#due to the storm that made likely caused the accident in the first place

[deliciousdietdrpepper]

My god…this day…what a mess

[d0iezz]

MOVING ON...

Michael Bluth x fem! Babysitter!reader

Summary: its been a year since she's been gone and Michael feels horrible about how fast he's moving on, but he just can't resist her

Warnings/rating: smut, kinda angst ig. Reader is in her 20s. Beta read we die like nana. I made George michael b younger cuz it wouldn't make sense if he had a baby sitter if he was like 12. Also Michael and geroge Michael don't both sleep in the attic.

This is my first fanfic lolz

He was overcome with grief, it had been over a year but he still wasn't able to lift this fog that was constantly weighing on him. He keeps on catching himself turning to her as a voice of reason, but she isn't there. He feels trapped, unable to tell anyone about his feelings, he didn't want to bring anyone down with his sulking, especially not George Michael, he didn't deserve it he’s just a kid.

His moping must have become visual because he sensed someone behind him, and due to this he was forced to turn around.

“Are you okay Mr. Bluth?” she said in a somewhat timid voice, as if she was afraid to speak to him. “Yes… yes i'm alright, just-” He stopped himself before he revealed too much “where’s George Michael?”

“I just tucked him in, after I read him a story he was completely knocked out” she giggled, as did Michael. But he didn't respond, he wasn't sure how, so you both stood there awkwardly waiting for the other to say something.

“Um.. well, I guess I should g-” but she was interrupted by a loud crack of thunder and the sound of heavy rain starting to fall. This shocked her, making her stumble backwards, tripping on the stair placed right behind her, causing her to fall on her back. She let out a small cry before she had realised Michael had rushed to her side. “Are you okay Y/N?” he asked frantically while lifting her head so it wouldn't be touching the hard floor it had just crashed into. Butterflies flew to her stomach, she was embarrassed to admit it but she found her employer very attractive, though she felt horrible about it because it was very clear that he was not in the right space mentally for anything that she desired.

“Ye-yeah im alright, just hit my head a little” she laughed awkwardly. “Maybe you should stay, that storm sounds heavy and I wouldn't want you to get in an accident” he said while helping you off the ground and helping you over to the couch. “Are you sure that's okay? I mean where would I sleep?” she couldn't keep eye contact, she was too nervous by the idea of waking up in the same house as Michael. “you would sleep in my bed” this made her even more nervous “and I would sleep on the couch”. She was hoping that he hadn't noticed how very red her face was. “Well I suppose it would be safer” she admitted.

He patted her on the shoulder and led her upstairs to where he slept and encouraged her shuffling inside. “ so I'll… be down stairs if you need anything”. And without another word he closed the door leaving her alone in his room. His hastiness worried her.

He shouldn't feel this way, he had only lost his wife a year ago and he couldn't move on so soon. But he was, I mean how could he not. She was kind and knew how to look after George Michael and that's not to mention how pretty she was. She was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen, he couldn't deny it even if it felt so wrong to feel that way.

Michaels thoughts were cut short by the sound of socks thudding down the carpeted stairs. “Mr. Bluth?” she quietly questioned. “y/n, anything that you need? And you can call me Michael, in fact I insist on it”. He said while standing up and walking over to her. “Well… Michael” she pushed out, “I have nothing to sleep in, I would sleep in this but it's not very comfortable” she gestured to her clothing which, indeed, didn't look like something you could sleep in comfortably. She insisted on wearing professional clothes even though the job never required it, she thought it made her look older. “oh… yes, I'm sorry. You can probably wear some of my old clothes, I think I have some up there“

Michael quickly shuffled through his clothes in his closet, picking out clothes suitable for the girl to wear to bed. “Here, these should do'' he had handed her an old oversized button up shirt, one very similar to ones he wears on a daily basis, as well as a pair of shorts with very worn elastic around its waist. “Well, goodnight Mr- Michael” she clung the clothes Michael had given her tightly to her chest. Michael smiled “good night”

He left the room as quickly as he could, before he could convince himself to do anything he would regret. But she stopped him, grabbing his arm preventing him from leaving.

“Michael…”

“Y/N”

Her face flared with heat before she could even say what she was intending to say.

“I'm going to say something very inappropriate, something that may cause you to fire me” she paused, attempting to build up enough courage.

“Im… interested-” but he stopped her… with his mouth. His temptation had boiled over making him lose his sensibility.

But she pulled away almost as soon as it happened. “Mr. Bluth! Wh-what are you doing!?” she staggered. “I'm so sorry! I miss read this situation entirely, have a good night, i'll drive you home in the morning” he released his grip on her shoulders and rushed to the door.

“No, no! Quite the opposite, you just… didnt let me finish” she looked away.

“Oh” he said in a hushed voice.

“You may continue, I mean, if you'd like”

Michael walked towards her, and placed his hands either side of her face and slowly started to lean in to connect his lips with hers once again. y/n slowly started to reciprocate, etching her hands down from his shoulders onto his chest.

Michael walked her over to his bed, keeping their lips connected. He laid her down and slowly climbed on top of her, his right hand gliding down to her hip, his other placed above her head in order to prop him up. His right hand slowly started to lift up her shirt, bringing it over her head until he got to her shoulders, he disconnected their lips in order to take her shirt off all the way.

“Is this okay?” he asked as he reached for the back of her bra to confirm that she was enjoying this as much as he was.

“Yes” she quickly nodded as she saw her bra being thrown to some corner of the room.

“Is it okay if I try something” and again you nodded.

Michael grabbed her hips and brought her to the edge of the bed where he had knelt down, his face mere inches away from her crotch. This caused him to shut her legs out of instinct.

He quickly shot his head up “I don't have to”

“No, no it's ok, it's just, I guess I'm just a little nervy, ha…ha” she laughed nervously. He said no more, simply bringing his hands to her hips to unzip her skirt, tugging it down her legs alongside her underwear, leaving her naked.

“But before you do… that. Could you, take your shirt off or something, it feels slightly unfair that you're fully clothed and im… well, not” she said while holding his shoulders away from where her thighs meet. “oh yes, of course” he said as he began to unbutton his shirt and pull it off his shoulders.

“There, now, where was I?” it was a rhetorical question because he had already lent in and laid a long lick right along her slit. This caused y/n to release a loud whimper, that Michael loved to hear but, due to his child sleeping peacefully sleeping in the other room, would have to hear less of it.

“Shhh, baby, remember George Michael is in the other room, we can’t wake him” He whispered while holding his hand to her mouth. “Oh, oh, yeah” nodded once he had removed his hand.

Michael returned to your dripping pussy, but this time he added something. You could feel the heat of his palms sliding up your bare thigh, bringing his fingers directly to her hole. This made her whimper again, but not as loud, George Michael wouldn't have heard. He pushed his index and middle finger inside, moving them against her smooth walls.

His pace started to quicken and her thighs started to close in around his head as she started to get closer.

“Oh, oh! Michael!” she moaned, her walls squeezing in around his two fingers.

“Wow” she sighed as he removed his fingers from her.

“Yeah” he replied.

Michael then proceeded to stand up and begin to fiddle with his belt, loosening it and removing it as well as his pants, then his underwear followed.

He was big…

He climbs on top of her again. “Are you ready?” He pushed her hair out of her face. “Uh huh” she replied, cheeks still burning. “Okay”

He slowly pushed inside her, making sure not to go too fast, he was aware of his size, its hur other girls in the past.

He groaned as he bottomed out, and then slowly started to move his hips. “Does this feel good baby?”. He whispered into her ear. This admittedly turned her on even more. “mHM!!” her pitch was affected by an especially hard thrust that caused her voice to break a little, Michael thought it was cute.

Michael was getting close embarrassingly quick, he was out of practice. So to ensure that he didn't leave you in need, he reached his hand down to play with your clit. He seemed to enjoy this, it was given away by the embarrassing moan you let out.

“Michael… Im getting close” y/n whimpered while gripping onto his broad shoulders, nails making indents in his skin.

“So am I” he huffed, making his circles on her clit faster and the movement of his hips quicker. “Oh my god y/n”

And before either of them knew it, they were both cumming. His dick releasing warm liquid deep in her stomach and her walls squeezing him for dear life.

Michael rolled over onto his back, riddled with grief but somehow at the same time relief. He looked over at her, she was fast asleep, and at that moment, michael knew it was okay for him to move on. He pulled the blankets over himself and her, pulled her to his side and kissed her on the forehead.

“Goodnight y/n”.

[cbtroofingau]

Emergency Re Roofing: What to Do When Disaster Strikes

When a roofing emergency strikes, it can be a sudden and overwhelming experience. The roof is one of the most critical components of your home, protecting you and your belongings from the elements. When it’s compromised, whether due to a severe storm, falling tree branches, or other unforeseen disasters, immediate action is required to mitigate damage and restore your home’s integrity. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to take when facing an emergency re roofing Sunshine Coast situation, ensuring that you handle the crisis effectively and safely. 

Assess the Damage Safely

The first and most crucial step when dealing with a roofing emergency is to assess the extent of the damage. However, safety should always be your top priority. If the damage occurs during a storm or any other hazardous situation, wait until conditions improve before attempting to inspect the roof. Strong winds, lightning, or heavy rain can make it extremely dangerous to be outside or on a ladder.

Once it’s safe, conduct a visual inspection from the ground. Look for obvious signs of damage such as:

Missing shingles: These are often the first to go in high winds or severe weather.

Visible holes or gaps: Large holes may be apparent if a tree branch or other debris has fallen on the roof.

Sagging sections: This could indicate significant structural damage and a potential collapse risk.

Debris accumulation: Check for any debris that may have collected in gutters or valleys, as this can impede water flow and cause leaks.

Use binoculars if necessary to get a closer look without putting yourself in harm's way. If the damage is extensive, refrain from climbing onto the roof yourself; instead, call a professional to conduct a thorough inspection.

Take Immediate Steps to Protect Your Home’s Interior

If your roof has been breached, your home’s interior is vulnerable to water damage, which can lead to more significant problems like mould growth or structural deterioration. Taking immediate steps to protect the inside of your home can save you a lot of trouble and expense down the line.

Cover Exposed Areas: Use heavy-duty tarps or plastic sheeting to cover any holes or gaps in the roof. Secure these coverings with nails, duct tape, or rope to ensure they stay in place. This will provide a temporary barrier against the elements until permanent repairs can be made.

Move Valuables: Relocate furniture, electronics, and other valuable items away from areas directly under the damaged sections of the roof. This prevents these items from getting damaged by water or falling debris.

Contain Water: Place buckets, pans, or other containers under any leaks to catch dripping water. Change these containers frequently to prevent overflow, and consider using towels or other absorbent materials to soak up water that has already made its way inside.

In extreme cases where water is pouring in, you may need to cut power to the affected areas of your home to prevent electrical hazards.

Contact a Roofing Professional Immediately

Roofing emergencies require the expertise of a professional. Time is of the essence, so it’s important to contact a reliable roofing contractor as soon as possible. Many roofing companies offer emergency services and can dispatch a team quickly to assess and mitigate the damage.

When choosing a contractor, consider the following:

Experience: Look for a contractor with a proven track record in handling emergency repairs. They should be familiar with the urgent nature of these situations and capable of providing prompt service.

Licensing and Insurance: Ensure that the contractor is fully licensed and insured. This protects you from liability in case of accidents during the repair process.

Availability: Emergency situations require immediate attention. Choose a contractor who can respond quickly and is available to begin work as soon as possible.

Provide the contractor with as much detail as possible about the situation, including the type of damage, the size of the affected area, and any immediate concerns you may have. This information will help them prepare for the job and ensure they bring the necessary tools and materials.

Document the Damage for Insurance Purposes

Before any repairs begin, it’s crucial to document the damage thoroughly. This documentation will be essential when filing an insurance claim, as it provides evidence of the extent of the damage and the need for repairs.

Photographs and Videos: Take clear photos and videos of the damage from multiple angles, both inside and outside the home. Capture the state of the roof, any debris, and any interior damage caused by leaks.

Written Descriptions: Accompany your visual documentation with written descriptions of the damage. Note the date and time of the incident, the weather conditions, and any actions you’ve taken to mitigate further damage.

Keep Records: Save any receipts or invoices related to emergency repairs, temporary fixes, or other costs incurred as a result of the roofing emergency. This includes costs for tarps, containers, and any professional services hired.

This documentation will help streamline the insurance claims process and ensure you receive the compensation you need to cover repair costs.

Understand the Scope of Work and Timeline

Once the roofing contractor has conducted a thorough inspection, they will provide you with a detailed estimate of the scope of work required to repair or replace your roof. This estimate should include:

Materials Needed: The type and quantity of materials required for the repair or replacement, including shingles, underlayment, flashing, and other components.

Costs: A breakdown of costs, including labour, materials, and any additional fees. Be sure to ask about potential additional costs that may arise during the repair process.

Timeline: A clear timeline for the completion of the work. While emergency repairs may be completed quickly, a full roof replacement could take several days or weeks, depending on the extent of the damage and the complexity of the job.

Understanding these details will help you make informed decisions and plan for any temporary accommodations or adjustments you may need to make during the repair process.

Stay Vigilant During Repairs

Even though you’ve hired professionals to handle the repairs, it’s important to stay engaged throughout the process. Regularly check in with the contractor to ensure that the work is progressing as planned and that there are no unexpected issues.

Monitor Progress: Visit the site periodically to observe the work being done. Ensure that the materials being used match what was agreed upon and that the work is being done to a high standard.

Communicate Concerns: If you notice anything that seems off or have concerns about the quality of the work, don’t hesitate to bring it up with the contractor. Open communication can prevent small issues from becoming bigger problems later on.

Final Inspection: Once the repairs are complete, conduct a final inspection with the contractor. Make sure that all work has been completed to your satisfaction and that the site has been cleaned up properly.

Plan for the Future

An emergency re roofing situation is a stark reminder of the importance of being prepared for unforeseen events. Once the immediate crisis has passed, take steps to protect your home from future disasters.

Regular Maintenance: Schedule regular roof inspections and maintenance to catch potential issues early. This includes clearing gutters, checking for loose shingles, and ensuring that your roof is in good condition.

Upgrade Materials: Consider upgrading to more durable, weather-resistant roofing materials. Options such as impact-resistant shingles or metal roofing can provide better protection against severe weather.

Insurance Review: Review your homeowner’s insurance policy to ensure it provides adequate coverage for roofing damage. Consider increasing your coverage or adding specific endorsements if you live in an area prone to severe weather.

By taking these proactive steps, you can reduce the likelihood of future roofing emergencies and ensure that your home is well-protected.

Emergency re roofing is a stressful and challenging experience, but with the right approach, you can minimise damage and restore your home quickly and efficiently. By assessing the damage safely, protecting your home’s interior, working with a qualified contractor, and planning for the future, you’ll be better prepared to handle any roofing disaster that comes your way. Remember, when disaster strikes, prompt action is key to safeguarding your home and ensuring peace of mind.

[sketchbook-magic]

I was scrolling through my mom's Facebook to get reference photos for a gift I want to make her for mother's day next month and I found her post about an incident that barely anyone believes me when I tell them about it but now I got the receipts!

You may be asking yourself "what the heck is going on here? Why wouldn't people believe a story about a wreck?" WELL BUCKLE UP- pun unintended. So this happened to me around 7th grade, the year before I had broken my left leg in an unrelated incident due to slipping on a patch of ice after an ice storm and it was still healing so I needed a bit of extra time walking across the road in front of my house where my bus dropped me off in the afternoons. So I proceeded to do that as normal while my neighbor down the road who is BLIND was seen driving his white pickup truck, speeding (my neighborhood has a speed limit of 55 because it's a country highway passing around and into the nearby town so it's not urban enough for a lower speed limit), and doing literal zig zags on the road all caught on camera by another lady who was behind my bus who happened to have a dashcam. You may be asking why my blind neighbor was driving in the first place, well he's a cattle farmer and landlord and his son is a drug addict and his doctors forgot to revoke his license after diagnosing him as blind because he was elderly at that point and they thought he stopped driving two decades before this accident. Because his son was unreliable, he did most of the supply shopping for his farm or house maintenance. So anyways, my school's buses have a safety feature to let students know where a safe distance away from the bus is in case of rear accidents so they don't get hurt and it's in the form of a very long yellow stick/pole. And if you haven't taken physics before, basically with enough force, even the dullest of objects can impale something, and speeding over 55 mph is definitely enough force for a safety feature like that pole to impale someone. So the truck ended up hitting my bus as I was crossing the street and out of sheer luck, that pole missed me enough to only rip a hole in the front of my jeans. Had I been further along, reminder that I already had a broken leg which made me slow, that pole would've impaled straight into my broken leg and right leg which would have caused me to lose my leg entirely. I was so close to the pole when the wreck happened that my bus driver was shielding kids' eyes as they got off the bus because he expected to find a bloody scene next to the exit of the bus and he didn't want to traumatize the preschoolers. I've never seen this man panic in my life up to that point so it scared the absolute shit out of me. So after that the school and police had me and the other kids on my bus crowd around my driveway to give witness statements while my neighbor had to be cut out of his car. The school got there before the cops did because my bus driver was convinced I was brutally injured before he exited the bus so they were speeding to damage control and limit any lawsuits because my mom's Latin and has a reputation at my school for being one of those moms so they were terrified of what she would do. But yeah, no one ever truly believed the story of me almost getting impaled by a school bus but now I have proof so suck it!

