#did my own first aid and was so proud of that. getting dragged to my mom’s work when i had a sick day and getting basically all the regional

[apelcini]

there is a hollowness inside of rich kids that truly terrifies me.

[gay-dorito-dust]

Heres an idea what if ford and his infant baby BOTH got sucked into the portal? How would ford cope with jumping across the multiverse while trying to raise his child?

I’m going to assume the reader is the baby, so this fic is obviously platonic from here on out.

The man gets grey stress hairs at like 23/25 (no clue how old he is when he got sucked into the portal but I’m going to assume for this)

Ford didn’t mind if it was just him that got pulled into the multiverse, he would’ve found a way to handle it but being in a multiverse full of potential dangers with you, his child? The man is doing everything he can to set you up to survive and one day escape the multiverse and go home, regardless if it’s with or without him.

Ford is putting you first and foremost as you were the future, his legacy and his protege.

It was a daunting task to not only try and survive the multiverse but also dedicate time to raising his own kid, it was taxing on both an emotional and physical level for Ford as he made sure you were kept warm and well fed as possible while leaning himself with little to nothing, but he didn’t mind because as long as you had everything you needed to grow and be strong, that’s all that matters to Ford.

You grew up traveling with bandits, learning to speak 13 languages, read ancient texts, become royalty when Ford was king of the finger dimension for a brief period of time, only for a seven fingered man to take the crown and becoming a wanted criminal in multiple dimensions before you were even twelve. Your childhood was far from a normal one as your memories of home were mainly from stories Ford told you about at night when you were both sat near the fire.

It saddened Ford to know that you viewed home a lot differently than you did the multiverse but he couldn’t blame you. You had near enough spent most of your developmental years running from dimension to dimension, aiding rebellions and surviving say to say that if you both were to ever get home, Ford knew you’d be out of your element as all you’ve ever known was the multiverse and him.

This thought occurred to Ford on many occasions that he blames himself for ever letting you get dragged into this mess because if you didn’t then maybe you could’ve grown up with Stanley and lived a perfectly normal life. You were robbed of a childhood you could look back on in fondness and Ford couldn’t help but believe himself to be the cause as he stays up to watch over you, seeing his child mentally grow up faster then you should be allowed for your age broke his aging heart.

Would you be ridiculed for being weird if you were to ever go home much like he was as a kid? If so then he’d much rather stay in the multiverse for your sake rather than his own.

You had been through a lot and seen more then a child your age should and while Ford will forever be proud of the person you had become. His only wish was that you got to at least experience a portion of your life back home before all this, just so that you didn’t look at everything so weirdly and so alien.

Ford knew that sometimes there will be moments where there’s a disconnect between you two, something he had to accept that as the truth instead of trying to logically fix it, and instead try to meet you halfway in a comforting manner when you start to think that you were too weird for home as you sat on the rooftop of the shack.

‘Won’t Mabel and dipper find me…odd?’ You asked.

‘No of course not sweetheart, they love you and see you as their cool older relative they can trust to keep them safe and happy and seen.’ Ford reassured you with a pat on the shoulder before pressing a kiss to the top of your head. ‘You’ll be loved, so loved my little sharpshooter. I promise.’ He adds as he sees you yawn and instinctively brought you into his side, once again watching over you as you slept peacefully for the first time in a long while.

While Ford hated that you had practically been raised in the multiverse but he couldn’t help but be proud of who you’ve become when you pointed out a flaw in his plans for the quantum destabiliser weapon that he had overlooked. You were going to be okay, Ford knew it.

[dead-boys-club]

†  my idol : hawks.

❥ scenario: hawks and his idol s/o. ❥ no triggers; not rated. ❥ i don't have any beta readers - you get what you get. ❥ requested!

❥ be thankful i don't write nsfw c: + idk if someone's gonna get all offended over this, so i'll say now, there's a lot of fan slander in this lol talking about crazy fans, stalker fans, etc.

✧*̥˚ hc type things *̥˚✧

can i just start with this would actually be one of the cutest pairings for him?

let me start off with saying that he is absolutely going to be your number one fan. he's going to be so proud of your achievements as an idol. his schedule as a hero would make it difficult but he'd do his best to attend events and concerts, anything he could squeeze through. he'd be offering quite a good amount of public praise, making sure you knew he supported you along every step of the way. at no point would he be embarrassed or ashamed - he's doing everything he can not to be in the air with his lightstick, let's be real.

there is one thing he may have trouble navigating and helping you to navigate: balance. keigo is used to an overly busy life but the moment he sees your schedule, he's realizing it's never actually been that bad. he's immediately going to be asking if you're even taking care of yourself - if you know anything about kpop idol lifestyles, you'll know the concern is very much warranted - but he's going to be worried. however, he would respect it and your choice to pursue such a lifestyle, doing his best to help with making sure you're okay, helping with the pressures of fame and whatnot. his biggest concern, outside of your health, is going to be the privacy of your relationship. with both of you being so well known, the last thing he wants is your personal life to be put on a chopping block and make things even more difficult.

keigo often makes the comments of 'if i can' or 'possibly' when you ask if he'll be at an event but he does his best to show up and surprise you. even if he can't stay, he's there long enough to bring flowers or a small gift, reminding you that even if he's not there, he's still cheering you on. amidst busy schedules, he would do his best - even if it just meant sending a feather your way.

if anything, keigo is considerably patient. he can't exactly get mad at your busy schedule when his own isn't all that empty. you would both have to work with accommodations. and he'd totally have some silly, flirty comment about sneaking around. you'd have a moderate amount of quality time together, even if it meant him dragging you out of a window in the early hours. willingly, ofc.

he would be very, very protective when it comes to your privacy and personal space. fame attracts unwanted attention and he knows that; he doesn't want you to face something because of it. and, if i'm honest, i don't think many people would be too stupid to mess with you - the last thing they'd want to face is him being pissed off. he would definitely use his influence to aid in the overwhelming media and fans that don't know boundaries.

✧*̥˚ little things *̥˚✧

❥ spiderman kisses: not exactly the same but it's something he does when he's in a hurry and you're not supposed to be out. the first time he did it, he almost hit his head on the balcony railing. he honestly didn't expect kissing someone upside down to be so challenging.

❥ voicemails: god, you both have so many voicemails saved from each other. you've sent plenty to him of song snippets and sitting in the corner of the recording studio. he generally sends little rambles while flying, telling about his day and random things he's thought of. plus, always asking how you are, checking in on you.

❥ feathers: it's a cliche in writing for hawks but, i can't deny it's fitting. he's going to have a feather on you when you're within range for it to matter. it's how he makes sure you're doing okay.

❥ little notes: hawks likes to leave little notes for you when you part. hidden within your bag, between your clothes, etc. he generally knows your schedule but his own can be unpredictable. so, when you'll be away for a little while, he likes to leave you things you can read and have with you.

❥ keepsake boxes: about a year into being together, while out on a little break, you came across a section of little wooden boxes at a shop. it was a date night that you both sat and decorated them together, keeping all the notes, trinkets, stubs, etc in.

✧*̥˚ small scenario *̥˚✧

keigo landed at the venues back entrance the moment the door opened, his wings fluttering a bit when his feet touched the ground. the moment you popped out and smiled brightly, he couldn't help but pull you into his arms, squeezing softly before you could even speak.

'hey, pretty bird,' you greeted, voice full of excitement.

'hey, superstar.' keigo cooed, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. 'ready for a much needed break from the spotlight?'

all it took was a nod for him to scoop you up into his and lift up into the night sky. you were used to it, just holding onto him and closing your eyes, letting your mind rest from the rush of performing, just wanting to be normal for a while.

the flight didn't last too long and soon enough, you were carefully being set down on a secluded rooftop. out of habit, you left his side to approach the edge, looking over the city with bright eyes, sparkling even more in the moonlight.

taking a deep breath, you stretched your arms up. 'this is so amazing, it's so pretty up here,' you sighed, turning on your heel to look towards him. 'you know.. does it make me sound bad to say i like that i can gloat about private stargazing sessions with the number two hero?'

keigo let out a soft laugh as he spread out the plush blanket, shrugging. 'would it make me sound bad to say the same thing about you?' he asked, gesturing you over. 'thought it'd be a nice change from the usual post show routines. less people.'

as both of you settled on the blanket, lying side by side, you enjoyed the distant, dulled hum of the city. it was a nice change from being crammed into a van or just going home to rest, both of you needed something nice every now and then.

the blond spoke first, head turning to look at you. 'how was the show? anything memorable happen?'

you shrugged, not taking your gaze away from the stars. 'just the usual. overzealous fans wanting attention, the offhanded comment during the meet.. i'm pretty sure one of them is convinced we're going to get married? which, i can't complain.. i used to sit and think that about heroes and idols and stuff when i'm was younger but still.'

laughing, his eyes lit up with amusement. 'sounds like you're handling fame pretty well. i've dealt with my fair share of -- is it wrong to call fans 'crazies'? mine just usually come with the whole 'save me from the villain' request when there's.. no real villain.'

'nah, i don't consider the ones who act like that real fans.. i think real fans respect boundaries, don't you think?' you responded, a hand raising up to reach for the sky, fingers wiggling. 'i'm sure dealing with supervillains is a lot more fun than dealing with autograph requests. i wouldn't trade you though, i enjoy what i do.'

'fair, yeah.' keigo sighed, reaching up to collect your hand. 'we both have our ways of brightening people's days. even if it means dealing with a couple of weirdos.'

silence fell over the rooftop for a moment, enjoying each other's company under the beauty of the night sky.

'i was thinking,' he began, gingerly playing with your fingers, 'we should do this more often. escape the chaos, find quiet moments like this.'

finally, you turned your head to look at him, leaning close enough to bump your noses together. 'that would be nice.. sounds like a dream to relax and spend time together without a million eyes on us.'

'so, what do you say? more rooftop dates?'

you smiled, squeezing his hand. 'as long as you keep flying us up to spots like this, i'm one hundred percent in.'

with that, you closed your eyes and he looked back towards the sky, just enjoying the time before you were putting on the news as missing and he was unavailable. the conversation drifted around from playful jokes and confessions, little flirty comments and sweet thoughts. it didn't last forever but anything was better than nothing.

[theidiotwhowritesthings]

A FRESH START [22]

Din Djarin x F!Reader

Warnings: panic attack, trauma reaction, mentions of injuries, nonsexual nudity

Word Count: 5,935

Updates every Thursday

Summary: When you made plans for your future they never involved being hired by a Mandalorian to baby-sit his adorable, green gremlin of a child. However, after your life fell apart in the span of one disastrous night, you found it to be the only feasible option you had left. Nevarro was a far cry from Coruscant, but the thriving community turned out to be exactly what you needed. Every day you spend in Nevarro you fall more and more in love with your new life, but when your past rears its ugly head you find that perhaps peace wasn’t meant for everyone.

[a/n: i was forced to shorten the taglist for the sake of my sanity. tumblr won't let me post with more than certain number. I think that's why I've had the hardest time with this shit. I made it a first come, first served so if your username got dropped I am so so so sorry but that's why.]

#22: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

.

"i find my place in between your arms, in between your tender kisses and soft whispers of 'it will be alright', in between the warmth of your embrace, and the scent of your neck, and the fierceness of your touch, i find my place lost inside your soul." -Hearts and Empires

.

Din was immensely proud of your skills as a physician. However, if you didn’t get your ass out of the damn medic tent he was going to throw you over his shoulder and carry you home forcibly. More than anything, you needed rest. He wasn’t able to convince you to stop working and because the medical aid had yet to arrive no one else sided with him on these matters. Karga had the nerve to tell him to calm down. Din had nearly wrung the High Magistrate’s neck. 

He watched as you flittered around the medical tent aiding those who were injured alongside Aayla. Grogu had refused to leave your side, and that didn’t seem to bother you at all. Right now, as if you weren’t exhausted and barely standing, you had a sling wrapped around your chest which held Grogu against your back. Din could see the little boy resting his head against your back while rubbing your shoulder with his small hand. The sight warmed his heart and Din would be tempted to snap a picture to save if it weren’t for the state of your being. Your scrubs were still stained with blood and you had yet to clean your own wounds. It was stressing Din out to watch you working so hard when you were still in the state you were in.

While turning to see someone else, Din noticed you wavering on your feet. That was enough. He pushed forward and pressed through the injured crowd straight to you. “Hey.” You turned to meet his gaze. “It’s time to go home. You’re barely able to stand.”

“I can’t⏤”

“Ner kar’ta.” Din said firmly.

You sighed. “Alright. Fine.” Your shoulders sagged. “I guess I am a little tired.” Din shook his head, a quiet chuckle slipping from his lips. Your small smile turned sheepish and Din dreaded whatever it was you were going to say next. “I need to make sure Nima has cleared the tarmac though so the medical team can park.”

“What?”

“We need to get⏤”

Din reached his gloved hands out to cup your face. At the contact, the rest of your words fell away. He leaned forward and spoke firmly. “We’re going home. You need to rest. Somebody⏤ Anybody else can do the rest of the work here.” He let his thumb trace your cheekbone. Din wished he could feel your skin against his. “Have you managed all the emergency cases?”

“I mean, yeah, but⏤”

“Then it’s time to take care of yourself.” Din finished.

Your lips pressed together and gave him a small nod. Din let out a breath of relief. Without wasting another moment, Din slipped his hand into yours and began to drag you away before someone could distract you with a new job. Just having your hand in his was a comfort he couldn’t even begin to describe. During his travels, he imagined what his reunion with you would look like often. Never did he imagine karking pirates would be involved, but this feeling in his chest he had anticipated. He knew being back by your side would feel like coming home. In fact, he may have underestimated how strongly the reunion would make him feel⏤ which was quite the feat considering how badly he craved it.

Din stepped into the shared home and he couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

“Frog. Frog.” Grogu chirped. He turned in time to see you untangling the boy from the sling to set on the ground. Grogu bounded further into the room probably to look for his stuffed toy. 

Din focused back on you and his heart ached at the exhaustion painted on your face. Not wasting another moment, Din ripped off his gloves, tossing them aside, and reached out to cup your face. You let out a shuddering breath when his skin came in contact with his and Din felt that last tinge of stress leave his body. You were safe. It felt more real like this. 

“Are you still allowed to take this off to kiss me?” You asked. Din couldn’t tell if your quiet voice came from a meekness or just the weariness of your last 24 hours. 

“Yes.” Din chuckled. “We just need to be more careful.”

Technically speaking, it would be best if he didn’t take his helmet off anymore. Having you close your eyes was not the most ideal of plans. Accidents could happen, and more than anything it was just a loophole in his Creed. However, Din would give up vital organs before he gave up the gift and honor that was kissing you. 

You closed your eyes and Din lifted one of his hands so he could lightly trace your bruised and dirty features. He hummed, “You’re injured and tired. We should take care of that first.”

“Literally nothing is more important to me right now than this.” You replied.

Din hardly needed further convincing. Removing his hands from your face had been painful⏤ even knowing that it was only for a moment so he could take his helmet off. Without the barrier between you and him, your injuries looked worse. The dark coloring of the bruising and the red of the blood was so much more prominent. Din could see bags under your eyes he hadn’t noticed before. With a quiet sigh, Din cupped your face once more.

“Ni ceta.” Din mumbled soft apologies. He leaned in to press his lips first against your left eyelid then your right. He continued to pepper soft kisses across your cheek until they found your lips. Din would be a liar if he said he hadn’t spent every single night while gone imagining what your lips would feel like on his return. And, just as with the reunion, his mental image did not do the moment justice. Din had pictured passion and heat, a battle between one another to devour the other first, but this kiss was not that.

This kiss was soft, tender, and patient.

Three things that Din never got to call his own, living a life of battle in armor of Beskar.

Your lower lip was slotted between both of his and as he gave it a gentle tug you released a shaky sigh. The sound struck him like a hot iron and Din couldn’t help but breathe you in. He pulled you closer so your body was flush with his, let the tip of his tongue trace the shape of your lip, as he deepened the kiss. Din allowed desperation to seep into his very touch. It couldn’t be helped. Din was desperate. He was desperate to feel your very alive heartbeat under his touch. He was desperate for the warmth you exuded. He was desperate to show you how thankful he was for your safety. He was desperate for you to know how proud he was of you. He was desperate for you to know how sorry he was for not being here. 

Din was desperate, and it was all for you. 

“Ni ceta, ner kar’ta.” Din spoke directly against your lips. Nothing short of the Maker would tear him away from you. Your own hands lifted and when he felt your fingers rake against his scalp, tug on his hair, Din’s repeated apology fell out in a groan. Din dragged his lips along your jawline, taking the time to leave a kiss on every inch. Eventually, his lips found your neck and he left kisses over the darkened bruise there. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not your fault.” You replied in a hoarse whimper. 

Din disagreed entirely. He should’ve been here. He never should have left your side. You flinched when his lips touched a spot more tender than the rest. It was barely noticeable. In fact, he wouldn’t have realized you flinched at all if it wasn’t for your body being pressed so tightly to his. It was enough to remind him that you still needed care and rest. Din pressed one last kiss against your lips⏤ innocent and loving. When he pulled back you let out a whine of complaints. Din reached down to grasp his helmet and pulled it back on.

