#homerun (threads)

[colorfulandblack]

Has anyone clipped the moment where Sean talked about his first and only home run as a kid? I couldn't hear properly because of the tears in my eyes

[paperbackpieces-makemewhole]

While Merrick never really strayed from her preferred targets and her set MO, she did like to change how she lured them out of public settings. Most of the time, it was all too easy: false promises of a good time back at their place, leading them to wake up strapped to a table at hers.

But there was something oh so fun about playing the victim. Making the scum think it would get what it wants, reveling in their look of shock when they realize there's a knife in their gut.

This is why she is currently dressed to the nines with a hand clamped over her mouth as she lets her next target drag her toward an alley. Down what she believes to be a deserted street. Pretending to try and fight him off with all her might as they become enveloped in darkness.

@merrick-of-violet

Tonight had been going like any other night for Enzo — bar-hopping to find a target that fits his MO, getting aforementioned target to a secluded place, killing them, cleaning up and then finding a different secluded place to let the adrenaline drop.

He's currently on the last part of that routine, smoking in an alleyway about a block away from the bar he'd been in, when he hears muffled yelling and struggling accompanied by footsteps a little closer to the entrance of the alley.

Oh. And here he thought the night was over.

In the blink of an eye, the scum is crumpled against the wall, his skull bashed in and bleeding from blunt force trauma. Enzo glances over at Merrick, wiping his knuckles with a cloth. "You okay?" he asks, the gentleness of his voice a complete contrast to the fact that his knuckles are bruised from punching the daylights out of the guy on the floor.

[hyunsoolgc]

A weight slowly pulls itself off of Hyunsoo's shoulders. It is as if the gargoyle hunching over him finally decided to fly away in search of a more willing prey. ( But it will be back; it always comes back. ) He allows himself to relax, exhaling a small sigh of relief that floats away into the air. His eyes close for a moment and he removes his glasses for a moment to rub at the bridge of his nose. Eunhye does not add to his stressors; however, there is a looming threat of rumors whispering behind his back. Not to mention a suspected future confrontation by his teammate.

"It's alright. It all happened so fast... I didn't expect for it to go like this. I guess someone thought it would be funny to push me instead and ... Ah!" He waves his hand in dismissal of her suggestions regarding himself. "No... No way!" Does it sound so harsh to vehemently deny wanting a date to this trivial dance? "To be honest with you, I actually don't really want to go with anyone... I'm not overly interested in any of the people here like that." At least not yet. He is not entirely cynical to the concept of romantic attachment. "But thank you for the gesture, uh..."

Hyunsoo clears his throat, absolving himself from the nervous laugh that his lungs want to cough out. "As for Hansol... don't worry too much about him. He can be a bit... Well, he has these grandiose ideas and always ends up being let down. I think he may be a glutton for punishment. He is an outfielder, after all..." Surely, he is mostly talking to himself — attempting to reassure the uneasy storm brewing inside of him. Eunhye would not know what he meant by that. He already assumed that she had a desired person she would much rather arrive to the event on the arm of someone else. "I hope that whomever it is that you're wishing to go with accepts the offer or... asks you, too."

The nervous huff emerges anyway. "But... I should probably get going... I will have some explaining to do, and I need to rehearse what I will say to people who will ask." He steps backwards in his bid to desperately leave, nearly stumbling on his own two feet. Well, at least things couldn't get any worse.

perhaps it was seeing everyone else react to the current situation that it leaves eunhye feeling a sigh of relief. while the act ended on an awkward note, eunhye felt as if she could be more of herself with less people around her. she’s aware of the possible gossip that could be spread around campus, but that’s something future her will figure out. the current eunhye was more concerned about hyunsoo's feelings and how he had been involved in the whole situation. she hoped that her reaction wouldn’t affect him in the long-term, but she would justify time and time again that she couldn’t think of any better way of rejecting without outright saying no.

but as eunhye listened to hyunsoo’s explanation, she felt even more guilt over how she would have reacted to the promposal. “no, you shouldn’t apologize! i should be the one apologizing to you because if i had known the situation beforehand, i would have thought of something better to make the outcome not so…embarrassing.” eunhye responded as she frantically thinks of some way to turn this situation into a positive one. “i don’t know if you have anyone specific in mind that you would want to go to the prom with, but if you do, i can help you with it! or…” she trailed off, wondering if there’s any other idea that is just as good as the one she had suggested. “…i don’t know. but whatever it is, i can talk to hansol later and ask him about the promposal and whether it was something he really wanted to do and why he had backed out.” she said the latter with hesitation, still certain that she would have rejected him nonetheless.

“you really shouldn’t have experienced something like that.” eunhye added belatedly, taking a few small steps closer towards him. “and i’m sorry again that i reacted that way. i just—” she stopped abruptly, contemplating if it was worth admitting the truth now that there were less people around. “…had someone else in mind and was caught off guard that someone wanted to make such a grand gesture over asking me to a dance party. i’m not really the type of person that likes those kinds of proposals.” she let out a soft chuckle, hoping it would ease some awkward tension.

[justmeinadaze]

We're A Family Part 23 (Steddie X You)

Warnings: Dads Steddie/ Fem mom reader, SMUT, all the regular smut that comes with these three. ANGST, for me this is soft angst lol I said what I said. They run into the guys ex and Eddie deals with his emotions regarding her and the things she's said in the past, Ro struggles with the thought of her brother going away to college so the parents have to handle that. FLUFF, they love each other and their kids <3

Word Count: 3687

Series here

 Low whimpering and soft movements shook you from sleep as you rolled over to a sight you had seen many mornings in the past. Eddie was on top of Steve slowly riding him as the other boy softly smiled up at his blissed out face while languidly stroking his cock. You always wanted them to feel comfortable so you laid there quietly as you watched them like a work of art. 

“There you go, baby.”, Steve whispered. “Fuck, you take me so well.”

Threading his fingers in his husband’s hair, he pulled his lips to his own as Eddie panted against them. 

“Harder, Steve. Please.”

“Yeah? Is that you need, honey? I can do that for you.”

His large palms slide down the man’s back and grip his hips, thrusting up to meet his movements while he continued to bounce and roll his own waist above him. 

Both men smirked when they heard you heavily sigh, knowing you were awake.

“Good morning, sweetheart.”

“I bet it is.”, you tease as he bites his bottom lip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“No interruption.”, Steve replies in his husky morning tone that you assume is what got the metalhead riled up. 

Lifting the boy from him, he turns Eddie to face you on his side as he wraps his arms around him, spooning him from behind as he slides back into his entrance and thrusts his hips at a steady but firm pace. 

After softly kissing your lips, the long-haired man rested his forehead on yours as he guided his fingers under your panties and through your core. 

“Fuck, baby, you’re so wet.”

Placing your palm over his own, you cling to him as he pushes his middle and ring fingers into your center, groaning when they clench around him at the sound of Steve’s heavy, strangled moans. 

“God, just like that, Steve. Shit.”, Eddie grunted as his hand matched the other boy’s rhythm.

“Oh, Eddie…”, you moan as his digits rapidly abuse your g-spot.

Taking ahold of his husband’s throat, Steve tilted his head back, kissing and nibbling on the man’s sweet spot as he thrust his release inside of him. While pumping Eddie’s cock with his hand, the metalhead folded into him as he came, trying to still focus on you as you guided his movements till your own release followed soon after. 

You watched with heavy eyes as they continued to softly kiss each other before pulling you closer to do the same. 

***

“Good job, Dylan!”, Steve cheered as his son hit the final homerun that ended the game with his school winning. You beamed as James clapped his tiny hands while Aurora danced in front of Eddie shouting her brother’s name in excitement. 

After the obligatory high fives to the other team and everyone congratulating him, your daughter ran down the bleachers meeting Dylan halfway and tackling him with a big hug as he lifted her off her feet.

“That was amazing, baby.”, you praise as he flashes you a big smile.

“Thanks, mom. Hey, Noah invited me to lunch but I told him I was hanging out with you guys today and I would ask if I could come over for dinner.”

“Is that a long-winded way of saying you want to spend the night with Noah?”, Eddie jokes making his son laugh as he nods.

“I’m fine with that, my love.”, you smile as you tilt up to kiss his cheek.

“Oh my god. Is that Edward Munson and Steven Harrington in front of me?”

The three of you recognized the female voice immediately as you froze in place by your car. Steve exhaled loudly as he turned first, coming face to face with their ex. 

