#i did start dr. stone the other day and am enjoying that so far

[umemiyan]

fighting the urge to re-watch wind breaker for like the 4th time

[aresite]

TL;DR under the cut involving work drama, bank drama, insider trading drama, and corporate take-over drama as I am now no longer under a NDA and can explain my absence better

Okay - so long story short, I've been gone for awhile, and I apologize for that! After my internship, I got hired on at what I thought to be the perfect job for me. I loved it, and I spent a lot of my time and energy on it - I worked by accepting contracts to repair / replace equipment for some of the major banks in my country. This job had me travelling all over the place - sometimes driving as far as 4-5h away - to fulfill these contracts. My favourite jobs were fixing debit machines for small businesses as I was able to help them with other things as they often did not have as much support as the bigger companies and more than once I either helped, or gave them the information they needed to get better deals or equipment from their contracts with the bank. I took a lot of pride in my work, but it also kept me really busy. Some days I would leave as early as 4AM and not be home until after 8pm. My least favourite jobs were fixing lockers or 'safety deposit boxes' as those were a pain. And whenever there wasn't any contracts available, I would spend my time repairing old gear and prepping it to go back out into circulation or dealing with inventory.

However, the company I worked for also had their hands in other pots other than just accepting repair contracts from some of the major banks. They also provided tech support for local businesses and restaurants and supplied rental equipment and support for POS Systems. Which made us a perfect target for a certain American bank... they started with buying out our american customers, and my boss knew what was going to happen next and started to make deals with them and started to try and shift all our customers over so they'd be 'easy to transition over' and went all in by throwing money into this company's stocks and basically made a shit ton of money before he sold the rest of the company to them.

You see, the way the banking system in my country works is quite different than in the states and its not as simple as one may think. A bank just can't come into the country whenever they want - its quite a long and complicated system where they have to adhere to our laws and regulations which are much, much stricter than the US. So, in order to enter the country, this US Bank decided to buy the company I work for out and use it as a 'stepping stone' to get into the country. They made us all kinds of promises about all 'the benefits' we would get once we were merged with them but all we got was a few extra 'vacation and sick days' and them pushing their 'american business practices' on us - which, frankly, are toxic af.

And, since this is a foreign bank that is buying the company out - they don't want us servicing other banks so we were forced to stop accepting contracts from the other banks and the department I work for was dissolved and merged with their call center. Suddenly, everything I liked and enjoyed about my job was gone. No more travelling. No more repairing things. Nothing but sitting at a desk, answering phones, and following this banks strict 'script' when it comes to dealing with customers. I hate it. First I was very frustrated, and then I got rather depressed. And, while I wanted to write and RP, and I missed everyone here, I didn't have the energy to write or basically do anything anymore. It took me awhile to realize I was grieving the loss of my old job.

Everyone at work keeps jumping after that dangling 'corporate carrot' and buying into the promises that 'great things are coming' and that 'we're on the ground floor of my country's division of this bank so there's so much opportunity to make it big' but I just see us getting swallowed up by this american company - especially now that our resources are getting shut down and we've got to use theirs and we've just been pulled into their pool of workers as if we were working out of their 'american offices'. Its all bullshit and I hate it. I miss my old job so much but I know that grieving it any longer isn't healthy.

I'm trying to get over it and get back to the hobbies I once had before I even started working at this company - before I did my internship, and before I spent all my time and energy there... before I made that job my life for over two whole years and remember the things I used to do and enjoy - like RPing with all you lovely people for example... but its been hard.

I got very sick with an Upper Respiratory Infection and was sick in bed for a week and was supposed to go back to work yesterday only to find out that I am now being 'punished' for being off and have nothing but night shifts for the next 3 weeks - and that means for 3 weeks I do not get to see my wife except for on weekends, as she works 8am to 4:30pm, and they have me on from 4pm to 1am.

Sorry for the too much info rant, but seeing that, and feeling just how badly I do not want to go back today made me realize how toxic this has been for me. Its time to give up hope that things will change or go back to how they were. My old job gave me so many more opportunities and networked me with a ton of people that I can reach out to for work. I trained the people who took over my old job and they would be thrilled if I applied with them for example. My elderly parents are 5100kms away and are not doing so well - I could contact the company that gave us the contracts and ask them to connect me with their division working out there if I have too. I don't know what I'm going to do, but today I realized I can't go on like this anymore. If I'm going to be reduced to a 'corporate drone' until I find something better than so be it - but just like any corporate drone - this is just a job and I don't care about anything other than my scheduled hours and what's written in my job description, and outside of that is 'me time'. I'm going to work on getting back into my hobbies, refuse phone calls outside of work hours, and stop caring so much!

I'm probably just burnt out. On top of the work drama I also have problems at home. My elderly dog was just diagnosed with Cushing's Disease and we're doing expensive tests to see how much longer she will be with us. My Grandmother broke her back and is in the hospital. My Dad's mind is starting to slip and he can barely walk so their house is falling apart but they are too far away for me to help and the closest one of my siblings live is 4h away. My Grandfather on my wife's side is waning as well. And, its winter here so I have to pay for heating oil which is like, $500 every other month and is so expensive on top of our other bills so I just can't walk away from this job despite without a concrete other option, no matter how much I hate it...

If you got to the end of this, I apologize for the rant and for leaving so many unfinished and unreplied threads. I let stress get the better of me for too long.

[noeggets]

I'm loving seeing your one piece liveblog and I'm gonna go back since I'm really interested in seeing what you think about the arlong arc, and I hope I'm not being rude in asking this but is this your first time watching a shonen anime?

OH YOUR FINE! it's alright and thank you

About the arlong park arc

i don't think i was live blogging the arlong arc cause i wasn't locked in as i am now but i did have something to say about it i remember

this is when i was talking about the fight with arlong

This is when i was talking about Nami

i did enjoy the arlong arc because Nami asking Luffy for help is one of my favorite scenes, i remember seeing it as a kid one time and i just loved something about it and i rewatched just that scene alone because i remembered and i was like "Huh...i wonder why Nami is like this" and i just kept wondering and wondering until a few times i sat down and watched all the one piece openings and decided:

I really like Law i wanna know everything about him and i also wanna know everything behind the openings so i gotta lock in and watch the show i guess

didn't know ppl cared about my live blogging TY

i didn't think people cared too much about my opinions but since you like them i'll try to have more to say about it and actually liveblog my thoughts a little more, sometimes i get lost in the ep and i forget to write down my thoughts cause what im watching is such a masterpiece vndjtgbhdf

Is this my first shonen anime?

No, it isn't my first time watching a shonen anime, my very first anime was dragon ball z (like all other kids i was watching the censored nicktoons? version it would come on and we would gather around the TV, i had the video games too) but i like to say the first anime i went out of my way to watch myself was School Rumble but the first anime i watched all on my own was Sword art online (up to the season after Shion thats where i stopped) and Danganronpa the animation. i have watched a handful of animes in my time but not as many as i would like to

I never finished Sword art online, i finished Brand New animal, finished My hero academia, i'm not done with Dr. Stone yet but i started reading Manga's because of Dr. Stone, i have a goal to watch a lot of animes by Trigger and i got a couple of animes i wanna watch but haven't like the soccer one everyone talks about, Blue lock? i'm watching the Wind breaker with my friend we need to finish it - i've seen Promare i've seen a lot of stuff i was watching KLK and Princess Tutu, i wanna finish it but i haven't seen older stuff like Full metal or Sailor moon i was trying to watch pretty cure once i didn't make it very far but i'll try it again one day

i think the rambling needs to stop here

[salty-ironstrange-shipper]

Could you maybe post a long-ass list of good ironstrange fics because at this point, there's nothing else to do and you seem like you have great taste

puppets on a string

Summary: Stephen Strange is a villain. But a hot one.

Words: 103,206 (incomplete)

This fic is courtesy of our very own @funkylittlebidiot​, so definitely give it a read!

Find a Way (to break the fall)

Summary: Stephen didn't think about it anymore. It had been buried deep beneath all the other shit he'd had to live through in the last couple of years and it didn't impact his day to day life in any way whatsoever. Until the day it does.

Words: 2,170

This one is short, but emotional and impactful. Warning for discussions of past rape/non-con.

The Brands We Carry

Summary: Tony Stark is almost thirteen years old when he gets ready to settle down to bed one early-early-morning and happens to look in the mirror on his childhood wall and catches sight of a circular brand on the skin above his heart.

“About fucking time,” Tony mutters, and goes to sleep without bothering to tell anybody he just cussed out a baby that’s only just crying its way into its new life somewhere on the planet.

The date is February 17, 1983. Happy birthday, whoever you are. Took you long enough.

Or: Tony Stark and Stephen Strange are soulmates. You'd think that would mean they would be perfect for each other right from the start, but it turns out that their soulbond is a long path of mutual distrust, dislike, and miscommunication. Just their luck.

Words: 10,497

I love a good soulmate au, and this is a good soulmate au. Very interesting look at both characters and also what happens if someone’s soulmate has  a not insignificant age gap (though they only meet in person for the first time as adults)

A Crown of Thorn and Shadows

Summary: Anthony Stark, King of Blood and Darkness, ruler of the Unseelie court, did not expect to find Prince Stephen Strange of the Seelie chained up in his torture chamber, cold iron being driven into his hands. Stephen Strange, a Seelie healer, never dreamed of finding himself in the court of nightmares, being cared for by the king that the Seelie called a monster. They must work together to find the traitors in two Faerie courts that have not spoken in over six hundred years and reclaim Stephen's memories before the courts descend into war once more.

Words: 58,465

Wonderful fantasy au, great worldbuilding and relationship buildup. Lots of fun.

Villain Stephen Strange and His Obsession with Tony Stark

Summary: Just a bunch of prompty oneshots that are partially based but 100% inspired by Tumblr IronStrange Posts. Rated T-M

Words: 1,029

Do I even have to explain it? This is just fun. 

Ten times outta nine, I’m a hand grenade

Summary: Though neither remembered that night, it turns out that Tony Stark and Stephen Strange had first encountered each other years earlier. Unfortunately, that might end up destroying the universe.

Words: 419,141

This is a loooooooooong boi. But oh, it’s a good one. Stephen and Tony basically go back in time, change the universe, and fall in love. It’s everything you could want from them. Complete with romance, angst, drama, and humor.

Where Severus Snape is hot, not a stalker, and somehow gets the girl

Summary: And then, as if he wasn’t already the most embarrassing estranged biological dad ever, Tony stopped in his tracks, raised his sunglasses (because of course he would wear sunglasses inside a lecture hall in April), and gave Professor Strange the most blatant, sustained once-over in the history of fuckboyness.

Then he put down his glasses, shot a winning smile at the teacher, and said, “Well, I’m Tony Stark, of course.”Or: Peter Parker is sick and wants to cut his Neuroscience class. Tony just wants to help (and maybe date his son's hot teacher). Stephen Strange just wants to give his lecture in peace.

Words: 2,387

Stephen is a college professor. Peter is his student. Tony is having too much fun with this.

You Remind Me of a Man

Summary: Tony Stark cannot stand the overly opinionated and egotistical Dr. Strange and the feeling is extremely mutual.

Words: 44,788

Perfect no-powers au for them. They’re assholes who fall in love and see another side to each other. It’s amazing, 10/10 would recommend.

I am here

Summary: There’s a technical reason Stephen must surrender the Time Stone to save Tony’s life. It has to be done, and that’s enough for him to do it. But just in case, the universe decides to give him a personal reason as well.

Words: 11,708

This one is so soft. Basically, while looking through time, Stephen keeps showing up in the past at various points throughout Tony’s life. And then they fall in love! Good for them.

T For Tony

Summary: Your soul mark is the first letter of your soulmate's name. Stephen has an 'A'. But he's in love with Tony. Cue anxiety, jealousy, angst.

Words: 2,794

They’re so stupid in this fic. It’s great. It took them so much effort to remember Anthony starts with an A. (I still think this fic should’ve been titled A For Tony, but I didn’t write it, so)

something taken, something new

Summary: The ChronicConnection implement and app allows a person that lives with chronic or illness-induced pain to transfer their burden temporarily to a willing loved one. Tony and Stephen sign up as beta testers.

Words: 14,541.

I must’ve recced this a thousand times ..... AND I’LL DO IT AGAIN. THIS FIC IS THE PERFECT MIXTURE OF SOFT AND ANGST AND IF YOU DON’T READ IT, YOU’RE WRONG.

15 Million

Summary: For every alternate reality there were ten thousand alternate realities from that. And from those ten thousand more. And then ten thousand more off each of those. And so it goes.

The Avengers win once. There’s ten thousand versions of it. 

Stephen Strange doesn’t know what to make of the fact that Tony Stark seems to be *his* victory.

Words: 2,755

Obligatory “Stephen looks through 15 million possible futures and falls in love with Tony in the process fic”. Can’t have a fic rec list without it.

Hero Swap AU

Summary: It's a boring day for the Avengers until Tony Stark attacks.

Words: 17,391.

Just pure, fun crack.

Only a Matter of Time

Summary: Captured by aliens, mistaken for a mating pair, Tony and Stephen find themselves having the universe’s most awkward honeymoon.

Words: 6,056.

Smut. Good smut, though. 

Sunrise in Exile

Summary: Tony does the math and realizes their best chance to save the universe is by... not confronting Thanos on his own turf. 

So he steals a wizard and a spider and a space ship. And he runs.

(Three humans and an A.I in space, the alien friendships they make along the way, and discovering how science and magic might coexist in a universe where they can be one and the same.)

Words: 352,079 (incomplete, has not been updated in a while)

A long fic set during Infinity War where they just ... run away to space. And it’s great.

Rewriting Icarus

Summary: Stephen and Tony, from the beginning to the end and beyond.

Words: 23,504

Pre-powers AU, except they fall in love then get powers. Sad, angsty, beautiful. 

variations on a theme

Summary: Stephen sees into millions of possibilities and finds only one where they win, but he never expected to end up falling in love with Tony Stark in almost every single one of them.

Words: 5,134

Another Stephen looks through the possible futures and falls in love with Tony? ... Guess you can’t have just one. 

Five’s A Party

Summary: It's an orgy fic, I'm not sure what else to say

Words: 2,639

... Not much I can add to that. Magic smut. 

A Lapse in Judgement

Summary: Stephen, the newly minted Sorcerer Supreme, is strong, powerful, and in control of his life in every micromanaged detail, because failure to do so could result in (another) cataclysmic event within the universe. He is. But then Stephen accepts an off-handed offer to spar from Tony Stark – a man who is Stephen’s non-magical equal, a man who Stephen barely sees outside of bi-weekly meetings and the few and far between fight against a villain – and Stark discovers Stephen’s biggest weakness, his most hateful secret that is a deeply fundamental part of Stephen’s psyche.

Except instead of judgement, and horror, and disgust, Stark meets him halfway, and a lapse in judgement turns into a possibility that could change their lives forever.

Words: 22,694

This is the first of a series which was just updated (haven’t finished reading the new part yet, looking forward to it) and is just a really good, surprisingly soft and emotional BDSM series/fic.

Ironstrange Fics and Ironstrange Cinematic Universe

Oh, how did these get here?

Yes, I’m reccing my own work. I’ve written 29 fics and 377,132 words for this ship, I think I’m entitled.

Ironstrange Fics is a collection of every ironstrange fic I’ve written, short, long, sweet, angst, and everything in between. Ironstrange Cinematic Universe (itself responsible for 49% of those 377k words) is my ironstrange rewrite of the MCU specifically. Please read, enjoy, and leave comments, I’m not updating any fics for a couple of weeks and I need the validation. 

[bagadew]

The Great Ace Attorney Playthrough: The Adventure of the Unbreakable Speckled Band (Part 1)

Last Time: With a little help from Susato, the lady in pink, we discovered that Miss Brett poisoned Dr Wilson with Curare, a fast acting poison that’s only effective when introduced into the blood stream. In a last ditch attempt to avoid justice, Miss Brett destroyed the evidence right in front of the court, but fortunately my man Hosonaga was on hand with new evidence he’d taken from the crime scene, meaning that all we had to do was catch the thief of a rare golden coin, and tie Miss Brett up with her own words! At last I (Ryunosuke) was acquitted!

...only to find out in the lobby that Miss Brett has managed to privilege her way out of any consequences and was gone like smoke in the wind. (Also Kazuma used his sword in a way I found very hot, and I think I’ve accidentally doomed him to death or moral corruption.)

I’m 90% sure The Speckled Band is a Sherlock Holmes case, and I’m 49% sure it’s one of the ones I’ve read. I’m guessing this is where we’ll meet The Great Himbo Detective Herlock Sholmes then!

Well I guess that answers that then.

(And yes, I have read this one)

HERLOCK!

And he’s voiced by Professor Layton maybe???

Ooh, this seems like a Study in Scarlet, are we doing a Study in Scarlet guys?

Herlock has a magic gun!?!

Also I’m not digging this Japanese scripture and talk of it being penned by ‘the victim himself’. Kazuma what did I tell you about leaving my sight?

Wait... I could have sworn I just saw Hosonaga dressed as a sailor...

Oh balls, am I about to be accused of murder again?

Honestly I can’t take you anywhere Ryunosuke

Well Ryunosuke, you remember how you went to a lovely restaurant and got arrested for a murder you didn’t commit?

Well, it’s just like that but substitute restaurant for ship.

Also I’m not liking how little I’ve seen of Kazuma...

Ryunosuke we really need to have a talk about you just saying what people want to hear.

ITS FUCKING KAZUMA ISN’T IT?!

:(

Nononononononono

I knew this was coming, you knew this was coming, Ace Attorney law dictated it was coming as soon as it set Kazuma up as both my mentor and best friend.

But even so, I thought they were just empty threats! I didn’t think they’d actually follow through! Or that we might at least enjoy Herlock Sholmes ad his magic gun together first.

I realise I’m stalling here, but maybe if I just don’t click I’ll not have to see his body.

Sailor Man, I understand that you’re very upset, we all are, but I need you to understand that I’m grieving here.

The man I love took one look at the morally compromised shits I’m normally into and decided he’d rather die than join them! And yes I know I’m still stalling and not taking this as seriously as I should because I still don’t believe it!

See, me and Ryunosuke are on the same page!

I didn’t Susato, but the problem is that you and I have only just met and I’m not very convincing!

:(

Kazuma you legend! I refuse to believe you are dead until I see your corpse.

Now Ryunosuke’s all: I can’t believe they tossed your case around that much. I thought I was going to die.

And Kazuma’s telling me he’s just amazed I fitted inside his trunk in the first place.

Kazuma you can’t be gone! Who else will condescendingly tell me to go to France and ask rather than translate a French label for me?

Now Kazuma’s telling me (Ryunosuke) that I’m going to have to live in his cabin for the next 50 days.

Also we’ve got to keep this from Susato because we’re breaking the law and Kazuma doesn’t want us to take her down with us.

Lol, every day I get shoved into the wardrobe by an uncaring Kazuma!

Oh, that’s what the message said!

God knows what the steward thought Kazuma was keeping in his wardrobe though

:(

See Ryunosuke, this is why we think before we speak.

I don’t envy the real killer when Susato gets hold of them.

From what I can find out it’s a locked room mystery, and the cause of death is still undetermined, so I’m guessing something like poison then rather than an obvious thing, like being stabbed with his big sword.

On one hand, I really hope it wasn’t something like Curare, because I don’t want Kazuma to have gone out like that, but on the other hand poison would explain why the killer didn’t need to be in the room when he died and why Kazuma didn’t strike them down with said big sword.

Ok, so Kazuma, legend that he was, got up every day at the crack of dawn to do sword training. And Susato, who I’m begging to suspect is incredibly hardcore, go up before him so she could go and wait for him outside.

Now that’s interesting.

The two of them seem like they were pretty close, so there’s a good chance it’s just that she’s so familiar with Kazuma’s habits that she can tell the second something’s off, or it could be that there’s some other reason we need to work out.

If that’s correct that means Kazuma was killed in the small hours of the morning.

You know up ‘til now I’ve been assuming Ryunosuke was knocked out or something, and that’s why he was unconscious in the wardrobe, but now I’m starting to think he might have just been sleeping in there.

:((

Wait why’d Kazuma write in Russian?

Like I’d buy that he might know it, but I don’t buy that’s it’s what he’d write in in his finger moments.

Well that proves my innocence then, all we need to do is get some witnesses to verify the ‘go to France and ask’ moment from the last case

Oh ok, I didn’t manage to screenshot it, but it seems that I (Ryunosuke) didn’t put myself in the wardrobe. That’s very odd.

I can see a vent up there, so maybe someone gassed us and then got in while we were asleep and set up the crime scene.

Kazuma said I should come, next question

Ryunosuke, with some of the words that come out of your mouth I don’t think you should be throwing stones.

Love?

Apparently not.

This is going to be something ominous isn’t it...

I’m starting to feel like Kazuma knew he’d never see England.

Kazuma how many toes did you tread on?

Oh fucking hell!

You can’t die and be heading down a dark moral path, that’s not fair!

Yeah, I want to know that too.

Ah

So my poison/drugging theory seems to be holding up. Apparently Kazuma bought me something to eat, I climbed into the hiding wardrobe, and then it’s lights out from there.

Given that I didn’t wake up when Kazuma was killed I’m going to say that also back that theory up. Even if it was silent I feel like Ryunosuke would have woken up if someone was going round the cabin knocking ink bottles over and killing Kazuma.

No, don’t blame yourself Ryunosuke!

It’s my fault really, if I was going to  find Kazuma hot I should have made sure I could manifest inside my switch and protect him!

Ah, of course! Isn’t her dad a professor of pathology? And she seems like the sort of person who picks things up pretty quickly!

In other words, if this is a poisoning, she could be the perfect person to be partnered up with.

:(((

Susato is fully prepared to kick our ass if we try and leave, and as the woman who got up before Kazuma, I think we should listen to her.

:(((((

I say we team up as an investigative duo and catch this bastard!

Yeah!

SHE FUCKED US UP!!!

