped the edges, pulling it closer to their body as to fend off the biting chill in the air. Lavender and a vague twinge of smoke filled their lungs. To some, it may have been an unpleasant combination—perhaps others would find the smoke too stinging and bitter or the lavender too sickening, as some do. To them, however, it was simply... Father's scent. It was hard to dislike when the person they associated it with was so important to their life.

       It was equally hard to feel cold with her coat draped over their body.

       Father's particular scent made a comforting warmth stir in their chest—perhaps she was not really their Father, but it was times such as this that made them feel that she was—and her coat ensured that their exterior did not freeze.

       In fact, it was quite impossible to feel cold now.

       "...Let us stay for a while longer, then," she mused, one of her hands finding its place on their upper back. "The aurora is a sight to behold, and there are no urgent matters to attend to at home."

       Momentarily, their gaze broke away from the sky and shifted to the Harbinger instead. Though they did appreciate the gesture of giving them her coat... "Won't you get cold, Father?"

       Their concern was not unwarranted, but indeed unecessary.

       "Worry not," the Fourth replied smoothly, reaching over to adjust the coat somewhat; it was too big for them and threatened to slip off of their body if their already gentle hold were to loosen even slightly. Arlecchino absently mused to herself about how utterly unintimidating they were, drowning in the fluff of her coat and head just barely able to peek out from the top. It was cute, though she dared not say admit such a thing out loud. "I have long since grown used to this weather. You have not."

       'You need that coat far more than I do.'

       That was what she wanted to say, or rather what she was implying; she would speak her mind if she so truly desired to or felt the need to. They'd grown quite used to her enigmatic nature and quite skilled in reading between the lines, picking apart her words at the seams to uncover what she truly meant to say.

       Suddenly, under the flickering purples, greens, and blues of the night sky, it was no longer cold.

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[alicethenobody]

A lot of people think Dante hates Patty or has a bad relationship with her and honestly I kinda blame DMC5 for this because there’s missing context for the phone call scene that’s in the novel.

Basically in the novel it’s explained the reason Dante hung up on her is because he’s very uncomfortable with the idea of going to a birthday party full of regular civilians due to bis dangerous lifestyle. He even makes it a point that he doesn’t dislike Patty but he does question why she likes hanging out with him so much. Despite his discomfort though, he says he plans to go see her anyways, presumably after the party has died down, showing he understands how much seeing him would mean to her.

Should he have maybe said this instead of hanging up? Yeah probably but maybe he assumed Patty wouldn’t take it well if he tried to explain himself, and she CAN be somewhat stubborn/insistent when it comes to getting Dante to do things. Not hating on Patty ofc, the only reason she does that with him is because she has his best interest in mind. She wants him to take care of himself and probably get out more too.

I’d actually argue Patty is one of Dante’s healthiest bonds. She’s one of the few people in his life who is IMO upfront about how much she cares about him, and her being around notably made Dante much happier as the anime went on. He went from constantly wanting to be alone unless he was needed for killing demons to regularly playing cards with Patty or taking her out for ice cream, and that change happened because of Patty simply being there. Yes, he gets annoyed with her sometimes, but only in the same way siblings often annoy each other. If anything I personally see it as a sign of how comfortable they are around each other, because from my personal experience my closest friends and I tease each other all the time. Their banter is almost always playful/comedic and I can’t name a single time he ever got genuinely angry with her. And the one time he accidentally upset her with a joke he made he felt really bad about it.

Idk I just wish their relationship stopped being so misunderstood. Patty ran into hell because she wanted to save Dante despite the danger she’d be putting herself in and started crying because she didn’t want to say goodbye to him. Ntm she regretted not being able to thank him yet for everything he’s ever done for her. I think that speaks volumes how much they mean to each other.

