#genuinely this past year was awesome and I loved meeting and talking to new people throughout it

[panicky-pansexual]

HAPPY NEW YEAR WE’RE GONNA PRETEND THIS ISNT LATE

[charmac]

Any other cool little bits from your coversation with Charlie? It is so awesome you got to meet all the guys!!!

There was so much stuff and I’m not sure how much I have shared/a lot is jumbled now bc it was a long day, drinking, and a loud bar, lol, but a few things:

Charlie was bragging to the guys next to us at the bar that Sunny is the wordiest show on television :,)

A woman demanded Charlie make her a cocktail, she returned it and made him fix it, he did, and then he said, “they don’t even let me bartend on the fictional show!” Which killed me.

He reiterated to us that they wanted to go with ‘my idea’ (😭) of Mac and Dennis still having inflatable furniture

This convo is kinda fuzzy but I remember he said they write episodes with the intent of surprising the audience, and if they get into the writers room and they find they’re just repeating something or not saying anything new, they either won’t move forward or they’ll go look for a way to catch the audience off guard (S16 has A LOT of this, which is I think what he was talking about)

My friend told him we miss when they used to do legit promotional stuff and photos, and he said he doesn’t really see (not involved in) what they do with that and merch nowadays

Again, he took so much time to talk to us and really truly just talked to us like we were kind of on the same level. I can’t stop thinking about how little opportunity he probably gets to do that with Sunny outside of the creative team. And it seems like he and Glenn did talk a lot/their minds were really on Season 17 this past weekend :)

(Also, I overheard a guy ask Glenn about S17 ‘this year’ and he told him due to the Writers Strikes pushing their schedules back, they wouldn’t be getting out a new season until next year. We knew this based on other things being said, but wanted to reiterate!)

It’s very cool I’ve met them all now and what’s like... Idk more insane?.. is that I appreciate them all even more now. They’re all just very real people, that are creating something they love and care about, and are genuinely excited and happy to get to talk about it whenever they can. Idk, I feel like we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I hope they do more stuff in other states so more people can get to meet them and share their love for the show too! They love talking about their little show!!

[drill-teeth-art]

Summary of My Transformers Fan Continuity

So this is mainly for the new followers who saw my gender comic, and don’t know much about Transformers or what I’m writing with it. But also a handy summary of what I have so far for this fan continuity. Putting it under a cut because it got long. Sorry in advance for any spelling or grammatical errors XD

First, a bit of background about Transformers as a franchise. It started with a cartoon released back in 1984 commonly referred to as G1 (generation one). There was also a Marvel comics run of Transformers that ran around the same time, but I don’t know that much about it. But anyway, since the G1 cartoon and comic run and the success of both, Transformers has seen many retellings and reboots. Transformers Animated (commonly shortened to TFA), Transformers Prime, Transformers Cyberverse, the IDW comics (which I have not read beyond one issue so far), and more. Genuinely there’s plenty more than that. And world details and lore and the story varies from series to series usually following the same premise where two factions from the planet Cybertron, a home to alien robots who can think and feel and transform from a few different modes, end up on Earth and at war with each other on Earth. The factions are the Autobots and Decepticons. With the Autobots characterized mostly as righteous and good and the Decepticons mostly characterized as evil and cruel. Of course there’s different levels of nuance exploration in different tellings, but that’s the basic set up G1 used and has been reflected in most subsequent series.

When I was growing up, my dad had a few DVDs of G1 episodes, and it was the first “boy” thing I loved. Transformers was and still is commonly marketed as “toys for boys”. But I fell in love with the G1 series when I was little and my family was honestly supportive of that interest. I had Transformers toys, and it was awesome. It genuinely still means a lot to me. And I would love to do my own retelling of the series since in my opinion, many of the subsequent series still lack nuance. And I want to do a telling of Transformers not as a marketable show for kids. But something exploring things that are deeply important to me like gender, body image, learning to self love, healing from past trauma, finding peace with others, and being okay with not being forgiven while trying to be better still.

So anyway, without further ado, here’s the summary so far. The story is still being heavily workshopped, and honestly I don’t have the means right now to write it in full yet. But hopefully someday. And hopefully until then, people still enjoy seeing my tinkering process.

Ahem.

Cybertron is in the middle of an energy crisis due to numerous factors. The Autobots and Decepticons are two, small squads dedicated to researching short term and long term solutions to the crisis. The problem is that they hate each other. Personal grudges run deep between the sides, and they disagree with the other’s methods anyway. So they often end up brawling with each other over resources instead of getting anything done. The squads depart their home of Cybertron in desperate pursuit of energy rich asteroids just to provide some immediate relief to their struggling home. However, they get into a scuffle further from home than was safe, and their two ships both crash on Earth. Roughly 20 years passes, and their ships both boot back up. The main computers of their ships powers on their emergency repair systems and quickly researches to find compatible alt modes of Earth machines for the damaged Cybertronians to repair themselves easier while stranded on the alien planet. After an awkward altercation at a power plant that neither squad intended to raid, the Autobots got a chance to talk to humans first, and the Decepticons were quickly shut out of the telling of their story to humanity. Three human college students make contact with the Cybertronians after a while. One meets the Autobots. One meets the Decepticons. And one meets the mysterious Insecticons who had been on Earth long before either squad. The humans decide to encourage the Autobots and Decepticons to make amends on Earth before going home. A few members of both sides are committed to the plan, seeing all the good it can do. But plenty are still resistant, and the story follows the struggle of healing that divide, so they can work together to go home.

[baldurspeen69420]

Follow-up question about Byron, your dashing sailor! How does he feel about his new traveling companions? How do they fit into his grand new adventure?

You're awesome, thank you for facilitating my nerd-out session.

Byron is going to be traveling with Shadowheart, Lae'zel, and Astarion for his adventure (I like to keep one consistent group, Gale, Wyll, and Karlach are going to be my squad for playthrough 2 though!).

After growing up with infernal heritage and spending years with various crews and shipmates, I think Byron has a soft spot for outcasts and misfits.

He respects Lae'zel for guiding them through the Nautiloid and can see past her brusque demeanor (he worked with /sailors/ after all, not always polite company). He knows people have a lot more to them than what meets the eye, but also woman who swing sword good is always a valuable asset to a team. That being said, while there are some things he can overlook, he won't take all of her shit talk. I'm hoping they'll reach a mutual respect and friendship over the course of their journey!

After saving Shadowheart on the ship, the two already have a decent foundation of respect. You watch out for me, I'll watch out for you. He minds her privacy and values her input. The Shar reveal was a bit of a shock, but fuck it, they've come this far together and Byron has seen stranger things. Her faith is her own and they're working towards a common goal, welcome aboard. While he doesn't get the Shar allegiance thing, he's open to understanding Shadowheart and perhaps eventually show her she has other options, people who care for her besides a Goddess who wants to plunge the world into darkness. Basically, he'll be there for her when things fall apart as a shoulder to lean on. She's crew, and loyalty is everything.

Astarion's the wild card here, of all people. I think Byron can't quite get a beat on him like Shadow or Lae and that intrigues him. He's also a man who values freedom and independence, so when Astarion reveals his *tragic past* Byron empathizes strongly and that's what seals the deal. Astarion's part of his team and he owes it to him to see Cazador brought down. The two butt heads at times about personal philosophy. Byron isn't a fan of using the tadpole but understands why Astarion wants to, just as he understands why Astarion sees the acquisition of power as a virtue (though he vehemently disagrees). He also keeps his vampire spawn friend's most chaotic impulses in check, unless the situation calls for a less measured approach. I like to think they understand each other even if they don't always agree, and Byron genuinely thinks Astarion is very funny so that helps. The casual flirting doesn't hurt his ego either . . . And Astarion isn't exactly a bad looking man by any stretch. Why turn down a "night of fun", really? Where that night goes is yet to be seen.

Basically, I want to take this ragtag group of weirdos and show them the world and its people can be good and decent. I do worry about Byron's bend toward heroism alienating them in the beginning, but I think I can do party politics well enough to keep everyone on board. I love these three because I'm so excited to see their plotlines develop them for the better and I think they make such an entertaining group together.

[siongkiedongkie]

Apr 29, 2023

It’s interesting how just like that, it has already been 5 years since my last bog post. I actually considered journaling again and I just tried the pen to paper approach and after 4 back to back pages, my hand got sore and that made me decide to find another way to journal. 

I never really had any intention to bring this tumblr back to life, I mean come on, there’s already so many social media outlet and also it felt a little too public. But as I scrolled through Tiktok, I saw one influencer who still used this platform to journal. She added though that her journal entry was password protected so that made me want to try it to see if it would work for me too. 

And sadly, I think it did. 

I say sadly because before typing all this up, I had to do a mini scroll on the things I was blogging about back in my 20′s (damn) and it made me realize that 10 years ago I was so obsessed and I mean OBSESSED with losing weight. Like I did almost everything. From juice cleanses to yoga to blogilates to circuit training to boxing to crazy portion control. It was insanity. And to think that I carried that to this day without realizing it was just depressing. It was all I ever talked about and though I no longer talk about it as much now, hell, I think about it still like a mother. 

Coming from a different vantage point made me feel sorry for myself. You are more than your weight man. Yes, we want to still lose the weight, can’t deny that, but this time around we want to be healthy. No more crazy portion control. This time around, we show up for ourself because we’re slowly learning to love life and ourselves genuinely. We are the main character in this movie so we damn well act like it, because we really are. 

So past me, that’s okay. We’ve always wanted this. Our reasons may have been really superficial like people pleasing, to look good in photos and to be liked more but hey, that’s okay. Those can still be one of our reasons but they won’t be the the main ones anymore. Self love trumps all those now. 

Oh and btw we’re no longer just addressing our physical health. We’re checking in on our mental, emotional and financial health too. Pretty cool right? More holistic as I would say. Oh and none of those crazy promises anymore okay? We’re allowing ourself some room for mistakes. When we fall off the wagon, we just dust off and get back on again. 

This time around though, I’m gonna do this for us. To that chubby kid who was told that she was pretty enough to date if she lost a little weight. To the kid who didn’t want to post her photos online because she was fat and was afraid to be bullied. To the kid who was so harsh on herself that every time she ate too much, punished herself for it. No more man.

So strap on. You and me are gonna enjoy this journey until we get to the destination. And when we get there, we’re going to have to set up new destinations again that’ll make up for another memorable journey. And hopefully, we get to bring or even meet awesome people along the way that we can take with us. :) 

[innocentcurse]

Floyd’s grin spread across his face as Copper rested his hand on his shoulder, the warmth of his friend’s touch grounding him in the moment. The surreal feeling lingered, but it was nothing compared to the joy of having Copper so present in his life again. “Yeah, I think the universe really did pull some strings for us,” Floyd laughed, nodding as he adjusted his posture slightly to feel the reassuring pressure of Copper’s hand. The affection in Copper's touch was something Floyd didn’t take for granted; it was rare to have someone so genuinely invested in him, someone who showed so much care without needing anything in return.

He felt a mix of emotions wash over him as Copper spoke about the cochlear implants. Floyd nodded slowly, still in awe of the progress he’d made, even if it wasn’t perfect. “It’s… surreal, yeah,” he said softly, no other way to describe it. “It’s not everything, but it’s so much more than I ever expected. The world’s a little bit louder now. Not perfect, but I can actually hear things I never thought I’d hear again.” Floyd could never fully describe the magic of hearing something after years of silence, but Copper’s excitement for him made it all feel even more special. “Music is -" Floyd was truly rendered speechless for a moment. "It’s incredible,” he added, voice softening as he thought about it. “I’ve always loved music, but now it feels like I can really feel it in a new way. It's like hearing the heart of the song, you know? It sounds a little different... but still!”

The fact that Copper had taught himself some sign language made Floyd’s heart swell. He wasn’t sure how much Copper had learned, but just the effort, the thoughtfulness behind it, meant the world to him. Floyd’s face lit up as Copper demonstrated some signs. “You’re already better than I am at it!” Floyd laughed, joking of course. “Thank you, Copper. I know it's a practical skill to have, and not just one for me to make use of, but still... It means a lot.”

As they sat down at the table, Floyd leaned in slightly as Copper asked about the shop. “Oh, we’re right on Maple, across from that little coffee shop. The one with the weird murals?” Floyd grinned, 'weird' of course being a positive word in his vocabulary. “I’d be surprised if you haven’t walked past it - everyone does. It’s not a huge space, but we’ve got all sorts of things inside. I’m always amazed at the requests people come in with, honestly, it feels like we opened shop in the perfect place.”

He chuckled softly at Copper’s question about the carnival in which he grew up. “The carnival… yeah, I miss it," it was an undeniable fact, one that Floyd couldn't deny. "It’s a different kind of life, a little wild, a little offbeat, it's hard to find that energy anywhere else, you know?” He smiled, thinking back on the days under the big top, before everything had changed. “I’m glad to be here, though. Things are quieter, which is… nice. Different. But good.”

The suggestion of a sleepover made Floyd laugh, a delighted sound that filled the air around them. “A sleepover? Man, I don’t think I’ve had one of those since I was, like, a kid. But that sounds awesome. We could totally do that, catch up, relax, eat junk food and talk about whatever comes to mind," he paused for a second, thinking about all the things he wanted to share with Copper now that they had time. “It’s been way too long. I’ve missed this.” Floyd leaned back in his seat, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. His smile softened as he met Copper’s eyes. “I’m glad we’re here now. No more random chance meetings - let’s make this happen, Cop.”

