#he deserved this win and to see his spirit friends again :)

[silverspadesss]

no thoughts, just zac’s smile when pib saw the fox and the rabbit were alive <33

[its-avalon-08]

Can I request something with Lando? With a plus-size reader, where the hate gets to her too much, and she breaks up with him because the internet is hatting on her and being with Lando. Lando is so confused until like Max or someone asks if he has seen the hate, and it makes Lando go crazy at everyone for the hate to his favourite girl, and he gets her back. Please, I'll sell my kidney.🙏

don't go breaking my heart (ln4)

( bubs u don't have to sell ur kidney, here it is! hope u like it )

✦ pairing - lando norris x female!reader

✦ genre - angst, tears, comfort, online hate, fatphobia

liked by landonorris, kellypiquet and others

y/nnnn seashells and splashes

200,456,446 comments

@landonorris : beautiful baby <3, so grateful you're mine ---> liked by author ❤️

@alexandrasaintmleux: stunner girl, ily <3 ---> liked by author ❤️

@hater123: I can't believe Lando is dating someone like her. Doesn't he have standards?

@trollqueen: Someone needs to hit the gym... hard. Yikes.

@f1fanatic: Lando deserves so much better. She’s just not on his level. or weight.

@bodyshamer: Wow, the beach really needs a 'no whales allowed' sign.

@toxicfan: I guess money can’t buy taste, huh, Lando?

@hatersunite: How can she even post these pictures without feeling embarrassed?

@jealousfan: Lando must be blind if he thinks she’s attractive.

@fatphobic: Imagine waking up next to that every day. Poor Lando.

@anonymoushater: Lando’s career is gonna go downhill with her dragging him down.

@judgy: Cover up, nobody wants to see that.

@meanperson: She should be ashamed of how she looks.

@bitterf1fan: Why is she even famous? Just because she’s dating Lando? Pathetic.

@envioushater: ewww, why would he even kiss her? Gross.

@bodyshamepolice: lando could do so much better than this blob.

@trollmaster: She’s just using him for fame. She doesn’t deserve him.

Y/N sat in the McLaren hospitality area, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. She had been trying to ignore the hateful comments on her Instagram, but they were relentless, each one cutting deeper than the last. She scrolled through them again, her heart sinking with every cruel word.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she read the comments over and over. She had always been confident in her own skin, but the constant barrage of negativity was breaking her spirit.

Lily, Oscar Piastri's girlfriend, noticed Y/N's distress from across the room. She approached cautiously, her heart aching for her friend. "Hey, Y/N," she said softly, sitting down next to her. "Are you okay?"

Y/N didn't respond, her gaze fixed on her phone screen. Her silent sobs shook her body, and Lily could see the tears streaming down her face.

Lily gently took the phone from Y/N's hand and glanced at the screen, her own heart breaking at the sight of the hateful comments. She put the phone aside and wrapped her arms around Y/N, pulling her into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, Y/N," she whispered, her voice filled with empathy. "They’re just jealous and cruel. You’re beautiful just the way you are."

Y/N buried her face in Lily's shoulder, her sobs growing louder. She felt so overwhelmed, so small in the face of such relentless hatred. "I can't do this anymore," she whispered through her tears. "I thought I was strong enough, but I’m not."

Lily held her tighter, her own eyes welling up with tears. "You are strong, Y/N. Don’t let them win. They don’t know you, they don’t know how amazing you are."

But Y/N could hardly hear Lily’s comforting words. The weight of the hate was too much, and she felt like she was drowning in it. She pulled away from Lily’s embrace, wiping her tears with shaking hands. "I need to go," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Y/N, please don’t leave like this," Lily pleaded, her concern growing. "Talk to Lando, let him help you."

But Y/N couldn’t face Lando, not now. She stood up, her legs feeling weak, and made her way to the exit. She walked out of the paddock, her heart heavy with the pain of the hateful comments, leaving behind the world she had once felt so at home in.

time skip

Lando entered their shared apartment, his usual cheerful demeanor dampened by a nagging sense of unease. The McLaren hospitality area had felt off after Y/N’s abrupt departure, and his concern had only grown since.

"Y/N?" he called out, his voice echoing through the quiet space. He spotted her in the living room, standing next to a pile of packed bags. His heart sank. "What’s going on?"

Y/N looked up, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Lando, I’m leaving."

His confusion deepened, worry etching lines into his face. "Leaving? Why? What happened?"

She looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "I just… I think you’ll be happier without me."

Lando’s heart pounded in his chest. "What are you talking about? I’m happy with you, Y/N. Why are you doing this?"

Tears filled her eyes again, but she blinked them back. "You deserve someone better, Lando. Someone who won’t bring you down."

He stepped closer, desperation creeping into his voice. "Y/N, you’re not bringing me down. I love you. Please, just talk to me. Tell me what’s really going on."

She shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself as if to hold herself together. "I can’t, Lando. It’s better this way."

"Better for who?" he demanded, his voice breaking. "Not for me. I don’t understand. Please, Y/N, don’t do this."

She finally looked up at him, her heart breaking at the sight of his pain. "You’ll be better off without me, Lando. Trust me."

Lando felt a surge of panic. He reached out, gently taking her hand. "Please, don’t go. We can get through anything together. Just tell me what’s wrong."

Y/N pulled her hand away, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "I’m sorry, Lando. I have to go."

She grabbed her bags and walked towards the door, her heart aching with every step. Lando followed her, his own tears blurring his vision. "Y/N, please…"

She paused at the door, looking back at him one last time. "Goodbye, Lando."

With that, she stepped out of the apartment, closing the door behind her. Lando stood there in stunned silence, his heart shattered into pieces. He sank to the floor, his back against the door, unable to comprehend how everything had fallen apart so quickly. He had lost the woman he loved, and he didn’t even know why.

time skip

Lando sat on the floor of his apartment, his head in his hands, tears streaming down his face. His heart felt like it had been ripped from his chest. The apartment, once filled with love and laughter, now felt unbearably empty. He replayed Y/N’s words over and over in his mind, each time trying to understand where it all went wrong.

Lando couldn't, his grief consuming him. His teammates noticed his absence and his silence. It was Carlos Sainz who finally decided to check on him.

Carlos knocked on the door, his concern deepening when Lando didn’t answer immediately. "Lando, it’s Carlos. Please open up."

After a few moments, the door creaked open, revealing a disheveled and tear-streaked Lando. Carlos’s heart sank at the sight of his friend in such a state. "Mate, what happened?"

Lando let Carlos in, the two of them sitting on the couch. "She left me, Carlos," Lando said, his voice breaking. "She said I’d be better off without her. I don’t understand why."

Carlos looked at him sympathetically. "Have you seen what’s been happening online?"

Lando shook his head, confusion mingling with his grief. "What do you mean?"

Carlos pulled out his phone, showing Lando the vile comments, the hateful edits, and the mean-spirited articles directed at Y/N. Lando’s eyes widened with horror and fury as he read through them, his heartbreak turning into a white-hot rage.

"They did this to her," Carlos said quietly. "She left because she couldn’t handle the hate."

Lando’s hands trembled with anger as he continued to read. "How could they do this to her? She didn’t deserve any of this."

Carlos placed a hand on his shoulder. "You need to speak out, Lando. This isn’t right."

Lando nodded, his resolve hardening. "I’m not going to let them get away with this."

He grabbed his phone, his fingers shaking as he typed out a message on social media. His anger and pain poured into his words:

"To all my so-called 'fans' who have been spewing hate towards Y/N, this needs to stop. She didn’t deserve any of this. She is the most amazing person I have ever known, and your words have hurt her deeply. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. If you truly support me, you will stop this now. Hate has no place in this world. And to those companies and individuals who have written those hateful articles and made those disgusting edits, I am coming for you. You will be held accountable."

He hit post, his chest heaving with the intensity of his emotions. "I’m suing them," he said to Carlos, his voice filled with determination. "Every single one of them."

Carlos nodded in support. "I’m with you, mate. Whatever you need."

Lando wasted no time. He contacted his legal team, explaining the situation in detail. "I want to sue every company that published those hateful articles. I want to take down every website that allowed those comments. This has to stop."

His lawyers assured him they would take immediate action. Lando felt a flicker of hope amidst his anger and heartbreak. He couldn’t undo the pain that Y/N had suffered, but he could fight for her, stand up for her, and make sure that those responsible faced consequences.

As the days went by, Lando’s social media post garnered immense attention. Fans and fellow drivers rallied behind him, condemning the hate and expressing their support for Y/N. The companies that had published the hateful articles received a barrage of backlash, and legal notices were swiftly sent.

Lando’s heart remained heavy with the loss of Y/N, but he found strength in his fight for justice. He hoped that, somehow, Y/N would see that he was standing up for her, that he loved her deeply, and that he was determined to make things right.

time skip

Lando couldn’t wait any longer. The moment he finished speaking with his legal team, he grabbed his keys and raced out of his apartment. He needed to see Y/N, to make things right. His heart pounded as he drove to her place, his mind racing with thoughts of everything he wanted to say to her.

When he arrived at Y/N’s apartment, he didn’t hesitate. He knocked on the door, loud and urgent. "Y/N, it’s me, Lando. Please open the door."

There was no response, but he refused to give up. He knocked again, harder this time. "Y/N, please, I need to talk to you. I’m not leaving until you let me in."

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door creaked open. Y/N stood there, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She looked exhausted, her face etched with pain and sadness.

"Lando, what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He took a step closer, his heart breaking at the sight of her. "Y/N, please let me in. I need to talk to you."

She hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside, allowing him to enter. He closed the door behind him, taking a deep breath as he gathered his thoughts.

"Y/N, I’m so sorry," he began, his voice filled with emotion. "I had no idea what you were going through. I didn’t see the hate, the comments, any of it. If I had known, I would have done something sooner."

Tears welled up in her eyes again, but she remained silent, letting him continue.

"You are the most incredible person I’ve ever met," he said, his voice trembling. "You are strong, beautiful, and kind. Those people who wrote those horrible things about you don’t know you at all. They’re just cowards hiding behind screens."

He took her hands in his, his eyes locked on hers. "You are perfect to me, Y/N. Every curve, every smile, every moment we’ve shared. I love you more than words can say. And I’m not going to let them win. I’m fighting back. I’ve already spoken out, and I’m suing the companies that published those hateful articles. I’m doing everything I can to make this right."

Her tears began to flow again, but this time they were tears of relief and love. "Lando, I was so scared. I didn’t want you to be dragged down by all the hate because of me."

He shook his head, his own eyes filling with tears. "You are worth everything to me, Y/N. I don’t care about the hate. I care about you. Please, don’t leave me. We’re stronger together. We can get through this, I promise."

She let out a sob, her walls finally crumbling. "I love you so much, Lando. I was just so afraid."

He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "I love you too, Y/N. More than anything. We’re going to get through this together. I’m never letting you go."

They stood there, wrapped in each other’s embrace, their hearts beating in sync. Lando gently kissed her forehead, his love for her shining through his eyes. "You’re my everything, Y/N. We’ll face the world together, and nothing will ever tear us apart again."

She clung to him, feeling the warmth and safety of his embrace. "Thank you, Lando. I’m so sorry for everything."

He smiled softly, wiping away her tears. "You have nothing to be sorry for, love. We’re a team, and we’ll always be. I’ll protect you, I’ll stand by you, and I’ll love you with everything I have."

They shared a tender kiss, their love stronger than ever. As they held each other, they knew that no amount of hate could ever come between them. They had each other, and that was all they needed.

In that moment, all the pain and fear melted away, replaced by the warmth of their love and the strength of their bond. They were together, and together, they could conquer anything.

[9w1ft]

i declare

thinking about the tortured poets department the song, and the charlie puth line, and how maybe like, the act of declaring he should be a bigger artist helps place the song into the greater timeline.

because it’s a sort of weird thing to say in 2024 of an artist that’s no longer up and coming.

charlie puth got his start in youtube in the late 2000’s and released his debut single in february 2015. and leading up to that he had several EP’s and promotional singles. it made me curious, at what point might the people en masse start to pay him attention? i checked google trends and as you can see here he gets a huge jump between the 2014 and 2015 data.

