#he firmly believes he won't have that - he's given up on that idea since the 50's so

[wnterslder]

what hurts me , is the idea that ... even though bucky has given up the idea of raising a family in this life , he has the dad instincts.

[a-killer-obsession]

Whoops, you got hit by a bus, and now you're in the world of One Piece. But not everything is quite as you remember it...

General Tags: afab reader, she/her reader pronouns, isekai, monsterfucker reader, vampire!kid, werewolf!killer, wyrm!heat, minotaur!wire, everyone has a human form, smut heavy, unhealthy relationships, dubious consent, serious violence, spoilers for Wano arc, starts pre-timeskip. There will be a lot of more intense kinks, please check AO3 for all current tags.

Chapter 10 - Terms and Conditions

Now that you're part of the crew, it's time to set some ground rules.

WC: 4k

Masterlist | AO3 | Chapter 1

You sat sleepily in Heat's lap, well, not his lap really, more like the middle of his tail. It was coiled in a tight spiral, your rump sat firmly atop it, your back pressed against his warm chest and his warm arms around your center. His naturally hot body temperature soothed the aches you still had from yesterday, he was taking such good care of you, knowing how worn out you were from taking most of the crew. He graciously hadn't attempted to mount you, but he hovered close by, which was welcomed given his sweet doting and care you were very much in need of. Your joints ached from the positions you'd been in for such a long period of time and your pussy was raw and aching. You didn't speak more than needed and Killer had provided soft foods, knowing your jaw was stiff from all the pussy eating and cock sucking you'd done. You were happy though. You felt content, and finally safe and secure in your position here. Well, as safe as you could be, now that you were officially a pirate.

“Now then Mouse,” Kid grinned, “let's make things official, aye? We believe ya story now, or at least we're trying our best to. It's still hard to accept yer from another universe. But you've at least proven your usefulness to us, so ya can stay on the crew. How bout it, Mouse? Ya wanna join my crew?”

“Yes captain,” you smiled sleepily, “will my job here be as your… bed warmer?”

“Aye, you'll be our ship whore,” Kid smirked, “only for the four of us here though, unless we decide to give someone a night with ya as a reward. You good with that?”

“Yes captain, as long as my boundaries are respected,” you stated.

“Of course lass,” Kid replied, “Wire will draw up a contract for ya later. He's the most knowledgeable here, he'll make sure your boundaries are laid out for us. Everyone we let have you will be made clear of your conditions. You're still up for the four of us free using you, aye? It was your original offer. I did let you live, after all.”

“Within limits, yeah,” you responded, trying to not let your lust-addled brain distract you from an important conversation. Being free used by four big, strong, attractive, well endowed men? Ohhhh what a horror, the worst thing you could imagine. “I like what we've got going on. Will I be given a share of the loot like the others?”

“Of course lass,” Kid chuffed, “if anything you'll be paid better. You'll be saving us a great deal of money by servicing us instead of having to spend money on island whores. We'll give you your own room, for convenience. Everyone else shares but the four of us, but I'm not sure anyone is keen on losing sleep whenever we have need of ya. There's a lounge in the castle we barely use, we'll have it cleared out for ya. We're on our way back to Sabaody as we speak, you can go to the shops and get whatever you need to get set up once we dock. We'll back pay you for your time since ya started servicing us.”

“Thank you captain,” you replied gratefully. You didn't expect him to pay you for your time as a prisoner. “That's generous of you. I won't let you down.”

“You'll probably find your bed doesn't get much use, unless you're in need of a break,” Kid continued with a chuckle, “but it'll give you somewhere to keep your shit anyway.

“Speaking of resting,” you interjected, “I had a bit of an idea. In terms of the free-using. I was wondering if you'd make me a more long term wearable collar, something that won't irritate my skin, thin perhaps. With a tag that has your jolly roger. I thought maybe we could use it as a signal, if I'm not wearing the collar then I'm in need of rest.”

“EXCELLENT IDEA!” Kid roared, spooking you a little as he thumped his fist against the table, “I'll make ya a collar that'll make everyone jealous of ya!”

“Thank you, captain,” you smiled, nuzzling sleepily against Heat's bicep.

“Tired, Mouse?” Kid smirked.

“Mmm,” you mumbled, “I feel like I'm hungover from yesterday. Drunk on dick I guess. And pussy.”

Killer and Wire snorted while Kid made a boisterous laugh. “Before you fall asleep,” Killer jumped in, “is there anything we need to know for the immediate future?”

“Mmm,” you mumbled, trying to sit upright, to which Heat helped you, nuzzling his face against your back, “you need to get the ship coated before Ace's execution, cos after that the only coater I know will be busy.”

“Where do we find him?” Wire asked.

“You're all familiar with the coater already, in fact you met him the other day,” you alluded, “Silvers Rayleigh, he can coat the ship. You'll find him, or at least his wife, Shakky, in grove thirteen at Shakky's Rip-Off Bar. You unintentionally helped his friend rescue that mermaid by helping the Straw Hats escape, so he should be amenable to coating the ship.”

“He's the coater?” Kid exclaimed, “the fuck is the ‘Dark King’ doing coating ships?”

“Paying for his alcoholism, mostly,” you yawned, making the others snort laughs.

“Alright then Sleeping Beauty,” Kid laughed, before his smile fell to a more serious expression, “we don't have to worry about this whole execution shit, right?”

“There'll be a war, but your crew won't be involved,” you replied, “it'll all happen over at the marine base. You'll just see it on a screen on Sabaody.”

“Alright then,” Kid huffed, pleased and relieved with your answer. It was no secret that there was tension in the air regarding the execution and whether returning to Sabaody was even safe tight now. There were reports that Whitebeard was on the move to save Ace, and it made Kid uneasy, but he trusted your prediction, you hadn't let him down thus far. “Go get some rest then princess, we promise we'll behave till you're up to it. I'll have that collar for ya before your pussy is ready to get destroyed again.”

Kid winked as he stood and grabbed a boob as he passed by, making you squeal and slap his hand playfully as the captain chuckled. You started to stand as well, but Heat swung you onto his back to carry you, making you giggle as you grabbed his horns for support. “Giddy up!” You laughed. He pretended to buck you, which only made you giggle more, Killer shaking his head with a grin under his mask as Heat carried you out. He and Heat were in high spirits, overly relieved and happy that your story had been proven true and you got to stay. You'd promised Heat to do some sunbathing with him on top of the dinosaur skull while the sun was out, it was a good excuse for a nap and a cuddle really.

You hopped off Heat's back as he made it up, he was surprisingly fast and agile in this form. It'd made you curious as to why he didn't use this form more, to which he had told you that it ‘wasn't polite’ to go around in that form, whatever that meant. Maybe it was like how zoan fruit users usually stayed in their human form? Heat laid down first, making a pleased grunt as his head rested on the pillow he'd chucked up here earlier, his long tail stretching along the skull like an arrow pointed at the distant Sabaody that hovered on the horizon.

“I'm really glad you get to stay,” Heat hummed as you got comfy next to him, resting your head on his chest, tucked into the crook of his armpit.

“Yeah, me too,” you murmured back with a big yawn. Heat gave you a soft smile and a little squeeze before the yawn caught him too.

“Alright, ready to get started?” Wire asked, tapping the tip of the feathered pen against the page in front of him, “I've made a list of kinks the crew like to indulge in. You just let me know which ones you're comfortable with. Ready?”

“Yup!” You smiled back sweetly, leaning forward and resting your face in your palm, your elbow against the table. It was just you and Wire in the navigation room, he didn't want you to have the pressure of the others watching you and potentially pressuring you into things you weren't comfortable with.

“First item - free use for the four commanders, under the circumstances that your collar is on. That much I know you're good with, but what about outside of that?” He asked.

“A big maybe,” you replied, “I'm a regular woman without the collar. If they can seduce me, sure. But I reserve the right to deny them without consequence.”

“Okay, seems reasonable,” he replied, the pen making scratching noises as he jotted it down, “I have a list of things you've already participated in, so I'll just run through them quickly so you can confirm them for the contract. Touching of all body parts, vaginal fingering, vaginal penetration, cunnilingus, blow jobs, deep throating, face fucking, use of strap on, cum on body including face and genitals and inclusive of female cum, cum in mouth, creampies. Threesome, degradation, praise, bathing together, face riding, both giving and receiving, those are the basics, yes to all of the above?”

“Can we make an amendment for no cum near my eyes?” You asked him, “otherwise yes to everything else.”

“No cum near eyes, got it,” he wrote on the page, “the next set is things you've done that are on the more intense side. Gangbang, bukkake, self-wetting, humiliation, somnophilia, exhibitionism, bondage, pet play and master/servant dynamics, both as dominant and submissive. Amenable to all of those?”

“Somnophilia is the sleep one, yeah?” You queried.

“Aye,” Wire confirmed.

“Okay, yeah that's fine,” you confirmed, “but um… I don't want Heat watching me use the toilet anymore. And I'm not eating out of a bowl or shitting in a litterbox.”

“Noted,” Wire replied, scribbling that down, “you were fine with the self-wetting though? What about other watersports?”

“I've never tried but, I'm not not curious,” you replied unsurely, “the self-wetting was… enlightening.”

“I'll put it down as a maybe, for future experimentation. You can change your mind later if you want, same goes for anything on this list,” Wire assured you, “now for the requests. Anal fingering, mouth to ass, anal sex. Receiving and giving. Thoughts?”

“Yeah, those are fine. I've done a few on the giving end as well, but I guess that person wanted to keep it to himself,” you noted, “just uh… only receiving the whole way with proper lubrication. No spit as lube bullshit unless it's only fingers.”

“Got it,” Wire confirmed, “next up, use of toys such as dildos and vibrators, use of nipple clamps, impact play, with hands and equipment. Bondage such as shibari, cuffs, bed, wall and furniture mounted restraints. Sensory deprivation. Tickling. Forced orgasms. Edging. Thoughts?”

“No to the tickling, limited to impact play. I'm not a fan of pain,” you explained, “light smacking is fine, but you can cross off anything too painful, otherwise yes to everything else.”

“I'll cross off knife play and hook suspension,” Wire said as his pen ran a line through several items, “next set. Foot play, non-con roleplay, softcore roleplay such as maid, fisting, sex under the influence of alcohol and drugs, use of purpose built furniture such as breeding benches, double penetration, of separate holes and of multiple cocks in one hole.” Wire looked at you expectantly, his pen paused over the page.

“Uhh, no to fisting,” you ran through the list in your head trying to make sure you remembered everything, “um… yes to one in the ass, one in the cunt. Maybe to two in my cunt, I've never tried. Definitely no to two in my ass.”

“I think you could manage two in one,” Wire smirked, “as long as I wasn't one of them. You took me so well.”

“Mmm, I certainly want to try,” you hummed, “quit reminding me of your big beefy cock or I won't be able to concentrate.”

“We're almost done,” Wire snorted and shook his head, “anything else not on this contract, we'll ask first. You'll be paid the same split as Heat and I get. You'll use the colour system for safe words regardless of if your collar is on or not. Green when prompted to go ahead, orange if something needs to change or you need a break, red if you need to stop. No consequences will come from using the safe words so please don't be afraid to use them. By signing this you agree to remain up to date with your birth control unless an explicit agreement is made to impregnate you, you may expect that from Heat or Killer, Kid and I aren't the type to want babies. If an accident happens, Kid promises not to kick you off the ship. The rest of the crew will keep their hands off you unless you give them permission, otherwise a maximum of once a week we may choose to allow them a night with you as a reward. You won't allow anyone outside of this ship to touch you without permission from your captain. You will remain on this crew unless relieved of your contract by the captain. You'll also be given regular STI screening, as the four of us do, and all other crewmates will be required to use protection with you. Do you agree to all these terms?”

“Sounds good to me,” you hummed, openly ogling Wire's muscular torso, “you wanna fuck?”

“Sign here first,” he shuffled the page over to you and you quickly signed it, biting your lip as he stood and rounded the table. He loomed over you from behind your chair, running his hand up your neck until his hand was sweeping your chin up, forcing you to look at him. You pushed aside the page with its drying ink and sat on the edge of the table, spreading your legs for Wire to slot between them.

“What happened to having a sore cunt?” Wire mused, running his thumb over your lower lip, pressing against the soft flesh. He was all for fucking you, he'd been thinking a lot about your tight cunt and wanted to take his time with you. He worried though that you were ignoring your limits.

“Well you see there's this thing called ‘remembering how fucking big and hot your cock is’ and unfortunately I'm no good at disagreeing with my pussy, she wants what she wants,” you purred back up at him, peeking out your tongue to lick his digit before taking it in your mouth, humming as you sucked his thumb.

“You're so cute when you're being submissive,” Wire grinned, replacing his thumb with his pointer and middle finger and gagging you with them, “I have been wanting to get a taste of that pretty cunt of yours. No collar though,” he hummed, running his finger down your neck and tracing a trail of saliva over where the collar would sit, “so I have to ask, can I taste you, princess?”

“Please do,” you huffed, pulling your legs up so your feet rested on the table, showing off your flexibility as you sat back. You'd never properly redressed after waking up, still just wearing one of Heat's old shirts, large enough to fit as a baggy dress on you, your pussy exposed and inviting underneath. You tugged on the hem of the shirt to reveal yourself to Wire, who hummed appreciatively as he ran his thumb between your folds.