All of this was amazing to Copper, from yet another chance encounter with Floyd to them finally living in the same place for the first time to the cochlear implants. It was still had for Copper to wrap his head around, and he rested his hand on Floyd's shoulder as if to prove that his friend was really there. "I guess the universe has been working overtime to ensure that we're friends," Copper laughed, feeling almost giddy by all of these developments. Looking at Floyd's ears, Copper said, "It really is incredible, and you know, it couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy." The hand on Floyd's shoulder gave it a little squeeze, Copper's fingers brushing against the other's neck, just overcome with affection for his friend. Maybe eventually this wouldn't feel so surreal, but right now Copper's head was swimming - in the best way.

Even thought he implants hadn't restored 100% of Floyd's hearing and never would, this was still a remarkable thing to have happened to his friend. In the past, Copper had wondered if there might be a spell to help his friend, but he didn't think he'd ever trust his skills enough to try it, worried about hurting Floyd. And besides, Floyd hadn't been any less just because he couldn't hear before, though Copper knew his life had to be so different now that he could. "So you can listen to music now!" Copper just realized, smiling brightly once more for the other man. "That was probably an amazing experience, wasn't it?" Making a mental note to still enunciate his words and face Floyd when he spoke as much as possible, Copper told Floyd, "You know, after our last chance meeting, I taught myself a little sign language. I thought it might make communication easier." He was by no means fluent, but Copper demonstrated some simple phrases he had learned. "I figured we would run into each other again, and look, I was right," Copper laughed.

Taxidermist - that was not a surprise to Copper, and in fact it fit with what he knew about his friend. They walked with their pie to a nearby table, and Copper said, "Where's your shop? I bet I've walked by it before." Cardinal Hill wasn't large, after all. "It would be cool if it was near mine." They sat down, and as Copper took a bite of his pie, he asked, "Do you miss the circus?" Or at least that was what he tried to ask, but instead it came out a muffled mess. Swallowing his bite of pie, Copper asked again, "Do you miss the circus? Or are you glad to be done with it?" An idea came to him then, and Copper suggested, "Hey, we should have a sleepover! Really take the time to catch up."

[shoftiiel]

bound to you: 4

"and i quote.."

synopsis: y/n is the new girl in town, she would like to escape from her past and begin a new life without any romance drama, but what happens when she caught the attention of a certain boy who happens to be one of her brother’s best friends.

word count: 1. 1 k

warnings: i think there is none, but if you feel like something should be added lmk :))

a/n: i think this will have more written parts than i originally intended, also if you asked to be on the taglist and you don't see yourself its because i cannot tag u

<< | masterlist | >>

When your class ended you felt nervous, you didn't understand why, you were just meeting sunoo’s friends, it was not a big deal.

“come on y/n it is not that big” you said to yourself, besides if they are friends with sunoo they must be nice like him.

“Y/n!! over here!” you snapped out of your thoughts when you heard your name, when you turned around you saw sunoo with two other boys, they did seem nice.

“h-hi” sunno giggled, “don't be shy y/n” he said with a reassuring smile, the other two boys just laughed along.

“hi, i am jungwon” one of the boys said, he had these cute dimples when he smiled, he gave off a warm vibe, he looked like the happiest person on the planet.

“and my name is niki, nice to meet you” the second boy said, he looked younger than jungwon, but still he was taller than both sunoo and jungwon. Hewas just a freshman and looked like a giant baby.

“You know y/n” Sunoo said, snapping you out of your thoughts for the second time that day, “niki is also a foreigner” you turned to niki, he just nodded. “I am from japan”.

“Why did you leave?” you asked, niki just smiled and you swore that kid got like 3 centimeters taller, he looked excited, just as if he had been waiting his whole life to be asked that question.

“you see, I want to be a dancer and be lift high has one of the best dance programs in the country, japan does not” that last part did not sound so excited “so i plan on auditioning, tryouts are supposed to be next week”

He reminded you of Jake, he also left Australia to become a dancer, now you kind of understood why Jake was the way he was towards you, you felt the need to protect niki, he was so cute for his own good.

“how about you?” jungwon asked “where are you from and why did you leave”

“Well my family is Korean, but I used to leave in australia and i left mostly because of family issues, my parents are barely home”

“oh” sunoo just looked at you

“Well, we are now all your new family” niki said with the same big smile he had while he was talking about how he wanted to become a dancer.

“Wait, you are a sophomore, right?” jungwon suddenly asked.

“Yes I am” you said proudly, for some reason.

“Then why didn't we see you in any class today” jungwon looked very puzzled “omg y/n are you skipping classes already? it's the first day!” and before you could say anything sunoo said,

“well you see” he said in a cocky tone “miss y/n here is in advanced classes, because and i quote “her brain cells actually know how to do their job”

The other two boys almost choked laughing, they couldn't breathe. At first you were really embarrassed, then you just laughed along, at that point you could not remember why you were nervous in the first place.

“and how about extracurriculars?” Jungwon said still laughing, he was trying to keep it together, he failed but at least he tried.

“Well, i saw that there’s an art club” the moment you said that sunoo became another person, he looked possessed which freaked you out to be honest.

“You want to join the art club!?” he almost yelled at you “ummm… yeah??? Is there a problem with that'' you were genuinely confused at his reaction, but then he looked happy?

“gil you should have told me earlier!” in the two days you had know sunoo you had never seen him so excited “well you are talking to the art club president himself, so consider yourself the newest member of the art club”

“this is awesome y/n!” jungwon was very excited as well “we’ll see each other more often”

“heeeeeey!” niki sounded upset “what about me?” he indeed was a giant baby, cute you thought.

“don't worry niki, when you start practicing with the dance team we’ll visit you and we’ll take you snacks”

“from now on y/n is my favorite” hugged you right afterwards.

you were very happy it was only your first day of class and you had already made friends, if you had the y/n from two years ago she would not believe you. The bell rang and you left for your last classes of the day. During the last periods you did not pay any attention at all, you were thinking about your new friends, usually you take notes but you did not this time, you were doodling the whole time.

Finally the bell rang one last time that day, you quickly grabbed your things and rushed out of the classroom, the hallway was filled with students that were eager to leave, just like you were. You bumped into someone, you just said sorry bearly looking back and just continued walking, you were going out with your brother and you had to get ready, you did not have any time to lose.

What you failed to notice was that you dropped your sketchbook, the boy you bumped into picked it up and when he looked up you were gone. He just stood there with the sketchbook in hand wondering who you were. Naturally he opened it to see if there was a name, sadly there wasn’t. For some strange reason, he didn't leave it on the lost and found, he was curious, he wanted to find the owner and give it to them.

He was mesmerized by the drawings he found there, they were mostly flowers, landscapes and lots of frogs, some had hats, others had wings, that just made him more curious. There were also some short poems in there, from what he read, whomever it belonged to was very sad, the one that caugth his attention was

“i supose i love my scars,

because they have stayed with me longer

than most people have”

He needed to find who the sketchbook belonged to.

taglist: @ncityy04 @dumbwonpil @markleepooh @papiibuprofen @ghjasksdk

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

What would happen if you were sent back and ended up in the orphanage with Tom Riddle—and say you also had magic?

Oh boy.

Well, there's a lot to question here. Judging by the... spirit of this ask, I presume I'm... pretty much reincarnated. I'm in the orphanage, I'm much younger than I am now and a child, I'm pre-Hogwarts age, and I retain my current knowledge.

For the purpose of this ask I suppose I also retain my current mental faculties. Despite being in the body of an eight-year-old, I'm not The Carnivorous Muffin at eight.

Welp, there's a lot to consider here.

First, I probably don't realize I'm in Harry Potter for quite some time and instead assume I've been reincarnated to some parallel universe. It's the 1930's, I'm in England in the depression, WWI has occurred and the vast majority of major historical events I know about seem to have happened in the right order, and this Earth is eerily similar to the Earth I left behind.

Strange that I appear to remember everything of my past life with my adult mental abilities, but alright universe, I guess that's how we're going to play this.

What I do know is that I'm dirt poor, presumably still a woman which does not bode well for my career prospects, and if I want any prospects in life period I'm going to have to fight tooth and nail for it. It'd be great if I got adopted to help with this, and might be nice to have people in my life who love me, but there's a lot of orphans in the world and a lot of orphans who are much less weird than I am.

The orphanage is the orphanage and not great, Mrs. Cole is overworked, the orphanage is chronically understaffed, and the kids are running wild beating the shit out of each other.

Being a girl, I probably don't have to worry about getting the shit kicked out of me quite as much, but I still probably try to keep my head down and don't aggravate the particularly beefy looking orphans.

Yes, there's some very angry gremlin named Tom Riddle around who will shove you down the stairs in retribution, but that's just a weird coincidence. And then supernatural shit starts happening. Billy's rabbit hangs itself, people get injuries when Tom is nowhere near them, and I start wondering if this is really the Tom Riddle.

I'm in Wool's Orphanage, my matron is Mrs. Cole, Tom Riddle is running around lighting things on fire. It's possible, though it could all be a strange coincidence.

Now, how things go from here depends on how controlled my own magic is. Since accidental magic typically does manifest at least once or twice, it probably does manifest for me for.. something. If Tom Riddle's there to witness it then...

Well, I imagine he's very offended. Here he was, special, different, better than everyone else, and then some girl in the orphanage (who dares to get very good grades on her assignments in school) has it too.

And I just stand there, smiling, going "Tee hee".

He probably confronts me to prove that he's better at it than I am, and he probably is unless the universe hates both him and me, but having someone else with the Shining around probably prompts him to take me as his protégé (in part so he can show off and in part because he's genuinely excited to be able to share this super cool talent).

I am now apprentice to eight-year-old Tom Riddle. Whoop de doo.

Well, I don't remember this part of Harry Potter, so now I'm probably confused as to where I am again. Regardless, I try to advise Tom on how to tone it down and not, say, traumatize Amy and Dennis for life and antagonize all the other orphans forever. He probably doesn't take me seriously. What do I know, I can't even light that patch of grass on fire?

Hanging around Tom Riddle gets me a reputation to, given the difference in genders, probably a fairly nasty one at that. When Dumbledore arrives he's undoubtedly told hot gossip about how eleven-year-old Tom and I have had sex in a ritual to summon Satan. Dumbledore takes this seriously.

Dumbledore probably meets us both at the same time and it's a disaster. I tried my best to prep Tom without revealing I'm a prophet, Tom first doesn't believe there might not be others, then doesn't believe they would be antagonist/anything but amazed by how awesome he is.

Well, Dumbledore lights his wardrobe on fire while I sit there. Dying inside. Dumbledore probably also does something to me too, to teach me some kind of lesson about something.

I imagine he temporarily disfigures me/makes me appear very ugly, then sticks a mirror to the wall, that way I realize that looks aren’t everything/being a whore is wrong. Tom, still traumatized over the wardrobe, is no help and my magic’s probably not controlled enough to do a thing about it.

I spend a day looking like a pig, Tom and I are given just enough money to buy new wands and second hand/barely functioning everything else and given the world’s worst directions to Diagon Alley. Thanks, Albus.

Well, months pass, we get our wands, Tom gets excited for Hogwarts and I... start seriously considering the future. WWII is coming, the Blitz is coming, Tom and I live in east London and must be able to evacuate during the bombing of London (which went on well past the Blitz to the end of the war). I also start considering my future in the wizarding world. Do I now actually have career prospects?

Probably not because I’m muggle born and a woman. My best bet is doing very well in useful subjects and finding employment with the goblins, I can’t imagine they have the same hang ups as the wizarding world.

Tom wants to go to Slytherin, of course, I tell him this is a bad idea. “Gee Tom,” I say, “Not sure how I know this but I have this feeling that Slytherin is filled with people who loathe our very existence and will shank us. Why don’t we pick Ravenclaw or Gryffindor instead?”

No one shanks Tom Riddle! Tom says. Tom is still eleven and while he admits that sometimes I may, in retrospect, have been right about certain things that doesn’t mean he wants to go to the house known for hard work. That’s code word for everyone there being a moron and having no other redeeming features than tenacity. As for the other two, Ravenclaws sound like smug, elitist, nerds and Gryffindors like dumb jocks.

Better to be known for ambition, cunning, and actually being competent.

Well, there’s no talking him out of this one, and goddamn it we’re all each other has.

I’m the closest thing Tom Riddle has ever had to a friend in all these years and in the orphanage the only one who could hold a decent conversation with him. And while it’s not my moral obligation to keep Tom from becoming a domestic terrorist, and there’s no guarantee I even can, dumping him for one of the other houses and drifting apart won’t help.

Not to mention that, after all these years, I’m undoubtedly lonely, I’m in this foreign land, and he’s now the closest thing to a friend I have.

Looks like I’m going to Slytherin, YOOOOOLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOO! I shout as a battle cry as tears run down my face. I may have to convince the hat to put me in Slytherin, but like all human beings I am a mixture of many qualities. I’m not cunning in the least, mind games exhaust me unutterably, but I’m full of ambition. 

This confirms every bad opinion Dumbledore had regarding me and Tom.

For the next several months, Tom probably beats the shit out of dormmates who steal his things/harass him. He beats up mine too because feminism (TM) means that he should treat all people equally when guilty of the same crime. I... am not sure I can win that fight so I just resign myself to having to adopt some of Tom’s tactics to make sure I’m not shoved in lockers, have tampons thrown at me, or pig’s blood dumped on me at the prom.

Once again, everyone thinks Tom Riddle and I are dating. I don’t even know if they’re wrong at this point.

Well, being in class with eleven year olds who seem to have had little to no prior education, Tom and I are undoubtedly blazing through class. I imagine I’m bored out of my mind (the Hogwarts curriculum sounds unbelievably boring) and Tom is... well, probably devouring the library but probably also bored. I decide to try and see if I can find some real history texts on this world (there are probably none, the wizarding world seems to only have two historians and both... have a different approach to history than current modern thought as I know it) and discover what magic even is. That shit is fascinating: wingardium leviosa is not.