(he then gets a further jump toward 2016 when he did a promo single featuring megan trainor, and then doing “see you again” with wiz khalifa. (coincidentally this song becomes one of the guest duets featured in the 1989 tour movie))

and i was looking around at articles from this time period, when i ran into this tasty morsel:

so i clicked on through

take a little ride with me

so to summarize, charlie puth had his breakout star peak over the course of roughly 2014-2016, during which he was up for an award at the 2015 MTV VMAs. he doesn’t win, and in fact, he loses out to taylor herself! later on in the article it talks about him going to an after party and hanging out with taylor selena and others. so it had me thinking, i could almost imagine taylor talking with her friends that year or that night, or even declaring to charlie himself in the wake of his loss and her win, in a giddy manner, at the party they are reported as having talked at, that he deserves more success than he gets. in this way i came to the conclusion that the timeframe of 2015-ish (rather than 2023) really fits the spirit of the lyric “we declared charlie puth should be a bigger artist”

and

yes.

yes fam.

the 2015 vmas was that vma’s.

that vmas.

let me pull quote an excerpt from the billboard article as i included above, just to emphasize:

4:40 PM: Charlie has the good fortune to walk the carpet in the wake of Taylor Swift’s gaggle of supermodel friends, including “Bad Blood” star Karlie Kloss, leading photographers to alternately yell “Charlie! Karlie! Charlie! Karlie!” as if it were a hectic version of Name Game. While on the carpet, Puth chats with multiple news outlets, and later he says of the dealing with the paparazzi, “It’s amazing that we view people in unnatural states and just love it. I don’t really understand it — it just makes me very uncomfortable. But, whatever. I’m so appreciative to be here.”

such a fun convergence of events, don’t ya think?

and just a few extra points i thought i’d add:

first, i don’t know how many of you remember how taylor was behaving that evening, but don’t you think she was giving major golden retriever energy??

both in how she was chasing after karlie that night,

and also… call me crazy but, her hairstyle??

(also she’s in a houndstooth print, har har)

and i can kind of envision this taylor, who brought the whole bad blood music video crew as her entourage, having more than several bars of chocolate at hand for everyone that night, but ending up eating them all herself 😆

and another thing that helps tie the song to this time period (maybe some of you have guessed?) the line “who else decodes you?” is extra apt because… *da da-da daaaaa*

🤗 karlie had just embarked on her coding journey!

on a more solemn note? i don’t think it requires too much of a stretch of the imagination to see “but you awaken with dread” “i chose this cyclone with you” among other lines pointing to the new layer of stress taylor probably was harboring around being with karlie in public. because this is all taking place in the year directly following kissgate 🥺

so there you have it folks! this is why the tortured poets department is a kaylor song to me 😌

[hwaslayer]

project: make you love me (jyh) | 13.5

♣︎ spotify playlist | series masterlist

—summary: yunho can’t stand how you’re so wrapped up in the notorious campus fuckboy, park seonghwa. he would gladly love you the way you deserve, despite being shy, awkward and the complete opposite of seonghwa. thus, when he finds himself spending more time with you over literature reviews and random study sessions, he decides to take on the challenge to win you over.

—pairing: jeong yunho x f. reader x park seonghwa

—genre: (18+ - minors dni) strangers/friends to lovers, college au | fluff, angst, smut

—word count: 1.8k

—chapter content/warnings: cussing/mature language, just a peek into some stuff that happened over break, very self indulgent honestly i just wanted more yuyu time lolol, the usual teasing between these lovebirds, making out, handjob, teensy weensy bit of spit play, unprotected sex, riding yunho after hes fresh out the shower purrrr 🤪

—a/n: hi! dropping a bonus chapter because it's like ... kinda necessary in order for the next update to make sense? more self indulgent tho LOL but it wasn't long enough to be a chapter chapter 😭 anywho, enjoy!! pls vote on my poll if you haven't already cause ya girl needs to figure out her priorities hehe ty 💕

"Get in the damn car! We're late!" Chaery yells at Seungmin as he lazily walks over after forcing for a pitstop just to get snacks. Yunho laughs as he watches from the rear view mirror, popping his mouth open when you lean over and feed him a fish ball.

"Why don't you get in and stop worrying about me? I'm getting there!" You hear Seungmin yell back as Soobin swings the door open and slides into the back seat.

"Maybe they'll never notice if we just drive off?" Soobin suggests, making Yunho chuckle again.

"He's almost to the car." 

"Why is she hella mad anyway?" Soobin shivers in his jacket.

"He's taking his sweet ol' time. Plus, you know how Chaery is. Her family is full of seasoned travelers. They don't do pitstops and stuff." You dip the fish ball into the sauce and pop it into your mouth.

"Right." Soobin sips on his cup of coffee, scooting closer to the door when Chaery and Seungmin finally slip into their seats.

"We're literally so behind now. You made Yuyu wait." She continues to go at Seungmin, making him roll his eyes.

"Yunho, I'm sorry. I really had to use the bathroom. Some people don't understand it's a thing." 

"You're good." Yunho starts up the car and instantly turns up the heat. "We've only got about an hour and a half left." 

Today, you and your friends were off to spend a few days deep in the snow; renting a huge cabin near a snowboarding and ski resort. Yunho graciously offered to drive, patiently dealing with your friends and their requests on the way over.

Yunho heads to the cabin to help drop off the bags before meeting up with the rest already at the ski resort. He pulls into valet while the rest of you hop out and head straight into the store to get some gear and rent some snowboards. You find the rest of your friends hanging around in the café, sipping on hot cocoa while waiting for your group to arrive. Everyone is in good spirits, excited to see Yunho alongside of you. Even though he's tagged along a few times, you still can't help but feel worried about Yunho. You don't want him to feel isolated or left out, especially if you and your friends already have a good bond with each other. But, he fits in so well every single time, you almost feel like he's been friends with them for as long as you have been.

He tries, and the effort shows.

Once the snowboarding finally takes off, you find out that Yunho has been snowboarding before and is pretty comfortable with it. You, on the other hand, are terrified out of your mind. It takes a few tries, a patient Yunho and constant falls before you're [at the very least] boarding in a straight path. But, you're having fun and sharing lots of laughs with your friends, and you find yourself enjoying yourself no matter the circumstance.

After an hour or so of boarding, you, Yunho and a few of your friends sit off to the side to observe everyone else and play around with the snow in the surrounding area. You give your sister a Facetime call during the brief break, getting your friends and Yunho in the screen. Your sister kept calling Yunho a cutie, demanding for you to bring him over for dinner ASAP. Yunho agrees and tells your mom and sister that he'll see them soon again, waving goodbye before helping you stand to your feet for another round of snowboarding.

You and your friends are out there for another 1.5 hours before you call it quits, heading back to the cabin for a relaxing rest of the evening before another day of playing in the snow tomorrow. Everyone pitches in to make a good, hearty dinner— Yunho and a few of the other boys grilling in the covered back patio while the girls stayed indoors and finished preparing the rest of the dishes over some drinks. Once everything is set, everyone sits at the table and quietly enjoys their food before debating what to watch for the rest of the night.

After dinner, most of the food is gone, and the group is cleaning around before you head upstairs to your shared room with Yunho. You take a shower first, while Yunho hangs out with the group downstairs, enjoying the hot water as it hits your skin. You take a good, lengthy 20 minute shower; gently moisturizing before getting into Yunho's shirt and some shorts, leaving your wet hair to air dry.

Luckily, the cabin is warm enough, but you know you'll get cold the longer you sit around. Before leaving the room, you turn on the portable heater just to warm the room a bit more before you get to bed. By the time you've headed back downstairs, a few of your friends are huddled around the living room now watching a true crime docuseries with some snacks; the rest already resting in their rooms or asleep from the eventful day.

"I'm gonna shower." Yunho kisses your cheek before excusing himself to shower. You watch for a bit before helping clean up around the kitchen and living room. You then bid your friends goodnight— the exhaustion kicking in quick that you don't really have time to sit and enjoy the rest of the docuseries they've started. When you get back into the room with a cup of tea in hand, Yunho has just turned off the shower and steps out in nothing but a towel. His hair is damp and you can't help but ogle at his frame, his body. "Hey. You didn't wanna watch?"

"No, the exhaustion is hitting me pretty badly now. I just helped clean up a bit downstairs and made some tea."

"Mm. Is the room warm enough for you?" He points at the portable heater that he's turned up a bit more.

"Yes. It's cozy." You chuckle. "Thank you." You sit on the bed with your back against the wall, watching as Yunho takes a seat on the edge. He's running a smaller wet towel across his damp hair, his back facing you. You can't help but crawl over and throw your arms over his shoulders, planting random kisses against the side of his neck and shoulders.

"Cutie." He chuckles. "What can I do for you?" 

"A kiss?" He smiles, dipping forward to connect his lips with yours in a sweet kiss. 

"You sure that's all?" He teases. "You know you can just tell me, baby."

"That's all." You continue to kiss him, hand traveling down his chest, to grazing across the tent forming in his towel. 

"Hey." He whines in between kisses, slightly hissing when you continue to gently palm him through the towel. "If you keep doing that, I won't be able to stop myself."

"Your fault for walking out of the damn bathroom when it's literally below 0 outside." He laughs, hands falling onto your hips when you crawl onto his lap.

"It was warm enough in here!"

"Sure." You playfully roll your eyes.

"Take these off." He whispers, tugging on your shorts.

"So bold." You tease as he helps you out of your shorts and bites his bottom lip.

"Mm, well. You started it." His hands come up your shirt to squeeze your sides. "Care to show me what exactly you need, love?" He smirks, a drip of a suave tone slipping through his lips.

"Mhm." You sit back a bit and run your hand up his towel to gently stroke his already-hardened member. He hisses and tilts his head back in pleasure, tempted to thrust into your hand as you pump him at a steady pace. He lets out low, strangled moans, trying his best to keep contact with you through hooded lids. You take the opportunity to spit onto his dick, letting it drip down the head and down his length while you pick up the pace. Yunho's moans are a little louder now, and hearing it drives you crazy.

"Jesus." He lowly groans. "Baby, wait, wait, wait—" He grabs at your wrist and stops you. "You'll make me cum if you keep going."

"You don't want that?"

"No. Or else, we would've gone through all that trouble of taking off your shorts for nothing." You giggle, adjusting your position to line him up at your entrance. 

"We have to be quiet."

"Do we? They have the docuseries on loud downstairs." You slowly sink down his length, lips attaching to his as you both let out soft moans while adjusting to the feeling.

"Mm, but there's still rooms across—" Yunho chases after your lips, enclosing it in a heated kiss before you can say anything else. He grips onto your hips and guides you at a steady pace, more gargled and low moans leaving him as you work him.

"They won't hear a thing, pretty. Don't worry." He smirks against your lips. "Is it really a bad thing, though?"

"Yunho." You giggle, tilting your head back in pleasure when his cock hits you in all the right places, clit rubbing against him perfectly. 

"Love when you say my name like that." He mutters against your neck, tongue swiping against the surface before he bites onto your neck. You let out a sigh just as his hand comes to your neck, gently squeezing as he watches you ride him at a steady rhythm.

"You feel so good." Your hands trail up the nape of his neck, tugging at the ends of his hair. His hands come back to your sides as he whispers in your ear, praising and cooing you straight to the edge.

Gonna keep being a good girl for me?

Riding me like you were made for me.

So pretty, so beautiful.

My baby.

And it only takes a couple of more rolls against Yunho before you're twitching and trembling in his grip, digging your nails into his shoulders as he thrusts up into you and fills you up shortly afterwards. He groans as lets out every last bit into you, lips grazing against your neck before planting a soft trail there, to your jaw, to your lips.

"That was fun." You say, making Yunho chuckle.

"Let's get cleaned up." He looks down at the towel that's now on the floor. "Again." You laugh, heading to the bathroom to clean up, get dressed and do some final touches before slipping into bed with Yunho. He instantly pulls you into his arms, wrapping one around your shoulders while you lay on his chest. "Can barely keep my eyes open now." You smile when Yunho kisses you on the forehead, letting out a content sigh with you in his arms.

"Yunho?"

"Mhm?"

"Thanks for coming along on this little trip."

"Wouldn't miss it for a thing, love." He hums against you, falling asleep in due time just to repeat the agenda all over again tomorrow.

♣︎ taglist: @s-nsanshine @soupbinlily @tyongff-ff @jiminiscricket @g1g1l @staytinyinmybpack @woomyteez @gfksz @bitchwhytho @savluvsmingi @thisisntmyrightera @hyukssunflower @miriamxsworld @tmtxtf @kuromibabe04 @lmnhead @carrietwrites @tournesol155 @persphonesorchid @txt-yaomi @mxnsxngie @h-nji @mundayoonimnida @jalapeno-princess @nakiiko @asjkdk @kunikku @idkwgoh @kyeos4ng @agust-d2 @araknoid @bintificreads @primoppang @betray-the-light @aurorasjoongie @wineyoungie @yunholuvrsblog @yungigiggles @jaerisdiction @ignoretheskies @luminouskalopsia @naeviscall @vixensss @choisansplushie @arya9111 @my-lightspirit @dazednconfusion @astro-doll-the-star @faesmingi

[swanimagines]

CONFESSIONS OF A CROW | WESPER + KAZ

Summary: Wylan thinks Jesper doesn't care about him, and you try to comfort him. For your surprise, Wylan has something to tell to you too.

