#expect to see more of them i really like this ship

[wannabe-fic-writer]

Be Mine - Chapter 1

Summary: A long day of work turns out better than you expected it would.

Warnings: Minor Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes

* * * * * * *

The car door shuts with a loud slam, the sleek black sedan slightly shaking from the force of your actions. With a huff and a sigh, you slouch in your seat, reaching a hand up to rub your temples. 

From the front seat, your driver/bodyguard looks through the rearview mirror. Blue eyes take in your stressed and agitated state, a slightly amused smirk pulls at his lips.

“Everything alright there boss?” 

You sigh heavily again,“ do I look like everything is alright Steven?”

The blonde man snorts and laughs, pulling away from the curb and into New York traffic. 

“Belova give you a hard time?” He asks with a chuckle, making his way to your next destination.

“Every damn time.” Is your reply, focus shifting to the stacks of folders beside you. Tossing the one labeled “Belova” aside, you pick up the next one.

By the time you’re done reading through financial reports and new staff profiles, Steve has pulled into the lot of your next stop. 

“Turn her off, I know you have a reason to come in.” You tell him while tucking your files away and getting out. 

With a nod, Steve shuts the car off and follows after you. Together you head up the sidewalk to the club. ‘Red Room’ is displayed in red neon lights above the door. In your opinion, the neon lights are pretty tacky but with the building being so nondescript and easily missed, especially on this street, the sign attracts the attention it needs to.

Steve is checking over his shoulder subconsciously all the way to the door. The bouncer simply nods to the two of you and lets you in.

The club lights are dim, save for the two lights pointed directly at the stage, strobing in time with the music.

It’s good to see the club packed, even better to see the money raining from thrown hands. Drinks are flowing and the scantily clad bartenders are receiving more than decent enough tips.

“Boss.” Steve’s voice cuts through the music and draws your attention to him, where he nods forward.

Standing at the door leading to the office and staff rooms is one of your most trusted advisors and businessmen.

You approach with a stoic expression,“ Barnes.” 

His face matches yours as he nods,“ Y/ln.”

The two of you, followed by Steve, walk into the back. As always the man leads you to his office where he pulls out three beers and passes them out.

Your hard exterior sags a little as you relax in the private setting. Steve is quick to let a smile form on his face as he fully takes in the brunette man you’re with. They share a smile, then a kiss before you all settle around the desk.

“Alright alright, business then pleasure.” You say while setting your bottle on the desk. 

Both men nod, doing the same, then Bucky interlocks his fingers on the desk. His eyes lock with yours, business now written across his features.

“I’ve read over your reports.” Your pause would make most of your other associates sweat but Bucky is confident in his business and you’ve worked together too long for him to not know your tells.“ I’m not disappointed. Everything is in order and over recent months you’ve tripled revenue. On both ends. I really have nothing to add, you run a tight ship and you always have.”

“Oh? A compliment within praise, you in a good mood?”

“I just came from Yelena’s,” you say which elicits a snort and laugh from both men,“ I’m far from in a good mood. But-” a sliver of a smile tugs at your lips,“ you’re my friend and a damn good colleague so there’s no reason to lie or beat around the bush.”

He hums, tipping his head in a nod.“ I appreciate it boss, truly.” A smile plays on his lips as well.

From there, he pulls out a fairly thick folder and for the next hour you both go over the contents of it, comparing his books with yours and ensuring everything is in order. Another thirty or so minutes are spent going over details for the new hires and with that taken care of, the majority of your work is done.

Releasing a deep breath, you grab the new beer bottle off the desk, having finished the first while working, and the shoulders of both men drop as they copy the action of sipping their drinks.“ I’d like to see the new girls,” your gaze raises to meet Bucky’s,“ not that I don’t trust your judgment but your tastes are more versed when it comes to the other team.” You teasingly nod towards the man’s partner sitting beside you.

Steve and Bucky chuckle, then the brunette rises with a check of his watch.“ I believe one of them is about to go on now.” With a hand gestured towards the door, he leads the way back out to the main space.

The lights in the place have shifted to a low intimidating red color, slow instrumental music begins to play, and the spotlights point directly at the golden pole on stage.

You hear the clicking of heels before you see anyone. A silhouette appears from the left stage entrance and you find yourself watching with slight intrigue.

You’re used to acts like this from the, for lack of a better term, veterans who work here. But this is a new girl and she seems to have already become a fan favorite and she’s good enough to have been given a special show.

With an anticipatory pause in the music, the woman steps into the light. Not fully, at first all you get is a view of seeming miles of smooth milky skin as her foot steps forward, the light shining on her leg.

A hand follows, slender fingers trailing from ankle to thigh in a way that makes every man in sight holler.

To you, the noise around fades out as she finally puts herself in the spotlight.

Smooth milky skin continues, it dips and curves in all the right places, almost completely on display thanks to the barely there emerald green bra and panty set. It’s lacey, the intricate patterns highlighting the most intimate parts of her. There’s very little left to the imagination and the desire to uncover the rest rises in you.

It’s almost startling when your gaze lands on her face. Striking green eyes are looking into yours already, perfect cheekbones and a pretty jawline framed by fiery red hair. Her face, you find, is even more gorgeous than her body.

A hand on your shoulder pulls you from your near trance-like state. It’s Steve who meets your eye, brows knitted in worry.

You give a dismissive look, letting him know you’re fine. So he jabs a thumb in the direction behind him, you lean forward to see Bucky back over by the door now accompanied by a familiar dark haired woman.

Glancing back to the stage, you catch sight of the redhead as she arches her back away from the pole, forming a shape reminiscent of Cupid’s bow, and meets your eye. It takes every ounce of willpower to tear your gaze away and head back down the hallway towards Bucky.

“Melina.” You greet, leaning in to kiss both of the woman’s cheeks.

She returns the gesture, hands on your arms gently squeezing.“ It’s good to see you, Y/n.” Her accent drips over her words like honey and it sounds just as smooth.“ I was told you wanted to meet the girls.”

Bucky lets you pass, both he and Steve staying behind as you follow the older woman down the hall to the dressing room, but you don’t miss the way they slip into Bucky’s office a second later.

The moment you step inside you’re met with the sight of naked and half naked women. They all vary in appearance, but each one is beautiful as is expected in this business.

Melina calls the names of a number of women and they all approach. It’s clear they know you’re important, each one smiling seductively and trying to put their best assets on display.

“I trust that they’re all good.” You look away disinterestedly, focusing on Melina instead.“ And that they’ve been taken care of?”

“Of course.” Melina says, reaching out to fix a curl on one of the girls’ heads.

The majority of the women who work here were found by Melina. She started working for you after leaving a place that horribly mistreated her and she was able to find girls in positions like the one she was in and, with your help, give them something better.

After being vetted by Bucky and Melina, the women were taken to the penthouse Melina lives in. There, she takes care of them however they need and as long as they need. As long as they have the skill for it, they’re given a job here where they’re paid enough to start standing on their own two feet. 

“The woman on stage-” you begin in hopes of learning more about the mysterious redhead.

“Natasha.” She tells you.

With a hum, you nod.“ She’s a little older than the girls you usually bring in.”

“Mhm. I’ve known her for years, I couldn’t help her before and I couldn’t find her after I had the means to.” The woman explains, furthering your curiosity.“ A few weeks ago we ran into each other. Seemed okay but she wanted out of the organization she was with.”

Speaking of her seems to make her appear. 

