#gentle reminder to everyone that I only answer these asks when I have the energy for it

[boundinparchment]

Patience

A moment between Dottore and his young daughter. Established Dottore/Original Female Character. Part of the Heretic and Forsaken series. On AO3 here.

“Ya ruhi” > “my soul”

“Abi” > “Father”

A faint tugging barely tore Zandik’s attention away from the report in front of him. Without breaking his focus, he spoke softly, only enough edge in his voice to warn, never scare.

“Remember: be gentle.”

“Blue,” came the reply, proud and excited.

“Yes, that’s blue. What else is blue, ya ruhi?” he prompted.

“Hair!”

Out of the corner of his eye, the Harbinger caught a tiny hand reaching for his hair. She was dexterous for her age, eager and excited; however, she didn’t know her strength and Zandik was well aware of the consequences of it. Deftly, he reached up and redirected her hand so she gripped his fingers instead.

“Yes, my hair is blue. So is yours.”

He skimmed the rest of the report and then cast the paper aside. There was still plenty to do, especially in the aftermath of it all. He needed to oversee soil and water samples for traces of elemental energy, evaluate Leyline flare-ups from residual memories that didn’t burn properly, allocating resources and smoothing over conflicts. The latter was hardly his problem directly but Pierro would ask and it was better to have an answer ready.

Without Archons, humanity could take back the reins, finally. They would know this world and all its secrets and wonders.

It would be better. Born through revitalizing fires, sprouting from the ashes anew.

“Abi?”

It was refreshing to hear his language from someone else and caught him every time. He'd been away for so long, shunned from it, but he could never truly erase the traces. Karina emphasized that she wanted their child to know who they were, where they came from, and language was vital. He agreed (after all, he'd studied dozens of them himself) and was filled with an odd sense of pride every time he watched eyes glow when something clicked in her growing mind.

His daughter shifted in his lap and tapped her hand to his cheek softly before she experimented and brushed over the scruff he hadn’t bothered with as of late. She giggled, running her hand one way and then another. He never grew out an entire beard (too much maintenance) but some mornings, there was no time for more than scrubbing away the day’s dirt. Especially when Karina was away.

Zandik carefully pried her hand from his face and blew kisses into her palm. She squealed and his heart lurched at the sound.

This world needed more of that.

“Having fun, ya ruhi?” he teased.

Her smile was an echo of her mother’s; congenial and sweet in a way his never could be. Eyes like emeralds, so verdant that he’d been bizarrely relieved. But then he was left with the question of how recessive red eyes were after all; he would find out eventually, he supposed, if Karina was willing. Such gems contrasted with a head full of thick blue curls, her one defining and unmistakable trait of her parentage.

“Yes! Love abi!”

“I love you, too. It’s late. Do you want to—“

“‘Spection!”

The little girl threw her arms wide, narrowly missing her father’s nose. Her diction would come with time, he reminded himself as he collected her in his arms.

“Exactly. We’ll inspect the lab and make sure everything is safe. And then it’s bedtime.”

He felt the pout more than he saw it, an idle hand playing with his earring as they walked.

“Sleep is important, ya ruhi,” he chastised carefully.

She couldn’t fall into his habits. As wide as her eyes were about the world, she had time for it all. And he wouldn’t sacrifice her wellbeing for his selfishness of wanting these moments to last longer.

The quiet was better than outright protest, but only just. Her acceptance of authority made these moments easier, certainly. Soon enough, she’d be telling everyone no and seeing how far she could get.

Soon enough, she’d be too big to be carried.

Zandik shifted her slightly to rearrange his hold as he pushed open the door to the laboratory. Nothing as grand as what he had at the Palace but large enough that he could do as he needed. He went about, pointing to things and speaking clearly, letting her touch what wasn’t dangerous, asking her simple yes or no questions. Now was not the time to engage in larger topics but if she asked, he answered in ways that felt complete enough for now.

She could learn about crystalflies properly another time.

He watched her face light up as he tidied up his desk and locked away important papers. Really, the most imperative things were in his mind, but written records were crucial.

“Mama!”

An excited hand pointed to the metal arm resting on a stand atop his desk. The plating was removed, wires dangling in organized heaps, the sharp fingers angled like a claw.

“That’s right,” Zandik said before he kissed the girl’s temple. “Mama’s arm.”

Karina came back with a strained expression and the arm in her good hand. The device was made of the strongest metal and the finest circuitry; he’d crafted it with care he didn’t know he was capable of. She’d handed over the arm with an apologetic kiss and then hugged their daughter tight with her good arm, holding back an expression he hadn’t seen since…

“Abi fix mama?” She said it with an upwards inflection, the way she did when a toy broke or something went wrong. Worried for nothing except her mother being able to hug her.

Zandik held the child in his arms a little tighter.

“Yes. Yes, abi will fix mama’s arm.”

[thyme-in-a-bubble]

orchid

a/n: thought about splitting this one up into multiple parts, but no, you're just getting one big fic. yet again, just a daydream I had that I scribbled down, just vibes, nothing fancy. also the tiny apartment she lives in, that's just where I lived a year ago. like a ghost in the attic (also also also, I almost exclusively worked on this in the middle of the night, so if it’s not up to par with the rest of my works, I do sincerely apologise)

update: i will not write a part 2 for this story so please stop asking me! you are giving me a stomach ache 

summary: “Alright, so even though I’m not, why is it that it would be such a bad thing if I theoretically had a thing for him?”

warnings: Sirius Black x reader, modern!au, college!au, starving artist!reader, posh boy Sirius, very light enemies to lovers energy, probably extremely inaccurate country club, reader works at the country club, playing 20 questions, kissing, sexual comments and references but no actual smut in this one, alcohol consumption, a little bit of light B & E as a cute date, small tolkien reference, open ending (kinda)

word count: 6023

∼ gentle reminder that feedback, but especially reblogs are the way you support writers on here ∽

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“All right, listen up folks,” bellowed the short snappy figure of your boss, “it’s gonna get a lot busier starting today since a lot of the member's kids are coming home on break from boarding school and university and whatnot, so that means not only will there be more people to keep happy but also a lot of stressed-out parents who await the luxury that they are paying for. I expect you all to be on you’re A-game, is that clear?” 

“Yes, Mr Barrett,” echoed throughout the room like a choir.

“Good. Now get back to work everyone!” 

Just as the herd started to thin, Mr Barrett waved you over before you had a chance to slip out, “Y/l/n!”

Watching your work friends duck out before he could call upon them as well, you gave in to the newly formed reflex and said, “yes sir?”

Not lifting his eyes as you stepped closer, he kept them glued to the clipboard in his hand and ordered, “go restock all the bars.”

“Um, why? Didn’t Tim just do it last Monday?” 

“He did,” Mr Barrett finally glance up at you and explained sternly, clearly already being over this conversation, “and now I’m telling you to go do it again. Look, these folks' kids are coming home. So, trust me when I tell you that it needs to be fully stocked.” 

“Alright,” you exhaled and scurried out at the irked wave of his hand. 

You hadn’t been working here at the Millington club for that long, but even when you consider the fact that you had to mosey up to a bunch of insufferable rich folk, the paycheck was still a lot better than any other place you’d ever worked at, consequently making it tolerable.

Now balancing a heavy cardboard box jam-packed with various clanking liquor bottles, you made your way through the glamorous halls of the club, first making your way down towards the east side lounge. Glancing down at the clinking flasks, you couldn’t even begin to calculate how many months of rent you would have to give for even just one of these lavish drinks. 

As you entered the posh sitting room and made your way over towards the bar, a collection of rowdy voices caught your ear.

“No way, I don’t believe it.” 

“No, I’m telling you, mate,” you sat the box down on the marble countertop and glanced over to spot the young raven-haired man answering his friends, “it’s true, right there in the library.”

“What genre was it in?” one of the two young men asked. They were all three spread out on a few small queen Anne couches, clustered in the corner, as if they owned the whole establishment, “biography? That corner’s pretty private…”

“Um, I was a little too preoccupied to notice,” the cocky boy scoffed, “you know, with my head being all the way under her skirt and all.”

Kicking his feet up onto the mahogany coffee table in the middle, the bespeckled one in the group chuckled, “only you mister I lost my virginity in a threesome could just casually have that happen to him on a Tuesday afternoon.”

“Who was it with anyway?” the other one asked. 

Furrowing his brows, the man in the centre of the story genuinely didn’t seem to remember, “I think her name was Emma? Something like that.”

“Didn't your mother tell you it’s creepy to stare?” you flinched at the sudden and sneaky arrival of your co-worker’s familiar voice, uttering directly into your ear.

“Jesus fuck, Lucy! Don’t scare a girl like that! I could have dropped one of these,” you held up the expensive bottles in hand, then swiftly went back to putting them away. 

“Please don’t tell me you have a thing for him,” she ignored your annoyance, crossing her arms. 

“What?” was she referring to the brash handsome man you couldn’t rip your eyes away from just a second ago? “No! I don’t even know who he is.”

“Wait, you don’t know who that is? 

“No.”

“Seriously?”

“Nope.”

“That’s Sirius Black,” she told you as if the name alone was common knowledge, but then continued as the lightbulb over your head clearly didn’t turn on, “Orion Black’s oldest son?” still nothing, she tried one last time, “as in the Black automobile company? That super old posh one?”

“…the one that the royal family drives around in?”

“Ding, ding, ding!” she threw up her arms and continued to look at you as if you were an idiot. 

“Alright, so even though I’m not, why is it that it would be such a bad thing if I theoretically had a thing for him?”

“Because that man right there, gorgeous as he might be, is the biggest playboy on the planet. He doesn’t even know what the definition of a relationship is, let alone love. Y/n, I know you. You, my wonderful friend, is a relationship type of girl, not a casual sleep-around like it’s nothing type of girl. So, trust me when I say, don’t go there.”

“I wasn’t gonna!” you said defensively as she finally turned around and left you to your work. 

Bending down to open up a small cabinet, you kneeled on the polished hardwood floor and scurried to finish your work of restocking the bar.  

“Hey love,” you heard after only a minute had passed. Glancing up, you saw the very same man you had been so fixated upon earlier, casually leaning his forearm against the counter. He looked like he could have just stepped out of a ralph lauren ad with how impeccable his clothes were. 

Shooting up, nearly bumping your head on the way, you felt your heartbeat pick up as his dark eyes bored into you, “hi! Can I help you with anything?”

“Me and my mates over there were just about to go do something a little more fun than what this snooze fest has to offer,” he gesticulated, then added rather smoothly, “you look like you could use some fun, you should join us.”

“Sir, I can’t just leave,” you cocked your head, “I’m in the middle of my shift.”

“So, when do you get off?” he asked, but then as you simply averted your gaze, scrambling for a polite way to untangle yourself from this mess, he pushed, “oh, come on, I know you want to.”

Keeping your eyes low, you shook your head, “I’m not really supposed to socialise with members.”

“Ah,” he leaned in a little closer, lowering himself to your eye level, “you’re a real good girl, aren’t you?”

Eyes growing wide at his suggestive word choice, you blushed, “e-excuse me, sir?”

“I noticed the way you were looking at me,” his studying gaze didn’t waver for a second. 

“Oh, that wasn’t-“

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell if you won’t.” He then leaned in even closer, “hey,” nearly whispering into your ear and effectively sending shivers down your spine, “if it fits your schedule better, we could just go into the billiard room right now…”

“Why would we-“

“My friends can stand by the door if you’re nervous,” he interrupted once more, reaching up to push a lock of your hair behind your ear, “no one will bother us, promise.”

Completely stunned by his bold proposal, it took you a few seconds to decline, “sir. I-… I’m gonna go back to work now…” then slowly picked up the now empty cardboard box and exited the room, leaving Sirius alone to pick up the pieces. 

“She’s new… I want her.” 

That was all Sirius had uttered to his friends before making his way over to hit on the new girl, occupied restocking the bar. 

Now standing there, alone and blinking hard, not understanding why his usual charm hadn’t worked on you, he heard his friends come up behind him.

“How did it go? You meeting her in the bathroom or what?” 

“She turned me down…” he was still frozen, staring out the door you’d disappeared through, with a stunned smile on his lips and a determent glint in his eyes. His words didn’t sound unhappy, simply surprised and even a little amused. 

“That’s nice, good for your health to be turned down by a pretty face such as hers. Also means you are in fact human after all,” Remus pulled out his box of cigarettes and swiftly tugged one into the corner of his lips to lite it, “so, that’s nice to know…” noticing the look in Sirius’s eye, “come on,” he wrapped an arm around his neck, “we’ll just go out tonight. Get you nice and pussy drunk. That’ll make you forget her in no time, promise.” 

“Funny seeing you here,” you didn’t even bother to look up as the slightly familiar voice found your ears. 

“Yeah,” you kept your eyes on the list in your hand just a little longer, “it’s almost like I work here or something.”

Finally glancing up, you met the intoxicatingly dark eyes of none other than Sirius Black, “you’re funny…”

“So,” you started moving along, not letting his bugging hold you back from executing your work, “is there anything I can do for you, sir?”

His long legs made it a piece of cake for him to follow along with you, “go out with me.”

Stopping your stride, you sighed, “Mr Black-”

“Please, call me Sirius,” he interrupted you with all the charm in the world.

“Mr Black, excuse me for being blunt but when will you get the hint?”

“Y/n, hey!”

This dude really doesn’t quit. 

“You know my name now,” you couldn’t stop your eyes from rolling even if you wanted to. 

“Yeah, well I asked around a bit about you. That was just one of the many tantalising facts I learned about you,” he winked, and you tried your best to ignore the butterflies that cheap trick had successfully sent fluttering throughout your stomach. 

Moving to leave the room, he swiftly blocked the door, making you see nothing but his annoying smirk, “seriously dude, what will it take for you to just leave me alone?”

“Go out with me,” he shrugged lightly and crossed his arms. 

“No.”

“Why not?”

Feeling like you might explode if he didn’t get out of the way, you exclaimed, “because I’m not I’m not gonna sleep with you!” your eyes grew a bit wider at the proclamation you’d let slip out.

“Oh really?” he simply smiled, clearly just taking it as another challenge. 

Squeezing your eyes shut, you hoped that the conversation would get less uncomfortable if you couldn’t see his jaw-dropping visage anymore, “yeah, I’ve heard what people say about you.”

