#i feel like I’m being watched under microscope

[aquaticaberration]

If I rewrite my resume today, then I can focus on applying to jobs tomorrow. But my brain has put that idea in the back of the fridge and is instead focusing on the snacks in the pantry labeled “Writing Ideas and What We Can Do About Them.”

However, my body is busy walking laps around the house, intent on neither of those options.

[blue-eli]

Thinking about Kairi & Sora but mainly Kairi and going insane. Girl you have so many issues

[f0point5]

Max Verstappen x bestfriend!reader Masterlist

She’s still bejewelled - Y/N finds out F1 wag pages are once again speculating she is dating her best friend, Max Verstappen

It’s (not) a cruel summer - Y/N and Max enjoy the summer break

August slipped away - Y/N does a Q&A to catch up with her followers after summer break

Burning red- Lando puts his foot in it

Holy ground - Fans discuss their excitement to see Y/N and Max interact at Zandvoort

I’m the one who understands you - A window into Max and Y/N’s home life

It turned into something bigger - Y/N’s comments about her childhood friend, Mick Schumacher, lead to a social media firestorm

They’d say I’d hustled, put in the work - A look at Y/N’s podcast, Dirty Air(time)

Shake it off - Determined to forget her worries, Y/N goes out parting with Max and Lando

They say home is where the heart is - Fans discuss how Y/N and Max love being roommates

(We’re) in the club doing I don’t know what - Fans look back on Max and Y/N’s Club Rat Renaissance

Pauses, then says, (he’s) my best friend - Y/N spends the day in Amsterdam while Max does press at Zandvoort

How evergreen, our group of friends - Snippets of Y/N and Max’s other friends on the grid and beyond

We’re faster and never scared - It’s a dramatic Friday in the Zandvoort paddock

I watch Superman fly away - The drama continues as Y/N and Mick have a run in in the paddock

Long live all the magic he made - Y/N supports Max as he equals the record for most consecutive wins

Remember the footsteps - A look at Y/N and Mick’s lifelong friendship

He has his father’s eyes…his father’s ambition - A look at Y/N’s relationship with Jos

I love your handshake, meeting my father - Fans discuss Jos’s perspective on Y/N, and her relationship with Max

And maybe it was egos swinging - Everyone speculates about the cause and consequences of Y/N and Mick’s falling out

I fell from the pedestal - Y/N becomes the subject of internet trolling after her fall out with Mick becomes public

Don’t know how long it’s gonna take to feel okay - Unable to deal with the stress and trolling, Y/N goes home to Switzerland, cutting off Max

My reputation’s never been worse so - Y/N’s absence sparks concerns amongst those closest to her

If someone comes at us, this time I’m ready - Y/N’s friends publicly support her as the hate continues

You don’t want to know me, I will just let you down

My words shoot to kill when I’m mad - Mick and Y/N finally talk

Something in your eyes says we can beat this - Max has a tough start to an important weekend, but his luck is about to change

(We) saw something the can’t take away - Y/N is there as Max wins at Monza and breaks another record

This is life before you know who you’re gonna be - Netizens discuss Max and Y/N’s enemy era

20 questions, we tell the truth - Y/N catches up with her followers after a hectic couple of weeks, and meets a man in Monaco

On a Wednesday, in a café - Y/N’s podcast with Daniel leads to some interesting revelations

Do you really want to know where I was? - Y/N and Max spend a day at the factory as rumours begin to swirl

I make it look oh so easy - Y/N and Max choose different confidants as they both attempt to avoid the elephant in the room

You’ll find me on my tallest tiptoes - It gets harder for Y/N to keep her secret

Slow motion, double vision in rose blush - Y/N gets back in the saddle while Max watches from the sidelines in more ways than one

Carnations you had thought were roses - Two of Y/N’s secrets are revealed

Didn’t it all seem new and exciting - Max leaves Y/N behind in Monaco as she reflects on her date

Loose lips sink ships all the damn time - Y/N heads to Switzerland for a special appointment as her relationship with Max is put under a microscope

I don’t wanna miss you like this - Y/N and Max deal with the distance between them differently

Your finger on my hairpin trigger - Tensions run high as Max has a bad day on track and Y/N gets defensive

Takes one to know one - Y/N’s much needed talk with Elliot is interrupted by an explosive qualifying in Singapore

I want to tell you not to get lost in these petty things - Max’s streak comes to an end and he and Y/N look ahead to Suzuka

Forever going with the flow, but you’re friction - Max asking Y/N to fly out early to Japan leads to tension and Y/N turns to Daniel for advice

I drive down different roads - Fans, and Y/N, speculate about her budding relationship

(They) knew what it was, he is in love - Netizens set out to prove that Max is in love with Y/N

(We) counted days, I counted miles, to see you there - Y/N arrives in Japan and is reunited with Max

Balancing on breaking branches - Max receives an unexpected delivery as Y/N answers questions from the media and her mother

It’s you and me, there’s nothing like this - As Max gets back to business as usual in Suzuka, wag social media does it’s thing

My (baby flies) like a jet stream - Max has a good day on track and Y/N’s Vogue article goes live

I can read you like a magazine - The internet reacts to mentions of Max in Y/N’s Vogue article

He’s passing by, rare as a glimmer of a comet in the sky - Red Bull securing the WCC is overshadowed by the revelation that Max hates podcasts

The lingering question(s) kept me up - Y/N does an Instagram Q&A

I just may like some explanations - Y/N answers more questions

How you held me in your arms that September night, the first time you ever saw me cry - Set in 2017, we learn what led to Y/N’s dad being dropped as Max’s sponsor, early in their friendship

People started talking, putting us through our paces - When Y/N is spotted out with Elliot, Instagram, Max, and Lando react

I don’t wanna touch you - Y/N finds herself short of breath on her padel date. Later, she appears on Max’s stream

(I) will never make my parents’ mistakes - Y/N’s dad hears about her dating life, and her mother weighs in

Drinking on a (yacht) with you all over me - Y/N and Max kick of his birthday celebrations with a day on the water, while Elliot changes his tune

I’d pick you up and we’d go back in time - Y/N and Max bring in his birthday somewhere special

We’re gonna be timeless - It’s Max’s birthday, but Y/N isn’t the only one planning surprises

Take the moment and taste it - Max enjoys a birthday boat day with family and friends, and Vic makes an accidental discovery

There’s glitter on the floor after the party - It’s the morning after night before. Max and Vic discuss Y/N’s letter

Movin’ on was always easy for me to do - Y/N and Elliot meet up to talk and Y/N’s friend weighs in. Y/N’s tweets irritate Max

Your eyes look like (being at) home - Y/N goes riding, Lando proposes plans, and Max has plans of his own

No I didn’t hear the news, ‘cause we were somewhere else - Max and Y/N arrive in Doha, but rumours about Max’s Monaco exploits follow them

You heard the rumours from (your friends) - Max attends Media Day while Y/N hangs out with an old friend

‘Cause they don’t know about the night in the hotel - Max’s GQ interview exposes an interesting part of Max and Y/N’s past

I was dancing around, dancing around it - Y/N and Clara celebrate Max’s on track triumphs

(You) stand up, champion tonight - Max becomes a three time world champion

This life is sweeter than fiction - Max wins in Qatar in a physically gruelling race

Life makes love look hard - Back in Monaco, Y/N is seen out with Elliot, and he makes a bold suggestion

Can we always be this close? - Y/N and Max have a chill day at home and while Twitter notice Max made an admission in an interview, Y/N makes an admission to Victoria

Inescapable, I’m not even gonna try - Y/N and Max spend a day at the factory, where both realise they may have something to work on

You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me - Y/N’s podcast with Oscar comes out, on the same day she finally films one with Max. Meanwhile, Max uses the sim in an unconventional way

Yes, I remember what you said last night - Y/N’s plans for COTA baffle Christian, and Y/N learns an unexpected fact about the past

Take out, then take me home - Y/N prepares for Austin, and an interview with Max comes out

Love’s a game, wanna play? - Y/N tries her hand at padel after watching Max compete, and Max steams with Redline

Rosé flowing with your chosen family - Clara and Y/N spend the day together, and Clara becomes determined to finish what she started in 2017

(We are) a flight risk, with a fear of falling - Y/N and Max head to the US

Ain’t it funny, rumours fly - Y/N heads to a Ferrari gala as rumours swirl about Max’s next career move amid reports of infighting at Red Bull

As if I don’t already see (it) - The circus settles in to Texas and Y/N’s dad weighs in on Elliot

Can you see right through me? - Y/N and Elliot make a king and awkward paddock debut

I’ve been sleeping so long in a twenty year dark night - Y/N sheds light on her dating history while she and Elliot struggle to adjust to life in the paddock

It’s morning now, it’s brighter now - Y/N reaches out to an old friend for support. Meanwhile, Daniel tries to support Max

The moment I could see it - Max takes another win in Austin while Elliot reaches his breaking point

You’ll find the real thing instead - Y/N and Elliot have an honest conversation

In the name of being honest - Bonus part where Y/N answers Instagram questions after the Austin GP

I’m asking you why - More of Y/N’s post Austin Q&A

You’ve got a girl at home and everybody knows that - Y/N and Max are suspects in the wildest paddock rumour yet as they wrap up their trip to Austin

You learn my secrets and you figure out why I’m guarded - Y/N gets brutally honest with Mick as Max plays goalkeeper twice

You saw the truth in me - Max cuts it close before media day as reports surface of security threats in Mexico

They tell you that you’re lucky, but you’re so confused - Max attends a gruelling media day as Y/N deals with the heat of Mexico

Laughing with (your head in my) lap, like you were my closest friend - Everyone has a tough quali day

This is the golden age - Maxico delivers another win, and Y/N celebrates with tequila

(You would never) me darling, but who could stay? - Y/N and Max arrive in Brazil for a short break before the race

No one has to know what we do - Max and Y/N fall off the map and enjoy some private time

I can’t say anything to your face - Max and Y/N continue to leave each other flustered and Max starts press for the Brazilian GP

The way you move is like a full on rainstorm - Max takes pole in difficult conditions and Y/N gets near her breaking point

We were cards sharks, playing games - Max wins the sprint and Y/N wins games of her own

🚨I’ve had to add a second masterlist for all posts after this point. That can be found here 🚨

[bohemianblasphemy]

Ok imagine reader who rivals Billy’s freak. Every time he makes a joke she one ups him. So one night he’s drunk and they’re both trying to compete to prove who’s the dirtiest when Reader lets it’s slip she’s never done anything EVER. Not even holding hands. Billy proceeds to change that taunting her for acting so experienced while she’s all hazy from being kissed for the first time

I. Am. Obsessed.

Billy couldn’t stand it.

The way you just had to add your two cents into everything he’d say - any joke had to have your own little spin on it to make the others laugh harder than he ever did- and it drove him mad.

You knew it pissed him off, and you loved pushing his buttons.

Sitting across from you at the dingy bar, he listened as you had one upped him once more with a dirty joke, causing raucous laughter from other bar patrons. He swigged his drink, grunting at the sting of liquor.

“Is that all ya got sweetheart? Wait until I tell ya about the time I took a bird back to mine and I-“

“Oh please…” you teased him. “I’m sure you’re not as dirty as you claim, you wouldn’t know what dirty looks like if it hit you in the face.”

You could see the absolute frustration through his scoff, smirking at the fragility of his demeanour as you found yourselves sitting away from the populated area of the bar, in a intimate corner booth- just the two of you.

“Alright then. tell me love- what is the dirtiest thing YOU’VE done?” He challenged, holding his fresh glass of whiskey- a stark difference to your Tequila Sunrise.

Although you laughed at his challenge, you couldn’t help but feel… observed a little too closely- as if you were a specimen on a glass slide under a microscope.

Behind the mask of your cheeky, smutty quips was someone who is inexperienced- not even an encounter such as holding hands, the textbook definition of innocence. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but you couldn’t help but have that facade up.

Clearing your throat, your mind went through multiple false scenarios that you could use as an example.

“Well- there was a uh… sex party! Yeah and there was, so many… um-“ you tried to make your case convincing, but to no avail- the brit seeing seeing right through your ‘story’.

“You are an absolute liar. Cmon… surely there somethin’ there in that filthy brain of yours.” He tapped on the wooden table, watching you closely as you were lost in a fog of thoughts- nothing was coming to mind.

Butcher raised a brow, looking at your eyes as they tried to avert his gaze- your cheeks tinted pink.

“Oh my fuckin’ god…” his mouth went agape as he realised what was happening. “You ain’t done anything have ya?” He whispered, leaning across the table- seeing your cheeks burn brighter.

“Okay fine Billy I haven’t done anything okay?” You admitted, squeezing your eyes closed, preparing for any and all teasing comments from him.

“Well fuck me sideways…” he chuckles, taking a few sips of his drink. “So, by anything you mean… anything?”

You sighed and nodded. “Yeah… nothing. Just- nothing.” You looked down at your lap, feeling somewhat embarrassed by your admission, however suddenly you felt Billy’s index finger drag under your chin- making you look at him.

“Cheeky fuckin’ minx you are, ain’t ya?” He grumbled as he looked at you. “All that talk and no one has ever kissed or touch ya before…” his eyes flicked from your eyes to your lips, seeing your breath hitch from that small action made him chuckle again.

“Poor thing…” he pouted, pinching your chin between his thumb and index finger and pulled you just that little bit closer to him- your faces just a few inches away from each other.

“I can help change that for ya, ya know?” Your eyes widened at his offer.

“Y-yeah?” You whispered timidly, feeling as if your heart was to burst.

“Yeah doll…” he smiled looking at your lips and then gazing back up to your eyes, wanting to make sure that it was okay to make a move- in which you nodded eagerly.

He took your face in his hands, pulling you towards him and placing a soft kiss to your lips.

The feeling of him kissing you for the first time was indescribable, the subtle taste of liquor on his lips made the whole interaction all the more addictive.

Butcher was the first to pull away, but you were so in the moment that you didn’t pull away and just moved forward, wanting- no, craving more of him. You couldn’t think, your mind in a haze as you processed your first kiss.

“There ya go…” he said quietly, using his thumb to swipe your bottom lip. “Wasn’t so bad was it?”

You couldn’t say anything, just a simple shake of your head as you looked at his smug face.

Well, judging from your expression… you seem like you want more.” He teased slightly, seeing the neediness in your eyes.

“And I would love ta give ya more…”

[aayakashii]

(maybe) distance makes the heart grow fonder

Warning: mostly angst, depictions of anxiety and a panic attack.

Part 1

You didn’t notice how far you actually had wandered after Towa had decided to take you back to Jabberwock’s dorm. He held your hand tightly, forcing you to keep up with his awfully fast pace.

You stumbled, trying not to fall down whenever you had to jump over a loose stone or some exposed root, but you were surprised with yourself – after pouring your heart out, you thought you'd have little energy to do anything besides breathe; yet there you were, power walking behind Towa as you two made your way back to the dorm.