[hexxxboys]

Storm

Stage Name: Storm

Birth Name: Lapis Jeon Nazgul 

Position in Group: Roadie , bodyguard and sometime bassist for the band. 

Age: 27

Pronouns:  He/They/Them

Sexuality:  Bisexual

Dom/Sub/Switch: Dom 

Relationship Status: Highly selective multi

Birthday: December 21st

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Blood Type: B

Height: 6′8

Eye color: Dark brown

Current Hair color: jet black with electric blue undertones

Supernatural Species: Water Elemental  

Personality: Emotionally keeps to himself.  He is good at reading people making it hard for them to keep secrets from him. He has an uncontrollable rage towards his mother and siblings and anyone related to them. He is a bit detached within themselves do to the fact that they don’t really know anything about themselves including where he came from or why he was born in the first place which adds to his rage/hatred towards his birth mother.  They sometimes feel stuck , lost and confused which makes him lash out violently at times due to his frustrations of his inner struggles. This makes him act a bit cold and distant at times. 

Once he opens up he is actually very kind , loving , protective , loyal , clingy and a bit needy. He loves affection and to be praised. He is also a romantic but that side is very reserved for that one special person. 

Bio: Lapis is from a small fisherman town in south korea. He was abandoned by his birth mother and left in the care of his aunt however things are a lot more complicated than just that. 

Lapis’s mother ( Jiyeong ) and aunt ( Jisoo )  were once very close , they had a normal childhood until their father died in a boat accident. The girls’ mother married rather quickly in order to provide for her family but this sudden marriage brought problems with it. Their stepdad was abusive and conflicted with the eldest daughter –Jisoo to the point that she left the house. This broke Jiyeong’s heart. Since then she became a rebellious teen that would sneak out of the house every time she could and get into terrible situations however her sister was always there for her. 

One day the sisters were at the beach celebrating Jisoo’s birthday when they decided to go out for a midnight swim. The two were slightly drunk while swimming and did not notice the storm that was starting. In a blink of an eye tragedy stroke , Jisoo was pulled into the ocean leaving Jiyeong traumatise for the rest of her life. After that incident she ran away from home , being in her hometown was just too painful and there was nothing for her there so she left to start a new life. However Jiyeong ended up joining a cult where she was offered as a sacrifice to a powerful demonic god being titled  the devourer of words .

This god was known for destroying anything he deemed unworthy but was responsible for being into the world the four horsemen of the apocalypse. He was also known for choosing a bride to have theses sons with them however the god would only have offspring with women who had rare and exceptional qualities that would transfer over to their future offspring , unknowing at the time but Jiyeong had all that which made the demonic god attach himself to her the moment he was summoned. After the ritual was made and he had been brought back into the world , he was able to forcefully conceive with Jiyeong as he took her as his bride. However the spell that was cast to summon the demonic god was weak and it slowly faded causing it to break , sending the demon back to the netherrealm. Meanwhile Jiyeong was able to snap out of her  brainwash-like state and escape the cult. She eventually returned to her hometown to get away from the nightmare her life had been and it was in that moment something unexpected happened.

As Jiyeong wandered onto the same beach she had lost her sister in a year and half ago , something in the ocean caught her eye. As it slowly emerged from the water she realised it was her sister. They were never able to find her body and everyone assumed that the waves had dragged her far but Jiyeong couldn’t believe that her sister was walking towards her at that moment. She wasn’t the same , her eyes were white , her skin was an icy blue and her lips were dark. There was seaweed in her hair along with barnacles attached to her legs. This was not the same sister she knew and loved but Jiyeong knew it was still her somehow. The two sisters talked for hours , catching up with what had happened to them since that fateful day. It turned out that Jisoo did die but her body was found by a sea warlock who replaced her heart with a siren’s allowing her to live and breathe underwater. Jisoo had also learned magic becoming a witch of the sea. 

After hearing all that her sister went through , Jiyeong had broken down and asked for forgiveness then continued in telling her about the cult and what had happened to her. The reaction that Jisoo gave her sister wasn’t the one that the younger one was expecting. Jisoo was so intrigued that she told her sister that she had to keep the baby if she indeed was pregnant. That made Jiyeong upset but she was so scared of the possibility of being pregnant that she agreed to have it if it meant that her sister would be by her side. That is what happened–four months had passed by and Jiyeong had an unexpected abortion causing her to almost die but Jisoo helped her sister give birth and save the baby in which she lied to her sister and told her it had died during birth which caused Jiyeong to feel a sense of relief. 

After Jiyeong had recovered , she stoled a book on witchcraft and runes from her sister before running away once again. At this point in her life Jiyeong was done with the occult and wanted to get away from it all. Once Jisoo had returned she had realised her sister was missing but it didn’t bother her cause she wanted the child. She was fascinated with the idea of a little demon child she could raise and call her own . Jisoo raised that child the best she could , teaching it all sorts of magic. In her mind she wanted him to become powerful so he could reshape the world to how she wanted it to be. But as the child grew so did his inner turmoil. 

Lapis felt lonely , being a child on a small island in the middle of nowhere wasn’t ideal for a little boy. He grew to hate his ‘mother’ and everything she believed in or stood for , he was sick of being kept from the rest of the world especially after finding out his heritage. 

For years Lapis was told he was special , that his father was a very powerful entity and if he wanted he could destroy the world and make a new one but that wasn’t what he wanted. In fact Lapis never knew what he wanted until he had his very first dream. A dream in which he had a family , a loving mother , a proud father and siblings to play with. It was such a nice dream that he didn’t want to wake up from it but it helped him realise that it was something he craved. This idea of the perfect family stayed with him until he found out the truth of his  ‘father’ and his siblings. He felt anger towards his mother for keeping that information from him that he eventually ran away from their home.  

The more he travelled the more he learned about his father and his siblings and that caused confusion that turned into rage , not understanding why he had been left behind , why he was different from the others–it made him feel less than special. The only thing that kept him going was the idea of having a family but this dream quickly came crashing down the moment Lapis met Briar Salem. 

Lapis became obsessed with Briar , he found them to be perfect in every possible way but the moment he found out that Briar belonged to Manikya Nazgul something snapped within him. It had been sometime that Lapis had found out that Maikya was his brother and the pure thought that his brother had the life he so desperately wanted drove him mad with envy. Things only got worse when he found out that Briar was expecting a child , that was the last straw for him. The boiling rage Lapis felt made him want to destroy anything that belonged to Manikya and that included his lover and child. He let that rage control him, causing him to hunt the child and torment him but if it wasn’t for Glory , Lapis would have gotten rid of him years ago. 

There was a point in time where lapis was about to give up and move on from his personal vendetta towards Nazgul and his loved ones until he realised that he had another sibling. A human sibling that his birth mother abandoned years ago who was also living his dream. Not only did he have to deal with the fact that his brother from his father’s side was in a relationship with the person he was in love with and had a child with, but also finding out that he has a half human brother who gets to share that experience. That drove him insane to the point he concocted a plan to enter HEX somehow and destroy them from the inside. 

[bobcat-pie]

What happened to each empire after the finale?

I am by no means an ecologist, geologist, historian, nuclear physicist, politician, post-apoc author, or wizard. But I am a fan of Empires SMP that knows a thing or two about some of those topics. So here I’ll piece together what could be the future of the empires!

The Grimlands

I’m going to assume that the reactor explosion caused by mixing cod-based energy and salmon-based energy was nuclear. you know what that means!

Nuclear fallout!!

Not only does the blast rain flaming debris in every direction, but it also releases a sooty cloud filled with radioactive particles that will travel for hundreds of miles! Black rain from this cloud will contaminate plants, soil, and sources of water. Not just with your basic radioactivity! Eastvale was chock-full of dangerous chemicals used in manufacturing. Those are in the cloud too now.

Groundwater will take a while to get contaminated, but once it is, it’ll take 10 years to become healthy to drink again.

The cloud will stick around for several months, blocking sunlight, killing plants, and bringing the whole area down to subzero temperatures.

Nitrogen oxides released from the explosion will rip the ozone layer to shreds, so as soon as the dust clears, it’ll have little protection from UV radiation.

Luckily, the Grimlands just so happen to be home to some certain flora and fungi that have no issue with darkness, temperature extremes, and radiation: wither roses and corruption! These will spread even further during the fallout, and even penetrate other regions and replace their native flora as they die out.

You know that radioactive cloud I mentioned earlier? yeah, it’s going to get caught in pockets in mountainous regions, contaminating them to a higher degree than other biomes. Sorry, salmon sanctuary.

Hot tub villager dies in 6 days due to radiation poisoning

“This place is not a place of honor. No highly esteemed deed is commemorated here… nothing valued is here. What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger.”

The Ocean Empire

There’s two main outcomes for the ocean empire: it either stays dry permanently, or it was only dry in the first place because of shock waves from the reactor accident and all the water was about to return in a devastating tsunami.

If the water doesn’t return, the ocean empire will become an extremely salty bogland, or worse, an even saltier desert.

The remaining lillypads will dry out and die without moisture, making a substrate for new life to grow upon in small pockets.

Trade routes will be disrupted and slow down.

If the water returns, it is very likely that the ocean empire will be completely overwhelmed by its force. Its remains will be dashed upon the southern shores. The rubble of the prisma palace will sink to the bottom of the ocean.

A crucial resting and tourism location will be destroyed, but at least ships won’t have to sail around a huge dry spot.

The Cod Empire

The Cod Empire faces a similar conundrum to the Ocean Empire, since we never saw if the water wouldn’t return or if the rulers just fled before the tsunami.

A good majority of the land in a swamp is made up of peat, which absorbs a lot of water. When that water is removed, the peat will sink down several feet, changing the overall elevation of the area.

If the water doesn’t return, the whole area will dry out, and all the moisture-loving plants will die.

The tsunami will wipe out the now-flatter swampland, likely making it saltier in the process.

But there is hope for the cod population. Cod eggs float freely in the ocean, and when they hatch, they don’t require parents to raise them. Minecraft cod are very lucky because they have zero salinity requirements! 

Helianthia

Yes, it may have burnt down. But fire is as much a part of nature as floods and storms!

Forests regularly go through natural fire events. it clears out the old growth, supplies some nutritious new ash to the soil, and makes way for the new growth!

It won’t be long before plants take over and it’s recognized as valuable farmland all over again.

Of course, it’s not completely out of range of the reactor incident’s contamination. Nowhere is. But it is farther.

The Overgrown

The Overgrown is an easy case to write off as your basic forest fire event, just like Helianthia. But it is so much more than that!

Volcanic rifts opened up. They looked close to the surface, suggesting that the Overgrown is a volcanically active area, which would explain its fertility and height compared to the rest of the plains. It’s actually a volcanic plateau/dome!

Volcanism might not be a common event in our puny human timescale, but to an ancient entity like the Spring, it could be like clockwork. That could be how it was able to predict the apocalypse and prepare the seeds of life! Maybe the reactor incident wasn’t because of mixing two forbidden powers, but it was an error caused by tremors from the Overgrown volcano?

It might spew some sulfuric gasses, but side effects of that should clear up in under 50 years.

Now there’s a whole new layer of ash and basalt formations on top of the Overgrown. A similar healing process to Helianthia will begin, starting with lichens and mosses, and working up to grasses, saplings, and an eventual return of the wildlife, all supported by the germinated seeds of life.

But an important part of the ecosystem has run away: the guardian, and presumably, the other fairies. The bees are gone too. Without them, the Overgrown won’t be as resilient or be able to protect itself from human threats.

The Undergrowth

It might seem at first like the Undergrowth got off easily. But it was in the midst of an ecological catastrophe before Shrub showed up, since its mother tree (which connected the forest together) had been turned to ash by the corruption.

Since Shrub took the wolves and left, the undergrowth could undergo something similar to what happened to Yellowstone before the 90s, when it had no wolves. Deer overgrazed the forests and riverbanks, limiting the amount of new growth and recovery the ecosystem was capable of and increasing mudslides.

But that’s just the worst case scenario. Have you ever heard of the “Wood Wide Web?” It’s a system of hyphae (roots) under the ground that allow plants to store excess nutrients and communicate with each other. It’s made of fungus!

All the mushroom-growing that Shrub did could’ve introduced a wood wide web to the Undergrowth, replacing its need for a mother tree.

A different wolf pack could’ve moved into the newly vacant area. There is hope!

The Lost Empire

It was already on the decline. All of Joey’‘s villagers were dead. With him dead too, there would be nobody to rebuild the empire.

He was right next to the reactor blast as well. Even if he hadn’t gone mad and fallen off his temple, he would’ve succumbed to radiation sickness soon.

As the land recovers from the reactor incident, the jungle will slowly take over, and the lost empire will be lost yet again.

Pixandria

Pix has been gone a long time, but he left a strong empire behind that doesn’t rely on a single major export to trade with.

It’s a very old empire, so it would likely be the most stable of all empires at this time.

But one of their closest allies and trade routes have been decimated, and I’m guessing Pixandria is one of the places that the un-blessed ocean empire refugees will flee to if they survive the Tsunami.

The Lost Empire used to help keep the Pillagers in check, but since they’re gone, the Pillagers are going to become stronger and return to attacking Pixandria.

Rivendell

Like Pixandria, Rivendell is an old kingdom. Transfer of power to a new ruler will be smooth and somber.

I wish I could say that about the rest of the kingdom, but unfortunately, it’s battling at least three different environmental crises.

First of all, it has to deal with the radioactive cloud sent from the Grimlands reactor incident. Remember how I said that pockets in mountains tend to hold on to higher levels of radioactive particles? yeah.

Before the cloud clears, Rivendell is going to get even colder and darker. Xornoth’s fungus could survive the darkness and radiation, and the crops of Rivendell are blessed by Aeore, so that may add to their resilience.

Once the clouds clear, because the ozone layer is weakened and Rivendell is at a higher altitude, it will be subjected to higher amounts of UV radiation than the rest of the world.

Because of their adaptation to radiation, corruption fungus is going to outcompete the endemic plant life for a while. Luckily, it isn’t controlled by Xornoth’s malice anymore.

When the clouds part, the unnatural ice Scott made will melt. This can cause flooding, crop rot, and a drop in soil quality as the nutrients are washed downhill. It may damage the corruption fungus.

The people of Rivendell may have to migrate away from their homeland as it becomes too difficult to live there. Many will stay, likely elders.

Mezalea

I mean, the Matral Palace cracked in half, but the apocalypse left them relatively unscathed.

They may be directly north of the Grimlands, but winds tend to travel horizontally instead of vertically, so they don’t get too much fallout.

The lowlands of Mezalea will be flooded by the tidal wave

Un-blessed Ocean Empire citizens that survive will head here for refuge

With their direct neighbors blown up and irradiated, and ocean passage becoming more dangerous, trade may become slower

I doubt Joel took his wife disappearing too well.

Mythland

If Sausage’s ritual to appease/exorcise the blood sheep from mythland didn’t work, they would have a large-scale invasion on their hands.

Well, maybe not your traditional invasion, but invasive species are an ecological catastrophe! Dark oak forests are already susceptible to having too little new growth, and that issue will be exacerbated by all the blood sheep eating everything green and soft enough to chew. I’m willing to bet that blood sheep are also radiation-resistant and willing to take over every niche they can, including that of apex predators. Much like corruption fungus and wither roses, they could spread all over the continent.

As I said earlier, dark oak forests do not permit a lot of new growth. That is because they take up a lot of resources to grow in the first place, and their canopies are too tight and dark to permit light to reach the forest floor. This makes them susceptible to pestilence and mass extinction events.

Blood sheep or no, there’s a tsunami heading for the northeast corner of Mythland. Luckily, the ravine is there to drain the brunt of it, but the newfound force eroding the ravine might cause the great wall of Mythland to fall.

If Sausage was permakilled by the explosion caused by the exorcism, then he would leave a huge power vacuum. Unlike the other large kingdoms that grew over the centuries like Pixandria and Rivendell, Mythland’s expansion was sudden and fueled by the ambition of a single man: Sausage himself. In every case of an empire being conquered by one man in history, after that emperor’s death, the empire will be split by bickering and succession crises into smaller kingdoms. Kingdoms that grow too fast just don’t have the infrastructure or culture to last long at that size.

