#he likes the moustache it's all the rage

[thebongcloudopening]

"Still the face of someone not to fuck with?"

You look like you're 80 pounds, sopping wet.

[aurorawritestoescape]

FEED ME || Joel Miller x f!reader || 2,3k

Summary: Joel is hungry but not for dinner

Tw: 18+ mdni, smut, pwp, food play, object insertion, m/f!oral, swearing, cum eating, Joel is a horny menace, fingering, a bit of degradation, Joel can pick up reader, reader wears a dress, has hair that can be pulled

A/n: hugs and smooches to @iamasaddie for the gif🌸

same couple HEATWAVE collection || MASTERLIST

*****

“What are we making?”

You jump hearing Joel’s gruff voice right at your ear.

“Joel! I’m holding a knife!” you exclaim, pressing your free hand to your chest. Your heart is booming under your palm as you are silently cursing your sneaky husband.

He hugs you from behind, caging you against the counter, and you breathe out your tension, feeling his warm body pressed to your back.

“What are you cooking, baby?” His scruff is rubbing your shoulder as he’s pushing the fabric of your home dress out of his way and kisses the spot at the crease of your neck.

You smile already melting from this cute gesture but don’t turn around. You focus back on the task at hand - chopping a pepper.

“Salad,” you reply.

He hums and you feel his hands glide from your waist down to your sides. While you’re working the knife, trying not to cut your finger off, he bunches up the skirt of your dress and his warm palms grab your hips.

“Nah-ah,” you slither out of his embrace and step to the sink. “I’m hungry, Joel,” you say, feeling a pang of guilt for refusing him but nonetheless enjoying the way he glares at you under his brows, hands still braced on the counter. He looks so sexy like this.

“You can wait until after the dinner, right?”

You give him a sweet smile before turning on the water. You grab a cucumber out of a big bowl and start washing it. Joel’s intent stare is focused on you while your hands are gliding around the vegetable. You forget about your audience for a second doing a thorough job cleaning the cucumber until it squeaks under your palms. Suddenly Joel curses under his breath and storms out of the room.

You furrow your brows, confused by his behavior and hoping that you haven’t offended him. But Joel is caring and always attentive to your needs, even when he’s thinking with his perfect cock.

So you dry the cucumber and return to your chopping board.

Joel doesn’t sneak up on you this time but you still jump when you hear him shout, “DON’T! Don’t cut it!”

You freeze clutching the knife in your hand, but now it’s trembling with rage rather than with fear like before.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” You shrill and turn around before throwing the knife on the counter.

Joel walks to one of the cupboards, opens it and after a few seconds of consideration takes something out.

Your eyes are wide and you hope the heat of your fiery glower can burn him. It seems that he feels it, judging by the way he inches towards you with a little apologetic smile, holding out a protein bar.

“Sorry for scaring you, baby,” he coos, stepping up to you, “Here. Have a snack.”

“I don’t want a fucking snack, Joel,” you grumble looking up at the man from behind your eyebrows, “From now on you’re banned from the kitchen when I’m cooking, you hear me?

“Yeah, yeah. But after today, ‘k?” He opens the protein bar and brings it to your lips. You don’t eat it, standing immovable in front of him, still throwing daggers at his handsome face.

“C’mon, sweetheart. I really want you.” He puts the bar on the counter and his hands start gently rubbing your arms, moving up and down. He pecks your cheek, the other one, plants a kiss on your nose and forehead. His moustache tickles you and you giggle trying to dodge the kisses he’s peppering all over your face.

With your palms on his broad chest, you give up and let him embrace you. He presses his hips to yours and you feel him hard against your mound.

You whimper, blaming your weak pussy for the way you crumble only after sensing the shape of his stiff cock.

Joel licks his lips and leans down to give you a heady kiss, passionate but soft. His hands are touching you everywhere - kneading your breasts, squeezing your ass cheeks, running through your hair and pulling on it lightly.

Soon you’re moaning into his mouth, soaking your panties, and buck your hips into his.

“Oh, what is it? Thought you were hungry, baby. Guess your slutty pussy wants to swallow my cock more, huh?”

You whine nuzzling his neck while a fire starts burning inside your core. Dinner be damned, you want to be filled with his cock.

“That’s what I thought,” he smirks, pushes the board and the knife to the side and lifts you, setting you on the counter.

In a second your panties are discarded on the floor and Joel is kneeling next to them.

He grabs your ankle and pushes your leg up, placing one foot on the counter. Your glistening pussy blooms for him and you bite your lip when cold air hits your heated folds.

Not waiting for an invitation, Joel latches onto your clit and you mewl with pleasure, eyes shut, hands pulling on his hair. His hot tongue is swirling eights against your bud while his thick fingers prod your wet hole before he pushes them in and starts pumping in and out. He curves them just right and you come undone, clit twitching against his tongue, pussy clenching on his digits.

Joel pulls them out and licks them clean while you’re panting, mind and vision hazy after a bright orgasm.

Joel gets up and while you’re reveling in the post orgasmic euphoria you don’t notice his hand sneaking behind you.

Something cold touches your leg and you open your eyes seeing Joel slide a tip of the cucumber up and down your inner thigh.

"Joel, what are you doing?" you giggle nervously trying to close your legs.

"Shh... l've got an idea," he says, holding your legs open for him with his big hands on your inner thighs. "All your fault, sweetheart. When you were washing it...Damn it. The way your hands glided over this thing. My dick loved it."

"Ehm,” is the only thing you can say. You're surprised and even more so when he takes out a condom out of his pocket. You haven't used one in a while with you being on the pill and him being the biggest fan of creampies.

"I can, right, baby?" He asks before opening the package with his teeth and pulling the condom out.

"Do you... what do you..?" You mumble trying to gather your thoughts after the recent orgasm and wrap your head around whatever his intention is.

Your jaw drops when you watch him put the condom on the long thick vegetable like it's some weird sex ed class and he says,

"Gonna fuck you with this cucumber, 'k?"

“But Joel…it’s big,” you mewl, eyeing the thing and trying to imagine it in your pussy.

“My cock is big, baby, and you take it so well. And I’ll get you ready, sweetheart, don’t worry.”

You look at the cucumber, then into Joel’s pleading eyes and feel your pussy get curious and start tingling again at the promise of something long and thick stuffed inside it.

You nod and Joel beams at you and takes you in his arms.

“Let’s get you to the bed.”

***

A few moments later you’re lying on your bed, completely naked, with a couple of pillows stuffed under your back, so you could see and control what’s about to happen to your pussy.

Joel’s sitting on his heels between your legs, spotting a giant tent in his boxers but he doesn’t do anything about it. His hand is gripping your knee, and he’s holding a bottle of lube in the other, warming it up. The cucumber is on the bed next to your hip, looking thicker and longer than Joel’s cock. And Joel’s cock is huge. You swallow loudly and Joel notices your tension.

“Breathe, baby,” Joel says, giving you a warm smile. “I’ll be careful,” he murmurs and you know he will. Something warm and fuzzy moves in your stomach and you whisper back, “I trust you.”

His eyes are blown with lust, lips glistening and you feel you can come just from an image of him being so thirsty for you.

His fingers trail from your knee to your pussy until he brings them to your clit and begins gently stroking it.

Joel puts the lube on the bed and slowly pushes three fingers into your hole, palm up. They move in and out easily but apparently it’s not enough.

“Play with your tits, sweetheart. C’mon,”

He doesn’t have to repeat it, in a second you’re kneading your breasts, twitching your hardened nipples and your pussy clenches as a new wave of arousal ripples through your body. You moan and rock your hips desperate for more stimulation.

“Joel, stick it in me already!”

He chuckles as his little finger joins the other three inside your pussy.

“Attagirl. Ready?”

You nod and open your thighs wider. Joel's digits leave your stretched hole and he gets the unconventional sex toy ready, squirting some lube on it and spreading it with his fingers. Caressing your bud with one hand, he brings the cucumber to your crying hole and nudges it with the tip.

You breathe in sharply feeling something cold and hard at the softest and warmest place of your body.

You whimper when he slides the firm vegetable between your folds and then starts slowly pushing it in your wet entrance. The stretch makes your muscles tense but Joel swirls your clit between his fingers and the dull pain subsides almost instantly.

“Tell me and I’ll stop,” he says, love and affection coating his voice.

Joel doesn’t tear his eyes from the sight of him feeding this huge cucumber to your pussy. He inserts a few inches of the stiff vegetable in and pulls it out almost to the end and then pushes it in again, deeper now.

He repeats these actions a few times and you whimper, clutching the sheets with your fingers as the cucumber’s bumps are deliciously massaging your walls.

“Damn it, baby, I wanna be this thing so fucking much right now,” Joel groans and grips your thigh harder.

“Yeah?” you breathe out, fluttering your eyes shut when you feel the tip rub against your soft spot.

You love when Joel's cock ruins your little cunt but you’re experiencing such an unusual novice sensation at this moment that you don’t want it to leave your pussy yet.

“Don’t stop, Joel. Please,” You plead as your cunt clenches around the vegetable.

“Fuck, look at it.”

His hand leaves the cucumber and when your walls contract, your cunt sucks it deeper on its own. You’re both mesmerized, eyes half lidded and hazy, mouths slightly opened, watching the cucumber stick out of your hungry hole.

“She’s swallowing it on her own. Greedy little pussy. You’re really enjoying it, huh?”

You nod eagerly and he smiles.

“That’s my girl.”

“Joel?” You call when he gets a hold of the cucumber again. “Come here. Give me your cock.”

You motion to the spot next to you on the bed.

“But don’t stop fucking me with it,” you hastily add, earning a chuckle from Joel.

“At this rate you won’t need me anymore,” he complains, pouting his lips but breathing into a grin.

“Never, I love the taste of your cock too much.”

Joel gently pulls the cucumber out of your pussy and gets closer to your face.

He stands on his knees and pulls his cock out. It’s painfully hard, bobbing over your face and dripping precum everywhere.

“Oh, Joel, give it.” You lick your lips and lift yourself on your elbows.

Your mouth reaches his fat head and you lick and suck it, drinking his salty precum. His desperate moan makes you feel slightly guilty for not offering to blow him earlier.

Joel leans down a little and starts fucking you with the cucumber again. You take his length deeper in your mouth and suck on his stiff cock caressing the underside with your tongue. His soft lower belly rubs against your forehead while he’s thrusting the vegetable in and out with faster strokes. You’re a complete mess, the mixture of lube and your slick sliding down to your asshole and soaking the bedding under you.

“Fuck…won’t last, sweetheart. Your mouth is killing me…damn, wish you could see your pussy, baby…you’re talking it so fucking well…my perfect girl.”

You gasp around his cock when he leans lower and takes your throbbing clit between his lips again. He’s sloppily licking your folds, sucking on your sensitive bud and you feel the warmth of your upcoming climax turn into scorching heat. He pushes the cucumber in and out once, twice and you explode, crying and whimpering, mouth full of his cock.

Apparently Joel was waiting just for that.

He finally erupts into your throat with a loud groan and you’re swallowing his warm cum as your back arches, pussy clumps on the stiffness inside you and fireworks burst in your mind.

You drink him to the last drop, and his mouth doesn’t leave your pussy either, he’s rubbing your clit with the flat of his tongue until you push him away, being overstimulated.

You part from his softening cock and plop your back on the bed catching your breath. Joel slowly pulls the cucumber out of your soaked hole and falls next to you panting heavily.

“Thank you for letting me do this, baby,” he coos before giving you a gentle kiss. Then he takes the glistening condom off, throws it on the bed and hands you the cucumber. “Here’s your dinner back,” he chuckles and you giggle with him.

“No way, Joel. First of all, we’re ordering in tonight and second,” you press the cucumber to your chest, making heart eyes at it, “I’m not eating him.”

“Him?”

“Yep. He’s living with us now,” you say trying to contain your laughter, “I’m gonna call him Dave.”

“Little slut,” Joel growls, pins you to the bed and shuts you up with a kiss.

*****

Thank you for reading!🌸

Comments and reblogs will make me very happy and help to spread my work!💖

same couple HEATWAVE collection || Masterlist

Tag list: @milla-frenchy @harriedandharassed @missannfairy @iamasaddie @nervousmumbling @bbyanarchist @stevie75 @puduvallee @auteurdelabre @mountainsandmayhem @senoratess @flamingochick55 @theoraekenslover

[welikeimagines-andfandoms]

Never Tried- Thranduil x Half-Dwarf!Reader

Summary: Thranduil has never had someone on top before, reader shows him how much he’ll like it

Word Count: 3, 219

Dwarves seemed to hold certain characteristics that were so different to elves, that Thranduil just couldn’t stand them. Though the war was over, and peace was attempting to be made between the king under the mountain and the king of the woodland realm, it didn’t mean that Thranduil was anymore at peace with three and a half dwarves roaming his kingdom.

Thranduil hadn’t gone for a walk to clear his head in a long time, but with the lingering smell of dwarf around, he thought it the best thing to do.

Gently strolling around the forest, his thoughts surprisingly fell to you. He never intended for this thoughts to so often lead back to you, but it was almost like an uncontrollable pull his mind had. You were part dwarf so there were things about you have found displeased him, but they never seemed to infuriate him like the other dwarves did. On the other hand, you were also part human, so you still held this wonder-filled grace to you that he’d often found in humans.

He’d never admit it to anyone, but lately you came to his thoughts more and more. At first they were pleasant, remembering the way you laughed, the way you corrected Thorin in a meeting, or the way you twirled your hair when you began to become tired after a long day.

You and the other dwarves had been in his kingdom for four days, and every day he found his thoughts of you becoming less and less innocent. If he was being truly honest with himself, perhaps it wasn’t the smell of dwarf that had led him to the forest tonight, perhaps it was just a way to stop himself from desperately rutting into his sheets or hand, to the thought of you.

It seems over these last few days, his innocent thoughts had melded with less than innocent ones. As he thought about your laugh, he also thought about the moans he hears you make when you finally lay your tired body in bed. Correcting Thorin at meetings, turned into the way you might boss him around, tell him how to please you. And the way you twirl your hair, made him wonder how your smaller hands would feel grabbing onto his own hair.

Thranduil became so lost in these thought as he walked, that he fancied he truly did hear your sweet moans. Both breathy and deep grunting moans, with skin sinfully slapping against other skin. He stopped his leisurely strides to close his eyes, thinking he’d begun to go mad.

“Stop it, it’s not real.” He found himself quietly whispering, trying to rub his temples until the intoxicating illusion would leave, but it never did.

It wasn’t until he heard another persons moan did his eyes finally open. Whipping his head up, his eyes honed in on where he heard the mixed sounds of ecstasy comes from.

His strides became longer and more confident as he came closer to the source of the noise. The delicious sounds became louder, the closer he walked, until he saw it.

There you sat, your naked form with an intoxicating sheen of sweat on it, bouncing and grinding on another. He found it hard to break his eyes from your gorgeous body and the way your breasts moved as your body chased its pleasure.

Finally looking down to where your eyes landed, he saw it was one of the dwarf princes you road. His rough hands grabbed at your thighs and breasts, as his ridiculous moustache braids bounced with your movements. He smiled up at you as you rode him, and grabbed at your soft flesh.

Seeing Fili grab at you in such a way filled him with boiling rage. Thranduil can try all he might to lie and say his rage was about the two of you defiling his forest, but really it was rooted in jealousy.

Thranduil wanted you all to himself. He wanted to be the only one to grab at you, the only one you teased as you drew pleasure from his body. Only now did he realise how badly he really wanted you.

His walk began as a way to clear his head of your intoxicating being, but now he begins to walk back, knowing that he can’t avoid those thoughts of you now. He knew the vision of you grinding and bouncing as pleasure-filled moans left your perfect lips would be ingrained into his mind, and he’d have to do something about it if he hoped to get any sleep tonight.

******

Thranduil took long strides to his room at the end of the next day, trying desperately to get away from you. The meeting had felt like it had gone on forever, every time he’d look at you, his body grew desperate and heated. Conversely, every time he looked at Fili, his body filled with rage. Having such strong emotions rattling through him for so long, left him feeling exhausted and in need of some time to himself.

He walked so fast and out of focus that he didn’t even see you in his path, until his body had collided with yours.

Looking down at you, his face stayed in the frown it was set in.

“Watch where you’re going.” He growled as he moved past you swiftly.

“You walked into me!” You defensively called to his fleeting form.

Your comment made him stop in his path. Was he offended you’d speak to him in such a way, or was he maybe a little aroused? He honestly couldn’t tell.

“What did you say?” He asked dangerously as he turned and walked back towards you.

Most people would hear an elvish king use such a tone, and give them such a look that they’d start to break down with apologises and fear, but not you. You stood your ground with your head up high, meeting his challenge. The confidence you held made him crave you even more.

“I said that you walked into me. You should watch where you’re going, your highness.” You fought back against his question, with his formal title being said in a way that was dripping with sarcasm.

“Well why were you standing in the middle of the hallway in the first place?” He asked you, trying to win at this pointless argument.

“Not that it’s any of your business with how rude you’re acting towards me, but if you must know, I’m waiting for Fili.”

At the mention of the dwarf princes name, his body became hot with rage and jealousy once again.

“You truly can not be apart from your love for long can you?” Thranduil asked, with the intent to both tease and actually gauge what your relationship might be.

His question was met with a scoff and a laugh.

“Fili is not ‘my love’. What makes you think he is, Thranduil?”

At hearing you confirm your relationship and say his name, the kings body began to simmer and become warm with need and surprisingly even submission. However, his face still stayed stoic, intending to win an argument he never really wanted to happen.

“Well usually when two people make love in my forest, I assume they are together.” He challenges, as his stoic look turns into a devilish smirk.

Your eyes grow wide and your skin begins to heat with embarrassment as you realise he must have seen you, but being just as stubborn to win this argument as Thranduil was, you quickly compose yourself.

Flirting with the king might not be the best move, but seemed like a fun way to win this argument.

“Are you jealous, Thranduil?” You ask slyly, biting your lip as you move gracefully towards him.

This caught him off guard and his composure began to slip. This was the last way he expected his argument to go, and though he hated to admit it, he loved the way you teased him.

“N-no! Don’t be ridiculous!” He quickly tried to keep his composure.

“Oh come on, Thranduil, don’t get upset with me. How long did you watch for? Did you enjoy it?“ You continue to tease him, now standing before him with your hands upon his chest.

This was all becoming too much, he had to win back power in this situation. He didn’t want you to stop touching him, and he wasn’t going to push you away.

“I watched long enough to see what you were doing. Long enough to know that your lover can not be a real man if he lets you take control in such a way.”

Thranduil was such a liar and a hypocrite. He would let you do anything you wanted to him and he’d thank you for it, but such a comment was all he had to fight back with. Unfortunately his plan didn’t work, and in fact it had the opposite affect. You only grew bolder, as one hand lay on his chest and the other slid to caress the back of his neck.

“Perhaps you think that way because you’ve never tried it. Never had a woman sit upon you and use you for her own pleasure. Perhaps you’re afraid you’d like it too much. Big bad king of the woodland realm giving up all control and losing all composure for a half-dwarven woman, must sound awful just to think of.” You tease as you step even closer to him.

Unfortunately for Thranduil, it didn’t sound awful, it was exactly what he wanted. He wanted you to control and use him, he wanted to worship you and beg and plead. He was going to get what he wanted, but he wasn’t going to do it easily.

“I’m not one to back away from a challenge. Perhaps you can show me, try your best to get an elf to lose his composure. I am not one to beg or be submissive, so it will be fun to see you try.” He challenged you, trying hard to keep in control, but from the little smirk on your face and the way you bite your lip, he knows you see right through him.

“Okay, sweetheart. I’ll be by this evening to take care of you. Poor powerful elvish king, wants to be taken care of so badly that he doesn’t even know how to ask.” Lifting on your toes, your lips ghost along the shell of his ear. “When I’m through with you, you won’t be asking, you’ll be begging.” You cheekily tease him, parting from him with a sweet kiss to his neck.

As you break away from him with a giggle, he is left there stunned and extremely aroused.

*****

Meeting in his bedroom gave Thranduil the illusion of having the upper hand. He’s a king, something like this should not fill him with the anxieties it does, and yet he has been pacing his room for the past 20 minutes.

Finally after what feels like an eternity, he hears a knocking from his door. Getting his composure back, he takes a deep breath and straightens up, before opening the door.

Looking down, he sees you in a simple robe, with a cheeky smile plastered on your face. Silently stepping aside, he allows you to enter.

Your eyes roam around the magnificent room as you take it all in. Dwarves styles also have a brilliance to them, but the style of the elves feels almost mystical.

Thranduil simply stands by the door watching you, as if he’s waiting to be given instructions. Once he sees your attention land on the bed, and your eyes fill with mischief, his heart begins to race, from both excitement and anxiety.

As you turn around to face him, Thranduils back straightens, in an attempt to fake confidence. You can see right through his attempts, and your smile widens as you teasingly pull the tie of your robe.

Letting the garment fall open and to the floor, you are left in a gorgeous silk night gown. Whether it was brought with you or given to you by one of his maids, he’s not sure, but he can’t help but stare at you. All composure is lost as his mouth drops open, and his eyes rake over your form.

“You like what you see, Thranduil?” You ask in a sultry voice.

As if drawn in by a trance, his eyes slowly make their way to your mischief-filled ones. He really does try to stay in control, but it’s hopeless and he no longer wants to fight.

“Very much so.” He desperately replies.

With a smirk, you approach him, his eyes watching as your body moves. Standing before him, you press up onto your toes to wrap your arms around his neck.

“You know, it would be a lot easier for you to kiss me if you lifted me. Come on, darling, hold me like I know you want to.”

Your teasing and demands should make him mad, but they don’t, if anything they just fill him with more desire. Before his brain can catch up with his body, he does exactly as you say.

A sweet giggle leaves your lips as you’re lifted into his arms. Your hands stay wrapped around his neck as both of his larger hands easily hold you up by the back of your thighs.

Now looking into his eyes up close, you can see how truly filled with desire they are. Without wasting anymore time, you crash your lips against his own, the kiss quickly becoming heated. His hands squeeze desperately at your thighs and ass, as your hands tug at his lovely blonde locks, earning you a desperate moan.

“Bed, Thranduil. Take me to the bed.” You breathlessly order him.

As if moved by a force beyond his control, he quickly carry’s you to his large bed. Surprisingly gracefully, he lays on his back as you straddle his lap.

“You listen to me so well, sweetheart. Are you going to be good and let me ride you? Will you worship me as I deserve?” You question the quivering king below you, your fingers lightly tracing along the side of his strong face.

His eyes close and he lets out a moaning sigh from your touch and the way your hips begin to grind against his growing length.

“Yes, I’ll do anything you ask of me. Just please, please say my name.” He desperately begs you, his hands now roaming over your thighs and ass.

Smiling down at his submission, you begin to lightly trace over the slight skin of his chest that is exposed, leaving him shuddering and keening. He whimpers as you pull his hands from your body, but stops as he sees you pull your night gown over your head.

As you bare your body to him, he can’t help but let out a desperate moan as his hands fly to grab at your form. Though his touch feels amazing against your skin and makes you wish for more, you quickly take his hands and push them to either side of his head. At this new angle, your breasts are perfectly in his face, and he wishes so desperately to lick, kiss and suck them.

“When I let go of your hands, you’ll be good for me and take off your clothes. Do you understand, Thranduil?” You whisper against his lips, barely even touching them.

At the sound of his name and the way you tease him, he can’t help but moan out his reply.

“I’ll be good for you.”

He sounded so desperate and pathetic that it made your body tingle with need.

“Good boy.” You sweetly encourage as you gently kiss his lips.

The moment you sit up and release his arms, Thranduil is quick to follow your orders. With surprisingly delicacy and speed, he manoeuvres you around his body as he rids himself of his clothes.

Feeling your bare skin pressed against his makes his eyes flutter shut and a moan to leave his mouth. His hands come up to rub along your hips and thighs as he unknowingly begins to grind against you.

“Mmhmmm, making you feel that good and you’re not even inside me yet.” You gently tease, as you take one of his large hands and bring his fingers into your mouth.

Sucking on two of his fingers, his eyes fly open to enjoy the provocative show above him. Taking his fingers from your mouth, you slowly lead them down to where you need him most.

“Feel how wet I am, Thranduil. That’s all for you.” You gently coo as you begin to grind against him.

With one hand holding onto his wrist, the other begins to stroke his impressive length. He was definitely much bigger than anyone you’d ever slept with, but with how wet you were and how good he was already making you feel, you tried not to worry about it.

Pulling your hand away from his length and his away from your heat, he almost lets out a whimper, before he realised what you were doing.