Completely loving it, he clearly took that as a good thing, “really?”

“Yeah, well it’s like a fucking ghost story around here, so I didn’t have much of a choice. You’re just that kind of guy and that’s fine! But you just need to know, all that charm, it won’t work on me, so you might as well just turn around now. I am not just gonna be another notch in your belt, another hot new little thing for you to pass the time with, okay?”

Eyes still shut, you thought for a second he had left with how long he took to answer you, “okay, fine.” 

“Fine?” you finally blinked your eyes open.

“Fine,” he smiled, “I won’t sleep with you.” 

“Great!” you threw up your arms and moved to exit the room, though he stepped in front of you again, leaning down to be at your height.  

“I mean, it’s probably gonna be really hard for you to resist after the date I’ve got planned out, but sure, if you don’t want to.” 

Gnawing the corner of your bottom lip for but a moment, you gave out, “if I say yes to go on a date with you, one date, will you leave me alone?” 

Face only inches from your own, his smile grew wider as he agreed, “deal.”

“Mr Black! Welcome back, sir,” not only the security guard but also an older gentleman in a crisp suit had greeted you both at the entrance of the unusually vacated museum, “enjoy your evening.”

“Thank you, Henderson,” Sirius politely shook his hand before planting it on the small of your back, guiding you further inside. 

Glaring up at him as if he was an alien, he finally questioned your gaze, “what?”

“What are we doing in here?” you spoke in a near whisper, “the museum closed like 2 hours ago.”

“Yeah, well,” he shrugged, climbing the big stone steps that lead up towards the first exhibit, “my family’s a big donator to this place, so I just pulled a few strings.”

Fighting the urge to roll your eyes, you simply followed him into the first breathtaking room and breathed out, “okay…”

Even if the company was somewhat challenging, you couldn’t deny how the beauty hung up all around you made the evening at least tolerable. Your little art heart was too weak not to swoon at the sight of all the impressionistic pieces that were on display in this season's unique exhibit. Iconic pieces you could have only dreamed about studying this close. 

After a surprisingly long while where Sirius miraculously shut up and simply let you roam and relish in the paintings, you took a deep breath and decided to actually make the smallest of efforts to test if your companion did in fact have any more depth than a teaspoon. 

“So,” you started as he settled in beside you, his dark eyes washing over the landscape in front of you, “you’re home from uni for a bit?”

“Yep,” he buried his hands in the pockets of his black trousers, “oxford.”

You felt so strong for not just bolting in the opposite direction. “You’re an oxford man?” you scoffed, “should have figured…”

“Like my father was and his father before him,” he added rather coldly, sounding like this was a rehearsed reply that pained him to recite. 

“What do you study?”

“Business,” he kept his answer short. 

“Oh yeah?” you glanced over, trying to break through and see if his outsides matched his insides, “is it fun?” 

Brows furrowing, he turned to meet your gaze, “what does that have to do with it?”

“You don’t enjoy your major?”

“It’s just,” he inhaled deeply, uncomfortably trying to end this specific chat, “school, you know?”

“No, I actually don’t,” you informed him, slowly moving towards the next painting. 

“No?” he followed. 

“I don’t go to school,” you informed. 

“You don’t?” 

“No.”

“Oh, okay…” he averted his gaze, but still felt the need to explain his confusion, “I knew you liked art, so I just kinda assumed that you went to school for that or something…”

“Why bother paying a ridiculous amount of money in order to learn about something that I’m already really good at? No one is gonna deny me the right to create art just because I don’t have some fancy degree in it. If it’s a masterpiece, then it’s a masterpiece.”

“Yeah, I guess so…” you could tell how foreign your words were to him, “so that’s what you do for a living? You paint?” 

“It doesn’t pay the bills, but that’s not really the point now is it?” you reflected with a small smile, “just because it’s what I do doesn’t mean I earn a large profit from it, if any at all.”

For a moment, he just went quiet, staring at the many paintings with a slightly glossed-over look in his eyes. You were trying to catch his glances, read what it was that was going on inside that head of his, but your timid attempt at finding a new topic to blossom suddenly became the most effortless task in the world the second that he casually rolled his sleeves all the way up to his elbows.

“Wait, you have tattoos?” tumbled out of you as soon as you spotted the ink. 

“Yeah,” he gave a small shrug. 

“How did I not know that?” you asked, sounding genuinely interested. 

“Guess my pretty face was just a bit too distracting for you to notice,” he winked, regaining a bit of his usual confidence, “do you have any?”

“Yeah, a few. Though they’re just some stick-and-poke ones one of my friends gave me.”

“Aw, my first tattoo was a stick-and-poke one! I was 15 and it was at boarding school in the bathroom,” he remembered fondly. 

“Oh yeah? Your parents must have loved that,” you chuckled. 

“Oh, they don’t know.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, well, clothing can hide a lot and they only really see me a handful of days out of the year anyways, so… what they don’t know won’t hurt them.” 

Maybe he wasn’t so terrible after all… After finding a sliver of common ground, the rest of the conversation just flowed after that, making the remainder of the evening not just tolerable, but even enjoyable. 

Nearing the end of the tour, you felt his shoulder lightly bump yours, “you like it?” ripping you out of the trance the art piece in front of you had induced. 

“I mean, it’s a Monet,” you gestured towards it, finding his question a bit silly, “I think it’s physically impossible not to like it.”

“Darling, I wasn’t talking about the painting,” he clarified, smiling warmly down at you.

“Oh,” you looked up at him and couldn’t help but be blatantly honest, even if it meant that you had been wrong, “yeah, I guess it wasn’t half bad…” then cast your vision back on the painted pond and added as casually as you could muster, “but we are so not doing anything like this next time.”

“Next time?” 

“I swear to god,” you sighed, shutting your eyes, “if you don’t shut up in less than two seconds, I won’t hesitate to change my mind. You were just starting to grow on me.”

“Yes, ma’am, wouldn’t dream of it, I’m just standing here, looking at the art,” you heard him smile and peeped your eyes open to find him boldly still staring at you. 

“You sure we’re allowed to be up here?” Sirius asked, following you up the last bit of the clinking metal staircase in the seemingly abandoned factory you’d without context dragged him into. 

“Oh, don’t tell me that you're scared,” you playfully glanced over your shoulder at him, “doesn’t your daddy’s lawyer always bail you out of all the shady fun you and your friends get into?”

“Who exactly do you think we are?” he scoffed lightly, though didn’t deny your claim.  

“So, you’ve never committed a petty crime before? A party animal like you?”

“I have never done anything wrong in my entire life,” he shot back sarcastically. 

“Right you haven’t,” you chuckled, trying without success to bust open the rusty door, putting all your weight into it, “give me a hand, would you?” you requested breathlessly, his frame quickly following your command, stepping right up beside you, readying his shoulder and waiting for your go, “okay, one, two, three!” you both gave it a big shove, making it fly open and reveal not only the factory’s small, flat rooftop but also the most breathtaking view of the city’s skyline and the rabidly disappearing sun. 

Seemingly not impressed by the dingy surroundings, Sirius grumbled, “now do I get to know what we are doing tonight?”

“No sense of adventure…” you sighed teasingly, “I’m not telling you, you’ll have to find out yourself,” you sauntered over towards the small ledge by the section of the roof that sunk down a bit and had a bunch of vents and things. Taking a seat, you gestured to the cold concrete beside you and said, “now, sit.”

“You want me to sit?” he eyed the dirty surface mistrustingly. 

“Yeah,” you smiled, patting the spot with your fingers, “come on, you can sit on my jacket if you’re such a wuss.”

“Oh my god, fine, I’ll sit down,” he moved towards you, “just keep your jacket. Don’t want you to freeze to death.”

“You don’t? That’s reassuring to know,” you jested as he carefully took a seat beside you, dangling his long legs over the edge. 

“So… this is your big plan?” he asked, completely unimpressed, “sit on a filthy rooftop together?”

“Don’t mock when you don’t even know what it is yet,” you raised a defensive hand and then proposed confidently, “now, ask me a question.”

Furrowing his dark brows, he bit his lip in order not to stifle a laugh, “a question?”

“Yeah, you’ve got 20, so use them wisely,” you explained the childish game. 

“Oh my god…” he groaned as he caught on, although still played along, “okay, is it a thing?”

“Yes.”

His pristine hair blew in the wind as his eyes scanned the city below for clues, “is it big?”

“No.”

“Am I physically close to it?”

“Yes.”

“Can I see it?”

“No.”

“Okay, so it’s small and close by, but I can’t see it…” he recited underneath his breath, “is it, fuck, I don’t know,” he grumbled, both completely over the game yet also way too invested to just quit immediately, “your phone in your pocket?”

“Good one, but no!”

“Fuck, I don’t know! Am I even close?”

“You are closer than you might think.”

“Can I just get a little bit more of a hint?” he pouted in your direction. 

“Fine, it is within a meter of you.”

Head whipping around confused, “um, that’s literally just you. Is it you? Are you really calling yourself a thing right now?”

“No!” you snapped, slightly offended that he’d even think that, “just use your imagination for fuck sake. Don’t they teach you that at boarding school and fancy universities?”

Letting out a long exhale, he just kinda zones out a moment, genially scrambling for the answer and scanning every visible inch of you. “…I truly don’t know,” he then squinted his eyes at you, “was this some sort of test? Did I fail it?”

“No, calm down,” you pulled your backpack around to the front, ripping the biggest compartment open and fishing out a bottle of bargain beer for the both of you, “here,” you handed him one.

“What is this, a price for losing?” 

“No, that was the thing,” you placed the corner of the bottle’s cap up against the hard edge below you and gave it a swift tap, effectively popping it off and sending a lava flow of bubbles soaring down the dark glass and soaking your hand. 

“This was it?” he hesitated, but eventually mimicked your manoeuvre to open the lacklustre beverage. 

“Yep,” making the last letter pop as you raised the bottle up towards your lips. 

“You’re terrible at twenty questions,” he chuckled, taking a small sip. 

“You’re the one who couldn’t figure the answer out!”

“Yeah, because there was no way I was ever going to be able to figure that out! You can’t just be like Bilbo and ask for a person to guess what’s in your pocket, it has to be something the other person would be able to figure out.”

“That’s never how I played it, but if you wanna go again, play by your rules, then go right ahead, I’ll guess this time.” 

After the last of the beers, you’d brought with you were a thing of the past, after several rounds of that child-like play had flown by, the harsh chime of his phone interrupted your guessing of what you were pretty sure was the small spire visible in the horizon before you. 

Like a reflex, he fished it out of his pocket, and you watched as the soft smile quietly vanished from his features as if it had never been there to begin with, snuffed out and forgotten like last season’s fashion. It hadn’t been the first time you’d witnessed his phone be a mood killer, it happened at least once whenever he had been in your presence. 

“What is it?” you asked, tossing the game to the side to make room for the growing concern you simply couldn’t ignore any longer. 

“It’s nothing,” you watched his face twitch slightly as he read the message that plainly bothered him. Taking a deep breath, he tugged it away in his jacket and circled back to the quickly forgotten game, “you, um, still have 4 more questions till you run out-”

“Sirius,” you cut him off, determined to figure out what was troubling him, “who was that?” not giving you an answer, he simply averted his gaze. “I’m not gonna tell anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about. Who do you think I know that I could spill all of your deep dark secrets to? My neighbour Mary who’s about 90? Oh yeah, she would have a field day, if she actually remembers to put her hearing aid in,” you joked, in an effort to get him to relax and open up, “come on, you can tell me.”

After a good long moment of him thoroughly biting his inner cheek, he finally spoke, “it was my dad. He wanted to remind me that I’m supposed to start sitting in on meetings beginning by tomorrow. Start doing my part for the family business and finally grow up. He wants me to follow in his footsteps. And I know that it must sound fascinating, running a huge company like that, but it truly isn’t. It’s just a bunch of long boring meetings with boring money-hungry people talking about boring numbers. It has absolutely nothing to do with the cars themself.”

“And that’s not what you want?” you asked softly. 

“That’s not the point,” he uttered, sounding downright exhausted. 

“Isn’t it? Do you want to follow in his footsteps?”

Staring out into nothing, he slowly let the truth slip out past his lips, “no...” the tiny word instantly hitting him like a truck, “fuck. I’ve never actually said that out loud before… I don’t wanna do that… I don’t know what it is that I want to do, but I sure as hell know it isn’t that. I don’t wanna become another soulless businessman like my father.”

“Can I ask you something?” you asked him gently. 

“Sure.”

“Why are you still studying business if you know that’s not what you wanna do?”

Exhaling heavily, “because I think what scares me even more than this future they’ve got all mapped out for me is the unknown. I don’t know what will happen if I hop off the train, but at least I know what it looks like inside and I know where it’s headed.”

Without giving it a second thought, you reached out and took his hand in yours. 

“You’ll get off. Might not be today, but someday you will.”

A soft smile spread across his lips as the stressful thoughts slowly melted away with the aid of your touch and he turned his attention back to the date. “I gotta admit, this wasn’t at all what I expected.”

“What did you think? That I was gonna take you to dinner at a michelin restaurant? Some day you will learn that money can’t buy you everything. I mean, just look at that view,” you nodded towards the blushing skies above, the sun now nearly disappeared down behind the many roofs of the city. 

“Yeah,” he breathed, not taking his eyes off of you for a second, “it’s beautiful.”

Not soon thereafter, when the dark night started to bloom and the date was due to end, you took him up on his adorably chivalrous offer and let him walk you back home. However, when you reached the outside of your building, he wasn’t the only one anymore that wasn’t ready to part ways yet. When you fumbled with the keys and he eagerly asked, “could I maybe walk you all the way in to your front door?” all you did was nod, because right now in this very moment, just one more minute of his charm was all you desired. 

“Just what floor did you say you lived on?” he puffed from behind you once you’d reached the third floor of the old apartment building. 

“I didn’t,” if you’d told him that you lived on the fifth floor, right underneath the roof in a tiny shoebox of an apartment, he properly wouldn’t have dared to climb the steep stairs with you. “And just because you're walking me to my door doesn’t mean you get to come inside, okay?”

“Got it.”

Even though he looked to be in phenomenal shape, you still noticed his attempt to hide how much of a tole this trek really was for him.