I can see the General becoming one faction that takes over a portion of Mythland, and Bubbles is certainly another.

And last but certainly not least, the Crystal Cliffs

The Crystal Cliffs is one of the closest kingdoms to the Grimlands, and it is nestled in a mountain. You know what that means: a harsher fallout.

It was a good idea to hand over leadership to Gandalf. He is more experienced and could deal with the crisis calmly and efficiently. What the Cliffs need is someone to bring stability, and Gandalf is the right cat for the job.

If they’re lucky, Gandalf will be able to dedicate enough resources and research to maintain some kind of magic barrier between the Cliffs and the fallout before it’s too late, and the apothecary can figure out how to treat radiation sickness. If they can’t, they’ll have to relocate.

The few citizens of the Grimlands that survived the blast probably sought refuge in the Crystal Cliffs first, because it is the closest surviving empire and had the best relationship with the Grimlands.

With the two dragons and the egg gone, the Crystal Cliffs have lost a lot of their defense and political clout.

Without the Grimlands supplying weaponry and technology, the Crystal Cliffs will lose some defensive capabilities.

The Academy’s acceptance of pillagers will help bolster its numbers, but please keep in mind that there are two kinds of pillagers that are going to enter the academy: the nerd rejects and the traitors. Unless their magical skill and discipline is trained well, it may be difficult to use them as a force to defend the Cliffs.

The Crystal Cliff’s neighbors are all either smoking pits in the ground or dealing with their own issues, so trade will become difficult.

Luckily, the crystal cliffs have something the rest of the world doesn’t: A food source. Chorus plants. They can survive in utter darkness and cold temperatures already, which make them fit for surviving the fallout.

They can trade chorus fruit to struggling survivors to build up their strength and prestige and become a world power.

These are just my own headcanons! I haven’t watched Pearl or Jimmy’s POV! Please add on your own ideas!!

[vampkomori]

i think with the information were given by the reports, we can figure out what Joshua may have been doing in the 3 years leading up to neo

i think the key lies in this specific part of neo’s reports

neo’s game resembles that of the game 3 years ago, though most specifically being point 2. The absence of the Composer

these are the circumstances of the game in the og reports. Notably, the only difference in circumstances being the mention of the Composers limitation of abilities (which is implied by his absence), and direct interference by the Executor.

As noted in both reports, Joshua is not allowed to interfere in the goings-on of the UG. To further prevent any potential meddling on his part, the Composer is required to leave the UG. As hes likely unable to/not allowed to tune into the frequency of the Higher Plane, and its specifically mentioned that he travels from the UG to the RG in the og reports, this means Joshua is residing in the RG while the Game is ongoing in neo.

Theres 3 points to address about this situation:

The limitation of his abilities, and what this might have to do with his appearance

The consequences his absence has on the UG

What he may have done in the 3 years the game was ongoing

 First we should brush up on what his abilities actually entail

Usually, he can at least somewhat see the future. This ability is entirely absent when in the RG, he can draw conclusions about what might happen based on observations, but he cant predict the exact outcome. Note that this ability is specifically limited when hes downtuned. So when he looks like a normal guy and not a glowing blur in the shape of a person. Meaning that when he actually appears in the UG at the end of neo, he still cant see the future, and doesnt know whats going to happen.

As for the matter of his appearance, Reapers dont age. As seen in the ntwewy official guidebook, the reapers in og twewy are the same age as they are in neo. Sho is still 18, kariya is still 19, uzuki is still 17, etc. it doesn’t make sense for Reapers, who are so far beneath the Composer, not to age, but the Composer for some reason does?

BUT Joshuas been physically in the RG for the past 3 years, so its possible that that is the reason he aged. Post-neo he can stay in the UG again, so its possible hes going to remain physically 18 when he downtunes now. Think of it as like, time passes and causes his body to age as anyone else in the RG, but time stops in the UG, because it’s the “dead zone”

the reason neku aged while in Shinjuku is because Shinjuku is neither in the UG or the RG, it is in its own plane of existence. That plane just so happened to have time that passes, which lets you age like the RG would. (this might also be partially the reason why Coco is 19 of all ages in neo, even though she looks middle school aged in A New Day, 3 years ago. With her occasionally popping in for who-knows-how-long into Shinjuku to visit neku, she aged the amount of time she spent there most likely)

Anyway, it does not make sense for joshua to be able to choose what age he appears as when he downtunes. The reports specifically say he looks younger when he downtunes, and that its fortunate this prevents him from being recognized by reapers. Meaning that this is more of a happy accident and not purposeful in the slightest.

i know that one guidebook comment by Nomura has him state Joshuas appearance was to match Neku in appearance, but this was likely a design choice and not a willful decision by Joshua himself. You can interpret it however you like, but nothing in-canon ever points to Joshua being able to control his appearance when he downtunes, ever

Next up are the consequences of joshuas absence in the UG.

The Composer is the one who writes and changes the rules of the UG. Considering that in neo, the rules of the game were very much rewritten to match those of Shinjuku, it seems theres uh. Something kinda unlawful going on there. Which ill touch on in a moment, but first, more importantly, with joshuas absence in the UG and residing in the RG instead, the UG has been functionally without a Composer for 3 years, and therefore his established rules made invalid.

This should mean the UG should collapse, i mean, in og twewy he was only able to be absent for 3 weeks before the UG started to get somewhat unstable already. So theres no way the UG would be able to hold up without a Composer for 3 years……. unless?

An emergency call.

With Uzuki being made temporary Conductor and Game Master (neo uses these two terms interchangeably, for some reason) post-og twewy, she likely upheld Joshuas UG rules until Shiba usurped her. With Shiba being directly influenced by Kubo, he likely seized control over the UG instantly by issuing an Emergency call, which suspended Joshuas rules and gave complete authority to Shiba. Thus Shiba was able to completely rewrite the UG’s rules as if he were the Composer.

Small things such as the new appearance of the walls put up by wall reapers (now black thorns, and not just transparent walls), the new decals being two sets of poorly scribbled skulls, and the new Reaper Skull and its pins, all point to having been designed by Shiba, and then made by Kubo.

With Joshua not being allowed to intervene in the UG while his game with Kubo was ongoing, he also cannot ask his Producer to make pins, decals, etc. (especially since Hanekoma is also forbidden from intervening). That means Shiba wasn’t able to contact him to do it, either (or even knows he exists).

Hanekoma notes that as an Angel, Kubo is able to prepare special pins at will, so its likely this also extends to more than just pins.

Funnily enough this also means Shiba never even met Joshua despite being Shibuyas Conductor.

Though Joshua most likely wouldnt be allowed to even interact with his opponent’s proxy in the first place, its also hilarious to think Kubo never told Shiba about a Conductors responsibility to the Composer, or that its unusual the Composer never contacted him to contact the Reapers.

So, Joshua wasn’t exactly able to interject to the changes to his rules. His authority was literally overwritten by an emergency call due to his mandatory absence because of his game. (crappy loophole if u ask me)

 Then what was Joshua doing for 3 years?

Staying in the RG in some way or form.

But most importantly, he mustve interacted with Beat, Rhyme, and Shiki for a significant amount of his stay.

the fact that Shiki refers to him as “Josh” points to her having gotten to know him well enough to refer to him as that nickname, especially since she never even met him in og twewy, and was only told about him by Neku.

in this same scene in jp, Beat calls him by his actual name “Joshua”, which is also notable for Beat, since he didnt even remember uzuki’s or kariya’s names after 3 years, and referred to joshua by a nickname when he was hounding him and neku during week 2 as a reaper in og twewy. which once again points to Beat having gotten to know him well enough to actually use his first name.

Theres also the matter of Beat, Rhyme and Shiki living outside of Shibuya.

we know that Beat and Rhyme must have lived near Miyashita Park in og twewy, because their accident happens by the Miyashita Park Underpass after Beat storms out after an argument with their parents. but in neo, Rhyme has to get to shibuya via train, and Beat tells her to go home and away from shibuya to stay safe, which means they mustve moved away from Shibuya sometime during these 3 years.

its likely Joshua may have a hand in them moving away (possibly because he mightve wanted to at least make sure Neku’s friends were safe from his game’s consequences after he returned Neku to the RG)

their move away from shibuya is significant because shiki is often away from shibuya as well. which notably means that all of nekus friends are safe from shibuyas potential destruction if joshua were to lose his game (again)

Shiki is often away from shibuya due to work, and while she does ardently pursue her dreams of becoming a fashion designer, this decision was likely encouraged by Joshua as well. though shiki does occasionally return to wait by hachiko for Neku, she might also have visited Joshua too. two birds one stone. or joshua bothered her whenever she was by hachiko, and eventually formed a friendship, which then extended to beat and rhyme.

this would also explain why Beat never suggests looking for the Composer in neo, because he knows Joshuas stuck in the RG and cant intervene.

as to why joshua doesnt intervene even though he was So eager to do so in og twewy... we dont know. in the reports, hanekoma suggests that it mightve been to teach shibuya a lesson about responsibility, but thats. kinda stupid honestly. i imagine the real reason might be tied to the Higher Plane and its politics, especially since Hanekoma mentions that the reason Hazuki intervened mightve been to bait Joshua into acting. which is weird on all accounts, since haz looks up to joshua as his senior and tells him he intervened to earn his forgiveness. so why hanekoma even got this impression might be related to him being in the Higher Plane and thus knowing more about the tension related to Joshua and his actions amongst the angels.

anyway, this concludes my case

[wifekasa]

hello! i really enjoy ur content and i read that ur requests are open, so is it okay if i can request something where levi and the reader had an argument, and the rest of the scouts are very aware of it because of the very cold and scary aura coming from them, and so the squad tries various ways to set them up so they can make up with another? thank you!!😁

a/n: ahh first of all thank you! second off, i love this idea omg 🙏 also the reader is another captain!!

levi x reader

“don’t die on me.”

cw: swearing, one kiss scene, mentions of death (barely)

The scouts immediately knew something was wrong when you entered the dining area. It was like there was a dark aura floating around your body that caused everyone within a 4 foot vicinity of you to scatter away like startled birds. Your eyebrows were furrowed and your back was hunched. You stalked into the room and sank down beside Hange who seemed rather unfazed by your cold attitude.

“Oi. Y/N. What’s up with the murderous look in your eye? I think you made the scouts shit themselves.” They chuckled, biting into their bread and looking at you with a hint of amusement twinkling in their eyes.

You lip twitched downward as you scoffed, “Ask shorty.”

Hange made a noise of surprise that you ignored, turning back to your food. You were not in the mood to be pestered. Picking at your food with distain, you tuned out the rest of the room. Due to this, you missed the short raven-haired man walking into the room with the same cold presence that you were amitting. You felt his eyes burning holes into your head but refused to look up, you didn’t wanna give that bastard the time of day.

Levi scoffed when you ignored him, grabbing his plate and settling down at the opposite end of your table. Hange nearly rolled their eyes at the pettiness the two of you were displaying.

Clearing their throat, the titan enthusiast spoke up, “Trouble in paradise?”

“Shut up.” You both countered in sync, still refusing to acknowledge eachother.

The two of you were too stubborn to admit that you were wrong. Maybe neither of you were in the wrong but after the shouting match that took place last night, you didn’t feel like immediately making amends. You had tried to express to Levi how scared you were that he was going to die on one of these missions, however your tone was quite harsh and Levi misread it. He took it as you not having faith in his abilities which was a punch to the gut for the stubborn Captain. He in return, argued that you were running the same risk on missions and since you weren’t nearly as strong as him, you had an even higher risk of getting hurt. Frustrated that he insulted your abilities and didn’t see your point, you stormed out of his office, slamming the door behind you.

The two of you hadn’t spoken since the blowup last night and it was now mid-afternoon the next day. You were in charge of training the scouts this afternoon and due to the anger boiling up inside of you, you put them through a particularly rigorous training course. All of them were clutching their sides and panting heavily when you finally dismissed them.

“Is it just me or does Captain Y/N seem a little harsh today?” Connie spoke up as he downed a glass of water.

“Yeah, that training course kicked my ass. I think they had a fight with Levi, I heard some of the soldiers talking about it.” Jean replied.

Sasha was quiet for a minute before she finally spoke up, “I have an idea!” She exclaimed with a mischievous glint in her eye.

“That’s not good.” Armin commented quietly.

Later that night, Sasha had cornered you and told you there was scary noises coming from a broom closet and had asked for help checking it out. You reluctantly agreed, only because it was getting late and you wanted to get to bed. The two of you went to the closet, footsteps echoing across the quiet halls.

Entering the small room, you spoke, “Hmm. Sasha there’s nothing in here, are you sure-.” You got cut off due to the door being slammed in your face and locked shut.

Jiggling the handle aggressively, you yelled, “Sasha Braus I swear to god, if you don’t let me out of here it’s no bread for a week!”

Sasha gulped but stayed strong, hoping Armin was on his way with Levi. Ten minutes later, Armin showed up... without Levi. Sasha’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, “Armin, where the hell is Levi?!”

Armin scratched the back of his neck, “He wouldn’t come. Said I should ‘get some balls and go look at the noise by myself’.”

Sasha sheepishly opened the door to a very angry Captain, crying as you yelled and told her she wasn’t getting bread for a week. You’d almost felt bad if it weren’t for the fact that several spiders decided to crawl up your leg while you were trapped inside the miserable closest.

The next day, you were in an even worse mood because of the broom closet accident. So, the scouts went back to planning the reunion of their two grumpy captains.

The new plan consisted of getting the two of you within ten feet of each other, which proved difficult. Eren and Jean would both ask for combat training from the two of you and hoped that maybe being close to each other would spark a conversation between you two.

However, the plan backfired when seeing eachother made the two of you even angrier so you both fought the boys aggressively which resulted in Jean and Eren laying on their asses as the two of you stalked off in seperate directions.

You were quite grumpy at this point, snapping at the smallest things and taking things out on the wrong people. You knew it was wrong but you couldn’t help it; it felt like everyone was trying to piss you off.

By now, Hange had grown tired of you and Levi’s negative energy and the beat-up scouts. So finally, they decided to step in.

They found you in your office working on paperwork and quickly grabbed your hand, rudely dragging you away from your work.

“What the hell Hange!” You exclaimed, trying to turn back to your work but Hange had a suprisingly strong grip.

“Sorry! But I need to show you this thing I’ve been working on. It’s urgent!” They explained as they pulled you through the halls. They stopped in front of a random room, opening the door and shoving you in.

“Oi, four eyes, where is the ‘urgent thing’ you needed to show me?” You gasped as you realized Levi was in the room that Hange had just thrown you into.

Levi’s eyes widened when he noticed you in the room and he started shaking his head, “Don’t you dare Hange-.”

SLAM.

Hange locked the door, leaving the two of you sitting alone in your tension. The silence was heavy as you avoided eye contact, plotting the many ways you could get back at the scientist for this later. You were so caught up in your own thoughts you didn’t even realize Levi was staring at you till he spoke up.

“Do you ever plan to let us talk this out or are you just gonna be an angry brat for the rest of your life?” His tone was cold.

Your eyes snapped up to meet his grey ones, searching them for any emotion but you were met with nothing, his walls were up. “What is there to talk about? You made it clear how you feel.”

“How I feel?” He questioned.

“That I’m not strong enough for you. Maybe I’m not humanity’s strongest but I’m talented and that deserves to be recognized. I’m not gonna let you shit on my talent just because I hurt your ego. Which by the way, I don’t even know why you thought I was attacking your skills. I just want you to be safe and I don’t know why you can’t just- MHPM.” Your rant was cut off midway by the feeling of warm lips against yours.

You froze for a moment before returning the kiss, running your hands up into his hair and opening your mouth to deepen the kiss. Levi’s hands snaked around you waist, pulling you tight against his chest. This continued for a few more seconds before you pulled away, cheeks flushed and lips swollen.

Levi spoke up, “I know you’re a talented soldier, it’s something I really respect about you. I shouldn’t have phrased it the way I did, I just... I don’t want to lose you. So, I want you to be the best because then, my chances of loosing you are less.” You looked at him in shock.

His grey eyes showed love and ... fear. The fear of loosing you like he’d lost so many. Your chest tightened at the sight. Tears pricked in your eyes as you pulled him into another hug.

“You don’t have to worry about me, okay? I’m gonna fight with everything I got to make sure I come home to you. You just make sure you do the same, don’t go dying on me.” Your speech was slightly muffled by his shirt but he nodded nonetheless.

“Yay! The lovebirds finally made up! Good! I was worried you were gonna kill the scouts.” Hange laughed from the other side of the now opened door.

a/n: this ain’t the greatest but i wrote it at midnight so yk 😐👋

[depressedacadamia]

Dimples

Summary: Apparently Nico has dimples and Will did not know.