“Already wet for me,” Wire cooed as he knelt, “such a good girl.”

He kissed your thighs softly, making you giggle, before his teeth sunk into the soft flesh and the giggle turned to a moan. He nipped you a few more times before his tongue ran a fat stripe up your cunt, and your hand pushed away his hood to tug at his short hair. His tongue lapped against your pussy as he pulled your legs to rest over his shoulders, giving the occasional suck of your bud that made you whine. He was clearly enjoying himself as well, grunting against your cunt as his tongue bullied its way inside you, licking at your walls while his hand looped over your thigh to thumb your clit. You could feel his pointed sideburns against your thighs as he ate you out, his thumb making small, firm circles on your bud as his thick tongue wiggled inside you.

“Oh fuck that's good,” you moaned, laying back against the table, “just like that, fuck.”

His other hand weaselled up under his chin, the end of his middle finger toying with your asshole and spreading the slick and spit that had rolled down around the ring before sinking in. There was a spark of electricity in your clit as his finger pushed inside your ass, not quite finger fucking you, just toying with your hole for extra stimulation. It made that coil in your stomach pull tight, your back arching off the table as you fisted his hair, holding him tight against you. You could feel the coy grin he made against your cunt, and you made the mistake of looking down, immediately catching his eyes that were watching you carefully from between your legs. Those fucking eyes, they always did something to you, and you threw back your head with a groan, cumming on his tongue, his finger forced out of your ass by the contractions your orgasm made.

He gave you a few more greedy licks that made you shiver before he stood, making a show out of unfastening his pants and laying his thick erection against your stomach as his shorts and briefs pooled at his ankles. He rut his cock between your folds, getting his shaft coated in slick and spit and rubbing against your over-stimulated clit. “You're so pretty like this, blissed out with my cock laying against you,” he noted, “pull your shirt up, I wanna see your tits.”

You obediently did as he asked in your post orgasm daze, squishing and kneading your tits for his enjoyment. He groaned as you pulled at your own nipples, your hips rolling to grind against his shaft on their own accord. “You want it bad, huh? Cute little bunny, horny little thing,” Wire purred, putting more force into the rutting. He took himself in his hand and pressed the head of his cock against your entrance, pushing only the tip in and stretching you out. That on its own was enough to make you whine and try to shift to take more of him. “So greedy, trying to get more already. I'm gonna have fun taking my time with you,” he teased, pulling his tip out and sinking it back in over and over, making you whine at the emptiness each time he removed himself.

“Please!” You begged, “want it, want it so bad.”

“Yeah? You want this?” He asked, suddenly sinking himself in, to what he knew was your limit, before entirely leaving you empty again, his cock rubbing against your clit. “Use your words baby.”

“Want- want your fat cock,” you whimpered, “want it splitting me open. Wanna feel you filling me, please.”

“Such a good girl,” Wire cooed, bullying his cock back inside you, but not moving any further. You only said you wanted it inside you, you never said anything about moving. Wire was a master of restraint, any of the others would have already been fucking your brains out by now, while he enjoyed watching you writhe against the table as he warmed his cock. “That feel good, baby? You like keeping my cock nice and warm?”

“Y-yes,” you whined, “feels so full, hnng. Fuck me Wire, please, please please please.”

“Well, since you asked so nicely,” he toyed, before pulling out most of the way and slamming back in, prompting a scream from you at the sudden heavy thrust. He did it over and over, pulling out slowly, then pushing in hard and fast, driving you insane as you got enough stimulation to feel incredible but never enough to sustain the building orgasm, and you got the feeling that was purposeful. Wire was only doing exactly as you asked, he was testing you, teasing you to see how far you would go to beg for it. You reached between your legs to rub your clit, but he quickly grabbed your wrists and folded them against your chest, pinning you down.

“Please,” you begged, “more, please, wanna cum on your cock so bad.”

“How bad do you want it?” Wire teased, “what are you gonna give me in return?”

“Anything!” You cried, “please, anything, please fuck me harder!”

“You're gonna let me frost your face, and you're gonna wear it for the rest of the day,” Wire growled, “you're not washing it off till bedtime. Everyone's gonna see what a little slut you are.”

“Yes! Yes!” You whined, trying and failing to fight his hold to try and fuck yourself with his cock, “please, please, please.”

“Good girl,” Wire praised, before finally committing to a hard and fast pace that had you shrieking and seeing stars. Your pussy made obscene squelches as he fucked it, Wire making grunts and tightening his grip on your arms as he used you like a cock sleeve, loving the way your pussy was already fluttering around him, so desperate to cum, choking his cock like it was desperate for him to breed you. “You gonna squirt for me, bunny? Gonna make a mess?”

“Y-yes,” you moaned, unable to escape his hold as he started to overstimulate you, making you dizzy as you felt your orgasm rushing at you. “C-cumming!” You shouted before your thighs clamped around him and shook hard, cum dripping off the side of the table and on to the rug below, some of it drenching his abdomen. His cock never stopped pumping you, the wet sounds now increased tenfold with the added lubrication while you squealed and writhed before finally stilling with a heavy pant.

“Good whore,” Wire purred, “such a good girl.” You barely heard what he was saying, practically lifeless against the table, all you could do was whimper pathetically. Wire got close to his own peak and pulled out, climbing onto the table and straddling your chest. He pumped his cock over you, pleased by the half-lidded puppy dog eyes you were giving him, too weak and fucked out to do more than lick the end of his cock or feebly suck on the tip when he pushed it between your lips. “Close your eyes sweetheart,” he cooed. No sooner had you closed them did he grunt, and you heard his palm hit the table next to your face for support as the first hot spurts of cum hit your face, aimed mostly for your lips and cheek, some of it getting in your hair. It was a large load, and you could already feel it start to drip as he panted, rolling off you to lay on the table beside you, his legs hanging over the edge while yours were folded up, feet against the edge, knees together and still shaking.

“What do you say?” He teased.

“Th-thank you,” you whined.

“Good girl,” he huffed, before surprising you with his softness as he linked his hand with yours, “you're gonna do well here, and we're gonna take good care of you.”

“Mmm,” you replied sleepily, resting your eyes for a moment and enjoying his warm hand encompassing yours. Later you would go to dinner with Wire's cum still coating your face, sitting in his lap so it was clear to everyone who's cum it was. Everyone told you how pretty you looked, and promised they'd paint you too soon.

[Next Chapter]

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Taglist: @chershire23 @tremendoushorsepatrolgoth @nocturnalrorobin @eyes-ofhell @hellcatsworld @miyomoko-sora @loserbee14 @tzimiscequeen-blog @lansy-4 @luvnistuff @bbnbhm @fanaticsnail @ocean-mochi @mikeyswifie @h0n3y-l3m0n05

[justporo]

I just read your headcanons about Astarion, they are so good!! And since he is the hardest for me to understand I'd love to read your headcanons/input about: Him trying to manipulate Tav into liking him, but she simply doesn't get it and thinks he is just after her body and blood (of course she never says that unless he would challenge her)

Alright, I had this sitting in my inbox for a while mostly because I had to give it a good think, my dear. And I'm really digging the idea that Tav is just super oblivious to his manipulation tactics, so have some

Headcanons about Astarion trying to manipulate a completely oblivious Tav

Astarion starts out flirting with Tav just the same he's always done with everyone: trying to pick up on a few things to work it into his routine (even if it is stupid)

"So, darling... knives, eh? I bet you're even sharper than your weapons, my dear." (spoiler alert: obviously this is not the case...)

Or maybe it is just, that you see through his games immediately and were prepared to help him from the start

He really, REALLY puts his back into it but his tactics just won't work with you, you don't seem to pick up on any of the flirting

In turn though, you really don't need to be manipulated, you just offer help "You know, Astarion, if you need some of my blood you can just tell me, it doesn't bother me."

And that makes him very suspicious of you because no one has ever reacted like this, this is not how this thing works! "I bet our sweet little leader very much has an agenda of their own, if you ask me." "And what would that be, Astarion? Go for world domination while the worm slowly devours my brain? Is it so hard to believe that people maybe just want to do the right thing." "Yes actually, oh valiant, noble leader, it is hard to believe - at least for me!" And you see the pain in his eyes as he says that

So the flirty behaviour turns into mean sass very quickly, he snaps at you at every given opportunity - because why would anyone just offer help to a vampire? Nobody could be this good, right? And then also: why did it take so long for him to meet someone like you?

But when you keep offering help and just support him, he breaks at some point; first because he has no other option it seems but later on he allows himself to believe if only just a little and he dares to have just a tiny fraction of hope

Later on when he confesses he was trying to manipulate you and fell for his own trap, you just wrap him in your arms and softly tell him, that he doesn't have to worry about stuff like this anymore; "I just want you to be happy and safe, Astarion, that's all."

And he might not fully or even partially believe you in this moment, but a seed of hope and love is surely firmly planted

So basically, just slam him with support until the sassy little vampire falls in the pit he dug himself, hehe.

Tag list: @spacebarbarianweird @sunfire-ancunin @tragedybunny @dependsonthedream @tallymonster @magazzne @micropoe10 @aoirohi @my-bunny-prince @lumienyx @fayeriess @azukiel

[oxymorayuri]

𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝟷𝟿

𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑝 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑟

𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑔𝑎𝑟 𝐷. 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝐿𝑎𝑤 ✘ ♀ 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟

𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓: nisir0

Story: The princess of Tanata

[Long Fic]

➽ masterlist

Spoiler: nope

Warnings: nope

slowburn with plot

Wordcount: 3535

Text in italics emphasizes the reader’s thoughts

Bold and italic text emphasizes Law's thoughts *~*

Tagging: @slytherinambitious - @norasincubi - @cottoncandyloverrrr - @one-piece-frvr7 - @hopelesslover06 - @chillerkiller - @sassyyassi

After waking up this morning, you decided against going back to the palace and made the decision to rather conquer the old ruins with Law, which you had talked about the night before.

Strangely enough, you are sure that you will uncover the secrets of this extremely well protected ruin... together with Law.

“Here, take my hand.” With a smile, you accept Law's help and let him pull you onto the stone wall. With the new view in front of you, you both see what kind of complicated structure was hiding behind this wall...

[A/N: Hello my little sweethearts, it's been a long time since I showed any examples of the surroundings. Of course I firmly believe in your imagination, but here is a small example of how I imagine the ruin and the labyrinth. The pictures are made with AI and AI didn't get the labyrinth quite right, but it's better than nothing :D]

“Apparently the labyrinth changes every five minutes.” Analyzes Law. Given the size of the labyrinth, it will be difficult to keep your orientation. Although you can see the end of the labyrinth from where you stand right now, this huge maze separates you from your actual destination...

"Well then, let's go into the maze!" And with that sentence, you jump down to the start, with Law close behind you.

Even if you have no problems solving the puzzles together, you will always find yourself back at the beginning of the labyrinth. No matter how the massive walls move, you can't make any real progress.

Law had the idea that every time your way leads to a dead end, you should place a sign on the wall before you continue, to monitor how far you have come.

Since the maze is constantly moving, the order of the puzzles you have to solve also changes, always sending you through unknown corridors that you have not yet discovered, until you come to an wall blocking your way completely.

To your dismay, you come to the conclusion that you never really get any further… Because the new paths, after a dead end, will always lead you back to the beginning...

On the wall you were standing on before, you look breathlessly at the constantly moving maze. You have tried to speed through the maze, but whenever you faced a new puzzle before you could move further, a new dead end was already waiting around the corner.

Law keeps watching the maze as you recover from the constant running.

"Judging from the layout, we don't seem to have enough time to get to the end. Maybe we need to wait for the right moment to enter the maze?"

At that very moment, the walls are aligned in a way where the signs you placed form a line.

"Do you mean a moment like this?" You look at him excitedly as if you've discovered a clue, hopefully one that will take you further.

Once again, between the massive walls of stone, you make your way past the puzzles until you reach the place where you were expecting a new puzzle, but instead there is just a dead end in front of you...

Exhausted, you sink to the floor. Despite your confidence at the beginning, you now fear that even with the help of Law you won't get to your destination.

You run your hands through your face in distress... none of this makes any sense!

"I don't understand…" you mutter to yourself as you lose all hope.

“WHY CAN'T WE GET THROUGH THIS DAMNED MAZE???!” you scream and your voice echoes into the distance.. Law, visibly confused too, looks at the wall blocking the way in front of you.

“…We're not supposed to get through the maze…” Law speaks as if he has finally understood the mazes concept. He looks around, examining the walls for clues, but apart from the traces of time, there is nothing to be seen.

“What do you mean?” You are exhausted and unable to go any further. All you want is for the puzzles to come to an end. Law turns to you, his hand on his chin and thinking hard.

"I bet that no matter how fast we go, no matter when we enter the maze, we'll never get through it…" - “Huh?! But that's the only way to the ancient ruin…" His words don't seem logical to you and with some struggle you get on to your feet.

Once again, Law places a sign on the wall and after it was time for the maze to move, you both were no longer surprised that the way lead you back to the beginning...

So you go back onto the stone wall, which gives you a perfect overview of the maze and check where your latest sign is.

"Look at the signs Princess-ya…" Your eyes follow the direction Law is pointing at. Right before your eyes, you see the same line created by your signs. But after a closer look, you notice something new.