“Hello Emily. Always a pleasure to see you.”

“Oh wow. Look at everyone in your family!”, she coos, her voice making you visibly cringe. “Is this the little boy I met before?!”

“Um, hi. I’m Dylan.” He extends his hand politely for her to shake making her giggle a bit too excitedly. 

“I don’t know if you remember me. I saw you at your talent show in elementary. My niece was the young lady who danced.”

“Ooooh yeah. I remember you a bit.”

“That’s actually why we are here now. She goes to the school you just slaughtered.”

“Well, Emily, it’s been great catching up. We’re just going to—”

Aurora cuts off her father as she wiggles out of her brother’s embrace and extends her own tiny palm to the lady in front of her. 

“Hello! I’m Aurora Munson-Harrington. It’s nice to meet you.”, she introduces with her big trademark smile. Before Emily can return the salutations, however, Eddie hastily lifted her in his arms, holding her away from his ex.

“Don’t touch my daughter.”

“Dylan, baby, why don’t you take Ro and James and get them buckled in, alright?”

Nodding, he grabbed the baby from your arms and tried to do the same with his sister but to his surprise his father wouldn’t let her go.

“Honey, it’s alright. Dylan won’t let anything happen to her.”, Steve soothed, comforting the man enough to release her from his hold. Rubbing his back, he tenderly kissed his cheek before turning his attention back to the woman in front of them. 

“I see you didn’t take my advice. I guess I was wrong though, huh. I mean it’s been what… ten years?”

“12.”, you reply with distain ready to leave her behind. 

“Was I also wrong about the genes? I’m guessing the girl came from Ed here? This is also new.”, she snarks as she points between the boys. “You two weren’t fucking when we were together.”

“Hm. Maybe because we didn’t feel comfortable being ourselves with you. Thankfully we found someone better. Come on, guys.”

As Steve tries to guide you both towards your vehicle, Eddie abruptly twists out of his embrace to face his ex. 

“My daughter is perfect. She’s smart, funny, beautiful, and very creative. She loves art and is incredibly kind almost to a fault. She’s not trash and neither was I. You made me feel like I didn’t deserve kids of my own but now I have three. Fuck you, Emily.”

Without waiting for her reply, he spins on his heels and marches towards the car.

***

Steve sighs from his spot on the couch as he watches Eddie lazily strum his guitar. He had been melancholy since everyone had gotten home choosing to remain in his own head for the time being. James was on the floor in front of him fast asleep as he sucked his thumb while you and Dylan were in the kitchen browsing for things online while Aurora nibbled on the rest of her lunch.

“This is a cute little place for you and Daisy. It’s right by the school to.”

“Can we afford it?”

“I don’t see why not as long as you two aren’t scarfing pizza every night.”, you giggle as he lightly shoves your shoulder. Your eyes scan over him taking in the young man before you. He had grown up so much and you still hadn’t dealt with the fact that soon he wouldn’t just be upstairs or in the living room but a few states away. “I’m going to miss you, weirdo.”

His grin grows as he circles his arm around you and kisses your cheek. 

“I’m going to miss you to, mom. I promise I’ll be here every holiday and a couple of weeks in the summer.”

“Where is Dylan going?”, Ro asked as she glanced your way.

“To college, sweetie, remember?”

“Yeah but… he’ll still be in the room next to mine…right?”

“Rara…”, her brother chuckled. “That would be a LONG drive every morning if I lived here. I’m moving in with Daisy to Virginia. I showed you on that map on my phone.”

Your mom Spidey sense began to sound off as her big chocolate eyes met yours before glaring at her brother. 

“Aurora, baby, it’s ok. Like he said, he’s still going to come visit us and—”

“NO! NO, YOU CAN’T LEAVE!”

Both men promptly appeared in the kitchen trying to assess the situation as it unfolded and began to spiral. 

“Ro, I don’t want to leave. I have to go to school—”

“Why do you HAVE to go so far away!?”

“I-I-I…”, he stumbled over his words as eyes pleaded with you guys for help. 

“Aurora, Dylan is moving with Daisy so they can go to school together.”, Steve tried to assist but it just made her huff as she jumped off her chair and slammed her little feet to the ground.

“I hate Daisy! And I hate you, Dylan! You’re mean!”

“Ro…”

Ignoring her brother, she turned and ran up the stairs banging her bedroom door shut for emphasis. 

“I got her.”

“No.”, Steve intercepted as he placed his palm on Eddie’s chest. “I know you’re not 100%. I can handle it.”

“Whatever.”, the metalhead sighed as he headed towards the entry way and threw on his jacket. 

“Hey, what does that mean?”

“It means, whatever, Steven.”

“I’m just trying to help.”

“Yeah, sure. As long as you’re the hero, right?”

“Eddie…” The man tried to reach for his arm to stop him but flinched when his husband pulled away angrily. 

“I can handle my kids. I can handle my parents and I sure as hell could have handled Emily!”

You and Steve watched with equally confused eyes as he matched his daughter’s tantrum, banging loudly out the front door. 

“Wait here, kid, ok?”

Dylan nodded at your instruction as you ran after Steve who promptly trailed frustratingly after the man he loved. 

“Eddie, what the fuck are talking about?! You did handle her today; extremely well in fact.”

“Thanks, Harrington. Glad I got your approval.”, he muttered under his breath, sighing as you skidded in front of him, blocking entry to his van. 

“Baby, you always shut down like this when it comes to her. I know you’re not mad at him or me. Just talk to us, Eddie, please.”

Tenderly, he kisses your forehead before firmly but gently moving you aside as he gets behind the wheel and drives off into the night.

##########

Eddie exhales heavily as he takes a long swig of the beer in his bottle. 

“Nick, another please.”

The man is startled when a hand pats his back and his son throws himself onto the stool beside him. 

“Dylan? How the hell did you get in here?”

“I don’t know if you noticed, dad, but this place isn’t restricted to people under 21 anymore.”, he smiles as he flashes him the big X on the back of his hand signaling he’s underage. “I don’t know if you two know this either but mom hates when you both leave like that when you’re upset. When you come home she’s going to pretend she’s not but…”

“How’s Ro?”

“I don’t know. She still won’t talk to me. Dad’s trying to calm her down but he’s having a bit of a meltdown himself. I mean the only one who’s not upset right now is James.”, the boy chuckles sullenly. “Can I ask what happened? Or does it involve taxes?”

They both laugh at the memory before Eddie leans back in his seat and stares into the void. 

“That woman we saw today… That’s Steve and I’s ex; the one right before your mom. It didn’t end well.” The metalhead told him the story they had told you many years ago after your first encounter with her. Dylan listened intently, absorbing his words and frowning when he told her about Emily never wanting his kids. 

“Fuck her.”, he swore making his father laugh as he spit some of his beer back into its bottle. “I mean come on. You’re a great dad and Aurora is absolutely wonderful.”

“Yeah, she is. You all are.”

“Can I ask why you felt like you needed to leave?”

Eddie sighs as he tries to figure out how to word what he’s feeling. 

“Growing up my parents made me feel like trash you throw away especially when my mom left me with my uncle. When we were dating Emily she made me feel the same. She wanted to throw me away and be with Steve. I, honestly, think you and your mom are the first people to not make me feel garbage you cast aside.”

“And Steve.” The metalhead’s eyes meet Dylan’s as he softly smiles. “Dad would have been that first non-Munson to do that.”

“Yeah…”

“And that makes you feel bad.”

“Jesus Christ, you little therapist. Yes, it makes me feel bad.”, he laughs. “Y/N has always been there and defended me which I love but Steve’s always gone that extra mile you know. Throwing himself on the preverbal sword so to speak. Usually, I just let him do his thing but, I don’t know, I guess Emily just really hurt me and I never really got to tell her to fuck off.”

“Why don’t you tell her now?”

Dylan gestures with his head and his father follows his eyeline just in time to see his ex sauntering their way. 

“I swear to God, like a fucking virus this woman. Nick! I’ll see you later.”, he announces as he throws money on the bar. 

“Hey Eddie. What are you doing out and about? Where’s Steve?”

“Steve is at home with our wife and other 2 kids. He’s spoken for Emily. Let it go.”

“Said the man who gave me shit in a stadium parking lot.”

The metalhead chuckles under his breath as he turns to face her. 

