#everyone's favorite token bear

[czarzarr]

I normally don't participate in these but figured I'd do this for a laugh. Liam is apparently a very good boy, even if he isn't quite a saint. He's good natured but humble, and is more likely to help you rather than hurt you.

Uhhh.... guess I should tag a few ppl.

@fritzthe75 @scottysketches @andi-sketchbook @kezzdaddy @raenacreates

New post bc last tag thread was soooo looong!

I was tagged by @drownedrow to take this quiz and this picrew and share the results!

Seems accurate.

Tagging @aleksxo @threeofswrds @vestigialpersonality and @allconsumingrot

[embbarnes]

Just As You Are. | B.B

summary: He tries his best for Valentine's Day.

warnings: Smut | 18+ MDNI | Fluff | CW!Bucky x Fem!reader | Cunnilingus | PiV sex | Light dirty talk | Unprotected sex | Slightly insecure Bucky

a/n: I'm not big into Valentine's Day just because it feels very commercialized to me, but I like imagining it with Bucky. This plot changed so many times lmao but I think I am satisfied with how this turned out. If you're allergic to strawberries, just imagine a different fruit. Not beta read. ;; wc: 4.2k

Bucky stood motionless in the bustling store, his steely eyes fixed with a deep frown upon the endless aisle dedicated to Valentine's Day merchandise.

He didn't remember it being so...big back in the day. The sheer volume of products and options left him feeling completely overwhelmed, his mind drifting back to simpler times when a thoughtful bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolate were considered more than acceptable tokens of affection for your sweetheart.

Now, he watched as frantic shoppers rushed past him, their arms laden with elaborate bouquets, towers of candy boxes, and enormous stuffed bears that seemed to grow more ridiculously sized with each passing year.

There were some shoppers who took a different approach, selecting items for personalized gift baskets filled with practical things like cozy socks or fragrant bath bombs. That seemed more personalized with his old-fashioned sensibilities, but you weren't particularly fond of long soaks in the tub, making that option feel somehow inadequate.

A wave of insecurity washed over him unexpectedly. Despite knowing that you had never once demonstrated materialistic tendencies or pressured him for presents, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he should be showering you with gifts. Traditional values ingrained in him insisted that as the man in the relationship, this was his role to fulfill. His heart warmed slightly at the mental image of you beaming with delight over an armful of fresh flowers or savoring each piece from a velvet-lined, heart-shaped box of premium, ridiculously expensive chocolates.

Truthfully, he felt completely lost about what would be the perfect gift for you. The confident, charming young man he used to be - the one who could effortlessly capture a lady's attention with just a well-timed smile or clever word - seemed like a stranger from another lifetime. These days, the gazes that would drift to him were filled with suspicion and barely concealed hostility.

Defeated and increasingly anxious, Bucky turned away from the crowded store aisle, his mind spinning with uncertainty as he struggled to think of what to get you for this special occasion. As he made his way through the bustling shop, he passed by an enthusiastic florist who was eagerly displaying enormous bouquets of perfectly arranged, vibrant red roses.

The vendor was encouraging every passing customer to purchase one, his sales pitch well-rehearsed and persistent. The sight made Bucky recall a conversation from several months ago, where you had expressed your views on traditional romantic gestures. You explained that while roses were undeniably a sweet and romantic gesture, they felt somewhat predictable and conventional to you. Too ordinary, you had said, preferring instead gifts that showed genuine thought and consideration.

"Sure, roses are beautiful. I think they're a wonderful gift for birthdays or valentine's, whatever. But...I don't know. Everyone gets roses. I would be happy but it would also sort of feel like you didn't really try, since they're so abundant and common. It makes them feel less special. Hopefully that doesn't make me sound snobbish. I'd rather get a more personalized bouquet or...one with my favorite flowers instead." You glanced up at Bucky who was nodding and listening, remembering, for later.

Though the roses were beautiful, their pristine petals catching the store's fluorescent lighting to aid in their deep crimson coloration, Bucky could practically envision the polite but slightly underwhelmed expression that would cross your face if he chose such a common option.

Plus...why were flowers so expensive these days? A dozen roses for almost a hundred dollars? The modern pricing was ridiculous - back in his day, that kind of money could have bought several weeks' worth of groceries. Besides, a lot of the bouquets contained wilted flowers. If he got you a bouquet, each and every flower would be alive and well.

He didn't want to leave without getting you something special, something that would bring a genuine smile to your face. He stood there for several long moments, running his flesh hand through his hair as he considered what kind of gift would truly resonate with you, something that would perfectly balance thoughtfulness with appropriateness while still managing to surprise you.

After spending what felt like hours wandering through the store's aisles and watching other men pick the big red hearts off the shelves without a second thought, he began to carefully examine each heart-shaped box of chocolates, reading every label and ingredient list to ensure he found the exact type of varieties you had mentioned loving. Finally satisfied with a winner, he put it in the basket he grabbed.

Moving through the store, he made his way to the stuffed animal section, where he spent considerable time comparing different plush versions of your favorite animal, wanting to select the one with the perfect expression and the softest fur. That one looked too grumpy, that one looked lopsided, that one wasn’t proportioned right - but he found the perfect one.

Then rather than settling for a pre-arranged bouquet, he thoughtfully handpicked each individual flower, remembering all the times you had pointed out different blooms during your walks together, creating a personalized arrangement that represented all your favorites. Even with the care and attention he put into each gift selection, a nagging feeling of inadequacy crept in - everything he chose, while thoughtful, still felt too ordinary.

Bucky shook his head and paid for the items, ignoring the feeling.

Back at home, he arranged everything perfectly. He individually wrapped each item, positioning them precisely in the basket alongside the plush animal and chocolates. Taking his time with the flowers, he trimmed each stem at exactly the right angle and arranged them in the vase until the composition was just right. When Bucky finally stepped back to assess his work, his heart sank slightly, and he let out a frustrated sigh.

The entire arrangement somehow still didn't feel special or unique enough.

Alpine gracefully leapt onto the counter, her blue eyes focusing intently on the array of gifts laid out. She lowered her head, her pink nose twitching as she investigated each item curiously. "What do you think, girl...good enough?" Bucky asked softly, his fingers running through the ragdoll's silky fur as he gently stroked from her head down along her back.

After her inspection, Alpine cast one final, contemplative glance at the presents. Then, with typical cat-like indifference, she turned away from them, her fluffy tail held high like a banner as she delicately padded across the counter to the edge, and descended to the floor with one smooth leap.

"Bad, huh?" Bucky released a heavy sigh, his eyes lingering on the carefully chosen gifts as waves of uncertainty began to wash over him, his anxiety gradually creeping in and eating away at him.

He didn't have more time to wrestle with his uncertainties as the sound of keys jingling at the front door caught his attention. You made your entrance quicker than he had anticipated, your exhausted form slowly making its way through the doorway after what was clearly an demanding day at work. You kicked off your shoes in a haphazard manner, letting them land wherever they might. The weariness etched across your features told him everything he needed to know about the challenging nature of your workday.

"Hey," Bucky offered in greeting as he made his way over to you in the entryway, his mind racing as he tried to keep you from noticing the carefully prepared gifts just yet. Perhaps if he could buy himself a little more time, he might figure out something better to give you than the basic gifts.

A soft, tired grumble was all you could muster in response, though the gentle warmth in his eyes worked its magic in lifting your spirits considerably. "Hey..." you murmured an actual response, crossing the space between you to wrap your arms around his sturdy frame. He gladly hugged you back, letting you bury yourself against him.

The thought of spending the entire day at home with him had been your secret wish throughout your shift, but responsibilities couldn't be ignored. He had promised to make the evening special, and that thought alone helped you persevere through the long hours of your workday.

Bucky thought fast, pulling back just enough to meet your gaze with those intense steel-blue eyes. "How about a hot bath? I can get one ready for you, make it nice and warm - it'll be perfect for those sore muscles of yours...plus, I know you’ve been on your feet all day." He offered gently, his flesh hand coming up to brush a strand of hair from your face. A playful smirk slowly spread across his lips as he added, "I could even feed you some fresh strawberries while you relax..."

"Ugh, that sounds so heavenly right now..." You agreed with a soft, appreciative moan, already imagining the soothing warmth of the water and the sweet taste of cool fruit.

Bucky made his way to the bathroom, wanting to create the perfect relaxing atmosphere for you after your long day. He tested the water temperature with his flesh hand until it reached that ideal warmth you always preferred, then clogged the drain.

While the tub filled, he selected your favorite aromatherapy soap, watching as it created billowing clouds of soft, luxurious bubbles that released that soothing scent you loved so much. He also scattered rose petals across the surface - special ones he had purchased with your other gifts. They would slowly dissolve into the water, but for now they created a nice, romantic display as they rested atop the peaks of foam.

In the bedroom, you gradually shed your work uniform, letting each piece fall away with relief before walking into the bathroom to meet him. He remained unaware of your presence for a moment until he turned, and when he did, he took the chance to admire you. Bucky rose up to his full height and approached you, his hands finding their familiar place on your hips. "You're so beautiful, doll..." he murmured, his voice full of affection as he leaned down to press a soft, lingering kiss to your cheek, before adding, "Bath's all ready..."

"It looks perfect," you replied in an equally soft and tired tone, carefully stepping into the steaming bath water and sinking down with a contented moan.

God, it felt absolutely amazing - after countless exhausting days of non-stop work, your muscles were crying out for relief. Your back and neck were especially sore from hunching over your desk for hours on end. The perfectly heated water enveloped your body like a warm hug, melting away the tension and aches that had built up over time. The chosen aromatherapy oils filled the air with a soothing blend of lavender and eucalyptus that relaxed you even further.

"Thank you, Bucky... this is... exactly what I needed," you mumbled appreciatively, slowly sinking lower into the luxurious bath until the fragrant bubble clouds rose around your shoulders like a soft blanket.

Bucky's lip quirked up with a gentle, knowing smile as he reached for a plump strawberry from the delicate pink crystal bowl beside the tub. His eyes sparkled with affection as he held the fruit up teasingly, "Of course doll... now open wide~"

"Tease," you said playfully, leaning for the strawberry he held between his fingers. You gladly accepted the offering, letting your lips brush against the plump, red fruit before taking a delicate bite. The sweetness burst across your tongue as you savored each moment, watching his expression intently. Unable to resist the temptation, you gently caught his finger between your lips, your tongue darting out to taste the lingering juice - a deliberately cheeky move to provoke a reaction.