"The signs we have drawn are now a complete row, that runs horizontally through the entire labyrinth…" You are surprised…

“Not only that... These were the dead ends we were facing, but that row never opens, instead another wall opened which only led us back to the start…" Your eyes watch skeptically as all the walls move except the ones you have marked.

"So you're telling me that we've only been moving in this half of the maze the whole time?" Your finger points to the area in front of the marked row and Law nods at you in agreement. You look at him as if you were going crazy and laugh slightly hysterically.

“If you look closely you will see that the second half isn't even moving…” With this new insight, however, only more questions arise…

“Maybe there's some mechanism that makes the second half of the maze move?” - "Maybe��" He replies. Together you rack your brains, as this appears to be another puzzle you have to solve.

"But looking at the signs, we've been already in front of every dead end and most likely walked every path, but I haven't noticed anything that could be a mechanism…" In fact, Law has a completely different idea and is strongly convinced that you both have to find a hidden path outside of the maze.

“I guess you're right, I didn't notice anything either…” Your eyes roam around. If the labyrinth isn't the path to take, which way should you go? Or maybe you need to create a new path?

"You know Law, all those puzzles had one thing in common... I always had to use my powers…” - “The flowers!” Law blurts out.

He freezes briefly and seems surprised by his own volume. Clearing his throat with reddened cheeks, he tries to distract you from how childishly he has been behaving, but instead of finding it childish, you find yourself liking the otherwise observant Law more and more.

Back at the puzzles, you try to figure out how you can use your powers. Even though the puzzles were quite different, in the end you always had to bring a flower, which was planted on the altar, to blossom.

“… Mhmmhm, okay…! The ruins usually block all devil fruit powers…” You talk to yourself and circle around.

For many years, an unknown force has surrounded the ruins, making it impossible for Devil Fruit users to use their abilities. The knowledge behind these walls is not to be gained through destruction or power. The only way to obtain the island's legacy is through knowledge itself.

Since most of the information is related to the Taimu taimu fruit, you can only use your abilities under certain circumstances, but you cannot use them freely.

“What a hassle. If I could use my powers freely, thousands of ideas would come to my mind, but no, of coooourse I can't use them...” You tousle your hair and have to stop yourself from wanting to pull your hair out in frustration.

Law is watching you, while you're going crazy during your monologue, trying to keep the corners of his mouth down but while you are at your wit's end, swearing at your ancestors, he can't suppress his grin. (You're both such dorks.)

Luckily for him, you're too busy to see that he's having a great time watching you.

“Wait a minute princess-ya… maybe there's some kind of device like the altars in the maze?” You stop in mid stride and look at him with wide eyes.

"Well of course!!!" you literally shout in his face and shake his shoulders. Law, who is obviously surprised by your sudden attack, doesn't flinch. He lets you have your moment and once again catches himself unable to take his eyes off your laughter.

“That's it! Clearly!” You jump around like a bouncy ball, looking for a mechanism that will allow you to create a path into the ruins. Law shakes his head at your behavior and joins the search.

And who would have thought it but the mechanism you were looking for the whole time, was on the same stone wall you were standing on. Together you remove the plants which are hiding a panel, picturing two hands with flowers and without hesitation you place your hands on top of it. Excited you look around to see what happens.

High above the maze, twining vines and blooming flowers grow into a beautiful bridge that starts at your feet and leads all the way to the ruins.

You leap into the air with joy... you have never managed to get through this damn maze and thanks to Law, you now know that this was never the right way anyway... After your little dance, you jump without thinking into Law's arms, who almost falls off the stone wall with you and hug him tightly.

"This is all thanks to you Law!" He awkwardly strokes your back while you thank him over and over again.

After a heartfelt embrace, you rest your forehead against his and close your eyes. Law, on the other hand, is completely unaware of what's going on and a soft pink blush appears on his cheeks.

What the hell is she doing?! Is all he can think of.

While he struggles with himself, trying not to touch you in inappropriate places, goosebumps spread across his back because your delicate hand rests on his neck.

For you, it's just a gesture between loved ones and a demonstration of the respect you have for Law, nothing unusual in your culture... but for him, It's beyond confusion...

“How can I thank you, Law?”

Thank him? He laughs a little nervously. For now, he would be very grateful if you would let go of him so his heart can calm down, but he cannot bring himself to say those words. Rejecting you doesn't feel right and as long as no one sees the two of you, it doesn't really bother him. He thinks.

“Ahhh, it's no big deal. Now let's finally go into this ruin.” He skillfully changes the subject and it works. You are very excited and quickly break away from him and sprint along the long bridge. With Law close behind you, you run along the long flower bridge while it continues to form and flourish in front of you.

You pause before stepping onto the last few stone steps leading to the ruin, your heart pounding with excitement. You carefully enter the sacred site of your ancestors, your heart beating faster, but not out of fear.

You are amazed and overwhelmed by the huge walls that neither time nor the weather has been able to tear down.

You carefully enter a kind of long corridor, your breathing is shallow, and the only sound to be heard is your footsteps echoing along the high stone walls. You can't see a thing in this dark place and you don't know where the path is leading, it's as if the darkness is drawing you in.

Without being able to avoid it, you step on a stone that sinks in a bit and you hear a strange mechanism moving in the walls. You cling to Law's arm in the darkness, feeling scared and insecure. You look around in the dark, but your eyes can't make out anything, nothing at all.

To your surprise, no trap is triggered, instead the long hallway is being lit up, bit by bit.

“Look, Princess-ya.” Law's gaze is fixed ahead and in the distance you can see the end of this hallway. You can make out some kind of hall. You look up at Law, who smiles at you reassuringly, which gives you courage and you nod at him. Together you stride down the hallway.

On the sides are numerous paintings describing stories and legends. With careful fingers, you brush along the wall, trying to understand the stories. Few inscriptions explain in bits and pieces, with each step further, what is protected in this ruin. There are stories you've never heard of, and one thing is repeated over and over again.

“The Eye of Chronos…” your voice barely a whisper. Law, who was just looking at another wall painting, turns to you because of your voice and steps to your side. Curiously, he looks at the mural over your shoulder. He can't read the symbols but he understands the painting.

In the middle is a person portrayed, left and right are doors with different worlds behind them. Both of you look at the picture in confusion. Even after all your guesses about the wall paintings, you are uncertain what to expect. While you memorize every picture on the walls in your mind, you slowly make your way to the end of the hallway.

With every step you take towards the bright room, your heartbeat quickens. You have to narrow your eyes as the oncoming light grows brighter. While you shield your eyes from the harsh light, Law puts his hand on your back and points forward.

“Princess-ya, look over there!” You cautiously peek through your fingers and when you finally see what lies before you behind all the light, your hand drops to your side.

So what could it be? A Poneglyph…

Without further hesitation, you run to the massive cube and decipher the symbols. You translate every single sentence while Law examines the stone with the same curiosity.

“Now I understand, Law…“ Your voice is a bit hesitant at first, but then it fills with clarity. You hastily go to another place where you read a certain line and put your finger on it.

“The Eyes of Chronos is not an object or some kind of device, as I first thought, it is an ability.” You catch sight of Law's face, somewhat taken aback. You are overwhelmed by what this stone wants to teach you here.

“An ability?“ He raises his eyebrow. That makes sense to him, but what exactly does it mean?

“What can the Eyes of Chronos do?” He whispers as if guarding a secret. You go around to the other side of the poneglyph and repeat its words:

“The eyes of Chronos see every place, at every time, and wherever they are…” Your voice echoes through the hall with intensity. Law doesn't understand everything yet, but he senses something. Then you turn to him, which takes his breath away for a brief moment. With a smile on your lips, you look at him full of knowledge.

“The writing says that those who are worthy can gain a special ability, and this huge block behind me is practically a description and instruction of that ability.” You point behind you with your thumb. You take a seat on the floor and lean against the cube.

Law raises his eyebrows, he knows by now that it is a special ability, but what it can do, remains unclear. He waits quietly for you to continue with your speech.

You hold your hand in front of your eyes and tilt your head back. You are actually getting a little emotional from what you have read. You take a deep breath before your lips can even start to tremble…

“With the eyes of Chronos, it is possible for me to see different places and to enter them as well. It is like opening a door in space and time and then… then you are just… there… at the place I visualize.” You are quite stunned.

“Does that mean you can travel anywhere, no matter how far?” He is noticeably shocked. That's an amazing ability. You nod at him while continuing to hide your face.

Law crouches down next to you and puts a hand on your knee. You were so brave and eager to learn just a short time ago, and now you seem so quiet?

“That's it, Law…” You can't avoid the tremor in your voice anymore, but there's a smile on your lips. Because you're happy.

“This is what I was looking for. I knew it wasn't just a stupid fairy tale!” You lower your hand and look into Law's eyes.

“My mother used to read me a fairy tale in which the hero could travel to different places… Stories about him being on an island, high in the clouds with real angels… Or a city under water with creatures that resemble humans but can live underwater like fish… There were countless places he went and as a child I always wished I could visit those places too.” While you dwell in your memories, Law's eyes widen. The places you are talking about are more than familiar to him…

“y/n-ya…“ He addresses you by name. Unused to hearing your name from someone who isn't a member of your family, you look up at him.

“These places, they really exist.” Your eyes widen in wonder. If places like this await you outside, even if they're only remotely as described in your books, then you have to see them!

“Law, with this ability, I'm one step closer to leaving this island!“ Your grin makes him feel a sudden tug in his chest. In his opinion, it would be better if you stayed protected. But why?... Surely because your abilities would be dangerous in the wrong hands.

“What do you mean, you're one step closer? What else?” He studies your sad face, isn't it enough just to keep coming back here for the ritual?

“I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to my people. I have to protect them, you know?” Your eyes gaze deeply into his. He knows exactly what it feels like, to make it your duty to protect your loved ones, remembering his crew and how often he left them behind to avoid getting them into trouble.

“I see. So you still have to find a way to keep your island safe...” He leans back and gets up. Perhaps he will be lucky and you won't find a way to leave the island, but who is he to entertain such thoughts?

“I'll definitely come up with something!” You jump up and clench your fist in victory.

“However, I first have to learn this ability…“ You walk around the cube and try to figure out how to control the Eyes of Chronos.

“Didn't it say that you have to prove yourself worthy?” Law asks, still standing in the same place and thinking. That's right, but you thought you were already worthy of the knowledge… after all, you made it into this ruin…

“Hey Law, come and lend me a hand.” With his help, you climb onto the cube and, as you had expected, there is a small altar here too. Once again, there are these moulds in which you can place your hands.

You move your hands carefully. What will happen if I am not worthy of such power?

As your hands touch the stone, you are overcome with an oppressive feeling. It's as if all your strength is being sucked out of you. Your entire life passes before your eyes, with both beautiful and memorable moments, as well as tragic ones.

Long forgotten and suppressed memories emerge before your eyes. For the first time, you see the moment when your parents died.. with your very own eyes.

All of a sudden, your eyes can see everything.

Exhausted, you break away from the stone as it seemed that it was over. Your ears are ringing and your vision is blurred, the only thing you can hear is your heartbeat. Suddenly, Law comes into your view. He grabs you by the shoulders, worried, but you can only see him as a blur...

After this state subsides and your breathing normalizes, Law quickly examines your body for signs of impending unconsciousness, but you seem to be fine again.

“Law, I think I passed the test...” You ignore how he examines your eyes, checks your pulse and body temperature. He puts his hands on his thighs and looks at your face with a concerned expression.

“You think so?” You nod weakly at him and get up. You're a bit shaky on your feet, so Law supports you and you raise a hand.

“Yes, I do… and now we'll find out.”

You swing your hand and a kind of shiny crack forms in the air. Bits and pieces of fragments come off, showing you more of what is behind it and what you can see resembles your room in the castle. Full of amazement, Law looks at this unusual phenomenon.

He walks behind the crack and looks around to see what is there, but even behind it, all he can see is your room. A little tired, you reach your hand out to him.

“Let's go home, Law…” He hurries back to you before you collapse into his arms. Exhausted, and together you walk through the crack and end up in your room…

Ohoho, it's getting exciting and I'm looking forward to write the next chapters. Get ready for innocent romance and upcoming danger...

Kiss kiss, your yuri

➽ Next chapter (Not available yet)

[efingart]

How do you came up with Mila’s story? I have to say is one of the best Bell stories I have ever read. Very cool.

Hello! Oh my god thank you so much!! It makes me so happy when people like JWIN 💙💙💙 I know it's a beast of a story and still going lol. (Also I'm going to refer to Bell as she here to make it easy)

How did I come up with it? Well, it all started with Cold War and Frank Woods kicking a Soviet Guard in the face 😂. That was the moment when I realized that Frank Woods was my guy. (I played Cold War before BO1 & 2 I knew nothing.) Also, given that before that mission, Frank was the first person in the Cold War crew with whom I felt any kind of genuine camaraderie. He's the first person who gave Bell a real compliment and then he rescues her like that?? Be still my heart.

The gears really started turning when Bell and Woods got to the fake American town. And of course, there was that memorable moment when Woods jokes around about loving Bubby, the Burger Town mascot (I think his love of Bubby/Burger Town is something more, it's about small joys. I could write an essay on it, but that's not the question here). Anyway, yes, this ALL is part of it I promise. So I had this idea in my head of Woods and Bell going to get burgers after their mission.