[getsuuna]

KNY Fandom so fucking insufferable I'm gonna start behaving like those GiyuShino and SaneKana shippers and go around spreading misinformation and say "no you don't get it SaneGiyuu was implied!!!" /j

because I'd actually have more content to mention without even mischaracterizing them

wanna talk about how they're a two-faced mirror? almost as if they were written to parallel each other and there's so much to talk about on this matter

or, since not everyone in this Fandom can dive into analysis, wanna mention how Shinobu figured Sanemi could've made Giyuu smile by inviting him to eat his fav dish with him? why not ask him directly instead? why Sanemi out of all people?

wanna mention Sanemi's pseudo-obsession on that man? he disliked his ass, but if we go back to analysis, his intolerance to someone feeling superior can be tied to a multitude of factors and one of which is being low-key reminded of himself, and he loathes himself while at the same time he puts on that strong façade. he can't face it though. and he wanted to understand why Giyuu felt that way SO BADLY he went to him for training and tried to speak with him, he wanted a contact, he wanted to understand, he needed Giyuu to speak up but he didn't.

on the other hand don't we wanna talk about Giyuu's perspective? Giyuu never hated him nor did he really feel sad knowing he disliked him, contrary to how he felt towards Obanai. not to mention he even got to be sarcastic towards Sanemi's dumb ass at least twice.

and the iconic ohagi scene? idk about y'all but between the hashira I think that's THE iconic scene, alongside Giyuu and Shinobu beefing and Shinobu almost stabbing him (don't get me wrong platonic GiyuShino has my whole heart)

the first time we saw Giyuu smile in the series is while imagining to befriend Sanemi??? and out of everyone he chose Sanemi? the hashira who is canonically the most difficult to talk with?😭 he only ever smiled either for food, for Sanemi or Tanjiro

oh and let's not talk about how Tanjiro, after getting knocked up, wakes up and the first thing Giyuu says is "yeah Shinazugawa left" ..? or the whole novel chapter in which they end up talking about him (supposedly right after that scene in the manga) and Giyuu cheered up. what

anyways, likewise, the first time Sanemi was seen smiling genuinely outside of his family was with Giyuu. Obanai and especially Masachika were both closer to him, not to mention the most important person in his life, Genya...yet here we are ig?? (after Giyuu he also smiled more in general, the scene of him smiling at Nezuko was one of my fav panels ever so keep in mind I'm taking in consideration the chronological events and not the impact of the scenes per se)

or let's talk about the most important part in their development which is when they fought together.

Sanemi saving him, telling him not to zone out while throwing the sword at him, it made Giyuu realize he's the water hashira, it was the first time Giyuu acknowledged it. Sanemi influenced Giyuu's character positively, and so far Tanjiro was the only other one who managed to. Sanemi saw him as his ally (rightfully so), and hopefully seeing him fight also made him realize he wasn't that much of a conceited guy, he was just like him, as he initially wanted Giyuu to understand (despite the fact it was a miscommunication)

Sanemi teaming up with Giyuu out of everyone, in such an impactful panel.... idk, if it was a straight ship that would've felt like a confession for the Fandom 💀

they impacted each other's character, they were the only two hashira surviving after facing the same war, they faced similar struggles during their lives (but let's not get into analysis, once again...), they could've understood each other better than anyone else would ever have, and they ended up bonding and eating together

that panel was there, in the middle of other panels all portraying important bonds, whether canon romantic bonds or platonic and sibling-like ones (Tanjiro and Nezuko, the Kamaboko squad, the swordsmiths etc.)

if it wasn't important it wouldn't have been there, but the funniest thing is that if either of them was a woman it would've been considered canon since it also included TanKana, ZenNezu and InoAoi🙏🏻

but oh, if we try to name either of these things and more, people will rightfully say "can't they be friends anymore?", which is valid, but I wonder why this doesn't apply to equally fanon straight ships.

a show so peak has so many fans that are so dense😭😭😭

[sehaedazokla]

robb stark and a witch reader

fem! reader terms and descriptions 

a/n: robb and witch reader you will always be my most beloved…

you have never cared much for human men and hold every intention to continue that tradition with robb stark. despite his own misgivings, robb wishes to offer you all the courtesies a gentleman can provide. not without a tense jaw and a tight hesitation to his body; he has asked your house for assistance and been sent a lady in return. as alluring as your peculiar and haunting beauty is, robb needs men. he is met with equal disappoint in your own eyes – you have been sent to assist the lord of winterfell, not his young heir. neither of you extends a hand in welcome, but robb at least plays the part of a gracious host. no warmth is to be found in your stunning visage.