Your eyes follow her as she walks in, taking in every one of her facial features now that you can see them clearer. Her plum shaped cheekbones, perfectly arched brows, the faint wrinkles between her eyebrows, and the small knick just below her hairline.

Her red hair flows down her back in waves and draws your attention to the tattoo on her back: roses and a lamb.

“Natasha.” Melina calls, the woman looks over and smiles.

When she comes closer, she and Melina share a hug and you can sense their relationship is more than the usual one between Melina and the girls. 

“This is Miss Y/ln,” Melina introduces.“ She owns the club.”

Your reply of,“ please call me Y/n,” is accompanied by the outstretching of your hand.

Natasha eyes the action, then looks back at Melina without sparring you a glance.“ I thought Mr. Barnes owned the club.”

“He might as well,” you say before Melina responds, getting the redhead to look at you.“ Bucky does all the heavy lifting so to speak, my name just goes on the paperwork.”

That at least warrants you a change of expression, her stoicism replaced by the slightest frown. You smirk at that, happy for any reaction at all.

“I’ve never met a woman whose-”

“Ass looks like mine? Whose tits stand up so perky?” She attempts to finish for you, clearly very fed up with the kind of compliment she thinks you’ll give.

Melina frowns at the younger woman, a hiss of her name escaping her lips.

You remain amused, a raised eyebrow expressing as much.“ Whose eyes are quite as alluring. I’ve seen some of the rarest gems in the world and their beauty pales in comparison to that of your eyes.”

Her jaw slackens ever so slightly, eyes widening a fraction. She schools her expression just as quickly as it came.“ How often do you use that line?”

“I’ll have you know, that was the first time. Or did you miss the ‘never met’ part?” The playfully sarcastic tone of your voice makes her lips quirk into the smallest of smirks, green eyes trailing over your form immediately after.

Before she can give a response, you turn to the brunette at your side.“ Melina, I look forward to seeing you again, hopefully soon.”

“As do I.” She reaches up on her toes and kisses your cheek before you look at Natasha,“ have a good evening Natasha, it was a pleasure meeting you,” you then turn and leave. 

With a bye to Bucky you’re out of the club, sliding into the back seat of your car and shredding the black blazer from your body.

“To the bar?” Steve asks.

“God please.” You huff, slouching in your seat.

Steve nods and pulls off, taking a familiar route to the bar you frequent.

Today has been insanely busy and you need a drink desperately. Then again, no one said it would be easy running one of the most influential organizations in Manhattan. 

Being in the mob seemed so dangerous and thrilling when you were a kid and would see your father come home after one of his “missions.” While it is both of those things, since inheriting this business from your father, you’ve found that the day to day is more paperwork and meetings than dangerous and thrilling. 

Between calls with international business partners and ensuring that both your legal and illegal operations were running smoothly, the thrilling part of this life is rare. That’s also not to say things haven’t been interesting. 

You’re not the only crime family in New York. The Odinsons run Queens, the Guardians have Brooklyn, the Bronx remains unclaimed, and the headache that is the Rumlow family operates out of Staten Island.

Your relationship with the Odinsons and Guardians is a good one, you’re not allies per se but you’re not enemies either. Your relationship with the Rumlow Family is tumultuous at best, you try not to have dealings with them at all.

Lately though, he’s been making moves on the Bronx. He has some sort of connection that’s allowed him to buy property that is beyond difficult to acquire given who owns it. 

“Looks like you could really use that drink.” Steve chirps up, voice completely cutting your train of thoughts off.

It’s then you realize you’re already at the bar. For what feels like the hundredth time today, you both get out of the car and head into the building, Steve looking over his shoulder like it’s second nature.

Unlike the majority of the places you’ve walked into today, this one brings an instant smile to your face. 

The chipped red oak bar, the scattered wobbly chairs and tables, the flickering light above the bar and stage, all accompanied by the melody coming from the stage feels like home. A familiar face sits on the bench, fingers stroking the keys of the baby grand in a pattern that creates one of the songs you love.

“Well if it isn’t the boss lady.” The bartender says as you slide onto the stool, a glass being sat on a coaster in front of you.“ Whiskey sour?” He confirms to which you nod.

He begins making the drink and you spin on your stool to face the stage, only to find your view partly obstructed by the person sitting three stools down.

Long copper tendrils fall down her back, a green cardigan covering her body. You make out a soft but defined jawline, the ever so subtle swoop of her nose, and perky cheekbones.

When she looks up, head turning to face the bartender as her hand raises in a call for another drink, your jaw damn near drops. For the second time in one night you’re in awe of a woman’s beauty.

You sip your drink, almost spluttering as her eyes land on yours. Green eyes twice in one day.

“I’m sorry, am I in the way?”

Her voice makes you blink, and then realize you were staring at her for far too long. 

Smiling apologetically, you shake your head.“ No, no, of course not. I should be apologizing, I couldn’t help but stare.”

An instant blush rises on her cheeks and she legitimately splutters.“ I- you- wh- what were you staring at?”

“Only one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen many women.” Your words deepen her blush and that makes you smirk. With ease, you shift into the seat beside her.“ I don’t mean to be too forward, I just prefer not to beat around the bush.”

She shakes her head.“ No it’s okay. I- thank you. You’re also very easy on the eyes.”

“Why thank you. . .”

“Wanda. Wanda Jar-” she shakes her head softly,“ Wanda Maximoff.”

You nod, refraining from pointing out her seeming mistake,“ it’s a pleasure Miss Maximoff. I must say, I’m curious how you stumbled across this little hole in the wall. It’s usually just me, Scott, and Phil around here.”

“Plus your shadow over there.” Her gaze shifts over your shoulder and you follow it to find Steve watching you from his usual spot in the corner booth.

Chuckling, you turn back to the redhead.“ That is my friend Steve, he’s protective, rightfully so.”

Her eyebrows furrow, little wrinkles forming between them.“ Are you out here looking for danger or something?”

“Not looking. But it has a way of finding me. Though Steve is always there and I’m far from helpless so it’s nothing to worry about.” You explain to her.

There’s a brief pause before she nods.“ Well, to answer your previous question: this was as far from my old neighborhood that I felt like going and I heard the music from outside.”

“Phil is a rare talent that’s for sure.” You compliment the pianist.“ Far from the neighborhood though, we running from something?” 

She lets out a heavy sigh.“ A failed marriage.”

“Oof. Well, if we’re running from it, I assume talking about it is out?” She nods and you offer a smile.“ So a distraction would be better.”

That causes her eyes to drop to her drink: a margarita.“ This is the distraction.”

You shake your head.“ Nooo. That is a decent stress relief, but a distraction can be provided, if you’re interested.”

Her eyes bore into yours, there’s a decent amount of intrigue but you see the caution as there should be, you’re a stranger though you have no ill intentions.

“I think I’ll pass. I shouldn’t be out too long.” Your eyes flick to the clock above the bar, it’s well past midnight.

So you nod.“ I completely understand. I probably should be getting home soon as well.” You down the last of your second drink and stand.“ It was lovely meeting you, Wanda. And if you ever happen to want a distraction, call me.” Your business card, with the addition of your personal number, is slipped onto the bar top beside her glass.

“It was nice meeting you too.” She mumbles, trying to process that you’re indeed the Y/n Y/ln your business card says you are (no wonder you looked familiar to her).

“Get home safely.” 

With that you wave a hand to Steve who is quick to finish his beer and stand. On your way out you slip an overly large tip to Phil who nods in thanks while still playing, then you disappear from the bar. The whole while, the green eyes of the redhead remain on you.