And that idea stuck with me after the end of Cold War. I just felt sad for Bell. I wanted her to have some nice moments amidst all the bad. Because I liked all the Safehouse characters I wanted to see them and Bell having human moments. And I firmly believe that Woods and Mason didn't know what was going on with Bell (they just don't act like it and that is another essay lol).

And then I went back and played Black Ops 1&2 because I loved Woods and Mason so much. And damnit if Black Ops 2 wasn't a gut punch. It hurt so much to see that after everything he went through Woods was alone. Not that anyone has to be in a relationship to be complete in life, but I was feeling sad about Bell already and now Frank. It just felt natural to me to bring them together.

My first approach to telling the story was through a comic. I started with the Burger Town story. But when I got to what would have been the final page of that part I realized I didn't want to just tell a story about happy memories. She was suddenly so alive to me. And while Bell's status was basically certain since they didn't cover it in the MP (and still haven't covered it in 6) - we didn't see her die so I can explain around it.

At that time, a comic took far too long to produce, so I decided to just write the story. And at first, I thought JWIN would be maybe 6 chapters. It would still have the structure of memories plus "present day" but Frank would have saved her faster. BUT THEN I realized well shit what would Frank's motivation be?? Sure they spent a night together before either of them knew anything, but now she's his enemy! So I had to figure out a way to plausibly get these two together and also redeem Mila.

From there, was (and still is) a lot of research about Soviet activities during the Cold War to see what would work for Milas past. I wanted to write the story in a way that Mila's memories or any other action sequences would fit well into a Black Ops game. I know Black Ops will grab things from history and expand on them to create a well-rounded story so that's the approach I wanted to take. And I want things to at least sort of make sense. The last thing I want is for a reader to be pulled out of the story for something like that.

It's also very important to me to stay true to the characters. I refuse to compromise a character for the sake of the story. To me it's part of the challenge of a fic. If there's something I want them to do I need to set up the story to direct them there or they just won't do it and I'll have to figure something else out. It was also important to me to have the other characters grow and reveal things about themselves.

Also, I don't like to compromise on canon. JWIN fits in the spaces between canon. So yeah, I was biting my nails before BO6 came out and MP does have me a little on edge but, I can get back to more regular updates. PHEW

I hope that answered your question. If you want me to expand on anything or if you have any other questions feel free to ask! I so appreciate you reading and enjoying JWIN and taking the time to tell me. 💙💙💙

[penncilkid]

Continuing on from this post, my thoughts on Sam/Milo as it pertains to Inversion + The Summit

[PK Inversion Brainrot part 241 (/j):]

-The idea that Milo losing his magic for a bit retriggering Sam is actually everything to me /lh

-I think Milo would be keeping himself busy as much as humanly possible, so much so that he can't notice the emotions clouding Sam's eyes from behind. I imagine a lot of late night drives taken by Sam once Milo goes to sleep for the night, not wanting to talk directly but wanting the space

-After he works through it enough though, it turns into him trying to figure out how to best help his mate. Should be keeping up the comfort and reassurance that this won't last? Or should be try and help prepare Milo for a life without shifting? (Doesn't end up mattering in the long run but still)

-Despite the fact that Sam was the one inside the ward, I firmly believe it's Milo's safety that he worries about most following that day. When Milo starts working security gigs again, Sam tries to suppress the urge to constantly check in and make sure Milo will be home that night. I could see him even asking other pack members because he doesn't want to stress Milo out with his anxieties (this would have to reach a boiling point at some point though and the convo would EAT I just know it /pos)

-Sam having an intensified appreciation for any time Milo chooses to shift in front of him after his core returns to normal

-Even though it would go against canon theoretically, I firmly believe Milo would half-jokingly start the "would you have turned me?" convo with Sam after his magic is back to normal. It's under the guise of "if my core had been fried for good... would you have offered that to me?" Maybe they leave it there, continue ignoring the larger elephant in the room, but I feel like they go hand in hand

-Sam having nightmares about things he witnessed in the ward but Milo was in other's place? Yeah /lh

///

[Onto the Summit]

-Fred and Bright (my versions at least) are dating by then and BOTH are in attendance in general, so that's already fun + the Quinn mentions would be even more fun with his progeny there

-I've also been analyzing heavily how I think Milo would feel towards Alexis and vice versa

-SH and Darlin are dating in the context of this ship, so it makes Porter approaching Darlin feel even jucier because he's also aware that Sam and Darlin are close in some regards + has heard about Darlin's reputation

-Bright and Lovely have a very close dynamic, this is more passive of a thought since I'm uniquely insane over my versions of them but I like the idea that Bright is dragging them around *cough cough* so they're not just made to be Vincent's arm candy the entire night instead *cough hack cough*

-Sam internally freaking out for a moment when the death takes place because he can't find Milo initially and he has flashbacks to Milo being outside the ward and him inside (<33)

-It also hit me that Milo and Porter would have met pre-Summit, oh BITCH I have things to think about /pos

-First off: *Milo Greer does not have a bone to pick with Alexis Solaire prior to this event.* In fact, he's mentioned to Sam on several occassions that "Hey, I get why you're upset with her/feel the way you do. But first off, you should talk to someone about it. And second, you don't even know what she's actually like after all this time given the cold shoulder y'all have both been giving each other. Just consider that, alright?" Like the idea that Milo would square up because she's "Sam's ex" feels ridiculous to me personally, they are both minding their business as far as things go before the Summit

-Second: Concocting with the help of Lexi Sun (<33), because of the idea that Marie is sympathetic towards Alexis from the perspective of a healer, Milo is also inclined to not hate her guts prior to everything. He knows she fucked up Sam way back before when, and he's got some thoughts about that, but it's not this seething anger or anything

-That. Being. Said. When it came to the Summit, I thought Darlin's reactions to Alexis' chat were kind out of character given their development as a listener for several reasons. So I was like "Well what would be the best way to have her poke and prod at things that's unique to Milo?" And then I remembered one of my favorite gut wrenching moments in "canon", which is Imp!Milo basically telling Asher that he is expendable in comparison because his emotions get the best of him and that he can "take the punches" for them and all that jazz.

-So picture it with me: Sure Alexis brings up the whole "you gonna get turned or not?" thing but what she presses against is whether or not Milo could adequately live up to being Sam's mate more or less. "He's the duke of the Solaire clan, he's got plenty of eyes on him and the reputation to match. And you're... what? The pup who runs behind his best friends who actually have a role in your pack? What is it that you can even offer Sam?" It gets under Milo's skin because at no point is she undermining Sam. She's not shit talking that man whatsoever, but she's perfectly sinking her nails into Milo's insecurities. Hell, she could be asking in a complex way of looking out for Sam after all these years, the effect is all the same. And in that context, it feels like it makes sense that Milo starts to lose his temper, very much so "watch ya fuckin' mouth" energy only to be met with Alexis saying something along the lines of "By all means, Mr. Greer. *Please* start shouting and get every pair of eyes on the two of us. I'm sure you'd be showing everyone how you're *such* a good representative for your pack." Like it's catty, it's petty, but she's also just stating her perspective as an external detached party. The problem is that it's stuff Milo's tried to push out of his head a million times.

[lonelycowgirls]

Moongazing

This triggered some wholesome vibes. So, wholesome vibes with a touch of angst, coming in hot.

Will Harry and Stella be endgame?

Please like, reblog and follow if you enjoy it!

My asks are also open for feedback and ideas to how this universe can continue.

~

"Why am I getting emotional?" Stella laughed, clasping her hands to her face as her eyes welled with unexpected tears.

"Stell," Harry laughed softly, leaning to fold his fingers around one of her wrists that were still held up to shield her face. "It's weird, isn't it?"

"I just can't believe how much time has gone by, it's a little bit sad." She sputtered, her face contorted slightly with emotions. "But happy at the same time." She looked to him while running her fingers under her eyes. Letting her head fall back into the grass beneath them, she sighed dramatically, letting her breath escape through her mouth. She took deep breaths to try and pull herself together.

Harry leaned back on his elbows, a soft smile on his face as he stared at the moon displayed so clearly in the dark sky above them. He thought about all the experiences this field had given him, to Stella and to their friends. Friends they'd known since they'd started secondary school. He chuckled again at Stella's soft sniffles beside him.

"Don't laugh at me, you sadist." She snapped, tongue firmly in her cheek.

"It's alright, you keep sobbing over there. I'm enjoying the crisp twilight evening." She rolled her eyes but held up a hand to extend to him, which he accepted, linking their fingers and stroking the back of hers with his thumb.

There they were, 28 and 29 years old, reminiscing and mourning the youth that had barely left them. But it was hard to not yearn for the past every now and then. Harry thought back to when he'd told Stella that he was going to audition for the X Factor, everything since then had been a complete blur, with details he wouldn't be able to remember even if he tried to.

"You're off again soon."

"Yeah, next week." He sighed, one hand across his belly, some skin peeking out from where his jumper had ridden up. He smiled thinking about touring again - it was his absolute favourite thing to do, without a doubt.

"Think Ally's little nieces are coming to see you in Cardiff. Her sister's Welsh, she said they're already working on their banners." Stella mentioned her work friend, making Harry chuckle softly and glance her way with eyebrows raised. "At least we know theirs won't be rude ones."

"You never know, I've just about seen it all."

"I respect it, to be honest, some of them are really creative." Stella said, rolling slightly to the side to look at him properly and tapping a hand on his chest. "And honestly, when you write songs like Watermelon Sugar and Cinema what do you expect. Women are horny, too."

"Oh, trust me, if anyone knows that it's me." He scoffed, smirking in her direction before glancing up at the sky again. He sighed, dropping all the way back to rest his head back on the arm that wasn't already occupied holding her hand. "Shame my missus is always 'on nights'."

"I am on nights!" She said rising a bit to look at his face next to her. "Not always, admittedly, but if you think I'm gonna roll over at three in the morning just to get you off on FaceTime you've got another thing coming." She punctuated the sentence by flopping back down onto her back. He brought her hand to his mouth to press a few kisses to the back of it.

They laid in silence again for a while, Stella stared at the rough-looking, wooden swing set that lived in the corner of the expansive field. She could almost see herself, Hannah and Roxanne sitting and swinging slightly as they tried cigarettes for the first time. She rolled her lips into her mouth as she remembered coughing up half a lung after the first drag.

The image melted away to morph into her sitting with Harry as they talked about his X Factor audition, how it went really well, and how he 'could really have a chance, babe.' She watched him hold her 16-year-old hands and tell her that he'd think about her every day that he would be gone and promise that he'd be back to take her to prom.

Harry kept his gaze on the moon above them, unable to stop the thoughts from creeping into his head about their next steps. He knew that Stella needed more than what he was currently able to give her but selfishly, he couldn't imagine being the one to make the decision to walk away. He was about to leave again, for months. Albeit some of it would be in the UK but with Stella working shifts they wouldn't be able to see each other until the tour was truly over.

Where was this all going to end up? They weren't getting any younger and Harry's career had arguably seen its best year to date in 2023. But what if this was its peak? What if this was what everything had led up to and then, that's it? Did he want to come home and settle down? Did he want to go ring shopping and get down on one knee in front of the only woman he'd ever been with? Did he want to admit that it was all coming to an end and become just some 30-something-year-old guy? A husband? A father?

But then, what if this was just the beginning? What if Harry's House was the catalyst to his tenure in this business? Opportunities were continuing to roll in and if he didn't take them now, would they still be there? If he did take them, would Stella still be there?

These were the thoughts that plagued him and they were becoming far more stubborn and continuous.

Sometimes he'd lay in bed at night and think about all the days he'd spent rushing around, the days where he couldn't really be present. Days of precious youth he'd never get back. But who was truly present when they were young? When new days felt as promised as the grass promises to grow and the wind promises to blow. When you feel as if you'll live forever. His entire 20s had been fast and furious, he was only briefly reminded of what slowing down felt like during the lockdowns of 2020.

In One Direction, he was invincible - literally the hottest, youngest thing in the music industry. In everyone's eyes, he could do no wrong. He had cars, houses, and the world at his feet. When it came to women, there were endless options. Something he'd never even imagined for himself. While the other boys had enjoyed a revolving door of girls - something he'd been tempted by many a time - he had kept a relatively healthy relationship with a gorgeous, loyal, funny, smart and caring partner who he could trust and adore.

The shit first hit the fan when Stella had begun to pull away. That was the first time he'd become aware of his own mortality. Of his choices and the power they held. Time had suddenly felt very fleeting and tight. She'd graduated from her midwifery course and was really getting her teeth stuck into the reality of 12-hour shifts and the real-life wake-up call of forging a path for herself. A career.

When she'd stopped answering his FaceTime calls after shows and started declining his offers of joining him on tour, it was the first time his fast-forwarded life came to a shuddering halt. It felt like he was Peter Pan and he was living out the moment he realised his Wendy had grown up without him.

For now, they were a little more settled in their arrangement. Stella missed him when he was away but she enjoyed having her own life. She had her own friends, she was thriving in her rewarding job and was close to her family. But in moments like this, led in the field they'd had their first kiss in, the field they'd had their prom after-party in, the field they'd snuck bottles of warm cider to and drunkenly kissed until they couldn't breathe. Their true home turf. Every dose of nostalgic nausea came washing over Stella to the point she couldn't help but tear up.