Susato didn’t come here to play! Especially when we might have killed Kazuma!

(Editors note: this isn’t a bad screenshot, Susato genuinely made Ryunosuke’s vision go blurry)

I know we need to investigate, but my god this woman’s got a fist to match her convictions.

You know when I first met Susato I was a bit afraid she was going to be the inverse of Maya to the point of being meek and shy.

Now I see what a fool I was.

Susato might be prepared to politely follow the rules, but woe betide you if you break them.

She’s even named it!

Again I know this is bad for us but GO SUSATO!

(God damn it you can’t all be my favourite characters)

Her own special martial arts form Ryunosuke!

And just like that she regathers her composure and carries on as if nothing had happened!

I like how she’s still just standing over me.

Ok Ryunosuke let’s go!

(Seriously though we don’t want her as an enemy)

Ah of course, Kazuma stuck the seal on the wardrobe, and the fact Herlock Sholmes (the himbo detective) had to pull it off means I didn’t leave!

No one respects poor Ryunosuke...

So it seems that Susato doesn’t believe we’re innocent just yet, but as we’ve presented the possibility of doubt before her she will let us investigate this room.

Given the buck wild nature of the last trial she was involved in, I honestly can’t blame her for not ruling this possibility out. After all if this was something a witness in a trial had said I’d be thinking the same thing.

Susato’s going to be watching us to make sure we don’t disturb the crime scene, which again is fair.

I’ve got to say, I’m really digging Susato’s cautiously suspicious and sensible nature. It feels like a good counterbalance to Ryunosuke’s beautiful but naïve outlook on life.

I bet if Susato had stowed away onboard a ship you wouldn’t catch her immediately confessing as soon as a sailor started to press her.

Who am I kidding, Susato would never have got into this situation in the first place.

*sob*

Ok so far we’ve got:

A) Half a pink kimono fastener on the floor next to a brick red mark

B) One disturbed table, with the remains of our roast chicken dinner on the floor

C) The terrible knowledge that Kazuma spent his last night on earth hungry because he didn’t like chicken

D) Kazuma’s precious katana, that he loved dearly and that he’d apparently managed to persuade the government to let him bring to the UK.

Oh yeah, drive the knife in why don’t you game!

Why do I feel like Ryunosuke’s about to get roasted?

There we go.

(It’s what Kazuma would have wanted)

DON’T JUST GO WITH IT RYUNOSUKE!

Back to investigating, we’ve got a ransacked shelf, and Kazuma’s London diary.

Just, you know, to rip my heart out...

It looks like the final entry’s incomplete, which means Kazuma was probably writing it when the incident happened. Unfortunately Susato is violently insistent that we respect the Kazuma’s private thoughts after his death, so we can’t read it.

We’ve got the inky Russian(?) on the floor which none of us can either recognize, nor read (including me)

(Sorry to any Russians reading this by the way, I can only assume you’re screaming that this isn’t Russian, but I’m just going by what the Great Himbo Detective said in the cut scene.)

Ok, so the sailor who’s been guarding us got very flustered when we asked if everything was normal last night, meaning that either he’s been skiving off, or everything was in fact not normal last night.

Oh sweet, it seems that Ryunosuke and Susato both read detective novels, and while we’ve shot down the possibility of using the needle and thread trick to unbolt the door from the outside (side note: I must remember to try that later), I feel like both they, and the player who immediately started trying to rattle off facts about Curare, have had a bonding moment.

Ok, I think that’s this half of the room done, let’s go and check out that vent I saw earlier.

So the vent connects to the room next door. That means if the grate could be moved we have a way in and out of our crime scene!

HERLOCK SHOLMES!!!

I mean, he’s quite hard to miss Ryunosuke

(I think Ryunosuke might have an Apollo complex short)

Understatement of the century

Her and me both Ryunosuke, it’s The Great Himbo Detective!!!

WE’RE TALKING TO HIM!

AND HE’S BLANKING US!!!

Herlock Sholmes I understand that you’re in a critical point of your investigation, but you need to understand that Ryunosuke, Susato and I are sad and need to see your magic gun.

YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS!!!

IT’S LIKE HE HEARD ME!!!

OH GREAT HIMBO DETECTIVE CHEER ME WITH YOUR WITH YOUR ECCENTRIC ACTS THAT ARE RELATABLE TO MY AUTISTIC ASS!!!

OMFG HE’S SO INCREDIBLY WRONG!!!

I hope this is the way all of his deductions go from now on.

Also I’m sorry Russia and the Russian language, I should not have believed what the man, who on reflection was sold to me as the great himbo detective, said.

Susato’s buying it!

Susato look into my eyes and tell me Ryunosuke could ever make it as a soldier.

No, please do!

And the bullet flies a mile wide!

I’m still upset about Kazuma, but I’m somehow also having the time of my life

SUSATO YOU KNOW I’M FROM JAPAN!!!

SHE TOOK ME OUT!!!

AND MY GOD AM I HERE FOR IT!!!

Ryunosuke’s finally snapped!

What I find amazing is that the Sherlock Holmes Herlock Sholmes stories clearly exist, basically unchanged in this world. So either Dr Watson Wilson was either lying through his teeth to spare his friend’s feelings, or he is the stopped clock is right twice a day person who Herlock actually hit the nail on the head for, and therefore he believed everything that was said.

‘On rout to foreign climates’ that’s how ships work Herlock!

Exactly!

I’ll say one thing for Herlock though, you can’t beat him down!

How am I both Ryunosuke and Susato in this scene?

Yeah Naruhodo-san! I thought you read detective stories!

Quick Susato! Get him to sign a copy!

Um... has no one told him yet...

I’m also curious about the fact that he still believes Dr Wilson’s in London. Either there are two Dr Wilson’s, or something weird is going on here.

Look at his hat Ryunosuke, it contains all the information you need

He got his own name wrong!

Hosonaga, I don’t know if you can hear from wherever you are on this ship dressed as a sailor, but there is a fight and you are rapidly losing!

(Also to be fair to Herlock, as someone who’s been playing a lot of Hitman recently, looking inside the wardrobe already means he’s doing a lot better than literally every character in that game.)

Ok so it was Russian then and I no longer have to apologies!

Do you think Herlock has ever been to Russia?

Ok Mr ‘is this cow a cat?’

:(((((((

HERLOCK THAT LOOKS NOTHING LIKE ME!!!

Ok everyone, we’re also on the lookout for a missing Russian Ballerina along with Kazuma’s killer. I don’t know how, but I wouldn’t have been told about her if she wasn’t relevant

I can’t believe we’ve finally found the vindictive part of Ryunosuke’s beautiful personality!

We’re finally reading Kazuma’s diary!

Oh fuck, Kazuma was bitten by an adder

Wait, if that was the case why didn’t he dispatch it with his big sword? We’ve seen him do precision work before, so that can’t be it.

Either way, I think we really need to talk to the person in the room next to mine.

Also: Herlock Sholmes gets seasick!

Did she just break my cuffs?

My mistake she’s just showing some tough love to get me to buck up!

Let’s go team!

HOSONAGA!!!

“What are you doing here?” “I think that should be my line” This feels like that meme of the two Spidermen pointing at each other

I wouldn’t be so sure Susato. Hosonaga seems a lot like me, a bunch of disabilities held together by sheer force of will.

He still has a job!

(Or his superiors are just trying to send him as far away from Japan as they can)

HELL YEAH HOSONAGA, LETS PUNCH THE RULES UNTIL THEY SQUEAK!

(Also your superiors are definitely trying to ship you out)

Oh...

That would explain Kazuma’s whole vibe.

Although something about this feels wrong. No disrespect to Hosonaga, but as determined as he is he doesn’t exactly have the physical prowess you’d associate with stopping an assassination. I know I haven’t exactly seen him at work yet, but something about this feels like he was set up to fail.

Now the thing is, that while he can cut it as a waiter, Hosonaga isn’t exactly built to fit in among sailors. It’s not going to take a genius therefore, to work out who Kazuma’s guard is, especially if he’s been around Kazuma from dawn till dusk. That’s probably why his killer had to kill him in his cabin, and it’s also why they probably drugged his food (which means they didn’t know him enough to know he didn’t like chicken)

:(((((((((((((

On the plus side though, it looks as though Hosonaga believes in my innocence.

Come on Hosonaga, remember when you bought Miss Brett to us!

Hell yeah Hosonaga!

Hosonaga heard my call! He heard that he was losing his place as my second favourite character and came back swinging!!!

Determination Ryunosuke!

Also probably hacking up a lot of blood, that does wonders to unnerve people in my experience

Now, I should present Kazuma’s diary here... but...

Yes, everything is as it should be...

He’s digging it!

Oh no he took it as an insult!

Sorry Ryunosuke, that’s the crime scene thief’s now

Ok let’s do this properly then

Yeah boy!

LETS DO THIS TEAM!!!

Ryunosuke, do you remember nothing about this man?

Hosonaga didn’t come here to play!

Ok, we’re moving on out (except not right now because I’ve still got a couple of things to look at before we go)

I think Ryunosuke might be a bad influence on Susato...

Also I feel like I’ve pegged Susato wrong regarding the rules. Susato’s just very good at keeping up the appearance of following them.

Come to think of it, the fact she’s a judicial assistant, despite women apparently not being allowed in the Japanese court other than to testify should have clued me in.

Susato Mikotoba: Breaking the rules in front of you, but in a way you don’t notice

(Also the bell pull’s not working, but I think we all expected that)

Susato I’ve been living in a cupboard!

Don’t pity me!

Ok, so I’m not quite sure when Ryunosuke and I started thinking as one, but we’ve all agreed it’s happening now

Ryunosuke do not get caught in the mousetrap!

Susato can see right through me (Ryunosuke)

Umm...

This is the Phoenix Maya dynamic inverted, and I am living for it.

Susato: Now this is an emergency button, it’s very important you do NOT press it!

Ryunosuke: *lunges for the trigger*

It feels amazing being the wayward partner!

Our rout into cabin 2’s blocked by approximately 1 ton of sailor, so for now Susato and I will have to dick around avenge Kazuma out here in the corridor.

It seems that last night’s log is mostly blank, so I’m guessing I was right about the sailor on duty skiving off.

Hmm, so the person in the next cabin’s probably quite important then. Given what just happened with Miss Brett that’s not a good sign.

And it seems like I’m not allowed to visit whoever it is without an invitation... which might prove tricky given as how there in there and I’m out here

Ah good, a Western Gentleman, that’s just what we need!

Hmmmmm

These guys left their post for a while didn’t they?

Either that or there’s something (or someone) they’re keeping off the records.

This might be a bit of a wide shot, but that mousetrap makes me wonder if the crew has some sort of secret pet squirrelled away somewhere. It doesn’t entirely add up what with them putting traps down, but with everyone in Ace Attorney having something to hide it’s all I can think of now.

Bif Strogenov’s left to report to the captain, nows our window to violate some privacy!

HERLOCK SHOLMES!!!

Shot down!

Herlock that thing’s tiny, I don’t think anyone’s in there!

It moved!

Guess I’m eating my words!

Herlock???

Ok, we’re not allowed to look inside the case, or indeed anything, but fortunately we have HERLOCK SHOLMES THE GREAT HIMBO DETECTIVE!!!

Deduce away Herlock!

Herlock... are you about to tell this man that he’s also the Russian Assasin? Are you going to do this round the whole ship until you get it right?

Wait this is working!?!

Herlock Sholmes is Susato’s one blind spot and Ryunosuke’s one point of clarity

CHOOCHOO!!!

THIS IS AMAZING!

He’s not entirely right though...

(Editors note: I completely managed to miss capturing 90% of the ? icons)

I FUCKING KNEW IT!!!

HERLOCK LOOK AT THIS MAN’S NOSE, LOOK AT MY FACE! NOW LOOK AT THE MAN IN THE PORTRAIT!

However, the newspaper in his pocket and the little ! icon seems to suggest there’s some connection there.

(Editors note: I also managed to miss every ! icon)

And there is a crime being committed, but it’s not to do with the case.

Yeah, it probably just contains one of those pets we’re not supposed to have.

So... a baby?

So do a lot of people Susato

Ok, so The Great Himbo Detective is actually really good at making observations, it’s just how he applies them that’s shit.

I wonder if this is what Dr Wilson did for their partnership, but he just cut out the bits where he said things like: Herlock these people have completely different faces, maybe there’s a different reason they’ve got the paper?

Ryunosuke normally: The fact Hosonaga’s working in this restaurant clearly means he’s struggling financially!

Ryunosuke around Herlock: You can’t just say the first guess that pops into your head!

HERLOCK BUSTED US OUT!!!

(Ok he’s also the reason we were in handcuffs, but still)

Olay!

What! Noooooo!

‘Course Correction: Hold it Mr Sholmes!’ What a title!

Important news just in: Ryunosuke can’t grow a beard

A part of me says that he was about to use the sheers to cut up that paper, but there are obviously other copies around the ship, so unless he’s planning a sheers rampage that can’t be right.

Hello!

Wait a second... with that reaction to the paper... is there a Russian Ballerina in there?

WE DID THE HERLOCK SHOLMES COOL SPIN AND CLICK!!!

Also look at Ryunosuke’s little cocky smirk!

He’s really getting into this!

And I couldn’t be more proud!

We’re tag teaming it!

Herlock I swear to god if you tell me she’s that assassin

WHAT DID I JUST SAY!

(Editors note: Got that one!)

I sure am Susato!

Keep telling yourself that Ryunosuke, we can all see the truth

Ah, so the nose was fake too

That makes a lot more sense now!

Well she did disappear with a priceless tiara

He said, rubbing his hand in glee

This is definitely the start of a beautiful friendship!

Damn straight I do!

Bingo

For some reason I pictured it as being pink though, I don’t know why

Anyway so, while Nikolina does need money it seems that she didn’t steal the tiara. Apparently it was given to her as a present.

Also Nikolina is only 15, and has run away by herself for reasons currently unknown. I’m starting to get the feeling that the crew (or at least the two we’ve met) might have been looking out for her.

Oh yeah, the moving travel case!

Given the rules regarding pets, I wonder if that’s what’s in there? It would explain the attitude of the sailors we met.

Is it the Russian Revolutionary Herlock? You have to tell us if it is...

He’s learning!

Yep, she’s looking at the pet rule sign, now show me the pet!

Whoooooooo!

Yeah, I’m pretty sure the guys on the door were covering for her (and probably her pet too)

Hmm, so Nikolina’s running from someone, so she decided to disguise herself to be safe and has been a jumble of nerve ever since.

Can I see...

Bless you Nikolina, but you’re not the best at keeping secrets. I’m pretty sure the crew have collectively decided to just look the other way and let the traumatised 15 year old have her pet.

HE CUFFED ME AGIAN!!!

I wonder if Nikolina’s beloved pet’s a snake?

Can I just...

:(

Fine...

No, everyone must see my badge!

HA!

:(

:D

Ok now let’s go back to actually playing the game!

So, because she’s a jumble of nerves, Nikolina hasn’t been noticing much about what’s been happening around her. However I think she’d have probably noticed signs of danger, like loud noises, so I’m a little curious as to why she didn’t pick up on the sound of the tableware being sent to the floor.

From what I can gather about her ‘never dancing again’ whatever happened probably has something to do with the ballet.

Either that or she’s worried about being linked with her old life if she goes back on the scene under another name.

That’s a good point actually, while people are funny and I can get her wanting a memento of her life, that’s an incredibly distinctive memento to have.

It must have some sort of emotional significance, I think she said it was given to her by an Earl, so maybe her father?

Hmm, that’s a pretty distinctive thing to try and pawn Nikolina.

Yikes! So the Novavich Ballet’s got really unethical working conditions. (Which probably shouldn’t be too much of a shock given the time period.) Now I understand why Nikolina’s so keen to never put herself in that situation again.

Yeah, I thought that was the case.

Huh?

Oh yeah... that is odd

Ah, so that’s why everyone was so on edge!

Right...

(I feel like this would carry more weight if we hadn’t just been flashing our badge at anyone who looks our way)

Now onto the most important question:

HERLOCK NO!

Susato is me (but personally I’m hoping for a kitten)

Ok Genius, what sort of animal is it?

I’ll eat your funky hat if that’s true Herlock

Important information 2: Never trust Herlock with a pet

Please let it be that we were Kazuma’s pet

Wait no, I’m an idiot. I’m obviously supposed to ask about the speckled band

Wow she changed quick!

She’s leaving to talk to the captain, is this our chance to meet her friend!?!

Booooo, we’ve been chucked out!!!

[chloelucia13]

Chapter 1: A Sweet Rain

Pairing: Spencer Reid x female!reader

Prompt: Your best friend is getting married, but it seems that you’re the one  who got lucky. 

Warnings: mostly fluff, language, a little angst, it’s pretty chill

Word Count: 3.8k

A/N: So this is going to be the first part of a multi-part series! Enjoy this fluff, because this'll probably be all you’re gonna get out of this series! Anyways, buckle up and I hope you all enjoy! As always, my tag lists and requests are open!

Songs mentioned: “First Day of my Life” by Bright Eyes, “Samson” by Regina Spektor

Tags: @sojournmichael​

“Hey Pen, what’s up?” you hummed into your phone, fishing for your keys in your purse.

“Okay, I have big news,” she squealed, and you nearly had to pull the phone from your ear due to the pitch. “Like, really big news. News so big you couldn’t even imagine-”

“Out with it, Penny!” You chuckled before finally finding your keys, unlocking your car door.

“Okay, okay... JJ and Will are getting married!”

“Oh my god!” Your pitch now replicated hers, and your hands started to shake as you sat down in the driver’s seat of your car. “I have to call and congratulate them!”

“NO!”

You jumped at her sudden shout, furrowing your brow in confusion. “Why not?”

“So the thing is... We’re kinda throwing a surprise wedding for them at Rossi’s.”

“What?”

“Okay, so...”

She rattled off the details of exactly what was happening, about how Will was in a near-death situation and how he proposed to her in his hospital room, and how Rossi overheard their plans to just go to the courthouse and decided that he wanted them to have a proper ceremony.

“So, are you coming?” she basically begged after taking a deep breath, winded after her rushed summation of the events that had taken place.

“Of course I’m coming! I’ll help you guys get ready and everything! Just tell me when and where!”

“Okay, so it’s gonna be at Rossi’s mansion tomorrow-”

“Wait, tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” she dragged out. “Sorry it’s short notice. It’s kinda short notice for everyone.”

You let out a silent sigh, licking your lips. “You’re all lucky that it’s my day off.”

***

You were clad in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt when you pulled up to the towering mansion that you were only slightly envious of. With your dress and makeup bag in the back of your car, you locked your doors before following the stone trail that led to the front door of Rossi’s house.

You barely knocked once when the door swung open, revealing an excited and frazzled Penelope. “Thank god, you’re here,” she sighed, grabbing your arm and yanking you into the door.

“What’s wrong, Pen?” you questioned, trying to keep up with her fast pace that was honestly alarming considering the 5-inch stilettos she was donning.

“Everything! The only other girl here is Emily and she does not have a clue on how to color coordinate! And the caterers said the food might not be ready in time and JJ’s mom might be late and-” 

“Penelope, take a deep breath! Everything’s gonna be just fine. Let’s see what you have so far.”

She nodded, taking a few deep breaths before guiding you over to the pair of French doors that led out to the backyard.

So far, all of the chairs had been set out for the ceremony and the wedding arch and already been placed, but sat bare. Table for the reception were out, but they were lacking decorations as well. The only thing that seemed fully completed was the dance floor, which had a mat of hardwood laid out on the grass with a sound system at the head of it.

“Okay, you’ve all got a good head start. It’s only noon, and they’re not supposed to be here until 6. We still have time,” you consoled, giving her a comforting smile. 

“Ah, is this the girl we’ve been waiting for?” a voice questioned behind you, and you and Penelope turned around to see three men walking in your direction. 

“It is!” Penelope replied, beaming and placing a hand on your shoulder. “Boys, this is Dr. Y/N Y/L/N, the head psychologist at St. Elizabeth Hospital in DC.” Penelope then shifted over to the boys’ side, standing next to the man you knew as David Rossi. “You already know this guy.”

“Of course, how could I ever forget,” you hummed, reaching out to shake his hand.

She then stepped next to a taller man with dark skin and strong eyebrows. “This here is Derek Morgan.”

You shook his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’ve heard quite a lot about you.”

She finally stood by the last, and the tallest, man in the group. “And this is Dr. Spencer Reid.”

You smiled at him, and he did the same in return. “I remember her saying you don’t do handshakes. It’s nice to meet you.”

“So now we’ve got two doctors to deal with?” Rossi playfully sighed, patting your shoulder.

“Seems like it,” you hummed, grinning at Spencer before turning to Rossi. “Though I doubt I’m half as intelligent as Dr. Reid right here. I’ve heard rumors of an IQ of 187?”

Spencer shrugged, a blush flooding his face. “I-I uh, I mean... Yes.”

“And that IQ immediately decreases threefold whenever he sees a pretty girl,” a voice behind you teased, and you turned to see Emily walking over to the group, a bright smile on her face.

“Is that so.” You beamed back at her, slinging an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into a hug. 

“Alright chatter-bugs, we’ve got a wedding to set up!” Penelope announced. “Hotch is gonna be here late, so we’re down a person for a while.” She grabbed your arm and began tugging you off. “I need you to help with flower stuff.”

You rolled your eyes and waved goodbye to the group before letting her tug you inside. Once you two were in one of the many living rooms, she turned to you with a big grin on her face. “What?”

“So?”

You furrowed your brows in confusion, shaking your head slightly. “So what?”

She huffed, rolling her eyes as if it was obvious. “So, what do you think of the doctor?!” 

“Oh my god,” you grumbled, running a hand through your hair. “Penelope, I am not gonna date your coworker, no matter how cute he is.”

“So you think he’s cute!”

“Penelope!” You let out a breath. “Pen, you know I’m not good with relationships, especially with my job, I barely have time to do anything.”

“Neither does he! It’ll be perfect!” She pushed out her lower lip, clasping her hands together in a praying gesture. “Please, at least think about it!”