[fishyfishyfishtimes]

The polls are soon ending! I think this is a good time to talk about my personal favourite location, Ember Twin :)

Honest to cod I didn’t expect to care too much about the Hourglass Twins when I started the game! My followers already know that I’m an aquatic environments fan through and through, I tend to like them the most in any given piece of media and find them the most interesting. While exploring I did my research one planet at a time, starting from Timber Hearth, to Giant’s Deep, to Brittle Hollow, to the Ember Twin. I was pleasantly surprised…

I don’t know when it started, likely in the midst of doing several repeated visits to the Ember Twin since going to places and exploring them has a time limit (moreso than the game usually has), but I started to really like the atmosphere of Ember Twin. Firstly, the concept is cool as hell: two planets that orbit around one another exchanging sand between them. What!!! That’s awesome!!!! Like twin stars but you can actually get in there! And then there’s the environment itself. The red-orange stone of the surface and cave walls, the sun that’s nearly always in the sky, the massive canyons and crevices and tunnels, it’s beautiful. Ember Twin and Ash Twin do not settle for just being “generic desert” and go hard into one extreme which makes them lots more unique, either being super rocky with canyons or basically just all sand. I know that some people find the caverns of Ember Twin claustrophobic — and the squashed-to-death animation and sound is pretty morbid — but in a way they’re also comforting? Despite being in this dark maze of tunnels you know exactly where to go, no one can get you, you can do your own little adventures. You sort of feel like a kid adventuring around their home town, which is funny, because that’s just the position that many Nomai children were in, literally exploring the caverns and stepping stones and tunnels of their home!

Speaking of, the locations of Ember Twin are so cool! I can’t get enough of the Sunless City, it’s confined underground but still feels really big. I really like the High Energy Lab and Quantum Moon Locator, Nomai design is really fun to see and, well, I just find myself really liking the various locators and machines lol. Feels really major. The lakebed cave, it took me a while to figure it out, but it was always sort of comical to fly my ship directly into the canyon and then drop down when it would inevitably get stuck in the walls. I think the equatorial canyon is really cool (and scary! But cool) and the paths on the sides offer the same comfort as the caves themselves. And! Chert! Chert is there! Chert is my favourite Hearthian!!! Science rules!!!! :DD I also really like flying from place to place! A lot of Outer Wilds locations have a gravity similar to Timber Hearth (or um. I guess just three? Timber Hearth itself, Brittle Hollow, Giant’s Deep — which actually has more gravity. Though recall those are the places I went to first!) which means that you basically use your boosting power only for big jumps. But Ember Twin? Why, you can circle that whole planet with ease! It’s just so fun to start from say, Chert’s camp, jetpack your way into the sky, and then go around the planet to another location super fast. You’re free! :D

Even though the sand tends to halt your exploration at some point or another, the feeling of getting to one certain place in time or getting a crucial piece of information just in time feels really good also. At some point I was trying to figure out how to get to a room as the sand was rising up dangerously close — I realised how to do it and got in just in the nick of time! I felt really accomplished about discovering everything in the Sunless City hehe

So yeah! Cool atmosphere, cool locations, cool Hearthian, hot and dry environment!

[stanliestduo]

I saw that ask you got and i just wanted to say that it's so funny to me when people are like "why would you ship stancest ew" acting like they didn't sail off into the sunset together after DECADES of Stan openly pining for Ford. If they weren't written as siblings they would hands down be the most popular ship of the show

There's a long answer, and then there's the tldr at the bottom marked in red text. Long answer: If they weren't siblings, you literally wouldn't be able to escape this ship. It would have been THE ship of tumblr after the finale had aired, considered the "healthy" ship and the good ending, would be considered canon even if they didn't kiss, and it would be the standard by which all the other ships are judged. You would have people writing essays about how they literally took off on a ship, guys! It's so obvious and a metaphor for marriage and and- But here's where I can extend a bit of empathy that perhaps they wouldn't give me, as well as look at things from the perspective as someone who has seen shipping culture their entire lives. First off- most people don't want to fuck their siblings. I know, shocker. Most people who ship Stancest probably do not want to fuck their siblings, but people who don't CERTAINLY do not want to. It's the most repulsive thought in the world to them. There is such thing as being in such a close platonic relationship that it's an impossible thought. I think a lot of people who want Stancest shippers to die or whatever find that kind of desire utterly repulsive, that and let's be real, 1nc3st in real life is rife with abuse. It isn't a healthy thought to get those wires crossed. People who do not like this ship are empathizing with either of the brothers and projecting their own repulsion onto them. But here's the other bit. I'm not shipping Stan and Ford because they're siblings. Most of my ships are not 1nc3stuous. I don't find that element hot or cute, and while I'm not here to harsh anyone's vibe, if that's the only reason you ship Stancest I really don't want to talk with you about these characters. People see ships as inherently sexual, as inherently sexualizing, as "you must only ship this because you want to see the characters fuck". And mind you, with Stancest I don't see it as a bad thing at all to draw them doing things or being attractive together, etc etc. Not at all, and I'd be a hypocrite for saying otherwise. My point is, that's where people's minds go, that's the assumption that they make. They find 1nc3st repulsive, and clearly the ONLY reason I would ship it is because I like sexualizing that and only that aspect about it. Basically, they assume I must LOVE 1nc3st in and of itself, because otherwise why would I ship brothers? Now here's where I go back to the first statement, because most people I've seen don't just ship them for that reason.

You ever seen that meme about "if they have chemistry, I can't make them NOT have chemistry"? That's why I'm here. EVERYTHING about how Stan and Ford are written is tailor made to be SHIPPED. Aside from literally bounding away on a ship, they have a closeness and codependency that most brothers in fiction do not. Alex himself has said they need each other, Ford in the third journal said he was going to spend the rest of his days making up to Stanley. Stanley has spent his entire life wanting NOTHING but his family, his brother by his side. He seems more bonded to his brother than to any one he's ever tried to date, and Ford likewise. I'm sorry, but these two are not getting a "healthy" ending. They aren't going to be with anyone else. There's no version of them in which they find separate partners after having a little adventure around the world for a year or two then just go off in separate ways. This is the most "childhood friends to lovers" story I've ever seen. These two are NOT healthy to begin with, why would anyone expect them to start when they're that old and that hurt by everything in their pasts? I don't believe it inherently has to be sexually 1nc3stuous, but it could be. Wires are already being crossed. It's rare for anyone to be loyal for 30 years to one person when they aren't in love, and Stan wanted to get his brother back so badly that he forgot his own goals and even threw away his own identity to get him back. His entire life was for Ford, and after Journal 3, it should be obvious that Ford's entire life is for Stan now, too. What I'm trying to say is, while this ship isn't the healthy ending, it is the BEST ending for either of them. I think people who wanted Stan to be able to deny going with Ford don't understand him or his character, or what his character NEEDS, same as Ford. And I think people who try to separate the bros for shipping purposes or who don't want to do 1nc3st or accidental emotional 1nc3st are not fully reading the same things, watching the same things that we are. If they weren't brothers, everyone else would see exactly what we're seeing. They would see this as the love story it is. TLDR: I understand why people won't ship this ship, and I try to be empathetic, but these two have been given the kind of story that would ping the lovers radar to anyone if they weren't brothers and I'm not going to ignore that just because they are.

[m0ssxz0mbie]

I've had the realisation that Jayvik and Merthur are Literally The Same Ship. Just in different fonts.