“See the only difference is Steve dumped your ass after you said everything you wanted to say. I never got that luxury. I came home from work and you were gone. I hope you know what you missed out on. All of my kids especially Aurora are amazing and my marriage between Y/N and Steve are way better than I could have ever dreamed. That could have been your life but you were too much of a selfish bitch to care about anyone except yourself.”

As both boys headed towards the parking lot, Emily drunkenly trailed behind. 

“Listen to you taking about marriage like what you have with of them is real.”, she spat. “Because of you, you denied Steve a real marriage with a real family! You’re the selfish one! I loved him, Eddie.”

“No, you didn’t. If you did you never would have asked him to abandon me!”, he growled. “We are best friends and you tried to split us apart. The fact that you thought he would even consider that shows how little you knew about him. Y/N never once tried to separate us and even encouraged our relationship allowing it to grow. I love him, Emily.”

Grabbing his son, he yanked him towards the van tossing him his keys. 

#############

When they got home, the house was quiet with most of the lights turned down except in the kitchen where you and Steve were sitting knocking back small glasses of alcohol you hid in the cabinet for occasions such as this. 

Dylan patted his father comfortingly on the back before running up the stairs to get ready for bed. 

“Eddie.”, you sighed in relief as you got up to hug him. “Are you ok, baby? We were so worried—”

The metalhead’s lips cut you off as he cupped your cheeks and passionately kissed you. 

“I told you once that after Emily, Steve and I thought we couldn’t do the shared partner thing but, sweetheart, I’m so glad we did. Everything we have is because of you. Our kids, this house, our jobs, even Steve and my relationship. You never once made us feel like we had to choose or discouraged it. You allowed us to be ourselves and I fucking love you for that.”

Tilting forward, you kissed him again, continuing to hold him tightly as he addressed his husband.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you. Steve, since I met you, you’ve always gone the extra mile for people you love. Sometimes… it makes me feel bad that you dive headfirst into certain situations allowing yourself to take those bullets for me.”

Coming around the table, Steve wrapped his arms around you both, bringing you to his chest. 

“I lead with my heart and I know it’s a strength and a fault. Eddie, I hope you know I don’t mind taking those so-called bullets. I love you both so much and those kids. I’d do anything for them and you. I hear what you’re saying though. We should have talked to Emily together. I should have talked to you about your parents. I should have asked if you wanted me to talk to Rara instead of just…being the hero.”

You both chuckle at his pronunciation of your daughter’s name before the metalhead lifts you in his arms and carries you to the bedroom. After yanking feverishly at each other’s clothes, you grin as he passionately kisses your lips, groaning into your mouth when he feels Steve between his legs eagerly sucking his cock. 

“That’s it, Steve, baby. Fuck.”

“Oh! I have an idea.”, you jump up eagerly, stumbling slightly as your tipsy legs carry you where you need to go. Eddie breathily laughs before focusing back on the other boy, petting his head as he swirled his tongue along his veins and across the tip making the long-haired boy’s eyes roll. 

Tapping on Steve’s shoulder, he glances your way and smiles at the strap on you have in your hands. Bouncing off the bed, he helps you put it on and watches with eager, lust filled eyes as you climb onto the mattress on your knees, tug on Eddie’s arm, and place him in front of you of you, wrapping your arms around his stomach as he sinks down on to the toy. 

His body folds into yours as you both moan and your lips trail along his back as he begins to bounce against you. Your own glassy eyes find Steve’s and he smiles, kissing your lips before maneuvering himself on all fours in front of Eddie as he waited. 

“Oh my fucking God. You both feel so fucking good.”, the metalhead mewls as he guides himself into the other man’s entrance. Your breath warmed his skin as you thrust your hips as hard as you could allowing the silicone inside him to hit his sensitive spot repeatedly as his own cock was being squeezed almost impossibly tight by Steve’s own warmth inside of him. “Fuck. I love you both so much.”

“Love you…baby.”, you panted.

Taking hold of his shoulder, Eddie brought Steve back to chest circling his arms around him like you had as the man’s palm covered his own while his head fell back. 

“Fuck, Eddie, honey. Just like that. You’re gonna make me cum.”

“Right there? I got you, sweetheart.” Quickly covering his mouth, the metalhead clung to the other man as he grunted loudly, ropes of his spend hitting the sheets in front of him. “I know, baby. I know. Jesus, you sound so fucking sexy when you cum.”

His words and Steve’s orgasm put you over the edge as your body trembled against his as the ball dropped and you whimpered into his back. Eddie soon followed, biting into the other boy’s neck as he released his seed into him.

Everyone fell sideways, panting as you tried to catch your breath. 

“Did you know they let minors into The Hideout now?” Throwing your arm over your eyes, you laugh hard as Eddie turns to face you with an equally wide smile, cupping your cheeks to kiss your lips. “Seriously…thank you…for everything.”

After a hastened shower, the three of you curled up in bed, murmuring soft praises and exchanging kisses till you fell asleep in each other’s arms. 

##################

“Hey Ro. You wanna play some basketball with me?”

Purposely ignoring her brother, your daughter folds her arms as she looks in the opposite direction towards the tv. Dylan hangs his head as he scoots slowly towards the kitchen where you were eating your lunch. 

“How long is she going to be mad at me?”

Placing a finger over your lips, you gesture with your eyes towards the living room and he follows your gaze just in time to see Eddie throw himself down next to his daughter.

“Whatcha doin’?”

“Watching tv.”

Her father nods as he pretends to stretch and glance towards the backdoor.

“You know it’s a gorgeous day and I think Dylan was going to play outside. Geez, I shouldn’t say ‘play’ like he’s six anymore. When your dad and I first met him we used to play basketball with him in the court right in the middle of the apartment complex. Can’t believe kid is going off to college.”, he sighs.

“I don’t want him to go…”

“I don’t either, baby, but you know what? He promised he would be here for holidays and your birthday. He’s also going to be calling mommy 24/7 because you know how much she loves you guys. Of course, we can go visit him and Daisy.”

Aurora’s bottom lip quivers as she continues to stare ahead.

“Sweetheart, you know he’s going to miss you and James as much as you both miss him. Your siblings and no matter where he is he’s always going to be there for you and love you just like me, mommy, and dada.”

Without saying a word, she jumped off the couch, running towards Dylan who placed the ball on the counter to open his arms and catch her as she jumped into them. After putting her back down on her feet, he took hold of her hand as they both smiled and ran outside to play. 

Eddie grins when he feels you lightly tug his hair, tilting him back so you could kiss his lips. 

“You’re a good man, Edward Munson.”

“Part of that is because of you Y/N Munson-Harrington.”

############

@adequate-superstar @kalinaselennespeaks @nailbatanddungeon

@dad-steddie @manda-panda-monium @alligator-person

@decadentwombatmiracle @katie-tibo @marsupiooo

@local-stoner-bitch @steamystrangerfics @lunatictardis

@adaydreamaway08 @hazydespair @actuallyspencerreid

@moviefreak1205 @waylandmorgernsternherondal-blog

@kik51199 @strngrlytn @idkidknemore @damon-loves-pie

@k-k0129 @micheledawn1975 @eddie86baby

@justmeandmymeanderingthoughts @3rriberri

@sashaphantomhive @chelebelletx @big-ope-vibes

@munsonzzgf @munsonmoonshine86

[tinkerbelldetective]

You're still not sure how this works. You're 99% sure Rafael Barba is your soulmate, but the clock hasn't hit zero. You've met him, talked to him, and slid papers under his door for him to almost step on in the mornings or retrieve on late nights. But if the clock is still ticking, then you haven't met them, right? So, why do you feel safer when he's close by?

It's confusing. And you have no time for confusion about anything. Jack has delegated you second chair, one you are happy to accept. The case load is growing, the indictments issued flying from the clerk's office with increasing speed. You're issuing subpoenas left and right, searching records that go back so far you think you may have found the mythical lost pen an intern took from Paul Robinette because they were too chicken to ask him out so they settled for something he touched (or so you heard).

And Barba has hardly looked at you.

Olivia Benson had reassured you it was because the man is fiercely independent, not because he thought little of you. And while it helped, you couldn't help but grow saddened and irritated by the fact every interaction you shared with him was passing papers while he barely spared a glance.

The record in front of you is the biggest find yet. Unshredded and non-digitized remands. You're not sure how long you've been in this dusty old room, but it's worth it. You hop over the file boxes- you'll be back to fix them soon - and rush upstairs, aware you probably look like you've been crawling underneath a bed in a messy room, but this is it. The clincher. And you don't even care if he sees you looking dishelved, because this file is the red bow, the Michael Cutter homerun swing.