“You want me badly, don’t you, Thranduil? Want to fill me up and let me use you? Let me hear you beg, sweet king.” You sweetly order, rubbing your wetness against his length, as one of your hands rests on his chest.

“Please, y/n! Please I need you so badly, my lovely goddess. I-aa-aaahh.” His pleads are promptly cut off as you begin to slide him inside of you.

You both let out desperate moans as you begin to sink down. It takes a little while and sweet caresses and words from Thranduil before you’ve sunk all the way down, but once you do, you waste no time placing your hands on his chest and beginning to grind against him.

His hands can’t seem to decide where to grab at, as they roam over your breasts, waist, hips, thighs and ass. Stroking and caressing every bit of skin he can while you grind and hump against him.

Your shared moans fill the room as both of your movements become more heated and desperate.

It’s not long before the dynamic is totally changed. You are no longer using Thranduil for your pleasure, you are now both working in sync with one another, staring into each others eyes as the pleasure in both of you begins to build.

“I-I’m close.” Thranduil moans out breathily.

“Me too! Gonna cum around your cock so hard!” You loudly moan out as you begin to rub your clit, needing that little bit more of stimulation.

“Aaa-ah! Cum with me, Thranduil!” You loudly moan as you feel a wave of euphoria wash over you.

Mere seconds after you, Thranduil is grabbing at your hips and rutting into you as he finishes inside you with a moan.

Breathing heavily, your body collapses onto Thranduils chest, his hands instinctively caressing your sides and back, as he peppers kisses along your head.

You both felt completely relaxed as Thranduil continued to stroke your body and your hair, feeling at peace with one another.

“Would you like me to lift you to the bath? We can clean up and you can stay here tonight.” He sweetly and gently offers.

“That sounds lovely.” You smile sweetly at him with tired eyes.

[middlingmay]

Alright so what if it was Gale who was losing it in the Stalag and not Bucky?

Bucky who's always been more untethered finds his snarling and snapping is more common, more accepted in the Stalag so long as it's not aimed at the guards. He doesn't have the pressure of trying to keep all of the worst bits of himself so contained, only blowing off steam at the bar or between the sheets. He still hates it, is still angry and furious and impotent, but in the Stalag he can express that more.

And he helps the others express it, too. Gives everyone one pass a day to curse him out as badly as they can, and he screams right back. Organises secret fights for morale - a chance to get the hurt and frustration out, a chance to exert themselves, a chance to bet with the meagre things they had and something to look forward to. The first person on their back was the loser - no first blood bullshit. This place was already taking too much life from them.

But Gale? Gale who's been angry his whole life but had to keep it on lock down. Gale who found the war and the air force as an outlet for his wilder impulses. Gale who needed to be in control of everyone and everything and pretend like he wasn't. He can't do any of that in the Stalag. He's always been afraid to let his emotions loose and lashing like Bucky. He didn't do well being so powerless, and didn't know how to be him in a place like this.

He can't do missions or rally the men. The crystal radio helps but that's only an hour here or there when it works. He creates chores and rotas and organises classes. But it all feels so useless.

He doesn't realise that between Bucky and Gale, the 100th stuck in the Stalag are managing to tolerate life there pretty well. Their hungry and constantly in danger, but they have both structure and an outlet when it got too much. Gale just sees himself as an utter failure if a soldier, a pilot, a major, a friend and a man. And ihe alternates between days where he's sick with rage from it, and days where he can't muster the will to rise from his shitty bunk. And Marge’s letters go unanswered.

He's not the self destructive kind to veer near the fence or pick a fight with a guard, but he takes minimal care of himself, giving away rations and leaving the warmest clothes for the others and not taking medicine when he gets sick in case someone needs it more later.

It drives Bucky crazy. And after exhausting every other idea he has he decides there's only one way to get a spark of life back into Gale. So the next fight he slates is Bucky v Buck.

Gale doesn't find out until he follows John who wants to show him something. It takes shockingly little persuasion, and Bucky things he's been waiting for something like this but would have never let himself take the plunge without being thrown straight in.

Lookout duty is a punishment that night, because no one wants to miss the fight of the two Majors of the 100th.

They knock the Holy hell out of each other. Gale's lip busts open easy, but he hits like a hammer. And John's nose is a prime target and his moustache is sodden with blood pretty quickly. Bruises blossom everywhere, and in the end, they fall down together. John sinks a boot into Gale's ribs and he.socks John's jaw so hard his ears ring.

They lie gasping on the floor and the match is declared a jaw and the boys are losing it as much as they can without getting caught.

But John sees it, lying there. A sparkle of life and feeling in Gale's eyes again.

That night in their bunks when they're somewhat patched up, Gale reaches out for the first time since they got there.

"I didn't get you too bad?" He asks as he trails his finger so ermsome of the more prominent bruises he can see even in the dark.

"Oh, I can feel it," John tells him through a genuine grin. It only tempers when he takes Gale's hand in his and thumbs over the too bony protrudence of his wrist. "You with me?"

Gale licks the crusting concealing blood off his lip, setting its healing back some. "Till there's no more pilots left in the sky, John."

[jam3sacaster]

I’m a slave to her, slave to her love.

(Rivals) Declan O’Hara x Reader

Suggestion: A sweet anon 🫶🏽

Song Inspo: Hotel, Montell Fish.

Disclaimers: 18+ FANFIC. Super angst and a lil smut mention 🥰 Reader character aged at 21. Hope you enjoy! 🩷

It came as a surprise to no one that Declan O’Hara detested dinner parties — a night of carousing that included supercilious, conceited socialites that kept their reddened noses either stuck in their whiskey glasses or other people’s wives. The men were suited, tight-lipped and impossibly drunk. Their wives were similarly drunkenly provocative and scantily-clad in tight cocktail dresses. Thankfully, he was seated opposite Rupert Campbell-Black, who was swigging a glass of whiskey with ease and conversing with a face he recognised all too well. You had encountered Declan numerous times — at Venturer meetings where you were now a shareholder, at the Bar Sinister of many a drunken night and, eventually, his bed.

Excruciatingly for him, you looked extravagant tonight — rolling tendrils of tawny hair, silken golden skin, crimson red lipstick and a tight, bandaged black dress. Rupert’s nimble fingertips were caressing the length of your svelte arm, his jaw rested against your shoulder. Taking his seat, Declan quietly thanked the waitress that poured him a large whiskey and flapped an ironed napkin across his lap. “Darling, you smell ambrosial.” Rupert growled, inching his face towards your neck with and inhaling the sweet aroma of Anaïs Anaïs. You giggled fantastically towards him whilst sipping at a glass of white wine. Declan’s top lip twitched, jealousy beginning to seep through his body. “Would you like?” The accented waitress asked him, waving a serving tray of prawn cocktail in front of his face. “No thanks.” Declan muttered, holding up his hand.

Momentarily, you glanced over to Declan, who was scanning his eyes furiously over tonight’s menu. He looked incredible. Ink black suit with a matching bow tie, his ringlets of chocolate curls gelled backwards and his moustache bristling under his curled lip. He felt your lecherous gaze washing over him, but kept his eyes trained on the laminated paper. “What are you doing after this?” Rupert began, now sat up and tracing shapes onto the palm of your hand. There wasn’t a soul on the planet that could rival your friendship with him. Declan’s grip around his whiskey tumbler tightened, his knuckles growing white. “God. Nothing. Boring myself to sleep, probably.” You chuckle, using your free hand to lift your glass of wine to your mouth, gulping greedily. “Perfect. Come back to mine.” Rupert replied, an almost pleading tone washing through his voice. “Really? Why?” You asked, nonchalantly observing Declan’s face turn puce with rage. “I’ll show you why.” Rupert chimed in response. That was enough.

Declan’s vice like grip across his glass grew tighter, until it exploded in a downpour of tiny, crystallised shards. The drunken chatter of the room instantaneously quietened and forty beady, judgemental eyes turning to glare at him. “Are you okay, old chap?” Rupert asked with furrowed brows, but Declan simply excused himself and marched outside. Sensing his enraged envy, you subsequently excused yourself and followed him outside, where he was leant against the red brick wall and puffing at a cigarette. “Light?” You asked, cigarette teetering between your crimson lips, and Declan pulled a silver metal lighter from his pocket. “What tha’ fuck was all that about?” He spat, unable to meet your gaze. “What do you mean?” You huffed exasperatedly.

“You and… h-him. He’s a fucking rat. Why tha’ fuck are you sleeping with him?” Declan questioned, his heart thumping rhythmically in his chest. “Sleep w-Declan! I’m not fucking Rupert, we’re just friends! Why do you care so much anyway?” You reply in disbelief, throwing your lit cigarette to the ground and closing the gap between you both. “I think ya’ know why. I can’t stop fuckin’ thinkin’ about ‘ya.” He breathed huskily, his hand raking through your hair, his lips pressing against yours in want.

[angie-words]

Rivals Interview & Photoshoot

CW for mentions of sex, nudity

Highlights from the article (abridged! Full article by Caitlin Moran here):

Jilly Cooper’s raunchy Rivals: ‘You will see a lot of willies’

It’s taken 36 years, but finally Jilly Cooper’s legendary bonkbuster Rivals is on TV. Caitlin Moran — who was such a fan, she changed her name to one of the book’s characters — meets the author and stars on set and asks: how was it for you?

Guess where I am.

Oh my gosh — I am in RUTSHIRE.

If you own one of the multimillion copies sold of Jilly Cooper’s infamous Rutshire Chronicles books, you will a) be as excited as me, and b) know exactly where I am.

Yes, I am standing in front of a beautiful, honey-coloured mansion.

Yes, it is a beautiful summer’s day.

Yes, the herbaceous borders are magnificent.

Yes, there are adorable dogs milling around.

Yes, there are champagne bottles strewn hither and yon.

And yes, everyone is dressed in alternately fabulous, or ridiculous, Eighties outfits, with gigantic hair.

The ladies have electric-blue eyeshadow and golden, heaving bosoms.

The men, meanwhile, have tanned legs, huge Rolexes — and, in many instances, their gigantic hair manifests lower down: in moustaches like that of Tom Selleck.

And yes, of course, there is drama. David Tennant — wearing a lavish, gold, silken man-blouse and sucking on a cigar — is furious. He is savaging a roomful of party people, all looking stricken — and all, incongruously, wearing swimwear.

“How the f*** has this happened?” Tennant screams, as all the tits and legs fidget, gaudy piña coladas abandoned. “Get the f*** out there and sort this out! And why are you all wearing bikinis?”

Tennant storms from the room, apoplectic with rage — and then sees me.

“Oh, hello, darling,” he says, all sweetness and light.

“CUT!” the director calls.

Today, David Tennant isn’t, of course, David Tennant. He’s Tony Baddingham, the infamous, nominative-determinist baddie of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals.

“So, is this fun?” I ask him.

The last time I saw him on set, he was being the Doctor in Doctor Who, in a floor-length coat, trying to save the world from being exploded. Again. In the rain. In Wales. At 1am.

“Oh yes,” Tennant says. “I mean, look at my blouse. It’s like my aunt’s! Actually, I think it might be hers — it closes right to left. Don’t men’s buttons close left to right? Am I wearing,” he asks the room at large, “a woman’s blouse?”

“We need to go again, David,” the director says.

“Back in a tick,” Tennant says, running back on set, sucking on his cigar. Getting ready to be really evil, and Eighties, again.

-----

When it comes to the atmosphere on set, I later talk to David Tennant about this subject.

“Yes — there was a lot of due diligence about only having … joyful people on set. Crew and cast,” Tennant says, carefully.

(Dominic) Treadwell-Collins - executive producer - is more forthright.

“We had a very strict ‘no arseholes’ policy,” he says.

-----

Your mother was a Jilly Cooper fan? And, therefore, presumably … a Rupert Campbell-Black fan?

“My mum, you know … blushed when I told her [I’d got the role],” (Alex) Hassell admits. “A lot of women blushed when I told them.”

I’m interviewing Hassell, 44, and Tennant, 53, together. As a former Doctor, Tennant has, of course, a lot of experience in playing a role women find attractive.

“Once you’ve made [Rupert Campbell-Black] flesh, I think a lot of people are going to find it difficult to interact with you, Alex,” he says, helpfully.

It seems Hassell is aware of this.

“Yes,” he says. “One friend, when I told her, said, ‘Oh, that’s a bean-flicker role!’ I said, ‘Ah, I see.’ ”

“Huh. I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone come up to me and say, ‘I’ve masturbated thinking about you,’ ” Tennant says, thoughtfully.

“David!” Hassell exclaims, hurt. “When we met, that’s the first thing I said.”

-----

“Tony’s from a lower class, while Rupert was born with an entire silver cutlery canteen in his mouth,” Tennant says. “So whatever Tony does, he never has that class advantage. Tony needs to taste the blood of his betters in his mouth to make him feel better. Rupert’s blood.”

“And while Rupert is, in many ways, a shit,” Hassell says, thoughtfully, “he’s not a bad man, like Tony. Tony is jealous of Rupert. He wants his house, his women, his life.”

Accordingly, this suit-based class war plays out as Campbell-Black tries to take over Baddingham’s TV station — and the backstabbing, shenanigans, shagging and skulduggery commence.

-----

The tennis court at Cooper’s house is the setting for one of her most iconic scenes — where Campbell-Black first meets his love interest, Taggie, while he’s playing naked tennis. He is adjudged to have lost a match point because something is over the line. Oh, why am I being so coy? This is Jilly Cooper. It’s his penis. His massive penis is judged to be over the line. A note to diehard fans: this scene is shot exactly as written. You will see a lot of willies.

“We’ve been equal opportunities in our nudity,” Treadwell-Collins says. “There’s a willy for every pair of tits.”

“That was my great disappointment over the TV show,” Cooper sighs. “The tennis court is a terrible mess — no one’s played on it for 20 years — and I thought [Disney] might be darlings and build me a new one.”

She looks around, hopefully.

“Do you think anyone here has some booze?” she asks. “It is the afternoon.”

Cooper has been an invaluable muse to everyone on set while filming. In one scene, she handed over an urgent note that read, “Rupert would never say ‘spouse’ — that’s very lower-middle [class]. He would say ‘wife’.”

She argued for particularly Cooperesque jokes and puns to stay in, and was firm that the whole “First of May” tradition remain.

“Oh, yes,” she says, looking delighted, and then quotes herself. “ ‘First of May, first of May — outdoor f***ing starts today. But if as usual it do rain, we f*** off indoors again.’ ”

This ribald rhyme kicks off a massive shagging montage, involving the entire cast. And all outdoors, of course.

-----

I can’t tell you what fun it is interviewing all the Rivals people. Because of the show, everyone talks about their memories of the Eighties (David Tennant: “No, my Eighties weren’t like a Jilly Cooper book — I was at school in Paisley with my glasses held together with sticky tape, and a very unappealing haircut”), and smoking (Hassell: “Everyone smoked everywhere, didn’t they? Even on planes. They’d draw across that little … health curtain, and everyone smoked behind it”), and how hard it was to leave Cooper’s world when shooting finished (Hassell: “No one was looking at me like I’m the most sexy man on the planet any more. It was tough.”)

-----

In the event, (Aidan) Turner, 41, is an absolute hoot — particularly on the subject of the massive moustache he sports on the show. It is a magnificent specimen of upper-lip pelt. It looks like a vole fell asleep under his nose.

It looks like the one Ned Flanders has on The Simpsons, I tell him.

Turner gives a huge, barking laugh.

“Ned Flanders? I mean, I was thinking more … Irish stag? Super-masculine?”

He starts giggling again.

Turner’s relaxed stance towards his sex god-dom comes with an interestingly meta twist. In Rivals, one of Baddingham’s TV shows is called Four Men Went to Mow — where sexy farmers, sexily stripped to the waist, carry out sexy agricultural duties.

Turner, of course, infamously stripped to the waist a few times in Poldark, for that scything scene or lying in bed or emerging from the sea. In a pleasingly postmodern moment, one scene sees Turner rail against Four Men Went to Mow — raging, almost camply, “TV can’t just be men taking their tops off!”

Rivals is on Disney+ from October 18

[lmskitty]

teacher AU totally dumb ficlet for fun

The worst arguments that have happened in the satosugu house ranked.

5. Aged 11 Nanako and Mimiko turned Geto's shirt pink in the wash and blamed Megumi. They had to be separated at dinnertime because Megumi pulled out Rabbit Escape and swarmed the front room with rabbits that kicked Nanako and Mimiko in the face. Gojo held Megumi in the air stopping him from pulling Mahoraga while Geto held the twins on the table. Tsumiki sat at the table petting one of the rabbits. Dinner was ruined. No cursed techniques were allowed in the house after that and the twins and Megumi were sent to their rooms. Tsumiki finished her dinner and continued to pet the rabbit unbothered.She named it floppy because of its notable ear difference.

4. Megumi pretended Gojo was invisible for a week and didn't exist because he kept coming to pick him up from school in clothes matching his despite being asked not to. Megumi was 8 and it hurt Gojo deeply especially when Geto found it incredibly funny and started doing it too. Gojo did not enjoy this and apologised properly to Megumi.

3. Megumi defaced Nanako's BTS posters drawing moustaches on them all after she kept putting pictures of sea urchins online and tagging him as it. Geto and Gojo established a "no going into each other's bedrooms" rule which worked until the twins room got into such a state that their dad's had to intervene and amend the rule that people shouldn't go into each other's rooms for nefarious reasons. Retrieving laundry should be allowed.

2. Gojo and Geto had been known to bicker from time to time however they had had few genuine arguments. Geto binned a hoard of Gojo's sweet wrappers he was storing in a drawer without asking. Gojo was hoarding them to enter a competition with the details on the back and receive a life supply of the mochi brand.

Gojo yelled at him for binning his stuff without asking.

Geto said he wouldn't have to if Gojo tidied up after himself instead of leaving a wake of soft drink cans and wrappers throughout the house like a child.

Gojo asked if he had married a fucking tanuki since he seemed to love going through his garbage so much.

They spent a day not talking to each other and directing comments to their kids like "Tsumiki can you tell your dad to pass the ketchup" Tsumiki stood up and yelled that they were both acting like children and ran upstairs. The shock that Tsumiki could yell ended their argument.

1. Gojo put Geto's cast iron pan in the dishwasher.

It was a genuine mistake but Geto still took it v personally. Gojo offered to get him a new one, Geto enraged said that not everything could be fixed with goddamn money and that the pan was the first piece of kitchenware he had brought himself with his money as a sorcerer and had cared for since the age of 14 and that it just represented an ongoing argument between them that Gojo treated everything trivially that it could be fixed with money rather than communicate and treat things with care. Gojo said he didn't like that he saw him like that.

Geto said he should try thinking about things from other people's perspective then. Gojo scrunched his nose but took a moment.

"Then show me. I don't get it, I don't work like that but I don't want to live like this and hurt the people I love."

Geto stared at him for a moment and then gave him a kiss before showing him how to care for the pan properly with oil, putting it in the oven, explaining how it worked. Gojo listened intently and after that never made the same mistake again. He also started therapy. He knew Geto was right, when you can use infinity everyday things seemed trivial but the look on Geto's face when he was upset was enough to make him want to adapt and learn.

(Bonus: Tsumiki once kicked over a laundry basket in a fit of tiny 7 year old rage. Geto tried hard not to laugh at her adorable anger as Gojo spoke with her and she revealed that it wasn't fair that she had to be perfect while everyone else was able to be naughty and she didn't like it and didn't want to keep being good. They told her she was a child and was allowed to express her emotions so long as she wasn't hurting her self or family members and no one wanted her to be good, they wanted her to be Tsumiki and happy to be so. Tsumiki said good and that she wouldnt bottle it up anymore.

At dinnertime she stood and politely said that she hated peas and didn't like the way Gojo cooked potatoes. She sat down and then burst into tears and said she had gone to far in expressing her emotions. Gojo and Geto instantly pulled her in for cuddles. Megumi said she could have gone further and that all of Gojo's food sucked. Gojo called his comments rude and unnecessary. Megumi rolled his eyes and ate his peas.)

[mrs-avenger3000]

Seeing Red

Pair: Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Summary: After Steve went into the ice, HYDRA took out their frustrations on his doe eyed little sister Y/n Rogers. Now after being experimented on for half her life, she’s back in Steve’s life. She’s a part of the team. A team that included the elusive Wanda Maximoff who just so happened to have saved her life. An accident forced them together, but it seems something deeper, more mysterious, is keeping them together.

Word Count: 2.9K

Warnings: 18+ Violence, fighting, implied smut, kissing, smut, swearing, angst, fluff, soulmate au, PTSD

A/n: I had this idea whilst reading Vampire Academy. I loved the idea of Rose and Lissa’s bond, so I tweaked it a little and turned it into a soulmate story…

Please do not copy my work or repost with the intent to take ownership of my work :) Feedback is as always welcome as are reblogs, comments and likes

1945

Things were never easy for you, you've lived through a literal world war. You lost your boyfriend and then your brother. You had given up at this point. Without your family... what did you really have? Your parents? Dead. Brother? Dead. Your love? Also dead. The only person you had left was Peggy, and she was just as distraught by Steve's death as you were.

Despite this you kept going. You were determined to ensure your brother didn't sacrifice himself for nothing. You had made it your mission to destroy HYDRA. Every fibre of your body burned with pure rage as you saw what they were doing to your home.

You had mixed feelings about Steve's sacrifice. Because yes, he thwarted their plans, and saved millions of lives, but it cost him his life. And it cost you your brother. This was the guy who would light all the candles in your bedroom every time you had a nightmare. He'd tell you that as long as the candle burns, you were safe. He's the guy who nursed you when you were sick. He taught you never to back down from a fight; he is- was the only constant in your life and you miss him terribly.

You lifted your head as you heard the door to your apartment open. You smiled sadly at Peggy. Her eyes were reddened and puffy. It didn't take you long to deduce that she had been crying again.

"I wanted to stop by... to see how you were." She mumbled, her voice slightly hoarse. You sighed, looking at your feet..

"I'm okay." You say, still looking at your feet.

"I wish I could say the same... I really, really do. I miss him so, so much." She sniffles, her eyes becoming glassy. You took a sharp intake of breath, thinking of him always hurt now. You used to think of your brother and be nothing but happy, but now that he's gone, the happy memories hurt because you know you can never experience anymore.

Thinking for a moment, you glanced at the teary woman in front of you, sighing you turned and walked into your bedroom. Pulling a cardboard box out from underneath your bed, you smiled as you saw the black-and-white picture of you and your brother at the carnival. He had face paint on and you had drawn a silly moustache on yourself. Placing the picture in your pocket, you grabbed what you originally intended to and walked back over to Peggy.

"Here, it was his favourite... it... it still smells like him." You whisper, handing her his favourite jumper. You nodded as she held it to her chest, sniffing it slightly. This seemed to make her cry harder.

"Thank you." She whispered as she slipped the jumper on over her uniform. You smiled as she did so. You knew your brother would have married this woman. She was his future, and you understood why. She was a beautiful human inside and out and you felt extreme pride when you refer to her as your friend.

You two sat and talked for hours until there was a noise that had Peggy reaching for her gun. Your anxiety bubbled as you watched her go check it out. You grabbed a knife from the kitchen and gripped it tightly. There was a loud commotion and shots were being fired, the loud bangs echoing through the walls of the apartment. You could smell the burning of... something, as the air suddenly felt warmer. Something was burning. Your worry increased as you heard Peggy groan in pain. The sudden puff of smoke confirmed your suspicions. Your apartment was now burning. "Y/N! RUN!" Peggy yelled as she came rushing into the front room, only to be tackled by a large burley looking man. He pinned her to the ground, and you glared at him.

"Let her go!" You yelled as you rushed over. Before you could get to him, you screamed as the front door was smashed in wood flew everywhere as it splintered off the door. The door crashed to the floor and your eyes widened as more people filed into the room, they were dressed in a uniform, they were soldiers and you then noticed the marks on their uniforms. Your rage soared as the HYDRA men burst into your home. You gripped the knife tightly before going after them. Even though you had no idea how you were going to win against a small army of HYDRA agents, you were determined to win. You punched, kicked, stabbed your way through the agents, but it was no use. One guy punched you so hard in the face, stars clouded your vision and you felt your eyelids become heavy.

The last thing you heard before you faded into the darkness was Peggy's final scream for you. "Y/N!" she yelled as you hit the floor.

HYDRA had got you now. You were theirs. And nothing could be done about it.

Today

The ringing in your ears intensified as you began running through the halls. There was only one thought in mind. "I have to get out." Your feet moved quickly as you rushed down the hall. You were being chased, but you had one advantage your advisories didn’t. During your time in HYDRA, you had been turned into a super solider just like your big brother was before he died.