THE PARALLELS!! THE SIMILARITIES!! I KNEW when i was reading Jayvik fanfics that something was familiar. i'm like a crazy conspiracy theorist.

Minor disclaimer, tho Merlin is one of my favourite shows, I have not watched it in a while. I also binged Arcane a month ago, but those who know me irl (if ur reading this, hello bbygurl), know that the way I watch shows and movies is cursed. SO-- if things do not seem to be the most accurate to canon, fanfic is MY canon. also,, SPOILERS AHEAD FOR MERLIN BBC AND ARCANE.

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ARTHUR // JAYCE

- Both come from the upper class of the society within said media. Arthur is the literal prince (later king), and Jayce is sponsored by a well-standing family (and later becomes the founder of Hextech + a councillor)

- Wants to improve the lives of all people regardless of status, class, or ability. Arthur, tho wary of magic, wanted to protect druids, which he acknowledged were peaceful and not corrupt. Everyone portrays him to also care for peasants and people with lesser status when he is king. You really see this in canon with Merlin, Gwen, Knights of The Round Table, etc. Jayce wants to use Hextech to improve the lives of those in Piltover and Zaun via the use of magic.

- Experiences expectations of others within society which make them do bad things. When Arthur is the prince, you see many instances where he wants to do the reasonable, morally correct thing (for the situation in this POV), and he cannot because of Uther's demands and expectations for him. Jayce has expectations placed upon him by the council to use Hextech for their own gain rather than what he and Viktor wanted to use it for.

- HIMBO. What more needs to be said? NONE. BUT I DON'T CARE, I'll say it anyway. Arthur is literally a himbo knight who swings big sword. Jayce is a himbo engineer who swings big hammer. Both rush into danger and never listen when their sassy twink says something has bad vibes (literally any cursed magical place for Merlin, and the Hexcore for Viktor).

- Both are absolutely OBSESSED, WHIPPED and SMITTEN for their twink. Again, this doesn't need explaining, but I will. Arthur, which is established well into the first episodes of Merlin, has scared off every manservant before Merlin. All the servants were probably good at their job. Yet mans keeps Merlin for 10 YEARS. Merlin calls him thick all the time (both in the physical and mental sense) and sasses him ALL the time. Merlin gets away with so much, not only from Arthur but Uther too??? Uther for sure knows Arthur is ATTACHED. In the first year of knowing Merlin, Arthur literally tries to sacrifice his life for Merlin (Merlin does the same). Jayce did originally wanna help improve the lives of people with magic, but I don't think he even thought about the people of Zaun until Viktor mentioned it. Mans instantly agreed and INSTANTLY called it "their Hextech dream" VIKTORS has BEEN HERE FOR FIVE MINUTES. Jayce moves FAST.

- Both date an independent woman while desperately longing for their twink. We love Gwen here, she is the best. Best Queen, the best person, just The Best. Mel is a complicated character, who is badass in the ending, no denying that, just very stinky she manipulated Jayce for her own gain. Both were badass women who I think needed more screen time cause, at times, they were very much pushed to the side. Both Arthur and Jayce are such pathetic simps, longing for their men, and tbh, both Gwen and Mel knew, there was no hiding it. Especially cause in Merlin BBC, most characters have a crush on Merlin at some point in their life while knowing him.

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MERLIN // VIKTOR

- Both come from the lower class of society, which faces the brutality of those in power. Merlin is a peasant, and does get mistreated because of it, usually from other knights or nobles coming from out of Camelot. HOWEVER, mans main worry is the fact he has magic, literally is magic itself, and lives in a place where it is ILLEGAL. But he also experiences brutality by being Arthur's servant, and someone doing the Knights job better and stopping anyone from killing Arthur. Viktor comes from Zaun, which is the lower class of the society in Arcane, most of its problems are directly caused by the fact they are oppressed. Viktor not only receives discrimination because he is from Zaun but also because he is disabled.

- Both have an older mentor who provides them a home and sanctuary. Merlin has Gaius, his Uncle, the court physician, who lets him become an apprentice, teaches him more magic, and provides a home when he becomes more unsafe. Thinking about it, being in a kingdom where they kill you for having magic is probably better than being enslaved to be in an army and to use your magic as a weapon. Viktor has Heimerdinger, who is his mentor, to which Viktor is his assistant. Viktor gets provided accommodations in Piltover, presumably at the academy they are at, and is able to use his talents, especially when Jayce enters the picture.

- Both are sassy as FUCK. Merlin is the sassiest with Arthur, always teasing him, calling him a cabbagehead or a clotpole, the banter is STRONG with Merthur (i LOVE banter). Viktor is also super sassy as well, especially to those who don't appreciate him, or his and Jayce's work.

- They both would do ANYTHING for the future they have envisioned (with their bfs). Merlin would literally do anything to keep Arthur alive, even listening to THAT BASTARD KILGHARRAH, FUCK THAT DRAGON. Mans contemplated killing a child, you could even say he has betrayed his own kind in many ways. Merlin loses himself to make sure Arthur is safe, he is SO ready to die for him, to be nothing more than a servant forever, just so he could be by his side. Viktor removes free will from people so that he can create the most peaceful world, mans really just wanted a world where he could have Jayce, as it was the conflict between Piltover and Zaun that made they split apart.

- They both are Gods. This kinda ties into the last point. But Merlin IS MAGIC. He is the physical embodiment of magic. His druid name means immortal. The druids treat him as a leader, a god. Viktor becomes Jesus and performs miracles for people to better their lives, he becomes the physical host for the Hexcore.

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BOTH

- Both ships are doomed yaoi. again, what more do I need to say? Merlin has waited 1,500 years for his man to come back to him, and Jayvik is,, in the astral plane??? dead??? Hence why fanfics exists, both ships need their happy ending, fix-it fanfics.

_____________________

The parallels not only between the characters themselves and how certain people portray their character in fanfics are insane. Especially the way Arthur and Jayce simp for Merlin and Viktor.

NOW, after reading all that, you may have noticed the colour of the names, and yes, BOTH JAYVIK AND MERTHUR ARE A RED/BLUE SHIP. Which solidifies my points even more.

(I have seen Jayvik x Be More Chill fanart, I've seen Jayvik x Star Trek fanart,, has anyone considered jayvik x merlin bbc fanart???? 👀👀👀👀)

[nevadancitizen]

-> CH. 2: CLEAN, CRISP & UNLIKE HOME

synopsis: jayce and viktor show you your new digs. you sort through the stuff that came through with you.

word count: 3.3k

ships: Viktor/isekai!Reader, Jayce Talis & isekai!Reader

notes: here's a mockup of what reader's dorm looks like

ABoAB taglist: @th3stup1dcat , @patchs-curiosity-corner (if you'd like to be added to the taglist, just ask!)

A BLAZE OF ARCANE BLUE MASTERLIST

“And this is where you’ll be staying.”

The Piltover Academy dorm is nothing like your dorm back home. It’s more like a studio apartment, for one — from what you can see, there’s an open-concept kitchen and living room/bedroom. You didn’t even have a kitchen and living room in your last dorm. 

Everything fits into the clean, modern aesthetic. (You’re not too fond of it, but it’s free housing, so you can’t really complain.) Most everything is black and white while the walls are a pinkish beige, but at least the living room/bedroom incorporates muted blues, greens, and greys.

As you walk around, exploring the new space, Jayce prattles off the rules regarding the Academy; everything from how you’re not allowed to dress down on certain days to the hours you’re able to enter the greenhouse without a pass from a professor. You’re only paying half-attention. 