There's no dignity as you cross the threshold of his office, his brows raising as he pours his cup of coffee, your hands holding the file with such a tight grip he wonders how you haven't bent the folder.

"Rafael Barba, may I present four different remands and secret indictments. Done under suspicious circumstances and-" you flip through the file, finding the bright pink post it, "the other dismissed without prejudice."

The room slows, his eyes meeting yours with intensity. The clock on your wrist hits zero with an echoed final tock. You take a step closer, fiddling with the random thread on your sweater.

"I hoped it would be you."

He's quiet, placing his cup on the table before he takes the file out of your hands, fingers gently resting on your wrist, wordlessly asking for consent. You nod, watching with bated breath as he pushes the sleeve up just enough to see the fading clock.

"She always said it was the first time they see you not the first time you look," he murmers, thumb caressing your skin.

*

Barba's watching intently when you approach the stand, the evidence you either found or helped lead the way to balanced eaily in your hands despite the amount. The room grows quiet as you lay the receipts, the texts, fax confirmations, and signed agreements in front of the man on the stand.

"You weren't going to say this was a one-time deal, were you?"

*

Barba's hand lands at the small of your back as you descend the steps.

"Rafael," you begin, his first name foreign on your lips, "can I see your wrist?"

"It's zero."

You wrinkle your nose, halting at the bottom step.

"How long?"

"The day you met me."

"And mine just stopped?"

He frowns, removing his hand from your back to face you.

"Your dedication to justice, your determination, those became clear the minute you spent hours doing what someone else could have been doing. I saw you, and I knew." His hand cups your cheek fondly, brown eyes meeting yours, as if asking for permission. He presses his forehead to yours, lips barely grazing your own.

[faerybin]

「Lee Minho」 ♤

» So here you'll find all of my favorite Minho fanfics

» For the sake of not spamming the authors, I won't tag them in my post anymore

» Hope you will enjoy and let me know if one of the links doesn't work *⁠.⁠✧

DRABBLES *⁠.⁠✧

[Untitled] ↴

[0.3k] — fluff, suggestive

Cotton Candy ↴

[0.3k] — fluff

Routine ↴

[0.5k] — fluff

Another year with you ↴

[0.5k] — fluff, established relationship

Ticklish ↴

[0.7k] — fluff

Mine ↴

[0.7k] — pre-established relationship, fluff

[Untitled 4] ↴

[0.8k] — fluff, comfort

Birthday boy ↴

[0.8k] — fluff

Kiss me (like you wanna be loved) ↴

[1.4k] — established relationship, fluff, suggestive

I miss you ↴

[2.5k] — smut, slight angst, fluff

ONESHOTS *⁠.⁠✧

Café cuddles ↴

[2k] — a lot of fluff

Conversations with Minho ↴

[2.3k] — fluff, hurt/comfort

Brother's best friend ↴

[2.4k] — smut

Kingdom come ↴

[3k] — slight angst, smut, prince!minho x maid!reader, royalty!au

A chance ↴

[3k] — slow burn, angst (if you squint), hurt/comfort, fluff

Black magic ↴

[3.3k] — warlock!minho, witch!reader, fluff

Bets and situations ↴

[3.4k] — rivals to lovers, street racing, smut

Homerun ↴

[3.8k] — fluff, friends to lovers au, high school au, sports au (baseball player minho!!)

Make a wish ↴

[3.9k] — smut, fluff, established relationship

Strawberries ↴

[4.3k] — tattoo artist au, fluff

Dirty Thoughts ↴

[4.7k] — smut, fluff, friends to lovers

Jealousy, jealousy ↴

[4.9k] — college au, coffee shop au, strangers to lovers

Of poison love and never agains ↴

[6k] — fluff, angst, royal au, enemies-to-lovers

Winner ↴

[6.6k] — fluff, slight angst

Spiderweb ↴ ♡

[7.4k] — smut, angst, roommates to lovers, brothers best friend!au

Glowing ↴

[8.2k] — best friend’s brother!minho, smut

Laundry ↴ ♡

[8.2k] — smut, established relationship, angst, fluff

Backstage ↴

[8.6k] — established relationship, mc!lee know, fluff, smut

TKO ↴

[9k] — boxer!au, neighbours!au, smut, tsundere/brat tamer!minho

Between the lines ↴

[9.7k] — retro!high school au, slow burn, slight enemies-to-lovers shenanigans

Green Flames ↴

[9.8k] — little angsty, slowburn, fluff, hogwarts au, frenemies to lovers

And they were roommates ↴ ♤

[11k] — fluff, smut, roommates!au, bff2l!au

A/B/O ↴ ♡

[11.1k] — kinktober, smut

Ritual ↴

[11.3k] — soulmates!, historical!au, smut, angst, fluff

Kiss me more ↴ ♡

[13.2k] — fluff, smut, brother's best friend!au

Parties don't end at 3am by @lalal-99 ↴ ♤

[15.2k] — neighbours to lovers, smut, a little fluff

Destiny's Design ↴

[16.4k] — enemies to lovers, strangers to lovers, arranged marriage!au, royal!au

The enemies to lovers project ↴ ♡

[18k] — enemies to lovers, college au, slight angst, fluff

Conflict, conceal, confess ↴

[18.1k] — college au, enemies to lovers, smut

Invisible thread ↴

[20k] — university au, academic rivals to lovers, slow burn, fluff, angst

1LOVEU2! ↴ ♡

[20k+] — smut, dance partners!au, virgin!reader, fuckboy!minho, corruption!au

Pas de bourrée ↴

[24k] — enemies to lovers, ANGST, smut, dancer au

Lost in translation ↴ ♡

[26.5k] — smut, fluff, angst

Otherworldly ↴ ♡

[29.2k] — smut, s2l, alien!au

Bunny ↴

⇉ Part 2

[12.7k] Two-shots — smut, angst, fluff, strangers to lovers, neighbours!au

When the rain stops ↴

Part 2 ⇉ Where the storm looms

[22.8k] Two-shots — smut, angst, fluff

SERIES *⁠.⁠✧

Nightmare ↴

[21.8k+] [Completed] — fake dating!au, college!au, roommates!au, best-friends to lovers!au, angst, fluff, smut

The experience project ↴

[47k+] [Completed] — enemies to lovers, college au, smut, angst, fluff

Consort ↴ ♡

[6/?] [59.3k] [On going] — enemies to lovers, historical au, arranged marriage!au, smut, slow burn

Sea may rise, sky may fall ↴

[11/11] [108k] [Completed] — smut, angst, pirate!au, feat. Jisung

New fanfics ♤

Personal favorites ♡

Last updated : 09/11/2024

[paperbackpieces-makemewhole]

Leaning back against the door, Enzo stares at the ceiling for a moment, trying to discern if any of the blood on him was his. Sure enough, the cut on his lip, and another across his chest that did more damage to the shirt really, given that his entire chest is on display. The cut itself is very shallow though.

Looking forward again, he freezes for an inconceivable moment, staring at Oliver with slightly widened eyes. Someone lived here?

He should've controlled himself better; he knows that, he'd tried to. However, the rage overpowered his reason in the moment and now...

He's sitting on the floor against the door of an empty flat, his hands, face and shirt covered in blood, his jacket slipping off of his shoulders to reveal the sleeveless turtleneck he's wearing and his chest heaving as he tries to breathe.

Fuck, it was fun though.

@paperbackpieces-makemewhole

Maybe Oliver had grown to be slightly naive over the years, but while any other person would’ve seen this stranger and thought danger, he’s instead flooded with concern at the alluring disheveled sight of a man leaning back weakly against his front door. This certainly hasn’t been part of his non-existent evening plan.

Silently debating on whether or not he should approach the man or not — face creased slightly in nervous energy — he leisurely begins to approach the slumped over frame, looking over him for any sign of wounds.