You saw the wall and something inside you knew that you were only on the second floor. So you braced yourself and launched yourself out of the window. Glass shattered all around you, slicing your skin. Even more so when you landed. You slid across the ground. A cry leaving your lips as you did. You rolled over before you pulled your body up and broke out into a sprint. All you could think about was not getting caught. It didn’t matter about the fact nothing looked familiar, or that your body was begging you to lie on the floor and give up. You didn’t care about the blood that was seeping into your clothes all you cared about was getting away.

You were so caught up in getting away you didn’t pay attention to your surroundings. You slammed straight into a couple. The man’s hands shot out to steady the girl as they looked angrily at you. Until they saw your condition. The noise of the world hit you at once and you kept turning around, your eyes squinted as you looked all around the place. Tall buildings, loud noises. And they’re way too many people. The man came into focus as he gave you a concerned look.

“Can you tell me your name, doll?” He asked, and you squinted at him. Your heart was pounding in your chest so loud you could barely hear anything else. You swallowed.

“Where am I?”

“New York.” He replied softly.

You shook your head defiantly. “No, no, this isn’t New York. I- no!” You grabbed him by the collar. “Where am I!” you demanded as you shoved him backwards before stepping back from him a few steps. His eyes widened as he looked to your left.

“Watch out!” You heard someone new yell. Suddenly, you were encased in a red glow. It’s spirals moving you. Your body instantly warmed, and you strangely felt comfort from this red embrace. But your comfort didn’t last long as a body knocked into you. You both went tumbling to the floor, causing you to groan as you scraped your already bleeding cuts. Despite the pain, you felt insanely warm. You opened your eyes to see a curious and worried green pair staring back. Your heart jumped into your throat as you gazed at her. She was truly beautiful.

You flushed as you realised that she was practically straddling you. Her cheeks turned red as she stared at you. “Wanda!”

That voice.

The girl you now know as Wanda got up and held her hand out for you. You took it. Her touch was warm, and it left soft tingles on your skin and for a second she didn’t let go of your hand. You blushed softly before your eyes widened. “S-Steve?” You whispered softly. His eyes teared up as he rushed over to you.

“Y/n! How? How is this-” you cut him off by throwing your arms around his shoulders hugging him.

“You died! I- I mourned you.” You cried. His tears wet your shirt as he hugged you tightly.

“Peggy… she said HYDRA attacked and took you and she hasn’t seen you since.” He mumbled. You nodded.

“I… I’m like you now.” You mumbled, and he pulled back, cupping your face with his hands as he surveyed you.

“You’re not my little sister anymore… you’ve grown up.” He smiled, kissing your forehead.

“I was so lost without you. When you didn’t come home… when you went into the ice. I thought you died, Stevie.” You mumble, your voice cracking as you started to cry again. He squeezed you and you gasped in pain, causing Wanda to step forward, worry present on her face.

“Steve, she’s bleeding.” Her voice was like silk, so smooth, and yet she sounded so panicked. You glanced up at your brother through heavy eyelids. The exhaustion was catching up quickly, and you struggled to keep your eyes open.

“I… I think I’m going to close my eyes now.” You muttered as the world started to darken. You remember Steve picking you up before your eyes closed fully.

Steve glanced at Wanda, his eyes widening. He scooped her up and held her to his chest. “Let’s get her back to the tower.” He rushed out as he began running.

~/~/~/~

Steve sighed as he watched Bruce work on his little sister, his worry increasing when Bruce pulled out surgical instruments. “Just need to throw a few sutures here, Cap. Nothing too serious. She's lost a lot of blood, so I'm going to have to replace it. I've already started a drip and she should be okay in a couple of hours.” He muttered, focusing on what he was doing. His focus was momentarily taken off you as he heard the door open. He smiled softly when he saw Wanda walk in. She had been feeling antsy ever since she left. She didn’t know what, but something was urging her to come seek you out. The way her heart fluttered when you and her locked eyes confused yet intrigued her. Her eyes widened when she saw Bruce stitching up her side.

Steve have her an exhausted smile as she took a swat next to him. Wanda frowned as she could feel how anxious he was. “You never mentioned you had a sister.” She commented with a snippy edge. He glanced at her, noticing her small smirk. He sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“When I went into the ice, she was seventeen. She’s at least twenty-three now. She should be at least 80. Which means for 80 years she has been in HYDRA’s clutches for decades and I didn’t figure it out.” He whispered sadly. Wanda reached over to squeeze it.

“You couldn’t have known.” She whispered.

“But I should have. I should have known.” He repeated, seeming distraught. Wanda wanted to take his mind off it so she asked about her. It helped distract Steve enough, so he wasn’t constantly hovering over Bruce. It also helped to quench Wanda’s compulsion to ask about you more and more.

“When we were kids, our parents used to take us to this field and there was this tree that Y/n made it her mission to climb for weeks. She tried and then when she did. She fell off,” he chuckled. “She never wanted to get down. My father usually had to climb up and get her.” He smiled at the memory.

“And then our parents died, and we only had each other. And then Bucky. She lost him too. She lost everyone. I’m glad Peggy was there for her once I went under. I always wondered if Y/n had a crush on her.” He joked, causing Wanda to giggle.

Bruce had finished stitching you up. He pulled the gloves off his hands and stood up. “The sedation will wear off soon and I’ve given her some medication to help with the pain.” Bruce smiled.

Steve nodded, his eyes travelling to the door. Bucky walked in, his eyes widening. “Y/n?” He whispered, his voice strained. He looked at Steve and he nodded.

Bucky hugged Steve tightly, laughing in excitement. “I can’t believe it.” He whispered, pulling back.

“Me either.”

An hour later and you began to stir. The pain in your side was bearable, but you could tell it was numbed. “Steve…” you called out, reaching up to rub your eyes. You looked down and saw that the girl who saved you… Wanda was resting her hand on yours. You looked at your hands and then at her before your eyes shot up to see Steve.

“Y/n… how- how are you?”

You smiled. But then your smile dropped. “B-Bucky?” You gasped. He stood up and grinned, walking up to you.

“Hey doll, happy to see me?”

“Is everyone who is supposed to be dead not dead? Is Peggy?”

“No… no she, she died a few years ago.” Steve said sadly. You frowned.

“I’m sorry. Did you at least get some time with her?”

Steve smiled, nodding. “A little.”

That little piece of information made you smile. Peggy had always wished for more time, that was it, and you were glad that they had gotten time together, even if it was only a small amount. Bucky came around and held your free hand. He brought it up to his lips he kissed your hand, and then smiled brightly up at you. "Things haven't been the same without you. I've missed you every day." He sighs, and you cast your eyes over to Wanda. She seemed annoyed. There was a small crinkle in between her brows that gave away her annoyance. You wanted nothing more than to. Make it go away. You pulled your hand from Bucky's grip, a small smile on your face.

"I missed you too, Buck." He frowned.

"What happened to you?" Steve asked, and you sighed.

"Well... since you destroyed HYDRA's plan to blow up the world they were angry with you so they took their frustrations out on me, at first it was purely anger based torture, but then they decided they needed me, so they experimented on me and then once they successfully turned me into an enhanced super solider, they froze me I guess, I don 't really remember much, I woke up a few years ago. It was weird I was the same age, but it was like a million years had passed. The world looks so different now. I- I don't think I'll ever be able to catch up." You explained. They all listened to your story intently. Wanda squeezed your hand as if to remind you that she was still here, or to support you, you didn't know which.

"They tortured you?" Steve asked brokenly.

You looked up at him and shook your head. "I survived, I'm okay."

"You're strong." The girl spoke up. You looked at her and smiled softly. Her eyes captured you as she stared at you. You couldn't find the strength to look away. Her features were soft, her eyes assessing you. There was this connection like there was something about her that pulled you into her orbit. She was truly gorgeous, from her fair skin to her cute button nose. You swallowed. Clearing your throat, you smiled.

"You feeling okay?" She asked, her hand still on yours. Her warmth was comforting.

"I'm as okay as I can be." You say with a smile. She continued to stare until a noise blurted out, causing you to jump. Steve smiled apologetically at you. He then pulled out a small square thing and tapped it. You frowned.

"Yes, Tony. I know. She’s okay.” He said, talking into the tiny magic box.

“I’ll update you on this when she has rested.” He muttered. Shoving the square thing back into his pocket.

A sudden chill wracked through my body and in a second the room had warmed and the chill of the room replaced with a toasty feeling. You glanced at Wanda and saw the red tint in her eyes. You tilted your head slightly, looking at the glow in her irises.

“Your eyes change colour?” You asked.

"A side effect of my power." She said, her hands glowing as she showed me. The red glow is similar to the red shield that encased you earlier, only darker, more vibrant. You looked at her in pure fascination. Your hand came up to touch her glowing hand, but Bucky quickly intercepted grabbing your wrist softly.

"Careful, doll, that energy stings." He said, glancing at Wanda's frown.

"Only when I want them to." She said with a feline smirk. In the split second, she made a decision. A small ball of her power shot out from her finger and slammed into Bucky's hand that was still gripping my wrist. He hissed in pain, ripping his hand away. He started shaking his hand as if it would stop the pain. Wanda giggled as he swore at her.

You grinned at the interaction. Your mind was reeling from today. So much had happened, and there was still so much to learn. You were eager to learn all about this new era, but even more eager to learn about the powerful redhead at your bedside. As if she could read minds, she turned to you and smiled. You smiled back, loving the blissful look on her face. You didn't spare Bucky a second glance as Steve called him over.

Tag list

@blackxwidowsxwife @g-cordelia @causeitswhatjesuswouldfreakingdo @cristin-rjd @yeetus-thyself @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @upsidedowndanvers @wanda-nats-slut @i1ovewanda @littlewinchester15 @fishlikestuff @gengen64 @procrastinatingsapphictrash @liladoesfanfics @baller2412 @rice-wiife @tomy5girls @srtamercury @nothingisrealanyway @marvelwomen-simp @darshikaria @ria900 @ic-4u @atlas-nex @xxromanoffxx @kcthewifitheif @fairydxll @strangegardentaco @maxxione @pbeckn26

[reluctantlyanimating]

BOOK ELEVEN BOOK ELEVEN AAA

BIG SPILLERS FOR BOOK ELEVEN

OK I WARNED YOU

AAAA

I had two things for book eleven but like cmon

Had to share this one, and i can use the other one tomorrow since i don't have anything epic for it otherwise sob

I drew this when i thought his hair was black for some reason bc despite my 800 rereads idk i just

Nothing clicked.

Then for a while after that i thought he was blonde bc blonde moustache and i kinda like that idea but then the wiki says he's also a redhead so like

Yeah, ANYWAY

How to Betray a Dragons Hero is my favourite one of the books i think 🫶🫶 from start to finish it's just such a masterpiece of an emotional rollercoaster. The moment it starts we see even more the devastation Furious and Alvin's war has wreaked, the dragons having caused forests and cities and islands to be reduced to ash in their rage and the Alvinsmen having driven these dragons further into their rage by killing them and stoking their anger every single day.

And then there's Hiccup and i just

The poor boy ok

I look back at how young he was through the series and find having started as younger than he ever was and now being older than we ever get to see him (excluding the epilogue) it feels like I've grown up with him.

And with Fishlegs.

I may resonate with this book most bc we all have an idea of what it is to be othered by society. The loneliness Hiccup and Fishlegs face, the isolation Camicazi faces for truly her first time now standing with these two boys, and the hope for better resonates deep in me.

I love how Cressida, in all her novels, seem to center around this quote of hers from wizards of once.

"We have to trust in the children and hope for the best."

She puts so much emphasis on the childlike hope, the lack of cynicism and the reality that change IS possible if you're willing to chase it. And even if you don't see it come to fruition, it's a matter of two steps forward and one step back.

Hiccup makes it to tomorrow (literally lives another day) because of Snotlout realizing that no matter what, you can start to fight for the better. The war ended because of Snotlout's act of selfless bravery even though he never saw the end of it.

I think another reason these themes resonate with me is it also aligns with some biblical aspects. How Jesus said that children would inherit the kingdom of God, and how childlike faith is necessary.

These are definitely thoughts i wanted to tack onto book/day twelve but oh well, here we are.

I really love these books and hopefully have some musings left for book 12 tomorrow. Happy Doomsday!!

[ddagent]

I've been really loving your writing! How about C1 for the prompts? I must know what that season 2 AU is. And maybe, if you have the time, D6?

Fanfic Menu Challenge

Aleida Rosales' first day at NASA had been intense. It was the first time she'd stepped foot into JSC since the day her father had been deported. There had been a scheduled field trip during her senior year but she'd called in sick that day; not wanting to see the familiar halls, to see Margo Madison. Aleida had long wondered what returning would feel like. But it had felt...right. She belonged in these halls, had worked her ass off to get a place in these halls. And not only was she now an engineer at NASA but she was working on one of the biggest missions since Jamestown: Apollo-Soyuz. With none other than one of the men who put Alexei Leonov on the moon.

At the end of her first day, Aleida wanted to make sure she said goodbye to Sergei. He had been kind: not pushing her to open up; asking only questions about the work. Always with a smile. But he was nowhere to be found.

In the ops office, she caught Elaine. "Hey, have you seen Sergei?"

Elaine tried her best to hide a smile as she finalised the new ops procedures. "He'll be with Director Madison."

Aleida felt a chunk of ice settle in the pit of her stomach. Why was he with Margo? Was she checking up on her? Did Margo think so little of her that she needed to be babysat? "Are you sure?"

Elaine checked her watch. "Well, it's about seven. He'll be there."

With a nod towards Elaine, Aleida fled the office and went to find Margo's. This would be the third office Margo had had since Aleida had known her. The first was nothing more than a cubicle: dim lighting, a mug full of tootsie rolls and toothpaste. The second had been larger, with a window no less and a couple of chairs. As Director of JSC, Aleida was expecting her office now to take up a whole floor. Maybe there was even a goddamn piano in there. Aleida felt rage build with every footstep, every clench of her hands. She was pissed at Margo for checking up on her. Pissed at Sergei for lying to her. He wasn't her friend. He was her damn babysitter.

As she rounded the corridor, Aleida caught sight of the open office door. Margo's assistant, Emma, had gone home. Light spilled from the open door, as did laughter. She recognised Sergei's laugh: he was incapable of getting through a shift without it. But in the months that she had known Margo, she had never heard that woman laugh.

"You do not think I will look fetching, yes, in a fake moustache and wig?"

Margo laughed again. What the hell? "Sergei, we are not hiding you when the Soviets come. You're with NASA, now. Front and centre."

"A perfect place to be for their snipers."

Through the open door, Aleida watched as Margo jabbed a finger in Sergei's direction. "Don't joke about that. Refill?"

"Please."

Margo stood up, took his empty glass, and went to a small bar by the wall of windows to refill their drinks. Aleida wondered what they were drinking. Vodka, maybe, as Sergei was Russian? Whiskey, brandy? Pepsi? But her speculation was cut off as her eyeline settled on Sergei. He wasn't staring at the artwork on the walls or at the bland carpeting. He was staring, unwatched and unbidden, at Margo Madison. His gaze was soft; his smile playful. Sergei stared, every atom within him yearning, as Margo poured them both another drink. Then, as soon as she turned around, a mask went up and Sergei was laughing and his eyes were harder. Like he'd never been watching her at all.

Margo sat back down and a new topic was introduced. "So, how was your new engineer?"

This was Aleida's moment. This was her time to storm in, to challenge them both. But she was rooted to the spot. Sergei replied and all Aleida could see was the familiar way he addressed Margo, the familiarity between them both. "She was wonderful, as you told me she would be. I am not surprised; you were her mentor."

"Hardly." Margo took a sip. "I knew her for four and half months eight years ago. I may have got her started but everything she is...it's all her." Another drink. "You'll keep an eye on her for me?"

"Margo—"

"—Sergei." He paused. She faltered, then spoke: "Please. You...you know what this means to me." Two drinks were quickly put aside. Sergei took Margo's hand in his. Their eyes met, and for a moment Aleida wondered whether she would watch her former mentor and her new one kiss in a quiet office. But Aleida blinked, and Margo was out of her chair, downing her drink, and putting it on the sideboard. "It's getting late."

"Of course." Sergei reluctantly finished his own drink. "Goodnight, Margo. See you tomorrow."

"Night."

Sergei left Margo's office, pulling the door closed behind him. He muttered words in Russian – Aleida didn't understand, but they seemed to be chastisements, hissing at himself and his behaviour. Sergei raised his head to leave and found Aleida standing in his path. He came to an abrupt stop. No questions about how long she'd been standing there, what she'd heard. Just: "This was a private conversation."

Aleida crossed her arms. "Looked pretty cosy."

"It is not. Director Madison and I...we discuss things. We have known each other a long time." Sergei joined her, sunk his hands into the pockets of his pants. He relaxed the closer he was from the door. "She does not question your capability, Aleida. She means only to make sure that you are well, that you are happy here."

"She could ask me herself."

Sergei smiled, softly, almost to himself. "Ah, but that would require Margo to challenge what has been instilled in her since she was first mentored: that this hallowed place is only for calculations, procedures. Not friendship or...love. She does her best, Aleida." His hand lightly patted her shoulder. "Please, give her space for her best to become better."

Aleida, reluctantly, nodded. Maybe she could give Margo a little leeway. But only a little. The moment she found out that Sergei was making detailed reports about her back to Margo, she'd cut both of them out. It would only dawn on Aleida later, when she understood the true reason behind the seven o'clock meetings, that discussing her work performance was the very last topic of conversation Margo and Sergei wanted to indulge in.

[turneradora]

Here is the written transcription of the new article of The Times magazine.

Published today on September 14th.

Thanks to Emma Jones 🙏👍🌺

Thanks to IsaDemrio for her edit

INTERVIEW with CAITLIN MORAN

Jilly Cooper’s raunchy Rivals: ‘You will see a lot of willies’

It’s taken 36 years, but finally Jilly Cooper’s legendary bonkbuster Rivals is on TV. Caitlin Moran — who was such a fan, she changed her name to one of the book’s characters — meets the author and stars on set and asks: how was it for you?

Guess where I am.

Oh my gosh — I am in RUTSHIRE.

If you own one of the multimillion copies sold of Jilly Cooper’s infamous Rutshire Chronicles books, you will a) be as excited as me, and b) know exactly where I am.

Yes, I am standing in front of a beautiful, honey-coloured mansion.

Yes, it is a beautiful summer’s day.

Yes, the herbaceous borders are magnificent.

Yes, there are adorable dogs milling around.

Yes, there are champagne bottles strewn hither and yon.

And yes, everyone is dressed in alternately fabulous, or ridiculous, Eighties outfits, with gigantic hair.

The ladies have electric-blue eyeshadow and golden, heaving bosoms.

The men, meanwhile, have tanned legs, huge Rolexes — and, in many instances, their gigantic hair manifests lower down: in moustaches like that of Tom Selleck.

And yes, of course, there is drama. David Tennant — wearing a lavish, gold, silken man-blouse and sucking on a cigar — is furious. He is savaging a roomful of party people, all looking stricken — and all, incongruously, wearing swimwear.

“How the f*** has this happened?” Tennant screams, as all the tits and legs fidget, gaudy piña coladas abandoned. “Get the f*** out there and sort this out! And why are you all wearing bikinis?”

Tennant storms from the room, apoplectic with rage — and then sees me.

“Oh, hello, darling,” he says, all sweetness and light.

“CUT!” the director calls.

Today, David Tennant isn’t, of course, David Tennant. He’s Tony Baddingham, the infamous, nominative-determinist baddie of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals.

“So, is this fun?” I ask him.

The last time I saw him on set, he was being the Doctor in Doctor Who, in a floor-length coat, trying to save the world from being exploded. Again. In the rain. In Wales. At 1am.

“Oh yes,” Tennant says. “I mean, look at my blouse. It’s like my aunt’s! Actually, I think it might be hers — it closes right to left. Don’t men’s buttons close left to right? Am I wearing,” he asks the room at large, “a woman’s blouse?”

“We need to go again, David,” the director says.

“Back in a tick,” Tennant says, running back on set, sucking on his cigar. Getting ready to be really evil, and Eighties, again.

Going back — to Rutshire.

Since Riders, the first volume of the Rutshire Chronicles, was published in 1985 — soaring straight to the top of the charts and eventually selling more than one million copies — Jilly Cooper has been the unassailable queen of the English bonkbuster.

While Shirley Conran’s Lace and Jackie Collins’ Hollywood Wives might have rivalled Cooper for sales, Cooper’s books are particularly well thumbed and beloved by their devotees because, underneath all the shagging and scandal, there’s something incredibly English and wholesome about them. Yes, there are villains, and orgies, and boardroom shenanigans — but just as much space is taken up by descriptions of scrumptious shepherd’s pies, heavenly rose gardens, darling horses and adorable dogs. And yes, the words used are “scrumptious”, “heavenly”, “darling” and “adorable” — the Cooper lexicon is heavy on delighted adjectives.

I meet countless people — actually, let’s be honest here: women; it’s women who are Cooper fans — who read these books as teenagers and had their lives changed by them. If you were in some boring suburb, or council house, reading about these relatably flawed English characters — all smoking; getting “tight” during long, boozy lunches; worrying about sweat patches on their cashmere dresses; gossiping; fighting their way through the class system; decorating beautiful houses; falling in love; and making endless puns and jokes — it all seemed a far more appealing, and possibly achievable, depiction of adulthood than the rather grim ones being peddled by Roth, Updike or Amis.

There are now at least two generations of women who, technically, emotionally, grew up not in Wolverhampton or Glasgow — but Rutshire.

This is why, in many ways, it seems strange it’s taken so long for the Rutshire Chronicles to make it to TV. Yes, there was a made-for-TV movie adaptation of Riders, back in 1993 — but Cooper fans don’t talk about that. At the time, “The acting appears to be from a Gold Blend advert,” was the kindest review.

No, it has taken until 2024 for someone to take on the task, drum up an incredible cast — David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner, Danny Dyer, Katherine Parkinson, Emily Atack — and persuade Disney, of all people, to cough up for all the mansions, helicopters, dogs, champagne and shoulder pads necessary to bring Dame Jilly Cooper’s beloved, fun, shagging Rutshire to life. A place as mythic to the British imagination as Narnia, the Hundred Acre Wood or the Brontës’ moors — but with, obviously, a lot more banging.

“Honestly, people thought I was mad,” says Dominic Treadwell-Collins, executive producer of the show. “I’ve been working on this for ten years. No, more — since the year 2000. I’d been a fan of Jilly since I was 20 — and when I got into TV, whenever I was in a meeting I’d say, ‘I want to do Jilly Cooper. I have to get these books on TV.’ And people would just slap their thighs and laugh.”

Treadwell-Collins’ previous projects include a five-year stint on EastEnders — “When we were getting 20 million viewers for the live shows” — and the multi-Bafta-winning A Very English Scandal, directed by Stephen Frears and starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw.

But now, he still looks puzzled at the mocking reaction Jilly Cooper caused. “I could never understand it. I genuinely think Jilly Cooper is the Jane Austen of our times. These are the books people will study, in the future, when they want to understand what the Eighties were like. Jilly comes across as fluffy and lovely — but she’s got a steely eye when it comes to the sexism, the homophobia, the racism, class. You think it’s all lavish and flirty — and it is — but then, on every third page, she’ll come and kick you in the shins. But every time I pitched it, people would be like, ‘Jilly Cooper? She’s just … a bit naff?’ And it was always men who said it. But I bet if they’d asked their wives, they would say, ‘I LOVE HER! MAKE IT NOW!’ ”

It does seem there is a continual, notable blindness to female audiences. It reminds me of all the fuss around Bridgerton when it first aired. Light romantic fiction — your Mills & Boon, your original Bridgerton books — sells more than any other genre. It sells in tens of millions. But because women buy those books, it’s … ignored. Until, that is, US TV behemoth Shonda Rhimes unexpectedly adapted Bridgerton — and it instantly became Netflix’s biggest hit to that point.

Suddenly, “books read by women” were revealed to be potential TV goldmines.

“Yes,” Treadwell-Collins says. “We are unashamed in wanting to make female viewers happy with this. We want this to become everyone’s favourite show. For it not to be a dirty secret any more that you love Jilly Cooper. We want people running down the street wearing ‘I LOVE JILLY COOPER’ T-shirts. It’s … a rich treat.”

It certainly is a rich treat. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a set where it’s so obvious that the budget is huge.

“We were the last show commissioned in the streaming gold rush,” Treadwell-Collins had said, earlier. “Budgets are very different now.”

There is an emotional support dog on set — of course there is. An ice-cream van turns up at 2pm — burly crew members walk around the grounds eating tiny pink strawberry cones, looking delighted. And, for reasons I never fully discover, someone has a ferret on a lead.

As I wander around the gigantic mansion, I bump into various cast members, who all seem overjoyed to be there.