Another sigh left your lips. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”

She squealed. “Yay!”

“But that doesn’t mean I’m for sure gonna date him!”

She smiled knowingly, nodding once. “Whatever you say.”

***

You were lucky that the florist you contacted had the flowers you needed in supply, and even luckier that they were able to have them all ready within the hour.

You were busy attempting to arrange the flowers and fake vines on the arch when you felt a presence to your right, watching from your peripheral as they gathered a handful of baby’s breath and began sticking them in the spots you needed filled.

“Thanks,” you hummed. “I was about to grab a step ladder for that, but you seem to have that under control.”

“It’s a gift and a curse,” Spencer joked, giving you a shy smile before turning back to his task.

You chuckled before grabbing a roll of sheer ribbon and holding it out to him. “Mind using your gift to tie that ribbon at the top of the arch? I can’t reach.”

He nodded, gingerly taking the ribbon from your hands and extending a length out to tie it to the top of the arch. You then took the roll from his hands and created a draping effect before snipping the length off from the roll and tying it to the side of the arch. 

As you moved to the right side of the arch to mirror the draping that you had just done, Spencer’s eyes followed your movements, his breath caught in his lungs and his lower lip caught between his teeth. 

“Spencer?”

“Hm?” he voiced, snapping out of his trance.

You smirked, handing him the roll. He grinned shyly back at you before mirroring the work he did on the other side. “I asked you where you’re from,” you explained as you took the roll back from him.

“Oh, uh, I’m from Las Vegas,” he rushed out, already feeling a burning in his cheeks.

“Really? What a coincidence. I’m from Reno, but I worked in Vegas while I was getting my masters.”

“Where’d you work?”

“The mental hospital there.” You shook your head, letting out a sigh. “God I worked there for like a year but I can’t remember the name for the life of me. Harrington, something like that-”

“Bennington?”

“Yes, that’s the one!” You turned to give him a smile, only to see a haunted look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head, pursing his lips and casting his gaze to the ground. “I-it’s nothing.”

“Spencer.” You took a step forward before tentatively reaching your arm out, weighing the possibilities for a moment before placing your hand on his shoulder. “I know I’m not a profiler, but I can still read people. And I also know that we aren’t close, but you should know that you can trust me.”

He nodded, puffing a breath out through his nose. “I... Someone close to me is... Is one of the residents there.”

Your mind pondered for a moment, dots connecting right in front of your eyes. “Diana Reid.”

He tensed at the name, unconsciously giving himself away.

“She was one of my favorites.” You watched as his eyes lifted from the ground and flickered over your face, trying to decide if you were being honest. “God, she was so intelligent and kind and hilarious as all hell.”

He let out a small chuckle, relaxing slightly. “Yeah?”

“Oh absolutely. She’d crack me up all the time, my sides would hurt from laughing by the time my shift ended. And when she wasn't making me laugh, she’d tell me about her favorite author, read me some of her favorite passages.” A smile imprinted on your face. “Or she would read me letters that she got. Everyday she had a new letter, and her face would light right up when I handed it to her.”

Tears began to well in his eyes, and you moved your hand down to his bicep, locking gazes with him.

“She talked about you everyday. About her genius FBI agent of a son. She was so proud. And I could tell that you cared about her so much. Enough to get her the help she needed. Enough to risk your relationship with her to keep her safe.”

Spencer blinked back his tears and reached up to grab your hand, and for a moment you worried that you had crossed a line.

But that worry immediately faded away when he held your hand, squeezing it gently before giving you a kind smile. “Thank you,” he whispered.

You just nodded, letting the moment linger for as long as possible.

“Hey guys, how’s the arch coming alo-” Penelope began as she walked over to you two, her face buried in her tablet. She froze the moment she looked up, seeing the strange and vulnerable scene in front of her.

“Yeah, yeah, It’s good. I’m uh, I’m gonna go get some water,” Spencer rushed out, giving you both tight lipped smiled before hurrying off.

Penelope gave you a look as she stepped over to you. “What was that?”

“I know his mom,” you stated incredulously, the shock still lingering in your system. 

“Wait, what?”

“She, she was one of the residents at the mental hospital I used to work at.”

“So you guys are like on a third date basis with info about each other?”

“Penelope!” You sighed, rubbing your eyes. “I think that was the deepest conversation I’ve ever had with a stranger.”

“And I bet he can go a lot deeper-”

Your face grew a bright red and you smacked her shoulder. “Stop it!”

***

Your feet were aching by the time you had finished decorating the backyard, immediately falling into a chair with a heavy sigh the moment you placed the last centerpiece on the tables. 

“Y/N I think you may be an actual saint,” Penelope breathed out. “Thank you so much for helping. I don’t think I could’ve gotten this done by myself.”

“I’m always down to help,” you replied, giving her a tired smile. “I should probably start getting ready though. The party’s gonna start soon.”

“I’ll come with you. My stuff is all in my car. We can use one of Rossi’s many bathrooms.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

The two of you gathered your makeup and clothes for tonight before heading into the first bathroom to the right on the second floor of the mansion. That room immediately filled with giggles as you two got ready, helping each other with hair and makeup.

It was almost time for the party to start when you two were ready, zipping your dresses up and slipping on your heels when there was a knock at the door.

“Are you two gonna give us a reveal anytime soon or do we have to beg for it?” Derek’s voice sounded from the other side of the door, his grin evident in his words.

“We?” Penelope questioned, smirking herself.

“Well you know there’s gotta be an audience whenever there’s two beautiful women. Now are we gonna get a show?”

You rolled your eyes, letting out a chuckle as Penelope stepped over to the door. “You ready?” she questioned.

You shrugged. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” you sighed in response before gesturing for her to open the door.

She pulled the door open a moment later, stepping out first and you stepping out behind her.

Emily let out a low whistle, motioning for you two to turn. You scoffed but obliged, waddling around in a circle before giving everyone a sheepish smile. Emily and Derek bombarded the two of you with compliments, boosting your confidence through the roof and making your cheeks burn bright.

Eventually, Emily and Derek and Penelope split off into their own group, chatting amongst themselves. That was when you noticed a timid body tucked away to the side, someone who had been there the whole time but had stayed silent.

“Hey,” you greeted, smiling up at him.

“Hi,” Spencer hummed in return, a shy smile on his own face.

From behind you, you could hear the group change their conversation from whatever mundane topic they were on previously to the topic of you and Spencer. The words seemed to blend together but you could pick up a few things. 

“What did I say, that IQ is gone,” Emily joked.

“Pretty boy’s got a pretty girl now,” Derek added, all of them giggling.

“You um... You look beautiful,” Spencer told you, blatantly ignoring the group’s playful comments.

“Thanks. You clean up well yourself,” you said, reaching up and straightening his bow tie for him. “I dig the bow tie.”

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely. It’s very Eleven-esque.”

He smirked at that. “You watch Doctor Who?”

You shrugged. “Yeah, whenever I get the time. I’m not as big of a fanatic as Miss Penelope Garcia, but I certainly enjoy it.”

“Maybe we can watch the new season together sometime?”

You nodded, beaming. “It’s a date.”

You were so wrapped up in your conversation with Spencer that you failed to notice the peanut gallery wander off, evidently bored by the change of conversation. 

However, you didn’t fail to notice the blush deepening on Spencer’s cheeks from your words, his tongue darting out to wet his lips, a nervous habit that (you hated to admit) had an effect on you.

“We- uh, we should probably head outside. I bet the party is starting soon,” he stuttered out, rocking back and forth on his heels. 

You nodded with a frown, glancing over at the bathroom. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. I’m gonna clean up the bathroom and throw my stuff in my car, then I’ll meet you out there.”

A strange emotion, almost reminiscent of disappointment, crossed over his face for a moment before he nodded. “Alright. See you out there.” He gave you a small smile before stepping past you, leaving a lingering touch on your bare shoulder before retreating downstairs.

***

Luckily, the wedding ceremony had gone off without a hitch, every moment was perfect and extremely emotional.

Tears stains still lingered on your cheeks when dinner was over, and JJ handed you a tissue when she stepped over to you. “I’ve got a whole supply of them, my mom gave ‘em to me when I was breaking down up there,” she whispered to you, pulling you into a tight hug.

“Thanks, JJ,” you breathed, hugging her back just as tight. “I’m so happy for you two.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty happy too.” The two of you giggled, and she pulled away from the hug to give you a smile before looking around. “And I’ve noticed that a special someone is pretty happy to see you, too.”

You followed her line of sight, playfully rolling your eyes when you saw Spencer playing with Henry. “God, who put you up to this?” 

She scoffed, turning back to you. “Hey, I may not be a profiler, but I know a connection when I see one.” She reached out, taking your hand in his. “You should really give him a chance. You two would be amazing together, and you both deserve some happiness in your lives.”

A sigh left your lips, but you nodded. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”

JJ squeezed your hand before rising to her feet and looking around for Will. “Well, we should probably do the first dance before Penelope loses her mind.”

You grinned at her. “Have fun, girly. Love you.”

“Love you too. And thank you for all this. It means so much to me.”

“Of course. Anything for you. Now go dance!” You shooed her off with a laugh, watching as everyone turned their attention to the bride and groom making their way over to the dance floor.

The music started playing, and everything moved in slow motion as JJ and Will danced together, both of them beaming with pure love in their eyes. People eventually moved to join them, everyone swaying together on the dance floor.

You had sat at the table for a while, watching everyone make idle chat and have fun on the dance floor. This feeling of warmth and comfort was one that was foreign to you, and you wanted to bask in it for as long as possible. 

“All alone?”

You looked up to see Spencer standing in front of you, a shy smile on his lips. 

You nodded, returning his smile. “I guess so. Dancing really isn’t my thing.”

He pulled a chair up next to you, sitting down and watching the crowd with you. “Yeah, me either.”

“Really? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I do believe I saw you dancing with Emily. And Penelope. And JJ. And JJ’s mom.” He scoffed, and you let out a laugh, playfully shoving his shoulder. “Maybe you’re just a ladies man.”

“Oh, definitely.”

“I mean that sounds like some player behavior if you ask me.”

You both shared a laugh, wide smiles stretching across both of your lips. That laughter soon faded into a comfortable silence, the two of you returning your gazes back to the dance floor.

“I mean, there’s one girl I haven’t danced with,” Spencer spoke up, bringing your attention back to him.

You quirked an eyebrow at him. “Oh yeah? And who would that be?”

Your eyes followed his form as he stood from his seat and walked around you, stopping when he stood right in front of you. “I believe that would be you.” He extended his hand out to you.

A small chuckle left your lips, gently placing your hand in his and pushing yourself to your feet. “You’re getting confident, doctor.”

At your words, his demeanor began to slip, a light blush blooming across his cheeks, glowing under the string lights. “Oh-I-”

“Spencer.” You squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. I’m glad you feel comfortable enough around me to be forward.”

He let out the breath he was holding, squeezing your hand in return before leading you over to the dance floor. You couldn’t help but notice the subtle glance Spencer shared with the DJ once you two stood on the hardwood mat.

The song changed, now playing a slow song you were all-too familiar with. “I didn’t peg you as a guy who listened to Bright Eyes.”

He shrugged. “I’m not. But I had Penelope look into your purchases to see what CDs you’ve bought.”

You feigned offense, gasping and shoving his shoulder. “You two were conspiring!”

He let out a laugh, beaming at you as he placed one hand on your waist. “Well we better get to dancing before this song is over. It’s only 3 minutes and 9 seconds long.”

You rolled your eyes but obliged, placing your free hand on his shoulder and stepped close to him, squeezing his hand once before you two began to sway, eyes locked in each other’s gaze.

“I’m, uh...” You sighed, pursing your lips. “I’m really sorry about bringing all that stuff up with your mom,” you whispered.

“It’s okay,” he whispered in response.

You furrowed your brow in frustration. “But I made you upset, I didn’t mean to do that. I’m really sorry.”

“You don’t need to be sorry. You didn’t upset me.” He let out a breath. “Honestly, it’s really nice being able to talk to someone who knew who she is. Who she really is. Not her illness, her.”

You nodded, searching his eyes. “I’m glad that you trust that I know who she really is.”

“I don’t need to trust you. You told me exactly who she is. She’s a kind, intelligent woman.”

A smile settled on your face. “With a kind and intelligent son.”

He returned your smile, his hand winding around your waist and pulling you against his chest as the song changed. 

You chuckled, searching his eyes. “God, did you guys just decide to play all the music I like.”

He paused to listen to the song. “No, I don’t recognize this song. Maybe Penelope chose it.”

“Of course she did.”

You listened to the lyrics, humming along to the melody as your eyes traced over his features.

Your hair was long when we first met. Of course.

Slowly, as the two of you swayed, you laid your head on his chest, letting your eyes flutter shut.

Peace.

[btswishes]

Love me for who I am now

Bucky x Reader ( Chapter 5)

Previous / Next (6)

Summary: You apply for the Stark internship and end up getting it, so now you have 5 months to make a good impression to continue working with the Avengers.

A/N:  I hope the chapters are not too long with no action. Lets see how it goes from now on. I have no idea how long this might end up being, presumably not past 20 chapters. Sorry for any mistakes made, hope you enjoy it even a tiny bit.

Tag list: @vicmc624  @yasminwashere​​

Word count:  4,076

Warmings: fights, harsh language, not part of the original MCU

Y/N- Your name                            

Y/L/N- Your Last Name                  

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

  Three moons shined over your new room one after the other, observing its slow but sure change. A white canvas starting to turn into a personal expression of ownership and personality. Working with Dr. Banner was quite enjoyable. It was you two at first till Tony joined in, showing you little tricks that increased your productivity by 50%. Amazing what one could do with an experienced teacher. You got used to the gym, going on your own at this point. Anxiety now a part of the past. The first week in the compound felt like more than a month. Cups and mugs, kitchen and rooms, you memorized it all by heart – a surprise even to some of the Avengers still struggling with it. Your brain but a sponge for all important information.

  Peeking inside your room, the sun gently warmed up your skin, awaking you to a missed call from Nea. Your fingers lazily, based on touch memory, rung her phone back.

“Why don’t you pick up when I call you?” she lectured you in the mic

“Because unlike your grand majesty vampire Nea, we mortals need sleep to function.” You murmured in a groggy tone “Maybe share your ambrosia with me next time.”

“They don’t offer super soldier serum energy drinks there?”

“No.” your voice sounded like two stones being grinded together. Palm rubbed over your eyes, leaning your body on that exact elbow seconds later “What do you want? It’s 6 fucking AM.”

“To have breakfast together grumpy.” Nea had a devilish tone, who knew what she was thinking in that pretty head of hers again.

“Now!?”

“No, no. At 9 maybe. Same place we usually go to.” It took a bit of convincing, but you ended up saying yes “See ya later sugar.” The beep following her voice made you throw the phone to the side and puff out, body falling back on the mattress. Your eyes shot open again a few cloud movements later, when you jumped off the bed and into the bathroom. Your gaze landed on the reflection, hair looking like you had an exciting night – wrong by a mile.

  6AM or not, you couldn’t fall asleep anymore, so what was the next best thing? Getting training over while everyone was hopefully still sleeping. Less embarrassment when you miss the punching bag and face plant in it – again.

  Workout clothes on your back, bag in hand and a big chug of water – off to the elevator for your exhausted self. Numbers appearing into the little screen one after the other, counting down the floors till you smelled that familiar cleaner. At this point it did the same job as a preworkout powder. Throwing the duffle bag on a bench, you dragged yourself around the gym - thrilled by the emptiness.

“Lovely.” Your voice rung out breathy with relieve. Some cardio later you began your usual workout program designed by yours truly the trio of demons - Nat, Steve and Bucky who in more than one way was the father of the shittiest things you had to do. What normal human being does upside-down crunches? 

  White chalk enveloped your fist in a cloud, as it made contact with the punching bag. The sheer force pushing back farther with each powerful blow. You huffed and puffed bearing the exhaustion starting to slowly drop and pile in your system. The little trickster in your head began hypnotizing you, making giving up or stopping now such a sweet idea, only one choice away. Yet if you didn’t finish up the daily routine you knew they would catch you and the penalty one was far from pleasant. Better the lesser evil than Satan himself.

“Glad to see you are not training your face for once.” The voice vibrated with an amused bass, conducted by the heavy boots shacking up the room with the same depth.

“Ha, ha.” Your skin made contact with the leather at the last word, taking the object off the chains in one clean swoop “Funny Sergeant. So much so I didn’t even laugh.” Fingers wrapped around your wrists as the punching-bag rested on the floor after its ceremonial thump, making sure there was no damage you could have missed with the lack of pain.

  His eyes enveloped your arm, running over your shoulder and to your face, no thought behind his blue eyes. Almost like a force of habit to check for something. Even if his body frame was big you could never noticed him moving, which was scary at first. Bucky could be anywhere at anytime with no sign at all.

“What got you up this early?” he grabbed a second punching bag and threw it on the hook, filling the huge gym hall with the sound of metal hitting metal “Night…terrors?” the sentence came out like a small whisper, hoping you didn’t catch it.

“Nope si-“

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” your words stuck on top of your tongue, just shaking your head “ Then why don’t you use my name the same way you call Steve and Natasha?” your eyes looked at him for a moment, before grabbing the weights from the side and tying them up to your waistline. His head turned to the side, somehow making him feel stupid for letting such a thing leave his lips. A coldblooded soldier, scared of a request.

“I actually had a goodnight sleep, that is until my best friend called me at 6am.” Your body pushed off the floor, chains singing out, tapping on your thighs.

“I see.”

  Palms firm on the bar, your neck crooked a bit to catch a glimpse of his sagging posture before refocusing in front.

“How did you sleep…- Bucky?” the blue color in his eyes twinkled with delight, maybe a hint of pleasure at how his name sounded coming out from your lips, with that sweet tone he seemed drawn to the past days. It felt almost like he longed to hear it again from decades ago.

“I slept.” His voice was colored with need to cover his lie with a coat of truth

“Doesn’t look-“ you pulled yourself up the bar “- like you did much of that. Trouble sleeping too?”

  Bucky’s fist kept hitting the bag at the same speed you were doing pull ups close by. Two sounds, hand in had married to a familiar rhythm intertwined by silence. His grunts sending a chill down your neck, convulsing it back a bit. It felt almost like his fingers were inches from touching you skin, the area blazing.

“Ugh.” You whined out, his ear twitching in your direction. The thud followed your body walking past him to your bag “I will go take a shower seeing how it is 8 already. Time sure passes fast with you Bucky.” A giggle rung out tugging on a smile. His lips parted, but he gave himself an unaffected façade, even if his heart was doing leaps.

“I don’t talk much.”

“Well maybe if you actually slept more, you would.” Scolding and serious about health issues with this man child, had become a daily occurrence. Seeing how he didn’t even try to lay down. “See ya later.” You waved the back of your hand at him, walking away.

  The showers in the compound were amazing. Everyone in the Avengers had their own one. Your shampoo and products were already resting inside waiting for you to jump in. It was a co-ed bathroom, but usually most of you guys had a different schedule so no encounters. Well maybe once or twice with Natasha, but it was fun aside from her teasing. The warm skin on your heel cooled down immediately after it made contact with the light navy tiles.

“Ohhh.” Your muscles made you spasm for a minute before adjusting to the temperature. Water running over your body, relaxing every bit of your strained figure, droplets gently massaging the pain from the inside out rhythmically. The stream pulled your hair down, elongating it with each pass over. You felt your arm lean onto the wall in front, just to enjoy the full effect of the radiating warmth, opening up your sinuses. Eyes slowly closing, taking you to a safe space, almost away from this world and back into another.

  After what felt like an eternity of alone time in the gym, Bucky had stopped working out just standing there. He had no more motivation. Fist draped with the soft material of the towel, he made his way to the shared showers before his body froze. Running water caught him off guard, but what laid the finishing blow was the delicious smell of flowers and fruits filling up his senses. Usually faint to people, but he was enhanced – a gift on missions, a knife to his chest when it came to things like these. He took a deep breath, trying to swallow the forming lump in his throat. Bucky didn’t know why this was so difficult for him. He had been in here with others before, but nothing made his blood flow faster than right now.

“Bucky?” your voice shook him out of his daze, nowhere to run anymore.

“Yeah. Sorry I didn’t know you were still here.” Your face flushed red upon hearing him actually answer, for a second you thought it was just a random sound. His heavy footsteps echoed on purpose, almost like he wanted you to know where he was exactly, so you would feel less uncomfortable or frightened. Eyes shooting in the direction of your door, where he seemed to have stopped.

“Something wrong?” your voice pitched with his presence so close to your naked body

“My shower is next to Sam and Steve on the other end, but-“ he stopped opening the door to the one positioned right next to you. “ My name is right here.” It took you a minute to register what could have happened, before a forced laugh pushed out your throat

“Tony got bored I guess.” He always pulled stunts like this from what you saw and were told by others. Pepper made sure to warn you, but you didn’t think he would go this far. Then again, why were you nervous in the first place anyways? Who cares, right? You knew Bucky wouldn’t do anything, he was just a puppy with a scary outer shell. Or maybe you wanted something - a thought turning your eyes a bit dark, glazed over almost.

“I swear, he needs his ass beat.” Bucky growled which didn’t help your situation or thoughts “I will wait for you outside.” Pressing your lips together you held in a thought, that just couldn’t sit still. Its metaphorical fingers pried an escape open.

“It’s ok. I trust you, plus we are team mates Bucky. I don’t think it will always be a nice encounter for us if I started going on missions soon.”  

  Tense air, steam filling not only the room but also your mind. Damn it! You cursed at yourself, but that soon dissolved the moment you heard the click and water hitting the tiles. For a moment air couldn’t come out of you, only the humidity in the room running over both your bodies.

  Gathering yourself together, the memory of your breakfast plans harnessed you into action. Your finger flicked the lid of the bottle open, pouring some onto your sponge. Cutting the water flow, you began rubbing it all over your body, bubbles forming a thin fabric like veil over your figure. Taking in the ambiance of the situation, you could smell that familiar scent that usually came off Bucky – almost relaxing you out of instinct.