Once you finally reached the small dark door to your home, out of sight and out of mind down a narrow hallway, creaking it open, his eyes widened at the sight of your tiny apartment, “oh my god, that’s your apartment?” he didn’t even have to poke his head inside to be able to view every single millimetre, seeing as the whole flat in its entirety was probably the size of his bathroom. 

“That’s my apartment,” you confirmed, not finding the size as jarring as he did. 

“Is it even legal to live up here? Aren’t these attic rooms for storage or something?”

“They used to be, but now I promise it's totally above board.”

After letting out a small chuckle, he then took one last long look at you standing in the doorway, smiling warmly down at you, “I had a lot of fun tonight.”

“Yeah, me too,” you smiled, and when he then turned to take his leave, you stopped him, “hey Sirius?” still close, he turned around, “can I-, could I maybe-…”

Taking a step closer to you, he stared down at you and uttered, “what?”

“…can I kiss you?”

Not hesitating for even a second, probably just in case you would change your mind, Sirius bent down and boldly kissed you. The feel of his soft lips pressed against yours and his tongue confidently asking for entrance surprisingly didn’t increase your nerves, it minimised them. It felt oddly comfortable. Like you’d already done it a thousand times before. 

“Goodnight,” he breathed out, lingering just a little longer.

“Night.”

The persistent knocks at your door finally came to a screeching halt as you swung it open and revealed the unexpected figure of Sirius. 

“I need to talk to you,” he insisted, sounding out of breath, probably having sprinted up the stairs. 

Furrowing your brows at the less-than-warm greeting, you asked, “Sirius? What are you doing here? It’s 11 o'clock at night,” pushing past you, the small stumble he took as he crossed over the threshold didn’t manage to escape your perception, “hey, what’s going on?”

“Everything’s going on!” he bellowed, making you quickly close the door behind him and cross your fingers that the walls in your building weren’t as thin as you feared if he was going to continue at this dramatic volume. 

Whirling around to plant his unfocused eyes on you, you saw right through him and asked, “are you seriously drunk right now?”

Fully ignoring your question, he sank down onto your small couch and spoke wearily, staring out into your dimly lit home, “you messed everything up.”

“Excuse me,” you crossed your arms and closed your light robe a bit more to cover your less then modest pyjamas up, on the verge of just ripping the door open again so that you could kick him out, “I haven't done anything-”

“You messed up everything!” his unsteady eyes finally met your glare, “everything was just fine before I met you, there was a plan, a good plan,” he gesticulated with his right hand, “I didn’t see any problem with the plan till you had to show up and turn it all upside down,” you felt your heart start to sink as his intoxicated words impacted, “you ruined it all. You ruined me. For the first time in my life, the world is a truly terrifying place. It’s never been that way till you showed up,” you noticed his clenched jaw begin to quiver, “you are like a bright light, showing me just how dark my life actually is. I didn't ask for that perspective! I was perfectly fine just wandering around in the dark!”

“Sirius,” you reeled back, completely stunned by the tornado that had just interrupted your evening routine, “what are you-”

“You scare the shit out of me, Y/n,” he exclaimed, cutting your question off before it could fully form, “no girl has ever done that, except for you. Fuck, I love you! That terrifies me!” he sank down even further, nearly laying down at this point, overwhelmed by the storm brewing between his ears, “but what scares me even more is the thought of losing you.”

Completely stunned, you found your body slowly dropping down upon the mattress of your bed, sitting there at a complete loss for words, flabbergasted as you watched his low groans and curses gradually fade away until you picked up on how his breaths had slowed, and his lids had grown heavy, exhaustion snuffing him out like a flame.

Curled up on the windowsill, backlit by the morning sun, you raised your eyes from the sketchbook balanced on your bent knees, to reference the dark-haired man still passed out on your tiny couch. 

Even after you’d not so silently riffled through your pantry this morning, checking to see if you had any resemblance of a hangover cure hidden away in there, he still slept like a baby, through all the crinkly bags and accidentally dropped containers. 

Though now, as you weren’t really making any noise at all, simply emanating the silent scratching of your pen against paper, you saw him stir, inhaling sharply as he awoke.

“Morning sleepy head,” you tried to be mindful of your volume, the light wince your tone evoked from him clearly affirmed your suspicion of the horrible state the night before had put him in. 

Craning his neck to look at you, he sat up, squinting in confusion as the bright morning light washed over him, “Y/n, what, um,” his voice sounded like it had been through a meatgrinder, “what am I doing here?” 

“You don’t remember?” you sat the sketchbook down beside you but kept your seat in the window, merely shifted a bit. 

“I-… Did something happen?” his palm lifted up to shield his mouth in worry, “did we-”

“Oh my god, no,” you got what he was hinting at and quickly cut in to correct him before your cheeks had a chance to turn an even brighter shade of red, “you showed up here last night, completely wasted.”

“Oh…”

“Yelled at me for a little bit and then you kinda just passed out.”

“Fuck…” he sighed, jaw clenching from guilt, “Y/n, I’m really sorry.”

“Yeah, you should be,” you crossed your arms tightly across your chest, “what even happened last night? Were you just at some club and randomly decided to come and shout at me a bit?”

“I wasn’t out,” he shook his head, still not meeting your eye, “I was at this stupid party with my family, some fundraiser I think, and became maybe a bit too pissed and got into an argument with my dad,” taking a deep breath in, he spoke, “I told him that I’m dropping out of school and that I don’t want to take over the company.”

“Oh…” it nearly came out as a whisper. 

Taking shelter behind his hands, he lightly ran them down his face, “I’m really sorry,” he said earnestly, “I shouldn’t have bombarded you like that. I don’t remember what I said, but you don’t deserve any of it.”

Every word he had uttered the night before still played on a loop inside your mind, “…none of it?”

“No,” he finally met your gaze, “not one.”

Your churning stomach tried to prevent the words from flowing out, but your now fully bloomed feelings eventually prevailed as you found yourself asking him softly, “not even the part where you told me you love me?” 

© 2023 thyme-in-a-bubble 

[rattlyglitch]

A Dragon's Precious Time

"MALLEUS!"

Silver tried to push past Rollo when he saw Malleus. He had to make sure that Malleu found a way out of the school. Everyone needed to get out of the school. When he tried to run past Rollo he was only yanked back and fell onto a small area that had the fiery orange flowers that were sprouting everywhere.

Silver was quick to move away from them. He understood that they were bad flowers used to hurt mages. Silver felt drained even though he had only touched them for a moment. Someone picked Silver up he couldn't exactly tell who it was but he needed to get to Malleus. "Don't worry." Silver wasn't sure why but the words calmed him immediately. He sighed softly and let himself drift to sleep. The words spoken words seemed comforting. "You will be alright Russia."

/////////

Malleus didn't exactly know what he felt when he saw Silver with Rollo. He was certain though that it had to be something far beyond terror. The fact that somehow Silver had managed to be brought into this mess was frightening. "M-Malleus is that Silver?!" Sebek asked looking next to Rollo. "How did he get up there?!" Malleus felt that he wasn't able to answer Sebek. He found himself also wondering as to how Silver had gotten up there.

Malleus wasn't sure that he cared after he saw Rollo throw Silver backward when he tried to leave. "Flamme I will ask you once kindly. Stop this madness and bring Silver here." Rollo laughed and shook his head no. "I can not do that. Your efforts to stop me are exactly why you're all utter fools."

Malleus watched Rollo closely. His gaze became unmoveable when Silver slouched forward and against the mage. He seemed to pick Silver up who had fallen unconscious with gentle ease. Sebek walked next to Malleus and glared at Rollo a cold gaze on his face.

"HOW DARE YOU! THREE TIMES NOW YOU'VE CALLED MALLEUS AN UTTER FOOL AND DARED TO HOLD SILVER HOSTAGE?! I've had it with you. Time to teach you some manners! Prepare for battle Rollo Flamme we will defeat you without magic!" Rollo laughed and shook his head. "What is so funny?" Malleus hated that Rollo could stand and laugh as he looked at the students who he was hurting.

"Oh, you're FAR too late for that! My plan is already well underway. When the Bell of Solace rang for an unprecedented fourth time tonight, it suffused the city with magic. The firelotuses aren't only in the school. They've spread throughout the city, and are sapping energy from every mage living here."

Malleus hurried over to the windows with the others and looked around the town. Rollo was telling the truth the flowers seemed to be shining far brighter outside much to the expense of the people who were slowly losing their magic as they slept. Malleus felt as if his rage was going to boil over if he didn't look away from the poor city.

"Uh, what's that noise?" Ruggie asked gaining the attention of everyone in the room. Malleus didn't understand what the beastman meant when saying there was a noise. Within moments though something mechanical began to make more sound as it grew closer.

"Allow me to invite you someplace more fitting… so you can CHANNEL your energies appropriately." Malleus felt the ground beneath him shift before he fell with the other students. The landing was hard and may have felt uncomfortable but the flowers surrounding seemed to pose more of a danger.

Disposing of current ones by weeding before they regrew was a simple task, finding out that they were hiding in the waterways was easy enough, but the hard thing was figuring out why Rollo despised mages. Malleus didn't want to say he could understand how Rollo felt with his hatred but could it be any different than the battle between fae and humans?

Those thoughts though only reminded Malleus that Silver was still with Rollo and the two could be anywhere. Silver having gained his magic from a young age was sure to cause the flowers to be attracted to him and if left with the flowers for too long his magic would be gone by morning. "I kinda think… he was targeting Malleus from the start."

Malleus looked at Idia. It didn't show but Malleus did want him to continue. "It is possible" Azul spoke up. "Malleus is foremost among the mages of the school… and the rest of the world, easily. It wouldn't surprise me if the social was a smokescreen, orchestrated for the sole purpose of bringing down Malleus."

Malleus's interest in what the two were saying did grab his attention. "So this whole time, the social was just bait… to catch the biggest fish of all: Malleus!" Malleus stood in silence. What else was he supposed to do to repress his rage getting out of control?

Rollo had truly lied about everything and been so kind to everyone just to get to Malleus and here he stood believing it was possible to make a friend in Shaftlands and maybe Silver could make friends outside of Briar Valley as well.

The reason Malleus had attended besides receiving an invitation was Silver. Malleus didn't notice the flowers that were appearing behind him as he thought about what should have happened during his stay in Fleur City. He had planned to be able to go around the town with Silver and spend time with him. But Silver was now gone with Rollo. Malleus couldn't help the angered smile that graced his face. "Now I see. Everything he said was a lie." Magic crackled around Malleus as he let out a low chuckle. "Malleus is… angry!" Sebek spoke stepping back a bit.

"The social, the personal invitation to me… it was pure deception. A ploy to lure me into a trap. Not only that but he was brave enough to take the charge of the man who raised me for whatever else he may be planning." Malleus felt his hands fall to his side tightening into fists. "You'll pay for this… YOU WILL PAY, ROLLO FLAMME!"

Everything Malleus had done because of the stupid personal invitation, for Silver, only for some mage who was having a fit to ruin what fun Malleus and Silver were supposed to be having.

Malleus shouldn't be having to worry about magic-eating flowers. He should be reading over things he could do with Silver the next day in bed and inviting Sebek if he wished to join. "I THOUGHT I'D BEEN ISSUED A GENUINE INVITATION. THAT I WOULD HAVE SOME TIME TO SPEND WITH MY FRIENDS AND MY BROTHER! YOU SHALL PAY DEARLY FOR THIS!"

Within moments lighting struck around the area where Malleus had been standing. "My liege are you ok?!" Malleus emerged from the smoke to see the other students. He felt somewhat better after having let off the steam he had been keeping in. "My liege you must refrain from using your magic again like that! You could have seriously injured yourself!"

Malleus let out a disappointed sigh. He didn't want to admit that Sebek had been right. Malleus felt like he had to explain his reasoning for lashing out. "When I saw the rest of you, it helped me to calm down somewhat." Professor Trein looked at Malleus. "But why did the flowers wilt? Draconia, care to explain what you did?"

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4 , Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14

[oddlylovingaddiction]

TW/ Suic.dal and/or Sad and/or depressed reader

— HURT COMFORT FIC.

DISCLAIMER: This is aimed towards me when I get into those extremely low moods and just feel like crying or worse LOL. I ask that you don’t vent or say that this made your feelings worse or negative things etc. as this was meant to comfort my own emotions. However if this made you feel better or you relate you’re welcome to comment so. This fic is aimed to make people feel better not worse so if you know it might trigger you just scroll past, or read something happier!

If you feel suic.dal please call a hotline if you can or talk to someone who won’t put you down / make you feel worse for your emotions.

My thing is when I get into those…. moods. I get soft, in sort of a self sacrificing way, low energy, “Oh? You want this? Here! No, No I’m happier if you have it!” sort of way.. because I know I’m just too tired and I’ve given you so you know? If I can’t fix myself I’d rather leave everyone happy than angry. But what kills me is when someone notices. Especially if it’s a friend or someone I love.

So imagine them… just…

“Hey, Love?” They ask in such a gentle tone like treading on ice about to break.

“Yes?” You reply not thinking much. But after a long silence you finally look up from whatever you’re doing. They give you that look of ‘I want to say something but I don’t know how to say it’ so you give them a soft smile, “It’s okay darling, whatever it is I won’t be mad.”

“You feel off.” The words come out faster than they can collect their thoughts together. Making you look at them wide eyed confused. “I mean… you just… seem sort of sad? Are… you okay? You can talk to me you know that right?”

You go to answer but your voice is just… vanished? so you’re stuck making that sort of fish face where you look like you’re speaking, your mouth is opening and closing, but nothing is coming out. “Oh.” The softest oh from your mouth as the soft gentle persona you’ve had on for a while… breaks. “I’m… I’m okay?” You say it like a question, as your voice breaks and you can feel the tears you’re trying so hard to push down come back up. The back of your throat feels thick and heavy like it has a weight tied to it. “I.. I swear I’m fine! I have no idea why…” and as you’re explaining yourself tears, hot and heavy as you sob. They quickly rush towards you gently crouching down in front of where you’re sitting.

“Hey.. It’s okay if you’re sad or upset you know? It’s okay to cry, you’re allowed to feel bad. I’m not sure what’s going on but I’m here for you okay? Right here.” They say softly not touching you until you reach towards them first like you’re as breakable as the prettiest glass sculpture. When you finally reach for that hug, it feels… so good. That hug that reminds you that someone cares, that you don’t have to hold it in all by yourself, that even when things get so bad or you’re always second best to everyone else, someone cares enough to hold you, to comfort you as you sob until you get tired.