Bucky's eyes darkened as he watched you, a knowing smile spreading slowly across his face. His fingers twitched slightly at the sensation of your tongue, and he leaned in closer. "Don't start something you can't finish, doll..." he warned in a low, honeyed voice that made you shiver, even in the steaming water. "You know exactly what'll happen. Besides, it's Valentine's Day..." He reached out to trace your jawline with his thumb, his touch feather-light and promising. "...I'll make it all about you..."

You couldn't resist the temptation that coursed through you, causing you to slowly emerge from the water just enough to delicately capture his hand between your teeth and deliver a playful nip. Your lips ghosted across his wrist and laid a kiss, "I think I wanna see what you mean..."

That's how you ended up on the bed with his face between your legs.

Your swollen, sensitive pussy being devoured by the soldier keeping your legs spread open. His tongue flatly lapped at you before he would encase your delicate clit in his lips and desperately suckle. The alternating movements kept you close enough to the brink of orgasm, but he wouldn't let you finish all the way yet.

"Bucky! Pl-please," you cried out desperately as he suctioned to your throbbing clit once more, his skilled tongue working magic against your sensitive bud. Your trembling hands clung tightly to the twisted sheets below your hips, your knuckles turning white from the intensity of your grip. Your cheeks were deeply flushed as tears of pleasure pricked at the corners of your eyes, threatening to spill over.

It felt so fucking good - Bucky always dove into you like a starved man who hadn't tasted such sweetness in decades, you were a fruit from Eden and he wouldn’t stop until he has had all of you.

Which was kind of true, until you two had started dating and everything changed. Over time, he gradually gained the confidence he needed, becoming more and more comfortable with engaging in intimate acts. The hesitation that had once held him back melted away completely, and once that newfound bravado took over, he became a passionate and attentive lover who knew exactly how to make you come undone.

Bucky growled against you, tugging you even closer as he kept his face against your folds and lapped at you repeatedly. His eyes would peek at your expression from time to time, but he mostly kept them closed, purely focusing on your taste. So sweet and delectable, you were his favorite thing to lap up and devour. He never wanted to stop. This was his favorite thing ever. Being the source of your pleasure and hearing how you whined and squirmed underneath him.

"Come for me, baby...come on. Give it to me." He muffled against you as his tongue continued to move up and down with his repetitive licks, getting your juices and making sure to run over that swollen bud.

Fuck, you were. You were going to.

You moaned loudly as waves of pleasure coursed through your body, the tense burning sensation gradually building deep in your belly while your legs trembled uncontrollably. Bucky kept a firm hold on your legs, keeping himself buried in your pussy as he continued his feast. Heat radiated outward as you began to feel your nerves come alive, electric sensations traveling from your core and flowing down through your limbs to the tips of your fingers and toes. The pressure continued mounting until finally, everything began slowly blossoming and unwinding into an overwhelming, desperate climax.

When he pulled away from your folds, his face and dark scruff were thoroughly soaked with your juices. The smug, satisfied bastard slowly licked his lips and began climbing over your shaking body, leaving a trail of hot, open-mouthed kisses from your sensitive belly all the way up to the crook of your neck. "Y'r so soft...god, I love every inch of you," he whispered in that husky, desire-laden voice as his lips grazed the shell of your ear.

"Bucky..." You whined needily, the desperate tone in your voice betraying just how affected you were, but you couldn't bring yourself to care - you were absolutely burning with desire for him. The delicious scratching sensation of his rough scruff against your skin felt absolutely divine, and you couldn't help but nuzzle your cheek against his strong jaw, seeking more of that friction. Your responsive action drew a knowing smile from Bucky as he pressed his body more firmly against yours, allowing his head to respond to your pressure and reaching his hand down to carefully position himself against you.

"Easy, my beautiful girl...I promise I'll give you everything you want and need. My perfect doll...just lay still for me, just like that...looking so gorgeous spread out underneath me..." He praised in that gentle, soothing voice that you normally adored, but in your current state of desperate arousal, his sweet words only served to turn you on even more. Something about it drove you insane.

When he finally breached you, your body arched off the bed and your hands immediately grabbed onto him, mindful not to claw at his heavily scarred shoulder.

The moan that escaped from between your parted lips was abruptly silenced as he captured your mouth with his own. The lingering taste of your pleasure danced on his tongue as it skillfully glided past your own, delving deeper to thoroughly explore every corner of your mouth. A deep, resonant hum of satisfaction rumbled in the soldier's chest and vibrated against your lips as he pressed into the kiss with mounting intensity, perfectly matching the quickening rhythm of the increasingly passionate snaps his hips made against you.

The gentle slapping that filled the room was drowned out by your cries of unison - the two of you spewing groans and moans of all kinds as his cockhead repeatedly kissed your cervix and coated it with his precum. The gummy walls of your tight cunt continued to squeeze and massage his cock with each little movement you made squirming beneath him and listening to his lower pitched sounds of pleasure.

"Bucky...ah, feels so good...feel so full," you whined and fell back onto the sheets, ignoring the gentle bulge that appeared beneath your skin each time he hilted himself inside you.

"So perfect for me, doll...made for me, made for my cock," he whispered with reverence, his voice thick and heavy. He leaned down, pressing hard, passionate kisses against your neck, which you willingly allowed. You tilted your head back, exposing more of your sensitive skin to him as he skillfully left a trail of bites and gentle purple bruises blooming across your flesh.

Prettier than any of those damned flowers he saw today.

"R'member when I bit all over you... 'round Christmas? I was so lost and confused back then and..nngh...all I knew was you. All I could think about was you. All I ever wanted was you...completely all to myself..." His voice came out rough and broken between desperate grunts as his hips pistoned at an increasingly frantic pace, his movements becoming more urgent with each thrust.

"Ah, yes...I remember it...you were so needy," You gasped breathlessly, a small knowing chuckle escaping your lips as you eagerly took him harder.

"Now look who's being needy...f-feel you squeezing around me so tight..." Bucky hissed through clenched teeth as he pushed even deeper inside you, his thick cock swelling noticeably with his rapidly approaching orgasm.

"Come for me, Buck Buck...I want it inside. Want you to fill me up," You reached up to him, yearning for more, pulling him down closer until you could feel the warmth of his breath against your skin. His silken hair cascaded down like a brilliant curtain, framing his face while he let out pants from slightly parted lips. The cool metal of his hand gripped firmly at the meat of your thigh, his touch both gentle and possessive, chilling the skin beneath it.

Bucky ducked his face down and pressed closer to you, a deep groan tore through his throat as his rapid thrusts finally stilled - you felt his thick member twitching inside you as he coated your pretty velvet walls in his cum. As his orgasm washed over him and made him thrust a few more times for good measure, the overwhelming sensation brought you to yours again.

You both panted, breathing heavily in unison as you relished in the feeling of him still tucked inside you, thick cum oozing out as you let out soft laughs together.

"That was absolutely incredible..." You breathed out in a contented sigh, your voice thick with emotion, "I love you so much..." Your lips tenderly found his in a series of gentle, loving pecks, while your fingers delicately traced patterns across his cheek, savoring the warmth of his skin.

"I love you too, babydoll. And actually, I have something special waiting for you in the kitchen..." He began, his eyes flickering towards the doorway. With a knowing smile, you gently guided his face back to yours, your fingers lingering on his jaw.

"Would that happen to be that beautiful arrangement of flowers and those decadent chocolates I spotted sat next to an adorable plushie?"

"Wait, what? How did you -"

"I saw the setup when you were preparing my bath earlier...sweetheart, you really shouldn't have gone to all this trouble. I feel terrible now." You propped yourself up slightly on your elbows, guilt evident in your voice. "Work has been so hectic lately, I didn't even manage to find time to get you anything..."

He drew you even closer into his warm embrace and gently rolled both of you onto your sides. As his softened length slipped free, you nearly whimpered at the loss of connection, you held the pout back for now. "Doll, you should know by now that I don't need fancy gifts or presents. What matters most to me is having you here, sharing these moments together.” He winked playfully before returning to a more serious tone, “You coming home to me is the greatest gift I could ask for. And you know what? The night's still young - we could curl up together and watch a movie, if you'd like..."

You smiled and nodded, letting out a soft chuckle. "That sounds wonderful, but I really think we should freshen up first...things got pretty messy and you made me feel all sticky." You whispered with a playful lilt in your voice, carefully lifting yourself from the tangled sheets. As you made your way towards the bathroom, your hips swayed flirtatiously, each step a teasing invitation. Pausing at the doorway, you glanced over your shoulder with a mischievous glint in your eyes. "C'mon baby...if you're good, I’ll do that thing you always like..."

His reaction was instantaneous.

Like a coiled spring suddenly released, Bucky leapt from the bed with the same sharp reflexes from his military days - every muscle alert and ready. His blue eyes darkened with desire as a roguish grin spread across his face. "Yes ma'am," he responded, voice husky with anticipation. In two swift strides, he crossed the room and swept you up into his strong arms, making you squeal and laugh with surprise, cradling you against his chest as he carried you eagerly toward the shower.

When your feet touched the cool tile of the bathroom floor, Bucky was already eagerly anticipating another passionate moment together, but you gently placed your hands against his firm chest, causing him to pause. Your eyes met his as you spoke softly but earnestly, "And just so you know, everything you got me was absolutely perfect. I love it all so much. You really shouldn't have gone to all this trouble - just spending the evening together would have been more than enough for me, but...everything you did get makes me feel so special. The arranged bouquet with all those beautiful flowers, the adorable plushie of my favorite animal, and those delicious chocolates...it's all too much. You are perfect."

Bucky felt an overwhelming wave of relief wash over him at your heartfelt words, the tension he hadn't even realized he'd been carrying suddenly melting away. His voice was tender, slightly hesitant as he responded, "O-oh... yeah, of course. I...I really wanted to make tonight special for you in every way possible. I picked all your favorite colors and included those specific flowers you always stop to admire during our walks together...and I made absolutely certain the chocolates only contained ingredients and flavors I know you enjoy...and found you a soft, cuddle buddy to keep you company when I have to be away." He ducked his head slightly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks as he added with endearing awkwardness, "Besides Alpine, of course."