Dumbledore likely gives neither me nor Tom points in class, I think the house cup is stupid, so I really don’t care. I have no interest in playing quidditch, neither does Tom, so that doesn’t happen.

The second world war starts up, Tom, me, and the muggle borns are the only ones who give a flying fuck. I work harder on figuring out how to get lodging during the Blitz/the bombing of London. Unfortunately, Mrs. Cole hates me too for being the Bride of Satan, so that’s a no go. Third year, 1939, I probably write her in earnest anyway telling her to PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, send Tom and I instructions for the summer/where the orphans are staying/how they’ve been dispersed to the countryside. As a back up plan, I try desperately to shmooze shopkeepers in Hogsmeade during every Hogsmeade weekend to get myself and Tom part time jobs and lodging over the summer. As a back up back up plan, I spend my time badgering Tom to become very good at survivalist wandless magic and if the Lord has pity on me gain some ability in it myself.

Hopefully, either Mrs. Cole or one of the Hogsmeade shop owners take pity on us. If not, then Tom and I are going extreme camping. Given Mrs. Cole (and the brain damage brought on by Dumbledore erasing memories left and right) and the likelihood of Hogsmeade shop owners just not getting it, Tom and I probably go extreme camping.

(Tom, meanwhile, asks Dippet and Dumbledore if we can stay in Hogwarts over the summer. He’s told no exceptions. London’s being bombed, you say? No exceptions. Toodles. Tom is never the same.)

Me, Tom Riddle, a tent we made ourselves, several rabbits we had to catch and skin ourselves, and the pitiful fire that we can keep going through pure will alone because if we try to use real people spells then we’ll get arrested. It has the benefit of making Tom feel very manly and impressive, catching his own food, but both of us are well aware that this sucks.

But hey, we aren’t dead.

Well, I’m sure Tom doesn’t appreciate that and this is where I imagine he seriously starts talking about violent revolution. I imagine much of my time is spent discussing the merits of not violently overthrowing our ant overlords. I imagine a thirteen-year-old Tom isn’t impressed by my pacifism, but he’s not married to Voldemort yet (probably).

Then I imagine the horcrux thing comes up and... Well, I will argue hard against it. Humans die, it is a truth of the universe, and simply something we have to accept. Horcruxes are not a measure against that, they can be destroyed, given infinite time they will be, and the sacrifice they require is too high: human life as well as the very essence of who you are.

What is a soul? I’m not sure, we never really learn in HP canon, but whatever it is, it is in some way the essence of yourself. If you take half of it and throw it somewhere else, you will cease to be you, someone or something else is walking around in your body while the other half of you exists in endless agony.

If you must chase immortality, create a philosopher’s stone (as I darkly wonder why it was that couldn’t be replicated and what Flamel had to do to make it in the first place). On second thought, maybe we should search for the Holy Grail.

Whether I can talk Tom out of this or not is... unclear. I’m going to say that I can, in part because I imagine he’ll want to show the chamber off to me, tell me when he realizes he’s Heir of Slytherin, and in doing so I can prevent the basilisk incident from occurring. Without that, there’s no dead Myrtle, which means no first victim. That summer, when he goes to the Gaunts, I’ll go with him and convince him that it’s not worth it. He can just turn around and leave these people alone, I hopefully can talk him down. Which means no second victim.

I start writing Flamel to see if Tom or I can get an apprenticeship (Dumbledore probably beats us to the chase and poisons him against us, but it’s worth a shot).

Then, should all go well, I can convince Tom to find employment with the goblins rather than shady antique dealers on the bad side of town. Hopefully, I can convince him to never become Voldemort, and instead we travel the world together looking for the origins of magic or something.

Dumbledore goes around taking people’s memories of us in preparation for when Tom becomes a dark lord and I his lady of the night darkness.

TL;DR Apparently my life would become an SI/Tom Riddle fic. So, thanks anon.

[ddarker-dreams]

FINALLY SOMEONE SAID THE TRUTH.

I admit that i enjoyed act 3 but it feels like really rushed i have so much complain with that.

The build up until act 2 was so good it give us so much premise but the final blow si meh. Sorry that i want to share thing long rant with you

1. Why the final talk is with yae, no offense to her but we need ei to explain not to mention she witness khaenriah downfall so she can give us more information, i feel like they do it for the plot armor so they can just keep dragging this

2. So many things that quite inconsistant, the shogun is show no mercy to anyone that even did a little thing outside what she think its right, how come she can still have a talk with signora, when sara is falling like that, and also there is no clarification about sara right now.

The traveler was so done at first they refuse to help thoma and ayaka at the beginning. But they seem so happy and forget everything how come they are not RAGE ( okay maybe this is to bias and personal) when this nation provide nothing about our siblings information and also why they are not mention anything about their problem in ei stroy quest. Its nonsense! She is right in front of youu, ask about your siblings, ask about khaenriah, ask about ukmown god!!. How come they can just forget like that. Also mihoyo really waste the potential about twin things i thing ei will give us so much help bcs of the sympathy that we both rn lost our twin but noooo.

3. Kokomi seem lost some brain cell, she make a very succesfull grand intro but she become meh in act 3, how come a great strategist like her let the sus sponsorship slip just bcs they are desperate, not to mention her screen time is really small and her role seem so unsignificant and it feels lile she is a plain npc.

4. The awesome world quest that we have done doesnt get any mention at all! Inazuma owe us so much with cleansing sakura, thunder sakura, tatarigami, obarashi quest. It has so much potential that yae or ei or anyone else aknowledge what traveler has been done but nooo.

cracks knuckles... i suppose it's time for my promised dissertation. interestingly enough, you touched on a lot of the main issues i had with chapter III.

i think that if i had to pin the main issue, it's a lack of overall cohesiveness? we were jumping all over the place without the chance to ever flesh things out. inazuma is a smaller cast, but i feel like we didn't get to see any of them shine. since i'm most interested in the genshin characters, i'll break down my problems by going over everyone and their (lack) of impact on the story.

was ayaka not questioned or placed under suspicion for being close to thoma before his escape? i wanted to see her broken up over her duties as they relate to the yashiro commission, paired with having someone she genuinely cares about in danger. it would've been an interesting struggle if she was forced to choose one or the other. instead she just kinda took a back seat.

speaking of thoma, i don't even have anything to say, because he just... was there? for .0001 seconds. said "lol this sucks ig" and that's about it. i know we're going to get a story for him in the future since he's a 5* but i'm not getting my hopes up 😭 then in the raiden shogun's character story, man is peachy keen! be upset with the raiden shogun! have some inner conflict! even if it's just using loaded language because he's under surveillance for going against the raiden shogun, that'd be so cool. saying something like,

"Traveler, what's with that expression? Oh please, there's nothing to worry about. We're under the Statue of the Omnipresent God's protection. Nothing bad has ever happened here." *wink*

i also don't know what to say about gorou. he was... there....... i think. what is he fighting for? what are the stakes for him? what makes him place so much trust into kokomi? i'm out of things to say about him because i don't remember anything he did or said.

kokomi... oh kokomi... i was so hyped. so excited. i thought that maybe we could see a foil to the raiden shogun. that she'd have a moment where she's forced to realize, just like her opponent, sacrifices must be made that will hurt people who will never understand why she made them. or maybe something to show her military prowess. but instead she just accepts a mysterious patron's help (?), sees her people aging like the grateful dead from JJBA, and goes oh well. that sucks. what can ya do. oh bye traveler i guess, good luck with that. ????????????? HUH... similar case to thoma where she's gonna get a character story but like. she won't be the leader of the resistance anymore. that was her whole shtick. they took her shtick away. also she forced me to interact with more NPCs whose names i've already forgotten so i'm tilted about that still.

KUJOU SARA... AN INJUSTICE. A DISGRACE. a slap to my woman loving face. the build up was there. yae miko's comments about sara probably knowing the tenryou commission is involved in shady dealings, but is choosing not to think about it. sara being forced to confront reality and challenge her adopted father with the truth. being able to blaze a new path for herself in the process. when she started running to the raiden shogun i was ultra hyped up. sara, a devotee to the shogun for so long, was about to see her god interacting with the same people who led inazuma to this awful state. how would she react? would she stay ignorant, like yae miko so coyly said, choosing to look away in favor of following her god's footsteps? or would she be forced to recognize the raiden shogun isn't as divine as she once thought, and challenge her belief system?

we open the door to see the raiden shogun. the loading screen ensues. the camera pans to the ominous room, clouded in darkness, hinting at the ominous confrontation that is to come. the music takes a serious timbre. and then...

well fuck that potential character arc i guess. (we still don't know what sara made of any of this since she poofed out of existence from the story at this point)

kazuha also was handed a similar treatment. we've been with him for a while longer now. he is our introduction into inazuma, the one who first gets us emotionally involved by regaling us with the bittersweet tale of friendship that led him to becoming a wanted criminal. a kind soul who loves nature yet was dealt a cruel hand by fate, forced to watch his home nation turn into a hostile place, where his dear friend ultimately perished as a result. we get the scene with his friend's vision lighting back up. he parries a block from the raiden shogun, in the same area where his friend was killed by her. the parallels. the drama. except this time, he wasn't too late. he protected the traveler where he "failed" to protect his friend in the past. did he feel redemption at this? or was it a bittersweet reminder of what could've been?

WELL i guess we'll never know because we didn't get to talk to him again 😭 idk who got a bait and switch worse, him or sara. jesus christ mihoyo.

then we have signora. why is the raiden shogun talking to her? does she know about the gnosis being taken, and if she doesn't, what was her plan to get it from the archon? what does she think about scaramouche? and oh, okay, we're fighting here now. good fight + god tier music. pog pog. okay, now we've beaten her up, and raiden shogun wyd— wait no not signora her lore is still on CUPS not YET raiden shogun and— ah she's dead. okay. non nerds who didn't read artifact lore are going to know nothing about her. signora has such an interesting story, and yet... well. ok.

then we get raiden shogun redemption (?) arc. i was hype for this as well, though at that point, idk why i bothered being hype. i knew they were gonna do a cute power of friendship something or another, and i'm good with that, so long as it's executed well. what i was envisioning was like seven different buffs to correspond with the seven different visions, the dreams of those whose ambitions were stolen serving as the spear to penetrate the raiden shogun's heart of stone. maybe a hydro vision giving us extra healing for a time, with the voice acting over it being like,

"Even if the rest of the world forgets us, let our will carry you through this one final time. Succeed where we couldn't, Traveler."

so on and so forth.

but instead we got— you get the idea at this point. why bother spelling it out anymore.

at that point i was surprised the raiden shogun didn't go "oopsie woopsie!! we made a fucky wucky!!!" because that was the vibe i was getting. i love ei, don't get me wrong, but i wanted to see her challenged with what she had done to inazuma in the past year. maybe meeting NPC #2345259 who lost her sister to the vision decree or something, reminding ei of the love she held for her sister... being forced to come to terms with the extent of what she's done in pursuit of eternity.

anyway. please for the love of god mihoyo hire better writers for the main story. that is all i ask. thank you.

[nordic-language-love]

1 year as an italki student

I realised that I’ve now been taking Norwegian lessons on italki for over a year! My first lesson was on the 12th of September 2020, and since then I’ve taken 72 lessons (that’s a lot!) I figured I’d do a little review of what I’ve learnt and generally how I feel about it!

What has improved?

The most important thing that has changed is my confidence. Before, I felt like I couldn’t hold a conversation in Norwegian at all. After a few months of lessons, I finally felt confident enough to chat with my good friend @pilvenhattara after years of saying I definitely would, as soon as my Norwegian was less shit. I also now book lessons with new tutors without a second thought, and genuinely enjoy meeting new people and speaking Norwegian with them.

I no longer feel embarrassed by my mistakes. When I first took lessons, I felt so embarrassed that my vocabulary and grammar was awful that it stopped me from speaking. I’m glad I didn’t give up though, instead opting to try different tutors until I found ones that really worked for me.

I also speak a lot more fluently. I don’t spend as much time searching for phrases, and I can usually reformulate my sentences if I don’t quite know how to say exactly what I want to say.

So in summary, it’s fair to say that my speaking has improved significantly, and continues to improve month on month.

What hasn’t improved?

Honestly, my grammar hasn’t improved that much. I haven’t really focused on my grammar in lessons though - perhaps if I asked my tutors to spend more time on it, my knowledge would improve.

My writing. If anything, my writing’s got worse because I don’t do it as much! Before, it was the only way for me to practise producing the language, so I would do it several times a week. Now that I spend so much time speaking, I find writing a bit boring. However, I’m now working to tackle that by doing weekly writing tasks for my tutors.

My pronunciation. But then, this isn’t really a problem area for me. There’s room for improvement, but the only criticism I’ve really had is that I sound “very neutral” (ie I speak østnorsk rather than any particular dialect, but I’m not in a rush to change that - I’ll learn the local dialect if/when I move to Norway).

My vocabulary. Okay, it’s improved a bit, but I still feel very limited. I think I need to work on this outside of classes more.

Has it been worth the money?

For me, it’s been a worthwhile investment because I feel a lot happier and more confident with my speaking. I finally feel like I’ve reached my goal of being able to speak a second language, which is something I’ve wanted to do ever since I realised I couldn’t speak French anymore.

I also genuinely feel like I’ve made new friends, which is awesome.

And of course... I really enjoy my lessons! I love having the opportunity to use the language I’ve dedicated so much of the past 6 years to learning.