“That is a nice shampoo you have there.” You spoke up. Bucky wasn’t a stranger, plus small talk could ease your nerves more. In your mind you were the only one feeling weird – far from the truth.

“It’s a body wash.” He said “I use it for both.”

“You can’t do that!” and just like that anxiety flew out of the window like it wasn’t here, in your chest at all “ That will dry your hair out!”

“It does the job. I don’t mind.”

“Well you should. I know it’s probably too much work for you, but you gotta put some care in yourself too Bucky. This is a terrorist attack to your scalp!”

“You seem very enthusiastic about this subject.” He laughed out, catching you of guard. He was having too much fun and you weren’t having any of it. Bucky should be taking you seriously. Pursing out your lips, the little devil on your shoulder crawled to your ear and whispered with an alluring voice. The corners of your lips curled up in the same evil smirk, as your fingers silently grabbed your mango ice cream with essential oils, shampoo. Tiptoeing over to the wall dividing you, you reached over pouring some on top of his head, while Bucky was busy explaining how it is a waste of time for him. Palm over your lips grasping your jaw, you tried to not let out even the smallest peep, no matter how much you wanted to bust out laughing – he would find out. The sergeant’s big hands rubbed the product into his long hair, before bringing his fingers to his nose and catching your snickering from the other side. A new found confidence started filling your blood circulation with adrenalin.

  Bucky didn’t say anything, he used your lack of concentration to do exactly the same. It took you faster to figure it out, his shampoo already soaked up into your hair, roots and scalp.

“Barnes!” a hostile hiss parting your mouth, mad at his childish behavior even thought you were the one that started it in the first place.

“An eye for an eye doll.” You could practically feel him smirking. Switching the game on you, it wasn’t fun being on the receiving end.

“Did you peep on me!” he laughed out and denied , seeing how riled up you were – feeding his inner self 

“Don’t let yourself fall prey to your primal instincts James.” This was the first time you used his first, real name. You wanted to tease him, he always acted like a kid so pushing his buttons wouldn’t be something too difficult to achieve. On the other side, fire lit up in his chest, flowing like lava all over his body, skin radiating waves off heat. Bucky’s eyes shot up almost over the wall, dark.

“Oh trust me doll, this wall isn’t high enough or strong enough if I truly wanted to take your figure in.” His palm hit the top of the only barrier between you two, proving his point. The tiles almost cracked under his pressure “If I wanted to I easily could.” Showing just how tall and massive he actually was. The water almost not hitting the floor could give you a good idea about his posture. The image of his back flexing in that pose intoxicated your mind, but you weren’t ready to give up the crown now.

“Don’t be ashamed Bucky. You lack a few years of experience sleeping through them. Happens, no one will put it against you.” Hitting him right in the manhood, low blow even if he was 100+ years.

“Say that after you have experienced me doll. 40s James couldn’t do to you the things super soldier me can.” Your voice hitched upon that whole sentence, the confidence in this man. You heard Steve joking about this from time to time, but coming directly from Bucky was a whole other thing. The shower felt like ages, when you stepped out wrapping the towel around yourself as tight as possible. Not taking your chance with meeting him you dashed towards the door, almost slipping.

“Careful doll face.” his right hand holding you by the waist, chest pressed into you. He had only one towel around his hips dangerously close to sliding off his hips and thick thighs. The water from his hair dripping onto your chest, fixed hungry gaze onto you. “Cat got your tongue? You were so talkative with that wall between us.” A light push and you found yourself back onto your feet and scrambling to get out to the lockers and to your room.

  You didn’t want to give yourself a moment to process what happened, so you got dressed and ran off to your destination. Flying through the crowds almost, leaving the situation streets behind.

“Wow wow!” Nea’s hands flew up when your body jumped into the booth she saved for you two “What got you all riled up?”

“I am NOT!” strenuous notes hitting her right in the face.

“Ok…so not the case then. I already ordered your usual. Mind?” you shook your head, leaving your light green bag close to you, trying to calm down. “So.” Leaning onto the soft pads on her palms, Nea eyed you up and down feeling embarrassment oozing out “ Did you break something or someone?”

“No, No. Can you just, drop it?” mimicking her posture you threw your face in your hands, wishing to A) go back in time or B) just disappear from the face of the Earth.

“I was going to but...” pulling her body back, letting it lean on the chair, she scanned “Let me guess. You dressed up in less than 10min, ran here for the same amount of time AND.” Her nose found its way to your hair, making you jump back protectively “You smell like a man, not a boy. A man. Not to mention your red face.” Nea paused, letting you take in her wave of words “Grab a glass of water and let’s see if it will evaporate. Tssssss burning.”

“Your order.” A waitress rolled up with your food. Thanking her, you flashed a forced smile watching her walk away.

“Spill it! Who was it?” arrows were being shot at you. Nea was your best friend. If you didn’t tell her, who would you? After a lot of consideration you sighed, giving her the sign she needed to get ready for this.

An explanation later 

“You got cocky.” Her arm taking in her weight on the table minutes after the whole story “ What does the agent even look like? Is he taller? I mean do you have an upper hand or something.”

“It was….Bucky.” you hid your face, waiting for the explosion. Not hearing anything pulled your eyes to her wide ones, mouth hanging almost to the table. With a light motion you closed it back up for her.

“The….the…WINTER SOLDIER!?”

“SHHHHH!” your body flung up, pressing both your hands to her mouth, almost stopping her air. Nea pushed you off, oxygen meeting her lungs before silence again. “Don’t yell!”

“Well I mean WHO WOULDN’T .” She noticed how uncomfortable you were about explaining “At least he smells really good. Is he as beefy as they say? Who is thicker him or Steve? What about Thor, heard he had a nice body too!”

“Calm down. I don’t wanna talk about other people like that.”

“Fine! Keep it to yourself then….” She eyed you, her posture sideways “How is the tower treating you? ” The topic changed to your daily lives and some tea about mutual friends. Breakfast was nice, quite refreshing to meet the city bustle compared to the Zen state of the compound. Nea knew exactly how to calm you down and get you back into your natural rhythm. After paying, you two made your way out the restaurant and back into the ensemble of random sounds.

“Any plan?”

“Hm?” Nea was throwing you a worried stare “About?”

“The situation with the sergeant. You will meet him at some point in there. Gym, hall, common room. You can’t evade him forever. What if you end up being paired up on a mission? Y/N, you are not the type to let stuff like these effect your job.” She was right. There was no way to hide forever. Being bold was what got you in this situation and it could be the answer to it again.

“You are right. If we end up being in a place alone, I will talk it out with him. Probs apologies for making him uncomfortable.” Rubbing the back of your neck you paired the motion with an uneasy, maybe slightly painful laugh.

“ There you go again!” Nea crossed her arms in front of her chest scoffing, letting them fall forcefully. “Going in your head. To me it sounded like he liked it AND teased you back. Don’t force people away like you usually do just because you THINK they don’t like you.” Her smile was soft, sweet like that of a mother giving advice to her hurt child.

“OK!” balling your fingers in a fist you rose them to the level of your chin – aura filled with enthusiasm “I got this!”

“You do!” this girl could hype a crocodile to fly and actually do it.

“What is wrong?” you waved your hand in front of her concentrated face behind you, seeing as how your words weren’t registering anymore

“Better do what you promised me ok?” her hand pushed you back slightly, before you felt an arm as strong as a bolder grab onto you, lifting you off in one swift move.

“TAKE GOOD CARE OF HER!” your best friend’s voice being left further and further away. The disruptive winds were pulling your hair back with the speed the car was drifting with, drying out even the smallest water droplet left. In a moment’s notice you got smuggled in through the big window, finding yourself sitting in someone’s lap.

“Congratulations on your first mission kid.” Steve was holding onto the car’s wheel like there was no tomorrow, driving with speed close to seeing God.

“What is going on!?”you began moving around, confused, catching the city and your freetime in the distance. Bucky’s hands pushed you down onto his lap, trying to stop you from falling out the window

“Tony called. Something out of nowhere popped up and he needs us.”

“Us?” you gasped at the blonde man, trying to calm your heart from the contact with Bucky

“Yup.” His thumb pointed at the back seat “Bruce made sure to pack the stuff we need so just sit down and enjoy the ride. Bucky is pretty comfy.” He threw you a wink.

“Can I go to the back at least?”

“No can do doll. We can’t stop the car.” Your now seat explained

  Rage, confusion and who knows what else was stirring up in you, wanting to jab a punch in both the faces of the super soldiers. Tony too, he has been messing around a bit too much lately. Your back hit Bucky’s muscles when you leaned aggressively, pushing your arms to your chest as you blew a strand of hair out of your face. The whole situation pulled a light groan out of him, that didn’t go unnoticed to your shivering thighs.

“We will be there in a bit.” Steve grabbed the gearstick with the same aggression projected on the wheel, his knuckle turning white under the drip. There was no running away from this, first mission or not you at least wanted to know before hand, get briefed maybe. Your knee began jumping nervously. How bad could this actually be - sending 2 super soldiers and a bag of who knows what. If your metal dust was in there, shit was going to go down. Could you do it? Could you trust yourself enough to finish the job, not get yelled at….or die?

  Bucky’s vibranium arm ran over your uneasy leg and gently rubbed circles into the fabric of the pants. Head leaning down to your ear, fingers moving the hair to expose the shell.

“It’s ok, just relax. Nothing will happen promise baby girl.” Warm air over your skin, yet calming in a weird way “I have been told that my lap is pretty comfortable by ladies. Just enjoy it.”

“James! Buchanan! Barnes! How! Can! You! Be! Pervery! Right! NOW!!!” a hit to his chest between each word, send a vibration through his body, the laugh coming out distorted. Steve threw a look your way, but didn’t say anything, keeping his thoughts behind those serious eyes of his. As he let his best friend get beat up. Whatever it was, this mission was not just a field trip and Cap knew.

[drprettyboyspence]

A Perfect Date

Dr. Spencer Reid/reader 

Summary: Part 2 to Beach Day. Spencer and Y/n go on their first date and it could not go any better. Spencer doesn’t believe in relationships working out, except maybe with Y/n...

words: 2.2k 

warnings: sooo much fluff, they kiss? (i don’t think that needs a warning but it’s there just in case!), no others to my knowledge! 

a/n: I wanted to write a part 2 to beach day because I felt the relationship in it was super cute and their first date deserved to be written! Hope you enjoy! :) 

Spencer Reid finds himself staring into his bedroom mirror, straightening his crooked tie for what seems like the fifth time in the last few minutes. He’s dressed in basically his work clothes, a dark blue shirt with a purple tie and dress pants. He can’t remember the last time he’s been on a date, especially on a date with a girl he cares so much about, a girl he might be falling in love with. Finally having straightened his tie to the highest level of perfection possible, he moves on to his hair, oh god, his unruly hair. He knows he could spend hours like this, nitpicking his appearance until he feels himself going crazy. Miraculously, the email account JJ had forced him to create alerts him to the time. Seeing the 6:04 blinking back at him from his phone sends a surge of panic through an already anxious Spencer, suddenly scared he will be late to dinner with the most special girl in the world. It’s been over a month since this date had been first brought up, the team having been called away on multiple cases. Spencer grabs a light coat from his closet, the cool September air unpredictable at this time of night. He grabs his signature book bag and hurries out the door of his apartment building, waving quickly to his elderly neighbor before briskly descending the stairs. He prays the subway isn’t late and for once in his life the gods of transportation grant his wish, he walks into the restaurant at 6:28, hopefully before his guest. 

“Table for two, last name Reid” Spencer says to the hostess. 

“Okay Mr. Reid, you’re the first to arrive, would you like to be seated?” Spencer nods and follows the hostess to a rather private table towards the back of the restaurant. “Is this okay?” The hostess asks.

“It’s perfect, thank you so much.” Spencer says before the hostess walks away, leaving Spencer alone with his anxious excitement once again. Spencer has barely sat down and started looking at the menu when he hears, 

“Spence, hi! Sorry I’m a little bit late, the subway wasn’t on my side tonight.” Y/n’s soft voice says. 

“Oh no worries, Y/n, you look amazing.” Spencer says, looking at Y/n but trying hard not to stare at the strapless dress she is wearing tonight. He’s never seen her dressed like this before, she looks gorgeous. He pulls Y/n into a hug to greet her, honestly not sure what the appropriate first date greeting is, despite having read dozens of dating books. He then pulls out the chair opposite to his own and allows Y/n to sit down, noticing the blush already on her cheeks. 

“Thanks Spence, you’re such a gentleman.” Y/n says sweetly, moving her chair closer to the table as Spencer returns to his own seat. “So have you been here before?” Y/n asks, having never been to this restaurant that happens to be closer to Spencer’s apartment. 

“Um no I haven’t, JJ actually recommended it to me, she and Will come here for their date nights often, so I figured we could try it out.” Y/n is about to reply when they are interrupted by their middle-aged waitress. 

“Hello, my name is Susan and I’ll be your waitress this evening. Can I get you two some drinks or do you need a few minutes.”

“Uh, what wine do you recommend this evening?” Spencer asks. 

“The pinot noir we have is quite a lovely red, not too pricey either if that’s something you’re thinking about.” Spencer glances at Y/n and she nods her head, assuring him that she’s fine with that choice. 

“Alright we’ll take two glasses of the pinot noir, thank you very much.” 

“Good choice, I’ll be back soon to take your orders after you have a chance to look at the menu.” 

“Wow Spence, I didn’t know you were such a wine connoisseur!” Y/n says teasingly, she actually doesn't think she’s seen Spencer drink on more than two occasions. 

“Is that sarcasm I hear in your voice my dear Y/n?” Spencer teases back, “for the record though, pasta night at Rossi’s is to thank for my very limited knowledge of wine. What are you in the mood for tonight?” 

“Besides you, you mean?” 

“Uh- uh I m-meant for dinner, but um-”

“Spence, I’m just teasing you, I’ve been looking at the menu and I must say this pasta dish is calling my name, the one with basil and vodka sauce? Looks delicious.” Spencer tries to calmly take deep breaths and tone down the flaming of his cheeks from Y/n’s blatant teasing, calm down Spence, this is Y/n. 

“Oh yes that does look delicious, I’m thinking about getting steak with mashed potatoes and green beans.” Soon the waitress returns with the wine and they place their orders. Spencer and Y/n lift their wine glasses. 

“To us Y/n, and to the future, whatever it will bring.” Spence says as a cheers before they clink their glasses and drink. 

“Why am I not surprised Rossi knows what good wine is” Y/n jokes, the wine being delicious, even for someone like her and Spencer who don’t drink often.

“Well, he’s Italian, and Italian wine has been produced for over 4,000 years, Italy being considered the perfect climate for viticulture.” Spencer replies back, making Y/n giggle. A light conversation grows between the two of them as they wait for their food to arrive. “Have you read any good books recently Spence?” Y/n asks, always enjoying discussing reading with Spencer, his whole face lights up when he begins to talk about books. 

“Actually yes! I’ve been reading this book about the fundamentals of calculus, it’s so fascinating, did you know that the word calculus comes from latin meaning small stone, because it represents understanding a topic by looking at small pieces, as differential calculus cuts things into small pieces while integral calc- I’m sorry Y/n you probably don’t care very much about this, I tend to ramble.” Y/n’s face falls as she hears Spencer doubting himself, she reaches out to lightly grab his hand from across the table. 

“Spencer, don’t ever feel like that, I love hearing you talk about your passions, even if I can’t say I understand all the intricacies of calculus. Besides, I think your “rambling” is rather adorable, don’t ever change that about yourself Spencer, don’t change anything.” Y/n notices the way the rest of the team playfully teases Spencer about his tendencies to ramble, and she knows it’s all good-natured and loving, but she can’t help but see the negative effects sometimes, she wants him to embrace the more quirky sides of his personality.  Spencer feels himself tearing up just the slightest bit, his heart warming at the words of the girl in front of him, the girl who sees him more clearly than almost anyone he knows.

“Y/n, that is so sweet, thank you so much, please feel the same way when you’re with me, never censor yourself, you’re perfect Y/n.” They look at each other sweetly for no longer than 30 seconds, but it honestly could have been hours, both of them in almost a trance together, feeling as if they are the only two people in the room. 

“Here are your meals, enjoy and let me know if you need anything!” Susan arrives with their food and interrupts their romantic moment. Spencer secretly feels grateful as he was about to start crying or blurt out the three letter phrase that it is most definitely too early to say to Y/n, despite how true it may be. 

Their food is delicious, this restaurant having been a very good recommendation from JJ after all. They talk throughout dinner and it’s so effortless. Usually in situations like this when Spencer finds himself far away from work, he feels anxious to check his phone for new messages, new cases from Hotch, but tonight, all he wants to do is shut his phone off and live in the moment with Y/n, possibly forever. Sadly, that is not a luxury two FBI agents get, so Spencer prays they can enjoy one perfect evening without interruption. They don’t just talk about Spencer, they talk about Y/n, her past and her family, where she grew up, they talk about their favorite books and tv shows, and some of their plans for the future. When the last bites have been taken, Susan comes back to retrieve their plates. 

“Well it looks like you two enjoyed your meals, can I get dessert for you tonight?” 

“Um, I don’t know, probably no-”

“We’ll have two orders of ice cream tonight, thank you.” Spencer says. He knows it isn’t appropriate to order for his date, but he wants to remind Y/n of their day at the beach, and honestly he just wants to eat some ice cream. 

“Thank you Spence, I didn’t want to be rude by ordering dessert.” Y/n replies, Spencer relieved he had made the correct decision by ordering the ice cream for both of them. The ice cream is delicious, Spencer must admit it’s not as good as that ice cream at the beach, but maybe nothing will ever be as good as that in Spencer’s mind, the moment he realized he was falling in love with Y/n. “I gotta say Spencer, as good as this ice cream is, it’s no match for the ice cream from that tiny stand at the beach that night.” 

“I couldn’t agree more Y/n” Spencer says, Y/n having just read his mind. As it happened at the beach, the ice cream is gone too soon and Susan brings the check, Spencer quickly grabbing it before Y/n tries to grab it as well. 

“I’m paying tonight Y/n, you can pay next time if you want to, but I want to treat you.” Spencer reassures Y/n, seeing her blush when he implies that there will be a second date. Of course there will be a second date Spencer thinks, this had been the most perfect date of his entire life. They stand up and walk out together, Spencer linking his arm with Y/n’s. The subway station is a few blocks away and Y/n shivers in the chilly night air. “Are you cold Y/n?” Spencer asks, shrugging his jacket off before slipping it over Y/n’s shoulders, ignoring her words of defiance. “Nonsense sweetheart, I’m wearing a long sleeve dress shirt, you’re wearing a strapless dress, you can wear my jacket.” Y/n gives in and they walk the few blocks to the station, taking in the beautiful evening together. When they come to the steps down to the station, they are going opposite ways towards each of their respective homes, so they must say goodbye, to both of their dismay. 

“I had an amazing time tonight Spencer, thank you so much. I hope to do this again very soon.” Y/n starts, gazing up at Spencer.

“I had a perfect night with you Y/n, if you would allow me the honor of taking you out on another date, it would be my absolute pleasure. Now, may I kiss you Y/n?” Spencer seems to hold his breath as he sees Y/n slightly taken aback by his question. She nods though and smiles at him.

“I would love that Spencer…” She says quietly, prompting Spencer to lightly grab her chin and tilt her lips up to his own, connecting them softly. The feeling of Y/n’s lips on his own might be the most perfect feeling that Spencer has ever experienced in his 30+ years of life. The kiss ends too soon and they both giggle at the blushes covering each other’s cheeks. 

“Goodnight Y/n, please text me when you get home.” Spencer says before tearing himself away from her, feeling as if he’ll never let go if he doesn’t leave now. 

“Wait Spencer! Your jacket!” Y/n calls after him, moving to take the jacket off her shoulders. 

“You can give it back to me the next time I see you, it looks better on you anyway.” Spencer says sweetly before watching Y/n walk down the stairs to the subway. Spencer is in a trance on his journey home, not believing his life could be this good, no way Y/n allowed him to kiss her, he kissed Y/n! Spencer doesn't know how to dance and has never danced in his entire life, but he feels he could dance in the middle of the street right now. He’s getting out of the shower when he gets the text he had been anticipating from Y/n, assuring him that she’d made it home safely. Spencer feels this is the start of something amazing. He’s often terrified by constant statistics of relationship failure in the United States but despite every thing he knows, Spencer Reid opts to choose real life over statistics. He believes him and Y/n aren’t just another statistic, and besides, now that he’s got Y/n, he can’t imagine ever letting her go.

[pinkykitten]

Hey Dad

The Good Doctor Neil Melendez x teen! platonic reader

Specific/Warnings: mentions of jumping from one foster home to another, accident, surgery, angst, fluff, one-shot, requested, race neutral reader, teen reader, platonic relationship

Words: 2,220

Requested: By anon Could you do a Melendez x Teen!reader oneshot where he fosters her and she’s like really chaotic and thinks he’s like all her others foster parents and he seems so lost, and she gets into an accident and he does the surgery and that’s when she changes and calls him dad pls?

Authors Note: I DIDNT KNOW HOW TO END THIS ONE SO I HOPE YALL LIKE THIS ANGST BUT THEN FLUFF PIECE. I HOPE ALSO I GOT THE REQUEST GOOD CUZ THIS ONE MEANS A LOT TO ME. I HOPE U ALL LIKE THIS ROLLERCOASTER. 

“She comes tonight?” Claire asked curiously to her boss. “I can’t believe you actually signed up for something like this.”

“I saw her a couple years ago on the E.R. and I felt bad for her. She was hopping from one foster parent to the other and that’s no life for a kid. She seems like a great person so why not help her and let her stay with me until they have a proper home for her.”

Claire couldn’t help but fall in love more with her boss. “I think that is the sweetest thing you have ever said. I never knew you had this side to you.” She nudged him. 