Claire Rushbrook, who plays Monica Baddingham — Tony Baddingham’s posh, tolerant wife — is in the orangery, having her make-up done, while eating a scone.

“I mean, we are doing acting,” she says. “I want to make that clear. But … it is also enormous fun.”

The comedian and actress Emily Atack — playing the irrepressibly titty Sarah Stratton — is lounging on a love seat, in an orange kimono, stroking the emotional support dog. She has spent most of this day wearing nothing but a bikini.

“I keep chatting to people, like, ‘Hey, Dan, how’s the kids?’ — and then realising my tits are out,” she says.

Nafessa Williams, who plays Cameron Cook, and is, as she says, “the only American on set”, describes everyone as “so welcoming” — but has struggled with small cultural differences.

“My cast mates would say, ‘I’m going to the loo,’ and I was like, “What does that even mean?’ I had to be told the loo is the restroom — so it was a whole new world for me.”

When it comes to the atmosphere on set, I later talk to David Tennant about this subject.

“Yes — there was a lot of due diligence about only having … joyful people on set. Crew and cast,” Tennant says, carefully.

Treadwell-Collins is more forthright.

“We had a very strict ‘no arseholes’ policy,” he says. “We did a lot of research. On EastEnders, some of [the cast] were really unpleasant; rotten apples who ruined it. For Rivals, we talked to producers and agents off the record, and if they said, ‘He’s a marvellous actor — but also a wanker,’ or, ‘He’ll be amazing, but he did beat up a girlfriend ten years ago,’ we just didn’t cast them. Lots of people [in television] will put up with it. We were like, ‘Life’s too short.’ Also, if you’ve got David Tennant on the call sheet, he’s such a genuinely lovely, kind, decent man — and that flows down through everyone else.”

However, while Tennant might be No 1 on the call sheet, Rivals is not his show. For there is one character who is the ultimate pivot of the Rutshire Chronicles: Rupert Campbell-Black.

Rupert Campbell-Black is a hot, posh bastard who, due to a three-book-long redemptive arc, is also one of womankind’s most fancied fictional creations.

Infamously, he was “inspired” by Queen Camilla’s ex-husband, Andrew Parker-Bowles.

Unlike Andrew, however, there are whole pages on Mumsnet dedicated to middle-aged women describing their hottest Rupert Campbell-Black sexual fantasies. I cannot overstate what a sex god he is held to be by Jilly Cooper fans. “RCB”, as he’s referred to, is … vaginally totemic to millions of women.

After a global search — auditions were held from America to Australia — Alex Hassell, previously seen as Metatron in His Dark Materials, was finally cast in this iconic role. When I talk to him, the main thing I want to discuss with him is how … feverishly his turn will be received.

Are you aware of Rupert’s … lubricious gravity within the Cooper fandom?

“I didn’t read the books as a teenager,” Hassell says, cheerfully. “They were on the top shelf in my mum and dad’s study, and I always wondered what they were.”

Your mother was a Jilly Cooper fan? And, therefore, presumably … a Rupert Campbell-Black fan?

“My mum, you know … blushed when I told her [I’d got the role],” Hassell admits. “A lot of women blushed when I told them.”

I’m interviewing Hassell, 44, and Tennant, 53, together. As a former Doctor, Tennant has, of course, a lot of experience in playing a role women find attractive.

“Once you’ve made [Rupert Campbell-Black] flesh, I think a lot of people are going to find it difficult to interact with you, Alex,” he says, helpfully.

It seems Hassell is aware of this.

“Yes,” he says. “One friend, when I told her, said, ‘Oh, that’s a bean-flicker role!’ I said, ‘Ah, I see.’ ”

“Huh. I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone come up to me and say, ‘I’ve masturbated thinking about you,’ ” Tennant says, thoughtfully.

“David!” Hassell exclaims, hurt. “When we met, that’s the first thing I said.”

The main plot of Rivals revolves around the, well, rivalry between Tony Baddingham and Rupert Campbell-Black. When young, Baddingham was bullied by Campbell-Black at boarding school. Now a powerful TV CEO — running the Rutshire local TV franchise — Baddingham still loathes Campbell-Black. Why?

“Tony’s from a lower class, while Rupert was born with an entire silver cutlery canteen in his mouth,” Tennant says. “So whatever Tony does, he never has that class advantage. Tony needs to taste the blood of his betters in his mouth to make him feel better. Rupert’s blood.”

“And while Rupert is, in many ways, a shit,” Hassell says, thoughtfully, “he’s not a bad man, like Tony. Tony is jealous of Rupert. He wants his house, his women, his life.”

Accordingly, this suit-based class war plays out as Campbell-Black tries to take over Baddingham’s TV station — and the backstabbing, shenanigans, shagging and skulduggery commence. Basically, imagine Dallas — but if, instead of oil, everyone was fighting to take over Anglia Television. Getting really angry over who has the rights to Sale of the Century.

I tell you what, though — why am I describing all this? The best person to talk about the plot of Rivals is the woman who came up with it: Jilly Cooper. And — here she is!

Cooper’s arrival on the set of Rivals is like a cross between a visit from royalty and the advent of an adorable, massive-haired, 87-year-old Bacchus. Everyone is awaiting her presence.

“Is there any booze?” comes her voice, from the hallway, as she approaches.

She is still being told, with polite sadness, that there is no booze as she comes into the room. It’s 1.30pm.

“They don’t have any booze here,” she relays to me, regretfully, as she sits down. “I asked before, but — no luck. I smuggled some in last time, and spilled it all over me — I’m terribly clumsy.”

Cooper is the living embodiment of the Rutshire world she created. In terms of being “on brand”, Jilly Cooper turning up in a mansion, looking for lunchtime champagne, is CS Lewis turning up with a talking beaver, gossiping about an “exciting wardrobe” he’s just found.

Everyone here has been to a “Jilly Party” — regular and seemingly full-on occurrences, held at the house she’s lived in since the Seventies.

“You just leave absolutely pissed,” says one, who doesn’t want to be named. “They have to ladle you into a taxi.”

“Oh, the last one was just a little party,” Cooper says.

What’s a little party?

“Seventy, seventy-five people?” Cooper says. “And then friends from the village, obviously. Andrew Parker-Bowles. Richard Madeley and his wife. Nicky Haslam. Lisa Maxwell. Stanley Tucci — who was heavenly.”

Please tell me the party was exactly like the ones in the books.

“Well, yes. We had kir royale, Pimm’s, wines. Gins.”

Note: gins multiple.

“Vol-au-vents, melon and Parma ham, smoked salmon on blinis. Brandy snaps with Chantilly cream. Everyone got awfully tight. I led them around the infamous tennis court.”

The tennis court at Cooper’s house is the setting for one of her most iconic scenes — where Campbell-Black first meets his love interest, Taggie, while he’s playing naked tennis. He is adjudged to have lost a match point because something is over the line. Oh, why am I being so coy? This is Jilly Cooper. It’s his penis. His massive penis is judged to be over the line. A note to diehard fans: this scene is shot exactly as written. You will see a lot of willies.

“We’ve been equal opportunities in our nudity,” Treadwell-Collins says. “There’s a willy for every pair of tits.”

“That was my great disappointment over the TV show,” Cooper sighs. “The tennis court is a terrible mess — no one’s played on it for 20 years — and I thought [Disney] might be darlings and build me a new one.”

She looks around, hopefully.

“Do you think anyone here has some booze?” she asks. “It is the afternoon.”

Cooper has been an invaluable muse to everyone on set while filming. In one scene, she handed over an urgent note that read, “Rupert would never say ‘spouse’ — that’s very lower-middle [class]. He would say ‘wife’.”

She argued for particularly Cooperesque jokes and puns to stay in, and was firm that the whole “First of May” tradition remain.

“Oh, yes,” she says, looking delighted, and then quotes herself. “ ‘First of May, first of May — outdoor f***ing starts today. But if as usual it do rain, we f*** off indoors again.’ ”

This ribald rhyme kicks off a massive shagging montage, involving the entire cast. And all outdoors, of course.

But, as any English person knows, outdoor sex is a perilous sport. Perhaps the emotional centrepiece of Rivals is the agonisingly drawn-out attraction between Freddie (Danny Dyer) and Lizzie (Katherine Parkinson), both married to awful people, but who ache for each other in a way that is guaranteed to bring tears to the viewers’ eyes. A scene where they bunk into the first-class carriage of a train to smoke fags and share fruitcake, while timidly flirting with each other, is the Brief Encounter of our time.

And, without wanting to chuck in too many spoilers, when they finally requite their love for each other, it’s one of the all-time great sex scenes. Danny Dyer, it turns out, is exquisite, adorable leading-man material, while Katherine Parkinson “is the new Olivia Colman”, Treadwell-Collins says, firmly. “She will be garlanded with Baftas and Oscars. Honestly. And she wanted to do the sex scene,” he adds. “She was like, ‘I really want to show my boobs. I’m in my mid-forties and they look good.’ In that scene, you can see she’s crying — really crying, with happiness — and it makes you cry too. She looks like a f***ing queen.”

On set, however, the sex scene was not without its problems. Because it was “outdoor f***ing”, in a flower meadow.

“But it was at the height of tick season,” Treadwell-Collins recalls, with a shudder. “Not safe to be in the grass. We didn’t want to get a tick on Danny Dyer’s willy! In the end, we had to get in a load of moss for them to lie on. It’s the first time, to my knowledge, that safe sex has involved moss.”

I can’t tell you what fun it is interviewing all the Rivals people. Because of the show, everyone talks about their memories of the Eighties (David Tennant: “No, my Eighties weren’t like a Jilly Cooper book — I was at school in Paisley with my glasses held together with sticky tape, and a very unappealing haircut”), and smoking (Hassell: “Everyone smoked everywhere, didn’t they? Even on planes. They’d draw across that little … health curtain, and everyone smoked behind it”), and how hard it was to leave Cooper’s world when shooting finished (Hassell: “No one was looking at me like I’m the most sexy man on the planet any more. It was tough.”)

My final interview is with Aidan Turner, who is playing Rivals’ chat show host, Declan O’Hara.

I mean to cast no aspersions on extremely handsome men who spent a decade being a country’s totemic sex god — as Turner was, during his Poldark years — but sex gods are usually quite emotionally damaged, with a form of what might be termed “PTSD” — Post-Totty Stress Disorder. They often make for effortful company. They want to be taken seriously.

In the event, Turner, 41, is an absolute hoot — particularly on the subject of the massive moustache he sports on the show. It is a magnificent specimen of upper-lip pelt. It looks like a vole fell asleep under his nose.

It looks like the one Ned Flanders has on The Simpsons, I tell him.

Turner gives a huge, barking laugh.

“Ned Flanders? I mean, I was thinking more … Irish stag? Super-masculine?”

He starts giggling again.

Turner’s relaxed stance towards his sex god-dom comes with an interestingly meta twist. In Rivals, one of Baddingham’s TV shows is called Four Men Went to Mow — where sexy farmers, sexily stripped to the waist, carry out sexy agricultural duties.

Turner, of course, infamously stripped to the waist a few times in Poldark, for that scything scene or lying in bed or emerging from the sea. In a pleasingly postmodern moment, one scene sees Turner rail against Four Men Went to Mow — raging, almost camply, “TV can’t just be men taking their tops off!”

“Yes, that’s a lovely moment,” Turner says. “When I read the script, I was like, ‘Why have you put this in? It’s too close [to Poldark].’ But then they told me it’s in the original books — and it’s so funny. The first time I did that scene, people were keeling over laughing. It’s good to poke fun at these things.”

As one of the most Eighties stories ever, Rivals takes on some massive subjects: class, Aids, Section 28, sexism, rape, homophobia, Thatcherism, racism. As the Jane Austen of her time, Cooper has a lot of grist for her mill. The dramatic tension never drops.

But this is done hand in hand with the most delicious sense of silliness and fun. There is a single tracking shot of a buffet — the Most Eighties Buffet Ever — and the sheer amount of prawns is deeply hilarious. Prawns are very Eighties — and Rivals knows it.

Rivals knows that when it’s in Rupert Campbell-Black’s house, we will see his cold, posh childhood is perfectly encapsulated by the fact that his walls are covered in formidable oil paintings of his ancestors — but all his photo frames are full of pictures of his dogs.

And Rivals knows exactly when to play Huey Lewis and the News.

“We call it the Cooperverse,” Treadwell-Collins tells me. “It really is the equal of the DC or Marvel worlds. It’s that epic. And those who know about it are equally obsessed.”

I can attest to that. When I first read Rivals, at the age of 13, I decided I wanted to be a character in one of Cooper’s books. Specifically, Declan O’Hara’s youngest daughter: a feisty teenage girl who had dyed red hair, lived in a beautiful, sprawling house called the Priory, and was constantly rebelling against her school.

As a down payment, I first dyed my hair red. And then I decided I would change my name, in her honour. If I couldn’t actually be Declan’s youngest daughter, Caitlin O’Hara, I would stop being Catherine Moran and become Caitlin Moran. As some small promise that, one day, my life would be as fun as that of a Jilly Cooper heroine.

Because, sometimes, you don’t need a story about mythic quests, or wars, or dragons, or murder. You just need a story that promises you: being a grown-up could be exciting.

And that when sex, love, drama, awful men, fabulous bitches, workplace intrigues, swathes of blue eyeshadow and buffets of prawns finally come into your life, you can … poke fun at these things.

You can live in the Cooperverse too.

Rivals is on Disney+ from October 18

#Rivals

[poppetsisters]

Now that my rage over the Doomcasting has simmered down, I just wanna gush over the Fantastic Four comi con stuff.

I'm not joking, when I heard that Michael Giacchino was doing the score, I SCREAMED. Not only is he famous for scoring The Incredibles, but he also did Speed Racer from 2008 which, if you haven't heard that score, it is one of the best scores for any film I've seen.

The period accurate footage is such a treat. I figured Matt Shakman's work on Wandavision was going to be indicative of what the Fantastic Four was gonna look like and yet it looks even better. I was nervous that Shakman's lack of feature film experience was gonna be a detriment, but his decades of work on TV gives him amazing instincts for character dynamics, which is one of the most important assets when making a Fantastic Four movie.

A lot of what we saw is pre-vis and may not actually be in the movie, but the retro-future vibe of the movie is perfect. The fact that MCU Fantastic Four is taking place in its own separate pocket away from all the bullshit really helps me feel excited for this movie. For once, the disconnectedness is something I'm EXCITED about, go figure.

Again, because it's pre-vis, not a whole lot of glimpses at The Thing's rocky form, in fact none of the powers were shown off for understandable reasons. I have no worries that The Thing is going to look good. As bad as Fant4stic was, The Thing looked pretty good in that film. Korg also never looked outright bad to me either, and they're probably gonna put more effort into how he looks anyway. Sue's powers are probably gonna be represented well seeing as invisibility is a really easy power to do VFX for. Fire graphics have come a long way as well, and that concept art makes me thing they may take a very stylised approach to his flame effects. Reed however is the one I'm really worried about. The only time stretch powers looked good was The Incredibles 1 and 2, but those were both stylised 3D animated filma. Live action has a much higher bar to clear with a heavy risk of uncanny valley Pedro Pascal. If you can make that man look bad, then you know you fucked up.

The Fantasticar is nice. We had the Dodge in Rise of Silver Surfer and the Bathtub in Deadpool and Wolverine, and though I like the Silver Surfer one (despite the shameless product placement) I get that they wanted a car that looked like a mid-century man's idea of what a flying car looks like. The only think is that I wish it could split apart into four sections, it doesn't look like it can do that. Oh well.

The spacesuits look good, the colours are exactly what I imagined they'd be on the concept art, but I'm waiting for the proper super suits to be shown off. Hopefully they have less interlocking parts and resemble the slightly thick and comfy spandex we saw in the concept art.

It looks like Pedro is keeping the moustache, which normally I'm not a fan of Reed with facial hair, but I also think it gives Reed a sorta Howard Hughes look that helps him blend in with the aesthetics of the world. The grey around the temples is good though, and it seems like he's also doing a transatlantic accent which frankly is very surprising.

I thought that Ebon wasn't doing an accent until I rewatched him during an interview. He appears to be toning down his natural tendency to draw out his A's and E's. It was only two lines of dialogue so I don't know, but what is very apparent is that he's not going for the outrageous brooklyn accent The Thing is legendary for in the comics, but something a little more subtle and believable.

Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn are both different flavors of British, and though Joseph only says one word, it's pretty clear both are foregoing their natural accents. That said, Vanessa's choice of, what I can only guess is a slight mid-western accent, is very interesting. I was not expecting that choice.

They added a subtitle to the movie. Fantastic 4: First Steps. I think they didn't need to add a subtitle, but since they did. I'll just give it a cursory analysis. I think you can derive FOUR meanings from the title: First Steps calls to mind humanity's first steps on the Moon, fitting for a space age tale. First Steps also feels like a good title for their first adventure. First Steps works metatextually as their first steps into the MCU (which isn't technically true with those two cameos in MoM and D&W), but the most important theory I have for First Steps is in relation to a baby's first steps. I think that Franklin is going to be in this movie as a major plot point. Serving what purpose, I'm not sure.

To finish things off, we only get a look at Galactus through a window, so not much I can comment on in terms of appearance, but I'm very happy that it's an actual dude and not shadows within a cosmic cloud. He looks very imposing and I hope we get more perspective shots like that to sell how big this guy is.

[ririchanva]

╰※╮▫◕‖ Previous ‖ ∴❃∴ ‖ AO3 ‖ ∴❃∴ ‖ Next ‖ ◕▫╰※╮

Summary: Shiro, in the last moments of dying, was sent back to the past to rewrite events that will change for the better. Once he started to change one thing, a lot of other things also went into a butterfly effect. Will he be able to prevent a disastrous future this time around?

A/n: It's...been seven months. SEVEN since I've uploaded this thing. And so, to maybe gift ya'll for the end of 2024...I present to you the second chapter xD And yeah, okay, I should be more active (hopefully) besides doing the MHA and Miraculous stuff. If I get more comments, likes and asks for this story, then I might consider continuing. Anyways, on with the chapter~!

Chapter Warning: Mentions of war, violence, blood and major character death(s) mentioned. It is also a Fix-It sort of fic about also an AU crossover that's different from canon events.

Chapter Two: The Return of Voltron (Part 2)

“Alright…I’ll come clean. Let’s…sit down somewhere so I can explain everything.”

Before Shiro could explain anymore, the last pod opened to reveal an older man ginger hair and moustache, having the same pointy ears and eye markings as Allura, except his marks were more on the teal side. He looked around for a moment, until he gasped and stuttered out, going from shock to rage.

“E-Enemy Combatants!”

The man lunged to the closest person to him, which happened to be Keith, who grabbed the man’s wrist twisting it behind his back before sending the man to his knees. Allura growled, almost going over to pull Keith off of the man before Shiro stepped up.

“Keith! Don’t hurt Coran!”

Keith blinked while the man, Coran, gasped.

“H-How did you know my name?” Coran choked out, while Keith released him, and the man soon turned to Allura, “Princess?! Who are these people!? How long have we—?”

“More and more, I’m curious on how much you know about all this, Shiro…” Ben murmured with arms folded, making Shiro give a small apologetic smile. 

“I will explain. Seriously, I promise.”

Coran huffed, "Quiznak! You're lucky I have a case of the old Sleep Chamber Knees. Otherwise, I'd grab your head like this, wrap you up like so and—One, two, three—" 

He then grinned evilly after a few hand gestures while he spoke, snapping his fingers then winking.

"—Sleepy time!"

Keith wasn’t impressed, thus looking back at Shiro all the while ignoring Coran.

“Can you please start talking before I kill this old man?”

Conan let out a dramatic gasp and started yelling at him indignantly, which both Keith and Shiro ignored.

“For starters, you said it’s been ten thousand years…” Allura pointed out, but she blinked in confusion when Shiro raised a hand as if stopping her in her tracks.  

“Let’s go somewhere we can all sit down first. It’s going to be a lot to take in and I need you guys seated…”

Shiro, surprisingly, led them all in what seems to be a Lounge room and everyone was seated on what seems to be a couch circle. Keith even gave a side eyed look towards his brother figure at how Shiro knew his way around the Castle well enough, but Shiro kept quiet for now.

Once everyone was comfortable, Shiro looked to Allura first.

“Planet Altea and all of the planets in your solar system have been destroyed. Your father sacrificed himself to buy time when he placed you and Coran in the sleeping chambers, then scattering the Lions,” Shiro closed his eyes and then breathed out a sigh, “I…know this because I’ve had visions about this.”

Everyone gasped at this. Except for Ben and Keith, both were looking at each other warily. Shiro continued to explain, leaving out a few details here and there and once he was done, Ben was leaning back against his seat, then closed his eyes.

“So…all in all, you are supposed to defeat Zarkon and the Galra in two or so years time, and had vision after vision of how to save the lives that perished and wished to change the future, am I getting it so far?”

Shiro nodded, “Actually, Zarkon is gonna be here in Arus in a year—er, I suppose it would be deca-phoeb?” 

“…Considering you are using terminology that Earthlings are not using, then what your saying checks out,” Allura said slowly, her arms folded and back straightened, “So…Zarkon is still alive…”

“Yes. He’s still looking for Voltron after all this time, and we need to find the other lions before he does,” Shiro said as he then glanced at Keith, “We found Blue earlier than expected, and Keith happens to be her Paladin. And I know where all the other lions are.”

“You do?” Allura questioned with suspicion, and Shiro tapped the side of his head, “Right. Your…visions.”

Shiro had a feeling even Allura wouldn’t believing his lies. In fairness, they weren’t lies, per se. He was just bending the truths slightly. If he told everyone that he actually came from the future where he died but some weird guy threw him back in time, it would’ve been too crazy. Not that it wasn’t crazy now, but he didn’t want to overwhelm everyone with what he knew.

“Remember, Takashi Shirogane. Once you make ONE change, everything else will be different than what you remember…”

That was another thing to consider. 

Shiro didn’t know if the future he experienced already will ever happen in this reality now. After all, Shiro didn’t go to Kerberos this time around. Meaning, Shiro’s going to have to adapt and be quick on his feet for any changes. For example, Lance wasn’t exactly how Shiro had remembered him. Quite different than the Lance he knew. Not to mention, Hunk and Pidge weren’t here either. Speaking of…

“We need Green and Yellow’s Paladins. Allura, perhaps you can sense who would be piloting them in this room?”

Allura raised brow,  “I can…but there is a problem.”

Shiro wasn’t liking the sound of that. “What is it?”

“Every one of these people have a mix of being a Paladin for all the Lions,” Allura pointed to the strangers that came from the pods and even the ones that came with Shiro, “So it is sort of confusing to pinpoint a true Paladin for the Lions…because it’s not one person. Their auras are mixed colours…”

Hiro hummed, “Meaning to say, I could probably this Paladin you speak of and…fly a Lion? Is that right?”

Shiro looked thoughtful about this. Is that why Blue willing let Keith fly her instead of Lance?

“Still in the dark of all this,” Artemis raised her hands to gesture everything, “Voltron? Paladins? Zarkon? Galra? These things don’t make sense to some of us, and frankly? I don’t care. I just want a way for me and Wonder Girl to get back home.”

Shiro frowned, “The thing is, I don’t even know how to get you guys…home. Wherever your home is.”

“I could talk to someone about that?” Ben spoke up this time, leaning back and folding his arms, “I know someone that is a Time and Dimension expert, not to mention I’ve had my own experience going into different realities. So finding where you are from should be easy~”

Some of them looked hopeful about this, except for one person…

“Gambit is not sure he wants to go back home.”

Wonder Girl looked surprised at this, “W-what? Why not? What about your life back home? Or the people that you care about? Don’t you wanna see them again? Or that they’ll be sad you’re not there? Family? Friends? Someone you love?”

The Cajun snorted.

“The woman I love happened to have a thing for an older man that was considered my enemy once, and I don’t have much family to speak of…by blood. But I am sure the X-men aren’t going to miss me much either. Maybe Jubilee and Logan…”

He paused for a moment, but then shook his head.

“Point is, last thing I remember is being blasted by Super Sentinel and if I do go back…does this mean I’ll be dead yet again?”

Hiro looked thoughtful at Gambit’s words.

“That’s something to consider. What if I to get back there and suddenly I am burnt to a crisp from the explosion that happened before I entered this reality? Scientifically, if we are thrown back to our worlds, does time pass or do we go back into the time we were taken from? I don’t wanna experience dying as soon as I’m back home. There’s no telling…”

Ben frowned. “Well I don’t think that will happen?”