A/N: Heheheee, motherfuckers my exams are in a week and a half and I haven't revised shit. Instead, I'm writing these. Wish me luck, this might be the only fic I post for the next 2 weeks but if you're lucky, I might post pt 2 for 'How to passive aggressively say Fuck you in flower'. Toodle pip and <3 from mee!

Extra edit: I forgot it was solangelo week, woops. 

Read on A03

Nico Di Angelo was not known for smiling. He was not known for grinning or laughing. He was however, known for snarling, sarcastic, outdated remarks and terrifying people to the point where they’d rather face death itself than face him and his wrath.

So of course, Percy and every logical being would avoid him at all costs when he was in one of his ‘moods’. These so-called ‘moods’ referred to when Nico seemed particularly dangerous, like when his eyes had a dangerous glower to them that hinted he enjoyed threatening others a tad too much- in fact, so much so that Leo had suggested that Nico may be a sadist (That hadn’t gone well for Leo, to say the very least).

But of course, William Andrew Solace was in no way a logical being nor was he very fearful of Nico’s alternating and very much violent auras. Now, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing necessarily, in fact, it was the very thing that had started their relationship and while everybody thought Will was insensitive with his historical jokes he made towards Nico, Nico greatly appreciated being able to understand something from his time.

Will, on several occasions, related him to Captain America in Marvel's Avengers.

So when Nico, in his terrifying rage, stormed into the infirmary, Percy wasn’t sure what he was about to witness. Were these two having an argument? Nico looked like he was going to set the infirmary ablaze or perhaps bury it 6 feet under- it was truly the unpredictability that created the suspense and fear.

“Where are they?” Nico’s voice was calm, cold but sharp. His words felt like the gentle, smooth slant of a knife, apply pressure and you get cut. Nobody dared to answer. The infirmary’s silence seemed like one of lambs, too scared to speak out until another leader did. Whether they expected Nico to simply leave if no one answered, they certainly did not expect him to ask again.

“Where. Are. They?” He punctuated his words, his voice combined with a deadly hunger that could only be satisfied with death.

The room felt like a cave. The only words being echoed back were Nico’s own words, bouncing off the smooth walls of the infirmary. The corners seemed dark, the white presence of the infirmary slowly being poisoned. It seemed like fate sealed their hands- they were like lambs to the slaughter: helpless.

“WHERE ARE THEY!” Nico roared. This time, he did not wait for a response. He took a small glimpse at the camper in front of him, who was obviously avoiding his gaze, and the next thing the kid knew was that he was pinned to the wall with a metre of stygian iron under his neck. The kid hyperventilated and in a moment of sheer panic and pure fear, blurted,

“I don’t know where they are! “

Nico, holding the camper up with one hand, shoved him into the wall again. “ But you hurt them anyway?”

The camper was completely clueless but he wasn’t stupid. Simply denying whatever Nico was accusing him of would increase Nico’s rage and that could lead everyone down a very dark road.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt them! I swear...” He started to sob. “ I swear it was an accident!”

“You hurt them! That isn’t an accident. You will pay for your crimes. I swear I will-”

“-Dear god, Nico what the hell?” A voice of pure confusion entered the infirmary. Nico, on recognising the voice, felt his head snap backwards-trying to find the course of the voice. There on the other side of the infirmary, with his leg in a cast, stood Will solace, still as unfashionable as ever.

Nico almost teleported to Will, considering how fast he appeared by his side. “ Are you okay? It’s okay, I found out who did it and-”

“-Jesus, Stalin, calm down there.” Will looked at the terrified boy who was in tears. “This kid knows nothing. He wasn’t even there. Were you just putting on some show trials?”

Nico had to resist the twitch in his lips at the communism jokes. Ever since Will had found out that Nico’s weakness was communism jokes, he had been exploiting it, just like the working class were exploited, and using it to his own advantage.

“Wait, this kid wasn’t involved?” Nico looked at all the terrified people in the infirmary, still frozen to their spots, waiting for the go sign for them to continue with their lives.

Will waved his hand. “Go ahead, continue with your business. He will be on his best behaviour now that I’m here.”

“Uh, says who?”

“Says my broken leg.”

On the mention of a broken leg, Nico’s worry instantly returned. His hand reached out to touch Will’s face, in a gesture of affection before quickly snatching it away. Will reached for his hand, took it in his own and intertwined their fingers as in to say It’s okay, they support us. It’s okay, I love you and you love me. It’s okay, I’m not ashamed of being in love with you.

Nico appreciated the gesture and once again, fought the urge to give in to the overwhelming desire to smile at his perfect boyfriend.

“Are you okay? Can you show me your leg? What happened? Why can’t you heal it?” The words began flying out of Nico’s mouth, the concern on his face unhideable. His eyebrows were cutely creased together and he kept on placing his hands all over Will- it was driving him crazy.

“Calm down there, communist. This is my injury, not yours.” Will joked, trying to hide his blush- truth be told, he did not want to tell Nico the real reason behind how he broke his leg because it was honestly the most ridiculous reason one may ever hear in their entire life.

Nico let out a little snort of laughter after hearing another communist joke but was careful to keep it on the downlow. He noticed that Will was being quite indirect and avoiding his gaze: he knew that could only mean one thing.

“What did you do to break your leg?” Nico smirked wickedly, understanding that Will had, once again, been quite idiotic.

Will, gasping in mock offense but also quite embarrassed by how well his own boyfriend knew him, let out a bubble of nervous daughter. “ Hahaa, what do you mean? I broke my leg the same way everyone else does...”

“... which is?”

Due to the vast amount of broken legs he had healed, Will actually knew how to answer this question. “ Through sports.”

“Sports?” Nico snorted. “ You? Sports? Have you ever even run in your entire life? I swear the only thing you do is heal and read. Maybe sleep on the offhand you listen to me.”

“You can’t talk over there!”

“Just tell me how you broke your leg, for the love of the Gods!”

“I was having a competition with Percy for who could heal faster.”

“You were doing what?”

“A competition Nico, have you ever heard of one? Normally the losers forget they exist so I wouldn't be surprised that you had never heard of one-”

“No, I know what a competition is, you idiot. What I don't know is, why on earth you were having a regeneration competition with Percy of all the demigods you could have chosen, you chose the one with the ability to heal themselves as well?”

Will pouted slightly, his eyebrows making a small frown. “I would have thought you would be halfway through murdering Percy right about now.”

“If Percy managed to win, then honestly, you kinda deserved it.”

“I thought you liked me!”

“I thought my boyfriend wasn’t an idiot!”

“Technically I won because Percy was too baby-ish to break his own leg!”

Nico took a very long pause. Slowly, he began shaking his head, from side to side. The expression on his face was illegible but eventually it morphed into one of laughter. His laugh was rich and so was the expression on his face. His lips were curled upwards, his eyes were creasing, with long beautiful dimples on both sides of his face- as clear as the moon on a clear night.

The infirmary was silent. They simply stared at the beautiful angel who graced the place with their voice. They were horrified and in awe. Nico Di Angelo was capable of smiling! He was capable of laughing!

It was a fucking miracle.

“What did I tell you!” Percy yelled, throwing his arm over Annabeth who simply sighed. “I fucking told you! I knew he had dimples!”

Will, slightly stunned, simply took Nico’s face in both his hands. His crystal blue eyes were wide open and to Nico it looked like the ocean was inviting him to take a dive into int’s complex and unknown depths.

Into the unknooooowwwwwnnnnnn.

He cursed himself for that being his first thought. He then cursed Will for making him watch Frozen because it was apparently culturally inappropriate to not have seen it. Then he cursed himself again for cursing Will.

“Holy shit,” Will whispered as he stared into his boyfriends grinning face. “Holy fuck Nico, you never told me you had dimples.”

“Language.”

“Holy shit, holy fucking hell. You cannot smile at me like that Nicolo Di Angelo and expect me to keep my language appropriate. Have you ever seen yourself in a mirror?”

“Calm down,” Nico groaned, throwing his head backwards. He could feel his palms getting sweaty from Will’s words- what could he say, he was slightly embarrassed.

“Wait!” Will cried. “ Do it again. Smile again!”

Nico gave a sultry smirk and Will whacked his arm. “ I asked you to smile at me, not seduce me. Smile!”

“Who wouldn't be happy to be seduced by me?”

“Just smile, please!”

Nico sighed before looking at his gorgeous boyfriend. His eyes darted down at the cast around the leg and immediately Nico remembered the cause of injury. He started laughing, his lips stretching into a genuine smile and his dimples flashing all across his face. Will, still holding his boyfriend's face, couldn’t help himself as he brought their lips together.

Will was so used to feeling Nico’s smile when they kissed so when he brought their lips together, he didn't know what he was expecting. It felt different for some reason, it felt more.. It felt better, it felt like he was getting a new piece of Nico. Feeling Nico smile and seeing him smile were two different things and now that he could picture Nico’s smile as he kissed his smiling lips, Will thought he’d explode from happiness.

Will pulled away quickly, his hand still cemented to Nico’s grinning face. He had pulled away just so he could see Nico’s smile and more importantly his dimples again.

“What?” Nico’s innocent voice and grin combined confirmed for Will that if he died on that very spot, he would have died a happy man.

“Holy shit, you’re the cutest person ever.”

And with that, he brought their lips together again.

Neither of them noticed Thalia and Annabeth sulking as they paid up their debts to Percy from losing the bet.

[usafphantom2]

Why is it so difficult to replace the C-130 Hercules?

Fernando Valduga

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules, a tactical air transport aircraft, is a project from the 1950s. The first flight was made on August 23, 1954, but the plane only entered service in the American Air Force (USAF) two years later, more precisely on December 9, 1956, with a test order of two devices.

By 2015, 2,500 devices had already been produced. This robust and versatile aircraft already has nine different versions and is present in several armed branches of 68 countries, such as Portugal, Canada, Brazil, Norway, Greece, Poland, Sweden, France, among many others.

First prototype of the C-130 Hercules.

Between 1964 and 1992, Lockheed increased the Hercules family by producing the civil version, which is also able to fulfill several tasks similar to those of military models.

The civil version of the Hercules, the Lockheed L-100 "N1130E", in flight. Both stern motors are turned off and the propellers are flag-driven. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

In the 1970s, the attempt to find a successor to the veteran Hercules C-130 led the then competitors Boeing and McDonnell Douglas (now incorporated into Boeing itself) to design, respectively, the prototypes YC-14 and YC-15.

Boeing YC-14.

McDonnell Douglas YC-15.

The first, with an innovative design of a twin-engine aircraft with turbofan engines on the wings (reducing, this time, like the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack plane, the inconveniences of "ingestion", by its turbojets, of debris in rudimentary and unpaved runways), while the second, with classic design of a four-engine turbofan

The challenge of replacing the C-130, to Lockheed Martin's happiness, was not, however, successful. The USAF Tactical Air Command refused the projects for various reasons, but mainly because of the difficulty of a motor plane to perform the landing and takeoff missions on unprepared (or improvised) runways in the middle of the desert, jungle or any other inappropriate place.

In 1979, the unsuccessful attempt to rescue 66 U.S. hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Iran clearly showed the relative unfeasibility (or, at the very least, the disadvised) regarding the use of reaction-engine aircraft for the type of operation to which the C-130 was primarily intended.

The damage caused by the desert sand, - due to the need to make a "floating taxiing" of the RH-53 helicopters (flying a short distance at low speed and altitude) - ended up causing a USAF combat controller, trying to direct the maneuver from the front of the aircraft, to be hit by the desert sand thrown by the rotor, forcing it to move away

Although the accident was not directly caused by the ingestion of sand in the air intakes of the turbines of the engines of the Hercules themselves, the accident itself and the difficulties of the operations in the desert (at that time very little known to the U.S. military) ended up leading the mission to failure, advising the realization of numerous updates of this aviation icon, which allowed the success as the reasons for the failure of Operation Tabas, also hinder operations in that environment of constant "sand storms").

Still in an attempt to replace the revered Lockheed Martin (but also to nationalize an important air vector of military transport), Embraer developed the KC-390, an aircraft driven by two IAE V2500-E5 turbojets similar to the design of the C-14 twin engine, but with engine positioning equivalent to the design of the C-15 quad engine, which reaches the maximum

On the other hand, the only Hercules model in production, the C-130J Super Hercules comes equipped with four Rolls Royce AE 2100 D3 turbo-propeller engines, reaches up to 670 km/h, has a range of 3,300 km and transports up to 20 tons.

If we are going to make a quick and simple comparison, the Embraer plane comes out ahead in several aspects, it is faster; it carries more weight and has the larger cargo compartment. Still, the legendary Lockheed remains, for the time being, unsurpassed in terms of resistance and solidity. Able to perform different works such as air refueling, search and rescue, launch of paratroopers, cargo transport, fire fighting and help in humanitarian causes, the KC-390 is not yet such an obvious substitute for the protagonist Super Hercules.

It is true to state that for certain types of mission the use of the KC-390 (mixed load and tank version) will be more appropriate than its Hercules KC-130 equivalent; on the other hand, it will have limitations in relation to the greater robustness of turboprop engines for operations on rudimentary runways, despite the advanced development of peculiar systems, such as those employed

The newly launched Embraer, despite its greater speed and load capacity, will not, however, necessarily - to the manufacturer's relative misfortune -, be the future replacement for the immense (worldal) fleet of C-130 aircraft and will hardly achieve the reliability and durability of this aviation icon present in the four corners of the planet (and it is not even its ultimate goal).

We can conclude that, to a certain extent, these aircraft do not compete directly with each other, but in many respects complement each other, although for the Brazilian Air Force (in particular) it is an interesting and special substitute, especially for the issue of the complete nationalization of equipment and export marketing capacity.

Reis Friede - Professor Emeritus of the School of Command and Chief of the Army (ECEME), Honorary Professor of the School of Command and General Staff of Aeronautics (ECEMAR), Professor Emeritus of the School of Improvement of Army Officers (EsAO) and Special Lecturer of the School of War (ESG).

[shepherds-of-haven]

So I follow MANY interactive fiction blogs and I just have to say that you're my favorite by a long shot because I just love answers that you give in response to hypothetical scenarios and AU's for your characters. Like you actually put in effort and give well-thought out answers, so I thank you for that. As for AU's I have one of my own if you don't mind please. What would be the RO's for a murder mystery a la Cluedo? Bonus points that they can't leave the mansion for extra chaos. Thank you!

Ah, thank you so much for your kind words! 💖 I'm lucky to be a part of such a great community of talented creatives and kind, genuinely awesome people! Interacting with readers is such a pleasure, even if I do fall behind on messages and such I'm so sorry

I'm in North America, so I was genuinely like "what on Earth is Cluedo" gkljglfdjgd only because it's called Clue where I'm from! But I, uh, never played it, so I'm just going to go off of my knowledge from Knives Out 😂

SETTING: a Southern Gothic mansion in an undisclosed location, owned by a woman only referred to in jest as The Autarch by her adopted children. It is a stately manor, richly furnished and glittering with wealth, though imposing and dark-windowed during storms.

CONTEXT: a powerful and wealthy tycoon referred to only as "The Autarch" or "The Iron Lady" was once feared across the country for her ruthless business dealings and formidable empire. In her middle age, a mysterious experience and the sudden death of her husband caused her to have a change of heart, abruptly abandoning her empire to her only son and devoting her life to adopting six orphan children. However, stopping her business dealings did not completely change her personality: she was a hard, unforgiving woman, and her relationships to her children (now all grown) can be described as "strained" at best.

In her declining age, the lonely Autarch in her high mansion somehow came to befriend a psychic by the name of Mimir of the Silver Eye. Only the servants were witness to what was said between them, and even then, they never had the full story. The most that anyone knew was that the Autarch began to express more interest in resuming her business activities again, to the disconcertion of her only biological son, Enik, who had helmed the empire on his own for the last twenty years. Meanwhile, Mimir moved into the mansion to keep her older friend company, and to help advise her on matters both business and personal.

One stormy night, the Autarch calls all 7 of her children back home in order to discuss matters of great importance, including her decisions about her will. Some came eagerly, and others with great reluctance--there were arguments had that were years in coming, and there were private talks between siblings who hadn't interacted in years. But the matter that the Autarch was keen to discuss was postponed: the storm knocked out the power in the mansion, and all turned into bed, sleeping fitfully in rooms they'd abandoned decades earlier.

They never discovered why the Autarch had called them to their old haunting grounds, either, for in the morning, she was found with a knife buried in her heart.