That being said, I don’t think a language tutor is necessary for you to reach your goals. Of course a tutor can help, but a combination of immersion, authentic materials, apps, social media, good dictionaries and persistence will eventually get you where you want to be.

Some tips for taking classes

Try out different tutors if you can. You get three trial lessons, so be sure to use them! Don’t just settle for the first tutor you find if you're not sure they’re right for you.

Message your tutor before the lesson (or before you book a class) to let them know what you want, or ask them about their teaching style. You’ll be much more likely to get a tailor-made lesson if your tutor knows what you want to work on!

Tell them what corrections you want and how you want them delivered. Do you want them to interrupt you or wait until you’ve finished talking? What do you want them to pay most attention to? (Chances are there’ll be too many mistakes for them to correct them all, but if you narrow it down to eg prepositions, verb tenses, article use then that can be helpful)

Don’t be afraid to come to the class with questions. I’ve never had a tutor who didn’t like my questions!

[albertasunrise]

Betrayal

Summary: You should have known better than to trust Javier Peña, he wasn’t known for committing but he’d committed to you. You should have known it was too good to be true.

Parings: Javier Peña x Reader

Warmings: Angst, Mentions of sex, Unprotected Sex, Infidelity, Unplanned Pregnancy

Notes: This is inspired by @pascalscenarios awesome FanFic - Traitor

Masterlist

§

You should have known better than to trust Javier Peña, he wasn’t known for committing but he’d committed to you. You should have known it was too good to be true. You’d known what his reputation had been in Colombia, that he’d fucked his informants, that he didn’t do relationships. You’d met at one of the many gatherings that your shared home town held, his father introducing you to his son, the man that took down Escobar and the Cali cartel. You’d talked for hours, gone for a drink after and despite your brain telling you it was a bad idea, you ended up in his bed where he fucked you dumb. You had continued to date, continued to fuck and after three blissful months, you finally went public and much to Chucho’s delight.

You’d moved in together a few months later. It had been a surreal experience finding and buying a house, shopping for furniture to fill it and deciding on paint colours to decorate it in. It was strange because it felt so right, the domesticated nature of building a home together had made you genuinely believe that the future was bright for the two of you. Once you’d become settled Javier had decided to throw a house warming party, inviting Steve, his wife and their children and a few people from his new office and you’d been excited to meet everyone. To get to know the people he worked with. The parties had then become a regular occurrence. Whenever the weather was good enough, he would fire up the grill and invite around his work friends and you didn’t mind, you loved seeing how happy and relaxed it made him. As time went on you started invited your friends too and soon you were the couple who threw the hottest parties in the neighbourhood.

You were the perfect couple.

One year turned to two and it seemed like nothing would tear the two of you apart. You started to picture your future together, you taking his name and bearing his children but it wasn't something the two of you had discussed yet. You had just hoped he wanted the same.

‘When are you going to tie this beautiful woman down?’ Asked Chucho.

‘Oh Chucho we-‘

‘Haven’t I done that already?’ Questioned Javier as he gave his father a bemused look.

‘I mean marrying her pendejo.’ His father said rolling his eyes as he smirked at you.

‘We don’t need to get married to show everyone we love each other.’ He replied, shrugging nonchalantly ‘Right babe?’

‘Right.’ You replied, unable to stop the smile from dropping from your face.

You didn’t broach the marriage subject again, despite the fact it hurt to know that you two would never get married. You couldn’t deny that you’d never thought about marriage, you’d thought about it a lot amongst other things and as you and Javier had become more serious, you’d started to believe that he would possibly be the man that you took that step with. Now you knew that would never be the case and a small part of you started to whither.

‘So I’ve been assigned a new partner.’ Javier said as he sipped on his beer, pushing his empty plate to the side.

‘Oh yeah?’ You questioned as you collected up the empty plates and placed them in the sink ‘What’s his name.’

‘Oh no, it's a woman.’ He replied and you swallowed past the nerves that had started to choke you ‘She’s great. Kinda reminds me of Murphy.’ He finished with a chuckle.

‘How so?’

‘Blonde-haired, blue-eyed and a bit of a hillbilly but she’s a good agent.’

‘That’s great Hunny.’ You replied, not taking your eyes off of the dishes that soaked in the sink.

You trusted Javier, you’d been with him long enough to believe that he loved you and would never cheat but your mind was unable to shake off the fact that he'd been spending every day with this woman. As the months went on your anxiety only grew. He talked about her nonstop, gushed about her on a daily basis and it slowly ate away at you. You had met her a month or so after she’d started and you’d been unable to move past how beautiful she was. How could you ever compete with her? You decided that you needed to remind him who he belonged to in the only way you knew how.

‘Baby what are you doing?’ Questioned Javier one evening as you straddled his lap ‘I mean I’m not complaining but what’s gotten into you?’

‘Just shut up and fuck me.’ You growled, tugging his shirt over his head and placing hot, wet, kisses down his neck and along his shoulder.

He didn’t need you to tell him twice. Grabbing you by the backs of your thighs he carried you to the couch and lowered you down, his hips rolling against your core as he kissed you deeply. Clothes were removed quickly as your tongues danced and he sheathed himself inside of you in one swift movement that took the air out of your lungs.

‘Fuck baby.’ You sobbed, biting your lip as he rocked his hips into you at a maddening pace.

He didn't relent his brutal pace. He continued slamming into you and made you cum hard as you screamed his name and your nails dug into the strong muscles in his back. The pleasure and pain soon dragged him over the edge. Half a dozen more thrusts and came deep inside you, head dropping to your shoulder as he tried to catch his breath.

‘Shit baby.’ He panted as he kissed you languidly, smiling as you moaned into his mouth ‘I love you.

‘I love you too.’ You replied.

For a while, you found he talked about her less the more the two of you fucked and things seemed to be good again. You lived in bliss, relearning each other's bodies and worshipping them but there was still that little voice in the back of your head that was telling you this was all temporary. That he was going to leave you in the end.

‘So I have to go away for a week.’ Said Javier out of nowhere over dinner.

‘Since when?’ You asked, a little surprised at how last minute it all was.

‘Since we’ve been asked to consult on a case in Dallas.’ He replied ‘I don’t think it’ll be longer than a week but I’ll check I'm baby.’

You could only nod and hope that he would keep to his word but deep down you knew this was it. The beginning of the end. He did check in but the calls were clipped, short, to the point and the nagging voice inside your head told you that he was with her. His beautiful partner. True to his word he was back a week later but he was different, withdrawn and your stomach sank.

‘I think we should talk.’ He said one night as he handed you a beer, scrubbing a hand over his tired face as he sat down beside you.

The silence that hung over the two of you was suffocating and your hands shook as you waited for him to speak.

‘Baby, you’re scaring me what is it?’

‘I think we both know that this isn’t working anymore.’ He said and you felt like the wind had been knocked out of you.

‘What?’

‘We haven’t been happy a while.’ He stated, his eyes sad as he spoke to you ‘We can’t fuck our problems away.’

‘What problems?’ You questioned, a little shocked by what he was saying.

‘I uh-.’

‘Don’t bullshit me Javi.’ You growled, your shock becoming something else completely ‘Are you seeing someone else?’

‘What? No!’

‘Then why have you suddenly decided that we need to break up?’ You shouted ‘Or do the past two years mean fuck all to you?’

He was taken aback by your sudden outburst, his eyes pricking with tears as he watches you fall apart in front of him.

‘I love you Javi.’ You spat ‘I have devoted myself to you but clearly, that means fuck all to you. I know the truth.’ You pause and Javier gave you a bemused look ‘You’re fucking her aren’t you? You partner!’

‘Baby no.’

‘No, you don’t get to call me that anymore.’

‘Okay but I swear to you that I’m not sleeping with my partner.’

A tense silence fell over the two of you and you allowed yourself to cry, not caring that you were falling apart in front of the man that had broken your heart. The man that you thought you’d spend the rest of your life with.

‘You should leave.’ You said finally as you stood from the couch and walked out, unable to be in his presence a moment longer.

A week and a half. That was all it took for him to start seeing her. You had cried yourself to sleep every night for 4 weeks after learning it from Chucho. He’d kept checking in on you after the breakup, coming around with food parcels and holding you as you fell apart. He’d kicked Javier out when he'd learned that he’d moved on so quickly but he had moved in with her almost straight after. Chucho took the last of Javier’s things to him, not wanting you to go through the pain of seeing how happy he was with her.

‘You have to be fucking kidding me.’ You sobbed to no one, staring at the two sticks that sat beside your sink ‘Perfect.’

You’d suspected something was wrong after you’d ended up a week late. You’d initially put it down to stress but as one week turned into two you'd decided to buy some tests and sure enough, you were pregnant. You took the tests to the lounge, placed them on the coffee table and continued to stare at them for some time. Silently willing them to change.

‘So this is your first?’ Asked the doctor as she squirted the jelly on your stomach and you nodded in response ‘Right well hopefully we’ll be able to hear the heartbeat, if not we should at least be able to see it.’

The room went silent as the doctor placed the probe onto your stomach and started to move it around. You stared at the ceiling, wondering how you were going to do this. Where you really going to raise a baby all on your own? Were you going to tell him? You’d decided to wait until you knew whether or not the baby was healthy, knowing how common miscarriages were within the first three months.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The new sound that filled the air grabbed your attention and you turned your head to see your baby on the screen.

‘Strong heartbeat.’ Started the doctor as she studied the screen ‘Everything looks great. Would you like me to print you some pictures?’

You nodded eagerly as you smiled at her, your heart skipping at the sight of the tiny being that was growing inside of you. At that moment you knew you wanted this. You could do this alone. The doctor handed you the printouts and a cloth for you to clean the jelly off of your stomach and once you pulled yourself together you left. You don’t know what possessed you but as you sat in the driver's seat of your car you decided to call Javier. He deserved to know. He agreed to meet you for a coffee and he was there when you arrived, stood outside the cafe shifting nervously on his feet.

‘Hi.’ You said as you walked up to him and he glanced up, a nervous expression plastered on his face.

‘Hi.’ He replied, scratching the back of his neck ‘Shall we?’

‘Yeah.’ You replied, nodding your thanks when he held the door open for you.

‘You grab a table.’ He said as he started to make his way to the counter ‘Usual?’

‘Can you make it a decaf?’

‘Since when did you drink decaf?’

You shrugged in response before heading towards a free table next to the window and pulling out the envelope you had placed the photos into. He returned a few minutes later with your coffee, avoiding eye contact with you as the two of you sat in silence for a short while.

‘How have you been?’ He asked finally and you snorted in response ‘What?’

‘You really want to know how I’ve been?’ You asked and he nodded in response ‘Hmm, well let me see. You broke my heart, swore to me that you weren't leaving me for your partner and yet end up with her less than two weeks later. Jee Javi how do you think I’ve been?’

‘I deserve that.’ He replied and you snort.

‘Yeah, you do.’ You spat, thumbing the envelope in your hands ‘That’s not the reason I called you.’

‘It isn’t?’

‘Weirdly enough I try and avoid meeting with exes that destroyed me.’ You growled and he flinched.

‘Then why did you ask to meet me?’ He questioned and you took a deep breath, readying yourself for what you were about to say.

‘I’m pregnant Javier.’ You replied ’12 weeks give or take a day or two.’ You finished, your eyes studying his reaction.

He said nothing so you pulled out the scan images as pushed them towards him, watching as he picked them up and stared at them, his fingers tracing over the glossy surface as tears started to fall down his cheeks.

‘Now would be a really good time to say something Javi.’

‘Lucy and I broke up.’ He said, eyes not leaving the images in his hand.

‘What?’ You replied, a little stunned by his response.

‘We uh… I realised that I’d made a huge mistake.’ He continued as you sat awaiting further clarification ‘I’ve missed you. Like crazy and I’ve been trying to pluck up the courage to call but I’m a fucking coward. I never cheated on you but I betrayed you. I thought that because we were having issues that our relationship had run its course but the truth is that I’ve been suffocating without you.’

‘Javi I don’t need to hear this.’ You growled, angry at his confession ‘I just need to know whether or not you want to be involved in our child's life. I don’t expect anything from you. Just an answer to my question.’

‘I want it all with you baby.’ He said, finally looking up at you with the most sincere look in his eyes ‘I want this baby with you. I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.’ He continued, letting out a stuttered breath ‘If you’ll have me.’

‘Javi that is all I’ve ever wanted with you.’ You replied and he let out a choked sob ‘But you broke me. That’s not something we can just come back from. I don't want to raise this baby alone. I want to raise it surrounded by love. I want nothing more than to raise it together but you broke my trust.' You paused, sipping at your coffee while Javi watched you hopefully 'Let’s just take this day by day and see what happens.’

‘Yeah okay.’ He replied as he took his hand in yours.

'But if you break my heart again I will kill you.' You chuckled.

'Pretty sure my dad is first in line if I do that again.' He replied and you both boomed at that.

You sat and talked for hours, taking you back to the time you’d first met and for the first time in what felt like months, you were able to breathe. You weren’t going to have to do this alone. You were finally going to have everything you’d ever wanted.

[tacticaldiary]

if you can, could you write a kageyama x f reader, angsttttt to fluff? i am absolutely in love with ur angst to fluff oikawa story and i rlly want more but just with kags lmao. thank you for writing them :)

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Here you go! @tobiovic

Take Me Seriously

Pairing: Reader x Tobio Kageyama 

Genre: Angst to Fluff

He thinks she’s the reason he’ll be ridiculed, but Kageyama soon discovers that he’s okay with that, as long as he gets to be with her. 

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“Thanks again, Y/N!” Yachi smiles. Y/N had seen Yachi struggle to carry a bunch of water bottles in her arms and had offered to help. They were now making their way to the gym, and Y/N was unusually excited. 