She thought about the teenage girl who used to live in Holmes Chapel. She was vibrant and nervous and people-pleasing. She was excited about the future but terrified of failing. She experienced all-consuming love far too early and got hurt more than a few times, and she hurt back in return. She experienced a level of fame and attention that she never really wanted and experienced hatred and vitriol when she was still learning who she was and who she wanted to be. But she did it all, because she was in love.

"It's all been worth it, hasn't it?" Stella turned over to face Harry, leaning up on her elbow. He rolled to lean over her and shuffled closer, putting a palm to her cheek and bringing his lips to press a long kiss to hers. Pulling back, he tucked some hair behind her ear and tapped her cheek lightly with his fingers. She smiled back, a hand curved around his wrist.

"Yeah... I think so."

~

Just another lil something to add to Harry and Stella's story, inspired by the Satellite video.

Enjoy!

Here is the full list of content for the Been There All Along universe.

Nel xo

[el-moscorrofio-y-el-mercachifle]

Things That Vould Have Gone Better

Ik ysblf had severe limitations in budget, time, scenery, support, etc, but imagining this wasn't the case, I would have preferred things to go slightly different in some aspects

Timeline: one of the most bothersome aspects for me was always how the timeline was so inconsistent. Did Marcela's psrents died when she was a kid, or just a few years ago? Was Betty's ffirst bf called Ramon or Miguel? Were Armando and Marcela meant to marry in a month after he took over the presidency or a year after that? You compare some dialogues from thw beginning to the end and realise some are straight up contradictory.

Emphasis on background: one of the things that I firmly believe would have improved the understanding of the characters was a bigger emphasis on their background. Why is Marcela so attached to this sick degree to Armando? We can SPECULATE that the reason is that since her parents died she became obsessed with Armando and the idea of forming a family with him, given that she had known him her whole life and we ASSUME she was constantly pushed to be with him... but we don't really know it. Even a simple dialogue from like Armando saying something along the lines of "ig my parents always wanted us together and we just... eventually got along with it" or something like that could explain SO MUCH

Following that last one: a bigger emphasis on Roberto and Margarita's role in keeping Armando and Marcela together. We know Armando’s relationship with his parents depended a lot on his marriage to Marcela, but showing it a bit more explicitly would have been fantastic.

More emphasis on Camila: she is so briefly mentioned that a lot of people just forget about her. But she is actually one of the root causes for Armando’s fear of disappointing his dad, because he knows how extreme Roberto is when he is disappointed in his children.

Reject from Margarita and Roberto to Betty: honestly, it would have been fantastic to see the repercussions that Armando so much feared. He feared that if he left Marcela, his parents would turn on him, and that they would never accept another partner for him. Instead of them quickly accepting and moving on, it would have been fantastic to see them barely and unenthusiastically accept Betty as their daughter in law. More like a "ig, ya qué chingados" than the enthusiasm they showed.

Obviously, a bit more of their time courting. I wanted so bad to see how their relationship got to rebuild. Breaking your trust in someone is something that is extremely difficult to rebuild.

Patricia's extreme poverty: actually show her in a none comedic way how she suffers from her poverty. How she's getting weak because she has nothing to eat. How she's trying to cover up her bad smell becahse she can't shower because there is no water in her apartment. How she hoards or even steals food because she know she won't be eating the next few days.

These were just a few thoughts! What else would you change in the story if you had had unlimited resources and time to do it?

[password-door-lock]

Mystictober Day 22-- Doctor

The headache just won’t go away. It's been bothering Saeran for hours, and no matter what he does, it simply won't let up— he's barely gotten any work done, and he hasn't even had the energy to make his way down the hall to the toy room to let off steam on you. It goes without saying that he is beyond annoyed when he hears a knock at the door— can’t the believers just leave him alone? “What?” he demands, voice rough.

“Guess who?” The sing-song voice from the other side of the door is enough to get him scrambling across the room, ignoring the pain in his head.

“Who the hell let you out of that room?” Saeran demands. Apparently, the believers that he charged with watching your door failed to comprehend and follow the very simple instructions they were given. 

“Nobody,” you assure him. You must have sneaked out, then, if you’re telling the truth— Saeran will have to increase the security by your room to make sure this doesn’t happen again. He doesn’t want to deal with you right now. “You said you weren't feeling well?” You approach him with caution, finally showing him the fear that he's been trying to elicit since the first time he went to your room. Good. You should be afraid of him. 

“That's none of your business, toy,”  Saeran spits.

“Can I take your temperature?” You brandish a flimsy plastic thermometer. 

“Where did you even get something like this?” Saeran rips the thermometer out of your hand and tosses it across the room. Do you honestly think he's going to let you check his body temperature? Why would you even need that information, anyway? You must still be confused about your situation at Magenta, if you think he’s going to let you get away with something like that. 

“I found it in the bathroom,” you explain. “Ray left all kinds of first aid stuff in there for me, but it seems like you need it more than I do right now. Cough drop?”

Saeran examines the tray in your hands, and finds, to his dismay, that you have brought the entire first aid kit, along with some food from the Mint Eye cafeteria and several bottles of water. If you got as far as the cafeteria, you probably could have escaped, so why the hell did you come back to him? Don't you have any idea what's good for you? “Who told you to go to the cafeteria?” It’s the best thing he can think of to say while he contends with the utter shock of your presence. Why the hell are you still here when you could have run away with ease?

“You never told me not to,” you point out, “Anyway, are you feeling a little bit better?”

“Who the hell are you to ask me something like that?” Saeran demands. He’s annoyed that none of his questions thus far have been answered to his satisfaction, and even more annoyed that someone like you is worried about someone like him. He can take care of himself, after all, unlike you. He doesn’t need your help. Saeran tries to knock the tray out of your hands, but you sidestep him, entering the intelligence room and setting the tray firmly on the desk.

“You kept telling me to make myself useful,” you remind him, “So that's what I'm doing. You might feel better after you drink some water.” You’re still wearing that infuriating expression of concern, with your eyebrows knit together and your lips pursed. You look ridiculous, worrying over somebody who could crush you like a bug. 

“Oh, wow, what a kind prince(ss) you are,” Saeran sneers at you, flopping down into his desk chair. Mocking you makes him feel more like he’s in control, but it’s annoying that you keep making the same face. Can’t you do something more interesting? “Coming here to take care of me. Aren’t you just a saint?” He can't help but laugh at the idea of you looking after him— what could you possibly do for him that the Savior couldn't? You don’t even have the common sense to leave when you’re in danger. 

Without warning, you press the back of your hand to his forehead. It feels nice and cool; for a moment, Saeran relaxes into the touch. He comes to his senses quickly, though, and before you can get too comfortable, he is grabbing you by the wrist and wrenching your hand away. You should have waited until he ordered you to do that— then, he could have let you keep your hand there. It really did feel nice. You study him with concern. “You're burning up.” You bite your lip in some combination of concentration and concern. 

Saeran has heard those words before, though he can't remember where. Someone who cared said exactly that to him when he was young, after placing one small hand in the exact same spot on his forehead that you just touched. But that's impossible, Saeran reminds himself— nobody cared for him when he was young. That was why the Savior rescued him in the first place. “What are you doing to me?” He demands. Why would you make him remember something that didn't even happen?

“I'm trying to help,” you inform him, “At least try to drink some water. Your body needs fluids right now— and food, too. You might feel better if you eat, once you’re feeling up to it.” 

“What are you, some kind of doctor?” Saeran has been asking questions since you got here, and the lack of answers is putting him on edge.

You just shrug, offering him a water bottle. “It can't hurt you, can it? And it might make the headache go away.” He should never have told you that his head was hurting, and he wouldn’t have, if he had known that this was how you would react. 

“What do you know?” Saeran mumbles, asking yet another question. But some animal instinct deep within him seems to have other ideas, because he finds himself unscrewing the cap and indulging in a prolonged drink. It feels almost as good as your hand did on his forehead, just as cool against his chapped lips.

“Thank you,” you breathe, like he did anything for you by drinking water. How stupid can you get?

“Get out of my sight,” Saeran growls. He’s not going to let you stand around watching him with that annoying look on your face. If you want to make yourself useful, that’s fine, but even you can’t pretend there’s any use in what you’re doing now. 

At least you have the sense to obey that command. “Okay,” you offer him a slight smile, eyes watery. He’s been trying to make you cry for days to no avail, but drinking water is what does it? Saeran is seriously beginning to wonder if there’s something wrong with you. Why didn’t you escape when you had the chance? Why would you take such a monumental risk to bring him things that he could have gotten for himself? “Please let me know if you need anything else. I'll sneak out again— I mean it.” You begin to collect the tray, but Saeran holds up his hand to stop you.

Like a puppet on a string, you stand still, waiting for his next command. Yes, this is how you should behave— maybe drinking water isn't so bad, if it gets you to act like this. “Leave it,” Saeran orders.

“Okay.” You sound relieved, and your smile widens, though you have no real reason to be pleased.

“Go back to your room and wait for me there,” Saeran barks. When you fail to start moving again, he raises his voice. “I said get out of my sight! Do you want to find out what happens when you don’t listen to me, prince(ss)?” 

You don't even flinch. “I hope you feel better soon, Saeran.”

[loosesodamarble]

The Gogyō Guardians

Like how Western philosophy has the four classical elements of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air which are considered necessary for life, so too does Eastern philosophy have necessary elements for life. In Chinese wu xing, known as gogyō in Japan, the base elements for life are wood, water, fire, metal, and earth.

I imagine that Hino has elemental spirits much like the spirits found on the Suit continent, based on the Four Symbols in Chinese belief (they're call the Four Symbols but there is a fifth, just go with it). The five spirits are Seiryuu (Azure Dragon), Genbu (Black Tortoise), Suzaku (Vermillion Bird), Byakko (White Tiger), and Ouryuu (Yellow Dragon/Kirin).

And like the spirits of the Suit Continent, the spirits of Hino have human partners. Or they will.

The ocs I'm introducing here are mages of Hino still training to be partners for the five elemental spirits of their land.

..........

Hisui Shirazaki

Hisui's name is written as 翡翠 and means "jade," like the precious stone. Her family name, 白崎, means "white peninsula."

Age: 22

Birthday: October 30

Magic Attribute: Platinum/白金

Appearance: Hisui is a tall woman with fair skin. Her hair is black, reaches her mid-back, and has a rough texture with causes it to tangle easily. Her eyes are a dark grey color.

Personality: Hisui is a woman who loves to tease those close to her. She's proud of her abilities and is eager to act when she can. Enthusiastic and experimental, she's never afraid to try something new even when told of how dangerous it might. Firmly believes that as long as she's got her mind set to something, it'll inevitably work out in her favor. As a result, she also comes off as incredibly stubborn. She won't throw out an idea she's tried every possible way to make it work. Doesn't allow herself to get into a funk or stop working though and instead will find something else to do to distract herself from her failure.

She is the oldest of Kohaku's siblings. She knows that all her siblings admire her and works hard to be a good example. She does have a habit of patronizing them when they try to match her level, reminding them (especially Kohaku) of the gap in their respective experience. Among the Gogyō Guardians, she butts heads with Hibiki a lot since both have don't like to not get their way. She thinks Takuan is a pushover at times but admits that he gives excellent advice. She and Yoshisumi get along as she forges the weapons that he uses and both agree on taking pride in their abilities. Tsurumihime feels like a mystery to her but finds it in herself to trust the other woman's judgements.

Like her parents, Hisui works as a weapon smith and is very skilled at it. Her goal is to someday forge an unbreakable weapon.

Byakko is a relaxed spirit, content to watch others work rather than get involved itself. Given its overwhelming power, it refrains from showing off. It likes Hisui's enthusiasm and would gladly watch her run herself ragged on a project.

Tsurumihime Akayama

Tsurumihime's given name is written as 鶴魅姫. The character's (in order) mean "crane," "charm," and "princess." 朱山 is her family name and means "vermillion mountain."

Age: 21

Birthday: July 26

Magic Attribute: Fire/火

Appearance: Tsurumihime is a young woman with a short stature and slim build. She's often described as being built like a reed. Her hair is ink black and perfectly smooth. She grew it out to reach past her hips though she frequently does it up in complex buns. Her eyes are a silvery grey color.

Personality: Tsurumihime is a sweet and outgoing woman. As a serious extrovert, Tsurumi feels more energized when she's around people. The warmth of others gives her life in a way as whenever she finds herself alone, she's gloomy and tired. She loves being around others and learning about them. She wants to know about others so she can make them happy. While she is generally quite giving, Tsurumi has a bit of an ego as a celebrity and likes being complimented.

Tsurumihime does her best to get along with everyone and believes that she does manage to do so. She likes Hisui and Hibiki's driven personalities and the ladies can agree that the act of creation for their professions makes them happy. Tsurumihime thinks that Yoshisumi is good for taking pride in his skills but also encourages him to actually learn while they're in Clover. She wishes Takuan would speak up for himself more but appreciates how he's able to appreciate so much.

Tsurumihime works as a performer, singing and dancing and playing a variety of instruments. One could easily compare her to an idol in Hino.

Tsurumihime and Suzaku get along very well. Suzaku is highly entertained by Tsurumi's skills and likes to chat with the young woman. They miss each other while Tsurumi is in Clover.

Hibiki Kurobayashi

日々喜 is the writing for Hibiki's name and the kanji mean "sun," a repetition symbol, and "joy." Her family name is written as 黒林 and means "black forest."