He leaned forward to rest the beskar against your forehead and at the touch your eyes opened once more. More than anything, Din wanted to see the color of your eyes unhindered by his visor. Even with the helmet on he found your eyes mesmerizing but the visor always muted colors. It seemed fitting if he thought about it. Even with the loophole of taking his helmet off, with your eyes closed a part of you stayed hidden to him. Just as he was hidden to you.

“Let me take a look at your wounds.”

“No.” You said and Din furrowed his brow. As if reading his displeasure at the response, you shook your head and clarified. “I meant, not now. I want to take a shower first. I need to.”

Din found it hard to argue against that. You wouldn’t be able to fully relax until the day was washed from your skin. He nodded and walked you further into the house. He kept one hand on your lower back, and Din loved that you kept pace with him. It wasn’t as if you didn’t know where the bathroom was, but the action made it feel like you were just as desperate as he was to stay in the other’s presence.

Grogu waddled out of the hall, dragging his stuffed frog behind him, just as the two of them reached the mouth of the hallway. He held his hands up, chirping out a request to be held, and Din knelt down to scoop the boy up before you could. Grogu blew a raspberry at him. “No buir. Need Ma.”

“I know, ad’ika.” Din replied. “But Ma has to take a shower.”

Grogu grumbled in protest, but when you reached out to lovingly pet the boy’s head Grogu was marginally appeased. As you drifted to the bathroom, Din gathered a fresh towel for you and he also grabbed one of his shirts for you to change into. A decision made solely to relieve the itch in his brain that needed to see you safe in his bed wearing his clothes, but you accepted both items with a tired smile. 

When the door shut and he heard the water kick on, Din blew out a breath of relief. He glanced down at Grogu who was still staring at the bathroom door. “It’s good to be home, isn’t it ad’ika?”

“Home with Ma.” Grogu nodded in agreement.

“Right.” Din chuckled. “We’re home with Ma.”

The hot water pelted your back and left your skin radiating heat. You had washed your hair, begun to wash your body, but midway through you dropped the bottle of soap. As you knelt down to pick it up, you suddenly had a flash of kneeling beside Wynn’s dead body. It sucked the air straight from your lungs and knocked you to your ass. Now you sat under the unrelenting stream of water with your legs curled up to your chest⏤ gasping in distress. Any air you did manage to fill your lungs with was uncomfortable and brought no relief. It felt like you were suffocating. 

A choked sob left your lips as you buried your face in your arms as they rested atop your knees. No matter how much you tried to turn your tired mind off, it continued to ruminate on the decisions you made. If you hadn’t forced Wynn to leave, would she still be alive? She wanted to wait for help. You felt trapped in this memory. A loop of telling Wynn she needed to run followed by watching the life leave her eyes right in front of you. You could still feel the warmth of her hot blood while holding her wound⏤ still feel the snapping of her ribs during the course of your desperate CPR. All useless. You didn’t save her. You sent her to her death. 

The sensation of having a towel thrown over your shoulders was startling. Your head snapped up to see Din knelt beside you. The shower head was off, Din’s gray pajama shirt plastered to his body on the side from water, and just behind him you could see the bathroom door hanging off it’s hinges.

“Ner kar’ta.” Din’s voice was rough. “Please talk to me.”

“Din?” You gasped. He had the large towel wrapped entirely around your body covering every inch of you. “What⏤ I don’t understand⏤”

“I heard something fall. I called out for you, over and over, but you didn’t respond.” Din replied. His voice took a sheepish tone. “I⏤I broke through the door.” He let his arms run over the towel covering your arms, giving them a squeeze. “Found you like this. Even when I turned the water off you still didn’t…”

It was the sight of your reflection in his visor and helmet that seemed to push you over your edge. Tears welled in your eyes and once the first ragged sob left your lips it was followed quickly by a string of others. Despite the fact that you were sitting on a tiled floor soaked with puddles, Din sat down right beside you and cautiously pulled you into his arms. You tucked yourself against his chest, and he fully enveloped you with his arms while resting his head on top of yours.

“It’s okay. You’re safe.” Din murmured. “Do you want to talk about it?”

You shook your head. Your sobs only interrupted by the sound of your lungs gasping for air. Din tightened his arms around you, a feat you didn’t know was possible, and you found comfort in his solid form. Din was here. Din made everything better. You weren’t sure how long the two of you sat there, but eventually Din mumbled softly, “We need to get you dressed. You’ll be cold soon.” You didn’t tell him that you’d never feel cold in his hold. “Need to treat your wounds too.”

Din helped you stand. He cautiously led you out of the shower, arm around your torso, and he stopped you in front of the bathroom counter. “I’m going to get the first aid kit from the kitchen. Are you going to be alright?”

You nodded. Din paused, as if hesitant, before returning the nod and moving toward the door. He mumbled a curse under his breath, you could hear it, and then he grabbed the large chunks of the door that had broken off when he rammed it to set aside where nobody would trip over them. While he was out, you grabbed his shirt and tugged it on⏤ using the damp towel to try and pat dry the dripping ends of your hair. Din returned, his visor scanning your body, before he settled beside you again.

With a focused intensity, Din applied a bit of bacta to the wound at your hairline and then rubbed some of it into the bruise around your neck as well. In the midst of his work, you whispered, “Wynn is dead.” Din’s fingers paused in their motion, surprise reading in his frame, but he was quick to return his movements and stance back to baseline. “She’s dead and I didn’t tell anybody. I forgot to tell someone.” Tears returned to your eyes. “I just left her in the street, Din. I left her like she meant nothing.”

“Hey.” Din said firmly. “This was during the firefight, was it not?” You nodded in confirmation. “You had no choice, ner kar’ta. That wasn’t your fault.”

“I think it was.” Your words fell out a pained whisper.

Din’s hands lifted to cradle your face and you leaned into his touch. It felt like he wanted to say something, but he paused. Instead, Din tangled his hand with yours and pulled you out of the bathroom. He didn’t ask, didn’t even hesitate, to pull you into his room. The moment you entered you heard Grogu’s familiar snores and it was such a comforting sound to hear after weeks sleeping in silence that you nearly cried. Din pulled back the covers and helped you slide in.

Rather than follow you into bed, he took a step back and the look on your face must have been obvious enough that he reached out to caress your face. “I’m coming back. I need to change clothes.”

Your eyes focused on the large wet stains from where you had been curled up into him. Din crossed the room and your eyes widened and bit when he began to pull his shirt off. His movements were confident and it warmed your heart that he was comfortable enough with you to reveal himself like this. Your eyes trailed over the expanse of his muscular back⏤ admiring the rugged lines of his broad shoulders and the various scars that littered his skin. Din pulled a new shirt on and you expected him to come back. Instead, Din began to pull off his sweatpants. Slowly, you sat up, pulling the sheets closer to you, and you couldn’t help but let your eyes trace the shape of his lower half. You were blatantly ogling this man in his boxer briefs as he tugged on a new pair of sweats. Before turning back around, you saw him pick up his vambrace, pressing a few buttons, before setting it down once more.

Din turned around, tying the strings at his waistband, and he chuckled. His voice came out as teasing and light hearted. Clearly trying to put you at ease. “Are you checking me out, ner kar’ta?” 

“I missed you so much.” You replied. Too tired, physically and emotionally, to tease back the way that you wanted to. Instead, the truth tumbled out of your lips.

He came back around to the bed and slipped under the sheets. As Din’s arm wrapped around your waist, you let him pull you back into laying down. You shifted so your head rested on his chest and Din began to drag his knuckles up and down your spine. “I missed you too. Being away from you was unbearable for Grogu and I both.” Din hummed. “He tried to stay up for you, but passed out. Grogu didn’t sleep well last night. I think my anxiety kept him up.” Your hand was resting on his side⏤ fingers dragging up and down his ribs. You mumbled into his chest. Din’s hand, the one rubbing your back, trailed up to rake through your hair. “I want to talk.”

“About?” You mumbled.

“Ner kar’ta.”

You let out a soft chuckle. “Din…”

“You don’t have to talk to me, you don’t have to tell me anything, but…” Din sighed, “I’d like to know. I want to help.” He massaged the back of your neck right where it met your skull and all your tension sat. A soft sigh left your body as you relaxed in his arms. “I sent Karga a message about Wynn. They’re going to find her. Put her to rest.” You buried your face down into his chest knowing your tears would dampen his new shirt all over again. “I just want to help.”

After a few moments of peaceful silence where you listened to Grogu’s snores and Din’s heartbeat, you turned so your face wasn’t pressed into his chest and you could speak. Hesitantly, you began to tell him what happened⏤ starting with the bombs that fell on Nevarro and ending with Paz leading you out of the burning city as you carried Elodie. The entire time Din didn’t speak. He’d mumble an acknowledgement or hum here and there, but he made no comment. 

When you finished, Din finally spoke up, “Tell me why you said what you did. You said what happened to Wynn was your fault.”

“She didn’t want to go. She wanted to stay hidden and wait for help.” You closed your eyes tightly as the memory of Wynn’s lifeless eyes assaulted you once more. “If I had listened to her she might be alive. Help did come. I⏤I should have been more patient.”

“Ner kar’ta, you made that decision based on the limited information you had. You didn’t know I was coming and bringing help. Where the three of you were hidden wasn’t safe. If one of the pirates did discover you, you’d be pinned down in a hole.” Din spoke with a firmness that left no room for argument. “In that moment, you made the best decision you could. You made the right decision.” He used the arm not around you to grasp your chin and tilt your head up so you were facing his visor. “Listen to me, ner kar’ta. That was not your fault. You did not take Wynn’s life, she gave it to save Elodie. Wynn is a hero. Don’t take that from her by shouldering needless blame.”

There was something about the way Din spoke that resonated with you. His words calmed the turmoil in your soul. Din could repeat the same sentiment that anyone else would speak, but when it came from his lips it soothed your wounds like a salve. He couldn’t heal everything, there was self reflection only you could puzzle through, but he was a hand to hold as you waded through the worst of it.

“Din…” You started. Before you finished your sentence, it occurred to you that the words you wanted to say were significant. You wanted to tell Din you loved him. That’s what you felt right now. It was overwhelming. It was all encompassing. 

Din still had his hand at your chin and he let his large hand shift from your chin to your jaw. He held the side of your face and let his thumb trace patterns in your skin. “Yes, ner kar’ta?”

Saying those words felt like quite the leap. You were confident in the way you felt about him and how he felt about you, but there was a part of you that couldn’t quite push the words out. You were too mentally wiped out to process those thoughts right now. Not knowing how else to express how grateful you were for this man, you turned your face so you could press a kiss to the palm of his hand.

Din let out a content sigh and he shifted his body so you could rest more comfortably against him. He hummed and you heard the rumble of it in his chest. “Get some rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.” He went back to soothingly dragging his fingers up and down your spine. “I’ll always be here.”

You let your eyes close and took a slow breath as Din’s warmth and the comforting smell of him lulled you into the best sleep you’ve gotten since Din and Grogu left. 

Nevarro was in pieces. Rubble decorated the streets and buildings were in shambles. Despite how terrible it looked, Din couldn’t help but be proud of the citizens of the city he looked after. They were strong. Nevarro was already healing only days after the attack. Din walked down the street with Grogu in his arms. The boy was squirming, wanting to get down, but with the rubble and debris Din didn’t want him wandering around. As he walked down the street, every once in a while a person would pause to thank him for bringing help⏤ bringing the Mandalorians. Din would nod in response, but it would shoot a pang of guilt through his chest. He didn’t deserve thanks. He had left them after all.

Din’s steps slowed as he began to pass the school house. Outside of the building, a memorial had been set up for Wynn. Candles, flowers, and cards covered the front steps and Din found himself letting out a sigh. The school teacher was a hero. Din meant that seriously when he spoke to you. It hadn’t been your fault, absolutely not, and both you and Wynn were the reason Elodie was alive and well. Her and her parents were currently off world. The little girl needed more intensive care than could be provided here, but last Din heard the child was doing very well.

“Miss?” Grogu mumbled. Din recognized the title Grogu would call his teacher. 

“Yes, ad’ika.” Din confirmed. Grogu’s ears wilted as he stared at the memorial. Din rubbed Grogu’s back and began to walk again with the goal to reach the clinic. You had left home early to go to work. You’d be there for any emergencies, per the norm, but you were also using today to see many of the people who were injured the day of for follow up. To ensure everyone was healing as they should. Din was of the opinion that you needed more rest, if not physical then mental, but trying to convince you of that was a near impossibility.

When Din reached the corner, Bo Katan pushed off a wall to join his pace. Her helmet was tucked under her arm. The Armorer had announced that the Mandalorians needed to come together rather than fall apart. It was a sentiment he could understand. Mayfeld had asked him about the helmet situation. Mandalorians coming together was a good idea, Din agreed, but coming to coincide with one another didn’t change the Creed he had dedicated himself to.

“Once this place gets cleaned up, I can see it being a nice place to live. To settle.” Bo hummed. Din nodded once, and she glanced his way. “I’m glad your partner is safe.”

“Thank you.” Din replied sincerely. 

“There is something I’d like to speak to you about.”

“I figured.” He said. “Does this have anything to do with retaking Mandalore?”

Bo chuckled, “Good guess.”

“What about it?”

“Well,” Bo kept by his side, “Is there anything I can say that will convince you to come with me to reclaim my fleet from Axe Woves?”

Din didn’t pause even a beat when he answered. “No. There isn’t.”

Bo sighed in annoyance and Din briefly felt guilt at the waves of frustration wafting off of Bo’s tense frame. Half of him felt like it was his duty to help in any way to restore Mandalore, but the other half could not even begin to fathom leaving you again. It occurred to Din that this might be selfish of him. His people needed him, right? He locked his jaw at the thought. 

“Your help would make this all go smoother, I think. We make a good team.” Bo said.

Din chuckled, “Did that hurt you to admit?”

“It did.” Bo smirked. “Which is why you should take it seriously.”

Din paused when the clinic came into view. He turned to face Bo and shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t want to help. Retaking Mandalore is a noble endeavor. One I would be honored to help in.” He paused. “But my family is here. I got lucky during that attack. I... I almost lost her.”

“I understand that.” Bo replied. “I know the weight of what I’m asking you, Djarin. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it was important.”

Din glanced back to the clinic and did a double take when he saw you coming out. A smile began to form on his features, but it fell when he watched Paz walk out behind her with Ragnar by his side. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. You were wearing your white coat, a look Din truly loved on you, and Paz was chatting with you about something. Something that made you laugh in response. Since when was Paz funny? 

“Didn’t know you were the jealous kind, Djarin.” Bo chuckled.

Din snapped a glare at her. “I’m not jealous.”

“It’s all over your face.”

“I’m wearing a helmet.”

“Yet somehow I still know it is.”

Din grunted in mild annoyance. He wasn’t jealous. Per say.  It was just like with Vanth. Din was confident enough in his relationship with you, even as undefined as it currently was, that he wasn’t worried about someone sweeping you away. Din just had a bad habit of accidentally letting his possessive nature show and there was something about seeing his brother flirt with you that stirred him into wanting to fight.

Both you and Paz glanced down at Ragnar who must have been speaking and you set a hand on the boy’s shoulder with a smile. 

“Hm. They’d make a cute family.” Bo teased.

“Stop.” Din snapped.

He was caught off guard when Grogu jumped out of his arms. Him and Bo quickly followed after the boy who was in a mad rush toward you. Din watched as his son shoved past Ragnar, making the boy stumble enough that Din had a feeling the Force was involved, before leaping into your arms. 

“Oh, hey, baby.” You cooed.

“Ma. My Ma.” Grogu cuddled into your arms while shooting Ragnar a glare. 

Bo glanced at Din. “Aw. Like father, like son.”

Din wished he could take his helmet off just so Bo could see the full weight of the glare he currently wore. He continued forward until your eyes shot to him and the bright smile that filled your features just from spotting him. 

“What are you guys doing here?” You asked.

“Just checking in on you.” Din replied. Bo cleared her throat and Din sighed before nodding his head toward the woman standing beside him. “This is Bo Katan Kryze. Bo, this is Soran.”

You held your hand out to shake Bo’s hand and the red headed woman returned the greeting. Paz let one of his large hands settle on your shoulder and Din felt himself bristle at the motion. His older brother chuckled. “No need to worry. Wero’ika is doing more than fine.”

“Yeah, Paz brought me a late breakfast.” You chirped. 

Yeah, okay, Din was going to murder him.

“Oh, hang on,” You glanced over your shoulder, “I see a problem patient walking in. I’m not gonna subject Aayla to that.”

Din nodded once and you shot Bo and Paz a smile, squeezing Ragnar’s shoulder as well despite Grogu’s complaints, and then you turned to leave. As soon as you were inside the clinic, Din turned to Paz with a grunt. “Wero’ika? What the kriff is that?”

“A nickname, Djarin.”