you find him rather boorish, brutish, unseemly – likely incompetent, having never seen battle. save for the blue of his eyes, brighter and clearer than the sky above. he is offput by your strange customs and odd manner of speaking, alongside the obvious dislike for humans.

your suggestion for a blood pact to seal your allegiance, for example, gives robb pause. he convinces you a signed scroll shall suffice.

sensible and cold, your advice comes to robb in eerie whispers with unimpressed gazes. he discovers quickly you have knowledge of a great many things and does not dismiss your counsel even if he is wary. in the stressful months following his assumption of his father’s role of his absence, it is you whom he finds himself turning to.

when not directly advising robb, your tongue spins unsettling riddles and breaths of valyrian, often cast to robb when he says something you deem foolish. there is no softness in your presence, no need for it. it is practicality that you offer, and practicality that robb is requiring. 

he is left watching as you draw in the world at your whim. your penchant for shadow and flame, how light and dark alike seemed called to dance upon you. the winds of the godswood blow high and crisp as you walk beneath their branches, robb leading you to the weirwood tree his ancestors have prayed to for centuries. light breeze carrying your hair about your face as you are told warnings and wisdoms by voices long since lost to most human ears.

the strangest of strangers to him. unknown and foreign, as distant and cold and lovely as the moon.

save for when you gain the favor of his direwolf, taking long strolls through the castle with the creature at your side. you speak to him in valyrian, and robb cannot tell if grey wind understands your or not. robb is almost childishly jealous of the ease with which the wolf took to you – had all loyalty been discarded at the arrival of this witch?

and rickon and bran do not seem to fear you in the slightest. robb would find this is because you have given them no reason to. your general scorn for humans does not extend to the children, whom time and attention are given to whenever it is asked. you never seek out their company, but always provide it when you can, even if it means leaving robb in the middle of providing counsel.

and perhaps it is both of your innate instincts to parent and protect that you notice in each other as a surprisingly piece of common ground. pensive gazes watching after the other as you both engage with the young boys. robb knows without your saying that you are the eldest of your siblings as well. 

but your efficiency in that department is where your true talents lie. you bloom like nightshade in combat, your skill with a sword almost as terrifying as your eyes. many witches are natural healers, your nature is more destructive than that. you seem more creature than human when you fight. and when bran’s life is on the line and robb is forced to lower his sword, heart clenched and mind racing, he sees blood trickling from the eyes and nose and mouth of bran’s captor.

the man dies quickly, melting to his knees, choking on blood as it spills from his face in crimson rivulets. when robb whips his head to see you, he knows, but cannot prove it because you have collapsed to the ground, faint and then unconscious.

you would keep your oath no matter the price you paid, to serve and protect the starks. it is by your bedside that he waits with anxiously wringing hands, his thick brows drawn together while the maester tries and fails to discern what has befallen you. the fire in the hearth flickers lowly as the night drags on, each moment that you do not wake worsening robb’s concern. grey wind curls himself by the hearth, resting among the furs.

you wake with tired blinks and a hazy memory, the first words that come from your hoarse throat ask after the safety of robb’s young brother. robb is a turbulent wreck of emotions: relief at your waking, frustration at his reliance on you in a time of trouble, gratefulness for protecting bran, anger at your quickness to do something that seemingly put yourself in danger.

 when you stubbornly and coldly remind him of your promise to serve him, he grips the sheets of your bed in a tight ball as he leans towards you with pained and frustrated worry.

“your life is not mine. do not be so reckless, i order it of you.”