He rolled his eyes and showed a picture of you to the rest of his colleagues. “I have her room all ready but I’m really nervous.”

The whole room erupted in a symphony of awes. 

“You’re so cute,” Claire smiled wickedly as she messed with Neil’s doctor’s coat.

Neil rolled his eyes, “I’m just saying, this is a new thing for me. I’ve never had a child. I don’t know what she’ll like, whats her favorite food? What’s her favorite color? What does she like to do?”

“Well, thats the beauty of it. You’ll get to talk to her and know her. Maybe nobody has really asked her that question.”

“I want to be the perfect foster dad. Is that too much to ask?”

Claire placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. She wished in her life somebody like Neil was in her life. A father figure that was actually caring. “Nobody is perfect Neil. What matters is that you try your hardest and listen to her thoughts.”

Neil got dinner ready for you. He ordered from everywhere, not knowing what you enjoyed eating. 

He was setting up the table when the doorbell rang. 

Neil closed his eyes, getting himself prepared and ran to the door. As he opened it up you were there. His pride and joy. 

“Hey Y/N! Come in, come in.” He brought his arm up as he welcomed you into his home.

You looked around suspiciously. For a single man he lived quite nice. You knew he was a doctor but you didn’t know he lived this richly. You met him a couple of times during your trips to the E.R. and always opened up about your life in foster care but you never knew he was going to take you in one day. You were very surprised and shocked to see him make such an effort. But you were over foster parents. They let you down and didn’t truly care about you. Nobody really wanted a kid like you, nobody really wanted Y/N L/N.

With no enthusiasm you brought your suitcase to the entrance, “thanks. Want me to put this in a room?”

“Yeah, we’ll put it in your room.”

Your room? You thought. Not many foster parents gave you your own room. They always stuck you with the other children or put you on the couch. It was always the same. 

Neil led you up the stairs, picking up your suitcase for you. He led you to a big room that was spacious. It was plain but very beautiful with cream colored bed decorations and a light grey wall. 

“I didn’t want to decorate it and paint it in case you didn’t like it. You can pick what you want if you’d like tomorrow. And you have your own bathroom.”

You were stone cold, speechless. You never had this love before. You felt your heart was about to burst. “This is all for me?” Tears blurred your vision. 

“Yeah, I hope you like it.”

“It’s great, thank you for this.” It was a beautiful room. It was more than you could ask. Nobody ever did this for you. You touched the sheets and they felt like silk between your fingers. Neil gave you the best of the best. This meant a lot but you were still not certain. You still had doubts. 

“I got dinner in case you were hungry, its downstairs.”

You were hungry and your stomach growled. You were led downstairs and on the kitchen table was a feast. There were every type of dishes there. Your mouth was salivating as you smelled the aroma. 

“I didn’t know what you liked so I got everything.” Neil chuckled bashfully. He was such a dad and he was realizing this. 

You laughed as you dug into everything, “can I say that all this is my favorite?”

Neil sat down beside you, “I’ll make note of that.”

Maybe this wasn’t going to be so bad, you thought. Maybe this was going to be fun and someone in your life you could depend on and trust. Someone who would protect you no matter what. 

You munched away as you stared more at his house. He lived in a mansion. You were astounded as to how one person could live like this. “Your house is amazing. When I grow up I want to live like this.”

Neil chuckled, “being in a house like this, when you’re one person its not all that its cracked up to be. Trust me.”

You played around with your dish as the air became awkward. “So whats the grossest surgery you’ve ever done?”

Neil wiped his mouth and sat back with his hands cupping the back of his head, “oh you wouldn’t believe this.”

“Try me doctor.”

Neil smiled, “well this one time this old lady came in with pain in her stomach well right when we lifted her dress she had waste come all out of her and onto me. It was like an explosion, right before my eyes.” Neil started to giggle loudly as the memory came back to him. “That’s when I was new.”

You covered your mouth from the disgust. “You’re right, I don’t believe it. That’s so disgusting oh my gosh.” You pushed your food away. “I think I lost my appetite.”

“Now what about you? Are you like the kids these days that go and dance on Tik Tok? Or are about sipping that tea.”

The drink you were sipping almost came out of your nose. You busted out laughing hysterically. “I can’t believe this, you are such a dad that’s its almost cringy.”

“Cringy? You lost me.” It was the truth, Neil was lost. As a foster parent he didn’t know what kids were into these days (he just did a quick search before you came) and he wanted to try his hardest. He wanted to be the best for you, he wanted to prove to you that he was serious about this. 

“You got a lot to learn. But no, I’m not those types of kids. I instead like to read and draw, it brings my mind out of reality and into my own imagination of something better.”

“I do the same with surgery.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well I block out the rest of the world when I am performing surgery. This person is depending on me to help them so they can feel better and get back to their old lives. I hope to save them from reality in doing my best in saving their lives.”

“Wow,” you looked at his hands resting on the table. Those hands did miracles. “I would like to do that when I’m older. I want to help someone too.”

“Good goal.”

You were too much of a coward to open yourself up to love this person as your father. You were afraid he would leave you and not want you like the others. You couldn’t trust him. You blocked yourself from the world and nothing, nobody could stop the feeling. 

“Why don’t you trust me?” Neil patted your head. He wrapped you in his coat and hugged you tight, protective.

You had tears threatening to spill over. You wouldn’t let yourself succumb to the love that Neil was giving you. You couldn’t let yourself fall for something fake and then go through it all over again. Your heart couldn’t take it. 

You pushed Neil away, wiping your eyes. “No! Okay, no! I appreciate all that you did but they are going to take me away and they are going to tell you reasons to leave me. You are going to leave me. I won’t let that happen.”

“I’m not going to do any of that. Y/N I would never leave you sweetheart. I know it is hard to trust me but I am here for and I always will be. You didn’t such harsh treatment and I’m sorry for that but I am going to help you with it and I want to be the one to raise you and be there for you. It’s a hard thing to ask but please trust me on this. Please.”

You shook your head, “I can’t trust no more.”

You put on your hoodie and ran in the pouring rain. 

“Y/N! Y/N!”

You didn’t stop. The rain was cold and you almost forgot how you got into the conversation with Neil. 

It was about a woman. 

You weren’t jealous, you just had been through something like this already. Foster parent finds a new match and then they want to start their own family, without you. It was an ongoing and continuous thing. 

You didn’t know where you were going and what you were to do but you couldn’t go back and probably Neil wouldn't want you back. You wished the new family all the love in the world. 

The rain made the sidewalks slippery. It was coming down cats and dogs. You could barely make out what was in front of you. Rain dripped down your nose and onto your drenched clothes. 

You needed to go across the busy street in order to get to the other side. You thought the cars stopped. You went ahead and your life flashed before your eyes. As soon as your shoes touched the middle of the crosswalk a car tried to push the brakes but the road was so slippery it skidded to you and hit you so hard your body flew high and far. It all seemed in slow motion. What you didn’t know was Neil had ran after you and was on the side walk opposite from you crying and sobbing a mess. 

“Y/N no please no. Please sweetheart please don’t leave me like this.” He cradled your bruised face. Your eyes closed as you were knocked out and blood dripped down your nose. 

Neil brought you into his car and drove you fast, straight to the hospital to run tests and perform surgery on you. 

“Are you sure you can take this Dr. Melendez?” Clair asked, worried for her friend. 

“Just please let us do this! Please! Every second that passes by with us talking we are wasting time! I need to do this, I need to make sure she is okay!” Neil had tears stream down his wet cheeks. You were his life. You were his daughter. 

As Neil performed surgery on you he couldn’t help but whisper, “please don’t leave me Y/N, please don’t leave me.” He saw your precious face that made him smile. There was no way he would leave you. You were his family. 

His hands shook as he grabbed onto the scalpel, he gained his composure and needed to save your life. There were no if and’s or buts you were going to live and he was going to make sure of this. 

He completed the surgery and you were in your bed, out and quiet which was different for him since you were always talking and laughing and being chaotic. 

He was there with you through it all. 

He held onto your hand as you laid there. “Y/N if you can hear me know that you are my kid okay. I don’t plan on giving you up. I want you to be part of the family. I’m sorry if I didn’t show that in my actions or prove it but there is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. I don’t see you as a foster kid, I see you as my daughter. Forever and always, I love you.” He cried softly. 

Your eyes fluttered open. With a weak voice you said, “I love you too dad.”

Neil opened his eyes. He thought this was dream. Was it real? You called him dad. His heart almost exploded. “Y/N oh my God you’re awake! Oh thank God.” He embraced you tightly, almost fretting to let go. He kissed the top of your head as tears dropped lightly on your skin. 

“I’m sorry dad for making you scared and for running away. I was just afraid of trusting and opening my heart but I don’t want to run away anymore and I don’t want to be alone anymore. Can I stay dad?”

Neil cupped your face. “Can you stay? Of course you can stay sweetheart. Don’t apologize. You are more brave and strong than you know.”

You chuckled as tears blurred your vision as well, “thanks dad for saving my life. You saved my life twice now.”

“Twice?”

You hugged Neil, “yeah you saved my life by performing surgery and you saved my life by becoming my dad. Thank you, forever and ever.

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[prurientpuddlejumper]

A Lipless Face I Want to Sit On

K!nktober 2020 Kink Bingo!: Facesitting

<- Chapter 9 (continuation of A New Arrangement)

Summary: Post Red-Dragon Chilton refuses to take his mask off again after the first time you were together. Getting him over his insecurity about his face might require a little kink. NSFW.

Frederick Chilton x Female Reader

For @thatesqcrush​’s kink bingo! @caked-crusader​ USED YOUR TITLE XD

2,139 words

A month into your arrangement with Dr. Frederick Chilton, and he was still devastatingly insecure about his appearance. He paid you, officially, as a financial consultant for his estate. Unofficially, he was paying you for sex. Technically—as that would be illegal—he was paying for your company, and you just happened to usually (though not always) have sex. Occasionally, he really would have a financial question for you, or he wouldn’t be up for it and you would just cuddle together and watch movies.

But he wouldn’t remove the mask for you again.

You had already seen his face once, scarred, singed bare of hair and eyebrows, lips absent around his white teeth. You didn’t mind it nearly as much as he did—it was different, and what happened to him was tragic, but he was handsome. He seemed happy with the unconditional acceptance you offered, and the kisses you pressed to his not-lips, and you thought he would start letting his guard down.

Yet when he greeted you at the door on your next visit, though he leaned seductively against the door frame, his cocky smirk was hidden behind a stone-faced mask. The more you flirted and prodded for him to take it off, the more prickly and defensive he became.

“I just want to know all of you,” you pouted.

He snapped, “I am not paying you to know me.”

And with that died not only your hope of greater intimacy, but also your plans to tell him to forget about the money. You were going to admit that you only took it in the first place because of how excitingly taboo it was, and that you would rather be his girlfriend, but a ball of ice sank in your stomach as you read between the lines of his cold words. If it wasn’t on his terms, he didn’t want you.

The fact that you had seen his face had been acceptable only briefly, during a moment of intense passion that overrode the alarm bells of anxiety, and now that the moment had passed, knowing you had seen it only made things worse.

He took to fucking you from behind, bending you over a table or pushing your face into the mattress, rather than let you look at him, even with the mask on. He pinned your hands if you tried to touch his head, his neck—anywhere close enough to mask to threaten its security. It was disheartening to think he was withdrawing from you emotionally, but you enjoyed hearing his noises as his cock sank into your tight entrance. “Oh god—oh god,” he moaned for you. He was very vocal in his pleasure, surprised every time to know that you would have him. No matter how much you voiced your own pleasure, every time you showed up to one of your “appointments” and let him claim you, he still half expected you to run away in disgust. Every time his cock slid between your ass cheeks and found your cunt dripping with arousal for him, he was like a grateful puppy. His vulnerable whimpering behind you turned you on, and his fingers interlaced with yours, squeezing for dear life as he came. It was still intimate. Despite his trying to pull away, he was still intimate in his own, guarded way.

One day you discovered something about Frederick Chilton quite by accident, and that knowledge began to change everything. He gained strength every day, but he was still easily exhausted, so you often catered to him when he was needy. He was getting a little too comfortable treating you as a pet at his beck and call, and so on this particular day when he whined for you to make him a cup of Earl Grey, you whipped about and demanded, “Get it yourself!” He looked shocked by your defiance, unaccustomed to not getting his way, but did as he was told. “Bring me one, too!” you added. He complained the whole time, but did.

When you begged him to do something—pouting, saying please—he might tease you, deny you, or snap with annoyance if he didn’t like the question.

If you told him to do something, he obeyed.

And it seemed, as much as he enjoyed being served, he also gained great satisfaction from being of service. In bed, doubly so. While you first took him to be very dominant—considering his natural role as the wealthy doctor skulking in his mansion who “bought” you, and the way he could get very particular about telling you how to dress, and undress, and what positions he wanted you in—you slowly recognized how much he enjoyed being subservient.

The first time you challenged him when he wanted you to face away from him again, telling him, “No. I’m on top today,” a fire came into his eyes. You grew more assertive in telling him where you wanted him to touch you, and how hard, how fast, and he was eager to please you. He always wanted to please you, and was thrilled when you let him know exactly how—even if it meant looking into your eyes as you fucked. A whole different connection began to grow as you had conversations about it, about who was in charge when, what sorts of things you could ask each other to do, and how to refuse. It wasn’t as though you were doing anything particularly extreme, but it was becoming more of a game, and as such, needed rules. The more he trusted you, the more you took control, and the more you took control, the more he finally relaxed.

When he surrendered to your will, he didn’t have to doubt or question himself, or how desirable he was. Every day, you made him feel that much more confident.

“I’m going to ride your face,” you growled, pushing his shoulders down onto the pillows so his head was up at a slight angle. You crawled on top of him, straddling his chest with your naked thighs. “Mask, or your mouth?��� you asked, the timber of your voice demanding an answer, giving him a few seconds to choose.

Behind the mask his eyes were pale, pupils narrowed to pinpricks at the thought of being exposed, and from his throat issued a small tense noise but no words. He was obviously still too nervous to think about removing it, even for your pussy.

“I’m gonna use that mask to make myself come.” You narrowed your eyes and smirked at him, running the tip of your finger down the smooth porcelain contours, your tongue flicking over your lower lip as you crested its pointed nose. He let out a soft moan, chest rising and falling. “When I’m done you can fuck me, but only if you’re a good boy.”

“Yes, mistress.”

You could feel his breathing quicken as you straddled his face, warm puffs of it whistling out the sides of the mask tickling your thighs. His excitement alone was already getting you aroused. You slowly lowered yourself and gasped as your sensitive flesh met cool porcelain. There was no give to its surface, but the smoothly sculpted swell of its lips was tantalizing against your clit. You grasped the headboard for balance, and began to rock, gently at first, spreading your wetness over the hard lips to lubricate them, then grinding your hips against them and feeling shockwaves of pleasure course through your spine as they massaged your clit.

Frederick’s hands gripped onto the back of your thighs, supporting your movements, and spreading your ass cheeks. He groaned. The mask must have been uncomfortably pushing into his face with your weight on it, but his eyes were darkened with lust. He breathed in deeply, smelling you and the slippery essence you were sullying his mask with, and he let out a long, intoxicated moan. He circled his chin, moving the mask against you as his long fingers dug into your thighs, trying to add to your pleasure—which could have been better, honestly. Warm, wet flesh always beat cold, hard porcelain.

“You wanna taste me, Frederick?” you asked, voice thick. He moaned, whimpering with frustration. “I know you want a taste,” you said, rolling your hips against his false mouth. You met his eyes very carefully and held the gaze. “Take off the mask.”

It was a command, but he knew he could refuse it if he wanted to. If it was too far. But signaling you to slow down would be letting you win, and he never admitted defeat. He would never break, never fail to serve you. He admired you, and you deserved anything you wanted from him. His hands left your ass, and you backed off of him as he reached under his chin, and tipped the mask up.

Without any lingering hesitation other than a brief, sweet smile at him, your pussy crashed back down against his face and rode him, hot and dripping, his tongue lapping up your juices. Everything was worth the drawn-out, pornographic, moaning, slurping, voracious noises he made as he ate you out. You nearly came unseated with how intense the waves of pleasure were washing over you, your whole body immediately going warm and tingly and slack, so dizzy you almost forgot where you were. Fortunately his arms wrapped around your hips to draw you in closer, and held you firm against him.

“F-fuck,” you muttered, regaining some of your senses. “Fuck me with your tongue, Frederick.” Your head rolled back as he pointed his dexterous tongue and slipped into your cunt, muffling his groans as he savored your sweet taste. You bucked your hips into his mouth as he plunged his tongue in and out, writhing inside you.

His cock was rock hard, jutting straight upward out of his unzipped pants, weeping with precum. He reached down to jerk himself off, but you caught his hand and pinned his arm under your leg. “Tut-tut. Me first. Your hands are only to touch me, understand?”

“Yes, mistress,” he rasped.

“Good boy.” You stroked his head, caressing the burned stub of an ear as you lowered yourself back onto his tongue and the lewd wet noises continued. He slid a hand down your ass and between your legs to penetrate you, fucking you with two long, thick fingers, while the other hand angled itself to aid his tongue in working your clit. His lack of lips meant his mouth was lacking a few of the usual functions, like sucking, but the way he used his fingers so expertly to add pressure, gently pinch, and work in tandem with his tongue to increase your sensitivity, you would never have missed it.

A warm floating feeling overtook you without warning, and you felt yourself losing control. “Oh god, I’m gonna come, Frederick,” you whimpered. “I’m gonna come in that mouth. Oh god, Frederick—oh god—”

His fingers dug into your hips leaving deep impressions in your skin, holding you firm onto his face as he licked you through your orgasm, you writhing and crying out his praise. Wave after wave shook you, until your cries became ragged and desperate—he was holding you in place and overstimulating you. You might have let him, giving in and letting the warm pleasure build up inside you again, even fiercer this time, every muscle burning and overworked, but you hadn’t asked him to do that. You poked him a little roughly in the middle of the forehead, and told him, “That’s enough.” He whined and loosened his tight grip so you could get up. “Such an eager little slut, Frederick. You’d eat me out all day if I’d let you, wouldn’t you?”

“Y-yes.” He swallowed, eyes gleaming wickedly at the idea. A mingling of your wetness and his saliva dripped down his chin.

You laughed, low and teasing. “I thought you would be excited… it’s time for your reward now.” Leaning back, you reached for his hard and waiting cock. It throbbed in your hand, and he sucked a shallow breath.

“May I fuck you now, mistress?”

His voice was soft and eager, but you didn’t miss the edge of something more demanding creeping into it. “Ask nicely,” you said.

“Please let me fuck you.”

You grabbed a towel from the side of the bed and wiped off his chin. He didn’t flinch as you touched his face, well beyond that now. A smile slowly spread over your lips. “Since you were such a good boy, getting me off so well...” you pretended to think it over, “Fuck me, as hard as you want.”

[theoriginalladya]

Lá Breithe Shona Duit

On AO3 over here

Characters:  Commander Caleb Shepard, Kaidan Alenko (mshenko)

Summary:   War is hell, there's no way around it, and Commander Caleb Shepard is well aware of the toll it can take on him and his crew. Shore leave is supposed to be a chance to catch a second wind, find a bit of reprieve ... unless you are the First Human Spectre and your boyfriend the Second Human Spectre ...

Note:  I wrote this for N7 day but several friends were looking for something fluffy to enjoy so I decided to post it a few days early instead.  Enjoy some birthday shenanigans for Commander Caleb Shepard.

“Commander, do you have a moment?”

Though they are docked at the Citadel, the Normandy’s CIC is as busy as ever.  There is always a duty watch, of course, but ever since the attempt by Shepard’s clone and Brooks to steal the ship, it’s doubled in strength when they are in port. Today, Caleb is halfway around the galaxy map opposite Traynor’s station when she hails him.  His reaction is immediate, and he turns on his heel to walk back over even though he isn’t technically on duty himself.  “What do you need, Traynor?”

“Sir, Major Alenko asked me to give you a message.”

A soft sigh filters through his lips as he fights the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration.  Of late, and despite their best efforts, finding any free time to spend together is a challenge, even if only for an hour or two.  The demands of the war are ever present and ongoing.  This last stretch, however, has been worse than most, and he and the rest of the crew are in desperate need of a break.

The promise of shore leave was just that, a promise. Their current plan centers on meeting the apartment and spending an afternoon watching a movie, complete with popcorn.  However, it now appears as if duty calls instead.  He mutters a soft curse beneath his breath in Irish then asks, “What’s the message?”

The corner of one of her lips is tucked between her teeth as she shifts nervously on her feet.  Mentally, he grumbles to himself.  If she’s nervous, that means his temper is showing and not just a little.  Considering how things have been going of late, this isn’t really a surprise, but that doesn’t change the fact he needs to do something about it now.  Of course, that is the whole point of shore leave … and it’s pointless to take it out on Traynor when it isn’t in any way her fault.  

Caleb forces himself to take a slow, deep breath, releasing his frustrations with it as he exhales.  After three tries, Traynor appears to relax.

“I was asked to inform you he was unexpectedly called to the Spectre office and will meet you there,” she informs him.

The Spectre office?  Perhaps the situation isn’t as bad as he thinks?  “Thanks, Traynor.”  He pats her on the shoulder and starts off again, pausing only to call back over his shoulder, “Make sure you get off this ship for a while … and that’s an order!”

She grins back at him and salutes smartly.  “Yes, sir!”

His journey to the Spectre office doesn’t take long.  There is a skycab stand a short distance from the docking bay and in under ten minutes he’s hustling up the steps past Bailey’s office.  He’s half-tempted to stop in and speak with the man, but thinks better of it.  The Normandy is only docked for three days this time and he has other plans.  He can catch up with Bailey later.  The door beyond Bailey’s opens into the Spectre office and Caleb enters the moment he’s cleared past security.  Inside, he nods at the pair of turian agents standing near the firing range and murmurs a greeting to the salarian at the nearby terminal.  It takes three more steps in to realize no one else is around.  Pinching the bridge of his nose, he counts to ten. Twice.