The sight of the quaint cottage that was Jabberwock’s dorm filled you with relief. Even though you still managed to follow Towa, you were still exhausted. Your throat burned like lava whenever you swallowed and you could feel your face was terribly puffy. Your eyes were heavy and your nose was stuffy. Crying always took way too much energy out of your body and you were sure you could just curl up on the living room’s sofa and nap before forcing yourself to go on with your life.

Towa slammed the door open, still tightly holding your hand, and you watched as Haru jumped at the sudden sound, almost dropping Peekaboo’s feeding bottle.

“Geez, Towa! I told you not to slam the door open like that! What if Peekaboo was sleeping?!” Haru grumbled, scrunching his eyebrows as he gave a good shake on the bottle again, before turning around to face Towa. You were sure he was going to keep scolding Towa, if it wasn’t for the fact that the white-haired boy was smiling and humming happily while pointing at you.

“Oh! If it isn’t the Honor Student!” Haru quickly went back to his sunny mood and walked towards you, expertly feeding Peekaboo while doing so “I didn’t expect your visit! How are you… oh. What happened?”

You frowned and rubbed your face in your hands. You didn’t want to make your mental breakdown everyone’s business all of a sudden. That was the exact reason why you went to hide in Jabberwock - so you’d avoid being seen. Despite that, you could probably say you trusted Haru enough to talk about your problems without feeling judged. What you’d definitely feel, however, was guilty - Haru was probably the busiest man in Darkwick. Did you really need to give him more burdens to hold?

“I’m… okay.” you said, barely able to say the words as your voice was terribly hoarse. Beside you, Towa pouted and let out a sound of discontent. He was back at being silent, apparently.

Haru gasped, clutching his chest and you couldn’t help but smile a little bit. He always seemed a bit too dramatic, although that was truly just how he acted normally. He’d probably be good friends with Zenji, you thought for a moment.

“What happened to your voice?!” he asked, placing Peekaboo’s bottle on a nearby table. He quickly walked towards you and grabbed your arm and your chin, turning you this and that way under the natural light of his dorm, searching for other possible injuries. “Wait, don’t answer. It might be worse for your throat! Let’s take you to Mortkranken, okay? They’ll help and-”

“No.” you croaked out, grabbing his arm as tightly as you could. “Please don’t take me to Mortkranken.”

Nothing reminded you more of your impending doom than spending even a fraction of a second around Yuri. While some of the ghosts treated you like lesser than human, Yuri straight up treated you like an object. Something he had to analyze under a microscope; something convenient to him, since you could be the key for his glory. However, you’re pretty sure he would like you better if you didn’t talk.

A not-insignificant part of you could empathize with him. He just did it all for recognition. He wanted to be seen and admired and you could understand that. Always having to keep a mask of arrogance just to reassure himself that he wasn’t worthless must be tiring. You’d know that. You had to keep a mask of your own for way too long as well.

But then he would call you a worm and belittle you every chance he got so, after a while, all the empathy and patience you had in you faded away.

Haru quietly observed how your hand trembled as you held his arm and how your bottom lip quivered. He nodded, gently prying your hand away so he could guide you to a table.

”Okay. No Mortkranken then.” he said, motioning for you to sit at the table. As soon as you did, Towa dragged a chair to sit as close as possible to you, wrapping his arms around your shoulders. You welcomed his touch.

“No Mortkranken” Haru repeated and raised his index finger “But you can’t just leave your throat like that!. I’m gonna make something for you real quick, okay? Wait a second! Watch Peekaboo for me.” you nodded as he placed the round ball of fur on your lap. Peekaboo greeted you happily and snuggled against your chest while you pet his head.

A few minutes later, Haru sauntered back to the living room with a huge steaming mug. He carefully placed it in front of you and picked up Peekaboo from your arms, not without some sounds of protest coming from the little anomaly.

You sniffed the golden drink in front of you, the sweet scent bringing a warmth to your face that you very much needed, as you felt your nose less congested. You looked at Haru, inquisitively, hoping he would understand your unspoken question.

“It’s ginger, honey and lemon tea! Well, uh, I put some anomalous medicine for colds in it too but…” he scratched his cheek, his smile a bit embarrassed “But! It’s what my mama would make for me whenever I got sick! It's fail-proof. Go on, drink it.” he motioned for you to drink it and gave you a thumbs up. Beside you, Towa nodded and let out a sound of approval, as if he was attesting to the tea’s efficacy.

You cracked a small smile while you held the enormous mug with both of your hands and thought about Haru's family for a second. You wondered if they were all nice and nurturing like him or if he was just a very good egg. You could imagine him having a very sweet and caring mom, and, in your mind, he’d be her spitting image. Both with fiery red hair and a smile that could convince you of anything. But more than anything, you could imagine him being the eldest child of a big family, full of little siblings that clung to him no matter where he went, begging their big brother Haru to go play with them. And he would. Of course he would.

You began to feel weirdly melancholic as you wondered why someone like him ever needed to make a pact. Was it for his family? And if it was, does he still keep in contact with them? Or was he ripped out of his own old life just like you were?

You drank the tea, feeling the sweet taste of honey mixed with the bitterness of ginger and lemon send a jolt of energy to your nerves. There was a third, unknown taste in it, which you assumed was the anomalous medicine, but you chose to ignore it. Right then and there, what was healing you wasn’t that - it was Haru’s and Towa’s kindness towards you.

The warmth of the drink spread from your chest to your fingertips and you felt tears pool in your eyes again. Apparently, the dam was broken and literally anything would make you cry - even your own fertile imagination and the abandoned Sagara family you had pictured in your mind.

You placed the mug on the table, taking a deep breath through your now decongested nose.

“How are you feeling?” Haru asked while finally feeding Peekaboo his bottle.

You nodded.

“Better. You’re a miracle worker.” you replied, surprised at how your voice already seemed to be less raspy than before. Towa hummed happily with a sing-songy voice, squeezing you a bit tighter.

“Haha! That’s probably the medicine working though!” he laughed, modest as always.

You shook your head, about to protest, when a loud stomp was heard from the top of the stairway that led to the bedrooms. Ren peeked his head down, clearly checking whether or not Haru was around to bother him. It was when he met your gaze, however, that his eyes widened in shock. At the sight of your puffy eyes and red nose, Ren mouthed an “o” and slowly backed away from the stairs, locking himself into his room once again. Beside you, Haru sighed loudly and scratched his head.

“I’m sorry about Ren. He still needs to practice how to be a good friend.”

You waved your hand dismissively.

“It’s okay, I don’t blame him. I would feel awkward if I saw someone crying in my living room too.” you let out a tired, breathy laugh and Haru grimaced.

“Do you feel like telling me what happened now?” he asked, after a few moments of silence.

You stared at the now empty mug. Cozy warmth spread in your stomach and your limbs, but you were still very much aware of the sinking dread that had hosted itself inside your heart. You knew that whatever comfort Haru and Towa were giving you was temporary, while your anxiety was way more resilient. Would Haru know what to do? Would he be able to offer a little bit of respite from your spiraling thoughts or would you just make things awkward?

As you opened your mouth to give him some sort of answer, you heard it.

Inside your pocket, your phone was pinging.

You felt your heart drop. With trembling fingers, you fished your phone out of your pocket and placed it on the table. There, flashing incessantly like a persistent and spoiled child, you were able to read the notifications that had been flooding in, unbeknownst to you.

Jin, Tohma, Leo, Romeo, Ritsu, Yuri.

Your breathing became labored once again. For a split second you wondered why these men wanted you around so bad when it was so clear that they hated you. Was the power trip that addictive? You wouldn’t know. You had too much of a conscience and that wouldn’t allow you to treat others like they treated you.

You tried focusing on your breathing as the familiar pressure behind your eyes began to build up. You were already so tired of crying and all the effort Haru had put into making that tea would go to waste if you began bawling your eyes out once again.

Where was all that courage you seemed to have during missions and why couldn’t you summon it right then and there, when all that terrified you were the men that dangled your life as a bargain chip in front of your eyes? They were just as dangerous, if you thought about it.

“Hey, hey. Let’s turn this off, ‘kay? You really need a break.” Haru’s gloved hand suddenly appeared before your eyes as he grabbed your phone and forcefully turned it off. Towa rubbed your back again, eyes glinting with concern, and you realized you were already making a fool of yourself, once again. You felt traitorous tears dampen your cheeks despite trying so hard not to cry.

“I’m sorry.” you mumbled, hastily drying your eyes with your hands.

“Don’t apologize for that! They’ve been giving you a hard time, right? Dealing with all the ghouls in here is a handful, you’re already doing so much more than I would be able to do!” Haru chirped, trying his best to cheer you up. You cracked a small smile at the fiery way he delivered those words.

“Yeah… It’s been… a lot. And I miss my home.”

At that, you noticed how Haru visibly flinched. Like the topic was a tender and open wound for him as well. Made-up images of his mother came back to your mind and you wondered if your guess about his family was right.

He then sucked his teeth, looking apologetic.

“I wish I could help you somehow…” he muttered, visibly upset at his inability to solve this specific problem as easily as he did his duties. You just shook your head.

“You already helped me so much. You and Towa. Thanks for being so understanding and making me that tea.”

Towa rubbed his cheek against yours, humming happily, and Haru barked out a laugh.

“We all need to be supporting each other a lot more, dontcha think?”

You nodded. You were pretty sure he was the only one who thought that in that entire place. The others would probably be happier if everyone disappeared.

And as you thought that, that word lingered in your mind.

'Disappear'.

It teased you, much like a mirage could fool a parched man, lost in a desert.

It was something you've thought of before, but it just never seemed possible. It was a common thought you had when you arrived at your dorm after a really long day of yells, insults and orders being barked left and right.

After your nervous breakdown, however, you felt like you needed to make it possible – it was a matter of life or death. You didn't know how you could go on while you felt like you were on the verge of being eaten alive by your grief, your anxiety and your fears.

You needed rest. Peace. Quiet. If only for a little bit.

There was no harm in trying. At least no harm bigger than the ones you already faced.

“Can I ask your opinion on something?” you spoke, after a few moments of silence.

“Oh? What is it?” Haru's back straightened and his eyebrows shot up, his attention fully back at you while he nursed Peekaboo.

You fidgeted with the hem of your shirt.

“How screwed do you think I’d be if I disappeared for like. One or two weeks?”

His smile slowly melted away from his face and turned into a frown. It would be funny if your hands weren't clammy with sweat as you asked. You were pretty sure Towa could feel the spike of your heartbeat in your neck, since he rested his chin on your shoulder.

“Disappeared? As in leaving Darkwick? I don’t think that’s a good idea…”

“No, no.” You shook your head “I wouldn’t leave. I just want some time away from them. The ghouls. Spend a few days in a place where they won’t search for me. Or somewhere I can stay hidden.”

Haru tilted his head to the side, thinking.

“I don't know how you'd pull it off. The academy would probably search for you too."

You suppressed the urge to scoff. The Academy knew your whereabouts at all times. As long as you stayed inside Darkwick, you figured they probably wouldn't care where you were. They just couldn't know you were planning on not doing your job as an inspector, but… what the eyes don't see, the heart doesn't feel, right?

“You think? I don't think they care that much. As long as I stay inside the Academy, it'll probably be okay.”

“Well… But what if they summon you to a mission?”

You waved your hand dismissively.

“I'll cross that bridge when I get there. But I think I made up my mind. I want to do this. I need to. All I want you to be my accomplice and say you don't know where I am if someone searches for me.”

Haru opened his mouth, and then closed it, changing his mind on whatever he would say. He sighed, defeated.

“Okay…”

You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding.

“Thank you, Haru! Towa?”

The boy, that was still hugging you tight, nodded happily.

“But where would you stay?”

At that, Towa pouted at Haru and stomped his foot on the ground.

“But Towa–” he began.

“No, it’s okay, Towa.” You ran your fingers through his hair. “I know I can't stay here. The vacant rooms are being used as storage for the animals right? I can't crash here without forcing you guys to go through a very tiring cleaning process.”

You had helped Jabberwock far too many times to know that a lot of the supplies Haru used were being piled up inside the dorm rooms. If a new student joined them, it would probably take some precious time to make room for them – time that Haru and you didn't have.

“I mean, we could try to empty a room and clean it up–”

“No, it’s okay. That'd be a hassle. I’ll go to Obscuary.” you announced, final.

Towa immediately let go of you and grunted, stomping his foot again. You knew how much he hated Ed, but there wasn't any other option for you to choose. Hotarubi was Darkwick's little lapdog, and you don't think the students would help you stay hidden. You trusted Subaru, Zenji, and Haku with your life, but you couldn't say the same for all the others.

No, you needed complete isolation. Nothing better than the place that mostly everyone avoided after all. Towa would have to forgive you.

“There are some free rooms in Obscuary right now and I don't think Rui would mind. I've stayed there before.” you explained.

“Right! I've slept there before as well, after being a tad too tipsy, haha!” Haru added, trying to quell Towa's jealousy otherwise it'd probably bring forth a storm he definitely did not need.

The lavender haired boy pouted, looking to his feet. You grabbed one of his hands and held it tightly.

“I know you don't like that place, so I'll try to come here to visit you while I'm there, Towa. You won't have to go to that creepy forest, promise.”

He looked at you with glistening eyes and nodded timidly. You sighed, relieved. You didn't want to upset one of your closest friends just because of a selfish decision you were making.

“Thank you, Towa. You're amazing.” You kissed the back of his hand and he quickly smiled at your gesture.

Haru got up right as things were settled, and placed a happy and well-fed Peekaboo inside its crib.

“It's time to feed the rest of the animals. Give me a hand, Towa. We got a lot of field to cover.” he said as he stretched, his words sounding more like a groan than anything. Beside you, Towa nodded happily and dashed out of the door without hesitation.

“Wait! I didn't even tell you which animals you can feed! Gaaahhh, he's gone…” Haru yelled, pulling his hair.

You chuckled at his cartoonish behavior while he quickly prepared himself to go out after Towa.

“Do you mind if I stay here a little longer, Haru? I'm still very tired.”

“Of course! Our house is your house! Take your time. See ya!”

You watched as he activated his stigma and ran as fast as a lightning bolt to catch up with Towa, leaving the door to the dorm's entrance open.

You made your way to the door, pulling it closed, and sighed deeply, sitting on the couch.

Well, you had done it. You had given in to your selfish thoughts and hastily planned your temporary escape. Would it work? You had no idea. But if you got even one day of peace, you'd consider it a win.

You resisted the urge of grabbing your phone and scrolling mindlessly. You needed to be offline as much as possible in order to avoid everyone. You'd feel bad for some of them, like Kaito, Luca and the Hotarubi ghouls. But a secret held by too many people rarely stayed a secret.

"Senpai?" a monotone voice resounded behind you after a few minutes of silence and you jumped.

"Ren! Sorry, you spooked me." you gasped, placing a hand over your heart.