[but-a-humble-goon]

I'm still kinda not over Devil May Cry 5's existence. DMC4 the much awaited new installment in an iconic series comes out and it's great and opens up whole new realms of potential... except it totally runs out of budget halfway through and as a result feels basically unfinished leaving fans lamenting the truly perfect game we could've gotten. Then there's a universally beloathed reboot that throws the established franchise in the trash and takes things in a disastrous new direction that nobody asked for which falls flat on its face. For the longest time it looked like that was how the story ended. Not with a bang but with a whimper, the series being stripped of its identity and vanishing into mediocrity. Then over a decade later out of nowhere Devil May Cry 5 comes crashing through the wall like the Kool-Aid Man and it is everything fans could have ever hoped for and more. It exceeded every imaginable expectation. It makes good on the promise of all of DMC4's potential and takes it to new heights we never thought possible, adding on top of it an almost overwhelming amount of things we never even knew we wanted all while perfectly preserving the soul of the franchise. All the moments fans have been waiting for are there, character arcs and story threads that have been building since 2001 all pay off in a massive, climactic and totally satisfying way. A beloved classic series thought long dead comes roaring back onto the scene against all odds better than ever and blows everybody away with a massive undisputable slam dunk homerun 10/10 unqualified masterpiece that proves why it had always mattered and why it still does. Wins this big, this absolute and this impossible just... do not happen, and yet it did. And I'm so happy that it did.

[actualbird]

what is your ranking of all the main event stories we have received so far? (as in sott, enduring light, skadi etc)

OHHHH THIS IS A FUN QUESTION, THANK YOU ANON!!! let me go from my highest to lowest.

for this question, im taking "main event stories" to mean the Big 4 SSR Events where the event story involves the entire team all at once (so no xmas events or sotn, or solo or duo events). and i will be judging these events primarily on their event story (so not as much as the gameplay, though thatll also be a factor. but i wont be judging the cards)

OH DANG WHY DID I EXPLAIN IT, THE TOT WIKI DOES A MUCH BETTER JOB AT DEFINING BIG 4 SSR EVENTS, HERE, THIS IS WHAT IM JUDGING

anyhoo, here is my personal ranking!

FIRST PLACE: Mysteries of the Lost Gold

my beloved, my favorite, my perfect shining star. lost gold was the first big event i played and it has yet to be dethroned as my favorite event story of all of tot. absolute homerun of a rich story with intrigue, high stakes, a good balance of tender moments and lighthearted ones, and just SO gripping in terms of all of the story threads coming together, plus the absolutely A+ nxx team interactions. my advice to every new player who comes into my inbox is "PLAY THE LOST GOLD DLC" because i love it so much. i will never shut up about how i love it so much. it has our very first raven!luke sighting. it has marius nearly getting stabbed. it has artem with gun. it has vyn doing that THING with the bow and arrow. LIKE. THIS EVENT IS PERFECT TO ME. it'll take something really really special to dethrone it.

SECOND PLACE: Enduring Light

this isnt recency bias speaking but my real honest thoughts: this story delighted me to no end. i was kept on the edge my seat for every single phase, and the sheer novelty of the story's setup and the gameplay was such a nice change of pace after the previous event formats started to get repetetive. i especially loved that this time, we had to suspect the nxx boys as well because that really added to my enjoyment of this event. it really felt like a mystery that had to be solved by us, and not just a mystery that will unravel by itself as long as we keep playing, if that makes sense? my point is i was immensely immersed in enduring light and i love it lots lots lots. luke looking stupendously hot in his outfit during the entire event was also a huge plus.

THIRD PLACE: a tie between Blizzardous Threads of Red & Mystery of Bakerlon

i really loved BTR and bakerlon!!! both of their murder cases were adequately thrilling for me, though towards the end i could feel the adrenaline wearing off, if that makes sense? like by the 4th phase, things were slotting together already in a way that like lowered the feeling of intrigue. also i know i said i wouldnt judge much based on gameplay, but these two deserve a shoutout for MINIGAMES I WANT TO KILL W MY BARE HANDS. bakerlon's crystal tasks were so repetetive to me, and BTR's TIMED ESCAPE ROOM THINGIES heightened my blood pressure several times HAHA

FOURTH PLACE: To My Beloved: Moonlit Eve (anniv 2)

this has a soft spot in my heart for including all of the old NPCs from main story, and that was very heartwarming. while theres no mystery that needs solving, just seeing the team hang out together and have fun together was such a treat for my soul

FIFTH PLACE: Secrets of the Tomb

sott is where i'd say the event story quality is inching towards the meh scale. the mystery here was interesting but was not particularly gripping to me. it might just be a me thing, but i enjoyed the side stories (the ones you get with the boys when you investigate the artefacts) more than the actual event story itself.

SIXTH PLACE: A Love Poem to Skadi

ahhhhh skadi. psychological and medical malpractice horrors skadi.....HJSVKHSJDFDSF. i will admit, the mystery in this story is HORRIFIC and it was enjoyable to unravel it, but here is where i break my rule again of not talking about gameplay but mAAAAAAN THE GAMEPLAY HINDERED MY ENJOYMENT OF THE MAIN PLOT LOTS. it was rather difficult for me to do all the exploration in that manor and that stalled my absorption of the story too. plus, i think the fact that the story is Over made the story have a bit of a muted quality to it. not in a bad way (i distinctly remember i wrote a semi-analysis post about how i enjoyed that the story was in the Past) but it definitely affected the mood of the gameplay, if that makes sense?

(that is the third time ive said "if that makes sense" in this response, THREE STRIKES AND YER OOOOOUT)

SEVENTH PLACE: Blissful Fete (anniv 1)

be honest with me.....do YOU remember the event story plot of blissful fete? cuz i sure dont. JVSKDHFSJDHSF. i only remember getting very very mad at luke during that fucking minigame where we guess if the card is higher or lower. that being said, if i cant even remember much of the story, then it didnt make an impact on me and couldve been improved.

so thats my ranking! thank u for the ask :D

[lgbtqmanga]

New Releases May 21, 2024

After We Gazed at the Starry Sky (manga) vol. 2 by Bisco Kida

That fateful encounter at the planetarium changed Subaru Miyazawa’s life forever. After all, that’s where he met his true love, Tougo Amase, photographer extraordinaire! And now that they’re officially together, every day is a kind of happily-ever-after! That is, until the day Tougo admits that he’s planning to move away…so where does that leave Subaru?

Cocoon Entwined (manga) vol. 6 by Yuriko Hara

The Lady of the Cocoon, who, cutting the tresses as precious as her life, abandoned the academy. The girls left behind are shaken by that loss. Amidst this, Christmas night arrives at long last. Will a miracle occur on the holy eve? The thread of fate tangles, frays, and, from the past and present, spins towards the future…

Confessions of a Shy Baker (manga) vol. 4 by Masaomi Ito

Toshimitsu Yamamura lives together happily with his boyfriend of many years, Gonta Tsubakisaka, but in his everyday life Toshimitsu isn't really… “out.” After his vehemently progressive employee had the idea to list their real estate business as LGBTQ+ friendly, Toshimitsu has been very anxious about accidentally outing himself, and he often channels his anxiety into baking incredible treats for his carb-conscious boyfriend. With the love of his boyfriend and his love of baking, maybe Toshimitsu will steadily become more comfortable being his authentic self!

Heat × Beat A Shut-In Omega Becomes an Idol! (manga) by Ken Homerun

As an omega abandoned by his betrothed alpha mate, shut-in Minoru shares his heartbreak with the world in the form of music. But when one of his songs catches the attention of famous idol Hijiri, Minoru is suddenly swept from the lonely solitude of his room and thrust into the spotlight — as an omega idol and music producer performing alongside his two alpha bandmates, Eiji and Tatsuya!

For any other group, this could prove a recipe for controversy and disaster, but Minoru isn't worried; his lingering attachment to his former mate keeps him from acting on his omega instincts. For a while, he's even able to throw himself whole-heartedly into his new role, learning to embrace the world he'd once retreated from, and even growing closer to his bandmates and fellow idols, especially the frank and affectionate Eiji. But Eiji is hiding a secret of his own — a connection to Minoru's past that might shatter the tentative trust and affection that's been growing between them.

Magic Knight Rayearth (manga) vol. 3 by CLAMP

Three girls who couldn't be more different meet on a school trip to Tokyo Tower--and find themselves beamed into a parallel world called Cefiro, where the mysterious Pillar has recruited them to avert a calamity! With the help of a motley troop of rogues and wizards, they will unlock the power of three transforming giant dragons known as Rune Gods and rush to the Pillar's aid…but there's more going on at the heart of Cefiro than they know!

Contains updated translation and lettering created for the 25th-anniversary release.