The Crow Club’s game nights were loud and cheerful events, and Jesper was all over the tables, building the spirit in the room. Scent of alcohol and cigars floated in the air, and the sound of laughter and clinking glasses filled the downstairs as a whole.

Wylan and you sat at the farthest corner from the entrance, just spending time. The wooden table was slightly sticky, apparently someone had spilled alcohol on it at some point. The candle flame flickered slightly as Wylan played with it while staring at it deep in thought, and you were just about to ask what he’s thinking when he flinched upon another round of cheers and crooned his neck to look at one of the game tables. Jesper had once again won another round, making you turn your head to your friend and raise a glass for him once he caught your eyes. Then you turned your head back to Wylan, who sighed and returned to staring at the candle. You frowned, knowing to read people enough to know something was wrong. So you touched his hand to get his attention.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” you asked, and Wylan stared at you for a moment before laying his gaze down on the table.

“It’s nothing. Nothing important,” he mumbled, and you sighed, raising your eyebrows at him. He squirmed a little and then let out a sigh of his own. “I slept with Jesper.”

Your eyebrows shot up at that; sure, Jesper was sleeping around with people he met at bars and restaurants to have fun, but for this short time you had known Wylan, he didn’t feel like such a person. But you weren’t judgemental by any means, Jesper was a charmer and you could see that he’d be dragged along by Jesper after some flirting. Hell, Jesper had gotten you to blush a few times with his flirts when you first joined Dregs.

“Really? When did that happen?” you asked, trying to keep your tone neutral.

“It’s been a while. Two months? Or three maybe? But… he managed me to grow feelings for him, and knowing who he is… I don’t think he’d like me back. He doesn’t even remember me.” His voice trailed off at the end, and he laid his gaze back to his hands. “I know it’s stupid.”

You shook your head, squeezing his hand. “It’s not stupid, Wylan. A lot of people have been in your situation at some point. But you can’t let the fear of heartbreak to get in your way, you deserve to be happy and even if Jesper doesn't return your feelings, at least you know then. You won't stay in it welling and cursing yourself over not speaking up if he ever ends up being serious with someone else."

He scoffed. “Easy for you to say when you hold the heart of the Bastard of the Barrel himself. Do you even realise how I envy the way Kaz looks at you, how I would wish somebody would look at me like that? Kaz is closed off, cold and guarded, someone you wouldn’t think would like anyone, and still you have managed to catch him without even trying to win him over. Jesper is everything but like that, and still he thinks I’m nothing but a fling, just an asset for pleasure. I’d be a fool if I went to him and tell him how do I feel.”

Your heart skipped a beat at him mentioning about Kaz’s feelings for you, making you freeze up - it was true that you had been teased about it, and Kaz did have odd reasons for why he suddenly didn’t want to assign you on scouting missions anymore if the building was heavily guarded. But it wasn’t like he had feelings for you. Even when you wished it would be the reason for that.

“Kaz? What? He isn’t… no, he doesn’t, you’ve misunderstood something. And he’s my boss, it would be weird, he sees me only professionally and… I see him only professionally too,” you denied it, trying to contain your voice squeaking. Wylan raised his eyebrows at you, and you felt your face heating up when you realised he’s not buying it.

"He basically admitted it to Inej. Inej told him to let his guard down for you if he wants you to see him as anything else as your boss, and he told her that he doesn't want to drag you into his life, that you'd only get hurt when you'd see how he really is," Wylan mumbled. "Then they sensed someone is listening in so I dashed away before they caught me."

You didn't reply, just tried to calm your racing heart. You were quiet for a few seconds before you cleared your throat, trying to quickly jump away from the subject before anyone would hear you. “Anyway, Jesper is not Kaz. He’s not gonna smack you with his gun if you go and ask him if he’d be willing to talk with you. Or go on another date. If I went to Kaz’s office and asked him to come down to have a dining date with me, even if he did have feelings for me, which he doesn’t, he’d look at me as if I was crazy and either ignore me or tell me to get out his office.” 

Wylan chuckled weakly at your words. “I guess you’re right about that.”

You smiled. “You should talk to Jesper. Maybe he feels the same way about you. And even if not, at least you won’t have any regrets. You won’t watch him get together with someone else and wonder why didn’t you ever say anything.”

Wylan nodded slowly, his eyes shifting back to Jesper, who had just finished playing and had made his way to the bar counter. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. I should try to talk to him.”

Your smile widened as you jumped a little bit in your seat, gesturing him to go on, gently nudging him forward when he passed you. Wylan walked to Jesper slowly, talking with him for a moment before sitting down beside him, and you almost felt the connection they already had. You turned your back on them, and continued sipping on your drink as you dug up your ongoing book from your bag. 

And just for a moment, you wondered if you’d ever really have chances with Kaz. If everyone pointing how Kaz looks at you and how ridiculous his reasons for taking you out from all the dangerous jobs are were actually onto something, what could it carry? Would Kaz shut it down, force himself not to feel, or would he let himself feel? Would you be there with Wylan and Jesper as a couple?

You hoped you’d get the answer for that sometime in the future, but for now, you were only happy that you had potentially helped Wylan and Jesper to get to know each other better, and maybe get together. They both deserved happiness, and you were happy if they found it within themselves.

---

Requests are always open! FANDOM LIST | PROMPT LIST(S) | RULES (READ!!!)

[pumpkinsouppe]

There’s def a lot I wish to be in Tears of the Kingdom, especially things like regional/diverse enemies. But the thing I really wish to see is Link express negative emotions. And not just “he’s angry at fighting enemies” but rather he’s angry and tired and upset and confused at his situation. He has followed orders from the king the moment he touched the master sword as a CHILD. We don’t even know if he truly got to be a child because his whole life has been about duty. And I’m pretty sure in this timeline he was descended from the Hylian knights so who knows how long he’s been training to just be a standard knight before the master sword.

Link SHOULD be angry that he’s stuck in this cycle of rebirth. Even when he died, the fall of Hyrule was blamed on him and he didn’t even get to stay dead. He was woken up and had to finish his duties while also being constantly reminded that his death is what lead Hyrule to look like is does. He should be angry, angry at Ganon and Demise and at the Hylian Royalty for forcing him into this situation over and over and over.

And this is exactly why I hope TOTK is similar to Majora’s Mask. Not because Majora’s Mask was scary. But because it dealt with the grief and isolation and depression Link had to face after going through an incredible traumatic journey, and then losing all of his friends as a result. Most notably losing the ONE friend who was with him the entire time. Who completely understood everything Link went through because she experienced the same thing. And she was the entire reason Majora’s Mask even happened in the first place, because Link was desperately searching for Navi because he was scared to be alone. I want TOTK to explore these hard and brutal emotions for both Link and Zelda. I want them both to be scared, angry, and distraught. I want them to cry over themselves and be selfish. I want them to do something impactful that isn’t for the sake of Hyrule. I hope there’s conflict with the Goddess Hylia. I hope they reject her outstretched hand after she has burdened two children to sacrifice themselves for the good of Hyrule.

I want there to be a good resolution to TOTK. I want both Link and Zelda to choose their own path even if that means leaving Hyrule. But I want the path to resolution to be painful and really explore Link’s true emotions. He is stoic and mute because he is burdened with the weight of the world. What good is a knight who talks when he is judged based on his actions and ability to use a sword.

With Zelda’s warning that she thinks that even Link can’t succeed, I hope we do see helplessness in Link. Again to Majora’s Mask we did get to see Link helpless. He was transformed into a small Deku Scrub with no weapons, no horse, and was an outlier in a town filled with humans. But he learned to work through that helplessness. He embraced the spirit who had to give his life for Link to look the way he does and figure out new ways to fight and communicate. He later became grateful for the Zora and Goron who let him use their spirits to aide his journey. He was able to confront Majora’s because he was never truly alone. Everyone he’s ever met has given him strength even if they aren’t with him presently.

And that’s what I hope to see in Link in TOTK. A helplessness due to his isolated burden, faced against something he could never win against alone. And thankfully we did get that to an extent in BOTW with the champions and even Zelda. But even then, fighting the divine beasts was optional. Link in a sense could have faced Ganon alone. Hell people even fight Ganon with no clothes and only carrying sticks.

No, I want Link, even in the most powerful armor with the most powerful weapon, to be helpless. And I want him to be angry about it. And upset. And hurt. Because he has earned the right to express every painful emotion for his circumstance and he deserves to be able to express his frustration. It is okay if he isn’t the hero.

[eatmeandbirthmeagain]

Hey dear, how are you?👋🫶🧡

I had an idea for a short fanfic, and as I like, it has to do with the theme of Saladin's friendship with Baldwin. Anyway, the idea is related to the drawings that @chicken-blitz13 and @somethingstrangeishere created, specifically the ones where Saladin and Baldwin are playing polo. How about a fanfic in which Baldwin and Saladin meet for diplomatic negotiations (on not too global, but relatively small territorial issue, let's say) and during these negotiations one of the rulers casually drops the phrase "If only disputes were solved by games instead of battles...". (Or something like that). And then they get the idea that it's actually not a bad thing. As a result - Saladin and Baldwin decide by lot who chooses which game to play. As a result, they play polo. And then it's up to you, it'll be interesting to see who wins!😉

Always love you, thank you in advance💕

Drawings:

Credit @chicken-blitz13 and me

♡ Mallets And Hooves - King Baldwin & Saladin ♡

♡ Fluff ♡

A/N: HELLO GIRL!!! I am soooo sorry that it has taken FOREVER to get to this i've been so busy 😭. I loved writing this so much, I always enjoy writing these two as besties (they deserve it for real). I did change it up a little i'm sorry but I hope you like it anyway! I really hope you enjoy my friend! As always, this is based off the film Kingdom Of Heaven, not the real historical figures. Enjoy!

P.S. THIS IS NOT A SHIP FIC RAHHH!!!! I also really love the art 🤭and thank you to @chicken-blitz13 for coming up with the fic name 😭

TW: Leprosy

It was a warm evening in Jerusalem when the diplomatic negotiations first took place.

Earlier in the day Saladin had arrived at the castle with his own royal officials to begin the trade route negotiations and after a few hours of rest, the men were ready for the discussions.

Baldwin had been nervous about the affairs prior to the sultan's arrival, mostly because this was their first meeting since his victory all those years ago and he was yet to decide on how the other man would react after seeing him again.

Fortunately, the two had become acquainted quickly and soon the tension was all but gone. If only the same could be said for the other royal officials who had quickly taken to bickering about the affairs while Baldwin and Saladin exchanged glances of empathy and apologies for their counterparts behavior.

They had been at it for hours, so much so that the sun had grown low in the sky and due to the insistence of the other men, a conclusion had yet to be reached.

The sultan rubbed his eyes and sighed as Baldwin yawned behind the iron mask that covered his bored expression. It was truly draining for the both of them and the end seemed nowhere in sight.

Baldwin had not been paying attention for the most part but his attention was grabbed as one of the smaller rulers mumbled, “if only disputes were solved by games instead of battles…”.

The idea of a game of polo lifted the young king's spirits immensely, “alright, enough for now. Meeting dismissed, we shall continue tomorrow” Baldwin said loud enough for them all to hear.

He turned to the sultan for approval and was met with a tired nod.

The officials grumbled in annoyance and stood to leave, collecting their papers as they went.

Baldwin stood and approached the chair next to Saladin who seemed hesitant to get up just yet. The young king sat down and sighed.

“If only he were right..” Baldwin mumbled.

“Sorry?” the sultan replied.

“If only disputes were solved by games instead of battles!” 

Saladin chuckled. “Yes, that would certainly make things much easier” he said, looking out into the distance.

“Would you like to play a game of polo before the food is prepared?” Baldwin offered, a small smile creeping onto his face.

A similar smile came to the sultan at the kings strange request, “that would be wonderful”.

-----------------------------

The two left for the stables, talking about what they would discuss tomorrow and complaining of the behavior of their own men.

“Children! I swear that's all they are” Saladin said, throwing his hands in the air as Baldwin mounted his own horse.

The young king laughed, “yes it definitely seems that way" “I will speak to all of them tonight about their behavior. We are here to make peace, not war” the sultan said honestly as he mounted his own horse. 

So the two set off with the sun casting an orange glow over the desert.

They began to play as the sun got lower and lower in the sky until it was near impossible to see the ball in front of them. The game came to a perfect tie, the two of them laughing about that as they rode back to the stables.

Baldwin's body ached but it was worth it. As of that evening, he considered Saladin a good friend and not somebody to bicker about stupid things with as their officials and advisors did.

When the two arrived back at the castle, dinner for most was prepared in the dining hall and Baldwins in his chambers.

When Saladin saw the young king walk past the table and to his rooms, he followed.

“My friend! Are you not going to dine with us?” he said, confused.