"Ugh, sorry..." he mumbled awkwardly, looking to the side. You stared at him, waiting for him to continue whatever it was that he wanted to say. You knew it was best not to hurry him up when he took the initiative to start a conversation, after all. "Er... you are feeling bad."

It was more of a statement than a question. Regardless, you nodded.

"So..." he mumbled a few more things you didn't quite make out "do you... like... do you wanna watch a movie or something? To distract yourself, I don't know..." he finished, rubbing the back of his head, clearly embarrassed by his own behavior.

In that moment, you couldn't help but feel your chest swell with affection for the boy in front of you. You knew how hard it was for Ren to open himself to others, much less allow them to participate in the things that mattered the most to him. To invite you to watch a movie was more than enough proof that Haru was wrong – Ren knew how to be a good friend, in his own way.

"I'd love that. Thank you so much, Ren." You smiled and he rolled his eyes, the pink on his ears betraying how he actually felt.

"Well then, let's go. I don't wanna wait too long to watch this movie. Also, it's going to be a trash horror, so if you don't like this type of thing, tough luck."

As he babbled, trying to hide his own nerves, you entered his room. Ren grabbed a chair and plopped himself on it, pointing towards the bed so you could lay down. You chose not to argue. He was already doing a lot more than you'd expect him to.

You snuggled against his pillows, trying to find a good position to rest and watch his notebook's screen. And to the sounds of high-pitched screams and gurgling monsters, you ended up falling asleep.

[delicatebarness]

bridges to burn | chapter one

Summary: Struggling with the pressures of the compound, you seek an escape leading to you meeting another not much less like yourself.

Warning: Sexual Tensions and Implied Sex. Smoking. Uncontrolled Powers.

Word Count: 2030

Spotify Playlist | Support: Ko-FI

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A/N: Flame on? Please feel free to leave feedback or let me know where and how you want the story to continue, this is just as much yours as mine. - B

BTB Tags: @mostlymarvelgirl | @preeyansha | @thoughstofaredhead | @barnesxstan | @brckenmemories | @thetorturedbuckydepartment | @chimchoom | @bstan01 | @starkillazz | @lostinspace33

Everything: @hallecarey1 | @pattiemac1 | @uhmellamoanna | @scraftsku35 | @ozwriterchick | @sapphirebarnes | @rach2602 | @thetorturedbuckydepartment | @mrsnikstan | @lanabuckybarnes

The first few days at the compound you tried to keep to yourself, barely leaving your room. The weight of your situation, and the simmering tension between Bucky and yourself, kept you in your own head, and you found solace in solitude. Yet, as the days went by, the four grey walls of your room started to feel like you were being locked within The Raft. 

The compound was quiet one restless night, and you decided you needed to get outside and fill your lungs with fresh air. The halls were empty as you slipped out of your room, making your way toward the grounds. The cold air of night soothed your flaring skin, a welcomed change from the suffocating indoors. 

As you reached a secluded spot near the edge of the property, you pulled out a cigarette. Fishing through your pockets, your frustration grew as you realized you’d forgotten your lighter. Quickly glancing around, you contemplated using your powers, but the fear of losing control held you back. 

Suddenly, you heard a soft click behind you. As you turned your hand began glowing as you raised it toward the sound, and you saw a man, not much older than yourself, standing there, his thumb ablaze with a small, controlled flame.  He was tall, with a chiseled jawline and an easy, confident grin. He was, clearly, the type of guy who knew exactly how good he looked and wasn’t shy about it. 

“Need a light?” he asked, the flame dancing merrily.

You couldn’t help the smile spreading across your face at the unexpected assistance. “Yeah, actually. Thanks–” you said, leaning in to light your cigarette. The tension in your shoulders eased as you took a drag, then exhaled slowly. 

“I’m Johnny,” he introduced himself, extinguishing the flame with a casual flick of his wrist, “Johnny Storm.” 

Recognizing the name, you raised an eyebrow toward him. “Wait, Johnny Storm? As in, The Human Torch, Johnny Storm?” 

“The one and only,” he said with a mock bow before shooting you a wink. “And, you must be Stark’s daughter. I’ve heard a bit about you.” 

“Yeah, that’s me,” you nodded, your tone filled with annoyance. “I’m still getting used to this place, and just needed some fresh air.” 

Leaning against a nearby tree, Johnny's posture relaxed. “I get that. This place can be a lot. Especially with all the… expectations.” 

“Tell me about it,” you muttered, taking another drag. “It feels like I’ve been under a microscope since I got here.” 

Johnny nodded sympathetically. “It’s not easy being part of a team, especially when everyone is watching your every move,” he paused, sending you a knowing look. “But, it’s not all bad, just gotta find your own rhythm.” 

Appreciating his straightforwardness, you chuckled slightly. “It’s just… I’ve never been known for playing by the rules.” 

“Rules are overrated,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Sometimes you’ve got to break a few to get where you’re going.” 

You smiled, and a feeling of ease coursed through your body. “I think I’m going to like you, Flame Boy.” 

He flashed that grin again, his gaze wandering over your figure, lingering a moment longer. “The feeling’s mutual, Firecracker,” he said with a playful smirk. “And by the way… you’re hot.” 

You rolled your eyes, taking his comment in stride. “Was that supposed to be a compliment, or are you just making a play on this?” Smirking, you let your irises begin to shift, their usual coloring draining away as they ignited into a fiery, glowing orange. 

Johnny’s smirk only widened as he witnessed the transformation in your eyes. “Oh, I definitely meant it as a compliment,” he said, a notch dropping in his voice. Taking a step closer, his played demeanor added a new edge of curiosity. “I bet you’re full of surprises, Firecracker.” 

You smirked, and Johnny’s eyes lingered on your glowing irises for another moment, intrigued. “Well, it has been a pleasure, but I should probably get back before Reed sends out another search party,” he quipped, flashing that grin once more. 

With a wink, Johnny stepped back, his hands raising in a casual wave. “Flame on!” he called, and instantly his body ignited in a brilliant, controlled blaze. The heat radiating from him would have been intense if you weren’t already accustomed to it. You watched in awe as the flame flickered and danced around him like they had a life of their own. Shooting into the air, he left a trail of fire as he soared back toward the compound, the fiery streak cut through the dark sky. 

As you continued to watch him disappear into the night, a voice from the shadows startled you. 

“He’s an idiot,” the low, gravelly voice of Bucky cut through the quiet, causing your entire body to flinch slightly. 

Turning sharply to see him stepping out from behind a tree, you snapped, “What the fuck is wrong with you?” The smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealed by the dim light of the compound, illuminating his features. 

“I’m doing my job, babysitting a dumb little princess,” Bucky replied, his tone dry and laced with sarcasm. For a moment, his eyes flicked down to the cigarette in your hand, and his expression changed, now holding disapproval in his features. “Shouldn’t smoke: Bad for your lungs.” 

The tension simmered just below the surface as you narrowed your eyes at him. “Good job they repair themselves then, isn’t it?” you shot back, defiance edged in your voice. 

“Are you always so quick to talk back?” he asked, eyebrow raised, clearly unimpressed but slightly amused. 

“It comes with the surname,” you retorted, the glow in your eyes beginning to fade as you lifted your chin in defiance. 

Bucky took a step closer, hardening his expression. “When Stark said I’d be babysitting, I figured a quiet, sweet kid, not… whatever you are,” he smirked, voice dripping with sarcasm. 

“Ouch,” you replied with an exaggerated wince, feigning a hurt expression. “You really know how to make a girl feel special, and here I thought we were bonding.” 

Tilting his head slightly, Bucky’s gaze unwavering. “I should have known Stark couldn’t produce anything but a little brat.” 

“Hey,” you snapped, your temper beginning to flare as you took a step closer to him, almost closing the distance between you. “You haven’t earned the right to call me that yet.” 

“Yet?” Bucky echoed, his smirk growing as a challenge flashed in his eyes. 

For a moment, neither of you moved, the tensions locked you in a silent battle of wills. Neither one of you was backing down, your eyes daring each other to make the next move. 

Bucky’s gaze was intense, his eyes searching deeply into yours as if trying to figure you out. Finally, he broke the silence, his voice low and filled with annoyance. “Just stay out of trouble, Princess. I’m not here to play games.” 

“Please,” you let out a short laugh, rolling your eyes and crossing your arms over your chest. “If anyone’s trouble around here, it’s you… Winter Soldier.” 

His smirk returned, this time more amused than before. “At least I know what I'm doing. You? You’re a walking hazard waiting to happen.” 

You couldn’t let him see that his words stung more than you’d like to admit. Your heart pounded against your chest, and you couldn’t place the tightening in your throat. The space between you dwindled to almost nothing as the frustration bubbled up within you, threatening to spill. 

“You don’t know a damn thing about me,” you hissed, your voice remaining steady despite the storm brewing inside you. You managed to keep your composure, refusing to let him see you rattled. 

His face was mere inches from yours, his proximity caused you to feel his breath against your skin, and his voice was low, almost a growl.  “I don’t have to know you to see what’s right in front of me,” he replied, his tone cold and unyielding. 

His words lingered, sharp and cutting, leaving you torn. For another moment, you stood there, breathing beginning to pick up pace and eyes locked in a fierce stare. But, something shifted in Bucky’s gaze– a flicker of something softer. His jaw tightened as he broke the stare, glancing away toward the compound. 

“Look,” he muttered, his voice gruff and lacking the earlier bite. “I’m not here to make your life hell. I just… I’ve seen what happens when people are careless. I don’t want that for you.” 

Surprised, your defenses faltered for a brief second. Shaking your head, you quickly rebuilt them, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had gotten through to you, even if for a second. 

“I can take care of myself,” you scoffed. “I’ve been doing it for a long time.” 

Carrying a weight, heavier than either of you would admit, the words hung between you. Creating a distance, Bucky turned, stepping back, a relieving yet strangely disorienting feeling rushed through your body. 

“Just… be careful,” he said over his shoulder, his voice almost reluctant. Before waiting for a response, Bucky walked back off into the shadows, leaving you standing, the night feeling colder than ever before. 

Your mind raced with everything that had just happened, and for a moment longer, you stood there, staring after him. And, the more you thought about the conversation, the more frustrated you became. 

Then, with a sigh, you stomped out your cigarette, embers hissing as they met the ground. Your thoughts churned as you turned on your heel and made your way back to the compound. 

~

Back inside the compound, the halls remained quiet as you wandered back to your room, your mind replaying the confrontation with Bucky. Wrapped up in your thoughts, you didn’t notice the large figure leaning against the wall until you almost walked into him. 

“Woah there, Firecracker,” the playful voice of Johnny snapped you out of your daze. Stopping short, you looked up to see his grin, the same one that had begun etching itself into your memory. 

“J-Johnny,” you shuttered, more of a surprise than anything else. 

“Fancy meeting you here,” he quipped, his eyes sparking with mischief before sending you a wink. “What’s got you so deep in thought? Looked like you were about to walk right through me.” 

For a moment, you hesitated, but then you shook your head, deciding to not burden him with the Bucky situation. “Nothing I can’t handle,” you replied, forcing a smirk across your lips, matching his energy.

Clearly unconvinced, Johnny raised an eyebrow but did not press further. Instead, pushed his body off the wall and took a step closer, his gaze scanned your face as if he was trying to read what you weren’t saying. 

“Well… if you’re ever looking for a distraction,” he began, his tone dropping to something slightly more serious. “I’d be more than happy to oblige.” 

You couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at your lips, grow. There was something about Johnny that made it hard to stay angry but also, made you want to release all that fury and chaos swirling within you, out on him. 

“Is that right?” you teased, your eyes meeting his, an unspoken understanding charging the air between you. 

“Absolutely,” Johnny replied in a low voice, his once playful manner giving way to something more intense. “So, what do you say, Firecracker? Wanna blow off some steam?” 

You felt your heart skip a beat, but the double meaning in his words did not get lost on you. And, without fully thinking it through, you grabbed Johnny by the front of his suit, pulling him closer. 

“Come on, Flame Boy,” you murmured, your voice low and barely a whisper. “I’ve got just the place.” 

Without waiting for his response, you led him through the halls toward your room. His surprise quickly morphed into anticipation as he followed. Then, when you reached your door, you pushed it open and pulled the man inside with you. 

Right then, you didn’t want to think. Not about Bucky, the compound, nor the weight of your own existence. Just the fire, and the heat. 

---

Series Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

[alt-vera]

I don’t know if you’re taking requests, but I’ve been thinking so much about Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) as your best friend’s dad who takes your virginity and talks you through the whole moment 😩 could you please write something short about this

— crazier ⁀➷

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joel miller gives his daughter’s best friend one hell of a going away present.

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♡ | joel miller | 1.6k | ❛ crazier - taylor swift ❜

warnings: no outbreak!joel miller. age gap. virgin!reader. taking of virginity (duh). outdoor + truck sex. praise. fingering. piv sex. mdni.

❝ feels like i’m falling and i, i’m lost in your eyes ❞

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SOMEHOW, YOU ENDED UP IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF JOEL MILLERS TRUCK.

　The night sky painted everything around you in a dark coloured hue, the only disruption being his headlights ricocheting off the roadsigns.

　He’d offered to take you for a drive before he took you home, seeing how nervous you were as the days of you leaving for UofT neared. You loved driving at night, and your car was in the shop, so he figured he’d detour dropping you off for a bit; give you your fix as a going away present. He was your best friend Sarah’s dad, and you’d trust him with your life, so you said yes.

　The only sound was other cars passing and the low hum of country music on the radio. You watched as he glanced at you before breaking the silence.

　“Y’know, I never went t’college,” His voice was hoarse and low from lack of speaking, “but i’m sure you’ll have a good time.”

　You sighed, “I know. It’s just…”

　A lump grew in your throat. You weren’t sure if this was something you’d wanna tell Joel. There was a lot he knew about you, being in your life for years, but this was… intimate. It wasn’t embarrassing, but…

　“It’s just what?” He prompted.

　“I didn’t want to go to college a virgin.”

　Your words came out rushed and jumbled, and your face turned ruddy. You watched as his grip tightened on the wheel.

　“You’ve never…?”

　“No.”

　A beat of silence passed, and you kicked yourself. You knew you shouldn’t have said anything.

　“Well, y’know, we could change that.”

　You heard the clicking of the turn signal before you realized he was pulling over, and your mouth went agape. When you turned your head you saw that he was already staring at you, gaze unwavering. You felt as though you were under a microscope.

　“Have you ever done anything before?” He impelled, and you bit your lip.

　You were nervous. Were you sure you wanted to be this deep-seated with him? No. But you’d always found him hot, in a charming dad way. How his muscles would bulge when he’d make breakfast, or how his gaze would darken when he’d hear about boys you and Sarah interacted with at a party. Now, you wondered if that darkened look was more jealousy than protection.

　You moved your head as your face contorted slightly, “Well, yeah, I guess. I mean, you know, I’ve… touched myself, and I’ve given head.”