The bathroom is moderate, with a tile floor and a shower-bath combo — fancy! There’s a toilet and a sink with a cabinet, which is to be expected, and a laundry hamper, too. That’s a nice bonus.

You catch a glance of yourself in the mirror, and, god… you look like hell warmed over. Your hair is a mess, and the scars that aren’t covered by your sleep clothes almost look more pronounced. Your eyes are kind of puffy, like you cried in your sleep. Huh. 

You rub your eyes and pet your hair to try to get it to behave, but it’s no use. Jayce and Viktor let you walk the halls looking like this, so it might not be as bad as you’re making it out to be in your head. 

When you walk out of the bathroom, Viktor is sitting at one of the two bar stools at the kitchen peninsula. Jayce is puttering around the small living room, looking at the books that stock the bookshelf. The stuff that came with you through the… hex-portal…? is sitting on the peninsula. It’s not a lot.

You walk over and sigh under your breath, looking at your meager amount of things. Some clothes, a pair of boots, some art supplies, the pillow and blanket you went to bed with, your phone, and your old Nintendo 3DS that you haven’t charged in ages. More came through, but were destroyed, seemingly torn apart by weird time-space-phenomena; a torn shirt, a pair of jeans fraying at every seam, and three different types of pliers, bent so badly you couldn’t fix or use them if you tried.

You pick up the one thing you’re unsure about – your pills. Methylphenidate, 20mg tablets, substituted for ritalin 20mg tablets. Used to damper ADHD symptoms and help the patient focus… also administered at teenage parties because they can’t get their hands on real adderall. 

Can being transmitted through a universe rift alter its chemical makeup? Maybe… you sure as hell aren’t willing to risk it. Who knows what could be happening in those little yellow pills?

“What are they for?” Viktor asks. 

Your head snaps up and you look across the kitchen peninsula at him. You look back down at the pill bottle and give it a shake, causing it to rattle. “Focusin’. It’s… not necessary for my survival, but it makes livin’ a hell of a lot easier.”

You hold the little orange bottle out for Viktor to examine. He takes it and looks the label over, a look of confusion crossing his face. “What kind of language is this?”

“It’s… plain English,” you say. “What we’re speakin’ right now?”

“No.” He gives you a weird look. “We are speaking Piltovan.”

You narrow your eyes at him and cock your head to the side. “You jerkin’ my chain?”

“I am not…” Viktor’s face twists, and his eyes drop to your neck. “You are wearing a chain?”

“No! No, it…” You sigh sharply. “It’s a phrase. A… slang term. It’s like I’m askin’, ‘Are you kiddin’ me?’ or, ‘Are you tellin’ the truth?’”

He sets the pill bottle down on the counter. “I am telling the truth.”

“Right, I inferred that from the way you talked,” you say. You’re getting fed up with this. “Wait – here.”

You round the corner and join Jayce in looking at the bookshelf. You reach out, then stop yourself as you look over the books. None of the spines of the books are written in English. They’re all in some weird… cuneiform? It doesn’t look like any modern language you know of. It looks… rudimentary, almost. Like if someone tried to write Arabic while drunk and blindfolded and also not knowing a word of Arabic.

“Where…” You breathe out the word. “Where’s the English?”

“What?” Jayce says. 

“The English books,” you say. “Nothin’s in English.”

“Well, of course,” he says. “It’s all in standard Piltovan.”

You take a book off the shelf and crack it open to a random page. Jayce is right. It’s all in Piltovan. Not a letter of English. 

“Of course.” You close the book. Of course it’s in Piltovan. Of course nothing’s in English. And of fucking course it’s just another challenge in this stupid… whatever this is. It’s not like everything’s already too confusing, no! On top of everything else, you can’t fucking read. Walking stereotype right here! An illiterate Southerner!

You grit your teeth so hard you’re sure you’re about to crack a crown, but refrain from throwing the book out of one of the frustratingly beautiful windows and instead put it back on the bookshelf. This sucks asshole, but you need to stay at least somewhat composed.

You don’t have most of your clothes. You don’t have your laptop. You don’t have your assignments from classes. You don’t have most of your art supplies. Most of the projects you need for class are back in your home universe’s dorm. You don’t even know if you’ll be back in time to turn them in without a late penalty.

You persist. You persist. You need to persist. You need to prove your worth ten times over. You need to prove that you aren’t just some walking stereotype. You’ve done it before. You’re going to do it again. You’re going to do it for the rest of your life. You persist.

You (forcibly) relax your jaw and step away from the bookshelf. “Well, I ain’t never seen that before. I’ll have to learn some.”

“We could create a cipher!” Jayce chimes. 

You can hear Viktor get up from the bar stool. You glance over your shoulder at him as he walks over.

“Yes, creating a cipher should be possible,” he says. He stops and glances over your head at the books on the higher shelves. “If everything is spelled the same, it is – theoretically – doable.”

“Is it, now?” You ask, then shake your head. “We can do this later. I got shit to sort.”

You skirt past Viktor and go back into the kitchen to look over your pile of things. Again, it’s smaller than you’d like it to be. 

You start to pick out loose beads from the wrinkles in the spare clothes. They’re all metal – misshapen brass and sterling silver and copper beads to be put on a bracelet. The thought tickles the back of your mind; it was meant to be a piece about building a nice life with a less-than-perfect childhood as the foundation. Would you be able to go back and finish it? Do they even have brass and sterling silver and copper here?

You blink hard and do your best to dismiss the thought. You can’t spiral. Not like this – not with Jayce and Viktor in the same room. You need to be strong. You raised yourself with the self-imposed expectation that you would be the best, that you would be the one to make it out of your small hometown. You need to persist. You need to be strong. You need to be right.

Jayce’s voice pulls you from your thoughts. “What’re those for?” 

“Hm? Oh, these little things?” You hold up a bead between the tip of your index finger and thumb. “They’re for a class project back home. A nice little bracelet.”

Jayce picks one up, a copper one shaped like a keshi pearl – not insanely malformed, but not completely spherical, either. It represents a normal half year, one with both ups and downs. He nods at your explanation and puts it back down in the little pile you’re making. 

Viktor retakes his seat in the bar stool across from you. He sets a book down on the counter, out of the way of what you’re doing. You glance at it, and the title is in Piltovan. You go back to picking beads out of the pile.

“Are y’all…” You try to fill the silence. “Are y’all curious about anything?”

“How do you mean?” Viktor asks. 

“Like…” You think for a moment. “Where I’m from? My education? My family? My things?”

Jayce holds up your phone. “What’s this?”

“Well.” You take your phone from him and swipe up on the lock screen. It scans your face quickly and unlocks. “It’s a phone. Can take pictures, tape videos, send messages, all that junk.”

“Videos?” Viktor parrots. 

Your eyebrows draw together and you nod. “Yeah. Videos.”

“Can you show us one of those…” Jayce’s eyebrows furrow a little. “Videos?”

You silently nod and pull up your photos app. (You’re tired of hearing the word ‘video,’ even from your own mouth.) You scroll up a bit and tap on a concert video and put your phone on the counter where they both can see the screen. 