CHARACTERS:

- Riel Syndran. A world-famous private detective and consultant famed across the world for his ability to solve any mystery, no matter how old or tangled. He is known for being comfortable with ruthlessly manipulating interrogation subjects and suspects in order to extract the truth and solve his case no matter what; this obsession and willingness to massage the rules--although he claims the truth is his only goal, above all other things--is what makes him unsuitable for conventional police work, but his results speak for themselves. He arrives on the mansion's doorstep mere minutes after the Autarch is found murdered and is claimed to have been hired by an anonymous party, casting suspicion on his timing and the pre-planned nature of the death. His signature move is being recognized by various people as "the detective who solved the Apple Killer case" (or some other famous case of his) and replying in irritable tones that it was actually "the Orange Killer case, but you were close". He abhors smoking and has doctorates in body language analysis and psychology, as well as a law degree, and is gifted with a photographic memory. He picks invisible lint off of his sleeves while he thinks.

- Blade Bronwyn. An FBI agent (think Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks) who has been in the town of Old Haven investigating a string of serial killings across the country. He hears about the murder of the Autarch from the local police and arrives at the manor a mere hour after they were alerted, keen to investigate the murder as part of his ongoing case. He plays the straight man to Riel's more eccentric detection methods, and is seen more as a serious, by-the-books rule-follower determined to get answers. The suspects in the manor find him to be emotionally-insensitive, blunt, and grim-faced. He has a better sense of smell and sight than Riel does, as well as more combat experience, and is the only person in the manor acknowledged to be carrying a weapon. He takes his coffee black and very strong.

- Enik Goldenson. The Autarch's only biological child and the oldest. He was granted full control of her holdings and business empire when she retired in order to focus on raising her new family. He has made his disdain of his adopted siblings very clear, not least because he resents having to share his future inheritance with them. He has historically been a bully and cruel towards his mother. Rumor had it that he was once studying to become a priest. He has avoided returning to the mansion ever since Trouble knocked his lights out at fourteen years of age. He was once briefly engaged to fellow heiress Lavinet Naveen, who eventually spurned him, finding him "repulsive." He has the most bad blood among anyone in the family and is considered one of the prime suspects in the Autarch's murder, as it was possible that she may planned to cut him out of the will. Blade places his suspect status as RED while Riel believes he is at an ORANGE: Enik may be far too clever to kill his own mother under such suspicious and bloody circumstances.

- Trouble Alder. The first of the Autarch's adopted children, he was once an urchin running a street-fighting racket on the streets of New Haven. He was nicknamed Trouble for his surly temper and quick ability to get into fights and settle things with his fists, necessitating being sent off to a military boarding school in an effort to curb his violent tendencies as a teenager. He is extremely protective of his other adopted siblings, and while he resented the Autarch in his youth, he has begrudgingly come to respect her more for taking him in as an adult. He now works as a decorated sniper in the military and is working to earn his pilot's wings. The revelation that he kept military weapons in his room casts suspicion on him as a murder suspect, though Riel quickly dismisses him as not being a good enough liar to get away with it.

- Tallys Ironwood. The second of the Autarch's adopted children, she made her hatred of the old woman very well known, and had an even poorer relationship with her than Enik did. Tallys's parents were victims in an accident caused by one of the Autarch's manufacturing plants, and she has always felt that her subsequent adoption was mere lip service to atonement for the Autarch, while she would have rather stayed with her more impoverished aunts and uncles. She ran away multiple times in her youth and has not spoken to the Autarch since she was 18. Her overt hatred and reluctance in coming back to the mansion casts suspicion on her as a murder suspect. She has a degree in plant science and works as an environmental activist, particularly targeting products and campaigns by Enik's company, creating unspeakable friction between them.

- Ayla Aescar. The third of the Autarch's adopted children, nothing is known about her biological parents. She was adopted from a neighboring country and has since returned to it as an adult, making an effort to reconnect with her origins and culture. Her relationship with "the old woman," as she calls her, was more neutral, though it comes out that the Autarch frequently bailed her out in secret whenever Ayla ran into trouble, such as trespassing on Jalis government grounds. Nominally, she works as a photographer for a travel magazine, but secretly, she is an investigative photojournalist looking into various covert practices by the Jalis government. This brings up a question of whether the Autarch's killing was political, and whether it was actually meant for Ayla.

- Chase Trinaeste. The fourth of the Autarch's adopted children, it's joked that he was intended to replace Trouble when he was sent off to boarding school due to having a more charming personality and sweeter face. However, he ended up being the most troublesome one of the bunch, having multiple run-ins with the law from a young age and displaying various tendencies towards larceny, grand theft auto, and more. He had no shame about stealing and pawning off valuables from the mansion and was a well-known skirt-chaser, leading to constant stress in their household about what he was getting up to when he snuck out of the house at night. At eighteen, he disappeared from the mansion, and no one has heard from him in the intervening years since. He completely ducks any questions from Riel or Blade about what he does for a living, leading most to conclude that he has gotten himself deeper entrenched in the criminal underworld. This has cast obvious suspicion on him and his involvement in the murder, as he was known to steal from the Autarch herself. He seems to feel some measure of loyalty and possibly remorse towards his adopted siblings, but hides it well under a polished veneer of charm and casual swagger.

- Briony Stormbreaker. The fifth of the Autarch's adopted children In a dramatic fashion, she was discovered as a young child swept away in a huge flood caused by a storm, with no ability to communicate (or seemingly remember) anything about where she could have lived or who her family was. She was subsequently adopted by the Autarch and is one of the few who had a fairly good relationship with her, always expressing gratitude for giving her a home and family (though this brought her into conflict with siblings like Tallys, as she usually tried to defend the Autarch when she wasn't there to speak for herself). She was the sibling who always tried to unite the others, and their constant arguments and conflicts constantly broke her heart. She was an easily-upset child who tended to be babied by Trouble and Chase, but after constantly bullying from Croelle and Enik, she toughened up and began taking martial arts classes, abruptly displaying her own ferocious temper and violent streak as well as unusually powerful physical strength. She currently works as a passionate public prosecutor. She was heard conversing with the Autarch privately with raised voices, on the night of the murder, and is known to sleepwalk during violent storms. She even had a phase with an imaginary, sword-shaped friend as a child, as well as repeatedly claimed that she's seen ghosts in the manor. This perceived paranoia has led some to wonder whether she could have harmed the Autarch in her sleep. As Riel says, "It's always the nice ones." Blade: "Not in my experience." Riel: "Not in mine, either, but in some continuity, it must be true."

- Croelle. The last of the Autarch's adopted children. He was by far the most anti-social and troubled part of the family, refusing to speak to those he deemed beneath him and breaking Trouble's arm in a disturbing display of dominance as youths. Unlike Enik, his cruelty is more ruthless and matter-of-fact, the way an animal might treat another animal, rather than pointed and manipulative. Regardless, he was a terror to all of the other siblings, and he was eventually thrown in juvenile detention (and later prison) for killing members of a gang, seemingly in self-defense. However, he never cared to divulge the full details of the story, and has been serving his sentence ever since. No one besides the Autarch knew that he was coming until they arrived at the manor. Croelle claims that he and the Autarch had been exchanging letters for the last few years, and that he has begrudgingly allowed her back into his life, which was why she decided to invite him to this gathering upon his release from prison. However, there is currently no evidence that any such letters exist. As an adult, he is currently quieter and more mellow and has shown no particular proclivity towards violence, but there is always a sense of danger lurking in his eye regardless. His social skills have not improved by much. He is considered one of the absolute top suspects for the old woman's murder. His feelings on his adopted siblings or really anything are extremely unknown. He keeps asking everyone about free will, which annoys everyone except Riel.

- Shery Acquell. A longtime maid for the Autarch and one of her closest friends and confidantes. She alone has been caring for the Autarch in her declining health, ensuring that she has been receiving the proper medical care and dietary attentions, and even reading her books in the evenings. Their closeness has led some to speculate that the Autarch may have bequeathed a part of her inheritance to the maid, or that perhaps Shery was motivated to ingratiate herself to the Autarch to attain said inheritance. She was the last person to see the Autarch before her death, knows something about what transpired between her and Mimir, and ultimately reluctantly admits that she believes in the ghosts that Briony has seen, too.

- Halek Prince. The manor's live-in chef. He is one of the few non-family members staying in the mansion the night of the murder, and suspicion is cast on him when his cooking seemingly gives Ayla, Briony, and Red an allergy attack, leading some to posit attempts at poisoning. Mimir claims to have seen him in places where he shouldn't be or even couldn't be, and he is generally someone viewed as a good suspect for the murder. Riel thinks something else is going on here.

- Red Antiqua. Ayla's journalist partner who accompanied her to the mansion, partly to serve as a buffer for the family awkwardness and partly because he was curious to learn more about the reclusive Autarch. Nominally, he is a travel writer, but secretly, he is working as the same kind of investigative journalist that she is. His secret photographs of the manor prove to be a key piece of evidence in uncovering the murder suspect. He is forced to be confined to the manor, the same as everyone else, to prevent information leaks or runaways. He uncovers a secret doorway in his room and is too curious not to duck into it...

- Caine Tavadon. The son of the manor's groundskeeper, he is often seen with his dog, peeping into the windows of the manor because he's incorrigibly nosy. His witness statements lead Blade and Riel to key footprints on the grounds. He claims to have seen a strange figure staring down at him from the windows of the mansion before.

- Prihine Naveen. Enik's current fiancee, she accompanied him on this odious visit to his mother's manor and is a witness in the proceedings. Although they can barely tolerate each other, their shared ambitions for wealth and power keep them together as a polite though distant couple. A file in the Autarch's study reveals that she has been watching Prihine for some time and discovered that she was having a secret affair. The file indicates that she planned to tell Enik face-to-face, leading others to speculate that Prihine may have murdered the old woman in order to preserve her engagement. Enik remarks that there was a period of time where Prihine was not in bed.

- Lavinet Naveen. Prihine's older cousin, and Enik's ex-fiancee. They've technically known each other since they were children and were schoolmates at the same prestigious institution. The Autarch and Lavinet's father initially had designs to marry the two to forge a powerful alliance between their business empires. However, Lavinet quickly backed out of the engagement, finally admitting that she couldn't stand Enik and would never marry him. Although this has generally caused relations between the two families to become frosty, she has strangely remained on good terms with the Autarch herself, who always admired Lavinet's chutzpah and steely will. (This was just another reason for Enik to hate his own mother.) Lavinet was free to come and go to the manor as she pleased, and dropped in on the Autarch once every few months, as her family's manor is nearby. She only recently discovered that her own cousin, Prihine, is now engaged to her ex, and rushed over on the night of the murder in order to dissuade Prihine from the marriage or convince the Autarch to put a stop to it. This led to a four-way argument (between Lavinet, Prihine, Enik, and his mother) of epic proportions, meaning that Lavinet is not clear on suspicions of murder, either.

- Mimir. The psychic who somehow came into contact with the Autarch and began to convert her to the ways of the supernatural. She has been the Autarch's closest friend and confidant for months, even going so far as to move into the mansion. Many point out the obvious designs on the Autarch's inheritance and possible sinister intentions for taking advantage of the older woman, especially since no one but Shery knows what Mimir has actually advised the Autarch to do. However, Riel points out that there has been no traceable financial irregularities when it comes to Mimir; the Autarch doesn't seem to have paid her for her services, only providing Mimir with food and a roof over her head. The psychic speaks in extremely cryptic tones and lapses into trance-like states. Riel in particular scorns her for her supposedly psychic abilities, insisting that she is a fraud, until she comments on aspects of his past that no one could possibly know, shaking him. She is a prime suspect for the murder until it's discovered that Mimir insists on being locked into a windowless room, only being released by Shery in the morning, to protect herself from the ghosts that haunt the grounds...

[mrpenguinpants]

Mona HCs: Self-worth

[For the Christmas Celebration Requests, please read this]

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Hey anon! I’m so sorry this is late. I hope you’re doing okay anon, wherever you are. But I’m happy to hear you like my work 💕💕 I don’t mind talking/writing about sensitive topics if it can help people, even if the comfort is coming through words it’s still comfort, but I’m never too busy to skip over a request. Just might be a bit slow haha. I’m glad you enjoy reading them and sending me an ask! Thanks for telling me I’m doing great cause damn I need that right now.

If any of you are struggling right now, even if you’re in a slump, I’m always free to talk. Sometimes it’s easier to vent to a stranger and know that you aren’t alone. We’re in this together.

I’m kinda scared to post this but that’s alright;; This was way longer than I thought it would be so I’m gonna split Barbara and Mona into separate hcs.

But, depending on the feedback (if there is any lol) I might skip Barbara. I swear I was going to make this happy but then I shot myself in the kneecap.

[taglist]  <- if you want to be added, please read this first.

@hanniejji​​​  @mikeysbike​​​ @unionwitch​​ @musekala​​ @twistedsunnshiii​​ @stanzastic​​ @akaasea​​ @xoneaboveallx​​ @adoring-ghost​​ @asheseiler​​ @childelover​

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Mona HCs: Self-worth

Mona Megistus was an astrologist of great skill and equally-great pride. She was both beautiful and confident and never used her astrology for profit. You were so proud of her and grateful that she was your partner. But maybe being with someone so great was when you started feeling off. You started comparing yourself to Mona and everyone else around you, seeing and thinking that everyone was doing something worthwhile. Sucrose and Albedo were great alchemists. Jean, Kaeya, and Lisa were part of the Knights of Favonius. What were you doing? Even though you felt guilt for feeling these ugly emotions towards your friends, you couldn’t stop them. You loved Mona, nothing would change that. So instead, you started hating yourself. 

You had met the astrologist when she was moraless and starving outside the walls of the City of Freedom. You knew that she had a temporary home towards the corner of Mondstadt so why was she outside the walls? It turns out that she spent all her mora on astrological devices and forgot that she was human and needed to eat and had collapsed before making it home. Out of the kindness of your heart and frankly, leaving someone to die right outside the gates of the City of Freedom would be awful, so you helped carry her back to your home and made sure she was alright. Since then Mona had attempted to return the favour but you always declined. You didn’t want to know about your fate but if she wanted to hang out as friends, you would be inclined to. It started to elevate from there and now you’re both partners. Since then you found yourself in Mona’s temporary lab and house more often than your own home. 

Being that you spent so much time with Mona, you’ve had to deal with a fair share of clients storming out the door because of Mona’s bluntness when reciting their fates. To be fair, she was blunt towards you too. In the beginning you didn’t mind, you actually enjoyed the honesty, but now you couldn’t help but second guess yourself. Trying to reason with yourself that if Mona didn’t like you, she would say it. If you weren’t good enough, she would tell you. Well, due to her astrology she took one glance at you the next time you walked in and knew all your deepest insecurity's.

“Your life is not at a standstill, it’s not hopeless. There is nothing to be sad about.” 

That made you take a step back. Slowly registering the words and repeating them over and over in your head. You knew that she was just telling you what you needed to hear. That this is what you needed and wanted to hear. That she wasn’t trying to be mean and that she was right. You wanted to live a happy life with her and if you felt useless then you should work on it. Staying holed up in your room wasn’t going to help you. You knew all of this and yet, you could feel yourself slowly breakdown.

“Breathe in. Breathe out. You’re going to be okay. It’s going to be okay.”

Mona had her experiences of clients crying and getting angry at her predictions but when she saw you slowly breakdown. To see your eyes start to burn and get heavy, like the rim of a glass being pushed down and down. To see you slowly crumble from the inside out as you tried to hold your tears and sniffles in. She didn’t need the stars to tell her that she said the wrong thing. She was told to never offer advice, just to read what fate said when asked. 

“I want to be happy. But I just can’t. I want to enjoy these little moments. I want to enjoy seeing my friends. I want to do so many things and make so many happy memories with you. I know all of these things and I’m trying my hardest to think like that but I just can’t. I can’t. Am I just not trying hard enough? Am I enough to you? Am I worth enough to be okay?”

She called out to you but you already turned away and ran out the door. You didn’t see each other for a few days because you couldn’t help but second guess what you said. Were you overthinking it? Mona didn’t say anything hurtful so why were you so upset? You didn’t want to face her so you curled into yourself further and let yourself get swallowed whole in despair.

When a week had passed, Mona made her specialty dish “Der Weisheit Letzter Schluss (Life)” and awkwardly shuffled outside your door. She wanted to give you time to yourself but after talking with Albedo and Klee plus your absent presence from her, she felt lonely and was starting to reflect on her words. It was a insensitive to take your happiness for granted and while she usually didn’t complain about upset clients being told future’s they didn’t want to hear. You were important to her. You were worth enough to be told things were going to be okay and much more. 

As much confidence that Mona had in herself and her skills, she couldn’t manage money. She was always living on poverty line. She almost died if you didn’t find her and extended your help. She was so lonely and you were the first person that she considered a friend. More than a friend and more than a partner. You meant so much to her and she couldn’t realize that this is what you needed to hear instead. 

She softly knocked on the door to see if you were home but the door gave away. You hadn’t bothered to even lock the door. At least you were in Mondstadt so she could rely that no one had broken in. She softly opens the door and places the dish on the table and searches your little home trying to find you.