She would get to see her boyfriend, Tobio, practising for the first time. She had asked him if she could come to watch plenty of times before, but the request had always been shot down quickly, with him insisting that he wouldn’t be able to focus if she was there. She was curious to see him play. 

Y/N opens the gym doors with her free hand and steps in, holding the door open for Yachi, who quickly thanks her. She hears thumps of rubber on skin and yells, the moment she steps in. She scans the court and her eyes quickly find Kageyama, who’s arms are above his head, a look of pure concentration on his face as he prepares to set to Tanaka. 

She watches, a little impressed by how hard the ball hits the other side of the court. A loud bang behind her causes her to yelp and nearly drop the bottles. The door had shut a little too hard due to the wind, gaining the attention of everyone in the gym. 

Suddenly, everyone’s eyes are on her. She goes a little red at the attention and waves awkwardly. Locking eyes with her boyfriend, who has a look of disbelief on his face, her smile fades a little. Was he not happy to see her?

Hinata is the one who breaks the silence. “Y/N? What are you doing here?” he asks cheerfully.

“I was just helping Yachi bring these to you guys.” She nods at the bottles, walking over and placing them on the bench. She shared a few classes with Hinata, being a first year herself. 

“Well, you’ve done it. You can leave now.” Kageyama says bluntly, to which she feels a little hurt. Sugawara rolls his eyes and says. “Play nice.” He walks over to Y/N, a sweet smile on his face. 

“You’re welcome to stay, of course!” he says, to which she grins and nods. 

“Y-yeah! We’d like it if you stayed!” Nishinoya slides next to Y/N, giving her a thumbs up. Something about Nishinoya and Tanaka looking at you like they were, and their close proximity irked Kageyama, so he does the most rational thing he can think of. 

Walking over to her, he slings an arm around Y/N and pulls her away from them. She stumbles a little, putting a hand on his chest to steady herself. “Tobio?”

There’s a second of silence, where the others wonder why the setter would grab Y/N like that, then:

“Tobio?” comes Tsukishima's voice. Kageyama can already see that annoying smirk forming on the middle blockers face. “You call him Tobio?”

“I mean. I think it’s fine to call my boyfriend by his first name.” She laughs a little, looking up at him. Again, he looks tense, avoiding her gaze. 

The room falls into chaos after her statement. Shouts of, “Boyfriend?”, “You’re his girl?”, “How?” and “When?” fill the room, as the others look between the couple, back and forth, trying to make sense of the new information. Kageyama had a girlfriend? Since when?

“How much did he pay you to say that?” The others stifle a laugh at Tsukishima’s remark. The teasing continues, and Y/N frowns when she feels his grip tighten around her waist. Looking up he sees her avoiding their gaze with a clenched jaw. She can just make out the faint pink creeping up his ears. 

It’s only when Daichi raises his voice, telling them to go back to the game, that they snicker and go back to practising. Y/N makes herself comfortable on the bench, talking to the two managers, occasionally catching glimpses of her boyfriend. She admires his form, and the focused look on his face when he’s setting up the ball. The precision he has when handling the ball is impressive, even to Y/N who was the least familiar with volleyball in the room. 

Kageyama clenches his jaw in silent frustration when he accidentally sets one of the balls too high. It skims the top of Hinata’s fingers, before bouncing on the ground near Daichi.

“Nervous Y/N’s going to see you screw up?” Tsukishima smirks at him, to which he tells the blonde to shut up. 

As Daichi picks up the ball, he checks the time. “That should be enough for today. Let’s start packing up.” There’s little protest as the team starts putting the net away, and going to change. Y/N waits patiently on the bench, grinning and going to Kageyama when he comes out of the changing room.

“I didn’t realise you were this talented at volleyball! I don’t even know much about it, but even I can see that you were awesome!” His face goes a light shade of pink and he mutters a thanks, pushing past her to grab his bag. She doesn’t understand why he’s acting so cold towards her. Sure, Kageyama could be clueless and stoic sometimes, but he was rarely ever this cold towards her. Maybe he was just tired. Yeah, that’s it, she convinces herself, shaking off the uneasy feeling she had. As far as she knew, Y/N hadn't done anything wrong. 

The team ends up walking together to the school gates. Y/N is the main star for the day, as everyone wants to talk to her and see how Kageyama Tobio’s girlfriend is like. She laughs good-naturedly at their questions and answers them. Y/N is genuinely having a good time. She doesn’t know why he insisted she not attend his practises. These people were so fun to be around. Kageyama, however, is on the other end. He walks with a slight scowl on his face, next to Y/N. 

A few minutes later, Y/N notices his silence and reaches over to loop her arm around his like they usually did when walking. 

She’s understandably upset when he pushes her away, giving her an annoyed look. 

The others don’t seem to notice the little interaction, opting to talk amongst themselves with their usual banter. Y/N doesn’t talk much the rest of the way. 

Eventually the group gets smaller as people break away, going their own ways home. 

“Don’t let him push you around, Y/N!” Hinata grins over his shoulder as he parts ways with them. Y/N shakes her head playfully as he walks away with his bike, and then it’s just the two of them. The lively atmosphere from before completely dissipates and is replaced with tension. After a few good minutes of Kageyama saying nothing, Y/N breaks the silence. 

“What’s wrong?”

She’s met with silence. 

“I haven’t done anything, so I don’t get why you’re mad at me.”

Silence. 

“Tobio.”

He doesn’t even glance at her. 

“Tobio!” she grabs his arm, halting the both of them to a stop. They’re standing under a street lamp, which illuminated the spot, almost as if shining a spotlight on them. In the light, Y/N can clearly see his annoyed expression, and though she was used to his sulky moods, she didn’t know what had caused this one. 

“Tell me what’s wrong. Please.” She frowns.

“I told you not to come to practise.” he finally sighs. 

“Why not? I wanted to meet your team anyway. Is it a crime for me to want to see you do something you're passionate about?” she tilts her head questioningly. 

“No, no it’s just...they…” he struggles, not being very good at vocalising his feelings. “I don’t like not being treated seriously.” he finally mutters, gaze dropping to the ground. 

“Oh. It was the teasing, wasn’t it?” 

He nods once. 

“Come here.” she mumbles, pulling him to her, wrapping her arms around her. He is a bit stiff at first, but relaxes quickly, burning his face into her hair, taking deep breaths. They stay there in silence for a few seconds, soaking in each other's presence. It wasn’t often he let her show him this level of affection in public.  

She finally pulls away and meets his eyes. “They were just joking around. From what I saw on the court, they don’t treat you like you’re inferior, even if you're one of the youngest.” He holds her gaze. “If you really think they don’t treat you seriously when I’m around then...I’ll hold off showing up to your practises.”

“It’s not your fault.” he says. “I play better when you’re around, anyway.” He had noticed during the practise, that his sets had been more accurate than usual, which was saying something. The need to impress Y/N, even though he was iffy about her watching him, was always there.

“I just want to show that I support you.” she smiles softly, to which he melts a little on the inside. Not that he would ever show it. 

“Thank you. I’m sorry for upsetting you today.” His apology is genuine as he remembers the hurt look on her face when he yanked his arm out of her grapes earlier. 

She shakes her head, assuring him that she was fine, before pulling him along to keep walking. They slip into a much more comfortable silence, and when they reach Y/N’s doorstep, she invites him inside. He hesitates, before accepting. 

They end up napping together on the couch, with Kageyama holding her close to him. He admires her sleeping form, and brushes a strand of hair away from her face. As he holds her, he thinks that maybe he could bear the teasing a little while longer.

Requests are Open and Welcome

[intertexts]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK OK OK. UNDER THE FUCKING. CUT. GOD.

>LITERALLY SAME FUCKING BRAIN AB TRICKSTER CONTAINMENT ZONE. sososo fucked up that's so awesome to me. yeah. literally exactly like nilbog. fucking. bridgeport containment zone or something. side note the classic protectorate move of "eh let the supervillain have little a civilian as a treat so they don't go apeshit" always makes me feel insane. of course it makes sense it's just so tasty to me. ANYWAY of course he would get bored!!!!!!!!!!! makes sense!!!! i bet figuring out ways past all the master protocols are in place in a fucking. Wide Radius around his city is also a fun little puzzle... & OF COURSE HE GOES FOR ASHE!!!!!! of course!!!!!!!!!! maybe he sees him on the news or something & when he sees his breaker form-- the floor melting into lava! concrete and rebar floating around like balloons! everything going stretchy and strange and weird around him! maybe he sees the weird sudden shift in presence and emotion when the switch clicks! perfect catnip for him!!!!

>genuinely so fucking unwell over how he makes contact with ashe. btw. literally was sat staring at the wall for a solid 20 minutes thinking about this it's so fucked. it's so so so creepy and awful and bad i love it. yeah. god. ashe is so lonely!! he's so lonely!!!! of course he leans into the kindness of it!! he doesn't have any reason to be nervous about the friendly little interactions! he's never-- god dude. do u think the first time or two before he catches on he goes huh people are like. nice. wow. maybe being in the real world isn't as scary as i was always afraid of? my dad's just being paranoid-- 'ohh people are gonna kill you' the cashier said i had pretty hair! come on! :] & also of course. the implication that the trickster is always Watching him, knows where he is and when he's on a little side street so someone bumps into him or what buildings he's going in and when he leaves his house and when he's fighting with his dad and what his bag looks like and the routes he takes with dakota and will and virion on the subway... head in hands. head in hands!!!!!!!

>i can picture this all SO vividly in my head. btw. ashe picking up on it & the trickster's glee..... auughghgh. "are you familiar with the concept of a guardian angel" I'M GONNA FUCKNG *GET* YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! i'm gonna kill you!!!! and of COURSE it's bullshit but like-- what else does ashe have? *who* else does ashe have? what if there was some grown up who genuinely just wanted to help you and didn't know much about you except that you looked like you needed an umbrella and maybe a hug? who else does ashe have. his dad???????!!! im gonna throw up and die.

>DEVASTATED AT THE ASHE N THE WARDS STUFF. BY THEWAY. thinking abt ashe being stuck in their home when like-- obviously he could get out if he really wanted. anytime he wanted. i dunno. the implicit. trust? expectation? on mark's part? feeling ill over it. DAKOTA AND ASHE. what if i fucking died. do you want me dead??? is that what you want??!? i can't get over how much everything is finally going good for him for once. oh ashe you've spent the last ten years miserable and now you're finally getting real people ur age who want (!!?!!?!) to talk to you (!!?!?!!!) and you're going outside and you even have another weird friend looking out for you n doing kind things for you sometimes and you're finally getting to stretch the muscles of ur powers again and you get to like sit on rooftops with ur cool emo friend and do all the teenage shit you never thought you would and you're actually helping people, really doing something good for the first time!!!!!!!!!!!! when's the last time he was happy like this?

>failsafe bad habit of being too friendly... god. you know he's so popular he's the face of the wards for SURE. augh. dakota damascus i love you so dearly.... of course you would talk to the excited scared awkward teenager ur age in the crime scene... you're fucking insane for meeting someone in costume and then out of costume ur probably on subway ads & ur revealing ur identity to some nobody?? head in hands. ghgh .ok. interlude over.

>honestly i think they should learn he has powers via like. Stupid Shit. i think it should b something like. he's at their house one day (they have bullshit excuse for why there's no fucking adults there. i'm assuming virion & wibby r still nominally holding onto their secret identities.) & accidentally knocks over a cup & catches it w/ his telekinesis. or like goes to troubleshoot the computer while behind him all the cables & cords start to organize themselves. like, he's been living by himself for ten years & he's finally around friends he's comfortable around i think he just like, absently slips back into his habits at home (where he's equally if not Less comfy and happy and relaxed than at dakota and virion's place) & doesn't realize it until like. a solid ten seconds later. & then they have the Talk. sidebar related 2 wardsisms maybe ashe Does start joining them in unofficial rogue capacity on like, patrols n stuff, helps w/ a couple incidents, & it's the wards' director/manager/handler who's like Hey who the hell is this guy. is he your age? he shouldn't be doing that he'd be a great asset you should be giving a good example and recruit him!!! there's no world to me in which Any of them would actively. want ashe to join the wards without a reason. yk? none of them buy into all of that shit even dakota...

>THE LEVIATHAN ATTACK. GODDDDDDDDDDD. yeah. yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! meatball moment!!! <- CURSED THING TO SAY. in my defense its almost 2am. literally running out of words here but i'm obsessed w/ ur vision it's so good its so perfect. mark being the one to break him out of it & hugging him so tightly in the wind and the rain and they're both soaking wet and space-time is shifting and warping and bubbling around them & it's such a fucked situation to be in & ashe is just a skinny bony teenager underneath the coat and the layers... auuuuughghh. so many pained noises forever. the whole ashe breaker state thing also causes me unbelievably immense psychic damage for reasons You Will Find Out Eventually!! keep reading worm!! anyway. mark winters universe's most hated guy <3333

>all of the overlord stuff hits SO fucking well too dude ouughgh its so good. its so perfect. god. fucked up. so scary and terrifying & overlord is like. a pretty big fucking deal!! and now he's smeared all over the fucking walls!!!!!!!!! for a second i misread this paragraph as like-- ashe being Alone for this, going to find his dad & overlord Without the wards, & just the idea of that. of all of that happening & he doesn't even have anyone with him.... god.!!! i think the wards being there & seeing it all go down n seeing ashe run is better but the thought of him being absolutely alone in there n also just dropping off the face of the map to them... head in hands... fucked up.!!