“Mir’sheb.” Din snarled and Paz laughed in response. Ragnar tugged on his father’s arm before pointing off to the side. Paz nodded, telling him to be cautious, before the boy ran off to play with a group of kids down the street.

Bo chuckled. “I didn’t realize this was the beginning of a love triangle. Interesting.”

“It isn’t.” Din said.

Paz tilted his head and crossed his arms. “I’m unaware of Soran being in possession of a token of intention.”

“I’m working on it.” Din said through clenched teeth.

“Perhaps, I’ll work on it faster.”

Din knew Paz was just trying to get under his skin. Part of his frustration was the fact that it was working. His hands drifted to rest on his hips as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. Paz was smug. Din had known him long enough to recognize the set of his shoulders. 

“I’m⏤” Din began then cleared his throat. “I’m giving her time.”

“You’re wasting her time.” Paz argued with a chuckle. “Wero’ika⏤”

“Don’t call her that like you know her.” Din cut in. “A lot just happened. I’m not going to rush her into anything.”

He glanced from Paz to Bo then back to Paz. Din gave the man a gruff good-bye before pushing past the two of them to head into the clinic. He greeted Miriam at the front desk. Before he could cross the threshold into the main room, the young woman caught his attention and let him know that you were down the hall instead. Din furrowed his brow in confusion, but walked down to find you sitting in the break room snipping the sutures off a patient’s wound.

“Marshal.” The patient greeted with a nod that Din returned.

Grogu was playing with a latex glove on the counter while you worked. You shot him a smile before focusing back on your work. Din settled beside his son, leaning against the counter, and just admired you with a sense of calm. He wondered if Paz was right. Not a line he’d ever say out loud, but Din wondered if he was just finding another excuse to hide behind. He wasn’t sure what he was so afraid of. You’ve made your interest in him very clear, the two of you shared a bond like he’d never experienced before, but still he hesitated.

“Alright, it looks good. No need to restrict yourself, but if it starts bothering you again just let me know.” You smiled. The patient thanked you, gave him a final good-bye, then left. You wandered over to where he stood with Grogu and began to wash your hands in the sink. “Hey, so your brother seems cool.”

Din grunted. “Who Paz?”

“Yeah.” You turned the faucet off and grabbed a few paper towels. “I thought he might not like me because I yelled at him during the battle.” Din’s eyes widened. He’d have to ask about that. “But instead I think I accidentally earned his respect? Also, what does ‘wero’ika’ mean?”

Din chuckled. “Little Problem.”

Your jaw fell open. “He’s been calling me a little problem this entire time?” Din nodded. “Son of a bitch. I’m gonna need you to teach me something amusing and mildly rude to call him in return.”

“Oh, I can think of some names for him.” Din replied. He cleared his throat. “I, uh, wanted to talk to you about something, but don’t feel any pressure with this, alright?” You quirked an eyebrow at him. Your eyes briefly glanced at Grogu and you shot your hand out to snatch the latex glove from Grogu’s mouth and wagged a finger at him. “I left to redeem myself. To restore my Creed with the plans to…” Din shifted awkwardly. “To court you.” The corner of your lips curled up. “I know a lot has happened recently, so again there is no pressure here, but I wanted to…make my intentions known.”

You reached out and wrapped your hand above his elbow, between his armor plates, and gave it a small squeeze. “Din, I appreciate your patience and concern, but I⏤ I want this. I want you.” He sucked in a sharp breath. “So, just tell me how we do this. How does Mandalorian courting work? Do I sign on the dotted line or…?”

Din laughed, in part due to relief, “No. Nothing like that. I have…” He reached to the back of his belt to unhook the blade and sheath that was once his. Din brought it around to hold out to you and you stared at the blade curiously. “In Mandalorian custom, a token of intention is given to the person being courted and to accept it means accepting those advances.” Din cleared his throat again. Maker, his mouth was dry. “Tokens are usually a weapon with the person’s signet on it.”

He pulled the blade out of the sheath enough that you were able to see the mudhorn etched into the blade’s side. Din tucked the blade back into the sheath and gave you a small nod. With a bright smile, you took the blade from his hands and he felt like his heart was going to explode in his chest watching you run your finger against the mudhorn.

You held the blade against your chest and nodded. “I accept, Mandalorian.”

Grogu began to clap his hands together and you broke out into laughter that relaxed every single bone and muscle in his body. The only regret Din had was not doing this at home where he could pull his helmet off and kiss you.

mando'a translations:

ni ceta: sorry wero'ika: little problem ner kar'ta: my heart mir'sheb: smartass

taglist:

@aheadfullofsteverogers @yyiikes @kneelforloki @c-ms1ut @sgt-morgan @luthienaliceisilra @missbabyjay @coldlamaspersonspy @dilfsaremyfavourite @emily-roberts @djarinxore @impala1967666 @shelbyteller @faithrenner @dindjarindude @dankfarrick29 @garbo-lesbo @anythingforattention @tearfulsolace @onceinamando @catharinaroxastova @modiddys-blog @harriedandharassed @stagerightlauren @mini-bees @adoringanakin @sagegreensensei @spidey-3 @thepascalofus @hrtsforpascal @lil-dragon-draws @guccistardust @ideajpeg @leithatnight @elfamosotoga @damnzelsoul @the-anchored-sailor-girl @morks-watermelon @katelynmarieyt @taylorann2013 @chonkercatto @dheet @liadamerondjarin @fallinallinmendes @missdicaprio @jennaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa @alphaash99 @djarinsmixtape @pcrushinnerd @closedaddition

[stuffymcstuffsworld]

My pupils

Ungrateful, Arrogant, Lazy, there were many words Kalego could use to describe his students. Many of them were imbeciles. Undisciplined. Hence why he was placed in charge of such a rowdy bunch.

He had had troublesome students before. It was no different than any other year he taught at the school. However... he never took into account how difficult the next few years would be.

To think it all started with one brat! The grandson of the chairdemon himself. He honestly wished he could have gone back in time and retired as soon as he heard about the attendance of such a creature.

His foolish pride had thought he could tame such a wild child within a few days. Having him easily under heel. He couldn't have been more wrong.

That little menace had the nerve to prove him wrong! Having no respect for authority and tuning him into a familiar. The audacity!

It wasn't just him that caused the teacher such a headache. No, he had twelve other rascals to handle as well. What did he do in his past life to enable such torture?

Individually, it probably wouldn't be so bad. But no... he had them all together. Everyday... for the next 6 agonizing years.

He often wondered if he'd survive such a daunting task for so long. Of course, his pride wouldn't allow him to quit. It would be shameful on both the school and his name if he were to do so.

So, as much as it pained him, he would stay. Despite the urge to resign. Truthfully, someone would probably drag him back even if he were to do so. Another irritating reality.

Some things were easy to brush off. Such as Allocers constant questions and interest in obtaining more knowledge. Just answer plainly offering research materials for reference.

Or working around Kerori's work schedule as an idol. As well as sending her study aids so she doesn't risk lowering her grades. Practically child's play.

Now, dealing with Jazz's sticky fingers could be annoying. Forcing apologies out of the young demon and attempting to keep the greedy child humble.

Not that it helped since he had an enabler like Lied. The cocky little imp thinking he could get away with such childish pranks so easily. He often had to discipline the pair.

Speaking discipline... he still needed to figure out a proper punishment for Kamui... again. Why is it so difficult for that bird brain to understand that the female students don't appreciate such actions? He has the nerve to call himself a gentleman with such an attitude.

At least he could say he's also seen growth in some of his students. Take Sabro, for example. That prideful attitude of his was far more manageable than when the child first arrived. Far more humble.

Or Soi, who constantly hid. Now, he actively participates and interacts with his classmates. A vast improvement.

If only he could get Picero to stop sleeping in class. That would be preferable. Instead, he constantly has to smack the drowsy teen awake.

Goemon has a rather interesting positivity. Now if only he could somehow apply that to his grades. That would certainly make things easier.

He wasn't amused by Elizabetta's attempts to get better grades by using her bloodline magic or flirting. He constantly had to remind his coworkers not to go easy on her just because of her looks. Although he was quite proud of how she handled the music festival.

Then, there was the matter of Iruma's two main subordinates. Or friends as he called them. The chaos that those two caused alone was a mountain of paperwork.

Never in a million years did he think that such a vigorous student like Alice could be so blinded by one individual. It's as if the boy forgot about his own growth. Does he have no dignity?

... thinking that he probably doesn't. Seeing as he's so obsessed with his superior that it's borderline insane. Not that clara is any better.

Her grades aren't exactly the best. Her loud, rambunctious attitude disturbs the other students attending any class she's in. Honestly, he's not sure what to do with such a wild thing.

He's half tempted to keep her on a leash to ensure she doesn't wander off. Although knowing that gremlin, she'd easily escape. If only she focused that energy on her assignments.

Still, despite all their flaws. Ignoring their constants defiance to the higherarchy. He would still admit they were his pupils.

He was their teacher. He would guide them into becoming powerful demons. He'd see them all graduate on time even if it'd kill him.

[ikemenomegas]

Anchor (up to me love)

Eleven days late, but this is my first entry for Mermay (can we call it June-aid then?) Thank you all so much for your patience. This is the longest one-shot I have written to date and while I'm not completely satisfied with it, I'm proud enough of finishing it. Of course the title references the song by Novo Amor

pairing: Mermaid!Uchiha Sasuke x Reader

word count: 10,014

cw: mentions of drowning, description of wounds, an attempt made at transformation body horror, mentions of death of parents but I couldn't kill Sasuke's entire family again... seemed too cruel to put him in a universe where that happens every single time.

Ao3 link for those who prefer reading there

You heard the thrashing sound first, like an animal caught in a trap, and then you heard the voice, which was far more human.

You knew better than to approach a beast, but on the shores of your own kingdom, you couldn’t in good conscience leave someone to fend for themselves. Especially if they were too injured to drag themselves inland.

The shoreline was studded with sharp stones, broken long ago from cliffs that had since retreated from the sea. They concealed the figure until you were nearly upon him. He was partially submerged, but you could smell the blood, see its thick wash in the water. It turned the foam churned up around him a rusty, raspberry tea color. He groaned, pressing a handful of some shredded fiber to the wound on his chest.

You gasped, involuntary, and he turned, whipped around with teeth bared.

That’s how you saw them: the sharp incisors and all the sharp teeth after that. Inhuman, made to tear. You almost couldn’t believe it, even when you looked below the syrupy, red water and saw the tail, the diaphanous fins drawing in close so it was nearly whip-like, flicking a warning.

You froze, spreading your fingers wide on the stone to show that you carried no weapon in your hands.

“Let me help,” you breathed, unsure whether to retreat, but afraid to appear threatening.

The mer flinched back. There was a ruddy tint to his eyes, which was more apparent depending on the subtle angling of his head. He looked scared, pain flashing across his expression when he moved wrong.

“Why?” he hissed back after a tense pause, strained. His voice was faintly accented, but not really different from the tones of the northernmost islands in the archipelago kingdom to which you belonged.

There wasn’t a good reason, except that something magic and nearly relegated to legend was in front of you and you did not want to see it die, not at the hands of hungry predators. If he had been a man you would have helped him to shore, ran for a doctor, but you didn’t think the creature in front of you would tolerate more human hands.

You tore a strip off the long linen wrapping over your arms and body in a kind of tunic. You poured water from a skin on your hip over the makeshift compress and then passed it to the stranger as a gesture of goodwill. Freshwater drew poison from wounds of the sea.

The mer looked blearily at your outstretched hand and took the cloth. He hissed when it pressed against part of the wound but did not let go, pressing harder until the compress was half stained with his blood.

He eyed you warily. He made another pained noise as he pulled the compress from his torn flesh. It made a horrible wet sound as it pealed away. He held it out for you to pour more water upon it. You did and tore another strip from your clothing for another field dressing.

“There is danger in remaining in the open sea while you heal,” you said softly. 

He had bound his wound best he could with pieces of your clothing and the bleeding had eased some, although not much.

He narrowed his eyes as though measuring your intention.

“There's a cove, not far from here. I can show you,” you offered

“Where?” he was demanding but you could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

You sidled carefully around him, angling towards the water.

“We have to swim to get there.”

He nodded, tense but for now acquiescing to the logic in your words.

  You carefully tied what was left of your clothing so that no trailing ends risked snagging as you swam and waded deeper into the water. It was warm, but you still shivered at the faint chill against your skin and the mer’s proximity as you slipped into the ocean.

You moved slowly, aware of the mermaid's injuries. It was not a long way to go to the hidden entrance to a place you had discovered years before. You hesitated only for a moment, and then dipped underwater. This put you firmly in the mermaid’s natural habitat. It was, in a way, a show of trust. You dived deeper and deeper, ignoring the pressure in your ears and your chest.  The sounds of the mermaid swimming behind you were somewhat unnerving. They were the sounds of a creature both larger and stronger than you in the water, and he was following you. You shook the thought away, moving water with your hands to propel yourself down to the underwater tunnel burrowing between stone and coral and two the protected lagoon beyond.

You pulled yourself through carefully, flicking your feet in small precise motions to avoid drifting into the rough, salt pocked stone. The place you were taking the mer was safe precisely because it was a place difficult to reach both by land and by sea. On land, this bit of coast belonged to the royal family alone; by sea, the pathways through these closely sentried rocks twisted and turned, making a treacherous labyrinth below and a shielding wall above.

You took careful stock of your air. Even though you had been underwater for more than a minute already, this blessing of your noble blood would not last forever. You followed the signs placed long ago to guide swimmers who knew where they wanted to go, and within another handful of minutes emerged into the wide clear waters of an ardent bay.

The slow speed of your only human limbs was perhaps a good thing. The mer following you was visibly exhausted even after what should have been a short journey for him. You led him close to the edge of the water where shallow scoops filled with soft sand and colorful corals and waving fronds of seaweed made comfortable little environments. Too deep for a human to rest in, but it seemed perfect for an injured sea creature.

You pulled yourself up onto the smooth stone bordering the little cove. 

“I’ll be back,” you promised. 

The mer looked up at you, lines of exhaustion on his face. After a moment, you untied a bracelet from your wrist, made from woven threads of golden sea-silk and three beads, green and red and black strung along it. You offered it to the mer.

“I don’t wish for you to feel trapped here. If at any time you wish to leave, find this color in the wall.” You pointed to the red veined stone. You moved your finger to the black stone and then the green. “Follow the tunnel marked in this order. To return, follow the reverse pattern.”

He reached out for the bracelet, plucking it from your palm without touching your skin.

“I'll come back,” you said once again.

The mer just swished his tail and said nothing to your promise.

  You slipped back into the castle, feet bare, hair and clothes dripping.

A strong, musical voice called your name. “How many times have I told you not to track water inside,” Mei said, exasperated.

“I’ll clean it up.”

She sighed. “Aren’t there better things to do with your time?”

You looked blankly back at the trail of droplets and footprints, but your mind was already racing ahead to the things you needed, what you could leave at the lagoon in case it was difficult to return or the mer wanted space while he healed, what kind of books could be in the library, what kind of medicines could work on –

Your sister called your name again. “Are you listening?”

You turned her, half startled.

She sighed again and waved you onward. “Go on.”

She gave you a soft look when you all but beamed at her and continued on your way.

  The mermaid’s injury was severe. You spent the next few weeks going down to the lagoon as often as you could. You brought amphorae of fresh water, pots of fresh and salt preserved food - as much fish as you could bring until the mermaid expressed his frustration at the lack of variety and you tried bringing him things from the land, which he seemed to enjoy and eat easily enough - bandages and medicines, sea plants that he instructed you to fetch with imperious expectation, and whatever new knowledge you could scrounge up from the palace library. And what you got in turn was a name.

Sasuke.

It was a beautiful name, you thought, sibilant as the shushing sea, with a bite at the end like cold spray thrown up by a crashing wave. The more days you spent with him, the more obvious his beauty became to you. It was not only a physical attraction, although he made you wish that your skills in the visual arts could properly capture him. If you could paint, you thought you could spend years creating echoes of the way his fins rippled as he moved, a language all their own. After that, you could spend years imitating the gleaming flash of his eyes, as multifaceted as any expert cut stone, dark like lacquer or ink, then lit from within like garnets or rubies.

  He was prickly as a lionfish and as curious as a kitten. He never seemed overly delighted when you visited, but if you were gone for more than a day or two, he demanded to know where you had been.

“I have duties to attend to in the castle,” you explained one day. You and Sasuke were taking refuge in the shadow of a cliff as you helped smear a strong, green scented paste on new linen strips with which to bind Sasuke’s freshly washed wound. It still bled sluggishly when exposed, deep as it had been, but it did not seem to be infected.

“You’re not stealing all this stuff, are you?”

You snorted an inelegant laugh. “No.”

He let you help him tie the bandages. Sasuke flicked his tail in such precise movements to stay in place. You didn’t know of anyone who had been this close to a mermaid in decades. The dreamy tales told by sailors carried a wishful magic all their own, but were not likely factual unless there was a mermaid or several sitting clear as day on every spit of land and jut of rock from here to the Land of Whirlpools. All the recorded accounts you had found so far were recollections from those who sailed, who watched at the boundaries of day and night, who weren’t sure what they saw.