　“And i’ve kissed,” You added after a moment. “Obviously.”

　“Obviously,” He repeated, mocking your tone, and you smacked the bicep resting on the centre console. It was difficult to ignore how hard that muscle felt under your touch.

　You felt yourself getting closer to him before you even realized it, and next thing you knew the two of you were kissing, your lips moving against his and his tongue weaselling into your mouth.

　You licked against him, eager for him. It turned him on.

　He pulled away. “C’mon,” He jerked his head, opening his car door as he did so. “There’s a mattress in the back.”

　“You have sex in the bed of your truck often?” You asked, projecting your voice so that he could hear you as you both walked around to the tailgate.

　He scoffed, “No, of course not. I was moving it out of Sarah’s room because i bought her a new one for her dorm.”

　“It’s better than having your first time be in a backseat,” He continued, waving as an invitation for you to hop into the box as the tailgate came down with a slam. You climbed in, crawling onto the bare mattress with Joel following.

　The summer heat enveloped you in a blanket as you sat, unsure of what to do next. You watched him rid himself of his navy blue tee, crawling between your legs as you slightly lowered yourself into a half sit up, elbows holding you up.

　He kissed you again, gentle and slow with his tongue guiding yours. You melted into it, a whimper escaping you as his fingers traced your tit, your nipple rising through the fabric of your halter top.

　“No bra?” He questioned, a playful glint in his eyes as he untied your top to reveal you. “It’s almost as if you knew this was going to happen.”

　“I’m psychic,” You joked breathily as he toyed your bud with his tongue, “All virgins are. It’s probably been too long for you to remember that. We have a sixth sense for when hot dads are going to fuck us.”

　He laughed heartily, the rumble through his chest vibrating into you, and you couldn’t help as your hips chased his jean clad ones.

　“Someone’s needy,” He cooed, fingers reaching for the button of your cutoffs. “Don’t worry, baby. I’ll talk you through this.”

　You moaned as he began teasing you through your panties, slick rubbing against the fabric. He pulled your shorts and panties off, circling your clit.

　“Gotta prep ya first,” He grunted, inching a finger inside. You let out gasp. His were a lot bigger than yours, and thicker. He waited a moment before adding another one, thumb rising to circle your clit.

　“That feel good, darlin’?” He asked, and you nodded, unable to form words. He couldn’t help as his lips upturned into a grin, fingers fucking you to your first orgasm. You rode his hand, bucking against him until you felt satisfied.

　You let out a breath of gratification before your hands reached for his belt buckle. “Wanna taste you, Joel. Please.”

　It took everything in him to say no, especially when you were asking so nicely. Joel tutted, shaking his head and unbuckling his pants himself.

　“Not tonight, baby. Tonight, I want you to feel good.”

　He pulled a condom out of wallet before chucking it to the side, along with his jeans. He pulled his boxers down, cock hitting the balmy air. It was dark, but the moonlight painted him in it’s graceful light, enough for you to see how big he was as he rolled the condom down his cock.

　You were nervous as hell, but gulped and attempted to relax as he rolled the head between your folds, collecting your arousal before he slowly pushed in.

　You whimpered at the pain, and he moved his hand up to rest of your cheek, thumb stroking your face adoringly.

　“It’ll only hurt for a minute, darlin’,” He promised, “Then it’ll be the best damn thing you’ve ever felt.”

　You nodded, and Joel smiled reassuringly, pressing a kiss to your temple as he continued to let you adjust. Inside, though, he was struggling. You were so damn tight, walls swallowing him in, and his dick throbbed as the thought crossed his mind that he was the ever to feel you like this. To pop your cherry.

　You felt him twitch inside you, and you bucked slightly. The pain of the stretch still echoed within your core, but you fought through it as Joel began moving at a snail pace, eyes trained on the way he slid in and out of you.

　“More,” You moaned, resting your hand on top of his as he held your hip. He glanced up at you before complying, muscles tensing as he began thrusting into you more harshly, your whole body shaking beneath him.

　He kissed up your neck as he fucked you, causing you to clench him tighter.

　“Baby, you’re makin’ me crazy,” He groaned out, hips snapping against yours, “Squeezin’ me and lettin’ me fuck you like this. What a goddamn good girl.”

　You couldn’t help the obscene noise that left you as his praise reached your ears. It awakened something inside you, and all you could think about was making Joel cum.

　What could you say? You were a people pleaser.

　“Want you to hit it from the back,” You stuttered out, and Joel instantly flipped you over, letting you find your place on your hands and knees.

　As you found your rhythm you began to meet his thrusts, a groan leaving his lips.

　“Good girl, just like that, baby,” He growled, his thick arm wrapping around your torso and lifting you up so that your back was pressed against his chest. He snapped into you, and you felt yourself peak, a weak moan leaving you as he continued to fuck you through your second orgasm.

　You felt his thrusts grow sloppy, and you knew he was close before he mumbled out the words. He hammered into you, slovenly and single-minded as he came into the condom.

　He slowed before pulling himself out of you, panting and tying the condom before throwing it haphazardly. You both laid down on the bare mattress, Joel’s arm resting around your naked form as he brought you closer to him, sheen sweat coating both of you.

　He pressed chaste kisses to your shoulder as you caught your breath, continuing as you willed yourself to speak. “That was…”

　“Damn good?” Joel suggested, and you felt him smile into your skin as you laughed.

　“Yeah, not too bad Mr.Miller.”

　You watched as he rolled his eyes. “Don’t you start, missy. You can’t let a man fuck you and then go right back to formalities.”

　“Noted,” You replied, “Joel Miller is not one for teasing. Got it. I’ll remember that next time.”

　“Next time?” He questioned, and you rolled over to look at him.

　“Yeah, y’know, there’s reading week, and Thanksgiving,” You counted off on your fingers, “Christmas break, Spring break… lots of time where i’ll be home and you can fuck me in the bed of your truck.”

　“You’re making me crazy,” He laughed breathily, and you grinned.

　“You said that already.”

[meanbossart]

Hi RJ! I hope you are having a great time with your partner! Sorry if this has been asked before, but I was curious what DU Drow’s thoughts are to Astarion marking him like he did to himself. I know you’ve mentioned that Drow did a lot of the scarification as a teen to cope with things, and in your Bhaalist AU Drow has Astarion do some of the face marks. But I saw the art with Astarion’s bite marks on Drow’s ass and I doubt Drow was unhappy about that lol. Does he like having permanent marks from his partner? Do they ever bring any sort of blood/knifeplay into their relationship? I’d be super interested to hear Drow’s thoughts about it! And alternatively what you think Astarion would feel about it.

Your art is absolutely gorgeous and you are easily one of my favorite artists of all time. Your mastery of body shape, facial expressions, telling a story through character design, everything makes me swoon at your art. I’m so invested in your freaky man, RJ, I love him and as someone with a master’s degree in clinical psychology I want to dissect his brain and study him under a microscope

Thank you so much for your kind words!!! Happy to have a specialist in the field here watching this trainwreck LOL

And that's a very interesting question! Besides for his forearm scars (which were a weird show of dominance in his bhaalspawn days) DU drow's facial and chest scarification were actually done by Orin, and as you can guess he is very into the idea of being permanently marked by his partner - definitely the kind of guy to get your name tattooed on him six months into the relationship.

He does have an inkling of good sense and propriety, though. It's kind of a pillar of the character that he knows how to operate in society in favor of coming across as pleasant and only an acceptable level of eccentric, which is to say that he has the vaguest idea that requesting that Astarion mutilate him for his own pleasure might not bode well. This, as it is the case for everything else, is my own take on the character, but Astarion does not strike my as someone who would want to permanently harm their partner once he's made a genuine emotional bond with them. DU drow realizes this, plus there's the whole treating-him-with-kid's-gloves complex which leads him to believe this would be a sensitive topic, given Astarion's own background.

But DU drow often fantasizes about the scenario, specially during sex or moments where he is emotionally overwhelmed with his love for him. It takes him some time to make the connection between his own scars and what they mean about past relationships, but perhaps at some point an opportunity would arise where he makes such request - and he would do it because it's important, and because he has to for once in his life trust Astarion to either A) participate enthusiastically or B) Allow him to choose to take on the discomfort of his own free-will, and see it as a sign of love and compromise rather than the helplessness he imposes upon him.

And I think that depending on how it was presented, Astarion would do it. He wouldn't do it on a whim, or just to get DU drow's rocks off, but he would do it if he saw that it was something that he really needed, and for good reason. He wouldn't like the process, but he would appreciate having that trust put on him and to have the chance to care for his partner, to have him ask him for help, as weird as the request might be.

[dystopicjumpsuit]

The Plant Prowler of Pabu

A/N: I’m scared that Pabu is going to be toast after this week, so I wrote a little fluff to make myself feel better. Also, this is the first time I’ve been able to finish a fic in six weeks, so… yay me!

Pairing: Crosshair x Reader (GN)

Rating: T (but MDNI as always)

Wordcount: 2.1K

Warnings and tags: mild language; fluff; a kiss; spoilers for The Bad Batch season 3

Summary: Exploring the island during his first morning on Pabu, Crosshair encounters a mastermind of botanical crime: you.

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Whoever said, “It’s darkest just before dawn” had clearly never woken up to go for a walk before sunrise. Even if Crosshair hadn’t had enhanced vision, it would have been easy for him to navigate his way down to the beach of Pabu in the dim half-light. Hunter had wordlessly watched him exit the Marauder, pretending to still be asleep, but Crosshair knew that his brother would have drawn his vibroblade in a flash if he’d even glanced sideways at Omega.

Crosshair didn’t exactly blame Hunter for his caution, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow. The squad had arrived on the idyllic island the previous day, and Crosshair was immediately swarmed by a horde of curious locals. With Hunter determined to keep Crosshair in sight at all times, there had been no escape from their onslaught of hospitality, and by the time the celebrations had died down, Crosshair had been clinging to the tattered threads of his patience and sanity.

It was a hell of a thing to go from barely speaking to anyone for months on end to suddenly being plunged into the midst of a vibrant and chaotic crowd of nosy spectators. He’d escaped to the Marauder at last and pretended to sleep, keenly aware of Hunter’s eyes on him. He’d spent enough time under the microscope in the past several months, though, and he was ready for some privacy.

And so it was that he found himself wandering down the empty terraced walkways of Pabu, making his way to the shoreline in the pale gloaming. He didn’t encounter a single soul as he walked—barring the ubiquitous moonyos that seemed to frolic across the island at all hours. Pabu was the sort of place that seemed too flawless to be real. Too flawless to last.

Not quite as flawless as it seems on the surface, he acknowledged as he turned down a path that snaked through one of the sections of the island that had yet to be rebuilt after the catastrophic sea surge he’d heard about countless times at the welcoming party the previous night. The buildings had been reduced to rubble, and judging by the weeds sprouting in the cracks of the walkway, the locals tended to avoid this particular part of the island.

Perfect.

The gentle breeze off the ocean was chilly, and he told himself it was the reason his hand trembled more than usual that morning. He shoved both hands deep into his pockets as he navigated the last few levels before he reached the beach. As he stepped onto the sand, a gust of wind buffeted against him. It was bracingly cold, and it smelled like salt and aquatic vegetation and wet earth, and he closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply and focusing on the sensation.

When he opened his eyes, a flicker of movement in his peripheral vision had him snapping his head to the side. He froze. A figure meandered slowly down the beach, sticking close to the bottom of the hill where the lush foliage grew thickly right up to the edge of the sand. He was certain you had spotted him, but you didn’t immediately acknowledge his presence.

He watched for a moment as you paused and stooped down to examine one of the plants, then carefully plucked a few bunches and laid them in the basket you carried. Bizarre. What the kriff was this person doing out here so early? Nothing innocent, that was for damned sure. Why would anyone sneak down to such an isolated stretch of the beach at this obscene hour if they didn’t have nefarious intent?

Aside from me, obviously.

He squinted slightly. Even with his enhanced eyesight, it was dark enough, and you were far enough away, that it was difficult to make out your features, but he was reasonably sure you hadn’t been at the party the night before. 

Hmph.

He turned and walked the opposite direction, away from the person who’d had the audacity to interrupt his solitude by getting to the beach first. Better not to get involved.

Crosshair took a different route the next morning, arriving at the beach just as the sun rose. As bad kriffing luck would have it, you were exiting the beach just as he arrived, and your paths inevitably intersected. He braced himself for a conversation, but you simply met his eyes and nodded quietly as you passed him.

He suppressed a sigh of relief. Stepping aside to make room for you to pass on the narrow trail, he couldn’t help noticing that your basket was filled with a variety of neat bundles of leaves and twigs. Odd, but your hobbies were none of his concern. Even if they did involve herb rustling and grand theft shrubbery.

He continued his path down to the shoreline and wandered along the water’s edge, staring out at the horizon. Out of the corner of his eye, he could still see your solitary figure making its way up the steep slope and into Lower Pabu. He was now completely sure that you’d not been at the welcoming party, nor had he encountered you in the village. It wasn’t that surprising; after all, hundreds of people lived on the island, and he wasn’t in any particular hurry to meet them all—or any of them, if he were honest.

Of course, he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. Wrecker had flatly refused to allow Crosshair to isolate himself, while the gregarious mayor Shep Hazard seemed equally dedicated to the twin causes of thrusting Crosshair into the community and plying him with as much fruit as he could eat in a lifetime. He was starting to feel a tiny surge of violence every time he saw a jogan fruit.

On the third day, Batcher woke up with Crosshair and scrambled out of the Marauder, bounding ahead of him down the ramp and then turning to wiggle her entire body in anticipation as he followed. He let the lurca hound pick the path that morning, not bothering to hide his thin smile at Batcher’s endless curiosity and enthusiasm. She crisscrossed the walkways incessantly, sniffing and exploring, chasing the moonyos playfully down the hill, investigating every nook and cranny of the village, and easily running five times the distance that Crosshair traveled on their way down to the water.

The beach was empty this morning, to Crosshair’s relief. At last, some peace and quiet. Or at least as quiet and peaceful as it could be with Batcher rocketing back and forth across the wet sand, grunting and huffing as she charged into the surf and back up to Crosshair, crouching into a bow as she tried to entice him to play with her. When he didn’t immediately comply, she took off chasing a flock of seabirds, scattering them into the air in a cacophony of indignant squawking.

She chased the birds down the beach, barking joyously as she splashed through the surf. When the hound disappeared around a bend in the shoreline, Crosshair sped up slightly, not wanting to risk Omega’s wrath if anything happened to her pet on his watch. As he rounded the bend, he was greeted with a most unexpected sight: Batcher was lying on her back on the sand, writhing with delight as you rubbed her belly.

Your basket was overturned, and all the neat little bundles of herbs were strewn across the sand. It wasn’t hard to deduce the instigator of such carnage. Batcher spotted Crosshair and immediately jumped up and shook the sand off herself before rushing to greet him.