Baldwin simply tapped his mask with a gloved finger in reply.

“I can assure you, nobody would want to see what's under this” that statement made the sultan's heart ache for the young man. He must be so lonely, eating alone in his rooms every night.

“Well in that case, I shall take my food and go with you” he said returning to the dining room before Baldwin could protest. 

---------------------------

The two walked to Baldwin's chambers in silence with Saladin trying his best to concentrate on balancing two plates and a cup in his hands after the refusal of a servant's help, insisting that he did not wish to waste her time her.

Once inside, the two sat down at the small table on the royal balcony.

Baldwin hesitated at removing his mask in front of the other man and Saladin noticed this right away.

“I can assure you my friend, your appearance could never bother me. I admire you for your leadership and respect you as a friend. Nothing could change that” he said with a small, reassuring smile.

The young king sighed and pulled back the head covering to reveal his hair before slowly peeling off the mask, exposing his bandaged face to the cool night air.

Saladin grinned, “ah, you see! Nothing but the face of a brilliant leader, and a good friend”.

He raised his glass to Baldwin. The young king smiled and raised his glass in return.

“To peace between our people, as peace has come between us” the sultan said happily.

“To peace between our people” Baldwin repeated, equally as happy as his new friend.

[coloursflyaway]

hello 💘 i’m loving your stories and i have a prompt for something silly: what could the boys possibly be using a ouija board for/why did they acquire it in the first place? you pointed it out among all their iterations of clue and now i have questions lol

And finally, I have your second fic ready!

This Is How For Now We Touch

Pairing: Edwin Payne/Charles Rowland

Rating: T

Word Count: 5.200

Read on AO3

“Hey, Edwin”, Charles says, and there is something about his voice that lets Edwin know he will be rolling his eyes at least once during the upcoming conversation.

“What is it?”

“I got us something”, Charles answers and pulls a box from the bag he’s been carrying, black and unwieldy, adorned in white scribbles. He’s holding it out like it’s something precious, which Edwin highly doubts it is, considering the look Charles gives him. “Something really really cool.”

Edwin takes a moment to look at the box, the poor quality of the cardboard and the horrible picture of teenagers that are trying to look frightened, and yes, some eye rolling will definitely be necessary here. “Why on Earth would we need a Ouija board, Charles?”

The grin on Charles’ lips would be obnoxious if Edwin didn’t like him so much.

“To talk to ghosts, of course.”

It becomes a game, even if Edwin still does not know how: sometimes, when the agency is quiet, one of them gets the Ouija board, they set up some candles, and they talk to each other through it, pretending that they cannot see the other’s fingers as he moves the planchette with them.

Of course, it is silly and quite childish, but it’s also fun, a good way to focus on each other and their words completely, and sometimes, at least for Edwin, it’s easier to say things like this, without having to speak them out-loud.

So, when he looks at Charles one day and there is so much warmth and affection in his chest that it feels overfull, overflowing, ready to burst, he pulls out the board in the evening, lights the candles, and spells out, letter for beautiful, frightening, worthwhile letter: YOU’RE THE BEST FRIEND I’VE EVER HAD.

Usually, Charles would try and guess the words before Edwin has finished them, but this time, he doesn’t; when he looks up at Edwin again, his eyes are soft and bright with emotion, and maybe it’s just the flickering light of the candles, but they look just a little wet.

“You’re mine, too”, he says, and the feeling in Edwin’s chest grows even fuller, even warmer, even more overwhelming. He never wants it to fade.

(It doesn’t.)

I LET YOU WIN AT CLUE LAST TIME, Charles spells when they set up the board once more a week later, and almost doubles over laughing when Edwin starts sputtering in pure outrage.

It’s the longest they have ever gone without a case in the short history of their detective agency, and the candlelight is making Charles’ skin shine like polished metal when he slides the planchette to the last letter of his question.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR?

There isn’t much to say, since there isn’t much going on, so Charles asking a question so inane makes sense, in some sort of way. Edwin finds he doesn’t mind it like he usually would, idle chitchat not to his taste unless Charles is the one making it.

Blue, Edwin wants to answer, out of habit more than anything, but then he stops himself, thinks. This is Charles after all, his best friend in the world, in his life and afterlife, and if anyone deserves an honest answer, it’s him. Even if the question is something so utterly inconsequential.

“Red”, he finally says, without quite knowing why. “It’s red, oh noble spirit.”

I CAN’T REMEMBER MY PARENTS’ FACES, Edwin spells out and every letter feels like the stab of a needle, the slice of a blade. And yet, it should be harder to admit to something so monstrous; and yet, it cannot be, because Charles’ gaze stays warm and understanding, just like Edwin knew it would.

“It’s been a long time”, Charles tells him, “And a lot has happened in between. I’m sure they’d understand, oh my spiritual guide.”

It takes a moment, because Edwin wants to give this idea a chance, because Charles is looking at him with so much kindness, but in the end, there is only one answer Edwin can give. He might have forgotten his parents’ faces, but not their character, not yet.

I DO NOT THINK SO.

A beat, far shorter than it should be, then Charles breaks the unspoken rules of their game and puts a hand over Edwin’s where it rests on the planchette, and holds it tight.

“Then they deserve to be forgotten”, he says, and sounds like he means it.

Edwin wishes he could say the same.

LET ME PUT SOME EYELINER ON YOU.

Charles waggles his eyebrows exaggeratedly, and for a moment, Edwin considers saying yes, just to see the surprise in Charles’ eyes. But it’s the third time he has asked the question, so he will ask again, and the longer Edwin resists, the greater the shock will be.

“Under absolutely no circumstances. Don’t even try it.”

AWW.

“Very well put, noble spirit. Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

DO YOU WANT TO GO ON A TRIP?, Edwin writes and watches Charles’ eyes light up, just like he knew they would. They haven’t done it often yet, usually quite busy with their cases, but they have just survived the Great Debacle of the Double-decker Buses, mainly unscathed even, and Edwin believes they deserve a little break.

“Oh, that would be brills, oh spiritual guide of mine”, Charles tells him, then adds, “Where do you want to go?”

There are a hundred suggestions burning on Edwin’s lips, because he never got to travel when he was still alive, only heard about faraway places through his mother’s library, but they all stay unspoken, at least for now.

YOU CHOOSE.

And Charles smiles at him, and Edwin knows it was the right thing to say immediately.

“That’s almost too much responsibility”, Charles answers, and he sounds a bit like no one trusted him with something like this before; Edwin hopes more than anything that it isn’t true. “I’ll come up with something. Something really good. I promise.”

(They go to Athens, and see the Acropolis and the Parthenon and afterwards, Delphi, and Edwin knows that, even if Charles enjoys it, he’s picked it for Edwin’s sake. Next time, he promises himself, he’ll choose, and they’ll go somewhere Charles will have the time of his afterlife.)

Charles seems to consider the words far longer than he usually would; maybe it should be worrying, but there is nothing about Charles that could worry Edwin, not really.

WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT BEING ALIVE?, he finally writes, and there is some fragility in the question that Edwin doesn’t understand and can feel anyway, like an echo of a thought he has had himself.

And he looks at Charles, looks at the space they have made for themselves, thinks of their cases and the souls they have helped, and comes up empty.

“To be perfectly truthful, nothing at all”, he answers, and there is something happy in the smile he gets from Charles in return, something sad as well.

It’s still morning, which makes the candles superfluous, but Edwin lights them anyway, puts them on their assigned spaces on the table cloth they got years ago; something about a séance without them just feels wrong to him.

“Do you want to write today?”, Charles asks from where he is already sitting, looking up at Edwin with eyes that Edwin could draw from memory and yet would never be able to get quite right.

“Yes, why not?”, he answers, like he hasn’t been buzzing with the need for it since the sun has risen. Not because there is something in particular he wants to say, but just because he wants Charles to listen, wants Charles’ gaze on his fingers as he moves the planchette, wants Charles’ attention on him.

It’s a desire that occurs often, at the same time one that Edwin doesn’t inspect too closely.

He sits down once the candles are lit, and it feels a little bit like coming home, because Charles smiles at him, focussed on nothing but Edwin and what he wants to say, even if what Edwin wants to say is nothing at all.

Do you have a favourite flower?, he wants to ask for a moment, then wants to spell, Your handwriting might be some of the worst I’ve ever seen. I enjoyed the last song you showed me. We should go on a trip sometime.

In the end, he writes none of it.

Because Charles looks up at him and there is so much tenderness in his gaze, and Edwin’s heart flows over with the love he has for him.

I LIKE YOU SO MUCH.

And as he reads it, letter for letter, Charles’ face lights up with the same emotion; Edwin knows his answer before he has a chance to give it, has known it all along.

“I like you just as much. Oh, best of all spiritual guides.”

I REALLY WANNA PUT SOME EYELINER ON YOU, Charles writes and Edwin has to do his very best not to smile.

“Absolutely not, noble spirit. I don’t know why you keep asking.”

U JUST WANNA SEE THE BOOK OF KELLS AGAIN, Charles spells and he’s grinning so smugly Edwin wants to groan.

“Absolutely not, I have no idea what you are talking about. Also, please be so kind as to use proper spelling”, Edwin tells him, resisting the urge to fix his bow tie, or smooth down his lapels, before tacking on, “Oh, noble spirit, who I know is familiar with the orthography of the word you.”

It makes Charles laugh, his warm, dark eyes crinkling at the edges, but Edwin ignores that, since Ouija boards do not transmit sound after all.

JUST ADMIT IT AND I’LL TAKE YOU TO DUBLIN, Charles spells out, and the problem, the real problem here, is that Edwin knows Charles means it and they will be through the mirror and at Trinity College within the minute.

The other real problem is that Charles is right, and that he knows it.

“Fine”, he concedes, hissing the word out like it has offended him personally, and then, because Charles’ grin is only widening, adds, “but we’ll also have to pay the Oscar Wilde statue a visit.”

The tip of Charles’ tongue peaks out between his lips as he drags the planchette across the board, quicker than he usually would, like there is a timeline he has to adhere to. It’s distracting in a way Edwin cannot quite pinpoint; it’s not like he hasn’t seen Charles’ tongue before, stuck out behind the back of infuriating witnesses, trying to catch raindrops that just phased through them, or, one memorable time, trying and failing to lick an ice cream cone.

And yet, Edwin cannot keep his eyes off it now, which makes it quite difficult to keep up with what it is Charles is spelling.

DO YOU WANNA GO TO A CONCERT TONIGHT, it reads in the end, after Edwin has patched up the gaps in between letters, and he already wants to shake his head, because good heavens, does he not want to, but Charles is still spelling.

THERE’S A SPECIAL’S CONCERT AND IT’S THEIR LAST TOUR AND I DON’T WANT TO GO ALONE

And he looks up at Edwin and his eyes are so wide and pleading, and Edwin knows he might be signing up for the worst night of a long time, but his head nods his approval before he has been able to form half a thought.

The smile that blooms on Charles’ lips within a split-second is worth all of it.

BRILLS, MATE. IT STARTS AT 8.

(It isn’t the worst night by any stretch of the imagination, not because Edwin ends up enjoying the music or the lights or the crowd, but because he watches Charles dance like he’s forgotten everything around them, because he listens to him belt out lyrics at the top of his lungs although no one but Edwin will hear him, because Charles is having the time of his afterlife and the thought that Edwin almost wasn’t there to witness it, is almost painful.)

LETS GO TO CORK, Edwin writes and Charles looks at him, confused.

“Cork? Why Cork? We’ve just been to Ireland.”

THERE IS A JAZZ FESTIVAL.

“But you’ll hate that. You don’t like concerts, do you?” Charles’ left eyebrow is raised, but he looks excited, and oh, Edwin definitely has made the right choice.

BUT YOU DO. LETS GO.

A pause, their fingers almost but not quite touching on the planchette, and then Charles ducks his head, smiles up at Edwin from beneath his lashes, and it does something to Edwin’s heart he refuses to think about.

“Yeah, okay.” Another pause, shorter this time. “Thank you. Oh, most generous of all spiritual guides.”

There is no Ouija board in Port Townsend, but once Crystal has gone to sleep, Edwin makes Charles go fetch it from their home. This, at least, Charles finds without difficulty.

For once, there is no discussion who will play the ghost, Edwin just picks up the planchette as soon as they have lit the single candle they could find, places it in the middle of the board and waits for Charles’ fingers to join his. They look right there, just barely touching.

“What wisdom do you want to impart on me tonight, my spiritual guide?”, Charles asks, a hint of a smile on his lips although he must know that it feels less like a game to Edwin right now, more like a confession. Edwin would do anything for him.

I’M AFRAID, he starts spelling and his hands are shaking, and Edwin doesn’t waste any energy on hoping Charles won’t notice; he will, of course, THAT YOU WILL END UP LIKING CRYSTAL MORE THAN ME.