“How can you guarantee that? Do you have proof and swear we will not be sent back with a sudden death flag over our heads? Because hearing from Gambit’s story and knowing mine, the track record of going back home alive and well doesn’t sound plausible.” Hiro argued and Ben was stumped on what to say next, “Looking at your face, you’re not too sure yourself…”

With Ben quiet, Hiro had a chance to turn to Shiro this time and ask his questions.

“And, how does your visions work? Can you look into the future willingly or is it random? How long have you had this ability? Is it a genetic mutation like Gambit’s? Because I will not believe in magic crap. Is there any chance to make changes on what you see in your future? Like is it subjective?”

Shiro…wasn’t sure how to answer, and he could tell from Hiro’s expectant stare that this young man wasn’t going to let this go too easily.

“W-well…”

Ben saw how uncomfortable the other looked and sighed, looking to Allura and spoke in a friendly tone, “I can't believe your civilization created such advanced technology ten thousand years ago. It must have been an incredible place~”

Shiro felt his heart leap at Ben changing the subject and smiled softly, although Ben didn’t look his way and focused more on the Altean Princess.

Allura sadly looked down, her lips pursed, "Yes, it was...but now it is gone…a-and we're the last Alteans alive."

Lance softened for a moment, almost wanting to say some words of comfort but then blinked as he heard squeaking noises. He looked around inquisitively, wondering what was making those sounds. Curious, he followed the sounds and looked into one of the pods, the pod that Princess Allura came out of. There, he saw four different coloured mice and smiled softly.

“Awww, where did you little ones come from?” 

Lance held his hands out as the four little critters sniffed his hands, before climbing up and suddenly rushing to his shoulders and sat there, the very small blue one nuzzling into his cheek affectionately.

Allura looked up, her ears twitching at the sounds and looked at Lance, gasping when seeing the mice and her smile soften, "Looks like we're not the last, after all."

Shiro stared incredulously at the sight of Lance having the Space Mice cozying up to him, and it surprised him. It’s like the mice are comfortable with Lance already even though they have just met today…

“So, about these Lions?” Hiro interrupted as he looked to Allura, “How do we go about looking for them?”

“Wait, we’re actually going to? I still want a way to get home, please?” Artemis argued before she looked too Ben, “You! You said you had a friend that knew how to get us home? Then let’s go.”

Ben nodded, looking to his watch on his wrist and pressed on it, “I’ll call Professor Paradox right away.”

Shiro sighed, knowing that not everyone wants to be here. Although he did feel a hand on his shoulder and turned to surprisingly see Gambit grinning at him.

“Don’t be frownin’, mon ami~! Gambit is ready to help.”

“…Just like that?”

Gambit shrugged, “It’s not like I will be welcomed back. And I do think that I’m meant to be here. So, I shall make this world my new home.”

Shiro wanted to ask, but decided not to push it.

“I shall also help you, Friend Shiro.” Starfire flew next to him, softening with a smile, “Because you have told us your story, it is only right we fight this battle together and save the universes…save our homes.”

Shiro was wondering why she was quiet through all this, but he was glad he had her support. It seemed he also had Keith’s, who was looking at him with a nod and a determined look, the same went for Lance. At least he could count on those two.

Ben suddenly spoke up, “Artemis, Wondergirl—“

“Y-You can call me Cassie, or Cass, but Cassie is fine. It’s better that way,” The blonde heroine chirped sheepishly, as Ben smiled, although Hiro made a face for some reason. 

“Cassie. You and your friend here can go home now. Paradox is gonna open a portal for us as soon as I scan your signatures and open up to your universe,” He explained, and Artemis looked relieved, “I’ll be travelling with you just to make sure you guys get to the right world and safely arrive home.”

“Thanks…” Artemis smiled a little and Shiro looked at them with a strange look.

“Ben…”

Ben looked back at Shiro and smiled, “I’ll come back soon. Promise.”

With that, the Omnitrix wielder used his watch to scan the two, and waited. A voice robotically chirped from his watch, stating that universe was detected, and suddenly a bright looking portal opened for them.

Ben looked to Hiro, tilting his head, “You want me to get you home too?”

Hiro shook his head, “I’m with Gambit on this one. I…something is telling me to stay…”

The brunet nodded, “Alright, if you change your mind…?”

“I’ll let you know.”

Ben smiled, then turned to lead the two blonde ladies to the portal and said portal vanished as soon as they stepped through. Shiro was still staring at the space they were just at, before Allura coughed and clapped her hands together. 

“Alright, well, since that’s that…let us find the Lions as quickly as possible. By the time they get here, we will have reformed Voltron, and together, we will destroy Zarkon's empire!”

The Princess then lead everyone to the Castle Bridge, where the room had a huge crystal hanging above the middle, and Allura was stepping up to a podium and placed her hands on top of it.

"King Alfor connected the Lions to Allura's life force. She alone is the key to the Lions' whereabouts." Shiro explained before Coran could open his mouth, and the Black Paladin smiled apologetic to him, “Sorry, Coran.”

“You speak the truth,” Allura smiled as she felt a light surround her, and a blast of light filled the room.

Everyone asides from Shiro was in awe, seeing how there were stars and planets around them…it was almost like a planetarium of sorts. Terra reached out to touch some of the stars, almost bumping into Lance as she walked backwards to take everything in. The two looked at each other for a moment, then laughed and apologised to one another, awkwardly smiling. Keith looked at the two of them, and narrowed his eyes for a moment before Allura spoke up again.

"As you have found, the Lions choose their pilots. It is a mystical bond and cannot be forced. The Quintessence of the pilot is mirrored in his Lion. Together, they form something greater than science can explain."

Keith blinked, “…Like how Blue chose me?”

Allura gave a kind smile, “Indeed. The Blue Lion nurtures potential, and helps her Paladin realise their true worth. The Paladin must improvise, following their heart more than anyone and is a bit of a free-spirit. Keith, this is why you are the Blue Paladin to pilot this particular Lion.”

Keith placed his hand over his heart, as his face flush for a moment before looking away, “True worth…?”

Shiro smiled at this. He had always wondered what was Blue’s purpose.  But in his first life, Lance interrupted before they could ever find out. At least he knows now, and it made sense for Lance too. If only I got to know him better before, but now I’ve been give a second chance, I can do so properly.

Hiro tilted his head, “Hold on, you said everyone had a potential to fly any Lion. Why is Keith special to be with that specific Lion?”

Allure chuckled, “It’s not for me to decide, but I have a feeling Blue will be especially bonded with Keith since he was the first to find her. Or in the case of what Shiro told us, she allowed him because she trusts him.”

Keith couldn’t help but smile at this, bashfully rubbing the side of his neck as Shiro smiled in pride.

“Hang on,” Terra pointed out, looking to the hologram of the Black Lion, “According to this, it seems this Lion is next to Blue?”

A chuckle escaped the Princess, "Very observant. That's because the Black Lion is in the Castle."

"To keep the Black Lion out of Zarkon's hands, King Alfor locked it in the Castle. It can only be freed if the other four Lions are present." Coran explained.

“Oh…” Terra hummed and Allura nodded. 

“To answer Hiro’s question, there seems to be some exceptions, considering the auras you all have. The Lions seems to think you all have the potential to pilot any of them.”

Allura tilted her head as she looked at Shiro and surprisingly Lance for a moment, then moved the hologram of Black towards them.

“The Black Lion is the decisive head of Voltron. It will take a pilot who is a born leader and in control at all times, someone whose men will follow without hesitation. That is why, Shiro, Black has chosen you…but somehow sees potential in Lance as well,“

Lance squeaked as he pointed at himself, “M-Me?”

“But I’m afraid you are not completely ready yet. But in due time, you will be.”

Shiro saw a glint in Allura’s eyes, and he could’ve sworn there was a fond look on her face. He raised a brow, but shook his head once Allura was focused once more and pointing to the Green Lion now. Maybe it was my imagination.

"The Green Lion has an inquisitive personality and needs a pilot of intellect and daring,” She moved the hologram of Green towards Hiro, who stared in surprise, “Young Hiro, you will pilot the Green Lion.”

Hiro’s eyes sparkled at this moment as he soon reached out to wave a hand over Green and chuckled, “Cool.”

Allura looked amused before switching to face the hologram of Yellow.

"The Yellow Lion is caring and kind. It’s pilot is one who puts the needs of others above their own. Their heart must be mighty.”

Terra blinked when the hologram of Yellow flew towards her, squeaking and shivered when it circled around her, almost as if it wanted to nuzzle her. Allura chuckled, tilting her head with a smile.

“As the leg of Voltron, you will lift the team up and hold them together."

“…T-This must be some mistake,” Terra breathed out as she shook her head, waving her hands in front of her, “That doesn’t sound like me at all.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” Keith murmured bitterly and Lance looked over at him with a frown.

“…What’s wrong with you?” He whispered to the other, concern and confusion in his eyes, “Why are you so mean to her?”

“…You wouldn’t get it.”

Allura looked to Terra with understanding eyes, “You are humble. I can also tell that you felt like you’ve made mistakes in your life. But Yellow is a good balance for you to rise above your past and look into the future.”

Terra still didn’t look sure. 

Shiro walked over and patted her shoulder.

“I believe in you, even if you don’t believe in yourself now. If the Yellow Lion thinks you are worthy, then you are. Just give it some time…”

The blonde girl brushed some hair behind her ear, smiling a little, “…Thanks.”

"The Red Lion is temperamental and the most difficult to master. It's faster and more agile than the others, but also more unstable. Its pilot needs to be someone who relies more on instincts than skill alone—hm?” She paused for a moment, before she tilted her head, “…Oh dear…”

“What’s wrong?” Shiro looked alarmed for a moment, wondering why Allura suddenly looked at the Hologram of Red in her hands and staring with a frown, “What is it?”

“………..The Red Lion is flying here.”

Everyone looked surprised.

Allura snapped her head toward Lance, her eyes wide, “…Oh!”

“W-what? Why are you looking at me like that again?” Lance squeaked as he was patting himself and looking down to see if there was something on him before Allura laughed.

“Lance, it seems the Red Lion felt your presence and is now flying towards Arus right now.” 

It was then a second later, The Castleship alarms started blaring loudly, the room now filled in red lights. The holographic map around them changed as suddenly a hologram of a Galran warship appears before them.

Coran gasped in horror, “A Galra battleship has set its tracker to us!"

"How did they find us?!" Allura questioned in shock, before Shiro gulped.

‘They aren’t supposed to be able to find us until a year later. But it’s possible if Red wasn’t captured yet…oh no…’

“It’s Red…because she’s moving, they must’ve sensed she was on the go and now is following her!” He looked to Coran, “Coran! How long before they arrive?”

The ginger haired man hummed while counting his fingers, "At their speed? Oh, well, uh, carry the two... I'd say probably a couple of days?"

“Then we must find Yellow and Green, now.” Allura hurriedly said before looking at everyone, “Keith, you take Terra to get the Yellow Lion.”

Keith groaned but nodded begrudgingly, while Terra looked nervous. 

Allura continued.

“Shiro, you must go with Hiro and collect the Green Lion. Coran will ready a pod and load in the coordinates so that the two of you can reach her in time. Lance, you will stay here until Red arrives so you can pilot her. In the meantime, I'll get this Castle's defenses ready. They'll be sorely needed.”

“Gambit can assist you if you allow it, Ma princesse~” Gambit saddled up next to her with a grin, and Allura looked flustered as she brush a strand of hair behind her pointed ear.

Soon, everyone was getting ready and heading into their stations, Lance watching them and bidding them good luck. Lance and Keith shared a look for a moment, the Cuban giving a small smile as a sign of asking the other to be careful, and Keith gave a look back in respect before making his way to Blue, Terra following behind him.

Once they were in their respective rides, Coran spoke to them through the comms.

"We can only keep the Wormholes that lead to the other Lions open for two of your Earth hours, so you'll have to be quick about your work. The good news is that according to my readings, both planets are relatively peaceful. SoOoo……….if you do get stuck, they could be relaxing places to live out the rest of your lives. Enjoy the trip~~!”

Shiro shook his head in amusement as Hiro looked panicked, and both Keith and Terra were yelling through their side of the comms. Before anymore arguments could be made, the wormholes opened before them, sparkling blue and bright and soon both the pod and the Blue Lion vanished through them in a snap.

Lance watched them through the screens in the Castle of Lions, before looking to Coran, “…You’re just messing with them, aren’t you?”

Coran just gave a cheeky smile before whistling and walking away to work on the Castle.

Arriving into the greenery like planet, Shiro made sure Hiro was okay. He even patted the boy’s back once he got him out and helped him get his footing. Soon, the two started walking and exploring the densely-forested green planet, Hiro using an Altean compass in his hand to find the Lion. It took half an hour, but the two stopped as they reached what seemed to be a riverbank, and Hiro pointed towards a canoe with a lion carved as its bowsprit.

“Looks like we gotta ride it…” Hiro trailed off as he noticed Shiro looking behind him with a smile as if amused, which made Hiro raise a brow, “Shiro?”

The young man turned around, then yelped when suddenly a sloth-like alien appears beside them, causing Hiro to jump into the Black Paladin’s arms and Shiro easily catching him. 

“It’s okay. It’s going to guide us to the Green Lion,” Shiro assured Hiro, and was proven right when the alien walked over to the canoe, getting on and holding an oar to row with, then making a ‘come here’ gesture with it’s paws.

“…?”

Shiro saw the look of suspicion on the boy’s face, chuckling, “Unless you rather we just follow Coran’s warning and live in this planet for the rest of our lives~”

“Nope! No no no no, let’s go!”

And with that, the two were peacefully riding the canoe, looking around in awe as the sloth-like alien paddles them towards where the Green Lion was. Hiro was fascinated with the nature around him, then looked towards the sounds of squeaks from the inhabitants of the forest, even seeing how some little creatures were staring at them.

As they were heading under a bridge like cavern, which held the symbol of a Lion like the cave back on Earth, Hiro decided to lean back into his seat and feeling himself relax.

“I wonder if Keith and Terra are having a good time as us…?”

“UGH! STOP FLYING LIKE A MADMAN!”

“DO YOU WANT TO GET SHOT? BE MY GUEST!”

Keith and Terra were not having a good time. If anything, Keith was doing his best to fly faster with Blue spinning mid-flight while being chased by Galra fighter jets and coming under heavy fire. Both of them screamed for dear life, mostly Terra, among the blaring alarms. After a minute, one of the Galra fighter jets hit the Blue Lion with missiles, knocking them out of the sky shakily. 

"I thought Coran said these planets were peaceful!" Terra screamed out while holding at the headrest of Keith’s pilot chair, as said pilot was trying to pull Blue back up in the air.

"Maybe peaceful means something else in Altean!” Keith argued, managing to get the Blue Lion from crashing and flies towards a Galra mine, where they were also being shot at.

 Keith had to pull out the holo-screen before him and spoke hurriedly, "According to the coordinates, we're right on top of the Yellow Lion. It's below there, where they're mining for the ore. So, Terra, be ready to drop.”

Terra balked at him, "Me? Down there? No. Nonono—!”

Keith growled, “Oh yes you will! I'll cover you!"

He pivoted the Blue Lion, diving down to the surface and rushed fast toward the mine under laser fire. As he was readying the hatch to be open so Terra could jump out, the blonde herself was feeling herself sweat. 

‘He knows about my powers, and while I have them under control now…’

Flashes of a young Keith’s face morphed into betrayal and shock came into her mind, but she soon shooed the thoughts away and spoke up shakily.

“N-No! What if the Yellow Lion doesn't work? Wh-What if I—What if I can't get in the mine? What if—?! “

“You are getting that Lion or I swear to Quiznack, I’ll freakin’ punch you.”

“I don’t think you’re using that word right!?!?”

Keith rolled his eyes, raising a fingerless gloved hand on the dashboard and clicked some buttons, smirking as he heard Terra scream when the hatch opened below her, dropping her down from the Blue Lion. Immediately, Terra’s eyes glowed yellow as she used her powers of Earth to make a giant slide, rolling her down to the ground safely and landing herself inside of the cave. Keith flew himself high, the fighter jets still chasing after him.

Terra groaned as she got up, rushing towards what seems to be a mine lift and right to where the control box was. She opened the lid and pulled some wires, hot-wiring them to start as she murmured under her breath as if cursing a storm on Keith.

“Stupid Keith. Dropping me off in a freakin’ ass alien planet. That's cool, dude, we meet each other again after a few years and I get kidnapped into space, going to a life threatening planet occupied by grizzled purple aliens that want to kill us, but whatever. Just ignore them and go connect with a big, yellow, mechanical cat. Easy-peasy. Yeah. That all makes a ton of sense to me."

Getting the lift to work, she felt herself being moved down to the mines further, narrowing her eyes as she took a deep breath. She was about to close her eyes when she suddenly felt a warm sensation hit her. Looking around the walls of the cave, she saw glowing yellow markings appear before her, just like the ones on Earth.

“…Guess she’s close.”

The lift suddenly stopped at the very bottom of the cave, ending her journey as she jumped out and looked around. She groaned when she felt the earth shake, and almost had a panic attack before calming down. This isn’t me. I didn’t cause that shake. Focus. Look around for Yellow and we can get out of here…

A glow caught her attention as she then spotted a carving of the Yellow Lion beginning to brighten in a magical light, causing the carvings around her to glow even more and show a path towards where the mechanical cat was located. Terra frowned as she saw a massive glowing circle appears in front of her.

“…”

Terra smirked, already feeling her own eyes glow as she raised her hands up, the rocks around here shaking and floating in the air.

‘Too easy. I’m coming Yellow~’

Meanwhile, Keith looked up at the screen, targeting his sights on the jets above him then narrowing his eyes. He lets the giant metal feline make a running jump before going high in the skies again, struggling a bit while he flies Blue into the sky to draw the attacks. He can’t let the jets shoot at the cave no matter what. Blue even takes one of the jets into her maw and smashes it into pieces before two more came at their six. 

Keith then spotted those jets flying towards the cave Terra was in and his eyes widen.

“No…NO!”

A young Keith stood outside of the building that was on fire, his eyes wide as he spotted a young Terra crawling out of the fire escape, covered in soot.

“Terra?”

Terra’s eyes were full of tears, as she coughed and looked…so scared. 

“I’m sorry…I’m so so sorry!”

“Terra…w-where’s my Dad? Is he still in there?”

However, she looked spooked and started to flee. Keith making a move to chase after her, but the building suddenly exploded and Keith’s violet eyes turned back to see that it was collapsing in on itself with the flames. He felt his whole world crash around him, falling on his knees and screamed out.

“DAAAAAD!!!”

Keith snapped out of his memories, hearing the explosions as the cave was shot at, the boulders soon covering the entrance and collapsing in on itself.

“NO NO NO—TERRA!!”

Shiro raised a brow as he watched Hiro going a mile a minute in his rant for a while now, looking up at the alien sloth looking back at him with a confused look. Shiro had to shrug with a small awkward smile. Even he didn’t know why Hiro was a nervous wreck right about now. 

“—I know the Princess said that this is supposed to be my Lion, but what if she's wrong? I mean, she's probably not wrong. She's a princess, and royalty is never wrong, right? But I'm not a pilot, even though I’ve played games and simulations with my brother, Tadashi. Who you kind of remind me of, by the way, really! It’s uncanny! Anyway, I read all the fighter manuals, but never got to fly a real one, how could I? I’m only fourteen! I don’t think I even hit puberty yet! What if I get in there and The Lion doesn't respond? What if I get in there and it's too big and my feet don't touch the pedals? WHAT IF THERE AREN’T EVEN PEDALS?!"

‘How…is he so like Pidge yet not really?’ Shiro smiled a little as he watched the boy, almost being reminded of a smaller Keith as well. 

“Hiro, Hiro….breathe.”

Hiro stopped his rambling as he then calmed own, looking down at his knees before Shiro spoke up again.

“Listen…I know this is a lot. A-and I feel that you are pressured into something bigger than you are used to,” He paused for a moment, before softening, “Patience yields focus. It’s something I always live by. And I know that while you’ll have a shaky start, I know that you can do great things. Amazing things. I believe in you, Hiro. You were meant for something even more and meant to help people. Save them.”

Hiro groaned, as he placed his hands over his eyes, “You even sound like him…”

“Your brother, Tadashi?”

Hiro nodded, “He…is a huge nerd. And…he was trying to get me into his nerd school and I totally did…”

Shiro softened, as he hummed, “Until you were brought here.”

“As much as I want to go back…I know my kind hearted and brave brother would’ve stayed and help as many people as he can. It’s always his thing. Helping people,” He spoke softly, Hiro soon pulling out what seems to be a photo of him and an older boy, “It’s why he made Baymax, a medical robot, because he wants to save lives so that way…children don’t end up orphans like we did…”

Shiro didn’t know what to say to that, but before he could say anything anymore, he and Hiro noticed they have arrived at their destination. The canoe stops at the edge of the riverbed, and the two humans stared at a root-covered stone temple with bewilderment. They approach the steps; the lion carvings glowing in Hiro’s presence and leading them up to some stairs. Hiro paused for a moment, looking back at Shiro, who smiled.

“Don’t give up on yourself, Hiro. Be amazing.“

“I’m not giving up on you!”

Hiro blinked as he thought he saw Tadashi instead of Shiro, but smiled back before turning to rush up the steps of the temple. As he reached the summit, Hiro was confused as he saw nothing is found at the top. He almost lost hope, but then looked down at the vines below him, hearing a growl and green light glows beneath him. Smirking, he jumps inside of the temple and a burst of light came out from the temple. A whooping sound was heard from Hiro, and with a shake and a roar, the Green Lion finally broke free from her tomb.

Shiro stared as the wind blew around him, closing his eyes and let out an exhale. You did good, Hiro. Your brother will be so proud of you, wherever he is…

Back with Keith and the Blue Lion, they were stillfighting the Galra jets on the planetoid, dodging the attacks while also trying to take each one down. Keith cursed under his breath as he was hit, looking at the screens before tapping onto his dashboard.

“C’mon Terra…”

Keith let out a yell when he felt a hit, looking at the screen once more to see that one of the fighter jets made the hit on the Blue Lion with a blast onto it’s hind leg, sending them spiralling out of the sky and down into the canyons. Another blast hit once, twice, and soon Keith saw red lights warning around him as they spun out of control.

“Shit! Fuck! Going down! We're going down!"

Blue crash landed down onto the desert ground, Keith urging the lion to stand but it seems she was struggling. He snapped his gaze up to see the jets locked on and fire their missiles at them, speeding fast. Keith felt hope die slowly, and closed his eyes as he braced for impact. However, he heard a loud roar and looked up to see the Yellow Lion appearing before them from under the ground, blocking the incoming missiles. The larger mechanical lion flattening the figher jets with its own body, one even stuck under it’s jaw.

“Keith! Come in, Keith! You okay?”

“Terra!”

Keith felt his heart slowed in relief, closing his eyes for a moment before he smirked a little, “Darn. I thought you wouldn’t have survived~”

Terra rolled her eyes as her screen popped up in front of him, narrowing her eyes, “Can it, Kogane. Just so you know, a little rockslide and cave in isn’t going to keep this girl down!”

“Anyways, should I say thanks that you saved my ass? Even though I could’ve taken them on myself,” Keith said with a raised brow and slight cocky grin, making the blonde scoff. 

“Please. You would’ve been alien chow if I didn’t come in and save your sorry butt. Thankfully, what this thing lacks in speed, it more than makes up for in armour. Man, can it take a beating!” Terra then looked back up as she saw more jets coming at them, narrowing her eyes, "We've got incoming!"

Suddenly, both their screens lit up as Allura’s face popped in, frowning.

"Paladins, please hurry back! I can't hold the Wormhole much longer!"

The two Paladins raised a brow to each other through their screens, nodding then soon were flying off, seeing the wormhole Allura mentioned. The two managed to evade the shots from the jets as they went through the wormhole, the portal closing behind the lions as they managed to escape.

Arriving in the Castle, both Keith and Terra entered the Bridge of the Castle of Lions, where everyone was apparently waiting for them. Shiro turned to face the duo, a congratulation on finding the Yellow Lion was already on the tip of his tongue, although his facial expression turned into one of confusion as he saw that Keith and Terra also weren’t alone. 

The same way as how Shiro and Hiro didn’t come with just the Green Lion.

Shiro waited until Hiro landed the Green Lion so that they could get out of here, smiling in pride. He saw the giant cat like machine land, bowing down until it’s jaws graced the ground and opened it’s mouth. Hiro stepped out of it, looking a little frazzled rather than excited as Shiro expected.

“What’s wrong?”

Hiro looked like he swallowed a lemon with his eyes darting around for a moment, before landing on Shiro and whispered in a choked voice, “…There’s a body inside.”

Alarmed, Shiro rushed past Hiro to check it out, walking into the pilot helm before blinking when he saw there was indeed a body laying unconscious at the side off the pilot’s chair. The person was a pale looking young man with blond hair in what seems to be Galra prisoner’s uniform. Shiro rushed over, checking the man’s pulse and sighed in relief as he seems to be alive. 