You’re on your bed, asleep even when it’s noon. She didn’t want to wake you up but she didn’t want to leave yet. Not until you were okay. She felt so much guilt and only now found the courage to come see you. She was disappointed in herself that she basically abandoned you in your time of need, what kind of partner was she? She bit her lip hard enough for it to bleed as she carefully lied down next to you and wrapping her arms around you. Even if you hate her or you don’t want to see her, she doesn’t want you to think that you’re worthless or she doesn’t care. You mean so much to her and you spent all this time not knowing.

You don’t need to be the best, even if you think that what you’re doing isn’t good, it was and she was proud of you. No matter how long it takes for you to feel okay, to feel happy, she’ll stay by your side the same way you did.

“It’s okay. It’s okay to feel like you’re not good enough. Don’t feel guilty for being stressed or sad. Things will get better. Fate has not abandoned you and neither will I.”

She had regressed to her apprenticeship, thinking that astrology could explain the laws that governed the existence of all things. That human hearts were guided by these laws, and if one had great enough powers of calculation, all the mysteries of the world could be understood. She remembered when she was starving, you had shared half your food with her. In your small but warm kitchen as you offered her your own hard work just to make sure she, a stranger, had something to eat. 

"Out here, we've gotta have each other's backs."

That was the first time she truly questioned her thoughts under the stars, she marveled that her research had been so full of holes. Mona cries silently beside you, even with all her training and how she boasts about the power of astrology, she can’t help you. No matter how many hydro graphs she makes or tells you that the stars show a glimmer of hope. That won’t help you. So she holds you and hopes that you can feel all her emotions and love. 

While you’re asleep she tells you about when she first started astrology, she accidently scaled herself. The burns are still on her as a reminder that she makes mistakes. How she was moraless for years after leaving her Master’s teachings but somehow found a job in the Court of Fontaine’s mainline newspaper. All on pure chance. She tells you how appreciative she is that you visit her everyday, to make sure she has a meal, and that she remembers to write her column for the newspaper. That she’s grateful to have met you and have you stay by her side. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. It’s okay. It will be okay. You’re enough. You’re perfect. Everyone may seem to be exceeding but it doesn’t mean you’re slow, that you’re not worth it. You are at your own pace, working through your own steps. You’re not alone. I’m here. You’ll be okay.”  

[hiiro-writes]

zhongluc single dad au part 5 finale!

hiro here to bring y'all the last part of the single dad au series: a cup of you

as promised, here is the finale with a happy ending, and i hope you enjoy!

《♡》

a week passed yet it seemed like forever

the day after diluc told the principle that bennett wouldn't be able to go to school due to his injury, several of his friends and classmates came to visit him

since diluc was busy with accompanying his son in the hospital, jean, lisa, eula, and kaeya had to cover his shifts

for the first few days, zhongli tried to call him but diluc only ignored him since there was only so many things he could take right now

as much as bennett wanted to reassure he was fine he...really wasn't

the fall caused a fracture and he needed surgery (and the aftermath of the screws is...not pleasant) and so diluc was there 24/7 to take care of him and administer the painkillers

it wasn't until another week where bennett would be discharged from the hospital

when diluc expected the cafe to be closed at this hour (it was around 10pm too) he and bennett were greeted with confetti

apparently kaeya, jean, lisa, and eula wanted to welcome them back and congratulate bennett on being discharged from the hospital

kaeya also takes this opportunity to talk to diluc for a bit and tell him to relax and take it easy now that bennett is out of the hospital

he also tells him that if ever he needed some time off for his son they can take over his shifts if he gives additional pay

then diluc proceeds to smack kaeya on the head

on the other hand zhongli meets up with his good friend, venti for drinks

"good friend" when he doesn't get drunk all the time or pry into zhongli's love life so much and makes jokes about making them into songs

right now though he just wanted drinks with the company of friends 

when zhongli arrived to the bar, venti was already drinking all by himself (with around 2 or 3 glasses already) 

he is already disappointed in his friend

there was a bit of bickering on both ends at first until zhongli orders osmanthus wine and venti comments that he only drinks it when he’s bummed out

the “good friend” part of venti asked zhongli if he was still taking antidepressants the last time they saw each other

he still does but not as much as they used to these days but he feels the need to take them regularly again

as much as venti wants to asks he just drops the topic and talks about work instead

venti is a freelance songwriter for anything and everything due to his so called “musical genius”

they talk and drink for the rest of the night but venti starts to realise that zhongli is drinking a lot more than he’s used to

venti takes this opportunity to ask his dear friend a few...questions

when he asks about the person he likes nowadays, zhongli smiles and tells venti all the things he likes about him

just before he gets into too much detail, venti asks him another question

he asks if he’s happy to which zhongli looks troubled 

zhongli mentions that yes, he is happy but lately they haven’t been talking and he blames himself for it

he then becomes dejected over it and venti feels guilty for asking 

it was a good thing zhongli’s phone was out (and that venti knew the password) because it was time for them to go and he couldn’t exactly drive all the way back to zhongli’s place when venti uses a scooter

venti decides to call childe since the last message from his was saying that he made calla lily seafood soup for the kids at home

childe was surprised to hear venti’s sober voice since he’s usually the that’s drunk and needs to be escorted home

he arrives on time to see venti taking care of a passed out zhongli and take him home

he asked what happened and venti’s only explanation was that he drank too much 

as much as childe wanted to ask more it was already getting late and the bar was closing soon

on the ride home, zhongli mumbled something that childe was able to hear so clearly 

“i miss him”

there was no need to guess who it was based on how so fondly zhongli said it

this was the last straw, childe told himself, and decided to pay a small visit to angel’s share cafe the next morning 

diluc was taking a break after his shift while kaeya stayed by the cashier when childe stormed in and demanded diluc for an explanation for not talking to zhongli for nearly nearly three weeks now

all diluc could tell him was sorry since he’s still trying to process his emotions first about it

kaeya leaves his place by the cashier and stops childe before he could do anything rash

childe begins to tell kaeya that “this wasn’t supposed to happen” and “the plan was perfect” 

diluc catches on and asks what plan they were talking about to which childe covered his mouth and made kaeya sigh

he turned to face his brother and said that he will explain all about it someday 

it only took diluc a few moments to understand the whole situation and confirm with his brother if he and childe set him up with zhongli 

since the cat’s out of the bag, kaeya mentions everyone who was in on it which makes diluc even more frustrated

kaeya tries to apologies but diluc replies with “don’t talk to me” and leaves the cafe

diluc was on his way to guyun stone park and realised half-way that it will only dampen his mood even more

when he’s about to turn back he bumps into someone who spills their drink on both of them

“what a mess...i’ll remember this.” 

diluc realises that he bumped into eula and apologises immediately and offers her his handkerchief only to be turned down 

she said it was fine since it’s only cold water and will dry soon eventually 

eula noticed that something was wrong and asked if he wanted to talk about it since it’s troubling him so much

they then sit on a nearby bench just outside guyun stone park where diluc talks about what’s troubling him but only giving her vague details about it 

he admits that he’s upset since they all planned for this to happen and thinks that it’s some kind of sick joke, as if poking fun at his romantic life

eula can’t say much since she’s an outsider in all of this but suggests that he should talk to zhongli about what happened since she sympathizes with him

when diluc gives her a puzzled look she replies with “i know the feeling of being misunderstood and it isn’t a pleasant one” 

he didn’t have the right to ask her a personal question so they both just leave it at that 

diluc gives it some thought for a few days before calling zhongli again but this time, he’s the one ignoring his calls

it had nearly been a month and they still haven’t talked to each other and it kind of feels like their relationship ended before it even began 

when he was thinking of giving up after calling for the umpteenth time, a small fox, no...rabbit? was placed on the counter 

he looks up to see albedo carrying his little sister klee and mentions that she’s been meaning to give that to him since he looks sad lately and wanted to cheer him up to thank him for all the delicious treats he serves 

this reminds diluc of the gift he got for zhongli on the day he was gonna confess

he hurriedly thanks albedo and asks jean if she could take over since he needed to go somewhere important 

with the gift in hand, he bought a bouquet of glaze lilies on the way and made his way to zhongli’s apartment 

when he arrived he was greeted by xiao at the door who only closed it as soon as he saw him 

diluc tried knocking again and again until zhongli was the one who opened the door and was very much surprised to see him and realise why xiao kept the door closed 

“zhongli...”

he stopped the door before zhongli was able to fully close it and requested if they could talk for a bit

it took him a few moments to decide yet it felt like forever. in the end zhongli nods and they go down the small garden where there were barely any people

diluc decides to give the flowers first as an apology for ignoring him the past few weeks since a lot of things...happened 

before he could continue zhongli asked how bennett was as if to change the subject and diluc mentioned that his son was fine 

going back, he starts explaining what he saw that day and was really confused about it and thought that zhongli already had someone else and then the accident happened with bennett so he had to prioritize his son of course 

he also mentions that he should have asked in the beginning and told him what happened instead of rushing out of the park and leaving him to wait for hours

zhongli explained that the man he saw the other day was a dear friend of his and they used to be close 

diluc is now dumbfounded after hearing who the man was and feels stupid for being jealous about it 

when zhongli wonders why diluc didn’t ask in the first place, the other explained since he felt hurt 

“but why?” 

“because i like you”

then they both stand there in silence because...finally 

diluc confesses that that’s what he’s been meaning to tell zhongli, who cuts him short and kisses him

it was just a short, chaste kiss before he pulled away until diluc brought their lips together again with such need

when they part again, zhongli smiles and tells diluc that he likes him too, but he probably already knew that

they both laugh and zhongli comments that the flowers were lovely 

diluc then shows him a box and mentions that we he was also supposed to gift this too him that day 

when zhongli opens it, he sees a pocket watch with a mountain and dragon designs on it 

“you told me you liked antiques and so i bought it because it reminded me of you” 

this time, zhongli pulls him in for a hug and thanks him. he also apologises for ignoring his calls and messages but diluc only reassures him by saying that he deserved it 

timeskip to a year later and their relationship has been going well

they still continue to have their weekly dates together (bi weekly if they're considering the ones that they're not with the kids)

on just a few simple occasions, they would all go out together as if they were already a real family

ganyu asks them when they'll get married so she can stop calling diluc "diluc" and start calling him dad

they both blush and diluc explains that it's not their time yet since someone else is getting married

zhongli was at his usually table at the cafe when kaeya happily serves him his drink and gives him his wedding invitation, saying that he wanted to give it before childe managed to do so

he’s surprised that they still managed to print the invitation a few weeks away from the actual wedding 

childe and kaeya have been planning for months and yet somehow they forgot to formally invite everyone to the event itself, which was understandable since they were both still busy at work 

zhongli was going to be one of childe’s groomsmen while diluc was going to be kaeya’s best man

the ceremony went well and everyone was happy for the new couple 

diluc did the honours of saying a speech during the reception to the newly weds and congratulate them both on this new chapter of their lives 

when it came to the dancing part of the program, diluc invited zhongli to dance with him and said that he could only slow dance to which zhongli laughs but takes his hand 

they both watch childe and kaeya happily dance together (with a few missteps here and there but diluc is also the same) and pondered how their wedding would be like 

zhongli adds that he would rather have it at a garden instead and maybe just invite a few friends

diluc agrees and wonders how they’ll be able to share the apartment since diluc’s place was enough for him, bennett, and kaeya, while zhongli’s was the same

zhongli suggested to just buy a house instead and discussed the importance of each of their kids to have their own separate rooms since it “teaches about independence” 

they both also comment on having a nice kitchen, space in the living room in case a few guests were over, a table big enough to fit around 6 people since ganyu invites keqing a lot for dinner 

which reminds diluc, and asks if xiao and aether were together yet to which zhongli chuckles

“there’s no need to rush,” he smiles, “they’ll figure it out.” 

“like us?” diluc adds and gives him a kiss 

zhongli nods and smiles even more, pulling them closer to kiss his lover back

《♡》

and that's a wrap!

this all started with a coop with my friend and it all just...descended into this madness

special thanks to @valberryy and @chairagi for listening to my brainrot and helping me beta read this!

thank you for reading this series and i hope you guys enjoyed it as much as i did!!

there will still be a fanfic version of this that i'm gonna post on ao3 soon! and i'll post the link to that fic here as well

thank you again!

be sure to check out the previous parts here:

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

[sparksintheashes]

melody in static; chapter 12

previous . index . next

what u should know;

@tiesthatbind-tf verse, quintesson-era [1930s]

cw; Some anxiety, and also time shenanigans. PSA that I'm taking next week off due to personal reasons. Posting will resume 10/24, and should wrap up that week!

—------------------------

When he had first moved through Rhisling, it had been at the beckoning of Inquirata, the Quintesson responsible for his modifications and the entire set of experiments surrounding the artifact. And it had only been once Inquirata was satisfied that he would come to no harm, for what was the purpose in wasting all the effort invested in its subjects? And then, later - when he had entered Rhisling, it had been a complete accident. A moment of panic as Inquirata had shifted into wanting to tear him apart for ruining those experiments, for causing who knew how much chaos, and Victor had desperately reached out to try not only to save himself, but those connected to him...

He hadn't entered the space since, at least, not like this. And not only in the least because Inquirata itself had been pulled into it as well (though, thankfully, he saw no sign of the Quintesson) - it was a place of paradox. Here, his inherent awareness of the pulse of the world, its very heartbeat as it moved through space and time, was as nothing - he had no idea which way was north or south or east or west or even up or down, much less how much time was passing.

It could have been hours, he realized as he stared into the abyss, but if this worked - if this had a chance of working - it would be worth it, wouldn't it? Victor swallowed around the lump in his throat, trying to reach out again, to force a focus on the time he had in mind-

-and Rhisling obliged. Except it obliged too much.

Once, Victor had thought of timespace as a river or stream, of trickling tributaries that could be connected to allow travel. But now- that sensation was magnified to a maddening extreme. He was at a center from which everything split, forwards and backwards, and he reeled from the sudden hyperawareness as he realized that his prior lack thereof hadn't been a lack of ability - it had been a safeguard in itself, and he frantically clutched his head as he tried to force it to re-engage through will alone.

It did not.

He stared into nothing with eyes that blazed red, except it wasn't nothing - it was an ocean, through which he was being subsumed, drowning, being-

No. No. No.

He wouldn't let this overwhelm him, not when there was so much to do. He shut his eyes tight - for all the good it did - and forced himself to breathe, to find some sort of center. To think not of what, necessarily, he was doing - but for a moment to remember why. 

Trust in me, he had begged Scarlett. Well, if there was ever a time to give her a reason to, this was why. And just thinking of her calmed him down, the way that she had still clung to him. The promise they had made to speak of so many things...and if he couldn't do even this, well. They'd never have the chance, would they?

So he took in a deep breath, then another - and then let go. He stopped fighting against the overwhelming multitude of awareness, and let it sweep over him like a storm. Again, it threatened to consume him, but determination mixed with desperation gave him an anchor to at least gaze through the storm.

And what a storm it was.

That which he had first parsed as light or dark, even while recognizing they weren't exactly colors - he was seeing glimpses, now, he realized. Heartbeats of heartbeats of moments that were slipping by as soon as they so much as touched his vision, too fast for him to parse but was this - was this what it was to look into time, as well as space? He halfheartedly reached out for one, but already, it was gone - and as he pulled his hand back, he made a face at himself. 

Focus, Victor. 

If this all started with Soner...then, logically, the first step would be to halt Soner in his tracks. Perhaps he could stop them from meeting, at all...?

As if reacting to his thoughts, there was a gold shimmer through the storm wall, and Victor could see the Meteora through it. Instinctively he moved forwards, to step through the spacebridge, except- his heart leapt into his throat as he caught sight of three figures speaking together in its garden, and he shrunk back before he could be spotted. With good reason, for the fractal energies about the spacebridge seemed...tangled, almost, and he felt a sense of uncertain dread.

Were there rules to this, he wondered? Reasons that Rhisling had safeguards? What if he met himself, what if something happened afterwards? There were so many things that could go wrong...

...but perhaps there was another way to accomplish this. He thought of Titanomachia once more, but this time, within its hallways - to where he had first met Logos. But as the gold began to manifest, he focused harder, remembering when he had left - when he, Soner, and Pravda had traveled down the lift. Surely, if he could manage that, then it would cause no tangles- he hadn't even been so much in contact with them after leaving, and yes, there was the archive, he stepped through and took a deep breath as the spacebridge closed behind him.

And it was at that moment he noticed his hands were trembling. He looked down with only mild surprise, brow furrowing as he flexed his fingers and noticed how pale his hands were. Nerves, or some side effect of whatever Soner had drugged him with...?

"Ne- burada ne yapıyorsun?"