The Man Who Shattered My World (manga) by Osamu Moriya

Tachibana is a handsome top who exclusively has no-strings-attached sex with slender, pretty men. When he picks up the brawny, confident Kuzumi on a whim, he doesn't expect much to be different… except Kuzumi flips the script on him.

Kuzumi is merciless in his attentions, and Tachibana finds himself helpless to resist. In one night, everything Tachibana thought he knew about sex and desire gets turned on its head, and he finds himself coming back for more. But can he trust Kuzumi with more than just his body - or will he be discarded by the other man as soon as he gets bored?

A top vs. top BL love story swaying between pride and desire!

My Girlfriend's Not Here Today (manga) vol. 1 by Kiyoko Iwami

Pent up and tired of her apathetic girlfriend, Asahina Yuni turns to an anonymous online account to let it all out. It’s just another day of doomscrolling after class when Asahina gets swept away in conversation with the beautiful, outgoing Taki. When Taki turns out to be following Asahina's private account, it’s cute…right? Taki would never blackmail Asahina…right? With every new lie, the web of secrets and erotic desire grows ever-tighter!

Sailor Moon Naoko Takeuchi Collection (manga) vol. 8 by Naoko Takeuchi

Teenager Usagi is not the best athlete, she's never gotten good grades, and, well, she's a bit of a crybaby. But when she meets a talking cat, she begins a journey that will teach her she has a well of great strength just beneath the surface and the heart to inspire and stand up for her friends as Sailor Moon! The original Sailor Moon in a new, affordable edition.

She Likes Gays, but Not Me (manga) vol. 1 by Akira Hirahara and Naoto Asahara

Based on the critically claimed novel. High schooler Atsushi Andou has always hidden the fact that he’s gay. But one day, he sees his classmate Sae Miura with a BL book-a small moment with major consequences. Atsushi longs for a “normal” happiness with a loving wife and a biological child, but what can he do when he’s not turned on by women?

She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat (manga) vol. 4 by Sakaomi Yuzaki

After their curry party, Kasuga and Nomoto have grown closer than ever before. Now that they have both recognized the nature of the feelings they hold, and with Valentine’s Day coming up, will they be able to successfully express it to each other?

Tied to You (manhwa vol. 1) by Chelliace and WHAT

Wooseo Shin was never one to believe in fate…until a ring of red thread appears around his finger, that is! This ring marks a person’s meeting of their soulmate, and with it, neither can fall asleep if the other is absent. This development is not a welcome one for Wooseo, who decides to keep it from his close friend and crush Jiseok Kang at all costs. Because as fate would have it, the person with Wooseo’s matching set is Jigeon Kang—Jiseok’s older brother! When Jigeon proposes that they start sharing a bed, if only to combat their joint insomnia, Wooseo reluctantly accepts…but as the two spend more and more time together, feelings start to get messy. Will Wooseo be able to survive his new life tangled up in between these two brothers?!

Tokyo Babylon CLAMP Premium Collection (manga) vol. 3 by CLAMP

Subaru Sumeragi is an onmyouji and the current head of the Sumeragi clan. When Subaru joins a phone call between three mysterious girls, he is startled when they declare him to be an enemy and use a mantra against him! Will he be able to get down to the bottom of things?

The Yearning Fox Lies in Wait (manga) by Nmura

The year is 1920, the 9th year of the Taisho Period. Lifelong philomath Kiyo Fukasaku is ecstatic when he's admitted into the Imperial University, and can't wait to begin his new life in the nation’s capital…that is, until he gets lost and already finds himself on hard times on his first day in the big city. Luckily, he runs into Ozaki, an eccentric, seemingly well-off man who invites Kiyo to stay in his mansion after he learns about his financial troubles. But there's more to the handsome stranger than meets the eye. It turns out that Ozaki is a fox spirit who had some sort of connection to Kiyo's grandfather, Seishirou, and he invites Kiyo to live with him as a way to repay Seishirou's kindness. But just what kind of relationship did Ozaki and Seishirou have, and what does it mean for Ozaki and Kiyo?

[catsafarithewriter]

A/N: Part 39 of the Bedlam AU! We're on the homerun stretch now!

x

With his button eyes, the Bedlam stares... well, all the time, but Haru rather feels he'd be staring right now even if he did have eyelids. His gaze moves over Baron, now standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Haru, and then looks to Haru herself.

"You gave him your penknife. Clever."

"Well, you made it quite clear I wasn't going to win by any ordinary means, and I knew you would enjoy a little drama," Haru says. "I thought you might not look too closely if we put on a show."

"A show implies some acting, though, and are you sure none of that was real?"

"Oh, we still have a lot of talking to do once we're out of here. But I think that'll be over tea." She glances to Baron, eyebrow raised. "Assuming you'll let me back this time."

He smiles ruefully. "Our doors will always be open to you, Haru."

"Glad to hear it."

"What makes you think you'll be going back?" the Bedlam asks.

"Well, you did promise that if I won this game..." Haru starts.

"Did you think it was ever going to be that easy?"

"What part of any of this was easy?" Haru demands, just as cobwebs unspool from the walls and pin Baron against the grandfather clock. The threads wrap around his wrists so that, while the penknife is still free, he cannot use it. "Oh, come on!" Haru snaps.

"You're not leaving here until I say so."

"So you're breaking the deal," Baron says.

"Quiet now. You've already said quite enough." With a snap of the Bedlam's fingers, more cobwebs rise to form a gag.

"You said that if I found all my friends, we could go free," Haru says. She points to Baron "I found them all, so unless you're breaking our deal–"

"Of course I'm breaking the deal," the Bedlam snarls. "I'm no fae; I'm not bound to any bargain. What else is left for me to keep to it? Honour? Integrity?" The Bedlam's smile near splits his face in two. "I think we all know such words mean nothing to me, save as weaknesses to be exploited in my prey."

There is movement beyond the Bureau windows; Haru instinctively glances that way before she can stop herself.

The Bedlam notices, and cackles. "All your plans have come to naught, mortal. You can win as many games as you like, but I will have your soul." He leans in. "And I'll tell you a little secret: those were your friends you left out there."

"I know they were."

The Bedlam's smile flickers. "You did?"

"Do you really think I wouldn't recognise my friends?" Haru demands. "Please, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice... Plus, I don't think you have the resources to pull together so many new puppets so quickly."

"So when you said you left the cat and crow outside out of distrust..."

"I was lying. You're not the only one here who can."

The Bedlam regards her with something almost approaching... respect? Haru's not sure she wants the respect of such a monster, but it's clear she's being reappraised. "Sneaky. I'm nearly impressed."

Haru shrugs. "Hey, I'm mortal, remember? I don't always have the luxury of the higher moral ground."

"So what was the plan? Leave them out there to distract me?"

"You heard that conversation then, huh?"

"Yes. You're sneaky – but not sneaky enough. I know they're out there, causing chaos, but do you really think I'd take my eyes off you for even a second while the game is at play? I've made that mistake before, I won't do it again. As you said, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice..."

"Then shame on you." Haru grins. "And I think you misunderstood that conversation."

"A desperate lie–"

"Because I'm the distraction."

The Bedlam freezes. Something that might even be fear flickers through his face. "What did you say?"

"Tell me, how are your friends doing?" Haru asks. "The ones you spun into mockeries of my companions."

"Friends?" the Bedlam sneers. "Puppets, you mean. I think you forget who I am."

Haru steps forward, her smile bared. "And I think you forget what kind of world I come from."

The door finally bursts open.

And in the space left behind stand three figures.

"They're not your puppets anymore, and they'd like a word with you."

[purposefully-lost]

None of this is canon since I'm sure it'll probably actually happen in a thread later on and details will be different but dbsnDHDN I like making myself sad okay 😔💔

--------

There was a clock on the wall of the waiting room. The sound of it, the quiet, incessant tick, tick, tick.. seemed to fade in and out as Alex sat against the wall adjacent to it. He had his face in his hands, fighting to keep his leg from bouncing so he didn't make the energy of the room any more unbearable. Frank was sitting across the way from him, a stranger and her daughter tucked into the corner, and the air was unbearably quiet except for the occasional footsteps passing by and that stupid fucking clock. Alex wasn't sure where Catherine had disappeared off to and he didn't really care, so long as she didn't come back with another loaded gun to aim in his direction.

He thought he could still taste blood. He'd washed his mouth out as much as he could, he'd downed a soda from the vending machines to try and disguise it, but the slick feeling on his tongue and the metallic sting still remained. He found himself biting at on his own tongue, letting a sharp tooth piece skin just to see if the taste of his own blood could disguise the bite of Andy's, but it didn't help at all. Now he just had an aching mouth on top of an aching heart.