The Black Paladin felt Hiro appear next to him, and Shiro looked up at him, “It looks like Green came with a surprise of her own. Question is…who is this young man?”

Suddenly, the blond haired man’s eyes opened and scrambled away from both of them before clutching to the dashboard, bluish green eyes wide with fear. 

Shiro raised his hands up, showing he doesn’t mean any harm, “Sorry! Er, we mean you no harm. Can you…understand us?”

The young man slowly nodded.

Shiro hummed, “Can you….speak English?”

The blond looked troubled for a second, before he then lifted a hand up and tapped over his covered neck, his eyes saddening.

“…It looks like he cannot speak.” Hiro pointed out, then sighed at seeing Shiro’s bewildered expression, “Well, at least he doesn’t seem to be deaf. So he’s probably selectively mute.”

Shiro frowned, staring at the pitiful looking strange. “What’s your name?”

The stranger soon started to sign, and Hiro immediately spoke.

“He says his name is Jericho.”

Back in reality, Shiro looked to Jericho, who had a change of clothes thanks to Coran finding some extra Altean garbs for men to wear. He stood in the corner of the room, looking around warily at the people while Hiro was silently signing to him what was going on, considering Hiro was apparently sufficient in sign language.

“So…who is this you brought with you?”

The stranger with Keith and Terra was a young woman that wore a snarl on her face and…she looks human, like Jericho. She had long black hair, although there were some faded coloured highlights in her bangs, and it almost covered her eyes if she did not just push them back. Her dark jaded greyish eyes looked around warily, almost as if expecting someone to come at her as if she was some wild animal…and might fight back.

Terra spoke up with a shrug, “I found her as Yellow let me in, and she was unconscious at the time. But when Keith and I escaped from the planet we were on, she woke up and almost attacked me.”

“Where am I?” The woman spoke this time, as she stepped up and narrowed her eyes, raising a fist as suddenly two silver knuckle claws appeared and raised it to show them, “I want answers now before I start to really lose it.”

“…Them claws look like Wolverine’s,” Gambit pointed out quietly, which made the girl snap her attention towards him, who raised his hands up, “A-attendez! Facile là-bas, mon cher—“

“How do you know that name?” The woman sneered before Gambit was quick to lifting up what seems to be a playing card between his index and middle finger, the Queen of Hearts suddenly glowing, “You’re—?”

“Wait. Where’s Lance?” Keith spoke up as he looked around, not seeing the Cuban male in sight.

“There's a bit of good news and bad news,” Coran interrupted as he looked sheepish, “The good news is, Lance decided to fly ahead in one of our pods and meet Red halfway. He has just gotten her and is returning to us right now. The bad news is, it seems that a Galra fleet almost caught him and gave chase. But wait, good news again! He miraculously dodged all of them at top speed and managed to escape!”

Keith and Shiro both looked surprised.

“Why, if I didn’t know any better, he flew even better than King Alfor in his prime~”

Allura nodded in agreement. “Indeed. Lance was a spectacle to watch. I’ve managed to record it through the the pod he used!”

She pressed something in the air as a screen popped up in front of them, and it showed the Red Lion zooming around while skilfully flying away from the lasers from the Galra ship. Shiro was blown away at the sight, almost feeling his heart swell in satisfaction and amazement at how Lance almost flew like the Lance he knew. He glanced at Keith, and had to smile smugly at the way Keith’s eyes sparkled and mouth slightly parted. To Shiro, Keith looked like he was absolutely speechless at Lance flying like a pro.

Once the clip was over after Lance had flown into the Wormhole and the pod tied and following behind the Red Lion, Allura clasped her hands together with a squeal of hope and delight.

“With this, we can hope that Voltron will be formed easily and as soon as possible so that we can fight Zarkon and the Galra, ending the many centuries of tyranny and free the universe!”

“Let’s not celebrate just yet,” Shiro warned softly as he raised a hand up, “There are still some other things to worry about—”

“Er, hey guys?” 

Lance’s voiced around the Castle, alerting everyone as they looked at a holoscreen popping up and showing Lance…who wasn’t alone. Standing next to Lance, was a girl his age with strawberry blonde hair, amethyst blue eyes and wearing normal street clothes.

“I, ah…sorta have a stow-away inside Red. And check it, she’s from Earth!”

“So even Lance has a stranger inside of the Lion. Also from our planet,” Hiro frowned as he looked at Shiro, “And this wasn’t part of your visions?”

Shiro shook his head. ‘Why do the Lions already have people inside them? And not Alteans, but Earthlings. What exactly is going on?’

“We’re here.”

Ben, Artemis and Cassie stepped out from the portal while looking around…although it was not what any of them expected.

“Where…?”

The North Magnetic Pole. They were supposed to be surrounded in ice. It shouldlook ike the very same place that the speedster trio were to stop the chrysalis and…and…

“Why does it look like a desert now?”

Artemis turned to Ben, who shrugged and was just as confused while Cassie just stood there. The land was now barren, the sky red and fire was falling from the dark skies. The place almost looked like Hell. 

“I thought you are taking us home?!”

“I am. And I did,” Ben looked down at his watch and tapped on it, “The coordinates from my Omnitrix locked on to this universe. So I’m not sure why—”

“It is because this world already perished, Benjamin.”

Ben blinked as he looked to the side, “P-Professor Paradox?”

There stood an old man with fair skin, grey eyes, and black hair dressed in a lab coat, leaning against his cane and smiling tiredly. Ben walked over to greet the man like an old friend, while both Artemis and Cassie side eyed each other with wary looks.

“What brings you here?”

Paradox’s eyes saddened now, sighing while pinching the bridge of his nose, “You should not have brought Miss Crock and Miss Sandsmark back here, Benjamin.”

“You know them?”

“You know us?” Both Artemis and Cassie asked, and the Professor nodded.

“I’m afraid so. The being that pulled these two out from this universe had someone after them. And so, in retaliation and anger, that other being destroyed this world and everyone in it…leaving this Earth a wasteland with no life left…”

“Who are the beings?” Ben asked as Artemis fell on her knees, Cassie rushing to check on her as they both seemed in shock (Artemis being the most), “What could’ve caused all this? Someone like Eon? Maltruant?”

“I believe it is far worse,” Professor Paradox said solemnly, watching how Cassie was now hugging a crying Artemis, “And for the pettiest of reasons too. Think…think of the beings inside Alien X, for example…”

“Serena and Bellicus?” Ben questioned before gasping, “So was it a Celestialsapien?!”

“Somewhat. They are beings that are very different from them, but the same premise. They look more human…or at least, they used to be humans before science once again decided to play Gods.”

Ben frowned, and the Time Traveller rested his other hand onto his cane now, leaning over it with a slightly worried look.

“So…does this mean those beings are still on the loose?” Ben asked.

“Indeed. And they might be destroying other realities in their chase as we speak.”

Ben had his hands on his hips and sighed, “So this is a dead end, huh…? But what if I could go back in time—?”

This caught Artemis’ attention.

Proffesor Paradox shook his head, “Time has been tampered with so many times in this world, Ben. I’m afraid that it’s impossible and might make this world collapse in on itself. Or worse, it will alert other Time Lords that might try and stop you from meddling and try to erase you permanently. So I suggest you take the girls back to the world you came from and—“

“Wait!” Artemis stood up shakily as she rushed towards Professor Paradox, who calmly let himself be pulled by his lab coat as the blonde archer shook him, “W-what if Ben took us to a reality like this one? Considering that he’s able to travel worlds and you talked about time travel? Maybe if we found—?”

“I’m going to stop you right there, Miss Crock,” Paradox gently took her hands into his and looked at her in sympathy, “I understand that you are in mourning. Confused and feeling like you’ve lost everything. But I’m afraid that we cannot let you go into a similar Earth like this one…”

“Why not?!” The archer argued, “You said that someone threw me and Cassie in that world. Why can’t we just find a world that might be like home?”

“It’s just not that simple, I’m afraid. You see, The Universes have certain balances to maintain, and not every world is going to be welcoming to random anomalies transmigrating into their territory. For example, if we suddenly threw you and Miss Sandsmark in a world that is similar to yours; with the same environment and same people…and it just so happens that there are already versions of you two existing in that world, it would create…”

Paradox gestured himself with a chuckle of irony.

“Okay fine,” Artemis looked like she didn’t want to give up on this issue, “What about if we find a world like ours that doesn’t have me or Cassie in it?” 

“You could…but that universe will find a way to fix itself in it’s right state. Think of a reality like the human body,” The time traveler started to explain, “If there was an unknown virus that suddenly entered it’s system, the antibodies will try to get rid of that particular entity entirely. Meaning to say, the people in that world will just see you as something abnormal. That you shouldn’t even be there.”

Artemis dropped her hold on the Professor as the man looked at her once more in pity.

“I do not want you to experience seeing who you think are your loved ones, deluding that you can go back to the way things are and continue your relationships with them. Only for them to be looking at you like you are monsters. Not knowing why in their inner souls that they hate you, and wish to kill you. Believe me, I’ve seen too many people that die in their original world, get sent into another and suddenly that world will do everything and anything to get rid of that said soul and cease to exist…”

“So…Isekai?” Ben pointed out while Paradox made an exasperated sound.

“I swear, Benjamin, I do not always get your modern lingo sometimes…but yes.”

“So…there’s no way I could see my M-Mom again? O-Or Diana and Donna? O-Or Tim, or my Team…” Cassie whispered finally as it started to sink in, tears welling in her eyes, “Everyone we know…gone.”

“And I am indeed sorry for your loss,” Paradox said as he placed a hand over his heart, “Truly. I would never wish this sort of thing on anyone.”

“What if we find the asshole that pulled me and Cassie out of our world in the first place?” Artemis hissed angrily now, her eyes hardened in determination as if she has a plan, “What if they can fix this?”

“Easier said than done, Miss Crock. However, it is hard to find that being—oh!” 

“Prof?” Ben questioned as the time traveller suddenly stilled, “What’cha see?”

“The being that pulled these girls from their world is apparently in the world you came from, Benjamin. And he’s with your group at the Castle of Lions right now.”

“Then we should head back so I can kick his ass and get him to fix this!” Artemis stomped to Ben and punched Ben’s arm, ignoring the yelp of pain from him, “Let’s get going, right now!”

“Okay, okay! Don’t hit me again!” Ben was tapping onto his watch frantically, wincing when Artemis was raising her fist again, “Seriously! Have some patience, woman!”

“Oh, no need to do that, Benjamin! I can do that for you all~”

With a click of his fingers and a tap of his cane on the ground, a portal appeared below them which caused all of them to fall in, the portal closing behind them.

A portal appeared out of nowhere, and honestly, Shiro thought that he was going to face more trouble as he looked to everyone in the room, “Be ready!”

He almost had to raise an arm up but remembered he didn’t have his metal arm anymore and felt embarrassed. Meanwhile, Keith pulled out his dagger from his belt while Terra’s eyes began to glow, fists at the ready. The rest of the room either panicked or followed Shiro’s lead in preparing a fight…until they saw Ben, Artemis and Cassie falling out of the portal with screams and fell on the floor with thuds.

Professor Paradox calmly stepped out with a smile, giving a salute, “Hello all~”

Shiro raised a brow, but Ben was the first to get up and waved his hands in front of him.

“It’s okay! He’s a friend!” He assured them, giving a sheepish grin.

“What are you doing back? I thought you brought Artemis and Cassie back home?” Shiro questioned slowly, and Ben sighed, “Something happened?”

“Long story,” Ben noticed the new faces and gasped, “Oh! But there is something important we need to figure out. Apparently there is someone in here that’s the culprit who brought all those people from different worlds here in ours!”

Shiro whirled around for a moment to look at everyone for a moment, then back at Ben, “Really? Who?”

“Will find out right now. Starting with you—“ Artemis was quick to grab the closest person to her, who happened to be Gambit, “Did you bring all of us here?!”

“Êtes-vous fou? Gambit doesn’t have that power!” The Cajun huffed with narrowed eyes, pushing the archer away, “How dare you insult Gambit like this?!”

“Stow it, both of you!” Shiro stepped up between them and looked to Artemis with a glare, “Let’s not jump at anyone’s throat and start blaming the wrong people!”

The sliding doors behind them opened as Lance stepped in with a girl hiding behind him, and the Cuban male looked confused. Before he could question anything, however, Artemis was quick to turn and grab the girl behind him, pulling that person towards her.

“What about this one?! Who is she? And why is she here?!”

“Hey! Take it easy! You’re scaring here!” Lance came in the strange girl’s defense against the angry Artemis, pulling the girl back to him protectively, “Wendy doesn’t have any idea how she came here! She’s an Earthling, like us!”

“Ha! She tell ya that?” Artemis sneered as Lance stood tall as if ready if she threw a punch, but she soon turned her attention to Jericho, “What about him? Or that scary looking goth girl next to him?”

“My name’s Laura, you crazy psycho,” The woman that came with Keith and Terra growled, already bringing out her claws, “And step towards me, and I’ll rip your pretty blonde hair out, Barbie—“ 

"Guys, stop!” Shiro interrupted with a yell, silencing everyone.

He looked to Allura, who looked sort of at a loss. He remembered the moment where he asked her what they should do now, and she felt herself doubting on her leadership. Smiling a little, he walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder and getting her attention.

“Maybe we can talk to your Dad?”

Allura looked both confused and somewhat angry at the mention of her dead father, “What? What do you mean?”

Coran seemed to understand, his facial features softening, “Shiro is correct. Perhaps your father can help.”

Soon, everyone was walking somewhere deep in the Castle but they remained outside the hallway as Coran, Allura and Shiro walked into a dark looking room. Shiro remembered this place being a Memory Chamber, the place Allura goes to before the Castle was destroyed in his old timeline.

"Coran, what is this?" Allura asked as the older man stood behind her and she walked further in towards a console.

"King Alfor knew there was a chance he might never see you again. So, his memories, his very being, were stored in this computer for you."

Allura soon stepped in front of the controls, seeing a floating orb there. She reached out slowly, and a burst of light changes the dark Chamber to a vision of Altea, a mountainous area with a field full of Juniberry flowers…reminding Shiro of Lance’s field of Juniberry flowers in his farm, dedicating it all to Allura.

A holographic image of a tall, older Altean man with brown skin, white hair, and a white full beard appears from the console, standing regal and strong. Although in Shiro’s eyes, he could see the tired wisdom behind them, and he understood very clearly.

"Father! Father, it is so good to see you."

King Alfor smiled warmly down at Allura, "Allura, my only child, how I've missed your face."

Shiro took this moment to step out, leaving the two to reconnect after ten thousand years. Once he was out in the hallways once more, he saw Ben walking towards him while everyone else was talking among themselves.

“So…?”

Shiro pursed his lips as Ben stared up at him, letting out a tired breath, “So…”

“I feel like you’re not telling the entire truth, and I know you won’t be able to anytime soon,” Ben rubbed the side of his neck and hummed, “But I trust you. You know that, right?”

Shiro smiled softly, “I do. And…I do appreciate that you trust me—”

“But,” The brunet held his finger up, narrowing his eyes, “If I sense that the danger is bigger than any of us, I’m going to use all of my power to prevent anymore lives being taken. Got me? That also means if there’s something big that’s going to be happening, you have to let me know.”

“Okay, got you,” Shiro nodded, wanting to reach out to Ben once more but then blinked when Keith appeared between them, “Keith?”

“So, er, we got the four lions. Shouldn’t we be able to get yours?” Keith questioned.

Ben gasped and clicked his fingers, “Oh yeah! Professor Paradox said that there was someone here that is the very person that brought Hiro, Gambit, Artemis, Cassie, Jericho, Wendy and Laura from their worlds. Apparently, if Jericho, Wendy and Laura came from the Lions we found…there might be a person inside Black. So we should check on Black right now,”

“Right. I know where Black is.” 

Shiro led everyone to the giant doors where the Black Lion was, and even though Shiro knew that the doors were going to open for him anyways, he still felt…nervous. Maybe it was because it has been a long time since he saw Black, even before the Lions returned back to Space in the first timeline. In a way, he felt guilty and not worthy of being in Black’s presence right now. Or anytime in this life time. 

He then felt Ben’s hand graze against his and looked to the side, seeing the brunet giving a reassuring smile.

This filled Shiro with confidence once more.

Closing his eyes, he let the other four lions stand behind him, their eyes lighting up one by one. The door also gave out a florescent blue glow, the V on the door shining brightly. Once the doors opened up, Shiro smiled as he saw Black lighting up in all her glory. Tears welled up in his eyes as she roared, her pride roaring back in welcome.

“It’s good to see you again, girl…” Shiro breathed out as he approached, almost choking up in a sob as he touched her giant paw, “I…I’m so sorry. I will never part from you ever again…”

‘My Paladin. Together again.’

Shiro felt her spirit in his heart, smiling as he soon watched her crouch down and open her mouth for him to enter. He quickly rushed into the pilot’s helm, then skidded to a halt when someone was already there standing expectantly, as if waiting for him. 

“…Caspian?”

A chuckle escaped the young man, arms folded and titled his head, “Hello, Shiro. About time…”

“So you’re the asshole that stole me and Cassie from our world and caused it’s destruction!”

Caspian sighed as he easily dodged Artemis’s hits, even blocking with his hand as she was grabbing her bow and trying to swing at him. Shiro and Ben had to hold the blonde back as she kicked and screamed profanities at him, which Caspian ignored while looking at everyone in the room.

“First of all, I am truly sorry that I did pull you from your homes and in turn, it did cause some worlds to be destroyed because of someone I know chasing after me,” Caspian explained, placing a hand over his heart and bowed his head, “But please know, that I only chose a few to save from the worlds for a greater purpose. It is bigger than some of the wars and battles from your worlds,”

“I get that…it’s just…” Hiro folded his arms and stared at Caspian up and down, scoffing, “From what that time travelling science teacher told us, you’re supposed to be an equivalent of a God or something? You just look like some college kid…?”

Caspian looked at Professor Paradox standing to the side, who was smiling knowingly.

“Comparing me to a God, hm? That’s a new one to me…”

“It’s the closest thing to describe you, Young Caspian. Unless you wish to be a Pantheon, instead?”

Caspian winced at the word, then shook his head, “Please, don’t. I didn’t choose to have this…ability.”

“So who’s the person chasing after you? Another God?” Terra asked, hands on her hips, “And you said that this other being destroys the worlds you visit, is that right?”

“Yes. I believe she’s…pissed that I got in the way of her plans.”

“And what are her plans, exactly?” Lance was the one asking this time, and Caspian was rubbing his temple.

“Me and this person…we go way back. In our world, we used to be ordinary teenagers. Well, my upbringing was complicated. But Maddie—”

“Maddie? Is that the name of the other being?” Hiro questioned warily, raising a brow, “For a Pantheon, her name is…too ordinary.”

“Maddie Kim. She’s a daughter of a brilliant computer programmer and engineer from Logorhythms, a company studying on a theory of placing a person forever on the internet,” Caspian hummed as he closed his eyes, “Maddie was as brilliant as her Dad, but…after finding out what that company did to her father, who died from a terminal illness and had his consciousness uploaded—“

“Consciousness uploaded?” Hiro was quick to put the pieces together as he gasped, “Does this mean your world has cracked the theory of UIs?”

Caspian paled, “Does your world…?”

“Er, not that far into it yet. I’ve heard rumours of Oscorp trying, but it never got into the experimental phase. Scientists chalked it up to just another fantasy like Frankenstein. Although I only know that Tony Stark made an AI named Ultron once…didn’t end too well.” Hiro shrugged but then breathed out, “So it’s possible to upload humans into things like Cloud—“

“But it shouldn’t be. Things got way out of hand and…well, it caused humanity to collapse in on itself,” Caspian was rubbing the side of his neck, “And I’m afraid to say, that a part of me was the cause of this—“

“Damn right!” Artemis growled as she pushed Shiro and Ben away, stomping towards him, “Who gives you the right to pull innocent people from their lives and—“

“But it was necessary!” Caspian interrupted while standing tall in front of her, “Because I’m trying to fix up the balance that was broken the first time because of Maddie’s selfishness. And the choices she made after…”

Everyone was quiet at that moment, and Shiro gulped for a moment. So this is why he sent me back at this time.

“So, wait, if you’re trying to fix her mess…why were you inside the Black Lion?” Hiro asked as he looked back at the larger Lion resting, “Are all our worlds destroyed completely once you took us out?”

“I was…sort of resting,” Caspian replied with a sheepish look, “Going around universes sorta makes a guy tired.”

“Indeed. Which is why I must take my leave,” Professor Paradox interrupted before making a portal next to him and making his way to step inside.

“W-wait! What if we wanna check on our worlds? Can you take us and we can come back?” Hiro asked.

Caspian raised a brow, then looked towards the time traveller, “Did you nottell them?”

“I’ve already told Benjamin, Miss Crock and Miss Sandsmark. You can have the privilege to explain it to the rest~” Professor Paradox smiled as he gave a wave, and soon left as the portal vanished along with him.

Cassie then looked at Hiro, “I thought you didn’t want to go back home?”

“Not when I’m told that there is a maniac God that might’ve destroyed my home,” Hiro argued angrily now, as Caspian came in between them.

“Actually, your world is fine, Hiro. But you just can’t go back home yet,”

“Why not?”

Caspian pursed his lips, “Maddie will notice you’ve returned in your world and will try to kill you.”

“She doesn’t know me.  Why would she want to kill me, I have nothing to do with her?” Hiro questioned as he narrowed his eyes.

“But you’re involved with me now. And she will sense my signature energy on you guys and try to make sure you are disposed off in case you side with me,” Caspian rubbed his temple once more, feeling a migraine coming on, “Which, again, I had no choice considering that most of you are the only options I’m stuck with…”

“So? She hates you, not us. Unless she’s that petty…?” Hiro saw Caspian’s wry smile and then rolled his eyes upwards, “For fuck’s sake. I’m sorry I asked now.”

“Listen. My goal is simple. If you guys help fix this world, there’s a chance I can take you guys back to where you belong. And things will be as it should…”

“But my world was destroyed! Me and Cassie just came back from it and that Professor guy said that there is no way we can go back!” Artemis pointed out, as Caspian sighed.

“Right now, my abilities diminished a bit since I was using most of it to bring you all here. But if we manage to save this universe, I can get a bit of my powers back slowly and restore your realities in a way that everyone will be happy.”

“So, beat the bad guys in this Universe, and we get to go home?” Cassie asked as Caspian nodded.

“That’s the gist of it. As if all this never happened,”

Shiro froze before he stepped forward, “Wait, does this mean that me changing the course of the future—?”

“What I mean is, this world will move forward without anymore interference once Zarkon and the Galra are defeated. Meaning this world will move on in it’s cycle and be at peace. Then everyone that helped will go back to their worlds none the wiser.”

So many questions were racing in Shiro’s head, but he sighed before folding his arms and nodded, “…Okay.”

“Okay?” Artemis growled as she stared up at him, “That’s it?”

“I think we should give Friend Caspian a chance and fight the evil Zarkon and his army,” Starfire chirped as she also came to her side, smiling, “It is no different from your own world, yes? Saving it and the innocent people that live in it?“

Artemis brushed her off, and started walking away to clear her head.

“…Give her some time. It’s a lot to take in,” Caspian breathed out in sympathy before looking to Ben, who remained quiet the whole time, “Did you not want to ask me anything?”

“Nah, this sort of thing is another Tuesday for me,” Ben shrugged as he gave an understanding smile, “Saving universes is just daily for me. So this isn’t a big deal…I mean, I know it’s a big deal to some…”

Suddenly, the doors slid opened and everyone turned to see Allura stepping in, looking determined. Her hair was tied in a high bun now instead of loose, wearing a white bodysuit with black areas on her midsection and thighs. The suit comes with a tapered blue belt, shoes, and clunky wrist guards. Pink accents are located on the collar, above her ribs, separating the white and black on her thighs, and under her kneepads. She has a pink "V" shape on her chest, just like the symbols around the Castle.

Soon, she spoke up, strong and clear.

"You all were brought here for a reason. The Voltron Lions are meant to be piloted by their chosen Paladins and I am sure those here are also have a great purpose. We must fight and keep fighting until we defeat Zarkon. It is our destiny. Voltron is the universe's only hope. We are the universe's only hope."

“Couldn’t agree more,” Caspian sighed in relief, and smiled when Allura looked at him inquisitively, “Caspian Keyes. Nice to finally meet you, Princess Allura~”

"We're with you, Princess." Shiro said with a smile, and Allura smiled back.