His blood froze at the sound of Soner's accent, and he whirled around, instinctively reaching for Rhisling and hoping it would defend him once more - but the man who was standing in the hall behind him was not Soner, and his gold eyes shone bright in surprise at the energies coalescing about Victor's hand. With a sigh of relief, Victor let them dissipate, trying not to collapse from the sheer weakness that followed. 

The man took another look at his hand, then back at Victor, brow furrowing in confusion. After another moment, Victor recognized him as one of Titanomachia's guards - a slightly older man with a mustache of his own, fez-wearing as well, but clearly unrelated to the one who had manipulated Victor so. And belatedly, he realized the man was probably expecting a response. Did he even speak English-? Victor swallowed, going for the first thing he thought of-

"Logos. Please- Lida. Logos. I need to speak with her, immediately." 

The name, at least, brought recognition - and though visibly suspicious, the man whistled for another, gesturing for Victor to wait in place as another guard arrived and traded a few words. Victor gladly leaned against the wall, slowly sinking into a sit as he buried his face in his hands and simply breathed until a familiar voice caught his ears-

"Victor?"

It was Hektor - and behind him, with another guard, Lida. Both seemed more than a little perplexed, but as Victor rose to his feet, he held up a hand to forestall any comment. "I know, I just left- I think?" At the bemused nod from Hektor, he took a deep breath, for now, now was the real test of ability- convincing them that he wasn't, indeed, mad. 

Before he could get too in-depth in his explanation, however, Lida had him brought to the same room where he had first opened the spacebridge to bring the others through. She also had some kind of hot drink brought to him - and she, Hektor, as well as the two guards listened as he spoke.

Soner is a Quintesson spy. Everything he knows about you, he has shared with them. Every operation you have in progress is in danger.

And in what was perhaps the biggest surprise of all - Lida had simply nodded once the news had been translated, made a series of hand gestures, and the guards had dispersed. Victor closed his eyes, not daring to doubt his good fortune and only holding the drink in hands that had barely steadied - up until the sound of her clearing her throat caught his attention, and she slid the tablet towards him.

I am sorry we did not realize before. I would not have sent him with you if I did.

I know. But I'm surprised you believe me so easily. 

And at that? Lida simply smiled, taking her time to scribe a new message before sliding it back to him. I told you that you remind me of someone from before the war. But you also remind me of someone from the war.

At first, Victor didn't understand. Then, like a bolt of lightning, the implications hit him, and his eyes widened as he looked up at her, then back at the message, then slowly pointed at himself. Had she...?

Lida's smile softened, but she did not nod or shake her head. Instead, she merely gave him one more message.

Take your time to rest. But remember that you have more work to do.

—-------------

His next stop was a bit 'later' - relatively speaking. For, if he remembered correctly, it had been some time before he had first tasted Soner's drug - but it was better to be safer than sorry. But he was sorry for another reason as he stepped back into what were 'his' quarters and was immediately greeted by a shout of surprise.

"Victor! You said you'd keep in touch, and it's been days!"

Victor winced at Sadie's scolding, her voice a sharp reminder of that which he'd left to atrophy during his travels!...but he recovered as quickly as he could, offering a wan smile at the young girl pressing her fists firmly on her hips. "I'm sorry," he said, meaning every ounce of the words, "there's...been a lot that's happened, my dear. But I need to speak with Primus and Magnes, urgently - have you seen either of them?"

She tossed her hair, opening her mouth to say something before shutting it and giving him another measuring look. Perhaps something in his demeanor forestalled any of her normal attitude, or perhaps there was something else - either way, Sadie nodded, beckoning him to follow. "Monsieur Aillard and Primus were talking with the doctors, and I can go find Mister Trentin?"

"Please." Relieved that she, too, wasn't pushing him for the moment, he followed her into the tunnels. They had been widened, all the material they'd excavated months ago (or far more recently? A headache was starting to form) giving way to paths wide enough to transport supplies - and serve as choke points at certain locations. Victor caught sight of more than one bunker-like hole where a sniper or other soldier could easily be stationed to hold off an attack, but in his heart, wondered if that would be enough for another full-scale Quintesson assault - if nothing else, it would surely need them to evacuate again, and he wanted to avoid that if at all possible. 

Indeed, just the thought caused him a new sense of dread in his gut, and he flexed his fingers to keep them from trembling once more.

So when they arrived at the infirmary, and Sadie led him to the familiar forms of his friends, he wasted no time; "There's an emergency. We need Magnes as well." A glance towards Sadie, and she nodded before quickly skittering off, no doubt to find him - which was for the best, for it gave him a moment alone with the other two.

Aillard was looking concerned, and Primus- Primus, of all reactions, merely nodded. "Then now is the time?"

Both Aillard and Victor looked towards them, Aillard managing a questioning sound as Victor just...stared, before groaning softly. "Don't tell me," he said with a heavy sigh, reaching up to rub the bridge of his nose, "I've told you some of it already, haven't I?"

"Not from your perspective." Was Primus smiling? They were serious nonetheless, moving off to the side with Aillard trailing after. "But yes, we spoke before- or will speak. But you told me that you would tell me more now."

"Tell you what, when?" Aillard wondered, eyes wide as he looked from one to the other. "Are you saying- Primus, is this some of the power that-"

"-that I believed Victor was capable of, yes." The construct regarded Victor with a grim seriousness. "But I will remind you that those safeguards were there for reaso-" "Damn the reasons," Victor interrupted, gripping a fist to steady himself. "I'm not about to stand by while that bastard ruins everything we've worked for-!" Aillard looked at him in alarm, and even Primus tilted their head in silent query, and Victor let out another breath as he rubbed his face. "I'm sorry, I've...I'm trying to figure out what I can and can't do, and I haven't forgotten what you told me." The last was directed towards Primus, who nodded understandingly.

"All I can offer is that Rhisling itself should warn you if you are going too far. And that I trust if you are here in the first place, then you have a reason." 

"What do you mean, 'if he's here'?" a new - yet familiar - voice cut in. "Aren't you supposed to be halfway to Jeddah by now?"

Heads turned towards Magnes, who was approaching with his hair pulled back in a rough ponytail and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows - by how quickly he'd arrived, he'd likely had been working nearby. Good fortune for that, but Victor didn't look forward to what he had to share. Grimacing, he looked from Aillard, to Primus, to Magnes, and briefly to Sadie before realizing there was no way to keep her from knowing - then, he spoke.

We've been compromised.

And though Magnes was livid at the news, more than ready to strangle someone - Victor wasn't certain if he was more furious at Soner or Victor himself - Aillard's quick suggestion that they use the tablets as a means of disinformation soothed him somewhat. Primus's reassurance that they could easily create a false base to send their hunters on a wild goose chase was enough to calm both him and Victor down, allowing Aillard time to pull Victor aside and ask a question of his own;

"Is Pravda all right? How has she fared, through all this?"

It wasn't a question Victor could easily answer, and his hesitation was noticed; Aillard's expression grew glum. Unwilling to leave things at that, and trusting Aillard would at least be frank with him, Victor shut his eyes for a long moment before speaking. "I have been...unkind to her, as of late. And I cannot blame all of it on Soner." For perhaps he was drugged, but - that did not excuse his treatment, did it?

Aillard reached up to squeeze his shoulder, a wordless encouragement to continue. But Victor shook his head, also unwilling to go into things here and now, when there was still so much to do. He reached up to take that hand, giving Aillard a strained smile of reassurance.

"I will apologize to her when this is over," he promised, "and hope that she will allow me to earn her faith once more."

Aillard tilted his head, his concern clear. "And you are certain we cannot make things easier for either of you? To communicate through the tablets, to warn you-"

At that, Victor shook his head quickly. "I don't want to risk things going awry," he explained, thinking back to the tangle of energies that had surrounded Rhisling's portal when he had considered interfering with Titanomachia. Rhisling itself should warn you if you are going too far, Primus had said, and he wasn't about to ignore something like that when he barely had any idea of what he was doing. "And- as it is, Primus has already given me a clue to where I need to go next." 

Need. Not should. For if he'd already spoken with Primus - he'd inadvertently chained himself into this path, hadn't he? Unless it was done later, because he hadn't the foggiest of ideas when Lida had met him during the war, but- no, he'd worry about that another time. For now, Aillard was letting out a heavy breath of his own. 

"Then- I will speak with Sadie, and help her understand." The girl had quietly disappeared earlier, and though Victor longed to speak with her - something in him pushed to keep going. Keep going before he lost the momentum and couldn't bring it up again.

With a few soft words of gratitude, Victor stepped into Rhisling once more.

—---------------

He'd meant to be earlier, yes- but he didn't want to risk encountering himself (for what if that was one of the safeguards?), and so Victor dared go back even further, before the evacuation to when he and Mina had been traveling to the Hellfire Caves. But perhaps he was weary, perhaps he was sloppy, perhaps something else - because as he stepped out into the tunnels below London, he heard a cry that sent a shiver down his spine-

"Hold!"

Immediately, he flattened himself backwards against the wall, desperately hoping he wouldn't be noticed by either the warriors standing against the Quintessons, firing in a frantic attempt to hold their ground...or the small group of people being protected by them, all of whom were painfully familiar. Primus. Sadie.

And his own form, wincing as it reached forth for Rhisling. Victor watched in morbid fascination as those fingers blurred, but nothing happened. No shining portal. No shapes to frame a door...

Perhaps...

As despair grew over his past-self's face, Victor took a breath and allowed his own hand to raise, too. Praying that the shadows would cover his motion, he reached forth for what now seemed so simple in comparison, traveling through space as opposed to the combination of space and time...

And just like that, Rhisling's golden glow shone like a beacon to guide them all to their new home.

Victor allowed himself the thinnest of smiles as he watched himself and his friends flee through it, though the smile faded as the Quintessons moved through the blockade. And as Pravda and Magnes half threw themselves, half tumbled into the portal- he turned back for the wall, letting that portal shut in the Quintesson's faces as he opened another one to travel just a bit further back.

At least, here and now - he had proof that he could do something with this. Perhaps there was still the question of if his other changes would have any effect, but...something else was already probing into his thoughts, some whisper of a wonder;

Are there others I can save?

[fullmetalscullyy]

For the sharing a bed ask bc I can't remember for the life of me if I've sent one to you yet 🙈 'they took turns sharing it while the other was on watch' or however exactly that one was worded ❤️❤️

aaa tysm for the prompt! i loved it and i hope you enjoy! continuing with the no plot just vibes agenda~

send me a prompt

rated: g | words: 3679 | tags: royai, there was only one bed, shelter from the storm, snowstorm, tending to wounds, comfort, fluff

read on ao3

Exhaustion followed both occupants of the crumbling bothy like a shadow. It clung to them, slowing their movements, as if it was physically attached to their ankles like two weights. Booted feet were dragged across the polished, undulating stones underfoot, worn down after years of use, and finally came to stop in the centre of the main room.

Years of use didn’t warrant years of upkeep apparently, Riza thought, as she did a sweep of the building. It was not in the best condition however it was still standing, and it was shelter from the storm outside. That was all Riza was currently concerned with.

There were only two rooms, plus a bathroom with a functioning sink and toilet – surprisingly enough. The pipes grunted and groaned, screaming in protest at being used, but it worked and was clean. A worn plaque above the sink indicated the water was drinkable as well, which was the best news she’d heard all day. A small blessing in this wretched situation they’d found themselves in.

To counteract that thought, at that exact moment, a howling gust of wind rattled the door thoroughly and whistled through the cracked class of the windows to its left and right. The Colonel whipped around to stare, partly in fright and partly because he was on edge. They both were. The sudden scream that sounded as the wind tried to force its way inside through the glass made Riza jump as well.

They shared a look and the Colonel’s lips pressed into a thin line.

“So much for the famed northern hospitality,” he muttered. His words held a bite to them, however Riza was unsure whether it was directed at the situation itself or at anyone in particular.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault they’d found themselves in this situation, however it was not ideal, nor was it pleasant. The first point on their ‘bad things that have happened today’ list (at this point, they were up to around number six) was a snowstorm had rendered their transport from the station in North City to the town they were supposed to be visiting useless. The truck owner boasted it was an all-terrain, all-weather vehicle, that he was handpicked by the military for transport because of his “beauty’s” prowess. He quickly stopped bragging though and started muttering angrily at his prized possession, kicking the tyre in fury as it sat pitifully in a snowy ditch, unable to escape the confines of it. It was safe to say his “beauty” fell short of the mark for the two soldiers. No amount of pushing from the three of them would shift it. However, they had deadlines to meet, so were forced to say their goodbyes and go ahead on foot.

There was no way they’d make it in time but at least they could honestly say they had tried when questioned.

It was by a stroke of luck they’d stumbled upon a walker’s bothy. Night was creeping in quickly, especially with the ongoing snowstorm. The world was turning greyer by the second and when Riza spotted it, she made a beeline straight for the shelter. The wind was too loud to talk over, but the Colonel saw her beckoning gesture and nodded, following behind her without question, already trusting her judgement and thought process.

The main room housed a single wooden bedframe with no mattress. There was another spot where another bed frame should be, but only half it remained. It had been broken in half. Whether that had been from an accident, an act of vandalism, or due to the passage of time, Riza wasn’t sure. Not that it would be of any use to them split in half, but simple curiosity had the Colonel searching the rest of the small building for the other half. There was a large stone fireplace that was bereft of any wood, they noticed with dismay, however after venturing through to the second room on the left, there was a massive pile of it within. It was a supply for the winter months for anyone who needed it, so the piece of paper tacked to an old corkboard on the wall said. There were two chairs placed around the fire and some cast iron cooking utensils stacked in a neat pile upon the hearth, lifting their spirits slightly. They had rations from the truck driver that would not require their use, but the sight of them was still a positive.

“I think we’ll be safe enough to sleep here tonight,” she announced, ignoring the Colonel’s petulant comment.

“Lieutenant,” he called quietly to her, catching her attention. When she turned her head, he gestured to one of the chairs. “You should rest.” He glanced down at her feet, and Riza knew exactly what he was thinking.

She’d stumbled and twisted her ankle while they walked. The pain had eased completely the more she’d walked, so Riza assumed it would be fine. Now they’d stopped, it was throbbing in time with her pulse. It appeared to be worse than she’d thought.

Just what they needed.

She sighed and mentally added that as number seven to their list.

Sitting on one of the chairs, Riza sighed quietly in relief as it lessened the pressure on her injured joint. The Colonel followed suit and he too sounded extremely relieved to finally sit down.

“What a day,” he muttered, tilting his head back and closing his eyes.

Riza hummed in agreement, causing him to reopen his eyes and glance tiredly over at her. She shifted in place, feeling a shiver travel down her spine.

Without a word, the Colonel stood and ventured into the other room. He came back with arms full of firewood and started the process of arranging them within the fireplace. After a single snap the fire roared to life, filling the room with a soft orange glow and warmth. A few minutes later the invading bite of the winter chill was beginning to alleviate and Riza could feel her muscles relaxing.

“Do you think there will be anything outside waiting for us?”

His question was so sudden as he stared into the fire that it took Riza a moment to process it.

“Pardon?”

The Colonel blinked and tore his eyes away from the dancing flames. He repeated his question as he turned to look at her, expression serious.

“Like what?”

“What about bears?” He looked genuinely concerned.

Riza blinked at him. “Probably. I think so, yes.” She faintly recalled hearing stories about the size and might of the bears in the north but elected not to bring it up. She didn’t think that would have been beneficial or productive in that moment, especially not after recognising a faint glint of fear that was discernible in the Colonel’s eyes.

“Do you think we should be concerned?”

Riza glanced over her shoulder at the door as it rattled on its hinges. “I don’t think so. We’ll be safe in here.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Do you know any bears that can open doors?” Both her brows lifted as she regarded him.

“I know a bear could open that door,” he scoffed, jerking his head towards it. “It’s hardly a strong line of defence.”

That was true. One more gust of wind might snap it off one of the hinges. The top one rattled playfully to emphasise his point.

“I think we’ll be okay, sir,” Riza replied smoothly, trying to keep her amusement out of her tone.

The Colonel scowled at her anyway. Apparently she hadn’t been entirely successful.

Riza chuckled upon seeing his expression. “City boy,” she muttered to herself, her tone light and playful.

“I would say it was a legitimate concern,” he replied haughtily.

“You also thought there were bears in the woods outside my father’s house.”

“I think my point still stands.”

“Bears do not exist in every wooded area and forest, Roy.” She rolled her eyes at him in amused exasperation, momentarily forgetting herself.

It was so easy talking to him like this. The two of them were alone together and stuck in a predicament that neither could have ever predicted or conjured up, yet here they were. It was surreal, but it was nice. Despite everything that had happened today she was still relatively happy. She was grateful to be with him. Ideally, she’d have neither of them stranded in a snowstorm, however she was glad he was here. If there was anyone she’d want to be stranded with, it would be him.