"Yeah, whenever she's in one of her affectionate moods and decides it's snuggle time," you added with a gentle, warm chuckle, your eyes crinkling at the corners. He swore his heart beat faster each time he saw those delicate lines. "You are enough, Bucky." You gazed deeply into his eyes, taking in every flicker of emotion that passed through them, before offering him a tender, reassuring smile.

Your hand came up to cup his cheek as you leaned in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his lips, feeling the tension slowly melt away from his body as he relaxed against you. Drawing back just enough to meet his gaze again, you whispered to him with absolute conviction so he could feel the words as much as possible.

"You are always enough, and don't you ever doubt that for a second..."

Thanks for reading. -em 🌿

Dividers by @/strangergraphics | Images found on Pinterest.

[ms-snape]

Omg please write an imagine in which reader and snape are in a relationship and she never calls him by his name, only nicknames and stuff like that (baby, darling, love, different nicknames, etc.) one day either the fight or he tells her off about it and suddenly she stops and calls like everyone else (Severus/snape/whatever) and only then he realizes how much he loved the way it previously was and it drives him mad trying to get her to go back without out right saying it (cause the grumpy proud man that he is😂)

Title: Grumpy Proud Man

Warning: A bit of angst

Words Count: 2000+

___

The warm, golden light of the early morning filtered through the greenhouse windows, casting intricate patterns across the floor. Y/N hummed softly to herself, her hands deep in the soil of a Venomous Tentacula pot. The plant quivered slightly, its tendrils curling inwards as if it recognized her gentle touch. Herbology was her passion, and every day spent tending to the vibrant flora of Hogwarts felt like a dream come true.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and smiled. Severus would be finishing his first class of the day soon. Her heart gave a little flutter, as it always did when she thought of him. Severus Snape, the enigmatic Potions Master, with his sharp wit and sharper tongue, was a man who had captured her heart entirely. She adored him, though he often pretended to be immune to such affection.

Y/N wiped her hands on her apron and set the Venomous Tentacula aside. She wanted to surprise him with tea in his office—a small token of her love. As she prepared the tray with precise care, her mind wandered to the first time they’d spoken. It had been over a shared interest in rare magical plants. What had started as professional respect had grown into a deep bond, though they couldn’t have been more different in temperament.

Where Y/N was warm and openly affectionate, Severus was reserved, his emotions locked behind an impenetrable wall. But she saw through it—the way his eyes softened when he looked at her, the way his voice lowered when they spoke. He loved her, even if he struggled to say it aloud.

Over the following days, Y/N made a habit of showering Severus with affection in small, thoughtful ways. She would slip into the dungeons with a fresh cup of tea or a plate of his favorite biscuits, always accompanied by a soft kiss on his temple or a playful ruffle of his hair. “My Sevvy,” she’d call him, her voice dripping with adoration. “You work too hard. Take a moment to breathe, love.”

Severus would sigh, his expression caught between exasperation and fondness. “You’re incorrigible,” he’d mutter, though he never truly pushed her away. He didn’t know how to respond to such open affection, but he found himself craving her presence nonetheless.

In the evenings, she’d join him in his quarters, curling up beside him on the worn sofa as he read through his notes. She’d rest her head on his shoulder, her fingers tracing idle patterns along his arm. “Sevvy, darling, have I told you how much I love you today?”

“Only a dozen times,” he’d reply dryly, though his lips would twitch as if suppressing a smile.

“Well, it bears repeating,” she’d say, kissing the corner of his mouth. “You’re brilliant, and I’m so lucky to have you.”

These moments brought a flicker of warmth to Severus’s otherwise somber world, though he struggled to reconcile them with his own guarded nature. While he appreciated her love, he often found himself retreating inward, unsure of how to handle such unabashed devotion.

One morning, as Y/N prepared a basket of pastries to bring to the staff lounge, she couldn’t resist adding a small bouquet of flowers from the greenhouse. Severus had been particularly terse the day before, and she wanted to brighten his mood.

When she arrived at his office, she found him hunched over his desk, his hair falling in dark curtains around his face. She knocked lightly before stepping inside. “Sevvy, love, I brought you something.”

He looked up, his expression immediately guarded. “What is it now?”

She set the basket down, her smile unwavering. “Just some pastries and a little something to make your office feel less dreary.” She held out the bouquet, her eyes shining with hope.

Severus stared at the flowers, his mouth pressing into a thin line. “Y/N,” he said, his tone measured, “this isn’t necessary.”

“Of course it is,” she replied, undeterred. “You deserve to be surrounded by beauty.”

“I’m quite capable of managing without,” he said sharply, pushing the bouquet away.

Her smile faltered, but she quickly masked her disappointment. “Alright,” she said softly, setting the flowers on the windowsill instead. “I’ll just leave them here in case you change your mind.”

The tension reached its breaking point a few days later. Y/N had come to his office after dinner, her arms full of papers she’d been grading. She’d planned to sit with him while he worked, enjoying their usual quiet companionship. But when she called him “Sevvy” for the third time that evening, his patience snapped.

“Y/N,” he said, his voice dangerously low, “must you persist with these ridiculous nicknames?”

She blinked, startled. “I didn’t think you minded,” she said, her voice tinged with hurt. “It’s just my way of showing you how much I care.”

“And I have tolerated it,” he said, standing abruptly. “But there are limits. I am not some simpering fool to be coddled with pet names.”

Y/N’s cheeks flushed, a mix of embarrassment and anger rising within her. “I never meant to make you feel that way. I just… I thought it made you happy.”

“Happy?” he repeated, his tone biting. “Do I strike you as a man who delights in such trivialities?”

Her eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “I didn’t realize my affection was such a burden to you.”

“Y/N,” he began, but she shook her head, cutting him off.

“No, I understand,” she said, her voice firm despite the crack in it. “If it bothers you that much, I won’t call you those names anymore.”

She turned and left, her footsteps echoing in the dimly lit corridor. Severus watched her go, his chest tightening with an unfamiliar ache. He didn’t try to stop her.

The days that followed were marked by a distinct shift in their dynamic. Y/N kept her promise, addressing him only as Severus or Professor Snape, even when they were alone. She no longer reached for his hand during their quiet walks around the grounds, nor did she surprise him with kisses on his cheek when they crossed paths in the corridors. Her vibrant warmth seemed to dim, replaced by a careful restraint that mirrored his own.

At first, Severus told himself it was a relief. He valued order and discipline, even in his personal life. But as the days turned into weeks, he began to notice the absence of her usual cheer. The way her laughter no longer echoed through the greenhouse, the way her smiles didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was still kind, still attentive, but there was a distance between them that hadn’t been there before.

One evening, as they sat together in her quarters, the silence between them felt heavier than usual. Y/N was curled up on the sofa, a book in her lap, while Severus sipped his tea. The fire crackled in the hearth, but its warmth did little to dispel the chill in the room.

“Y/N,” he said suddenly, breaking the silence.

She looked up from her book, her expression neutral. “Yes, Severus?”

He hesitated, the words forming and reforming in his mind. “Have I upset you?”

Her brows lifted in mild surprise. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

“You…” He gestured vaguely. “You’ve been different.”

She closed her book and set it aside, turning to face him fully. “I’ve only been doing what you asked. I’ve respected your boundaries.”

Her words were calm, but there was an edge to them that made his chest tighten. “I didn’t mean for you to… withdraw entirely.”

“I haven’t,” she said, folding her hands in her lap. “I still care for you deeply, Severus. I’m just… trying to be what you need.”

He frowned, leaning forward slightly. “And what of what you need?”

Her lips curved into a sad smile. “I thought what I needed was you. But perhaps I’ve been asking too much.”

Her words hung in the air, and Severus had no reply. The fire crackled, filling the silence as the space between them seemed to grow wider. For the first time, Severus realized just how much he missed the sound of her calling him “Sevvy,” of her warm laughter echoing in the stillness. But he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

The following week brought more moments of realization, though Severus kept his thoughts buried. One afternoon, as they worked side by side in the greenhouse, Y/N handed him a cutting from a Fanged Geranium.

“Here, Severus,” she said, her tone polite but distant. “This one’s ready for potting.”

He took the cutting, his fingers brushing hers for a brief moment. The usual spark of warmth was absent, replaced by an emptiness that gnawed at him. He watched her as she moved to the other side of the greenhouse, her focus entirely on the plants. She didn’t hum as she usually did, and the silence felt oppressive.

Later that evening, during dinner in the Great Hall, Y/N addressed him in the same formal tone. “Severus, could you pass the salt?”

He complied, the simple act feeling strangely hollow. As he glanced at her, he noticed the faint lines of exhaustion around her eyes. She was smiling at something Professor Sprout had said, but it didn’t reach her eyes. He looked away, a knot tightening in his chest.

By the time the evening ended, Severus found himself lingering in the corridor outside her quarters. He raised his hand to knock but hesitated. What could he say? That he missed her warmth, her nicknames, her unbridled affection? The words refused to form, and after a moment, he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

As the days stretched on, the distance between them became almost unbearable. Severus found himself longing for the very things he’d pushed away—the sound of her laughter, the way she’d light up a room just by being in it. But his pride held him back, keeping the words locked inside.

One evening, as they passed each other in the corridor, Y/N offered him a small, polite smile. “Good evening, Severus,” she said softly.

He nodded, his throat tightening. “Good evening, Y/N.”

As she walked away, the realization struck him with full force: he’d driven away the one person who had ever truly cared for him. And though he desperately wanted to fix it, he didn’t know how. Instead, he stood there, rooted to the spot, watching her retreating figure until she disappeared around the corner.

The following night, Severus sat in his quarters, the air thick with the scent of brewing potions and the faint crackle of the fire. A small vial of calming draught sat untouched on the edge of his desk. He had been staring at it for an hour, his mind replaying the moments of their relationship, the brightness she brought, the warmth he hadn’t realized he depended on.

He set the vial aside and stood, his resolve hardening. Enough was enough. He couldn’t undo the pain he had caused her, but he could at least admit he was wrong. He pulled his cloak around his shoulders and left his quarters, his strides purposeful yet hesitant.

When he reached the greenhouse, he found her bent over a table, tending to a row of Flutterby bushes. The moonlight streaming through the glass panes caught in her hair, making her look ethereal. For a moment, he simply watched her, his chest tightening with a strange mix of longing and guilt.

“Y/N,” he said finally, his voice low but steady.

She straightened, turning to face him. “Severus,” she said, her tone neutral but not unkind. “What brings you here so late?”

He hesitated, his usual composure faltering. “I need to speak with you.”