There is a pause, and Edwin cannot look up at Charles and see his expression. He won’t find pity there, he knows Charles too well to fear that, but he isn’t sure what else to expect.

The planchette jerks under his fingertips, and then suddenly, there are arms around his shoulders, pulling Edwin closer until the only thing that stops the motion is the table digging into his stomach. Charles is solid against him in a way very few other things are, his head fitting into the crook between Edwin’s shoulder and neck in a way that seems to complete him, and Edwin wishes with something bordering on desperation that he could let out breath deep enough to carry all the tension dissipating from his spectral body.

“That’s never going to happen”, Charles mutters into the fabric of his suit, almost against his skin, and Edwin finally manages to raise his arms and hug Charles back. “There’s no one in the world I could like more than you. Believe me. Not a single person.”

They’re back in London – finally – and yet it doesn’t feel as triumphant as Edwin had hoped it would. Niko’s loss is a wound that Edwin cannot stop prodding, although it hurts every time his thoughts brush up against it, and even if he has come to like Crystal quite a bit, there is still a part of Edwin that misses how it was before she was there, when it was just Charles and him.

And maybe Charles can sense it in him, maybe he feels the same; what Edwin knows is that the first evening, after Crystal has gone back to her hotel to have a long shower and whatever the minibar has to offer, Charles walks into their game closet and comes out of it holding a familiar, battered black-and-white box.

“Let me write this time?”, he asks, and Edwin nods; how could he do anything else?

They set up their little séance, the white tablecloth, the dried flowers, the dripping candles, and although he was the one to suggest it, Charles’ hands hesitate for a moment before settling down, fingertips barely touching the planchette.

He has beautiful hands, Edwin allows himself to notice this time, strong and yet elegant, and Edwin remembers how the left one felt, even through their gloves, when Charles had put it over his own, expecting to be sucked into oblivion any second.

ABOVE ALL, Charles writes, then pauses, like he has to collect his thoughts, and Edwin will give him this time, will give him all the time he needs, whenever he needs it. I AM GLAD YOU ARE HERE.

They look up at the same time, and Edwin’s tears are glistening in Charles’ eyes, and part of him wants to reach out and hug Charles and feel him solid and real against his chest, part of him wants to stay like this forever, looking at Charles and being looked at in return.

Edwin does a third thing.

ME 2, he writes, orthography be damned, and then grips Charles’s hands in his and vows he won’t let go until he has made him smile again.

HOW MANY LEGS DO YOU THINK A MILLIPEDE REALLY HAS, Charles asks weeks later.

They have exhausted all other kinds of questions, the sun almost rising between the skyline of London, and Edwin can’t help but chuckle. Charles quirks an eyebrow in response, an invitation, and he’s so pretty, so carefree and relaxed that Edwin wants to reach out and touch him, no matter in which way, in hopes of some of it rubbing off on him.

“Do you really want to know, oh noble spirit? Because I can find the appropriate books to answer your question”, he asks, but allows his fingers to slide just a little closer to Charles’ on the planchette until they are touching in the most insignificant, the most important way.

YEAH, GO ON.

And it hurts to break the contact once more, but it’s worth it to read Charles page upon page of The Complete Encyclopedia of Common Insects on their sofa, Charles’ feet resting in Edwin’s lap and Edwin’s fingers slowly moving to circle Charles’ ankle; not a shackle, but an anklet, a piece of jewellery.

DO YOU KNOW ANY POEMS? Edwin asks, because he’s spent the day buried in volumes of Byron’s prose, and Charles looks like he might start laughing; Edwin isn’t sure why.

“Sure do, oh greatest of spiritual guides”, he replies, and it definitely isn’t the answer Edwin expected.

WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE?

“Whichever it is you’re reading to me at the moment”, Charles answers easily, and Edwin isn’t sure how he ever could not have fallen in love with him.

LET ME PUT SOME EYELINER ON YOU, Charles spells out, familiar words and an even more familiar grin on his lips.

“This is the fourteenth time you asked me that, noble spirit”, Edwin points out, and cannot help but smile back. They were so busy on back-to-back cases that it feels like he hasn’t had time to look at Charles properly in far too long. He’s beautiful like this, bathed in candle light and the silence of their agency, and Edwin aches with it in the most pleasant of ways.

YOU COUNTED?

“Of course.”

A pause that lasts maybe a second too long; Charles’ fingertips are pressed against his, and Edwin cannot feel, and feels them still.

I DID TOO.

YOU WERE QUITE BRILLIANT TODAY, Edwin spells out, because it’s true; Charles’ quick thinking had saved them all that day, battering the right one of three vessels on pure instinct alone.

“Ah, shush”, Charles says, but he is ducking his head, smiling; Edwin loves him so much it feels like a physical weight in his chest, grounding him in the best way. “Couldn’t have done it without you guys.”

THEN WE WERE QUITE BRILLIANT TODAY, Edwin tries again, in case it will be easier for Charles to take the compliment this way. He tries for a smile as well, and Charles’ eyes go soft at that; their fingers are touching, but it almost feels like Charles is trying to press closer still.

“That we were, oh sweetest of all spiritual guides”, Charles concedes, and for a split-second, the brightness of his smile is enough to let Edwin forget about anything else, but only that.

Sweetest?

MY FAVOURITE POEM USED TO BE FIRST MEMORY BY LOUISE GLÜCK, Charles writes, apropos of nothing, on a calm summer night when Crystal has long since gone back to her apartment and the only thing they have to do is tell silly stories, taking turns with the Ouija board.

“Your favourite…?”, Edwin starts, but it’s true, he has asked about it before. He stops for a moment, Charles watching him, and rifles through his memories to find the poem in question, before stopping dead in his tracks.

It makes sense, too much of it.

“Oh, Charles…”

Without thinking, he puts his hand over Charles’ on the planchette, even if only for a moment, because Charles is writing more.

IT’S NOT ANYMORE.

And Charles gives him a smile, and it’s not broken and not brittle, and so Edwin chooses to believe him, and smiles back.

“Give me a minute to get some books”, Edwin says, and gets up before Charles has the opportunity to answer, “We will find you a new one.”

Edwin waits until Charles has sat down and put his fingers where they belong, then writes, WHAT WERE YOU TWO TALKING ABOUT?

It sounds jealous, but that is not what makes Edwin ask the question, it’s genuine curiosity. He had been setting up the Ouija board when Crystal had returned to the agency, having forgotten her keys, and Charles and her had been talking for a few minutes while Edwin had spread the table cloth, fixed the flowers, lit the candles and the incense.

“Oh, nothing really”, Charles starts, half chuckling as he pushes a hand through his hair. It musses up his curls and Edwin desperately wants to reach out to fix them. “She asked about the séance, and I tried to explain it, but I don’t think she got it.”

HOW SO?

“Oh, she told me to “just start communicating like adults” or something like that”, he answers, and there is something bashful about it that Edwin doesn’t associate with him at all, something that looks sweet on him and yet feels strange. “Don’t worry your pretty head about it. She just doesn’t understand it.”

LET ME PUT SOME EYELINER ON YOU.

The same request, the same grin on Charles’ pink lips; it’s the sixteenth time he has asked Edwin this, and he wants to refuse out of habit, but he’s been wanting to see that surprise on Charles’s face for so long and maybe Edwin is just tired of waiting.

“Alright, oh noblest of spirits”, Edwin tells him, and the astonishment on Charles’ face was worth the wait and then some.

I’M GLAD I TOLD YOU, Edwin spells and this should be harder to say, should be something he doesn’t want to remind Charles of, but it isn’t. BACK IN HELL.

And he’s right to say it, because Charles’ eyes soften, and he smiles, and Edwin loves him so much he almost tells him again.

“Me too”, Charles answers, and it makes Edwin shiver; Charles moves his left index finger so it is resting on top of Edwin’s. “I’m honoured, even.”

Charles seems to hesitate for a moment, before he starts to move their hands, touching and yet not intertwined like Edwin imagines them being sometimes late at night, when they are wrapped up in companionable silence on their sofa, also touching, but never quite in the way he wants them to.

I THINK I HAVE A NEW FAVOURITE, he spells. POEM, I MEAN.

“Oh?”, Edwin asks, and for some reason it feels like his pulse should quicken, like this should be a confession and not just a statement of facts. Something about Charles’ eyes when he looks up at him again from the planchette, something about the quirk of his lips. “Which one is it?”

THE 2ND ONE YOU READ LAST NIGHT.

The problem is that Edwin has read so many poems over the last months, all to Charles, all on their sofa, almost all with Charles’ feet in his lap, Edwin’s fingers resting on or around his ankle.

So he says, “Oh. I am glad you enjoyed it.”

And vows to look it up afterwards, especially when the look, that strange, intense look doesn’t leave Charles’ face for the rest of the game.

“Can I tell you something?”, Charles asks him, rocking back on his heels, and Edwin is struck again by how much of Charles is just motion, even if it must be the hundredth time he’s noticed it. And how fitting it is, too, since Edwin life had never felt like it was moving, yet in his death, the Universe never seems to have stopped spinning: Charles is the centre of it.

“Of course”, he says easily, and Charles gives him a quick smile that Edwin will treasure like every other one he has ever gotten.

“Like this?”, Charles adds, and puts down the Ouija board in front of Edwin, which he must have been hiding behind his back. It’s a surprise; usually it’s Edwin who uses the barrier the board offers much more than Charles does, and nothing has happened in the last few days that Edwin could imagine rattling Charles so much he feels the need of it.

Yet, he nods immediately, and there is another smile, a little brighter this time.

They set up the candles and the incense and everything else, even if it is Edwin, who is doing most of the work, because Charles seems to be distracted, having to flick the lighter several times to produce a flame. Edwin would be worried, but Charles doesn’t seem scared, doesn’t seem to be hurt, just seems… distracted.

He sits down as soon as Edwin puts the planchette on the board, his fingers finding it like they have been itching for it.

“You ready?”, he wants to know, and Edwin has to stop himself from asking what is happening, instead just sits and nods, placing his fingers delicately next to Charles’, making sure they touch just so.

“What do want to tell me, noble spirit?”, he starts, and hasn’t even finished the words before the planchette is moving; Charles is looking at it intently, the tip of his tongue peeking out between his plush lips, and Edwin would be mesmerised by it, if he didn’t have to know what Charles wants to tell him so desperately.

I REALLY WANT TO FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU.

Edwin doesn’t have to breathe and yet the words suck the air right of the room; he doesn’t have to drink and yet his lips and throat are dry; he doesn’t have a heart that beats and yet it stops.

There are no thoughts left in his mind, but when he looks up from where their fingers are touching, Charles is already looking at him, eyes wide and earnest and almost pleading; he’s not scared, he’s not hurt, he’s… excited. This is Charles before an adventure, Charles packing his backpack and ready to leave, only waiting for Edwin to stop fussing, Charles like he always is, in motion, in flux, in the centre of Edwin’s universe.

Are you certain?, Edwin should ask, but he won’t insult him like this; Charles would never say something so momentous if he hadn’t put the thought into it before.

“Okay”, he says instead, and still feels breathless, feels starved for any additional kind of love Charles might give him that he hasn’t been allowed to taste before. “Brills. How do we- how do you want to start?”

A smile blooms on Charles’ face that rivals the sun, the stars, the candles illuminating the single most important being in Edwin’s life, and he shrugs. Their fingers press together a little more, although Edwin isn’t certain who of them moved them.

I DON’T KNOW, Charles writes, and Edwin isn’t certain what his heart is doing within his chest, only knows that it is bright and warm and overwhelming, that it is the closest he’s ever gotten to Heaven. I THINK I’VE ALREADY STARTED WITHOUT YOU.

And if possible, his smile gets brighter still, happier, and Edwin’s heart is pressing against his ribs, trying to escape them so Edwin can lay it at Charles’ feet and ask him to take care of it.

“Alright”, he says, and doesn’t know how he is still speaking, how he is having a single thought. “Then, what do we do?”

Charles hesitates for a moment, and Edwin needs the reprieve, because he would have been happy with loving Charles from the little bit of distance between them, would have taken every word and every touch and every glance and treasured them without ever asking for more. And yet, here is Charles, the sun behind his eyes, saying that he has already started loving Edwin back. That he wants to do so even more.

The planchette moves, and it’s the only thing that breaks Edwin out of his reverie, because whatever Charles wants to say, he needs to listen to.

KISS?

And maybe Edwin doesn’t have to listen after all, because the word buries itself into his very soul, digging itself so deep into his mind he’ll never think of anything else again, because -

He is nodding before he can comprehend the motion, and for a moment, Charles just looks at him, happy and still excited and maybe, just maybe, a little loving, and it’s all the warning Edwin gets.