“Down,” he said sternly as she jumped up and swiped at him with her massive paws.

She dropped obediently, and trotted along next to him as he approached you. You’d already begun picking up your fallen bundles of leaves, and he quickly bent to assist you.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbled.

“No harm done,” you replied, shaking a bit of loose sand out of the bundles before you dropped them into your basket. “They all get washed before I hang them up to dry anyway.”

“So you’re not just engaging in botanical heists for the adrenaline rush?” he asked.

“Oh, yeah, it really gets the blood pumping,” you replied, deadpan. “My day just doesn’t feel complete without a little horticultural larceny.”

“I can see you like to live on the edge,” he said with a tiny smile. “The Plant Prowler of Pabu.”

“And I would have gotten away with it, if it weren’t for a mysterious stranger and his meddling dog.”

He liked you. Damn it.

Crosshair didn’t see you for the next several days. He assumed you’d moved your criminal enterprise elsewhere on the island, and after the team returned from Barton IV, he didn’t feel the same need to escape the Marauder as he had previously. Still, he wasn’t sleeping particularly well, and after an excruciatingly restless night, he slipped out of the ship not long before dawn and wandered aimlessly down the streets of Pabu until he found himself in the unstable section he’d discovered on the first day.

As he picked his way through the ruins, he spotted movement two terraces below, and he grinned. Forcing himself to walk casually so you didn’t suspect how pleased he was to see you, he sauntered down to your level, only to find you ripping weeds up from between the fragments of pavement with uncharacteristic abandon.

“What did those plants ever do to you?” he asked.

You must have spotted him before he arrived, because you didn’t even flinch at the sound of his voice.

“Invasive species,” you replied. “I try not to over-forage, but in this case, I’ll make an exception.”

“And I thought your crimes only extended to vegetational theft,” he drawled. “I had no idea you’d escalated to floral murder and agricultural vigilantism.”

“The hero Pabu needs,” you said with a smile that had no business being as charming as it was, considering you were currently covered in a fine layer of dirt and assorted bits of leaves and twigs. “If this plant gets established on the island, we might never be able to eradicate it. It will outcompete the native plants and could cause significant disruptions to the ecosystem.”

“How altruistic of you,” he remarked drily.

“Not at all,” you laughed. “It also happens to be delicious.”

Crosshair stooped down and pulled one of the plants up by the roots, examining it closely. “It’s on sight, then.”

“Exactly. No mercy.”

As the first rays of the sun appeared on the distant horizon, you packed the large bundles of weeds into your basket, then stood and dusted your hands off on your trousers. You stretched a bit, clearly a little stiff from your labor. Impulsively, Crosshair spoke.

“Want to watch the sunrise with me?” You looked surprised at his offer, and he cleared his throat, looking awkwardly away. “Or do you turn into a meiloorun if you stay out past dawn?”

“Yes,” you said. “I mean, no. I mean, yes, I’d like to stay. No, I don’t turn into a meiloorun.”

You bit your lip and stared down at the bundle of weeds in your basket, poking at it ineffectually as you muttered something unintelligible under your breath. Stifling a laugh, Crosshair climbed up onto the crumbling half-wall of a destroyed structure and extended his hand to help you up after him. You scrambled up and sat down next to him, gazing out at the tranquil ocean as the sun began to paint the high clouds in brilliant shades of gold and pastel.

“Not a bad view, is it?” you asked quietly. 

“Definitely worth waking up early,” he replied, watching your face as the light caught on your cheekbones and reflected in your eyes.

Without making a conscious decision, he lifted his hand and brushed a little loose dirt off your cheek. His damned hand trembled, and he mentally cursed. You didn’t seem to notice the slight tremor, though—or if you did, you didn’t say anything about it. Instead, you turned your head slowly, grazing your lips across his fingertips as you met his eyes. It seemed the most natural thing in the galaxy to continue to trace the line of your jaw until his hand curled around the back of your head.

Your lips were soft and warm in the cool breeze, and you tasted like sea salt and dew and something he didn’t quite recognize. Something new. He liked it. You leaned into his kiss, and when at last it came to its natural conclusion, he drew in a shaky breath.

“Hi,” he whispered. “I’m Crosshair.”

---

Want more Crosshair? I have another Crosshair x Reader ficlet here!

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[wwaheoh]

"Celebrity Worship" Robin x gnReader, SFW(?), Angst

a/n: contains blood, stabbing, and themes of possesiveness. jfc it was so hard to find a png pic of robin and not a webp pic its like the new fake transparent shit

Dating a celebrity was hard. Worrying about the paparazzi, time restraints, not being able to go out in public without security, overprotective brothers- though that could just be this specific case, rabid fans, the list goes on. Knowing this, you still accepted Robin’s feelings. It was great, she was the most wonderful person, spending time with her was never dull, and you accepted all of her. The problem was, everyone else.

You would be with her on a walk from a nice dinner when a news reporter would exclaim, “Robin!”, leading the vultures known as paparazzi to immediately circle in from out of the woodwork. Flashes of lights and yells blinding overriding your senses.

Days where you were at your shared home, you’d see fans of Robin loitering around. All for the sake of seeing their precious idol.

On social media, people would talk about how they wished for you two to break up or that you’d somehow die. Stating how you weren’t enough for the superstar and how you were undeserving. Even going so far as to send death threats in your comments or private messages. You always blocked them and tried to pay it no heed. Never telling Robin about what happened, knowing she’d take it strongly.

She loved you, and you her.

-

Robin was hosting an event, a new expansion of the Clockie amusement park opening up and she was there to present its grand opening- as well as go on some rides and get some exclusive merch. You were behind the scenes, standing farther away and watching her do her thing.

Steps unheard behind you, a sharp pain ringing through your lower abdomen as someone shouted at you, spit landing on your face as they screeched at you. “You don’t deserve her!” Warmth trickled down as they pushed you down to the ground, another sharp pain bloomed before they were tackled by security.

You lay there, as blood trickled out of you into the puddle forming underneath. You could hear Robin screaming, having abandoned the stage and run over to your side, crying for medical support.

“No, no, please don’t leave me!”

The darkness called as your eyelids grew heavy, seeing Robin being pulled back by paramedics.

-

Several days in the ICU, the sterile smell, heart monitor, and a sobbing Robin by your bedside were your companions. There were times where Robin would have to leave, commitments already signed off on and statements to give to the press. Surgery was required but had gone off without a hitch, Robin made sure you’d gotten the best treatment possible.

There was the question of how the fan had passed security and been able to attack you. With this being a known issue, you’d think they’d have been on high alert…

One day, Robin came, with you having asked her to come so you could discuss something with her. Today was your final day, only a few more check-ups and you’d be free to go.

She arrived, a few minutes earlier than planned. The bright- if tired smile, on her face.

Setting her bag down, she walked over to your bedside. “Today’s the day you’re going to be discharged! I’m so happy you’re okay.” There was a pause, expecting you to respond. When you didn’t, she continued, “Did you want to go out and eat? I could make reservations!”

“Robin.”

“Mhm?”

“I think we should take a break…”

“H-huh? What do you mean?”

“From us… we should take a break from us.”

Over the days you spent thinking while in admittance, you realized that you weren’t cut to date a celebrity. Robin wasn’t the issue, she was kind, beautiful, inside and out. Someone who worked hard for what she wanted, genuine, with a fire in her soul. But to date a celebrity would be to be put under a microscope, millions of people wanted to be in your position, and some were crazy enough to think that they did the right thing by attacking you, both over the internet and… in person.

“You- you don’t mean that!”

Robin’s voice rose, tears streaming across her face as she moved closer.

You already regretted this. But you couldn’t do this, not with having been attacked for the sole reason of dating someone. Not right now at least.

“Please!”

You wanted to hug her, but the phantom pain in your abdomen rang throughout your body.

“Please…”

“Only for a couple months… it’s not you. Just.. I need to… recuperate.”

Robin didn’t want to keep you, but she also didn’t want you to leave. But the dove with freedom, in her eyes, was better than the dove locked in a cage.

With a hoarse voice, “Oh- okay. Just… call me, when you’re ready. I love you…”

She stood up, every step was as if she were wearing lead boots. She didn’t want to keep you but she also didn’t want you to leave. The free dove was better than being caged. She wanted you to be free, but she also wanted you to be with her. Sunday had always talked about how caging a bird was better, better to be alive than dead, no matter the cost. His words all those years ago echoed in her mind as she made her way to the door.

“I love you too.”

Your voice broke through her spiral.

Only a couple months, and you’d be back. You survived, you just needed some time.

She looked back at you, nodding with a soft smile before leaving.

[zomboivex]

Have some unprocessed thoughts about Leo.

Aha here I am with a fucking MICROSCOPE going to dissect this man and his entire being (aha I used to do character analysis for funsies on other platforms). And man-

Can I just say he has all the signs of a character who’s fucking Tragic™ tbf all the ghouls are

But dude is literally on a fucking self-destructive path and I’m here for watching this shit show unfold.

I mean he literally was called out by Alan to take better care of himself, to stop taking the easy way out, and that he’ll be the one to suffer in the end.

Not to mention bro was UNPHASED when Alan threw him against a wall. He was more thrilled to have gotten under his skin, if even for a moment.

Then there’s his opening line about getting revenge or whatever (I’m running on 4 hours of sleep so sorry if I misremembered it).

And then when you pick up Sho’s affinity lines about him, you sort of start to paint a picture of someone who’s reckless and does shit that gives him a thrill in the moment (ie. fights in the club and whatever the fuck he’s doing with fireworks that has Sho hard pass on it ever again).

I’m sure there’s other instances too.

But!

I come here to say this-

Whatever the fuck happened to this dude to make him this way- man.

Here are some of my predictions with no facts just feels

- Sho will eventually have enough of his shit and cut him out of his life if he doesn’t change (they’ll rekindle the friendship probably because Sho does care about him otherwise why put up with his bullshit? He’s just worried about his buddy who’s literally self-destructing)

- He’s going to lose his followers and the little bit of validation he gets

- He’s going to have Vice-Captain stripped from him

- He’s gonna get humbled

But- ALSO yeah I’m not done here

Here is a wild theory for you.

I think that because he was on a self-destructive path BEFORE Darkwick (aha fights in the club etc) he was def miserable af and

Someone ‘slipped’ to him about making demon pacts (that someone I have a feeling was Hyde).

He did it and survived his shit and tells Sho what Hyde told him (and drags Sho into it maybe?? Idk man I’m tired LMFAO)

And this is why Sho is icy af towards Hyde because he just made his friend exponentially WORSE

Anyways ANYWAYS

And- and listen-

Leo is such an interesting character who definitely has a lot of flaws. Idc if you don’t like him because he’s an ass and tried to have MC killed so did Taiga

I’m just excited to see how his character unfolds. Because so far, he’s presenting himself as a character who is very complex but on the surface level is a fucking ass.

He’s self-destructive and I really hope we can see that play out.

But hey- maybe I’ll eat my words in a year or so.

Guess it depends on how ever the game decides to take it which I’m cool with whatever route they go because I have 0 expectations anyways and that’s what RP and FanFics are for

[justin-chapmanswers]

Hello Mr.Chapman!

I wanted to bring this to your attention with the newest episode! I loved it, it was very good! however, there was this one scene that rubbed me and a bunch of other disabled people in the community the wrong way.

The scene with bot and telling Cabby the wrong information about them and then asking Cabby to not write anything down felt very off,, as someone who suffers bad memory loss from amnesia and such and tends to write things down to remember really threw me and a bunch of others off! i’m really hoping you and the team can bring this up and talk about it and listen to us on this topic! it would mean a lot to me and the other disabled people in the community ❤️

Hello!

Sorry for the delayed response to this conversation, we've all been traveling and I just arrived back home. But yes! Received a lot of questions regarding this here on Tumblr (as well as positive messages that I super-appreciate but of course this deserves to be addressed first), and I definitely want to hit on it before I get swept away again.

Thank you (and everyone!) for all of your messages regarding this topic. I have been reading and ingesting so much of this conversation and am very glad for everyone who's spoken up on the topic. I understand there had been debate regarding what's right and what's wrong with this angle of the Bot-Cabby story, and Cabby's depiction as a whole, but I'd like to put all the comments on the side of "I don't see it that way because xyz" to the side for the purpose of this post (although I appreciate your perspective as well, especially those who personally connect to the material).

I do want to start the dive-in with a sorry to who felt overwhelmed by this conversation as a whole, because clearly elements within the writing could have been tweaked and we wouldn't be needing to have this conversation. But absolutely a good one to have, anyway, because the show's history has been far from perfect in this regard. And, even more-so, want to say sorry to anyone who felt personally hurt by anything in the episode that read as ableist. While this was far from any intention, it certainly lead to plenty of hurt.

I figure I'll try to lay out as much of this conversation as I can, so it's clean and transparent all in one place, but of course feel free to keep the conversation going. It shouldn't end with me, whether that's more asks here or in your own circles.

I'll start with intentions within the writing regarding the more common talking points of the episode, and then hit on where things could have been corrected in execution. As Anonymous noted earlier, there's the segment where Bot presents Cabby with incorrect information. Understandably, leading a lot of people to feel uncomfortable with how this affects Cabby, who has difficulty with information. On my end, this was never really desired for this to come across as good normal healthy behavior. With the queer narrative in mind, Bot is insecure and uses this as a device to cope with their stress over being put under a microscope while they're still learning to feel confident. And have a Bow file in front of them. Hence Bot rejecting open-communication about Test Tube, offered by Cabby early on, to continuing to make outlandish claims about themself, as well as opening up authentically with true statements once they felt that safety and connection that they've needed. Starting the two off in a really rough place, and eventually getting the two to hear each other a little better and start communicating more healthily.

But does that make it any more comfortable to watch when you have Cabby's history in mind? Probably not. Perhaps out of all criticisms that had been laid out, this is the only one that I had not considered coming up in the many months since this episode's been written, until episode release. No excuse, that's on me. I think a lot of it was softened in my head by the fact that Bot had been completely unaware of all Cabby goes through, and that when Bot finally gains some insight, they soften up towards Cabby. I've seen others levy that note in these discussions, but ultimately it's not my place to say. I completely see now why this can be discomforting, especially in its presentation as being doing in such a light playful manner, no matter whether or not it was intended to be seen as a flaw that is fixed in the context of the episode.

There's also the other note that Anonymous mentioned here, regarding Bot telling Cabby to not write anything down. Intentions aren't too different are exciting, all very similar to last time regarding queer insecurity, Bot not understanding Cabby's situation, and the goal for the episode being to show they start in an unhealthy place and land in a good one. I think where a lot of that falters, were that to be the right starting place for the story at all (and understandable if you argue that it shouldn't have been) is not giving Cabby more support before the end of the episode to show that Bot understands them as much as Cabby gets to prove she's gotten to understand Bot.