“The queen of this country-” you tied the last bandage in a knot that could still be released even once the cloth was swollen with water - “she’s my elder sister. It means I got to grow up in the palace, without everyone paying attention to what I was doing.”

Sasuke went very quiet.

“I know a lot of secret ways in and out.” You glanced up to where the curving roofs of the tallest buildings were barely visible from the cliff upon which it was perched. “And I get to learn anything I want.” There were lots of things you could do that Mei couldn’t, or wasn’t allowed. It wasn’t a bad life. You had always known this. It was just a little lonely.

“Do you need anything else?” you asked the mer.

He propped himself up on the rocks. You could count the faint lines of the gills still left uncovered by bandages on his ribs. They sealed themselves when he was above the waterline for any significant amount of time, which was one of the many fascinating things about him. He looked for all intents and purposes to be ignoring you as he basked on the sun, but his head was tilted towards you.

You pulled a book from within your clothes, flipped back a few pages and then settled against a rock to begin reading out loud. 

The next day, you spotted the bracelet you had given him fastened around his wrist.

  It had been almost a month when you finally asked Sasuke where his injuries came from. There was no pattern to the wound before, the flesh too torn for you to guess at what had caused it. You had also grown to know Sasuke better in the hours and hours you spent at the site of his convalescence. He carried with him a deep vortex of sadness and anger. It went far deeper than the visible wound.

“I don’t want to explain,” he growled as you mixed a different poultice in a silver dipped mortar. Behind that growl was that vortex, its screaming, all consuming noise.

You had never met someone like this, who had that much hurt inside. It was frightening. You had no idea what it would do to him to touch those memories, but something inside of you told you that you had to know. That not to know would be to miss some vital part of who Sasuke was.

Your fingers stilled on the mortar. “You don’t have to.”

Yet he did not leave. You did not begin to mix the medicine again.

As a child, you had been lost once in one of the terrible typhoons that struck the coast of this kingdom. It had come on suddenly, darkening the sky and obscuring both the path ahead and behind. A strange sound had joined in with the howling winds, almost like singing. Without anything else to give you direction, you had followed the sound until you came to the edge of the sea. The storm had churned the water gray and foamy white and cold, forbidding blue so dark it was nearly black. You had tucked yourself into a cluster of stones and brush, your knees pulled up to your chest. The storm had screamed around you, you were soaked through. Who knew how long you had been out there, but it was long enough that you were convinced that all there would ever be was the shrieking sound of the typhoon and the sideways driven rain. The reprieve of the eye had come on with a sudden silence.

You only realized that you were humming through the memory when the odd look Sasuke was giving you cut through your blank recollections. There were half crushed purple flowers and the variegated green mush of herbs under your hands, their scent in the air, salt on your lips, the soft lap of waves interrupted by Sasuke’s agitated movements, his eyes before you, touched red like the day you’d met him.

He moved forward, warrier than he’d been even on the day you found him. Closer.

And then some spell was broken and with a flick of his tail he vanished. The water barely rippled. A set of perfect concentric rings faded from the point he had been hardly a second before. For the first time, it was overtly apparent that Sasuke had all the marks of a deadly predator, of a monster from the deep. It did not scare you as much as it should have.

  All of the books in the palace library said that mermaids were magical creatures, that they had  an inborn resilience, speed and strength greater than a human, could breath both air and water, and could sing to charm men off the rocks. But despite all of Sasuke’s strength, he had come to you with a terrible wound that pulled skin and muscle as it healed, and went nearly to the bone. Your own little spells helped the healing process along. You believed that it had likely kept him from dying. It didn’t stop the slow, painful experience from taking over three months before the wound was intact enough to be without bandages for long, for Sasuke to swim with only a small wince as he turned.

You were removing the last of the linen wraps when Sasuke spoke in a low voice. “What do you know of my world? The world beneath the surface.”

You sat back, coiling the length of cloth neatly on the pile beside you.

There were very old accounts among all of the old documents you combed through in the dead of night as the sea shushed outside the windows. They spoke with an authority that indicated either brilliant enough imagination to include the utterly mundane aspects of formal proceedings, or a realism only gained by being present to witness the comings and goings of powers that were beyond the Land of Water’s borders.

Since Sasuke’s sudden arrival, you had imagined them often, wondered what role he might play. He had a proud bearing that was familiar from interacting with nobility, a precise grace that made you wonder if fighting was a regular occurrence for him, and a casual entitlement that said he was used to getting what he wanted one way or another. But you had seen these things among common folk as well. There were warriors at court from the inland farms or outlying islands who had fought their way through prejudices and more difficult circumstances who had earned every ounce of their pride and poise.

“If it is even a little like what I have read about, it is as complex or more so than the world above, but all our information is very old.” 

You could not quite figure out why it stopped. There was a season of the usual terrible storms, and then slowly, nothing but supposed myths.

“But in my world, I have seen assassinations, and diplomatic disasters, and houses nearly wiped from the map.” The last words nearly broke on your tongue. All of these things had happened to your family, but you and Mei had survived it.

Sasuke carefully rotated his shoulder, looking thoughtful while he prodded at the new skin on the edges of the wound.

“You’ve fought for your life, before,” he said.

“Yes.” It was all you could say. Sasuke wasn’t asking. You didn’t know how he knew. Even Mei kept the details of your survival quiet. Not exactly secret, but the information was no longer shared frequently and few people would even think to ask. The Queen was the center of your scattered island nation. But your sister was the most important person in your life, the only family you had left. You would do anything for her, even though she could not do everything she might want to for you.

“Tell me,” he demanded.

You told him the memories that had sprang to mind and others – of those terrifying nights with the handle of a knife clutched in your fist, picking out paths by starlight, first with your father, and then with guards, and then alone until Mei, barely sixteen herself, had found you.

Sasuke drifted out of arm’s reach as you told the story that you had never told anyone. There had never been any need. The only one who knew almost every detail had lived through it with you, and neither of you spoke of it, even when the burden of ruling weighed heavily on her shoulders. You would sit side by side with a pot of tea cooling between you, and the question What would our parents do? hovered between you, unspoken.

He watched you narrowly, like some kind of magistrate, weighing every word. If you were younger, it would have filled your blood with ice cold fury. Who was anyone else to judge the impact of your experience?

Now, the words poured from your like water from a spring. You weren’t sure why, except that you knew that in order to know someone, sometimes you had to be known. And Sasuke would not stay in this tiny lagoon forever. He was restless in his healing. You already suspected that he was roaming beyond the bounds of the lagoon, following the secret pathways and tunnels carved through the rocks and going invisibly along the coast where you had found him.

Mei’s rise to her position had not been a triumphant, immediate affair. As little as three years ago, there had been assassins in your room, then blood on your hands, dripping to your wrists. You had left a trail of lopsided, tacky footprints as you had run, silent and with a denying scream in your chest, disguised as a low and continuous, thundering growl, to Mei’s wing, only to find her in a similar state, hair disarrayed, wearing only the web-worked armor she almost never took off and her most trusted student, Chojuro, with a freshly headless corpse at his feet.

Sasuke’s delicately webbed hands periodically flexed closed, betraying his feelings. The bony ridges on the knuckles stuck out only barely, and his quick growing claws were tucked away, but it made the protective feature on his hands more noticeable. Maybe because even with the translucent membrane halfway up his fingers, his hands were no less dextrous than yours. It was easy to forget the ways in which he was built to defend himself.

So, it was no short, victorious tale. This was not the version sung by performers across the archipelago, of the powerful queen in her castle by the sea who weeded out the violence sowed by the fallen kings of the last two generations, who raised islands from the ocean itself.

You left this part out, but there are never any songs about you. You are always and only the last princeps iuventutis, by the side of the queen. You were content enough, being a player at her side, but it had made you realize more than once that no one realized that you had also lived through what it had taken to restore Mei to the throne.

The shadows had shortened significantly by the time you finally trailed into silence. Sasuke seemed… it was difficult to tell through the haze of your own emotions. You felt dizzy from the telling, stunned.

When Sasuke began speaking, it was as though every word was torn from him, his discomfort palpable. You wondered if his story was also unused to being told.

He told you a story that ended roughly where yours had began, and it made you wince at the way it was like your first taste of loneliness, but echoed and repeated until it was magnified. Humans did not form pods, but they were similar to families, although apparently more central to survival below the waves. They were often related units, but they hunted together, fought together, played together. They were units of power in the few great cities jutting out from the unseen crust of the earth or drifting along among the currents.

Some of them were bound by more, by a strength of affection you might have had a hard time understanding if you did not have Mei and only Mei, and understand what it meant to lose everyone else, to lose all bonds of loyalty and love and never feel safe to make new ones. Mei despaired over your alone-ness. She had Chojuro and old Ao and Kirimi. You haven’t been able to find anyone like that.

Sasuke painted broad strokes first, and then filled in the details, as though he was distracted by the details of his own memories. He talked about the billowing clouds of crimson, like a bloody dawn, in the twisting corals when he returned from his evening studies - he would have been some underwater equivalent of a scholar warrior, his own brother’s confidant and blade, had slaughter not come to his city-kingdom.

The attackers, whoever they were, had set both city and survivors adrift. His brother refused to tell him who the culprits were. He refused to show Sasuke how to return home, driving him back to the open waters in the name of safety each time he came close. And he has come so close.

The part of you that knew intimately how even coming home is never coming home after something like the razing of a city, the killing of all the little things that made a family, understood even though your heart hurt for him. Sasuke had a sharp tongue, thorns, but like those plants with thorns, his barbs guarded something delicate and precious. He had a heart that loved so fiercely and truly that you yourself wanted to receive even a little of that emotion, as though it might spark back to life the cold ash of your own heart.

Sasuke’s brother would not let Sasuke use the skill he developed for tracking to take back that home that was first taken from him. So, he has done the one thing Itachi was not there to stop him from doing, which was to find an answer to the other half of the equation. What had attacked the drifting City of Leaves.

That was where the wounds came from.

The city of Sasuke’s birth followed new currents now, settled into a new and still unpredictable course. Forbidden from it and not knowing who still lived within, Sasuke hunted alone.

He tried to hide it with pride, but you saw that hollowness in him. Even though you understood his brother’s desire to preserve Sasuke’s childhood recollections, to keep him away from the dangers of what you guessed was the ongoing conflict within that hidden city-kingdom, it seemed cruel to condemn him to years of not knowing, of trying to deny him vengeance.

And so he was here.

Victorious, which made you somehow proud of him, but also hurt, which made you hurt for him in a way that was unfamiliar. Sasuke had defeated a mer that could cause water to boil, enabling him to do things like create mud that burned, as well as acid, and made interacting with him a deadly endeavor. It was a testament to his skill that he had survived as far as he had already.

It was not Sasuke’s absent brother’s fault that he could not be in two places at once. So perhaps…

The answer came to you with sudden clarity, over Sasuke’s drifting silence. His gaze had wandered away from you, and now he looked down at the ripples of water as the tiny waves in the hidden cove broke themselves upon him.

“Be with me.”

He looked up at you, sharp and quick and a certain shiver went through him that was utterly inhuman.

A slightly abashed heat rushed through your body at your own sudden boldness. You couldn’t take it back though. You had never been more certain of anything in your life.

  Sasuke answered with a sardonic smile. It made you wonder who – if – there were others who had offered themselves as companions. He had a beautiful face by human standards. You didn’t know if it was the same among the mer, but you imagined that his skill and the sheer strength of his will would be valued anywhere. He smiled with sharp teeth and when it felt as though some silent laughter at your expense was finished, he had found the words to cut through whatever small fantasy you had been concocting. 

“Will you offer me a life on land where each step is like knives? Where I will never meet one of my own kind again?”

You winced back because you had seen these old stories too. They were not what you thought of in that moment, but they were also not not what you thought of. And the way he said it, you knew if he truly believed there was nothing left, he would leave behind the sea no question and walk on knives the rest of his life to be with you. But you would never want him in real pain. It was why you went towards instead of away from him when you first laid eyes on him.

And you would never ask him to trade one loneliness for another.

“Be as you are-” your voice was shaking “-with me.”

It was as though every star you had followed on those moonless nights as a child were aligning, making out a path for you to follow. They led here.

“Why?” Sasuke asked, demanded. His voice was rough. You had surprised him.

Here you knew to tread carefully, but you were dizzy too with the feeling of finding a way out of a place you had never realized that maybe you could leave.

“I told you what made me this way,” you said. Your voice was rough too. The telling had lodged against some old hurt deep in your spirit and that place which you had once thought a well healed scar seemed much closer to the surface than before he had demanded the explanation.

“I want to hear you say it,” Sasuke said. Your skin prickled in sympathetic fear, because no matter how angry he tried to sound, the truth of his emotion was what you heard.

“I don’t feel at home here anymore,” you admitted, terrified.

“You’ve never lived below the water,” Sasuke replied, harsh but in the sort of way that meant it was the only way he knew to keep his voice from breaking.

“You’ve never lived on land,” you countered. “And besides, we have both survived worse. I would find a way.” For you, you did not say.

He gazed at you, frustrated, unsatisfied, and you knew that you had not yet provided an answer. 

You swallowed. The strip of linen was wound tight between your hands, striping your fingers with marks, but you hardly noticed. The truth would tear your heart wide open. But maybe that was what was needed. Wound for wound.

“These months I’ve spent with you… when I’m with you, I don’t feel alone.” What was love after all, but knowing that somewhere in the world, you were not alone?

Sasuke’s throat bobbed, the gill slits between his ribs fluttered as he drew in water, faster, like a land dweller breathing hard.

“It would take magic beyond either of us now to transform.”

But he didn’t deny, did not refuse.

“I’ll find a way.” Your gaze burned into his with the force of your vow.

The faint furrow of Sasuke’s brow smoothed out. 

“You can try. I’d help but–” he gestured down at himself, at the raw, spidering wound starring from the center of his chest and bursting again at points across his back.

You shook your head. “Don’t go anywhere,” you entreated. “Not yet.”

He nodded easily. He was well on his way to healing but still not as strong as he had been before battling the gold-tailed heat-creating mer.

“What would you do?” you asked after a moment, habitually inquisitive. There were questions a princeps could ask that a queen could not, but you were also just a tiny bit nosy about things you were curious about.

Sasuke smirked a bit, one corner of his mouth turning up. “We go find a witch.” He put a sound behind the word “witch”, the language of his people, and it sent a warning prickle up your spine.

“Oh,” you agreed quietly. “Don’t do that.”

Sasuke snorted in a pale acknowledgement of the humor remaining in the situation and then went quiet.

  It took you five feverish weeks. Five weeks of pouring over manuscripts deeper and deeper in the palace archives, of searching for the faintest scrap of a hint of the kind of magic that would let one of your kind stay underwater for a change you knew would be maybe once in a lifetime. A less focussed part of your mind reworked through what you read to see if any of it could bring Sasuke on land with you, without pain, and not forever, but long enough to give him an unexpected advantage over his still numerous and yet unknown enemies. The second thing did not yield anything that you could use.

Not on land at least. There were holes once you dug deep enough, crawled far enough through the records, where maybe this old magic existed somewhere else and a chance at love did not come with so steep a price.

You had five weeks to realize what you would be giving up. Nothing felt like home, but someone did, and you would be leaving her.

The day you finally found the door to your answer, you crawled into Mei’s bed once nightfall came. You had not done this since you were very small, since before the palace walls were stained with ash and blood. Ash and blood – two of the oldest conduits for great magic.

She hummed, stroked a hand down your back. You could feel her palm through the silk of your pajamas.

“You’ve been busy lately.” She was imitating a song your parents used to use to get the two of you to rest, even when so excited you were fairly swimming through your bedding like a pair of fingerlings.

It was only now, after spending so much time with Sasuke, so much time trying to find every fact you could about something that was supposed to be purely mythical, that you suspected it was the same song, almost exactly. That was another of the gifts a remnant of blood-from-the-sea gave its children.

“There is much of the world to know,” you said.

“Yes,” Mei replied, “There is. Our kingdom is such a small part of it.” She said this thoughtfully, as though recalling all the months and years of struggle to get to this place, to a semblance of peace. “– of the earth and the sea.”

Practice and familiarity kept you from stiffening with suspicion and surprise. Mei’s fingers similarly did not pause in their gentle pass up and down your spine.

She must know. She was the queen and she made it her job to know everything so the betrayal that stole your family would never happen again. It would make things easier. Loving your sister did not always make it easy to tell her what was in the halls of your heart.

“What would you do,” you asked her without change in inflection, “to give me a chance at happiness?”

After a pause, she said: “Anything, last blood of mine.” She pressed a kiss to your brow and then blew out the lights with a blink and flick of her fingers. “Almost anything.”

  You went down to the lagoon the next day, at dawn. Sasuke was used to impatience, anticipation. He only looked at you curiously, did not ask if you had discovered the magic you would need. You turned a roll in your hands.