They just hold you as you cry, no need to explain now or later you only need to feel comforting knowing that if your body collapses into a puddle of emotions someone is there to collect you afterwards.

The ‘them’ in question; COVE HOLDEN, IZUKU MIDORIYA, OCHAKO URARAKA, derek suarez, cliff holden, uzumaki naruto, mitsuri kanroji, tanjiro kamado. + anyone else you want/can think of!

[thefairywithboots]

Depollute Me, Gentle Angel (Robert Plant x Fem!OC)

Hi! So I have been working on this fic all weekend as a request sent to me in my ask box. Smut Prompt #11: "Oh no, there is only one bed, what will we do now?"

Except the anon who requested this specifically asked for me to make it fluff instead of smut. And in all honesty, this was very fun to write. An x reader fic was requested, but I had to create an entirely new OC because fluffy Y/N oneshots are harder for me to write without context and the story just seemed to run away with itself.

Summary: Evanna is a photographer travelling with Led Zeppelin during their North American tour in 1969. She has felt extremely drawn and attracted to the band's lead singer, Robert Plant, but has resisted his charms because she is a faithful girlfriend. But after her boyfriend breaks up with her over the phone, management somehow manages to screw up the room keys and they are assigned to the same room. AND THERE'S ONLY ONE BED!!!!

The title of this fic is a line taken from this song, which I have been listening to on repeat for the past few days, and reminds me a lot of these two...

Warnings: Angst, and lots of it. Lots of sap and fluff especially near the end.

Rating: T+ I guess for cursing idk

I tag @bijouxcarys @ourshadowstallerthanoursoul @elliotironmaidenfan @strsmn @hammill-goes-fogwalking @jimmysdragonsuit13 @callmethehunter @keytothehighway @chauffeurkashmir @m-faithfull @jimmypage7

1969

Evanna had been part of Led Zeppelin's entourage for the past couple of months during their North American tour, taking photos of the band on and offstage. It was her dream job; she had always wanted to travel and be near the music, even if she was hardly ever home.

The one thing that tugged at her heartstrings was the fact that she had to leave behind her boyfriend, Geoffrey. She was away from him for weeks at a time, and missed him tremendously. She called him every night when she could. The past few nights, he had been in a pissy mood, demanding that she answer all of his questions. She had to reassure him, that no, she was not doing drugs at the after parties, and no, she was not sleeping with anyone in the band, nor anyone from the road crew. She once ended up reminding him that he was the one who had cheated on her last year, and not the other way around.

This caused him to hang up on her, and refuse to talk to her for the rest of the week.

The fear of being ghosted by him made her emotionally drained. She focused her energy towards her job and her photography, snapping away from the photographer's pit in front of the stage. Led Zeppelin's music carried a sort of magic to it that healed her when she was feeling like Geoffrey's silence was becoming too much for her. And everyone in the band were all kind enough to her.

Well... perhaps Robert was a little too kind.

Evanna often found herself having to tear her eyes away from the golden-haired lion of a man. He was almost too beautiful to look at directly; like the sun blaring straight into her eyes. And his voice did nothing to extinguish her desire.

While hanging out with the band, crew, as well as the multiple groupies that hung around them after the show, Evanna found Robert extremely easy to talk to. He was polite and friendly to her. He normally kept his nose in a book on the tour bus while chaos ensued around him. But when he spoke to her, he always got down to her eye level, his blue eyes staring deep into hers. This always caused her heart rate to speed up, as if he were staring straight into her soul.

As if trying to seduce her.

She shook these feelings away, feeling a pang of guilt for being tempted. She was a faithful girlfriend, and wasn't going to stoop to Geoffrey's level and prove him right.

None of that mattered in the end. She stood on the side walk one cold evening, gripping the payphone so tight, her knuckles turned white. Tears rolled down her face as she listened to Geoffrey's voice over the crackling telephone line.

"Listen, Evie, this isn't going to work out," he told her. "You're away all the time. I hardly ever see you, and I never know who you're running around with."

Evanna felt like she had a giant fist squeezing at her heart. "We've been together since high school..." she said through barely contained sobs. "I-I was looking forward to seeing you again..."

She had a mental image of Geoffrey rolling his eyes, even though she couldn't see his face. "Right. Well, now you can screw around with as many rock stars as you want to without guilt, yeah? I'm sure they'd like your company, given how easy it is to get you on your — "

Evanna lost her temper, and shouted through the phone: "Do I need to remind you that you are the one who needs to be reminded of faithfulness!? I was not the one who stepped out on this relationship, you asshole!"

Geoffrey's voice cut through the line like a sharp blade. "Do not curse at me, you ungrateful bitch!" Evanna flinched, as if expecting a physical blow through the phone. "Do you have any idea how much I have sacrificed for us!? And you feel the need to constantly bring up my past mistakes!?"

She was shaking now, unable to hold her tongue with this man any more. "How much you have sacrificed!? I'm the one who's away working all the time! And you're constantly accusing me of things that I didn't do!"

Geoffrey let out a sardonic laugh as if he didn't believe her. "Yeah, okay! Enjoy being Page's little whore." Her blood boiled at the assumption that she would even stoop that low. "Though, from what I've heard, you'd probably be too old for his tastes anyway."

"FUCK YOU!" She had screamed this into the receiver, causing several bystanders to shoot her awkward glances. She was too distraught to be embarrassed, though.

The sound of Geoffrey hanging up on her felt like the final nail in the coffin. Her tear-streaked face mirrored her desolation as she set the phone back into the receiver. She wiped her tears away before pushing her hands through her long red hair, trying to compose herself.

Evanna arrived at the venue with her camera. Her mind was slightly clearer after walking all the way there, but she still must have had tears in her eyes because Bonzo was the first to notice when he exited his dressing room.

"Hey, kid. You okay?" She turned to look at him. He had always referred to her as "kid" even though she was just a year younger than him and Robert.

She sniffled. Bonzo was always the kindest to her. And he never seemed to have any ulterior motives behind his kindness. Part of that may have had to do with the fact that he was married. "I'm fine," she lied.

"You don't look fine..." he said with a furrowed brow. He seemed genuinely concerned for her.

"It's nothing really... my boyfriend just... broke up with me. It's fine, it's got nothing to do with my job."

"Sorry to hear that, kid..." he said softly. "But hey, that bloke wasn't worth it, eh? Percy and I were talking about how stressed you seemed after getting off the phone with him..." He trailed off, as if realizing he shouldn't have said that.

Evanna stared up at the drummer with her mouth agape. "You... what?" Christ, were we really that obvious? They had never even seen us together...

Bonzo opened his mouth to speak, but the band's manager, Peter Grant, was already coming down the hallway, yelling at the band members to get on the stage. Bonzo shot her an apologetic smile before turning to leave towards the stage entrance.

Jimmy came out of his dressing room with his current female companion following close behind him, adjusting herself in her dress. Robert came out of his room shortly after. His eyes met with Evanna's as he walked past, and he shot her a wink.

She felt her breath catch in her throat.

She shook her head and made her way to the front of the stage and into the photographer's pit, setting up her camera.

The music as always healed her in a way that nothing else ever could. She focused on getting good shots of the band, zooming her lenses in to capture each individual member before stepping back to get a shot of the entire band. Hyper focusing on her career had always been her way of escaping from the anguish of what Geoffrey put her through on a regular basis.

Admitting that to herself, she felt like she had a weight lifted off her shoulders.

She couldn't help but rest her eyes on Robert as he strutted across the stage, thrusting his hips in time to the music, his luscious blond curls bouncing as he moved. Just seeing him onstage like this, she never would have imagined that he was so easy to talk to. Onstage, he seemed to turn into a sort of deity, the stage lights reflecting off his golden mane, causing it to look as if it were glowing. He looked like a sun god. Bright, radiant. Difficult to look at for too long.

After the concert, Evanna came back to the hotel early. She didn't have the energy or social battery to attend the after party in Jimmy's room. She was tired, and Geoffrey was still heavy on her heart and mind.

Ever since she had been travelling with the band, management had been paying for her room and food. She was given her key when she got back to the hotel, and she entered the musky-smelling room, setting her luggage down by the door. Feeling the silence and loneliness close in on her, Evanna felt like curling up on the bed and crying. She would normally be talking to Geoffrey on the phone by now.

His voice echoed in her head, the memories of him calling her a whore and a liar playing over in her head like a broken record. 

Evanna turned the TV on, browsing the channels until she found some reruns of her favourite show. She turned the volume up as loud as it would go, trying to drown out the sound of her own thoughts.

She stripped down, catching a glimpse of her pale body in the mirror. She made her way into the bathroom, turning the shower on, making the water as hot as she could stand it before washing off the day as the television droned on outside.

By the time she got out of the shower, her skin red and flushed, she felt like a weight had been washed off her. Geoffrey breaking up with her felt like he was finally releasing her from the shackles of constant scrutiny and suspicion. But she had got so used to feeling that weight on her, a feeling that she had always convinced herself was an anchor to keep her grounded to her home, that she didn't know what to do now that it was gone.

She wrung the water out of her long red hair before taking the towel wrapped around her body and putting her hair up into it.

When she exited the bathroom in the nude, the first thing she noticed was how cold it was in the room compared to the steamy bathroom.

The second thing she noticed was that she wasn't alone. Robert was sitting on the bed, still in his stage clothes, his long legs stretched out in front of him as he was watching the TV. He barely had time to turn his head to see a flushed, naked woman exiting the bathroom before she let out a startled scream, quickly taking the towel off of her head to cover herself.

The scream had startled him, causing him to freeze.

"What are you doing in here!?" she screamed while backed against the wall, holding the now damp towel to her chest.

Robert tilted his head to the side in confusion, as if this wasn't the reaction he was used to when walking into a woman's room. "This is my room."

"No, this is my room!" she yelled, her voice irate.

Robert shrugged. "Management must have got the rooms mixed up. It's happened before."

Evanna quickly went over to her luggage to pull out a pair of pyjamas, disappearing into the bathroom to pull them on. She was shaking. She couldn't believe the incompetence of management. How was she supposed to share a room with the man she had felt such an extreme attraction to for the past few weeks? The only thing keeping her from losing it was the fact that she had her own little space each night.

When she exited the bathroom, Robert was standing by the kitchenette, his wild mane of golden hair obscuring his face. He was boiling some water on the stove in a copper teapot.

He turned to look at her, and she saw a mischievous glint in his eyes as the hint of a crooked smirk played across his lips. She was hit by the sudden dilemma of where they were supposed to sleep.

Robert placed the teapot to the side, taking some tea bags out to place in the pot to let seep.

He turned and looked around the room. He pretended to just notice the elephant in the room. "Oh, no," he said with an amused expression. "There's only one bed. What will we do now?"

Evanna rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "I guess one of us will have to sleep on the floor..." she said while averting her eyes to the ground.

Robert stepped closer to her, appearing to loom over her. She was short enough as it was, but his height made her feel like a child. He brought his hand under her chin to gently raise her eyes to look into his. His eyes were fixated on her face, as if counting each of her freckles. She felt her breath catch in her throat, and her heart race in her chest.

"Why would we need to sleep on the floor when the bed is big enough to hold both of us?" His thumb ran over her cheek. "Bonzo told me about your breakup..."

She mentally cursed him. "He did?"

"Yeah... that bloke didn't deserve you," he said gently. The mischievous glint came back into his eyes. "Given the circumstances... perhaps a little rebound action could do you some good."

That had done it. She felt like the dam had broken, causing her tears to start falling uncontrollably. Her hand cracked across his face, and his head snapped to the side.

"You are such a pig!" she shrieked at him. "Do you think that every woman wants you!?" Robert opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off again. "I am not a groupie!"

She sat down at the small table, her hands wound through her hair as she sobbed uncontrollably. Her heart was full of anguish.

She flinched when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry..." His voice was gentle and sincere, his accented speech as soft as a cloud. "That was... insensitive."

She could feel the warmth radiating off from him from just that single touch, and it was enough to bring forth the tears again.

"It's too cold for either of us to sleep on the floor..." he told her. "But I promise not to touch you without your permission..."

Evanna stared up at him with wet eyes, her tears mirroring the desolation she felt inside. He seemed even more beautiful to her at that moment.

"I-I did everything I could... and he still abandoned me..." More tears spilled forward. She felt like she had been holding it all in for the past four years.

Robert's large hand wrapped around her small, dainty wrist as he took her hand into his. His touch was gentle, light like a feather, as if she were a fragile being who would bruise easily.

The warmth she felt in just that gentle caress of her hand was more than she had ever felt with Geoffrey. Her face scrunched up, and she fell forward, her face burying itself into his shoulder as she continued to cry. Robert's arms encircled around her, wrapping her into a cocoon of warmth. He was so warm, so solid. She could feel the steadiness of his heartbeat underneath her ear.

"It's okay..." he whispered gently to her, his lips pressing against her mass of ginger hair. The sensation filled her with so much warmth, tears continued to fall.

They were silent for several minutes, just holding each other as Evanna cried silently. Robert's hand reached up to gently stroke her hair, the feeling of his hand on her scalp causing her to melt against him.

Evanna at last felt like she could get the tears to stop falling. But she didn't want to leave his arms; it was the warmest, most welcoming place she had ever been. When Robert eventually pulled away to tend to the tea, she suddenly became aware of how cold it was in the room. She rubbed at her now dry eyes, her head feeling as if it were in a clouded daze.

Robert poured some tea into a mug. She could smell the chamomile from across the room. The scent relaxed her.

"Would you like some tea, Evanna?"

He was the only person who ever called her by her full name, rather than Eve or Evie. It was as if he savoured each syllable as it rolled off his tongue. She loved the way her name sounded on his lips. She imagined what it would sound like if he were to moan her name repeatedly while in bed —

She mentally slapped herself as she shook away those thoughts. She quickly nodded.

"Sure..." she said in a soft voice.

He poured some tea into a second mug. "It'll keep you warm..."

She sniffed as he placed the hot mug down in front of her. She placed her hands around it, the heat radiating through her entire being. "Thank you..." She lowered her head, feeling embarrassed about her outburst earlier. "I'm sorry for slapping you..."