There’s a young man on a small stage, the house lights dim and the spotlight on him. Uplights on the edge of the stage shine up on him, hypnotic shades of green and purple illuminating him and the black velvet curtain behind him. He’s singing and plucking a bass guitar with backing music: “Okay, now, drinks up if you got a well-paid shawty… Put the kief up in the blunt and we can kick it, no karate… Yeah, I told her I could show her how to drive a Maserati… She stopped and said, ‘Boy, you’d look better in an Audi…’”

You pause it when you realize that Viktor and Jayce don’t know what a shawty, kief, a blunt, or karate are, what it means to ‘kick it,’ and neither do they know what a Maserati or an Audi is. There’s a very real possibility that you could’ve just rendered them brain dead by showing them what a modern concert in your world looks like.

You glance at the both of them. They both have their eyes glued to your phone screen, but they’re still blinking and breathing, so they’re not brain dead. Thank god.

Viktor glances up at you through his eyelashes. His voice is soft and hushed when he speaks. “What is this technology?”

“It’s just a phone,” you say. You know that one phrase holds so much privilege, but you don’t know how else to explain it. You wish you could explain all the inner workings to these men who’re starting to look more and more like geniuses in your eyes, but you can’t. You’re just not that type of person.

“Just a phone…” Jayce echoes. He picks up your phone and turns it over, looking at the stickers you put on the back of the case.

“Yeah,” you hum absentmindedly. You go back to picking through the pile as he toys around with it. You almost feel like you just gave your phone to a kid – not that Jayce is childlike, but his curiosity regarding a simple staple in your life surely is.

“What was your childhood like?” Viktor asks suddenly. It catches you off guard, honestly. 

“Now, why d’you need to know all that?” You ask. It’s not a well-kept secret that most Southerners are raised with a heavy hand, but how could they know that?

And you remember… aw, hell. The weird looks they gave you in the lab when you mentioned your momma’s special type of discipline. 

Viktor’s lips pitch into a pout-frown, then straighten themselves out. “Just curious.”

“You and everyone else in my datin’ life,” you say under your breath with a quick exhale through your nose. It’s not that funny. You don’t even really know what you’re talking about. You just wanted to mumble something quick and witty.

The room falls silent again. You continue picking out beads. Your less-than-nimble fingers make it more difficult than it needs to be. Your hands are usually more stable than this. You don’t know why they’re shaking in that ever-so-slight manner.

“How soon d’you think I can go home?” You blurt out.

You look up, and both Jayce and Viktor’s eyes are on you. You don’t know what else you were expecting. For them to ignore you? For them to pretend that your voice doesn’t hold an undercurrent of desperation?

“I’m… not sure,” Jayce says. “That’s why we decided to set you up here. We didn’t want you staying on the couch in the lab while we figured everything out.”

“It was, most likely, a one-in-a-million event,” Viktor says. His eyebrows draw together, then he looks down at the countertop. “I do not know how you came into this world, as I was not testing anything. It was only exploratory.”

“Why’d you even mess with that thing in the first place?” You ask. “I understand doin’ something like voodoo or hoodoo, ‘cause the people before you were practicin’ it, and it worked for them, so why wouldn’t it work for you? But you said it was exploratory – that’s when you’re still learnin’ ‘bout something.”

“It’s magic,” Jayce says, his voice almost reverent. “Real magic.”

You look at him, then just blink. Slowly. “Right. Magic. Y-you know I was jokin’ when I said that thing about the hexstone bein’ a magic rock? I don’t really believe in your type’a magic.”

“It is magic based in the realm of science,” Viktor says. “We are learning how to… regulate it – control it. Use it responsibly.”

“And you just have that thing out in the open?” You say. “No bulletproof glass, no PPE or that kinda shit? Just rawdoggin’ it?”

“What’s ‘rawdogging’?” Jayce asks.

“Nothin’!” You insist. You can feel a warmth in your face, but try your best to ignore it. “It’s nothin’. Just… an expression for unprotected, that’s all.”

You breathe in, then out in a harsh exhale. “Whatever. Let’s get a move on.”

You shift the pile, looking for more beads, and feel the warmth in your face intensify. Staring you dead in the eyes are the words ‘THC GUMMIES – 300mg, 30 GUMMIES – INDICA.’ It’s weed. Of course it’s your fucking weed.

You can’t even fathom thinking about getting high in a situation like this. Your reaction is purely embarrassment – you think this is what you’d feel like if you got caught with weed by your parents. (You don’t know how you’d really feel… you never got caught.)

“What’s that?” Jayce asks. 

“It’s more meds,” you lie. (Well, it’s not a complete lie.) “THC. I don’t really know what it stands for, but it’s some chemical.”

“You were worried about your pills earlier,” Viktor says. “Do you have the same worry with this medicine?”

“Maybe,” you sigh. “I don’t know. I think I’ll refrain from usin’ it unless absolutely necessary.”

You have to mentally chastise yourself when your train of thought starts turning whiny. Getting high is not a necessary staple in your life. It’s nice, sure, but you can live without it – have to learn to live without it.

“What do you use it for?” Viktor asks. 

“Relaxin’,” you say. Again, it’s not a complete lie. “Long days made easier just by a little gummy.”

“I am curious,” Viktor says. (You’re starting to think he’s always curious, which isn’t an inherently bad thing, but still.) “What are the effects of this… medicine? How does it help you relax?”

You internally panic a little, still praying that the warmth you feel in your face isn’t visible. “Just… y’know. The usual. Muscles relax, no more worryin’ about whatever stupid shit happened during the workday. Makes everything kinda funny, too. A bird flyin’ past your window could send you into a fit. ‘S happened to me before.”

“Sounds similar to the effects of liquor,” Jayce says. “You… do have liquor in your home world, don’t you?”

You refrain from rolling your eyes and remind yourself that these men are ignorant. They don’t know about the backwoods stills that litter Appalachia or the moonshine that can annihilate healthy livers with a single shot.

“‘Course we got liquor,” you say. “Moonshine, tequila, cowboy-type’a whiskey… well, cowboys love moonshine, too. Know some folks down in Alabama that make apple brandy – smooth as illegal ‘shine can get, yessir. Don’t tell no one I told you that, by the way.”

A smile crosses Viktor’s face, like he’s thinking of something warm and familiar. “Yes, there are moonshiners where I come from, too. The Entresol level holds some of the best moonshine gold can buy.”

“What kinda flavors they got?” You bend down and prop your elbows on the peninsula. You feel better and not as embarrassed now that the conversation has left the topic of your drug habits. (Well, alcohol is technically a drug, but it’s less of a touchy topic than marijuana.)

“Most of them are fruit-based,” he says. “Honeyfruit, ibbick, nifir… the nos’we is my personal favorite, but it is one of the harder ones to get.”

“Ain’t that right?” You say. “What’s this, um… nos’we ‘shine taste like, then?”

“Sharp. But does every liquor not have a kick?” Viktor says. “It reminds me of tobacco smoke, but not quite. It is, um… woodsy, I suppose.”

“Complex, ain’t it?” You say. “I find the simpler ones more enjoyable. Like, that brandy I was talkin’ about earlier’s got apple, and it’s got cinnamon. It’s cinnamon apple. I find it rather fine ‘cause I don’t gotta worry ‘bout discernin’ all them different flavors.”

“Is that so?” He smiles faintly. “Maybe I should consider visiting this ‘Alabama’ you mentioned.”

“Oh, it’s real nice this time ‘a year!” You chirp. “There’s all these memorials from the Civil War, and last time I went around as a tourist, the guides were all real knowledgeable.”

“The Civil War?” Jayce interjects. 