The Princess then led them to what seems to be another chamber room, only it held pods that had different coloured armoured suits inside once the lights came on. Shiro, Keith, Lance, Terra and Hiro stepped forward to look over at them, and Hiro was the one that spoke up.

“Are we supposed to wear these? Like is it mandatory?” Hiro asked warily, before Allura nodded with a chuckle.

“Yes. And don’t worry, the suits will fit to your body type automatically once you place them on.”

"Princess, are you sure about this?” Coran whispered from beside the Altean royal, frowning in concern, “They aren't exactly the best and brightest the universe has to offer."

“I think you should have a bit more faith in them.”

Both Allura and Coran looked over at Caspian, who shrugged.

“Sometimes it’s always the underdogs that rise up to the occasions. They just need a little training and teamwork.”

“Caspian is right,” Allura looked towards the rest of the people and smiled, “While the Paladins fly Voltron, there are many things to do in the Castle, like assisting Coran and also assisting myself when it comes to strategising against the Galra.”

“If it’s assistance you want~ Gambit can happily stand by you, Princess~” The man winked as he took her hand gently and kissed the back of it, giving a suave, charming smile while Allura coughed and looked away blushing.

“You might require someone that is familiar with the solar system now since it has changed through the thousand years you have been asleep. Allow me to also assist in any way,” Starfire stepped up as well with a kind gaze, and Allura appreciated it.

“Ditto here! I mean, I’m pretty much friendly with a lot of planets,” Ben pointed to himself with confidence, “You’ll need the great Ben 10 on your side~”

“I-I’m pretty strong!” Cassie chirped as she showed her muscles, smiling big, “So I can help with carrying things, lifting things…kicking butt. You name it! I swear on Themyscira that I will do my best to help!”

Jericho seemed to sign something as he smiled and saluted, and Hiro spoke up from afar.

“He said he’ll do his best.”

The only one that didn’t want to say anything was Laura, who looked pretty bored. 

Wendy, the girl that came with Lance, was rubbing her arm shyly before she opened her mouth, a quiet Australian accent coming out from her, “Er, um…dunno what’s goin’ on but…I’ll…help. Somehow?”

Allura felt touched, looking around the room with misty eyes, “Thank you. All of you.”

“Your father would be so proud, Princess,” Shiro stood next to her, now adorned in his Black Paladin armour, giving a warm fond smile, “We will stop Zarkon. And make sure that Altea will have it’s justice!”

“Hm?” Caspian looked around, quirking a brow before tapping his foot, “Someone is missing…”

“Eh?” Ben looked over at Caspian, “Who are we missing?”

“Artemis should be back by now…” Cassie looked to the door, worried. 

“No, not her.”

“Then who?” Ben asked as Caspian blinked slowly. 

“Didn’t Charmcaster come with you guys?”

Ben looked surprised at that, before he grinned cheekily.

“Oh yeah, she was here…I have a feeling she’ll be back because—“

“TENNYSON!”

“…I have her magic bag~”

Caspian just watched in amazement and surprise when Charmcaster poofed back into existence in between him and Ben, the sorceress whirling around to the smiling Omnitrix wielder.

“Ben Tennyson! You are the bane of my existence!” The magic user yelled as she started banging her fist onto his chest, and even got angrier when Ben kept on laughing, “Stop laughing! Urgh, give me back my magic bag!”

“Charmcaster.”

The witch froze at the voice and narrowed her eyes dangerously as she slowly turned to Caspian, who just waved calmly.

“…Caspian Keyes.”

“So you do know him,” Ben tilted his head as he looked at Charmcaster, but pouted as he was ignored.

“Yes. It’s been a while.”

“Great. Juuuuuust great. As if I don’t have enough to deal with. First the Tennyson’s, and now you.” Charmcaster threw her arms in the air, then pointed a finger at Caspian’s chest, “Don’t think I didn’t forget how you broke into Ledgerdomain and tried to pick a fight with me!”

“Technically, I was trying to rescue you from someone that actually wantedto fight you,” Caspian explained as he shrugged, “But you also perceived me as an enemy.”

“And with very good reason!” Charmcaster growled, her eyes magically glowing, “Your overpowered reality bending gifts are far too great. Almost a threat level that any sane person should be wary of!”

This caught some people’s attention as Caspian sighed.

“I wish you don’t phrase how I do things as overpowered. When, honestly, I’m not all that powerful.”

“Because you’re a fake.”

Shiro and Ben looked at Charmcaster in confusion.

“Fake?” 

Charmcaster scoffed at Shiro sounding dumbfounded, as she folded her arms, “Yeah, fake. Meaning, he’s just a construct of a real person and was given powers that he didn’t deserve to have. Reminds me too much fo Gwendolyn, that brat—”

“Would you please let that go? It’s starting to get old,” Ben drawled before looking at Caspian’s withdrawn expression and patted his back, “Well, you don’t seem fake to me, bud.”

“She’s actually telling the truth,” Caspian smiled wryly, “I’m actually a genetic template of a man named Stephen Holstrom, who died from cancer. He wanted to find a way to live longer, and gathered a few scientists and friends to fund his project. He is the Founder of Logorhythms, the very person working on UIs and succeeded in me. His life’s work of making a body, me, to grow and use when I turned eighteen…”

It was like one could drop a pin the room was that silent after that, and Allura was the first to speak.

“I…that is horrible!”

“That is messed up,” Lance finally spoke as he stared at Caspian, “It reminds me of that one movie about a guy’s girlfriend’s family taking over people’s bodies by brain switching or some hypno-therapy shit!”

“That’s…just a work of fiction,” Caspian said deadpanned, but continued, “What Holstrom worked on was more…complicated and took years to even get it off the ground. It was worked on even when he died…”

“And his conscious was uploaded to preserve until you were ready and thus his memories and everything would be transferred into you…meaning you would cease to exist and he’d take over. At least, that is the theory,” Hiro stated and looked sick as he stared at the other with a gulp, “Lance’s right. That’s fucked.”

“Language,” Shiro said unconsciously, and blinked when Hiro was holding up what seems to be a dollar in hand, “Er…?”

“…Oh! Sorry, habit. Tadashi tended to have a swear jar on him to make me drop money inside with each swear I say,” Hiro hummed and placed his money away.

Allura coughed, already walking towards a table that was in the room, waving her hand as the glass over it vanished magically in sparks of light. In front of her were strange looking devices that almost looked like a game console to most. 

"The Bayard is the traditional weapon of the Paladins of Voltron. It takes a distinct shape for each Paladin."

Once Allura was done with her explanation, the Bayards suddenly floated in the air and went to their prospective Paladin. Lance was the first to grab the red Bayard and blinked when it transformed into a broad sword.

“Er…I thought I’d be more of a gunslinger or something?” Lance hummed as he looked at the sword, but then squeaked when it transformed into a sniper rifle, and grinned, “Ha! That’s more like it!”

Both Shiro and Allura stared at Lance in awe for a minute, both of them having the same thought. 

‘He really is special…’

Keith smirked as he had his own sword and his armour activated a shield on his other hand, “Sweet.”

Hiro looked at his Bayard for a moment before he saw it turned into an elegant looking katana, swinging it around for a moment and raised a brow, “I mean, I know I took Kendo when I was younger, but ah well…”

“Ohhh! I like my one!” Terra yelled as she looked down at the her Bayard turning into what seems to be gauntlets around both her wrists, clicking them and suddenly raised her arms to shoot to the ceiling as well.

“Amazing! They almost work like Dual Ranged Shot Gauntlets,” Hiro observed, tilting his head as Terra was bouncing in excitement.

Allura then softened as she looked to Shiro in sympathy, and Shiro knew what was coming next.

"Shiro, I'm afraid your Bayard was lost with its Paladin.”

“It’s…okay. I think I’ll just maybe use my fists?” Shiro raised said fists with a sheepish smile.

“Shiro, you suck at fist fighting?” Keith spoke up dryly, and Shiro felt himself wither a bit.

That was right. If Shiro was in his peak self with his metal arm and his time being the Champion, maybe he would be able to keep up with combats. 

“…Then we better get started on training then,” Shiro finally said, looking over at Allura, who excitedly nodded.

“Shiro is right! We’re going to have to toughen you all up and whip you into shape! Starting tomorrow, we’re going to have to do some combat training and some team bonding so that you’ll be able to transform the Lions into Voltron easily~”

“Meanwhile, I suppose while they are training, we should think about making even more protection and defenses around the Castle. Not to mention we should check up around the area of Arus, see if there’s any life around here?”

Shiro remembered the Arusians and was about to tell Ben about it when suddenly Gambit screamed up a storm.

“Oh mon Dieu! WHAT IN THE—Es-tu fou?”

Coran looked a bit shocked as he stood with a floating plate of…green go beside him then felt insulted, “Hey, now! The Food Goo in the Castle is supposed to be nutritious and last for generations~”

“Mwen pa konprann—This isn’t REAL food! Gambit rather eat Jean’s nasty Christmas dinner than this, and that says something!” Gambit shuddered before shaking his head, “Non! Non! This won’t do! The first thing that should be done, is to get proper food stock!”

“…I agree.” Shiro winced at remembering the many years of having food goo on board in his first life, and was relieved someone finally said it.

“There’s gotta be a planet that probably has like a grocery store, right?” Cassie suggested as she pointed a finger up, “Unless we just…go hunting around the planet?”

“Thus, the idea of exploring Arus is a good idea,” Ben repeated once more and Shiro soon stood by his side, “What’s up, Shiro?”

“There is a village close by outside of the Castle…”

“There is?” Both Coran and Allura chirped in surprise, and Shiro nodded.

“Lemme guess…another vision?” Ben asked sarcastically as Shiro looked hurt at the suspicious look on his face, and Ben softened with a sigh, “I’m sorry. I know you said that you can see future stuff but…it’s just hard to believe…”

“I-I understand…” Shiro nodded, turning his head away, “I know that I’m not exactly trustworthy at the moment considering our tracked history.”

Ben felt his gut twist, taking Shiro’s hand, “No! That’s not—“

“So what should we do now if training is tomorrow,” Lance interrupted as he raised a hand, “Can we take the Lions for a spin?”

“Oh! Oh! Let’s have a race!” Terra exclaimed as she jumped by Lance’s side, taking his arm and pulling at it, “I wanna test how fast Yellow can go, even if she’s a big girl~”

Coran was twirling his moustache with a hum, nodding his head, “Good, good! It would be a great opportunity to get to know your Lions more. Together, your bond will grow even stronger and you’ll be able to be Voltron in no time. It's not going to be easy being the Defenders of the Universe."

Everyone was quiet for a moment with that line, and Shiro softened at remembering the exact words he said.

"Defenders of the Universe, huh? That's got a nice ring to it."

“I thought I’d find you here.”

Artemis raised a brow as she looked over to see Shiro peeking from the edge of the window sill she was sitting on, being near the highest window in the room.

“This place is also where I go whenever I need time to think…er, a-at least according to my visions, heh.”

Indeed, it was one of the rooms that Shiro had discovered one night when he couldn’t sleep. Apparently, according to Allura, it was a room that was similar to the Memory Chamber, but it mapped out all the stars and planets in the solar system they were currently in. In a way, it was indeed like an Altean planetarium.

“…Just leave me alone.”

“I managed to find where Laura was too, and she’s joining the others to explore Arus, did you maybe want to come with?” Shiro offered, even softening when she shook her head, curling in on herself, “Artemis…”

“You don’t get it,” Artemis sniffled, burying her face into her knees, hugging them, “You have no idea what it’s like to be taken from your home, forced into being surrounded by complete strangers and fight some war that has nothing to do with you! I just…I just want to go home!”

Shiro hoisted himself up to sit next to her, waiting in case she pushed him away. When she didn’t, he scooted closer, as he looked out the window and hummed.

“Actually, I know exactly how you feel.”

Artemis snorted, “Yeah, right. You look like you haven’t fought a day in your life.”

Shiro chuckled awkwardly, “You have no idea…”

Artemis raised a brow at him, and Shiro sighed.

“Believe me, I understand what you’re going through. You feel like that you were dragged into something and it’s not fair. That you wish to go and be with your loved ones and run away…”

“Hey! Don’t twist this in me being a coward—“

“I wasn’t.” Shiro murmured as he looked off in the distance, “I…I knew someone that was captured by some bad guys. That he was tortured over and over, his mind breaking each day. He hated the world, hated everything…including himself. He hated how destiny trapped him in a cycle of being forced to fight over and over everyday, and be punished when he loses…all because he knew that if didn’t fight, the people he cared about would be hurt.”

The archer was quiet as he talked, and Shiro took this time to pat her hand gently, making her look up at him.

“You seem like a fighter. And…it seems time was not kind to you in your world. But if you help, if you fight alongside us and save this universe? We’ll see in trying to get you home, to get back to your family…”

“…” Artemis sighed as she looked tired, “The last thing I remember before I was brought into this world…was getting news that the love of my life was gone.”

Shiro almost thought of his past self when losing Adam, “I’m so sorry….”

“Wally…Wally just wanted to be away from the hero life, you know? Finish college, graduate…maybe…maybe even settle down…?” Artemis shrugged, “I dunno. I thought that after our own battle in our world to defeat the Reach and save Earth, we had our whole lives ahead of us to think of what to do next…maybe it was my fault that I was itching to be a hero again and it costed me the best thing that’s ever happened to me…”

Shiro watched her face crumble, the strong facade she was holding onto just cracked as she started crying, and Shiro opened his arms out easily as he let her fall into him while she sobbed her heart out. 

It was like looking in a mirror, the nights of him crying into a friend’s arms after a nightmare occurs, nightmares of his time in captive with the Galra, the episodes of being tortured every time…

The only ones that knew of his breakdowns were Keith and even Lance. But for Lance, it was mostly after defeating Hornerva and a year after Allura’s death. Lance was his rock at that time, and Shiro appreciated it. Keith did try his best to be there for Shiro, but Shiro knew that Keith was growing independent and was doing so much for the Blade of Marmora, Shiro didn’t have the heart to burden him with his problems.

‘This time, even if if this family is a little different…I’ll do whatever it takes to protect everyone. Whatever it takes.’

After a few minutes, Artemis pushed Shiro away gently and started wiping her eyes. Shiro offered a tissue to her, and she raised a hand up, shaking her head.

“Er, t-thanks. And…sorry for going all mushy on you…” She sniffled, her eyes puffy from crying along with the tear tracks down her cheeks, and Shiro smiled softly.

“You’re welcome…and hey, if you feel like, you know…being mushy again? Don’t hesitate to come to me. I’m willing to be a shoulder to cry on and listen.”

Artemis took a breath, shrugging, “It’s…gonna take time. I mean, I’m still wrapping my head around the fact my universe is gone.”

“Well, Caspian said he will find a way to restore it and get you and Cassie home so…at least there’s hope?”

Shiro honestly hoped to Bob that Caspian was telling the truth.

A cough sounded and the two looked down from their place to see Ben was staring up at them with his hands on his hips.

“Hey guys, some of the others went out to explore Arus for a bit for bonding time, but it’s mostly Keith, Lance and Terra racing with their lions and the others watching. Wanna go and catch up with them?”

“Er, you go on ahead Ben. Me and Artemis are…” Shiro glanced over at the blonde, who was rubbing her face frantically to hide she was crying just a minute ago, “Just having a talk.”

Ben stared at them for a moment longer before shrugging, “Okay~ Anyways, me and Star are gonna be talking with Allura about training tomorrow so, if you two are done talking by then, you can join us in the Lounge.”

And with that, Ben walked out.

“You didn’t have to stay with me, ya know?”

Shiro glanced back at Artemis and smiled.

“Nah, I felt like staying with you. Besides, since we’re stuck together for now, I thought this could be our own bonding moment.”

He then laughed for and Artemis looked at him weirdly before Shiro waved a hand, chuckling softly.

“Oh, um, I thought of something funny, like, something like this happened to a couple of friends of mine. Apparently one forgot their bonding moment together.”

“Oh, that’s...it sounds like a lot of romantic tension between them,”

“There were so much tension, it was hard to not to tell them to kiss already.” Artemis laughed a little and rolled her eyes upwards, “I know that feeling. Connor and M’gann were the same back when we started as a team it drove me crazy—“

Shiro smiled as he listened to Artemis’ tale about her team, her family, and couldn’t help but miss the dynamic back in his old life. He just hoped he made the right decision. 

“Where are Friend Shiro and Friend Artemis?”

Ben looked up to see Starfire floating towards him, looking slightly worried, and smiled reassuringly to her.

“They’re having a talk. I think Artemis was overwhelmed with the whole thing and Shiro is just being a good leader and comforting her.”

“I don’t blame the poor girl. I, too, am still reeling at the fact that we have to prepare for a battle against Zarkon,” Allura spoke up as she was followed by Gambit and Caspian behind her, “Not only that…but to lose the only home you know? I feel her pain.”

Gambit placed a comforting hand on the Princess’ shoulder, “Well, she’s surrounded among good people now. Those that understand and now can be there for her.”

“You’re very quick to adapt, Gambit. I’m impressed,” Caspian pointed out as the Cajun shrugged.

“Eh, when you’ve lived in the bayou of Louisiana for as long as I have along with living with the X-men, survival comes easy to you,” He then paused before smiling, “Also, since we are all mon amis here, you may call me Remy.”

“In that case, I wish for you to all address me as Kori’ander…or Kori, is fine as well,” Starfire placed a hand over her heart and nodded her head, as Ben smiled, “Although Starfire or Star is also the option.”

“I already call you Star. And…I’m just Ben.”

Caspian quirked a smile before he asked while walking them back to the Bridge of the Castle, “So, what’s the strat for tomorrow?”

“Train the Paladins first. You lot can assist me with that since I believe some of you are combat ready…I believe you said you saved the world a few times, Ben?” Allura inquired, and Ben nodded.

“Ever since I was ten.”

“Oh my, you started so late in fighting?” Allura gasped while Ben looked at her strangely, “Why have you been held back?”

“Er, cuz…I’m not a child soldier, Allura—do the people in your homeward train children to fight in wars at a young age?” 

“The earliest I’ve trained with my Mother in Military Combat and Battle Strategies was when I was just in the age of four deca-pheabs.” Allura stated confidently, but noticed the stares she was getting and looked puzzled, “Er, is that…not normal, on Earth?”

“Yeah well, Child Labor Laws will say otherwise…” Ben said slowly before noticing Coran was looking at something on the monitors of the Bridge, “Coran? You okay?”

“There’s an intruder lurking outside the Castle doors.” The man pointed to the screen and everyone looked up to see a shadow-y figure lurking near the Entrance of the Castle of Lions, but it was too dark to see who it was.

“How long have they been lurking there?” Ben questioned as Coran tried to lighten the video feed.

“For about five minutes, after the rest of the Team left…” The ginger Altean answered as he then gasped, “What if it’s a Galra?”

“Or maybe a being living on this planet?” Starfire pointed out, before looking to Ben, “Perhaps we should check?”

“Oh for the love of—Here! Why don’t I just bring them in here?”

Ben forgot that Charmcaster was there and before he could warn her, the witch waved her hand and suddenly a burly and hairy looking man growling at them. Gambit’s eyes widened as he almost recognized the person before him and stepped forward.

“Wolverine…?”

An angry battle cry sounded from the man as suddenly familiar silver claws appeared between his knuckles and before the beast like person could jump on them, Starfire quickly used a Star Bolt at him, blasting him away.

“ENEMY COMBATANT! HYA HYA!” Coran was quick to jump and tackle the man, pulling out what seemed to be Altean handcuffs and cuffing the man’s hands behind his back, “WE’VE GOT YOU NOW!”

“Coran, wait—!”

Gambit didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence before the animalistic man began to buck wildly from under Coran, throwing the Altean off before breaking the cuffs apart and pinned Coran down, one claw under the ginger’s neck.

“Where is this place, bub? Ya better start talking!”

“Logan! Logan! Stop!” Gambit skidded next to the man as he tried to pull him away from Coran, “It’s me! Gambit! Snap out of it, couillon!”

Logan was panting before he then snapped his head towards Gambit, and he blinked slowly, “…Gambit?”

A sigh of relief sounded from the Cajun, who smiled weakly, “Oui, it’s Gambit…”

Logan kicked Coran away from him before wrapping his strong arms around the red head, squeezing him tightly with a grunt, “Damn it, you swamp rat! I thought you were—?”

“Dead? Heh, hardly. As if you could get rid of the charmin’ Remy LeBeau~” Gambit joked before he choked when the shorter man started holding him even tighter, “Ack! L-Logan! T-Too tight!”

“You got a lot of explaining to do, asshole. Otherwise I’m going to break you in two…like a twig.” Logan growled with narrowed eyes, and Coran had to step in.

“Alright! That’s enough there—“ The Altean man was worried this man was going to hurt Gambit, but then blinked when Logan snapped his head towards him and snarled, and Coran raised his hands up in surrender, “Er, m-my what…what lovely teeth you’re showing—“

“What’s going on?” Shiro’s voice sounded as he and Artemis was stepping in the room, looking at the newcomer then at Ben, “Who’s this?”

“Long story. Apparently he’s Gambit’s friend.”

“Er, m-more like workmate,” Gambit joked before he tried to calmed Logan down, “Question is, I wonder if he was brought here like Gambit?”

Everyone looked to Caspian this time, and the man shook his head, his expression equally surprised.

“…This isn’t my doing.”

Shiro frowned, “Then who?”

Matt Holt felt furious. 

Don’t get him wrong, he knew that Shiro was having a…hard time, before the Kerberos Launch. But the fact that his best friend went AWOL on him and has kidnapped two cadets that included Keith…honestly, Matt almost thought that Shiro was going through some mental meltdown, thanks to his disease.  

Even Sam Holt was confused on how this all happened.

“It was the strangest thing, honey!” Matt heard his dad talking to his mom as soon as they arrived home and Sam had to explain what was going on, “Shiro just…left. And now he’s reported missing and wanted for insubordination and kidnapping! It’s honestly a disaster…”

Matt stomped his way up the stairs, not wanting to hear anymore, and went to his room. He paused for a moment as he saw his sister’s door, and almost wanted to burst in and rant to her on what happened. But considering he and his Dad came in late and surprised Mom, he thought maybe he should reserve that for tomorrow morning.

Opening the door into his room, Matt was about to flop himself onto the bed but let out a silent scream when he saw a hooded stranger on his bed.

“Relax, Matt, it’s me.”

Matt blinked as the hooded figure brought their hood down, and he sighed in relief, “Raven. It’s you.”

The mistress of magic crossed her leg over her knee, leaning back on her hands resting behind her as she sat on his bed, “I heard you didn’t go through with the Kerberos mission after all,”

“Yeah, no thanks to Shiro!” Matt closed the door behind him, plopping himself next to the former Titan, and let out a long whiny sound, “I’m telling you, Rae! It was like he went crazy! Not to mention he ran off with cadets with Ben—”

“Ben Tennyson was there?” Raven questioned with a frown.

Matt nodded in confirmation, “I know that Ben wanted to say goodbye and say his final words before Shiro left, but I didn’t think Shiro would just do a one eighty and chase after him. It almost seemed like yesterday Shiro couldn’t wait to leave Earth and be away from him, and honestly, I thought that was his whole purpose of going to Kerberos. But to see Shiro clinging to Ben and crying, I was so shocked—“

Raven listened carefully as Matt continued his rant, a thoughtful expression on her face.

‘Does this have to do with Starfire suddenly leaving the Tower too? Because she suddenly went missing as well.’

She knew Nightwing’s death was a heavy one, especially with how he died. Apparently, he was on a mission with Batman in Gotham as a favour to his former mentor, the mission being to take down some of Arkham’s inmates breaking out. It was then that Nightwing was suddenly hit by one of the guards, resulting the hero to fall and break his neck, instantly killing him.

‘A sad way to go, and none of us got over it…’ Raven thought to herself before looking up at Matt, who was still chatting away, and suddenly spoke, “Matt, do you have any idea where Shiro went?“

“Hell if I know?!” Matt groaned as he placed his hands over his face, taking a deep breath before he stared up at the ceiling angrily, “I’ve tried calling that man and it always goes to voice mail! I swear to God, if I ever see him again—”

“Maybe we could track him.”

Matt froze and snapped his head towards Raven, “Huh?”

Raven grabbed his hand as a dark shadow of a bird appeared behind them, ignoring Matt’s scared squeaks as it was wrapping it’s wings around them then vanished into thin air along with them. 

“Matt? You in here?” 

Katie Holt opened the door and peeked inside, blinking as her brother’s room was empty. Huh, she could’ve sworn she just heard him hollering and yapping just a moment ago? 

Sighing, she stepped into the room to see if maybe Matt was hiding and readying to jump scare her, when all of a sudden, a bright gold light appeared before her. Shielding her eyes, Katie raised her arms up in defense and once the light was gone, she slowly lowered her arms and blinked seeing two strange boys in front of her.