There are lips on his, and they are soft and warm, and Edwin doesn’t even have the mind to consider the feeling of them, because Charles is kissing him and Charles is kissing him and Charles is kissing him.

A hand cradles Edwin’s cheek and tilts his head just so, and then Charles kisses him differently, his tongue teasing at Edwin’s lips until he parts them, and it’s bliss, it’s Heaven, it’s everything Edwin never thought he would deserve.

Edwin does his best to kiss back, and Charles sucks in a breath they do not need, before he kisses him with even more fervour, making a sound at the back of his throat that Edwin drinks down like it is ambrosia.

It lasts forever and it lasts no time at all, and when they part, Charles leans his forehead against Edwin’s, so that they would be sharing air between them, would share their very breaths.

“Definitely started without you”, Charles whispered into that hallowed space between their lips, and there is laughter in his voice, there are tears.

“I did, too”, Edwin replies, and knows that he sounds just the same.

Their hands, still resting on the planchette, are intertwined, and without looking down, Edwin knows they’ll stay that way forever, now.

______

Here's the two poems mentioned: First Memory by Louise Glück Like Air by Laura Hershey (and yes, Charles meant this to be a love confession, but unfortunately not even Edwin's brain is big enough to retain all poems he has ever read.)

[just-jordie-things]

Do you think yuuta would be the type to try and win you over even if you had a bf/liked someone else? Part of me feels like yes he’d back off! But another part of me feels like his emotions are so strong he’d do anything to make you see him 🥹

ohmygod yuuta is such a good guy.... just the nicest guy... let's talk abt it ;)

yuuta knows that you like your boyfriend. he might not be convinced that you love him, but he can at least see you like him. you talk about him regularly enough, bring his name up in conversation when appropriate, talked to him about dates you had planned and whatnot. you liked the guy, sure.

but yuuta loved you, and he knew it. he'd known it for a while.

being the good guy he was, he told himself he was willing to wait. he was happy to be your friend. as long as you could still be close, he could be patient. he told himself that for quite some time.

eventually things took a shift.

yuuta tells himself that it's only because your boyfriend got shifty. started blowing you off on a few dates. he wouldn't reply to your messages for hours on end, sometimes for a whole day. he forgot your anniversary. the evidence started to stack up, and honestly, yuuta thought he was being a good friend being as there for you as he was.

he was always right there. as soon as your boyfriend would let you down, yuuta would be there to lift you up again. your boyfriend forgot about a dinner date? yuuta would take you. he's ignoring your texts? he'll take you to a movie so you don't have to think about your phone.

when he forgot your anniversary, yuuta brought you flowers and offered to take you out wherever you wanted to go. no, it wasn't a date, he wasn't dating you, you were just friends hanging out! he was only trying to lift your spirits...

... so it was natural for him to start the narrative that you should break up with your shitty boyfriend. because you deserve better, because you were too good and perfect to be treated so terribly. you deserved to be happy, to be loved, to be cherished. yuuta would be so kind and thoughtful to you, listening to your complaints with nothing but patience, hugging you when you cried, and that's when he would give you his two cents.

"its hurts to watch him treat you like this, sweetheart," yuuta coos, cradling the back of your head close to his chest. your tears are soaking through his jacket, but this isn't the first time you've found yourselves in this position. "you've gotta break up with him, m'kay?"

and as you always do you'll nod your head and agree, throwing your arms around his neck and crying into him like the pitiful little girl you were.

yuuta hated to see you cry. it made him angry- made him think about all the terrible things he'd like to do to your boyfriend. but he loved to be the one there to comfort you. he was the one to wipe your tears, he was the one holding you, he was the one whispering in your ear. it was only a matter of time before things finally worked out.

you'd sniffle, cling to him like he was your own lifeline.

"m'kay," you'd mumble back empty promises. "m'kay i will"

and yuuta would rock you, kiss your forehead, comfort you in every way to make you feel warm and safe again. you'd fall asleep in his bed, in his arms, wrapped up in nothing but the feeling of him. and soon, he hoped, you'd realize that's enough for you.

he hoped every day you'd follow through and break up with your boyfriend.

and there was nothing wrong with waiting, right?

[gx-gameon]

I just finished the ‘walk the dragon’ arc in DM and it’s always a wild ride. But it also really drives home the fact that the Gx friend group is just not the same as the DM friend group.

Atem makes a mistake. He lets his darkness win. He loses and has to face the consequences of his action.

Except the consequence isn’t that his soul gets removed, what he thought would happen, but instead that he lost Yugi. His most loyal friend. And this was Yugi’s choice. He chose to step in and take this blow for the pharaoh. He believed in him so much that even though Atem didn’t listen to him and caused one of their souls to me forfeited he still believed in the Pharaoh.

Showcased even more in their duel in the valley of spirits. Yugi through that whole duel is trying to help the Pharaoh face the darkness in his heart and over come it. He’s acting like he’s furious with the Pharaoh, emotions that the Pharaoh thinks he deserves. But is actuality he’s doing all of this to push his friend and make him better.

Even Joey, Tristian, and Téa still trust the Pharaoh. Yes they are upset with him. Joey punching him in the face. And they should be. But they never abandon him. They still believe he’s a good person. In the dub they insist that he was tricked.

Joey spends the whole season trying to get Mai to remember that they are friends and talk her down from her depression spiral/possessed state. He never gave up on here and even convinced Valon there was more to dueling and friendship. Like Joey kills this season.

And when they get Yugi back they are all so excited. Hugging him and telling him how glad they are that he’s back. But the pharaoh steps in once more to fight the leviathan and no one glares at him or tells him to go away now that Yugi’s back.

Every single member of the group still cares for and trust the pharaoh. Yes they had negative emotions towards him and the situation and not all of them were expressed in a healthy way. But they were all still there for him and each other.

And while some blamed him for his choice they could see that he regretted it and forgave him for his actions.

But Gx?

And again maybe I’ll feel different on my rewatch.

But the group doesn’t behave the same way. If Jaden makes a mistake they blame him for it.

I know in the dark world they are under a spell to have their negative feelings amplified but like Jaden’s not even calling the attacks. He got into that duel with only his life on the line. They were added in as a surprise later on.

And again amplified emotions. But those emotions have to exist to be amplified. They already felt that way about him.

I don’t know I just think about how many wild situations the DM crew got into. How many times their lives were in the Pharaoh’s hands. (His duel against Noah in the digital world is a great comparison) And they were always supportive. Trusting Yugi and the pharaoh to get them through.

Let’s compare the duel against Noah. He starts picking off the DM cast one by one. Each turn Yugi/Atem doesn’t beat him he turns one of their friends to stone. The group is watching each of their friends get turned to stone. Joey even watches his precious sister get turned to stone. But he’s never angry at Yugi/Atem. Their anger is directed at Noah. They keep encouraging Yugi/Atem to keep going that even if they all get turned to stone they know he can win. And it’s that friendship that helps him win with all of their souls guiding a card he needed into his hand.

Compare that to the dark world duel in Gx. Just like above the destruction of his friends was added on to the duel later. (Yes the situation is different since when Yugi/Atem won they knew they would be realized from the stone. In Jaden’s duel they died, or so they believed.) but Kadne is doing everything in his power to lose. To make sure his friends get out alive. He’s forced to attack. And his ‘friends’ blame him for everything. Again magic spell, but it’s enhancing emotions that are already there.

I just can’t see the DM crew behaving this way. Yes they wouldn’t want to die and would be devastated over the perceived lose of any of their friends. But I can’t see them yelling at Yugi/Atem that it’s all his fault. They would blame the villain.

You know who doesn’t blame Jaden? Jim, Axel, And Aster Phoenix. Like two kids who knew him for what? A few weeks? Months at best. And his rival from last year. These people shouldn’t trust Jaden more than his ‘friends’ do and yet they are better friends than the regular crew.

Like could you imagine all of the DM cast blaming Yugi/Atem for the situation and then Kaiba, and two characters that were added that season walk up and super supportive of Atem and help him. Like imagine the Walk the Dragon arc but the crew abandons Atem after he loses Yugi’s soul and Kaiba, Raphael, and Valon start helping Atem over come the darkness in his heart. You can’t that would be wild!

Again maybe I’ll feel different after my Gx rewatch but like they are not the duel monsters crew. Jaden needed better friends.

I don’t hate the Gx characters. I just wished the writers let them do more to support Jaden because they were all pushed to the background in most cases leaving them with the option to support or complain.

[sergeantbuckybarnes]

we are who we are // fred weasley

Summary: You feel you’re unworthy of love, and Fred proves you’re wrong.

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Reader

Word count: 1.7k

Warnings: mean comments towards the reader, self-esteem issues, angst with a happy end

A/N: As always, please remember English is not my first language. Thanks to @coffee-jelly544​ for proofreading this!

main masterlist

You stormed out the Great Hall, running through the corridors ignoring the glances other students were giving you. You stumbled toward your usual spot, your favorite tree. You liked how it lifted his branches to the sky as if his mere existence were enough to drive away the gloom and command the sun to shine on his waxy leaves. His bark glistened like the perfect type of gold, the kind that lifts the mind to dizzying heights of imagination, opening doorways to wondrous realms. It was no surprise that you went to the tree when your spirit needed to recharge; the touch of the trunk and thick branches felt like a hug from the gods above. This time, though, was different. You couldn't get the pain to go away even as you slid down its trunk into a curled position, tears flowing down your cheeks.

Your mind was filled with the echo of his nasty remarks. Again and again. Never stopping. Mocking you. Making you feel stupid. Aiming to hurt you, even if he didn’t know you were listening.

“Y/N? She’s a freak.”

“Have you actually seen her?”

“I’d rather shag Eloise Midgen, than ever go on a date with her.”

You knew you weren’t the best looking girl at Hogwarts, and you weren't going to win a beauty pageant anytime soon, but you liked to think you were passable to the eye. Perhaps you were mistaken. Maybe you needed to do more than remove your glasses and put on makeup to grab Michael Corner's attention. Or any guy’s for that matter.

As the years went by, you witnessed your friends get boyfriends, and go on dates, while you remained the supportive friend in the background, giving them advice and helping them get ready for their dates, staying in your dorm waiting for them to return, eager to hear about how everything went, wondering when it would be your turn.

You couldn't help feeling envious. Wanting what they had— a boy who stays up all night talking to you; a boy who calls you beautiful; a boy who holds your hand when you are nervous; a boy who doesn’t like you for your body or face, but for what’s inside you; a boy who wants a future with you; a boy who supports you fully, throught all your rights and wrongs; a boy who wants to have tickle fights instead of arguments; a boy who asks you how you are and check up on you; a boy who likes you without makeup on; a boy who would you anything to see you happy; a boy who cuddles you when you’re cold; a boy who doesn’t act different with you around his friends; a boy who shows you off to everyone; a boy who is proud of calling you his girl.

You just wanted someone who made you happy. Were you asking for too much? Weren’t you deserving of love?

You were tired. You were tired of crying. You were tired of pretending everything was okay. You were tired of being there for everybody but nobody being there for you when you needed them.

“Y/N?” A voice called your name. When you looked up, your puffy red tear-filled eyes met the worried brown eyes of Fred Weasley. “What happened?”

You met Fred and George Weasley in your first year at Hogwarts. You were proud to say that they were the first real friends you ever made. They kind of became your protectors, always defending you when someone picked on you and pranking them as a revenge, making everyone aware that if they messed with you, they would have to deal with them. You couldn't put into words how grateful you were to have them in your life.

If you asked Fred and George, they would tell you that you were their number one best friend and their biggest supporter. Most people didn’t seem to keen on their dream of opening a joke shop, but when they initially told you, you were enthusiastic about the idea and even volunteered to assist them develop their products.

So, certainly, you were very important to Fred and George. That’s why Fred wasn’t having any of it seeing you in such distress.

Fred tucked a strand of hair behind your ear that had fallen in your face, and he tenderly wiped your tears with his thumbs, but it was of little use because your tears kept coming like a never-ending waterfall.

“What happened, love?” Fred's voice, though mild, was commanding. You were not the type to cry for no reason. Someone had obviously done something to upset you, and he demanded a name. This individual, whoever they were, was going to wriggle in Bulbadox powder and break out in boils.

“H-he said mean things, Freddie,” you wailed. “Why did he say such mean things?” You buried your face in your friend’s chest and Fred wrapped his arms tightly around your frame, attempting to shield you from the outside world.

“Who, Y/N/N? Who said these mean things?” Fred whispered softly as his long fingers ran through your hair.

“M-Michael.”

“Michael Corner?” He asked for confirmation. He heard you reply a muffled “yes” against his chest.

You pulled away and looked at your best friend. “I wanted to ask him out.”

Fred frowned. He didn’t know you fancied anyone. And as if you had read his mind you explained, “It’s not like I have a giant crush on him or anything. I just thought he was cute and I wanted to go out with a guy.”