There was initially space given to that in the episode but to try to tighten things a bit, we figured it'd be okay to hold onto that since there's still time to explore that. But I've given the advice before, even within the II team, to make sure that these types of issues conclude within the context of the episode as to not give any wrong ideas as-to what the takeaway should be. Unfortunately, I overlooked my own advice this time around. I do like the moments given to Bot and Cabby to show that they have learned to support one-another after learning about each other on an intimate level, but I think it's important to vocalize what these understandings are more explicitly.

Aaaaand also in general I've been wishing that I had made that moment a little softer, were it to be there at all. Between script completion and episode release I'm always poking holes in what I've written, especially as I watch it go from page to screen and things may get adapted in ways I didn't (but often should have) anticipated. That line in particular I've found to be pretty harsh in vibe for a while now, so we're on the same page. If it had to be a beat, I think something softer and more communicative could have been helpful. I do think it's fair for Bot to want to put up boundaries, but it could have been an open dialogue on the subject.

The thought then was that while Bot has discomfort with Cabby, due to their difficult history, they would offer Cabby an alternative accommodation via a more healthy form of communication and repetition that could then work as a compromise. But yeah, completely see why that's also a point of iffiness too, as the files are the intended accommodation. This was all less intended to be another finger-wag at Cabby's files in the way that was presented before Cabby returned to the game, but more-so to highlight how difficult the subject is for Bot. But the way that this could ignite both side of the coin should've been accounted for.

On a similar note, there was another point brought up in a separate ask-

"did she really have to us her file as a ramp? i hope that this isn’t going to go into the direction of ‘oh she’s cured now!’"

Similar to above, it's another case of me mentally prioritizing the story of Bot for their concluding-ish episode and their bond with Cabby, as opposed to Cabby as an individual. I had a visual in mind for a very long time of the Bow file crushed at the end of Bot's journey without any intention of it reflecting on how Cabby uses files, but rather about Bot feeling more comfortable in their robotic skin and others understanding them as an individual.

That is to say, no, there was never any intention that this would indicate that Cabby is done with using her files to collect information for better-navigating their life, and for her broader love of information-gathering. it is just to say, whether correct or not to implement, that they understand Bot's boundaries and see why having a Bow file for Bot can be seen as distasteful, now that they better understand who Bot is. Cabby still has the files, and there's always been every desire to continue to shed light on her story and perspective in the future. And now, with more consideration.

An aside, I suppose, but I do love Cabby. One of my favorites, always has been. In every episode I've written with her in which she is a notable character so far (10, 11, 14), I've wanted to lean into exploring how Cabby navigates difficult social scenarios in which, no matter how strained it may be at the start, we land in a place of others learning to see the plentiful good in her and/or show that they're willing to stick by her side wholeheartedly. With the Indefinite Islanders, Yin-Yang, Bot, etc. I say all of this to try to clarify that I've never had any intention of vilifying Cabby, and I'm really sorry to all of those who connect closely to her who feel as though I was trying to make her out to be a bad person. Again, although the intention was never negative, it's the outcome that matters most- so I am sorry.

And I'm not looking for anyone to write to me "great, all good now, all forgiven" or anything. I'm just looking to continue an important conversation. I know even before the episode's release, there's been plenty of this discussion here on Tumblr, which I am appreciative to have been able to look through and analyze as thoroughly as I can to understand every angle.

But yes, thanks for bearing through this long block of text. If anything comes across as messy, apologies, running on two or three or so hours of sleep, but I am happy to hit on anything that needs clarification or other elements later after work. I don't see myself making any big posts like this again soon, but at the very very least I'll read over what's sent in the ask box as always.

While I'm good with any and all continued conversation, my only request is that you all please just go easy on the rest of the crew. It's been a very emotionally-intense last few weeks, and a lot of the team is just in an overwhelmed state at the moment for a thousand different reasons. They're all trying their best to do and handle everything. But it can be a lot, especially when it's dealing with the Internet, and when it's thousands of voices screaming in your direction all at once. Thank you!

[bimboothefool]

𝔒𝔲𝔯 ℑ𝔫𝔰𝔦𝔡𝔢𝔰 𝔄𝔯𝔢 ℜ𝔢𝔡

𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞!𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐥𝐟!𝐀𝐝𝐚 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐱 𝐅!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

“𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝑔𝒽 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒹𝓇𝓎! 𝒜 𝓇𝓊𝓈𝒽 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝓎 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝓇𝑜𝓅𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒷𝓁𝑜𝑜𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒽𝒾𝓃𝒹! ℛ𝓊𝓃 𝒶𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓂𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉, 𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇, 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓅.” The Red Means I Love You by Madds Buckley

𝔖𝔱𝔬𝔯𝔶 𝔖𝔶𝔫𝔬𝔭𝔰𝔦𝔰: A mysterious yet familiar looking woman enters your life in the midst of the various murders happening. Yet why and what makes this woman so familiar to you..?

𝔗𝔞𝔟𝔩𝔢 𝔬𝔣 ℭ𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔰: Reader is femme/femme coded and uses she/her, that’s where the specification ends. Mentions of death, details of death through police reports. Stalking, Ada getting jealous and possessive. Might add more later if it pops up.

𝔄𝔲𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔯’𝔰 𝔏𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯: Separate ways has been out for awhile now, why not make more fics for Ada. She definitely needs more love. Also this story is heavily inspired by Little Red Riding Hood and The Path. I highly recommend it! Might make more fairytale retellings later down the line. We’ll see~ Feel free to read it on Ao3!

The combination of the stench of booze, noisy crowd and blasting music. Was practically sensory hell.

You decided to use an excuse to get some fresh air as a way to escape the bar’s suffocating atmosphere. As your footsteps echoed and the crowd’s chatter grows more quiet, you reminisce on the dreams you’ve been having as of lately.

“A forest graveyard, dead tree and a girl in red turning into a wolf… What does it mean…” You remembered talking to your mom about what you dreamt about and she recalls the times your childhood friend Claire searched for you. She found you sleeping against a tree that was in the deeper parts of the forest. She didn’t always come alone, Chris accompanied her just to be safe.

However a part of your brain couldn’t shake off the feeling that you were missing something crucial. Like your version of events isn’t right.

“Mom keeps saying these are signs, yet I’m not sure what they’re telling me…” You clutched your coat tighter around your form, trying to keep yourself safe from the cold night air. You unconsciously walked towards the forest, you remember this path. Your senses kick in as you sent your location to your friend group chat, just so that they won’t run around looking for you, like chickens without their heads.

As you walked along the path, you saw a playground sign, along with a yellow flower. Putting it in your coat pocket. “I remember this park, me and Claire would always explore here as kids.” You plucked the yellow flower from the ground and walked into the forest, sending your location again. So far they don’t seem to notice that you left the party to explore the woods.

All you could see was the bright full moon shining above you and what you can hear is your footsteps crunching the dead leaves underneath. You arrived at the playground noticing that it’s metal parts were not treated so kindly by time. Yet the memories it held still filled you with relief, you sat on the swing set.

The faint smell of flowers, the fall breeze and the cool sensation of the wind, felt like it made your stress get blown away.

You took the yellow flower out of your pocket, lightly twirling it in your hand. Currently pondering on what has been happening lately. The talk of monsters or monster murdering people left and right, changing the lock on your door. It was weighing on your mind so heavily especially when something broke into your house.

The party was supposed to lift your mood, yet it did nothing to deter the sinking feeling that you were being watched and everything you did was under a microscope.

You just wanted to— “Mind if I sit here?” A woman’s voice brought you out of your spiraling thoughts. “O-Oh! Umm… Uhhh…sure go ahead.” You looked away from her brown eyes. It’s almost like they’re looking into your soul or can see your skeleton.

She sat down and swung slightly, her red nails shone under the moonlight. You couldn’t help, but feel like you’ve seen her before. Especially those brown eyes. Your mind flashes the memory of the girl in red, as she looks towards you, her eyes become clear to see. They’re brown as well. “What’s a girl like you doing out here, alone?” Her voice snaps you out of your thoughts.

You fiddled with the yellow flower once more trying to put yourself at ease. “I…needed fresh air and some alone time…” You answered softly, almost as a whisper that was only meant for her ears.

“So you went to the park deep into the forest for that?” You realized now how dangerous your choice was, yeah you let your friends know where you are, but who knows what or who will seek you. “Dumb I know, but I just don’t want to burden anyone right now… I’d just kill the mood.”

The chains rattle as she places her hand over yours, her warmth reaching to your heart. The flower peeking from your joined hands. You shouldn’t be falling in love so easily with a stranger and yet she feels so familiar. The isolation and alienation makes you cling to any sense of familiarity no matter how innocent it may seem.

“Ada, my name is Ada. And yours?” She introduced herself, slightly swinging you both. “Ada…” You let it slip off your tongue, the name is also familiar too. You tell her your name and you see a smile grace her glossed up lips. “That’s a pretty name.” You felt your cheeks get warm as your heart beats faster. “Thanks Ada…” Ada giggles at your shy reply.

You spent the time just talking and now, Ada’s making you a flower crown with a couple of yellow flowers and daisies she found. She gently placed the crown on your head, smiling warmly at you.

As you two stared into eachother’s eyes, it was almost as if time started to slow down, but it suddenly starts again once your phone goes off. “Are you gonna answer it?” Ada teased as you pout, hurriedly grabbing your phone from your pocket. “Thank god you picked up! We were worried sick!” Claire’s voice rang clear, you decided to just tell to her why you wandered off. “Yeah sorry I worried you, I just didn’t wanna kill the mood with my paranoia…” You could almost hear her smile as she laughed. “You kill the mood? Hardly, besides your feelings are valid. Especially with everything that’s happened. At least we got you out of the house and tried.”

“I’m gonna head back to the bar right now. Hopefully it won’t be far.” Both you and Claire mutually hung up as you turned on the GPS on your phone on. “Wanna head back with me?” You asked Ada holding out your hand for her.

Ada’s eyes widened at your hand and offer. “Oh… Okay, lead the way.” She says and gently takes your hand, leading you two out of the forest. Right back on the path you came from as the crickets chirped, you at the crescent moon shining above you. Now that you hear her footsteps along with yours, it frankly made you feel reassured and safe.

~~

Claire being shocked was an understatement and frankly, this mystery woman appearing with you walking back in the bar. Hand and hand has left her severely confused. “Ada Wong… Hmmm…” She looks on as Ada lights up the room. The way you two have interacted thus far made her think she’s a childhood friend of yours. Yet she’s known you since you were infants, Claire knows your deepest, most intimate secrets yet she can’t really recall who Ada could be.

But the feeling that Ada’s presence was odd didn’t shake off even when she smiled or laughed. It felt fake, it all felt like it was scripted and the unsuspecting were gobbling Ada’s act right up.

‘Whoever Ada is… I have a feeling we’ve seen her before.’ Claire silently vowed in her head, soon Ada caught a glimpse of Claire’s face. Her concerned look only fuels Ada further. Her hand drapes over your shoulder possessively. Silently telling Claire to back off.

“She’s gotta be kidding me…” Claire mumbles in disbelief.

~~

Weeks turned to months and months turned into a year. After two months, it wasn’t long before you started to date Ada. She was always so loving and dotting, you are everything to her. You were spending a sickeningly long amount of time with Ada.

Though throughout that duration of time, Claire decided to look into her. Starting up a silent investigation on Ada’s background. Oddly enough when she tried looking into her general history, not much came up. No birth certificate, prior home addresses or even a family member. It was just blank dead end after blank dead end.

So when the computer data failed, she asked the locals more specifically Ada’s neighbors. They all said she’d just miraculously moved here one day and is generally a kind woman. However a select few of them, feel like there’s something off about her especially since they’ve never seen her come home in the early hours of dawn. However they did note that they’ve seen a large dog like creature around the area.

Claire with a clearer idea, decides to back home to take a look at the victims one more time, after clicking through online pages of police reports, she suddenly realizes some of them are your ex’s and a couple of them are people who’ve flirted with you. She vividly recognizes you dating one of them in senior year of highschool, another during your freshman year of college and the guy hitting on you during the party she took you to. The day you introduced Ada. The murders seemed to have suddenly stopped once you started dating her and nobody’s been harmed since then.

It was either the worst timing or Ada’s genuinely tied to the murders that had happened prior to Claire meeting her.

Claire looks through the files especially in regards to the pattern. Claire was beyond mortified. “The only thing tying the victims together was the method of murder. Claw marks and puncture wounds, yet animal researchers were unable to identify which animal it could belong to. Furthermore the zoos in the nearby area have yet to file a missing animal case…” Claire looks around feeling herself being watched, she quickly gets up to lock all of her doors, windows and whatever entrance there may be.

Claire heads back into her room, opening her laptop again and decides to look into potential sightings about a dog like creature near the town. Not much showed up, only local paranormal blogs have picked up the story and catalogued this creature’s appearances. Soon she finds one with photo evidence, her heart begins to stop. Those eyes, she remembers them.

Those cold, blood thirsty eyes, from all those years ago. Claire immediately shuts off the laptop, hurriedly getting dressed. She quickly dials your number, yet she’s getting no answer. “SHIT!”

~~

“I’m really worried about Claire… She’s been off lately…” Your eyes trailed to the side of the forest path as you and Ada walked side by side. “Hey, don’t worry about her, I’m sure she’s fine.” Ada said nonchalantly, still you really couldn’t shake the feeling of concern for Claire’s wellbeing off. “Still she usually has a reason… I dunno, maybe you’re right, I’m probably overreacting..?” Your eyes looked at Ada’s, trying to find a small semblance of reassurance.

Ada leans closer, her warm hand cups your cheek. Her thumb gently strokes the apple of your cheek. “No it’s understandable that you’re worried for her.” You sigh and held her hand that was on your cheek, leaning into her palm.

“…Thanks Ada, really it means a lot…” Ada hums and smooches your forehead. “I have to keep my princess grounded, don’t I?” You laugh dryly and smiled. “Guess so.” You and Ada walked off the path once more, heading towards a very familiar place. It was the forest graveyard you’ve been seeing in your dreams.

Being here sent chills down your spine, a gut wrenching feeling has your stomach unsettled. You feel like you shouldn’t be here.

The same decaying tree stands tall on the small hill as tombstones surround it. Ada turns to you and tilts her head. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Something wrong?” You felt your body move on its own, making your way towards the dead tree. Ada calls out your name yet you cannot hear her.

Your memories started flowing back in all at once. Ada calls out your name and your whole world begin to spin. The dizziness makes you fall over, knocking you out effectively.

~~

You heard the crickets chirping, the familiar smell of flowers invades your nose and you opened your eyes.

The full moon shines above you but is a bit filtered by the trees above. The fireflies providing as another source of light. A young girl’s voice calls out your name, it’s the girl in red.

“You always sleep in the strangest places.” She finally becomes clearer, the shadowy silhouette wearing just a red dress is finally melting away. Her eyes, they’re brown and beautiful. Her short black hair sways in the wind. “What’s the matter?” She giggles and you looked to see you’re a kid again. “Ada..?” She smiles at you and laughs. “That’s my name.” Your eyes widened slightly at this revelation. So that’s why she seemed so familiar.