He chuckled softly and waved it off. "Don't worry about it, luv. I had that one coming..."

The herbs calmed her down, and heat seeped through her body, warming her on the inside as she took small sips of the tea.

Robert sipped his tea quietly, pretending to focus on the television to not make Evanna feel uncomfortable by staring at her too intensely. But he would occasionally steal glances at her, taking in little details about her. The way her freckles were lightly dusted across her face. The way her lips curled around the edge of the mug as she sipped her tea. Occasionally, her hazel eyes would meet his, and he would avert his eyes back down to his tea or back to the television.

After she finished her tea, she yawned and made her way over to the bed. Even as she slid under the blankets, she could feel the biting winter cold that had made its way into the room. She shivered, pulling the covers up to her chin.

Robert finished his cup of tea before getting up to turn the tele off. The room was filled with silence, but not the crushing kind of loneliness that Evanna had felt when she first arrived. The silence was serene.

Peaceful.

Robert slipped under the covers next to her, reaching for the lamp to turn off. Evanna found herself reaching for him, encircling her arms around his waist. He looked down at her as his hand rested on her shoulder.

"Just hold me..." she whispered softly, her head resting against his chest, the sound of his heartbeat steady against her ear.

Robert wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him as they both lay in bed. It felt as if he were her only source of heat at that moment; both literally and figuratively. Geoffrey had never held her like this, not once. The warmth and safety she felt in his arms made her feel almost embarrassed. He was just a mere acquaintance.

She became fully relaxed in his embrace, her hands reaching up to gently stroke his sideburns. A dopey smile broke out across his beautiful face, which prompted her own. The artistic side of her made her hands itch for her camera as she desired to capture that moment. But such a thing would be awkward.

He leaned down to press a small kiss on her lips. His lips were so soft, and the kiss felt so natural and sweet, like there were no ulterior motives behind it. Every gentle caress and kiss felt like an antibiotic, draining the toxicity from her veins, from her very heart.

The anguish Evanna had felt all evening became less and less as she lay in Robert's arms, gently running her hands through his long blond hair. His hair was even softer than it looked. She felt herself relaxing in his warm embrace. It was so much more than just a physical warmth. Robert's energy, and his very presence just radiated a warmth like no one else she had ever been around before.

Eventually, the sound of his breathing slowed, and the steady beat of his heart could be felt against her ear. His hand wound through her hair was the last Evanna noted before she slipped off into the warmest, most content sleep she had had in a long time. 

[arcsimper5]

Hi! I’m not sure if you’re taking requests but I saw you reblog those prompts and I was wondering if I could get

“Can we please kiss? I’ve been wanting to kiss you since we left that place.”

With Echo or a clone of your choice (whoever you think the prompt fits the best with). Obviously you don’t have to so please don’t feel pressured to do so. Thank you and have a good day and drink water it’s important

Thank you so much for the prompt!

I went with Hardcase, as I just felt it fit quite nicely!

I hope you like it!

Pairing: Hardcase x Jedi!Reader Word count: 3282 Rating: M (suggestiveness, tiny amount of blood, injury, peril, innuendo, angst, tongue kissing, pining)

“Well this is new!”

Hardcase was practically trembling with excitement as the stone wall in front of you slid into the floor, revealing an old, cobwebbed tunnel deeper into the ancient temple, his grin practically palpable under his helmet.

“Focus, Case,” you reminded him gently, igniting your lightsaber, the cool blue glow bouncing off the walls, illuminating the cracked stones that made up the floor, “we’re here to investigate, remember?”

“But this is like a real treasure hunt!” he laughed, adjusting his grip on his blaster, bouncing on his heels as he waited for you to take the lead, “It’s exciting!”

“More exciting than mowing down battalions of battle droids?” you teased softly, flushing when the trooper nodded. In all honesty, you’d been somewhat surprised when Hardcase had volunteered to accompany you on a recon mission, knowing he much preferred action.

“Huh,” he chuckled, “not quite, but the company is definitely better.”

“Are you flirting?” you asked a little incredulously, barely holding in a nervous giggle.

Out of all of the men you worked with on a regular basis, Hardcase had quickly become one of your favourites. While most saw only a hyperactive, battle-hungry clone trooper with a limited attention span, you’d come to know him as kind, surprisingly gentle, generous, brave and incredibly smart.

In fact, he had been the one to unlock the wall you’d just passed through, figuring out a pressure puzzle with little effort.

“I, uh… Am I allowed?” he asked nervously, a soft click sounding as he unclipped his helmet with his free hand, deftly clipping it onto his belt. The moment you saw his face again, your heart fluttered, cheeks flushing brightly.

Like all clones, he was extraordinarily handsome, but there was something about him that set him apart from his brothers, a youthful energy that permeated every cell of his being, made him look brighter than everyone else. That, and you loved his tattoos, often wondering how far down his body they went.

If they continued over his chest and stomach, what it would be like to trace your finger along the lines, how he would shudder under your touch…

“If you don’t want me to, I… I can stop?”

His offer drew you back to the present, blinking the fantasy away as you shook your head, hoping he couldn’t see how red your cheeks were in the dim light as you giggled again, not quite meeting his gaze.

“I don’t mind,” you murmured, “but just a warning, I give as good as I get.”

“Oh?” Hardcase raised an eyebrow, his grin firmly back in place. “Miss perfect little Jedi isn’t so perfect after all?”

“I never said that,” you teased with a wink, Hardcase’s gaze darkening a little, his pupils dilating, “I just don’t mind a hot guy paying me compliments is all.”

Another smirk crossed Hardcase’s lips, as he shifted a little closer, walking right next to you in the small space as you continued into the tunnel.

“You think I’m hot?”

Another bolt of nervousness shot through you, followed by the heat of embarrassment and something else…

You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t thought about him in that way, in the loneliness of your quarters, laying in your bunk in search of sleep. Of course your mind would wander… it was only natural.

Your silence seemed to be enough of an answer for Hardcase, his grin widening even more as he swept his hand over his head, pretending to sweep back hair.

“Hmm… hot enough for a Jedi, huh? Now there’s an accolade I can get behind.”

“Oh kriff you,” you mumbled, trying to hide your embarrassment.

“If you insist,” Hardcase retorted without missing a beat, chuckling at your reaction. “What happened to ‘giving as good as you get’, huh?”

You were about to respond when an odd looking stone slab in front of Hardcase’s path caught your attention, a gasp caught in your lungs as you tried to warn him, all too late as he placed his foot squarely on it, the floor immediately giving way.

“Hardcase!”

He let out a scream as he fell, your body instantly following him into the hole in the ground without hesitation. Reaching out with the Force, you felt him below you, tugging at the tendrils of energy, wrapping them around him, pulling him to a halt just above the ground.

Carefully, slowly, you lowered the both of you down, onto the pile of rubble created by the collapse, Hardcase reaching out to grab your arm immediately, his eyes wide.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he questioned urgently, patting down your arms, checking your robes for any tears.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” you reassured him breathlessly, noting a small gash on the top of his head, a trickle of blood oozing sluggishly from it. “Are you?”

He flinched as you dragged your fingertip just below the cut, exhaling deeply as you willed the Force to heal it, watching as the skin knitted together perfectly, all signs of the injury immediately gone.

“Wow… That was… Have you ever done that, like, during sex?”

The question caught you completely off guard, your eyes widening before you doubled over with laughter, tears springing to your eyes.

“Case, we’ve just fallen down a hole in an abandoned temple, almost died, and you’re asking me if I’ve ever used the Force during sex?”

Looking almost offended, he tilted his head to the side, frowning.

“Well… Have you?”

Rolling your eyes, you let out a huff of laughter, pulling your comm out of your pocket and flicking it open, trying not to laugh as a channel opened.

“Master Skywalker,” you smiled as Anakin answered the other end, his small holographic form flickering in the darkness, “just to let you know, we’ve run into some… issues. We’re working to find our way out of the temple, but it looks like the relic room is too dangerous to get to at the moment.”

“Roger that,” Anakin smiled, letting out a soft sigh, “should have known better than to think this would be easy. You guys need any help?”

You smiled at Hardcase, his gaze averting as he flushed a little, your own laughter barely contained.

“No, we should be fine, we’re just…”

“Mesh’la, look out!”

Before you could even answer Hardcase, he was barrelling into you, strong arms wrapping around your waist, plastoid digging into you through your clothing as he dived with you, just in time to stop your body being crushed by another set of falling bricks from above, dust clouds rising through the darkness.

Your comm slipped from your grasp, clattering to the ground and into pieces as the rocks tumbled from where they fell, crushing it thoroughly.

Once the shock had subsided, you felt gloves hands running over you again, a ringing in your ears slowly fading, Hardcase’s worried voice cutting through the static.

“Mesh’la? Are you okay? Maker, that was close. Hey, can you hear me? Did you hit your head? I tried to stop it, but…”

“Case,” you murmured, wincing as you moved to sit up, your back definitely bruised where you’d hit the floor, “I’m fine, really.”

Shooting you an unconvinced look, he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, the motion gentle and tentative, and one you were utterly grateful for as your leg gave out, pain racing up your leg from your ankle.

A cry of pain left you before you could stop it, Hardcase taking your entire weight easily as you fell back, catching you and lowering you down onto the ground, careful to avoid any rocks.

“Yeah, you’re not fine,” he huffed, “time to rest, tough girl.”

Letting out a whine, you glared at him through the darkness, panic suddenly rising through you.

“My lightsaber, I dropped it when I fell!”

Hardcase let out a soft laugh, earning him another glare as he cautiously released his hold on you, unclipping his helmet and sliding it back onto his head, turning on the navigation lights. You raised a hand to shield your eyes from the piercing light, lowering it once he turned away, murmuring a soft apology.

“I’ll find it,” he reassured you in a tone so gentle, it almost made you question if this was the same trooper you were joking with mere minutes ago, “but first, we’re gonna patch you up and get a fire going, okay?”

“Fire?” you spluttered, confused.

“Yes, fire. Hot thing that puts out heat, you know?”

“I know what a fire is, Case,” you frowned, earning you another soft laugh, the sound making your heart flutter.

You watched in the light from his helmet as he shifted his pack from his shoulders, laying it on the ground and pulling out a small metal box, his gloved fingers working deftly as he opened it up and pressed a few buttons, a flame flickering to life from the inside.

“There we go, that’ll settle in a moment,” he reassured you as he shuffled to your other side, placing the contained flame close enough to heat you but not close enough to be a danger. The warmth of it immediately seeped into your skin, a shiver running through you as Hardcase moved back to his pack, careful not to aim his lights at your face.

“Right. Ankle next,” he nodded to himself, pulling out a small medpack, your eyebrows raising.

“I always wondered what you kept in there,” you chuckled softly, the trooper catching himself before he looked up and blinded you with his lights again.

“Oh, this isn’t what I usually carry. Usually it’s more blasters, ammo packs, lube, condoms, sex toys, you know, combat stuff.”

“Har-de-har,” you deadpanned as he giggled, pulling out a roll of bandages and a small bacta pack.

“I’ll need you to lift your robes, m’lady,” he instructed, his grin evident even through his modulator,

“Without even buying me dinner first?” you gasped in faux dismay, grinning at him as Hardcase watched you roll the fabric up, then moving to do the same with your trouser leg.

“I can still do that when we get out of here, if you want,” he said plainly, his voice suddenly far too even, your heart fluttering.

“You don’t have any credits,” you smiled weakly, sadness striking your heart as Hardcase sighed and shrugged.

“Would still take you somewhere nice.”

It struck you that he suddenly wasn’t joking, that he actually meant it.

“Case,” you breathed as he tore open the bacta packet and smoothed it over your ankle, his touch tender and careful, unwinding the bandages next and pulling them tightly to your skin, using the adhesive edge to seal it once he was done.

“Better?” he asked, packing away the empty packets.

But your focus was no longer on your ankle, your throat tight as you swallowed, mind reeling.

“Case,” you called again, the trooper freezing where he was now crouched over his pack, reorganising it.

Heaving a sigh, he resigned himself to whatever came next, shoulders slumping as he stood up and turned back to you, switching off his lights as he did.

“Yeah?”

“C’mere,” you beckoned him closer, “come sit with me.”

The shake of his head betrayed his hesitation, another sigh leaving him.

“Gotta find your lightsaber,” he murmured, “I’ll…”

“Rina’s diner.”

You could almost imagine the shocked expression on his face as his head snapped round to look at you, simply staring.

“W-What?”

“Rina’s diner,” you repeated with a nervous smile. “They serve Clones and Jedi, part funded by the Republic. We don’t need credits to go out. We could… We could go there.”

The silence that followed your statement seemed to drag on forever, the crackling of the fire and Hardcase’s modulated breathing the only sounds around you until he reached up to his helmet once again, pulling it off with a soft ‘whoosh’.

“You’re… serious?” he mumbled, barely able to meet you gaze, the nervousness in his expression making your heart clench, “You’d… go out for dinner? With me?”

Nodding, you swallowed hard, pushing down your own nerves.

“When we get out of here, I’d love to, Case. You’re…”

You trailed off, lost for words as he bent down in front of you, one gloved hand moving to cup your face, his thumb brushing over his chin.

For a moment, he simply fixed you with an intense gaze, your heart fluttering almost violently in your chest, breathing ragged as he leaned in a little closer, his eyes flicking to your lips.

Your eyes slipped closed, a soft whimper leaving your lips as his breath ghosted across your skin, a shiver running through your entire body. Pursing your lips, you steeled yourself, only to have him press the tiniest peck at the edge of your mouth, his turned up in a shit-eating grin.

“What… What was that?” you questioned sharply as he pulled away, barely holding back giggles.

“You think I’m giving myself away on the first date?” he smirked, letting out a huff of fake annoyance, “I’m not a whore, mesh’la.”

“This isn’t a date, Case,” you reminded him sternly, glaring at him, your mouth tingling where his lips had brushed yours.