Age: 19

Birthday: February 28

Magic Attribute: Water/水

Appearance: Light grey eyes which are noted to be particularly large and sparkly. Her hair is black and is cut short, right before her shoulders.

Personality: At first, Hibiki comes off as an airhead. She's upbeat and cracks a lot of jokes and has a bad track record when it comes to remembering the things that other people tell her. Getting to know her a bit more makes it clear that she's actually passive-aggressive, willingly ignoring things she doesn't like and not taking people seriously when they bother her (except for Hisui, she challenges Hisui very seriously). Hibiki wants to maintain a "friendly" image with people and so has learned to be underhanded when it comes to dealing with her negative feelings. She uses her food as a way to communicate, giving dishes with unusual (read: bad) flavor combinations to people she's having an argument with and giving delicious food as peace offerings later.

Hibiki respects Hisui deeply but also finds her a bother since they get in each other's way often. She like Takuan but mostly because she can easily talking him into going along with her plans. Surprisingly, she's very friendly with Yoshisumi as, even with their strong personalities, they don't disagree on a lot of things the way she and Hisui do. Hibiki likes Tsurumihime well and even goes to her to when she feels stressed.

Hibiki is a professional chef in Hino. She learned from Fumito at a young age but quickly surpassed him in skill. She looks forward to learning about cuisine on the Suit Continent during the exchange program.

Genbu's peaceful, go-with-the-flow personality contrasts with Hibiki's demanding one which often leads to disagreements. Genbu would like for Hibiki to relax more but understands that she's still early in her adulthood.

Yoshisumi Kogane

Yoshisumi's name, written as 義墨, means "justice" and "ink." 黄金, the writing of his family name, means "yellow" and "metal."

Age: 24

Birthday: August 24

Magic Attribute: Earth/土

Appearance: His hair is pitch black which is long enough to reach his shoulder blades. The front of his hair is parted into side bangs that frame his face while the back of his is tied back near the ends. His eyes are a dark grey which sometimes look black.

Personality: Yoshisumi is a proud individual who is very set in his ways. He is a natural talent and fast learner so he hold his abilities in high regard and can, more often than not, back up his claims of strength. He strongly believes in the ways of Hino culture. He doesn't see the point of learning from other cultures since his nation has been able to survive and flourish on its own. He's a believer that everyone should be able to provide for themselves and that the weak are destined to fade away. He eventually learns that there's value in learning from others and helping them.

Yoshisumi gets along well with Hisui and Hibiki. While their arguments annoy him, their strong wills are admirable to him. He likes Hisui a little more as she provides him with weapons to use in battle. Takuan's ideology clashes with Yoshisumi's own so they have trouble coming to agreements, but since Takuan doesn't put up much of a fight against Yoshisumi, he tolerates the monk. He has the most trouble getting along with Tsurumihime as her open-heartedness and open-mindedness makes her susceptible to manipulation in his opinion.

Yoshisumi is a samurai. He's not at the level of being a member of the Ryūzen Seven but it's believed that he will achieve that rank once he's officially partnered with Ouryuu.

Ouryuu is a stern individual who values work and merit above all else. It doesn't take kindly to either boasting of one's self or criticism of others until the speaker can prove their worth. As such, Ouryuu's opinion of Yoshimine isn't the best.

Ouryuu means "yellow dragon" but Ouryuu's form is meant to be that of a kirin.

Takuan Seiki

沢庵 is how his given name is written and the kanji mean "marsh" and "hut." It's also the name of a Buddhist priest from the Sengoku period. His family name, 青燬, means "blue/green" and "blaze."

Age: 20

Birthday: May 18

Magic Attribute: Tree/木

Appearance: Black eyes like obsidian and equally black hair which is kept short, only being long enough to cover his nape. He's got a slender figure, often being described as a willow.

Personality: Takuan is a relaxed person. He takes life slowly and wants to appreciate all the little beauties that he sees in the world. To Takuan, there is at least a small amount of good in everything that exists, whether, though in what way is different for each thing. Deeply thoughtful, he treads through interactions carefully to avoid misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Though quiet, he can also be rather direct in his approach. He doesn't like to presume people's feelings and so if he's trying to do right by a person, he asks them what exactly they'd like. He does his best to help others by advising them.

Takuan finds Tsurumihime the most agreeable of his fellow Gogyō Guardians. Hibiki comes next though her tendency to steamroll past others gets on his nerves. Yoshihime's pride and Hisui's stubbornness make them the tied for the position of "most difficult" to handle. Still, he cannot deny that they're all incredible talented people who deserve recognition. Given that their group is full of strong personalities, he's fallen into the role of peacemaker.

Takuan is a monk, spending his time reading religious texts and practicing meditation. He writes also poetry, mostly to bring peace of mind, but is also quite good at it. Though he believes he'll never be as skilled as his teacher.

Seiryuu is ill-tempered and always ready to pick a fight, physical or verbal. He's always criticizing his host and doesn't approve of Takuan being his next partner, but they seem destined to team up.

[tomhiddelstonandzaynmalik]

"Death, Pestilence and Famine"

chapter 3

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

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

"Get the... f-fuc-k... Just... f-...

...Go -way!"

The smoke was making it really hard for him to speak a complete sentence without coughing, but it was the first time he spoke to you directly in 3 years, from when he helped you out on your debut night. Funny, isn't it, how the tables had turned?

"Oh, cut the crap and let me help you!"

"I-I don't... need y-"

This man!!! Seriously? You thought to yourself, astonished by this beaten up, electrocuted and half-roasted man, still having the audacity to act all bratty given the circumstances. You were about to shut him up when a a sudden crashing sound made you both jump.

A piece of what used to be the celling fell right at Warren's back, missing him by mere inches. Just as he stayed in there, motionless and still processing what just happened, you took the opportunity to get close enough so you could placed yourself from underneath his arm, attempting to balance most of his weight on you while guiding him towards the exit

"WE MUST GO... NOW!"

Finding the way out was rough, yes, but thanks to the adrenaline rush it had been way easier and way less painful than carrying a person twice your body weight with gigantic, and now useless wings which were dragging you both down every 3 steps of the way.

Now problem was, what now? You couldn't quite possibly show up to E.R looking like that, because let's be honest, even during this somewhat more opened-minded-times there was still plenty of judgment towards your kind, there were still too many people out there who firmly believed each and every mutant was always "up to no good" and two raggedy kids covered in ashes and blood with one of them showing a very clear mutation could cause many to start asking too many questions which could put you both in jail, because as much as you hated it, this time both of you had, stupidly, been "up to no good".

This made the only possible destination, much to your dislike, to be none other than Warren's place. But the only time you ever went there it had been long ago. In theory finding the old building shouldn't have been much of an issue, if each time you asked Warren for any sort of guidance he didn't just mutter a bunch of nonsense and curses. Luckily what you did know was that it was in the same area as the Cage, and it's not like there was a spooky warehouse around every corner, it had to be easy to find, right?

After what felt like a life time, you finally made it to the box-like building with cracked walls covered in graffiti and with far too many broken windows, it had a dark and gloomy aura that missed-matched completely from the overall vivid environment from the city's night life, just like before all you could think of it was 'this is the type of place people get murder in the movies'.

"You'll have to kick the door"

Your companion said, but given his previous helpful input before, you thought it was more of the same rambling from before.

"Yeah, whatever you say, buddy"

"No.. it, the door... It won't open, unless you kick it"

"Oh, so we're making sense now, uh?"

Maybe it scared the shit out of you, but to Warren this was home, and it showed since he wasn't as delusional as before.

"Well in that case I'll have to leave you here, ok?"

You said while slowly resting Warren next to the wall so you could try to open the front door.

After a few minutes and many failed attempts you finally cracked Warren's advanced security system.

"Ok, c'mon up, hun, just a few more steps."

Maybe it had been the exhaustion, or maybe because of the absolute delicacy you grabbed him with, what took him by surprise and made Warren nod and cooperate so easily.

But sadly the night wasn't over, once inside Warren still needed help, a lot of it. As you carefully slipped him from over your shoulder onto his mattress. you realized, YOU HAD NO FUCKING IDEA WHERE TO START.

Your mind was going at full speed thinking about the next step. Should I clean him up? Should I check if there's something broken? Or maybe I should give him some water? Does he even have water in here? Oh god what if he has a brain injury? How the hell am I going t-

"-id kit"

"Watcha say?"

"First aid kit, behind you"

As you reached out to the suitcase-size kit you started searching for something you didn't even know what it was.

"Left side, big brown bottle"

As if he was reading your mind, Warren started to name the lengthy list of what was needed, and in all honesty you couldn't have been more grateful. It's not like you didn't know how to patch someone up, it's just this type of wounds were something you've never healed before, and well... This was Warren we were talking about! This was probably the first time he'd accepted help in his entire life so if you screwed this up he might never forgive you.

And for some unknown reason it only increased your anxiety, but why? It's not like you were close, God, you weren't even friends. So why did it matter to you so much what he thought?

"Fucking-agh!"

While you were lost in yourself Warren had started to ditch his jacket so you could work on him but trying to do so with only one arm and with the fabric sticking to the dried blood was making it nothing but torture.

"Hey, hey, hey, let me ok? You're gonna make it worse".

[nyansatan]

Hi!! Could you do a GN!MC with the demon Brothers with a MC who's love language is physical touch??

sure thing!! thanks for requesting and i hope you like these :]

LUCIFER

He isn't used to physical touch but he is also incredibly touch starved, so he would have mixed feelings about this at first. Lucifer wouldn't know how to react the first times MC shows him affection with hand-holding or fleeting kisses but gets used to it pretty quickly. He may act like he doesn't care for physical touch when in reality he is yearning for more, more, more.

Lucifer is a quick learner and picks up on things fast, so he might start showing his affection through small touches and gestures as well. Nothing too grand though, he has a reputation to uphold.

Would rather have MC show their love only to him through touches and other gestures, he isn't too fond of the idea of his brothers getting to cuddle up and touch MC as well. Of course, he won't say anything if MC also shows their platonic affection to his brothers with hugs and cuddles, but he definitely isn't a fan of it either and he might even get clingy when the two of them are alone.

MAMMON

He would become a flustered mess every time MC touches him in any way. At first, claims that he hates it and that he doesn't want MC clinging onto him but in reality, he too is very touch starved and loves to have MC close to him. MC better have patience with him as it will take a while before Mammon will admit to liking physical touch.

Though, MC better not do these things with anyone else! He is the only one who gets to enjoy hugs and kisses from MC, none of his brothers can have any, nope! If MC does get physical with one of his brothers, no matter how platonic and insignificant it is, Mammon will get jealous and he will get pouty. He will give MC silent treatment too but it lasts for like two minutes before he breaks.

Will quickly warm up to casual touches like swinging his arm around MC's shoulder or holding their hand when they are out in public. Mammon will start to expect physical affection daily and he will object if MC hasn't given him enough affection. He isn't the avatar of greed for no reason and he will get greedy about this, too.

LEVIATHAN

Poor Levi nearly pops a vein in his head the first time he received physical affection from MC. No literally, his face goes so red and he stops breathing for a good moment, it was quite concerning.

Levi would have a difficult relationship with this love language as he does crave physical closeness and likes it even, but he also firmly believes that he is too gross for such a normie thing and wonders if MC is being genuine with their affection or if it's just a sick prank. It will take a while before Levi gets comfortable with MC's love language and it takes a lot of reassuring from MC as well that Levi isn't gross and they genuinely want to hold his hand in public and no they don't care if his hands get sweaty.

He would get really bummed out if he sees MC give similar affection to his brothers. Like, really bummed out. MC better not go hugging others or hold their hand because even though Levi might not say anything about it, he will retreat to his room and isolate himself. It's important for him to be special to MC since MC is the most important to him!

SATAN

He seems pretty nonchalant and cool about physical touch but really he is freaking out inside. Freaking out as in gushing about the fact that MC is touching him. He is one of those people who will replay a scene of his knee touching MC's several times in his head before bed. So believe me when I say that his man would have a hard time keeping himself together whenever MC as much as holds his hand.

As soon as MC starts to show their affection through touches, Satan will also have the guts to put a casual hand on their shoulder or give them a kiss goodbye. He likes to have MC close and he isn't afraid to make it known either - at least not to MC.

He will tolerate MC being physical with his brothers, all except Lucifer. Firmly believes MC will get cooties from him. Though, if MC has been hanging out with his brothers too much or been too buddy buddy with them, Satan will claim MC as his and bring them to his room and cling to them.

ASMODEUS

This love language is right up his alley because Asmodeus is the same. He isn't shy about his affections either. If MC is comfortable with it, he will cling to them most of the time, play with their hair, hold their hand, give them small kisses...and no, he doesn't care if they are in a meeting with the demon lord himself.

Honestly, he is just happy that someone shares his love language and appreciates the fact that he is pretty affectionate. Asmo would be over the moon whenever MC initiates physical contact and he will appreciate every hug and kiss passes between them.

He will be fine with MC showing their affection to his brothers through touches. After all, he is affectionate with other people too, so it doesn't bother him too much. He knows that in MC's heart he is number one!

BEELZEBUB

This man loves physical contact, so he warmly welcomes all and any affection MC has to offer. Really, he is like a giant teddy bear who loves to have those he loves close to him. You can practically see little hearts float above his head whenever MC pats his head or wraps their arms around him.