>a kind stranger with glowing orange eyes. who hugs him, tells him everything will be okay, wipes his tears away. how can i help? do you need somewhere to stay for a while? I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GONNA GET YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nhw trickster to me is like. fucking mallard conway is to me in canon. kneejerk i NEED him crushed into a fine paste reflex i hate it so bad. if i think for too long abt how long and how thoroughly he's been watching ashe i will Do Something. god. this is all so clear & vivid to me yeayeayeah i see the vision. i see it!!!!!!!!!!!! it is like. Two in the morning for me so my brain is also soup but u better fucking believe ill b back on this bullshit tmrw... i Have the ideas. they need 2 get shook out!!

>also i wanna know what mark thinks when he eventually. wakes up figures out where he is maybe he doesn't go to prison yet but his son is Gone the shitass useless wards don't know where he is nobody knows where he is there's nothing & he's looking for weeks? months? until the news starts going with a new attack on some large public center by this notorious supervillain who's been dormant for some time. and-- hey. hey. who is that on the tv screen with him???

>SECOND also post post script or whatever. curious as to how much of the trickster's fixation on getting ashe specifically is because of the teleportation... suddenly he's got an elegant way to get out of this boring town where he's exhausted everything fun..

YEAYEAYEAG I FORGOR. TRICKSTER TIMELINE. SITTING DOWN WITH MY PENCIL AND NOTES!!!!!!

OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. this is all a bunch of half-formed-while-at-work ideas so if they dont make sense im blaming it on that.

first. backrground worldbuilding context. u know how nilbog is like . they keep him sort of quarantined because they let him take over a town and be a little king of his own territory there (at least i think this is what happened. to my understanding) . im thinking maybe pre-nhw times trickster was in a similar situation. hes this horribly powerful terrifying master but his big weakness is that hes motivated by chaos, motivated by finding things funny or entertaining. he doesnt want to take over the world in the same way a villain like coil does, he wants to take over things because theyre fun, because theyre interesting, because he thrives in destruction and chaos . if they just like... let him take over a town, let him have his little army of puppets to play with, he stays somewhat contained on his own unless any other cape pokes their nose where they shouldnt. i assume the prt would monitor him from a safe distance just in case, but he falls sort of low on the priority list when theyve got other issues to distract them. and this works for a while.... until he gets bored. hes caused all the damage he possibly can in his little chaos zone, taken over the last of the remaining civilians... theres no challenge for him anymore.

but HEY. news from one of the closest big cities... theres a new cape thats joined the wards team, and his powers look. so fun. imagine the possibilities for silly fun distruction with powers like that. so hes got a new challenge. He Wants That Toy. i think he approaches ashe using one of his puppets first. hes not stupid, he knows the prt is watching him, he knows if he leaves his city theyll be on him in an instant, so he sends like... unassuming regular normal people. theres nothing special about them they arent even capes. but theyve all got these glowing orange eyes. and it starts small- ashe accidentally bumping into someone on the street, and they smile at him as they help him pick up his bag. a cashier giving him a complement on his outfit. after a particularly rough fight with his dad, ashe leaves home to go to the wards house. its pouring down rain, maybe hes crying as he walks. a friendly stranger offers him their umbrella. asks him whats wrong. ashe winters, clinically lonely teenager who has had extremely rare and paranoid contact wiht the outside world for 10 years. does not see anything wrong with these nice orange-eyed strangers. call it naivety, call it innocence, whatever. hes not stupid though. every time one of these people talk to him, they have the same smile. the same inflection in their voices. one time he asks them who they are, why they keep being so nice to him. i think this takes the trickster by such surprise that. camera cut to him in his lair taylor style and he just. sits up straight eyes wide, huge grin on his face. yeah this is the one.

he drops the illusion of being different people and leans into it. he calls himself something insidiously innocent sounding. "just someone who wants to help" "are you familiar with the concept of a guardian angel?" << EUGHHGHG THIS ONE MAKES ME SICK. ashe isnt stupid. he knows thats weird. but the idea of someone out there who doesnt know him, doesnt know the horrible things hes been through and done, just wanting to help him for no reason. its tempting!!!!! so he doesnt mention his secret friend to anyone, just... accepts the gifts as theyre given. this guy doesnt ever ask for anything in return, even! it all. comes to a head though with the overlord thing.

im gonna switch now to kind of talk about ashe timeline outside of trickster stuff. the wards are together maybe a year or two before they meet him. ashe is in his rebellious teen phase, hes frustrated, he wants to have a life to live, hes tired of being in his room, hes tired of his dad not telling him shit and leaving for days at a time, hes just so. lonely. so one time, when mark is on a long weekend "business trip", ashe sneaks out of the house. now. mark is a tinker, you bet your ass hes rigged their house to the teeth with motion sensors and cameras and shit . but ashe is smart. ashe also has powers. ashe has not used his powers in a Long Time, but hes so mad and hes already made up his mind, he wants to get OUT and hes doing it TONIGHT. so he messes with marks equipment and leaves. goes for a walk. maybe goes to like. a gas station convenience store to buy a slushie wiht the crumpled 5 dollar bill he found in the pocket of the jacket he grabbed from the closet on his way out (its marks).

theres. some sort of trouble that he gets caught up in. something minor, maybe someone tries to rob the store while hes there or something. maybe its something silly like le frog. idk. but hey guess who is on patrol in the area to deal with it !!!!!!! its failsafe. and dakota has this bad habit of being Too Friendly with people. hey theres this kid my age who looks SUPER uncomfortable and hes hiding behind his long hair and this big jacket and he looks kind of miserable but he just has this ENERGY about him like . adrenaline. giddy excitement. something like that. and dakota is just drawn to him. at first its a "check on the civilians involved to make sure theyre okay" and then its a "wow youre a blue raspberry guy? i like cherry more but my friend really likes blue raspberry too, you kind of remind me of him, i think youd get along-" cole style! rambling! and ashe is just sitting there like. why are you. talking to me. (<< same inflection as why are you in my house bc i fucking love that those are his first words i miss you so much ashe winters) but internally hes like "whoa this is so cool this whole talking to people thing is so easy my first night out in 10 years and im already making friends with a fucking cape, okay-"

ANYWAY. whatever whatever dakota runs into him a few more times on patrol and because hes. him. hes always really excited like "HEY I KNOW YOU!" etc. idk! whatever! they become friends! he meets the rest of the wards when theyre out of costume, dakota seeks him out out of costume specifically because he wants to be friends but oh my god ive only ever talked to this guy as failsafe i need to talk to him as dakota. the boys become ashes first friends ever! and then he. excited that he has someone to talk to other than his dad for the first time in forever. he tells them or shows them or whatever that he has powers. and then he learns about them being wards. idk this in btween state is still fuzzy to me. he helps them out sometimes acting as a rogue. idk how or why he officially joins the team but he does somehow. eventually. mark is EXTREMELY displeased wiht this, but its at a point where... turning down the offer would almost be more suspicious. whatever. help me out here i havent throught about this part as much.

ANYWAY. SOMETIME AFTER ASHE IS OFFICIALLY ON THE TEAM. the leviathan attack happens. i feel so very strongly about the leviathan attack being the equivalent event to the Meatball Planet only like. so much worse. leviathan is showing up in some random coastal city called. idk. maybe brockton bay. for funsies. and all the capes in new haven are called on for the battle. (tide especially. but this aint about him rn). mark winters is the kinda guy who would hear that and go "no fucking way i want no part of that my first and only priority is protecting myself and my son i dont give a shit about another city or other capes" but. he has to go. because overlord wants him to go. for whatever reason. and mark, knowing about ashes whole thing with the wards now, puts him on total lockdown. dont even fucking THINK about going anywhere near this. i dont care if your team gets summoned, you. stay. here. etc etc etc. the wards, ironically, do not actually get summoned! they are really powerful, yeah, but the prime force is already goign to be there and the prt cannot risk their backup prime force also getting taken out because they dont have a third option to turn to right now. the boys Do No Like This because! tide is going. they want to go with tide. they plan to sneak away and follow anyway. ashe tells them mark put him on lockdown he cant go with him. they break him out and the 4 of them get to town in the MIDDLE of the fight. shit is baaad. they kind of regret it almost immediately. but theyre here now they have to fight. i actually think it would be cool if. like with the meatball planet thing. having the nhw there is a huge advantage and they start winning. but. i think this is the first time they see ashe's breaker state. maybe its because one of the wards gets hurt, maybe he sees his dad going up against leviathan alone at one point, idk. something in that vein. i think breaker state ashe is actually the catalyst they need to start winning against leviathan, the thing that distracts him enough right in time for scion to get there and do his thing or whatever. the battle is over, they have a REALLY hard time getting ashe out of his breaker state. (side note i think the only way ashe can really come down from breaker state is by having whatever threat set him off completely removed from the situation. however bc he doesnt recognize good from bad in this state, any sense of big power or sudden movement or whatever is enough to kind of reset that meter and it just gets harder to break him out the longer they make moves toward him.) personally, because im biased as fuck, i think it would be sooooooooooooo fucking good to have mark be the one to get him out of breaker state here. the wards have never seen this side of his powers, they dont understand why trying to help him only makes him worse, the battle is over shouldnt he be okay now? but mark has seen this before. mark knows, if only instinctually, what worked before. maybe itll work again. and hes fucking pissed, hes pissed that ashe is here, that he disobeyed him, that he put himself in the worst fucking danger possible, that this is all the wards fault etc etc. but he HAS to push that anger to the side for a second to get ashe to come back to his right state of mind. they can have a screaming match about it later when reality is not actively bending and breaking around them. i also think this would be good for the wards to see that mark isnt... totally a horrible person. they only really know him from ashe, theyre super biased against him they hate his guts from the things theyve heard, but here. they just. get to see how much he loves ashe and even though his actions fucking suck and ashe has been miserable as a result... hes not an evil guy. hes just the universes most hated man.

ANYWAY. BACK TO THE ORIGINAL POINT OF THE POST. reports from the leviathan fight and the new member of the wards whose powers turned the tide (ha) of the battle. this is how the trickster learns about him. so ALL THAT STUFF i talked about before happens . and then mark goes missing. ashe doesnt. realize it at first maybe. hes used to his dad being gone for days at a time, but hes never stayed away for longer than a week. day 3 passes with not even an update from mark and he starts to get a little anxious, day 5 passes and still nothing, day 8 hes. freaking out. the wards are maybe a little crass about it "that guy sucks you can just stay with us" btu then they see ashe is like. genuinely distressed about it and they say theyll help him look for him.

mark. maybe disobeyed overlord in some way. idk. he did something stupid that made overlord mad enough to punish him. the wards track down the guy mark is working for (i imagine their knowledge about What He Does in this au is a lot more limited than in canon. they know hes wavelength, they know wavelength workds for someone, but they dont know who that someone is). they track down overlord and bust into his base and its. idk. similar ish scene to canon. ashe sees his dad in whatever the equivalent is of the tube he was in in pd. hes unconscious, but they cant tell whether hes alive or not. this sets ashe off almost IMMEDATELY into breaker state. and overlords base is not . the largest thing in the world. maybe its like. warehouse sized. but its still an enclosed space. shit gets dangerous FAST. ashe ends up killing overlord and its pretty gruesome and horrible. when he gets out of breaker state and fully processes what he did, he just. runs. he doesnt know what else to do. hes scared hes upset he still doenst know if his dad is alive (did he just lose the only family he has left? was this the thing mark was hiding them from for so long? mark dead, ashe a murderer, is that what simurgh wanted?) . he thinks the wards will hate him for what he did so instead of fighting them he runs! and who. is conveniently waiting for him. a kind stranger with glowing orange eyes. who hugs him, tells him everything will be okay, wipes his tears away. how can i help? do you need somewhere to stay for a while?

ashe is gone for a handful of weeks before the note appears on the wards' door.

IDK. THIS IS ALL SO LIKE. VIVID TO ME BUT AS ALWAYS IF U HAVE OTHER IDEAS I AM SOOOO OPEN TO THEM. i have a lot more thoughts about the trust that trickster tries to build with him through his puppets but this post is so fucking long already that might just have to be a full separate thing . god. im so FUCKING unwell. nhw disease instead of brain there is nhw. ashe im so sorry we put you in the blender i promise i love oyu and want you to be happy. what are your thoughts i need 2 know. oauguhg. dying 2 talk about this. as if i didnt just write out like a thousand words talking about it.

[disfordevineaux]

Hello ! So if you finished watching season 4, could you share your opinion on it ? Did it meet your expectations ? Was the ending satisfying ?

HELLO! Yes, yes I have. Pretty much the second it came out I was watching it. I have pretty much been in a gif making coma for the last 3 days since its release, and I think the fact it's over has now just hit me.

I really liked s4. It was rushed, yes, but that's understandable considering the context. S4 was clearly not the initial plan. Not many Netflix aminated TV shows reach S6 or past that, so I have a feeling they were going for 6 seasons but had to cut it short. It's better than it getting officially cancelled. Which is most likely why season 4 was full to the brim with actions and character development. So I'm not mad at the quick end but I would have loved at least one more season to really flesh the development and plot points. No more so than the Devineaux development in regards to the new Julia and Chase dynamic.

Before I go into that I want to address the solo Chase-ness that was fantastic. Chase got his ass kicked like 5 times this season, once by a chair.

And was clocked by a frisbee for good measure too.

Oh, and landed on his car another time. The pain in his face... I- help this man.

But he got to kick some of his own asses this season too ofc.

Anyway, Chase really stood up and said ‘I am a Himbo’ this season and it filled me with joy. Just look. veryveryveryvery handsome as always I approve of this message.

Enough said.

Let me get on with the big thing I want to talk about. The Chase and Julia dynamic reinvention.