There were things that Sasuke had found he very much enjoyed from the world above. Fruits and vegetables were different, brighter. Bread, which he had never really had before. You brought them all often, trying to show him as many wonders from the surface as possible. He had been well enough to hunt on his own for some time now so it was all you brought unless he wanted something from deep waters, too far away to catch and return within a day.

“I think I found it.”

Five weeks has been long enough to realize that there were things you were going to miss about the land too. Besides Mei. You pinched a corner off the roll and let it melt - butter and yeast - on your tongue.

Sasuke stilled. Or the majority of his body did, the rest of him still drifted and moved like seaweed or the wide fans of coral. “You think?”

“It will be difficult.” Of course it would. This was asking much, and there was always a price for magic. “You’re right. We can’t do it.”

The fins of the left side of his tail dragged, listing deeper into the water before he righted them, showing his otherwise silent dismay. It was still fascinating that his body language – which should be alien and strange – has become easier to read, and so quickly.

“But my sister is the queen of this nation. She has enough magic.”

“Would she do it?” For you, for the both of you, would she change you from a creature of the land to the sea?

You didn’t know. She had said “almost anything”. Would she let you go down to the unknown, into the depths of the sea with only a companion and no promises to bring you home?

Sasuke had edged closer, letting the gentle waves push him to the rocky shore where you leaned down. Your fingers dangled in the water.

He called your name. His voice shook.

“Are you going to break your promise?”

It was at that moment that you realized how much your words had meant to Sasuke. You had been thinking of this as a gamble. Sasuke could get tired of you, he could leave you, he could decide that without any titles or family in the ocean, you were worthless to him. You had slowly made peace with all of this.

As his voice broke on the word break, your resolve became honed to a blade.

“No.” You reached for his face. Your hands cupped his cheeks. You pressed your forehead to his.

“Even my brother–” he choked, on the grief, on the anger, on the long years of being left alone of being told no, Sasuke. I need to do this alone. 

Something small, lighter than a pebble but heavier than a drop of water rolled over your fingers and knuckles.

The realization that, yet again, he didn’t have to be alone for most of his life had broken something open inside of him at the threat of abandonment. Again. Sasuke clutched your wrists, not to pull away, but to keep you close. His claws faintly indented against your skin.

You nuzzled against him, closer than you had ever been. He smelled of salt and the sea, and something almost electric, like the air under a thunderstorm.

His tears slowed but did not stop.

You hadn’t found the entirety of the spell, but you knew how to hunt it down, to solve the puzzle of hints and documents until you had the whole picture. One piece of information from the multitudes you had consumed came to you:

The tears of a mer are pearls, used in the magic of transformation, from land to sea. 

You cupped his cheek, and caught the fall of his sorrows. You understood what it was to have an elder sibling who could not love you more than her duty but who would try to give you everything regardless, and for it still not to be enough. You knew what it was to be profoundly lonely, to have lost everything and still have that place like a hole through your lungs.

“Wait for me,” you begged. “Wait here and when I have convinced her highness the queen, when I have convinced my sister, I will come to you. And if I cannot, I will go with you anyways and find a way out to sea. As a pirate or a humble sailor, I will find you. For your love I would drown.”

“I do not want you to drown,” Sasuke said, dark eyes fierce and wild and afraid, shimmering in mother of pearl colors with a thin film of tears, but did not otherwise deny you.

You swiped the last few pearls from the corners of his eyes and his cheeks, the water of his tears crystallized to salt and carbonate the moment they hit air. “Three days or five or seven,” you said, “no more, no less.”

He pressed his cheek into your palm. You cupped the pearls in your hands like water until you reached the base of the secret path to the lagoon. Then you folded them into a square of fabric and tucked them into a pouch at your hip.

You clambered up the walls of his sanctuary, elegant as a climbing vine, and were gone.

  Mei was sitting upon her throne when you threw yourself at her feet. The stone and wood pattern of the floor was alternating warm and cool beneath your knees and palms. After all of your research, it finally occurred to you to wonder whether that was another subtle nod to the history of the relationship between the beings of the land and the water, between your family and others on the mainland and the clans beneath the waves.

The queen looked down from her seat for a few long, heartstopping moments. You kept your face turned to the floor.

“Go.” She made the soft command and everyone she gave it to sprang to obey. The room rustled with the sounds of their retreat.

“Approach.”

You rose and came closer, tilting your head up slowly, afraid to see her expression. 

It was kind, which was as much as you could have hoped for.

You looked around briefly, moving only your eyes while your head was tipped to the floor. The only people left in the throne room besides the two of you were a single minister who seemed to be taking the minutes of the day.

“What is it you have to ask me?” she asked gently.

Suddenly, the enormity of your request stole the air from your lungs.

Your sister gave you several long moments that did not return your ability to form words appropriate to a petition from the court.

“Or –” her voice was harder, more of the queen in it, “– would you like to explain what you’ve been up to for the last six months.”

That was easier, and harder. It was likely the mer lived beyond humans, concealing themselves and their own internal conflicts with relative ease, but you worried about exposing them nonetheless.

Mei called your name with a near sigh, only concealed because this was an official meeting and her irritations with you didn’t need to go on record. “You have to start somewhere.”

“It’s not my right,” you finally got out, thinking of the whole unknown world you were ready to dive into.

“Then tell me what is.”

You struggled for words and then eventually said, “Has anyone in our family ever encountered something from the ocean? Something difficult to explain.”

Mei leaned back against the carved scenery of the throne. Birds and fish and the long-tailed lemurs from the mountains soared and wound and climbed their way through the wood.

After a pause she offered, “Did you find something near-human, perhaps, in the genealogies?”

A heavy weight fell from your chest, and a wonder took its place.

“You know?”

She did not shrug but the emotion was there as she said, “I am the queen. It is my job to know. Many of the newer family registries were burned during the coup. It was easier when we returned to access some very old ones, which had not been touched in some time.”

“So we did once mix blood with the sea,” you said, half to yourself.

Mei looked at you, and something heavy and sad entered her eyes. You met that gaze, heart in your throat. Then she shook herself, and that emotion passed.

“Ask your question,” she said once again.

“Would you let our line join blood to blood with the water again?”

Mei’s green eyes were fathomless as the sea.

  Sasuke waited, three days and then five and then seven and on the first dawn hour of the seventh day, a slow entourage of elegantly dressed people made their way carefully down to the lagoon.

First came a tall woman in a blue gown and red herringboned hair with a look about her that said she had survived much. With her was a dark robed man with heavy beads around his neck, a woman carefully juggling a portfolio of papers, and another man with a broad, heavy sword in his hands. And amidst them all was you, dressed as simply as a sailor in a billowing cotton shirt and loose, tied breaches. 

A wreath of silver kelp blades was woven in the red haired woman’s hair so Sasuke assumed she must be the queen you spoke of, your sister.

She knelt down by the water and arranged her skirts as carefully as any selkie. Over her legs, between the slits in the fabric, glimmered a network of silver armor.

“It has been a long time since one of our people returned to the sea,” she said. “And now you wish to take the most beloved of my few remaining companions away.”

Sasuke lifted his chin. “I take nothing, as the sea takes nothing.”

“No,” the queen murmured, “things are seldom so deliberate, but you are a living, thinking creature, the same as I.”

She held out a hand and drew you down beside her when you placed your hand in hers. She drew you forward until your fingertips touched the water and then let you go.

She beckoned forward the woman with her folio of papers and they were laid out, weighted with polished stones and the leftover parts of dead things from the water, their spines and smooth curved outlines as familiar to Sasuke as their names.

The queen drew her fingers across words which Sasuke was faintly surprised to recognize. The queen noticed because a queen must notice everything.

“Our kingdoms share blood,” she explained slowly, every word precisely dictated. The woman who had spread out the papers slid a brush across a blank sheet, marking the conversation.

“We share language and words and music, although they have grown different from one another over generations.

“I will give you the last golden piece of my heart,” she continued. “But each year you must return, and show to me all is well, with both of you.” Her clever green eyes darted between you and Sasuke. “That is the price of my magic.”

He nodded, once, tight and sharp, and the queen seemed to relax, settling back on the rocks as easy as if they were her own great chair up in the castle with its wing-shaped roofs.

The queen turned to you and called your name so softly, like waking a child from sleep. “This is the first such alliance in more than a century. It will be your responsibility to learn the ways of the water. You will return each year so you do not forget the ways of the land.”

“I understand,” you said.

The queen cupped your cheek and pressed her brow to yours.

She pricked her thumb, scarred from pricking, against one tooth and pressed a bloody thumbprint to the laid out papers with their tiny, perfect letters, and the one still glistening with fresh ink. Sasuke followed her mark, and you after, and then you pulled away from her and lifted the loose shirt over your head.

The loose pants fell in a dark puddle around your feet, and bare, you eased yourself into the water, hands holding the rocks while your feet turned little eddies that hummed against the sensitive scales of his tail.

The man in dark robes pulled an empty wooden bowl from his sleeve. The queen pulled a black lacquered container from hers. The lid came off with a subtle click and inside was barely an inch of shimmering white powder. With a start, Sasuke realized that these were what remained of the tears you had taken with you.

A pinch of the gleaming powder fell from the queen’s fine fingers. She dipped her head and caught her own tear, her own whisper of loneliness into the wooden bowl. She held it out for you and you pressed your thumb and forefinger together until one perfectly mixed drop of blood and salt water fell in the mixture.

The man in dark robes dipped a stick of something that looked like dark polished wood into the bowl and stirred three tines and passed the bowl back to the queen.

She dipped a finger inside and smeared your lips red and the drops fell between your lips like rubies.

Then she moved back on the rocks, eyes both excited and sad, like all those who knew true magic.

Sasuke looked at you, lips red with your own blood and the sheen of his fallen tears and whetted with a queen’s permission.

Between one breath and the next, your eyes went wide and silently, you fell beneath the waves like a spear thrown into the water.

Sasuke dove down immediately, but even with his eyes, you were lost to him in the dark. It should have been impossible. The sandy bottom of the lagoon, though deep and cool and still let in a little bit of light.

With the dawn, even the water shone like it was filling with blood.

  You fell alone through streaks of red light, diluting slowly with gold. It was like drowning, like suffocating. The blood on your lips and the tears in your mouth put the savor of grief, the tang of loneliness, the suggestion of life that comes from leaving one place for another on your tongue.

Your ribs ached and your throat ached, like being strangled with a great hand. That hand squeezed and now your legs could only thrash together as one, no more kicking toward an imaginary surface.

The thrum of water - how vast the sea was, how easy to pour yourself into it and let it take you - but no! you must keep your own form, even caught in a fist - it pressed against you like a hundred holy mantras, like the prayers that rose on the day your sister the queen was crowned.

You fought against the weight, struggling against the instinct to hold all air in your lungs. It went quickly stale as your body shifted and twisted, becoming one with the water, the stab of bones realigning. Silvery bubbles escaped your mouth as you writhed, looking for Sasuke, looking for Mei, looking for the surface.

You were sinking slowly, drowning. But as the oxygen seeped from the little air left in your lungs, panic left with it. One could not fight the might of the sea.The salt taste of blood and tears lingered on your tongue. A rippling sensation passed over your skin. You could let it take you, to pull all of you through the endless tide and currents. There would be no leaving, no loneliness, no goodbyes. You would be with Sasuke always, as constant as the sea itself.

Sasuke. Mei.

It was their tears on your tongue. It was they who would have only the formless ocean left to whisper its fathomless stories in their ears.

There was no way to swim far and fast enough to taste air again, but if you did not try, their grief would be wasted.

You fought, trails of bubbles like tiny jellyfish trailing from your nose and the corner of your blood painted mouth. Your ribs ached, but you reached upward towards the slanting sunlight. If you were crying too, you would not know, for your cheeks were wet already, but you felt heat behind your eyes. You thrashed with legs held tight together, felt the catch of the ocean over your skin.

This was it, barely any change to the light and you were out of air but still you struggled. And still you lost as your mouth opened and the last of the bubbles pushing water out of your nose drifted further and faster in the direction you wanted to go, and you breathed in.

It burned like drowning. It is said that the ocean was alike to the blood of living things. It burned like you had swallowed flame, but you still thrashed, kicking your aching, unfamiliar bones together, toward the surface

The ocean tried to swallow you whole because it was a great thing and you were so very small and it had no care for your sorrows or anyone else's. But you did. You cared. You took another gulp of saltwater, pulling toward the surface. Maybe it was growing closer, maybe the water was growing less red.

You clawed and reached and swam, and at some point you realized that you were not drowning, that although your lungs were filled with the heaviness of water, your vision stayed clear to the edges, too clear for underwater, and your kicks were no longer kicks but the thrusts of a mighty tail, and you were indeed seeing the approaching refraction of the sun.

You breached with a leap, your momentum nearly carrying you up and out of the water until you managed to curve back downward in an arc. You sensed rather than saw his surprised backstroke, the way he was swimming near the bottom of the lagoon and surged up to meet you.

He stopped, perfect, with long lashes like a deer’s, dark eyes almost liquid themselves, skin milky as jade. You’d never noticed before the ever so faint patterning of scales, palest purple, that ran along his arms and ribs, even though you’d felt them. He flicked his tail in restless back and forth motion, holding in front of you, not touching.

The magnificent blue and violet of his fins was tucked close to his body, which you knew meant he was unsure.

You looked down at yourself. You had your own tail now, strongly muscled, stronger than human legs to cut through the water to the depths of the sea. It had spines and fins, fluttered like the voluminous silk of a dress, drifted with each adjustment and motion you made.

“I am with you,” you said to Sasuke, breathed, your words new and different, but shaped by the instinct of a creature of the sea.

You felt like you were drowning, still. The weight of water in your newly changed lungs reminded you that you were no longer above the water.

But oh. It slid into place as you looked into Sasuke’s eyes. There was a faint ring of black patterning in them that had been invisible to your fully human eyes. The dawn-red flash was more obvious now with every turn of his head. He swam around you slowly, taking in the fullness of your new form.

There were so many new senses it was almost blinding. You could feel the movement of water, the currents brushing against your skin and scales, the electric vibration of Sasuke circling around. Mei was a spot of warmth stronger than Sasuke somewhere above. Was that her magic? You did not know.

But Sasuke, he sang to you, his very presence hummed in your new bones. He felt tethered to you with the warmth of a sun warmed current. You knew instinctually that his inspection was nothing predatory, not curiosity exactly, but more like interest, more like … your instincts spoke to you of the slow movements of a courting display. Experimentally, you fanned the wide train of your tail, flexing muscles you hadn’t had minutes before, moving slowly so it rippled and showed off the tracery of vein-like patterns drawn by your scales. It pleased you that it was reminiscent of leaves, a reminder of the land you came from.

If this focus, this sense of belonging was half of what Sasuke had felt while you were only human, you understood even better the strength of emotion that had led him to shed tears.

Sasuke spiraled closer, the slow humming sounds in his throat translating into comprehensible description, concepts rather than words. Warm sand between skin and scales, the change from shallow to deep water, colored stones that guide in different sequences. It was both what he saw, and the feeling those things evoked in him – a comfort that never faded, the impression of moving from one place to somewhere very different, the bracelet you had given him. He wanted to go, to swim with you.

You wanted to go with him. You found yourself stirring your tail, clumsily and Sasuke’s affectionate consternation, almost a laugh, vibrating through the water. Something stopped you. There was something important. Another warm tether. You blinked. Mei. You had forgotten her so quickly. Or not forgotten, rather that she had drifted to another corner of your mind. Sasuke’s presence had been so strong and immediate, pulled your focus like a magnet.

The sound you made was unpracticed and in frustration you had to switch to gestures. Sasuke blinked and made a soothing sound almost like a very low echo that vibrated in your chest. He looked up to where a rippling image in red and blue sat by the water.

You breached the surface for the first time since the changes to your flesh. Air burned through your throat and nose, so light you felt like you might drift away. It was disorienting.

Mei’s eyes met yours, wide as though surprised. Maybe because the spell had worked so well, or because you had come back at all. She looked at you. You looked the same but so profoundly and obviously different.

Slowly, feeling the strength and speed in your limbs, you reached up and wiped away the tear that fell from her eye – clear and warm against your fingers.

“Go.” She whispered. That warm thread thrummed strong and malleable in your new senses.

You lifted yourself from the water to press your lips to her brow. She smelled like anemone flowers, which is something you had never realized before. It would be something to remember her by. Even though they weren’t the same, each time you saw one underwater, you would think of her.

“I love you Mei-oneesan.”

You could sense that Sasuke had popped his head above water, eager for the goodbye, to show you the open sea. A low, slow vibration found you, tingled up the new spines lining your tail like an overt extension of your spine, a reminder that he was here - comfort, but also excitement.

“I’m not going away,” you said to Mei. You slipped back so that the fishlike half of your body was submerged, looked back at the mer looking with expectant dark eyes at you. “I’m just going to love him.”

Mei’s hand found your cheek. Her fingers traced across the faint flash of new scale so fine and soft it blended with your skin. “Love him well,” she said. Whatever that meant for his people, she did not know, but she knew you would do your best to figure it out, she had every confidence in your abilities to adapt, and more importantly, to build a new life.