MC will soon notice that they have a clingy Beel to deal with. Will casually come behind them, wrap his arms around them and prop his chin on top of MC's head if they are shorter than him. Will insist MC use him as their personal chair during movie nights. Will cuddle and cling to MC when they share a bed. He just really loves affection, okay?

Much like Asmo, he doesn't care if MC is touchy with his brothers. Though, he would prefer if it was him instead. Thinks it's adorable when Belphie and MC are cuddly together, often ends up joining them because he doesn't want to be left out.

BELPHEGOR

He welcomes MC's love language with open arms, though he will tease them about it too, but lovingly as if he doesn't show his love through touches as well. His favorite is to cuddle up with MC and take naps together with MC's arms wrapped around him. He also isn't above using MC's thighs as his pillow.

Belphie is surprisingly affectionate when they are alone or it's just him, Beel, and MC. He doesn't mind being close and physical at all and at times he ever gets cranky if he doesn't get enough affection from MC.

He doesn't mind if MC is affectionate towards Beel, but isn't a fan of the rest of his brothers getting too touchy with MC. Or MC getting too touchy with them. He might become a bit bratty if they are too close with his brothers and not giving him attention.

[madcatdaderpydrawer-blog]

Recently found your Fnaf au works (lovin' em btw), and they got me thinking, given that Bonnie is very much the dad of Sun and Moon (a loving and protective one at that), If he came back post virus in your role reverse au, how would he react to the fact that Monty ripped off Moon's hook? And by extension how would he react to Moon's lack of mental wellbeing?

OOF- yeah it would be b a d.

Now, Bonnie doesn't have a bad temper per say. He's a nice person, comes off as a chill dude most of the time (and not, like, Monty chill. Monty chill to me is always that kind of rockstar persona ya know? That laid back in a way of "I don't give a crap what you think" rockstar persona that he puts on for kids. While Bonnies is more laid back in the "one of those guys you'd meet at a local business and become quick friends with and go to for advice" way if that makes sense), but he's one of those people that are relaxed and laid back but still don't put up with anyones shit. I fully believe in the idea that Bonnie is at least somewhat tempermental, as he is one of the most aggressive animatronics in the game, he just isn't AS impulsive. So I think he'd end up visiting Monty Golf and essentially telling Monty that he has a minute to explain what happened before he gets his head cracked open like an egg. Monty quickly obliged because he knows from experience that Bonnie is dead serious and tried to explain everything he remembered. As mad as Bonnie was at him for hurting his son, when he asked around it was confirmed that Monty was telling the truth and in that case he really can't be mad at him for what he did. It was out of his control after all, though he is more careful now whenever Moon does use the wire. Since it had to be reinstalled, all of the nerve endings it is attached to had to be replaced and that means they are all a lot more sensitive as he isn't used to the new ones and how they work with the harness so he's more likely to tug a nerve and startle himself, causing the wire to retract again and for him to fall.

Honestly he'd be very worried seeing Moons mental state. I mean, the last time he was around Moon was still overly hyper and extroverted although slightly in control compared to when he had just started. So he could act soothing and nice but still was full of mischief and generally joyful. It would feel so weird, seeing him so introverted and quiet, and seeing him and Sun have such a strained relationship. Questioning either about it results in a lot more questions then answers though. Sun would try to answer his questions, but end up crying because he feels so bad about what he did and is ashamed of himself. Asking Moon would get him even LESS answers because Moon would insist that nothing was wrong. He doesn't want to bother Bonnie with his issues when Bonnie has only just recently been re-added to the group. He has his own problems to deal with, and Moon firmly believes that Bonnie shouldn't have to deal with his "temper tantrums". He already did so much more then he had to for him by teaching him the ropes when he was younger, and he doesn't want to burden him anymore.

So essentially he'd try to hide it as long as he could and act like everything is fine, until eventually Bonnie witnesses one of his breakdowns and gets confirmation that he is in fact not fine. Being as he has a generally small role in the pizza plex, he isn't all that busy, so he'd definitely spend a decent amount of time taking care of his children. Though he'd avoid getting in between the issues they have with each other. As much as he wants to help them reconcil, it isn't his relationship to fix. Pushing them to do something won't help either of them, so instead he'd probably end up trying to help both of them deal with what happened while he was gone. It would definitely make things a bit smoother though, with Bonnie able to disauge some of the insane amounts of guilt Sun feels before it becomes overwhelming.

I imagine when they do start to gradually reconcile on their own it would go about the same as normally, because again Bonnie would try not to interfere in this very delicate bond. Though I can see him walking into the daycare to see Sun cleaning up around his very much passed out sibling before picking him up and putting him back to bed, or comforting him after a nightmare and cuddling with him, and just smiling and deciding to leave to not disturb their little bubble of peace.

[articulate-and-annoying]

Okay final thoughts.

Overall this was very cathartic. I almost felt like I got a bit of closure about my dramatic breakup with the show after season 4 aired. Just taking it all start to finish, now with professional writing and editing experience under my belt, and a deep love for other pieces of Sherlock media, it feels like finally putting this little piece of my teenage self to rest.

The one good thing consistently in the show that I will always love, is the actors. Jesus Christ, they were perfectly cast, and put their whole chest into every terribly written cheesy line, and for that I will give them credit. My favorite parts about the earlier seasons are all just because the actors and their chemistry are just phenomenal.

Another thing I've realized about why I like the earlier seasons a little more, is that they're more campy. They don't take themselves as seriously or try to be dramatic, pearl clutching, edge of your seat television. It was a buddy comedy where they flounced around London and got shot at. I contribute the decline in my enjoyment in the later seasons directly to how seriously the show is taking itself. It's still funny at times, but just, too earnest in it's attempts to be cool and dramatic. It fell into the teen drama show trap of just constantly upping the ante and needing to one up the previous arc, and eventually it just lost it's momentum.

Mainly, I see this in the way the show writes it's villains after Moriarity. I firmly believe they brought him in too soon, or at the very least killed him off too soon. They jumped the shark for their antagonists after Andrew Scott, and because he was such a phenomenal actor and came off as such a threat, the new villains needed to get bigger and better. But they all felt derivative of Moriarity, to the point they needed to bring him back in Seasons 3 and 4 to keep people interested. Maganussen is just Moriarity with less inflection and a mind palace. Smith is just Mangussen but replace the blackmail with bloodlust.

The other thing that will never stop making me want to rewrite the show, is how Irene, Molly and Mary are treated. The writers do NOT know how to write women.

The issue with Irene Adler has already been discussed at length in the fandom so I won't go too far into it since I don't have much new to add. I will say that Irene's protrayal as a love interest in Sherlock stories will always bother me. She serves as a lesson to be learned, Irene is memorable because she reminds Sherlock never to underestimate anyone, regardless of sex. He made a mistake with her, and got bested in his own game. He keeps a photo of her for the same reason he asks John to tell him "Norbury" if he ever gets too full of himself. Irene humbled him, she wasn't a love interest.

Molly should have never existed as a character. I love her actor, and think she did a phenomenal job with what she was given. But Molly always felt shoehorned into the plot, like they needed to hand her a purpose that otherwise could have been given to another character, just to keep her around. I so desperately wanted there to have been a proper arc for her, but with TFP, the last we get of her on screen is Sherlock emotionally devastating her. Justice for Molly.

And then there's Mary. God I love her, even more so on this most recent watch. The TEH and TSoT are her at her best in many ways. Her dynamic with John and Sherlock is fantastic, she's able to be helpful and works wonderfully as a genuine long term addition to the cast. And even further than that, I'm in love with the idea of making her an assassin. There's so much you could do there, especially when it comes to bringing her into cases more and making her a part of the team. The only issue is that the writers fumble the ball on how they handle her and her backstory.

They introduce AGRA in 3.3, to kill her off and end the plot in 4.1. she gets 2 episodes to be a badass, and half of that time she's pregnant. Her story didn't go anywhere besides giving us the completely wasted plot of Sherlock and John fighting since it lasted an episode. Mary deserved so much better, and in a better universe got more time to be fleshed out.

Which is actually a great segue into my next major issue with the show: it had too many ideas to fit into 90 minutes, especially seasons 3 & 4. You can tell the writers had massive ideas for everything they wanted to squeeze into the season but didn't have time to really flesh out everything. So we got a lot of quick ideas in a long long episode. Season 4 reminds me of workshopoing short stories that have gotten too big for their restricted word count, and having the author refuse to cut anything to make the plot more cohesive. There should have been better editing done to ensure the flow and consistency of the narrative, but instead it ended up a jumbled, oddly paced, mess by the end.

Overall, I don't hate this show. There are a lot of things I am desperate to fix, and honestly might try my hand at someday. I think so show is just filled to the brim with wasted potential, all it really needs is some polish and a good editor and it can be a passably interesting show! I'm glad I rewatched it to put a rest to the anger I felt towards how it ended, but I don't think I'll watch it all through again.

TL;DR: BBC Sherlock is a mess. The show is poorly paced, cannot write a decent female character, and needs some serious script editing to make the narrative more cohesive, but god I still have a soft spot for the first couple seasons. Make Sherlock camp again 2023.

I'm rewatching/forcing my roommate to watch Sherlock for the 1st time. I haven't watched that show since 4.3 aired and 17 year old me swore on all that's holy I'd never watch it again.

I am, however, cursed with being hyperfixated on Sherlock in general and my roomie wanted to know what was so terrible about it. So back into the depths we go.

I'm going to update as we go for my own entertainment

[gallavictorious]

bottom!mickey nonnie here, i had some more thoughts in response to your reply, if you don't mind? :) i can see where the trust aspect might come into play for mickey re: bottoming and i understand your thought process. the only thing that makes me doubt that is how quickly that trust must have been established between him and ian if that is the case. they haven't been fucking for that long when kash walks in on them (which is the first instance we actually know mickey bottoms). i suppose that there could have been a lot of off-screen developments and interactions, but it's too quick imo. their relationship in season one seems more puppy-love to me rather than a deep bond (which i see as starting to form in season two). the way i see it, the only level of trust that needs to be established is "i know you won't tell anyone because you're also closeted and you won't treat me like a bitch because if you do, i'll beat you tf up and just never fuck you again" which is pretty shallow and something mickey could probably have reached with other guys, too. idk, i just don't see their relationship in season one as deep enough for mickey to start trusting ian with things he's worried or insecure about. it makes more sense to me that he lets ian fuck him because it's not that big a deal, rather than because he's already let ian past his walls. we know that ian is all in by that point, but i just don't think mickey is. he likes ian, is drawn to him (probably against his better judgement), but that's as far as it goes, as i see him. since there are such few scenes between them in season one we have no choice but to make our own interpretations, and those are bound to differ. i've just never seen mickey indicate that he thinks bottoming = being a bitch, or even that it's something he worries about. the only thing to support that would be his attitude to prison, but like i said before, i don't think mickey views sex in prison the same as he views sex on the outside. he probably views everything in prison differently. on the outside, with guys who share his secret? i don't think it's too much of a stretch that he would just do what he wants. the danger is the same either way. just my interpretation of him, of course :)

Hiya, Bottom!Mickey Nonnie No. 1!

I don't mind one little bit; in fact, I'm delighted! Apart from enjoying the fun discussion, it's always gratifying to hear back from anons: you usually never actually know if your answer has reached them.

First off, you're damned right it's quick! I personally don't subscribe to the idea that Mickey knew that Ian was gay or had a crush on him preceding their 1x07 tryst (nothing wrong with that notion, btw, it just doesn't appeal to me), so when they suddenly start tearing off each other's clothes that's very sudden. I tend to assume there might have a tiny bit of vague interest prior to this, the proximity and tussling triggers mutual attraction, they both spring boners, and yeah, off they go? You're also quite right in (implicitly) pointing out that we don't know that they had penetrative sex at that time – maybe they moved up from mutual handjobs or just plain grinding to something more a few trysts later. Either way, you make a good point about the danger of sex outside of lock-up would be the same regardless of whether Mickey bottoms or not. I'd never really thought about that before, so thank you for pointing that out!

However, it's probable that the reason I haven't thought very much about it is because when I speak of Mickey's easy trust for Ian I don't primarily mean him trusting Ian not to reveal his secrets to anyone else, but trust him to know Mickey in a way others are not allowed – and here we disagree and that is fine. :) If you see Mickey as unbothered by being into bottoming, you can certainly find support for that in the narrative. We do have the famous ”liking what I like”-line, which absolutely can be taken at face value! The fact that I tend to interpret it as (partly) Mickey being deliberately unapologetic because he feels a bit uneasy about his preferences and is somewhat defensive about Ian's brief allusions to common prejudices around bottoming, has more to do with my assumption that – given Mickey's circumstances – this is something that Mickey's likely to feel insecure about. He's internalized his father's homophobia to some degree; it just seems reasonable to me that he'd have internalized Terry's strong conviction that Milkoviches don't bottom too. (He certainly seems ready to embody that when he attacks Ian's army fuck buddy in season 3, citing the need to kick him straight because he's the one taking it up the ass. However, that could also totally performative or seen as him making a twisted kind of in-joke, so it's hardly conclusive.) Furthermore, I feel that it's not unreasonable to question Mickey's sincerity in regards to the line mentioned above, since we do have instances of him acting seemingly geuninely dismissive even when we know he probably cares quite a bit. I'm thinking primarily about his reaction to Ian's sex strike in season 11; I just don't buy he was unbothered by that, but there's nothing in the way he expresses his lack of concern that suggests it's insincere. This doesn't mean that I think my reading of the line is the correct one, though, just that it's a possible reading given what else we know of Mickey.