If I’m honest, it did feel quick, due to time constraints, but not out of nowhere. My expectations for Chase and his growth was blown out of the water. I was incredibly impressed with his physical display for admiration for Julia in the end. His way of officially apologising, (as someone said on a rb of one of my posts), Chase is a person of action and his grand gesture of giving Julia the spotlight, as well as a few glowing compliments and a callback and twist of what he used to say, was a great twist on just an ordinary apology. I adore how you can clearly see that he means it.

It was monumental, if a subtle display of respect that clearly struck a positive chord with Julia, and only could have with Julia. Just look at her face in the gif above, PURE. She clearly seemed as though she had decided to forgive his past transgressions after his help in her rescue.

Most definitely helping in her decision to return to ACME to be his partner again. Know she isn't alone and that Chase truly has changed for the best. I love how Chase was complete rapture that she had decided to return, even going for a hug. The guy really went from S1 striving to be stoic all the time, to allow himself to wear his emotions and expressiveness on his sleeves. Just, good vibes right there. It felt like the s4 Chase we got was always there but hidden by his ego and by himself deliberately.

Wholesome stuff my guys. My heart was FULL. I tell you. FULL. I slapped my hand to my chest in awe. He even asked: ‘But your academic career?’ and was happy to be finally able to hunt down real criminals with her, as, and I quote, a family. Adorable.

Don’t even get me started on the fist-bumping. I would throw myself into a pit of fire for them.

And those inside jokes? I could be here all day. Their dynamic now, if not nearly displayed a much as I wanted, was nourishing to my soul. Just LOOK

And that is just one scene.

After the first time jump of 3 weeks, they appeared to be finally enjoying one another company, a true team. Then after 6 months, it seemed even more natural, playful too. They trusted each other's abilities and opinions. Sharing their belief that Carmen was good as well as supporting one another as good partners should, especially Chase. They look so comfortable in each other presence it was immaculate.

They appeared content, and I loved that most of all. Chase was genuinely interested in Julia’s explanations and it was heartwarming to see. Julia appreciating it too. Watching them interact as close friends now was such a treat. The last 2-3 episodes, in particular, Chase even asking her to continue and adding onto her historical divulges. Awesome stuff. And Julia running into Carmen just as she was about to punch Chase’s lights out was pretty sweet too, as well as her getting one in on Cleo, GO GIRL GO. Julia this season had so much more depth. Loved it.

Also, finding out Chase’s name is in fact a self-given nickname was right on theme with the show. So many people with real names we will never know.

Back onto the expressions and his enthusiasm. I mean LOOK. This dude- AND THE CAT JACKET RETURNS!

He just loves his wordplay.

Anyway- The effect Julia had on him was profound and just fantastic to see. He wanted to be better. Chase will no doubt rub off some of his own flairs onto her in due time I'm sure.

Chase working with carmen and the small interaction we got were great as well. Still a little rigid, but full of intrigue.

Chase wanting to go and save Julia, because he earlier felt as though this was all his fault, was precious too. And the whole Tigress and Chase fight scene was amazing. He trapped her inside a casket, iconic. And Chase showing up as Julia is like ‘omfg Devineaux is that you?’ As he just all suave says ‘fashionably late as always’ and pushes his messy hair back like HOOO BOY you lovely little stinker I would die for you. He was ready to fight 1 v 3. No one has the same determination as a Devineaux. For an ordinary guy, he is really able to keep up with the best, if not behind a tad I MEAN UM. DUDE SLID DOWN THE STAIRS AND JUMPED RIGHT INTO A HOLE. No second thought THEN SWUNG HIMSELF OVER NO PROB? Who is this athlete of a man?

Like my man, you are not graceful at all please let carmen do it.

In the end, he really did save them both which was vindication, Speaking of vindication:

Okay, I really went off track and hardly said what I wanted to say. I got carried away with gifs. I think I said what I wanted to say? Right now my brain is still mushie.

To finalize: I was content with the end. Zack and Ivy joining ACME as Carmen has some time to go truly find herself was an interesting idea. The 2 year time jump at the end left a few holes but hey, I’ll take it. Shadowsan returning to his brother was so nice to see, and Player all alone in the restaurant kinda broke my heart. The entire storyline with Chase and Julia was absolutely, revolutionary. It was what we deserved, what they deserved.

I think my love for Chase really made me live for the scenes and moments we got of him alone and interacting with others. Season 3-4 really were his crowning glory. I'm proud of him.

Also, I want to mention the Zack/Turtle scene because I nearly died when I saw it the way the turtle wiggles and the way he rUNS I- okay goodbye.

[azucanela]

SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

PAIRING: SUGAWARA KOUSHI X FEM!READER

REQUEST: if you’re feeling into it a suga fic where they like dated during high school and later get back together after college would be awesome!! maybe fem y/n was manager for karasuno or something and they just broke up bc of distance! and if you don’t want to do this that’s perfectly okay! take care of yourself, you’re an amazing writer!!

WARNINGS: ANGST TO FLUFF. KISSING. MILD TIMESKIP SPOILERS.

WORD COUNT: 1.9k

A/N: i love suga, SUGA SUPREMACY, thank you for the request it was fun to write!

HAIKYUU!! MASTERLIST

HE LOVED HER AND THERE WAS NO DENYING IT, but it wouldn’t be the first time that two people very in love had been forced apart for whatever the circumstances. 

You could see it in the way he forced her onto the inside of the sidewalk— a small thing done in an attempt to keep her safe from possible incoming cars. You could see it in the way Sugawara’s eyes fell on her absently, so encapsulated with her words and the passion in her voice. You could see it in the way he seemed to light up when he saw her in the stands of his volleyball games, even though he likely wouldn’t be playing. 

And oh did Y/N L/N love him as well. Her sad smiles at the mention of his name were evidence enough, and if not, it was the way she frequently asked Daichi and Asahi of his health full well knowing the boy had a tendency to forego taking care of himself when he was so caught up in the well being of others.

Kageyama had observed it early on— or more accurately, Hinata had observed it early on, pointing out to the young setter that his senior was obviously enamored with their second manager. Hinata’s emotional intelligence had always been far ahead of Kageyama’s, although Kageyama had noticed the difference in... treatment between the pair, he had never truly realized they were dating.

But it soon became abundantly clear that they were in fact, together. And Y/N L/N wasn’t just the other manager of the Karasuno Boy’s Volleyball Team, but the girlfriend of Sugawara Koushi.

Which is the main reason why Kageyama had suspected she hated him early on, after all he’d taken her boyfriend’s spot on the starting line up, and he had bluntly pointed this fact out to her by the vending machine one day. Though Y/N had simply laughed it off, bringing a hand to Kageyama’s shoulder and offering him a smile.

Just like Sugawara had. Maybe that’s what made them the perfect pair, Kageyama wasn’t sure. But anyone with a set of eyes could tell they were a disgustingly perfect couple. 

Which is why Kageyama had never imagined they would break up. Nor had anyone in the club really. Even Asahi and Daichi were left in shock as the pair went their separate ways. 

It was supposed to make things easier, leaving. They would both be abandoning everything they ever knew and heading off to college after all, and seeing as they’d both ended up at different colleges... well, how plausible was a long distance relationship? 

It was a mutual break up. That they mutually did not want. 

Not much changed if Y/N is honest, and maybe that’s why she didn’t find herself sobbing in her bed until she actually got to college. It was just a label, but at one point... the change became alarmingly clear to her— the fact that she and Sugawara Koushi were no longer together.

Sugawara felt it in the little things, when he went to message her good morning and remember that... they weren’t together anymore. Did Y/N even want a good morning text? Maybe she was receiving one from someone else now. 

Talking wasn’t awkward, with the silent agreement that if they ever needed someone to talk to, they would always be there. But the change was painful enough to drive them apart in a way that wasn’t just physical. 

It’s not until she’s seeing him again that Y/N is reminded of that very pain once more, though the smile on her face is still very genuine and authentic as she throws her arms around the three boys from her third year. 

Sugawara holds on for a little too long. 

“It’s so good to see you guys! Are we all excited for our boys’ final tournament of their third year?” She exclaimed as she wrapped an arm around Kiyoko.

Daichi ruffles Y/N’s hair as he grins, “of course I’m excited to see them win again.” Comes his reply.

And of course, Asahi finds himself beaming with an albeit nervous smile as he agrees, “definitely! I believe in them.”

“I dunno guys, maybe Hinata will forget to spike again,” Sugawara chimes in, jokingly of course, while Kiyoko nods along with the rest of her friends as she offers them a small smile. Her eyes drifting to the arm that Sugawara throws over Y/N’s shoulder. “It’ll be just like old times!”

Just like old times indeed.

Daichi finds himself giving Asahi a look, that is returned with a look of confusion until he gently shoves him forward, a look of realization washing over his face as he begins to walk faster and Kiyoko says, “why don’t we head on over to our seats guys?” She turns to Y/N and Sugawara, “would you mind getting us some snacks from the vendors?”

The pair exchanges looks momentarily before Y/N offers Kiyoko a smile as she nods, “yeah, of course. Any preferences?”

“The usual!” Daichi replies, waving them off as he drags Asahi away, winking at Sugawara before disappearing around the corner alongside Kiyoko as well. 

Sugawara simply raises a brow, opening his mouth to say something until Y/N’s hand comes to grasp his own— loosely holding the one wrung around her shoulder as she begins to speak of which vendor they should visit.

But the only thing he can focus on is the ring she wears. For a moment, he panics, thinking that someone else has already snatched her away, that he lost the woman he loves.

Until he looks a little closer and recognizes the very promise ring he’d given her in their third year, almost identical to the one he was currently wearing around his neck, attached to a chain he’d purchased shortly into his first year of college. After all, he couldn’t bring himself to take it off either. 

Y/N seems to take note of this, pausing before noticing where his gaze has fallen, her cheeks warming at the realization. “I’ve been meaning to return the ring to you, sorry about that.” She releases his hand with a tight lipped smile, moving to remove the ring, only for Sugawara’s hand to come over hers as he shakes his head.

“Keep it. What would I do with it anyways?” And who else would he give it to?

Y/N pauses, eyes drifting between the ring and Sugawara for a moment before replying, “okay.”  

It’s not that they hadn’t talked at all in the past few years, just that things had changed and now neither of them new where the boundaries were. What could they do? What couldn’t they? Where was the invisible line between friend and former lover? It was a line they danced around in each interaction and today was no different.

Y/N finds herself desperately needing some space as she inhales deeply, perhaps it’s because she’s shocked by how easily he’d wormed his way back into her heart in the five seconds they’d been together now. Or maybe it’s the reminder that nothing had changed, she was still going to college across the country.

It’s not until they’re seated beside each other once more, two years later, that Y/N realizes nothing had changed. 

It’s a party they’d thrown for the New Year, and practically a get together for their teammates, new and old. They pair had managed to get onto professional teams— to no ones surprise. Although the fact that they’d be opposing each other was a surprise. 

Somehow, Y/N and Sugawara had found themselves on the balcony of the home, fresh out of college— which had really been the only thing keeping them apart up until now.

So, something had changed.

“You’re officially a teacher!” Y/N exclaimed, beaming at Sugawara with a smile that he quickly returns, drink in hand. 

He’s leaning against the balcony. eyes drifting towards the lively city as he replies, “kind of. I was lucky to even get hired so soon after graduating.” He takes a sip of his drink, “I just hope next year is better.”

A small laugh escapes Y/N as she downs what is left of her own drink, “me too, Suga.” Their eyes meet, and she can see the way he stiffens at the name, it had been a while since she’d called him by anything other than his first name. Though Y/N disregards this fact as she asks, “so what school are you working at?”

Y/N can see the passion in his eyes as he begins to speak of the school he’ll be working at, nodding along until she realizes, she recognizes the name, mouth gaping open as she asks, “are you serious? I recently got a job at one of the corporations in that area!” She exclaimed. Sugawara is opening his mouth to say something when they suddenly hear the people inside cry out—

10.

“Oh! I didn’t realize it was that time.” Y/N mumbled, looking inside to see their friends— new and old— congregating together around the TV. She wonders how time could’ve passed so quickly, it feels as though she had only ventured out to the balcony a few minutes prior because last Y/N had checked, it was barely 10PM.

9.

Sugawara allows a laugh to escape him as he nods, “time flies by when you’re having fun right?” And Y/N finds herself in shock momentarily, wondering if maybe he’d read her mind.

8.

Y/N turns to him, offering him a small smile as she nods in agreement, “it does. Doesn’t it?” And Sugawara is left feeling breathless, even after all these years, her smile still seems to have that effect on him. 

7.

“I did, have fun. By the way.” Sugawara says, eyes darting between the door of the balcony and Y/N. His words are true, he did have fun, of course Sugawara would never consider lying to Y/N. And even if he did try, Sugawara had a feeling she’d be able to tell. 

6. 

“We should head back inside.” She continues, eyes drifting back towards where their friends are calling out the countdown. Huddled together, Y/N finds herself smiling at the sight of Tanaka’s arm around Kiyoko’s shoulder.

5.

Y/N meets Kiyoko’s eyes momentarily, and the look Kiyoko gives her is one of urgency, one that tells her, “don’t you dare come back here right now.” But Y/N finds herself rolling her eyes as she begins to head back inside. 

4.

Their relationship had been over for years, and yet Kiyoko was still trying to convince her that the boy’s feelings never changed. Though Y/N wouldn’t deny that she would always love Sugawara— and she had no doubt that he still loved her— those feelings were probably purely platonic now. Right?

3.

Right. Y/N shakes off the feeling as she continues inside, until she feels a hand wrap around her wrist, keeping her from carrying on inside and yanking her backwards. Y/N finds herself colliding with Sugawara’s chest with a gasp.