“Greetings, commander,” the salarian returns.  “If you are looking for Major Alenko, he left here about fifteen minutes ago.”

Fifteen minutes ago?  He wasn’t even off the Normandy then.  “Did he say where he was headed?”

The salarian’s head bobs up and down once.  “Kithoi Ward,” he explains.  “Said his presence was requested by the director of the sensory gallery there.”

“The sensory gallery?”  Caleb frowns.  He isn’t familiar with any place like that, though he does recognize the name of the ward itself.  

Eyes lighting up with enthusiasm, the salarian adds, “Have you not been there?  It is most definitely worth a visit!  Experiencing smell as if you are an elcor?  Acute hearing like a drell?  If you have ever wondered what it is like for a turian in the rain …?”

Across the room, the two turians stop speaking and clear their throats.  Loudly.

The salarian follows suit, if a bit sheepishly by comparison.  “Ah, ahem. Yes.  Well, it is definitely worth a visit at least once,” he concludes before turning away.

Caleb watches him go; for a brief moment, he cannot help but wonder if he hasn’t entered some sort of alternate reality.  Why the hell is Kaidan at a sensory gallery, of all places?

He takes a moment to use the terminal to locate the name of the gallery then exits the office.  Finding a skycab proves to be too much of a challenge on the embassy level, so he hops onto the lift and heads down to the docking bay again where he finds one with relative ease.  Kithoi Ward takes a while to get to, but the driver assures him they are familiar with the destination, and some forty-five minutes after leaving the Spectre office, he finally arrives.  

Caleb isn’t certain what to expect from the place; galleries and art displays aren’t really his sort of thing, but the building itself appears relatively normal from the outside.  He knows nothing about architecture, but it’s pleasing enough to look at and he jogs up the steps, entering the main lobby where he is met almost immediately by an elegant, light violet colored asari clad in flowing blue and red silk robes.

“Commander Shepard?”  

Caleb nods, accepting the hand she extends in a subtly graceful movement.  

“A pleasure, commander.  I am Dr. Ailne T’easan, the director of this gallery.”

Releasing her hand, he looks around the lobby where they stand.  For the moment, aside from the two of them the place is empty.  “I was asked to meet Spectre Kaidan Alenko here.  Have you seen him, director?”

She smiles apologetically.  “He was here, yes, commander.  Spectre Alenko assisted us with our issue, but was called away on another assignment just a few minutes ago.”  Turning, she leads him deeper inside the main hall of the building.  

Caleb follows – what else can he do at this point?  The hall is large with an open floor plan with décor that is muted and minimalistic so as not to detract from the various displays. At the far end of the room, he notices several seats that look to be similar to the entertainment center on the Normandy and frowns.  Tilting his chin in that direction, he asks, “What’s this?”

Dr. T’easan smiles and leads him over.  “Are you familiar with our purpose, commander?”

“You provide sensory experiences of the various races in the galaxy.”  He nods at the display.  “Which one is that?”  He has a guess, based off what the salarian Spectre mentioned, but it’s only a guess.

“This is our drell display,” she replies.  She takes a moment to open one of the seats and gestures toward it.  “We all know the drell have eidetic memory, but were you aware that their acute sense of hearing allows them to hear certain sounds that others cannot?  At ranges that are impossible for other races? That is why we have this display.  Would you like to try it?”

He lifts a hand, quickly but politely declining.  “Some other time, perhaps, doctor.  Right now I need to find Spectre Alenko.”  

It’s then that he notices a nearby arching doorway that leads out of the main hall.  It is also currently blocked off.  With a frown, he asks, “What happened here?”

“Ah.  Yes. We had a … security issue, shall we say?”  Her lips thin a little as they press together.  “Some of the information obtained is of a rather sensitive nature, so you will excuse me if I do not go into detail.  Suffice it to say, Spectre Alenko was able to determine the nature of the … issue for us.  It appears to be an internal matter that we will follow up on ourselves.”

That, at least, is a relief but does little to get him on his way to finding out where Kaidan went.  “Did Spectre Alenko mention where he was heading, by any chance?”

Dr. T’easan leads him back to the main lobby and, to his surprise replies, “He did, as a matter of fact.  He was headed to the Dilinaga  Concert Hall in Tayseri Ward.  As I understand it, there have been reports of strange happenings there.”

“Strange happenings?” he echoes.  “What does that mean?”

She shrugs.  “I’m sorry, commander, I have no idea.”

Caleb runs a hand through his hair, using the moment to conceal his frustration.  “Thank you, doctor.  I will see if I can’t catch up with him there.”  

He turns toward the exit, but before he makes it through the door, she calls out, “Commander, wait!”  She hurries over, something thin and flat in her hand that she gives to him. “Spectre Alenko accidentally dropped this as he was leaving.  Can you get it back to him for me, please?”

What she hands him is a sealed envelope slightly larger than his hand which he tucks away into his jacket pocket.  “I will make sure he gets it.  Thank you.”

The skycab is gone at this point, but he finds another one down the street and makes arrangements for the driver to wait for him at the next stop.  Tayseri Ward takes a while to reach in heavy Citadel traffic, but eventually the driver deposits him in front of the concert hall.  Caleb has a vague recollection of Bailey informing him that it took severe damage when Sovereign was destroyed.  On the other hand, over his most recent visits the local news outlets suggest it is about to re-open.  As he steps out of the cab, it is impossible to miss the sleek lines of the marbled stone architecture that gives it a dramatic look.  Out front of the main doors, a stature of who he presumes is Matriarch Dilinaga herself stands invitingly.  He pauses for just a moment to take in the image – the matriarch’s name is familiar enough to him – then starts climbing the stairs.

At the large, heavy doors, he is met by an elegant asari whose lithe grace of movement reminds him a bit of Samara, and certainly seems appropriate to someone associated with a concert hall.  “You are commander Shepard?” she asks.

He nods.  No handshake this time, but even with the door mostly closed between them, everything about her exudes politeness and respect.  “I am.  I was told I could meet Spectre Alenko here?”

She shakes her head.  “I apologize, commander.  He just left. He did, however, ask me to give this to you.”  

Doing his best to hide his disappointment, Caleb accepts a second envelope, approximately the same size as the one from Dr. T’easan. He frowns at it, but for the moment just slips it into his pocket with the other.  “Thank you.  Did he say where he was going when he left?”

“No, I am sorry.”

Caleb nods his thanks and starts down the stairs.  He is half tempted to message Kaidan in an attempt to figure out where the hell he is now, but before he can pull up his omni-tool, a call comes in.  

“Commander?” a very familiar voice asks.

“Dr. Chakwas?”

“Commander, I hope you might be able to assist me,” the doctor said.  “I am supposed to meet a colleague of mine at the Alliance R&D department I used to work at in Shalta Ward, but something has come up and I cannot leave the Normandy as scheduled.  My colleague has some information that may prove vital to the war effort, and it is vital that I get it.”

Caleb sighs, already sensing where this conversation is headed.  “Let me guess, you’d like for me to go and pick it up?”

“Would you, please?  I would consider it a personal favor.”

Though frustration eats away deep inside, he manages a soft chuckle.  If there is anyone on the Normandy he will assist, no questions asked, it’s the doctor.  She’s saved his sorry ass far too many times over the years.  “Of course I will, doctor.  Consider it done.”

A beep at his wrist indicates she has sent the address and the name of the contact.  “I appreciate your help, commander.  Just bring it to the medbay whenever you return to the ship.”

The call ends and Caleb ducks back into the skycab, sharing their next destination and making arrangements for the driver to wait yet again. Shalta Ward isn’t too far away, and when they pull up Caleb can see someone standing just outside the doors. “Wait here for me,” he instructs the driver then ducks out.

“Commander Shepard?”

“Dr. Renfro?”  Caleb hustles over in less than a dozen steps.  “I understand you have something for Dr. Chakwas?”

The man looks to be nearing middle age – Caleb pegs him about seventy or so – with mostly white hair that is thinning on top.  He wears a uniform similar to that he found Dr. Chakwas wearing when she worked here; white with red trim, the Alliance Research & Development labs uniform known galaxy-wide.  

“Yes, Dr. William Renfro,” he says, extending his hand. “Thank you so much for coming, commander.  As I understand it, these developments could serve you well out in the field during this war.”  

He hands over three datapads.  On the top, there is a small envelope.  Frowning, Caleb notices his name on it.  “Doctor …?”

“Sorry, commander, need to run!”  Renfro turns.  “Thanks again!”

He disappears inside the building before Caleb can protest. Without any other recourse, he walks back to the cab and tugs the envelope free of the datapads, tucking it into his pocket with the other two.  

“Where to, sir?” the driver asks as he gets inside the skycab again.

“Presidium Embassies,” he decides.  Sighing, he tilts his head back on the seat, closes his eyes and tries to reign in the growing irritation.  It isn’t the driver’s fault he’s spent the better part of the afternoon chasing after a dream.

Of course, stating his destination and actually arriving there are two completely different things.  Along the way, the driver receives a traffic update and reroutes them to the Commons due to an accident between here and there.  That at least gives Caleb a physical outlet for his aggravation as he hoofs it the rest of the way.  Thankfully, the elevators aren’t too busy, and he finally catches one to the Embassies after only a ten minute wait.  

He walks past Bailey’s office again, no desire to stop in this time, and is just inputting his access code to the Spectre office when he hears someone call his name.

“Commander Shepard?”

He takes a half second to close his eyes, swallow back frustration and count to twenty.  It won’t do anyone any good to yell at a councilor, now will it?  Only then does he turn around, a smile plastered on his lips.  He hopes it reaches his eyes.  “Councilor Tevos.”

“Commander.  I wonder if I might have a moment of your time?”

“Of course, councilor.”  He clears the partially input ID from the door and follows her down the hall in the direction of her office.  “How can I be of assistance?”

She lifts her hand and it is then that he notices the datapad she carries.  “I have here a list of several locations containing stores that Admiral Hackett might find … useful,” she explains.  “I cannot vouch for their current state, however, as of six months ago they were still intact.”  She hands the pad over to him.  “I hope they will be of some help to your Crucible project.”

Caleb takes a moment to read through the list.  “If even half of these are viable, they will be of great help,” he assures her.  Lifting his head, his smile is more genuine this time.  “This is a great help.  Go raibh maith agat.”**

“Good.”  She hesitates briefly before handing over another item he didn’t see.  Like the other three in his pocket, it is another envelope of approximately the same size.  “I was also asked to give you this,” she explains.  There is a sparkle of mischief in her eyes; as unexpected as the envelope is. “I hope it is as useful.”  Without another word, she turns into her office leaving him standing alone outside the door.

Caleb stares at the envelope in his hands, dumbfounded. It takes him a moment to collect himself enough to tuck it away with the others, but by then, things are starting to make a bit more sense.  Turning back in the direction of the elevators, he summons Kaidan over comms.

It isn’t long before the second human Spectre responds. “There you are.  What’s taking you so long?  We were supposed to meet like three hours ago.”

Caleb sighs, ignoring the question.  “Where are you right now?”

“At the apartment.  Where else would I be?”

Caleb makes it onto the lift this time without issue and heads for the nearest skycab stand.  “Don’t you dare go anywhere.  I’m on my way.”

Kaidan’s laughter is a balm to Caleb’s frustration.  “I don’t know where you think I’ll go, but I’ll be here.”

Somehow, Caleb coaxes the skycab driver into fighting his way through the increasingly heavy traffic as they near the Silversun Strip with the promise of a double fare plus a hefty tip.  To his surprise, they arrive within fifteen minutes.  By now, of course, he has a very good idea that he’s been had, and the minute he walks inside and he catches the delicious aromas emanating from the kitchen, he confirms it.

Caleb pauses at the entrance to the kitchen, leaning his hip against the wall and folding his arms across his chest.  Kaidan stands at the stove, his focus on the pots and pans in front of him.  After a minute or two, he looks over.  It’s impossible to miss the mischievous smile that reaches the whiskey colored eyes.  “Did you really have to send me all over the damned Citadel like that?” Caleb asks.

Kaidan laughs softly; that marvelous, deep rumble that leaves Caleb’s belly aflutter every single time he hears it.  “I needed time to make dinner,” he argues before flashing a wider grin.  “And you needed to work up an appetite.”

Pushing away from the wall, Caleb wanders over to join him. He pauses at the refrigerator to pull out two bottles of beer which he opens, setting one within easy reach for Kaidan while keeping the other for himself. Moving to glance over Kaidan’s shoulder at the various pots and pans on the stovetop, he takes a long pull.  He’s earned it today.  “Around you,” he muses thoughtfully, “that is never an issue.  So, what’s for dinner?”

Still grinning, Kaidan reaches over and turns off the device. “Go sit down and you’ll find out.”  

Before Caleb can turn away, however, he sneaks a quick kiss to Kaidan’s cheek.  “Sounds promising.”

Dinner turns out to be quite good.  Steaks, twice baked potatoes, some green vegetable that Caleb isn’t familiar with but has hints of an onion-y taste.  When they finish, he rises to clear the table, but Kaidan pushes him back into his seat.  “I’ve got this,” he insists.  “You just sit there.”

Caleb isn’t in the mood to argue, but he is curious. “So, are you going to tell me what’s been going on all day?  Why you sent me on some wild goose chase across half the Citadel?”

As Kaidan returns, it’s impossible to miss the smile on his lips, the sultry look in his eyes or the confident swagger in his step. Caleb’s hand stops with his beer halfway to his lips, his mouth having gone completely dry – there is something about that saunter, the angle of sway, or maybe just the hint of suggestion; whatever it is, it’s as effective as molten lava and leaves him just as melted inside.  The hint of laughter in his eyes tells Caleb that Kaidan knows exactly what he’s doing, too.

Kaidan collects the rest of the dishes, pausing to brush a tantalizing kiss across Caleb’s lips in the process.  Unable to resist, Shepard slides a hand through his hair and holds him close, unwilling to be teased without some sort of compensation after the day’s adventures specifically for Kaidan’s amusement. When he finally pulls back, that deep rumbling chuckle returns as he murmurs, “Why don’t you tell me?”

Caleb has to catch his breath and blink a few times before he can think straight.  “Tell you … what?”

“What you found.”

Found?  His hand drifts to the pocket of his jacket where he retrieves the envelopes he collected earlier.  In all honesty, he’s forgotten about them, but now that Kaidan mentions it, his curiosity returns.  While Kaidan focuses on heating water for tea, Caleb notices the knowing smile on his lips.  Lifting the envelopes, he waves them in the air between them.  “You did this?”

The corner of Kaidan’s lips twitch.  “Isn’t that the point of a hunt, sealgaire?”

The use of his old Reds name isn’t a surprise; he’s told that story to Kaidan and other crew members of the Normandy numerous times over the years, but this is the first time Kaidan has ever called him by it.  He takes the envelopes and slides his finger beneath the seal, opening them one at a time in no particular order.  “I thought the point was ….”

His voice trails off as the contents of the first envelope slides out onto the table and comes to rest in front of him.  It isn’t so much what it is that leaves him reeling, but what it represents.

The King of Clubs.

Caleb’s eyes dart over to Kaidan.  From the very first time they met, though it took Caleb a long time to realize it, this has been Kaidan’s card in his readings.  Not once has it ever faltered.  Caleb’s heart quickens in his chest.  Kaidan looks over, smile still in place.  “Well?”

Caleb opens the next one.

The Joker.

His mouth goes completely dry.

The third envelop produces yet another card.  

The Nine of Clubs.

He nearly chokes and his eyes close for a long minute. Beside him, a mug of steaming tea comes to rest within reach, and he takes it, carefully taking a sip.  “Go raibh maith agat, mo ghrá.”**

Kaidan slides into the empty seat and remains silent but watchful.  

Caleb’s hand trembles a little as he lifts the last envelope. Carefully, he opens the flap, and a fourth card falls out on top of the previous three.

The Ace of Hearts.

With precise care, Caleb straightens the cards, setting them out in the order he opened them.  To most people, they are incomplete; part of a much larger whole. With a full deck, they can be used to entertain.  But Kaidan knows him well enough now to understand they have a far greater significance to him, specifically.  Without them, he feels … naked.  Disconnected. Lost.  With them, he has an anchor to his past, to the beliefs that made him who he is.

His original deck, the one given him by Saoirse, was destroyed when the SR1 went down.  Two years later, once he had the SR2 under his command and during their first trip to the Citadel, he’d dragged Garrus and Mordin through the lower Wards hunting down a replacement deck that satisfied him for such use.  Though these four cards are not from this second deck, it doesn’t matter.  

Covering his face with his hands, Caleb takes a few minutes to wrap his head around what lies before him.  They are more than cards, more than a prediction, more than simply his lover and best friend’s attempt to entertain him.  As desperate as this war has become, as near as they might be to its end, there is one thing that Caleb will not look at; apparently, Kaidan will.  These four cards represent a future; for him, for them, he isn’t certain, but the fact that Kaidan, who is well aware of Caleb’s avoidance of the issue, is willing to take that risk leaves Shepard’s head spinning.

Several minutes pass in silence.  He reaches for the tea again, and this time as he drinks, he notices the flavor.  Setting the mug aside again, he lays his hand out, palm up and open.  Inviting.  It takes less than a second for Kaidan to cover it with his, at which point Caleb closes his hand around it.  “Why?” The question is a simple one, but the answer eludes him.  He can think of any number of reasons, but none satisfy him.  He wants, needs, to hear it from Kaidan himself.

Kaidan lifts their joined hands and presses a soft kiss to the back of Caleb’s.  “Happy birthday.”

That isn’t what Caleb expects.  “Birthday?”  He glances across the room at the monitor on the wall that also shows the date and time. Sure enough …   “Well, damn,” he replies, laughing in bemusement.  If only Anderson could see this.  Whoever would have thought that made up birthday would survive a test of persistence by my boyfriend?  “I didn’t realize …”  

“I did, that’s all that matters.”  Kaidan’s hand squeezes.  “So, how do you say it?  In Irish, I mean?”

Still slightly bewildered by it all, he responds, “Lá breithe shona duit.”

After three tries at getting it right, Kaidan shakes his head and gives up.  “That’s a bit more challenging that sláinte.”  Changing the conversation, he nods at the four cards in front of Caleb and sips at his drink.  “Tell me about them.”

Before he does that, Caleb decides he needs an answer. “In order to do that, I need to know how you selected them.”

Shrugging, Kaidan replies, “I remember what you once told me and Ash; real cards are better than an omni-tool program for something like this. So, I purchased a deck, shuffled them for a while, cut it, then I picked the top four.”

“Did you look at them?”

Kaidan shakes his head.  “No.  I sealed them into the envelopes before I could.”

Caleb’s hand begins to shake again, noticeable as he releases his hold on Kaidan’s.  Slowly, he moves the cards around then lifts the King of Clubs and turns it toward Kaidan. “This is your card.  You know that, right?”

Kaidan looks at it then looks back at Caleb.  “I’ve seen it in your spreads, yes.”

“Aye, but not exactly what I mean.”  He sets the card down, taps it with his index finger.  “This card represents an honest, affectionate, generous dark haired man,” he explains.  He knows the descriptions from memory, understands all the subtleties involved with each one.  He’s known for a long time now that the King of Clubs is Kaidan’s card, and he’s a little surprised Kaidan hasn’t made that same connection before now.

“Is that how you see me?”

He reaches over to brush his knuckles gently along Kaidan’s cheek.  “From the moment we met.”

Kaidan laughs softly, covering Caleb’s hand with his own and holding it in place.  “Somehow, I doubt that.  You were unconscious at the time, as I recall.”

When he pulls back, Caleb shakes his head.  “I did a reading that night,” he admits.  “On Akuze, before the thresher maws hit.  This,” he lifts the King again, “was my future card.”

Kaidan reaches over and takes the card from him, staring at it.  “Seriously?”

Caleb doesn’t reply; it’s rhetorical anyway.  Instead, he reaches for the second card.  The Joker.  “I know we both can think of a variation of this card,” he says with a chuckle, “but honestly, it is a card of new developments, of risk.  Fresh starts and new beginnings.”

“Fresh starts and new beginnings?”  Kaidan holds his mug between both hands just in front of his lips. “I think I like the sound of that.”

Caleb smiles over at him.  “As do I.”

“It certainly describes us.”

Caleb twirls the card between his long fingers out of habit, but his eyes are only on Kaidan.  “Indeed, it does.”

Kaidan is the first to break the look, eyes drifting back to his tea.  “What’s the next card?”

Caleb lifts the third one.  “Nine of Clubs.”  His smile curves into a smirk.  His voice drops an octave as he murmurs, “You are going to love this.  This card represents achievement.”

Kaidan frowns in confusion.  “Which you’ve done.”

Caleb huffs softly but continues, “A new lover or admirer.” When Kaidan opens his mouth to say something, Caleb reaches back over and uses his index finger to silence him. “And finally, it’s a warning not to be stubborn.”

Kaidan grins with an I told you so sort of look, but he doesn’t say anything or even laugh, much to Caleb’s relief.  

“And the last one?”

Lifting the card, he taps it against his chin, design outward so Kaidan can see it.  “The Ace of Hearts.  This one is pretty simple to understand.  Love, joy, friendship.  A home. Also, the beginning of a new romance.” He lays the card down next to the others and stares at the four for a minute.  “You really didn’t look at them beforehand?”

Shrugging, Kaidan counters, “Would it have done any good? The only one of those I sort of recognize is the King of Clubs, and I certainly don’t understand your hidden meanings in them.”

There is more than enough truth in that statement, and Caleb doesn’t think he’s lying.  “Where is the rest of the deck?”

Kaidan nods across the room at one of the drawers. “Hid it in there so you wouldn’t see it.”

Releasing their hands, Caleb retrieves the cards, but he doesn’t place the four back with them just yet.  Instead, he sets them aside and faces Kaidan.  “Go raibh maith agat, mo shíorghra.”**

“That’s a new one.”

“All I said was thank you,” Caleb explains, deliberately evading the comment.  Kaidan is right; Mo shíorghra, is new, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

“Another endearment?”