You have met before, long before that night at the playground. Yet something tells you, that’s only a chunk of this story. “Where are we..?” The younger version of Ada replied. “The flower field silly! I promised to take you hear and teach you how to make flower crowns. Remember?” You immediately remember that promise.

“How could I forget that?” You mumbled out, with furrowed brows as Ada tilts her head. Her curious brown eyes looked at your baffled face. “Maybe you’ve been losing sleep?” You murmured a maybe to Ada, you got up. Dusting off the dirt and pollen off your clothes.

Ada grabs your head, urging you to follow her. You decided it was the best course of action for now. The two of you walked together hand in hand. You noticed she wore a messily strung together flower crown made of poppy flowers. You reached your head, taking your crown off to see it was more stable and lovingly crafted. The flowers used were white daisies.

“C’mon let’s go princess!” Ada happily said, pulling you along as the two of you reached the forest graveyard. The two of you reached the small hill where the decaying tree resides. You sat down with Ada as she warmly hugs you, cuddling with you. Your heart skipped a beat, at this familiar comfort you’ve been desperately seeking. Yet this felt wrong.

Extremely wrong, the familiar stomach knotting feeling returned once another familiar voice called out your name

“Claire..?” Ada’s eyes snapped towards a younger Claire. “Who’s this..?”

Claire worriedly asked, Ada gently pushes you behind her. She stalks towards Claire, staring knives into her form. “I’m her future wife and best friend.” Ada said in a matter of fact way, Claire looked confused.

“Don’t be stupid! I’m here to take my friend back home, her mom’s worried sick!” Claire stomps over to you, but Ada blocks her way. “No her mom doesn’t need to worry. She’s in under my protection.” Ada smiled stiffly at Claire. “Move! She has to go home, you two can always play tomorrow!” Claire said roughly shoving Ada to the ground, running towards you.

Claire takes your hand as she said. “You’re explaining this later. For now let’s go home.” The two of you turned to see Ada changing. Her bones snapping into a new shape, her hair growing longer and spreading throughout her new form. Her face turning into a wolf’s snout, sporting razor sharp teeth. Her once human ears became wolf like as well. Her brown eyes stare at Claire’s blue eyes with disgust and hatred.

All that stood was a monstrous wolf that barely resembles Ada. You stood there, your eyes widened with fear and realization. Those dreams, were a warning and you were a fool to not heed them. Something big outside of this dream was waiting for your present self and you wanted out so you could do something about it.

Ada roared and lunged at Claire, needing to act quickly you tug Claire’s sleeve and this leads the two of you to roll down the small hill as Ada slams into the tree.

You woke up with a big intake of breathe, clutching your heart. Unable to forget what happened in the dream. Ada was the girl in red, the one who transformed into that wolf like beast. How could you repress such a memory, you asked yourself internally. Yet you had an idea as to why, but couldn’t properly articulate that feeling.

Ada’s soft voice called out your name as her hand was on your shoulder. She wore a genuinely worried look on her face. “Are you okay..? You suddenly passed out and I didn’t know what to do…” You practically tuned her out as you looked to where you fell down the hill with Claire. It was now dark, but the moonlight provided enough light for you too see what you were looking for.

Just as you suspected it wasn’t a nightmare, that event did happen all those years ago. The gravestone you hit your back against was noticeably knocked back a bit, but still stood.

Ada gently shakes your shoulder, calling out your name as she follows your gaze. Her voice dies down in her throat. “…Oh.” Her almond nails dig themselves into your clothed shoulder possessively.

You perk up at the sound of Claire yelling out your name. “Claire..? CLAIRE NO STAY AWAY!” You yelled trying to discourage her to stay away and let you deal with Ada alone.

“NO I’M NOT LEAVING YOU!” Claire yelled back as you see her running towards you and you felt your body move on its own. Not deterred by Ada’s grip on your shoulder. You pushed her hand off and ran towards Claire trapping her in a tight hug. She returns it tenfold as Ada watches on with a blank stare.

Ada had worked so hard, and she doesn’t want to lose you again. Not to some silly human girl.

“I have so much to tell you, it’s about… Ada…” Claire’s eyes glared at Ada, whilst Ada sighs heavily. “Tell me something I don’t know…” You knew that from the dream alone, something much worse has reeled its head towards Claire.

“Those murders, the stalking it was all Ada… She’s not from here or even like us…” You felt a lump in your throat, the part of Ada being a monster you already knew. But the murders, the stalking it all made sense now.

“Why do this Ada..? Do you enjoy seeing me scared? Please talk to—“ You were cut off as Ada confessed. “I loved you.” You were utterly shocked by this. “Loved me..? But why kill those people, what did they do to you..?”

Ada sighs as she walks down the hill slowly and says. “They were obstacles and defective. Why not get rid of them, people like them just come and they go.” She continues to get closer as Claire drags you away. This doesn’t stop Ada, she raises her hand. Her nails effortlessly getting sharp. “And the only obstacle left, is Claire.”

You felt your blood run cold, you couldn’t help, but feel like their deaths were your shoulders. Even if Ada was your childhood friend and girlfriend, you still don’t want more people dying in your name or be hurt by Ada’s hand.

“Chris is on his way with backup. Get out of here!” Claire pulls out a gun, Ada huffs and knows it’s no use hiding anything anymore.

Your eyes looked at the moon, it was a full moon tonight. She quickly transforms into her true form, her bones snapping and contorting into a new shape. As she becomes that same black furred werewolf with razor sharp teeth, claws and her brown eyes had a red hue to them.

Claire pulls out her gun and starts trying shooting Ada’s leg to give you two an opening. Yet Ada was moving around swiftly, dodging the bullets with ease. You huffed and take Claire’s hand, running as fast as you two could. Zigzagging through the trees trying to shake Ada’s true form.

Once you lost her, but unfortunately you two weren’t out of the woods yet. You and Claire catch your breathe, the brunette beside you gasped as she walks over to something. You lifted your head and see her and a motorcycle that’s nature definitely got a hold of. “Hmmm… Maybe there’s a key around, odd that the tanks half full…” Claire murmured as something shined in the moonlight. You walked over to it and saw a key, you grabbed it and dusted off the dirt.

You showed her the key and her eyes light up. “That’s it! Let’s hope this is the key and we’ll hopefully be able to get out of this forest to meet up with Chris.” You hummed at her plan, helping her set the motorcycle up. Claire gets on and starts it up, the engine purrs to life. “C’mon hop on!” You nodded, suddenly your blood runs cold once you picked up on the sound of a growl. You hurriedly got on, grabbing onto Claire for dear life.

Claire soon drives it fast enough to dodge Ada’s pounce. You screamed as you smoosh your face on Claire’s back, Claire’s head was in this chase. If Ada wanted you, Ada’s gonna have to fight her first. As she swerved the motorcycle through the area, she sees the path through one of the tree. She makes a break for it hoping it’ll take Ada out of her element.

Claire repeatedly mumbled. “We’re gonna make it, we’re gonna make it…” She cranks up the speed as you two were out of the woods and back on the path. However as you two tried to make your exit, Ada swipes her claws at the motorcycle causing it to swerve violently to the opposite direction.

“Shit—!” You blurted whilst you lost your grip on Claire’s jacket. You felt yourself tumble and roll back onto the ground. You groaned, feeling a hot breathe on your face as you froze. Ada stares down at you, her now larger form covers your form.

“Ada… Please…” You pleaded, Claire screams out for you and a crazy idea strikes your brain. A crazy, potentially deadly idea. It may not make sense to Claire now, but if this can hold Ada back from going on a rampage. You’d rather take that brunt than let others get brutally killed.

“Claire, I want you to leave…” Claire’s eyes widened. “Are you fucking serious?! I’m not losing you, whatever you’re thinking please just—“

“I’m being dead fucking serious, Claire.” You turned your head to look at her, still on the ground as Ada watches you. “If Ada wants me and it stops the murders… I’ll let her have me…” You decided to do it not only for yourself, but for everyone.

“Besides, I made a promise. I promised to marry Ada, I just wanna honor that promise…” You knew how crazy it sounds, but it was the point. You needed to keep Ada away from Claire, Chris and everyone you cared about as far as possible.

Ada’s tail wags in delight at the prospect of you remembering her promise. “You promised to marry her..? Why if I can ask..?” You sighed and answered Claire honestly. “She’s my first love, I don’t wanna give up on what I started…”

Claire sorrowfully mumbled your name, knowing how hard it was to express that side of you. “Please Claire, just leave…” Claire stays for a bit, her lips quiver as her eyes became glossy. “Okay… I understand…” She starts the engine again and soon drives off. Leaving you with Ada and the sounds of nature.

Ada stares down at you with an unreadable expression or atleast given she’s in her wolf form so there’s probably not enough muscles in her face in this current form. She gets off of you, only to toss you over her shoulder. Walking back into the woods, back to where everything between you two had started.

This sick and twisted love story, you looked at the back of Ada’s head and the full moon one last time. As much as you wanted to protect your loved ones, Ada meant too much for you to let go. You just wanted to be with her, whether it was genuine or not. You feel like you can sort it out later.

~~

Several years passed and so far, Claire hasn’t heard a peep about any wolf sightings or murders. It was gut wrenching to tell Chris, your family and friends that you were gone. It left them shaken to their core, others tried to brave through life without you. Others were stagnant and were unable to really move on. To the townspeople it was a relief that left them with paranoia and trauma. However Claire, was slowly giving up on finding you. Your words echoed in her mind.

Soon she heads out to check her mailbox. As she sifts through the junk mail, bills and others. Her eyes widen as she reached her home again. A letter with a poppy and daisy held together by a red wax seal. She turns it around, it had no return address and it was for her from, you. Her breathe hitched as she closes the door and sits down at her kitchen table. She opens the letter, it was general update and to let Claire know you’re still alive and are being treated well.

This fuels her further to push harder to find you, to give you the truth and to finally free you from your shackles.

~~

You sat at the table as you looked outside the window as Ada cooks your food. You hoped the letter reaches Claire and to put her search for you to a halt. “Hey, are you okay..?” Ada’s voice lifts you out of your thoughts, your eyes looked towards hers. “Yeah I was thinking about something…”

“Go on, you can tell me anything…” Ada sighs and turns off the stove and places the food on two plates. “I just don’t want to be found is all.” You didn’t want her to see your real colors. You wanted to keep your promise both the ones you Ada’s and Claire’s.

“I see, but just next time don’t send another letter. Before you ask, I’ve always known. I could smell the faint smell of melted wax from a mile away. You’ve always were a terrible liar, but don’t worry. I’ll have you be my good girl in no time…” Ada grabs your face with one hand, pulling you towards her face. Her fangs glint in the sunlight as her claws sink slightly into your cheeks. “Now do you understand..?”

“Yes dear…”

[shunin-gumis]

Designs of Happiness - Track A17

L4mps Main Story Translation

Title: The Hakodate Chase

Characters: Netaro, Toi, Yodaka, Nagi, Ryui

Summary: At the burger joint, Toi displays his divination prowess to the group to decide on their next destination.

Thank you aca @463ce6, myun @/myuntachis and Niri @/Niri_riri for helping me with proofing!

Location: Hakodate - Lucky Pierrot

Momiji: You ordered a crazy number of burgers there, Netaro-kun. Are you sure you can eat them all?

Netaro: *mouth full* Not to worry, these will be gone in a jiffy.

Toi: Ah~ That sure was delicious! My stomach’s close to bursting now!

Nagi: (Dipping the last of the fries into the sauce for that delicious last bite—)

Netaro: Gii, aah~

Nagi: (Huh? Is “Gii” supposed to be me…?)

Netaro: Aaah~

Nagi: …Here.

Netaro: Nom! Mm, scrumptious~!

Momiji: (Netaro-kun had a lot of fries left on his plate, and yet…)

Nagi: This kind of interaction makes it feel like we’re a family… 

Momiji: (Nagi-kun seems to be happy about it, so I guess it’s fine…)

Momiji: Alright then, let’s decide where we should head next.

Netaro: Toi, it’s time to use that divination of yours! I want to see your secret power with my own two eyes.

Toi: I left my divination tools back at the inn, so I can only show you something simple… 

Netaro: Nooooo… That’s not the same…

Momiji: I’m surprised that you can do it without your tools though. I thought crystal balls or tarot cards were absolutely necessary for fortune-telling… 

Nagi: Me too.

Toi: In my case, I’m able to do a reading as long as I can receive an answer in whatever shape or form. I don’t really need any kind of official method for it.

Toi: There’s no one right way to do a reading in the first place. It’s just that there’s a lot of people who need to borrow power from a crystal ball or tarot cards. 

Nagi: So you can do a reading regardless of the method… You sure have an amazing power, Toi. 

Toi: Hehe! It’s just something that’s been passed down, so I have my ancestors to thank…!

Toi: Then, I’ll try asking the water this time.

Netaro: The water~?

Toi: Let’s see, first I do this… 

Momiji: (Oh, he’s collecting a bit of water from the cup onto the straw…)

Toi: Forgive me for being a little messy… There!

Momiji: (Now he’s splashed the droplets onto the tray…)

Toi: …… 

Nagi: (Is he… observing the shape of the water?)

Nagi: (It seems unbelievable, but if it really works…)

Netaro: Aw phooey, I wanted to study Toi’s secret power! I would like to take him apart piece by piece and put him under a microscope!

Momiji: Netaro-kun, he’s trying to focus so let’s stay quiet, okay?

Netaro: Then, in exchange for my silence, is it alright if I request Toi for a divination at his full power when we return to HAMA?

Nagi: Ah… M-Me too— 

Momiji: This isn’t something you should treat lightly.

Nagi: Oh……… 

Netaro: Hmph~

Location: Hakodate - Near the Kanemori Brick Warehouse

Yodaka: I’ll take the shot now, say cheese! 

Tourist A: Thank you so much~ Sorry for springing that on you all of a sudden.

Tourist B: You even carried all our bags for us… You’re such a lifesaver! 

Yodaka: If I made your trip even a little more pleasant, that is all I could ask for. I hope you enjoy your time at Hakodate.

Tourist B: …! U-Um… 

Tourist B: If it’s alright with you, would you like to join us for—

??: …Tch, that hurt. Watch where you’re walking, old man!

Yodaka: My apologies. I was far too absorbed in my conversation with these lovely ladies. Are you hurt anywhere, young boy?

??: What? I better have heard that wrong, because you did NOT just call me a kid.  

Tourist A: What’s your problem? You’re the one who bumped into him! There’s no reason for you to apologize to this brat.

Tourist B: That’s right! Just ignore him.

Yodaka: Oh dear, you needn’t be so forceful with me. Please don’t worry, I wouldn’t even dream of leaving your side.

??: Oi. 

Tourist A: What now!

??: You dropped something there. Looks like a scrap of paper.