She wiped her hands on her apron and nodded. “Of course. What is it?”

The words stuck in his throat for a moment, but he forced them out. “I… I owe you an apology.”

Her eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering across her face. She said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

“I’ve been a fool,” he admitted, his voice heavy with self-reproach. “Your affection, your warmth… I took it for granted. Worse, I dismissed it as trivial when it was anything but.”

Her expression softened, though she still looked guarded. “Severus…”

He stepped closer, his dark eyes searching hers. “I thought I needed distance, control. But all I’ve managed to do is drive you away. And in doing so, I’ve come to realize how much I miss… everything about you. Your laughter, your kindness. Even the ridiculous nicknames.”

A faint smile tugged at her lips, though tears glistened in her eyes. “You mean that?”

“I do,” he said, his voice breaking slightly. “I’m not good at this, Y/N. I don’t know how to show love the way you do, but… I want to try. If you’ll let me.”

She closed the distance between them, reaching up to cup his face in her hands. “Oh, Severus,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You didn’t have to be perfect. You just had to be you.”

His hands came to rest lightly on her waist, his touch tentative. “You deserve so much more than I’ve given you.”

“What I deserve,” she said firmly, “is a partner who tries. And if you’re willing to do that, then that’s all I need.”

He nodded, a faint sheen of tears in his own eyes. “I’ll try.”

She smiled then, the first genuine smile he’d seen from her in weeks. “That’s all I ask, Sevvy.”

A soft laugh escaped him, and he shook his head. “You’ll be insufferable with those names again, won’t you?”

“Absolutely,” she teased, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. “But only because I love you.”

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Severus allowed himself to smile—a small, hesitant smile, but genuine nonetheless. Together, they stood in the moonlit greenhouse, the distance between them finally bridged.

[starfilmz]

i can’t write rn bc writer’s block, but i can’t help but imagine trust fund baby!reader who’s friends with sam when he was in stanford.

i don’t know if trust fund baby is the right label to use but just imagine very rich reader unintentionally (and intentionally) spoiling sam to no end especially when they’re hanging out.

sam would’ve probably preferred hanging out in parks, arcades, diners, etc just simple places where he doesn’t have to spend much money, and you’re not one to complain, but you would pay for almost half (80% if sam wasn’t paying attention) of everything yall buy.

he was used to eating just so he wouldn’t starve to death so he’d only spend money on one meal and a soda, but ever since befriending you, every meal ends with desserts— sometimes shared or not, but since sam can’t stop your sweet tooth and he continuously refuses to let you spend money on him, he’ll let you by one for yourself and you’d always share with him!

arcades are ya’lls favorite spot for sureee. whenever yall are too into a game, sam would fail to notice when you’d spend money on tokens. it would be his turn to play and he won’t realize you’re gone until he finished a round, then he’d just see you carrying a whole bag of tokens.

“if we don’t run out of coins then i’ll have more chances to win,” you proudly say. sam rolls his eyes and grabs a handful from your bag. “or just more times you’ll lose!”

for crane games, when you’d want a stuffed toy so badly, you’ll say:

“what if i just buy the teddy bear?” sam laughs at your words, but he’ll soon learn you weren’t kidding when you somehow managed to convince one of the attendants to let you buy with actual money.

sam walks beside you, staring down on the bear plushie in your arms. “how much did you pay the guy?” you only give him a grin as a response.

drinks are always on your tab unless offered otherwise. sam will always offer, after every night out with you, to buy the both of you greasy food to avoid hangovers though. friday night, usually past midnight, would be the time you’d see yourself eating whatever burger sam ordered for you, sitting on a curb in front of the diner with him.

a few weeks before his law school interview, you offered (forced) sam to let you buy him a suit. when sam first showed you the the suit he planned to wear (which were the ones he’d always use when he pretend to be fbi but you don’t know that) and despite his explanation that a quick wash in the laundry and some ironing it’ll look better, you simply refused and brought him to your usual spot to buy fancy clothes.

“since he’s a bit tall, you’ll need to do a lot of adjustments with the suits.” the saleswoman explained. sam immediately had a worried expression at the thought of you spending even more money, but before he could argue, you would’ve already handed your card to the lady.

“do what you need to do, just make sure we’ll get them back in a week,” you said. you turned to see sam and you could only gave him a reassuring smile at his face. “this is the least i can do for you, sam. don’t fight it.”

in group works, your “friends” would suggest doing the work at your house since you supposedly had the biggest. you don’t keep your upbringing a secret to anyone, but sam can see how uncomfortable you’d be when other people would boast your wealth on your behalf.

“i think doing it in the library is fine,” sam would intervene in the conversation you were already zoning out on. “it’s easier to plan meetings, too.”

“but y/n’s house—“

“—has other people living there. we don’t know if y/n’s parents would agree to every schedule we have so let’s just do the work in the library, or anywhere in the campus.” sam’s hand would be on the small on your back after, as if reassuring you and bringing you back into the conversation when everyone was expecting your response.

you could only nod, eyes on him. “yeah, sam’s right. sorry.” but you still gave him a small smile which was enough for him to know you’re thankful for what he did.

[connabeth]

i won’t let you choke (on the noose around your neck)

percabeth | canon | 10k

written with the lovely @silenab, thank you for indulging me, it’s been an honor. happy birthday percy, here’s the woman you love torturing herself mentally and physically, hope you appreciate it!

Time moves, unforgiving like the sea, relentless and indifferent, sweeping away the days with a rhythm that carries everyone forward, everyone but her. Her feet are anchored ankle-deep in the sand, fighting the tide urging her to move. But she remains rooted, caught in the undertow of a memory, a place where the world was a little simpler, or perhaps where the pain was less excruciating. It’s like she’s invisible, this time without the hat, a ghost watching as the tides of time erase the footprints of what once was while she stands there, watching people pass her through, an echo of the past.

Annabeth is left with a fickle ankle, immune to ambrosia and nectar, that seems to take pleasure in catching her off-guard, rendering her limb useless, the heat of humiliation spreading up her leg and to her cheeks like a wildfire. She’s angry. She’s so, so angry. The condemnation of being helpless, worthless, unable to do simple things herself, a burden to every poor soul unfortunate enough to come across her. To Percy, especially, once he finds out. She pushes that thought to the side. He can’t see her like this. She refuses to let him.

More so than a perfidious ankle haunted by phantom pains, she is missing her limbs entirely. Her backpack, brand-new, sits empty, devoid of that precious laptop she cherished more than most things, gifted to her by none other than Daedalus himself, home to secrets and technology so revolutionary that people would only be able to comprehend it fifty years from now. The faded blue Yankees cap, once a staple in her wardrobe, gifted to her by her mother, in what she’d believed to be a token of love and faith and favoritism, collects dust inside her nightstand drawer because she can’t bear to look at it without wanting to tear it to shreds.

And, most importantly…the cool press of metal that had burrowed a home against her hip for over a decade. Gifted to her by a boy who’s charming grin and cerulean eyes and conniving tongue had sounded, looked, and felt like home, with the promise that she would meet a much less tragic fate than its previous owner. A piece of metal that had had her back through everything, an extension of her arm, quick and sharp and lethal, like its wielder, the manifestation of the Great Prophecy itself, the underlying curse of betrayal and hope etched into the bronze hilt, the memory of someone she used to love living within it. And now it’s gone. Just like that. Strapped to her waist is a blade of cool ivory, much longer, also ridden with loss, almost as painful.

Annabeth knows the only part of herself that is left is Percy and she’d─she’d shattered that too. Dragged the poor lovesick fool into hell and made him a shell of himself, effectively ruining all that remains.

Her voice grows hoarse and her throat feels like drinking from the Phlegethon would be a mercy. She clutches at the unruly curls on her head, eyes squeezed shut, tugging, tugging, tugging, and the noise ringing in her ears is so, so loud. Her scalp screams in protest and she lets go, only to dig her nails into her palms and the flesh of her exposed thighs. Her fist and fingers tremble with the anguish of a thousand broken promises. She doesn’t know how long she stays like that, but her mind vaguely registers that it might be too long.

Annabeth opens her eyes with a stuttered breath and stares at the beautiful sanguine crescents littering her thighs, her tender brown skin so soft, so yielding to the deliberate press of her nails that made a home there, a landscape carved of contempt and penance. It doesn’t relieve the deep-seated ache in her chest but she doesn’t care. The sting of the lacerated skin doesn’t register in her mind and she finds herself wishing the blood would flow a little thinner, a little faster. For every ounce of blood Percy’s shed for her, wasted on her, she wants to bleed twofold. She wants to pay back her debt in flesh and blood, though she’s deeply aware that the damage she’s done to him is irreversible and no amount of rotten flesh, no amount of noxious blood could mend his broken parts back together and absolve her of her guilt.

read more on ao3

[hayatoseyepatch]

Hi there! I recently just reached 500 followers here on tumblr ♡⸜(ˆᗜˆ˵ )⸝♡ So in order to celebrate and thank you for being here I’ve decided to host a match up event!

Please submit your requests via my asks (both on and off anon is welcome!!) and I will respond with a match up for you of a character I think you would pair well with. With a cute little blurb specific to you!

Please see below suggestions of what you can include in your request.

➼ Personality: Tell me a little bit about yourself. What are your pronouns? What are you like? Are you an introvert/extrovert? What are some of your interests? Give me as much to go off as possible to pair you with a match ♡︎

➼ Fandoms: Which fandom do you want a match up for?

➼ Trope: What are your favorite writing/fanfic tropes?

➼ What’s your Type: What do you look for in a partner? Do you have a type? What is it? What gender character do you want to receive of any specifics?

➼ Favorites: Who are your favorite characters in your given fandom?

➼ Icks: Are there any characters in your chosen fandom that you don’t wish to be paired with? Is there any type of character (personality, hero/villian, etc.) that you don’t like/wouldn’t want to be paired with?

Rules:

➼ As always this is an 18+ only blog, please even if submitting on anon make sure we’re all 18+.

➼ The fandoms I’ll be including in this to choose from are Windbreaker, JJK, Demon Slayer, Tokyo Revengers, Blue Lock, Haikyuu, and Love & Deepspace.

➼ PLEASE NOTE: I’ll only be doing a max of one in depth character per submission so I don’t get overwhelmed and I can get to everyone. (To celebrate those who have been with me on this wild ride I wanna say an extra thank you to my moots so you can pick two ♡︎)

➼ Please be kind, if you don’t get your fave don’t be mad at me I want to do these solely based on your personality and the answers to the above questions.