[itsvenera]

Hello! I'm in love with your work ❤️ I was wondering if you could do a scenario where Gaara's girlfriend/fiancée gets hurt on a mission protecting Kankuro?

author's note: You have the patience of a saint and I am so thankful not only for this amazing idea, but also for your continuing support! I think this became a lit bit more angsty than intended, but I still hope you enjoy! <3

There were many moments in Gaara's life when he felt dislike toward his siblings. Most of them took place in their younger years, during which he was isolated by his father and grew to see them as nothing more than strangers, who just so happened to be related to him by blood.

The turning point in their relationship was his encounter with Naruto. Building bonds at such a late stage was not an easy task - especially since he could tell both Temari and Kankuro were still somewhat scared of him - but he was just as motivated to do it, as he was to prove himself to everyone in Suna. So while it did take some time, he started to get to know his siblings more and get closer to them.

He loved his sister, he truly did. She was smart, strong, and independent and the young Kazekage couldn't be prouder of her. She was the wisest of the three, always there to listen and provide her opinion when he needed it the most. He could trust her with anything that was laying heavy on his heart or mind, and she never judged or criticized him.

The bond he shared with Kankuro, however, was completely different. Gaara considered him as his best friend and right hand, and while he did not admit it out loud, he was closer to him rather than Temari. In his head, he justified it based on the fact that they were both male and that he didn't really have that much time to build a close relationship with Temari, as soon after the war she moved to live in Konoha and live with the Nara.

Since Kankuro was the only one left in Suna, it was only natural for them to grow even closer. Despite their differing views on many topics, sometimes including what is best for the village, the red-haired shinobi trusted him with his life. This was the reason why he was always assigned as your partner when you had to do missions outside Suna - he knew that no matter what, his brother would do anything to protect you.

Or at least he thought he knew.

As he observed your bruised from in front of him, his eyes narrowed once they landed on your arm sling. Your mouth kept moving, but your explanation fell deaf on his ears - all he cared about was the fact you stood before him with a broken arm and numerous cuts and bruises.

"-so we were greatly outnumbered! So my arm was broken in two places, but luckily the nurse said it will be only 12 weeks till-"

"Where is Kankuro right now?", this was the first time he spoke since you started giving him detailed account of what went wrong on the mission and the roughness in his voice did take you by surprise.

Furrowing your brows, you tilted your head to the side, a flicker of annoyance flashing in your eyes. You specifically told your fiancé that his brother was dealing with all the paperwork downstairs, which is why you have decided to come here and attend the debriefing meeting by yourself.

"He is in the office downstairs, doing the-"

Interrupting you once again, Gaara knocked loudly on his desk, his subtle signal that he needs the attention of the guards outside. The door opened and one of them peeked his head inside, bowing slightly as a sign of respect to the village leader.

"Bring Kankuro up here", the Kazekage said, while placing his elbows on the flat surface in front of him, "Now."

The masked guard nodded his head and closed the door without another word. You stood frozen in your place, silently watching him and trying to understand what was up with him. His expression remained stoic, while his shoulders were slightly up, a sign of how tense he was. He couldn't even bring himself to look at you, as his pale eyes remained fixed on the wall behind you.

"What is this about?", your voice was laced with irritation as you rested your free hand on your waist. He briefly glanced at you, before letting out a heavy sigh and closing his eyelids.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

Faking ignorance was definitely not his strong suit and your gritted your teeth in annoyance at his behaviour. Gaara was a fairly mature man - sure, he did had his childish moments sometimes, but given that he did not had a normal childhood, you excused his odd behaviour in the rare moments it occurred. In fact, most of the time it was easy for you to understand what was wrong without him even telling you, as he has never been that good at hiding his emotions.

As you studied him now, however, you were completely lost. The mission was success and while you and Kankuro did get ambushed by eight ninjas at once, you managed to get away relatively uninjured.

Well, if you excluded your broken arm.

"Is that because of my injury?", you felt suddenly enlightened at what the problem may be and given the way his jaw clenched, you knew you hit the jackpot. Gaara has always been fiercely overprotective of you, not only because you were his fiancée, thus making you the target of many rogue ninjas, but also because you were the one person he could not afford to lose.