Heat fills Caleb’s cheeks as he nods.  “I will explain later,” he finally hedges.  “It’s complicated … I’m not sure there is an equivalent in English.”  It’s a boldfaced lie, but he’s not quite ready to share it.  Sometimes the head needs to catch up to the heart.  “What I was trying to say was, thank you for this.” He gestures at the cards, the kitchen. “For all of it.  This may be the first time my birthday has actually … meant something.”

“Surely you’ve celebrated it before?”

Sighing, Caleb shakes his head.  “You have to understand, when I was taken in by Ned and Nan, I remembered nothing.  Only my name: Caleb.”  He fishes under his collar and retrieves his dog tags, turning it so Kaidan can see his name and birthdate clearly.  “This,” he continues, jabbing his thumb at the date, “is made up.  April 11?  The day I literally ran into Ned and he took me home.  The year?  A guess based off his and Athair’s thoughts as to how old I am.”  He shrugs.  “It works, but it’s never been anything I worried about celebrating before. It just hasn’t been worth it.”

Kaidan finishes off his tea and gets to his feet.  When he reaches out a hand, Caleb takes it and follows.  Standing there, in the middle of the kitchen, Kaidan slides his arms around his waist and pulls him close for a quick kiss before leading him out of the kitchen and toward the stairs.  “Let’s see if we can’t change that, hmm …?”  

  ~~~~~~~~~

 ** Lá breithe shona duit = Happy Birthday 

** Go raibh maith agat = thank you

**Mo shíorghra = my eternal love

[windstormwielding]

How did you come up with Kotaro's zanpakuto? (i really love the bird theme of his attacks!) did you go through a lot of changes when coming up with names, abilities, and the general concept?

{ ooc } bUCKLE UP KIDDOS ‘CAUSE IT’S TIME FOR SOME LONG OVERDUE GODDAMNED KŌTA META-

Kōta’s zanpakutō was essentially conceived out of my own love for great big storms and heavy winds – and yes, I have a story to go with that! On one occasion many years ago, I hopped on a bus to visit a friend in town, but I was ill-prepared in that it was about to rain heavily and I had jack shit but a jacket. No raincoat and not even an umbrella. I thought I would make it there on time, buuuuut evidently, I did not. It already started raining and thundering hard by the time I walked out of the bus and had to walk a few blocks by myself.

And honestly, Plouton, looking back? I would not have changed a single little detail that day. Those several minutes I spent outside at the mercy of a live thunderstorm left such a huge impression on me! The incessant rain keeping me tethered to the ground, the sheer volume of deafening thunder cracking so hard and so loudly that the air around me quaked... pair that with times I’ve enjoyed feeling myself at the mercy of heavy winds, or even the smell of the outside after rain falls...

...pretty much all of that served as the biggest source of inspiration behind the wind and storm-oriented zanpakutō, and I wanted Kōta to embody that himself.

Besides, aside from Senna herself in Memories of Nobody, the Gotei 13 lacked a dedicated air-manipulating shinigami barring Kensei’s unique take on the topic with Tachikaze, and we’ve only seen antagonists use this power (Dordoni of the Arrancar within the main story, Kariya if you want to go filler with the Bounts... whom I’ve honestly forgotten about prior to creating Kōta WHOOPS) in the traditional sense. Not to mention, air as an element is SUPER malleable and there’s so much you can do with it if you get creative?? So, given we’ve got some real powerful element-leaning shinigami already with water (lbr Kaien would’ve been a beast had he not been nixed), fire (Yama), snow (Tosh), and electricity (Sasakibe), why not keep adding to the idea?

With that, we’ve got the main concept locked down. Powers and general theme? Check. Bird-like zanpakutō spirit? Check. Defined attacks? ...noooooot quite there yet—in fact, those were a fairly late addition well after the blog reboot. As for what led to it, this never took off since the other mun blipped on an indefinite hiatus, but our thread would have likely turned into a fight thread between our muses and uh...

...yeah, I realized named techniques are kind of an important thing to have, especially when writing within the context of an action-oriented series like Bleach. It wasn’t just about the cool factor, but having a readily available kit for reference (for myself, my writing partners, and folks reading in) was a must, not to mention it helped better define just what his main friggin’ weapon is capable of like those of most of the existing cast. In case a fight thread does come around in the future, it’d be an ideal thing to have ready to go and bring him further up to par with other fighters!

Just like that, I subjected myself to extra homework. Coming up with the moves themselves came to me simply enough, in seeing how air was played with in other media I was familiar with (key ones being Sonic the Hedgehog, The Legend of Zelda, and Avatar: The Last Airbender) and fashioning some of my own spins on top of some original ideas. I knew I wanted to lean hard on the bird motif since his zan spirit is a tengu, and given the wide variety of things the element of air/wind can do, I thought to make full connections between the two by theming each special move after certain species of bird! Creating those moves and naming them were the easy parts.

Naming them, that is, in English. Naming them all in Japanese was, by far, the hardest part. Why? Parce que je ne suis pas japonais, et aussi parce que je ne parle pas la langue, you see. On top of language barriers, the Japanese tongue operates on a whole other set of rules, compared to the Latin/Germanic-based ones I’ve grown used to with English, French, and (at one point) German. I did take some Japanese classes as an elective back in university, but that was only in first year – my own understanding, as a result, was threadbare and surface level at best, so that was not going to get me anywhere. I did not want to half-ass it with romaji and I love Bleach too much to not want to do these ideas justice.

I am a stickler when it comes to detail and canon-compliance, so getting the naming right by abiding to the proper conventions as best as I possibly could became my topmost priority. Google Translate was not going to fly because lord knows it’s no good without proper context between wholly different languages in English and Japanese, and it only gets wilder once you throw Chinese into the mix, given I’m supposed to use kanji. Thus, the name of the game here turned out to be “reverse engineering,” and I had to go in accepting I probably wasn’t going to get it 100% right the first time.

“What rules do zanpakutō names and special attack names follow?” “How do I apply on- or kun-reading in spelling out a group of certain kanji?” “Where are the common denominators in those rules that I can identify?” “Which language conventions have I already picked up from watching god knows how much anime over the years that I can replicate?” “Which set of words best conveys this particular English word that has no direct Japanese translation?” “How does [x] roll off the tongue? Does it sound right and fluid enough, or does it still feel super stilted and weird?” It was a loooooooot of this until I was finally satisfied with each individual end result!

Tl;dr: Jisho.org and Wikipedia were godsends during this whole process. I also want to thank @tigrextoque who gave me some helpful pointers after the fact!

ALSO... the ones on the Battle Info page aren’t even all of the ones I’ve thought about. Because I’m a glutton for punishment apparently, I purposely went and submitted a request for a certain ask meme on an ask meme source blog, JUST so I could play around with more ideas that came or would come to mind. This time, however, it was through the form of COMBINATION ATTACKS (which, by virtue alone, are honestly peak awesomeness). Those that implicated other shinigami got new bird motifs to meld the aesthetics of both muses, while I did get a couple of Quincy ones (with their referenced attacks actually using romaji as a base! Whoo-hoo for saving me the effort!) as a bonus to mix things up!

I’ll link them all right here (and later on the Battle Info page) for your convenience:

Noboru no mai, Shiro Fukurō (騰の舞・白梟, Rising Dance, Snowy Owl), with Rukia Kuchiki

Ahōdori Kyōka: Flying Battery (群烏強化: フライング バッテリー, Albatross Strengthening: Flying Battery) with Bambietta Basterbine

Muragarasu Kyōka: Galvano Volley (群烏強化: ガルヴァノ ボレー, Flock of Crows Strengthening: Galvano Volley), plus upgraded variant Muragarasu Kyōka: Galvano Storm (群烏強化: ガルヴァノ ストー��, Flock of Crows Strengthening: Galvano Storm), with Candice Catnipp

Hagetaka Rinbu (禿鷹輪舞, Vulture Round Dance) with Rangiku Matsumoto

Senkō-fū: Kitsutsuki (穿孔風: 啄木鳥, Drilling Wind: Woodpecker) with Nemu Kurotsuchi

Gyaku-fū Fūsa: Benizuru (逆風封鎖: 紅鶴, Headwind Blockade: Flamingo) with Byakuya Kuchiki

Hikuidori Hinshō (火食鳥 頻傷, Cassowary Frequent Cuts) with Ueno Chie​

Yes, “Flying Battery” was a deliberately written Sonic the Hedgehog reference. No, I will never apologize for that.

...might I reblog that meme again in the future though...?

...probably not right away.

So, uh... Plou, I should probably apologize for giving you a lot more than you likely bargained for, but hey, I just didn’t want to leave any stone unturned! Thank you so much for sending me your three questions, I enjoyed writing these little deep dives into my Bleach OC, and thanks for taking interest in Kōta! I hope all of my responses have been both enlightening and to your satisfaction.

[spartanxhunterx]

Home Support (part 2)

Tags: @elmokingkong, @kuroko26, @votederpycausemufins.

Chloe grumbled as she walked out of the schools doors, the latest Akuma attack was a little too close for comfort for the school, so they were let out again.

Chloe knew that the school would be closed until the ending of the day and she wouldn't be able get picked up until after the Akuma was defeated. She's wished that she could help, really she did, but she had already put herself at too much risk to Hawkmoth.

In an effort to get away from her classmates she made her way to the one place she knew they wouldn't be able to follow. 

The Dupain-Cheng's Bakery.

The bell rang above her as she entered and she found the bakery to be surprisingly empty, it was just her, Marinette's parents and the one customer who was already paying for their order.

 "Enjoy and stay safe out there."

 Her eyes flicked to the sheet of paper tapped to the window, a list of all her classmates under the notice that anyone on the list was banned. She was glad that she couldn't see her name but she knew better than to overstep the line that had been drawn before her.

naturally she moved to the side as the customer moved for the door and she stepped forwards, quickly catching Sabine's attention.

 "Ah, Chloe, what can I do for you? Croissants? Macaroons? Tarts perhaps?"

 " No thank you Mrs. Cheng, I was just wondering if I could stick around until the Akuma is dealt with. My driver can't come to get me until it's dealt with. "

 "Of course." Sabine moved to the front of the shop, flipping the open sign to closed . There wouldn't be anyone just walking around anyway. "Why don't you come upstairs? Get comfy, it might be a while."

 She opened her mouth to protest, not wanting to intrude on their home but she also didn't want to be rude. Chances were she would probably be more trusted under their gaze over being left to her own devices down in the bakery.

 "Very well." She followed Sabine up the stairs and into the Dupain-Cheng household. Being mindful to remove her shoes at the entrance when Sabine pointed out the rule.

She greeted Tom with a somewhat nervous smile before sitting stiffly on the couch, as far away from the large man as she could. It didn't take long for Sabine to take her seat beside her husband and the three of them Sat watching the TV, it was only then that Chloe realised they had the news on where a live stream of the Akuma battle was being broadcasted.

Poor August had been re-akumatised into gigantitan, again. He must have been upset by something, which wasn't surprising since he was just a toddler. That was something that annoyed Chloe, the way how Hawkmoth had no problem using actual toddlers to do his dirty work.

She could understand the disgruntled workers, dumped girlfriends, betrayed friends and other wronged adults but kids... Baby's? It was too far.

on screen she could see Ladybug swinging around, keeping Gigati- August's attention on herself, making the toddler walk into more open areas. Worst of all she could see Chat Noir just sitting back, fiddling with his baton as if it held the secrets of the universe.

He had gotten a lot less involved lately, choosing to sit back while ladybug did all the work. If she still had Pollen she would be out there helping Ladybug herself but she couldn't, as it would put her family in danger again.

She could see Chat leap over to ladybug, speak to her in what was clearly a flirting manner then leap away after the heroine responded.

The blonde couldn't stop the scoff from coming out of her mouth nor could she stop the words from tumbling from her lips. "I swear if I was out there still I would have stung his ass already."

Sabine gave a humored chuckle, who was on her phone prematurely sending Marinette texts about the situation at home. She wouldn't see them until she Dr-transformed but she knew her daughter wouldn't risk coming home in fear of anyone finding out her identity.

Or worse, Chat Noir finding out about her identity.

"For that," Sabine started, side-eyeing Chloe. "I think that you make... Had been, a good hero. "

"Hardly," She sputtered out, feeling her checks darken under the praise. "I revealed my identity immediately and put people in danger just to be a hero. "

"At least you recognise your mistakes, unlike someone."

" The ally cat definitely needs to learn what no means. "

-

It took another ten minutes for Ladybug to calm down August enough to take the Akuma away from him. Mainly with the help of her lucky charm, which was, oddly enough, a giant teddy bear.

The camera crew had a lovely shot of Ladybug/ Marinette cradling the toddler in her arms while she waited for his mother to collect him. She wasn't far, she had learned to stick semi-close to the action to collect her son after he would be freed from Hawkmoths control.

Sabine and Tom couldn't help but think that, in many many years time, Marinette would be a great mother.

A minute later, ladybug had swung away from the scene and just barely three minutes later Marinette clambered through the door, slightly out of breath, clutching her bag to her chest.

"I... Ran... As... Fast... As... I...could."

Chloe didn't comment on her out of breath state, she herself had ran from plenty of Akuma in the past and she wasn't going to berate the girl for doing the same.

"Sit down and take a moment to breath dear, you look exhausted." Sabine was quick to get up to fetch her daughter a drink of water as Marinette flopped down next to Chloe.

Though not close enough that you could make the mistake of thinking they were actually friends.

 "Hey Chloe... What are you doing here?"

 "I was hiding from the Akuma, your parents were nice enough to let me wait up here."

"Speaking of which," Sabine spoke as she walked back around the couch, giving Marinette and Chloe a glass of water. "Perhaps now would be a good time to tell your driver to pick you up?"

"Oh, right." Chloe fished her phone out of her bag, being sure the sent a text to her driver that she could now be picked up and where she was, drinking from her glass as she did so.

The blonde knew she was pushing boundaries, being in a place that was deemed safe for Marinette. A place where she didn't have to worry or be anxious, unlike before.

She had a nagging feeling in her gut that she was forgetting something, something to do with school.

"Oh, right." The words pulled everyone else's attention to her as she sat up straight. Somewhat tense.

"Something wrong?"

" Just... I'm going to be blunt here. " Chloe didn't wait for any sort of reply, she had learnt long ago that it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. "Lila's been Gaslighting the class, spreading rumors and making everyone doubt there old relationship with Marinette."

Chloe could see Marinette cringe and she knew she was poking some raw wounds.

"Alya's been on a triad about 'figuring out the real Marinette.'" Chloe used her free hand to create quotation marks. "So she may come bug you soon, Lila's also spread lies about Marinette bullying her via text, which is utterly ridiculous since she's changed her number."

" actually, " The bluenette wrung her hands together in front of her chest. "If I did have her number I would be able to but nothing would stop her from blocking me, I've only got family on my phone at the moment. "

Chloe sighed and brought her hand up to pinch her nose. "No wonder she managed to get traction on that claim, cause no-one is able to dispute it." The blonde shook her head. " she's probably got a second phone and is doing it to herself. "

"Wouldn't surprise me. But why? She's got what she wanted, I left and she's got Adrien and the class. Why continue?"

" Attention Marinette, she wants attention and fame. So she had to fake your life to get it. "

"You design for Jagged stone, Know Clara Nightingale, babysit Manon for Nadja, your uncle is a world famous chef and because of that, she was threatened by you. Cause while she has to lie about those things you don't need to, you live the superior life and she hates those who upscale her. "

"Thanks Chloe."

The blonde huffed and puffed out her chest while she pretended to examine her nails. "Don't get the wrong idea, I wasn't complimenting you, I was stating facts."

 "wouldn't even dream of it. "

Their mutual conversation was cut short as Chloe's phone buzzed in her hand, telling her the car was waiting outside. She stood, passing her glass off to Sabine who reached out for it, picked up her bag and made a slow walk for the door.

"Thank you for letting me stay Ms. Cheng." Chloe made a move to open the door but quickly turned around back to Marinette before swiping her phone from her hand as she was using it.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

" simple, " Chloe didn't even look up as she tapped away at the screen. "Putting my number in your phone and giving yours to me, I'll text you if I learn anything about what Lila is planning." After Chloe's own phone buzzed again she returned the phone to Marinette's hands.

" I would suggest speaking to someone about a possible lawsuit for slander and defamation of character, just so you know your options at least. "

With that Chloe sauntered out of the Dupain-Cheng household, leaving all of them in a stunned silence.

It was Tikki, who poked her head out of Marinette's jacket, who broke the silence. "Well, she's certainly changed."

" Am I friends with Chloe now? " When she received no answer she let out a shaky breath. "Why do I feel like this is worse then Lila targeting me? "

-

Turns out it was Chloe who broke their mutual silence first, which Marinette Supposed had been expected honestly. Much like the blonde girl had said, she had given paragraphs of information of the lies Lila had been telling the class.

Some were repeats, some contradicted older stories while others where straight up manipulative. Where Lila would twist everyone's perspective until Marinette was seen as the bad guy and their own minds couldn't see the difference between truth or lie.

As Chloe had said, Gaslighting.

Marinette had thanked her the first time and then shared the information with her parents, her mother had actually taken Chloe's advice to speak to someone about the actions the could be taken... Legally.

Chloe had a lot of illegal ideas, all of which Marinette had shut down. Never let it be said that Chloe wasn't a chaotic force, cause she could be worse than a hurricane.

Marinette wasn't sure who had broken the silent agreement to only message when it regarded Lila's plots or their own legal actions but at some point the two of them started to just message each other over the trivial things that happened each day.

Chloe vented about her mother, Marinette complained about her designs being wrong. Chloe actually gave her own opinion on her designs that really got Marinette out of her funk and Marinette made suggestions on how to deal with Chloe's mother.

before long Marinette actually looked forward to receiving messages from Chloe, it was a nice normality that existed within the chaos of her life as ladybug.

She was surprised when she learnt that Chloe was undergoing therapy and had been since her time as miracle queen. She was trying to make herself better, be better really. She wasn't going to point out that it was too late to be queen Bee, she didn't want to crush the girls drive to improve herself.

-

It would be days later when the fight against Hawkmoth would take a violent shift.

Sabine and Tom were watching the live feed of the Akuma battle, worried for their daughter. They never liked that she had to out and fight, it was made worse after Marinette had brought Chats behaviour to the light.

They never thought that the nice hero could be anything less then great but his whiny, childlike, borderline harassing behaviour made them re-evaluate their stance on the hero. It wasn't good.

The parents watched, worried, as they saw their daughter struggle against the Akuma. Someone who was literally covered in flames from head to toe and was sprouting about having been 'burnt' by everyone. They couldn't tell if it was meant to be metaphorical or literal.

They watched as they saw Ladybug being thrown through a billboard where, mid-fall, she transitioned into a flip and used her yo-yo to swing away. Getting closer and closer to the seine, bringing the Akuma closer to water.

Her journey was cut short by a wall of flames that shot up twenty feet into the air, forcing Ladybug, their daughter, to divert away from the scorching heat.

"There has to be something we can do." Tom's voice came out stern, yet pleading, as if an answer would drop into his lap out of nowhere.

"I know but there's nothing we can do, we're not like Marinette, we don't have superpowers. "

"No we don't..." His eyes seemed to light up, before they glanced over to the hatch that lead to Marinette's room. "But I know where to get some."

His wife followed his eyes before realisation dawned onto her. "You don't mean... But Marinette said to never touch them. "

The large French man rested his hands into his wife's shoulders. "I know but I would rather go behind her back then have to treat her wounds later... Or worse."

Sabine seemed to contemplate his words with a frown, she did not want to go behind her daughter's back. Not after they had all created such strong bonds of trust, more so than most parents have with their children. Superhero or not.

but she didn't want to sit on the sidelines either, she wanted- no needed to be involved. Needed to help.

She didn't say anything as the two of them ascended up to their daughters room, she watched as her husband pulled out the unique locked case that housed the miraculous Box.

Marinette had yet to make something that rivaled the phonograph in terms of secrecy so, for now, it was locked up in a sturdy suitcase. It didn't take Much for Tom to grab the spare keys and open it. Revealing the round, ladybug themed box.

It's new look, as Marinette had said, as its old look was compromised after Hawkmoth had seen it.

"Are you sure about this? Really sure?" The two adults looked at each other from where they were kneeling over the box.

Tom looked to his wife, determination in his eyes. "Absolutely."

[zabrak-show]

this is kinda long but can i ask for a comedy where maul is a total drama queen about how sick he is? that is, until he sees who the doctor is (rival!s/o, jedi, idc) BUT ITS TOO LATE to insist he's healthy

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A/N: Lol here you go anon! This was fun to write I laughed a lot. Thank you so much for requesting something from me. The end is a bit of a cuckoos nest reference, not sure if anyone will get it, but still funny to me.

Summary: Maul has food poisoning and is ‘dying’. Savage calls the doctor and lo and behold who does the doctor turn out to be?

Warnings: bodily function humor (farts, food poisoning discomfort, see gif for reference lol), swearing, death of a certain character (not maul or savage), dumbassery on my part lmao, is this what the kids deem crack fic?

word count: 2.3k

“Brother, I do not think you should eat that,” Savage tried to reason with the smaller and angrier Zabrak who was about to shovel a leftover curry into his mouth.

“Quiet Savage. Nothing can harm me, I am far too powerful,” Maul protested, gulping down the yellow curry that had been sitting in the brothers’ fridge for maker knows how long. Savage turned his nose up at his brother’s poor dinner choices, tied his pink frilly apron across his waist, and began cooking his own dinner. 

A delicious beef stew, sat simmering on the stove with an attentive Savage breathing in the steam and taste testing the broth every now and then adding spices and sauces as he went, a determined half-smile slapped across his face. Maul sat in his office just off the kitchen on his datapad doing the night’s work, his usual scowl overtaking his stunning features.

“Brother, if you would have waited, you could have enjoyed my delicious stew,” Savage beamed from the kitchen. Maul grumbled something incoherent from his office, but Savage continued stirring his stew and humming a happy little tune.