➼ Also please be patient, I do work full time and will get to these as soon as possible just bear with me.

I’m going to run this event for two weeks so deadline to submit a request is by Sept. 12th! Thank you all again so much for 500 and I hope you enjoy this little token of my appreciation. ♡⸜(ˆᗜˆ˵ )⸝♡

[solarwynd]

I agree with you that JK is siding with Hybe more than NewJeans with those posts, but it's funny seeing KPop and NJ fans thinking he's standing up against the big bad company.

Like the man whose entire personality and music career was handcrafted by BPD and Scooter is actually going to say anything against his company.

From what I've seen, the posts are vague and indirect enough to be about anything - everyone can use them to see/project what they want.

The other anon who asked about him searching himself on social media - I agree that he probably realized that people are calling out the favoritism and his connection with the heads of the company. I think that's why he posted - he can be seen as not being a puppet and standing up, having his own thoughts when in reality it was a nothing burger statement and he's already reaping the benefits of it.

NJ fans thanking him and anti hybe fans using it for their own benefits - meanwhile everything is status quo with him and Hybe.

If he wanted people to not view him as a puppet he would’ve acted a lot earlier, not waited more than a year for those accusations to take root before acting. So I don’t believe that him doing this was his way of undoing that.

Even if JK or any of BTS publicly took MHJ side explicitly, what would HYBE or Bang do? They’re currently sweating counting down the days for BTS to come back to bail their asses out of the debt that they’re in. Most they could do is grin and bear the media storm that it would bring. (Cause the media is already searching for crumbs to spin any member they can to look like they’re on her side of of the court)

To me, I don’t think anything major is gonna change for JK. He’ll probably get a lot more vocal solo support on twitter but that’s about it. He’s already the token kpop boy, the people who were already streaming for him will continue to stream.

[starcanwrecked-confessions]

just watched headless for the first time and: istg everyone is sleeping on the potential Ichabod and Kat have.

i mean. think about it.

you're katrina van tassel. you grow up with your father, everyone's favorite mayor, and your mother, who dies when you are young. you only have childhood memories of her. and then you grow up. and someone decides to challenge the van tassels, who have been ruling over the town– either directly as mayor or from the shadows– ever since it's been founded. your father decides to poison his rival's drink, and at the same time you find out he lied about your mom's death. he tells you to cool off, and you angrily swipe the poisoned drink. you die. because of him. and then your best friend, matilda, brings you back to life, because she can't bear to see you go. even if it means taking someone every year to go missing, so that you could have their life force. and then, you meet ichabod. you realize that he is the perfect candidate for the next life force to harvest. nerdy, socially awkward. no one to miss him. and best of all, he's absolutely smitten with you. so you manipulate him. you aren't falling in love with him. you aren't. you aren't ok. maybe a little. but he'll be dead soon. dead to the world, at least.

you're ichabod crane. your parents die when you are young, and you're raised by your grandmother, who hates the town you were born in. when she dies, she gives you a small token with a symbol on it. you don't know what it means. so you decide to go back. back to sleepy hollow. and then you meet kat. she's the most beautiful woman you've ever seen; funny, smart, amazing. you're roped into this journey to find a headless horseman's head, but the whole time, you just want her. you want to protect her, and your new friends. you can't do both.

but you try. when she tells you she has to do this, you don't fight. you ask why. just to get some final answers. then, when she tells you to sacrifice yourself, you are ready. you give the last clue of the puzzle to your friend– the same friend that will perform the spell to suck your life force out– and you wait. because you will do anything for your friends. you will do anything for her.

but her best friend, the one who was supposed to be with her through thick and thin– chooses you over her. she doesn't cast the spell in time, and kat dies. because she doesn't want to kill you. she doesn't want to lose you as a friend.

because she's realized this kat isn't the kat that died that first time. this kat, the murderer, isn't her friend.

and when kat dies for the final time, matilda– the calm and collected one– matilda cries. she just lost a friend.

and ichabod crane? we don't know how he reacts. that could be completely up to fanon interpretation. emphasis on could be, because EVERYONE IN THIS FANDOM IS SLEEPING ON IT.