“Wha—?! Who are you guys?!” She demanded as she grabbed the nearest object close to her, which happened to be a lampshade, and raised it as a weapon, “Don’t make me hurt you!”

“Wait, wait, wait! Cálmate! We don’t mean any harm,” The first boy, who looked to be a slight tan skinned boy with dark frizzy hair and dark eyes, his accent almost sounding Argentinian.

“Yeah! What he said! We’re looking for a Matt Holt!” The other boy, a red haired Caucasian in what seems to be a one-fitted tight suit in yellow and red…although what caught Katie’s attention was the symbol on his chest.

“…Kid Flash?” She murmured before the young man nodded.

“Yeah! Kid Flash II, you can just call me Bart—“

“Oi!” The first boy turned to Bart and hissed at him, “Why you got to reveal your secret identity?!”

“She’s Matt Holt’s sister right? We can trust her, Ed,” Bart patted his shoulder before looking at Katie, “Now, your brother? He here?”

“That’s the thing. I thought I heard him talking in here and…he’s suddenly gone.” Katie answered slowly, looking at the two warily.

Bart cursed as he was tapping his chin with his index finger and tapping his foot on the ground at the same time, looking troubled.

“Believe me, I was confused too when he suddenly appeared to me and dragged me around to different universes,” Ed told Katie before looked to his partner, “Bart, maybe we are in the wrong universe? Why are we looking for some guy named Matt Holt, anyways?”

Katie whistled to call their attention once more, and the two boys looked to her.

“How about explaining more things to me first? Starting off with, why do you look different than the Kid Flash I know and you said universes? And who’s sidekick is this guy?” She asked this as she pointed to Ed.

Bart sighed, “Okay, okay…we’ll explain everything—“

“And I am no one’s sidekick. I’m just Eduardo Dorado, or just Ed,” Ed pointed to himself then jerked his thumb towards Bart, who smiled, “And this jackass is here is trying to prevent the worlds from ending.”

Katie blinked, then sat herself onto her brother’s bed, “…Okay. Proceed.”

End of Transmission

[theclaravoyant]

AN ~ PINING EDDIE YOU SAY??? i wrote a text post and then decided to fic it . (leslie knope voice; i'm big enough to admit i'm often inspired by myself)

for my 911 kiss roulette a kiss out of spite

buddie - (one side of) feelings realisation bonus 118 sticking it to the maneosis also on ao3

-

There's a muffled tirade of spluttering and hollering down below and then - “HAN! PANIKKAR! GET BACK HERE. BUCKLEY!!!!” - and Buck launches himself into the kitchen; in a jumble of laughing limbs with splotches of yellow and pink cornstarch gulal powder as bright as hibiscus splattered all over him. Adrenaline and mischief gleam in his eyes.

“Eddie, Eddie, Eddie-” he beckons. “Come here. Kiss me, quick!”

“What?” Eddie's baffled, but he's already moving, because it's Buck and of course he is. “Operation Holi Festival worked great. Gerrard's like, a millimetre away from admitting defeat. I reckon if we can get him with this he'll go hide in his office for the rest of shift. Or have a rage aneurysm. Either way, we'll be free. Come on, please?”

“I don't know if this is a good idea,” Hen objects, but the stomping footsteps portending the arrival of (a very, very ticked off) Gerrard are already on their way up.

Eddie is already nodding. Because it's Buck, and of course he is.

“Threetwoone, make it count!” Buck cries, and he leaps across the space between them to kiss his best friend with the world's biggest smile on his face.

And at first, Eddie thinks, that's just what he's doing. The more tender and perfect the kiss is, the better it works. For the bit, of course. The way his hands pull Buck's hips toward him like they've been doing this for years, that's just good acting. The way his lips chase Buck's and draw things out, unspeakably desperate for those extra few seconds for reasons he can't yet comprehend, well it's surely because he's just enjoying letting the old bigot stew in it isn't he – never mind the fact that Gerrard could hardly be farther from his thoughts.

No, his thoughts are consumed by Buck, Buck, Buck. Eddie knows more than most what it's like to have his life flash before his eyes and this is a lot like that. It's a grenade blast and a gunshot and a lightning strike and the brightest blue eyes in the entire world. It's the world-rending sound of screaming for him. It's the name scratched into his will. It's the familiar smile and the laughter he knows with his eyes closed; it's running down the footpath; it's making his son smile; it's handmade lasagne steaming with love, and pulling faces, and throwing popcorn, and falling asleep on his couch together. Maybe it's waking up together too, he thinks. Maybe it's forever.

And then it's over.

And Buck's laughing as he pulls away - all but cackling as Gerrard shouts meaningless abuse, neutralised by the rainbow splattered across him; his uniform dunked in orange and purple and bright sky blue, and a well aimed burst of pink tangled all in his moustache. His face is nearly a matching colour of fuchsia as – just as Buck predicted – he storms off to his office to sulk, or fume, or whatever will keep him out of their hair for the moment. An equally gulal-drenched Chim and Ravi join them at last, and Buck is caught up high-fiving and gesturing with them an emphatic group retelling of the story. He doesn't seem to notice that he's struck such a chord. Small mercies, Eddie thinks, since he still hasn't found it in himself to move.

(“What do you want?” Buck had asked him, not too long ago.

And now he knows, it's this, this, this.)

Across the room, Buck takes out his phone and urges Ravi and Chim into the frame for a photo. He's probably sending it to Tommy. Sharing the love.

It feels at once like he's flying and being shot out of the sky.

Hen meets his eyes, pain and sympathy.

“Uh oh,” she murmurs.

He has to agree.

[kaledya]

• Giovanni time🌸

First, Kaledya, how dare you. Combined the fox and the moustache ? Two things I like. A lot. And you just put it here like I could handle it ? Ahah

More seriously, Giovanni design is amazing, his personality seems to be what I like to work with. Little bit insolent, cunning, clever, playful, classy.

Honestly, my reaction when I saw Giovanni, I was just like... *Giovanni takes the part of me that will instantly adore him, dance some kizomba.*

Giovanni *murmurs* :" I know you like to be in control, but not today..." Me : right. Giovanni :" My parent (Kaledya) says that you're a goddess like them. Could you maybe..." Me : yes. Giovanni *continue to dance* : "...give me an entire Ring of Hell where I can be the master and also replace one of the seven deadly sins ?" Me : yes. ...

Wait, what ?!"

That was the reaction ahah. (I'm not exaggerating what do you mean ?)

• More seriously, I made an OC to be his assistant. If you don't like it, of course tell me!

So my OC is named Hürrem. She is a bastard princess of the Goetia. I thought about this character for Giovanni to have access to more that he already can.

Specie : Demon ( quarter-blood Ars Goetia) Feature : parrot sun conure + bunny Gender : female Age : 21

Title : none Family situation : Hürrem is a daughter of the Ars Goetia prince Vassago and a bastard half-blood princess named Parvin.

Mother : Parvin is the illegitimate daughter of King Paimon and a normal bunny Demon. She died by giving birth to the egg of her only daughter Hürrem.

[Fun fact : Parvin is a teen in the 16th century, when the human Hürrem Sultan (Rolexana) was alive and she find her amazing like her own hero and that is why she wanted her daughter to be called Hürrem (means happy/pleasant). Also wanted her to be happy as she never was herself.]

Parvin never had the princess title, and she was the 'pupil' of Paimon and secluded in her own palace.

BACKSTORY : Vassago was born way later and, as a lot of Ars Goetia member unhappy and pressured by the life he was demanded to live. He find Parvin one day and they become the best of friends. But one day, Vassago was already married and unhappy, depressed (he is gay) they kinda make love in a way to make themselves better. And Parvin become pregnant. And its panic.

Parvin put Vassago away from her life (she told him she ruined her but the reality she wanted to protect him from Paimon rage.) Parvin and Vassago stop talking to each other. Parvin died in childbirth of her egg. Paimon is distressed and hide it and he will never know who is the dad. Vassago take the egg and raise his daughter Hürrem giving her everything but anything. No love but education. No title. (Complex relationship)

STORY : as a bastard child, and something very rare amongst Ars Goetia especially with mixed blood in lineage, Hürrem is stuck in nothingness. The Crown Prince Constantine, ask her for an audience one day. He knows she is very observant and have good instinct by always looking others without a sound. He gives her a mission :

With the help of a Hellhound, a detective, named Giovanni (Kaledya OC), she will be his assistant and help him navigate into the places a Hellhound can't go alone without raising suspicions (aristocratic places).

And their mission is very secret : found the Queen Lilith who have disappeared. If she accepts and with Giovanni found the Queen, the Crown Prince promised her to legitimate her as a princess, found her a match and a place in her family (and stop all the rumor and give a kind of pardon to her dad). What she always wanted right ?

And so her adventures start with Giovanni!

Personality : Hürrem is insecure, observant, instinctive, she knows everything there is to know on the Ars Goetia (the facade) and she doesn't know much of the others lives of demons (Succubus, Hellhound, Imps). She gives herself an attitude to not crumble as she has no one to cry with. She is not confident in herself. She dressed more practical than pretty. She is funny when she feels okay, get flustered easily, not very good with face-to-face interactions.

Hürrem is asexual, she is very afraid to die like her mom if she has sexual relationship so she always put a vast distance with sexuality and herself. Otherwise she is actually too romantic for her own good (she lives and breath romcom) !

The idea I got from Giovanni and Hürrem character dynamic is : the detective and his assistant. Hürrem is not particularly commonly clever, she observe, found something and then Giovanni run into the action with the tricks and all. Her area of knowledge is short, but she likes to learn. She is not manipulative at all. Giovanni could be very playful with her ? And help her feel more herself ? And Giovanni could, with time, like her candour? I don't know yet !

Exemple :

*Hürrem reads files about a place they need to go tonight to find a guy that maybe can help them. Giovanni enter the room and just look above her shoulder.*

G : What're you doing, princess ? H : I'm not...! How many times? Anyway. I'm doing our job. G : Hum, really ? And all of this *look at the papers*, is necessary how ? We already know where we're going. H : No we don't... By Lucifer ! You already know all along and you told me to do the search anyway?!

*Giovanni fake a moment of thinking before smiling.*

G : Yeah. My bad. H : I will... *raise her hands at him angrily*

*Giovanni takes her wrists and leans towards her.*

G : Do what exactly ? Shout some birds noises in my soft ears, princess ? H : Stop calling me that ! G *laughing* : Why ? You're so appetising when you're blushing !

*leaves and Hürrem is alone and flustered and annoyed.*

Tell me what you think !

So, the idea of second most trusted man of the Clan of Whispers searching for Lilith is great. It help to tied up different stories together :

Constantine search for Lilith > Lilith is emprisonned somewhere by Roo/Eve > Roo/Eve send Alastor to the Hazbin Hotel > Hazbin Hotel is made by Charlie > Charlie accept Serenity in the redemption  team > Serenity already knows Constantine > Constantine send Giovanni and Hürrem find Lilith >

Full circle ! Boom !

So now that I talk about Hürrem, I need to ask questions about Giovanni. I need details. Everything. So I'm sorry, I will ask :

  - I know he is a Hellhound, but what is he ? A dog ? A fox ? A wolf ? A husky ?   - What is his type ?   - What is his situation ? (Single, divorced, married, ménage à trois, I don't know)   - What made him choose to be in the Clan of Whispers ? (Was he an orphan like the others or its another type of story) and was he always a detective?   - Should Hürrem be taller or smaller than him ? Or same height ?   - Is he okay ? (Mentally)   - Does he likes nightclubs/nightlife ?   - He lives in the Pride Ring or a different Ring ? What's his favorite Ring ?   - Does he have a house or an apartment ? Or doesn't he sleep on whatever sofa in the quarters of the Clan's place ?   - What's the relationship with Serenity ?   -  Can he fight ? If yes with what ?

In fonction of how you answers the questions about Giovanni, it will help me to finish up Hürrem development and knows how her story will end. So thanks in advance! And I'm sorry, I don't usually ask questions, i hope its okay.

Have a nice day 🌸🌸

Hahahah but let's be honest now, mustache suits fox characters very well.A thin mustache provides complete perfection to that cunning. 🤌And I'm really glad you liked the design!!

Since it is a somewhat sketchy design, I plan to draw him in more detail in the future.

His personality is exactly as you described! You nailed it 10/10!!

AND LMAO It was so much fun reading the little dialogues you wrote!

G:So, you are a god, dear, considering your beauty,I would have to be a blind hellhound not to guess it.

M:Yes.

HA! Can you give me the 7 rings of hell?

M Consider it done. Is there anything else you want?

G:Don't worry I am kidding darli-. Wait seriously?? Are you serious????

M: YES.🗿

LMAO

--

Didn't like?? I LOVED HÜRREM SO MUCH THANKS FOR CREATING HER!!

And first of all, I would like to mention a few funny coincidences.

First of all, Hürrem being half rabbit

After making Giovanni in your previous answer, I was going to make a joke about how it would be funny if the other OC who would be his partner did have rabbit features or a rabbit demon.Then I gave up.

Becouse of that I really laughed and was surprised when I learned that Hürrem was half rabbit.(sometimes it feels like we share the same brain cell)

Because when you mentioned creating Detective OC in your previous message, I immediately thought of Nick and Judy.I created Giovanni with inspiration from Nick.So in short, it was a fun coincidence.

2. Hürrem's name.

As far as I know, Hürrem is a Turkish, or rather Persian, name. In the Ottoman Empire, there was also a famous sultan called Hürrem Sultan.I don't even know if you know, but there was a TV series called (Muhteşem yüzyıl) which used to be very popular in Turkey. And I guess Hürrem Sultan one of The most popular characters in that series.

(I think the series was a kind of history + palace drama. I haven't watched it, but it's a series I've heard a lot about)

Long story short, I'm seriously surprised that you used the name Hürrem your OC.

While creating Giovanni, I was going to give him a Turkish name at first, but since I couldn't find a good name, I named him Giovanni (I don't know why, I thought it fit his Fox look very well).

(Since Olcayto's name is Turkish, I wanted to include him as well)

Anyway, unnecessary details, sorry! I just really like your choice of name!

---

I really loved the background of Hürrem's parents. It's also really interesting that Vassago is her father.ve I really loved Parvin's past and story. It was very sad that she received treatment she did not deserve and then died at birth.I also loved the reason why Parvin named her Hürrem!

And I also liked that Vassago and Hürrem had a complex relationship. But I finds it very sad that she grew up not receiving any love from her father and was ostracized from other nobles probably because she was a bastard.The thing a child needs most at that age will be love.

I also noticed something. In SSAU Paimon is also a fallen angel . Does this mean that Parvin has angel blood in her veins? Or isn't Paimon a fallen angel in AA?

--

I really like the reason why Constantine chose Hürrem.

As a result, there are places where Giovanni will draw attention as he travels as a hellhound, and the places where nobles live who see hellhounds as dogs (a group of servants) are among them.

Here, Hürrem both ensures Giovanni's access to these areas and ensures that he attracts less attention.

And Hürrem has characteristics that most Goetias do not have, she is not spoiled, she is not a bad person, she is not someone who is distracted by wealth or level.A young girl who just wants to escape from her situation.

So the best choice for Constantine

After all, she is someone who has nothing to lose but everything to gain, and Constantine is the only one who can remove the "Bastard" mark on her as the crown prince and the person currently sitting on the hell's throne.

--

I really liked Hürrem's personality. She's seriously connected to her past seriously logical. and I already love her! It is very fun to read such character types.Also, characters like this are usually the ones with the best character development.

Also, I really loved how she knew everything about Goetia but didn't know anything about other races!

It can be said that she and Giovanni complement each other here.Because Giovanni is someone who doesn't like or even hates the nobles, he only knows bad things about Goetia, nothing else.And unlike Hürrem, Giovanni's professional field is non-noble races.

So I think there will be a really nice dynamic in their research.They both show each other worlds they don't know.

Maybe even when they took a break somewhere, Giovanni took Hürrem to a nearby Clan Mansion. And the hellhounds there are really friendly and good to Hürrem, they don't exclude her just because of the stamp on her head.

H:Why are they being nice to me?

G:Why wouldn't they? My dear, did you commit a crime that I don't know about?

H:NO?!??

G: Then you don't need to worry.

H:I don't know... Look, I'm sorry, I'm just not used to this kind of treatment. People around me usually -

G: Do they ignore you because you're a bastard? Do they look at you like garbage?

My dear, I am a Bastard, everyone here is a bastard or an orphan. Do you think anyone will care that your parents brought you to hell before they got married? This is something those arrogant nobles use, not the hellhounds here. Just be a good and honest person and you will be accepted here.

G:In the end, you know what they say, bastards must stay together

H: Seriously, I'm 70 percent sure there is no such word like that

But.... thank you Giovanni I mean it.

G: Always fluffy feathers. I'm going to go get some more drinks and you go socialize. If you want, there should be a kindergarden around here, you can spend time with the cubs too

*As Giovanni walked away, Hürrem looked at him with a smile, then turned around and went to where the other hellhounds were.*

(Normally, most Hellhounds do not like nobles or are prejudiced, but since Hürrem is someone invited by Giovanni, the clan prefers not to take action against her. After all, they trust 3rd Clan leader decision completely.)

----

I think it makes a lot of sense for her to be asexual.After all, the fear of death during birth is a very natural thing. Throughout history, many women have died this way.

It really was a choice that fits the character very well.And it's so sweet that he's a romcom and romance lover.

And something came to my mind, imagine that hell has its own ao3 and people write fanfics about that Overlords or TV series they ship lmao

And Serenity has such a situation too. As a doctor, she assisted in many births and saw many deaths.As someone who hates pain, pregnancy or birth is something that really scares her.

---

YES THE DYNAMICS AND RELATIONSHIPS ARE EXACTLY AS YOU DESCRIBE That's exactly what I thought, it's so fun to read this kind of detective dynamics.

And it was so fun to read the dialogues you wrote, their dynamics would be exactly like this.Giovanni would probably act like this whenever he got the chance.You captured their dynamics perfectly.

And it's really fun to read Hürrem's reactions.I think her reactions are really cute You really created a beautiful character!

--

Yes, it was really great how everything came together in a circle!

---

Sir, do not hesitate, you can ask any question you want!

-He's a cross between a fox and a husky. But mostly fox features are much more dominant.

-He loves confident, honest, strong women.(Emotionally)

In other words, he generally likes sincere,good people who have no ego, and he also likes people who He loves women who can overcome difficulties to achieve what they want.

He doesn't have much of a preference in terms of appearance.

-he is Single

-He was an orphan.His family had neither the money nor the mental health to care for him, so they threw him out on the street to survive on his own.And he did this on his own for a while, he was scamming people really well, he was deceiving people by organizing other orphans and robbing them.Sometimes he made money by giving advice to people.

But one day, one of the men he defrauded decided to go back and find them.Giovanni had a team of puppies around his own age. But No matter what they did, they couldn't come up with anything that could defeat that group of adults.It was Giovannin's fault that the men found them; after all the successful work he had done over time, his ego had really increased and he was behaving irrationally.And this caused his friends and himself to be beaten to death.

Fortunately, Serenity, who was passing by ,before the men killed Giovanni, saw this incident and saved Giovanni.she ordered the other wolves with her to bury the bodies of the children in the flower garden in the her main mansion.

Giovanni was unconscious for a while, then when he woke up, Serenity told him what happened and gave him two options.He could either join the clan, become powerful, and serve the clan. Or Serenity would only care for him until he became an adult, and when he became an adult, he would move on with his own life.(Here the two options actually is The same. The cubs who chose the second option changed their minds over time and joined the clan.)

Giovanni asks for time to think, then says he wants to join the clan.

At this time Giovanni was 12 years old.

The reason why Giovanni wants to join the clan is because he has lived on the streets for all of his life and always wanted a warm home and people he could trust.And he was also tired of being a weak child, tired of risking his life for a few pennies to eat on the streets.He wanted to be respected and be strong to protect the people he cared about.The only way to do this was to join the Clan.The Clan was a place that would provide him with everything he wanted, and all he had to do was use his talents for what was left.

-I think, considering their dynamics, it would be better for Hürrem to be shorter than Giovanni.

- Wellll, he can't be called the sanest person, but he has a good mentality.

-He loves, he has a personality that really loves parties and women. (His personality is kind of like Tony Stark)So I think he'll have a history with nightclubs.

-His Main House in Pride (he has her own section in COW's Main Mansion) But if he want, he have places to stay in other rings. COW provides homes and secret safe accommodation for Hellhounds located in those rings.

-His Favorite Ring is Lust or Gluttony.

-There are teacher-student relationships. Serenity is the one who raised him and taught him everything he knows.The person who gave him a family and people to trust In addition, she was the one who recognized his detective potential and enabled him to receive training on that subject.Giovanni really respects her a lot, he is 25 years old now and has known her for almost 10 years.

Giovanni trusts Serenity's orders completely, and as someone who questions everything, he has never questioned her decisions even once. He sees her as a really smart person, she is kind of his role model.

-Has pistols and a commando knife + claws and teeth

He's a really great gunsmith, he's really an expert in using weapons. As a plus he wears the luck charm that Serenity gave him, which allows him to always roll 20 on his dice when shooting.or Or rather, it gives +20 to his luck rolls.

And you don't have to apologize!! I really love answering questions. If you have a question in your mind, feel free to ask!I seriously have so much fun answering questions.

Also, thank you for writing, it's a lot of fun to read and write.And I already love this duo so much, I can't wait to see them!

Have a great day 🫂❤️❤️❤️

[eirinstiva]

"I had no man."

The second part of "The Rest Cure" arrived today, and because this is one of my favourite stories of the Rafflesian Canon (?), it's harder than usual to comment because [heavy breathing].

What with his flourishing beard and the increasing shabbiness of the only suit he had brought with him to the house, there was no denying that Raffles had now the advantage of a permanent disguise.

This is the start of Bunny's revenge, and this time Manders left the idea mature all the night. This is not something that he's doing on impulse, this is Bunny showing his own criminal ability.

She was a tall woman; I was not too tall a man. Like Raffles, I had not shaved on Campden Hill. That morning, however, I did my best with a very fair razor which the colonel had left behind in my room; then I turned out the lady's wardrobe and the cardboard boxes, and took my choice.

Bunny knows that he's short, he can't grow a proper moustache and beard, and maybe he needed a haircut soon. He used all of this as resources to his disguise. Bunny used makeup, curled his hair and dressed with almost all the necessary (I'm sure the shoes like the gloves didn't fit him) to get what he wanted:

My idea was first to give him the fright he deserved, and secondly to show him that I was quite as fit to move abroad as he.

But Murphy's Law strikes! And the drama starts.

I had no man. I was alone, had broken in alone. There was not a soul in the affair (much less the house) except myself. So much I stuttered out in tones too hoarse to betray me on the spot. 

Who can save this poor lady Bunny in distress? Raffles! He got hurt but at least they kepy everything controlled.

It was Raffles at his worst, Raffles as I never knew him before or after—a Raffles mad with pain and rage, and desperate as any other criminal in the land. Yet he had struck no brutal blow, he had uttered no disgraceful taunt, and probably not inflicted a tithe of the pain he had himself to bear. 

I would love to see Bunny and Raffles running away while keeping their disguises just like ACD's story The Man with the Watches. At least in this story nobody dies.

This is the one of the most queer moments of Raffles and Bunny's stories with them sharing a house like a couple and Bunny dressed as a woman. Sometimes I think that Manders is too comfortable with this costume except for the clothes being not appropiate for the season and my bi-fi screams "genderqueer" and "non binary". Also this reminds me of Sherlock Holmes dressing as a woman in The Mazarin Stone, so this feels like Bunny left for a moment his Boswell role and become the protagonist.

I was thinking that Raffles getting so dangerous when Bunny or Faustina are in danger reminds me of saiyans leveling up and unlocking new powers.

By the way, I want to read this reference cited on Wikipedia: Yue, Isaac (2015). Translating Culture: Late-Victorian Literature into Chinese. London: National Taiwan University Press. pp. 19–36. ISBN 978-986-350-070-4.

Hong Kong University Professor Isaac Yue has noted that some elements of "The Rest Cure" hint at a homosexual relationship between Raffles and Bunny. For example, Bunny shows a strong desire for Raffles's attention, while there is no female character diverting Bunny's attention. Moreover, the contrast between Bunny's female dress and Raffles's long beard suggests that Bunny is characterized in the role of the female and Raffles is characterized in the role of the male in their relationship.[5] Yue argues that Hornung's portrayal of the relationship between Raffles and Bunny violates the traditional Victorian family values of strict and separate gender roles for men and women.

I'm tempted to write more about this, maybe a fanfic, but English is so hard! See ya~