“To your knowledge,” he chuckled as he donned his helmet once more, turning around and reactivating his lights. Almost immediately, he stepped into the darkness, making a triumphant noise. Within moments, he returned to the fireside, removing his bucket once more and passing you your lightsaber, his expression a swirl of emotions. “Maybe I set all of this up just to get you alone? And I know we don’t exactly have candle light, but…”

“Case,” you sighed, shaking your head. He turned to look at you, eyes wide. “You… I thought… you were going to…”

You trailed off as embarrassment flooded you, tears pricking at your eyes. You felt so confused, so conflicted. The way you felt went against everything you’d been taught by the Jedi, and yet you were willing to take the risk. But his teasing hurt in a way you couldn’t explain, an ache in your chest that seemed to numb your limbs.

“Do you not… want to?”

Hardcase’s eyes went wide with realisation, his hands immediately seeking yours, thumbs stroking over fingers as he held them, swallowing hard before his eyes met yours once more, pained at seeing the tears there.

“No, no, mesh’la, I… I want… I… I’m… scared. I’ve never…”

He breathed out a frustrated sigh, frowning at himself.

“Look, I… I’m just a clone. I’m not… different. I’m just… I’m hyperactive, and annoying, and even my vode can’t stand me sometimes, and…”

“Hardcase. Shut up.”

He stared at you in shock, mouth slightly agape.

“You are none of those things,” you breathed, heart fluttering as he sat on the floor in front of you, swallowing hard. “You are brave, smart, kind and so, so funny. I treasure my time with you, I miss you when I’m not with you. You make me feel… seen. Understood. You treat me like a friend, not just a Commander, not just a Jedi. You’re so much more than you could ever know. I… I care about you. A lot. And I…”

You held your breath as he leant in closer, the nervousness in his gaze not lost on you.

“You what?” he prompted, eyes darting between yours and your lips again, his tongue darting out for a moment, his breath hitching.

“I…” 

Your confidence faltered as his breath washed over your face again, another pleasant shiver running up your spine.

“Tell me, mesh’la,” he pleaded, desperation lacing his tone, “please.”

“Hardcase,” you breathed, his lips mere inches from yours now, your whole body trembling with anticipation, “I…”

A sudden light from above had you leaping apart, frustration and relief rushing over you in equal measure.

“Commander! Hardcase! Can you hear me?”

The familiar voice rang out above you as you looked up, shielding your eyes from the brightness that now flooded the collapsed area below the tunnel.

“Yeah, Rex, we hear you!” Hardcase called back, forcing a smile. “The Commander’s injured, but I’ve taken care of it. She’s stable.”

“Atta boy, Hardcase,” Rex chuckled, “hold tight. We’ll have you out in a minute.”

“Great,” the trooper grimaced, shooting once last look of longing down at you as cables began descending into the crevasse before he pulled his helmet on, moving to extinguish the flames in his survival pack. “Just great.”

*-*-*

Your trip to medbay had been a short one, checked over and okayed by Kix, given painkillers and sent on your way.

After your debrief, you headed for the mess, eyes searching for a familiar tattoo, trying to push down the disappointment you felt when Hardcase was no-where to be seen.

You wandered the halls of the Venator for a time, passing by the training rooms and common areas, greeting the troopers you passed, but still, there was no sign of him.

It wasn’t until you’d finally given up your search and returned to your private quarters that a familiar outline had caught your attention, Hardcase sat on one of the large window ledges that looked out into the blue glow of hyperspace. Dressed in only his blacks and lower armour, he seemed a little smaller, your heart constricting in your chest as you took him in, watching the play of blue light across his features, his eyes wide with wonder.

“Hey,” you called softly as you approached him, making him jump. Within moments, he was scrambling to his feet, gaze locked on you, his throat bobbing as he swallowed, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“You… You have?” he asked cautiously, eyes darting all over your face, almost avoiding your gaze. “I… I wanted to check in on you, make sure you were okay after…”

He trailed off, swallowing again as his eyes finally met yours, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Look, I… I wanted to apologise, for the tunnel, and I…” 

He sighed, shaking his head, looking away for a moment.

“Case,” you began, stopping dead when he held a hand up, rolling his head back before fixing his gaze on yours again, letting out a frustrated groan.

“No, no, please, I need… I need to tell you. I… I like you, a lot. Like a lot, and… I’m an idiot,” he sighed, clenching his jaw. “I… Just… Can we please kiss? I’ve been wanting to kiss you since we left that place. Well, since before, actually, but I… I didn’t know how to… and I…”

You cut him off as you crashed your lips into his, the sensation sending pleasant bolts of arousal and relief through your entire body, your arms moving up to wrap around his shoulders as his smoothed up your back, pulling you against him.

The feeling was utterly divine, his lips so soft and pliant as your tongues began to dance together, a groan torn from his throat.

“H-Holy kriff,” he breathed as you finally parted, his eyes blown wide, breath coming in pants as you stood, simply holding each other, his forehead coming to rest against yours. “Can we… can we do it again? That was…”

“Get inside,” you ordered as you pulled him towards the door to your quarters, his mouth seeking yours once again as your stumbled backwards, searching for your keycard, licking into his mouth while you fell against the durasteel, his hips rocking against yours, desperation taking over him.

“Yes, Commander,” he grinned, yelping as he fell backwards through the door, your body crashing down on top of him, both giggling wildly as you slammed the door shut behind you, locking yourselves away from the rest of the world.

[chaoticmvse]

I'm so sorry that it's taken me what feels like years to catch up with all the games, but this beautiful Tuesday practically invites me to do it now. So get ready for a hail of musegames (below the cut). :-) + i'm tagging everyone else below all games, so if you already did them, i am sorry, just too lazy to look everything up.

choose a song for each letter of your url: tagged by @never-be-tamed

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol ; How you reming me - Nickelback ; A little too much - Shawn Mendes ; Ocean eyes - Billie Eilish ; Too much to ask - Niall Horan ; It ain't me - Kygo, Selena Gomez ; Complicated - Olivia O'Brien ; Messier - Tate McRae ; Vermissen - Juju, Henning May ; Sorry - Halsey ; End of an era - Dua Lipa

what negative emotion are you? tagged by @never-be-tamed the feeling is overwhelmed

babe :((,, it's gonna be okay, i know you try really hard to please people and live up to your own expectations, but please take a break. i know what it's like to work non stop and burnout is not pretty. sometimes it's okay to admit that you still have work, and take a break anyway. you're human and you can't keep running on energy drinks and self deprecating humor. believe me, i have been there. maybe stop staring at your phone screen and take a nap. trust me on this one. put on some noise canceling headphones, grab a glass of water with a couple of ice cubes, and take a nap or something. watch your favorite tv show. i love you and i know you can get through this, okay?

what are your hands covered in? tagged by @shevampyre & @zeitrcisender my hands are covered in stars

They burn, don’t they? And yet you still hold on. The flesh on your palms peels back, your fingers burning down to bone. Your tissues char and break away, your blood boiling inside your hands. The heat rushes up to kiss your face and chest, a sunburn in the dark and yet–yet you hold on, because they are beautiful. It hurts, but you see only the beauty of the moment, none of the pain. All of that suffering is worth a few moments of brilliance, isn’t it?

what time of the day are you? tagged by @never-be-tamed & @zeitrcisender and, what a surprise, i am midnight

you shouldn't be here, yet here you are. lost in an inked landscape. yet knowing exactly where you belong, where you should be. the sounds of god knows what lurking beyond the veil of the tree lines, they beckoning you, welcoming you.

it's the end of the world; what have you done? tagged by @never-be-tamed answer: the reluctant/accidental harbinger

You never wanted this to happen. You were scared, and you just wanted it all to stop hurting. Now... everything's stopped. (Stop, stop, STOP, isn't that what they screamed at you?) You're never going to see them again. You killed them all. Oh God, you killed them all. (Monster.)

find your totem animal tagged by @never-be-tamed my totem is the doplhin

balanced in harmony, the dolphin is your totem. you are a kind and gentle soul, but don’t let that fool those who mean to harm you. you have deep inner strength that can be harnessed when needed. you likely lead with your intuition rather than over thinking things, and the dolphin can serve as a reminder to trust your gut intelligence. most of all, the dolphin reminds you to bring playfulness into your life and live peacefully with all of those around you.

answer worst quiz questions and get a psychoanalysis but you dont know what the psychoanalysis is based off tagged by @never-be-tamed the answer (i honestly feel pointed out): heavy weight yarn that breaks when you try to pull it

you are beautiful. everything about you looks it. soft, colorful, with the potential of making so many things. but inside? you crack. easily, these days too. take a break. soon, it may be too late.

what greek god/goddess are you? tagged by @never-be-tamed the answer is artemis

artemis, the goddess of hunting, is another favourite, especially among young women. you love animals (perhaps more than people), and probably want to be left alone most of the time, though you do have a small group you go everywhere with. everyone likes you, though they don't know much about you.

That was incredibly time-consuming, but thanks for the links (mainly to alex) and now you can see what you've already done and what you haven't (have fun): @gvilty-c0nscience ; @divine-felonies ; @vcnenum ; @mvdness ; @shevampyre ; @lartist-e ; @betterstay-dead ; @crownedembers ; @modacriminal ; @hanyoyue ; @trauma-report ; @crimelrd & anyone who wants to get their muse a little bit better :)

[apphiarothowrites]

Nothing but the truth

Nobody notices anything is wrong with Marco for a full two days after the fact. He doesn't blame them-it's not a habit or instinct of his to lie. Hell, he hadn't known anything was wrong with himself until dinner when Thatch shoved a plate of pie into his hands and despite his attempt to be polite about it, he somehow said "Oh, I'm not going to be able to eat this" instead of "Thanks."

Thatch barely batted an eye at the time, waving him off with a "Then give it to Ace!", already engrossed in passing dessert out to some puppy-eyed deckhands from the Second Division. Still, the fact that he couldn't pass off his dislike of this particular pie-chocolate mousse-like normal is what tipped him off.

He tests it throughout the next day. First with his first officer, Mala, during paperwork after breakfast. He opens a conversation about paint colors for a theoretical redecoration of his quarters, Mala asks his opinion about the color orange, and he tries his absolute damnedest to say he hates it with every fiber of his being. Instead what comes out is, "I love orange. Reminds me of Ace-yoi."

And while his attraction to Ace hasn't exactly been a secret in his own Division, Mala's eyebrows rise above the rims of their glasses regardless. He's usually much more subtle about it, quieter. He's never said much about it out loud, let alone so directly.

Later in the day, in deference to how close he got to just blurting something out that he isn't exactly keen on being known, he changes tactics. After a near disaster during lunch--Namur lamenting his shore leave will be cut short to supervise a supply pick-up for his Division that Marco nearly volunteers himself for--he switches to nonverbal answers.

Nods, shakes of the head, shrugging of the shoulders, a hand wavering in the air "so-so". He keeps his opinions honest, but practical and gentle. "You should tell your First Officer this." "That's the responsibility of your Quartermaster, ask him." "This isn't something my Division covers, take this to the Fifth."

He also delegates. On deck, he keeps himself reserved and quieter than normal. He relies on the deck bosses to be vigilant, allows senior members of the crew to throw their weight around to keep the younger or less experienced sailors in line, and generally stays close to the helmsman in the topmost deck. Ace is on the same deck shift as he is and he lets the younger man do most of the work. It isn't strictly out of character for him-he runs "tests" like these often enough that most aren't surprised by his shift in attitude. The only mild oddness is that he didn't warn anyone he was doing so-his usual routine is to give a heads up a week or so beforehand to the deck bosses and Division Commanders about such a thing. Thankfully, everyone takes it in stride-especially Ace who practically shines with how well he takes over the flow of the ship while he's in charge.

He even tells Ace so when the deck shift changes, patting the younger man on the back and praising him on the way indoors. Ace flushes, still unused to compliments, but gives him an odd look when they enter the mess for dinner. It's a close call, but Marco thinks he's in the clear once Ace starts wolfing down his multiple plates like normal.

In the end, though, it's Pops who figures him out. Pops appears in the mess halfway through dinner and things almost immediately go off the rails. The cheery atmosphere boils right over into riotous joy-songs, drinking contests, money changing hands, and food everywhere. Marco, already slightly on edge from the strangeness affecting him, finds his nerves wearing thin after the first hour. But moments like these have been getting rarer, where Pops' health is on the upswing and he's got enough energy at the end of the day to sit around and shoot the shit with the crew.

Pops notices, because of course he does. There's a lull, about two hours in, around him and he leans over on one elbow to nudge Marco's back gently where he sits on the arm of Pops' chair. "You're frowning there, son."

"Sorry-yoi." He says automatically. And he is, he hates when his worries and mood deprive Pops-or anyone-a chance at a good time.

"What's on your mind?" His father asks quietly-which, for a man his size, is still a dull roar but in the din of the cafeteria Marco knows barely anyone heard him.

"That guy from the fight two days ago did something to me." He says, not a single thought going to the preservation of his dignity. There had been a minor scuffle during a supply run, and a man had shoved Marco into a wall while accusing him of lying about his loyalty to the crew. "I can't lie and I'm having trouble holding back impulsive honesty or gestures-yoi."

Pops eyes him, one eyebrow raised, and takes a sip out of his massive tankard. "What's to be done about it?"

Marco shrugs. "Fuck if I know-yoi."

Then he blinks, the abruptness of his own honesty surprising himself. "I...I don't know. I'm going to piss somebody off though, or tell someone something I shouldn't-yoi."

Pops rests a massive hand against his back, warm and steady. Marco leans back into it, feeling strangely comforted and mildly embarrassed (like he's 18 again, freaked out by a nightmare and too prideful to say so). "Come see me in the morning, we'll discuss what we should do next. Until then, try to enjoy yourself son!"

He shoves Marco off the arm of the chair, directly into Ace's passing side, and laughs loud enough to make his ears ring.

[vinyl-shelf]

THE ARTIST.

Wednesday x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Some making out

Word count: 1.7k

Summary: Wednesday asked to see your collection of artwork, which went well.

A/N: Hey everyone. This is my first uploaded fanfic, I hope you like it! I surely will upload more, I take requests!!

"Y/N Y/L/N, you're late." Ms. Thornhill spoke. Your sudden appearance stopped her mid-teaching.

"Pardon me, Ms. Thornhill. I was doing- business." You chuckled sheepishly, your eyes glancing at the students one by one, trying to search for a specific presence.

You were interrupted when Ms. Thornhill asked you a question, "Now Miss Y/L/N, could you please tell me the name of this plant that I'm holding?"