Yodaka: Ah, pardon me. Thank you for pointing that out, this is an important flier you see… 

Yodaka: …… 

Yodaka: Would you mind sharing your name?

??: You don’t need to thank me— 

Toi: Ani-sama!?

??: —Wha!?

Momiji: Huh, that’s Yodaka-san and…? 

Yodaka: Hello there. I see you’ve all just had your lunch.

Nagi: Crazy. We found him the moment we left the restaurant. 

Netaro: So this is the power of divination! 

Toi: So this is where you were, Ani-sama! I’ve been searching for you all this time…!

Ryui: Toi…!

Yodaka: As I thought… The portrait may not have been an exact match, but it’s clear as day that you’re twins. 

Ryui: Dammit, we’re not supposed to meet yet, not like this…!

*Ryui runs off*

Toi: W-Why are you running!?

Momiji: So that’s Ryui-kun… He has a completely different vibe from Toi-kun, but it’s true their faces are quite similar… Wait, now’s not the time for that! Please, wait…! 

Netaro: Eureka! I just had a brilliant idea: It would be far more fun if I made clones of them!

Nagi: Do we chase after them?

Momiji: Yes! …Huh?

Tourist C: What the heck! Why’re there no taxis around? My feet huuuurt!

Tourist D: Kazuo! Where are you! Oh, where could he have gone off to now…!

Tourist E: How are we supposed to get to Mount Hakodate from here? We’ve been, like, walking in circles for ages now! 

Momiji: Ugh…!

Momiji: (There seems to be a lot of troubled tourists around here…!)

Momiji: Now’s not really the time, but I just can’t pretend I don’t see them… Everyone, please give me a moment of your time!

~~~(Hospitality Battle)

Momiji: *panting* Ok, that’s dealt with…!

Momiji: Yodaka-san, please chase after him! 

Yodaka: Alright, leave it to me. I could never say no to your request.

Yodaka: And that’s how it is. Forgive me, but looks like this is where we part ways.

Tourist A: Whaat, no way…!

Yodaka: Please, don’t look so down. You should always smile while traveling. I’m sure that this moment, too, will one day be a memory you look back on fondly. 

Yodaka: I should return your precious belongings now. Who does this paper bag belong to?

Tourist B: That one’s mine! Thank you so much for carrying it for me!

Yodaka: Oh my, looks like you’ve got some pastries in here. This must be handled delicately… Here you go. 

Tourist A: Thank you so much! You were a huge help.

Yodaka: You’re welcome. See, a smile suits you much better after all.

Momiji: So damn slow! 

Nagi: As expected of the man who never lets anything fluster him. But he’s useless now. Let’s leave him behind. 

*Nagi runs off*

Toi: Oh no! Ani-sama is getting away!! Someone, please stop that handsome punk!

*Toi follows*

Momiji: Ah, Manager!

Daniel: Ugh, what now? You guys playing tourism tag or somethin’?

Momiji: We found Ryui-kun! Please help us catch him!

Netaro: There is no time better than now to show off what those muscles of yours are worth!

Daniel: These muscles aren’t made for a marathon, geez… 

~~~

Netaro: Woa-hoh!

Nagi: !

Toi: Netaro-san tripped and fell!

Netaro: I’ve yet to familiarize myself with the length of these limbs… 

Momiji: Toi-kun, we can’t stop now, keep running! Sorry Netaro-kun, we’ll come find you later!

Toi: I’m so sorryyyyyyyy~!

<- Previous | Next ->

Masterlist

[star-girl69]

Keep Me Ablaze

Jake Sully x Neytiri x Fem!Reader

—-

a/n: sorry for no chapter yesterday, i hope you all enjoy!!

warnings: mentions of bows and arrows, swearing, tell me if i missed anything!!

Chapter Nine- Burn

—-

“Neytiri,” you murmur, not quite ready to fall asleep, to be away from her.

“Yes?” she mumbles, rolling over, the criss-cross of the hammock slightly imprinted on her chin and jaw. You smile, touch the discolored skin either your fingertips. She just closes her eyes, presses her face closer to yours.

“Grace wanted me to tell you. We won’t be able to come tomorrow, not in the morning.”

“Why?” she asks, eyes open, concern on her face.

“We’re moving from Hell’s Gate to another Site. I- I don’t know why.” Her eyes fall from yours, trailing downwards, stopping at her necklace still on you.

“Oh,” is all she can say.

“‘M sorry,” you say, maybe too fast.

“It’s alright,” she says, tucking her head under your chin, forehead pressed against the base of your throat. “As long as you come back. Everyone wants you to come back, you know. Even Mother likes you. Tsu’tey does too, he just won’t say it.” You can feel her fond smile against your chest, her lips brushing your skin as she speaks.

“I’m glad,” you whisper, because it’s foreign to belong to someone like this.

You belonged to your parents, when they were alive, and you belong to Grace now. But you don’t belong to her like you belong to Neytiri, like you belong to the Omaticaya, to the forest.

Jake’s name flashes in your mind.

“I love being here,” you smile, brushing her braids back.

She hums, wraps her arm around your waist like she’s done the other two nights you’ve slept with her.

“Good,” she says, and you don’t have the strength to do anything more than belong like this.

—-

“Why,” you say, putting down your bag, “do we have to go to Site 26?”

“Aren’t you the one who loves the mountains?” Grace smiles, looking over her shoulder from the microscope she’s packing.

“Yes, but-”

“So, where are we going?” Jake asks, wheelchair coming to a scope.

“Getting out of Dodge.”

“But why?”

Grace looks at Jake for a moment longer-

“I’m not about to let Selfridge and Quaritch micro-manage this thing.”

You watch as Jake’s face deflates, looks down like he’s done something wrong, like a kicked puppy.

You almost want to ask him what he’s done. Not what’s wrong- because he doesn’t look sad. He looks guilty.

“There’s a mobile link up at Site 26,” Grace repeats, “way up in the mountains.”

Norm freezes mid-air as he takes in her words.

“The Hallelujah Mountains?” he asks, practically salivating at the thought, and even Grace can’t hide her smile as you let out a giggle.

“That’s right,” she muses.

“Are you serious?”

She nods, his excitement refreshing, “yeah.”

“Yes!” he exclaims, laughing, while Jake squints.

Norm’s smile drops, and you roll your eyes.

“The floating mountains?” you ask, patting his cheek as if to shock the information into him.

“Uh, the legendary floating mountains.”

When Jake doesn’t have a reaction, Norm simply scoffs and turns, while you tsk and pull at his ear.

“Jesus-” he flinches, glaring up at you. “What was that for,” he hisses, smiling slightly, grabbing your arm as you try to turn away.

Even like this, his hand is bigger than yours, easily wrapping around you and pulling you back. You swallow, uneasy.

Why does he burn like Neytiri? Why does he burn like you? Why do you want to burn with him?

“No reason,” you smile, and his hand falls, even though you don’t want it to.

—-

“We’re close,” Grace says, eyes scanning nervously through the skies. The two of you know better than anyone else what danger is truly in Pandora.

You know the stories Neytiri would tell you, head in her lap, her hands in your hair. She would tell you of Toruk Makto, sing you the First Songs. You know that Toruk is in these skies, even if you cannot see him.

“Yeah, look at my instruments,” Trudy remarks, and you know the sight by hard. “VFR from here.”

“What’s VFR?” Norm asks, and you’ve quickly realized he is a scientist through and through. Fascinated by the world in a way you and Jake aren’t.

“Means you’ve gotta see where you’re going.”

Norm frowns, turning back towards the front window. “You can’t see anything,”

She laughs, “exactly. Ain’t that a bitch?”

You rise higher and higher, the clouds thinning, until it finally clears and you can see them.

To you, it’s a sight you’ve seen a million times before. You’ve even touched a flower from it, still keep it pressed in Grace’s book. To you, it is all you have ever known. It’s is the forest, is Pandora, it’s what you belong to.

To them, it’s alien, otherworldly, extraterrestrial.

You’re sure if you ever saw Earth, you would feel the same.

—-

The airlock hisses right in your ears, making you tuck your ear to the side after you take your mask off. You can see the lights switching on through the small window, until the door swings open.

“Welcome to camp,” Grace says around a cigarette, commanding everyone to their bunks.

You tune out the other background sounds, watch as Trudy rifles through the fridge, and Jake stares at the pictures stuck on it.

“This you?” he asks, looking over his shoulder.

“Uh…” you mumble, too far away to see.

There’s many pictures, all of various Na’vi children and Grace, but there’s one figure unlike the others.

You focus on the biggest picture, the one he’s pointing at.

You stand outside of the school, blue flower comically sticking out of your pocket, while Neytiri folds herself down to rest her cheek on top of your head, arms around you. Your hands reach up, fingers curling around her arm.

Her eyes are closed, too happy to even care about the picture, while you look straight at the camera.

You both smile bright, the same way, that same fire in both of you. That familiar feeling in your stomach then and now, knowing that you would gladly burn if it was with her.

“Yes,” you murmur, gripping the handles of Jake’s wheelchair. “That’s me.”

—-

“Okay. This is video log 12. Time’s 2132.” You watch as Grace fiddles with her microscope, studying another sample, while you lean on her shoulder. Jake sighs. “Do I have to do this now? I really need to get some rack?”

“No, now. When it’s fresh,” Grace says, her shoulder shifting slight under you.

You lift your head, stare at the bright red light on the camera. You can see Jake rolling his eyes on the screen.

“Okay, location, shack, and the days are starting to blur together. The language is a pain, but, you know, I figure it’s like field-stripping a weapon. Just repetition, repetition.”

—-

Neytiri points to her eyes, and you lean back on your hands, watching as Jake contemplates for a moment.

“Navi,” he says, finally.

“Nari.” She corrects, lowering her hands, braids hitting each other. You put your fingertip on her knee, drawing circles.

“Nari,” he repeats, but it’s off.

“Narrrri!” she exclaims impatiently, exaggerating the “r” sound.

“Narrri,” he repeats, but she only hisses and smacks him. “Shut up,” he mumbles when you laugh.

—-

“Neytiri calls me skxawng,” he continues, “it means moron.”

—-

“Txur ni’ul,” and you stumble with the bow, your grip weak. “Stronger,” Neytiri says.

She places her hands against her stomach, breathes in deeply.

“Okay, okay,” you mutter, breathing in deeply before raising the bow, pulling it all the way back.

She hums, presses against your stomach, then straightens your arm. She taps your back arm, and you lift it up higher.

“Good,” she says after a moment.

Jake scoffs, and you look over your shoulder to smile at him.“What, so I just get abused and she gets all soft and gentle?”

“Yes,” Neytiri says, no hesitation. “She is my human.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Jake mumbles, and looks down, like he’s been left out of something.

—-

“And, you know,” Jake smiles, leaning back in his chair, “I think I’m really starting to make a dent on the Augustines.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” you smile, kicking the back of his chair. He looks back at you through the screen, and Grace’s scoff falls away, until it’s just the two of you looking at each other.

“You think I’m not that bad, sweetheart.”

You snort, and he only grins wider, staring at you. There must be some static on the screen. Because he’s staring at you like there’s stars in your eyes, like you’re covered in diamonds. He’s staring at you like you’re beautiful.

“Sure, skxawng,” you mutter, but you know he’s right.

You know Jake Sully is like a fire that has followed a trail of gasoline, come straight to burn you. And you see it coming, see him following the path that the three of you never had a choice in anyways, and you don’t run away. You let yourself burn with him.

Burn with them, because Neytiri has already been there too.

—-

taglist:

@kitkat1690 @tiajk @reallysparklychaos @behindthearcane @neteyamforlife @aeslenya @ghoulbli @luvvsnae @personapersonally @bubble-blu @ameriesworld @itsyoboysparkel @ok-boke @arschbohrer @ambria @ssc7514 @w3ird11 @vane28282 @littlexscarletxwitch @erenjaegerwifee @myheartfollower @simp-erformarvelwomen @maevirago @n7cje @aerangi @minkyungseokie @disaster-in-waiting @httpsplanetmarsdotcom @hot15936 @noname2246 @fanboyluvr @ara-a-bird @fussel9913

[paradoxoftrees]

GUYS WTF

A mini rant before I actually go to bed:

*inhales* So I just watched the Dragon Prince season 6 and all I can say is wtf. Actually wtf. I am still up to this moment thinking about Leola I’m not even kidding. What happened here was a disgrace to the freaking universe itself (while providing Aaravos a very generous dose of my sympathy, affirming my reasons for obsessing over this elf).

i know I have this thing where I like analyzing stuff to death, so I’m gonna take a good moment to put our short time with Leola under a microscope…

To me, I see this innocent character as an embodiment of individuality and the uncertainty and fear society associates with it. Our society itself is very saturated with this stigma and disgust regarding self expression, as those who defy what people define as “normal” always seem to be the subject of hatred. Being odd, or unconventional is twisted into something negative, with people interpreting it as something to gain attention or something to purposely defy norms for the sake of doing so. Leola very much symbolizes this treatment. She is even defined as being “quirky”, a word used to scrutinize and criminalize the act of expressing oneself in modern society. This particular word confirms to me that Leola is supposed to represent the battle between normalcy and individualism that exists here on this earth. I cant help but feel so horrible for this elf child. No, she is not attention seeking, insecure, inferior, and most of all, she is NOT a criminal. She is a child who is simply in tune with herself and accepting of herself, and therefore, has the capacity to extend this beyond herself into the literal universe. How powerful is that? Her acceptance and sheer self expression are contagious. And that is interpreted as something toxic, from the perspective of those who cannot possibly find that sort of love within their empty and hateful souls. So they, and many those in our own little society, decide to exterminate it. This fictional cosmic balance is our real life societal balance. And the show’s portrayal of her during her final moments made this even more devastating. At the very end, she was a scared child. A scared child who wanted nothing more to live within the world that she loved so much. I can say that this flashback was horrendously and beautifully well done at the same time.

And I don’t even want to talk about Aaravos… but I will. Honestly the idea of this snarky af space-themed elf being an actual parent was odd at first, but I instantly felt a kind of gut wrenching sorrow for this fictional character that I haven’t felt for anything else in a LONG time. Hes so freaking skrunkly, overwhelmingly so. Seeing this elf being capable of love really hit hard like nothing else, knowing that his alarmingly heinous acts were driven by this all-consuming grief. Knowing that this villainous blue elf had such a soft past, and such a torturous present, made me want to unwrite those damn cosmic court (whatever it’s called) elves out of the very script itself. Seeing the very moment when Aaravos’s face just snapped as his daughter was literally murdered just… yeah no words.

I genuinely hope Aaravos gets to talk to Leola just one last time… I just want to see this poor elf happy to be honest. For closure.

There shouldn’t be a price for individuality. But yet we pay it. Making this sweet and scared character pay this price made our own societal ignorance even more wrenching and real.

*i don’t feel getter now. Guess I got to make a fanfic where things are better.*