“Why?”

Fred didn't have many female friends. He had small chats with Hermione every now and then, and he was close to Angelina Johnson, but these friendships didn't provide him with enough information to understand why you would want a boyfriend all of a sudden, and why you would choose someone like Michael to fill the role.

You could do better than that tosser.

“Because I feel left out, Freddie. Kendra and Jeanine don’t stop talking about their boyfriends and they are always on dates and I- I want to know what if feels to be liked by someone.”

“Is that the reason you did this?” He queried, taking a look at you. You frowned, unsure of what he meant.

“What do you mean?”

“The makeup, and your glasses— where are they?”

You shrugged. “I was trying to be pretty.”

“You are pretty, Y/N. You don’t need to change to get a guy’s attention. If they don’t like you for who you are they are not worthy.”

You looked at Fred. He had these eyes that were just so warm that you could get lost in them. The kind of brown that's actually gold underneath and carries the sun’s light. Soon after meeting him, you noticed that he has two smiles. There’s his soft lazy smile, when his eyes half close. It's your personal favorite. They captivate you, and you find it difficult to look away. Then there’s the one when he finds something fine. When he laughs. The big one. The one where he slightly lifts his shoulders. Someone would think that with all of this, you'd enjoy staring at him, but instead, you just feel sadness because you know he’ll never be yours.

“Well, that’s the problem, Fred; no one likes me for who I am. I'm a freak.” You spat, using the word that Michael used to refer to you with his mates.

“That’s not true. You’re not a freak,” the ginger said defensively. Fred had never heard you speak so negatively about yourself before, and he didn't like it. “Is that what that git said?”

“Among other things.”

Fred squeezed his fist, feeling his knuckles turn white. He felt wrath take over his body, and his thoughts wandered to places where he made Corner pay for hurting your feelings, for making you feel unworthy when all you wanted was to be shown love.

He cupped your face in his hands, “You’re beautiful, Y/N/N. You are smart, witty, funny, and a great friend. Any guy would be lucky to have you as his girlfriend. You don’t need to change for that. You hear me?”

Your eyes started to tear up once more but for a different cause this time. “You really think that?” Your voice was small, still vulnerable.

Fred couldn't remember when he stopped seeing you as a friend, but it was a long time ago that his feelings for you were no longer platonic. However, he had kept his emotions to himself because he was a coward. He never imagined that his choice would backfire and result in someone else hurting you. If he had confessed, he couldn't help but wonder if you would be in this circumstance.

Maybe you reciprocated his feelings.

Maybe you would be together, and you wouldn’t be crying over Michael Corner.

“Have I ever lied to you?”

“Well—” You were about to begin recounting the narrative when he cut you off.

“You promise not to mention that ever again,” he protested, feigning indignation, which made a giggle come out of you. At this, he smiled.

“Thank you, Freddie.” You cracked a small smile, and even though it didn't reach your eyes, Fred was relieved that you were feeling better.

Fred gifted you your favorite smile. You noticed how he was still holding your face and how close the two of you were. You could feel his breath against your face, and had a perfect view of the freckles adorning his features.

‘He’s so handsome’

You were so preoccupied with admiring the boy in front of you that you didn't see Fred had narrowed the gap between you and tentatively brushed his lips against yours. You felt a swift surge of confidence overtake you and leaned forward, your lips meeting his.

You had thought about kissing Fred more times than you’d like to admit. The kiss was nothing like what you had imagined it to be. Fred’s kiss was gentle and soothing. As his lips moved slowly with yours, you felt a sense of warmth. As you continued kissing, Fred’s left hand remained cupping your face while his right hand made its way to your waist.

When you pulled away you noticed Fred’s cheeks were flushed a bright pink. “Be my girl?” He inquired. “Let me love you like you deserve.” Although the older twin exuded confidence, he appeared nervous now, as though the chances of you rejecting him were very great.

“Yes.” You smiled, and he pulled you against him again.

[somethingsteff]

Trope selection tag game

Thanks @underacalicosky for tagging me! This'll be so much fun! 💖💖💖💖 I'm going to use obikin for my responses (to no one's surprise).

💖 enemies to lovers or friends to lovers - I love both of these so much. I think I'm going to have to go with friends to lovers, but I love them bickering so that's gotta be part of the friendship too. There's just something about everyone else around them knowing that they're in love with each other (though I also really love that in an enemies to lovers fic).

💖 coffee shop au or flower shop au - I love a coffee shop au! I love Obi-Wan going to a coffee shop for his tea fix just because there's the cute guy (Anakin, obvs) who always takes his order and draws little doodles on his cup. Or an Obi-Wan who, again, doesn't really like the taste of coffee but he loves the smell so he's actually really good at managing the coffee shop he owns that Anakin basically lives in. I will say, though, that Calico had a really good argument for a flower shop au in their post. So in that spirit, imagine a flower shop au where Anakin hates flowers (so me, that's why coffee shop will win every time for me) but applies for a job at the flower shop he passes on his way to campus when he sees the help wanted sign, all because he's had a crush on the hot owner (Obi-Wan) since it opened. A few months into Obi-Wan finds out that Anakin hates flowers and asks why he applied in the first place. Anakin's brain shorts out and tells him the truth. They date (and fuck) about it.

💖 hurt/comfort or there was only one bed - Only one bed by a landslide. I'm in a place in life where, if I had to choose, there would be little to no hurt in anything I read.

💖 found family or partners in crime - I love these both so much, but I'm going to have to go with found family. I'm obsessed with Obi-Wan and Anakin being Ahsoka’s dads, and found family just means so much to me in general.

💖 canon compliant or canon divergent - Has to be canon divergent because obikin deserves a happy ending. There can be compliant stuff there, but I need that happy ending.

💖 fluff or angst with a happy ending - I'm going to have to go with fluff. I can get through angst with a happy ending, but depending on how much angst and if it's all posted or if I have to wait and stew on it until an update it's actually really hard for me. I probably sound like such a weenie. Lol.

💖 1st person POV or 3rd person POV - 3rd person for sure.

💖 soulmates or forbidden love - I love a good soulmates/soulmark fic! So soulmates.

💖 roommates or fake dating - Calico cheated so I'm going to, too. Roommates who are fake dating is also my answer. 🤣

💖 slow burn or meet-cute - I'm all about that meet-cute!

💖 love triangle or polyamorous relationship - If I had to pick one I'd go with a poly relationship, but neither are really my thing.

💖 royalty au or magic au - I love a royalty au!

💖 high school/college au or neighbours au - I'm going to cheat again and say a neighbors au where Anakin's in college, or they're both in high school, or Anakin's in high school and Obi-Wan's in college, or something.

💖 mutual pining or idiots to lovers - I honestly kind of think they're the same thing. But I'll go with idiots to lovers.

I have no idea who's already played, but my no pressure tags are: @loycspotting @starpains @unspuncreature @kingdomvel @kenobisrightboot

[k-dokja]

Summary: The needed communication with you after everything he had gone through in recent days.

Jake won't think about it.

Because if he does, he'll somehow manage to call upon your wrathful spirit and get an earful for getting into trouble again. He promised he wouldn't, he's breaking his promise again. If you don't want to put up with him anymore, he'd have zero grievance about it except the guilt he will harbour for the remainder of his life, however fleeting it will be.

It's one thing that he got involved with the gang business, he made his choice long ago and you respected that. You chose to stay with him in spite of his foolhardy crusade to save Sinu. He couldn't ask for more from you. But now, he's on the run again, Big Deal is scattered and arrested, and you haven't heard from him for days.

Jake won't think about it. If he dwelled on how you must be feeling any longer, he might do something stupid and run back like he's not a wanted man. Truthfully, he'd have followed that impulse had it not for the real potential that you'd be affected by his actions, too.

He saw your messages. All fifty-something of them. He read them all and thought about replying for days now, but every time he typed something, his fingers faltered and once again, he was at a loss for words. No excuse would suffice at this point and the longer he lets it go on, the harder it becomes to answer you.

Like it or not, he's on the fast track to win the title of 'Worst Boyfriend of the Year'. One would need an insurmountable level of stupidity to overtake him in this race at this point.

Even when he has the chance to contact you, with a new SIM card and a new phone, he can't do anything except stare stupidly at your phone number on his screen. Typed out, but he was doing nothing to initiate the call. You'd probably yell at him if you even thought to pick up a strange number.

He'd deserve all of it and you'd deserve better.

Jake sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Better get this out of the way sooner than later, lest the wound fester and turn into blisters that will scar. He presses the call button, and dread pools at the bottom of his stomach.

A few rings pass by before a familiar voice speaks up from the other side. "Hello?"

He swallows. Not until he hears you that he realizes how much he missed you. You sound a bit more nasal than normal, he wonders if you're well. It's silly to even consider that your life is going on fine while he's in hiding, but it'd be arrogant to assume you're suffering because of him.

He won't know until he asks and it's a challenge to get there when his throat is this dry. Slowly, Jake says your name. It's more of a tentative plea than a greeting.

You go quiet. He doesn't need to see your face to know you must be upset at him. With a deep breath in, he braces for all of the scolding you will unleash upon him.

"...Are you safe?"

But it never comes. What he gets instead is your quiet concern, he doesn't know how to deal with that. It's far easier to pacify you when you're mad at him because he's used to it. Used to all of your irritation and your sigh and your eyes rolling. Not this, however. Not the fear of disappointing you even further.

He never quite knows what to do with it. "Yeah," he says, "I'm with an old friend of my dad... Lineman is also here. We're fine for the moment."

"Okay." You say. There is a silence after that makes him think you're trying to pick your next words. What he gets is a question. "Do you know how to get out of this?"

It's pragmatic and practical, he feels silly to think otherwise of your reaction. He almost wants to laugh, but he has to settle with a smile on his face, "We have a plan, a vague one, but it's a start. I don't know how long this will take but..."

Jake heaves out a long sigh. The truth isn't easy to admit even when you're this calm. "I can't guarantee anything, I'm sorry."

"When have your words ever meant anything?" You're the one who laughs and he can't help but wince. "Just try to stay alive, and if you do, let's talk when you're back."

He hates the sound of that. He hates how his entire body seizes when you say those words, but he has no choice but to agree with you. He has done enough damage as it is. "...All right." He adds, perhaps needlessly. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are," you say, "I'll have to go back to practice now, will you stay in touch?"

Jake won't deny that he's disappointed by how short-lived is your conversation, but he mentions nothing of it. "Yeah, same number," he says, "I'll let you know if something changed."

"Thanks," you reply, "please stay safe."

"I will," he swallows again, not knowing if he has the right to say these next few words, but he says them anyway, "...I love you."

It takes you a few seconds to answer. A few seconds too long. "Goodbye Jake," you say, "I hope I'll see you soon."

The call ends before he can say anything else.

Suddenly, his mouth feels bitter with regret.

[hamilando]

ੈ✩‧₊ You drew love around my scars ੈ✩‧₊

Pairing : Wen Junhui x Male reader

Words : 1.5k

Genre : Angst, High-school au, Popualr guy- Unknown guy

TW : Angst, Depression, Suicide, Self harm, Implied family problems but not mentioned, reader does not have friends.

Music : Cardigan by Taylor Swift

A/N : The fic contains mature themes, I don’t mean to offend anyone with the writing.

“Mingyu hold his legs, today I shall end it all by cutting his legs”, Hoshi claimed before running after Jun towards the locker room.

“Hoshi, you are just jealous that I scored the winning goal and well won the hearts of the girls too.” Jun said while running around the football team members trying to avoid being caught by Hoshi. 

Before this police-theif catch could come to an end, their captain stopped Hoshi by the collar and tried to explain these two children fighting like kids.

“You tiger spirited man, stop being jealous of him.”

“Seungcheol hyu-”

“And you, Jun, stop making him jealous, just fight with him when we are done”

“Sure Hyung”

Well Hoshi could not stand this blow to his tiger spirit, so before any member could stop him, he slapped Jun’s butt and ran away screaming, “BYE LOSERS, ALSO CONGRATUALTIONS FOR WINNING AGAIN!”

Seungcheol could just ask the gods as to what he did to deserve to have team member like him.

“Well guys, Congratualations, we did well this season, and I guess you would all like celebrate. And before you all go that being the captain I should treat you all, today at 8pm, at Cheng’s Diner, be there, I will welcome you all with my broke wallet.”

“OUR LEADER IS THE BEST!”, the members exclaimed before thanking the leader the personally, making their way to the diner.

Jun wanted to freshen up a little bit and told the members to excuse him and told them that he would directly meet the members at the diner.

As Jun made his way to the locker rooms, he thought how is life would be if he didn’t choose football in the freshman year. He would not be the popular guy girls threw upon, nor would he have met his football brothers nor would he have gotten the scholarship to the university, well technically there are 3 months left but Jun is sure that he will be the one the receiving it.