You stared at the plant as you walked closer to it. Studying and analyzing its color, petal, and smell. At that moment, you instantly knew it was the one unique-looking poisonous plant. "Ah! That's Aconitum. Also known as Wolf's bane." You answered with confidence in your voice.

At the same moment, you didn't realize that one particular girl was intensely staring at you with a hint of admiration.

"Perfect! Thank you, Miss Y/L/N, you may take a seat." Ms. Thornhill gestured to the seats.

Of course, you scanned the room to look for one girl, hoping the seat beside her is empty.

And it was.

Your gaze stopped at the alluring figure who was softly flipping the pages of her textbook. You walked up to her and sat down beside her quietly.

"Hi, Wednesday," You greeted, knowing she'll only reply with her signature death glare.

"Y'know, you could also try saying hi too for once." You joked, with a hint of seriousness.

"I don't want to dissipate my time talking to mindless people." Wednesday replied flatly, as usual.

Not knowing how to respond to her statement, you replied with a simple nod. Fetching your sketchbook from your backpack, instead of your textbook. You started scribbling something, and the girl beside you averted her eyes slowly to the direction of your sketchbook. Staring with curiosity.

"If you want to watch me draw, just say so. I won't mind," You stated, finishing off your sketch with a gentle brush from your thumb, revealing it to be a detailed drawing of a stalk of black petunia. "Black petunias, it somewhat reminds me of you." You added.

Without you realizing, you have made the girl's stone-cold heart flutter a little. But she hid it with an eyeroll and proceeded to ignore you once again. You smiled either way and continued to sketch the whole period.

-----

"I despise her, Enid. She makes me feel abnormal things." Wednesday spoke as her fingers were clicking on her typewriter.

"And what are those 'abnormal things' that you're referring to?" Enid replied while having her nails painted by Thing.

"The way she makes my heart stir a little after telling something about me or the way my eyes light up everytime she's close by, I don't like it. It's quite agonizing." She replied, emphasizing the last part.

"Awe, Wednesday, you're just in love. You should go talk to her, I heard she likes you back!" Enid replied with energy, slightly moving her hand and accidentally smearing the nail polish all over her finger. "Oh, shoot! I'm so sorry, Thing. I'm way too ecstatic. Wednesday has a crush!~" She teased, walking up to the girl working on her novel.

"Enid, stop. She doesn't like me, and I don't like her." Wednesday retorted, tidying the pages of her novel.

"I could help you get close to her, if you want." Enid spoke, standing beside Wednesday and nudging her shoulder.

Wednesday contemplated for a while, and with a face of disappointment, "How?" She asked and sighed.

-----

Steadying your posture, you pulled the arrow back, took a deep breath, and released the arrow. Much to your surprise, it landed right in the center.

"Dang, nice aim." Xavier said, dabbing you up.

"Please, these are too easy." You joked while making stupid celebratory movements.

You were doing archery with Xavier, your archery teacher and partner in crime. You and Xavier have lots of similarities. Like how you two have impeccable talent for drawing, the only difference is that Xavier has the ability to bring his illustrations to life.

"So, how's that thing going with Wednesday?" He asked, suddenly bringing up your crush.

"As usual, man. She's hard to impress." You replied promptly.

He laughed and punched your shoulder lightly as a response. You slapped his stomach afterwards.

You were preparing to shoot another arrow when you sensed the presence of a raven-haired girl beside you. As a reflex, you flinched, causing you to let go of the arrow and it landing on the center again.

"Shit, Wednesday! What the hell?" You screamed, dropping your bow and placing your hand on Xavier's shoulder, who was also startled by the girl.

"Y/N." The girl spoke.

"Hey? I thought you didn't want to 'dissipate your time talking to mindless people', why are you here?" You asked with seriousness.

“I wish to see your art room.” Wednesday spoke up out of nowhere, her emotionless face on display.

You were puzzled by her suddenness of the favor, "Why-"

"Please don't ask questions, am I permitted to see your art room?" She asked, cutting you off.

"Uh- well- I guess?" You replied, stuttering.

Wednesday nodded and looked up to you and Xavier before walking back to wherever she's going to.

You and Xavier looked at eachother, "Dude, go! Your chance!" Xavier spoke, slapping your back.

You, still puzzled by the girl's question, nodded and followed the girl.

"About time you catch up." Wednesday stated, her gaze fixed on the scene in front of her.

"Why do you want to see my art room? And, now?" You asked, piling up questions.

"Yes, now. When again?" She returned, ignoring the first question.

You nodded, still on the way to your dorm. When you two were almost at your dorm, your mind reminded you about all the Wednesday portraits you drew. You widened your eyes at the sudden thought. Your heart was racing, and cold sweat was starting to slide out of your head.

When you were already infront of your dorm room, Wednesday was waiting for you to open it. "Wednesday, I, uhh, I don't think you can see my art room today." You spoke nervously, earning a glare from the girl.

"Why? You were fine with it just a few minutes ago." She asked.

She wasn't patient enough to wait for an unclear reply from you, so she opened the door and went inside, with you joining her seconds later. "Uh, welcome to my domain, Wednesday. I have no roommate because I requested not to have one. I needed more space for my art." You explained in hopes that Wednesday wouldn't discover your incredibly detailed sketches of her.

"I could only wish." Wednesday retorted while going through the pages of your illustrations.

"Your drawings are incredibly detailed, Y/N. You must have an amazing pair of hands." She complimented, flipping through the pages of one of your sketchbooks that she picked up.

If you are stunned by her comment, she would owe Enid a hug and Thing a hand lotion. If you aren't, she'll give them the opposite- or maybe even worse.

"Oh, um, thank you! I will treasure that compliment forever." You replied, smiling uncontrollably.

Great. Now she needs to give Enid a hug and buy Thing some hand lotion.

Wednesday was slowly walking up to the big canvas you were worrying so much about without you realizing it because apparently you were still dazed by her compliment.

Once you're back to your senses, her hands were already pulling down on the sheet covering the canvas. Widening your eyes, you screamed, "Wait no, not that one!"

Too late.

Wednesday took a step back to see what the drawing was, and when she realized it was her, she turned to look at you who was standing like a stone statue then back at the drawing. She fairly studied the sketch. It was when she was playing her cello. She could tell you drew this thoroughly and accurately. What she was most interested in was how you drew her face. You drew her face as if she was trapped in the feeling of playing the cello, which she was.

"I'm sorry, I feel like a creep for drawing you. To be honest, I have a bunch of them," You took a step closer to her and fetched one of your sketchbooks from a pile of them. You showed her the label attached to the book, which said 'Addams'. You handed the book to her, and the girl opened the book and saw pages of sketches of her doing something.

"This one is my personal favorite," you said, pointing to the large canvas.

"I saw you playing the cello the other day, you looked very passionate playing that cello of yours. I've never seen you so energetic like that, so uh, I drew it." You explained.

"Don't be sorry for something you're not guilty of." The girl infront of you commented, looking at you right in the eyes.

You saw this as a chance to open up, so you did.

"Can I tell you something?- Actually you know what, I'll say it right away," You took a deep breath, Wednesday looking at you in confusion- and hope.

"I...like you, Addams. I've liked you since our first conversation ever, which was, I think, two months ago...yeah. I like you. Heh," You spoke fast, too fast.

The raven haired girl stared at you in awe, you were worried that she wasn't comfortable about this.

To ease the tension, you spoke again, "Look, I know you don't like me back and such, but-"

Wednesday cut you off by pressing her lips against yours. Your body jolted by the sudden gesture but you joined the kiss right away. You cupped her cheeks and smiled to the kiss, confident that Wednesday could sense your happiness. The kiss was soft and passionate. Wednesday's lips felt good on yours. You tried to extend the duration by heating up the kiss. The two of you enjoyed this moment too much. Too much, the both of you were obsessed with eachother already.

-----

Wednesday entered Ophelia Hall quietly, which startled her roommate a little when she heard the door close.

"Oh Wednesday! So, how'd it go?" Enid asked, elongating her words.

"Nothing much happened." Wednesday shrugged and walked over to her typewriter.

"Aww man! But tell me, what happened there?" Her roommate asked out of curiosity.

"I became her girlfriend." Wednesday replied, starting to type on her typewriter.

At that moment, the room was filled with Enid's squeals of excitement. She also did a victory dance, which slightly annoyed Wednesday. But she was also slightly happy that she now has a thing with you.

[archenemyintellegence]

(8/4/2023) Everyday Tarot

I am interested in this deck because it seems that everyone got one, and I want to bond with people 😂 It's super affordable and I am interested to get a mini tarot deck too, so it's a perfect deck to add to my collection.

The quality is amazing for such a low price. The cards are sturdy and feel smooth to touch. It's not a deck that will be worn after a few uses, despite the cheap price. They also have a golden edge that looks gorgeous.

The image on the cards are minimalistic. It looks very clean and simple but really pleasing, and also full of necessary details. The purple used gives an elegant feel for the deck. The gold used in this deck is absolutely beautiful. It's not yucky muddy yellow and it also not super shiny cheap looking gold. The booklet is super informative and there are easy 3-cards spread suggestions, making sure that you can do a reading with it even when it's your first time. Also, the King of Wands in this deck feels super handsome and idk why (he doesn't even have a face smh 🥴) He makes me understand the heat of the Wands' suit 😃 Overall, I feel that this deck is so worth it.

I bought this deck expecting that the messages will be gentle and motivating, after seeing readings others did with the deck. However, my deck is totally not the case. (I should've known this when I feel the rage in the deck tho 💀) The energy from my deck is masculine, full of Swords energy. He will not sugarcoat things. He tells the facts, even though if it's unpleasant. He will not suggest the person to work things out if it's a "stupid" idea. His message definitely leans more towards logical thinking instead of being motivational. Although it's not the vibe that I expected, I feel that it makes sense because almost all the people in the deck are faceless. Emotions are not depicted in the images. Only necessary information is on them, and this matches the vibe of my deck.

His message will definitely offend someone, but he is not giving those messages out of spite. He does this because he cares about the person and want the best for them. I use this deck to ask questions that I want clear answers. Also, the message from this deck is super easy to read. They are really straightforward. No motivational messages. No deep life lessons. Just necessary information. One time, I was woke up by my sister to do a reading for their friend and I managed to give an on-point reading for her, while being emm... half awake lol 🥴

At last, I want to share that I saw a pale male soldier (?) after doing the deck interview for this deck. His appearance is similar to Viego in LoL. He is a thin, young man with almost platinum blonde hair. He wears a silver armor and has a long sword with him. He feels scary and even intimidating at first, but it seems that he's just sad. He looks very ghostly but I don't feel that he's malicious. I feel like he's the spirit of this deck, so I use he/him pronouns for this deck. I believe that there's spirit in everything, but I've never seen an entity so clearly when I got a tarot deck. It's a special experience. It seems that he's been through some shit before, which explains why his message is so direct. He wants people to get out of suffering asap, even when the most effective path is painful.

I never seen him clearly again after that, but I feel his presence is still here. Sometimes when I miss something during the reading, he will remind me. Also there are so many little things showing that he's here with me when I use the deck. I think him showing himself to me the first time I use the deck is just his way to say hello and introduce himself 🥴

[sassypotatoe1]

Yes! Then I have succeeded! This should be everyone's loving and gentle reminder that however progressive, understanding and accepting you believe yourself to be, you can always be more so. Even me, I often find myself walking head first into biases and hard brick walls and having to ask myself "is this thing really bad, or do I just not fully understand it yet?" and a lot of the time "oh yeah that's fucked up" is the answer, but you come away with a better understanding of why bad things are bad.

Are people getting lazy or are we increasingly pursuing convenience and automation so we can accommodate the disabled and focus our time and energy on more worthy pursuits?

Are people who steal inherently bad or do we have to take a closer look at the why of the matter to see if each individual person who steals is bad? Are they already wealthy stealing from the poor to accumulate more wealth due to greed? Or is something else going on?

Do people who pursue luxury when they have great material need lie about said need or are they irresponsible or not desperate enough? Or are they seeking comfort during the shittiest time of their life like all humans are prone to do, and the differences is access to said comforts?

When you find yourself hitting a wall of judgement on something it's always a good idea to push a little further. Think a bit more about it. Often times you'll get past your gut reaction to understand what about the situation you're judging is bad, which will only serve to make you more aware of those qualities in yourself and open you up to improving yourself. When you do push past those initial thoughts and you find you were wrong in your assumptions about the situation, or the person's motivation or actions, congrats you're undoing a bias and also improving as a person.

In this specific case, if you see a guy steal high end lotion to resell, and you think a bit further about it you'll probably find that he did it to make a quick buck to make rent that month. If however, you find that he's materially very wealthy and only stole the lotion because he's stingy and doesn't want to spend his money on said lotion, which is not only unlikely but really weird behavior, you might come to understand that his motivations for stealing are more linked to mental health issues. Paranoia over the loss of personal possessions, kleptomania perhaps, or maybe just boredom. Is it a character flaw? Or is it a symptom of a larger problem? How can we as a society effectively address it?

So while I strongly endorse messages like the original post, I do want everyone who sees it to really really think about it and understand why it's important.

[psychics4unet]

Hii I’m here for the free angel reading 😇🪽 Thank you for having thjs I really do appreciate your free tarot readings. My name is London and my question is : what does the future hold for me and Noah?

(I had previously asked about him during Egyptian sand; in the past things didn’t really work out between us, I think it was more of his fault bc he acted weird sometimes, and wouldn’t text me back. But I still have feelings for him I can’t explain it and ik he does for me too. Me and him also finally talked for the first time in months the other day and he apologized 🥹

Tysm in advance💗

Free Psychic Reading – Message From The Angels! 🌟✨

Thank you for reaching out for this angel reading! It's beautiful to see your openness to guidance from the universe. 🕊️ The angels are here to support you, especially regarding your feelings for the person on your mind.