You look over at him and stand up straight, taking your elbows off the counter. You’re a bit surprised – you kind of forgot he was even there. (Viktor can be a hypnotic conversation partner when he wants to be, you guess.)

“Uh, yeah. The Civil War,” you say. “Was all a long time ago, back in the 1860’s.”

“1860?” Jayce says. “That’s – what year do you think it is?”

“Um…” You prattle off the current year, your voice a little quiet and unsure.

“That is at least a thousand years in the future,” Viktor says, his voice a mirror of yours. “The year is 988 AN.”

“988?” You echo. “You sure you don’t mean, like, 1988? ‘Cause when we were back around that time, we were conductin’ crusades. We didn’t even discover steel yet, I don’t think.”

“This is all so fascinating,” Jayce says. “Maybe we should create a running list of all the differences between our worlds.”

You bite your tongue to prevent yourself from asking him, ‘What’s the point?’ because you’re not planning on staying for long, anyway. But they’re giving you a place to stay at no cost to you, and it’s a nice place at that. It would be rude of you to ask that.

For now, you just need to bide your time. Piltover has breathable air and at least two respectable citizens who respect you in turn. It’s just a matter of time before you can go back and forget about all this – go back to gems and metals, back to thunderclaps that shake whole buildings, back to seafood boils and brisket with so much melted fat that it drips down your chin.

It’s just a matter of time before you can go back home.

[mai-komagata]

Season 3 predictions!

i wrote this set of rest of series predictions , have my opinions changed since then?

"I think the main thing that needs to happen this season is Sauron needs to make the one ring. I don’t think this will be the first thing that will happen. I think this might happen towards the latter half of the season, and all the fallout from that will wrap up the season. " Haven't changed my opinion on this. I don't think it will be the climax of the season nor do i think it will be episode 1. But it will be the catalyst for a lot of events. With the timeskip I think we'll see Barad-dur be established and Mordor being run like an actual place, somewhat. "I think Durin becoming king, and how he deals with the dwarven rings will become a big plot point in this season. I hope he can reconnect with elrond as a result. Maybe we’ll see dragons (but that might be a plot in later seasons, since there is not much else for the dwarves to do later). " I think this is pretty much a lock, too with the possible casting announcements on this. Dragons I don't think we will get but hope springs eternal. I'll talk a bit more on this on a later plot point, but I think the Dwarves might also move north or talk to some dwarves setting up stuff in the lonely mountain. I think this could tie them in to the elves of the Greenwood as well. Maybe they start explaining some of the dwarven/elven rivalries forming. "Sauron also needs to start doling out the rings for men. I think him meeting Kemen will happen and be a major relationship he will have this season. Maybe meet Theo too. I don’t think Sauron will sail to Numenor, but maybe some of his rings will be shipped there." With the timeskip, I expect we will see Numenorean outposts and city-colonies to be a big thing, and I think that is when emissaries of Sauron or Sauron in disguise might meet up with Kemen or a now older Theo. I think we might also see the start of other human cities like Gondor. I didn't predict much about what Elendil and Isildur will be doing. I do hope for flashbacks and them reuniting. I just don't know if that will happen in Numenor or on Middle earth. "I think Gandalf will finally meet up with the elves and the main plot. What im curious is if they ever bring in Saruman. But i think Gandalf and the Elves meeting might be what these characters do. Maybe we get more elven lore like building Imladris and Lorien, or we meet up with the Silvan elves in Greenwood. " I do think meeting elves in the greenwood and tying that with Gandalf is a distinct possibility, maybe even tying in the plot points with the dwarves as well. I think it is quite likely we'll find Celeborn here, too. I think Thranduil might be introduced (I'd love oropher, but i dont think they have the rights to him). "Honestly dunno what the hobbits will do. I’m hoping they reconnect with their family and settle in the banks of the anduin. " Yeah don't know what will happen to the hobbits. "After the one ring gets made i expect some sort of telepathic confrontation with the elves, specifically Galadriel. " I think Galadriel/Cirdan/Gil Galad and the reaction to the one ring being created will be a big thing. I didn't talk much about the Elves, but I think the creation of Imladris as a base will also be a big thing with the time skip. But yeah, some combo of gathering allies with greenwood elves, interactions with dwarven kingdoms, and how they react to the blow of the one ring's creation will dominate the elves plot. And yeah, maybe meeting up with Gandalf and Celeborn. "And the numenoreans might notice something is up and come capture sauron. " I didn't really predict anything miriel/Earien/Pharazon would be doing this season, other than i think the climax of the season will be Numenor coming to middle earth to capture sauron. I don't know how connected they will be to the main plot, i can only guess. There might be a lot of back and forth with the Numenorean colonies in Middle earth or not. We'll see. I do want to see what role Isildur plays when he comes home.

Overall, I don't think my opinions changed much. I think the timeskip mostly allows them to explain Theo getting older, as well as allowing for settlements to become cities, like Imladris, Pelargir, Mordor, Durin's kingship, etc.

[theroadtosomewhere]

Dazai never claimed to be a fast runner.

He could run fast when necessary – when push came to shove, his feet hit the ground with haste rivalling prey escaping predator. This wasn’t something he doubted. Running was somewhat of a trademark, if one asked any item from his past.

There were three deadly forces whose enemies fled if they knew what was good for them.

Mori wasn’t a fast runner. He was a strategic one, observing the pace of his opponents and reading their movements for the best course of action to overtake, cut them off or remove them from the race entirely.

Kouyou wasn’t either. If she was, maybe she and her lover would’ve escaped that day.

Hirotsu was quicker than he looked, better known as a somewhat silent achiever, doing what was required with class and poise. The man could move, as expected from the squad leader of the Black Lizard.

In Dazai’s youth, they were his examples. Three deadly forces whose enemies fled if they knew what was good for them. They had nothing on how Chuuya made him run.

Fifteen with a stolen tacky hat in hand; sixteen on the battlefield in a fight that ended with a foreign weight in his lap; seventeen on Double Black’s deadliest missions, more often than not chasing the blur of flame obliterating the enemy; and eighteen with a lump in his throat, imagining the embers rising from a getaway car, and for a moment, his partner’s face when he realised exactly what had happened.

Thump.

One foot hit the ground, then his other.

Thump.

Heat surged under his skin with every pulse of the ugly thing in his chest, pumping blood he’d rather see spilling out of him.

Thump.

His lungs ached. His legs burned.

Thump.

It would end like it always did – Dazai suppressing the wave of emotion that arrived with the acknowledgement of how many times he’d put himself in life-threatening situations for Chuuya to pull him out of; Dazai leaving Chuuya’s apartment after doing the bare minimum, keeping the arms-length distance that didn’t exist during the sweet spot of their partnership.

Thump.

This was excessive, though.

Thump.

Just excessive.

Thump.

It wasn’t Corruption, but the brunette didn’t like how quickly the flash of red darted out of sight. The Black Lizard was just around the corner for support, but–

Thump.

It wasn’t their job to look after Chuuya. Not really.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

There. Crouched low behind a shipping container like a damn gremlin, signature scowl pulling at his lips, clutching his… his–?

“Piss off,” the redhead spat at the approaching figure.

“You’re sloppy today,” Dazai mocked, tone falling flat. It was enough for recognition to spark in the other’s eyes, but not enough to comment. Good. The last thing he needed was for Chuuya to bring up how quickly he’d have to run to get to him in such a short time from a distance.

“Make yourself useful and get out of here. We can handle our own fucking territory.”