anyway their relationship is so complex and amazing and i love mary kate wiles and GO WATCH HEADLESS!!!! especially if you love mary kate wiles and doomed lovers and ghosts and detectives and weird small towns

~~~

[umbraastaff]

stuff about the taz atla au:

Taako and Lup are the last surviving air nomads (and by extension, elves). Lup is the Avatar. I established Taako as an airbender but I think it could go either way; if he's a nonbender, he's still got the high-dex rogue-y vibes of an airbender for any fighting.

Barry is a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe, and the one who finds the twins. He's extremely unnaturally gifted at bloodbending, but shit at most other waterbending until they find a master. (He can bloodbend when it's not the full moon, but usually only to shift someone's balance, shove a limb, etc. Can be very handy when used right, though!)

Lup's hardest element is water. She has the instinct to directly blast stuff, which pushes against the give-and-take nature of waterbending. Once she gets it she likes making huge, scary, ocean-like waves. She's progressively faster at learning earthbending and, of course, firebending comes easiest & becomes a favorite.

Lucretia is also water tribe, probably in the North, though I would love for her to be friends with Barry somehow. She may not be a bender, but she's for sure attuned to spirits, especially the moon. Possibly the whole North Pole spirit imbalance is because of some well-intentioned thing she does while they're trying to repel the fire nation.

Prince Kravitz is trying to capture the Avatar but the Avatar's brother keeps flirting with him and it's very confusing. I don't know if I want to make the Raven Queen be the Firelord but if she's anyone she might be Ursa.

Kravitz is accompanied by Davenport (tell me captain "haven't we earned a little wrath" davenport isn't a firebender), a family member or close advisor who has been secretly a traitor/spy for like a decade. He's mostly coming along to keep his own eye on the Avatar and make sure she doesn't get captured or killed. White Lotus member.

Merle is a swamp waterbender with plantbending and, to everyone's shock in a dire moment, healing powers. He was a good friend of Lup's 100 years ago. Also White Lotus.

Magnus is an earthbender, Julia is a Kyoshi warrior. "Why isn't Magnus the token nonbender" well you see this whole thing is an elaborate AU of that one stretch of SC where Taako learned fighting and Magnus learned wizarding (joke)

Magnus is desperate to interact with spirits but is not attuned to them at all. He's excited to meet Lup because she is obviously the bridge to him getting to pet spirit dogs. Might have a pet dog or bear fusion variant.

[dewracle]

Can I get some comfort from the Sleep Token boys, including V? Like they find reader crying and they go comfort them? Pls and ty

-💙

Of course of course!! I added my own take on this but I hope you enjoy it.

The Sleep Token boys find you crying. Including my oc, V

Vessel

At first he didn’t understand the noise he was hearing, just followed it to find the source. When he noticed it was you crying, he stood there shocked and unsure of what to do. He was not used to this display or even taking care of people, but something urged him to try. So try he did. Vessel slowly walks up to you and holds his hand out, looking at you through his mask. You take it confused, tears still falling and shoulders still shaking. Once he gets this semi-form of consent, he slowly gets on your level and cautiously wraps his arms around you. His hug is awkward and unsure causing you to laugh through the tears. Vessel slowly relaxes and pulls you into a genuinely comforting hug. “Stop your tears. I’ll do anything”

II

As soon as he noticed your shoulders begin to shake and your face turns red, he stares openly at you. Only when the tears begin to actually fall does he take action, dragging you into a tight hug with his hand holding the back of your head. He allows you to cry, cry over whatever is bothering you. II never lets go and just stares at you longing to help in any way. He’ll try his best by rubbing patterns into your back and sometimes drumming his fingers against your spine. If he feels like none of this is working, he’ll search for your favorite item and hand it to you. Tired eyes meet tired eyes, the two of you just enjoying the soft come down of your crying. Afterward, II will pull you onto the couch and turn on a movie to help distract you. “Pick the movie… We can take a nap to it...”

III

He full-on panics at the sight of your tears, ready to hurt the cause of those tears. III races around trying to grab whatever snacks, blankets, stuffed animals, or anything he can find. He’ll offer them up to you with a slight bounce in his step. He may be goofy and a spasm at times, but III genuinely cares for everyone. If your tears don’t stop, he’ll freeze before grabbing you and pulling you into his lap in a tight bear hug. The bassist will rock you slowly like a mother would their child. He is unsure but he knows that no matter what he’ll try his best to improve your mood. Maybe going as far as telling you goofy stories of him and the other boys, maybe allowing you to just scream into his chest. Anything plus more. “So there was this time I-”

IV

He notices it before you really begin to cry. He had stumbled across you trying to escape from the room to find a place to hide. IV would follow you and ask if you are okay, of course, that is when the tears finally begin to fall. You snuffle and shake your head while holding yourself in an attempt to hold it together. He sighs softly and pulls you into him, hugging you gently allowing you to break free at any moment. IV hums quietly while rocking the two of you side to side. If he is comfortable enough, he’ll place gentle kisses on top of your head through his mask. Similarly to II, he’ll turn his fingers across your spine in a soothing motion. He doesn’t even might in you stay in his arms all night while soaking his shirt with your tears. IV isn’t positive what he is doing is working, but he’ll try his best. “Is there anything I can do…”

V

He had run across you crying on his way to go bother one of the others. The fear of “oh god did someone hurt you” ran through his veins. His first reaction is to look you over checking for any bumps or bruises. Once he finds none, he’ll gently wipe away your tears and stare into your eyes, a gentle non-verbal way of asking if you are okay. V will scoop you up in his arms bridal style and place you into his mess of blankets then dig to find his favorite snacks. He’ll give them to you and then make sure you are hydrated enough after the tears have passed. Once he deems you feed, he’ll pull you into his lap and rest his forehead against yours. Humming a soft song and rubbing your back in the meantime. “Don’t be afraid to talk to someone...”

[grzybjek]

for some reason i cant answer this ask directly BUT thank u user @honestlytastygayasstrash for the ask now get ready for the longest post ill ever write. I fucking love talking about my characters.

here they are. my scrimblos. :

Antek, token cis white man of the group: -ISFJ, he/him, age is around 18, listens to ABBA, Queen, Modern Talking, Manaam, Obywatel GC, Lady Pank and Depeche Mode.

(i think i wrote it on his ref sheet but he got his scar by simply tripping over a cupboard as a child. He doesnt tell anyone about this though and always comes up with different stories about how he got the scar. So some people think he got it by winning a bear fight or fighting a drunk old man)

-he is a fucking menace. and i mean it. most insane man on earth that always tries to grab others attention in the most dangerous and stupid ways imaginable. Also uses alcohol as his weapon to look and act more cool and always fails miserably. Hes also very noncommittal and always switches out the people that he talks to after a week, simply because he doesnt feel comfortable with anyone. But he still loves getting attention from others so he keeps getting into these relationships just to drop them later. Theres something different about Bianka and Gabriel though and thats why theyre friends. and I think his pinterest board explains his personality better than i ever will

and some fun facts! hes surprisingly good at cooking and is the only one in the group that knows how to drive a car.

if it comes to Bianka shes my favorite goth woman ever. Here is some info about her: -ENTJ, she/them, is around 17, listens to Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy, Myslovitz, Republika, Depeche Mode and The Cure.

-Obviously shes recognized mostly for her gothic makeup which I absolutely love drawing. And shes goth herself, and is even in a gothic punk band! The band members include her, as the bassist, Helena as the singer, Janek as the drummer and Antek used to play the keyboard before they kicked him out.

And this is how I imagine them:-) just two alt girls and just some guy. Love them

-Bianka is the most confident out of everyone in the group, even Antek who's all over the place. She knows when to stop talking unlike him though. However her being confident doesnt mean she likes being in the spotlight, in fact, she absolutely hates it. She hates that everyone is always listening to her and whenever she walks in the room all eyes are on her. So most of the times she just wants to hide and spends time in her little circle of friends, but if theres an emergency then shes the first one to intervene. She also has a very weird moral compass just like Helena so theyre best friends, obviously.

Literally her. A fun fact about her is that she has like four Siouxsie and the Banshees posters in her room and owns a golden retriver which I didnt name yet.

oh and i forgot to mention but Bianka has Chinese ancestors and has a lot of chinese facial features that I always fail to draw because I focus on her makeup too much.

The last one is Gabriel, miserable ginger guy whos also the main character of the plot and yet i know so little about him. Im still figuring out his personality honestly. Anyhow:

-ISFP, he/him, age 17, listens to Tame Impala, Gorillaz, The Strokes, MGMT, David Bowie, Dolly Parton and Depeche Mode. All three of them are Depeche Mode fans.

-As I mentioned I know very little about him. But I think hes more of watcher of the world around him than a member of it. He's mostly quiet because he cant figure out when its the best time to speak, unfortunately that also means he keeps his best jokes to himself. Hes also mostly dissociated from the world and tries to be an active member of it so bad that he always ends up doing stupid things or hurting himself in the process. I think its just safe to say hes still figuring out his place in the world, and because the world around him confuses him so much he holds onto safe memories most of the time. Thats why hes a photographer and likes catching all of the important moments of life on camera, its like a comforting feeling for him. Hes also very irrational and a people pleaser but i blame it on his undiagnosed AuDHD honestly.

questionable pinterest board explains his personality well too

-as hes the narrator of the story, its very important to mention hes a queer character. I avoided talking about the queernes of others characters on purpose, since its an important part of their story that i dont want to share yet but without any context ill just say that Gabriel is a trans man and bisexual!

as for fun facts he owns a cat named Felek, really likes green olives and lives with his grandparents. Antek also taught him how to drive a car but he never put that info in use.

AND HERE COMES MY FAVORITE PART!!!! ILL EXPLAIN THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN THEM ALL!!!

starting with Gabriel and Nastka, whom I didnt mention in this post as shes just a side character, its important to know that these two are childhood friends. Theyre not that close anymore, their relationship disappeared as time went on, but they both keep each other in their memories and think about each other a lot. They both nicknamed each other after Dead Poets Society characters too, so Nastka never calls Gabriel by his name, but Todd. Theyre also neighbours and share a balcony. Sometimes they meet there as theyre hanging up clothes to dry and just exchange smiles.

The relationship between Gabriel and Antek is more complicated. They met on a party once and never got to know each other better, but couldnt stop thinking about each other. Gabriel just knows about Antek from Bianka's stories and vice versa, and whenever they meet everyone thinks theyre best friends because of how well they can get along without even knowing a thing about themselves. They always end up dancing together on parties, going on walks at night and talking about their favorite books somewhere in the corner, having deep conversations about their views of life but they never ask each other personal questions and if you ask one of them to say whats their favorite color, they wouldnt know. I like to think the universe never gave them a chance to know each other better because if it did theyd be too powerful together. Maybe if they got to know each other better theyd be more than friends.

Bianka and Anteks relationship is pretty similar to the relationship between Gabriel and Nastka. Theyre also childhood best friends and first met each other in the counselors office in 6th grade as Bianka tried to beat someone up for being mean to Antek, a guy she didnt even know yet. She just needed an excuse to get in a fight with some boys that she didnt like and somehow made a best friend ten minutes later. Since then theyve been on and off, sometimes splitting up for months at a time and going back to each other to spill everything theyve learned while they were away. They always find support in each other even if they cant understand each other that well and are total opposites. Somehow Bianka always finds a way to cheer up Antek, even if shes the one to make him feel bad in the first place.

Antek was the first one to suggest they should make a band, and they tried several times until they ended up with Helena and Janek which I previously mentioned.

And the last one, Bianka and Gabriels dynamic..... its very cute actually. Bianka is the first person to show Gabriel the world around him and introduce him to new possibilities. She showed him goth dance moves and helped him find his taste in music. They met in high school as they sat together in math class and if not Bianka being confident and immediately accepting Gabriel as her friend, hed never speak to her. He probably still thinks shes too cool for him, but is very happy to have her as a friend anyway even if he feels belittled by her sometimes. Feeling belittled is why Gabriel usually doesnt speak to her first and waits until she does it first. They often do sleepovers where they watch all of their favorite movies for the tenth time.