“I will,” you whispered, suddenly elated.

You spared a glance back, but you would return. Sasuke gave an adorably impatient little jerk of his head. Ready?

A sharp sound came readily from your throat, although from a place lower than the human voice box. You knew it to be some kind of affirmative, but that was going to take some getting used to. Everything would be new. A thrilled shiver went through your body as Sasuke dived below the waves. You followed close behind through the tunnels carved from the protective rocky wall, stones red and then black and then green marking your way.

The ocean opened up ahead. The water you drew over your new gills was like a breath of fresh air despite its aching heaviness. Sasuke waited, watching as you took it all in with eyes that saw much better in the depths, but there was still a point in every direction where you could no longer discern more than color. You focussed back on him, eyes wide. You beat your tail a few times to catch up, stopping just within reach for your more decorative fins to brush against Sasuke’s.

He reached out with seeking fingers and you reached back. Then he opened his mouth as though to taste the water. You imitated him, which seemed to amuse him. There was a burst of something taken in like flavor, but more like scent over your palate. Sasuke turned towards whatever sign he had found pointing him to what he was looking for. You followed into the blue expanse.

[littleredwolf]

No Matter What

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Summary: Reader takes Bucky ice skating for the first time. 

Warnings: None. 

Words: 621

A/N: This is my first time writing for Bucky so I hope I’ve done him justice! This is just something cute and festive I wanted to try so I hope you enjoy it!

--

You scanned the ice rink with childlike glee as you approached the edge, eager to join the other skaters zig-zagging and flitting across the ice. Sparing a glance at the man beside you, you couldn't help but giggle at the mortified expression on his face. 

"You sure you still wanna do this, Buck?" You asked, squeezing his hand for reassurance. "It's okay if you've changed your mind." 

He frowned and turned to you, his expression softening when his eyes met yours. You found yourself wondering, not for the first time, if his enhanced senses granted the ability to hear your heartbeat. He never said anything (which you were grateful for) but you were sure even Clint without his hearing aid would be able to pick up your erratic heartbeat whenever Bucky was around. 

"It's on the list," he said simply, the corners of his lips twitching into an awkward smile. 

The list in question was one he'd made of all the things he'd wanted to do as part of starting his new life. During one of your many late night conversations he'd opened up and shared his dreams with you, discussing all the things he'd missed out on back in his day and all the new and exciting things there were now to explore. He'd spoken with such passion and enthusiasm that the very next day you'd gone out, bought a notebook and told him to write a list of all the things he wanted to do, watch, play, listen to, etc, and had made it your own personal mission to see to it that he got to fulfill every one. 

Today's activity to tick off was 'ice skating at the Rockefeller Center', and you were keen to get started. 

You were by no means a professional but you did consider yourself a confident skater, so had no problem stepping out onto the ice. Bucky, however, was much more reluctant, and he gripped your hand tightly as he staggered after you. 

"You're doing great!" You encouraged as you began to move backwards, taking both his hands and gently pulling him along. 

His wide eyes did not leave yours as you slowly weaved your way around the rink, everyone else a blur as you focused on keeping him steady and helping him find his balance. It was rather comical watching the super soldier with enhanced agility and strength slipping all over the place like Bambi, but he soon found his feet and even managed to let go of one of your hands after a little while. 

You spent the next hour gliding alongside one another, Bucky's confidence building with each minute that passed (though, he never did quite manage to fully let go of your hand). Of course he fell on his ass a few times - one of which he ended up dragging you down with him in a fit of giggles - but he was more than happy to get back up and give it another go each time. 

You hadn't laughed and smiled this much for a long time and the longer you stayed on the rink the more relaxed you could see Bucky becoming. It was heartwarming to hear him laughing so freely and witnessing the pure joy that crossed his face every time he'd figured out a maneuver, and a swell of emotion overcame you as you realized this was probably the first time in a long time he was fully able to be himself. 

You were proud of how far Bucky had come in his recovery, and honoured that he wanted you to be a part of that journey. And as long as he needed you, you were more than happy to be there. 

No matter what.

[milkytheholy1]

Day 13: Scars

"Catch me!" The youthful tween said, diving inbetween tunnels and ducking below pipes that lined the walls of the sewers. April O'Neil had known the turtles through her first formative years as a young teenager, but she took a special interest in Donatello. The two had grown close, practically best friends, he would help her with her math homework and in turn, she would teach him the social skills he lacked due to little exposure to the real world.

The two would spend hours together, having fun within the sewers when the turtle brothers would get grounded, watching movies illegally on Donnie's computer and overall just having a blast when left to their own devices.

As the boys started getting older, April noticed a shift in Donatello, he was more cautious around her. At first, she tried to ignore it, hoping it was just hormones being hormones. Whenever the boys trained, April would often sit and watch, gasping in awe at the tricky moves they performed flawlessly. Although Donnie would often try to show off, and more often than not face consequences because of it, April repeatedly found herself laughing at his antics.

Master Splinter soon took note of April's interest in martial arts and began training her, much to the aggravation of Donatello. There was a long lengthy argument that followed between the pair, which ultimately led to April leaving the lair and not coming back; complete radio silence.

Donnie felt awful, months and months of not seeing his best friend. And for what reason? He was jealous other people were hanging out with her, it was always meant to be just them, just Donnie and April hanging out. It was definitely not meant to be just Donnie, April, Leo, Raph, Splinter, etc, etc.

But now April was gone and all Donnie had was the memories of their time together. Running through the sewers playing tag and hide-and-seek, daring each other to try out Mikey's newest recipe and he couldn't forget movie night, it was some slasher movie Raph had put on, Donnie will never forget the way April jumped into his arms after a scare.

'Isn't She Lovely' interrupted his passionate thoughts, "That's April's ringtone!" Donnie shrieked, shuffling things around his desk until he found his shell-phone. He stared at her name for only a moment before answering, "H-hello, April? I'm s-so glad you called me, I was actually just thinking about yo-"

"Donnie! Help me!"

He bolted upright from his relaxed position in his swivel chair, "April, are you alright? What's going on?" his thoughts were frantic, a million possibilities all playing out in his head. April's panted breaths echoed down the phone, "The Foot, they're chasing me. They broke into my home, I managed to get to the rooftops." she was getting tired.

"Don't worry, I'm on my way!" he had promised her that. Donatello grabbed his bo and booked it out of the lair, leaving behind some very confused brothers. Still on the phone, Donnie kept in contact with April, "It's okay, April, I'm nearly there!"

What perspired was a full-on battle between one turtle and fifteen Footbots, each carrying their own weapon. Donatello put up a brave fight, as did April. Even though her training was never fully completed she could still hold her own, that was until...

"Heeya!" April panted, kicking a footbot over the edge of the building, she was almost proud of what she had done here, she couldn't wait to tell Master Splinter how she had kept up her training. But the Footbot was reluctant to die, grabbing April by the ankle, it dragged her over the edge with it. Both of them now dangled above the streets of New York.

"Donnie!" She screamed, clutching onto the concrete. In seconds, Donatello and finished off the final bot, jumping to April's aid. Grabbing her hand, he tried pulling her back up "It's okay, April, I've got you!" he kept repeating; he wasn't sure if it was for her benefit or for his.

The retched Footbot clawed his way up April's leg, leaving scratches and scars along her blood-soaked trousers, "Donnie!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. Donnie heaved, the stupid bot was too heavy, he couldn't pull them both up, "I-I got you, I promise I've got you!"

More Footbots started waking up, all swarming an attack on Donatello, now they were really in trouble. April kept kicking the head of that stupid robot, it made sounds and grunts with each impactful force. Donnie's grip on April loosened as he defended himself from the monsters with just his bo.

And that's when it happened.

"Catch me!" The girl cried out, her grasp on his hand faltering until she couldn't hold on anymore. Her fingernails dug deep into his three-fingered hand, scratches full of blood that would later develop into scars. Her screams echoed off of the buildings as her body hit the concrete below. Ginger locks lay limply across her bruised face, her body cold and lifeless.

All Donnie could do was stand and stare, screaming out into the roaring traffic of New York. All he had to remember her were the scars she left behind.  

[shroomtime00]

Right Where I Want to Be (hunter x reader)

You cross off the loopy letters off your list, “Okay, done with the ‘happy birthday’ banner, balloons, and party hats…what’s next?” you turn to ask Hunter, who’s carrying two bags in each hand. You’re still confused as to how he can manage all that weight and still offer to carry the bags you’re holding (“I was raised in a military fortress, trained everyday, and regularly fought criminals, what did you expect?” he chuckles when you asked him). Hunter checks his own list, “Uhh, party streamers and colored paper to make roses.”

“Okay, okay. We can work with this.” you glance up at the sky, which is dreary and a little dark, “It’s a little dark, you think?” He looks up and squints his eyes, “Maybe the human realm’s sky is like that.”

You shake your head, “Looks like it’s about to rain. We should probably be ready if it does.” when you turn your head to gaze at Hunter he’s grinning like an idiot. And you realize —- oh no. 

“This is exactly what I’ve been telling you about at the house, but nooooooo, you said that my backpack was unnecessary and,” he makes his gloved hands into bunny fingers and bends them up and down for effect, “ ‘Hunter, you’re worrying too much again!’ “ You scoff as he makes his voice into a high falsetto, “But I was right, wasn’t I?”

“You big doof.” you roll your eyes sprightly as you fight to get rid of the twitching smile that tries to appear on your lips, “I just said it might. Stop showing off your stupid backpack!”

Hunter’s eyes are closed as he sticks out his tongue mischievously, as he turns around to give you the full effect of his stuffed backpack. It was filled with rations, bandages, first aid kits, some scissors for self defense (even though Luz had tried to tell him that criminals don’t just randomly show up in the streets shooting people down with lightning bolts), and more importantly, a mini umbrella Hunter found a few days ago in a store he was very proud of (“ (reader), it’s so useful! You can carry it around in a bag!”). Your annoyance to his immature teasing turns to amusement as he blows you a raspberry. Really, despite all his protests that he isn’t ‘that angsty, annoying teen anymore’, he reminded you of his former persona, the golden guard, sometimes. 

“Okay, you’ve done it enough times to make it annoying, not charming. Come on, let’s continue before it starts to rain.” you grab his hand and drag him to the next store, ignoring his surprised and definitely delayed exclaim, “you thought it was charming?!”

“There’s the paper off the list!” you cheer, scratching it off your paper, “man, I am pumped! We’re on a roll, Hunter!” He chuckles as you pump your fist. “How do you even make them into roses?” he asks.

“Through origami folding!” you pipe up, “Amity showed me a few techniques. I can make tiny little flower bouquets and small stars now.” you gasp as stars appear into your eyes, “I can show you! When we get back,”

“Okay, back on track, (reader),” he laughs breathily, “Where do we get party streamers?”

You search around the variety of shops that sit in the open air mall. The colors are bright and blinding all around the two of you. 

“Hmm…” all of a sudden, something wet and cold touches your cheek. You yelp in surprise, Hunter looking over to you in confusion before you glance up. A drop touches your eyelid.

“Shit. Fucking called it,” you sigh, “get out your umbrella.” he pretty much has sparkles in his eyes as he beams from ear to ear, rummaging through his backpack before taking out the bright blue umbrella and opening it. You walk under quickly, not wanting to get your sweater wet. 

The rain rolled off softly your umbrella, making a quiet pitter-patter against the blue. 

For some reason, you and him still. No one moves for a bit, and you’re a little grateful for that. 

You always liked the human realm rain. It was calming, comforting almost. You don’t realize you’re inching closer to the boy beside you until you graze your knuckles with his. 

You flush with embarrassment, glancing at him, but he’s not looking at you. 

He’s looking at something in front of you. 

You trail your eyes to where he’s staring at, and its…

A puddle. 

“(reader)?”

“Hm?”

“I know this’ll sound stupid, but..” he chuckles nervously, rubbing the nape of his neck. You nod encouragingly. 

“...I’ve always wanted to jump in a puddle.”

Okay, you didn’t know what you expected but it definitely wasn’t that. You were a tad bit surprised, but before you can ask any questions, he continues. 

“I know it’s a little dumb, but…can we–?  I-I mean, I was never allowed such childish indulges in the emperor’s coven, y’know.”

And in a second, you understand. 

A soft smile breaks through your lips, and this time you don’t try and hide it. With a spell circle the paper bags you and Hunter carry disappear in a flash of light, teleported safe and dry at home. “Let’s do it,”

With that, his face immediately brightens, even if his cheeks and ears are still red, “Really? You don’t think it’s stupid, do you?”

You shake your head, “no, of course not. You deserve to have your childhood. Even if it’s a few years overdue,” you feel a sting of pity for him all of a sudden. He hasn’t had a childhood at all, not really. Not when he was raised as a child soldier and his only family was a manipulative asshole. 

When you glance at him again, he’s simply staring at you. Waiting.

With a quick nod, you close the umbrella, letting the rain wash all over the two of you. You giggle at the sensation before Hunter grabs your hand, squeezing it tightly as if asking for confirmation. You squeeze back, and that’s all he needs.

He leads you to the puddle, hesitant yet giddy and excited. He skids to a halt and stares at the reflection. His aureate hair tangled, wet, as you shake yours out of your eyes. Your face, smiling and happy, and his mouth splits into a beam. 

SPLASH!

He makes the first jump, water splattering everywhere. People stop to stare, but that’s not your concern right now. You let out a little giggle before following his lead. 

The both of you, two giddy teenagers, interlock fingers. Each of your hands had another to hold, and you both spin, laughing and smiling like idiots.

The water gets all over your sweater,  but you don’t mind as Hunter tugs at your hand and leaps to another puddle. The two of you dance, him twirling you around before you catch him in your arms, his body dipping down. You whirl him around, the two of you dancing to the symphony of the raindrops, as you and him jump from puddle to puddle. 

Your laughter rings throughout the air as his eyes reach your face and he looks at you and only you. Just…admiring you for a little.

Before you surprise him with a kiss right on the tip of his nose. 

“(Reader), what the Titan—“

“Don’t be off your guard, Hunter!” You chortle as you drag him to the next puddle. “You’re forgetting who you’re with!”

And with that little action, he knows. 

He’s right where he wants to be. 

[teabookgremlin]

hello lesbians and also others who follow me. you all know what fucking time it is lets fucking do a yellowjackets 02x06 recap

- first of all taivan in the sex ed scene hehe my girlies more pre crash moments of them PLEASE, i’d love a flashback to like their friendship/start of relationship

- lottie being horrified at misty showing up at the cult so real. imagine you’re just trying to vibe w/ your homoerotic friend then said friend’s other homoerotic friend shows up? a rough day

- “it honestly would’ve been better if she just had sex with him” SHAUNA MY BITCH WORST MOTHER OF THE YEAR

- mari saying she hopes shauna doesn’t die top five things not to say when your friend is about to give birth with no medical care in the middle of fucking no where

- nat was wounding me this episode, she has so much guilt and hates herself for having survived its just awful

- van rightly pissed about tai’s sleepwalking (especially kiss). she clearly does not want to be dragged into this and honestly valid but bc she’s van she’s gonna let herself be dragged in

- “you’re married taissa there’s no us anymore” everything van says to tai just leads me to want to know more about how their relationship ended bc clearly she’s not happy that it did

- misty being unable to focus on the birth bc of crystal was so sad, the bit where she saw the blood on her hands that was intercut with crystal’s death was great very nice scene

- lottie’s psychiatrist is so sketchy. like the encouragement of the visions is so bizarre and just bad vibes

- thinking that “it” influenced travis, nat, and misty to return to lottie’s life

- “it was part of us” “the god of that place, we did terrible things in it’s name” WHAT DID THEY FUCKING DO also furthering my agenda that the antler queen is it’s own spirit/entity rather than one of the girls

- tai trying to flirt with van BITCH YOUR WIFE IS IN THE HOSPITAL YOUR KID IS GOD KNOWS WHERE

- TAI PUTTING THE DEER BONE NECKLACE IN SHAUNA’S HAND YEAH THAT’S THE GOOD STUFF like it saved van maybe it will save shauna and i mean hey she didn’t die so

- jackie’s voice, i knew she’d have some sort of presence during birth and definitely liked this especially given it was in the dream

- “yeah the past where we thought being happy was something that was possible not what happened” OW?????