Before he can reply, there was a faint knock on the door, followed by your partner's low "Enter". The door opened and Kankuro stepped into the room, his lips curving into a small smile once his eyes landed on you. The moment he turned his head to his brother, his whole face fell and he cleared his throat, before bowing his head.

"Kazekage-sama", he greeted in a small voice, almost ashamed. Gaara did not return the greeting, instead moved one of his arms to motion to one of the chairs on the other side of the desk. Understanding his silent request, Kankuro slowly dragged his feet to it, buying himself time to come up with good explanation of what went wrong.

The puppet master may be a lot of things, but stupid was not one of them. The boiling rage behind his brother's eyes was easily recognisable for him, even if his younger sibling was trying to mask it behind a cold and stiff expression.

"What did I tell you before you left?", the Kazekage asked, while leaning forward. Kankuro gulped at the question, focusing his attention to his fidgeting fingers in his lap, while you moved closer to the two males, eager to finally get some clarity.

Did they make some kind of secret deal without you knowing?

"Answer!", Gaara barked, his patience running thin and both you and Kankuro jumped at the unusual loudness of his voice. The Kazekage, who was always so calm and collected, never raised his tone like this.

The painted man cleared his throat, before lifting his gaze and trying to offer a diplomatic response:

"Well, technically you said a lot of stuff..."

The red-headed shinobi scrunched his nose and his lips twisted into a scowl, obviously unhappy with the answer he was given. Sensing there is a storm brewing, you sat on the other available chair next to the puppet master, while your attention kept jumping between the two men. At this point you felt like a third wheel to their discussion, even though it was obvious that you were somehow connected to the topic.

"Is anyone going to tell me what is going on?"

They both ignored you, instead continuing to stare at each other, one with clear distaste, the other one - with shame. One long minute passed, during which you felt all three of you will suffocate because of the rising tension.

"Your future brother-in-law is incompetent and useless fool", Gaara finally broke the silence, moving his focus toward you, "is what is going on."

Without the chance to even assimilate what he just told you, your head whipped to the side once Kankuro slammed his hands on the desk, his face twisted in a mix of frustration and guilt. He glared draggers at his brother, yet the slight tremble of his bottom lip hinted that he was more afraid rather than angry.

“It’s not my fault! I have only one head, you know?! I can’t have my attention and sight at everything! She jumped behind my back and I didn’t even notice her before it was too late!”

Your lover shook his head, a disgusted scoff leaving his lips.

“Thank Kami you don’t have more than one head! You don’t even use this one, I can’t imagine what it would be if you had more”, the mockery in his tone soon left and was replaced by annoyance, “I told you to keep your eye on my fiancée and keep her safe! At. Any. Cost! And here she is, covered in bruises and injuries, with a broken arm!”

Hearing his words, your jaw fell. Now it was your turn to look at him with disgust. Did he think you were that weak and unskilled, he had to ask his brother to supervise you?

“Wait”, you closed your eyes , trying to gather all your thoughts together, “You ask him to keep his eye on me?”

The note of disbelief in your voice finally caught the attention of both males and they exchanged a look, before turning toward you. Gaara's face softened and he cleared his throat, but the moment he opened his mouth to answer, Kankuro beat him to it.

"You bet he was - "Don't let her out of your sight!"; "Don't let her fight unless absolutely necessary!"; "Make sure to escort her everywhere she goes", the puppet master recited the list of orders given to him by his brother. With each sentence, your breathing became more and more rigid, while your lover burned holes at the other man's head.

Did he take you for some kind of helpless damsel in distress that needs constant protection? Of course, as the partner of the Kazekage you knew it would be hard to separate your personal life from your work, but you always tried your best to keep things between you professional on the workplace. Learning he has been giving directions to Kankuro behind your back, when he specifically promised you that he would treat you as any other sand shinobi, did feel like a low blow.

"I can't believe you!", you scoffed, turning your attention back to Gaara, "You promised me you won't interfere in my missions!"

"It's not like that", your lover sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was worried about you, was that a crime? The world out there was dangerous, especially since he had enemies everywhere and the fact you did not seem to appreciate this frustrated him to no end. Why can't you just understand?