Also they all have friendship bracelets. All three of them.

I dont know what else I could talk about so i think thats all!! Thats still such a long post I hope someone actually reads it. Thank you for asking about them I had so much fun writing this<3

I also purposefully avoided talking about the plot of Migawka because I want to keep it a secret. I really want to write a book or a comic one day with all three of the characters and so I wanna keep the plot to myself until I finish writing.

anyhow, heres migawkas pinterest board.

https://pin.it/7tFnFoH

[romeoandjulietyouwish]

Free (percahlia week day 7)

ao3 @percahliaweek

The Lord and Lady of Whitestone are known very well to the inhabitants of their city. They can frequently be found strolling through town, arm in arm. They make weekly purchases from their favorite grocers, make small talk with passersby, and warmly accept gifts brought to them by shy children. More so than any leaders older residents can remember, they are part of the community. 

On the cold days of winter, they can be seen going to services at the Temple of Sarenrae or leaving tokens of remembrance at memorials of the Briarwoods attack. Often during the cold months, the lady never strays far from her husband’s side. It seems as though they are clouded with memories of grief. 

And then the spring comes. As the snow melts, so do shrouds around the lord and lady. They take again to the streets, but this time with smiles and jollity. 

Though she hasn’t been with them long, it didn't take long for Whitestone to welcome in their new lady with open arms. Percival would tell her they loved her all along, and while that was true, he didn’t realize it until the midsummer festival.

She wore a long, blue dress with small white flowers all over it. Her hair was done in her usual braid, fastened with a pin shaped like a bird. With Percival on her arm, she shone like a pearl in the sun. Everyone in a quarter mile could see how enamored they were with each other. For the first time in ages, they saw Lord Percival smile, warmth in his eyes.

Soon after her arrival, Vex’ahlia was pulled away from her husband by a handful of excited children. She let them take her to the other side of the square, listening as they chatter and insist on putting dozens and dozens of flowers in her hair. 

Lord Percival watched from afar with a small smile as she entertained the children, letting them doll her up as much as they wished. His mind couldn’t help but wander to the future, how someday they might have children of their own. 

An older woman came up to Percival then, smiling warmly, “She reminds so much of your grandmother.”

Percy turned to the old woman with raised eyebrows, “You knew my grandmother?”

She smiled, the expression wrinkling her face. She was human with long white hair hanging loose around her shoulders. She wore a white linen dress, the collar embroidered with roses.

“We all did.” The woman looked at Vex’ahlia with a fond smile. “She used to visit the orphanages every week, she would spend hours with the children. There were always rumors that she went out to avoid her husband, but we all knew she loved those kids more than anything. She wasn’t born in Whitestone either, but she cared about this city more than any de Rolo in the generations before her.” 

Percy’s face softened, “I never knew that.” He didn’t have many memories of his grandmother, she died when he was just a child. His father never talked about her much.

The woman patted his arm. “You be good to that woman, you hear? Whitestone needs her,” she looked him up and down, “you not so much.” She chuckled.

Percy smiled, “Yes, ma’am.” Percy bowed to her. “I couldn’t bear the thought of anything else.”

She seemed satisfied with that answer, patting his arm again before disappearing back into the crowd. At that same moment, Vex’ahlia appeared in front of him wearing a wide smile. Her hair was littered with small flowers, some already falling out. 

“Hello, darling,” she crooned, taking his arm. “Who was that?”

“Someone who knew my grandmother,” he told her, voice still full of astonishment. “She told me to be good to you.”

Vex laughed, squeezing his arm, “I hope you’re going to listen to her.”

“I’ll consider it,” Percy teased. They wandered through the festival, arm in arm, both smiling. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a crowd spinning and dancing to the music of a small band. Percy smiled, “My dear, will you dance with me?”

Vex looked at him, eyes raised in surprise, “You want to dance?”

“Ah, so I can still surprise you,” Percy laughed. He leaned down to kiss her gently, inhaling the perfume of the flowers. “I want to dance under the Sun Tree with my beautiful wife if she will grant me the honor.”

“I will.” Vex dragged him towards where a few other couples were dancing. As always, he let her lead. She’s a much more confident dancer. As they spun with smiles on their faces, flowers fell from her hair like rain. 

Around the square, some of the older residents exchanged eye contact, all thinking the very same thing. Whitestone is more than healed. Perhaps the same can be said for the young lord.

[raidpirate52]

Reese's Gang

This is a pretty unorganized post, but I wanted to get this out there because I'm in a share my Backyard Sports world mood. XD. Let me know if you want more!

Core members:

-Reese Worthington (leader)

Reese's positions: 3rd base (Baseball), Central Midfielder (Soccer), Wide Receiver (Football), Forward (Basketball), Center (Hockey)

-Felix Grant (NPC generic)

Felix's positions: Shortstop (Baseball), Forward (Soccer), Wide Receiver (Football), Forward (Basketball), Left Wing (Hockey)

-Ace Patterson (Rookie Rush).

Ace's positions: Pitcher/2ndbase/Left Field (Baseball), Midfielder (Soccer), Quarterback (Football), Center (Basketball), Right Wing (Hockey).

-Jett Hawke (my OC)

Jett's positions: Catcher (Baseball), Defender (Soccer), Linebacker (Football), Defender (Basketball), Defender (Hockey).

Marky DuBois is consistently teamed up with them, and is often seen as the "Token Good Teammate", as he doesn't involve himself with their antics, which is why he's not really referred to as being in the gang. It's not uncommon to see him hanging around them off the field as well.

Marky's positions: 2nd base or relief pitcher (Baseball), Defender (Soccer), Tight end (Football), Defender (Basketball), Defender (Hockey).

Origin: The group started after Reese was teamed up with them randomly, then was made captain after being pledged by the other three. Reese used to be picked last or near last in recruiting teams. While at first he didn't mind as he would rather read comics or play video games and eating potato chips, he would often be benched or picked last too many times and overhear ("well we got to pick him right?") that he sought to get back at everybody, so teams up with three of the town's top athletes.

Team(s):

Rockets - Baseball, Football, Soccer

Trash-Talkers - Basketball

Walruses - Hockey

Colors: Green (primary), Black (secondary).

Home field:

Sandy Flats (Baseball, Football, Soccer, Basketball)

Ice Castle Arcade (Hockey)

I headcanon that Ice Castle Arcade is located at Sandy Flats and that Shark Belly Shores (that includes the boardwalk) is another part of town on the coast. (Like uptown/downtown).

Rivals: Melonheads (Captained by Pablo), Hornets/Hammers/Llamas (Captained by Kiesha--teamed with Stephanie Morgan, Jocinda Smith, and Vicki Kawaguchi), All-Stars/Rim-Rattlers/Slushballs (Captained by Tony), Hot-Doggers/Polar Bears (basketball/hockey - captained by Dante Robinson).

In addition Reese has a personal rivalry with Stephanie, who is on Kiesha's team. The two used to argue who was better as a hockey goalie. One season the two teamed up and Stephanie won the goalie bid. After Stephanie returned to her usual team, Reese picked Kenny Kawaguchi to be their goalie via a 3 way trade with the Llamas and Polar Bears. The Walruses initially picked up Kimmy Eckman from the Llamas so Stephanie can go to the Walruses, but due to Reese and Kimmy not liking each other and Kimmy and Dante's eating habits, they agreed to an immediate trade where Kenny went to Reese's team and Kimmy went to Dante's.

They are most favorited in Football and Hockey, however, they are competitive in every sport. If they make the playoffs in basketball or baseball, they are usually a low seed.

The league has a social app, BackSports, that allows the Backyard Kids to communicate and Reese's gang loves to use it to trash talk and be annoying, usually at the expense of the teams their facing/have beaten, examples:

"Maca-DON'T" (on Joey Macadoo), "Time to beat those spoiled fruit" (on the Melonheads). "If only Achmed was as good as dribbling as half as good as he is at drumming" (on Achmed).

After a defeat, however, their accounts are usually quiet while everyone else has fun at their expense for their loss after showboating before the game.

They like to trash talk on the field as well. Mr. Clanky has given them numerous unsportsmanlike penalties, which they often voice frustration over being unfairly targeted. They can also be seen talking big in the school cafeteria, seeking out the tables of the other captains and comment how they look forward to beating them.

One of their most infamous off-field antics involved going into Pablo's backyard and dressing his dog in a Rockets jersey.

They do agree to keep their crushes off limits from their antics. Jett has a crush on Sidney so they don't bother her or her twin sister Ashley (since doing so would make Sidney mad). Felix Grant has a crush on Betty Houston so they don't go after her either. Finally, as a favor to Marky, they don't annoy BillieJean Blackwood either.

During a hockey game against the Melonheads, Pablo skated over to Jett and bumped into him, and Jett reacted in a way that won't win him any Oscars, but they took advantage of Clanky's crapshoot AI, and the penalty was called on Pablo. The Walruses scored on the ensuing powerplay and won the game. Dmitri then made modifications to Clanky to detect deception, and Reese's gang hated Dmitri ever since. As payback, the Walruses would go on to eliminate Dmitri's team (Igloos) in the playoffs. Reese, skating by Dmitri comments in the postgame handshakes, "Too bad you didn't rig Clanky to win you games".

Speaking of off the field, when not playing the gang can usually be seen hanging out at Ice Castle Arcade.

Biggest Accomplishment: Defeated Jimmy Knuckles' Monsters in the Gridiron Grits Cereal Bowl. The one time the neighborhood cheered for Reese's team as the lesser of two evils. What helps is they had other players like Marky, Sidney (cornerback), Mikey Thomas (defensive line/center), and Angela Delvecchio (kicker) to balance them out.

Most Embarrassing Loss: In one season of Backyard Baseball, the Rockets needed to win just one of their last remaining games to go to the playoffs. In the first game, they lose to the league leading Melonheads, but no threat because their final game of the season is against the winless Socks team, captained by Ronny Dobbs. In a series of errors: Ace threw a wild pitch past the catcher, Jett, to score a run, and another run came from a popup that the four couldn't communicate on and they all collide into each other. Reese was the final out of the game, grounding out but in a desperate attempt to get to first, dives and just lands face first into the dirt. Parents of the Socks players wore clown costumes to have their team's winless season have a lighthearted end, but at the end of the game, Jett reflects: "There were so many clowns. And yet, we were the biggest ones." Their loss allowed the Hornets to clinch the final playoff spot. Their BackSports accounts were quiet for days.

Most dramatic win: In the Clanky Cup Finals, the game went to overtime. Jett dumps the pass into the Llamas end that bounces off the boards and right to Reese who dekes around Stephanie to shoot the puck into the net to win the Clanky Cup.

The team they lose to the most is Pablo Sanchez and the Melonheads. They defeat Joey's team, the Knights the most and don't really see him as a threat and go after him the most with their antics since he responds the way they want more so than anyone. The team with the most balanced rivalry is with Kiesha's teams as they both have shared big wins and heartbreaking losses to each other.

As for the commentators, Vinnie the Gooch and Buddy Cheque are their biggest supporters, enjoying their embrace to playing heel. Sunny Day, while usually calling neutral lets her enthusiasm show when a more respected captain like Pablo or Kiesha defeat them, but at the same time, doesn't shy away from complimenting them when they win, usually highlighting the play of one of their kinder players.

Best and Worst Result per sport:

Baseball:

Best: Game 7 extra-innings defeat in the semi-finals vs. Melonheads on a Pablo walkoff.

Worst: Missed the playoffs.

Soccer:

Best: Won the BSL Championship

Worst: Qualifying Rounds defeat.

Football:

Best: Won the Cereal Bowl (2x)

Worst: Lost in Conference Finals to the Hornets at home after a record breaking season on offense and defense.

Basketball:

Best: Game 5 loss in the semi-finals to the Melonheads after being up 2 games to 1 before losing games 4 and 5.

Worst: Missed the playoffs.

Hockey:

Best: Won the Clanky Cup (3x)

Worst: Qualifying Round defeat.

Hope you all enjoyed reading! Let me know if you want more!

[eldritchxembers]

Walking through the picturesque streets of Cardinal Hill, you find Calamity ‘Cal’ Bardot, the 35 year old veterinarian/animal rehabilitationist originally from Portland, Oregon. Living alongside them in such a small town, you know that they're engaging and non-committal, but what you might not know is that they are a witch, and that they’re hiding something… ― Sophia Bush, bisexual, woman, and she/her.

Name: Calamity Kidd Bardot

Nickname: Cal, Kidd, Dizzy (only by her father)

Family: Clint (Father, Deceased - 1989), Helen (Mother, Estranged), Wyatt (Brother, Estranged), Shira (Sister, ???)

Likes: vintage motorcycles, fixing her father's classic car, dark chocolate, strong coffee (with or without vodka), stargazing

Dislikes: small talk, people who harm animals, loud, crowded places

Familiar Animal: a maine coon named Nemo

Favorite Song: "Head Like a Hole" - NIN

Theme Song: "The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen

Character Inspirations: Willow Rosenberg (BtVS), River Song (Doctor Who), Faye Valentine (Cowboy Bebop), Nico Robin (One Piece).

Backstory:

The Bardot family tree has roots twisted by silence and storms. In Portland's rain-soaked suburbs, Cal learned early that love and pain often came wrapped in the same package. Her father Clint, a man who carried his own childhood like a set of brass knuckles, taught her both guitar chords and how to guard her heart. Every Sunday, he'd take her to his auto shop, showing her how to coax life back into dying engines while classic rock crackled through speakers caked with grease and time.

Helen Bardot, with her stark elegance and carefully curated social calendar, treated her marriage like another piece of fine art in their craftsman home - something to be displayed rather than lived in. She and Clint had found each other at a time when both needed the appearance of stability more than love itself. Their union was a masterclass in mutual pretense, each playing their part in a performance that fooled everyone except their children.

Wyatt, the eldest, bore the brunt of Clint's expectations and fists. He was the first draft of Clint's attempt to create the son he thought he should have, and like most first drafts, it was marked with heavy revisions and frustrated cross-outs. Cal would often find Wyatt in their shared bathroom, pressing cold washcloths to fresh bruises, his eyes meeting hers in the mirror with a mixture of shame and resignation.

Then came that day - the day that earned Cal her nickname and changed the power dynamic forever. She was seven, gangly and fierce, when she found Clint cornering Wyatt in the garage. The sound of Clint's raised voice and Wyatt's quiet apologies had become as familiar as dinner bells in their house, but something in Cal snapped. She stepped between them, full of childhood defiance, and took the hit meant for her brother. When Clint's knuckles connected with her jaw, she planted her feet like tree roots and said those words: "I'm not dizzy yet."

The nickname "Dizzy" stuck - Clint's way of remembering both her defiance and his shame. It became a complex token of their relationship, a reminder of the moment his daughter proved she was just as stubborn, just as unbreakable as him.

The real fracture in the family came when Shira, then nine, trusted their mother with a secret that should have been safe: she wasn't the boy everyone thought she was. Helen, ever conscious of appearances, couldn't bear the thought of what the neighborhood would say. When she told Clint, his reaction was swift and final. He packed up that night, but not alone - he took Cal, his "reliable one," the child who reminded him most of himself.

Living with Clint in a small apartment above the auto shop in Cardinal Hill, Cal learned the geography of her father's demons. She watched him drink himself to sleep, heard his nightmares, and began to understand that monsters are made, not born. She became both daughter and caretaker, learning to gauge his moods like checking tire pressure - a skill that would later serve her well with injured animals.

The witch part of Cal's story began in those years above the auto shop. Magic found her like stray cats find kind souls - naturally and necessarily. It started small: plants thriving in impossible conditions, animals seeking her out for help, wounds healing just a little too quickly under her touch. She kept this part of herself hidden from Clint, adding it to the growing collection of secrets she carried.

Meanwhile, Wyatt disappeared into the world of tech startups in Seattle, building firewalls instead of relationships. Shira found refuge in Portland's queer community, blooming into herself despite the family's fractures. Helen maintained her social calendar, telling friends her husband and daughter were "finding themselves" - as if absence was just another fashion trend.

Cal learned to live in the spaces between - between her father's love and his rage, between her family's past and their scattered present, between the mundane world of veterinary medicine and the hidden realm of her magic. She became an expert at straddling worlds, at healing what's broken while keeping her own cracks carefully concealed.

Now, at 35, living in Cardinal Hill, Cal has built a life that looks whole from the outside. Her veterinary practice thrives, her father's old guitar sits in her living room, and she's known as the person who can fix just about any animal that crosses her path. But underneath it all, she's still that girl standing in the garage, refusing to fall down, carrying secrets like spare change in her pockets.

What the good people of Cardinal Hill don't know - what they can't know - is that some of her healing comes from more than just medical knowledge. They don't see how the moonlight catches in her hair during midnight rituals, or how the local wildlife seems to watch her with knowing eyes. They don't notice how plants lean toward her as she walks past, or how storms seem to skip over injured animals in her care.

The biggest secret, though, isn't her magic. It's the gnawing guilt she carries about Shira, about leaving her behind that night. It's the weight of being the "good" child, the one Clint chose to take, and the responsibility she feels to somehow make it right. This guilt feeds her drive to heal, to fix, to make whole what's broken - whether it's a wounded hawk or a fractured family.

And somewhere in Cardinal Hill, behind the warm smile and gentle hands of their local vet, Calamity Bardot holds these pieces of herself together with magic and sheer will, wondering if she'll ever stop feeling like she needs to prove she isn't dizzy yet.

Relationships:

Helen: The Mother She Could Never Please

Helen Bardot moved through life like she was perpetually on stage, each gesture calculated, each word measured. To young Cal, watching her mother was like studying a foreign language - beautiful but incomprehensible. Helen's love came with conditions: straight A's earned a slight smile, a perfectly pressed dress might warrant a pat on the shoulder, and winning a beauty pageant meant a rare "That's my girl" at one of her mother's garden parties.

But Cal was all scraped knees and motor oil stains, more comfortable under a car with her father than at Helen's afternoon teas. Her mother's attempts to mold her into a proper young lady slid off like water on waxed canvas. "Calamity," Helen would sigh, the name taking on a different meaning in her mouth, "must you always look like you've been wrestling in the dirt?"

The final fracture between mother and daughter came not during the night Clint took Cal away, but in the silence that followed. Helen never called, never fought for her. Years later, Cal would learn that her mother had redecorated her bedroom within a week, turning it into a sewing room as if erasing all evidence of her existence. The message was clear: imperfect things had no place in Helen Bardot's carefully curated world.

Wyatt: The Brother She Chose to Shield

Three years older but infinitely more vulnerable, Wyatt became Cal's first rescue project. She learned to read the weather patterns of their father's moods to protect him, developed an uncanny ability to appear just when Wyatt needed an interruption or escape route. At twelve, she was already redirecting Clint's attention with strategic questions about carburetors or perfectly timed clumsy accidents.

Their dynamic confused outsiders - the little sister standing guard over her big brother. But Wyatt understood. He taught her coding in return, late nights spent hunched over a secondhand laptop, whispering about binary codes and escape sequences. "You're like a buffer overflow," he once told her, "small but capable of changing the whole program."

When Wyatt finally left for college, Cal slipped him her savings - $342.78 earned from mowing lawns and fixing neighbors' cars. "Don't come back," she whispered fiercely. "I've got things handled here." He tried to refuse the money, but she shoved it in his backpack along with a note: "Being strong doesn't mean you have to stay."

Shira: The Sister She Couldn't Save

The age gap between Cal and Shira - seven years - made Cal feel more like a third parent than a sister, but she embraced the role with fierce dedication. While Helen fretted over Shira's "peculiar behavior" and Clint maintained gruff disapproval, Cal created safe spaces. Their secret fort in the backyard became a sanctuary where Shira could wear Cal's old dresses and talk about feeling like a stranger in her own skin.

Cal still remembers the day Shira, then seven, asked why God had put her in the wrong body. She remembers pulling her little sister close, saying, "Maybe God didn't make a mistake. Maybe you're magic, like those caterpillars that have to transform to become their true selves."

Shira was more than just a sister; she was Cal's heart, her conscience, the part of her that refused to be broken. The night Clint took her away, it was Shira's silent plea that echoed in Cal's mind. She had failed to protect her, to shield her from her father's wrath.

The guilt was a constant companion, a heavy weight that she carried with her. She dreamed of a day when she could make it up to her sister, when she could offer her the love and support she deserved.

Clint: The Man Who Shaped Her

Clint Bardot was a man of contradictions, a force of nature both gentle and destructive. He taught Cal the beauty of fixing things - engines, friendships, even broken hearts. But he also taught her the ugly side of power, the way it could twist a man's soul and leave a trail of wreckage behind.

The physical abuse was a constant undercurrent, a dark secret woven into the fabric of their life together. It wasn't just Wyatt who bore the brunt of his rage; Cal, too, had her share of bruises and broken promises. She learned to read the signs, to anticipate the storms, and to protect herself and her siblings whenever possible.

Despite the pain, she found herself strangely drawn to his strength, his ability to find beauty in broken things. She saw in him a reflection of herself, a survivor who had learned to endure. But she also saw the toll it took, the way it had hardened his heart and clouded his judgment.

Cal's love for her father was a complex tapestry of love, fear, and resentment. She wanted to break the cycle, to show him a different path, but she also knew that sometimes the only way to heal is to distance yourself from the source of the pain.

[animelover20]

🎶✨when u get this, list 5 songs u like to listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨ !

Oooh now this is the shit I like seeing at 6 in the morning😃 thank you, I actually really like talking about my taste in music. Sorry if I ramble on a bit too much than what you were expecting tho I'm just really excited.

I'm guessing these don't have to be in any specific order so they ain't. Btw artist names are in bold because it looked too confusing otherwise.

Most of these are either gonna be metal,loud as fuck/chaotic, just weird or sometimes even a mix of all of those.

1. Hand me my shovel I'm going in! - will wood and the tapeworms. It's fun as fuck plus the songs been theorised to be about mental health and how the person singing isn't 'sick' enough to get help. (Which is backed by a few lyrics especially "so I bookmark my DSM cause I need you to remember my place".) It's such a cool and fun song because of how chaotic it is and will wood and the tapeworms are one of my favourite bands overall so don't be surprised if they appear a few times😁

2. Death - Æther realm. You've probably never heard of it but it's really cool. You won't like it if your not a fan of death since that's the whole song. Essential made an album based off tarot cards which is such a cool concept(I love tarot btw) but I've only listened to this one so far. Anyway onto the meaning. It's an extremely positive song about death and it actually applies to a lot of my beliefs on death aswell. Instead of describing death as this horrible thing it's so much more peaceful. With a few lyrics being("if I had another chance to live I think id rather be dead" and the one that follows every chorus being "if this is really death then it's not so bad.")I really hate death being seen as a negative thing because frankly it isn't. It's a comforting concept. at the end of the day,no matter what you do,no matter how you live, death is going to come for you. And you know what that's ok. It's one of my favourite songs for this reason. And I know not everyone will agree with me but that's fine.

3. Per Aspera ad inferi - Ghost. I will just quickly mention, they are a satanist band,if you're not into that then ya know don't be mean,their songs go hard lmao. Anyway i am not apart of their religion but I respect it. Anyway the name is essentially a play on the Latin phrase 'through hardship to the stars' or Per Aspera astra.' (rough translation btw) whereas the song name instead translates to 'through hardships to hell.' which is so fucking cool. It's catchy as fuck song and I find it getting stuck in my head a lot.

4. Necromancin Dancin - Bear Ghost. It's just a really fun song,chaotic as fukc too. Plus the thought of people just being revived just to start dancin is really funnym. Added bonus that is song is in my doffy playlist (because of the whole controlling people I thought why not be able to do it to corpses aswell😃) it's actually the only song so far to be apart of said playlist but that may change as I go. I don't know if this song has any specific meaning either then necromancer making people dance. But it's pretty good.

5. Take me back to Eden - sleep token. Ok so I've been making this list up as I went which is why I said in 4 that there might be another song from my playlist and what I said could change and it did. This song is in my doffy playlist and it's actually the song that inspired the playlist in the first place so,hats off to it. Anyway yay metal. Loud, amazing vocals and metal? What more could you ask for. It's mostly been attributed to doffy because of the whole theme of being thrown out of this holy place and desperately trying to get back which...(If you know you know.) I fucking love this song so much and I am genuinely out of words to describe it.

And that's about it I think I'm happy with this. Anyway again thank you for making my morning and giving me something to do that I actually really enjoy. Sorry if this is a ramble I just really like music.

I hope you have a great day/night❤️

[wickerjulias]

post 5 current favorite songs

i got tagged by the amazing @nicijones thank you so much <3 since i’m still super hyped bc of the nova rock i’ll post mostly ‘core songs, so bear with me

nowhere to go by bad omens

kool-aid by bring me the horizon

the summoning by sleep token

levitate by bleed from within

curse by architects

i’m tagging @juliawvicker, @henrysfox, @lucydonato, @carrionsflower, the saline squad and everyone else who wants to do this :)