Whoever thought it was a good idea to challenge the Mafia here? He mused to himself while eyeing their surroundings. It was a decent fight with numbers on both sides. “There must’ve been a hole in your intel somewhere. The bomb is on the other side of the port.”

Chuuya swore, shifting but not standing. Alert to his surroundings, the mafioso missed the detective’s eyes raking over him, eyes drawn to the hand pressed beneath his left ribs. “The new shipment of ammunition just arrived.”

He shrugged, meeting manic eyes. Still in the habit of giving away crumbs of information without meaning to. That, or the slug could just admit Dazai’s presence was some small relief when things went to shit. “I could just disarm it.”

“You do that, maybe you’d get there in time to be blown up if you ran as fast as you just did.”

The brunette huffed. Chuuya knew how painful getting stuck near explosions was – he was there. “How painful…”

“Just get the fuck out of here, I don’t have time for you.”

As tempting as the shot at death was, Dazai found himself accepting the dismissal. If the explosion didn’t get him first, the heat would kill him before the ball of fire could. It did not make for the painless death he was looking for. Nor would it be productive while his mind was fixated on the protective hand over his old partner’s stomach.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

His vision blurred at the edges but he couldn’t afford to blink. Not when that end – that end – of the port exploded. The rumble came first, devastatingly loud, and the ground was still vibrating beneath his feet as he set off.

Dazai did not like running. He never did. Just like he never liked the idea of going to the gym, but carrying a 5'2 comatose lump of muscle to the extraction point after using Corruption necessitated that.

Already injured. Already pissed. Already manic. Chuuya was not at his best for this. He must’ve been fresh off another mission. He must’ve slept badly. Something must’ve happened. Something always happened. The redhead was the strongest ability user in Japan for fuck’s sake, not including the fact that he had a sadistic boss.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Searching the angry cloud of smoke surging into the atmosphere, Dazai couldn’t find a sign of Chuuya. No floating mafioso, nothing manipulated by gravity in the general vicinity. That used to happen a lot. There was a fine line between overusing Upon the Tainted Sorrow and it was one they learned to tread together.

Case in point, sometimes asserting control over his ability while extremely fatigued yielded less than ideal results. It was those times that Dazai used his ability for the same reason he offered it after Corruption. It was kinder than watching the other struggle and lose to himself.

Thump.

Thump.

Nothing of the sort was happening, which wasn’t any relief, much to the brunette’s chagrin. At least if there were random things floating, he knew for sure Chuuya was alive. Which he would be, obviously, because Nakahara Chuuya wouldn’t be taken out by something as pathetic as an explosion.

Thump—

The world was silent bar Dazai’s panting. His chest spasmed in protest to the wheezing from his lungs. The sight of smoke curled in thick, suffocating ribbons through the wreckage was almost enough to slow the detective down. The acrid stench of fire and dust clung to the air, stinging his nose and eyes.

Shattered concrete lay strewn across the ground, twisted metal groaning under the weight of its own collapse somewhere close by and somewhere further away. The blast had torn through everything — jagged edges of destruction stretching outward like a scar, a wound in the heart of Mafia territory.

Dazai moved through it, numb to the debris shifting beneath his feet and deaf to the distant wail of sirens and panicked shouts. His coat billowed with each step, dirt-streaked and torn, but he barely noticed. He was searching.

And then—

A flash of red. Barely visible through the rubble, half-buried beneath the wreckage. A body, too still, too quiet.

Dazai’s breath hitched, his stomach lurching. His legs carried him forward before he could think, before he could prepare himself for what he might find. His shoes scraped against concrete as he dropped to his knees, hands trembling as they reached out – hesitated – before finally grasping fabric.

Chuuya.

____

Read the rest here :)

[onepiece-polls]

One Piece Crack Ship War - Round 4 Side E

CoraBelle art by @halacska-fins

Propaganda under the cut.

CoraBelle:

A surprisingly popular ship considering they never interacted, but I see the appeal. Both former Marines, both loving and caring adoptive parents.

Two of the best parents in One Piece, imagine if they both lived and raised a happy little mixed family together.

Best adoptive Dad + Best adoptive Mom. I think they would vibe.

Cora is Bell-mere's malewife failure and she loves him. She enjoys making him flustered and tripping him up. He is just heads over heels in love with her, he loves her so much Just the thought of Bell-mere making a man who's twice her size completely melt for her fills me with joy. They were both apart of the Marines and ended up adopting children while on the job. I'm not exactly sure who died first but learning about your lover's death (if it wasn't covered up) is amazing angst potential. They're watching over their kids in the afterlife together.

Dead serial adopting Marines smokers, what else is there to say?

hi i’m back with my corabelle agenda. these two are a match made in heaven. literally. they have so many narrative parallels, it hurts. they both sacrificed themselves for their adoptive kids’ longevity, they’re both former marines who deserted their positions in order to give these kids a better life. they were both killed by a flintlock, and their last words to their kids were “i love you.” !!! it’s uncanny!! they could have known each other when they were marines, too! bell-mere is just one year older than rosinante. they were from different blues, but there’s a chance they could have run into each other or even trained together for a period of time. bell-mere would be the perfect friend for a young rosinante who’s preoccupied and stressed over his brother. in terms of personality, that’s where we get some of that juicy opposites-attract theory into play. they do have a lot in common tho! some common flaws, (hotheaded, a bit irrational, impulsive), and some common strengths as well, (determined, fearless, values the strength of a smile)! but otherwise, bell-mere isn’t afraid to lay the flirt on and seems a bit more extroverted, where rosinante is a little more reserved and keeps a very small circle of friends, (literally one and it’s sengoku). someone direct like bell-mere could easily draw him out of his shell, and someone down-to-earth and occasionally goofy like rosinante could help keep her grounded.

Both marines with rough lives who seemingly picked up children when they weren’t expecting it. Bellemere would make a great mom to Law and Corazon would make a great dad to Nami and Nojiko. Both of them would bond over the bullshit of the world!!

Art by @gendervapor14

YamaHiyo:

Yamato is the protector of Wano, the son of a Tyrant, the Oni-Prince. Hiyori is the Courtesan, the Geisha, the Lost Princess. Enemies to Lovers. Power Couple. The Princess and the Beast. They are just really cute and they fit so many romantic tropes and they look great together.

I love the drama of their relationship of the elegant Hiyori the daughter of Oden and the rebellious son of Kaido… he was a boy and she was a girl……… can I make it any more obvious……… he was a punk and she did ballet……… what more can I say………?

[nico-alto]

idk what to tell you all i was going through something (made about a week ago just never posted here)

[a-stars-art-blog]

Barok the physically affectionate my beloved

[horse-fanfics]

Makes your favs old when you aren't looking Enjoy the full-on yapfest in the tags, jeezus

[kaiiscottage]

JUST WHEN THE WERE STARTING TO GET ALONG AGAIN IT'S SO OVER I'M GONNA LOSE IT

[rebornofstars]

nobody fucking touch me rn i went to see tf one in the cinema and im shaking. they actually made a good transformers movie. what the fuck

[serotonin-dose]

AsaDen x Metaphor Re:Fantazio

[grinchwrapsupreme]

i'm still reeling at the fact that we got havers back in series 5 like what do you mean he's back at button house??? what do you mean the captain got to see him again???? what do you mean that's his fucking swagger stick???????? ben willbond i'm going to hunt you for sport!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bumblingbabooshka]

Janeway in 'Nothing Human' vs Tuvok in 'Resolutions' There's something here I know there is I can almost wrap my teeth around it.