"Should I leave?", Kankuro looked between you awkwardly, his hands already gripping the edge of the stool so he can lift himself. Deep down he knew that maybe he did say more than he was supposed to. So far he always kept the arrangements he had with his brother private, but as he felt almost cornered by you and him, it wall just... slipped out.

The Kazekage nodded his head, but not before mouthing "I am not done with you" to his sibling. Once the door closed and you were left alone in the room, his focus landed back on your fuming form.

"My love-"

"You promised!", you interrupted before he can butter you up and make you question the reasonableness of your anger, "Do you doubt my skills as a shinobi? Do you not trust I can handle myself?"

He winced at the tone of your voice and he briefly glanced at your arm sling, before looking back into your eyes. Taking a deep breath, he stood from his chair and walked around his desk, so he can sit at the place previously occupied by Kankuro next to you. While his hands itched to reach out to you and just take you in a hug, he held himself back, choosing to rest his palms on his knees instead.

"Love, you are one of the most skilled and powerful sand shinobi", he started, carefully choosing each word, "I know you can handle both yourself and your team! But I am worried about you - you are the fiancée of the Kazekage, the dangers are-"

You shook your head interrupting him once again mid-sentence. Pressing your tongue against your cheek, you tried to control the urge to just stand up and leave. He had shared his worries with you before and while you understood his point of view, you felt like he didn't even try to get yours.

"Do you know how embarrassing this is? No wonder everyone in the team treats me strangely", you huffed, "I am your fiancée, but I also your subordinate and you are my leader and employer. You can't just... interfere with my work like this!"

Leaning back against the chair, you buried your head in your hand and waited for the long excuse which you knew was coming. It was not the first time you have discussed this and you also suspected it won't be the last.

"You are right. I shouldn't have done that", he said after a minute of silence, "I am sorry."

Here it goes-wait! ... Did he really said he was sorry?

Lifting your head almost cautiously you eyed him with a mix of suspicion and surprise, not expecting for him to apologize. While he was often good at self-reflection, it was no secret that apologizing was not really Gaara's thing- in the rare occasions when he was wrong, he always found a way to justify his decisions and actions, because the truth is, he did always have good intentions.

"Are you really?", the question came out sharper than you intended and once you saw him flinch back, you reached for his hand, your anger disappearing almost immediately. You rubbed small circles on his skin with your thumb, while you decided to be honest with how you felt.

"Look, I am just... Other ninjas are already thinking that I do get special treatment because we are together. And when you specifically ask them to act as my protectors, even if it is just your brother, it doesn't really help my case. I can take care of myself."

Gaara's pale eyes fell down to your broken arm before lifting to your face again, one invisible brow raising. You clicked your tongue while rolling your eyes at him.

"Hey, don't give me that look! I saved my teammate as any shinobi would do!"

He looked at you for a few seconds, before finally letting out a sigh and he brought your hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on top. His lips lingered there for a few seconds, before he pulled away, resting his chin on your intertwined fingers.

"I hate seeing you hurt", he finally admitted, "But you are right, I just... I can't help but think the worst every time you go away. I can't lose you! I really can't!"

"And you won't!", you squeezed his hand lovingly, your voice falling down to a whisper, "But I need you to trust me. Okay?"

The corners of his mouth twitched into a small smile and he leaned forward, placing his forehead to yours. If there was one thing you both hated doing, it was fighting. You felt his arms sneaking around your shoulders, carefully pulling you closer to him so he avoids hurting you. Before you can fully relax in his embrace, however, you lifted your head, searching his eyes:

"And no more scolding for Kankuro."

His body tensed and his expression twisted in disatisdaction.

"But-"

"No", you gave him one of 'your looks' and he watched you with a blank expression for a while, before he let out a huff and slowly nodded his head.

"Fine."

Little did you know, that while there was no scolding, their "talk" did take a long, long time afterwards... and maybe Kankuro was forced to give a few secret additional promises.

cc artwork: Ankush Sharma