Tick, tick, tick. He sat back in his seat, closed his eyes, and tried to breathe. Andy would be fine. He was going to make it. One bullet wasn't going to kill him-- he was made of tougher stuff than that. He'd trained his whole life to hunt and to survive, and he'd used his own thick skull to love Alex despite it all. He'd spent their childhood brushing off scrapes and bruises of any caliber, he'd always been there to assure Alex that his own weren't all that bad. He was Andrew fucking Campbell and he--

When Andy had been shot, Alex had felt it. Abrupt, sudden, bright and painful. The world knocked out of view in a way that made Alex think of Andy's baseball games, the thwack of a bat swinging for a homerun. He had the feeling again, of a sudden, abrupt shock, but it wasn't pain that followed. There wasn't anything that followed.

Alex sat up a little, his brows furrowing as he tried to register what had happened. He didn't hurt, apart from his tongue. He could parse his own anxiety out from inside his chest, but other than that, there was nothing. No reason for that abrupt shift to have come over him. All it was, was...

Nothing.

"Andy?" His voice slipped out, soft and quiet, without him meaning to speak at all. It wasn't nothing, it was the lack of something. He'd known when Andy must've finally been knocked out for surgery- there'd been a heavy, sleepy weight in his head- but now it was gone. He felt light, unnaturally so, and his chest was hollow. He could feel drool pooling in his mouth as he stared slackjawed into the space ahead of him, his eyes locked on spot of pale wall until his vision started to blur. Andy wasn't there. That place, that part of him that belonged wholly to bright blue eyes and charming grins-- it was his own again, and he didn't want it. Without warning, Alex tipped forward in his seat and vomited onto the ground in front of him.

He didn't recognize that there was any red to it until there was an orderly in his line of sight, trying to help him clean it from the ground and from his shoes. Someone- a nurse or maybe the older woman who'd been in the waiting room, he wasn't sure- had tugged him to his feet and ushered him to the nearest bathroom before he had time to register that he'd moved at all, and then he was standing in front of a mirror, struggling to breathe. The reflection in front of him was of an exhausted young man with wild, reddened eyes and tear-streaks down his face. He looked more like a cornered animal than a man, and when he tried to move, he found he couldn't. Maybe that was a part of this bond that he and Andy hadn't ever thought about. Maybe one of them dying meant the other could feel it, the weight of being dead. Maybe if Andy's lungs never took another breath, neither would Alex's. Maybe he was alright with that.

There was a knock on the restroom's outer door that he didn't hear, and then a woman in scrubs and with his blonde hair had slipped into sight behind him. Milly laid a hand on his arm, gently moving him so she could see his face. "Alex? I just heard, honey. Frank told me you got sick when I came to find you. Oh, sweetheart.." he her hand was up, checking over his face while she spoke in gentle tones. She started to move back from him and reached to switch on the sink, but he cut her off.

"He's dead," Alex said, his voice barely loud enough to be heard. Milly looked back with an unreadable expression.

"Don't say that, honey. I'm sure he'll-"

"Mama, he's dead," Alex repeated, and then the tears were back. He didn't break, exactly. He didn't sob. He wanted to. He felt like his whole body should've been wracking with the grief that was bubbling up in his chest, but he couldn't. It all felt too muted. He couldn't move at all. His mother's arms were wrapped around him and holding tight, but he made no move to return it. All he could do was close his eyes. His chest.. it didn't itch, but he watched to scratch at it. He wanted to scratch until there was blood. He wanted to carve it open so he could reach inside and try to find where Andy had disappeared to, try to drag the hollowness out of himself. Alex wavered where he stood. He thought he was going to pass out until, more like the flicker of a flashlight than the hitting of a homerun, suddenly he could breath again.

His head felt heavy, his chest felt hot, there werr a million different quiet emotions and sensations coursing through his body that hadn't been there seconds before, but he could breathe. Andy's lungs were working again and so were his own. Alex finally sobbed, the sound tearing from his throat as he wrapped his arms around his mom and felt her hand stroking at his hair. She whispered reassurances and promises that Andy would make it all while he nearly cried himself sick with the confirmation that she was right. Andy was going to pull through, he had to, because Alex had to kill him for the scare he'd just gone through.

[torntruth]

tumblr  rp,  in  which  i  just  collect  like  20  threads  with  some  of  you  and  now  we’re  simply  partners  in  crime. 

[criminaldelights]

[A Strange Meeting. @snxkehips ] 

They say that everyone’s got a doppleganger, but the odds of actually meeting yours are usually slim to none. Of course that all seemed to change one night while walking around Kamurocho only to pass by someone that eerily looked like him. Well, this person didn’t 100% look like Goro Majima, but had he been born a female then this would be what he would look like. So weird. He should’ve just kept walking but instead Majima decided to stop her.

“Hey... Hey! Ya steal some clothes from my closet or somethin’? You look like you’re tryin’ to steal my look!” 

[steveyockey]

when do you think they started consciously writing cas as in love with dean? just in s15 or earlier than that?

there’s a lot to consider here between the queerbait that is at points so malicious you can probably count it as “writing cas as in love with dean” and the actual thoughtful gaycoding of writers like berens and yockey. I know misha has said they wrote season 15 explicitly with the knowledge cas is in love with dean, but if I’m gonna project back farther, I would put gay cas at at least 14.08. I don’t think you write the empty deal not knowing what cas’s true happiness is. even if it wasn’t “jensen-approved,” the hellers on the team were already putting this plan in motion. nothing else fits here. you can’t pull off a chekov’s gun like this without knowing where you’re going. the empty deal is the most successfully orchestrated plot thread of late season supernatural, possibly all of supernatural, which means the most intentional thing supernatural ever did was make cas gay. word.

stretching back farther puts us in sketchier waters, but the mixtape and “angel’s angel” are both in season 12 which has this undeniably weird feeling to it like it’s building toward? some sort of destiel canonization? like not straight up canon destiel but god. the 12.12 love confession. dean kneeling at cas’s body like that as the setup to widower arc. there’s something here! dean your bane mirror looks mlm af, care to comment? yockey and berens weren’t fucking around! I think it would be remiss NOT to credit them for the stuff here since it’s all bordering so closely on textual that the confession barely has any work to do to tip it into just. gay.

okay bit of a leap but if you go with me to 9.18 well. I have a lot to say that can pretty much be summed up as

like. metatron is writing the story here. the metatron who calls cas a nancy! and he decided to end on a montage featuring sad cas summoning his angel army after the winchesters drove away set to a gloomy song about lost love? regardless of who “wrote” the episode, metatron is writing cas as gay. or orchestrating it that way at least. and I mean, robbie thompson! robbie thompson of goodbye thee stranger! my enemy sometimes for writing fan fiction, but like, the man knows gay people exist. and if we’re jumping back to 8.17, that’s thompson’s first episode even writing cas, which of course coincides with about the point that I would say the “is supernatural queerbaiting or is this text?” conversation reached fever pitch. by 9.18 things were looking considerably more depressing on that front, and yet somehow, this? like “meta fiction” just doesn’t make sense if cas isn’t gay. all signs here point to cas being in love with dean. 

anywhere back before 8.17 falls into complicated territory. like, before charlie, gay people didn’t actually exist on supernatural. they were a joke or a tragedy. so anyone writing cas as in love with dean at that point was doing it because they were getting their rocks off on the comedic and pathetic potential. like again, they referred to him as “the gay angel” on set! in the hilary duff “that’s so gay” kind of way but they still said it. I would credit edlund as the more thoughtful of the bunch who clearly enjoys writing for cas and easily could have been writing with gay cas in mind  but he also probably wasn’t gonna try to rally the team around gay cas.

anyway. basically the question hinges on, who was writing? because several writers (berens, yockey, perez, glynn, thompson, edlund) have bodies of work preceding season 15 that seem more than conducive to the idea cas is in love with dean, so it feels like it was just a waiting game for enough people with the same interpretation to get on the team at once. which is probably a view that only makes sense in hindsight considering I’m sure in a million other potential realities where supernatural is shifted 5 degrees all of this outside the confession would look like mad speculation. but so much of it works that it feels intentional! and it’s kind of nice to think of like. perez writing in season 13 and highfiving edlund way back in season 5 or berens teeing up the shot after thompson made it to first base. like a weird little ragtag squad of people passing a baton across a decade of writing. these sports metaphors aren’t really working but I think you see it. cas is such a homerun yes because there’s a lot of homophobia in his writing that becomes soooo textually ripe with commentary now that he’s canon gay but also just because he, for lack of a better way of saying this, has been gay the whole time! and that didn’t happen accidentally, or not completely on accident. 