- van having given up on love </3 her relationship with tai really did a number on her huh. representation for the girlies that never get over anything ever

- lisa giving nat the fish and that whole conversation was so good their friendship is important to me

- jeff just fucking jamming to “fuck the police” was hilarious. yes they need to tune down the jeff this season but i did enjoy this bit

- this is not plot related but honestly so glad the baby did not survive bc those few minutes of baby crying were making me insane i cannot handle the sound of babies crying (one of many reasons i will never have children lol)

- loved loved loved shauna’s monologue to creepy cop man, just saying out loud that literally her whole life is how it is because of guilt just UGH melanie did amazingly (as always)

- dream lottie being weird with the baby so fun so good “we need to feed” —> “he needs to feed”

- callie continuing to be so proud of herself about lying to the cops this is her season for real

- i should’ve known the baby was doomed the second it started to nurse like that and shauna being so loving to it were my real red flags that something was weird

- “if you see any barrels of kool aid powder in there consider me on call for an extraction” van i love you. also her being like lets leave and just go to ihop or something

- misty asking if taivan is back together she’s so real for that

- the moment of van seeing lottie and lottie seeing that they’re all there ugh i cannot wait to see the interactions between them all next week

- OK dream baby eating time: my favorite part was nat, the way she was wiping the blood from her mouth when she saw shauna, the guilt in her eyes, just perfect. also ben being the only other one who looked fully human/guilty in the scene. and then the rest of them being so animalistic i just loved it. bummed we didn’t get real baby eating but this is a good compromise i think

- shauna saying “why can’t you hear him crying” was so fucking heartbreaking sophie nelisse needs all the awards. i did not think i would be satisfied with the baby being stillborn but i loved the way they did it. i do hope that next episode we do see the body, specifically for one reason and that is i want shauna to keep seeing jackie in the baby. like she looks at it once and sees jackie’s eyes, next look it has her nose, etc. maybe even give it some sort of animal features at some point. i just want her to not be able to look at the corpse and see a baby. i want her to look at it and see jackie and her own guilt. next week’s episode is called “burial” so i’m assuming they will be disposing of the body and i want shauna to look at it as it’s being dispose of and just see jackie laying there instead. do you see my vision? i think it would be very fun. either that or they actually eat the baby. also we better get some placenta eating next episode bc not eating it would be a huge waste

[luxmaeastra]

Rigelus stared at the summons in slight confusion. His uncle rarely sent a formal summons to any of them. He sighed, standing and grabbing his suit jacket.

Dawn was in mourning, he tasted on his tongue.

Had there been a war? A coup? Why hadn't they called for aid?

The doors opened and he turned into the first room, nearly pivoting away before Lumas gripped his wrist.

"Rigelus -"

"You have a lot of fucking nerve -"

"Will you protect them?"

Lumas turned him back to him. Rigelus swallowed, his throat working.

"What happened? Why is she Fading?"

Lumas eyes were sad as he looked to where Silba rested.

"Romulus is dead. The Changelings are starting again. We -"

"You are too strong for this. Protect your own damn children Lumas. Do not Fade with -"

"I'm not. I've waited eons for this Rigelus. I've - Silba is the reason I've kept going. I can't do this without her."

Rigelus frowned pulling away.

"Then you are weak uncle."

Lumas's smile was sad. Did he remember that day in the gardens? When the wars began to tear their world at its seams? Did he remember dragging him from the bodies of his parents?

"Will you protect the children? They're still young and so angry Rigelus. Will you guide them?"

Rigelus pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I - they should be angry. They should be furious. Those rats have -"

"Rigelus? Will you? As much as I like your rants I need an answer."

Lumas voice was so soft, so gentle. Rigelus focused on his eyes and not the light flaring on his veins. He barred his teeth, anger was easier.

"Of course I will. Fuck you for thinking otherwise. Are they as soft as you dying for their mates?"

Lumas stepped closer, touching his cheek. He pressed a kiss to his forehead, he ignored as Rigelus began to shake.

"They are stronger, they are a wonderful Rigelus. I hope - I hope one day you understand what I found. What your parents and sister had -"

Rigelus eyes shut, the fight leaving him.

"I hope I never do. What has that bond brought but destruction to our family?"

Lumas shook his head, tears leaking from his eyes. The light was getting brighter.

"Beauty, purpose, meaning. It has brought me things more precious than the Death Trove and the worlds we've inhabited."

His eyes lifted behind Rigelus, Rigelus knew his children had come.

"It gave me five precious gifts. Four now, but we'll be together soon."

He dragged his eyes to Rigelus, the guardianship transferring from his blood to him.

"I'm sorry I broke my vow to you nephew. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you enough. But they'd be so proud of you - he would especially."

Rigelus'd throat constricted - him. Phos. Lumas turned away, fingers slipping away as he moved back to chaise. His fingers interlacing with Silba's.

"I'm back my love. They'll be alright. It's okay, let go I'm right behind you."

Rigelus turned away at that, shutting the door and locking it. His fingers touched the door a Wyrdmark flaring to keep the destruction contained to the room.

They looked at him, grown but still so, so young. He focused on Remus, at least he may be slightly more level headed.

"What do you do for mourning?"

Remus swallowed, fingers twitching. A tiny black wyrm slid through his fingers.

"We go to the temple? Or - or we go to the..."

He trailed off staring at the door. He gripped Rhysand's sleeve. He blinked back tears.

"Will it hurt them? I don't want them - Mama shouldn't be in anymore pain."

Rigelus swallowed a sigh and briefly closed his eyes.

"They - it doesn't hurt from what I understand. It's just like releasing your magic, just more than that."

Lanthys finally seemed to have rallied himself to usher them to the kitchens.

Rigelus didn't think any of them were hungry, but it was on the other side of the palace - far from the familial wing.

Rigelus looked to Remus and Rhysand. They had so much promise, so much potential.

Were they that easily broken too?

Did he begin to step back, close his heart off again?

Leaving Day had come with its own risks, especially on the eve of such an event. The return of life to the world itself, the release of power and energy. She had lingered outside as she felt the moment come to pass, as she felt her sister finally let go after everything she had been through.

Her breath hitched as she held her robe close around her, her eyes raised to the stars as she whispered a silent prayer for her and Lumas. She may have been at odds with Silba at times, but she was still her sister. Her heart ached with pain at the lose, knowing she would no longer be there.

Steeling herself, Sarai pushed on to enter. She used her senses to track down the children, knowing she needed to ensure they were okay before she returned home. Before she allowed herself the moment of grief.

"Rigelus." She uttered his name as she paused within the doorway of the kitchen, ensuring they were all getting something to eat. She smiled slightly when Rhysand looked her way, hugging him when he approached her.

The guardianship had already been transferred, she could scent it upon the male who stood opposite her. The children of her sister would be well cared for, even if they were far too old to really need anything but guidance as they began their adulthood.

"Will you be staying for a while, or will you be returning to your home?"

Will you be taking them with you?

[qnewsau]

Amyl the Queen: Don't Forget To Remember Miss Thing

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/amyl-the-queen-dont-forget-to-remember-miss-thing/

Amyl the Queen: Don't Forget To Remember Miss Thing

Amyl was the first queen eliminated from season three of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under. She spoke to QNews about THAT dress and how she feels about the experience with the benefit of hindsight.

I’ve been chasing Amyl for an interview since we published the first issue of QNews NSW Magazine back in July when she was one of the first Sydney queens announced for season three of Drag Race Down Under.

Little did I know she was sitting on the knowledge that she’d been the first to be eliminated from the show. That made speaking to journalists really tricky before her episode went to air.

“When I finally watched that episode, Hollywould Star and Ivory Glaze were there to support me,” Amyl tells me.

“Watching my elimination was a lot harder than I thought it would be because I’d had all those months since the filming to come to terms with it.”

“When I first got sent home I thought it was the worst thing that could happen to me but as time went by I realised I was going to be fine.”

“Finally seeing it on screen made my elimination make a lot more sense,” Amyl says.

“In my mind, I thought I’d done enough to be safe so when I got put in the bottom it didn’t make sense to me.

“But when I saw the episode I could definitely see how things turned out that way. I’m still really proud to have had this experience. It’s such a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Amyl received a lot of criticism over a dress she wore on the show which was inspired by the work of Australian artist and AIDS activist David McDiarmid.

Some said the dress looked tacky. While others assumed that Amyl was too young to have known about David or the significance behind the work.

But Amyl told me she had become aware of David about a year before she found out she was going to be on Drag Race.

“I’d been chatting to a friend who works in the art world and I told her I’d been looking at the art of Keith Haring and she recommended David as someone I should look into as well.”

When she found out she was going to be on the show she remembered McDiarmid’s “rainbow aphorisms” series that he created from 1993 until his death from an AIDS related illness in 1995.

“I know a lot of people derided the dress as the worst look of the episode and I get it!” Amyl says of that reception.

“The dress is garish and deliberately so. As McDiarmid himself said, “good taste can be a prison.”

“It’s safe to assume the idea that lifetimes are not what they used to be would have felt palpable for David — not only because he and his community were coming face-to-face with their own mortality, but also because those who had passed away were so often remembered in a way that erased their queerness and disrespected the lifetimes they’d lived.

“One of the reasons I find McDiarmid’s work so striking is because it confronts heavy subject matter, but visually, approaches it with such a lightness. It feels like hope; like there’s space for a future that’s bright and colourful and cheeky.”

When it came to creating the dress it was important for Amyl that she had permission and support from David’s estate. Luckily they loved the idea.

“I also had a conversation with RuPaul about the significance of David’s art so I did get to explain that history, and who David was,” Amyl said.

“And I did feel Ru was quite engaged with that. Ru is someone who grew up at a time when a lot of these struggles were a lot more salient.

“During critiques, Ru asked me what the dress meant to me, so I reflected on an idea of hope: nowadays, lifetimes are not what they used to be is a lot less pessimistic a statement.

“HIV isn’t a death sentence, and the sense that queerness and mortality are inextricably linked has receded into history. Now, lifetimes are frivolous and horny and complex and — maybe most importantly — long!

“My Drag Race journey might have been a lot shorter than I had hoped, but to be able to bring this message to the runway was pretty damn special, and I’m so pleased I had the chance.”

Another highlight for Amyl was the level of representation in this season’s cast.

“I did a gig in Wollongong and someone came up to me and said they’d never seen anyone on stage who looked like them before,” Amyl tells me.

“So those are the people I wanted to uplift by going on the show. There was also a lot of fun stuff that we filmed that didn’t make it into the final product.

“From a purely comedic point, something I wish had been left in was getting stuck in my dress when the zipper broke.

“We were getting undressed between looks and my zipper got stuck so I had five people with their knees on my back trying to unzip me or trying to cut the costume with scissors and eventually they did actually have to cut me out of that dress which was mortifying but also really funny!

“There is a point in the episode where you can see Ivory with me bent over a table and it looks like she’s trying to strangle me but she’s actually trying to unzip my dress but that’s all that made it in.”

-Catch Amyl in GAWG at Ching-a-lings where she’s one of a rotating cast of queens or follow her socials to see where she’s performing next

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[hana-akari]

“The unfortunate fact of royalty is that a lot of it relies on looks. Well… If you’re a woman anyway.”

It was why she was always prettied up in heavy dresses, hair all done up perfectly. The one thing she really didn’t need was make up. Sakura was extremely blessed with natural beauty. Many women envied her for it. Even though Sakura, herself, always thought she was a bit plain looking. Minus her naturally pink hair,

“I hope I can be. More than anything, I want to be able to help people. I know your kingdom’s wounds run deep, and it’ll take time for them to even start to heal but… I want to help aid in the healing process.”

They weren’t even her people yet and she still cared about them. Some say she’s a little too caring. She was already prepared to be rejected at first. There was no way a kingdom so wrecked from war was going to welcome an outsider with open arms. Sakura was going to have to prepare herself to be harshly judged for a while, and she didn’t mind that. She’s been judged all her life. It came with being royalty. It wasn’t going to scare her off from being Sasuke’s wife. 

Sakura held his arm as he moved them over to the balcony. The sounds of the ball inside was but muffled background noise compared to the sounds of the ocean waves hitting against the rocks. It was one of her favorite spots in the garden. Especially at night. There was just a perfect view of the stars and moon most nights,

“In my opinion, a married couple should be equals and should be equally willing to lay down their lives for each other. I refuse to stand behind you and let you constantly protect me.” A bright smile formed on Sakura’s face, “Really? You will? I guess I’ll have to give it my all to impress my soon to be husband.” She softly laughed

Sakura was going to give it her all anyway. It might be the last time she gets to spare with the knights here. A bit of sadness hit her thinking about that. She knew she would get homesick but she wasn’t going to let it drag her down. The image of a bright future was still in her mind, even if Sasuke was unsure how she would react to his kingdom. A small sigh of relief left her,

“Then I shall fit right in! I hate the mentality of my own kingdom. I don’t wish to be on the sidelines. I wish to be a wife you can be proud to have.” She did want to ask more about his family, she was curious, but she could tell it was a sensitive subject. Sakura also somewhat put it together that his brother might not be alive any longer. As to why Sasuke was now king.

“My attendant no doubt feels the same way. Having an entire wedding between two kingdoms dropped on him, we’re all lucky he hasn’t had a heart attack. It seems the both of them would be grateful for some help.” And it was all happening so soon. She was sure her parents were pushing for it to happen as soon as possible.

“Bring personnel with me…? Wouldn’t your kingdom frown about that even more? Having even more outsiders in the castle? It would be nice to have some people I’m familiar with… I know I won’t be able to be around you all the time. I’m already a bit nervous about interacting with your staff. I guess I’m just nervous in general. I’m happy, yes, just still in a state of shock.” Sakura paused, looking up at Sasuke, admiring his handsome side profile,

“How do you feel about all this? Are you really sure about me? I know that's what you came here for but– It’s alright to change your mind.”

Sakura had faith where others did not and despite their only recent joining, it dispensed an inkling of inspiration into Sasuke. Not to say he's never had encouragement in his life, but his goals and ambitions were only second to the actual Heir Apparent, whose name tastes like bad omens and despair. For a second son who's life was outlined the moment the first son could talk, Sasuke belied on mercy and instruction to guide him home, even down in bloodied battles far from sanctuary.

"I have no doubt you'll charm them with your fortified spirit and good looks. Superficial, the lot of them," he speaks mostly of the seated nobles that smirk behind ornate fans and well-kempt beards," what remains of the kingdom, who knows. I believe I've mentioned my country has only been graced with peace the recent years, so they are searching for a guiding light; I believe you can be that."

Not to say that was his plan all along, or even Junichi's when he assisted on his king to appear at this ball, but as the reality began to set in concerning his future as both a young adult and a leader— the realization of what influence and stigma others carry and provide.

Following the scent of Earth and humidity, the Uchiha carried the princess on his arm around the bend towards the balcony edge to feast his eyes on the sea. Under the moonlight, the horizon was blotted with an intense, endless darkness with only the chopping of waves at the cliff's edge to break the illusion. There was no divine message to be beheld here, only the pausing of meaningless thoughts as Sakura spoke.

"I'm happy to hear how eager you are to lay down your life for me," he says with a brief pause," I wouldn't mind joining you later."

Touching the metal guardrail, his fingertips traced over the spiral pattern from the top-edge and over the thin details of flower petals wrapping it like vines," there's plenty of women within our ranks. I'm not foreign to the concept of a woman such as yourself." He mentions in an act of consolation, if it meant anything to her. "My brother's projected fiancée was one. A formidable power with fierce looks." The compliments stop there to maintain the glimmering image of a honorable man and his perfect soon-to-be wife with none of the misery that befell them afterwards.

"My attendant would appreciate that. Since the passing of his master, he's one travesty away from tearing his hair out by the roots." Somewhere, Junichi would sneeze, but here Sasuke spoke with all seriousness and no humor.

"And if it brings you any comfort, you can instate any personnel from here to my kingdom. I'll offer them a treaty of amnesty," he offered in cool-tone, but really he insisted. He drove a blade through all the last ones, after all.

[kuroosweakness]

domestic things the haikyuu boys do to show that they care

 ↳ it all seems too good to be true. that’s because they’re not real :’ 

━ sakusa kiyoomi 

- always let you shower first so you can get all the warm water. (but don’t too long, don’t leave him without any hot water at all :’) (or i guess u guys can shower together ... ) 

- puts your towel in the dryer before your shower. he has many, many reasons for this: 

your towel will be nice and cozy when you walk out the shower 🥺 

he’ll have to hand the towel to you, meaning he’ll have a reason to go inside the warm, steamy bathroom 

he’ll be able to wrap you tightly with the towel the moment you step out. sakusa can’t leave you abandoned with just a towel, so naturally, he’ll sit you on the bathroom counter (even with you sitting on the counter, he’s still taller <3) and dry your hair, comb your hair, pat your body dry, lotion your body, blow-dry your hair, and all the other steps of your skin-care routine 

imagine standing next to each other, staring into the mirror as you both brush your teeth, him softly side-butting you, you side-butting him back (except he moved to the side and now you just awkwardly side-butted the air ... there goes his satisfactory smirk 🙄<3) 

(just before drying your hair, he’ll rub strands of your hair between his palms to make it stick up, and stand back to admire the view. you’re adorable) 

(oh to be pampered by sakusa :’)) how does it feel to have won life?) 

(it hurts knowing we’ve never seen animated sakusa smile) 

━ kita shinsuke 

- he always walks on the outer side of the sidewalk when the two of you are walking side by side to keep you safe from the road. it’s a small, subtle gesture, but a gesture that doesn’t go overseen. this also means his left hand will always be holding your right hand 

- picks things up for you. on his way home, he’ll always call and ask if you want anything. if you have a delivery package you need to pick up, he’ll do it for you. if you want a cup of coffee from your favorite cafe, he’ll buy one for you :)

- he loves and cares for your family like his own. this goes a long way. it truly shows how important you are to him

(to those who doesn’t have a very ... good family or a family that wouldn’t be interested in caring for your partner, i’m sorry to hear about that babes :’( i can relate, we’re in this together!)