When he reached the locker room, he was quite surprised to see the showers of one of the stalls running, 

“Is anyone there?”

No response.

“C’mon if it’s you Hoshi, I am gonna cut your dic-”

The shower stopped running. Puzzled as to who might be there, Jun went to the shower room and –

“YOU, STOP IT RIGHT NOW!”

Jun rushed to the guy sitting on the floor and slapped the blade out of the guy’s hand. He had just witnessed a guy trying to take his own life and had no idea what to do. The guy was still sitting on the floor, with his heads on his knees, silently sobbing, the hand he wanted to cut just hanging limply. 

Jun had never experienced such a situation and had no idea on what to do. He quitely sat down next to the boy, slightly grimacing on feeling the wet floor, but then focusing on the other topic on hand; Him. He could make out the guy was avreageishly tall, not athletic due to his skinny built, black hair and well his shivering body due to sitting under the shower for so long and presumably crying. 

“Do you want a hug ? I am sorry I don’t know much and am completely clueless as to what I can do-”

Before Jun could finish his little ramble, the guy looked up with his red teary eyes, contemplating if he should or not but then hugged Jun tightly, if he would have not been there, he would be hugging death right now. Jun returned the hug without any hesitation, not minding his shirt being wet from all the tears or a complete starnger hugging him.

The way he was clutching Jun looked like he really needed it. It seemed as if he was his life support and he was scared to lose it. After a while, he pulled back and Jun could study his features properly. He thought that maybe he had seen this guy in his physics class or maybe his mathematics class-

“Thanks for saving me Junhui, I guess I owe you one.”

“How do you know my name-”

“You are the school’s most popular guy, who wouldn’t know your name.” Jun, mentally scolded himself for asking the most stupidest question in such a situation.

“May I know your name?”

“Y/N”

After seeing the confusion in Jun’s eyes, Y/N replied, “We have the same mathematics class.”

So Jun was correct after all.

“Nice to meet you Y/N”

“ I wouldn’t say that meeting in such a situation, Junhui.”

“Right”

Out of all the days his brain decided to betray him.

“Why did you return to the locker room, Junhui? Didn’t your match end like an hour ago? I though I would be alone so…”

“Please call me Jun, and I just wanted to freshen up, and well I am glad I decided to come to the lockers.”

“Well you saved a loser like me”

“Why would you say that ?”

“Trying to live my life once and you shall realise on your own.”

“Why don’t you talk to someone ? Like your parents, siblings, friends ?”

“ It's so hard to talk when you want to kill yourself. The words just don’t come out of your mouth. About my parents, I would rather not talk about it. I don’t have any siblings, only child and unlike you Mr.Popular, I don’t have any freinds.”

“I am sorry.”

“You don’t need to be, it’s not your fault. But don’t you think how easy it is for people who just witness these situation to just say sorry and not say anything else. But then again a sorry can’t solve anything and well they can’t do anything as well, no offence to you though.”

“None taken but if I may ask a question, why would you decide to do something as serious as this ?”

“Good question, I don’t know, I guess this is what my heart wanted, or should I say brain?” Y/N let out a chuckle before again going to his somber state of sitting on the locker floor.

“Isn’t it a selfish thought ?”

Y/N laughed at the question. 

“Take a note Jun. Never say this to a person who wants to commit suicide. They are not selfish, they are open for the world, they want the people they know to come to them, talk to them, to notice them, but then they don’t. They don’t realise that we be selfish because it is rather painful for us to live through what you call ‘ life given to us and we only have one chance to live the best out of it.’ I succeeded in understanding the world, but the world failed to understand me. You know how they say a warrior’s greatest pride are his scars, well mine are my greatest emotions.” Y/N proceeded to raise his cardiagan’s sleeve and showed the numerous scars to Jun.

It was a lot to process for Jun, he didn’t know if he did the correct thing but he grabbed Y/N’s arm traced each scars with his finger.

“Y/N, life is like a football you know, if kick it too hard it is bound to go outside, but if you kick it with the right amount, it will always reach the goal. Don’t burn yourself trying to prove yourself to yourself. I know others say prove yourself , be the best in your eyes, but sometimes those eyes can be deceiving. I don’t know what led you to take such a drastic step, but I want you to know, that these scars are the art on your canvas, and now the canvas is ready to be sealed as compeleted ok? Don’t you dare go making another of them. Promise me, I know we aren’t close, but from today onwards, I will be your friend, your shoulder to cry on, even your punchbag ! Just don’t take a step that you will regret. Don’t take a step that will hurt us, I shall start caring for you, each step of your hurting you will hurt me as well. Just wait a minute, I will make a call telling the guys I won’t be able to meet them. Then we can go back to your space and change into something comfortable, not this wet. You catching a cold is the last thing we need.”

Y/N could just stare at Jun with tears at the brink of his eyes. He finally heard the words he wanted to hear from the past 17 years of his life. He got himself a friend. A person who could protect him, a person who cared for him, a person who he could cry on, a person who was worth living this life for.

[gabessquishytum]

Concept: Hob's in his first year at university, and he’s actually become good friends with his randomly assigned roommate (Destruction). He knows Destruction has a... less than ideal relationship with his family, that he's basically only in contact with them at all because he doesn’t want to lose touch with his younger sister.

And then Destruction complains to him that his older brother is coming to visit/check up on him/take him to dinner, and he’s such a self righteous asshole this is going to suck-

And Hob's like "Just bring me along to distract him. I'm SO good at being annoying, he wont be able to judge your life choices if he's judging mine." It's a toned-down of that "I'm a convicted felon do you want me to come to your Thanksgiving dinner" Craigslist post.

Dream shows up. Destruction insists that Hob come to dinner with them.

Hob proceeds to switch whatever filter he had off and spends the whole meal just. Talking at Dream. He starts the evening a textbook overconfident jock who acts like no one's ever told him no and ends the evening very drunk (hey, Dream is paying and it's good alcohol) and earnestly telling Dream he's going to become a doctor and figure out how to cheat death. The concept, not his sister. Why does their family have such weird names, anyway?

Dream comes away from the meal unwillingly fascinated with Hob. He wants to watch as the stress of university deservedly takes him down several pegs and bleeds the light from his eyes. He figures it'll take a month.

So even though the older siblings had set up a 'check in on Destruction' schedule he volunteers to go again the next month.

And honestly there are two directions I could go from here:

A: Destruction once again panics about seeing family he's trying to distance himself from. Hob once again offers to run interference. But somehow they orchestrate it so that Hob ends up spending an entire day with Dream, and they end up doing a 12-hour enemies to lovers speedrun. Hob gives Dream a manic pixie dream girl tour of the campus and its surroundings. Poor Destruction comes back the next day to find his asshole older brother and his roommate in bed together.

Or B: the slowburn version. The first time Dream comes back he meets a slightly mellower version of Hob, and decides he doesn't hate him, actually. And then he just keeps coming back, and he and Hob end up genuinely becoming friends. Dream and Destruction actually start to repair their relationship, too! Trouble is, he's convinced Hob and Destruction are dating (partially bc Destruction still brings Hob along to everything, partially bc both Hob and Destruction are very casually touchy and very lax about wearing clothing while at home). So when Hob finally works up the courage to ask him out, he pulls a "YOU DARE".

He very unhappily tells Destruction "so Hob hit on me"

And Destruction's like "fuckin finally. The man is so stupid about you I swear his pupils turn into little cartoon hearts when he looks at you"

Dream's like "You're not upset?"

And Destruction's like "No, I'm happy for you both, you deserve it. You did. Reciprocate. Right?"

And then Dream establishes that he wasn't actually the other woman and does some over the top rom-com bullshit to win Hob back (this is unnecessary) (he'd never lost Hob) (Hob still appreciates it very much and falls even more in love with him)

Chaotic ADHD coded med student Hob + cutie art student Destruction + stuck up older brother Dream... this is absolutely the ideal combination.

At the end of that first evening Dream is hissing "your boyfriend is unbearable!!" And Destruction is like "he's not my boyfr- you know what never mind. yes i love my very annoying boyfriend hob gadling."

And Dream can't wait to see Hob’s dreams and spirit crushed, but... this doesn't happen. If anything he gets MORE annoying and sunshiney, and Dream becomes unwillingly fascinated by his little brother's terrible boyfriend. Destruction has exams to do so it's Hob who ends up showing Dream around on his next visit, and of course Hob teases him the whole time and makes sure that Dream pays for his lunch and dinner. He sometimes feels like Hob is flirting with him but he tries to ignore that, putting it down to being a part of Hob’s personality.

Destruction is desperately trying to find a way to tell Dream that he's "broken up" with Hob and tell him that it's totally ok to ask Hob out now!!! It doesn't help that Hob keeps sitting on his lap. And braiding his hair. But he can't tell Hob to stop being himself!! What a mess.

There are two possibilities in my mind: Destruction eventually tells Dream that he was lying about the relationship with Hob BUT if Dream doesn't ask Hob out, he will!! And so Dream is faced with the sudden realisation that he's not irritated by Hob, he's actually in love with him!! Oh no!!

OR. For my Hobstruction fans. Destruction is like. "What if we act like good siblings and share him?" And after Dream has recovered from passing out on the floor he has to consider that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea?

Either way Hob is getting Endless dick tonight, as he deserves. Bless our favourite annoying gremlin cockslut <3

[deathmetalunicorn1]

So in ancient Irish mythology there was a warrior named cu chulainn who was the son of the God of Light and spoken oaths,

Born under the name setanta, He was bound by prophesy to live a glorious but short life,

He got the name cu chulainn after killing a ferocious. Possibly demonic or deific guard dog and swearing to its owner to take the dogs place.

He was trained by a warrior woman named scathatch to use a 7 barbed spear called gaebolg which, when launched with his foot. Would spread its barbs through the dangers body and gore them from the inside out.and in battle often lost himself to bloodlust so strong he would turn inside out into a giant monster of rage an sinew.

In his personal life , despite being married he was a tremendous womanizer. Even if his heart belonged to his wife he seemed quite liberal with sharing the love

And he died shortly after killing his best friend in battle, though the reason depends on the telling of the story, in the most famous version though, after grieving the loss of his best friend he was fed the flesh of dogs. Which weakened him physically and spiritually. Allowing him to be killed by a spear to the gut.though not before tying himself to a large stone by his guts so he could die standing like a warrior

Theres a lot more to his story, obviously but I wanna know how this guy would do fighting for the humans in ragnarok, with goll as his partner.

-In Valhalla, there were many who regarded you as a hero, one who fought bravely and valiantly.

-However, you didn’t feel like a hero, you had killed your best friend and allowed yourself to be killed; despite dying like a man, tying your own intestines to a rock so you could die standing, you didn’t feel like one.

-You spent years lamenting your fate, you didn’t deserve to be in Valhalla, you didn’t train with others, choosing instead to live life as a hermit.

-It was then, when your friend, whom you didn’t realize was also here in Valhalla, sought you out and delivered a major ass kicking to get your rear in gear!

-He could see your remorse, your guilt, he knew your feelings were genuine and for that, he forgave you and forced you to start training again, getting back into shape and get back to your former glory so you could surpass it.

-You came back like a wildfire, training your body as well as your mind and spirit, regaining the name you had earned so long ago.

-You spent your days how you should in Valhalla, fighting against other warriors, getting challenges in fearsome fights, you were finally happy again.

-When you were selected as a champion for humanity, you didn’t hesitate to prepare, ready for a fight, but when you saw your valkyrie partner was the youngest, only a child, you felt a fire, a rage, deep in your belly.

-You had to win, to keep Goll safe. You weren’t going to let an innocent die for your weakness.

-Goll was scared at first until she fused with you and your determination, your silent declaration to keep her safe, soothed all of her fears almost instantly.

-The other champions all respected you, as many had fought against you before, Lu Bu and Raiden being the most frequent partners, they knew you weren’t going to die without one hell of a fight.

-Your fight was definitely one of the highlights of the whole tournament, you refused to give up, even after loosing an arm and your right eye, your ferocity was almost intimidating to the gods.

-You were the victor at the end, but not without cost, you had gotten your ass kicked. Goll couldn’t help you when she unfused with you after you collapsed to your knees, as she was half your size.

-You chuckled, reaching a hand up to ruffle her hair before you collapsed, falling face forward, which made Goll panic until she heard you snoring, fast asleep.

-She was pouting deeply when you woke up, angry that you had made her worry, her little fists hitting at your uninured arm, calling you a jerk which made you laugh before she hugged you tightly, thanking you.

-You were quite cranky, being stuck in the infirmary, as you couldn’t have any booze, but you were just happy you survived, you accomplished your goals. You could rest easy now.