2.

Sugawara’s eyes meet hers, a clear question within them as he wordlessly places his drink on the rim of the balcony. The hand on her wrist still firmly placed there as Y/N nods slowly.

1. 

And suddenly his lips finds hers, Y/N’s arm winding around his neck with her drink still in hand while Sugawara’s hand comes to her waist in an attempt to pull her closer. Almost desperate to be closer to each other as the crowd inside begins screaming and cheering. Y/N frees her other hand from his grasp and brings it to his shirt to tug him even closer while his other hands comes to her cheek.

When they pull away, Sugawara is grinning as he says, “happy new year, babe.”

[chuckaf]

Chuck Fic Rec List: Updated

So my fic rec post was in my notifs again the other day, and I noticed a while back that the formatting on the post has gotten all messed up and it’s also had like three reblog additions to it anyway meaning there are three versions out there lol. so, I wanted to do another list of chuck fic recs! I’ll keep the other one up still, so I’m not gonna repeat every fic here, just some I really recommend. I’m also adding the fic summaries, which I didn’t on the old post, and some more of my own opinions so, buckle up for a long post!

Chuck Versus the Steampunk Chronicles | Steampunk.Chuckster

1896. A world powered by steam, where humans and machines coexist, and airships are the fashionable mode of transport. The US Empire's deepest and darkest secrets arrive at Chuck Bartowski's doorstep. Have they fallen into the wrong hands? Or will the inventor prove his mettle, even while he's forced to hide from the very people he's protecting? AU, ongoing chronicle, Charah.

A genuinely incredible AU story, with an entire crafted world and universe, so detailed it frequently blows my mind. There is heart and family and infuriatingly brilliant slow-burn, plus a buttload of danger and super fun historical/steampunk action. Oh how I LOVE it.

Chuck vs the Charade | somedeepmystery

When computer nerd Chuck Bartowski returns home to an empty apartment and a dead girlfriend he finds himself embroiled in a deadly game of espionage and deceit. Everyone around him is playing a part to get what they want and when he starts falling for the new woman in his life, he can't help but wonder if he can trust her or if she's the one he should fear the most.

An action and twist-filled AU based on the movie Charade, which is just such a brilliant fic concept I absolutely adored it from the start.

Two Sides of the Same Coin | dettiot

When you're a spy, there's all kinds of occupational hazards when you work with another spy. For Sarah Walker, though, one mission becomes a life-changing experience. Because working with Charles Carmichael leads to protecting Chuck Bartowski.

The first time I read this fic my mind was just blown to its genius. Such a brilliant interpretation of what the Intersect and its concepts set up in the show could be, and ooooof the Chuck/Sarah interactions, my HEART. Related to it, its companion piece:

A Flip of the Coin | dettiot

What made Charles Carmichael agree to become Chuck Bartowski? Well, to start, it wasn't as much of a change as you'd think. A companion to the early chapters of Two Sides of the Same Coin from Carmichael's perspective.

Chuck vs The Butterfly Effect | n7agentbartowski

Chuck Bartowski is a normal guy who just hit rock bottom. No girlfriend, no career and no super computer stuck inside his head. It isn't until Chuck meets a gorgeous stranger on the beach that he begins to think his life is about to change for the better. An AU Chuck fic without the Intersect. "Change one thing and it changes everything."

I said it on the OG post, but this story has one of my top 5 Chuck/Sarah fic meetings. So funny, so... very Chuck. The story is a little angsty overall, but a great read.

Chuck vs the Rogue Spy | Crumby

When a rogue spy from Chuck Bartowski's past shows up to help him during his first solo mission, Chuck hopes that he'll finally find out what happened to Sarah Walker. Post-S2 AU.

There’s a lot of Season 3 fix-it fics out there, which I don’t usually read bc I actually love season 3 lol, but this one’s a good one! A twisty deviation from canon, but still feels really true to character.

Chuck Versus the Nerds Rewrite | Steampunk.Chuckster and David Carner

What happens when two nerds talk endless hours about their favorite TV show? A new take on the show you know, but with the flair, twists, and turns you've come to expect from Steampunk . Chuckster and david . carner. Somewhat canon. Charah.

As the summary says, a different take on the show, which honestly makes a couple changes I would too, but also adds a bunch of fun twists and plots that make it totally new and fresh. Seeing Chuck and Sarah’s thoughts in the more canon sections is just delicious, too.

The Trapped Assassin | SarahsSupplyCloset

After a mission goes awry, the CIA's most lethal assassin is ordered to take vacation while her superiors figure out what to do with her. But when she meets a disarming tourist, their immediate connection only adds to her disillusionment with the agency and her career. Will he be enough for her to finally take the plunge and leave the only life she's ever known? Charah AU

A warning for the very justified M rating if you don’t like that sort of thing, but this is definitely a plot-heavy fic, too. A really neat Sarah-heavy AU, with a whole lotta Chuck/Sarah fancy French vacationy goodness.

Chuck vs the Second Chance | malamoo

AU from mid-season 2 and onwards. Chuck and Sarah part ways only to be reunited years later. COMPLETE.

Literal, crying-at-my-screen angst. Not even a super happy ending. But a brilliantly written, part-reflective/flashback fic, exploring what would’ve happened if Chuck and Sarah’s relationship really was an assignment all along-- and the aftermath. It’s heartbreaking. But if you want a little heartbreak, this is your fic.

Ready at Your Hand | dettiot

In the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a Catholic plot against the queen comes to the attention of spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham. To protect Elizabeth, he develops an unusual plan: hide the passing of intelligence between two agents by a false romance. When Lady Sarah Walker and Chuck Carmichael meet, though, their pretend flirtation becomes much more.

I love Chuck fic for the very reason that it’s inspired such adventurous and totally unique AUs. Here’s some Elizabethan fake-dating Chuck and Sarah! They have to be so Proper, it’s like that hand moment from Pride and Prejudice but Elizabethan and times a billion. The pining!!

Sarah Versus Getting Married | Steampunk.Chuckster

Sarah Walker is getting married. Canon. Charah.

I’d recommend all of SC’s fics if I had the room, and I’m already recommending a ton sksks but most of my fic recs are AUs, and this one isn’t! It’s canon, and covers some of in the gap in 4x24, with Sarah just before the wedding itself. Super sweet, heart-tugging, brilliant.

A Chuckmas Carol | Mikki13

A new twist to Dickens' beloved "A Christmas Carol". When Sarah begins to shut out the world around her, three spirits come to show her the error of her ways. Season 3 AU.

Another Season 3 AU, this one written pre-series so it definitely doesn’t fit to canon, but it’s still wonderfully rich in character depth and angst and it also made me cry. Plus, festive!

Chuck Versus Thin Ice | Steampunk.Chuckster

On the doorstep of the Olympics, top American curler Sarah Walker has lost her mixed doubles partner and her boyfriend in one fell swoop. Her coaches throw newbie Team U.S.A. curler Chuck Bartowski onto her team and thrust them into the Olympics, hanging America's curling hopes on two people who only have a short amount of time to learn to trust one another. Charah AU.

Do you like curling? Or the Winter Olympics? It doesn’t really matter because somehow this fic made me extremely invested in both of those things, as well as Chuck and Sarah and them being INSUFFERABLE. Catch me now knowing a ton about curling thanks to this fic.

Walker’s Eleven | Moonlight Pilot

Not the same plot as the movie. Sarah Walker never got out of the con game or became a spy, and now she's on her final con. What happens when true love and betrayal get added to the mix? Twists, turns, and Jeffster!

Con!Sarah always interests me, and this fic is full of her. Lotta con plot, lotta Chuck and Sarah.

The Detective and the Tech Guy | thecharleses

Sarah Walker is a Pinkerton detective. Chuck Bartowski is an electronics genius. They wouldn't have met except for a case of mistaken identity and murder. Will the detective and the tech guy solve the mystery, distracted by the riddle in their own hearts? An homage to The Thin Man film series. Formerly co-written by Steampunk . Chuckster and dettiot, now ONLY Steampunk . Chuckster.

Everyone in this fic is so damn cool. There are so many martinis. But also great heart and family and like, standing up for who you love, and later also Chuck with Baby Clara content which frankly the show robbed us of. Also, PI!Sarah!!!

Gravity | Poetic4U

AU. Sarah makes a decision that altered her life forever.

This is just a one-shot, which many of these stories are not, so a good one if you don’t fancy a big read! Just because it’s short, though, doesn’t mean it’s lacking; a really awesome what-if AU, and heavy on the Chuck and Sarah.

A Yuletie Tale | Steampunk.Chuckster

Sarah Walker was dumped the day before Christmas Eve, and her Plus One at her work’s annual Christmas Eve Soiree is now officially a Plus Zero. Her best friend Ellie Bartowski has a solution to her problem, and Sarah finds she isn’t quite as sure about it as Ellie is. AU Christmas Charah.

I’m particularly in love with this fic because, instead of beginning with a meet-cute, it involves Chuck and Sarah already two years into a friendship-- Sarah is Ellie’s best friend. And she’s been crushing harrrd on Ellie’s brother. Also Chuck is in a tux. It’s pretty.

Set, Spike, Dive! | Frea O’Scanlin

Chuck never expected to even make it to the Olympics. Everything is working against him: he's too tall for a diver, too inexperienced for a medal, too much of a wildcard to really make his mark. But an unexpected meeting at the airport, some intriguing new friends, and a whirlwind romance on the sand just might set up London 2012 as the time of Chuck Bartowski's life.

A London 2012 AU, because why not. This is just a fun Olympic-y ride!

OTP (One True Pairing) Prompts | David Carner

A series of Prompts I found online about different times and places in Chuck and Sarah's life. Mostly AU, mostly one-shots. I assume mostly fluff, but I might get deep. I doubt it, it's me. Charah...ALWAYS (It says complete, but if an idea strikes me...)

If you’re not so into long stories, this fic is perfect. Individual set-ups and stories, all Chuck and Sarah, and all super cute. You could dip in and out and just pick a scenario you enjoy.

Chuck vs The Frontier | ninjaVanish

AU: Chuck was enjoying a simple life as a 19th century watchmaker until an encounter with a beautiful Secret Service agent thrust him into a world of intrigue and adventure he never wanted. But then, with Agent Walker around, it can't be all bad, can it?

This fic gets props for being historically-set but still including the Intersect. Again, a historical AU, so the pining!! the need to be Proper!!! But besides all that, there’s a lot of action fun as well.

Chuck Versus The Crosswalk: Remastered | WvonB

Will a last minute mission help our two favorite characters finally get together? This is the remastered version of my first story.

The original version of this fic is on my first list; this is the updated version! It’s not a complete AU, instead a story that diverges from canon, so if you’re more into canon characters and setting than a new AU scenario, this is a great fic for that.

Little Girls, Paper Wreaths, and Choc Chip Cookies | DanaPAH

Very AU: Sarah Walker is a single mother whose Christmas spirit needs a boost after a tough divorce. She isn't quite ready to go looking for romance, but her little daughter's affection for their new neighbor may lure it right to her doorstep, anyway.

An incredibly sweet AU one-shot where Chuck and Sarah are new neighbours, and Sarah has a super cute little girl. So much sweetness and love and hope. I love this fic so much it literally led me to write my own neighbour-kid-AU, so, not to toot my own horn but I’ll link it here anyway.

May Your Walls Know Joy | halfachance

Looking for a fresh start after some tough times, Sarah and her three-year-old daughter move to LA. When they meet a sweet curly-haired nerd who lives next door, though, Sarah realizes they might just find more happiness than they'd ever imagined, if only her past doesn't catch up to her first. AU.

It’s what the summary says; if you wanna read, feel free!

Chuck vs the Sound of Music | quistie64

AU. Chuck, nerd extraordinaire, is a man with seven children and Sarah must protect them all from Fulcrum's evil designs. Warning: there will be singing.

I mean. Not much mystery as to the concept with that title and summary lol, but this is a super fun, soft ride with a lotta sweetness, and yes, singing.

Just Two People | David Carner

Meet Sarah Walker PhD, Psychologist, specializing in personality traits. Meet Chuck Bartowski, man who has left THE electronic company of 2020. When Burton Consultants tries to figure out what is wrong with the morale of Orion Industries, what happens when a guy named Chuck meets a woman named Sarah. I'll give you a hint, it's me writing.

David’s done something pretty special with this fic. It’s Chuck and Sarah centric, but very much an ensemble piece, too, with a lot of Team Bartowski and other familiar faces throughout.

Chuck Versus the Con Game | Steampunk.Chuckster

AU. Chuck and Sarah are partners in the con game. It's an existence wrought with danger and violence. Every day could be their last. Every mission could be the end of the line.

This is where I freak out SC and declare this fic the reason I ever got hooked on Chuck fic and then wrote Chuck fic, and the reason I still love it today but. that is true lol. Just so. so good. It’s also written with the chapters out of chronological order, which is super fun from a reading perspective. But con!Sarah AND con!Chuck?? Best. The kind of fic you will be thinking about for days (if not, y’know, years).

As you can tell by the repeats, I highly recommend just about anything by Steampunk.Chuckster, dettiot, or David Carner, but there are a TON of amazing Chuck fics and authors out there. I’ve never known a writing community so wildly creative-- there are so many unique AUs and canon explorations and story concepts that this show has manifested, and it’s all so much fun.

Most of the Chuck fic community is still over on FFN rather than AO3, so if any of these whet your appetite, feel free to have a browse there for more stories. I’m sure you’ll find something great. Personally, all the incredible writing there has also led me to write a buttload; I’m at halfachance on FFN, so if you see any of my stuff or wanna chat fic, feel free to message me there or here.

Happy reading, folks!