After she’d realised her minor slip up, Riza paused and glanced over at him, noting his soft expression and smile. It was so genuine and happy that she didn’t cringe or apologise. She didn’t feel the need to.

“We sound like we did when we were children,” he replied.

Riza felt her own nostalgic smile spread across her face. “We do.”

“I’ll take first watch,” he offered.

Riza opened her mouth to protest but he’d already shoved a threadbare blanket he’d found towards her. Riza didn’t particularly want to use it – she had no way of knowing how clean it was – however the building was not heated in the slightest, aside from the fire. It was built for hikers who were well prepared with sleeping bags, which they were not. For survival, Riza had to accept any kind of warmth she could get.

“You need to rest that ankle,” he added.

She nodded and took the blanket from him. Riza settled herself on the hard, wooden bedframe so she was facing into the room. It was warmer than facing the cold stone of the wall beside the bed.

“Colonel?”

He glanced over at her expectantly.

“Watch out for those bears.”

* * * * * * * *

The wind had died down throughout the night at least. Roy had been partly joking when he brought up the bears that may be lurking outside for them, however now that he’d put the idea inside his own head, he couldn’t help but take an extra glance every now and then out the window.

Just in case.

It was worth bringing it up to hear the Lieutenant’s laugh. To hear her accidentally call him by his first name. It had been so worth it.

To whittle away the time his mind tried its best to summon a plan of attack against any bear that did appear, going over how he would react and how he would fend one off, but Roy had come to only one conclusion after about half an hour of plotting. It was folly. There was absolutely no way he’d be able to take on a bear. His eyes narrowed at the rickety old door and took solace in the fact the doorway looked too small for a bear to fit through. They were safe from them so long as they stayed inside, and that was good enough for him.

Now the bear appearance dilemma, likely or not, had been put to bed, Roy’s thoughts turned towards the Lieutenant. He glanced down at her ankle as she lay sound asleep, remembering how she’d stumbled and fallen in a snowdrift. Insisting she was fine, they’d pressed on. They didn’t have much choice in the matter anyway, but he was still concerned. He had a strong inkling she was suffering for it as they travelled. A sprained ankle under normal conditions would ease with rest, but that was not a luxury they’d been afforded as they traversed the snowy landscape to safety. Snowdrifts up to their knees were common and Roy had felt dead on his feet when they finally came to a stop inside this shelter.

That was one blessing of the day, at least. He’d simply laughed at their luck, shaking his head, now they were safe beneath shelter, dry, and out of the storm.

But if he’d felt tired down to his bones, then he couldn’t imagine how the Lieutenant must have felt upon their arrival.

Steadying his resolve, Roy determined there was no imminent danger. No bears coming through the night to get them. Now the storm had eased, looking through the shards of the window, Roy could see the gorgeous landscape splayed before him, illuminated by the moonlight, and enhanced by the heavy snow. It looked a lot more inviting than it had a few hours ago.

He wouldn’t, but he was tempted to wake up the Lieutenant to show her how beautiful it looked.

Roy smiled to himself, the thought dredging up an old memory from their past. He faintly recalled doing something similar when he’d experienced his first winter at the Hawkeye house. He’d ran to her room without a thought, excited and eager to show her how the dark forest outside had transformed into a silvery white and green wonderland.

It had been something he’d been desperate to share with her.

“Colonel?”

A tired voice called to him, and Roy immediately lost his interest in the world outside. He turned, seeing the Lieutenant blink tiredly at him.

“Lieutenant,” he greeted, an air of concern about him. He hadn’t expected her to wake so soon, and if she did, he knew she’d want to take over watch duties.

She shot him a small smile, placating his nerves somewhat. Pushing herself up into a seated position, the Lieutenant stretched her arms over her head.

“How’s the ankle?”

She grimaced, but only slightly. “Better now that I’ve taken my weight off it.”

That didn’t answer his question entirely. “Is there any pain?”

She was silent as she looked down at her legs. “It does throb every now and again. That’s what woke me up.”

Roy nodded, dismayed to hear she was in pain. If he could take it away, he would, but they didn’t have painkillers in their first aid kits. The only thing that would help was a support, which the Lieutenant had already put on after gently easing her boot off. She didn’t react to the angry red hue of her skin, but Roy felt his stomach tense. It hadn’t looked good. The compression support had been slipped on slowly, but Roy saw the way her eye twitched twice and how her jaw clenched while obviously trying to conceal any kind of pain.

“Why don’t you try and get a few hours sleep,” the Lieutenant offered. “I think I’ll be up for a while now.” She swung her legs around and to the floor, visibly wincing when her sore ankle contacted the floor. Another appeared when she tried to stand, but Roy quickly scrambled towards her.

“Please, stay seated,” he insisted. “You shouldn’t be walking on that ankle.”

The Lieutenant shot him a strained smile. “That doesn’t bode well for us for tomorrow,” she quipped.

Roy opened his mouth to reply, but she was right. Still, hewas right. She shouldn’t be walking on that ankle.

“Regardless,” he admonished, placing his hands on her shoulders as a gentle restraint to keep her in place. “All the more reason to remain seated and keep resting it then, right?” Triumph flashed through him, and he smirked when the Lieutenant’s lips pursed, because she knew he was right.

“You can’t sleep on the floor, though,” she warned.

His shoulders fell in defeat, glancing down at the bed. His mind rejoiced with the idea that sprung into it, however it was so far out the realm of what was appropriate that it was completely out of the question.

Roy retracted his hands as the Lieutenant placed both hands by her sides and effortlessly slid herself backwards, so her back came to rest upon the stone wall behind her. She made herself comfortable and looked at him expectantly, patting the space beside her to indicate he should join her and sit.

Even if it wasn’t appropriate to share a bed with his Lieutenant, Roy only needed to take one look around them both and remember where they were. This day was already bizarre enough. What was one more occurrence to add to that list?

He wouldn’t particularly class it as sharing a bed with her either. They would both be sitting upright, looking out at the room, with considerable distance in place between them.

“We can take turns with the blanket,” she smirked as she handed it over.

Roy snorted lightly and gratefully received her offering. The room was warm enough with the fire but the stone behind his back still stubbornly clung to the icy temperatures from outside, refusing to accept the warmth they’d provided the room. Wrapping it around his shoulders, Roy settled back in place and made himself comfortable.

He woke with a start a few hours later. His head jerked upright and swung left and right, unseeing as he still tried to shake the vision from his dreams.

“Colonel? Colonel!”

He paused for a second, recognising the voice. It was from someone he thought he’d lost in his dream.

“Roy,” the Lieutenant called to him.

It was enough to surprise him, that it brought him back to the present. Glancing to his right, he saw his Lieutenant still seated next to him, eyes wide and concerned.

“Are you okay?” Her eyes were searching his, moving back and forth frantically as she scanned his face with worry.

“Yes,” he breathed, trying to get a hold of his racing heart to slow it down. He was all right. She was all right. They were safe. He gulped down air, trying to get enough into his lungs and take away the fear that had both restricted them and wrapped tightly around his heart. “Just… A bad dream.”

The Lieutenant nodded in understanding and patted his forearm. That was when Roy realised she didn’t remove it, and that it had been there the entire time.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Roy shook his head. “It’s okay,” he breathed. “Thank you, though,” he quickly added. “It was just… the usual,” he offered. The usual nowadays was him losing someone dear to him. The Promised Day had not been kind on his mind. To this day he still suffered, and he didn’t particularly want to relive it after it was so fresh. His reply was code enough that the Lieutenant knew exactly what he was referring to. They’d already been open about what their ‘usual’ nightmares consisted of nowadays.

As suspected, realisation dawned upon her features, and she nodded in sympathy.

“I… I need some time before I can sleep again,” he admitted. There was no shame in his voice though, not with her. Never with her. They were both very well acquainted with the reasons the other struggled to sleep. “You should try for a while.”

“Okay,” she acquiesced. She gave his forearm a squeeze and again, she didn’t remove it. “Wake me if you need anything, all right?” She waited for him to verbally agree with her. Only once he did, did the Lieutenant’s eyes close.

Watching her do so caused Roy’s brow to furrow slightly in confusion.

She must have moved closer to him as he slept, because where there had been about two feet of distance between them before, there was now mere centimetres. Just enough distance for the Lieutenant’s head to loll and fall against his shoulder comfortably as she slept.

He’d been startled awake, so Roy hadn’t realised he’d initiated it. In sleep, his head had bowed and rolled to the side, seeking out her presence. After shifting closer, the Lieutenant had eased him from his uncomfortable position and lifted his head to lie upon her shoulder.

Now recovered from the turmoil of his dream, Roy smiled down at her and relished in the comfort her presence brought him. The weight of her head against him eased his mind and slowed his racing pulse. He could breathe easier with her lying against him. A peace washed over his body, relaxing his taught muscles, and soothing his very soul.

Despite their predicament, he was glad she was here with him.

The grip she had on his forearm loosened, so Roy snaked his hand over to it, hooking their fingers together and holding on tightly. The Lieutenant stirred next to him, disturbed from sleep.

“Sorry,” he whispered, “it’s okay. It’s just me.” He gave her hand a quick squeeze.

There was a brief pause with no reply, then the Lieutenant’s grip on him tightened and remained.

“Okay,” she exhaled peacefully. She moved next to him, shuffling closer, which Roy was more than happy to indulge in.

As she was lulled back to sleep, her grip on his hand slackened but Roy never let her go. He anchored himself to her.

They’d get through this and get home. Not that she’d allow it of course, but Roy would carry her through the snow with that ankle if need be to ensure their safety. It had been the day from hell professionally, however ending it with the two of them curled together on that uncomfortable bed, gripping onto one another, was not bad in the slightest. Roy thought that was the closest to heaven he was ever going to get.

* * * * * * * *

Their luck must have finally been turning for the better, as that morning a group of hikers entered the bothy loudly, laughing and joking with one another, while Roy helped the Lieutenant strap up her ankle. They were offered food and directions to the nearest town, which was only two miles away. The group set off with them, insistent on offering their help and support, and even assisted the Lieutenant with some painkillers as well.

After the day of travel they’d had before, it brightened up both soldier’s moods somewhat as they set off again through the snowy northern landscape with their new company.

Thankfully, they didn’t come across any bears.

They made it to the town in one peace and called North City Headquarters for assistance. And also requested back up for that assistance.

Just in case.

[hetalia-has-a-secretary]

how would they react if S / O would die? Plis?

Y'all- I'm not ready- I know I have answered a similar ask, but this will not stop me. These will be short unless my brain decides to go 50 MPH!

TW: Scenerios based around the death of a loved one.

Allies and Axis: Reaction to their S/O's death!

Allies:

America:

If it was a natural death, and a fulfilling relationship he'd have not only taken care of their graves, but decides to be their main caretaker as well.

He tries really hard not to cry, but he does, and is immediately searching for England for support.

He can't simply admit to how great the pain is, but how amazing and happy, and proud he is another thing.

Does nothing but talk about them in a good light.

And one talks badly about them, and they will get shit down.

Looking after their resting place has become very therapeutic.

He decorates their grave for any holiday

When their anniversary, birthday, or a major special event comes around, he makes sure to leave behind a small trinket he knows his S/O would love.

If his lover dies due to an unnatural event, he will be very agressive for a while.

Until one day he breaks down and just sobs In front of the others.

It will make everyone kind of uncomfortable, but England is there to take him away and tall him through it.

After that he slowly bounces back, not wanting his S/O to have the chance to see him break like that.

He does become a little wiser, and starts holding people's opinions and Requests with more respect as well.

England:

Natural death or not, he will get drunk, and sob for a few days.

France and America have to drag him out of the house, and he's just kind of miserable?

He only snaps out of it when France mentions how out of Character he is, and how he's surprised his S/O ever fell for him if he's like this.

Does a 180 in like, three days.

Makes monthly trips to their grave, and sometimes does so at night.

Has perfected a spell that summons their ghost, but it only works during a full moon.

And it only lasts for 5 minutes.

And it doesn't always work.

So even with his best efforts he hardly sees them anyway.

But he promised his beloved he would keep their Spirit alive in his waking life.

He becomes so much more calm, and patient after a year or so.

He's taken a lesson from this that everything is fleeting, and it's better to take in all the moments as they come.

He likes to bring a radio and book to the gravesight and just read to them.

He claims he can feel their smile when he does.

China:

He has an extremely long grieving period.

We're talking a couple of years for him to move on.

If it was a natural cause he tries his best but his home feels so empty without them.

Someone suggested putting up pictures of them in places he spends most, and it kind of works.

If anyone visits him, chances are they'll catch him talking to those pictures, and it's kind of sad. Like in a sobering way.

The main thing that helps him get over it is the stuff that was left behind.

Books, plushies, perfumes/cologne, anything he can use to immerse himself in them is kept and stored away.

He only ever looks at it when he really, really misses them. Even if he needs it for a good cry.

Their grave has Panda's and their favorite animal cuddling on the stone. A Request by his S/O.

If they pass from unnatural causes he's seeking out revenge in whatever form he can get.

Someone is really going to have to restrain him, so Russia is involved if anyone catches wind of his schemes.

He will barricade himself in his S/O's room, and refuse to leave, and will barely eat.

Japan is the only person he will talk to, and when he does it's not very much.

The only way to snap him out of it is to physically drag him out in public, and he can and will run off at the first sight of another couple.

Once he starts thinking about all the good memories he has, he starts to feel better and recover.

Russia:

He's surprisingly the most at peace of his S/O passes away naturally.

He's not exactly in pain over it, but he smiles and talks as if his S/O was there, and listening.

He actually has a Matryoshka of his S/O that has a wedding ring attached to it.

Even if his S/O didn't marry him he still wanted them to keep it, just because he felt they deserved to be reminded of just how much he loves them.

He's also calmed down significantly, and Pretty much vowed to love his life for his S/O.

The others originally thought he'd have snapped, but he's now magically everyone's therapist???

Turns out all the time he spent with his S/O wasn't meaningless fluffy feelings.

He was also proud of himself for allowing them in, and being able to take his walls down.

But if it was unnatural causes, that's when he snaps.

Best way to stop him?

"What would S/O think!?"

He'd get really depressed and dissapointed at that point.

He will spend a good couple weeks at their grave apologizing. Both for not being able to protect him, and losing his control, breaking an important Promise.

He gets over it after a couple months. It's best to just let him be until he does.

Axis:

Germany:

He was mostly in shock. More so if they dies from an unnatural cause.

He'd be more snappy towards everyone, but is quick to apologize.

The others understand and even when he snaps they know why, and feel mostly helpless.

He tends to storm out of the meetings when the others get too rowdy, and won't go back in until they settle down.

He works out more, and Russia could have sworn he saw Ludwig lip his car over one day.

Has many breakdowns

His brother literally has to slap it out of him and force him to realize how out of it he is.

He cries that night in his brothers shoulder.

Austria is second to the rescue, and help Germany find ways to cope.

The two of them together are successful at helping Germany find some inner peace over it, and he starts a small garden in honor of his lover.

Japan:

He is going to cry for the first couple of nights, but doesn't regret a single night spent with them.

He knew it was going to hurt, and he just let's it happen.

No shame, no overthinking, he just cries to get it out of his system, even if it's just a little.

He thinks of all the times his S/O got him out of his shell, and blushes at the times they made him feel most alive.

You can tell when he thinks of them by the peaceful smile on his face.

He dares not touch their room, and sometimes sleeps in it, simply because it helps him sleep at night.

He has dreams about them when he's in there.

Likes to think that's them saying hi from the afterlife, and if it is he doesn't want them to ever stop.

Any unnatural causes will make him seem cold for a few weeks, but Italy manages to get through to him.

Watching Italy prance around almost reminds him of how happy his S/O made him feel. They made him want to prance around, and he almost regrets not doing so.

Italy:

Another one who is surprisingly full of happy tears and smiles.

He knows they're in a good place, and is just to overwhelmed with pride and happiness to be sad.

It still hurts, but thinking about them makes him so giddy, and smile.

They were his drug, and his cure.

So it was only logical to keep marching on as the one thing his S/O loved the most. Himself!

Though if it was an unnatural cause, he won't be sleeping properly for a while.

Japan and Germany actually have to keep an eye on him, Because his exhausted state has almost caused a few accidents, involving himself, and sometimes those around him.

When he does manage to sleep finally (thank you Japan and China for teaching him guided meditations) He's out for almost a whole day.

Germany goes out of his way to make something Italy and his S/O ate a lot.

Italy winds up crying and frowning. Surprisingly became extremely withdrawn when Germany tried to comfort him

But he recovers after eating and is able to smile bit by bit.

So, turns out my brain did want to go 50 MPH and make these longer than planned! Yay-