When I tune into the energies around you both, I sense a strong connection that still lingers. It’s like a gentle pull that brings you back together despite the past. The angels are encouraging you to remain patient and open-hearted. 🥰

I feel that the recent apology is significant, a step toward healing and rebuilding trust. The angels want you to know that communication will improve between you two. It's essential to embrace this fresh start, but also to maintain healthy boundaries. 💖

Moving forward, focus on self-love and understanding your own needs. The angels remind you that clarity in your own heart will help in navigating your feelings. It’s important to express your feelings honestly when the time feels right. Remember, the future holds possibilities if both of you are willing to meet each other halfway. 🌈

In summary, the angels convey that there's potential for growth in your connection. Trust in the healing process, communicate openly, and prioritize self-care. This journey could lead to a deeper bond if you both take positive steps forward. 🌟

Got questions or need some insight into your life? I'm here to help with personal psychic readings! For just $7, you can get answers to up to 7 questions! More info at:

In case anyone else here on tumblr would like a free psychic reading, Click the link and follow the instructions (I answer only to those who follow the instructions, thank you):

[immovablewill]

Kujou Sara has a relentless energy that reminds her of the former Oak Family Head. The way she moved during battle made it clear that her heart beat for some higher, nobler cause. Robin can admire that sort of selfless surrender, but she also knows how it can cause eager wings to melt in the heat of a too-close sun. She would not discourage Sara, no—only do what she could not for the figurehead of Order. Give her unyielding support.

"You fought incredibly in that battle, Miss Sara," Robin hums, offering a hand, "Though I would like to know: how well are you holding up? If there is anything I could do to support you, please do let me know."

The Tenryou General has never been one for small talk.

As such, when it becomes apparent that they are still trapped in this strange plane, even after they’ve bested the last of the constructs, Sara figures she will simply have to wait alone for whatever comes next. Which… She didn’t mind, no. There’s a lot to mull over, and she figures she could inspect the area for hints and clues while waiting. But then she hears Robin’s words, kind and gentle, and Sara finds herself halting in her tracks, her eyebrows raised and slightly furrowed—a hint of confusion as she stares at the offered hand.

Ah. Is it for a reward? Right. They’ve fought hard and well against multiple enemies. It only makes sense to reward everyone for their well-earned victory. Stepping back, she briefly searches her pockets and procures a small package from it—odd that it’s with her here, but she doesn’t complain.

With her free hand resting beneath Robin’s, she pours a few pieces of candy into her palm. Five. All different colours. Unfortunately, she can’t offer more. If she does, then she will have to give Robin at least another five, and Sara worries that ten kompeitos might be too many for the songstress.

“Your words and voice could soothe any worry or doubt, Lady Robin,” the General answers, carefully removing her hand from the other's. “If I did well in battle, it’s because your songs have inspired me to do so. You have already given me all the support I could ask for.”

[stardust-in-my-mind-blog]

come away with me

I walk with my oldest son in the tall grasses today

and we talk about last summer and the year of the rabbits

it was the year of the water rabbit last year

and this is the year of the wooden dragon

he was born in the year of the water snake

the day of his birth mirrors his birth year like me

they say the element of water can cause turmoil

I was born in the year of the fire rabbit

fire can make a mess of things or it can be cleansing

for polarities are identical in nature but different in degree

it's easy for me to grasp the concept of a soul mate

each of my children are reflections of my soul

they came from my body and listened to my heart as they grew

I sang to them while they were inside me

so when they came into the world they could know my voice

and maybe earth wouldn't be such a cold and scary place

they are their own people too and so different than me

but through them I got to fall in love with all the parts of myself

that people had told me were wrong somehow for manifesting

but in them I delight in all they ways they are them and they are me

my youngest reminds me of my energy and stubbornness

we clash horns like battering rams and he's more committed

my daughter shows me her softness and ferocity interchangeably

and shows me how to navigate toxicity with a careless grace

and my oldest son shows me how my presence alone

brings out his vulnerability and authenticity

he forgets to mask and is the child I've known since he was

first introduced to me s long ago as a surprise in my womb

I walk next to him and feel the love my father would have given me

through the choices I have made to keep my son protected

and the choices I made to fail him in some ways

so I could learn painfully where I needed to grow myself

today he asked me about my past and mentioned it so causally

and I remember that to him my experience is just a story

like the ones my grandfather used to tell me about the gods

a way to learn about life and how to navigate it

an example of someone who lived through something hard

and became someone softer and different because of it

I felt no shame as I answered his questions carefully

no twist in the gut as I thought about what I survived

tomorrow we'll go to the fair with my neighbor

and I'll get to go with him to see the horses

like me he has a gentle quality with those massive creatures

we'll walk into a room full of rabbits and I'll resist every impulse

to buy one and take it home to cure my rabbit void inside me

but I will love them with every cell in my body while they are there

I realize suddenly as I'm walking with him under the sun

in that neglected backyard where we made many memories

that I also walk with the version of myself from last year

the girl I disassociated from just to survive everything

now she shyly shows me her anguish that I couldn't feel

at the time she was suffering because I had to keep going

now I take in her pain and feel it for both of us so neither of us

have to carry it into the future that will unavoidably give us more

but we'll both know how to take it in and feel it in the moment

instead of swallowing it whole and ignoring what blooms

I'm not wasting my time because I am healing

I am touching the darkness and doing what I can

as the lights turn back on in my mind and give me constellations

to work out the stories and wisdom I'll need for the future

I understand my impatience for heaven

I understand my patience for truth and divine timing

and I balance between both like the emerald bridge at Lake Victoria

walking and smiling like I do with myself and my son

as we spend time together learning to understand each other

but sometimes it does get to be too much and I close out the world

bury myself in my blankets and tell everyone I've disappeared

fallen into some spiral of longing and missing something

I can never quite reach but feel all the fucking time

sometimes all this feeling emotions is absolute bullshit

but numbing yourself only means you'll feel it later

and usually when you least want to so I let myself feel it

and cry or dance or write another poem to release it

once all the messengers are done whispering through my body

with their biochemical confusion and sparkling wisdoms

tomorrow is going to be lovely and tonight is peaceful

and I always miss you when we're not talking

so I talk to you in my mind and pretend you hear everything

and in some entangled way I'm sure you absolutely do

[dailyaudiobiblechronological]

12/2/2023 DAB Chronological Transcription

1 Corinthians 12-14

Welcome to Daily Audio Bible Chronological. I'm Jill. Today's the second day of December, it's so good to be here with you. If you are new here by chance, we're so glad that you made it. If you're just checking it out, totally understand and get it. Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair- maybe grab a blanket, turn on your fireplace, throw some logs in the fire. Whatever it is that makes you cozy and comfortable and join us as we center ourselves around the word of God. We do that here in chronological order and we are winding our way down this final month, this year to finish this journey together through the word in chronological order. We're going to continue today reading in the book of 1st Corinthians and pick up right where we left off yesterday with chapters 12, 13 and 14 and this week we're reading the New International version. First Corinthians chapter 12.

Prayer:

Jesus we thank you for your words, we thank you for this week that we have had here together centered around your word. Thank you for this day, the brand new start of a brand new week that gives us all new hope, new perspective and newness. We only have that hope and that possibility through you and I thank you that you are the way, you are the truth, you are the life. There is redemption through you because of you. I hold onto that today for every person struggling to believe that every person that needs newness to come in a way that only you can. We surrender our wills, we surrender our ideas and our agendas of how you should do that and we laid at your feet and ask you to have your way in our lives. Have your way in this week, in our minds. through our hearts and in our spirit. I pray this now in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Announcements:

I'm Jill. I look forward to turning the page with you together tomorrow, until then love one another.

Community Prayer Line:

Good morning DABC, during this time also I want to lift up Refined by the fire called that her friend Jen was diagnosed with the red cancer. However they have started her on the clinical medication trial medication and it has reduced her lung cancer by 50% in her, so to God be the glory for that and also for her father to be able to participate and the delivery of blankets that have been made. So heavenly father I lift up these people to you. Lord God they belong to you. Father I'm asking Lord God you just to have your way in each and everyone's situation father you're dealing with father. I'm asking God that you just give William the energy to continue. Easy birth for Cynthia and father I'm asking you to bless each and every one of the providers father is involved in the birth as well and even to wrap your loving arms around them after is all said and done when her bundle of joy has came into the world. So we just want to trust him believe in you right now the mighty name of Jesus. I wanted to call and congratulate Ben and China on our new baby. I'm so thankful that it went smooth and beautiful and it was everything you wanted for your delivery. I'm so thankful that God answered all of those little detail prayers- that's amazing. I just wanted to pray for all of the parents I know it's a struggle- there are days that are just like can I just throw in the towel today? But Lord Jesus thank you for your sovereignty. God thank you that no matter what we go through and even on the hard days God, only just feel at our wits end and we're like I'm done, I'm throwing this towel today, you remind us of your gentle kindness and that even when we are having temper tantrums being grown adults, still treat us with grace and kindness and mercy. And Jesus we are just so thankful. Remind us of that as parents even on the hard days that you see us even when we feel like nobody does. God I pray for all the parents who have little ones or have grown children even or are pregnant- the moms who are pregnant I lift them up to you and I pray Lord that you will remind us on the tough days that we can come to you we can sit even if we only have 2 minutes of quiet time to just sit with you. Remind us that we can talk to you when we're when we're doing the dishes, when we're rocking our babies, when were doing laundry for the hundredth time, lord remind us of your nearness. Thank you so much for blessing us three parents and remind us of the blessings that these children are and not to ever consider that as burdens. Thank you God that we get to be people who shape minds and lives for your kingdom. We love you Lord in Jesus name. Amen. 

Hello Kristen, this is God's sunshine. This is November 30 and I'm just sending out this prayer for you from the Lord and I just know that he- I thank him for a new hope for you. I thank him for enveloping you with his arms of love and compassion and mercy and may you find new hope and new life this Christmas. May it be a holiday of of new beginnings for you and I wish you double for your trouble as job lost, so much I pray that God would move in mighty ways in your life and just bring you into a new place, a new hope, a new life in Christ Jesus. May His blessings overflow and fill you with all his goodness. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

[dragxnsfire]

ariveth​:

        GRINNING TO HERSELF AT URNARSELDO’S DELIBERATION ON TITLES, Ariveth wonders whether he’d seriously consider writing such a book. She thinks she’d encourage him to write it, for other adventurers if not for her sake; perhaps even help him with it.

        The evening lulls into a gentle quiet, interrupted softly only by the sounds of hissing ash beneath the wind, the subtle trill of ash hoppers, and Red Mountain’s distant, muted groaning. Practicing her meditation, she rests her own body in her vigilance, focused only on those subtle sounds she’d become accustomed to on Solstheim. Though new, unusual noises begin to break through the peace and Ariveth’s brow twists, opening one eye, glancing toward Urnarseldo’s sleeping form as indistinguishable syllables begin to turn into names, wedged between gasps and grunts of — fear? 

         At first she’s at a loss for what to do as he tosses and turns, the movements erratic and evidently provoked by terror. Finally she’s propelled forward when she hears him utter that name, a name she knows — everyone knew — spitting out of his mouth with furious coherence. Mannimarco. King of Worms.

        "Urnarseldo,” Ariveth calls, kneeling by his side and leaning over him to gently shake by the shoulders, a little faster with every passing second. “Urnarseldo, wake up, you’re having a nightmare. Hey!” He won’t awaken. His face contorts with several expressions in quick sequence, and she grits her teeth and starts to shake him hard, thumping a hand to his chest once. Her unlearned mind worries of their talks of Oblivion. Was he dreaming, or was this something else? Finally, she turns to her final resort, striking him with as much force as she can without hurting him — “Wake up!”

       She almost falls onto her back in her rush to stagger back, staring at Urnarseldo as he sits perfectly upright, chest heaving against his stiff hands, eyes wide as if he didn’t know where he was. Idly, sprawled on her rear in the ash, Ariveth realises she’s panting from panic herself. It only subsides once the elder’s does, amidst what seemed to be shamed assurances and apologies for his subconscious turmoil. 

      Her voice is gentle, though no less baffled when she mutters, “Fuckin’ scared me, old man.” She stands, brushing the ash off her pants before planting both hands on her hips. “What exactly was that, huh?”

So his little guide had been the one to wrench him from the jaws of the nightmare? He looked her over with no small amount of guilt gnawing at his gut. He'd disturbed whatever vigil she'd been keeping, and, apparently, given her quite the scare. The old mer shifted, hand still on his chest, and sat up properly, dragging a hand down his face. He could still feel the slight sting of where she'd struck him— though really, it was a good reminder that he was awake, and that the nightmare hadn't twisted into something new. "This," he grumbled under his breath, "is why I don't take guides. Ask too many questions." He stood slowly, and paced before the fire, like an animal trapped in a cage. Ariveth had awoken him, to be sure, but he still had nervous energy to expend.

But it would be wrong to keep answers from her. Not after what she'd likely seen. Urnarseldo sighed, rubbing a hand over his face once more, and looked down at her. "I imagine you mean to ask what it was about. I think you know what a nightmare is." He moved to sit, legs shaking, dropping him onto his seat at the last moment. "As for what it was about... It's a long story. One I'd hoped to let you discover on your own. You got me thinking about the past, the mistakes I made, and where things went right and wrong." He swallowed the knot in his throat, and revived the fire. "It's not a story I like to tell."

"Do you know what it means? Vestige?" The old mage didn't wait for her to answer— it didn't matter much what he'd been called once, though the term was far  more accurate than Ariveth likely imagined. "It means an echo. A fragment of what once was. For a time, I was only an echo of my animus. Not quite living, not quite dead." Urnarseldo closed his remaining eye, and focused on the area before him. A silvery-blue image appeared— a far younger vision of himself, long, ragged hair, and the confident, easy smile of a thief. "I was seventy-four when it happened. I was younger than you. I was visiting Evermore— a nice city, in High Rock. It was a port town, and I was doing business there. A stranger approached with a letter, said they had a message for me from my grandfather. They lead me to an alley, knocked me over the head. That’s all I remembered, for a time."

He opened his eye, and the image changed. The King of Worms. "Instead, Mannimarco waited for me. He sacrificed me, along with a few others, to Molag Bal. He murdered me." The image before Seldo faded, and the old mer pulled the collar of his jerkin down, revealing the ancient scar; it still ached, even after so long— a likely result of the enchantment on the Worm King’s dagger. "Mannimarco sundered my animus from my body, and sent my soul to Molag Bal. I became Soul Shriven." The ancient mage's remaining eye glistened in the light, gaze hollow, haunted. "Mannimarco wasn't just a renegade Psijic. He was my executioner— along with countless others. By some accident, though, they truly died, and I did not."