[hlcreators]

AUTHOR REC: only_angel_28 / @beau-soleil-louis​

Don’t forget to leave kudos and comment to show some love! ♡

a week and thirteen days (1k)

Harry falls in love with the morning sun. 

I can’t do this alone (sometimes I just need a light) (7.8k)

“Harry,” he says after another contemplative moment, “can I hug you?”

It’s been...well, Harry doesn’t actually know how long it’s been. Less than an hour, probably, but already Louis says his name like it’s safe in his mouth, and now he’s opening his arms like Harry could be safe there too.

“Please,” Harry nearly sobs, and sinks into him the way butter melts on toast. It’s an apt metaphor, really, because what Louis is giving him is as essential and sustaining as a loaf of bread to a starving man. His basic need for physical affection is as vital as his need for sustenance, for sleep, and he can’t believe he’s allowed himself to ignore it for so long.

Or: Harry is having a rough time. Louis is the kind stranger who makes him smile again.

I think I’m falling (I’m falling for you) (6.8k)

Louis is a disaster gay on a skateboard. Harry is a beautiful, quirky stranger on a bicycle. Their first encounter really makes a splash.

Bloom (just for you) (495)

“Do you ever think about boys?”

The words fall from Louis’ lips casually, but they’re fragile like a gossamer thread, a single silken strand from a spider’s web of labyrinthine thoughts. They’re the product of literal months of careful introspection, of soul-searching and agonizing and over-thinking. They’re words that he’s never dared to utter aloud, a mirror of his own swirling inner-turmoil of thoughts. Thoughts he previously held tightly to his chest, locked away in his heart along with all his other feelings regarding his best friend.

*Or the arrival of spring brings a new beginning for Harry and Louis.

dopamine (7.8k)

Louis honestly doesn’t know how he gets himself into these types of situations.

Well, actually, that’s a lie. He’s doing this because he needs the money, and because he’s curious. And, okay, maybe because he might be a little bit lonely too. He has always had what his mother affectionately calls an “adventurous spirit.” Couple that with being a (tragically single) broke grad student and voila! here he is scrawling his signature on a release form provided by the university’s sociology department. Essentially, he is agreeing to snog a stranger on camera for the sake of science.

Shouldn’t be a problem, right? All he has to do is lock lips with a (hopefully) fit bloke, collect his money, and be on his way. Easy peasy. Little does he know, fate has other plans for him in the form of one adorably quirky art student who goes by the name of Harry Styles.

How Would You Feel (If I Told You I Loved You) (81k)

An AU inspired by the music video for Ed Sheeran's song Perfect featuring two idiots who are too thick to see that their friendship is anything but platonic, lots of pining, too many terms of endearment to count, a wedding, slow dancing, a couple of steamy hot tub moments, karaoke, snow, a healthy dose of cuddling, love confessions, and Harry and Louis being quite generous to each other.

*Or the one where Harry has been in love with his best friend for four years, and New Year's Eve at his family's holiday home in Switzerland is perfect for finally telling Louis how he feels.

Breathe Me (13k)

The story of what happens when Harry finds a stranger sleeping inside the car his late grandfather left him.

“Louis?” Harry queries softly, his voice nothing more than a whisper. “Why are you living in my car?”

Louis sighs, and this time it’s laced with a mixture of sadness and exhaustion, the sound of it tugging at Harry’s heartstrings. “Long story,” he says finally with a weak smile.  

“Will you tell me?” Harry prods gently, his demeanor akin to that of someone approaching a wild animal with their arms outstretched in a gesture of submission. “You don’t have to, like—I mean…it’s just, I’m a pretty good listener, and you seem like maybe you could use a friend?”

“What gave me away?” Louis jokes dryly.

*Or the one where Harry has a broken heart, Louis has a broken home, and all it takes is one night together for them to fall in love.

You got that something, I got me an appetite (5.9k)

After years of being forced to hide their relationship, Harry and Louis decide to come out with a bang.

Shape of You (11k)

“Seriously?” Surely, Harry must be joking. Louis arches a skeptical brow and snaps the waistband of Harry’s joggers playfully. “What exactly do you have down there, Styles? I know you’ve got four nipples, d’ya have a couple extra bollocks as well or summat?”

“No!” Harry shrieks, his voice bordering on shrill. “No,” He repeats a little quieter, calmer, “I just—I’m, er, kinda…big, I guess.”

Louis rolls his eyes in fond exasperation. “That’s hardly a problem, curly.”

*Or Harry is insecure about a certain rather large part of his anatomy that is apparently intimidating to the point where it has actually scared off potential shags. When he ends up confessing this to his best friend and roommate, Louis takes it upon himself to prove that Harry’s size doesn't have to be a curse, and decides to help show him just how perfect he is.

Please Be Naked (17k)

Louis starts squirming, desperately needing something to do with his hands. Needing to do anything, really, to distract him from the perfect male specimen standing naked in front of him. In the end, the only thing he can do is strip out of his own jeans and briefs, which he does with trembling, clumsy fingers, his heart beating out a violent, chaotic rhythm in his chest the entire time.

He hears Harry’s sharp intake of breath, and slowly raises his eyes from where he was staring at his own bare feet to meet his gaze.

“So,” Harry says bashfully, his voice gone even deeper somehow. “We’re naked.”

“Yup,” Louis squeaks.

“You okay?”

No!

“Yup,” Louis repeats, sounding just as unstable as he did the first time.

This is the last favor Louis Tomlinson is ever doing for Zayn Malik. (Because, after today, he’ll be dead, but that’s neither here nor there.)

*Or the one where Louis agrees to help out Zayn with one of his art projects and ends up getting much more than he bargained for.

Hey I Heard You Were A Wild One (If I Took You Home It’d Be A Homerun) (12k)

"Are you out?” Louis huffs a long suffering sigh as he studies Harry from the other side of the bar, the neon from the beer signs making his eyes glow an unnatural shade of blue, and causing Harry to question - not for the first time tonight - if he is real or just some fever dream-esque fantasy conjured up by Harry’s alcohol addled brain.

“You’re fucking kidding me right?” Harry laughs incredulously.

Louis is resolute in his posture as he continues to observe Harry, the slight arch of a brow his only acknowledgement of Harry’s question. That’s fine, Harry decides, it was mostly rhetorical anyway.

“A gay cowboy who rides for a living, can you imagine all the Brokeback Mountain jokes I’d have to endure on a daily basis? I don’t really fancy being compared to Jake Gyllenhaal.”

A hint of a smirk tugs at the corners of Louis’ pursed lips. “Now you’re the one who must be joking, because you are so clearly Heath Ledger in that scenario.”

*Or Harry came to the bar to forget. Louis gives him a night to remember.

Your Love Is My Turning Page When Only The Sweetest Words Remain (8.4k)

“Crying already, Styles?” Louis chides him teasingly, unable to contain the smile that’s breaking across his face.

“So what if I am? What are you going to do about it?” Harry sniffs indignantly.

Louis makes a show of pretending to consider this, steepling his fingers in front of his chest and giving Harry a contemplative once-over.

“Marry you.” He decides, smirking at Harry.

“Guess you won’t be able to call me Styles much longer then.” Harry counters, biting down on his own barely-contained grin.

“Guess not.” Louis agrees happily.

Say You Won’t Let Go (5.7k)

Harry hates flying. Louis is the kind stranger who helps him when he gets sick in the airport restroom. The rest, as they say, is history.

Back To You (5.8k)

"Hello?" His voice came out all high and breathy like an anxious school girl, and he cringed internally at how wrecked he sounded already.

"Lou?"

Harry's voice was the same as ever, deeper than the sea and somehow both gravelly and smooth as silk. Harry was full of infuriating little contradictions like that. It drove Louis crazy. He had spent a good portion of his life questioning if Harry Styles was actually even human; on paper he just didn't make sense. He was an enigma, an anomaly, the exception to every rule.

*After dropping his new single, "Back To You" Louis gets a text from Harry inquiring about the true inspiration for the song.