The next day started like any other. Maul held meetings with the Mandalorians about their next moves. Savage joined in, but he usually spaced out thinking about food and what he was going to cook for dinner later in the night. Savage was startled back to reality upon hearing a very deep rumble emanating from his brother’s throne. The room quieted down in shock at the noise not sure what to make of it.

“Lord Maul, are..you alright?” one of the Mandalorians asked in confused concern.

“I’m fine. It’s the chair. The chair. Something is wrong with this chair.” Maul clearly exasperated and sweating profusely, his usual deep crimson color now tarnished and a faded rust-colored instead.

“The..throne? What is wrong with the throne?” the Mandalorian questioned and stepped forward to investigate.

“No. Not the throne, I mean it’s fine, but it is broken… BACK away. I will have Savage assess the damage later. Let’s just wrap this meeting up for now.

“Brother, are you ok?” Savage leaned down to quietly whisper into Maul’s ear, “you aren’t looking so good.” Another deep rumble emanating from somewhere on Maul, inadvertently responded to Savage’s question. Savage, decided to take matters into his own hands, sensing his brother’s extreme discomfort and also being bored as hell by this meeting.

“Meeting adjourned.” Savage abruptly interrupted, all eyes now staring at the golden Zabrak. He felt his face grow hot with all the sudden attention on him and panicked scooping his brother up into his arms and running out of the throne room. Maul throwing a complete tantrum as he did this yelling, thrashing, beating his brother with his fists. The Mandalorians just stood and stared in confused horror at the spectacle happening before their eyes.

Savage ran down the halls of the Sundari Palace with Maul in his arms, not clear on what he was hoping to achieve or where to go with his now very angry brother.

“Savage, you need to put me down immediately,” Maul hissed through his teeth. Savage, not knowing any better than to follow directions, unhesitatingly dropped his brother on the stone hallway of the palace. Maul tumbled out of his arms like a rag doll making a pitiful sound as he hit the floor.

“Brother!! I am so sorry. Are you ok?” Savage hurriedly knelt down before Maul, now curled into the fetal position, the ashen rust color deep setting into his complexion now.

prrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaappppppppppttttttttt

It was a common sound for Savage having grown up with the nightbrothers and the endless fart jokes the brothers would play on each other, but in his short time of knowing Maul, his brother had never once farted in front of him. He always suspected it was because of the mechanical lower half of him, but never dared ask. The air soon filled with the foulest smell, almost worse than when Savage first rescued Maul.

  “Brother, I wonder if you are sick?” Savage pensively asked the ashen curled up Zabrak at his feet as he picked him up on his feet to stand at his side.

“Of course, I’m sick you idiot. Take me to the doctor. I mean.. take me to the ‘fresh..” he heaved into his hand before finishing what he wanted to say. 

“Oh man, brother, I gotta say, you absolutely cannot spew right now. I just got this armor and well, actually you gave it to me, but I mean, just no like..’blegh’ onto the new threads.”

Maul glared at his brother, shooting daggers at him with his fiery amber eyes. 

“I’m not going to ..spew..” the word itself gagged him and Savage now hurriedly walked him to the refresher. Thankfully, there was one just down the hall and Savage opened the door and threw his brother in and stood guard outside the door. The noises emanating from the small ‘fresher were of the most offensive kind and Savage stood nervously trying to think of what to do or say as he stared down at his nails. A couple of Mandalorians walked by looking at Savage questioningly. He put his arm up against the wall in a flirtatious pose,

“Hey, how’s it goin?” he smirked to the Mandalorians and they skittered away confused by the beefy yellow Zabrak’s placement and actions.

“Brother, can I get you anything?” Savage asked through the door. Maul let out a low and long groan before answering, 

“Get me a doctor, Savage. I...I’m...I’m dying.” Savage gasped at his brother’s revelation.

“Brother, you cannot die. I will NOT let it happen. I’ll find the best doctor in the galaxy for you. I swear it.” 

Maul responded with yet another low groan. Savage ran off to call a doctor for his dear and very sick brother.

After Savage called for a doctor, he managed to get Maul to his bed to rest until the doctor would arrive. Maul writhed around the bed groaning in pain and discomfort. He tried to drink water and eat some of Savage’s infamous stew, but he couldn’t keep anything down and was left weak and miserable. Savage never left his bedside and was a nervous wreck for his brother’s well being. He hadn’t seen his brother like this since he picked him up on Lotho Minor. Maul reached his clammy hand out towards Savage and the golden Zabrak grabbed it at once.

“Savage, my brother, my apprentice...I...I do not know how much longer I have…” the crimson Zabrak trailed off, seemingly too weak to continue.

“Brother, do not talk like that. Your doctor will be here any moment and then you will be better than ever.” Savage attempted to reassure his brother, but it was no use. Maul was determined this would be the death of him and prattled on nonsensically about it until finally Savage just nodded and hummed as his sickly brother went on. Finally, they heard footsteps down the hall approaching the room.

“Oh at last, brother. This must be your doctor.” he rose from his bedside chair to meet the doctor at the door. There was a light knocking at the door and Savage opened it at once. A human man with brown hair and beard wearing a white lab coat stood before Savage.

“Oh thank you for coming doctor, right this way, it’s my brother. He is dying.” Savage motioned towards Maul, who had turned away from the door in his bed. The doctor stepped into the room, clutching his black leather medicine bag.

“Hello there,” he said as he approached Maul. Maul shot up instantly out of bed, recognizing his nemesis’ voice.

“Kenobi!” Maul screeched out with his last remaining amount of energy and then immediately collapsed on the floor.

“No, No no no, Savage! Don’t let this man touch me. He is playing a Jedi mind trick on you. He is no doctor!” Maul sputtered out trying to climb back into bed.

“I am so sorry Doctor. He has been spewing nonsense for the past 5 hours. I do not think he even knows where he is right now.” Savage patiently explained to the Doctor.

“It’s quite alright. He’s not wrong, I am Doctor Kenobi.” he smiled and outstretched his hand to Savage, and the Nightbrother hesitated but inevitably shook it.

“I’m not sure I’ve made your acquaintance, though,” Dr. Kenobi shared with the sickly Zabrak curled up in the fetal position on the bed. This admission enraged Maul and he attempted to get out of bed again fuming at the Doctor.

“I am surprised you could have forgotten me so easily, after I killed your master and you left me for dead on Naboo,” Maul piped out to the Doctor as he slowly walked towards him. Dr. Kenobi shuffled around in his medicine bag for something as Maul continued his advance on the Doctor.

“You may have forgotten me, but I will never for….OW, what the…” Maul crumpled down onto the floor as he trailed off on his diatribe. Savage looked on in horror as Doctor Kenobi removed a hypodermic needle from Maul’s flesh with a smug satisfaction.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?” Savage roared at the doctor igniting one end of his red lightsaber.

“Relax, it’s just a light sedative. We need to get him hooked up to an IV to replenish his fluids and electrolytes. Can you help me get him onto the gurney in the hallway?”

Savage grumbled, but turned his lightsaber off and helped the doctor move his brother into the gurney. They transported him to the nearby hospital and Doctor Kenobi hooked him up to the IV’s while Savage looked on with worry and hope in his heart.

“He’s going to be fine, Savage,” Doctor Kenobi reassured the anxious Zabrak.

“He said he was dying,” Savage blurted out, tears in his eyes.

“Food poisoning can feel like death, that is for certain, but once he gets his fluids and electrolytes back he’ll be back in full swing in no time. Right now, we must let him rest.” Doctor Kenobi put his hand on Savage’s back and led him out of the hospital room. Savage wandered around the hospital to kill time and soon found happiness at the sight of an ice cream cart outside the hospital. He strode outside forgetting his worries for a moment as the cart drew him in with a happy tune and bright colors.

Maul woke up in a dark strange room, slowly looking around for something to spark his memory of how he got here. He ripped the IV out of his arm and walked around the room, remembering the horrible sickness he had been battling and the loathsome Doctor Kenobi.

“I must escape this infernal place,” the Sith Lord exclaimed to no one. He looked down and realized he was only wearing a blue hospital gown. He searched the room desperately for his tunic and pants to no avail. He rushed out of the room, the hospital gown flowing with the wind of his swift movements, his robot ass in full view to any fortunate onlooker. 

The hallway was bright in contrast with his dimmed room and nurses and doctors rushed around, paying very little mind to the crimson Zabrak sneaking around the hospital. Voices carried, machines beeped, papers shuffled, all the normal ambient noise of a hospital, as Maul made his way down the halls, looking for the nearest exit. He doubled back on one room, recognizing a force signature from his past.

“Could it be?” he whispered under his breath as he entered the dark room. A pale shriveled old man laid in the bed passed out. The smell of sanitizer and death ran thick in the air. The man was dying and laid there like a vegetable.

“Master…” Maul announced to the sleeping man as he grabbed a pillow from his bed and gently, but firmly placed it over his old Master’s face. The slight effort caused a small toot to escape the Zabrak, the remnants of his sickness still leaving his body.

“I would say ‘excuse me’ but…” Maul shoved the pillow down harder, his crimson forearms bulging with effort, “it appears you will no longer need excuses.”

 The old man’s body flailed around in an involuntary attempt at fighting for his life, but Maul stood firm in his position, waiting for the movements to stop, killing his Master once and for all. Maul looked around the room for a way out. As anyone who just killed the man who was an abusive father-figure, teacher, and captor to them, Maul decided to rip the sink out of the foundation of the room in a feat of strength and force wielding. He lifted the busted sink over his head and threw it out the window, quickly jumping out of the hole it created.

It was quite the fall, but he used the force to slow himself down for the impact, the hospital gown blowing up around him exposing all his robot bits and pieces to anyone watching the crimson Zabrak flail out of the stone hospital building. Savage, just so happened to be taking a walk around the building eating an ice cream cone, when he saw the spectacle of his brother tumble out of the hospital. He ran towards where his brother landed with glee and confusion.

“Brother! You are alright? Why did you jump out of that window? Look, they have ice cream here!” Savage was so excited he couldn’t find what to focus on and stammered out a stream of consciousness on his brother.

“Yes. Savage, I am alright. Let’s go home.”

The two Zabraks walked off into the sunset, Maul’s bare robot ass cheeks clapping in the gentle breeze.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.

I just love these brothers what can I say! They deserve to walk off happily into the sunset. Thank you as always so much for reading. xo

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[erictmason]

“BOUND FOR FREEDOM, YEAR TWO, DAY SIX: “HURT”

“Shake Like The Bough Of A Willow Tree”

“You should deactivate me.  Immediately.”

The memory of those words rang strongly through Sonic’s mind as he walked through the streets of New Mobotropolis.  They weighed his steps, keeping him from the brisk pace he usually enjoyed.  

“I appreciate everything you’ve done to...to save me, but...you heard Rotor.  I can’t be saved.  This...this is what I am now.”

He looked to the soft glow of the moon in the sky, and it reminded him of those eyes.  Sally’s eyes, unmistakable even when locked within a shell of glass and lights.  Looking more full of...despair...then he could ever remember having seen in them before.  

“There is no telling when I might...lose control again.  We need to neutralize that threat now, before it...before I...can hurt anyone else ever again.”

The hedgehog’s quills bristled as the hospital came into view.  It had been a few days now since those terrible words had been spoken...since he and Sally had seen each other.  “I think right now, a bit of space is for the best,” Dr. Quack had said, and though patience was the farthest thing from Sonic’s strong suit, he cared deeply enough about Sally’s well being to obey for as long as he could.  But in all that time, Sally’s words had continued to play and replay in his mind.

He had to do something.

So he’d talked to Quack, convinced him to give him this time...this chance.  And as he entered the hospital, walked down its halls, and opened that door, he resolved to do whatever he could to make that chance count.  “Hey, Sal.”

The robotic squirrel sat in the corner of the room, legs bent in front of her chest and arms folded across her knees, head bent low.  For a moment, she remained that way, perfectly still...but eventually, she lifted her gaze to meet Sonic’s.  When she said nothing, the hedgehog continued to speak, walking toward her.  “I was thinkin’, if you weren’t doin’ anything else...” He reached a hand gently out to her.  “Would you wanna take a li’l walk outside with me?”

Sally continued to stare at him in silence, but he did not move his hand.  “I got Quack’s OK for it,” he said to her, then, more softly, “and I promise, first sign of any kind of trouble, I’ll zip you right back here.  ‘Hog’s honor.”

They stayed like that for a few moments.  And then, slowly, surely, Sally placed her hand in his.

Soon, they were back outside, walking together wordlessly, aimlessly.  Every so often, they would look at each other, Sonic would smile, Sally’s eyes would flicker, and then it would be over.  Eventually, they found themselves on the outskirts of the city.  “’S a really nice night out,” Sonic said.

At first, Sally said nothing, but as her eyes slowly scanned across the stars, she spoke softly, “...yes...it is.”

That got Sonic’s attention, his ears perking just a touch.  “Wanna make the most of it?” he asked, turning to look at her more fully.  The robotic squirrel tilted her head uncertainly.  “I know you’ve been through...are going through...a lot,” Sonic added, stepping toward her again; when she did not try to stop him or show any sign of discomfort, he closed the gap between them completely, hands slipping carefully along her waist.  “But I’m still right here, Sal.  Always ‘n’ always.”  He pressed his head to hers...and he couldn’t keep a smile off his face as he felt her press back.  “So follow my lead, OK?”

She nodded, and without another word Sonic had zipped away.  He waved to her from the several feet of distance he’d immediately put between them.  “Whaddya say, Sal?” he called out.  “Wanna keep up our stroll?”

At first, Sally hesitated.  Her hands tightened, and she stepped back, eyes drifting to her own feet.  “That’s OK too, Sal,” he said.  “It’s like I promised: you feel like goin’ back, we go back.”  She looked over to him.  “D’you feel like goin’ back?”

The princess seemed to consider it.  But then, just a few seconds later, her hands opened up and her posture straightened.  And then, with clunky but committed steps, she raced toward Sonic.  He nodded eagerly, and darted off again; it was far from his max speed, but it set a strong pace.  Sally continued to follow.  “Where are we going...?” she asked as she strove to keep up.  

“Guess we’ll both find that out,” Sonic replied, “together.”

He began to go faster.  She did her best to match him.  The city fell further and further behind them, the sky opening up wider and wider.  She began to gain ground on the hedgehog, her steps growing stronger and steadier with each stride.  “Lookin’ good, Sal!” Sonic said brightly.  “It’s pretty fun, right?  Movin’ like this?”

As they came to a towering mountain range, the hedgehog’s more familiar speed truly began to settle in, carrying him up the stone with ease.  Even still, Sally remained right next to him, her eyes locked to his the whole way until they reached a plateau near the peak where Sonic finally skidded to a stop, and the robotic squirrel did the same.  “...wait...how...?” she whispered, blinking a bit she looked all the way back down...and saw a trail of smoke beginning to wisp away.  

Sally gasped, snapping her head down as she realized it was coming from the rocket boosters embedded into her feet.  But even as she trembled, Sonic’s hands were on her shoulders, gently pulling her toward him.  “It’s OK,” he whispered soothingly.  “Sal, look at me.”  She shook her head.  “Please, Sal.  I’m still right here, we’re still OK.  Just...look at me, please.”

It was a plea, but not a desperate one, and in spite of herself Sally slowly did as he asked, finding his green eyes looking at her, filled with starlight and warmth.  “We’re just...moving right now,” he said softly.  “That’s all it is.  Just...movement.” He gave her a moment, watched as her trembling slowed.  “”When I’m in that world, just...moving?  Everything just starts to make sense, y’know?  So I wanted to share that with you.  Because I love you.”  Her hands slowly reached up to his own.  “Because I wanted you t’see that this...what happened to you...” He paused, blinking at the wetness in his eyes.  “There are things it can’t take from you.  Not ever.”

The two stood together in the moonlight, holding each other’s gaze and each other’s hands.  And then Sally slid forward, wrapping her hands around Sonic and pulling him close.  She was careful.  So careful.  But she held him even so, and Sonic soon returned the gesture.  They stayed like that for a good, long while, until Sally spoke, slowly, softly, shakily...but clearly.  “...do you want...do you want to move with me...?”

He let out a contented breath.  “Always, Sal.”

They leaned into each other.  And then they began to move into the air.  Higher and higher.  Then faster and faster.  Just like the city, the mountain fell further and further behind them.  And then they began to turn.  Then they bobbed downward, and lifted back upward.  The straight lines became curves and bends leaving lines of light and smoke in their wake.  Sally watched with wide eyes, Sonic smiling and laughing.  Their dance carried them over the mountains, past the tree tops.  “Just feel it, Sal,” Sonic said.  “Don’t think.  Just...feel it.”

The robotic squirrel looked to him cautiously.  He looked back at her with a sincere smile and a trusting gaze. 

And then...she closed her eyes.  

She opened her arms and let him go, rising higher still into the air.  

Felt the motions travel across every bit of steel and circuitry.  Felt them move through her.  

And then she careened back down, and found Sonic’s outstretched hand waiting for hers.

They continued that way for what felt like hours, up, over, around, together, apart, reunited. 

But at long last, eventually, their feet touched down again, now on the roof of the hospital.  Sonic slipped down into a sit, laughing happily.  “You’re quite the dancer, Sal,” he said.

She stood there for a moment.  She looked at him, then looked down at her feet.  And then she too sat down, leaning gently into his shoulder.  “...thank you,” she whispered back.”           

[gchoate17]

I set a personal record this year and read 33 books, all of them for the first time with the exception of Tim O’Brien’s THE THINGS THEY CARRIED, which would be in the top 10, but I excluded it because I’d already included it in a previous year’s top 10. That being the case, here were my favorite 10 of 2020:

1. Hourglass by Dani Shapiro (2017)

Perfect pacing, honest and forthcoming. I finished this one and had the feeling I'd found my new favorite writer. I'm looking forward to reading her other works, but also, I'm looking forward to reading this one again -- I rarely want to reread a book. Also, she read the audio book herself and does a fantastic job. She felt like an old friend by the time I'd finished the book. 

2. Calypso by David Sedaris (2018)

Sedaris is one of the best storytellers alive. He may be an asshole, but he’s a good storyteller. I enjoyed listening to him process some things in his life that required him to go beyond the surface of his feelings in this book. 

3. Devotion by Dani Shapiro (2010)

I have no special interest in Judaism and I’ve never practiced yoga — two of this book’s primary subjects — but I’m discovering I have a deep appreciation for Shapiro’s specific brand of mining memories, her commitment to turning over all the stones in her life, her deep concern for the things she loves. A lot of writers can accomplish those tasks, but her even pace makes her work especially endearing. I’ve only read two other authors’ books back to back: When I discovered David Sedaris’s NAKED and ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY in college, and when I followed up Stephen King’s ON WRITING with MISERY. Now, with Shapiro, I followed HOURGLASS with DEVOTION, and I don’t know that I’ve ever been as excited to start reading a book as I am right now with INHERITANCE. 

4. Inheritance by Dani Shapiro (2019)

In HOURGLASS and DEVOTION, Shapiro’s voice is confident about her place in the world, even though she says otherwise. Her Jewishness that she struggles with in DEVOTION is something she’s always struggled with and so she’s comfortable with that. In HOURGLASS, she knows she’s so far beyond Jacob’s medical scare that she’s at least somewhat comfortable discussing it, and Michael is a sturdy partner and so she can explore the relationship safely. But in INHERITANCE, it feels like we’re getting real-time life turbulence. I appreciate the quest element such a setup provides, but I also miss Shapiro’s confidence. I’m saying all this so I don’t gush too much in three consecutive reviews for the same author, but the fact remains, this is a wonderful book, and I immediately began listening to her podcast. If someone asks me who my favorite writer is, I’d have a hard time not saying Dani Shapiro at this point.

5. How Fires End by Marco Rafala (2019)

I love a multi-generational family story and this one was done especially well. I enjoyed having multiple narrators to provide multiple points of view on the single family narrative that showed itself throughout the course of the novel. Rarely does a book continue to gain speed all the way to the end, but I found that this one did. This felt like one of those debut books a writer has always known he will write because it draws on so much of his life up to that point. I'm curious what his next one will look like, but whatever the subject, I'm going to pick it up. Highly recommend this book that has some mass literary appeal. 

6. Heavy by Kiese Laymon (2018)

Laymon is candid about his experiences with sexual abuse, physical abuse, and his addiction to food. But this is not a book about those things as much as it is simply about a kid growing up black in Jackson, Mississippi. And it’s delivered honestly, eloquently, and wonderfully. 

7. Heirlooms by Rachel Hall (2016)

This collection of (tightly) linked stories beautifully illustrates how families metabolize trauma over time, from one generation to the next. And it's a reminder of how we never know the backgrounds from which people have come. 8. Becoming by Michelle Obama (2018)

Slow start, but once Barack comes onto the scene and this becomes -- in a way -- their love story, things picked up drastically. Michelle has always struck me as reluctant to be involved in politics, and that allows her to be sincere in a way that is incredibly rare. I miss them. 

9. Choke by Chuck Palahniuk (2001)

** spoiler alert ** I don’t regret seeing the movie before reading the book (though it has been a decade since I saw it), but I couldn’t not see Sam Rockwell as Victor. I don’t think that hurt anything. Maybe it’s the nature of my own shame — I got caught listening to the audio book at full volume by semi-acquaintances multiple times — but some of the sexual descriptions felt gratuitous, even when writing about a sex addict. By the end of the book, though, everything hits perfectly. Everything served its intended purpose. Strongest, most brilliant moment for me was Dr. Marshall’s reveal. 

10. One Summer by Bill Bryson (2013)

During the two and a half months I casually read this, my wife grew tired of me saying, "Did you know that in 1927..." A fascinating portrait of the United States at a fascinating time.

Biggest Disappointment: 31. The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami (1993)

First time reading Murakami and I'm not sure what I'm missing. The NYT blurb on the book is "Charming, humorous and frequently puzzling." I think my disconnect is that I don't want to be left puzzled.

Previous Book Lists: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.