But of course, this really is just my assumptions and interpretations. It's very possible to infer from his actions onscreen that Mickey is totally unconcerned about bottoming, and always has been. After all, Mickey is in many ways a genuinely confident person, and I think this extends to his sex life. (I just think there's insecurity and concern, too... Basically, I think Mickey's relationship with his own sexuality and preferences is complicated, a paradoxical tangle of confidence and shame. I find this complexity is fascinating, and if we're being honest that's probably one of the reasons why I'm not so eager to let go of the notion of it.)

That said, though, and regardless of whether or not bottomingrequires any particular trust on Mickey's part, I think we dohave some concrete evidence of Mickey letting Ian past his walls already in 1x07. Not the sex – because we don't know anything about that – but the return of the gun after. That look on Mickey's face just then? That's vulnerability. He knows that by giving the weapon back when he doesn't have to, he shows hint of a softness he can ill afford people to know he possesses at this point. It's walls dropped, if only for a moment, and I just don't see him allowing that with many – if any – other people. While it isvery quick and while there's no telling whyor how, I firmly believe that there is an immediate trust between them that goes beyond just sex. It might not be logical, but I think it's there, and that this easy, natural understanding is a huge part of what has them coming back to each other again and again in spite of the odds being stacked overwhelmingly against them. Like you, though, I don't see this as a deep bond or anything, not this early. Ian falls in love quickly and easily; for Mickey is a much slower process, because he fights even the possibility of it tooth and claw.

And ah, I'm aware that in my first response to you I promised to elaborate on my thoughts on Mickey's stint in Mexico in my reply to Bottom!Mickey Nonnie No. 2, but I ended up cutting that because it got absurdly long in comparision to my notes on what they were actuallyasking about, and that didn't seem fair or relevant to them. However, I now have a third (and a fourth... apparently this is a subject dear to your hearts, sweet followers) Bottom!Mickey Nonnie in my inbox, so if this is something you're interested in, despair not! We'll get there!

Thank you so much for getting in touch, both with your first ask and with this follow-up. I've enjoyed reading your thoughts, and developing my own in response to them, immensely! I highly value being able to civilly disagree and argue viewpoints without either side feeling the need to convince the other, so this has been a real treat. <3

[boxofbadaddiction]

Trust You to Cheapen the Moment

George Weasley x Reader

This story is inspired from a request of my F.R.I.E.N.D.S Themed Prompt List.

Prompts: 8 & 12

"Come on, [y/n or Character] just take off your shirt and tell us!"/"you're over me? When were you...under me?"

Warnings: Sexual innuendo. Swearing.

"Congratulations on a great game tonight boys!" Lee Jordan called as Fred and George entered through the portrait hole, still sporting their Quidditch uniforms which were currently soaked in sweat.

"Thanks mate" the Twins replied in unison.

The match had been against Ravenclaw and although Gryffindor naturally won, it hadn't been an easy feat. One which involved George coping a rather nasty bludger to the ribs. As such their win inevitably concluded with a stern lecture from their team Captain, Oliver Wood who remarked their performance as "sloppy". This being the reason as to why they were late to their own victory party.

"Well, hello boys" [Y/N] called as she made her way toward the three boys by the entrance, accompanied by a friend of her own. "Playing a tad messy these days, aren't we?" She goaded with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, alright [Y/N]! Red Hot you are. Sounding frightfully like our beloved Captain." Fred replied as everyone laughed.

[Y/N]s attention fixed to George as her face wore a notably more sincere expression. "How you feeling, Georgie?" "Like I took a bludger to the guts." He chuckled somewhat painfully. "I'll live, just need a good hot shower and to get out of this sweat drenched uniform." He tugged at the tight fabric which clung uncomfortably to his skin.

"I'll happily help you out of it, if you find yourself in need of a spare set of hands?" [Y/N] wriggled her eyebrows. Smiling at his friends innuendo George ran his tongue over his bottom lip before raising his own brows, as if contemplating the girls offer.

"Yeah, alright you two, wrap it up!" Fred intervened pushing the pair back by their shoulders as if stopping a fight. "George, as much as I'm with you on that shower and change idea, need I remind you we have a...previous engagement to attend to." He pointedly looked to his brother.

"What 'previous engagement'" Lee questioned.

"Super secret Weasley Twin Business." Fred winked.

"I can't believe you're leaving me out of your super secret twin business!" Lee protested, feigning dejection.

"Sorry, Lee" George offered a consoling smile. "Forget you. What about ME!" [Y/N] interrupted. "Come off it, there's no way you planned a prank without me..."

"But we did" they shrugged. "It's nothing for you to worry your pretty little head over" George teased with a pout. "What is it?" Lee asked, but the two remained quiet.

"Oh, come on, George. Just take off your shirt and tell us!" [Y/N] spat with a wicked grin. George stepped toward her slowly placing both of his large hands either side of her jaw and peering into her eyes. He leant down so his mouth was centimetres from her skin, whispering into her ear "Not happening, lovely." His hands slid down her neck, passing over her shoulders before finally retreating at they met her elbows. He smiled at the ever so faint blush that fanned her cheeks. "Okay, fine. So you won't tell us. But seriously...where'd we land on the shirt situation?" [Y/N] yanked on the uniform fabric playfully while biting her lip.

"Oh would you two just fuck already! This whole teasing thing makes my stomach turn." The other Weasley rolled his eyes before grabbing hold of his brothers wrist, "come on, lover boy. We've got mischief to attend to." He pulled George away from the group of friends, but not before he was able to send a suggestive wink to [Y/N] over his shoulder.

Fred did have a point when you thought about it. [Y/N] and George had been friends since first year after spending a day in detention together for being caught out past curfew, for separate reasons. [Y/N] and the Twins always had a playful relationship and it seemed impossible for them to go more than three minutes without making a joke or coming up with some new prank idea or bet between the three of them. The relationship between [Y/N] and George however, over the years, became substantially more provocative. Never becoming physical by any means, mainly they just threw a lot of innuendos toward one another. Just a bit of harmless, totally platonic, flirting really.

It'd been that way since their fourth year which makes it a few years now that Fred has found himself uncomfortably situated between the two obviously pining best friends, whom continuously deny any such feelings of course.

While the Twins had set off on their...other business, that left the remaining three to enjoy the Post-match festivities currently unfolding within the Gryffindor common room.

A little while into the celebrations, [Y/N] and her friend found themselves accompanied by some of the more eligible bachelors of Gryffindor Tower, about ankle deep in discarded Butterbeer and Fire Whiskey bottles.

"Come on, [Y/N] how's about a dance?" Dustin, a rather attractive boy she knew, spoke with an endearing smile gracing his face. "Flattered as I am by your proposal, I must decline." She slurred. "Why not?" The boy reached for her hand tracing small circles on the soft skin with his thumb while he stared into her eyes. "Because I don't fucking want to." The girl laughed retracting her hand from his. "Excuse us, won't you boys?" Her friend stood, pulling [Y/N] up with her. "Uh-oh...I'm in trouble" she faked concern before breaking into giggles as she was pulled from the common room.

Finding herself promptly being dragged down a flight of stairs into the adjoining corridor which, given the time, was obviously eerily abandoned.

"What's the matter with you?"

"Uuhh you mean aside from the fact my buzz was just absolutely murdered after being ripped away from a party I was thoroughly enjoying? Not much." She rolled her eyes. "I mean, why do you keep turning Dustin down? You know he fancies you! Why not give him a chance?" Her friends voice was sincere and a little giddy as she questioned. "Because I am not interested in Dust Bin." [Y/N] doubled over in laughter at her own joke. Latching on firmly to her friends shirt in an attempt to remain upright. Cackling styled laughter reverberated off the deserted corridor walls as [Y/N] was being shushed and told to compose herself. "Quiet [Y/N]!" her friend giggled at the state of her. "Is it, you're not interested in Dustin, because you're still hung up on George?" "Pffft, Pah-LEASE I am so over George." She slurred with a dramatic shove of the friends shoulder.

"You're over me?" The words called from behind her and like a cool breeze on the nape of her neck chills ran sharp through her spine. [Y/N]'s eyes widened while the friend infront of her smiled brightly, sending a taunting wave her way before disappearing back up the stairs to the common room. "When were you...under me?" The girl couldn't bring herself to turn around, she could practically hear that devious smirk playing on his voice. Her body was rigid as her blood ran cold. Talk about a sobering experience. Shutting her eyes tightly to muster the courage she tentatively began to turn her body, facing the boy with a painfully embarrassed grimace.

"You heard too much of that for me to get out of this on some elaborate lie, didn't you?"

"Yep." George stood smugly before her. Hands deep in his trouser pockets as he'd obviously had that shower and change he were so desperately craving. He looked good. White button up with the sleeves scrunched above his elbows haphazardly and a lazy Gryffindor tie around his neck. [Y/N] found herself having to swallow a lump in her throat at the sight. "Right from the rather insensitive comment made of my good mate...Dust Bin." The ginger chuckled taking a few steps forwards.

[Y/N] let out a long, defeated, sigh turning her head over her shoulder in thought. Her jaw clicked as she contemplated her next words carefully. If only she could think of anything to say. She was fumbling over various syllables, all of which were incoherent. George laughed at her nervousness and held a hand out for her to take, "Come here." He spoke softly. What else was there to lose? She accepted and felt as her body warmed from the feeling of his hand gripping hers tightly.

Neither said a word as George lead her quietly further away from the Gryffindor Tower. It wasn't until they approached the Astronomy Tower stair case [Y/N] made to speak, but was promptly shushed. 'You'll see' he told her.

The Weasley stopped at the top most stair, watching her as he slowly opened the door leading to the balcony. Eyes never leaving her face, smiling sweetly as he witnessed her expression shift slowly from one of bewilderment to awe.

Laid out in front of them was an abundance of pillows, set upon a thick blanket, surrounded by various sweet platters and floating candles like the ones in the Great Hall only much smaller. [Y/N]s hands sprang to her mouth in shock, she'd never seen such a romantic setting. Staring from the picnic to the stars that shone so brightly over head, with every Galaxy and Constellation clearly visible, she was lost for words. A startled gasp was the only noise to peirce her lips silence.

George watched fondly at the sparkle held within her eyes. Nothing but love in his as he stepped behind her, hands gently resting on her shoulders to move her forward. He nestled into the side of her neck while he walked her slowly so he could whisper in her ear, "I had actually planned on telling you first, tonight, about how I feel. But it seems you've unwilling stolen my chance." "Oh George..."

"I know, it's bloody good right?" He commented cockily. "Come on. Sit."

"So I take it this was the super secret twin business you had to attend to?" She said smiling as he made himself comfortable beside her gazing towards the sky.

"Yep. That and Fred wanted to set off some Dung Bombs in Snapes office. He's down there now." [Y/N] began to laugh and she suddenly captured every ounce of Georges attention. It's in moments like this he found her most beautiful. When she were genuinely happy. "You shouldn't have gone through all this trouble." She spoke earnestly. "You're worth it."

"That's so cheesey."

"You love cheese!"

"I do don't I?"

The two laughed, [Y/N]s head dropping as she did so before George raised her attention back to him with a finger placed delicately under her chin.

"[Y/N], I've liked you for so long now that I-I can't even remember when I realised. I just...did. You mean so much to me that it's scary" he was kneeling before her now. Hands grasping hers, "and I don't want to hear that you're over me because I don't think that I will ever be able to get over you." [Y/N] was staring fixedly into his eyes, heart thundering in her ears. Unable to believe this were happening. "I fall for you a little more everyday. I fall with every smile. Every laugh. Every sleazy innuendo you throw my way. I can't help falling and I just couldnt go another day without knowing if there were even a possibility that you may feel the same way. If you fall for me the same way I do for you. It's why I took that hit today, on the pitch, I was so distracted about tonight that I-"

"You saying that was my fault are you? That you got hurt." [Y/N] was smiling widely, eyes glistening with tears she knew were unlikely to fall but were there nonetheless.

"Ab-so-LUTE-ly it's your fault!" George continued her teasing with a beaming smile that shone nearly as bright as the stars above them.

"I do George. Feel the same. I'm not over you because...because there's just no getting over you."

George let out a relieved and amazed breath. He doubted he'd ever felt happier in his life than in this moment.

Both his hands came to rest either side of her face as he hastily leant his face towards hers before restraining himself. Eyes pouring into hers as hers were staring back. "Can I kiss you?" He whispered.

[Y/N] smiled softly, hands coming to lay gently on his elbows, "yes" she breathed before nodding quickly. A hand shot up behind his neck to bring their faces together, lips meeting for the first time. He pulled her into his lap swinging both arms around her waist as her free hand tugged on his tie.

[Y/N] pulled back to catch her breath while George peppered soft, frantic kisses down her jaw and neck.

"So tell me..." her head fell back in pleasure as she clung to him for support and felt as he hummed against her skin in response, "now that we've established I'm not over you. When can I get under you?" She smirked chuckling slightly. He rolled his head up to meet her gaze, staring unbelievably at her words as a reluctant smile crept across his lips. George groaned at the pun before pushing her down into the pillows, body hovering above hers as she left out a squeal at his action. Laughing in a way only George could ever make her.

"Trust you to cheapen the moment."