━ oikawa tōru 

- always talks in terms of “we” instead of “i”, “me”, and “you”. he always includes you in conversations so you never feel left out! whenever you are, he wants you to feel acknowledged and included. 

- defends you in every conversation. if someone were to talk badly or make unwanted remarks about you, oikawa will be right there to drag them down.  oikawa may talk a lot but it’s gotten him the advantage to be really good with his words. try winning an argument with him, you can’t (unless ur iwaizumi lol)   

- anyone that stares at you for too long, he’ll give his harshest glare. oikawa’s one of those people who can just sense bad vibes from people. he tells you all about his instincts so no “bad guys” can get to you

- relationship with oikawa = lots of pillowtalk 

━ miya atsumu 

- if you carry purses/bags around, he always offers to hold onto your purse/bag when you go to the bathroom. he’ll casually sling it over his shoulder like it’s his own, no awkwardness here! he’s proud to be your boyfriend and it shows. 

(guys who carries purses for their partners with confidence > other guys)

- if the two of you walk out of a store into pouring rain without an umbrella, atsumu will tell you to wait inside the store while he goes to start the car. he’ll drive to the front of the store so you won’t have to get wet from the rain 

(i just know atsumu’s one of those guys who looks so hot while driving without even trying- darn him <3) 

━ akaashi keiji 

- beings extra everything around for you. band-aids, hair-ties, gum, cash, an extra jacket in his trunk, a cup in case of stomach-emergencies, and even a pair of socks in case the rain seeps through your shoes. he has it all. feeling safe is one of the many good feelings you feel around akaashi 

- when you share a small umbrella, akaashi always makes sure it completely covers you, even if it means water is dripping down his shoulder. 

- when he comes across a good book, a good movie, good song, he’ll have that spark in his beautiful eyes when he tells you all about them. he wants you to also enjoy the good in his life :) (he also tells you about his past mistakes/incidents to warn you about the bad) 

━ bokuto kōtarō

- goes to bed before you, lying on your spot of the bed to warm it up. when you walk into the bedroom, you’ll see bo’s head sticking out of the covers with a huge grin. he’s so cute without even trying djkfldj 

- adores massaging you. he’ll regularly massage you, run his hand across your tummy, sit you in his lap, squeeze you with his biceps, play with your thighs, yeah it’s quite obvious how much he loves you. 

rough day? regular day? be prepared to lay on your tummy so bokuto can give you a massage :) don’t be too surprised when he attempts new massage moves that “our professional massager did on us! (msby)” 

you know what else he loves? when you massage him! he loves coming home with sore muscles to a home-made massage by the person who never fails to make him smile. not the best massage in the world, but you’re trying and he loves it more than explainable. 

- brings you the remote without complaint. puts your plate back to the kitchen without complaint. puts your clothes in the laundry basket without complaint. 

━ miya osamu 

- always offers to carry the grocery bags. even if he can barely see past the pile of bags in his arms, he’ll insist on carrying them. his competitive side comes out during times like these; he’ll try to impress you by carrying more and more each time. even with how heavy the groceries may be, he hasn’t dropped/broken anything ...yet! 

- leaves the last bit of food for you. last slice of pizza? yours. last bit of milk left? for your cereal. last piece of cake? yours. he never eats the last piece without checking with you first, no matter how hungry he is. eating food without leaving you any is like betrayal. 

- blocks the sunlight out of your eyes with his arm/hand. especially in the morning when the sunlight glares through the window. 

━ suna rintarō 

- charges your phone for you. sometimes, he’ll tap on your lockscreen to check your battery percentage when you go to sleep and charge it when the battery bar is low. you don’t have to worry about forgetting to charge your phone with suna around. 

- turns off his phone when you talk to him so you can have his full attention

- untangles your mess of cords. he always glares and heavily sighs whenever he sees tangled cords. no one knows how, but suna’s exceptionally good with untangling stuff 

━ kuroo tetsurō

- cleans the hair from your shower for you. he really doesn’t like it, but he knows you hate it more, which is why he does it for you. even though it’s not a favorite activity of his, he doesn’t really mind, it’s natural. 

- he’ll talk to the people/call the people you don’t want to. if you don’t want to say your drive-thru order, he’ll do it for you. if you want to know the price of a shirt but there isn’t a tag, he’ll talk to a store-worker for you. instead of being annoyed at you for “not being to do simple things”, he’ll help you out without a single word of complaint. there’ll be some teasing, but no harm done. he’s very understanding and patient

(my bias is showing. he’s my comfort person, what can i do :’) 

- he made up a code with you. four tugs on the hem of his shirt means you’re not feeling well/uncomfortable. (there are also many other signals and code words)

this is especially helpful when you’re out at parties, big events, malls, etc etc. as soon as he feels your tugs, he’ll whip around and study your face, leading you to a quieter place to ask how you’re feeling. if you want to go home, then home it is. 

[applepiewinchesters]

A Long Ass Night (Fez x Reader)

A/N: Just wanted to add a little note as this is getting some traction again for unfortunately sad reasons. Angus Cloud was a wonderful person who we didn’t deserve and I will genuinely miss him dearly. I know all of you do as well. Know if you are ever struggling with mental health you are not alone and you matter ❤️

The last thing you expected to walk into after hanging out with friends was Mouse dead on the living room floor, and Custer screaming his ass off about his broken nose that was staining the carpet.

“What the fuck?!” you shouted. Your bag dropping to the floor beside you, looking between Mouse’s body, to Fez, to Ash, who just stood there with a bloody hammer in his hand.

“That’s what I was just askin’!” Fez exclaimed, hands on his head as he stared at Ash with a look that either meant he was proud as fuck or that he wanted to kill him.

It could have been both to be honest.

“He was a fuckin’ problem and I dealt with it!” Ash shouted back, shrugging as he did.

“Okay, okay,” you began, running a hand through your hair in frustration, “go scrub the absolute fuck out of that hammer, all the blood all the fingerprints, gone, got it?”.

Ash groaned but nodded, heading towards the bathroom with the hammer.

Custer was still screaming, making you even more annoyed, “Could you shut the fuck up?!” you yelled at the man crumbled on the floor.

“That lil shit broke my fuckin’ nose!” Custer screamed back.

“You’re lucky he didn’t completely rock your shit man,” Fez piped in, stuffing his gun into the waistband of his pants.

You turned to your boyfriend, “What happened?” you asked, frustration obvious in your tone.

“I dunno, Ash fuckin’ came outta nowhere, fuckin’ launched himself off the couch and took out Mouse,” Fez told you, still in disbelief himself.

“Well thanks to him we now have some fucker crying on our floor and another sent back to hell,” you said, motioning to Mouse laying on the floor.

Fez groaned, sitting on the back of the couch and putting his head in his hands.

You wanted to comfort him, tell him it was going to be okay but you had bigger problems to worry about right now.

“Okay, okay,” you said, taking off your jacket and tossing it on the couch, “you told me your grandma got rid of some bitch once right?”.

Fez looked up at you and nodded, “Yeah I helped,” he replied.

You couldn’t help but think of 11 year old Fez dragging a body out of the house with his grandma. The image was slightly humorous you had to admit.

“Okay, remember how?” you asked, Fez nodded and got up from the couch.

“Okay, get started on that, I’ll help Mr. I Can’t Stop Fucking Screaming,” you said, motioning to Custer.

“Oh fuck you bitch,” Custer spat. Fez walked over to him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him up and out of the chair he was sitting in.

“Don’t ever fuckin’ talk to my girl that way again, got it? You’re lucky she’s gonna help your stupid ass,” Fez said, his voice full of venom.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry man!” Custer said, holding up his hands in surrender, making Fez drop him to the floor.

As much as you wanted to kiss Fez at that moment you decided to save it for later and headed to the bathroom, grabbing the first aid kit and quickly heading back to the living room.

You opened the kit and tossed a pair of gloves to Fez who pulled them on, ready to get to work on Mouse.

“Sit,” you told Custer, who placed himself back into the kitchen chair. You pulled up another one and sat down, grabbing the necessities from the kit.

You’d gone to school for a couple months to be a CNA before you realized you’d rather do anything than wipe an old lady’s vagina or sponge bathe a creepy old man.

Pulling on some gloves of your own you made Custer remove his hands from his face so you could properly survey the damage.

Ash had gotten him pretty damn good, it was for sure broken, it would need set back into place.

You grabbed a dishcloth from the kitchen and held it in front of Custer’s face.

“Bite,” you told him, the man doing as told and you wasted no time in taking his nose in between your fingers and giving it a good yank to the right.

Custer screamed, obviously, the towel muffling the sound pretty good, but he relaxed after a second.

You cleaned off the blood, placing a patch of gauze and tape over the wound.

“I’m no miracle worker so honestly you might just wanna go to the hospital after this,” you told Custer, starting to out away the medical supplies.

Custer only nodded, “Thanks,” he muttered.

“But if you say anything about Ash I will personally hunt you down and cut your dick off, got it?” you added, turning to Custer again.

You heard Fez huff out a laugh behind you as Custer nodded quickly.

“Good,” you said, turning around as you watched Fez, now helped by Ash, carry Mouse’s body to the bathroom.

You followed them, but not before threatening Custer once more that you’d pluck his teeth out one by one if he ran while you were gone.

“What are we gonna do with him?” you asked, leaning against the door frame of the bathroom as you watched Fez and Ash put Mouse in the bathtub.

“Teeth out first, then finger prints,” Ash told you casually.

“I can get the pliers,” you said, moving to leave the room but Fez stopped you.

“Baby, I love you, but I don’t want you messin’ with this shit okay?” he told you, a pleading look in his eyes.

“But the 12 year old can?” you replied, pointing to Ash, who flipped you off in response.

“Please, baby?” Fez asked.

You sighed but nodded, “I’ll clean up the blood in the living room, that okay?”.

Fez nodded, giving you a small smile, “Thanks babe.”

You grabbed another pair of gloves, detergent, vinegar, some warm water, paper towels, and hydrogen peroxide. Being of the female persuasion you’d had a bit of experience getting blood out of fabric.

Setting to work on the carpet after making sure you could see Custer from where you were, you started with dabbing up most of the blood with the water, detergent, and vinegar.

After that you used hydrogen peroxide and in no time the stain from Mouse was gone. You cleaned up the blood from Custer after and then threw the blood soaked paper towels in a garbage bag.

It was getting later and later by then, Fez and Ash had barely left the bathroom and the one time Fez did the entire front of his shirt was covered in blood.

You sat on the couch with Custer, trying to distract yourself with the television, at one point Custer passed out, probably from blood loss or pain but you didn’t really care.

Finally, around 2 am, Ash and Fez emerged, both covered in blood as well as holding multiple garbage bags. You didn’t ask questions just held the door open for them as they headed out to the car.

They stuffed the bags into the trunk of Fez’s car, and then came back in, both showering, changing, and tossing their clothes along with bloody towels and such into the trash bag with the bloody paper towels and gloves you’d used earlier.

After that they both scrubbed the bathroom thoroughly with bleach, throwing the final evidence into a trash bag and tying it up.

Grabbing the final trash bag, Fez turned to you, “I’ll be back okay? Ash is stayin’ with you to make sure fuck ass over there don’t pull nothin’.”

You nodded, “Be careful okay?” you asked, Fez only nodded before walking out the door.

Ash plopped next to you on the couch, sighing, “That was harder than I thought, he was a thick bitch.”

That comment made you laugh, throwing your arm around the younger boy you pulled him close and hugged him tight.

You two watched tv, apparently falling asleep because the next thing you knew a blanket was being pulled over you.

Ash had his head on your shoulder, sound asleep, and Fez was there, putting a blanket on you two.

The sun was rising outside, and a smell of smoke and something you couldn’t quite pick up came from your boyfriend.

“Hey,” he told you softly when he noticed you were awake.

You sleepily held out your arm to him, wanting him to join the cuddle pile but he shook his head, “Gotta clean a few more things ‘ight?” he whispered.

Mumbling something about him being a party pooper you closed your eyes, settling back into the couch.

You vaguely heard Fez talking to Custer, and the front door opening and shutting before footsteps and the shower turning on in the other room.

It was a while before you felt Fez sit beside you, now smelling like his body wash, he wrapped an arm around you, pulling you close.

Ash moved in his sleep to lay his head on your lap instead, grumbling a bit.

“Love you,” Fez said quietly, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

You smiled, cuddling up to him, “Love you too.”

Fez never told you exactly how he and Ash got rid of Mouse, but you could only hope he’d stay gone.

A/N:  Thank you so much for reading and all the love! Love you all and let me know what you think! :)

[unfinshedsentec]

in your arms|| k.baji

a/n: I finally got some good motivation, and decided to not write like crap, so I decided to write a Christmas gift!!

Happy Holidays everyone!!🎄❤️

description; you treat Baji’s wounds🥺

pairing: baji keisuke x you (reader)

tw: none!

The night was a cold, quite one. Nothing but the sound of fire popping sounded through your peaceful home, as you simply sat and read your favorite book. Your expressions changed from happy, to giddy, to sad, to even angry as you flipped through the many pages. You had planned on doing this throughout the whole night, not having any plans. However, just as you were getting to the climax, a knocking sounded through your home, startling you.

Slowly, you stood up and made your way towards your front door, which someone had been persistently knocking at. Whomever was on the other side of the door was clearly desperate as the knocking didn't stop, not even for one moment.  It was after about 5 minutes of the stranger knocking, and you contemplating whether to open the door or not that you were finally fed up and swung the large wood door wide open.

And to your surprise, you were met face-to-face with your boyfriend, Baji.

Following your boyfriend's arrival, a gasp escaped your mouth, as you stared at his usually stunning face. The boy was now littered in many injuries. None of them were life threatening, but it was still worrisome to see him like that.

Seeing him in such a state worried you beyond belief.

"H-hey Y/n!" Baji said, a wide grin appearing on his face as a way to act fine.

"Oh my god Baji...." You replied. "Get in here!" you said, leading the taller male into your warm living room. Dragging the male behind you, you sat him down and quickly grabbed the first aid kit you always had on hand.

It was only a moment after that, that you were sitting down and tending to Baji's wounds. Your eyes scanned each and every one of his wounds, a worried, yet soft gaze glistening in them.

"Stay still Kei, it's gonna sting"

You frowned as he flinched at your soft touch. You had yet to even clean them up, yet he was already flinching in pain. You could tell, these wounds were much worse than the usual ones, and you quickly had to take care of them before they became infected.

Gently, you dabbed the alcohol-soaked cotton ball on his wounds, him jerking away more in the process. You slowly moved one of your hands down to his lower arm, and rubbed your thumb in slow circles, in attempts to comfort him.

It really did pain you too see him like this.

"How did this even happen?"

"I just had a little brawl. Don't worry, if you think I look bad, you should see the other guys!" he replied, a proud expression forming on his face.

"I know you're insanely strong Kei, and I know you love fighting, but for the love of god, please, please be more careful!" you scolded, your eyes now focusing in on the smaller wounds that were etched onto his body. Your frown deepened as you saw noticed how many wounds were there.

However, you didn't notice was Baji's loving gaze that followed your figure. He may be a tough guy who he can be pretty closed off and erratic, but he was soft around you. He loved you above all else. He especially loved it when you tended to his wounds. And my god, the gentle gestures you did while taking care of him made his heartbeat in a way that only you could make it.

He absolutely couldn't take his eyes of you, that's how much he loves you.

It was only after you properly disinfected and bandaged him up that your eyed moved back to his, his own snapping away from being flustered. You were quite confused, but you ultimately decided to let it go and move on.

You began to gather up all medical supplies and put them back. However, just as you went to return the first-aid kit back to its proper spot, you felt hand grab your wrist, keeping you in place.

Behind you, you heard footsteps creak towards you. Then, in a swift movement, a pair of muscular arms wrap around your smaller frame, and quickly, you were turned around and enwrapped in a tight embrace. Baji, quietly rested on his head in the crook of your neck. You wrapped your own arms around his broad shoulder and pulled him in more. Your hands made their way up his head of dark hair, silently running threw his locks.

You assumed Baji was tired and in pain from his brawl, so you continued your gesture's, rubbing his back too. His arms around your waist tightened, not wanting to let you go.

The boy who was hugging you loved you so dearly, and this moment was exactly what he needed. He never wanted it to end. He never wanted to let you go. Truth be told, he was afraid of losing you. Sure, he was strong, and his friends were beyond strong, but still, he was afraid you'd get hurt, or even worse leave him.

And that, absolutely couldn't happen. He loved you too much for that.  So, he stayed there, clinging onto you like the world was about to end.

"It's okay, Kei. You'll be just fine" you whispered, pecking the top of his head.

Oh yes, Baji would be fine. He would be okay, and long as you, his love was here, holding him like you always did.

//end!